Netflix Retrospective: Dragons: Race to the Edge Season 3 episodes 4-6

The first 3 episodes of the season were fine, but episodes 2-3 were more akin to filler episodes, let’s take a look at how things progress in the next 3 episodes

Turn and Burn

Hiccup’s making another attempt at his glider, Toothless is less than impressed given what the results were last time. He refuses the light the forge for welding, but thankfully Snotlout is in an unusually generous mood, so he offers Hookfang to do so. Of course, not building the fire gradually results in the whole place being set ablaze. Luckily, it seems the twins took notice and quickly put the fire out. Hiccup believes this is over the line, even for them. OK… I don’t believe that for a second but let’s go with it.

The situation is interrupted with the arrival of Stoick, who wants words with Snotlout regarding his father. All the bits of character are never really revealed in the films, as Gobber is the only male adult other than Stoick to get much characterisation in them. It’s a pity because David Tennant is a talented actor and could do some good work if ever given the chance, just look at how he portrays Scrooge McDuck. Anyway, since becoming a B-team dragon rider, he’s been getting ideas, including a cache for emergency supplies, which he’d been pestering Stoick about for a while.

Stoick eventually relented and had him search for a site but he hasn’t returned from a recent expedition, well, I say recent, he set off a month ago. Of course, lest we forget the point I’ve been hammering for a while, it takes days to get anywhere. Hiccup, Snotlout and Stoick head out to look for him, having deciphered a map in his terrible writing.

Hiccup tries to reassure Snotlout that his dad’s probably fine, and whilst Snotlout tries to act like his usual self, it’s clear he is genuinely worried. They arrive at an island, and find a hut already built, using the S symbol favoured by Snotlout and Spitelout. They also discover a Dragon trap, which Snotlout stumbles into, trapping both him and Hiccup and their respective dragons. The trap was for a nearby Singetail which Stoick now has to fight with Skullcrusher.

Spitelout arrives to help, leading the dragon away whilst Stoick gives chase, unfortunately not only is the singetail fireproof, but it’s tail shoots fireballs that knocks Stoick off. The singetail is lured away, for now, so it’s time for Spitelout and Stoick to argue. It almost rubs off on their children but Snotlout ends up actually liking the ‘reckless renegade’ insult so it kinda ends there.

OK, so it turns out the Singetail only came to the island after the storehouse was built, and began setting fires everywhere. Also, Spitelout built the storehouse on his own to avoid the red tape. Berkians must be the fastest builders in the universe. Unfortunately the dragon retuns to attack and it’s unique eye placement means it has unique advantages, and can see both in front and behind simultaneously.

Hiccup suggests they may be vulnerable from below and as Toothless is the most accurate, he’ll make the shot (against objection) as the others draw its attention. Given how widespread the fires are, Hiccup dismisses the idea that the Singetail could be marking territory. But the attack fails when the underbelly also has fire-defences, this is one of the most OP-dragons out there.

Stoick has had enough and calls for them to leave, Spitelout insists on staying, Snotlout is torn, as he knows leaving is the most logical but can’t say no to his father. Hiccup ever the voice of reason tries to bridge the two sides, telling his father about Snotlout’s incident with the forge being directly tied into Snotlout’s desperation to prove himself, a trait very similar to his father. Stoick does see it, and turns around to help them again.

And things have gone from bad to worse for the Jorgensons, as another Singetail has shown up to aid, and they’re directly attacking the storehouse now. Stoick and Hiccup arrive to aid, but it turns out the fires were a means of drawing over more of the Singetails and soon they’re outnumbered. Stoick’s in battle mood and refusing to back down but this time even Spitelout can see this is a lost cause. The two agree to work together on another storehouse at another time. We get a reference to “Yakkity Yak” of all things as the episode comes to a close

This is one Spitelout’s better episodes, his motivations seem less unreasonable. That said, we’re never given a direct reason why the first Singetail showed up

Rating 8/10

Buffalord Soldier

With a title like that, what could go wrong?

Astrid is out on patrol on Stormfly and finds an abandoned ship in a TV budget version of fog. She finds something aboard that scares her and scratches her, we only see a green arm, whatever that could mean.

Hiccup’s busy doing some welding, and has invented special googles so he can see through the blaze, something he never uses in the films. Astrid describes what she saw to the rest of the team, and it’s referred to as a plague called ‘the scourge of Odin.’ Quick, everyone to your nearest Supermarket, your life literally depends on you having all the toilet paper.

