Commander Melanoff

**Commander Melanoff** is the owner of a candy factory who adopts Ruth after the Willoughby children leave her at his doorstep.

## History

After discovering that a baby girl was left the the Willoughby doorstep, Jane insisted that she and the twins take her in and wanted to keep her despite Tim's protests that they could get in trouble if their parents saw the baby. Unfortunately for them, the baby sneaks away and causes a mess in their parents' living room and upon finding the baby and making sure she isn't a Willoughby by cutting a strand of her hair, the Willoughby parents throw all five out of the house, refusing to let them return unless they get rid of the baby. Tim blamed Jane for this but Jane shrugs it off and claims that she knows what the perfect home for the baby is. They leave the baby, who was named "Ruth" by Tim because according to him they "had to be Ruthless" by writing the word "Ruth" on her onesie with pink cream and leave her on a box on the doorstep of Commander Melanoff’s candy factory at the end of the rainbow Jane was watching earlier while trying to sing. Having never been outside before, the younger siblings believe the candy factory to be the perfect home. When the factory's owner finds Ruth on a candy box at his doorstep he grabs her and she tackles his face, causing him to back away in fear.

After that, Commander Melanoff called Orphan Services but ended up getting cold feet, hung up on them and decided to adopt Ruth, who proved to be a handful for the lonely man since due to having to constantly change diapers and going through eight days with little to no sleep. The Willoughbys later returned to his factory as per their Nanny's orders so that she could check on Ruth herself and make sure she was safe, although the Commander initially tried to hide Ruth from them and in the struggle Ruth sneaked out and into the candy machines while eating a large amount of Candy. Ruth nearly fell into one of the machines until Nanny caught her and chastised the Commander, who was grateful to the Willoughby children for bringing Ruth to him.

After Ruth vomited all the candy she had eaten, Nanny made her some oatmeal and she and Commander talked about how he was doing as a new father and parenthood in general, further convincing the Willoughbys that the factory was the perfect home for Ruth.

When the Willoughby children nearly freeze to death on top of the Unclimbable Alps without a way to get them down. Ruth accompanies Melanoff and Nanny to find them before they die, having followed the dirigible. Now officially orphans, the Willoughbys are adopted by Linda and Melanoff, living happily ever after in Melanoff’s candy factory with them, Ruth and the Cat.

He is shown with his new father in the credits, where they are shwon engaging in family activities like camping and how his adopted children grew up.

## Appearance

Despite not being blood related to ruth, the two share some resemblance such as having rose skin and blue hair, although Melanoff's is lighter than Ruth's.

## Trivia

* In the book he had an older, biological son when Ruth arrived.
* In the book he also named a candy bar after Ruth, although it wasn't popular enough.