Dragons Riders of Berk Reviews: Episode 18 - Gem Of A Different Color

So the first part of the Defenders of Berk Finale aired last Wednesday, and the final episode of Season 2 this week. I'm stoked, the first part was epic! And, great news, there's going to be two more seasons! Sweetness! June and How To Train Your Dragon 2 is fast approaching, and I've still got 22 episodes of Riders/Defenders and 3 Dragons related videos I want to do before it gets released. 

Today's episode is the first Fishleg's orientated episode of the series (at least I think), and the introduction of a very cool dragon from Book of Dragons. 

The Twins are in the arena, carrying shields and trying to kick the shit out of each other with them. Ruffnut smashes Tuffnut into the dust with her shield. Hiccup explains, in narration, that Vikings are strong and courageous, and that some are born with it and that for some it's a never-ending struggle. And some don't know enough to be afraid. Courage is a tricky maiden, ain't she?

Gobber congratulates Ruffnut on a ass-kicking well done and explains how the shield is the number one weapon. He asks whose next in line for an ass-kicking, disappointing Tuffnut, who thought he would get to kick Ruffnut's ass in return. Gobber tells him to do it on his own time and picks Astrid and Hiccup for the next ass-kicking. Hiccup objects claiming to be a gentlemen who doesn't fight girls, right before Astrid tackles him and twists his arm around his back, and if this wasn't a cartoon I'd say that's pretty sexy. 

Hiccup admits defeat after taking Gobber's advice to play dead. Gobber congratulates Astrid, and Astrid asks Hiccup if she hurt him....... much. Hiccup says he can't feel his arm and thinks his shoulder's been shattered. Gobber then gets Snotlout and Fishleg's to try and beat the shit out of each other. Snotlout is thrilled, as you would expect of a giant douchemonkey, but Fishleg's is nowhere to be found. He prefers spending time with Meatlug on a sandy beach looking into the sunset which is far too much of a romantic setting.

OK, tone it down a bit. 

As if it couldn't get any worse, Meatlug starts a fire when its cold and her and Fishleg's share a look and Fishleg's starts singing a rhyme about Meatlug, oh god there really is no making this less akward is there? Well, this is mercifully brought to an end when Meatlug wanders off and starts digging in the sand. Fishleg's then sees something that emits a rainbow coloured glow, or something to that effect, and shiny objects always bring intrigue. 

Back at Berk, Astrid is starting to worry about Fishleg's and wanders if he's okay. Ruff and Tuff says he looks fine as he's flying back from the Island, but comment that the fact he's glowing is spooky. Snotlout is getting ready for hand-to-face combat, Snotlout's hand to Fishleg's face. Fishleg's however is in no mood for an asswhooping, and instead shows the others the shiny rock he's found. 

Cut to Fishleg's with Gobber in front of the entire village. Gobber says its a stone of good fortune, saying his great uncle's wife's brother said that whoever came in contact with a stone of good fortune will be blessed with just that. Mulch mentions that Gobber's... uh, relative, was apparently mute. Gobber confirms that he indeed was, until he found a stone of good fortune, then he wouldn't shut the fuck up. Hearing this, the townspeople turn on Fishleg's like a pack of ravaging wolves. 

Stay Back you Savages!!

The mob crowds over him like a bunch of zombies trying to eat his brain. Stoick walks in and puts a stop to this spectacle before it gets out of hand. He asks who found the stone, a beaten and battered Fishleg's tells him that he found it. After Stoick helps him out, the mob starts offering Fishelg's shit for the stone. They offer him chickens, yaks, women, gold, golden women, and their first-born sons. Stoick tells the crowd to calm their tits, the stone belongs to Fishleg's and it's his to do with as he pleases. The villagers continue on their bidding for the stone and Hiccup decides to get Fishleg's out of there before he cracks under pressure. 

Snotlout is dumbfounded how Fishelg's could possibly turn down 20 sheep and Gustav Larson. He demands to know what Fishleg's wants for it. Fishleg's tells him he can't have it for any price, though Snotlout suddenly doesn't feel the need for a price. He thinks his fist is a good enough price. Astrid, however, aks him how bad he wants it like a total badass. Intimidated by Astrid's display of badassness, Snotlout tries to distract the group from his puss-out by claiming he just doesn't hit girls. Astrid gives him one last burn saying neither does she hit girls, before walking away like a badass. Snotlout decides to take the stone. 

Alright then, robbery it is!

