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Hiram McDaniels[2] is a blogger, a former fugitive charged with insurance fraud, and a former candidate for mayor of Night Vale. He escaped police custody after being pulled over for speeding and giving the Sheriff's Secret Police an obviously fake driver's license.[3] He is also literally a five-headed dragon.

Appearance[]

McDaniels is described as an eighteen-foot-tall, literal five-headed dragon weighing about 3,600 pounds.[3] He is known to breathe fire from at least one head, which is described as purple.[3]

A description from the Sheriff's Secret Police gives his eye color as "mostly green."[3] However, based on a photograph, Cecil describes his eyes as blue, red, black, green, and yellow.[4]

His grey head wears a green nose ring. Blue has purple eyes. Gold is more of a sable, and purple wears a gold necklace pendant of the word ‘violet’, written in green gemstone.

Heads[]

Hiram's heads have spoken on several occasions.[5][6][7][8]

Gold Head[]

Hiram's primary head is gold. He has a genial, friendly personality who speaks with an accent originating in the Southern states of the USA, possibly Texas. He talks until he’s blue in the face.

Green Head[]

Hiram's green head speaks of dire events in a bellowing, dramatic voice reminiscent of Vincent Price. This head seems to be disdainful of human beings, seeing them as lesser beings, and a little vain. This head is very violent, often shouting threats in an angry tone[8][7].

Violet Head[]

Hiram's purple violet head has grown grey with paranoid fantasies. He had a very high, agitated voice similar to "The Monarch" of The Venture Brothers. This head was concerned with the rights of other heads. The head preferred to be described as violet, not purple. This was the same head who bought Lot 37 and used Cecil to sabotage the other head's attempts to destroy the mayor. [8] This head was accidentally shot by Dale Salazar during the events of "Flight."

Blue Head[]

Hiram's blue head speaks in a brisk, businesslike voice and has a wealth of information on statistics and laws at hand. This head is careful only to speak when correcting others, including Cecil. Blue thinks that logic is the gold standard of intellect.

Gray Head[]

Hiram's gray head feels blue, and is stuck in a state of moody depression and thus rarely moved to speak. This head's accent is not unlike that of the primary head, but speaks in a slower, baritone voice, similar to Kurt Cobain. In spite of the disparate personalities of Hiram's various heads, they appear to share the same consciousness; the gray head claims that "[they] cried and cried" after scaring away a man whom they asked directions in another city, and each head in turn agrees that they love living in Night Vale, "the first city to ever make [him] feel normal," where nobody cares that he is literally a five-headed dragon.[6]

History[]

Hiram McDaniels claims to have come to Night Vale when he was thirty years old. When he came to Night Vale, he asked a man where a good place to eat was, and the man simply pointed to the Moonlite All-Nite Diner. In another city where he had asked a man on the street where a good place to eat was, the man would scream and run away. The reaction of the Night Vale man made a good enough impression to convince him to stay in Night Vale. (Although he decided the diner was too far and ate the man instead.)[6]

He either was friends with Frank Chen, or brutally killed him in 2012[9] and stole his truck, or a combination of the two. A coroner gave Frank Chen's cause of death as "Dragon; at least three heads."[10]

Though he formerly lived in an apartment on Earl Road[4], by the time of the mayoral elections he was living in a cave with "a collection of rare jewels and coins in a mahogany chest that [he] keep[s] locked and buried."[7]

Hiram has a sister, Hadassah McDaniels, who is also a five-headed dragon.[11]

Mayoral candidacy[]

Night Vale Community Radio discovered that McDaniels kept a blog, proposing some changes to Night Vale municipal policies if he were mayor, prompting Cecil to pledge support for McDaniels' candidacy. The mayor at the time, Mayor Pamela Winchell has claimed that a five-headed dragon cannot be mayor, thus sparking a debate on whether a non-human could fill a position usually claimed by a human.

Depending on which candidate you believe, McDaniels may or may not be exchanging emails with corn lobbyists looking to elbow in on Night Vale's imaginary corn market. He also may or may not be in possession of a truck stolen from someone who died of dragon-related injuries.[10]

When McDaniels speaks on-air for the first time, he responds to The Faceless Old Woman's increasingly negative campaigning for mayor. He claims to care about small business owners, the future of Night Vale's children, and the future of small children business owners. He also has secret plans for an expanded park system and more youth sports teams.[5]

On another occasion, shortly after The Faceless Old Woman spoke on-air, he enters the studio wishing to have an equal amount of radio time. He proceeds to tell the story about how Night Vale was the first city to make him feel normal. He had found his home.[6]

During the mayoral debate, McDaniels faces off with the other candidates. He is highly offended by Marcus Vanston's claim to have owned a dragon.[7]

When Dana Cardinal is elected mayor, Hiram and The Faceless Old Woman team up to "put an end to her mayoral candidacy." They try several methods, Hiram evading capture for months. Their attempts culminate in episode 70B when Hiram attacks the opera house at opening night along with The Faceless Old Woman in an overt attempt to kill Dana. In spite of great efforts, they fail to kill her and 4/5ths of Hiram is placed under arrest.

