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While the "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy ended with the wonderful "Hidden World," there is still some room for spin-off shorts or a TV series to expand the lore. If done well and with care, we could get something beautiful like 2011's "Gift of the Night Fury," a holiday special where Toothless is given the gift of independent flight by Hiccup, for the dragon to give something in return. It not only has animation on par with the first film, but it is produced by Dean DeBlois, and directed by Tom Owens, who was head of story on "How to Train Your Dragon 2." Dane Stogner, who was the leading man when animating Toothless in the trilogy, worked on the short too. It not only serves as a sweet special, but it builds upon the world, on Hiccup and Toothless' friendship and ties excellently into the films. Without care or passion, we get "Race to the Edge," a half baked attempt at making a series accompaniment after the charming shows, "Riders" and "Defenders of Berk," with a not very Hiccupy Hiccup, no bond between him and Toothless, and pretty much no lore that ties on with the films, save for one episode where Hookfang almost returning to the wild. With DreamWorks announcing a short set before the epilogue, called "Homecoming," there was tension and excitement. Would it be filled with passion and joy, or half-baked and uninspired? Thankfully, while it is no "Gift of the Night Fury," "Homecoming" is a sweet little accompaniment to an already brilliant capper."Homecoming" takes place before the emotional epilogue in "The Hidden World," in the days leading up to the viking holiday of Snoggletog. We see Hiccup telling his children how he always leaves trout as an offering for his best friend, Toothless, who is still close to his heart despite having lived away from him now for ten years. Nuffink, he and Astrid's youngest child, is all game for some dragon nostalgia, but their older daughter is having her first Crisis of Fate. Zephyr, while rooting though the attic, has found the old and now defunct Dragon Manual, and reading it has led her to believe that there may be another side to the dragons. Horrified by this, Astrid and Hiccup decide to bring back the Snoggletog Pageant, updating it to show when dragons and Berkians became friends. Meanwhile, in the Hidden World, Toothless is reminiscing about the times he spent with Hiccup, and wants to show his Night Light children his best friend, something that Light Fury is uncertain about. It seems that Dart,* the most curious of his offspring, has an idea that might just involve venturing out of their home for the first time.The first thing to note is the animation. While it isn't as good as the films, and is noticeably a bit softer, especially on Toothless, it still looks really good. The character animation is fluid, especially with Hiccup, where they really captured Baruchel's gestures. The lighting is gorgeous, and the textures look really good for a TV production. The Night Lights still look rather funny, but the animation on them is still good. Toothless looks fantastic, but his mate looks very off model. Overall, it is a good looking special.In regards the writing, it's a hit and miss affair. I do appreciate the intelligent approach behind the Crisis of Fate; Zephyr is at the age where she will be curious about what her parents and culture tell her, and the short deals with this well by showing how it is only her that is effected when it comes to the outlook on dragons. This is seen through Nuffink, who merely follows her like a lamb because he is her younger brother, and the reactions of the other children at the Pageant. Notice how when Hiccup comes out wearing the Toothless costume, the other children exclaim, "look! It's Toothless!" Even Nuffink is excited, until Zephyr shows disdain. This proves that it is only Zephyr that is currently suffering from the Crisis of Fate, thanks to finding the Dragon Manual. Besides, it is clear that the other Berkians still hold the dragons in their hearts, what with the decor and traditions surrounding them. One child starting to wonder does not indicate that every child will follow suit. It's important to note that Zephyr is the heir of Berk, and is at that age where questions will arise. For her to be curious and questioning makes perfect sense in this scenario. The way they deal with resolving her conundrum is clever; when the Night Lights fly to New Berk to find Hiccup, their parents tail them. Hiccup falls off a cliff in the Toothless costume, where the real dragon saves him (he doesn't see his face due to the costume). Due to Hiccup being out of commission, Toothless uses the smoke from the burning stage to take Hiccup's place in the show, therefore he doesn't become noticed. When Zephyr runs to see her "dad" after the show, she sees Toothless, and realizes her father was right, on her own terms, in one of the most touching scenes of the franchise.This leads to a dilemma - why are the children scared of Toothless in the epilogue, and why is Toothless wary of Hiccup? Allow me to suggest an interpretation. DeBlois did say he thinks Toothless likely forgot aspects of his old life, something which I adamantly disagree with, and clearly the writers of this short think the same. When Toothless is drawing Hiccup in the Hidden World, he draws him as he remembers him, since the last time he saw Hiccup was when they were both 21. Toothless has no concept that Hiccup may have changed appearance. When he saves Hiccup from falling, the man's peg leg is covered by the costume, and his face is covered, so Toothless identifies him by scent. Now, you'll say, why were the Night Lights so eager to meet him? Well, for one, they are babies. While they are smart enough to escape their home, they have had no positive or negative interactions with humans, and everything they know from Toothless about his best friend has been nothing but glowing - why wouldn't they approach him? Then again, you may say, why was Toothless so hostile on the boat during the epilogue? I'll say it before and will do so again; Toothless is with his mate and hatchlings, guarding the Hidden World. He is the alpha of all dragons, and if a boat comes to the entrance, it is bad news. He sees this big, bearded man with a cape, looking at him without fear. Of course he is on edge. When he sniffs him, all that fades away. I don't think it is much of a stretch to argue that Toothless was acting out of animal instinct. The same can be said for Zephyr, for when she first saw Toothless, he was docile. When he is angry, Toothless is downright terrifying. He looms right over her father on his hind legs - and he is over 6 feet tall. I think any child would be nervous of a dog growling, even