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Is Dawn of the Dragon Racers before or after RTTE?

If you’ve just finished a rewatch of Race to the Edge or stumbled across Dawn of the Dragon Racers, chances are you’re scratching your head and asking the same question so many How to Train Your Dragon fans have asked: where exactly does this short film fit into the timeline? Is it before or after Race to the Edge? Or is it something that kind of floats in between? Let’s discuss it and piece it together without making it overly complicated.

Before we dive in, if you want to explore more details, behind-the-scenes notes, or community discussions, check out https://dawnofthedragon.net/. It’s a fan hub that keeps the conversation alive around this short and everything related to the HTTYD universe.


Understanding where Dawn of the Dragon Racers comes from

Dawn of the Dragon Racers isn’t a full series or feature-length movie—it’s a short film released in 2014. The special was included as a bonus on the How to Train Your Dragon 2 Blu-ray and digital release. The goal was simple: to give fans a taste of dragon racing, a sport we see fully developed by the time of the second movie.

The short plays out almost like an origin story. Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut are experimenting with the idea of turning their everyday adventures with dragons into something more competitive and fun. The race format we see here is far rougher and less polished than the professional version shown in HTTYD 2, but it sets the foundation.

So, if you’re wondering about its place in the timeline, the short is essentially the bridge between the first movie and the second.

Where does RTTE fit in?

Race to the Edge (RTTE) is a Netflix series that ran from 2015 to 2018. It’s set after the events of Dragons: Defenders of Berk but before How to Train Your Dragon 2. This is where things get a little tricky for fans trying to make sense of the timeline, because Dawn of the Dragon Racers also slots in during this “in-between” era.

Here’s the easiest way to remember it:

  • Dawn of the Dragon Racers happens before RTTE starts.

  • RTTE then runs for several seasons, developing the characters and their dragons.

  • After RTTE, we move into How to Train Your Dragon 2, where dragon racing has become an official sport in Berk.

Why does the confusion exist

The confusion mainly comes from the fact that Dawn of the Dragon Racers was bundled with the second movie’s release. For many viewers, the natural assumption is that it must take place right around or after HTTYD 2. But if you pay close attention to the characters and what stage they’re at, it becomes clear that this is still before the time skip leading into the second movie.

Hiccup still looks younger in this short. The atmosphere is lighter, more experimental, and you can tell the dragon riders are still figuring themselves out as a team. By the time HTTYD 2 rolls around, they’ve matured significantly, both in design and personality.

Watching order if you’re new

If you’re someone who’s just starting and wants a smooth viewing order without headaches, here’s a simple guide:

  1. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

  2. Dragons: Riders of Berk and Defenders of Berk (TV series)

  3. Dawn of the Dragon Racers (short film)

  4. Race to the Edge (Netflix series)

  5. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

  6. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Placing Dawn of the Dragon Racers before RTTE makes the most sense narratively and helps the evolution of dragon racing flow naturally.

Why Dawn of the Dragon Racers still matters

Even though it’s short, it holds a lot of charm. For one, it shows the goofy, competitive side of the riders, something that sometimes gets overshadowed by the bigger story arcs of RTTE. It also answers a question many fans had when watching HTTYD 2: “How did dragon racing even start?”

By showing us the origins of the sport, the short fills a fun gap that connects the series to the films. It’s also a great standalone watch if you don’t feel like diving into multiple seasons of RTTE right away.

So, to answer the big question: Dawn of the Dragon Racers takes place before Race to the Edge. It’s the setup for the dragon racing culture that becomes a staple in Berk by the time we see the second movie.

If you’re a completionist or just someone who wants the story to feel seamless, don’t skip it. And if you want to nerd out more with the community or find bonus material, you can always head over to Dawn of the Dragon and join in.

At the end of the day, whether you watch it as a quick palate cleanser between series or right before HTTYD 2, it’s a little gem that makes the whole universe feel more alive.