"Thawfest" is the twelfth episode in the DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk series. It was aired on November 28th (at 8:00 on Cartoon Network). It mainly features Hiccup and Snotlout. It is preceded by Heather Report Part 2 and succeeded by When Lightning Strikes.
Plot[]
"Every year on Berk, we come together to test our strength and courage in the annual Thawfest Games. For some of us, it is not such a great time of year. In fact, I've lost every single time to that guy. But this year, all that could change. This year, I finally have a chance to win! Because for the first time ever, this year, the Thawfest Games will include...." "Dragons!"
Berk is preparing for the annual Thawfestival games, which will take place in the Academy, that will test the Riders' strength, courage and endurance. Some of the Riders feels it isn't a great time of the year, especially Hiccup. For years, Hiccup has been mocked in defeat by Snotlout in every Thawfest game whenever Hiccup loses to every game to him. But Hiccup feels confident that this year's Thawfest will finally give him the opportunity to beat Snotlout because the Thawfest has now included dragons officially for the first time into the games, adding three additional events for Thawfest.
After announcing it to the Riders by Gobber in the Academy, Snotlout and Hookfang arrives and Snotlout shows off all of his prior Thawfest victory medals, gloating it to the Riders and especially Hiccup. Snotlout explains to them that each of his family members, the Jorgensons, have won every single Thawfest game for generations and Snotlout is confident he too can conquer the competition with his dragon, and they leave.
Hours later, Hiccup is gearing up Toothless for the Thawfest game, Stoick comes upstairs to check on him and they have an awkward chat, but the two of them are focused on dominating the competition over the Jorgensons.
The next day, Stoick commences the Thawfestival games and hundreds of Berk's spectators cheer in excitement. Bucket and Mulch, who are the score recorders of each contestant, commences the first game, the Sheep Lug, requires the Riders to race to first place while carrying a sheep on their shoulders. Snotlout and Astrid make an early lead, following Hiccup who watches behind Fishlegs and the Twins struggling to race. Snotlout comes first place, Astrid disappears leaving Hiccup in second place. As a result, Snotlout scores a point, with none of the Riders gaining one, and is left empty-handed, Snotlout then begins to mock Hiccup of his defeat.
The second game, the Log Roll, requires the Riders to roll a long log they're standing on and try to hold out without falling as long as possible, last man standing determines the winner. In it's early start, Fishlegs knocks out Astrid causing them both to fall, simultaneously the Twins fall off also. Hiccup and Snotlout remain, but Hiccup too gives in and falls down, leaving Snotlout the victor and scores another point, Toothless helps his embarrased Rider to stand up.
The third and last game for the Riders, Axe Throwing, requires the Riders to take an axe and accurately throw to a targeted barrel in which they can choose which to throw on. Snotlout quickly throws his axe in a perfect shot, Astrid and Fishlegs both throws their axes at the same time causing it to collide and fail, the Twins makes fun of their axes by throwing it to Stoick and into the crowd. Hiccup, barely managing to hold his own axe, attempts his throw which seems to glide straightly but not enough power for the axe to make it to it's target and falls short. Snotlout then single handedly throws axes in some of the remaining targets while not looking in front, and all make a perfect shot, impressing his father and the crowd amazingly, Hiccup whisperingly calls him a show off. All three points are awarded to Snotlout, and Snotlout's father, Spitelout, mocks Stoick's son to give up the medal and avoid embarrassment by his son, but Stoick counters by saying 'why don't you take a seat..' and Spitelout is left speechless. Gobber tells Stoick to just ignore him, but it's been years and Stoick only wishes for things to change just this year.
Hiccup looks at his rankings and finds him again usually at dead last, Snotlout then begins to mock him. Hiccup responds back by saying that tomorrow's Thawfest dragon events will change everything, Snotlout replies that he can't wait for it to go in motion and they leave the Academy. Astrid then asks Hiccup why is he so caught up in defeating Snotlout, he responds that for years he finally has a chance to quiet Snotlout's gloats by beating him in the Thawfest. Astrid is convinced by his point and leaves by saying it's nice to see someone else claim the medal, but Hiccup is beginning to show his boastfulness by saying to himself for Snotlout that today's events was Snotlout's last.