if they usually appear sweet, so why wouldn't she be scared? As for Toothless not noticing her or Astrid, why would he if he's laser focused on the male? It is implied by him climbing onto the boat that he knows deep down there is no threat, but he needs to make sure for the safety of his kind. So, it is safe to say that the short ties into the trilogy nicely in these regards without ruining the epilogue.The aspect of the writing that bothered me the most, was the treatment of Hiccup and Stoick's legacies. First off, we see the children of Berk hitting stones off of Stoick's statue. This angered me so much, especially when they asked Gobber who he was! I find it absurd that the children of Berk know how kind and loving dragons are, but disrespect Stoick like that. That's not all, however. Gobber is tasked with writing the script for the Pageant, and because he is heavily grieving his late best friend, he writes Stoick as the person who bridged the gap between Berkians and dragons. Now, I will give credit that the writing does acknowledge how ridiculous this is, with Hiccup becoming justifiably annoyed by the misrepresentation; exclaiming "there were dragons everywhere, and people doubting me - especially my own father! But I stood my ground, I stood my ground and reached out, and touched a dragon. That's hardcore!" Astrid tells him to look at the bigger picture, that Gobber captured the spirit of the story, and that is what matters. Granted, the adults of Berk know the truth and will be able to tell their kids what really happened, but for what? Hiccup was always insecure and self deprecating, and this practically proves why even more so than before. Especially when he just accepts it at the end. What's funny, is that Stoick would never be ok with this! It is a really weird writing choice that makes no sense, which is bizarre because everything with the dragons and Zephyr works really well!Speaking of the dragons, we only see the Fury family here, and they are mostly fleshed out really well. Toothless is the same as always, if not a bit more feral and more like HTTYD1 Toothless due to a decade of living in the wild. He is still loyal to Hiccup, and is as intelligent as always. Him saving Hiccup despite not knowing who it was just shows how smart and empathetic he is, and it is one of the best parts of the short. Dart (blue eyes black Night Light) is the brains of the outfit when it comes to the babies, while her brothers, Pouncer (white) and Ruffrunner constantly play fight, with the latter suffering from some form of narcolepsy. They are cute as hell, despite looking a bit silly, and I love how their scales glitter like their mother's. They also prove something that I have been very adamant about for years; that the dragons are the moral compass of the movies. They show what humans should aspire to be; pure and forgiving while still being their own beings. The fact that the Night Lights want to come to New Berk shows that the dragons are truly the moral compass of the franchise. and are a metaphor for what we should become. This moral compass has left their mother, however. In "The Hidden World," Light Fury has a clear arc, and he become accepting of Hiccup by the film's end, showing that the dragons leave not due to her bond with Toothless, but because of circumstance out of their control. In "Homecoming," Light Fury is suddenly very reluctant to visit New Berk, despite Toothless showing how much it means to him. In fact, unlike the Night Light's and Toothless' animations, it is left unclear as to what her feelings and motivations are. Does she not want to leave because it is too dangerous? Is it because she still hates humans? Some fans are even claiming she is a toxic partner, and while I wouldn't go that far myself, I can see where people are coming from. When she cuddles Toothless after their spat, is she agreeing to go the next day after they sleep, or is she happy he decided not to go? In the only instance where Toothless' intentions aren't very clear or interpretative, we are left to wonder if he appeased her into going, or handed his cahones on a platter in order to restore peace. It was easy to connect with Light Fury in "The Hidden World" due to her interactions with the characters and environment, but here, it is very unfocused and leads her to come across as confusing and unlikable.Then we have the humans. We focus more on the Haddock family, and we see a very loving couple in Hiccup and Astrid. Zephyr is like a mixture of both parents, while Nuffink is a precious angel that needs protection at all costs. Gobber is the doddering uncle type, while the other dragon riders are mere throwaway gags, save for Fishlegs, who gives an impeccable Stoick impersonation (for which Butler reprises his role), and Tuffnutt, who is his usual inept self. Each character gives off funny moments, with one scene involving the casting of Hiccup, which was possibly the funniest bit of the short. There is no mention of Eret or Valka, for whatever reason. However, despite having most of the original cast return, the best human characters are Hiccup and Nuffink, one for being himself as always, and the other for being absolutely mental in the best way possible. The voice acting is top notch all around, you can tell the actors adore the parts they have played for the bones of a decade. It is nice to hear their passionOverall, "How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming" has an intelligence to its concept, and pulls it off well enough. It enriches the epilogue of the trilogy without ruining the message, and it has some nice animation, lovely moments and a good score. However, thanks to the way Light Fury was handled, and the botching of Hiccup and Stoick's story, it doesn't deliver nearly as well as "Gift of the Night Fury." "Homecoming" may not be the best short to come from HTTYD, but it has enough fire in its belly to make one feel warm and cosy inside.7/10Aileen's Appreciation Corner:* Liam Ferguson, the son of Craig Ferguson (voice of Gobber), voices Nuffink Haddock.* Semi-canon tie in games, "Rise of Berk" and "School of Dragons," named the Night Lights Dart (female, blue eyes, black with white nose and ears), Pouncer (male, blue eyes mostly white with black markings) and Ruffrunner (male, green eyes, mostly black with white socks and spines), respectively.* Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Gerard Butler all reprise their roles. Zack Perlmann, who voices Snotlout in the TV and Netflx shows, reprises his roll, while Justin Rupple once again voices Tuffnut, after TJ Miller was replaced in HTTYD3.* Anthony Willis, who works as an additional composer with John Powell, scored the short on his own.* Jonathan Groff, who voices Kristoff in "Frozen," co-wrote the short.