Visually, the series pushed the boundaries of what animation could achieve. The "flight" sequences are legendary, utilizing cinematography techniques that make the viewer feel the wind and the giddiness of high-altitude maneuvers. As the series progressed into the second and third installments, the textures of dragon scales, the physics of fire, and the vastness of the Hidden World reached a level of breathtaking realism.

The brilliance of How To Train Your Dragon is that the title is ironic. You cannot break a dragon’s spirit. You can only earn its respect. Hiccup never "trains" Toothless in the military sense. He learns to fly with him. He learns to fall with him. He learns to let go of him.

If you were a Viking on the Isle of Berk, here is the official "Dragon Training 101" syllabus based on the three main films.