Matilda Pilqvist

Matilda "Tildy" Pilqvist is a character who briefly appeared in the graphic novels Hilda and the Bird Parade + Hilda and the Black Hound, and had 2 cameo's in Season 1 of the animated series, before being given a larger role in Season 2 of the series.

In the animated series, she is a powerful witch.

Appearance
In her youth, Matilda was a lean woman with long hair. A portrait of her in Witches Tower shows her wearing a hat that covered most of her face.

In her old age, she is a small lady with white hair and glasses.

Personality
Matilda is a kind woman, who loves tea and board games. She is very patient with her student Kaisa, and didn't mind Hilda ringing her bell. She is however easily annoyed by The Committee of Three and won't hesitate to put them in their place.

Animated series
Matilda lives in Trolberg.

In her younger days, she was one of the most powerful witches ever, and although she is old, many witches, including The Committee of Three, still respect her. She held many titles, including "Archsorceres", "The enchanter of Livelihoods", "Grand Alchemist of the Dark Communion of Halgar", "First Blood Sister of the order of the Black Candle", and at least one other title that starts with “Tormentor of the...”

50 years prior to the start of the series, she went to the nightclub Mirage one evening, and met Peter Ostenfeld there. The two had a wonderful night together, but never learned each others names, nor did they see each other again. Tildy desperately wanted to see this man again, so in a reckless moment she enchanted the copy of Trolberg Digest that Peter had been reading that night, giving it and any copy of it the power to let the reader travel back in time to the night they first met.

She is first seen in the series seen in "Chapter 3: The Bird Parade", when Trevor and his friends invite Hilda to prank people with "Ding-Dong-Ditch". Tildy was Hilda's first victim, but Hilda did not understand the game so she did not run away after ringing the door bell, and instead ended up talking with the old lady when she opened the door.

In "Chapter 13: The Black Hound", she is briefly seen when David stops at her house to ask for donations for the Sparrow Scouts jumble sale. She donates a globe.

In Season 2, Hilda and Frida find out she is a witch when they help Kaisa find a book that she gave to Matilda almost 30 years ago, and that needs to be returned. Kaisa is revealed to have been a student of Matilda, but was afraid to face her old teacher because her inability to memorize spells made her unfit as a witch. However, Matilda wasn't mad or disappointed, and instead gave Kaisa her blessing for having become a Keeper of the Books. After Kaisa, Hilda and Frida managed to defeat the creature from the Void of No Return, she recognized Frida's potential to become a witch and offered Frida to become her new student.

In "Chapter 8: The Fifty Year Night", Hilda discovers the enchanted magazines, and that Peter Ostenfeld has been using these to relive the night he met Tildy over and over. Hilda uses one of the magazines to change the past and get Ostenfield and Tildy together. This results in a new timeline in which the two are happily married, but also attracks a Time Worm that tries to kill the old versions of Tildy, Ostenfeld and Hilda. Tildy is able to hold the time worm at bay long enough to inform Hilda that she has come to regret her actions, and that the past is best left unaltered. The alternate Tildy and Ostenfeld agree and destroy the original magazine, thus breaking the spell and undoing all the changes caused by the time travel.

In "Chapter 11: The Jorts Incident", she travels to Witches Tower to prevent the Committee of Three from casting Hilda into the junior void for her role in summoning the Tide Mice, which are causing trouble again. While she argues with the Committee, Hilda and friends capture all the mice and bring them to the tower. Matilda then joins forces with the Committee, Kaisa and Frida to cast a banishment spell to banish the Tide Mice for good.

Graphic novels
In the graphic novels, she has a small scene in Hilda and the Bird Parade, which the scene where Hilda rings her doorbell was adapted from. She also appears on 1 panel of Hilda and the Black Hound when Hilda asks her about the Black Hound.

Her name is not revealed during either of these appearances, nor is it known if she is a witch in this continuity.

Novelization
In the Hilda Tie-In Series, Matilda first appears in the book "Hilda and the Time Worm", which adapts the events from "Chapter 8: The Fifty Year Night". The book does not reveal if Matilda is a witch, and if she was responsible for the magic magazine that allows time travel, thus leaving it a mystery how the magazine works. Like in the animated series, Hilda changes the past so she and Peter Ostenfeld end up married, but they sacrifice themselves to restore the timeline.

In "Hilda and the Ghost Ship", it is confirmed that Matilda is a witch in this reality as well. She becomes Frida's magic teacher after Kaisa recommends Frida as a potential witch, and Frida proves her worth by navigating Tildy's maze. The book does not reveal if Matilda and Kaisa share a history like they do in the animated series, nor does Hilda recognize Matilda as Mr. Ostenfeld's lover from her previous adventure.

Appearances
Graphic novels
 * Hilda and the Bird Parade
 * Hilda and the Black Hound (cameo)

Animated series
 * Season 1


 * Chapter 3: The Bird Parade
 * Chapter 13: The Black Hound (cameo)
 * Season 2


 * Chapter 3: The Witch
 * Chapter 8: The Fifty Year Night
 * Chapter 11: The Jorts Incident

Novelization
 * Hilda and the Time Worm
 * Hilda and the Ghost Ship

Trivia

 * Tildy has a White-Puffy Critter, named Cornelius as a pet and familiar.