Thursday, December 19, 2013

Valka Observation

Going off of some interview info and the amazing footage of this trailer, I've got this weird opinion of Valka that (though still very positive) doesn't paint her as being quite the perfect character. I am just intrigued to see how she and Hiccup will differ. As dragon trainers (and very good ones at that), it is interesting to see their different techniques and the different kinds of relationships that result. This also slightly covers Toothless's slight increase in anthropomorphism.


Ok. so here's my theory on Valka. It is coming from the one interview we got about her and what I see in the trailer. It will also sort of cover Toothless's increased anthropomorphism. I think that Hiccup and Toothless actually have a strangely different, strangely stronger relationship than Valka and Cloudjumper (or any of her other dragons). Call it favoritism, but I've got a theory. Valka is an AMAZING character! Utterly unique, really incredible! It is fascinating to see her interact with the dragons and Dean has even said that Hiccup will be "wowed" by her relationship with Cloudjumper. Now, I know it isn't a competition on who's closer to their dragon, but seeing Valka, and seeing how even Toothless was really easily "trained" by her, was very interesting. It makes me think... there is a defining difference between Hiccup and Valka, and it is a difference that Hiccup sees himself (according to Dean). Hiccup sees Valka as what he could become if pushed to the extreme, and as far as I can tell, it kind of worries him. We don't see it in the trailer, but it has been stated several times that she doesn't trust humans, and she clearly lives alone with the dragons her entire life. What happened in the past with this? Why is she no longer with Stoick? She has become very animilian, and she is described as almost being a little off-her-rocker (again, all of this from interviews). SO, where am I going with this? Here it is, I think Valka, in her own way, clearly understands dragons more than Hiccup, and that is very weird. In her own way, she would be closer to her hoard of dragons than Hiccup is to the dragons of Berk, but what it the difference? Why can she just suddenly calm Toothless? She has conformed, she has conformed 100% to the ways of the dragons. They hardly have to step out of their comfort zones at all to interact with her! She is practically one of them! So, what about Hiccup and Toothless? In their own way, I am still MORE impressed with them because Toothless actually steps out of his comfort zone and so does Hiccup. They both conform. Hiccup is becoming more dragonish (just look at his armor), and Toothless is also clearly picking up on human mannerisms. We don't see any of Valka's dragons acting human (nor do I think we will), and there is a reason. According to the interview Valka does not really think human and dragons can ever coexist. Hiccup does. Hiccup thinks they can both conform, both become a little more like each other, both step out of their comfort zones and live together in peace, and I admire him for that! I LOVE that Hiccup is becoming more familiar with Hiccup, and I actually think it is realistic that Toothless is picking up on Hiccup's mannerisms and becoming even more familiar with him. While Valka sacrificed her humanness for the sake of living with and understanding dragons, Hiccup and Toothless both make sacrifices so as to live together, and, in the end, I still think that that is something very special, and I hope Hiccup will see it as that. Anyway, that's a total guess, and don't think I dislike Valka! I am just interested in the differences, and like Hiccup, I really am wowed by both her and her dragon!

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