In that same episode, Hiram's violet head was revealed to have bought Lot 37 (Cecil Palmer) while the other four heads were distracted. He grants Cecil ownership of himself again after they converse. Hiram's violet head was the one to sabotage Dana Cardinal's planned assassination and as such is the only head not placed under arrest - Violet's head sticks outside of the cell in open air.

Hiram is found guilty in his trial in "The Trial of Hiram McDaniels," and all of his heads except his violet head are sentenced to execution, however killing all of his other heads would result in the death of Violet.

At some point his violet head received the Sheriff's black heart medal for thwarting his other heads' attempt on Dana Cardinal's life.

Hiram is released later to help fight the Army of Strangers, however after the army is defeated he is put back on death row. Hiram's sister, Hadassah McDaniels, forms a group of other five headed dragons in an attempt to break Hiram out of jail, but Dana Cardinal calms them down and agrees to negotiate on his release.

Mentions[]

  • Episode 2 "Glow Cloud (episode)": Hiram has escaped from custody after being pulled over by the Secret Police.
  • Episode 12 "The Candidate": Hiram was finally apprehended. Cecil reports that Intern Stacy discovered he has a blog and is planning to run for mayor, but is currently ineligible.
  • Episode 17 "Valentine": Mayor Winchell released a statement in regards to the increasing public support for Hiram, who is still awaiting trial in jail.
  • Episode 32 "Yellow Helicopters": Night Vale Community Radio takes a moment to allow a statement from Hiram, one of the candidates for mayor. Gold, Green, and Purple Violet speak.
  • Episode 61 "BRINY DEPTHS": The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home and Hiram McDaniels were seen muttering together in a booth at the Moonlite All-Nite Diner. They are definitely not planning anything.
  • Episode 63 "There Is No Part 1: Part 2": Cecil reports that Hiram and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home have taken City Hall captive.
  • Episode 64 "WE MUST GIVE PRAISE": Hiram is wanted by the authorities again.
  • Episode 65 "Voicemail": Hiram leaves a voicemail for Cecil claiming to be Frank Chen.
  • Episode 66 "Worms...": Cecil reports that the search for Hiram has been placed on hold and the Sheriff's Secret Police received a tip from Frank Chen about Hiram's whereabouts.
  • Episode 70B "Review": During the opera, Frank Chen reveals himself as Hiram McDaniels and Violet reveals to Cecil that he is the owner of Lot 37. Later, Cecil reports that Hiram is once again in jail.
  • Episode 71 "The Registry of Middle School Crushes": Cecil reports that Hiram's trial will be the first that is fair and open. Gold will serve as Hiram's defense and Violet has been actively working against them.
  • Episode 78 "Cooking Stuff: Thanksgiving Special"
  • Episode 80 "A New Sheriff in Town"
  • Episode 81 "After 3327": The first witness, Harrison Kip, has been called to the stand.
  • Episode 82 "Skating Rink": Cecil interviews Hiram.
  • Episode 84 "Past Time": Violet calls Cecil to inform him that he now stands with the other heads, Gold warns Cecil about the Strangers.
  • Episode 86 "Standing and Breathing"
  • Episode 87 "The Trial of Hiram McDaniels": Cecil reports on Hiram's trial
  • Episode 93 "Big Sister": Intern Kareem interviews Hiram, Violet received an award a few months ago.
  • Episode 97 "Josefina": Cecil accidentally reveals Hiram's escape plan on air.
  • Episode 98 "Flight": Hiram is scheduled for execution today, however he manages to escape from prison. Later in the episode, Cecil reports that Violet has been killed.
  • Episode 99 "Michigan (episode)"
  • Episode 100 "Toast"
  • Episode 110 "Matryoshka": Hiram asks the other dragons to leave Night Vale.
  • Episode 152 "The Great Golden Hand (episode)"
  • Episode 157 "The Promise of Time"
  • Episode 161 "The Space Race"
  • Episode 173 "The Hundred Year Play"
  • Episode 177 "Bloody Laws, Bloody Claws: The Murder of Frank Chen": The family of Frank Chen has filed against Hiram for Frank's death

Trivia[]

  • The character was created by Jeffrey Cranor. [12]
  • In "The Candidate," Hiram is described as having blue, red, black, green, and yellow eyes. However, in "WE MUST GIVE PRAISE," his blue head is said to have purple eyes.
    • It is possible that his blue head has either reddish-purple or blueish-purple eyes, leading to the color being misidentified.
    • It is also possible that his eyes change color, allowing all descriptions to be correct.
  • Hiram is based on the character Tiamat from Dungeons&Dragons. [13]

References[]

  1. Episode 93 "Big Sister"
  2. Spelling of Hiram McDaniels
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Episode 2 "Glow Cloud"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Episode 12 "The Candidate"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Episode 32 "Yellow Helicopters"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Live show "Condos"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Live show "The Debate"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Episode 49A "Old Oak Doors Part A"
  9. Two years before "Visitor," which aired 15 March 2014.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Episode 43 "Visitor"
  11. Episode 78 "Cooking Stuff: Thanksgiving Special"
  12. Good Morning Night Vale episode 2 "Good Morning Glow Cloud"
  13. Mostly Void, Partially Stars
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