| “ | I am Ryker. This is my ship. You are my prisoners, and your dragons are now my dragons. | „ |
| ~ Ryker introducing himself. |
| “ | Your pathetic tricks won't work on me! I'm a Dragon Hunter! I know that Gronckles are immune to Dragon Root! I used your worthless escape plan to lure your friends in closer. | „ |
| ~ Ryker Grimborn to Astrid and Fishlegs after defeating them. |
| “ | You feel the air? That's fear. Soon, there'll be death. | „ |
| ~ Ryker Grimborn |
Ryker Grimborn is the secondary antagonist of the Netflix computer animated TV Series, Dragons: Race to the Edge. He is an Expert Dragon Trapper, the second in command of the Dragon Hunters and Viggo's older brother. He, along with the rest of the Dragon Hunters, wanted to take the Dragon Eye for themselves.
He is voiced by JB Blanc who also voiced Bane in Batman: Arkham Origins.
Description
As the brother of Viggo Grimborn, he is the muscle and the type of character that wants to just run in and start beating everybody up and killing everything, while Viggo is the tactical one.
Ryker is as direct in purpose as he is in combat. The elder Grimborn cares only about wealth and will overpower any obstacle, human or dragon, in his obsession for greater riches. Ryker simply takes what he wants, uses otto his benefit, and then discards it like a shed dragon skin.
History
Ryker Grimborn was the older brother of Viggo. Despite this, Ryker allowed his brother to become Chief of the Dragon Hunters.
Ryker and his men first encountered Berk's Dragon riders when they were loading their latest captures on a beach near Dragon's edge. It was there Ryker and his hunters captured Astrid Hofferson's Nadder, Stormfly. Ryker then took his ship back to their port. Ryker's then came under attack by the other dragon riders. Ryker then captured Astrid, Fishlegs, the twins and their dragons were imprisoned. When they tried to escape Ryker revealed that he knew they would try to escape. He also revealed he made alliance with the Berserkers, their chief Dagur the Deranged, and his sister Heather.
Ryker then showed the fate of their dragons and themselves if they refused to give him information on. Ryker, Heather, and Dagur then questioned Astrid all night. When they escaped again, Ryker at Heather's suggestion, put them to work cleaning his ship. Unfortunately, the Dragon Riders's and their dragons were then rescued by Hiccup, Snotlout, and their dragons. Despite this, Ryker let them go so he, Heather, and Dagur could contact his brother, Viggo Grimborn.
Ryker then returned with Dagur to Dragon's Edge, where Vorg and a Berserker were able to capture Hiccup. However, Ryker and Dagur lost Hiccup when Barf and Belch attempted to rescue hiccup and signaled the other riders to help. Ryker, Heather, and their hunters then gathered winter supplies to hunt down a pack of Snow Wraiths in order to get their teeth to unlock the Dragon Eye. During this time, Ryker was unaware that Heather was a spy.
Ryker, Dagur, Heather and their fleet then created a diversion. They sent a pack of tortured wild dragons to attack Trader Johann's ship in order to draw the Dragon riders away from Dragon's edge. After Hiccup, Snotlout, and Fishlegs left, Ryker and his men then captured one of the riders, Ruffnut Thorston. Despite there still being dragon riders present, Ryker ordered an attack on Dragon's Edge.
Ryker was surprised that two of his were destroyed during the first wave. Ryker then sent in the second wave. Ryker then took some of his men up a cliff where they were confronted by Tuffnut and his Chicken. He then fought Tuffnut until Hiccup, the other riders and a wild dragon pack arrived. He was forced to retreat.
Ryker, Dagur, and their men capture the Frozen Skrill, but during the night, Hiccup and the Dragon riders find the Dragon Hunters camp, Spitelout and Snotlout act as a distraction, while the others found the Skrill who is contained in a cage submerged in the water. However, the Dragon Hunters capture all Dragon riders. Hiccup makes a break for it and orders Toothless to knock the cage onto land. Once his cage was out of the water, the Skrill withdrew lightning and broke free and destroyed the Dragon Hunters camp. But during this, Ryker tries to knock out the Skrill with the Dragon Root arrows, but Hiccup and Toothless (with the latter taking the arrow) shielded the Skrill. After that, Ryker, Dagur, and the Dragon Hunters are forced to retreat again.
Following a brief battle with Hiccup's dragon riders, Ryker then brought Dagur, Heather, and their men to Dragon Hunter Island. There, he brought them before before Viggo Grimborn. Ryker then went with Viggo to hunt down a Flightmare. Ryker then stood his ground while the Flightmare froze his men. Despite this, he was able to capture the Flightmare, Heather and Windshear.
Ryker then fed the Flightmare and suggested to Viggo that throw Heather to the Whispering Death.