Astrid tries to pretend she’s fine but it soon becomes clear that she isn’t, she will die in less than 3 moons, but Snotlout finds a portal back to Berk and manages to return with Gothi’s notes. Do I even have to say it at this point? Anyway, apparently the cure is made from the saliva of a Buffalord dragon but they were hunted to extinction during the last outbreak.

Thanks to some copied notes from the Dragon Eye, they have a potential location, they head out and soon stumble upon a large pile of droppings that indicate a large dragon with a vegetarian diet. Hiccup uses flightmare algae to indicate footprints the dragon left and they follow. They find is quickly after, munching on some grass. Hiccup manages to successfully extract some saliva but it dries up in seconds, their only hope is to take the Buffalord to the edge directly.

This doesn’t work as the Buffalord goes rampant the moment it leaves the island, escaping its binds and flying back. With that option gone, they fly Astrid to the island. They extract more saliva but it doesn’t seem to work. Thanks to the twins though, Hiccup quickly deduces that the saliva needs to be mixed with the herbs the Buffalord eats in order to be effective.

Unfortunately, just as the Buffalord produces the herby mix, the Buffalord is trapped as it turns out this whole adventure was set up by Viggo. His fishing boat was a means of spreading the plague and now they have the Buffalord, they have the antidote. I guess Hiccup explaining how it works too. Honestly, I think that’s the most diabolical plan any of the Dragons villains ever had, even if it isn’t especially unique.

Hiccup agrees to let him take the dragon if he can get some of the antidote, something Viggo ultimately agrees to. Not sure how he plans to spread the plague without her but… She’s cured almost instantly and thanks to Viggo not using a dragon root arrow to knock the Buffalord out, he manages to escape, capsizing the boat as he does so. With that business concluded, all that’s left is for them to take care of the fishing boat. Hiccup theorises that Viggo must’ve somehow unlocked the Dragon eye, otherwise he wouldn’t have known about the Buffalord.

It’s a good episode, with weighty emotional stakes to it, but I fear also kinda rushed

Rating 7/10

A Grim Retreat

The Dragons are working hard on the production of Gronkle Iron, to re-enforce their perimeter in case of Viggo attacking. But everyone’s tired and over-worked and want to take a small vacation. It doesn’t help that thanks to their efficient production, they don’t have the supply of sandstone needed to make Gronkle iron but Astrid and Fishlegs have an island in mind that could supply their sandstone and a vacation spot.

Stoick and Gobber agree to defend the edge, which means Berk is basically unprotected now, so the gange head off to chill. Gobber is given chicken to look after. The gang arrive at the island but Toothless feels a little on edge as they all take a swim. Astrid convinces Hiccup to allow the gang time to relax and not get immediately to work.

The twins prepare a fish meal, which is disgusting as you’d expect but even the Dragons don’t touch it. That night, Meatlug disappears, Fishlegs heads off after her but finds her foaming (or the meatlug equivalent of) at the mouth and acting rabid. Fishlegs makes a run back to camp, but finds Stormfly, Hookfang, Barf and Belch are much the same. Only Toothless seems unaffected. Hiccup and Toothless cover their retreat.

Back at the Edge, Gobber is searching for Chicken and sees Skullcrusher cough up some bones, thinking its Chicken’s bones, he hides them, even from Stoick, who assumes it was Gobber who ate the chicken. Both Gobber and Stoick are trying to disguise another chicken as Chicken to fool Tuffnut.

Back with the crew, after another close encounter, Toothless seals them off in the cave. Hiccup is chastised for working them too hard, and though he counters with why was Toothless unaffected, it’s soon revealed that he was. Out of options, Tuffnut throws salt over Toothless which seems to work, as some parasites jump off. The parasites are native to fresh water, and got on the others when they went into the lagoon. Toothless not wanting to swim is what kept him unaffected for so long.

To cure them, they need to lead them to salt, which they do successfully, but just to add some more tension, Toothless is infected again, and Hiccup has to tackle him over the cliff to get him into the water. It works. Hiccup agrees to lighten up the workload a bit as Tuffnut can easily tell the two chickens aren’t his, but his chicken is still alive.

Grim indeed, but not a grim reception, I liked this episode, even if Hiccup’s overworking is a one-and-done arc that could’ve been built up in earlier episodes

Rating 7.5/10