Comparative Analysis: Dreamworks Dragons vs. Daredevil

Television as a medium of entertainment is in a state of continuous evolution, especially with the arrival of streaming services earlier on this decade. The shows produced specifically for these streaming services have changed the landscape of entertainment on the small screen. Marvel’s Daredevil, the flagship show in the media juggernaut’s franchise on Netflix is one example of this. Whatever Daredevil was doing was surely a success, as it spawned at least five other series with all but one reaching renewals for second (and third) and most releasing to glowing reviews. Daredevil itself is still the head of the pack with its third season set for release in early 2019, four years after its initial release in 2015.

I am to compare and contrast the Netflix produced Daredevil to a more traditional cable produced television show, Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk and Defenders of Berk, which ran from 2012 to 2014 on Cartoon Network. Interestingly enough, the show moved to Netflix for at least six more seasons, and is still on the air today. While each show undoubtedly caters to a different target audience, I aim to compare and contrast the shows based on their structure, character development and world building.

What stands out from Riders of Berk is its stand-alone structure in terms of its episodes and   narrative. We see this is especially apparent its first season, with most of the episodes centered around Hiccup, a character viewers should have already been well acquainted with from the first movie How To Train Your Dragon, and the village chief who is also Hiccup’s father, Stoick. Each episode focuses on Hiccup as he solves problems usually associated with the push-pull adjustments that the island of Berk has to undergo with the arrival of the dragons into the community. Of course, the island community itself is a major character, as it is at the center of most of the problems and developments, but the way the story unfolds is from Hiccup’s perspective. This perspective centered on Hiccup’s, and his status as a relatively static character throughout most of the first two seasons, allows viewers to jump in and out of the series at any chosen time.

In contrast, what moves Daredevil forward in terms of structure is not necessarily its characters, but the plot itself. The narrative is always in motion, thus, making it difficult for viewers to stay on board with the series, unless they had been watching from the very beginning. I noticed this when on a binge, my parents would have me constantly pause the television to explain to them what was happening currently in the show. It’s very easy to get lost, as each episode is filled to the brim with plot, with a single episode having the capability to make long lasting changes for the characters and the world they live in.

Watching both shows has also shed light on the nature of binging and how streaming services has taken advantage of the structure of a show in order to maximize on this behavior. Naturally with a show like Daredevil, I’d be inclined to watch multiple episodes of the show at once. As the several plot threads are being juggled around, I’d want to immediately watch the next episode right away so as to not lose focus. This increased level of suspense and complexity felt while watching the show is compounded when you realize that almost every episode is bookended with a cliffhanger at the end. Contrasting this to the problem-solution structure of Dreamworks Dragons’ episodes which ties things up nicely with a bow at the end, we see that Netflix designs its shows to heighten suspense through structure, serialization and the use of cliffhangers to increase binging viewership.

This characteristic of serialization and binging for me is something more common with Netflix released shows like Daredevil. Comparing its first season to the second season of Dreamworks Dragons, which was much more serialized than its first, major changes in plot and narrative only happen at the start and at and the end of the season. Unlike Daredevil, you could still jump in and out of episodes during Defenders of Berk as easily as you could in Riders of Berk despite the more serialized nature of the show. The key mover I was able to notice in terms of the change of a show’s status quo was the development of its characters and world building.

What keeps Daredevil’s characters in a constant state of fluidity and development is the fact that they’re constantly adjusting to each other and the world around them. I felt like all of the protagonist’s decisions were based on whatever happened around him. This happens in both of Daredevil’s seasons in different ways. The first season focusing more on how the Matt Murdock’s world is changing him as a character, and the second, more on how a deconstructed Murdock impacts the world around him.

Undoubtedly, Wilson Fisk AKA the Kingpin is the major mover of plot in Daredevil’s first season. While he does not know Matt Murdock’s secret identity, the feud between the two is a deeply ideological, and almost personal one. A clear foil to Murdock’s moral code rooted in Catholicism, Fisk’s Machiavellian attitude and devotion to his cause and others, is a clear counterpoint to Matt’s beliefs. What shows the depth of Daredevil’s character development is that one can easily sympathize with Fisk’s character almost even more so than Murdock’s. There is a clear longing from the audience for Fisk to reach his bride-to-be, Vanessa, in the season one finale, but also a huge sigh of relief to see him finally put behind bars thanks to a fully-formed Daredevil.

The conflict in season 2, while expansive to the world of Hell’s Kitchen is centered on Matt Murdock and deconstructs his dual identities as Matt Murdock and the Devil of Hell’s kitchen. Each of these identities are challenged, as two new antagonists, Frank Castle AKA The Punisher and Elektra stretch the definition of each of identities in new and compelling ways. Frank Castle, while not Wilson Fisk, stands at an ideological impasse to Daredevil’s philosophy of not killing, while Elektra finds no shortage of ways for Matt to prove his convictions and understand fully what it means to become the Daredevil. The serialized nature of season two capitalizes on Matt’s journey throughout the season and culminates in the sad, yet understandable decision for Matt to push away his friends in pursuit of the greater good (and his own happiness).

Things are turned on their head even more in the second season wherein Matt’s fully formed character takes center stage. Matt’s ideological conflicts with Frank Castle, Elektra, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page have real consequences, both to existing character relationships and the larger world of Hell’s Kitchen. For once, we see that Matt’s choice of a “will they” in a “will-they-won’t-they” scenario inexplicably results in a “won’t they” for another set of characters. The heartbreaking dissolution of Nelson and Murdock in the second season wasn’t just upsetting, but a logical move I don’t expect to see reversed any time soon. The constant tension of real consequences with any two set of characters experience make for easily compelling television.

Dreamworks Dragons’ approach to character development is different in that it develops its characters not in the context of their relationships of other characters, but rather exemplifies or breaks down certain character traits in a bubble, in ways that are much easier to understand for Berk’s target audience. For much of season one, we see the spotlight on Hiccup and Stoick, with each of the problem-solution episodes highlighting a certain aspect of their character.

For Hiccup’s character, it is evident that he is the one making the decisions, while everyone just follows. In the episode “Thawfest Games”, Hiccup shows a big character change, showing that he is big headed, conceited, and willing to put his friends down. But with some wise words from his best friend, Astrid, he put his pride down and did what he had to do for his friends Snotlout, even though it meant him losing something that was important to him. As a protagonist, Hiccup is very helpful and always there to save the day, which he probably picked up from his father, the village chief. Meanwhile, in the episode “How To Pick Your Dragon,” Stoick shows that he is somewhat stubborn, as he does not want to do things his son’s way AKA the dragon way, due to the very traditional aspect of him that wants to only follow the viking way. He did not really want to ride dragons, but he eventually saw Berk in a different perspective when he started flying with Toothless. Stoick realized that he could do his job more efficiently with a dragon. His willingness to break traditions and to change his values are a clear showcase of him always wanting the best for the people of Berk. Eventually, in episode “Bing! Bang! Boom!,” he even gave up his own dragon just for the safety of his people.

