The How to Train Your Dragon series has come to an end. This last film stands out for its stunning visuals and touching story, making it a proper “moving grand finale.” It highlights the best in animation, shows how much the characters have grown, and ends on a surprisingly emotional note. For longtime fans, it feels like the perfect reward.

The popular series got a sequel, and it’s rare for a sequel to outshine the original. But this film is one of those rare cases. Set five years after the first movie, it tells a touching story that strengthens the bond between Hiccup and Toothless while exploring big themes like growing up, family, and saying goodbye. If the first film was about friendship between a boy and a dragon, this one is more about coming of age and what it means to grow up.

Hiccup, a frail boy from a Viking village, tries and fails to defeat the dragons attacking his home. Instead, he forms a close bond with the powerful Night Fury. By breaking Viking rules and befriending a dragon, Hiccup changes his own future and challenges his people's beliefs. The heartwarming bond between the protagonist Hiccup and the dragon (Toothless, known as Tooth in Japanese), and the tender connection between Hiccup and his strict father. In this film, the nonverbal Night Fury, Toothless, is captivating, with mannerisms reminiscent of a cat.