Well, the gifs aren't mine, but I do wanna finally sit down and talk a bit about what we saw in the trailer! I'm kinda short on time, but I'll try and get my thoughts together and have something worth reading!
Just... WOW.
This trailer was certainly not as hype as the last one. While the last trailer gave us an adrenaline high of nostalgia, humor, and epicness (absolutely thrilled by the shot of Toothless with the lightning), but this trailer seems to have a tone that will probably be closer to that of the film.
The music is GORGEOUS. I love the use of that old 90s song, "Learning to Fly". If anyone knows exactly what version of it they used, please let me know. I want to buy it! I feel the song really captures both the beauty and sadness of what I presume will be the first act. We see the beauty of Toothless finding another dragon who is similar to him, but we also see the hint of sadness when the song says "The good ol' days may not return". The days of it being just Hiccup and Toothless together against the world, those are suddenly threatened, and it will scare Hiccup to stand on his own. This movie is going to very intentionally make us feel both happy for Toothless and genuinely worried about what the ramifications of his newfound freedom, his position as Alpha, and his blooming relationship with the Light Fury will be. Will Hiccup and Toothless be separated for good? I can't say, but the film is certainly going to make us feel the worry in Hiccup's own heart. Can they stand alone?
Speaking of, Inhonoredglory, Toothlesslove and I quickly discussed the trailer right after seeing it, and Glory pointed out something really striking. The whole adorable scene of Toothless playing around with Hiccup's leg may not just be a charming scene. It is a subtle reminder that Hiccup needs Toothless. That missing foot is because of Toothless, it is the mechanism by which he helps Toothless fly, and the only reason he lost it is because he and that dragon bonded and changed their world forever. When he tosses it off the cliff and Toothless leaves him, he is suddenly left asking "How will I get down?"... and it can be taken to mean so much more than that. If Toothless leaves, he will take part of Hiccup with him. How will Hiccup cope without that part of himself? How will he walk? He's been so close to Toothless, so inseparable, that suddenly the chance of not having that dragon always by his side is extremely scary! I do think that this theme was written in quite deliberately, which just goes to show how much care and thought Dean has been putting into this movie!
I always kinda thought the reason for making the Light Fury white was to have a striking contrast between her and Toothless... basically, I guessed it would make them look really dynamic together, and allow for some gorgeous/artistic shots. Boy, I could not have even dreamed of how good the animators would make them look! Seriously, the visuals in this film are going to be amazing. Everything is shaping up so well. The art, the writing, the character development... everything looks so promising! I'm extremely eager to see it all unfold on the big screen!
Grimmel is looking all the more intimidating. I think it is so interesting how he and Drago both command an aura of authority and power, but they do see in different ways. Drago tried to make himself look invincible, he hid his weakness from his men and terrified the dragons by displays of invulnerability to their flames. However, Grimmel seems to maintain an air of control and composure. He isn't invincible, but he is three steps ahead. He is skilled, he knows what he is after, and he has all the resources he needs to accomplish his goals. He is the man who has driven Night Furies to extinction, and he will certainly be a terrifying foe in the next film!
As a tiny side note, I love seeing Valka and Eret in Berk clothes, and I really like how they have slightly aged Valka. All these little details keep the world feeling real and relatable... even while drastic and amazing sights are dazzling our eyes!
I don't really have a good prediction of the order of events, but this films stakes couldn't be higher. We see Berk in flames, Toothless and the Light Fury being carried away right before Hiccup's eyes, and the citizens of Berk standing, staring in shock the screen. Hiccup is even clearly crying in one scene, and just look at how ripped up his armor is. This is going to be a conflict of epic proportions... the film just looks like it will tackle everything! Man, this is gonna hurt my heart!
DANG. Astrid asking Hiccup, "So, what are you going to do about it?" I always loved the parallels used in the first film. It made HTTYD feel like watching a novel... or watching poetry! Seeing this isn't just some tacky call-back to the first movie. This series has steered clear of repeating itself (unlike many other animated franchises). No, this is a display of GROWTH. Hiccup isn't a crushed fifteen-year-old, and Astrid feels no need to be gentle. She is CONFIDENT that he can succeed, and his mind is surely abuzz with plans. I really just can't express how excited I was to see that line used that way!
Toothless is so, so boss. His wingspan and everything in these shots is just so striking. This tiny, goofy little dragon... is the king of them all. He is, quite frankly, the most dangerous thing on his planet. He is the alpha, the dragon above all dragons, and it really does look like this film will make it absolutely clear that he is stepping into that role. After all, we saw him epically claim the title in the final battle of the second film, but he did that to protect Hiccup and to ensure that he could never again be controlled and used to hurt the ones he cared about. However, we never really see him fully embrace the role. Sure, he has it, and he is a good Alpha, but he doesn't seem to fully comprehend the weight of it all. It's not just an island of dragons that he is responsible for, it is all of dragon-kind!! Man, he and Hiccup have grown so much, and the burdens they carry have become unimaginably heavy! This film really will be the ultimate test!
Also, note that Drago's Bewilderbeast is hailing Toothless as Alpha! Man, I bet that dragon did not expect this outcome! He controls one little black dragon, and suddenly the entire Alpha system gets turned on its head. I wonder if Drago really is dead. I'd like to know for certain... because it seemed kinda vague in the second film!
Man, that line, "You're right Bud; it's time"... what on earth is gonna happen! And it is a parallel to GotNF and the second film! I can't handle it!!!! This film really is gonna hit us where it hurts, but it also is using our love for these characters to make this final chapter the best it can be! It is gonna be an epic ride, but I will certainly need to bring some tissues!
So, those are my somewhat random thoughts! What did you guys think of the new trailer?
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