This trend is continued in season two, where the rest of the dragon academy receives an ample set of episodes for development. I found the second season very apt in this regard considering Dreamworks Dragons is a companion piece to the How to Train your Dragon film series. With limited screen time for each character for a feature length film, I’m happy that they can focus more on minor characters for an extended number of episodes. Snotlout in particular received a huge amount of episodes dedicated for his character throughout both seasons. In the entirety of Riders of Berk, he shows how he always wants to be regarded as the best and the strongest. However, come Defenders of Berk, he slowly shows some character development. In the episode “Race To Fireworm Island,” he originally could not accept that his dragon was ill, and would cover up how he was feeling by giving excuses like his dragon just being stubborn. As the episode progressed, he showed some emotions, while still being in denial. When he finally understands that his dragon, Hookfang, really is sick, he reveals a new side of him. In one scene, he even breaks into tears, and shows that he really is willing to do anything to keep Hookfang alive. This was a big change especially because there have been prior episodes wherein Snotlout shows how much he puts importance to the values taught to him by his father and their clan. In the episode, his father even indirectly tells Snotlout to get rid of Hookfang, just because Hookfang probably won’t be of good use to him anymore. What I once thought as a throwaway arrogant archetype as seen in the first How To Train Your Dragon movie is now a deeply layered character with a personality that can complete with Matthew Murdock’s several shades of grey.

The downside of using single episodes to develop characters are that antagonists of these series often get the short end of the stick. Berk itself has no shortage of antagonists, with Mildew, Dagger, and Alvin each opposing a different facet of life on Berk. Alvin as a main antagonist appears onenote for many of his appearances on the show, only receiving trickles of real development at the end of the second season. Sadly, this has much to do with how the show structures and builds character development. Since entire episodes are usually used to developing characters, so antagonists are usually pushed to the side and used as plot-devices, until such a moment like episodes “Cast Out Part 1 and 2” arise once in a blue moon.

While Alvin may be no Wilson Fisk, he, along with both Mildew and Dagger do their fair share in revealing more regarding the island of Berk. Instead of functioning as ideological counterpoints in the skin of the Kingpin and the Punisher, the pressure they put on Berk goes a long way in building its world. I don’t really think there’s one antagonist in Dreamworks Dragons, because it could be Dagur and Alvin, separately, or possibly even Mildew. These characters are all different from Wilson Fisk in a sense that they aren’t really developing and remain static throughout most of the season. It is sort of predictable with what they plan, because they all seem like they just don’t want dragons, which is what Berk prides itself for. Mildew just wants to stay traditional and live like how he did in the past, Dagur just wants to slay dragons, and Alvin just wants to do whatever he can to retrieve his power on Berk. Although most of them are static, Alvin’s character somehow develops in the last two episodes of Defenders of Berk. I feel like the three antagonists from Dreamworks Dragons show what their world is, instead of being an ideological deep enemy of Hiccup, which is the opposite of the Kingpin and Murdock dynamic.

The fact that two shows that differ in so many ways in terms of structure, characters and design, can still succeed as television shows proves how much the medium has matured in the last decade. Innovations like streaming services, and animation can push the envelope on entertainment to continue keeping a target audience hooked on a show. The strategies each show takes are vastly different, thus showing the effort that was put into understand each shows target audience and making changes in to fit those needs. Dreamworks Dragons prides itself in stand-alone episodes that are light and easy to understand while entertaining with familiar franchise fanfare with fluid and bright animation. The children aimed to watch Dreamworks Dragons were probably entertained, as the series has lasted over eight seasons over different networks. In contrast, the teens and young adults aimed at by Daredevil take pleasure in the comic book roots, philosophical battles, complex plot and beautifully choreographed action the show provides. Each show has its own merits complementing the needs and wants of their target audience. It are shows like these that keep the future of entertainment of the small screen in good hands.

Defenders of Berk: Season Analysis

As I finished watching Defenders of Berk, I could surely say that I did enjoy season 2 way more than I did season 1. I originally thought I wouldn’t like Riders of Berk, but I actually enjoyed it despite it being a kids show, and even more so did I enjoy Defenders of Berk. I liked the second season because everything was more continuous. Most of the time, there would always be something that was significant that would happen in a certain episode, which would sometimes be part of the succeeding episode or so. I felt like almost everything that happened in this season was more or less value adding to the entirety of the plot. As a binge watcher, this type of storyline is what entices me to keep on watching, as I get hooked when I really feel that each episode is significant, and leads to the next. One example of how this continuity was seen was in how Dagur slowly became the new antagonist as he got more involved in the story, which left Alvin to slowly fade away. Also, the other supporting characters had more episodes that focused on them, showing new and different sides to how they could have possibly changed or at least, showed a new perspective of themselves. I liked how season 2 focused on other characters that were not as focused on before. Most of the time, there wouldn’t be many new sides of the characters’ personality that would show throughout the episodes. I felt like in season 1, the characters were really consistent and true to how they were always portrayed since the start, but season 2 made its stories on others, aside from mainly Hiccup, Toothless and Stoick. Aside from the people of Berk, many new dragons came into Berk, which made everything more interesting as it usually created either more conflict or an interesting opportunity. In the episodes in season 2, especially the episodes near the ending of the season, I noticed how more characters were talked about in just one episode. The episodes didn’t only focus on one old or new character, but the series found ways to integrate the different characters and different stories in one episode. I think that this made the storyline more interesting because of how you see how the characters and their personalities really interact with others and how their relationships work. I especially enjoyed the last three episodes, where Stoick has to let go of his dragon, when Snotlout gets suspended, and when Alvin tells his story. I especially liked these three events because I felt like everything really connected at this point. Wherein one thing had to happen for the other to follow, and everything just made sense. I remember how I thought that season 2 would be harder to blog about, because there were no longer any voiceovers that would introduce and conclude each episode. There would no longer be this tease on what the episode was going to mainly be about, and how in the end, the main lesson or value learned is practically just directly stated. I realized that in season 2, I really got to use my creativity and imagination, as more opinions and thoughts came out as I watched each episode. I did not need validation from Hiccup’s voiceover to say what was important or not, and I liked this more, as I thought about way more things than what I would usually think when I was watching season 1.

Defenders of Berk: episodes 13-20

In the episode “Free Scauldy”, what caught my attention the most was not the Berkserkers attacking Berk, but more of Ruffnut and her new relationship with the Scauldron. The Scauldron was a dragon that was not supposed to be in the Changewing island, which is why the riders immediately noticed its presence. The Scauldron initially showed that it didn’t like Ruffnut, but Ruffnut showed effort and sweetness, and eventually trained the Scauldron. This mainly was interesting to me because I thought about how the twins could possibly eventually have dragons of their own. Since there was also an episode where Tuffnut forms a relationship with another dragon, the Typhoonerang. In my opinion, whenever the twins are separated, they always get things done. One account of this was when Tuffnut had to make a poem on the spot to get stop Dagur from attempting to kill him. To illustrate this situation of the twins not really being able to get things done, in many occurrences, they usually show how they are useless, as they even label themselves this. But in the few instances when they’re actually apart, somehow there is always something that happens. I think that they will be able to do a lot more separately, and possibly, the first step to this could be getting their own dragons.

