Lets follow Mildew’s journey from a mean spirited, stuck in his ways, possibly even has a good reason for the distrust and dislike he has towards dragons old man he was. To the desperate, possibly looking for payback, to be proved right, and above all maybe even the biggest one vengeful old man he is now.


Episode 1 an angry old man appears! So here it goes I’m going to make one nitpick here that has always stuck with me after seeing the movie. That being that change just doesn't happen that fast. A single person can change relatively quickly, but a full group of people especially ones who have 100’s of years of ingrained history. Just would’t do a 180 that fast without at least some of them getting upset and angry about it and pointing out all the negatives it could bring. I know this can rarely happen and possibly has I've just not seen a good instance of it myself. I also know you could say well maybe things happened and were addressed that we didn't get to see. It is a movie after all, and you’re absolutely right on top of that I’m willing to look past this one nitpick for such a great movie. Then we get the first episode of RoB where we get to see the vikings point out the dragons shortcomings, and figure out ways to work around them and use them to better their own lives, and they used Mildew to point this out.

First and foremost anyone could have came up and pointed out these problems cause they were legitimate complaints that needed to be solved. This can also be evidenced by the Episode Animal House where quite a few different things came together to help point out that the dragons were inadvertently causing a problem Mildew not being one of those things. Mildew specifically he’s mean and most certainly has a problem with the dragons from the beginning again however doesn't mean he is evil, but it does mean he is not on anyone’s person of the year list. Technically he was being helpful, true he was being helpful for his on gain which can be looked at as bad, but he was pointing out problems the dragons were causing even if it was to only make his own point that much more sound. Also remember what he wanted to achieve in this episode he wanted the dragons locked up at first. Then when he wasn't listened to he used that to his advantage to try and have them sent off the island. He wasn't trying to get all the old ways back he came off to me like he was fine with not killing them anymore just not with living with them. Although the fact he possibly hasn't killed a dragon himself in quite sometime more than likely helps in that matter. Mildew tried and failed in this episode more than likely was a little bit bitter about it too. Which is why I’m going to make note of the small appearance he makes in episode 2 Viking for Hire here, because it is more or less payback for Hiccup ruining his plan. He’s bitter and he sees a chance to get back at him and he takes it pretty much all there is to that one in my opinon.


If the dragons wont screw up then we’ll improvise. Episode 5 In Dragons we Trust and a little bit of Episode 6 Alvin and The Outcasts. The vikings have learned to live with the dragons better so all the problems they were having with the dragons have mostly if not completely gone away. So Mildew takes matters into his on hands he creates the problems. He has to really, it would seem the dragons weren't causing the same problems they were before. So he can’t just accuse them of doing things their not doing unless it looks like their doing them. So there’s the plan make it look like the dragons are misbehaving, and what do you know he wins this one he gets away with it. Sure Hiccup knows it was him but he can’t prove it all his evidence sunk to the bottom of the sea. This is the first point Mildew goes from pointing out a fault in the to taking matters into his on hands. However in my opinion this is when he first truly becomes an antagonist. Because as I pointed out anyone of the vikings could have done what he did in the first episode to some degree.

One thing I need to address though, this episode and the next one in particular is where I've seen some people say they thought Mildew was working with Alvin. I have to personally disagree though seeing as how Alvin came only for the “Dragon Conqueror” and didn't know to much about the Dragon Conqueror at that time either like for instance who he even was. Or the fact that Alvin didn't know what had previously happened on Berk. Though on the other hand Mildew isn't stupid he knows Hiccup is going to do anything he can to get the dragons back as a matter of fact that was exactly what he was going to do. Knowing this he most definitely isn't fond of Hiccup in this regard and if he sees a chance to get rid of him will more than likely take it. So at the end of these two episodes we see that Mildew is willing to put on his bad guy fake dragon feet and get some work done. We can also note that at this point in time he is more willing to rope Hiccup specifically in that blame the dragons game as well. With all this in mind lets move on to what I think is the main turning point for Mildew.


Desperate times and all that. Well here we are Episode 9 Dragon Flower Mildew has shown his antagonist side shown that he can become an interesting villain. So what happens in this episode well Mildew gets desperate. Instead of getting the dragons off the island he goes for the throat. He tries to kill them and in a slow way at that. Sure he more than likely has no problems with doing so he has more than likely killed them before all the vikings have really. Poison though! That’s pretty underhanded and dirty in my opinion. Side note to make sure there isn't any confusion. The plants he uses to make them deftly sick which I'm reffering to as an act of trying to poison them makes them sick by I'm guessing eating, smelling the aroma of, or interacting with the pollen of. Also I would like to say that I say poison because that’s what I associate this act in particular more with. It might be that you think differently on this act then I do either way it is for certain that he tries to kill them.

So there’s the how but what about the why. Well its easy Mildew sees that every time he sends the dragons off the island Hiccup brings them back. He’s also running out of ideas since the dragons aren't acting up anymore, and Hiccup has already told him he’s keeping a careful watch on him and knows what he did the last time. So to risky to pull the same stunt twice. So when desperation seeps in….well you see where that has led him.

