Warning: Spoilers for those who either haven't read the books or having read books 10-12.

Greetings and well met, my fellow Dragonmarkers!

Today is the start of ONE of my new article series that I promised to start working on for you guys!

Today's first topic will be diving into the possibility on whether or not the Light Fury is based loosely on a book character as well.

Now, as you guys know, my opinion of the Light Fury is a little on the low side since the trailer. Not only because I've seen Light Furies since the first film came out (thank you, fanfiction and fanart 2010 and up), but also because of the obvious sexual dimorphism that they've created between Toothless and the Light Fury that you never see in other dragon species — which, in my opinion, is a bit of an insult. And her feminine-like physicality and seemingly OP skills.

DreamWorks, be honest, you took this character from the fanbase, didn't you? 😒😑

Would it have killed them to give us another Night Fury? 😭

But, to save time and to prevent you from listening to old rants and explanations from previous articles, I'm moving on.

There's been several theories and headcanons that I've been voicing as to explain her appearance physically and canonly-speaking in the past, but most of them have been shot down by metaphorical bola-launchers manned by Hiccups in the form of Dreamworks. Thank you, Dreamworks! (Notice the sarcasm)

However, recently, I've been re-reading the books and I've noticed something peculiar that never struck me before.

What if the Light Fury isn't as random as I had thought? That she isn't just something that Dreamworks implemented from the fandom in order to please the fans or created for the sole purpose of being Toothless's mate? What if she was inspired — as many HTTYD characters are — from the books?

The reason why I suddenly was struck by this though was by what Dean DeBlois stated: "That we will be basing a lot of the third part of Hiccup's story on the last book of the series: Book 12," to paraphrase heavily here.

He said that they'll be basing the third film to be loyal to the twelfth and final book of the series: How to Fight a Dragon's Fury. (Which, by the way, wasn't really the case.)

So, if this is true, then is the Light Fury a possible nod to the books? That's what we're here to hopefully find out. 

Two Possible Influences:

There are two dragon characters that the Light Fury could possibly be inspired by: 

The Silver Phantom — a powerful dragon species that shows up in books 10-12 (as well as the Complete Book of Dragons)

And Luna, a Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus who's Furious's second-in-command and eventually Ruler of the dragons when a dying Furious names her as his successor and leaves for the Great Ocean (the author left it open-ended for the reader to decide whether he lives or not).

These two are not only female dragons, but dragons that are closest to what could've inspired the Light Fury that I could find.

I'm going to begin by discussing the Silver Phantom and the Light Fury and their similarities and differences. Then I'll do Luna and the Light Fury.

Now, please keep in mind that these upcoming reasons of the possibilities of the Light Fury sharing inspiration from one or both of these dragons are pure speculation, hypotheses, guesswork, and assumptions. So please take these words with a grain of salt.

If you think that I am wrong at any points or to improve any points, please let me know. I don't claim to have or know all the answers or that everything that comes out of my mouth is 110% accurate. I'm just making speculative reasonings and theories to try to better understand certain characters out of my love for this fandom.

So on to the Silver Phantom!

Hello, everyone! Welcome to another HTTYD article! Today we’ll dive into the topic concerning Mildew’s wives, which we see in the first episode of Riders of Berk. And are also mentioned in the 5th episode “In Dragons We Trust”.

Perhaps I’m the only person who is interested in this, or even remembers this since these are just background portraits of his ex-wives. But I can’t help but want to pursue this and figure it out!

If you’re interested in my other Mildew article where I dive into who inherited his farm after his outlawry, click here.

Now we know from what was said from Stoick and Gobber that Mildew was a long-standing dragon slayer with a marvelous reputation back in his younger days when dragon raids were common. As, I assume, his father before him. Interestingly enough, since it feels implied that it was in the more recent decades that Berk sent Mildew far from the village due to his unpleasant personality, it could be assumed that he might’ve been different when he was younger. 