In the episode “Frozen”, yet another new dragon appears. These Speed Stingers are apparently the fastest dragons out there, or at least according to Fishlegs. I thought that this episode was actually about Stoick, which is one thing that I kind of missed. I remember in Riders of Berk, I kept thinking about how it was all about Hiccup and his relationships, mainly his relationship with his father and his dragon. In Defenders of Berk however, I realized that Stoick was never really focused on anymore, which was a good thing I guess, to make room for the other character. But personally, I really liked his character, so I actually enjoyed it when the show was focused on him. The new dragons were able to freeze people, which left them paralyzed for a while. I’m not entirely sure about this part, but Hiccup and Fishlegs caught what seemed to be the queen Speed Stinger? I just assumed this as all the Speed Stingers started to follow the captured dragon. Because Hiccup and Fishlegs were outnumbered, Stoick ends up coming back to save them, which is what always happens when Hiccup and friends get themselves into too much trouble. As they ended up getting the Speed Stingers out of Berk, I was wondering why they couldn’t just train them. In season 2, I noticed that there are so many new dragons that appear, but also, many of them are wilder and more dangerous as compared to the old ones. Because of this, I realized that there were actually a lot of dragons that they did not pursure to train, so I was wondering if maybe Hiccup and his friends could sort of level up and try to train these types of dragons. More so because Hiccup and friends make it seem like they’re really eager to learn about and train every dragon there is.

In the episode “A Tale of Two Dragons”, it focuses on Snotlout and Astrid. I never really understood Snotlout and Astrid’s relationship. Like how he hits on her all the time, even ever since the first movie. I don’t really know if this is all just to humor Snotlout’s friends, or if he’s being serious. I asked myself questions like: Is it because he wants a girl to show how manly and strong he is? Or, does he actually like her? Why her, is she the most attractive girl out there for him to show off? Or maybe because she’s the strongest woman fighter. But why would Snotlout want to be with her if he always wants to be the strongest? It also got me more confused because in the episode “Free Scauldy”, Astrid sort of flirts with Snotlout, which of course she just did for a plan, but Snotlout did not reciprocate, and showed that he was really weirded out. Meanwhile, their dragons were acting up and were fighting each other, and nobody really understand why. Hiccup shows how he’s sort of hassled by this , as his friends and their dragons aren’t getting along. I feel like Stoick’s advice and what Hiccup did, which was to make them swap dragons, was very smart because they finally were in a way able to empathize with each other, through the process of training with each other’s dragons. I think that this was a good plan, because this wasn’t  something that was easy for Snotloud and Astrid, because these two characters are full of pride and have very strong personalities. Finally, after they all resolved the conflict of the dragons fighting over the dragon root, Astrid and Snotlout switched back to their original dragons. I found this scene really heartwarming and cute when they talked about how much they liked and got along with each other’s dragons because it really showed how the humans can really create relationships with many dragons, and not just the one they train with.

In the episode “Eel Effect”, many people in Berk were sick, so Hiccup and Toothless do what they have to do to fix this, even though Toothless is obviously scared to go to Eel Island. I don’t know if I just didn’t understand this episode as much, but I feel like this episode was sort of unnecessary, and did not add to the continuity of the season. This really caught my attention because I feel like all the episodes now, especially that it’s nearing the end of the season, are all somehow connected which helps with intensifying the storyline. Anyways, Toothless ends up getting sick because he eats an eel. I guess this just shows how much Toothless is willing do to to save Hiccup, because apparently he, along with all the dragons excluding the Typhoonerangs, are terrified of eels. Fishlegs and Meatlug end up getting to Eel Island, saving Hiccup and Toothless, creating the eel pox, and being able to cure everyone who has gotten sick.

In the episode “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”, Dagur surprised me with how intelligent his plan was, well at least to me. Trader Johann came to Berk, and Gobber bought scrap metal from him which brought a bunch of Smokebreathe dragons to Berk, who were stealing all the metal. But then, this all happened because of Dagur’s evil plan. I found it smart for Dagur to plan for the people of Berk to not have any weapons when he attacks Berk, because all Dagur has are weapons, as he doesn’t train dragons. I liked how there is more than one conflict here, being the problem of the missing weapons and then Dagur coming in Berk, trying to attack. Of course, Hiccup and his friends come up with a plan to shoo Dagur away, by using the original problem which was the dragonbreaths, to their advantage against Dagur. Although I found that the plot in this episode was well thought of, I also felt like what was lacking was how they “fought” in the end, as it seemed sort of lame and rushed. I wish they fought Dagur more in this episode, or maybe it could have had a Part 2 to show it.

In the episode “Bing! Bam! Boom!”, with the new baby Thundertrums which just couldn’t seem to behave and calm down, Stoick had to leave his dragon in Dragon Island. The baby dragons only seemed to want to be with Thornado, but wouldn’t exactly follow him. Actually, they would literally just follow him around, so they couldn’t really be trained by Hiccup and friends. I was really sad when Stoick left Thornado, especially when he said “Take care of your new family” and “Goodbye, old friend.” Hiccup reiterated that Stoick really did do the right thing. But I really saw Stoick and Thornado as a good pair, as they really seemed to work well together. But then I thought about how Stoick only got his own dragon later in the story, so he would probably be fine without his own dragon too. Although, I feel like Stoick not being able to have his own dragon could possibly lead to not being able to save the people of Berk, if ever. Maybe this was a way to transition to Hiccup being an even greater leader, as he could possible be the new chief of Berk soon.

In the episodes “Cast Out Part 1 and 2”, the character of Snotlout is highlighted yet again. Because of his stubbornness, he was temporarily suspended from the academy. When Hiccup was talking about how he made Snotlout leave, I thought about how all of his friends have to respect him, even though they’re all friends and should look at each other equally. I know Hiccup is the son of the chief, but I kind of found it weird how they all have to “follow orders” from their friend. When Snotlout went to “Snotland” and was saved by Alvin from the Whispering Death, I was really shocked because I totally forgot about Alvin, now that Dagur was always in the picture. Even more so was I shocked when he saved someone from Berk, and even brought him back to Berk, knowing that he would probably get into trouble right after. I wasn’t sure what his true intentions were, whether saving Snotlout was just one of his evil plans, or if he actually wanted to help. Hiccup’s eagerness to find out why Alvin became an outcast sparked some interest in me too, as it was only then when I realized that I didn’t even know the backstory of Alvin yet.

When Dagur is brought up in the episode, everything gets even more complicated. He captures Stoick so Hiccup is now the acting chief, which I thought wasn’t surprising, given my thoughts on how Stoick no longer has Thornado. With the Screaming Death, Dagur and Alvin all in the same episode, I was really overwhelmed and somewhat confused, especially because Alvin was actually helping Snotlout. When I found out Alvin’s backstory, I felt bad for him and when Hiccup said that Alvin reminded him of Snotlout, I agreed as I shared the same sentiments. This whole season, I wasn’t really a fan of Snotlout’s character at all, so I wasn’t really happy with how so many episodes focused on him. But I guess it all makes sense now, because I guess they did that on purpose, for Snotlout’s character to really show, so people would really understand why and how he’s similar to Alvin. I guess how Alvin helped Hiccup, really showed how Alvin doesn’t really lie and stays true to his goals. I remember when I blogged about comparing Alvin and Dagur, about how Alvin stays true to his word just to get his goal, unlike Dagur who is stubborn and is always willing to lie and cheat. I think Alvin’s goal was really to get back a part of Berk, which all made even more sense after he explained what really happened to him. When the Whispering Death comes back in the picture, Hiccup then again finds away to use one problem as a solution. He uses the Screaming Death, who is just looking for its child, to go against Dagur. I remember a few episodes ago, where the Whispering Death was first shown in the series, as it was underground and destroying everything. I remember how I didn’t really understand what it was doing, or what its intention was when it was destroying everything. I didn’t get what the episode was trying to show to add to Defenders of Berk’s storyline. However, this was actually all connected to the Screaming Death, as the Whispering Death’s were just lost.