Fishleg's, Astrid and Hiccup are heading back to the Island so Fishlegs can put the stone of good fortune back where he found. Hiccup asks if he's sure he wants to do that, since he could be the richest man on Berk, ripoff whoever he pleases, herd the Viking sheep in whatever direction he wants and have hookers for lunch everyday. Fishlegs tells Hiccup to stop filling his head with such evil notions and that he can't deal with the stress. That mob tried to tear him limb-from-limb for that stone, and he's starting to think the "good fortune" part was bullshit. 

They reach the Island and Hiccup asks Fishlegs about the flamboyant gems that are randomly in the trees. Fishleg's tells him that he found his stone on the beach. As they get closer they realise that those gems are in Dragons nests. Fishleg's realises quickly enough that his Stone of Good Fortune is actually a Dragon Egg. Fishlegs is ashamed he is guilty of kidnapping. After a very tearful goodbye, and with unseen dragons closing in, Fishlegs returns the egg back to its nest. As they make a break for it, the trio is attacked by stealthy dragon ninjas that shoot acid that melts anything. They barely make it out with their lives, only for Snotlout to come along and head towards the Island to most likely take as many eggs as possible. 

Snotlout; Arrogance, Repugnance, and Stupidity all
for the price of one. 

Back at Berk, Hiccup, Astrid and Fishlegs are looking through the Book of Dragons trying to find out what the ninja dragons were. They turn out to be Changewings, dragons that can camouflage into any environment, basically giant camellions that breath acid like the Aliens from Alien. Astrid then asks if the book says anything about eggs, whihc sends Fishlegs into a state of merciless self-loathing for being so stupid as to not recognise a dragon egg.   

Hiccup tries to reassure him, anybody would have mistaken that for a gem. But Fishlegs insists that it's his fault, he should have known. Hiccup sees the futility in trying to cheer him up and tells Fishlegs that at the very least, they managed to get it off Berk before something unfortunate happened. And unfortunately, and with most inconvenient timing, Ruff and Tuff walk in carrying a Changewing egg. Fishleg's looks in sheer terror at what he's caused. 

What have I Done!!

Hiccup asks them what they're doing with an egg, but they of course think it's still a stone of good fortune. Astrid tires to take it away from them, but the Twins are willing to die horrible painful deaths just to keep it. Astrid demands to know where they got it or she'll gladly kill them in horrible, painful ways. The Twins tell her they traded for it. 

Snotlout is in the middle of town holding a bid for his last of three "Stones of Good Fortune" to the townsfolk, getting filthy rich off the people's ignorance and products that don't even work and dooming the entire village to horrible, acidic deaths. Isn't capitalism wonderful?

The Dynamic trio arrive far too late, as Snotlout has already sold all the eggs he had. Hiccup and Fishlegs try to talk some sense into Snotlout, but rich men lack the common sense of common men. Snotlout is perfectly satisfied with being filthy rich and doesn't give two shits that he's put the entire town in danger, and is also quick to rub his immense wealth in their faces for good measure. 

For an extra good measure, Snotlout points out that Fishlegs also took an egg from the island. Of course with Fishlegs it was only an accident, with Snotlout he might not have known at the time but he does now. He doesn't seem to care much though, and he just tells Fishlegs and Hiccup to take it up with his customers. Snotlout's phenomenal douchebaggery sends Fishlegs once again into a state of self-loathing, claiming it's all his fault. After he carefully explains how it is his fault, Astrid agrees. 

We are trying to cheer him up, right?

Hiccup says it doesn't mean shit whose fault it is, they just need to find those eggs and shove their feet up Snotlout's repugnant ass if anyone gets melted over them. Cut to Tuffnut and Ruffnut at the edge of a cliff with a pit full of Fireworms at the bottom. Tuffnut wants Ruffnut to kick his ass off the cliff into the Fireworm pit, thinking the "Stone of Good Fortune" will protect him. Ruffnut thanks Thor for the perfect opportunity to kill her brother and most likely get away with it. She pushes him off, sending him plummeting towards his fiery doom. Astrid saves him in the nick of time however, and Hiccup explains to them that it's a dragon egg. They shockingly seem to get the concept on their first try, and point out there's one right behind them. Three Changewings come out of nowhere and take Tuffnut's egg back. The teens figure that those three will be back to tear apart Berk until they find every last egg. 

Back at the main house, Stoick is trying to process the fact his village is about to be under siege by acid-spraying ninja dragons they can't see. In typical Viking brute fashion, he decides to gather the dragons and fight them off. If only it were that simple. Hiccup knows what needs to be done, they have to find the eggs and return them. Fishlegs continues in his self-loathing misery. Just then, Gobber barges in to tell Stoick he got the Stone of Good Fortune mixed up with a Changewing egg, he always gets them confused. he then asks what the teens are all talking about. 

