- “I wouldn't kill him, because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him... and I saw myself.”
- ―Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III[src]
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, commonly known as Hiccup, is one of The Big Four, originally from How To Train Your Dragon. Hiccup lives on a Viking island known as Berk, and is the only son of the Chief. Berk has been at war with the dragons for over three hundred years, and the only possible way to solve the issue is to destroy the Dragon's Nest, and force them to find a new home. Hiccup defies all odds when he trains and befriends a Night Fury named Toothless, and together they show the Isle of Berk that dragons do not have to be killed.
Appearance[]
Hiccup is rather scrawny for a 15-year-old compared to the other Vikings, especially since he has little physical strength as he's barely able to lift a large hammer, and is not very tall, just being barely around Astrid's height. He has auburn hair parting to his right with minor freckles on his cheeks, with a small scar on his chin left by Cloudjumper when he was a baby. He's usually seen wearing a long light green sleeve shirt and a dark brown fur vest that matches with his boots. When he rides Toothless, he takes off his vest and wears a flying outfit to help him stay on Toothless. After his Dragon Training, he starts to wear a Viking helmet given to him by his father, which he keeps in storage as a precaution after losing it around Snoggletog. Following the battle with the Red Death, Hiccup's left leg up to his shin is replaced with a prosthetic made by Gobber with a metal foot and spring, which is accessible for flying with Toothless.
In How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup, now 20, has noticeably grown the most as compared to the others in the sequel. He is now handsome and much taller, being a few inches taller than Astrid and has longer and bushier hair, which is somewhat scraggy and unkempt with a two small braids behind his right ear. His freckles seem to be gone and seems to have also gained a leaner build as compared to the first movie. His prosthetic is also different, as it's more mechanical and designed than before, as Hiccup seems to have improved its ability (as he stated he would in the first movie). His outfit now is partly leather around his upper body with what appears to be a type of armor along with arm brackets that seem to all be designed by himself. When flying with Toothless now, he's also seen wearing a spiked mask when he glides in the air, as his outfit doubles as a squirrel jacket capable of flight. His pants are dark brown and has straps around them with a leather boot for his right foot. This outfit is equipped with a modicum of gadgets and features, including a fin on his back for steering, a crank device on his abdomen to manage it, scrap-paper, a charcoal pencil and a compass stored on his right arm (to keep his left arm free), a dagger sheathed in his left arm to "sharpen his pencil" and a series of storage canisters of Hideous Zippleback gas strapped to his right thigh.
In How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Hiccup wears his dragon scale armour during raiding missions, and whilst chiefing maintains a less complex outfit. He is also slightly more muscular than in the second film. Many years after the main events of the film, Hiccup has grown a beard. He also wears a fur cloak similar to Stoick's, as well as the chieftain belt.
Personality[]
Hiccup is a very witty, sarcastic boy. He appears very well-spoken but a bit shy at times. Despite the fact that his father is the Chief, he is not accepted into his village and is seen as a nuisance, which makes him reserved. He is picked on by his peers for his weak nature, but what he lacks in strength he makes up for in intelligence and his kindness. Hiccup has a crush on one of the other teenagers, Astrid. He attempts to impress her many times but, much to his disappointment, fails. He also seems to be very good at crafting objects and weapons, which is seen as works as an apprentice to Gobber, the blacksmith, in his workshop.
Hiccups strongest trait is his empathy. He was able to put himself in Toothless's place when he had the knife raised to kill him, and in his own words "I looked at him, and I saw myself". This empathy allowed him to understand and befriend Toothless, and through him other dragons. It is this empathy that changed the world of dragons and Vikings. It ended the war and began the Dragon Training Academy.
Powers and Abilities[]
At the beginning of the film, Hiccup doesn't seem to be anything special. Though he does have quite a talent when it comes to creating weapons that will supposedly help him in battle against dragons, Hiccup is far less muscular or physically capable than his peers. However, after meeting Toothless, he is shown to be incredibly observant and smart. Using his skills in the blacksmith shop, Hiccup decides to craft a tail-fin for Toothless, who has lost his, and after many trials, he comes up with the perfect design, as well as a saddle and other riding gear.
In battle, he and Toothless work as a unit and he has incredible control over his dragon. He has taught Toothless how to strike and fire on command and they have a way of communicating even though Toothless does not speak. He has the ability to train and ride dragons like no one else can, and has since passed down some of his knowledge to the other Vikings in his village.
Weapons[]
Due to Hiccup's size, he's not much of a fighter. In fact, most weapons are too heavy for him and struggles to lift them, preferring to use his wits, his knowledge of dragons, or Toothless to resolve conflicts. He is a very skilled sword fighter in the books though (finding out that he couldn't fight because he was using the wrong hand).
Hiccup's Shield
In Defenders of Berk, Hiccup manages to craft a specialized shield. The shield starts out as a wooden disc with an iron rim and center hub with a painted image of Toothless on the face of the shield. The wood and iron was then replaced with Gronckle Iron, a material synthesized from an unknown combination of materials inside of Meatlug's stomach, which was also used to reinforce the front surface. A strap was added to hang around Hiccup's body, instead of just appearing attached to him. With Hiccup's intuitiveness, he was able to equip an unknown number of devices within the shield, including a grappling hook, a mini-catapult, a bola launcher, and a built-in crossbow mode.
Older Hiccup and his sword "Inferno"
At some point between Defenders of Berk and How To Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup's tinkering led him to create a metal sword-like device called "Inferno". This weapon Hiccup designed seems to be coated in the saliva of the Monstrous Nightmare, which keeps the sword alive with fire. Hiccup also carries small pouches of the Hideous Zippleback gas that spray out of the sword's pommel, (which are then sparked by a small flame) thus creating a fire-line that can be used to the wielder's advantage. This can be used as a defensive tool, an offensive weapon and as a means to impress and bond with dragons as demonstrated in Valka's Den. In a deleted scene, Hiccup applied Cloudjumper's saliva to the sword, causing it to flame-up uncontrollably.
Role in the Crossover[]
In the Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons crossover, Hiccup is usually depicted as the voice of reason within the group and uses his quick thinking to get his friends out of sticky situations. In fanfiction, fanart, and other works, he is most often shown to enter a romantic relationship with Merida, though he is not limited to this relationship. Toothless usually accompanies him on their adventures. He is the brains of the group, making up for what he lacks in having a very special ability or power, and expertise in magic or weapons. Many people think Hiccup is the leader due to the leadership he has shown with his in-canon team in the Dragon Academy.