"Dragons: Race to the Edge
'Dragons: Race to the Edge'
Dragons: Race to the Edge is the third installment for the TV cartoon that's based on the feature film How to Train Your Dragon. The first season was titled Dragons: Riders of Berk, which explored the island's newfound friendships with the dragons they had been hunting for centuries. The second season, Dragons: Defenders of Berk, focused on how the dragons could help Berk's residents defend themselves against villians, like Alvin the Treacherous and Dagur the Deranged, leader of the Beserkers.
This series is titled Dragons: Race to the Edge because Hiccup and his mates discover a new land and new dragons.
Dragons: Race to the Edge wastes no time in getting to the main plot point for the series. While exploring an abandoned ship that's been booby-trapped, Hiccup and Toothless discover a mysterious, ancient artifact known as the Dragon Eye. The Dragon Eye contains new information about undiscovered dragons and islands far beyond the borders of Berk. As Executive Producer Doug Sloan explained in a press release, "If the Book of Dragons is an encyclopedia, the Dragon Eye is the Internet." Hiccup and his mates then must battle dragon-hunting villains who want the Dragon Eye for their own evil purposes.
As they venture from the safety of Berk and fly farther than ever before, the dragon riders discover Dragon’s Edge, a lush island on which they establish their outpost, a home base for all their new adventures.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is only available on Netflix, while the previous cartoon aired on Cartoon Network.
I had concerns that the quality of the series, which I have loved in the past, would drop, leaving me disappointed. Fortunately, the jump to Netflix hasn't reduced the caliber of storytelling DreamWorks Animation is known for, although the animation is a little stiff.
Fans of the How to Train Your Dragon movies might be scratching their heads when they watch Dragons: Race to the Edge, because the continuity seems to be off. Specifically, one of the characters dies in How to Train Your Dragon 2, but is alive and well in this series. The explanation is that Dragons: Race to the Edge occurs after Dragons: Defenders of Berk, but before How to Train Your Dragon 2.
The characters, including the dragons, are just the same as they have always been, with more experience under their belts. We see the dragon riders maturing, growing into their adult roles.Their relationships are just as solid, with the same dynamics in place.
The humor is just as sharp, too. You can always rely on Ruffnut and Tuffnut for some goofy humor, and even Snotlout lightens up a little in the first few episodes.
This series is one of my favorites, but two things concern me. First, the animation is slightly stiff. Getting characters to move and look realistic in CGI is difficult, especially with a TV-sized budget and tight schedule. Overall, the look is just as beautiful as it has always been, but the characters' movements, especially in their lips, is off just enough to take me out of the cartoon at times. (Maybe I'm spoiled by the near perfection of the movies.)
See also: Gift of the Night Fury is Instant Classic
My second concern is the focus on the "dragon of the week" type of storytelling. I like dragons just as much as the next gal, but how many new dragons can they keep discovering? Perhaps DreamWorks is playing to a younger audience, or to toy companies, but I think that the characters are interesting enough, and the mythology deep enough, to explore stories that are more characteristic of the movies. We know Hiccup will be Chief one day, how does he feel about that? What does his training look like? We've seen Astrid deal with Snotlout's affections, so how about exploring (I hate to say it) a love triangle? Ruffnut and Tuffnut are hilarious, but they're always on the perimeter. What does their home life look like? Or what's it like when they're goofing off alone?
Dragons: Defenders of Berk touched on some interesting themes, especially the rocky friendship between Hiccup and his frenemy, Dagur, and the affection between Astrid and Hiccup, especially when Heather washed up on shore. I'd love to see Dragons: Race to the Edge explore the world of Berk more in-depth, rather than just discovering new dragons.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015.
Disclaimer: Product was provided by publisher free of charge. My opinions are my own.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015.
EPISODE 1: "Dragon Eye of the Beholder, Part 1"
During their search for the escaped, villainous Dagur the Deranged, Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders discover a mysterious object, which contains not just secrets, but their destiny.
EPISODE 2: "Dragon Eye of the Beholder, Part 2"
Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders journey to Glacier Island in search of the Snow Wraith, a fearsome new dragon that holds the key to the Dragon Eye’s mysteries.
EPISODE 3: "Imperfect Harmony"
The dragon riders discover a lush island that turns out to be the home of the Deathsong, a massive, neverbefore-seen dragon that threatens to trap them forever.
EPISODE 4: "When Darkness Falls"
On an island that will make the perfect outpost, the dragon riders discover its indigenous Residents are a mysterious new breed of dragon.
EPISODE 5: "Big Man on Berk"
Thinking he’s allergic to his dragon, Fishlegs gets hypnotized – and wakes up transformed into an invincible warrior known as Thor Bonecrusher.
EPISODE 6: "Gone Gustav Gone"
When Dagur the Deranged captures Gustav, it’s up to Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders to get him back.
See also: How to Train Your Dragon 2
EPISODE 7: "Reign of Fireworms"
Fireworm dragons invade Dragon’s Edge, while Ruffnut and Tuffnut discover that they have an unexpected connection to the island.