The episode and the season then end in a Hiccup voice over, which hasn’t been part of the series this whole season. A certain lesson was then again reiterated, which was that recklessness can sometimes be courageous, which I saw mostly in the narrative of Snotlout, which is sort of what happened to Alvin in the past. In the end, Alvin and Stoick are friends again. Stoick also has this conversation with his son about how Hiccup will someday make a great chief, and maybe someday, if I watch the next movies or series, I’ll see this happen.

Defenders of Berk: Episodes 4-12

As I viewed season 2, I initially thought it would be harder to write about the episodes because the voiceover from the main character was gone. In the previous season, the voiceover at the introduction and ending would almost always narrate the episode’s lesson learned. As I pondered on the 8 episodes for this blogpost, I realized that there is more to say about the character and plot development. Season 2 episodes showed novel sides of the previous characters, and had more stories to tell about other characters or dragons that were never really focused on before. I also noted that there was greater continuity and cohesion between episodes.

The “Tunnel Vision” episode starts out by showing the classic character of Snotlaut, portrayed as a selfish person who thinks the world of himself. As water was disappearing from the well, he wanted to charge people for the valued commodity. When Hiccup descends the well to find weird things like hatched eggs, I wondered who was responsible for these. Then, a new dragon, Screaming Dead, appeared, who was destroying the land. This new threat was different because of its disorienting scream. Hiccup, once more, saves the day as he notices the dragon’s weakness: it is attracted to the light. I gladly saw that Hiccup’s role was to find solutions for everyday, yet sudden and unforeseen problems, which makes him so endearing. When Screaming Death gets hurt, it called upon smaller dragons from his family, the Whispering Deaths, for help. I wonder when they will make their next appearance.

The “Race to Fireworm Island” episode is, again, another Snotlaut episode. I find it interesting how the shows focuses so much on him, because from the movie, “How to Train you Dragon,” I thought of him as just some extra friend. In this episode, I feel like Snotlaut was faced with a real problem that allowed him to show new facets of his persona. Something similar happened in the “Thawfest” episode, where he had to show himself to be an aggressive, strong and determined fellow, which is what he already is. When Hookfang became ill and couldn’t flame up, Snotlaut insisted that it the problem was that Hookfang was being stubborn, because the dragon really is a warrior and is indestructible. As Snotlaut said these about Hookfang, I felt that the former was exhibiting some transference, because those same adjectives, stubbornness, warrior-like and indestructibility, where characteristics that Snotlaut felt that he possessed. When Snotlaut’s father comes into the picture, the latter manifests how their clan puts much importance on physical strength, when he says that rest is for the weak; he commands Snotlaut to get rid of Hookfang, if the weakened dragon is no longer useful with his diminished power. Here, Snotlout reveals a new side of him: in one scene, he breaks into tears, but tries to hide it. He encourages Hookfang to keep on fighting, even as it looks like Hookfang is really dying. In the last scene, when the ailing Hookfang protects Snotlaut from the Fire Dragon, Hiccup says that Hookfang is doing just what his rider would do for him. The episode shows Snotlout great affection and loyalty towards his dragon. In the end, as Snotlaut says that his father knows nothing about dragons, he manifests that he is not one to blindly follow his clan’s rules and beliefs: he will gladly break stereotypes and rules, and be a caring friend to the things that matter to him.

The “Fright of Passage” episode is finally one about Astrid. I had been waiting for her to come forward for so long, because I always thought that she is an important character, but, alas, her character was never really developed previously. In this episode, we learn that her family was ruined by a glowing dragon. Astrid subsequently searches for this dragon, as she hears that it is nearing Berk. Hiccup wants to go and fight with the dragon by himself, but Astrid, of course, doesn’t listen, and proceeds with her own plans. As a character, I thought that Astrid was smart and full of good ideas. The problem was, when she did have these reasonable ideas, she didn’t care if people agreed with her or not; she would just go it on her own. As she does finally face the glowing dragon, to defend Berk and her family’s honor, she froze and became paralyzed in fear.  Hiccup found out that what the dragon really wanted was to eat the glowing algae in the water. The episode ends with the people and the dragons eventually droving the marauding dragon away. Astrid realizes that her uncle was truly fearless, and she is just like him in this sense.

In the “Worst In Death” episode, one character says, “Competition is the best essence of life iteself,” with which, everyone agreed, except for Hiccup. The people felt this was because they were Vikings, and, now, dragon riders; all their lives, they grew up believing that life was always a competition, and their job was to win. Hiccup had a different view; he saw his townmates as members of a team, with everyone having a role, with no one being more important than the other. Nevertheless, I thought that the other characters probably probably thought that they each of them was the  best in each’s own eyes, which manifests when Fishlegs and Snotlaut argue. The two have completely different characters: Fishlegs is a reader, while Snotlaut is a doer. To prove who was the better between them, they decided to both train the young dragon, Terrible Terrors. The episode illustrates a different side of Fishlegs: he shows a strong desire to best Snotlaut, which is not how his character usually is like. Previously, he was portrayed as being a weak-willed scaredy-cat, incapable of aggressive actions, preferring to run from a contest than facing a formidable foe. Here, Fishlegs puts his best foot forward, as he attempts to prove himself a better trainer than Snotlaut, in the process, completely ignoring his dragon, Meatlug. Meatlug eventually gets jealous of all the attention that Fishlegs is giving Iggy, his Terrible Terror. When Meatlug encounters Alvin and Mildew, gets captured and is placed in danger, it is only then that Fishlegs realizes that he has been ignoring his dragon the whole time.

In the “Title” episode, the Screaming Death returns. Hiccup and his friends realize that this big, ferocious dragon is destroying the homes of the other dragons, and they try to organize the dragons by color. The Screaming Death is making the homes collapse upon themselves, as the former goes underground a lot. Eventually, teamwork prevails, as the friends work together to defend Berk, and are able to save the other dragons’ homes. In the end, Fishlegs saves Dragon Island by making Meatlug spray out gronckle lava. For the first time ever, Fishlegs actually saves people during an actual battle, and I so enjoyed that.

The “Zippleback Down” episode was another one about the twins, which I welcomed, as I find the two very entertaining. This type of humor is perfect for a show like this, which like to focus on moral issues. In the episode, Tuffnut says that he is “totally useless” when they send him to Dragon Island to look for hidden traps. He eventually finds a baby Typhoonerang dragon that Hiccup took in during the last season. Torch, the Typhoonerang, grows up, and forms a connection with Tuffnut when the latter gets stuck in a tree trap. This episode appears to be indicating that the twins still have some growing up to do. As much is said when Gobber says that the two have to get out of the trap on their own, as they got themselves in it in the first place.

