Flightmare

The **Flightmare** appeared in 2013 TV series called *Dragons: Defenders of Berk*. The Flightmare is a medium-sized Mystery Class (formerly Fear Class) dragon that first appeared in *Dragons: Defenders of Berk*.

Like something out of a campfire ghost story, the Flightmare doesn't even seem like a real dragon.
Emitting a banshee wail and glowing like a phantasm, the Flightmare has haunted Berkians for generations. The Flightmare's glow comes from its primary food supply, a unique type of algae that flows through the woods around Isle of Berk. This algae glows with bioluminescence in the light of Aurvandil's Fire, a Northern Lights display that occurs every few years over Berk. When the Flightmare eats the algae, it also glows, giving it an unnatural appearance. The Flightmare's abilities are almost entirely defensive, so it can be overpowered when cornered or outnumbered by tougher dragons. Because of this, it has become a very territorial and short-tempered dragon, and incredibly protective over its algae food supply. Flightmares emit a toxic mist that can temporarily paralyze a human. This has led to the legend of Flightmares 'scaring Vikings stiff'. While it wears off after a few minutes, the potent mist immobilizes the Flightmare's target long enough for it to strike.

The Flightmare is a medium-sized dragon that has a very unique ghost-like appearance. Its body is covered in tiny spots make it resemble the stars in the night sky.

A Flightmare slightly resembles a mix between a Skrill, a Night Fury, and a Fireworm, with brightly glowing scales. Its natural faint glow is greatly enhanced and weaponized by the consumption of a specific type of glowing blue algae that forms a staple part of a Flightmare's diet. Flightmares are covered in tendrils, replacing spines in the locations the latter would be, mostly back, wing tips, tail, and head.

From what has been seen, the Flightmare is a very aggressive and territorial dragon, being very protective of its territory and food sources. Seeing how Flightmares are built for speed and defense, they usually avoid fights with bigger and stronger dragons. Flightmares have been shown incredible determination and relentlessness, as the Flightmare in "Fright of Passage" kept chasing his opponents, and was willing to search food over long distances. They seem to be quite reclusive and avoid contact with humans and other dragons, unless they see anyone pose a threat to them or their food, in which case they will relentlessly punish the suspect.

As seen in *School of Dragons*, Flightmares nest in caves in cold arctic islands such as Scuttleclaw Island, with both parents caring for their offspring. Flightmares build a nest out of ice and appear to lay one egg at the time, waiting for it to hatching before laying another.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Glowing Body**: The Flightmare's body produces a weak and dim glow, but bright enough for it to be spotted easily. But when the Flightmare consumes glowing algae, a type of unique algae that makes the internal structures of dragons glow with a similar color to that of their fire type, its body's glow is greatly enhanced. Flightmares are capable of controlling how bright they can glow for a limited amount of time after consuming the algae, and can use this ability to nearly blind and confuse their prey or foes.
* **Firepower**: The Flightmare can strike with a toxic mist that temporarily paralyzes the victim from head to toe, giving itself enough time to return and finish it off. The mist can be fired in blasts or streams, and vary in quantity, depending on the Flightmare's tactics and size of the target. The mist leaves surfaces and victims glossy and slightly wet while the paralysis lasts. Large concentrations of Flightmare mist appear to kill their victims, as shown when Hofferson's Bane killed Fearless Finn Hofferson by exposing Astrid's relative to streams of its paralyzing toxins. In "Maces and Talons, Part 2", it is revealed that the Flightmare's mist can also break the emergency release of the Dragon Eye, rendering the Snow Wraith's tooth unnecessary. The Flightmare is also capable of spewing large quantities of paralyzing mist as it flies by for long periods of time, leaving a trail of its mist. Unlike blasts and streams, the toxic mist, when emitted this way, has a lingering effect in the immediate area, not unlike that of a Hideous Zippleback. It remains unknown how using this ability affects the Flightmare's shot limit. Due to high concentrations of water Flightmare mist can freeze, and even in its solid state maintains its paralyzing properties. It can be collected by Vikings and melted to be used as a sedative.
* **Speed & Agility**: Flightmares have shown to be fast and agile dragons, as the Flightmare in "Fright of Passage" was able to catch up with Toothless with ease. Even so, when Toothless was trying to get away from the Flightmare, it quickly boosted in front of him to prevent his escape. Although it's speed might of been enhanced because of the glowing algae it ate to empower itself or at the fact the Flightmare saw Toothless' glow due to him eating the glowing algae and caught him, Astrid, and Hiccup by surprise.
* **Strength & Combat**: The Flightmare prefers strategic take downs and the use of its many abilities over brute strength, utilizing hit-and-run tactics and the element of surprise to overpower its opponents, much like a Strike Class dragon. Flightmares are known to set up mist traps as Zipplebacks use to affect multiple targets in the vicinity. They frequently use their glowing abilities to stun enemies when they lose the upper hand, as well as a distraction to escape when they feel outnumbered.
* **Endurance & Stamina**: Flightmares have shown to be extremely durable, able to suffer the punishment of several dragons, even when hurt or fatigued, since being solitary dragons they are the first and last defense of their food sources. Flightmares also sport a great deal of stamina, stopping to rest little while preferring to remain airborne. They also constantly and relentlessly pursue and defend the ever-flowing streams of glowing algae from anyone that might pose even the tiniest threat.
* **Banshee-like Scream**: The Flightmare emits a loud, high-pitched banshee-like shriek that affects the concentration and stability other dragons in the near vicinity, much like a weak version of the Screaming Death's roar. They often combine their roar with their other abilities such as their glow to overpower their opponents, especially during their entrance and departure. Their roar sounds similar to that of the Snow Wraith, only that the Snow Wraith has a much deeper and softer roar.
* **Hunting**: Even though a Flightmare's diet is largely composed of fish and glowing algae, their abilities, combined with their dietary enhancements make Flightmares the ideal hunters, being able to effortlessly hunt any Viking, animal, and most other dragons.

## Weaknesses

* **Glowing Algae Dependency**: The Flightmare owes one of its most powerful attributes to the glowing algae, and thus must be constantly near a source of it as the glow-enhancing effects last but a limited amount of time. Due to the scarcity of the algae the Flightmare must protect its main food source at all times from anyone who might try to consume even small quantities of algae in order to maintain its exclusive diet. Diverting the stream of algae will prompt the Flightmare to hastily purse it in fear of losing its food.
* **Other Glowing Dragons**: Oddly enough, Flightmares suffer the same effects as others when exposed to algae-enhanced glow, meaning they can be defeated by other Flightmares and dragons consuming glowing algae.