EPISODE 8: "Crushing It"
As a Rumblehorn dragon wreaks havoc on Dragon’s Edge, Hiccup seeks the help of Stoick – who forms an unexpected bond with the rampaging beast.
EPISODE 9: "Quake, Rattle and Roll"
Fishlegs and Meatlug liberate the Gronckles from a menacing dragon that has encroached on their ancestral home, Dark Deep.
EPISODE 10: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 1"
The dragon riders are surprised to discover who is behind recent attacks on nearby ships – and to learn exactly what the ships are.
EPISODE 11: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 2"
A familiar face joins ranks with the dragon riders, but it’s not an easy alliance, especially when Hiccup uncovers a shocking secret about the new member’s true identity.
EPISODE 12: "The Next Big Sting"
Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders rescue a wounded Speed Stinger and take it back to Dragon’s Edge, unaware of the dangers that follow.
EPISODE 13: "Total Nightmare"
When Hookfang is drawn to a female Monstrous Nightmare, Snotlout tries to break them up before he loses his best friend forever.
See also: Guide to Dragons: Riders of Berk
Dragons and Berk residents made their peace in How to Train Your Dragon. Now the dragons help their riders in every day tasks, and in life or death situations.
Hiccup is an unlikely hero, inventor and explorer who single-handedly ushers in peace between dragons and Vikings. Toothless, a Night Fury, is Hiccup’s best friend, an adorable stealth bomber who will stop at nothing to protect him.
Tomboy tough and energetic, Astrid is an outspoken beauty who has a strong sense of duty.
Astrid’s best friend, Stormfly, is beautiful, feisty and a powerful Deadly Nadder.
See also: Gallery: Dragons: Riders of Berk
Snotlout is a hero in his own mind and filled with bravado, the epitome of a male Viking.
A Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang likes to keep Snotlout on his toes, which makes for a complicated relationship.
Fishlegs is the resident dragon “fanboy.” He’s somewhat skittish, a lovable oaf who’s also quite clever. Meatlug is a Gronckle, a sweet, affectionate dragon. He’s Fishlegs’ soulmate.
Twins Ruffnut, the crass, conniving sister, and Tuffnut, the tempermental, unkempt brother, are brazen and fearless twins who feed on adrenaline. Two-headed Barf and Belch, a Hideous Zippleback, has much in common with the twins, sharing a love for destruction and spending more time bickering than working in concert.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015. See more about Dragons: Riders of Berk.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is the third installment for the TV cartoon that's based on the feature film How to Train Your Dragon. The first season was titled Dragons: Riders of Berk, which explored the island's newfound friendships with the dragons they had been hunting for centuries. The second season, Dragons: Defenders of Berk, focused on how the dragons could help Berk's residents defend themselves against villians, like Alvin the Treacherous and Dagur the Deranged, leader of the Beserkers.
This series is titled Dragons: Race to the Edge because Hiccup and his mates discover a new land and new dragons.
Premise
Dragons: Race to the Edge wastes no time in getting to the main plot point for the series. While exploring an abandoned ship that's been booby-trapped, Hiccup and Toothless discover a mysterious, ancient artifact known as the Dragon Eye. The Dragon Eye contains new information about undiscovered dragons and islands far beyond the borders of Berk. As Executive Producer Doug Sloan explained in a press release, "If the Book of Dragons is an encyclopedia, the Dragon Eye is the Internet." Hiccup and his mates then must battle dragon-hunting villains who want the Dragon Eye for their own evil purposes.
As they venture from the safety of Berk and fly farther than ever before, the dragon riders discover Dragon’s Edge, a lush island on which they establish their outpost, a home base for all their new adventures.
My Two Cents
Dragons: Race to the Edge is only available on Netflix, while the previous cartoon aired on Cartoon Network.
I had concerns that the quality of the series, which I have loved in the past, would drop, leaving me disappointed. Fortunately, the jump to Netflix hasn't reduced the caliber of storytelling DreamWorks Animation is known for, although the animation is a little stiff.
Fans of the How to Train Your Dragon movies might be scratching their heads when they watch Dragons: Race to the Edge, because the continuity seems to be off. Specifically, one of the characters dies in How to Train Your Dragon 2, but is alive and well in this series. The explanation is that Dragons: Race to the Edge occurs after Dragons: Defenders of Berk, but before How to Train Your Dragon 2.
The characters, including the dragons, are just the same as they have always been, with more experience under their belts. We see the dragon riders maturing, growing into their adult roles.Their relationships are just as solid, with the same dynamics in place.
The humor is just as sharp, too. You can always rely on Ruffnut and Tuffnut for some goofy humor, and even Snotlout lightens up a little in the first few episodes.
This series is one of my favorites, but two things concern me. First, the animation is slightly stiff. Getting characters to move and look realistic in CGI is difficult, especially with a TV-sized budget and tight schedule. Overall, the look is just as beautiful as it has always been, but the characters' movements, especially in their lips, is off just enough to take me out of the cartoon at times. (Maybe I'm spoiled by the near perfection of the movies.)