In the “A View to A Skrill Part 1 and 2” episodes, Hiccup found the frozen dragon and assigned Snotlaut and the twins to watch over it for a while. With this act, I knew that they would find a way to let that dragon out, based on their eagerness and curiosity. Apparently, this dragon was somehow connected to Dagur and his clan, so that they eventually entered into the picture. Dagur’s people wanted to control the Skrill, in order to destroy everything in their power. However, Hiccup wanted to train this dragon, like he does with most dragons, so that he may learn from them. As Dagur has no love lost for Hiccup, he thinks that the Skrill will be the best solution to destroy Hiccup. Alvin and Mildew enter the story, end up with the Skrill, and desire to take it to Outcast Island. Alvin makes a treaty with Dagur, but Dagur eventually turns his back on him. I think that even though Alvin seems horrible, he keeps his word as he puts up with Mildew, as they had committed to help each other, unlike Dagur, who clearly only cares for himself. Alvin also only cares for himself, but I think he has his one goal, and he knows what he needs to do to achieve it.  Dagur is shown to be impulsive in this episode, doing whatever he thinks will work. In the end, the Skrill is frozen again, and Dagur hates Hiccup and his dragon all the more.

In “The Flight Stuff” episode, Gustav’s character is further developed, which I was happy with. In the previous solitary episode he was in, he was just misplaced, and hisrole was not explained adequately. In this episode, Snotlaut trains young Gustav, as the former thinks that he is going to die. Even though Gustav trains everyday, he still is obviously not ready to join the Dragon Academy. Snotlaut’s eagerness to train this boy shows how much importance Snotlaut gives to his family’s traditions; even as Snotlaut doesn’t have a son of his own, he somehow felt that training Gustav to take his place in case he does die, would be like preparing his own son to replace him someday. The episode shows that a rider and his dragon need to experience each other together to form a bond; dragon riding as not just about learning to fly – it is as much a process of developing a friendship between man and creature. Hookfang does not take to Gustav, so the latter gets his own dragon, Fanghook. When conflict arose with Dagur, Gustav is able to step up and help as a dragon rider. In the end, Gustav sets Fanghook free, but Fanghook returns to Gustav, which shows that Gustav successfully created a relationship with a dragon, which is the first step to  becoming a dragon trainer.

Riders of Berk: Season Review

“Riders of Berk” was an interesting show to watch and I’m happy that I was required to watch it as part of my summer course, “Television Studies.“ As I have gotten older these past few years, I have developed an anti-cartoon attitude; I have practically stopped watching cartoons because I have come to the conclusion that they were all inane, senseless and a watching such shows would be a waste of my precious and limited time. As I occasionally glanced at a cartoon show that my younger cousins would be watching as I visited their homes, I would thing that they were all efforts at producing humor and some sense of entertainment to the viewer, but the characters and plots seemed uninteresting, shallow and, often apparently not well-thought-of. With “Riders of Berk,” however, with its 22-minutes-per-episode, I was pleasantly surprised that each show had a lesson on morality that was being conveyed to the viewer, however young or old he/she might be. Such lessons were, at times, repetitive, but I thought that such were necessary as the show required these as certain qualities of the characters needed to be developed. Occasionally, these inconsistencies became tiring, causing the occasional tinge of boredom and distraction. In the first season, there was a voiceover from Hiccup during the introduction, and as the show ended, the episode’s lesson was again voiced over. I didn’t really enjoy nor appreciate the modus at the end much, because I felt like I was being spoon-fed, but then, again, I realize that the show is really for kids much younger than me, so, I guess, that would be acceptable. 

In terms of plot and character development, I found these somewhat confusing, as the show was interrupted into episodes, and each episode had a different story, not necessarily springing forth from the previous one. I haven’t really been watching shows by individual episodes, so that it was difficult for me to catch on, especially because we were binge-watching “Riders of Berk” every meeting. When i watch (other) shows today, I enjoy binge-watching several episodes at a time, because doing so makes me feel that the show is one long, continuous story, or one long movie. With “Riders of Berk,” I sometimes felt like some things and events were not connected, or not developed well enough.

For character development, I initially thought “Riders of Berk” focused too much on Hiccup and Stoick, which, at a certain point, I was getting tired of. As the show progressed, however, other characters were introduced and developed, which made the show more interesting. Nevertheless, I thought that a few characters weren’t developed enough, with the characters often based on common stereotypes, although I did see that the show tried to progressively change it up, but just a bit and maybe not enough.  On the other hand, I especially found the ending about Mildew joining Alvin exciting, because I never really understood Mildew and his initiatives (i.e, character development was not enough). Even as the show was divided into distinct episodes which were not in a continuum, I found the characters to be consistent and believable as they come and go between different episodes, and I saw the continuity in the long run, as characters were brought back throughout the series, while character development did continue as the characters reemerged.   

The main protagonist, Hiccup, was a likeable and interesting force throughout the season. At the outset, he was portrayed as a wise leader, a loyal dragon-trainer, an empathic and thoughtful friend, and an obedient son. It was all pretty consistent, until the Thawfest Games, during which a different side of him emerged, which I found to be a curveball. The twist in Hiccup’s character made things more exciting, and even though he later reverts to his usual self, he, by then, has a stubborn side, which appears to allow the story plot to expand in other directions, so that by the end of the season, the story and Hiccup’s character have become more complex. The evolving and changing plots was good and made the story more realistic, as many lessons about morality were illustrated and taught, making the audience relate to, and pull for, the main character.

The show still has many problematic aspects. It is not perfect, but I can definitely say that it’s not a bad show, and that I enjoyed watching it. It was very easy to understand and take in, which is why I found it enjoyable, especially because it made me laugh, too. Watching five episodes at a time was not a good thing, however; perhaps, two or three at a time would be enough.   

Riders of Berk: Episodes 16-20 & Defenders of Berk: Episodes 1-3

In the “Defiant One” episode, Snotlaut shows up again, after he was last seen during the Thawfest episode. Here, Snotlaut’s character really showed, in contrast to Hiccup’s character. When Snotlaut went too close to the water sprout, he tells Hiccup that he shouldn’t leave without food, telling the latter to muscle into it and eat berries randomly; however, Snotlaut leaves the satchel with the bird crest in the process, which puts them at risk of being found by Alvin. During this segment, Snotlaut shows his dominant and aggressive side, showing that he wants to win; yet, he is pictured as being stubborn and not too smart, as he does not think out his plans well enough, in order to stay out of trouble. The episode in Outcast Island illustrates the sharp difference between Snotlaut and Hiccup. Hiccup is the smart one on his feet, between the two, as they traverse the dangerous island where Alvin resides. Snotlaut is not one to yield leadership, as he tells Hiccup that “you’re not the only one who can come up with a good idea;” however, it was evident that it was Hiccup’s ideas which were carrying them through. On the other hand, the episode ends with Snotlaut saving Hiccup, showing that friends will pull through for you, even as you may doubt their mental and physical capability to do so. 

