"Fly on your own. Find your way home."
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Ending Explained
⚠️ Spoiler Analysis
The Ending: After defeating Grimmel, Hiccup realizes that as long as dragons live with humans, they will be targets. He and the Berkians decide to let all their dragons go to the Hidden World, where they will be safe from human aggression. Toothless becomes the Alpha of the Hidden World.
The Epilogue: The film jumps forward about 10 years. Hiccup and Astrid are married with two children. They sail to the edge of the Hidden World, where they reunite with Toothless and the Light Fury (who also have three hatchlings). The dragons remember them, and they share a final joyride, confirming the bond remains despite the physical separation.
Alternative Interpretations
The Necessity of Separation: While the text presents the separation as necessary for the dragons' safety, some critics and fans interpret it as a tragic commentary on human nature—that humanity is inherently too destructive to coexist with nature (dragons).
The 'Imaginary Friend' Metaphor: A psychological reading suggests the dragons represent childhood imagination. As Hiccup enters adulthood, marriage, and leadership, he must put away 'childish things' (dragons) to fully function in the adult world, making the Hidden World a metaphor for the subconscious where childhood magic is stored.