The next day, Mulch announces and commences the first dragon event in Thawfest, the Hurdles, which requires the teens' dragons to go under a number of hurdles without colliding with any of it and make it to the exit. Snotlout still feels confident that his dragon can dominate the event. Fishlegs and Meatlug come first, but quickly fails to make it into his first hurdle, as they can't fit through. The Twins and Barf and Belch charge in without thinking it out first, as one head goes over it, and they are quickly put into a halt. Astrid and Stormfly almost makes it through but hits one of the hurdles and fails. Snotlout and Hookfang are next, and Hookfang flies straight in, the problem is, Hookfang's elevation is not properly adjusted as Snotlout's head keeps hitting the hurdles. Hiccup and Toohtless quickly shows them how it's done as they shoot and straight towards perfectly, earning Hiccup his very first Thawfest point.
As a result, Hiccup cheers happily for his first victory, and at first Astrid and Fishlegs are happy for him, he then has a different mental feeling of himself, as he realizes he likes beating Snotlout now and shows signs of gloating, Astrid and Fishlegs are left concerned for him. Snotlout arrives telling Hiccup don't get too overjoyed as there are still two more events, but with victory in his hands, Hiccup now mocks Snotlout and Snotlout just leaves, Astrid is a bit turned off by Hiccup.
Mulch commences the 2nd event, the Free Style, requires the Riders to come up an eye-catching and impressive display of their dragon, in an effort to impress the judges. The Twins and Fishlegs all struggled in showing their display perfectly and is only awarded a few points by the judges. Astrid and Stormfly put up a show by doing their Balance Dance, which impresses the judges. Hiccup and Toothless however, gives the judges a stunning display of a flight and astounding aerial manuevers, and the judges are utterly impressed awarding him huge points. Snotlout and Hookfang sets up huge rings for their recently made-up display called the Rings of Fire, Hiccup expresses a bit of concern that if Snotlout wins this he'll be able to catch up and take home the medal. Snotlout's display requires Hookfang to fly straight into the Rings as he sets it up on fire, but Hookfang breaks as he cannot risk going into the flaming rings, causing his Rider to eject and collide onto the Rings, burning his underpants, the judges award him with no points. Spitelout now feels the same embarrassment and dissapointment Stoick is having with his son.
After a short break, Snotlout watches as he is now the one dead last in the Thawfest dragon events and watches as Hiccup is finally catching up on him, and Hiccup is now the one mocking him by informing him of his father's anger, Snotlout responds that he still doubts that Hiccup has a shot of beating him and the two dispute. But Snotlout is left as the loser and leaves bickering, as Hiccup tells him that he is the best rider and has the best dragon and also showing him the scoreboard. Astrid arrives asking what was all the commotion, Hiccup tells her they were 'rattling cages', which Astrid has never seen Hiccup done before.
Moments later, the 3rd event, the Fly and Shoot, requires the Riders' dragons to shoot springing up wooden images of enemy Outcasts but must spare springing friendlies along the way. Hiccup and Toothless takes down their enemies and spares citizens swiftly and is in the lead. Now if Snotlout can do it better they'll win the event, Snotlout and Hookfang encounter their first enemy and Hookfang puts it into flames, but also hitting one of the flour bags, getting powder all over Hookfang's nose, causing him to sneeze simultaneously and shooting unwanted burst of fire, devastating the testing field as he burns anything that springs up. Consequently, Snotlout loses the final event earning the third point to Hiccup, resulting for the first time ever, a tie.
To break the tie, the two contestants, Hiccup and Snotlout will be put into a tomorrow's special dragon event that will determine who will take home the medal. Hiccup and Snotlout then continue their dispute with each other, but Hiccup wins over Snotlout by mocking his family's reputation of the possibility of their first lost at Thawfest, and Snotlout leaves bickering again. Hiccup continues to mock him, and Astrid is disgusted by his behavior, but Hiccup still blindly fails to realize it has he is so caught up of beating Snotlout. Astrid just tells him that he'd always liked the old Hiccup better, of whom was a corageous loser than his new-self, of whom Astrid describes him as a lousy winner and she leaves.
Later at night on Gobber's smith, Hiccup is improving Toothless' gear as he can while gloating to himself that he can be a great winner for him to show to Astrid failing to realize what she meant about him being a 'lousy winner'. Hiccup finishes the new gear where attaches it into Toothless that will give him a tremendous boost of agility and speed for tomorrow's final event, that Snotlout has no chance to even gain an upper hand against Hiccup.
The next day, hours before the final event is commenced, Hiccup is greeted by Stoick to wish him luck on the game, on the other side, Spitelout greets his son, by warning him that no Jorgenson has ever come close of loosing the Thawfest games and hints to Snotlout that his father will not tolerate if Snotlout became the first Jorgenson family member to lose a single Thawfest game. Snotlout is left deeply worried but presses on.