In the “Breakneck Bog” episode, we finally learn about Hiccup’s mother, through Trader Johann. This was useful for me because when I was watching “Dragons of Berk,” as I had previously seen the movie, “How to Train Your Dragon, Part 2,” I assumed that this show came before the second movie. I didn’t think that the segment on the smoke dragons was necessary, because I think that the episode should have concentrated on the chest that Hiccup was looking for. It appeared to me that the smoke dragons didn’t really need that metal chest in particular; it’s just that the dragons needed the metal from the chest in their nest. When we saw that the stuffed toy dragon in the chest, which came from Hiccup’s mother, Hiccup realizes that he never really understood dragons before because he was always afraid of them; yet, his great fear later became his best friend .

In the episode, “Gem of a Different Color,” Snotlaut and Fishlegs take center stage, and we learn more about their characters. The show is consistent with his previous depiction, as it shows him as an adolescent who only thinks about himself, as he wanted to sell the gem with good fortune, even as everyone was telling him that these were the Changewings’ eggs. This episode also brought out Fishlegs for the first time. Previously, not much had been said about Fishlegs, and my impression of him was that he was a fat, slow, nerdy fellow who just wanted to study the dragons, not fight with them. However, by the middle of the show, we see him in new light, as he took the blame for the possibility of Changewings becoming upset because of the eggs. Here he still shows that he is easily scared by anything and everything, as he was willing to take any blame, while not wanting to face anything by himself. In the end, Fishlegs stands up for himself, as he talks to and apologizes  to the dragons, even though he is terrified of them. The episode speaks of courage, because even though Fishlegs was full of fear, he stepped up and tried to fix the situation, as he knew that the whole problem was his fault. Fishlegs’ good character is depicted, unlike his other friends like Snotlaut.

I am normally a binge watcher, but with this show, I usually lose attention after the third episode. By that time, I would be tired already, and this shows in my writing, because I often forget the specifics in the later episodes. By the episodes, “We Are Family Part 1 and 2,” I became confused about Bork. I think he was one of Hiccup’s ancestors, because Stoick gave Bork’s things to his son, Hiccup. During the segment when Hiccup could possibly find other night furies in the Isle of Night, I thought that that was good. When they got there, I thought that this was real and that Toothless was going to finally find his family. I actually believed this and increasingly grew excited, until Alvin stepped in, and we find out that he’s working with Mildew. When Alvin was talking about Mildew behind his back, I found this very typical of Alvin and figured out that he really was just using Mildew, as he even had Mildew locked up. When Mildew offered to help Hiccup, I knew that this was fake, but I still wanted to believe it because I knew Mildew was terrified of dragons, although I realized that I do not even know why he’s so scared. Here, Mildew finally interacts with, and learns about dragons, as he rode one with Hiccup, even as the former shows that he will never trust dragons. I was confused when he let go of Toothless and let Alvin take him away, but then I realized he was still working with Alvin. However, I didn’t know how this was supposed to turn out because I didn’t think they trusted or cared enough about each other.

The episode, “Live and Let Fly” is about Stoick and Hiccup again. As the show progressed, it showed the other characters, and I yearned to see more about them. Stoick is pictured as an overprotective father who is against dragon-flying, but Hiccup shows how determined he is to fly and protect dragons, and how trusting he is of their power. Hiccup knows that he is safest on Toothless, and that the dragons are safest in Berk. I think that this episode shows how Stoick yearns for Berk’s safety, while he secretly flies his dragon. In so doing, I think that Stoick senses deep within him that Berk is safer and more efficient, with the presence and help of the dragons. He put the ban on dragon-flying because he thought that was what was best at that time. The ban showed his fatherly figure towards the people of Berk, because he thought that this would shield his people from unnecessary harm.      

The episode, “The Iron Gronckle,” puts Fishlegs back at the spotlight. Snotlaut was mean and rude toto Fishlegs and the latter’s dragon, Meatlug. Hiccup had left Fishlegs to look for and fight Alvin, as Fishlegs wasn’t interested to fight. Fishlegs felt bad about this because, he wasn’t into fighting as he was just scared to do that sort of thing. Out of his sadness at not wanting to fight with Hiccup and the rest, Fishlegs found solace in his Gronckle, Meatlug, as he fed his dragon rocks.  This made the dragon ill soon after, and Meattlug brought the creature to the village doctor, who caused the dragon to vomit out iron.  This iron turned out to be beneficial, as it could be made into a lightweight, yet hardy, weapons, which the people could use and wanted. The episode showed how Fishlegs and Meatlug wanted to share what they had with the people of Berk. Even though they were different, but happy and cute to me, they found ways to be useful and it was nice to know that they finally felt needed by the community. 

In the episode, “Night and the Fury,” Dagur is back to hunting dragons, When Dagur sees Hiccup, he is very grateful because, in a previous episode, Hiccup had saved him from Night Fury. As they talked about that experience, Dagur realizes that Hiccup “knew the dragon,” meaning that Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless,  have a relationship which they did not reveal to Dagur, and that the apparent episode when Hiccup was trying to kill Toothless was evidently staged and not real. In the end, when Hiccup finally stops faking and doesn’t allow Dagur to kill his Night Fury, that made me happy and smile, because i didnt like how Hiccup was hiding his good relationship with Toothless since I felt that Dagur would understand, if Toothless would explain his side properly, seeing that the whole community of Berk had become dragon-riders. Unfortunately, Dagur didn’t see things this way, as he felt betrayed by Hiccup, thereby seeing the latter as his enemy. Dagur’s reaction appeared to be too extreme and an over-reaction for me, revealing the shallowness of Dagur’s character.

Telescoping and Television

Magic For Beginners is a quirky, entertaining, nail-biter tale. At the start of the story, I felt like it was really complex because I really didn’t understand what was happening. I wasn’t sure if it was about a few kids, watching their favorite show, The Library, or if it was about a story of people watching a show, within a show; that is, Jeremy and his friends were actually part of the show. The setting reminded me of the series’ Stranger Things because of the peculiar personalities of Jeremy, his family, friends, and the characters from The Library, amid the unusual setting and the context of everything.

I had to back read from time to time because it was like reading another story within a story. First, I had to think about Jeremy and his relationships with the characters around him, and I saw how his character developed through these relationships. Then, I had to think about him in relation to the characters from The Library and his relationship with Fox because eventually, he ended up talking to her through the phone, which was surreal, as she was supposedly a fictional character. Well, it could just be his imagination, I thought, or a metaphor of some sort. I felt that this not-so-short story needs to be reread a second time, to fully understand everything, so that the pieces could be sorted out and put together, as it was being reread from the start. As the whole story is complex, yet so meticulous, a second reading would allow one to really understand how everything connects, though I wouldn’t say that I was not left unsatisfied after the first read. But then again, I guess this is the part of the value of such complexities: they dazzle, bewilder, and befuddle, putting you at the edge of your seat, wanting to turn the next page eagerly, leaving you breathless and often clueless, until the end reveals itself.