................. GOBBER!!!!!!

Stoick asks Hiccup what they should do. Hiccup thinks they should evacuate everyone until they find the eggs. Stoick spits at this absurd notion, in all his years he's never run with his tail between his legs! But he might have to today, as the Changewings start attacking the village, destroying everything looking for their eggs. Stoick picks up a huge log and tries to smack a bitch, except the bitch disappears before he can smack her. Tuffnut tries to tame it, but only touches a rock. 

The Changewing's continue their rampage, and Stoick sends Hiccup and the teens after the eggs while he and Gobber deal with their pissed off parents. The townsfolk tell Stoick that the situation has gone from bad to worse and demand he do something about it. Stoick then eyes a Changewing nearby. He and Gobber grab logs and rush over to beat it to death. 

SUCKERS!!!

With that blow to Stoick's pride, and seeing the chaos around him, Stoick decides to admit defeat and evacuate the island. Meanwhile, Bukcet is happily singing a tune when a Changewing notices the egg he's carrying. It chases his ass all across the town, and Bucket refuses to surrender the egg. Astrid tries to tell him that's its an egg but Bucket doesn't get her drift. He tries to hide under a house, but the Changewing manages to get its egg back all the same. Two down, one to go. 

The third and last egg is with Mrs. Larsen, who sold her first born son Gustav to Snotlout for her egg. When Fishlegs demands to know where the egg is, but Larsen reminds him that she sold Gustav to Snotlout and Snotlout said no returns. Fishlegs tells her he'll kick Snotlout's teeth into his throat and get Gustav back for her, he just needs the egg. A Changewing appears behind Larsen catching her off guard, and sending her baby and the egg rolling down the steps. After a dramatic slow-mo of Fishlegs catching the baby and the Changewing catching its egg, Fishlegs shows the baby to Meatlug. 

GAHHH!! FUCK!!!!

Damn, must be one ugly ass baby. 

So the village is in a total panic trying to get to the docks,  trampling over Gobber as he tries to calm them down. Stoick tries to reassure them, but the teens come back to tell him that all the eggs have been returned and the Changewing's are 100% gone. Gobber would then like to know why the Changeing's are 125% not gone. Why 125% you ask? Because a fourth one just showed up, yo. Wait a minute....

The Changewing's have their sights set on the evacuation ship. There's obviously one more egg, and Fishleg's knows the shit weasel who has it. He tells the others to keep the Changewing's at bay, he goes off to do something he should have done a long time ago. 

As the others stick it to the invading Changewing's, Snotlout watches from the ship, pleased that his depraved plan of getting away with the egg might just work. But there's one final obstacle standing in his way.

Hand it over Snotlout, or your ass is grass!

Snotlout however refuses to hand it over, claiming it's none of Fishlegs business. He then asks what Fishlegs is gonna do about it. Fishlegs completely loses his shit, fucking up all the riches Snotlout obtained from ripping off the Islanders and threatening Snotlout like a total badass. Bucket and Mulch suggest to Snotlout that he better give up the egg, as there's no telling what Fishlegs is capable of. He does so without haste. 

With the last egg in hand, Fishlegs goes off to return it to the Changewing's. he draws them to the middle of town where they completely surround him. Before he gives it back, he tries flattery and promising the Changewing's he'll dedicate his life to making sure no one ever takes their eggs again. They seem to accept this proposal as they don't eat him. 

At the academy, Hiccup is drawing a Changewing. Fishlegs tells him about his close encounter, and Hiccup uses this info in his drawing. Fishlegs mention how they now have to find one and train it, that'll be quite a handful. But before they can discuss this further, Gobber calls Fishlegs up to kick Snotlout's ass. 

Hiccup explains (in narration of course) that courage isn't not having fear, it's plowing your way through motherfuckers in spite of it. Whether it's to save a baby dragon from it's sodomite kidnappers, protecting your homie's & bitches, or giving certain douchebag's the ass kicking they so richly deserve. 

BATTLE ROYALE!!!!!

Summary

Damn, Fishleg's turned into a total badass at the end there. The first Fishlegs orientated episode in the series and they did a pretty good job. Though, I think there was bit too much self-loathing on Fishlegs part, but it led to an awesome pay-off. 

I'm not sure whether Snotlout's incredible doucheaggery this episode was a good, or bad thing. But it was definitely entertaining, and I'm wandering if it was a but of a jab at Capitalism? The parallels are too obvious for it not to be. 

The Changewing's are pretty awesome, the rest of the gang is great, Gobber's little misunderstanding with the eggs was hilarious, another great episode on the show's belt. 

8/10