Of course, we don’t know what or when Mildew became “the Very Unpleasant”. That being said, he’s mentioned to be very hideous and even implied to be unhygienic. So that could also be why, as he’s a cabbage farmer, owns a sheep, and doesn’t seem to take a bath at all. He also has a very hairy back, according to Gobber after he treated him.

Funnily enough, his wives also seem to be... equally unpleasant. Naturally, we know very little about his past and what he went through back then, nor about what his wives might’ve been like. (Which is a bit of a shame.) 

Of course, I find it funny that they were as hideous as he was. Though he probably married them as formal alliances with other families during his famous dragon-slaying days. Or maybe he was desperate because nobody else would marry him, due to his unpleasant nature (in many ways). Whoever they were and whatever they were like — or even if they were natives to Berk or outsiders — we’ll never know. It’s up to anyone’s interpretation.

In "In Dragons We Trust", Mildew mentions that he had three wives, who all died at some point, to which he states are “pleasant memories,” suggesting he did not like them despite being married to them. (And it may be assumed that they also didn’t like him just as much.)

Now, of course, we could assume that they died from various things: childbirth, disease, an accident, even dragon attacks. Or perhaps they died from the same thing. We don’t know.

However, there could be a much more... macabre alternative.

Murder.

In the episode “In Dragons We Trust”, we see Mildew grab and use dragon claws and feet to frame the dragons in order to banish them from Berk. He then throws them away to get rid of the evidence, possibly knowing that Hiccup and the Gang would eventually find them and he’d get in trouble for it.

Now, this looks like Nightmare claws and... Zippleback feet? But these seem to be some of his trophies he’s won from back in his younger days as a renowned warrior. 

Now I’m sure you’re curious as to why I brought up the “murder” option. It sounds more like he didn’t do any of that from what he says, as it implies that their deaths happened without him having to do anything. 

But this is a “what-if” scenario. What if he bumped off one or even all three of his ex-wives and used these tools to frame the dragons for having killed them?

Think about it. The fact that he even HAS these to begin with is rather sus. I mean, what would he even need these for, if not for what he did to his wives in the past? The claw thingy makes for a terrible backscratcher, and the dragon feet I can’t see anyone using unless they have some sort of winter-proof function that we don’t know about.

But the fact Mildew has these tools at all is rather sus, like I said previously. Why even have them at all except to having used them to frame dragons before for previous wrongdoings?

Plus, when he came home, he greeted the portraits callously by saying, “I’m back home, ladies!! Eh? What’s that, ya say? Nothing? Perfect!”

After claiming those tools, he says to Fungus, “These have served us well, haven’t they, Fungus?” While he was obviously talking about the incidents with framing the dragons, it’s obvious he had these long before that, which is sus. Again, I highly doubt he uses them as winter boots and a backscratcher, so why else would he have them and why would they have served him well save for using them for murder?

Of course, I don’t know when Mildew was banished to this far-off house and farm plot, but it sounds like it was anywhere between 10-20 years ago. Heck, it could even be even longer, but Gobber said, “Why do you think we sent ya to the other side of the village?” so that kinda implies that it was within 10 or so years. No more than 20. Or maybe it might’ve been only 5 years. We just don’t know. 🤔

Anyway, I’m digressing. Point is that he’s a farmer, so he could’ve lived close to the village, or maybe he was even a resident inside the village, so maybe it might’ve been difficult to stage a murder. However, if he was living NEAR the village, then he might have the opportunity to get rid of his wives during dragon raids. Maybe even burn his own house to drive it home. Or, assuming he was still married (at least to his third and last wife), it would’ve been easy to do it at his isolated farm and especially during a dragon raid.

However, again, it’s probably unlikely, but with Mildew being Mildew, I wouldn’t put it past him. But it could be that he never did that and that those deaths are very natural. But it’s an interesting plausibility.

What do you guys think? Do you think it’s possible?

Thank you very much for reading! And I hope to see you in the next article!

Long Live the Night!

