•~ Astrid & Stormfly O & C ~•

•~~~~~•

Hey y’all!

This post will be my personal opinion on Astrid and Stormfly as characters. While this post regards my true feelings for them, this post will also be acting as an example for a PSA soon to come/a PSA that’s out now (depending on when you read this).

If anyone has varying opinions, that’s more than alright. We all view characters in different lights.

~~~~~

~~~~~

Astrid - Opinion & Critique

Character & Role

Astrid is deemed to be a tough, careless, independent, and brave Berkian with a semi-trained temper. There have been many scenes throughout the franchise that would back this up. However, there have been many places within the franchise that break what she is.

While yes, it’s more than important for characters to have their flaws and downed moments, they should never really stray away from who they are. Astrid does though.

In the first movie, there is a very famous scene known as the “Romantic Flight”. The thing that doesn’t make sense is that after being threatened with a living flame thrower, nearly dropped from the heigh of a multiple story building, be chucked underwater numerous times, and being forced to apologize for something that she didn’t really need to apologize for, just because she saw some pretty clouds, she’s now wrapped hard around Hiccup, swooning. What even somewhat sane person would be pressing all close to someone, someone that technically took part in what could be considered torture; especially whenever no romantic points of interest from Astrid were expressed earlier? She then goes on to kiss him before skipping off right after the event, and she does it AGAIN towards the end of the movie. From what the roots of her character characterize her as, she would’ve never done that.

Now we move on to when she first encounters Heather. While yes, it was said and shown Astrid clearly didn’t trust her, I believe most could see that Astrid was a bit on the jealous side as well. If her character was stuck to, she wouldn’t of been jealous; she hasn’t been jealous anywhere else that I can recall.

Now go to Race to the Edge. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but here she seemed to be a Damsel in Distress more often than elsewhere. The situations where she was in danger, the situation tended to seem unnecessary, and the other characters, besides Hiccup, were barely referenced to in those times. Astrid is their friend too; they too care about her.

Second movie Astrid I don’t have anything against. This is her best form, in my opinion. She has the right amount of interaction, no interaction seems off, and her presence doesn’t cut away from others.

In the third movie, she doesn’t amount to much in my opinion. This time Hiccup needs her the most, and she’s not there all too often. Whenever she does come forwards though, her speeches aren’t exactly inspiring or groundbreaking. They’re painfully average. If there was a scene where a heart to heart was in place, and she took on her designated role correctly, she would’ve made much more of an impact in the third. Her emotion isn’t all too present, especially so whenever she gave the weakest goodbye to her companion she’s known for years. (Also, not to mention, the screen time of her and Hiccup (plus the Furies) took away majorly from the others.)

All in all, throughout most of the series, she’s been truly kind of a generic stock character. Who she is constantly changes, and she’s just not executed all too well, especially when it comes to certain character dynamics.

Critique

What would I do to make Astrid better?

For one, I’d make Astrid a stable character. I’d stick to what she’s labeled as, and I wouldn’t go messing around with her character to make writing a “plot” easier. I wouldn’t have her be so attached and intrigued by Hiccup as quickly as she was, especially considering what she just went through. I’d save their relationship for the second, and I’d carry it to the third. There I’d make her role more substantial, someone to talk to, heart to heart, for Hiccup. The woman he needs. Really, just more emotion overall. I also wouldn’t focus on her (and others) as much just so the other important characters could get the screen-time they deserve.

If not that, I’d honestly prefer for Astrid to not exist, really. I prefer Camicazi, Hiccup’s female partner in crime within the book series. Hiccup’s and Camicazi’s dynamics and interactions within the books are much more believable to me, and she’s a more stable, likable character.

~~~~~

Stormfly - Opinion & Critique

Character & Role

Stormfly is primarily described as a gorgeous Deadly Nadder that so happens to be Astrid’s companion. If anything, some sound describe her as brave. Personally, I wouldn’t describe her as anything.

In all the movies and shows, if you think about it, her as a character hasn’t really done anything. She just seems like she’s just there most of the time. Need her to fly? She’ll fly, I guess. Need her to shoot fire and/or her spikes? She’ll shoot them, I guess. There’s really not much she has done.

The only time she’s really shown personality, at least positive personality, is with Toothless and Garf. That’s it, and that’s a short amount of time too. Only when playing with Toothless (start of HTTYD 2 & 3), encountering Garf (RTTE), and I guess happily fetching Eret is the only time you can really see any character. That’s not a whole lot of screen time at all compared to all she’s been in. She seems to just do what is needed of her; she doesn’t think independently like every other dragon.

If anything, she’s easy to manipulate, and easily abandoned those who needs her. A random stranger fed her a few pieces of chicken, and just because of that Stormfly flew the stranger far away from Berk. What other dragon would do that? No other dragon would agree, even Barf and Belch, likely.

She doesn’t have any solid character, in my opinion. She just does what she’s told and that’s it.

Critique

While I wouldn’t fit her to the book Stormfly, I’d certainly change her personality. I’d have Stormfly be playful more often, yet a bit self-obsessed at times like the things she’s modeled after. Birds.

It’s said Nadder generally ire themselves, and it’d be interesting, perhaps humorous at times, to see her doing as described. Her playful personality with that wouldn’t be exactly expected, as you’d consider her to perhaps be egotistical, but nope. You get a pleasant surprise of a character.

~~~~~

Any who, that’s my two cents.

Anyone feel free to add to the discussion, and no arguing amongst one another. Debate is more than welcome, but arguments will not be tolerated; they’re very different.

Hope those of you who’ve had trouble with formatting/wording opinion posts in the past find this example helpful as well.

•~~~~~•