How To Train Your Dragon One-Shots

The World According To Snotlout - A Short Story

So I guess I'm falling behind on law school homework this weekend. Here's a quick story about Snotlout! I loved the maturity and self awareness he showed in "Chain of Command", and I wanted to try to get into his thought process a little bit after Minden decides to quit. We talked about him on our podcast in our HTTYD episode on youtube, and I was surprised by how much Julie and I had to say about his character. We joke about him all the time, but he has a truly exceptional story arc and becomes a great person. He was one of my favorite characters in the books, and I think the movie and show version does him justice. So, without further ado, here is my Snotlout story! It's short and unedited (again, this is just a fun break from law school), but I hope you enjoy it!

***

"I have failed, Snotlout. I have failed Atali, and I have failed my tribe."

How many times had he heard that before? Truthfully, Snotlout couldn't remember anyone else every expressing that particular sentiment. Well, anyone that is, other than himself. 

Failure, a disappointment, untrustworthy, a muttonhead. That's what Snotlout was. That's what the people around him had called him. That's what Spitelout had called him. His own father thought he wasn't good enough.

And it was true, wasn't it? How many times had he messed up? Hiccup may have been heir to the chief, but after Hiccup came Snotlout. People expected great things from him. He was supposed to be the best at dragon training, the annual Thawfest Festival champion. Almost losing his title and being passed over by both Astrid and Hiccup in dragon training wasn't supposed to happen. He hadn't even been able to deliver the Jorgenson ceremonial ax to the wedding in time (though that fiasco wasn't entirely his fault), he had almost gotten his fellow riders killed dozens of times, and his plans almost never worked. If anyone failed, it was him, not Minden.

"Yeah okay, we can talk about that later," Snotlout said, "but now..."

But she wouldn't listen. Minden had her back turned to him, her baby Razorwhip clung to her back. With a sigh, she took the dragon and placed it gently on the ground. With a squeal, it scampered over to Hookfang and climbed onto the larger dragon. Hookfang looked at Snotlout then nodded at Minden. He was right. A Viking, or Wing-Maiden in this case, should never be separated from her dragon. Snotlout knew because he had almost lost his own dragon once.

Hookfang hadn't been well. Snotlout remembered it like it had been yesterday. He would never forget what it was like to watch Hookfang slowly lose his fire. Normally energetic and fiery, Hookfang had become languid. He stopped moving and eventually stopped eating. When Snotlout told him to light himself on fire, Hookfang couldn't do it. 

And what had Spitelout said at the time? That when a Viking's sword was no longer sharp, a Viking got a new sword. 

A real Viking would have gotten a new sword. But Snotlout wasn't a real Viking. No. He had been afraid when a real Viking would have been fearless. He had been without answers when a real Viking would have known exactly what to do. He had been directionless when a real Viking would have never been lost. Spitelout had only ever wanted him to be a real Viking, a proud bearer of the Jorgenson name, and Snotlout had let him down. Above all else, he was a failure.

"You were right, Snotlout. It is pointless to try. I shall be a Wing-Maiden no more."

It was like reliving the earlier drafts of Snotlout's memoir. He recognized Minden. Not in the sense that he knew her name and face, though he certainly recognized her in that way. It was more that he recognized what she was feeling because he had felt all of that himself. Trying? What was the point when you weren't good enough? Being a member of a group? No thank you. Hiccup was the leader and the best flyer, Astrid was the greatest warrior they had, Fishlegs knew the most about dragons, and the twins...well...

And if failure was familiar, quitting was Snotlout's closest friend. Whenever anything became too hard or it became clear he wouldn't succeed, Snotlout quit. Everything he had worked for, everything he wanted...no, everything Spitelout wanted for him, Snotlout had given up. Snotlout wasn't the best Viking or the best warrior. He was something else.

Snotlout was free. 

He gave up being the best Viking. He didn't get a new sword like Spitelout had suggested. He didn't quit on Hookfang. Instead, Snotlout had brought Hookfang to Fireworm island and saved his best friend. When he gave up trying to be a success in the eyes of his father and decided to be his own version of a success, Snotlout realized that he had gained so much more than he ever would have achieved on his own. Being bonded with a dragon was more than having an armored steed to ride into battle on. It was having a partner who would be there for you no matter what. And Snotlout would be there for Hookfang no matter what. Hookfang wasn't just a dragon, but a friend. The two of them had been through so much together, and until the day they stepped foot into Valhalla, Snotlout knew that they would continue to be there for each other. 

Maybe Spitelout wouldn't say that Snotlout was the best Viking, but Snotlout knew that wasn't true. The best Viking was the one who never gave up on himself and what was important to him. Snotlout was a Dragon Rider. He was Hookfang's best friend, he was a writer, he was skilled at sewing, he was an "S" enthusiast, he was the ambassador to Wing-Maiden island, and he was Hiccup's, Fishlegs', Astrid's, and the Twins' friend. He was free to be whomever he wanted to be. He had given up a life of unrealistic expectation and chosen compassion and community. And though part of him still had difficulty admitting it out loud, he was happy. Maybe someone else would say that he quit, but Snotlout knew that he hadn't quit at all. He had found his own path and what it truly meant to be Snotlout Jorgenson. 

And now Minden needed help finding herself. Snotlout wouldn't tell her who to be or what to do, but he could tell her what he knew of himself. 

Snotlout smiled and patted Hookfang. Vulnerability wasn't something the old Snotlout would ever allow himself to express. But this Snotlout wouldn't give up on who he was. He may not have the best words or be as wise as Gobber, but he knew who he was: Snotlout Jorgenson! Oi! Oi! Oi!

He took a deep breath and turned to Minden.

"Quitting, as good as it feels, as little effort as it takes, it never works."

Behind him, Hookfang purred. It was hard being himself sometimes. And though Snotlout had quit trying to be the Viking his dad wanted him to be, he knew he would never quit being himself, no matter how hard it was.

*** Hope you enjoyed! It was so much fun writing about Snotlout. He comes across as goofy and shallow sometimes, but I think there is a lot of depth to him. He is brave and loyal and though he talks a big game he knows who he is and what he brings to the group and will do anything for them.