Ep 3. When Lightning Strikes

After the exciting climax of the previous episode, 'The Iron Gronckle,' in which Hiccup and the Dragon Riders saved Berk from two rival clans and a rampaging Gronckle on the loose, this episode sets the stage for the upcoming adventure. 'When Lightning Strikes' starts with a foreboding atmosphere surrounding Berk, as a violent storm ravages the village. The Vikings are caught off guard by the raging lightning bolts that flood the sky, and the situation becomes critical when the storm ruins most of the Vikings' crops.

The village's chief, Stoick the Vast, is concerned about the upcoming winter, in which his people will suffer from starvation if there is no food to sustain them. Hiccup decides to investigate the storm's source, along with his trusty dragon Toothless. He suspects that a new dragon, a Skrill, is the reason behind the lightning strikes. Hiccup believes that he has a chance of neutralizing the Skrill and freeing the village from the devastating storm.

Hiccup and Toothless set out to track down the Skrill, which leads them on a perilous journey outside the island of Berk. Meanwhile, the rest of the Dragon Riders, consisting of Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, and Astrid, stay back to help the villagers with their destroyed crops and ruined property. They try to salvage as much as they can but realize that they are running out of time and resources. The atmosphere becomes tense, as Stoick and the villagers pressure them to fix the situation quickly.

Back to Hiccup and Toothless, they encounter various obstacles, including terrible weather conditions, treacherous terrain, and hostile dragons, before they finally reach the Skrill's lair. But the Skrill is an elusive and formidable dragon, with a devastating freezing power that rivals even Toothless's plasma blasts. Hiccup devises a plan to lure the Skrill, but things don't go according to plan. The Skrill proves to be too powerful, and Hiccup is forced to retreat.

Back on Berk, the situation has worsened, as the villagers become more desperate with the passing time. Stoick orders the Dragon Riders to take drastic measures, and they come up with a plan to draw the Skrill out of hiding. They launch a cleverly designed missile, which carries a special metal that the Skrill cannot resist. The missile hits the Skrill, and it falls into their trap.

The Dragon Riders then transport the Skrill back to Berk, where Hiccup devises a new plan to try and tame the dragon. But taming the Skrill proves to be an enormous challenge, as it relentlessly resists all their attempts to make peace with it. The episode ends with the situation still unresolved, as the villagers face the possibility of a famine winter, and the Dragon Riders are still at odds with the powerful Skrill.

Overall, 'When Lightning Strikes' sets up a new and exciting storyline for 'Dragons: Riders of Berk' season 2. The episode showcases the challenges that the Dragon Riders face in their quest to protect their village, and the dangers of the new dragon species that emerge. The plot is engaging, with adrenaline-pumping action sequences and well-paced storytelling that leaves the audience eager for more. It also introduces new themes to the show, such as the importance of resource management and the impact of climate change on the Vikings' way of life. All in all, it's a highly entertaining episode that will keep fans of the series hooked.