Why RTTE is still really worth watching + future hopes/speculation

A fellow fan pointed out to me that my review hardly ever discussed what I enjoyed about RTTE and that was not fair. I did not mean to be a killjoy, sorry. This board deserves more positivity even if I am not completely happy with many of the writing choices.

Race to the Edge is absolutely worth watching. I was taken aback by how amazing the animation is. It's almost on par with the movies. All the episodes are beautifully directed and the soundtrack is fantastic.

They have managed to create a show that can quickly transit between comedy, action and drama. It's also much more mature and sophisticated now. The characters are all very lovable and some have been given the opportunity to really shine. Snotlout for instance is a complete scene stealer. He is the most well-rounded character they have managed to pull off. All of his lines are brilliant and you just want more of him all the time.

Other characters I think they did a really good job with are Fishlegs, Gobber and the twins. Fishlegs is probably the character who has gotten the most character development on the show. His relationship with Meatlug remains precious as does his continues passion for dragon knowledge. I cross my fingers for more Thor Bonecrusher in the future. The Snotlout/Fishlegs episodes are some of my favorites.

Gobber has always been the fan favorite out of all the adults and RTTE really utilized him well. He keeps the show light and funny.

Tuffnut and Ruffnut may be twins but they have been given very distinctive personalities. They are both brilliant and different levels of insane. Tuffnut especially is really hard not to love. It might be because it's T. J. Miller  I really hope to see more sides of his character though. It would be nice to get a deeper look into his emotional state. Most fans suspect him to be asexual and I find that very interesting.

I realize it's premature to conclude where the show will take all the stories and characters so I'm going to try to be optimistic. There are many things the movies are unable to dwell on but RTTE just might touch upon in future episodes:

- Stoick's character. Stoick is an incredibly well loved character. His death in HTTYD 2 broke everyone's heart. As did his reunion with Valka. I absolutely loved it when he mentioned her on RTTE, it was a very bittersweet moment. My future wishes for his character is to get more tender moments with Hiccup and maybe even some moments with Astrid, Gobber and Toothless.

- Hiccup's childhood on Berk. When we first encounter Hiccup he is the village outcast and shares a restrained relationship with his father. I don't think that has always been the case. Hiccup is a natural born leader and has always shown determination and confidence in everything he does.
Prior to Toothless, it almost always backfired on him but that did not make him a weakling. Hiccup had his insecurities but I don't think he developed them until his pre-teens when the differences between him and the rest of the village kids grew more obvious. Before that rude awakening, I can easily imagine a young and passionate Hiccup leading the village kids around and causing all kinds of trouble. Parents later knocking on Stoick's door and complaining about Hiccup's bad influence.  The movie certainly implies that the Berk kids were almost looking for reasons to like him considering how fast he won them over. I also think Hiccup shared a very close relationship with his father up till that point. With Stoick attempting to stay optimistic and overlooking the things that set him apart.
The TV show writers have done a great job when making references to the past, such as him sharing a friendship with Fishlegs or Astrid finding some of his personality traits admirable even back when they were kids. So I'm confident if RTTE were to touch upon this, it would be done really well.

- Toothless. We are familiar with Toothless through his friendship with Hiccup but know very little of his escapades pre-HTTYD. I'm aware the RTTE writers may not be allowed to dwell on this but they could still give us some small tidbits such as how it feels for Toothless to be the last of his kind and his unconditional compassion for fellow dragons. Just like Hiccup, Toothless was also meant to be a leader and all the other dragons often follow his lead. I don't think any fan would mind a dragon based episode.
I hear we are supposed to get some Hiccup/Toothless episodes and that makes me immensely happy. There can never be enough focus on Hiccup and Toothless! I hope they give focus on the scars each wear. There is a lot speculation over if Toothless biting Hiccup's foot off was an accident or not.

- Valka. I know they are not allowed to go there but they could still have Hiccup and Valka almost meet one another. There is also the possibility of doing a flashback episode with a young Valka feeling like an outcast amongst her people. Or maybe a flashback of Stoick and Valka's wedding. Or Hiccup's birth. We would seriously take anything-Valka they throw our way.

- Astrid's character. Astrid's maturation from the first movie to the second (TV show included) is subtle yet very evident. From the girl deeply affected by war and the constant pressure she put on herself to a carefree goofy woman with a thirst for adventure and dragons.
There are many reasons why Astrid is so highly regarded. For one, her feminine traits enhances her character rather than limiting it. Most female warriors possess very strong masculine traits but that is not the case with Astrid. She proudly wears pretty braids in her hair while training with her axe. She is beautiful but not to be underestimated. I doubt the writers initially planned her out this way but they have somehow managed to pull off a realistic character that represents the balance between tender and tough, dutiful and flexible, fiery and playful, spirited and obedient.
Anther great thing about Astrid is her strong supportive nature despite having her own agendas and ambitions that differ from Hiccup's. And those are what RTTE should choose to focus on in addition to her family background, relationship with Stormfly and exploring more of her carefree and crazy side. I think we might get the latter in her episodes with Tuffnut. Hopefully it involves dragon nip.

- Heather and Dagur. I have my suspicion for where the writers want to take Heather's character but I would personally prefer for her and Dagur to reconcile and become a badass team. Either by having Dagur redeemed and turned good or by turning Heather into a villain. Just as long as they end up on the same side I will be satisfied.

Now for characters I hope will be paired up:

- Hiccup and Snotlout: They balance each other out and are very entertaining to watch together. Fantastic chemistry and hilarious dialogue.

- Hiccup and Toothless

- Hiccup and Astrid (as friends): While I have come to realize they do share a close friendship, it is portrayed a bit too serious. We miss the teasing, the goofing around and laughter shared between them. In HTTYD 2 these two were acting like complete dorks and I think that is what we need more of on RTTE.

- Astrid and Tuffnut: If anyone can bring out Astrid's crazy side, it's got to be Tuffnut, right? I would also love for them to have an unexpected emotional connection.

- Astrid and Toothless.

- Astrid and Ruffnut: They could not be any more different despite the fact that both of them are girls (kudos to the writers for that!). It would be interesting to see them interact for one episode.

- Ruffnut and Snotlout.

- Ruffnut and Fishlegs: I don't think we have ever really seen these two together. Ruffnut would probably eat him alive.

- Ruffnut and Dagur: Two kinds of crazy in one room? Yes, please.

- Heather and Dagur: another brother-sister relationship? All the yes.

ETA: I really love that the writers have an original vision instead of using borrowed plots. This series is like a breathe of fresh air. I love the spontaneity, the risk-taking, all the movie references (the crew seem to be huge Star Wars fans) and just the general feel of it. It's almost like a smart comedy!