Hiccup & Toothless (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
forbiddenfriendship) wrote2013-05-10 09:23 pm
forbiddenfriendship) wrote2013-05-10 09:23 pm
Entry tags:
Personality
For most of Hiccup's life, he's be the awkward, odd kid out, known to all of Berk as the village embarrassment. Vikings were meant to be strong, and tough, and able to fight off dragons with their bare hands. Hiccup however, was none of these things. He was small, and physically weak, and couldn't hope to fight a dragon to save his life. All of who he was wasn't what Vikings were supposed to be, and this has had a profound effect on who Hiccup is. And even though he has recently gained the respect of the tribe in his own way, Hiccup is still getting used to this new change in how people regard him.
Having grown up as the 'village embarrassment', Hiccup has developed quite a few insecurities. The fact that he's the son of the chief has made this even worse, since it wasn't just about him failing in the eyes of the village, but in the eyes of his father. As a result, Hiccup developed a desire to prove himself that goes to extreme levels. Since 'everything around here is about killing dragons', that's what Hiccup sets out to do - and lacking the ability to fight them himself, he builds siege weaponry to do it for him. And then he disregards the orders of his father and Gobbler by getting out there to try and take down a dragon, and inevitably ends up causing more problems in the process. And it's implied that he does this, over and over.
But this need to prove himself ultimately doesn't override Hiccup's own ability to emphasise and feel compassion for other people and creatures. Even though it would gain him instant respect and solve all of his problems of worth in his father's eyes, Hiccup chooses not to kill a dragon. He chooses this because he sees that the dragon, just like him, is scared. Even if someone is completely different from Hiccup, and even what he's been brought up to believe is his sword enemy, he is still able to feel empathy for them. More than that - he'll actively help them out. He didn't need to keep checking up on Toothless, feed him fish, and help him fly again, but Hiccup did anyway. This doesn't mean that he'll just emphasise with everybody - Hiccup does kill the Red Death, because that dragon absolutely was threatening the entire village, and if he hadn't they would have all died. But given the chance, he'll give other people a chance too.
Choosing not to kill a dragon doesn't just override his need to prove himself the once, however. It causes him to realise that he's just not going to be able to gain respect the way he thinks he needs to do so, and try to tell his father that he doesn't want to fight dragons anymore. In the end, through the events of the film Hiccup loses a lot of that extreme drive - although that need to be useful and respected is still there. But it not longer gets to extreme, unhealthy levels, and he's able to prioritise more important things over that need.
One thing that didn't change though, is Hiccup's dry and sarcastic wit. This, like his insecurities, developed as a response to unsteady place in the village. He couldn't match the other vikings physically, but he sure could match them in deadpan sarcasm. And intelligence - which admittedly isn't a trait the vikings are particularly known for.
But there are some viking traits Hiccup definitely possesses. Sheer stubbornness, for one. As evident by the fact that even before the events of the movie, he was clearly making constant attempt to take down a dragon, and failing at all of them. And yet, he kept on going. He's also pretty gutsy too, and brave. After all, taking on the Red Death is no walk in the park, and he took it on alone. Not to mention that it actually takes much more bravery to put down your weapons and try to befriend a creature that you've been brought up to believe is your mortal enemy, that will only ever hurt and kill you, than it does to kill it.
Having grown up as the 'village embarrassment', Hiccup has developed quite a few insecurities. The fact that he's the son of the chief has made this even worse, since it wasn't just about him failing in the eyes of the village, but in the eyes of his father. As a result, Hiccup developed a desire to prove himself that goes to extreme levels. Since 'everything around here is about killing dragons', that's what Hiccup sets out to do - and lacking the ability to fight them himself, he builds siege weaponry to do it for him. And then he disregards the orders of his father and Gobbler by getting out there to try and take down a dragon, and inevitably ends up causing more problems in the process. And it's implied that he does this, over and over.
But this need to prove himself ultimately doesn't override Hiccup's own ability to emphasise and feel compassion for other people and creatures. Even though it would gain him instant respect and solve all of his problems of worth in his father's eyes, Hiccup chooses not to kill a dragon. He chooses this because he sees that the dragon, just like him, is scared. Even if someone is completely different from Hiccup, and even what he's been brought up to believe is his sword enemy, he is still able to feel empathy for them. More than that - he'll actively help them out. He didn't need to keep checking up on Toothless, feed him fish, and help him fly again, but Hiccup did anyway. This doesn't mean that he'll just emphasise with everybody - Hiccup does kill the Red Death, because that dragon absolutely was threatening the entire village, and if he hadn't they would have all died. But given the chance, he'll give other people a chance too.
Choosing not to kill a dragon doesn't just override his need to prove himself the once, however. It causes him to realise that he's just not going to be able to gain respect the way he thinks he needs to do so, and try to tell his father that he doesn't want to fight dragons anymore. In the end, through the events of the film Hiccup loses a lot of that extreme drive - although that need to be useful and respected is still there. But it not longer gets to extreme, unhealthy levels, and he's able to prioritise more important things over that need.
One thing that didn't change though, is Hiccup's dry and sarcastic wit. This, like his insecurities, developed as a response to unsteady place in the village. He couldn't match the other vikings physically, but he sure could match them in deadpan sarcasm. And intelligence - which admittedly isn't a trait the vikings are particularly known for.
But there are some viking traits Hiccup definitely possesses. Sheer stubbornness, for one. As evident by the fact that even before the events of the movie, he was clearly making constant attempt to take down a dragon, and failing at all of them. And yet, he kept on going. He's also pretty gutsy too, and brave. After all, taking on the Red Death is no walk in the park, and he took it on alone. Not to mention that it actually takes much more bravery to put down your weapons and try to befriend a creature that you've been brought up to believe is your mortal enemy, that will only ever hurt and kill you, than it does to kill it.