Favorite Character?

[Yves]

One of the largest accusations people like to make against the RW series, is that all the characters are basically archetypal, and there's no specificity for each individual character. That is, all the villains have basically the same personality, all the hares are basically the same, all the badgers are indecipherable, all the abbots talk and act exactly like every other abbot, and so on, and so forth.

I happen to agree with this point of view. However, I have to admit that the Marlfoxes stood out to me as particularly titillating villains. While they certainly followed the "Redwall villain model," they carried itto such a larger degree, and with so much more ire for each other, that it set them apart for me.

[Ashstripe]

So very true, it's a particularly refreshing kick to the face when a villain comes along with unique intentions. Something different than, "I'm evil, so I'm gonna go smash up the Abbey.".

The Marlfoxes were wining favour if I remember right, which I probably don't. Add that with the fact that their craftiness was on par, or greater than Swart(sp?) Sixclaw, from Outcast of Redwall.

Veil from Outcast of Redwall, was an interesting character, a brat at first, seemingly supporting the idea that all vermin are born evil. But his final act of protection was something in a whole other league for me - Redwall-wise at least, in any other story, if the character doesn't have any more than one dimension to their personality, I hate it.

And there was that ship building dope from a book I can't remember, I can't even remember his name. He was a simple fellow, but defied the arche-type, so he was memorable.

[Grath]

Blaggut, the Bellmaker. I liked him. ^^

[Arrowbrush MacBurl]

Martin the warrior, Rakkety Tam MacBurl. Both awsome characters!

[ferretface]

Although both the Marlfoxes and Blaggut were great, personally I particularly liked Cregga...from berserking Badgerlady to blind Badgermother.
Plus, she finally gets killed in one of my favourite books (Taggerung) by the character 'Retchen was based off (Vallug), to a tune sung by a hare musician and fool (Boorab, I think), also was part of two of the best(Marlfox, I'm pretty sure, was BEFORE Taggerung, but I could be wrong...and the...other one. Was that Long Patrol?)

So yeah, it's gotta be Cregga for me.

[Wildrun]

Martin, Mariel, and, as much as I hate to admit it to myself...Old Mad Eyes over there. They're all just cool, including Mad Eyes, even though I'm usually a strict goodbeast-supporter only. ^^"

[mullisbt]

All these characters are interesting but the best character is of course Gonff, prince of mousetheives. Brian Jaques based this character on himself, I mean come on. It doesn't get much cooler than that.

[Arrowbrush MacBurl]

You're right there, it doesn't.....

[Sam Gideon]

Yes Yves, sadly your right. Redwall does seem to have a set-mode for characters that he's unwilling to change and it irks me. Right now unfortunately, I've been to busy rping to get back into books, but once I do I'll have to read some decent Redwall ones like Outcast of Redwall or Marlfox as mentioned below.

[Shadess]

My character is Scargg for mthe first book, and i wanted to kick cheesetheif for killing him. Scragg was one of the smarter vermin followers, if ya know what I mean

I also like the boat bulidng rat who was one of the only good vermin. I wished he would have stayed in the abbey.

One thing annoys me though, all endings are the same for the redwal lseries. The bad guy and his captains die, and the good guy coems victorious.

[Yves]

One thing annoys me though, all endings are the same for the redwal lseries. The bad guy and his captains die, and the good guy coems victorious.

Aw well, it's a formula. Villains, such as myself, are written into being for their eventual death. A flat villain without a gruesome and ironic death is like a diet soda without artificial sugar--it just doesn't have that evil after-taste.

As stupid as that sounds, I'm actually serious. In another series even more poorly written than Redwall (*cough*, Goosebumps, Secrets of Droon, Most of the fantasy crap you're forced through in grammar school *hack*), the characters are all just as predictable, but the villain wins about half the time, and when that happens, it actually doesn't give you half the satisfaction you would expect. Actually, it's very disappointing. With Jacques in particular, the entire story is one long build up for the sweet taste of "Oh wow, he got squished be the big bell... ... ...?" Well, alright, most of the time it works.

But, yeah, I only read the books for the villains. They're archetypal at best, but they're well-done archetypes, and part of being the Wicked Witch of the West is melting at the end. Complex plots for undeveloped characters just don't tend to work.

[ginger]

FAVORITES FROM BJ"S BOOKS
1 KILLCONEY
2 BLAGGUT
3 PLUGG FIRETAIL
4 RASCONZA
5 BANE
6 MADEYES
7 ASHLEG

[alisonjamie]

Gonff, all the rabbits, and the Warden of Marshwood Hill ;D

[northernxlights]

In my humble opinion, I fancied Laterose of Noonvale. I have no idea why. I just like her for some reason. Well, maybe cuz she died at the end, which made me cry, which made her a memorable charrie. -brick'd for being lame-

Plus, I also like Blaggut. It's nice to have a change in personality. <3

xoxo,
Northie

[redwalldibbun]

I really liked Major Cuthbert in High Rhulain he was a very diffrent hare. And Urth Stripe in Salamandastron he was just awesome. But yes sadly u dont get to many unique characters. O and Chugga in Legend of Luke

[legacy]

Personally my favorite character was always Felldoh from Martin the Warrior. He was a rather tragic figure, and it was nice to see that in a children's book, let alone in one of Brian's.

I liked that he was a great warrior and a capable leader, but the oppression and rage blinded him, as opposed to just of following the timeless heroic movement. His valor was unmistakable, and the idea of a Squirrel focusing on strength to compliment his natural agility appealed to me greatly. His death was both foolish and noble, and I think that's what made him interesting.

[brockflash]

My favorite would be either Rawnblade Widestripe from Mariel of Redwall or Rakkety Tam. They are both awesome experienced guys who know what they are doing and manage to end up as the heroes, but I wish some more villains lived. That Blaggut rat was cool too.

[Malum]

My favorites are:
-Veil
-Blaggut
-Romsca

All my bizarre good vermin friends! Why'd they have to die, WHY,WHY!!!!!!?!?!?!?!? -breaks down crying and pounds the floor with fists- WHY?!?!?!?

[Grath]

Blaggut didn't die though... He moved to the shore and built boats. He also brought messages to the abbot from time to time.

I call Redwall books my 'escape books' or my 'guilty pleasure' because they're so simple, and yes, they do have a formula. But it works for them, and really, who wants to read hardcore complex action and motives all the time? Not me. They're simple, they're short, and I love them.

Some characters are echoes of others, true, but not most of them, to me. I especially love the hares and otters. Beau and Ranguvar were also some of my favorites.

[Shadow Flame]

Felldoh the Wrestler. Great character