Before I learned that they were around 15 years of age, I thought that they were closer to 12 years. In my imagination, I pictured them similarly to the cast in the show, Stranger Things, when they talked about pubescent topics and concerns like kissing, I assumed that they were the stereotypical liberated American kids who do things like that early in their adolescence.

Link, tells a story about the protagonist Jeremy, his friends and his family, and how they love coming together to watch their favorite show, The Library. Link interestingly describes each character, and how they are all different from each other and unique in their own ways, yet still come together to experience a show which they share the same interest for.

The Library is interesting because it is not just your regular TV show. I didn’t really understand how they were able to watch it together, because the show would just play on the television during unconventional times. It must have been because they all were neighbors and had resolved that they were all devoted to watching the show together, so that they could share their thoughts and talk about it afterwards. Everyone seemed to find the series interesting, including adults, Jeremy’s father, a horror story writer, and Jeremy’s mother, who is a librarian.

When I would read the parts about the show that they were watching, I was often confused and disoriented, because it was a story within a story, or so I thought. I kept getting lost while reading the different encounters with Fox, because everything seemed so fictional and imaginative, challenging me to picture new characters that would sprout up. The story lines were always so interesting, reeling its watchers in to continue watching, including Jeremy and his friends. I, myself, became very interested in how the character of Fox was portrayed. Indeed, the first line of the short story was enigmatic: “Fox is a television character, and she isn’t dead yet.” Although The Library reads as fictional because of how adventurous and magical the stories played out, I felt like it also has much that its audience could relate to or experience, which is why its followers were so into the show, just like the popular television shows being aired today. I also felt like Magic For Beginners was very relatable to, as the story talks about different realities, like how people appreciate television shows, with the obligatory topics of romance, conflict, friendship, problems with parents, and school, among others.

Towards the end of the story, when Jeremy and his mother were in Las Vegas to go to the church that they inherited, and as Jeremy goes to the phone booth, I saw in the page numbering that the narrative was almost about to end. At that point, I became increasingly excited because I wanted to know what was going to happen, but I knew it probably wouldn’t be the ending that I wanted to hear, because I knew it was going to end soon which was probably going to leave me wanting for more but in the amount of detailed that I looked forward to and imagined. My face was literally two inches away from my laptop screen, pining for a good finish which I suspected would fall short of expectation. On one hand, I was totally confused as to how the fictional Fox was able to jump into reality, as she verbally spoke on the phone with Jeremy; on the other hand, I didn’t care about that because my imagination was piqued. When the end was dealt, I found it to be so open-ended because we don’t really know what happens to Fox. Oh well, that is how television is.

I felt that the unpredictability, novelty and magical aspect of the story really made it a good read. I was drawn to the plot and how it showed a different reality, while still being relatable to. Kelly Link shows how people come together to watch The Library and I feel like this shows how one fictional story can affect so many people’s lives, as viewers become affected and influenced by it. It was a television show that brought the characters of Magic For Beginners together; a common point of interest brought together a disparate group of characters. In this sense, I feel that television today is really a great influence on viewers’ lives, because people devour ideas they see and watch, even as these are far from their reality. This meticulous story was really strange, and I could say that it was entertaining to read, even though the ending was not a solid one, leaving me wanting for more. But then again, that might be the seed for next year’s sequel. What left me wanting more. Which is what television series does to us today.

Riders of Berk: Episodes 6-15

In episode 6, Alvin, a new character who appears to be one of the main antagonists in the series, appears. Alvin catches Hiccup because he knows the latter as the dragon conqueror, and wants to learn how Hiccup did this so that he could capture the dragons for his own power. Out of this conflict, Stoick’s love for his son, Hiccup, is revealed, as it shows how the father really wanted to bring Hiccup home, rather than doing what was best for his people, which was to capture, or kill, Alvin. Throughout this episode, he shows anger to the antagonist, and sympathy to his son, when he says, “You’re a coward for taking my son.” Meanwhile, I feel that what Hiccup did was right when he decided to use Toothless to save the day. Because Alvin wanted to ride the dragons, Hiccup used them to escape from Alvin’s grasp. The lesson learned was that dragons were there to protect the people.

So far, I could not really understand what kind of a father Stoick was. At times, he would show his kinship towards his people, wanting to protect them; at other rimes, his priority was Hiccup, and it wasn’t clear to me if this was a black-or-white thing.  AT the start of episode 7, it seemed like Stoick really refused to change. He always wants to do things his way, which was the old viking way. I thought that, from everything that he had gone through so far, with Berk being a people-dragon community, he would have been fully accepting of the dragons. However, I felt that he just wanted to control them. From Hiccup, I saw some lessons.  He had initial difficulty flying dragons, but he eventually learned. When Hiccup was able to fly with the dragons, he saw Berk in a new perspective. This scene was really nice as it showed how beautiful and almost majestic the land of Berk was. What was left unsaid was that Berk had so much potential and could be a far better place than what it was. his insight, he obtained by flying a dragon, so this must have given him ideas that perhaps, he could help the people of Berk with the aid of his ability to fly with the dragons.  With the process of learning to fly, Stoick also finally learned how to trust the dragons, as he told Hiccup, “It’s all about trust,” which also ndicated that Stoick listens to Hiccup. Stoick came to realize that the viking way can also be the dragon way.

In episode 8, Hiccup wanted to measure up to Stoick; he thinks that Stoick likes the version of Hiccup in the painting more than the real Hiccup. I think that at this point, Stoick as a father role was still not clearly defined. When Hiccup found the treasure, which is a picture of one of his ancestors who was appeared to look like a Hiccup (not large, masculine and muscular like a typical viking), he realized that this was a valuable prize because it made him realize that his actions should not be directed to proving himself to others, including his father, but these should be directed towards fulfilling his own personal growth or for the good of his community. He need not prove himself further to Stoick because even though he may not physically appear like a viking, he already is one.

In episode 9, dragons are shown to be complicated creatures. They aren’t easy to deal with or take care of, as they get physically ill. Mildew, the village weirdo, who hates the dragons, started planting flowers that were poisonous to the dragons. This episode was very funny, and it was during this time that I first realized that I like and enjoy the show. For the first time, I felt like the story and sequences were not being spoon-fed to the audience, including me, and i was actually thinking about what would happen as the show progressed. The show became exciting. and it was pretty funny at the same time.

In episodes 10-11, we saw the new character, Heather. When she got to Berk, it was pretty obvious that she was there for a reason, probably a bad one. When she was trying to get the Book of Dragons, i really thought that she was working for Alvin, but it turned out that she was doing this so she could recover her family from the hold of Alvin. I found it typical that Astrid would be the character who would keep an eye on to this new mysterious character, because Astrid is the smart one. Aside from this, Astrid shows how determined her character is when she pretends to be Heather and goes to Alvin in order to learn the real truth if Heather is good or bad, with a mind to keeping her friends and people safe. She taught Hiccup in this episode to expect the unexpected.