The next question does he succeed? No he doesn't not only that though he gets dragged along to help fix his “accidental” mistake as he put it. It costs him to. Getting poisoned and bit in the butt karma doing it's fine job. So Mildew has it pretty ruff at the end of this one not that he doesn't deserve it mind you. So with all that embarrassment and pain who do you think he blames for it. Well its Hiccup and the dragons by my account probably more so Hiccup though. Why do I think this well because of the next episode to some degree.


Episode 13 When Lightning Strikes. So then this one Thor be angry at something about sums the beginning of this one up. Before we move on I would like to add I'm really glad the show addressed this and brought the vikings of Berk across as the superstitious people they would be. Now with that in mind I believe that Mildew does believe what he says in this episode. That being he thinks Thor is mad at Berk because their harboring a Nightfurry the offspring of lightning and death itself. It’s also why the other vikings can be easily worked up to believe this to. Because as far as they know Thor could wipe their little island off the map if he wanted to. Fear it can make you do some crazy things you know. On top of all that I’m sure word would spread between the vikings on Berk about what happened in the last episode and who planted the plants that made the dragons sick. Their also going to come to their own conclusions as well. That being the case Mildew possiibly didn't have to many friends from what we can tell before so after that stunt might be even less now.

Now speculating how Mildew might see things he isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth so if he thinks Thor is mad at Toothless and wants him off Berk well Mildews going to smile and point that finger all he can. Now at the beginning of all of this I don’t think Mildew would have personally went after just Toothless he would try to rope all the dragons in if he could. So why now then, well its because he wants to get back at Hiccup for earlier and nothing would hurt him more than getting rid of Toothless. He just about succeeds at this too until Hiccup figures it out and convinces everyone to see his side albeit a little accidentally and riskily I might add. So that would be the end right there Mildew fails once again, and yet someone decides to be a little devious. In doing so Mildew gets a little shall we say visit from Thor . Pretty sure he wasn't to happy with that and more than likely blames Hiccup for it as well.


Well my dear readers if you stuck with me this far through out all my ramblings and opinions and what not were here the final episode. (Side note combining episode 20 part one and two together.) Episode 20 How far can someone fall? Well pretty far although in Mildews case he may not have had to far to fall, and we see it here Mildew sides with Alvin. His hatred for the dragons and his want for payback against Hiccup drives him now. So if it wasn't before it has to be apparent now. I think Mildew Blames Hiccup for the bad things that has happened to him, and for his plans failing. I doubt if Mildew wasn't so heavily looking for revenge he would help Alvin gain the use of dragons just to get rid of the dragons on Berk. Seems to far fetched to me especially considering it is apparently obvious that Alvin wants to do a lot of things to Berk helping Mildew get rid of dragons being the least of those.

I feel the need to say that I was convinced the show was going to go the tried and true route with this one that being Mildew gets the redemption story at the end of it all (He may still might for all I know) or this season I should say. Especially considering the theme of this season in my mind was learning more about the dragons, learning to work with them, to ingrain them more into the vikings everyday lives and culture, to strengthen bonds, and to just show that the dragons can be useful in making life around Berk easier and most definitely more fun. With that in mind not much need for an antagonist that was designed to be against this change to stick around for the next season is it. Which is why I was so thrilled and quite surprised when they didn't do that instead they kept him around. I will not spoil that ending if you have seen it already then you know what I’m referring to if not well go watch the show and find out for yourself.

That pretty much sums this episode up for me really not much I want to add to it since I think the episode itself is pretty straight forward in it’s line of thinking. It’s the future that has me most interested in Mildews character now like where it will go and what it will represent who knows and I can’t wait to find out.



So Having read through the HTTYD book series by Cressida Cowell I have noticed something that is interesting to me, and I’m going to throw it out here to see what others think. I could also be reading to much into this. Maybe the show didn't intend for it to be taken this way, but I personally think that the way they have developed Mildew so far is similar to that of Alvin from the books. Now I’m going to be a little vague cause I don’t want to spoil the books but having read the books and watching the show there is something in the first episode that makes me go hmm at least a little. That being when they included the scene where Hiccup says “you know who we should really be thanking” then gets interrupted by Mildew in the first episode.I'm kind of going off the idea that book Alvin helped to bring his own arch nemesis into the pictureby his own misdeeds. Same as how Mildew helped Hiccup in thwarting him by gloating to him. Now I don’t know what the show plans on doing with their Alvin, but I don’t think he is going to be very similar to book Alvin in very many ways if at all really. Which is why I think Mildew at the very least is a nod to book Alvin scaled back and dialed down most definitely but with some possible similarities or parallels that can be noted.

That’s it ladies and gentlemen your long and tiring read has come to an end. I hope if you stuck with me this far you enjoyed it and maybe came away with a little food for thought. But don’t stop there please tell me what you think do you agree with me if so why. Do you disagree with me again if so why. Or do you secretly think something entirely different, like the fact that maybe there is something more sinister at work that maybe there is some greater evil behind Mildew pulling the strings. Let me know what you think.