No, I don’t need to explain myself

Hiccup III = angel food cake with whipped cream and a lot of fresh fruit

Camicazi = ice cream sundae with literally every topping imaginable 

Fishlegs = lemon, poppy seed muffin warm and fresh out of the oven 

Toothless = green apple lollipop Wodensfang = gingersnap

Alvin - chocolate covered liquor cherries

Witch = baked apple with far too much cinnamon and no sugar

Stoick = a stack of waffles drowning in syrup and butter 

Snotlout =  stale chocolate chip cookie

Thuggory = chewy butterscotch cookie 

Greetings, my fellow Dragonmarkers!

I plan on eventually starting a new article series that will be comparing movie and tv characters to the book characters and see if there are any similarities or differences. Some will take less time than others, but it depends on the character.

But I hope it gauges your interest! It's something I've been thinking about for awhile but now I'm planning on working on this series. Of course, I plan on doing this along with my fan project (though the latter will have to wait until I'm able to re-read the Books).

Hope you have a pleasant weekend!

Long Live the Wilderwest! Long Live Hiccup the Third!

Hello, my fellow Dragonmarkers! Today, I've decided to make a poll. There are several ideas I'd like to work on, however, I'm struggling to choose which one to start on first. Granted, I have a feeling I know what you guys want me to work on first, but I still want to ask anyways. 😏

So before you vote, I'd like to list down the options below and a little summary as to what each choice will be about.

Poll will end on Hiccup's birthday on February 29th. So spread the word. 🙏🏻😉

『 All of these story ideas will try to cling to canon events as much as it can, or at least be loyal to it as canon-inspired. 』

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Thuggory's Saga

This story will be on Thuggory's POV throughout the Books and what was going on behind the scenes when Thuggory wasn't around.

Thuggory Name Parody Series

This work will be a one-shot series consolidated into one story that has Thuggory doing various things based on what his name is (i.e. Thuggory will be thuggish, Muggory will be drinking a mug or mugging somebody, Chuggory will be chugging ale, etc).

Fishlegs' Second Impossible Quest

(Post Book 12) Fishlegs drags Hiccup into yet ANOTHER Impossible Quest when Fishlegs seems to have forgotten his lesson and was caught sending love poems to Barbara the Barbarian. Suffering scallops, Fishlegs! Didn't Hiccup just say to NOT do this again?! 💢😠😒😑🙄🤦‍♂️

Actually, wouldn't it be hilarious if that's how Hiccup got married because everyone thinks that the love letters were HIS and not Fishlegs, causing him to marry Barbara or some other chick. lol 🤣

Exile on Cannibal Isle

(Book 1) What if the adults had decided to banish their youth that evening after their failure, regardless of the thunderstorm? Our hapless youths end up becoming Outcasts — not on the Mainland, as planned, but on Cannibal Isle instead: an island filled with natives and Outcasts who had a fondness for human flesh. How will Hiccup, Thuggory, and Co. escape their current predicament? And will they return in time before the Green Death roasts their Tribes to well-done human kabobs?

The Tale of Two Swords

Told from Endeavor's POV (and sometimes from Stormblade's), this story delves into their respective origins, how they came into the hands of their respective owners, and the events leading up to the conflict between Alvin the Treacherous and Hiccup the Third. Two swords, two grudges, two wills, two forces, and two ideologies will clash for supremacy!

Hiccup's Saga

(Post Book 12) This story will focus on Hiccup's story AFTER his ascension as the 13th King of the Renewed Kingdom of the Wilderwest. As well as his achievements, his experiences, his struggles, and his life milestones. This will try to stay loyal to the books and to the books' epilogues.

Hiccup the First's Saga

Told from Hiccup's POV until he meets Wodensfang, which will then transition to Wodensfang's POV ever afterwards. This will get into the details of his birth, the war with the Uglithugs, the Hooligans getting ousted from the Mainland and their migration to Berk; it will get to Hiccup's childhood and adolescence, the start of the brutal Human-Dragon Wars, and how he eventually meets Wodensfang; then his defeat of Merciless/Green Death, the founding of the Kingdom of the Wilderwest, and his achievements and milestone events as King, until his death.

