With the Edge lost, the Riders regroup at Defender Island, but when the Hunters find them, they are forced to head home to Berk for reinforcements, and a painful choice befalls both Hiccup and Stoick.
Tropes:
- Call-Forward: Stoick knows full well how bad an attack from malevolent Dragon Riders can be, considering he has met Drago Bludvist... We are even shown the same flashback of Drago burning down the Gathering of Chieftains from the movie.
- The Chains of Commanding: Mala helps Hiccup manage his disheveled and exhausted teammates by giving them things to do while on her island, as well as give encouraging advice to Hiccup, having struggled with leading in similar crises.Mala: I've been precisely where you stand, Hiccup Haddock. When one leads, one is looked upon for all answers, some of which they haven't found yet.
- The Fettered: While the Singetails are powerful combatants and Krogan's riders are skilled, Hiccup being this trope is Krogan's greatest advantage. He knows Hiccup won't fight to kill the enslaved dragons, while Krogan doesn't have this limitation.
- Gratuitous Spanish: Ruffnut and Tuffnut spend the whole episode spouting random bits of Spanish.
- I Owe You My Life: Multiple times. Throk protects Ruff from being hit by a boulder, getting knocked out in the process; the twins subsequently take him with them when they retreat to Berk. Consequently, Throk owes a life debt to Ruff, becoming her guardian until it is repaid. Simultaneously, Viggo saves a random mook that was aiding him in his search for the Dragon Eye, knowing that it is the difference between himself and Krogan.
- A Lesson in Defeat: Viggo openly invokes this as he uses the very cauldron Hiccup and Fishlegs used to enter the Defender's volcano to find the Dragon Eye. He even warns Krogan not to underestimate him.Viggo: I have found, Krogan, that it is important to draw inspiration from those who have bested you. Hiccup's ingenuity, it's fascinating. The boy has invented things most could only dream of.
- Noodle Incident: Apparently there was an embarrassing defeat that Stoick tries to keep quiet, a defeat complete with a jaunty tune based off of it.Viking Berkians tried and true
Got our butts kicked
By a little tiny crew - Out-of-Character Moment: When venturing into Dragon Edge's volcano accompanied by another hunter, Viggo was within a short distance of the Dragon Eye, but took the time to save his companion from falling into the lava. Keep in mind that this is the guy who was willing to infect his own men (and possibly the rest of the Archipelago) with the fatal Scourge of Odin with the intent of profiting off of the cure. Course he gets arguably right back into character when he not so subtly hints that he expects the other hunter to pay him back someday.
- We Have Reserves: Krogan thinks nothing of sacrificing his mooks, as he has plenty more where they came from. He outright says this is why he employs so many mooks (albeit his skilled dragon riders are an exception).
- Wham Shot: While Krogan had always been implied to be affiliated with Drago because of the crest he wears, here he's seen by Drago's side in Stoick's flashback, implying he might not be just any member of Drago's army, but an important one.
