8. Toothless Kills Stoick - How To Train Your Dragon 2
How To Train Your Dragon 2 is probably one of the best animated movie sequels ever made, and has been compared to the likes of The Empire Strikes Back for its "darker" approach to the material. No wonder, given the plot twist that takes hold over the course of this apparently family friendly slice of dragon-based fun. Which is to say, the movie contains what has to be one of the most unsettling death scenes in recent memory - not because it's graphic or anything, but because of how it goes down. At one point in the movie, then, Toothless - the loveable dragon pet of our main hero, Hiccup - falls under the control of a super mean "alpha" dragon, and is ordered to murder his master. As Toothless, powerless to prevent his actions, unleashes a fireball towards Hiccup, though, Stoick - Hiccup's father - leaps in the way and shields his son from the attack. Stoick is killed at this point - yes, actually killed - and Toothless awakens, heartbroken, realising his mistake. Unexpected and dark, who'd have thought?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