Ryker then informed Viggo that Hiccup and his riders were able to get past the Typhoomerangs. After Viggo had taken the Dragon eye and used the Flightmare on it, Ryker that it was useless. However, aboard Viggo's ship, he revealed that the Flightmare's glow had removed the need for a Snow Wraith and could be lit by his captured dragons.[3]
Ryker then went with Viggo to Odin's Respite to capture the Buffalord. Once there, Ryker was then ordered to kill the dragon if Hiccup refused to let them take it. At first, Ryker and Viggo were able to take the dragon after giving hiccup the cure. However, Ryker and Viggo were forced to release the dragon when it started to free itself from the ship.
Some time later, the Dragon Hunters held a dragon auction to which various parties were invited, providing they had the wealth to participate. The two confronted a disguised Snotlout Jorgenson and Gobber when they arrived, but due to their possession of Berk's entire gold supply they were allowed in. Ryker later came across them after they'd encountered Grump, whom he considered useless and enjoyed the idea of killing and eating. After the Dragon Hunters sprung their trap to break up the auction, Ryker confronted Hiccup only to end up in a battle with Gobber. The exchange seems to have been something of a draw, as Gobber escaped on Grump but Ryker likewise escaped after causing Gobber to lose his hook.
Eventually Ryker, fed up with Viggo constantly belittling him, took control of the Dragon Hunters for himself, most notably claiming the Shellfire and leaving Viggo behind. After attacking the Defenders of the Wing he encountered Hiccup, and claimed that Viggo was behind the Project Shellfire attacks and manipulating Hiccup. This proved to be a deception, as Ryker attacked Berserker Island before setting his sights on Dragon's Edge. However, Viggo and the Dragon Riders formed a temporary alliance, with Viggo unleashing the Submaripper against the Shellfire. This distraction allowed the Dragon Riders to free the Shellfire, and Ryker and his crew were thrown off into the sea, presumably to their deaths.
Abilities and Skills
Strength and Fighter: As he is more muscular compared to his younger brother, he is shown to be strong enough to handle his foes. He also stated about his strength that he can easily hurt his brother. His strength and skills of combat against Gobber have shown to be quite bit of evenly but Gobber admitted that Ryker had greater skills.
Swordsmanship: Ryker was very handy with both of his swords. He was able to fight Gobber with one of his swords.
Leadership: He is not the leader of the Dragon Hunters (the leader of the Dragon Hunters being his younger brother, Viggo Grimborn, because he is more intelligent and cunning than him). But, he is nevertheless the second in command of the Dragon Hunters. He therefore a considerable authority on the Dragon Hunters.
Intelligence: Though not as great compared to his younger brother, he appears to know a lot about dragons, as he claims to his men that dragons are smarter then they appear. As he is able to come up few ideas against the Dragon Riders that seem to work out and knowing that the riders were acting to be captured on the ship, he also a good tactician. He also knows many dragons' weak spots. He even knows the formula for Gronckle Iron, and that using Nadder spines for weapons gives him an advantage in resources and weapons.
Senses: He appears to be able to detect dragons by smell, and even know the species, as proven by his use of smell to detect Stormfly the Deadly Nadder.
Durability, Endurance, and Stamina: He was able to take the attack from Tuffnut jumping off the cliff on him as he was climbing and taking the attacks from Tuffnut on the ground as well, as he was still able to fight no matter what he was facing. He even took the attacks from Gobber as still able to fight back.
Dragon Trapper Expert: He shown to be excellent trapper against many dragons. As he has seen many dragons, he has learned their abilities as well as most of their weaknesses. He knows that Deadly Nadders will expose their bellies when shooting its spines while airborne, the leader of the Night Terrors is the main strength and weakness of its flock, and that Gronckles are immune to the effects of Dragon Root.
Archery: Ryker has proven that he is a very skilled archer, as evidenced by when he hit Stormfly directly in the belly after she used her Spine Shot ability, which is a Deadly Nadder's main weakness. He also managed to shoot Smidvarg right out of the air whist he and the other Night Terrors were forming their giant composite Night Terror form. Without their alpha, the other Night Terrors scattered. He also tried to shoot the Frozen Skrill, after it was released from his cage, and probably would have managed to knock him out if Hiccup and Toothless had not shielded him. Ryker's knowledge of dragon weaknesses coupled with his archery skills make him even more of a deadly opponent.
Trivia
- He is 6'4.
- Ryker was first revealed on iMDb, in the cast listing.
- The name "Ryker" means "strength." It also means "rich," this could come from his desire for wealth.
- Ryker bears a strong resemblance to one of Drago Bludvist's concept arts.
- In Edge of Disaster Part II, Ryker says he knows what Night Terrors can do. It is strange that he refers to them as Night Terrors, considering that the Riders thought they came up with the name when they first found the dragon. It is possible Heather had told Ryker the name of this dragon, or he had encountered these dragons before in the past.
- Ryker is slightly similiar in appearence to Shan-Yu.