Hiccup the Second's Saga

This will focus on Hiccup the Second's life from birth to the time of his death, including his life with his adopted draconian family, and his reunion with his father and family, and his struggles ever afterwards. I plan on this being told from his POV. Not sure whether to have this be a third-person narrator like what the Books were, or to have it be in the first-person in the manner of Hiccup writing an autobiography.

What do you guys think?

Hiccup's Young Chief AU

This story idea dives into what would happen if Hiccup had to become the new Chief of Berk early on in his youth. From this point, we have several options to choose from.

1) Have this be a sequel to "Exile on Cannibal Isle" if the ending ends up being tragic for the adults, and Thuggory and Hiccup are left to pick up the pieces after slaying the Green Death.

2) Have this set in Book 2, if Stoick dies in the fight against Alvin, as a consequence of the curse of Grimbeard's treasure.

3) Have this set in Book 7, when Madguts the Murderous was about to execute Big Bertha and Stoick in revenge, and Hiccup failed to return on time.

4) Have this set in Book 9, when Stoick is missing (via Excellinor the Witch), and Hiccup never finds him again.

5) Have this set in Book 9 when all the adults are missing or perished, and the Warriors-to-Be are the only ones left in the School (aside from the Outcasts, obviously), and so everyone has to fight together in order to escape.

6) Have this set in Books 10/11 when Stoick dies in battle and Hiccup is forced to lead his Tribe in their fight against both Alvinsmen and Dragons.

Old Wrinkly's Saga

(Pre-HTTYD) This focuses on Old Wrinkly's POV, from his origins, to his life, to the events of Humungous Hotshot and his daughter, to her eventual marriage to Stoick, to how he came to live with the Hooligans, aaaaaall the way to Hiccup becoming King.

Valhallarama's Saga

(Pre-HTTYD) This story focuses on Val's POV from her birth, to her romance with Humungous, to her marriage to Stoick, to her son Hiccup's birth, to her many MANY Quests, aaaaaall the way to her death.

Alvin's Saga (or Saga of the Outcasts)

(Pre-HTTYD) This focuses on Alvin's origins: from his birth, to his upbringing, to how he turned his Tribe into one of the most "modern" and dangerous Tribes in the Archipelago, how he came across the Legend of the King's Lost Things, his fateful encounter with his future arch-nemesis Hiccup, and his gradual elevation to ultimate power. I might have this story end once he meets with Hiccup. Or maybe I end it with his death. That's up to you guys.

Snotface Snotlout's Saga

(Pre-HTTYD / HTTYD) This story focuses on Snotface Snotlout's origins: from his birth, to Hiccup's birth, to the origin of his rivalry with him, and so on — right up to his death! (Or I could keep him alive instead?)

Norbert the Nutjob's Saga

(Book 4) This story is about Norbert's origins: His birth and childhood, his father's death, his dream to go to the New World, and turning the Hysterics into the greatest Viking Tribe in the Archipelago; his fateful encounter and feud with Hiccup the Third, and his eventual downfall. And then his return!

Deadly Shadow's Saga

(Book 10) This story is about the Deadly Shadow's origins: From birth to hatchling, to their fateful encounter with their mistress, Fishlegs' mother; her meeting Alvin and giving birth to his child; the death of Termagant and the Disappearance of her only child; of their eventual conversion to Furious' rebellion, and of their reunion with Fishlegs; and much more.

Furious' Saga

(Book 8) This story is on Furious' origins: His birth, to his meeting with Hiccup the Second, his life with him, facing his 'brother's' death, imprisonment, his meeting with Hiccup the Third, his escape, his rebellion, and finally his departure.

The Viking Tribes of the Barbaric Archipelago

This is a nonfiction fanfic that dives into the geography, history, culture, and customs of every Viking Tribe in the Archipelago (in the Books). You can look at this as a Guide to the Archipelago (an All You Need to Know About X book), or as a history book composed by a future historian. Take your pick.

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Thank you very much for your support! I look forward to the results of your votes, and I'll let you guys know what the top 3 choices were by the end of February 29th.

Long Live the Wilderwest!