With ’80s classicsGremlinsandE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and more modern flicks likeThe Iron GiantandUnderdog, the ever-heartwarming “a boy and his [insert unlikely companion]” premise has become a story told and retold across generations and genres. Whether the sidekick is a dog, robot, alien, or any magical creature, audiences and critics alike adore each iteration (and their lead’s unique companions), regardless of the familiar plot structure.
However, as studios produce more and more of these formulaically touching films and, as a result, run out of new ways to tell the story, it isn’t surprising when viewers start to notice (and complain about) it. Fan suspicions about the similarities between the characters and their journeys in Dreamworks’How to Train Your Dragonfranchise and Disney’sBig Hero 6reveal the studios' lack of fresh ideas and the beginning of viewer disinterest. So, is that long-time adoration turning into boredom?
Hiccup and Hiro: The Same Tale of Unlikely Heroes
On the surface,How to Train Your DragonandBig Hero 6might not seem all that similar. The former is set in the Nordic village of Berk — home to Vikings who must learn to kill their dragon enemies inorder to survive. The latter takes place in the futuristic fantasy city of San Fransokyo in which technological advancements lead its characters to new heights and robot fights. However,when putting the films next to each other, particularly their respective protagonists, Hiccup and Hiro, there is a shocking resemblance.
Young Inventors
To start,the two young men are both inventors. In the firstHow to Train Your Dragonfilm, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) has an apprenticeship with Berk’s blacksmith, Gobber, that provides him space to develop different contraptions to help his people fight dragons.His most successful devices include a bola launcher, which he uses to shoot down his eventual dragon companion Toothless, and a flying fin to help the Night Fury take to the air once again.
Similarly, Hiro (voiced by theTitansseries' Ryan Potter) invents a swarm of microbots that can connect and take the shape of anything thought of through a neural transmitter.They both use brain over brawn to solve problems and help others— a necessity because of their comparably small/weak bodies. Despite their physical limitations, Hiccup and Hiro still manage to become strong group leaders through their creative solutions (and with a little help from their unique partners).
Familial Similarities
Additionally, Hiccup and Hiroshare some plotlineswithin their families. First,both of their biological mothers are missing from the narrative (at least initially). Hiccup’s mother, Valka, wasn’t in the first movie because the village presumed she was dead after a dragon carried her off during a raid. In the sequel, she makes a sudden reappearance, discovering a kinship with the dragons (just like Hiccup) and creating a sanctuary for them.
On the other hand,Hiro’s mother has passed away (though her death isn’t discussed), and his Aunt Cass acts as a guardian/mother-figure. Correspondingly,the protagonists both lose their closest male family members: Hiccup’s father, Stoick (Gerard Butler), and Hiro’s older brother, Tadashi (Daniel Henney). Stoick sacrifices himself to save Hiccup, while Tadashi similarly sacrifices himself to save his professor from a fire — two uncanny parallels.
Overall, each film clearly uses identical story choices to base its leads around. However, the direction filmmakers take within their distinctive worlds offers enough variation for viewers to enjoy both without their connections interfering.
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Toothless and Baymax: A Friend In a Time of Need
Regardless of their different forms, Hiccup’s dragon pal Toothless and Hiro’s helper robot Baymax arrive in the boys' lives when they need them most. Unsure of his ability to lead his father’s village, Hiccup finds an injured Toothless after shooting him down. Despite being raised to hate dragons, Hiccup’s compassion outweighs his fears, and he decides to nurse the Night Fury back to health — a choice thatignites new friendship, self-confidence, and lasting peace between Berk and its fire-breathing enemies.
Likewise, after Tadashi’s unexpected death,Hiro is overcome with grief, unable to see a future without his brother by his side. Left behind is Baymax, an inflatable healthcare robot invented by Tadashi, who helps Hiro uncover Callaghan’s (James Cromwell) evil intention to use stolen microbots ina revenge plot. Both companions act as guardians, protecting Hiccup and Hiro at all costs (even if that means sacrificing themselves), and helping them conquer their struggles to become their best selves.
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How to Train Your DragonandBig Hero 6both end with a team of young people fighting for good with Hiccup and Hiro at the helm. Hiccup’s rag-tag crew consists ofsix members(and their dragon partners, of course): Astrid (America Ferrera), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig), and Tuffnut (T.J. Miller). Apparently, six is the magic number for animated fighting groups becauseHiro’s team is organized just the samewith Baymax (Scott Adsit), GoGo (Jamie Chung), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez), and Fred (also featuring T.J. Miller). Though disparate in their personalities and strengths, the set-up is noticeably uniform between the two films.
As forthe bad guys,their similarities are mainly in their motivations and comparisons to the different protagonists. InHow to Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup is up against Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou), a brutal warlord building an enslaved, dragon army to rule over the world. His evil plans begin after losing his arm and entire village during a dragon attack. Left with nothing, he set out on a vengeful rampage against the fire-breathers that led him on a villainous path for ultimate power and control with no return.
InBig Hero 6, Hiro faces Yokai (later revealed to be Tadashi’s professor, Callaghan), who intends to use microbots to recreate the Krei Tech portal that trapped his daughter. Also fueled by anger, he wants to not only bring her back, but destroy the company and its CEO, who wouldn’t help him save her.Both antagonists seek revenge after losing people close to them, and their pursuits soon escalate to large-scale attacks. Considering the journeys of Hiccup and Hiro include loss as well,these villains mirror one another’s role as the protagonists' evil opposites— showing audiences that the line between good and evil can easily be crossed.
Two Movies Too Good Not to Love
In the end,How to Train Your DragonandBig Hero 6both share considerable similarities within their characters and the elements used to frame the story. However,that revelation shouldn’t deter anyone from watching either film. Even though viewers have seen this kind of story many times before, from nearly identical protagonists,sidekicks, and villains,the filmmakers who created them only used that likeness as a starting point. Each movie builds completely different worlds with stunning animation, endearing characters, and story arcs that take on such a vibrant life of their own that audiences cannot help but continue to love them both.StreamHow to Train Your Dragonon Max andBig Hero 6on Disney+.