In episode 12, Hiccup participates in the Thawfest games, where he uncharacteristically acts big-headed and conceited, even putting his friends down. I felt like i didn’t expect this from his character, because this show is for kids and Hiccup was appearing to be heavy-handed, which to me, may not be appropriate for a show for younger children.  Seeing Hiccup act the way he did was a bit weird for me, and I had to think and process my feelings and thoughts on his character change. When Astrid calls Hiccup a lousy winner, which was very different from what he usually is known – that of being a gracious loser – this really hit me because Hiccup has had so many downsides, although these are often followed by an upside. When Astrid said the above, I recalled  his many low moments, and I felt that the “gracious loser” description really worked for him, because even though things don’t go his way, he always found a way to save the day and make things better, no matter how difficult the situation seemed. After Hiccup realized what he was doing during the games, he gave up 1st place by intentionally losing the race in favor of Snotlaut, placing “second again.” This made me sad, but at the same time, happy, as I saw Hiccup reverted to being a good friend as he gave up on winning first place because he knew Snotlaut so very much wanted to prove himself to his clan. This segment showed how Hiccup isn’t a person who just wants to win for its sake – he is someone who wants the best for others, especially for the dragons, and isn’t really into himself.

In episode 13, Mildew reappears, and says Toothless is the son of lightning and death, and he blames Toothless for the causing the bad thunderstorm in Berk. I noticed that many people actually believed Mildew, even after all the lies that he had made previously. Subsequently, the townspeople set off to catch Toothless and decide to send the dragons away, but Stoick saves the day for the dragons, and he tells Toothless to run away. The segment showed Stoick’s concern and affection for the dragons, as he chose not to side with the majority, his people, and instead went with what he thought was right.

I did not really understand what was happening in episode 14, especially when the opening line indicated that “the past (was) coming back to haunt us.” It showed that Hiccup had a grudge on the new dragon, but i did not understand why Toothless didn’t want Hiccup to ride him. Was it because he thought that the dragon was dangerous? 

In the 15th episode, i learned about trusting in the dragons. Dagur, the deranged, a new character, was introduced. He said much about about he being not like his father, and wanting to do things his way. Simultaneously, two of Hiccup’s friends, Tough and Rough end up in conflict with each other because they feel like they share everything, even their dragon. I liked how the show focused on other characters, because much of the show had been about Hiccup and Stoick, or the new guest characters on the show. Anyway, Dagur wanted to kill the two-headed dragon because that is what he does. Stoick and Gobber had to make it seem like they kill dragons too, because apparently not everyone knows about how their town of Berk had changed. In the end, they got Dagur to sign the treaty and made him believe that they still kill dragons, although i don’t understand why they didn’t just tell Dagur that they now consider dragons their friends.

Riders of Berk: Episodes 1-5

Riders of Berk brought me a great sense of excitement because I was looking forward to see the stories of the characters from one of my favorite franchises told in a serialized form on television. While there was some initial disappointment with the downgrade of animation, the opening theme This is Berk reminded me of what I loved so much about the original films. Below are some thought on the first five episodes of Riders of Berk and how I felt this is a necessary viewing for any fan of the How To Train Your Dragon franchise.

The first two episodes focuses on some key elements to get viewers invested in any TV pilot: world building and character relationships. Berk is far different place from what it was in the first film, and much of the first seasons is spent acclimatizing to the changes dragons bring to the community. These changes are heralded by Hiccup and his friends, who start the dragon training academy. Stoick, a character from the first film, makes a 180 degree turn from the rough and unyielding tribal leader to a genuinely supportive father willing to embrace change. A highlight of the episode is that the dragons are just as full of character as the humans are, a welcome change television can provide compared to the time limitations of a feature film.

The second episode in particular spotlights Gobber, the once weapon molding blacksmith who is now out of a job now that there are no more dragons to hunt. Continuing the trend of Berk adjusting to the presence of the dragons, this episode features how much Berks citizens have to change through the point of view of one of its key figures pre-dragon. And unlike Stoick, Gobber is a little more stubborn and unwilling to accept change. Eventually Gobber proves he can be an asset to the tribe as he’s able to tame a dragon acting up, and finally takes his first steps to become a real dragon rider by the end of the episode.

This arc continues throughout the remaining episodes of the first five, with lost animals in the third, communication between human and dragon in the fourth, and a recurring distrust of dragons in the fifth. New characters like Mildew are brought up and symbolize Berk sticking to its traditional views and resistance to change. At the same time, each episode modes at an alarming pace, with the “problem of the week” getting solved by an ingenious solution. While these problem-solution situations may seem meandering and repetitive for some viewers (as to be expected for a children’s show), I appreciated them because they’re a surprisingly accurate portrayal of changing a way of life. Change is slow process that takes more than five episodes to overcome and will be met by resistance on multiple fronts. While there are spoon-fed lessons which bookend every episode from Hiccup for kids, I feel like the Riders of Berk has a lesson for everyone.

Poem With Television: Analysis

Graham Foust’s “Poem with television” was a challenge for me to understand because of its unusual structure and my difficulties to adjusting to a communication class as an arts major. After spending several minutes reading and rereading the poem, I was able to see themes of how television as a medium embraces different perspectives and juggles with concepts of how medium can both unite and isolate people of different backgrounds and identities.

Each side of the poem “on” and “with” television bookends with the lines “but first another picture of the world”, which sets the tone of the poem as an alternative to the norm for one poem, but hinting at an alternative of hope for another. This contrast imagines television, and the media as a means to prevent the isolation felt in the “with” poem. Ending the “on” poem with the idea of an alternative to isolation seen in the “with” poem shows that television as a form of media is capable of showing people who feel alone that their feeling can be understood and shared by others through the fictional medium of television.

Television as a means of connecting the narratives of people is an idea that is not new to literature. For instance, I resonate with the character of Jake Peralta from Brooklyn 99 because of his humor. Since we share the same humor, I’m reminded that there are things that I’d find funny that he as a character would agree with. For me, this is a huge indicator of the success of any form of media, television included. Literature can only achieve its purpose if it draws an individual of isolation and shows them that somewhere out there, there is someone who shares their thoughts and feelings.

However, despite television’s capacity to unite shared narratives, its flaw is that it does not truly solve the “isolation” problem brought up in the poem. Television like most forms of literature is fiction. No matter how much I can resonate with Jake, at the back of my mind is the fact that he is a work of fiction and the humor shared between the two of us is manufactured to elicit that very response, instead of finding that shared narrative in another real person.

Probing further into these themes of isolation and unity was my interpretation of the poem’s persona. The way I read the poem reminded me of two lovers separated because of a fight, and both resorting to watching their favorite television series as recompense. “What part of no don’t you understand” and “You do remember, don’t you” are both lines brought up in both sides of the poem is cliche to the land of television writing, and may be a line brought out of the argument by the two lovers. The setting of the “American-money ugly morning” with the “busy intersection skittish in bed” is common to several TV series set in the United States. In their own pursuit to solve their isolation, both of the lovers delve deeper into an artificial, yet temporary solution, the media.

The line that struck me the most regarding these themes was “I thought you saw me through the window in the mirror”. Using the “window in the mirror” as a symbol for television alludes to the television as a solution to the problem. Yet the power of the poem lies in the words “I thought you saw me”, showing that the the lovers are not yearning for a shared narrative through television, but a shared narrative in each other. Television is a means to expand horizons and show different perspectives in life, but nothing can substitute genuine relationship and communication.