See also: Gift of the Night Fury is Instant Classic
My second concern is the focus on the "dragon of the week" type of storytelling. I like dragons just as much as the next gal, but how many new dragons can they keep discovering? Perhaps DreamWorks is playing to a younger audience, or to toy companies, but I think that the characters are interesting enough, and the mythology deep enough, to explore stories that are more characteristic of the movies. We know Hiccup will be Chief one day, how does he feel about that? What does his training look like? We've seen Astrid deal with Snotlout's affections, so how about exploring (I hate to say it) a love triangle? Ruffnut and Tuffnut are hilarious, but they're always on the perimeter. What does their home life look like? Or what's it like when they're goofing off alone?
Dragons: Defenders of Berk touched on some interesting themes, especially the rocky friendship between Hiccup and his frenemy, Dagur, and the affection between Astrid and Hiccup, especially when Heather washed up on shore. I'd love to see Dragons: Race to the Edge explore the world of Berk more in-depth, rather than just discovering new dragons.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015.
Disclaimer: Product was provided by publisher free of charge. My opinions are my own.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015.
EPISODE 1: "Dragon Eye of the Beholder, Part 1"
During their search for the escaped, villainous Dagur the Deranged, Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders discover a mysterious object, which contains not just secrets, but their destiny.
EPISODE 2: "Dragon Eye of the Beholder, Part 2"
Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders journey to Glacier Island in search of the Snow Wraith, a fearsome new dragon that holds the key to the Dragon Eye’s mysteries.
EPISODE 3: "Imperfect Harmony"
The dragon riders discover a lush island that turns out to be the home of the Deathsong, a massive, neverbefore-seen dragon that threatens to trap them forever.
EPISODE 4: "When Darkness Falls"
On an island that will make the perfect outpost, the dragon riders discover its indigenous Residents are a mysterious new breed of dragon.
EPISODE 5: "Big Man on Berk"
Thinking he’s allergic to his dragon, Fishlegs gets hypnotized – and wakes up transformed into an invincible warrior known as Thor Bonecrusher.
EPISODE 6: "Gone Gustav Gone"
When Dagur the Deranged captures Gustav, it’s up to Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders to get him back.
See also: How to Train Your Dragon 2
EPISODE 7: "Reign of Fireworms"
Fireworm dragons invade Dragon’s Edge, while Ruffnut and Tuffnut discover that they have an unexpected connection to the island.
EPISODE 8: "Crushing It"
As a Rumblehorn dragon wreaks havoc on Dragon’s Edge, Hiccup seeks the help of Stoick – who forms an unexpected bond with the rampaging beast.
EPISODE 9: "Quake, Rattle and Roll"
Fishlegs and Meatlug liberate the Gronckles from a menacing dragon that has encroached on their ancestral home, Dark Deep.
EPISODE 10: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 1"
The dragon riders are surprised to discover who is behind recent attacks on nearby ships – and to learn exactly what the ships are.
EPISODE 11: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 2"
A familiar face joins ranks with the dragon riders, but it’s not an easy alliance, especially when Hiccup uncovers a shocking secret about the new member’s true identity.
EPISODE 12: "The Next Big Sting"
Hiccup, Toothless and the dragon riders rescue a wounded Speed Stinger and take it back to Dragon’s Edge, unaware of the dangers that follow.
EPISODE 13: "Total Nightmare"
When Hookfang is drawn to a female Monstrous Nightmare, Snotlout tries to break them up before he loses his best friend forever.
See also: Guide to Dragons: Riders of Berk
Dragons and Berk residents made their peace in How to Train Your Dragon. Now the dragons help their riders in every day tasks, and in life or death situations.
Hiccup and Toothless
Hiccup is an unlikely hero, inventor and explorer who single-handedly ushers in peace between dragons and Vikings. Toothless, a Night Fury, is Hiccup’s best friend, an adorable stealth bomber who will stop at nothing to protect him.
Astrid and Stormfly
Tomboy tough and energetic, Astrid is an outspoken beauty who has a strong sense of duty.
Astrid’s best friend, Stormfly, is beautiful, feisty and a powerful Deadly Nadder.
See also: Gallery: Dragons: Riders of Berk
Snotlout and Hookfang
Snotlout is a hero in his own mind and filled with bravado, the epitome of a male Viking.
A Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang likes to keep Snotlout on his toes, which makes for a complicated relationship.
Fishlegs and Meatlug
Fishlegs is the resident dragon “fanboy.” He’s somewhat skittish, a lovable oaf who’s also quite clever. Meatlug is a Gronckle, a sweet, affectionate dragon. He’s Fishlegs’ soulmate.
Ruffnut/Tuffnut and Barf/Belch
Twins Ruffnut, the crass, conniving sister, and Tuffnut, the tempermental, unkempt brother, are brazen and fearless twins who feed on adrenaline. Two-headed Barf and Belch, a Hideous Zippleback, has much in common with the twins, sharing a love for destruction and spending more time bickering than working in concert.
Dragons: Race to the Edge is available on Netflix beginning June 26, 2015. See more about Dragons: Riders of Berk.
