Why Would the Outcasts Pick Outcast Island as Their Main Base? (HTTYD)
Hello, my fellow Furians! Here's another HTTYD article for you today. We'll be talking about another Outcast topic.
Why Outcast Island?
Why would the Outcasts live on a barren, unforgiving, dragon-infested, desolate, and volcanic island that, at best, makes a decent base for pirating and not much else? Maybe a hideout where they can restock on supplies and use it as a halfway point to various islands that they can raid — such as Berk, Meathead Islands, and various other islands and Tribes.
However, I just can't believe that is their primary residence. Food would be difficult to come by, and none of the land is arable for growing crops or husbanding livestock. Also, even if there was, you're constantly having to deal with dragons who aggressively attack, and thus livestock would be slain, and crops would be burned or taken.
Furthermore, the only tree species able to live on this desolate island is the Loki Tree, which requires little to no organic material or moisture to grow.
The only fish that we know of that can be gleaned, aside from fish from the sea in general, is the Icetail Pike, which can be fished in the only water source on Outcast Island: the Lake.
Other than that, the only food that can be foraged is from the sea, from nearby islands, and from raiding other Tribes. Also, there's the morbid possibility that they're also hunting down dragons and eating them for days when food is hard to get.
Now, in Defenders of Berk's "A View to a Skrill Part 2", we see the Outcasts and Berserkers having a feast celebrating their alliance against Berk. However, it is unclear how this food was obtained — whether through trade (via Trader Johann, who DOES trade with them), through raiding, pillaging, or donated by the Berserkers.
Another possibility is that their womenfolk gave it to them.
Oh? What do you mean, Noctus?
I mean exactly what I mean, and it's exactly what my article is about.
I suspect that the Outcasts have ANOTHER ISLAND that we might not know about — an island where they can grow and raise food, have comfortable housing, and, of course, raise their families. After all, it's impossible for women and children to live on Outcast Island when there's a bunch of dragons attacking you, and the island is so barren and desolate.
As such, I believe that Outcast Island is a forward base of operations used to repair and resupply ships and raid nearby islands and passing ships. Another reason I believe this is because Outcast Island is close to Berk, which is helpful to Alvin since he had wished to conquer Berk at one point.
Also, it's doubtful that we have an entire Tribe of Outcasts who are single or alone. Sure, I'm sure there are many who became Outcasts as single men or had left their families on their home islands so that they didn't have to suffer the treacherous tribulation. Being outlawed was the same as being picked for the Hunger Games: almost an immediate death sentence. Many either died from starvation, drowning, slain by an eager bounty hunter for glory, attacked by wild animals, or ended their own lives. It was a very dark time for such people. Many were either alone, or came together in groups to form bands. Some even get big enough to be small "tribes" of their own, albeit Outcast ones. However, there were some who brought their families with them, either because they were all moving to another location or because they refused to part with their outcasted patriarch.
In the Books, the Outcasts were rebels led by Grimbeard's son Thugheart, who brought their families with them with the dark ambition to one day claim the Kingdom of the Wilderwest. So I wouldn't be surprised if TV Alvin's Outcasts have done something similar here.
That being said, I could be totally wrong, and that THESE Outcasts are all single and are a male-only group of pirates and Outcast Island is the only island they can obtain at the moment, hence one of the reasons why Alvin — and ultimately the Outcasts themselves — were so obsessed with conquering Berk for themselves.
However, nonetheless, I wouldn't be surprised if, after their redemption arc, the Outcasts eventually find themselves an island they can live on while Outcast Island becomes more of an outpost/prison/garrison/storehouse island. Heck, the Outcasts could either be allowed to live on Berk, or even be GIVEN Berk if the Hooligan Tribe left to colonize New Berk.
What do you guys think? Do you think the Outcasts have another island other than Outcast Island that we don't know about? Or is this the only island? Do you think that, if so, they'll eventually get an island of their own to live in?
Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a lovely Monday!
After Redemption, Will the Outcasts Remain an Independent Tribe, or Will They Join Berk? (HTTYD / RTTE)
Hello, my fellow Furians! Welcome to another HTTYD article. We'll be diving into another Outcast question today.
After reconciling with Berk and defeating Dagur's forces, would Alvin and his Outcasts JOIN Berk and become a permanent part of their community — essentially getting absorbed — or would they remain as an independent Tribe, allies but not subordinates?
The short answer? No, they would remain independent allies of Berk.
Long answer? Well, we'll be getting into that in this article.
As you know from my previous article, you'll know that I have a hard time believing that Outcast Island is their only island, as, at best, it's good only as a forward base for raiding or resupply, or even as a prison. But as a place to grow food and raise families, no, it's impossible. So I suspect they have another island somewhere, albeit smaller than Berk. Or perhaps they find a better island for themselves after the events of Defenders of Berk.
However, we mustn't ever forget that they are OUTCASTS. A Tribe full of outcasts, outlaws, criminals, murderers, pirates, rebels, traitors, and political and religious rivals. Even if the feud between them and Berk is over, it doesn't mean that they cease being outcasts and pirates. After all, Berk wasn't the ONLY enemy that the Outcasts made for themselves. In reality, by becoming an Outcast, everyone becomes your enemy. The pursuit of your head becomes a free-for-all. So, until a certain high-rank individual approves, the Outcasts must always attack, and others must attack them until they become legitimate or perish.
So, as a result, Berk cannot absorb them without themselves being under scrutiny by the other Tribes. Also, as I've said, many of the Outcasts are murderers, criminals, thieves, pirates, etc, so there'll definitely be those who won't have any desire to live with the Berkians, and vice versa. After all, there are a few reasons why many Outcasts joined Dagur and stayed with him despite Alvin having shown himself still alive. The Outcasts aren't a monolithic and united "tribe," but a motley blending of various persons from various walks of life and of various personalities.
In fact, in Episode 1 of Race to the Edge, "The Dragon Eye of the Beholder," there were Outcast traitor(s) who helped Dagur escape from Outcast Island. And there were Outcast prisoners who were in cells along with Dagur and his Berserkers. Which means that there are Outcasts who refuse to adhere to Alvin's authority and obey his orders. I also suspect that several of them disapproved of Alvin's change in policy concerning Berk. I wouldn't even be surprised if there were some who left Outcast Island for other hunting grounds.
So I cannot think of any situation that could realistically incorporate the Outcasts into the Hooligan Tribe successfully without negative or even fatal consequences.
The only way I could see Berkians and Outcasts conjoining together into one mega-tribe is for survival's sake. Or the Berkians became Outcasts themselves — an alternate universe where the other Viking Tribes, upon hearing that Berk befriends and rides dragons, remember Drago, and declare Berk a Tribe of Outcasts, and declare war on them.
Aside from some Outcasts with families possibly wanting to migrate to Berk, I believe the Outcasts will remain an independent community and find themselves an island they can live on properly with Outcast Island as their outpost/prison. And as shown in Race to the Edge, the Outcasts became staunch allies for Berk against Dagur's forces (who were also Outcasts) and the Dragon Hunters.
Assuming, of course, there was a more realistic reason to abandon Berk (aside from the nonsense we got in "Hidden World"), such as... an earthquake or volcano or some other trouble, or perhaps they wanted to live on a larger island, I believe that they could've left Berk to Alvin and his Incasts, ironically fulfilling Alvin's once-held ambition and goal from his Outcast days, having once been a Berkian himself.
What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments or in your reblogs. The Outcast Tribe is always a wonderful topic to write about. I think there's probably one more article left for the Outcasts I'll write for before I move on to the Berserkers next.
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a wonderful Monday.
