Fire in the Rain: an Analysis of How to Train your Dragon

“There were dragons when I was a boy.” From the first sentence of How to Train your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, readers are brought in with the question: what happened to the dragons? And only Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III can answer that question. Throughout the course of twelve books, readers get to watch the growth of Hiccup Haddock. From a young boy choosing his dragon, to becoming the king of the Wilderwest, Hiccup's journey is one that sees similarities with the lyrics of the song “Fire in the Rain” by Måns Zelmerlöw.

If Hiccup was to look back on his life before his adventures, the opening line “I remember you and me, before we knew our destiny” showcases his life with toothless and Fishlegs before his destiny to become king took over his life. “I could say it’s ‘cause of you, you showed the dream we walked into'' connects with Hiccup’s destiny unraveling from the moment Toothless came to be his, due to Toothless being a seadragonus giganticus maximus, a dragon breed only owned by previously by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock I, the first king of the Wilderwest, and ancestor of Hiccup and Snotlout. Throughout his journey, Hiccup constantly “saw the danger on the way” but with Toothless, Fishlegs, and Camicazi by his side, everything “seemed ok” (Zelmerlöw). While Hiccup’s life before his destiny came to pass was mostly peaceful for him, it did not do enough to prepare him for what was to come.

As his journey progresses, Hiccup is faced with many hardships. Facing attacks from Alvin the Treacherous, betrayal from his cousin, and exile from his people, Hiccup is forced to run for his life. Every day he ran for his life, and every night he was able to be at peace with Toothless. “I remember every night, I gave my hope you gave your life. Throughout Hiccup’s time on the run, we see him giving his hope into his quests to obtain the king's items. Even to the point where Toothless comes close to sacrificing his life so that Hiccup can achieve his goal. After Toothless recovers, Hiccup's journey continued. When Hiccup looked at his friends, he saw hope. He saw “everything [he needed] to see, The reflection set [him] free” (Zelmerlöw). And because of that hope, he was able to push through his hardships.

With that hope from the people he cared about, Hiccup was able to burn bright like a blazing fire. Even when he was at his lowest, his friends were able to keep his fire alive. “It’s because of love we’re standing here today” showcases the bond between Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Camicazi, and how all three were able to pull each other through to the end, no matter what the circumstances were (Zelmerlöw). When the three friends were together, they shared a hope that burned bright “like fire in the rain” (Zelmerlöw). “‘Cause when the evening comes we’re like fire in the rain. When the nights begun, my desire heals the pain.” Toothless was another source of hope for Hiccup during his journey, by his side through all of his hardships, and helping to pick him back up at his worst. Because of their desire, Hiccup's emotional pain was able to be healed.

“And then we will need a Hero, and that Hero might as well be… YOU. In my beginning is my end… There were dragons when I was a boy.” With the conclusion of the final book, Cressida Cowell chooses to end Hiccup's story with the same line that started the series. Much like  how Hiccup's journey came to a satisfying conclusion, the books themselves also come to a satisfying conclusion, coming full circle from beginning to end. And throughout the series, the similarities to Måns Zelmerlöw’s song “Fire in the Rain” are present. Because of this, having a deeper understanding of the meaning of one can help the consumer appreciate the value of the other thing to a greater extent. Whenever one is going through hardships, they can remember the journey of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, and its thematic similarities to “Fire in the Rain”. With this understanding of the connection, both can help people through hard times by reminding them that even when everything seems hopeless, there is always a light to pick you up. Whether that is your family, a friend, or even a dragon, Cressida Cowell and Måns Zelmerlöw show that hope can be found in even the darkest of places.

Works Cited

Cowell, Cressida. How to Train your Dragon, Hodder’s Children’s Books, 2003-2015.

Zelmerlöw, Måns. “Fire in the Rain”. Perfectly Re:Damaged, Warner Music Sweden, 2015, track

     1. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/0HiqVPTfFzD9HNeyxQ1rkU?si=a1086b6353304a13