What is Toothless Afraid Of? A Night Fury‘s Fatal Weakness

As a veteran fan of DreamWorks‘ How to Train Your Dragon series, I‘ve always had a soft spot for Toothless. There‘s something about that puppy-dog eyed, playful dragon that captures your heart. But even the formidable Night Fury has one critical weakness – a paralyzing fear of eels that brings the mighty beast to his knees.

In this article, we‘ll dive deep into the eel effect to understand why it torments Toothless so severely. We‘ll also explore what makes Toothless special among dragons, his bonds with Hiccup, and other fun facts about this beloved character. Stick with me fellow dragon riders, as we shed light on Toothless‘ greatest fear!

Toothless By The Numbers

Before examining why eels evoke such terror, let‘s appreciate what an incredible creature Toothless is. Some key stats on our favorite Night Fury:

• Length: 26 feet from nose to tail tip (nearly three times Hiccup‘s height!)
• Wingspan: 48 feet of night-blackened glory
• Top Speed: 100+ mph outpacing nearly every dragon species
• Firepower: Highly explosive blue/purple plasma charges (when not sick)
• Intelligence: Exceptionally smart, even learning to draw and understand abstract concepts
• Stealth: Jet-black scales blend flawlessly into the night for silent ambush attacks

As you can see, Toothless possesses frightening talents. No wonder Vikings once feared Night Furies as "the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself."

But the numbers reveal only part of what makes Toothless extraordinary, as we‘ll explore next.

Why Toothless Is Truly Special

While Night Furies boast impressive physical abilities, Toothless stands apart for deeper reasons:

1. His Bond With Hiccup

Rarely do you see an inter-species friendship as touching as that between Toothless and Hiccup. Though an unlikely pair, Toothless‘ protective loyalty and Hiccup‘s compassion create a profound connection:

"A dragon‘s meant to fly. Being a friend means having each other‘s back." – Toothless teaches Hiccup about friendship

They transform each other‘s lives. Toothless gives Hiccup confidence and freedom. In turn, Hiccup provides Toothless acceptance and assistance to overcome disabilities. Their fates intertwined, they defend their village of Berk side-by-side.

2. His Intelligence and Curiosity

Far more than a savage beast, Toothless reveals a keen intellect. He learns complex tasks rapidly and makes abstract inferences. Given toys and art supplies, he‘ll enthusiastically draw and build contraptions.

Toothless also exhibits insatiable curiosity about the world around him. From new foods to hidden caves, he eagerly investigates it all like a giant scaly cat! This inquisitive nature makes him approachable despite his frightening appearance.

3. Playful mischievous Streak

When not battling enemies, Toothless has a distinctly goofy side. He‘ll chase his own tail for hours or pounce on Hiccup for an impromptu play session. Toothless seems to take joy in keeping villagers on their toes with pranks like stealing fish.

But look past the mischief, and you‘ll notice Toothless‘ playfulness reveals his ability to be gentle. What‘s not to love about a dragon who just wants to romp around like a big puppy?

So while formidable in combat, Toothless also has layers of lovability making him a fan favorite. Next we‘ll see how all that gets turned upside-down by seemingly harmless eels!

Eel Pox – What Makes Toothless So Afraid

During their first face-to-face meeting, Hiccup discovers Toothless‘ kryptonite – he refuses to go anywhere near a measly eel! Eels don‘t just gross him out, they cripple the powerful dragon with a condition Hiccup dubs "Eel Pox."

Symptoms include:

• Loss of balance and coordination – Toothless staggers about like he‘s had too much to drink!
• Inability to fire plasma blasts – his fire goes out like a candle in the wind.
• Extreme disorientation and hallucinations – he sees the world blurred and multiplied around him.

It‘s no wonder Vikings could use eels to easily neutralize these otherwise vicious predators!

But why do eels have this effect? Let‘s explore some leading theories on what gives Toothless such terrible Eel Pox:

Theory 1: Evolutionary Adaptation

Eels occupy the same ecological niche as fish that dragons feed on. So over time, dragons may have developed a biological aversion to protect scarce food sources.

Theory 2: Toxic or Venomous Flesh

Eels may contain a neurotoxin or venom deadly to dragons but harmless to humans. We know eels can generate electricity – perhaps they wield bioelectric powers dragons are vulnerable to.

Theory 3: Allergic Reaction

For some dragons, eels may trigger severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis leading to the disorienting symptoms.

Regardless of the cause, eels leave Toothless almost helpless and vulnerable. In fact, his foe Mildew exploits this weakness in an arena plot:

"If I can use an eel against Toothless, we can get rid of Hiccup as head of the Dragon Training Academy." – Mildew‘s sinister plan to weaponize eels against Toothless.

While Hiccup races to find a cure, we see Toothless writhing in sickness, unable to fly or defend himself. What makes this scene so impactful is it contrasts sharply with our perception of Toothless as nearly invincible.

Ultimately, it provides a sobering reminder that behind the scales and plasma blasts, Toothless has very real fears – elements of the world that make him feel threatened and powerless. In that sense, humans and dragons are perhaps not so different after all!

Other Toothless Trivia Tidbits

Beyond his eel encounters, there are many other delightful details about Toothless worth sharing:

• His mate is a Light Fury named Luna with shimmering white scales, representing perfect yin/yang balance.
• Retractable teeth allow him to achieve speeds over 100 mph when flying.
• Fish are his favorite food by far, with salmon being his top choice. He also enjoys chicken and onion soup.
• Hiccup gave him the name "Toothless" upon their first meeting when he had lost teeth from an injury.
• Toothless‘ animation rig has over 3000 controls – more than any previous DreamWorks dragon!
• The giant scales on his head are heat-resistant to withstand the fiery explosions from his own blasts.
• Hiccup and Toothless have matching left and right pedals to operate his prosthetic tailfin in perfect sync.

And those are just a few fun facts about our favorite Night Fury! While an eel may stop him in his tracks, nothing can dampen Toothless‘ fiery spirit for long.

Why Toothless Captivates Fans‘ Hearts

In many ways, Toothless represents the perfect blend of formidable beast and playful pet. With Hiccup, he‘s formed a cross-species bond built on trust and understanding. He manages to be both hugely powerful and disarmingly cute.

Although the Night Fury species remains shrouded in mystery, Toothless demonstrates their intelligence, curiosity, loyalty, and capacity for connection. Underneath the reputation as demonic harbingers of death, Toothless reveals dragons to have the same range of virtues and flaws as humans.

And that‘s why Toothless occupies such a special place in our hearts. Because we recognize in him the best of both worlds – the savage and the beloved, the monstrous and the magical. He embodies our hope that any divide can be crossed when met with wisdom and empathy.

So while eels may knock Toothless off course for a moment, he always gets right back up. And his spirit continues soaring untethered through adventures big and small alongside his trusted rider Hiccup.