Proud

I put more hours into this than I normally do on anything, but I wanted so bad to make this.

Stoick is one of my favorite characters of the HTTYD franchise. I started off not liking him. I felt that his role in the movie was still pretty cold and his apology at the end didn't make up for it. But I have since changed my mind.

All through the movie, there are moments where he is quite clearly afraid for his son. Mixed with frustration was protectiveness. His reason for not wanting him to do dragon training was that he was afraid for his life. When he verbally disowns him and exits the hall, he becomes dizzy and takes a step back. Stoick the unbreakable falters for the first time in the movie because of the weight of what just happened.

Then, towards the end, when he rescues Toothless and tells Hiccup that he is proud of him, it is my favorite piece of dialog in the entire movie. I was listening to the soundtrack and this moment came up and tears came to my eyes. It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie and I now believe that Stoick meant every word. Then he watches, helpless on the ground as his son faces an enemy he himself was prepared to die fighting. And the fear of losing his son just when he started to connect with him. It is very real fear.


I started to absolutely adore Stoick in Riders of Berk in the episode "Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man".
Spoilers ahead, but when Stoick freaks out at the end when he thinks Hiccup is lost and then hugs him so hard he cant breathe when he realizes he was safe, then fully accepts Hiccup as what he is, and assures him that just having him as a son is all he wants, I just choke up. Hiccup battles some self esteem issues in that episode, and I just love it.

I've always been able to relate to Hiccup. A lot. When I look at him I feel confidence. He goes from scrawny gawky teen to respected leader scrawny teen. And he does it on his own. He is still himself in the end. I have self esteem issues about being a short, weak kid who doesn't quite fit in. With no mother to talk to these things about. Wanting so bad to make my father proud of me for WHO I am. There is a reason I love this movie so very much. I honestly don't know if I would be here without it. Hiccup just existing as a character helps me deal with so much stuff because I'm so inspired by him. Every time I see Stoick and Hiccup have a father son moment I get all gushy and feely. I just love it.

I'm going to stop talking now heehee.

Painted in Krita.


Edit* About 6 seconds after I posted this I noticed Stoicks walleyes and had to go back and fix it