DreamWorks Dragons (TV Series) Thawfest (2012) User Reviews

Winning Isn't Everything

[Alex_Hodgkinson · 8/10 · 23 July 2014]

A nice, fun episode with the familiar 'winning isn't everything' theme. The annual 'Thawfest' games are taking place, of which Snotlout always wins. This year Hiccup is determined to win and break Snotlout's chain of victory due to his constant gloating. Turns put Hiccup is too a gloater and finds out more about Snotlout, making him conflicted on whether winning is the right thing to do.

A nice and simple episode with a a couple of important messages to children. Not only that, but Toothless now has upgraded gear to make him faster than ever before, which will hopefully stick through future episodes. Lots of scenes with Hiccup and Toothless flying together, which is always great to see and welcome to the eye. Hiccup and Astrid development too.

I think an eight is in order, as this is an episode for all to simply enjoy. Also, David Tennant voices his character for the first time in the series, which makes me happy.

A fool is a fool, even if he doesn't know it.

[smugler5369 · 2/10 · 12 February 2016]

If "winning isn't everything" was the morality/ethics lesson -Hiccup would have just withdrawn but instead he chose to devalue the entire competition and the efforts of all the participants.

Hiccup was the only winner there -he got to keep his sense of moral superiority (the reason he did it) and increased his standing with Astrid, while the other participants and the spectators were made into unwitting fools.

Snotlout is probably the biggest loser -he got a hollow victory out of pity from his self righteous rival and he doesn't even know it.

The only semblance of a 'good' message was that bad sportsmanship is well...bad.