Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) was more than a spinoff
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) is a beloved franchise, but fans of the just the film may not know exactly what they are missing out of by not watching the series like Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018)
Photo courtesy of DreamWorks Animation/Wikimedia Commons
The How to Train Your Dragon film franchise must be one of the most beloved franchises in cinematic history. The first film, How to Train Your Dragon (2010), tells the story of a young Viking named Hiccup, who tries to prove he can become a dragon slayer in order to fit in with the rest of his village, only to form a bond with a dragon instead, changing life on the island for the better. It is a wonderful story of friendship and acceptance that went on to inspire two other films, multiple shorts, television shows, and most recently, a live-action remake just last year. This has allowed the franchise to remain relevant and present in the hearts of those who grew up with these films.
This also means the fandom has managed to maintain a pretty solid social media presence, and those who are particularly deep in those spaces may have noticed a rumor being spread—one of How to Train Your Dragon’s TV series, Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) may be leaving Netflix. The concern stemmed from the Netflix original series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020) produced by DreamWorks, leaving Netflix due to its licensing contract expiring, according to an interview on Collider. This seemed to cause fans to worry that other Netflix originals produced by Dreamworks, such as Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018), would soon follow. Since the series is not found on any other platform, it would likely be lost to whoever does not own a physical copy of the series’ six seasons. Although a quick look at Netflix confirms that Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) is free from any “Leaving Soon” banner, What’s On Netflix confirmed the series would be gone by Jan. 1, 2028.
Although we still seem to have a bit of time before Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) is lost, this scare should serve as a call to any fan of How to Train Your Dragon (2010) who has not seen one of the best editions to the franchise. One may not expect much of any show that is simply a spinoff of a popular kids movie, perhaps expecting it to be a cheap cash-grab by the studio. This could not be more wrong. Not only is Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) an enjoyable and well-written show that was clearly made by people who were passionate about what they were doing, but it truly breathes new life into and fleshes out the world and characters the movie originally introduced.
Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) follows the dragon riders of the original film, Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, all of whom maintain their original voice actors. The series takes place in between the first and second movie, centering around the riders finding a mysterious artifact known as the “Dragon Eye,” which holds the key to discovering their world is much bigger, and much more dangerous, than they had previously thought. They find themselves at odds with Dragon Hunters, a dangerous and far-reaching organization that seems to be some combination of poachers and pirates, capturing dragons to sell their scales and teeth.
Of course, the Hunters were more than a faceless organization. There were a few notable members, the best of which was Viggo Grimborn. Played by the legendary Alfred Molina, Viggo was the leader of the Dragon Hunters for the majority of the series. He was a phenomenal character, arguably surpassing the villains introduced in the films. Part of what made him such an incredible villain was how well he matched our main character, Hiccup. Hiccup’s greatest strengths are his intellect, which Viggo could match, and his compassion, which Viggo knew how to use against him. The two were constantly trying to outsmart one another, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats wondering if our heroes were walking right into a trap. More importantly, Hiccup lost to Viggo, which cemented Viggo as a true threat, and it forced Hiccup to grow and develop throughout the series, all while Viggo developed just the same, allowing audiences to become engaged in both of their stories. Viggo is just one example of the fantastic characters Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) introduced.
However, where Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) truly shined was in what it did for the characters How to Train Your Dragon (2010) had already introduced. The original trilogy is a masterpiece, but it simply did not have the time to give characters besides Hiccup and Astrid the development they needed. Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) changes that, having entire episodes dedicated to them and their development. Snotlout was revealed to have a strained relationship with his father and constantly struggled to live up to the expectations he set for himself. Fishlegs was forced to overcome his cowardice. An episode where the Twins confront the fact that Astrid did not value their strengths was one of the best in the series.
Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018) was so much more than just a spinoff. It truly deepened the viewers' understanding of the world and characters that the films originally introduced. If any fans of the franchise have missed it, be sure to watch it before it is too late.