Redwall Abbey

This thread is just for general discussion of rats in Redwall, although I do have a starter prompt and something I can back as my opinion.

Do you think that the rats in in the world of Redwall are the most evil species? As a whole, the majority of horde leaders seen throughout the books are rats, and rats are the typical soldier, too.

Foxes and wildcats and lots of the "bigger" and "stronger" creatures, I say, get too much credit.

Although there are many dumb rats, as well as some redeemed rats, the number of the "good" or "unable to blame for being in a horde since they're stupid" characters that are rats are highly outnumbered by the sheer number of the same species alone that displays cunning and adequacy in their sneaky deeds. This is made larger by the fact that, in a horde, most of the unnamed filler creatures tend to be rats.

Rats are also much more widespread than any other vermin, taking on a wide span of roles, such as pirates and warlords and tribe Chiefs as well.

Don't forget, it was a rat that successfully got in Redwall (Cluny), and a rat that effectively blinded a badger lady (Damung).

Rats are awesome! Anybeast with me?

The higher the percentage of a race in the overall population, the higher the percentage of members of that race doing memorable things. Rats definitely seem to be the most common, which would make them more likely to pop up as villains. ;)


Math aside, rats do appear to take the roles of more fearsome villains, either by being renowned fighters like Cluny or just plain nuts like Gabool. There are also the tree rats, the hordes of rats in Mattimeo and The Bellmaker, the tribes of rats in Eulalia. . . They may just be the go-to species for groups of villains.

Making them the most evil. ;) Being the go-to puts them a step above everybody else.

It kind of makes sense that they are the most common villain, seeing as Redwall specieing is based on European Folklore, wherein rats are pretty common baddies. I think you could link it to the Black Death in England back in the middle ages as well. Oh and the fact that they breed like... rats.

Haha.