Hours later, the final event, the Obstacle course race, which Gobber explains, requires Hiccup and Snotlout to first take over an obstacle course of Log Dodge and Cliff climb before they can reach their dragons waiting in the cliffs, to where they mount up and race around a made flight race, to which the finish line is to head back to the Academy, the first to return back is declared the winner. Hiccup and Snotlout prepares for their foot race, and when it starts, Snotlout buys him some time by pushing Hiccup away in the early start. Snotlout quickly overcomes the Log Dodge and moves to the Cliff climb where two vikings throw boulders at them to thwart their advance, but Snotlout overcomes it anyway and mounts up to Hookfang and hurriedly flies away. Hiccup overcomes the Log Dodge quickly also but struggles to climb his way up, fortunately he manages to get a hold of it and makes it to Toothless. Now, they have to catch up to Snotlout and Hookfang by using Toothless' improvise gear.
After flying pass the marked ship, Hiccup sets Toothless' improved tail, and shoots across the sea in bullet-speed, catching up to Snotlout and Hookfang. However, as they make it through a maze of sea stacks Hiccup and Toothless are being blocked by Snotlout and Hookfang in attempt to keep them behind. Hiccup and Toothless attempts to move to the side, but the two dragons briefly collide each other. When they regain control, they find themselves heading to an intersection, they are given only seconds to decide which path to take as they will collide into the sea stack. Snotlout and Hookfang manages to take the short route while Hiccup is force to take the longer route. Hiccup and Toothless flies overhead seeing that Snotlout and Hookfang are only miles away from the finish line, and they hurriedly attempt to close in on Snotlout.
Snotlout and Hookfang's speed is no match for Hiccup and Toothless' and they are about to bypass them, however, Hiccup notices Snotlout worrying that he can't afford to lose. Hiccup suddenly has this epiphany of himself and realizes what Astrid meant prior, that he is only becoming Snotlout himself also. Hiccup apologizes to his father to himself, and discharges Toothless' tail, forcing them to slow down and to land for a bit, the crowd thinks Hiccup and Toothless are having difficulties in flying, but Astrid and Stoick sees that they intended to do that. Meanwhile, with Hiccup and Toothless backing down, Snotlout and Hookfang results them to make it to the finish line first.
Hiccup and Toothless follow also, and the two unmount for a declaration of the winner. Hiccup comments Snotlout his nice flying, Snotlout also comments too of Hiccup putting a good fight, but was not enough to beat him continuing to mock him again, but Hiccup just ignores it. As Stoick announces the closing of perhaps one of the most unforgettable Thawfest games of the year, Stoick declares Snotlout still champion and the winner of this year's Thawfest and gives him the medal. Snotlout runs around cheering his name in victory, including his proud father.
Hiccup watches seeing him happy, Astrid then arrives saying she saw what Hiccup did. Hiccup pretends he has no clue of what she's saying and states that he lost as usual, but Astrid tells him that he intended to back down from the race, though Hiccup still denies it and says that Snotlout was just 'the Better Viking' today, Astrid tells him that the Better Viking was him and kisses him for that.
Hiccup watches on as Snotlout and his father rekindle their father and son relationship by winning the Thawfest, as Hiccup accepts his defeat but realizes that being a good friend is one of the more important things than winning, even though, that he admits, the friend he must support is the person that has mocked him for a long time, is Snotlout.
"Some things never change. But I guess certain things are more important than winning - like being a good friend. Even if the friend is that guy!"
Cast[]
- Jay Baruchel as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
- America Ferrera as Astrid Hofferson
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs Ingerman
- Julie Marcus and T.J. Miller as Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston
- Tom Wilson as Mulch
- Chris Edgerly as Gobber the Belch
- Nolan North as Stoick the Vast
- Zack Pearlman as Snotlout Jorgenson
- David Tennaat as Spitelout Jorgenson
- Tim Conway as Bucket
Screenshots[]
Trivia[]
- While Snotlout always won at Thawfest, Hiccup was always second.
- In this episode Astrid kisses Hiccup for the first and only time in the TV series adaption of the film.
- Also, this is the first episode of the series where we see Spitelout Jorgenson, as well as the first time in the franchise where his character is given depth beyond the bland and somewhat generic lines which he was given in the film.
- We finally see the rivalry of Hookfang and Toothless relationship.