okay so my theory about How To Train Your Dragon is that Astrid loved Hiccup WAYYYYY before the events of Romantic Flight but due to how the vikings lived in near constant combat with the dragons and young children/teens being forced to learn how to defend themselves and their families from an early age, she closed herself off to those feelings because by all accounts Hiccup was doomed to die. she resented how useless he was in combat, and she resented how much she cared. she was mean and dismissive to him out of fear that she would inevitably have to mourn him soon, and the colder she was the easier it would be.
then, miraculously, Hiccup begins to show some kind of competency in dealing with the dragons. but he's still not defending himself. he's finding strange ways of controlling them, but he's still as physically weak as he was before and Astrid can't see how whatever he's doing will help him outside of the training ring. great, you found out that Deadly Nadders like chin scratches. what about the Monstrous Nightmare burning down your house?
all this just makes Astrid angrier. how is Hiccup succeeding without violence? how will he survive without violence? violence is what she was born into. what does he know that she can't comprehend?
it's only later, when she sees that this scrawny beanpole of a boy has found a companion in a Night Fury, the embodiment of Death, that the miracle of him starts to make sense. he knows so much more than what any of their people can comprehend. and he wants so badly to show her. and for the first time ever, Astrid has hope.
i believe that this explains Astrid's comfortability and affection for Hiccup that she shows during and after the events of Romantic Flight, why she wraps her arms around him and kisses his cheek after everything. considering her personality, i don't think Romantic Flight shows her falling in love with Hiccup for the first time. i think she has loved him for a long time, and was too trapped in self-protection to allow herself to feel it (similar to Katniss regarding Peeta). but now she has hope that maybe he won't be ripped away from her. now she sees how much more there is to him, sees that he embodies Mercy stronger than Death.
My full piece for the oncethereweredragons zine that I forgot to post! Still can't watch these movies without needing a whole week to emotionally recover...
One day, while patrolling the city, young warriors found a bunch of leaflets on which they recognized their old friend who needed help
Without thinking twice (but giggling for a long time), the heroes decide to find out what was the problem (the leaflets did not explain much, but only caused even more questions)
I’m torn because I don’t want a live action httyd per say, because I don’t believe live action is the final form for all stories and the movies we have are amazing but I’ve just got to say
LOOK AT HER
Look at the shape of her jaw and her big green eyes what do you MEAN she doesn’t look like Astrid look at her for a goddamn minute she’s got about as close to a cartoon face as a real person can have
Astrid’s voice actor wasn’t white, dragons aren’t real I don’t want to HEAR IT ANYMORE I’m sick of the thinly veiled racism hiding behind pretending to know shit about Scandinavia
I just love this cute family!! *Sniffles* gotta keep the memory of dragons alive you know…
Side note: I know Hiccups supposed to have a beard in this time frame, but I didn’t feel like drawing one on him. (And ruin that jawline line-art??? Hell no)! So let’s just pretend he decided to shave, I’m very sure he’s capable of doing that. Also Astrid’s pregnant… um, don’t ask me why I did that it just felt right okie?
I just feel it in my bones that they would have another kid, and really… why wouldn’t they?! 😏
I might put more sketchies of them on here in the future, so stay tuned if you care.