I'm going to try and write a little analysis of one aspect of the "Toothless Found" scene. I had been thinking about this for a while, and after seeing Rima's post about this scene (which I posted on this blog. Thanks again Rima!), I really felt like I could try and voice my thoughts because they kind of mesh well with her's, and it is always exciting to agree with other fans! Anyway, click the "read more"
What I want to talk about it the speech Hiccup makes to Toothless. I personally think it is fantastic. The voice acting in it, the animation of both Hiccup and Toothless (including the teary!Hiccup moments!) was just incredible. I really cried a lot every time I saw this scene, but unlike my crying in the scene that comes right before it, this scene really just makes me cry because of the sheer beauty of what Hiccup and Toothless are doing. But, anyway, enough about me! Now onto the analysis.
The speech Hiccup gives to Toothless goes something like This:
Hiccup: "Toothless? Hey, it's me, Bud. It's me. It's me, I'm right here, Bud. Come back to me."
Drago: "He's not yours anymore, he belongs to the Alpha. But please, oh great Dragon Master, try and take him. He will not miss a second time."
Hiccup: "It wasn't your fault, Bud. They... made you do it. You would never hurt him... you would never hurt me. Please, you are my best friend, Bud... my best friend..."
So, I think this is just about the most fantastic speech in the history of ever... unless the funeral speech is better, but it is hard to compare them! I just want to note some things about it. Like what Rima pointed out, Hiccup is overcoming Drago's worldview in this scene. He breathes deeply before approaching, he is determined, and he isn't going to give into fear. But even though he has lost his fearful shouting of commands, I still think Hiccup experiments around with the speech, and in the end he finds that one thing that brings Toothless back to him. The way he starts is calling Toothless's name, trying to get his attention. Toothless remains unmoved, practically unaware of his existence. Because of this Hiccup tries to let Toothless know who he is. He tries to remind Toothless that he is the boy that Toothless has grown to love. He is Hiccup, Toothless's friend, and he wants... he needs Toothless to come back. But even in that pleading "Come back to me" Hiccup cannot beg Toothless free.
Drago mocks Hiccup for this and reminds Hiccup that dragons all belong to the Alpha. He then orders Toothless to kill Hiccup yet again. For Berk to see the young man who they've come to hope in killed by his own dragon would seal a nail in the coffin for anyone ever opposing Drago again. His worldview would be completely proven, and everyone would soon be forced under his rule of terror and control. But Hiccup keeps coming, he keeps getting closer to Toothless, and then Hiccup makes his arguments all the more powerful to the heart of his friend. Toothless may be forced to follow the Alpha's commands because of something deep and frighteningly powerful inside his instincts, but Hiccup appeals to something more than that. There is no more commanding, and there is no more pleading. Hiccup needs to strike deeper than that.
What Hiccup does is incredible... because it is (in my opinion) one of the most powerful ways to convince someone of something. Hiccup reminds Toothless of who the Toothless is. He starts doing this by letting the poor dragon know that he is sorry for forcing him away, he is sorry that Toothless suffered in that blind moment of anguish. Hiccup lets Toothless know that he is forgiven. At this point Toothless starts to shake the control. Hiccup is getting closer. Hiccup is appealing to the real Toothless, the soul stuck in that dragon body. As a dragon he may be under the Alpha's control, but as himself, as Toothless he is realizing just how much Hiccup loves him. I do believe that at this point Toothless knows he has killed Stoick... because if he hadn't discovered this I don't think it would have really pulled him up out of the Red Rage to feel forgiven (I believe he clued in when Hiccup shoved him away and shouted at him in anger and grief, but I don't think he knew what had happened when he first came to). I also have to note how forgiveness is not an instinctual action. It is something that comes from the heart, that comes from love. Hiccup and Toothless have forgiven each other before, but they are doing it on a far greater scale at this point. Hiccup forgives Toothless, his voice breaks tearfully as he tells him that it wasn't his fault. He reminds Toothless, I state again, of who Toothless truly is. Toothless would never hurt Stoick... and Toothless would never, never, never hurt Hiccup. Toothless's heart, Toothless's soul is starting to surge up from wherever the Alpha has buried it in him by this point. He is remembering who he is, who he truly is, and who Hiccup still believes he is.
Then Hiccup seals it. He has told Toothless it wasn't his fault, deeply forgiven him, told him that he would never have hurt Stoick, and that he would never have hurt him, but now we see Hiccup tell Toothless clearly who he is... who they are.
Toothless is Hiccup's best friend.
After all the tragedy they have suffered, Hiccup has not forgotten what he and Toothless are. Maybe after being hurt by Hiccup's rejection... maybe Toothless has, but now he knows that Hiccup still loves him. Hiccup values Toothless so much more than anything else, and Toothless now knows that he is Hiccup's best friend, and Hiccup is Toothless's greatest treasure. Hiccup is the one Toothless values more than his own life and freedom, and upon being reminded of that, Toothless flat out BURSTS the fetters of the Alpha. He defies everything it is to be a dragon in the Alpha system (which he will later continue to defy when he challenges the Alpha himself). He and Hiccup love each other, they know that about each other, and Hiccup has forced Toothless to remember that. Drago is left dumbfounded, and his attempts to reclaim Toothless are pathetically in vain. The Toothless who loves Hiccup is back, and Drago is sent plummeting. Hiccup leaps up with a triumphant cheer before diving to reunite with the friend he so tragically lost. Hiccup found Toothless... and so did Toothless. That is why I love this scene. Hiccup does such an incredible job of telling us what he and that dragon have for each other, and what they have... what they are for each other truly outclasses even the most terrifying of powers or the most powerful of instincts.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the analysis. I know it kinda plays heavily on the way I think the Red Rage works (and I could be wrong)... but it was such a great speech, I really couldn't help but want to write about it. Man, I cannot wait for the digital release... because this scene makes me so happy, so sad, and just leaves me completely in awe whenever I finish it. This is what it means to have a friend... this is what it means to love.
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