Bears

[The Skarzs]

This topic is for the discussion of bears in Redwall.

[Sanddunes]

Personally if they were in Redwall they would be neutral because they are to overpowering to be vermin unless the woodlands had something that could face it

[The Skarzs]

Perhaps. However, if they were more proportionally sized down, it may be possible to kill them, if need be. That, of course, would take a lot of arrows.

[The Grey Coincidence]

I could see it happening, but really I think taming a bear would be beyond most vermin's capabilities. Because even if it was scaled down I'd imagine it'd be larger than a wolverine. Perhaps a pine marten could do it...
I do plan to use a bear though... briefly. I think a role akin to something like Argulor Algulor (you know who I mean) would fit a bear.

[The Skarzs]

As @Rusvul would probably say, "Neutral evil".

[Sanddunes]

I could see it happening, but really I think taming a bear would be beyond most vermin's capabilities. Because even if it was scaled down I'd imagine it'd be larger than a wolverine. Perhaps a pine marten could do it...
I do plan to use a bear though... briefly. I think a role akin to something like Argulor Algulor (you know who I mean) would fit a bear.

So a sun bear
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_bear

[SoranMBane]

Well, bears would almost certainly be far bigger and stronger than most of the larger creatures we've actually seen in Redwall (bigger than badgers or wolverines, certainly). They also feel to me like they'd be one of the wilder, least civilized species; like they'd be extremely dangerous and hostile towards anyone unlucky enough to wander into their territory, but they wouldn't likely have the ambition to go out and conquer other lands like most other vermin do. They could be like the Redwall world's equivalent of a troll or ogre, in much the same way that adders fill a similar role to dragons.

[Jack the Quick]

Bears would be really overpowered, since a mouse would fit right inside their mouth. Bears in Redwall would unbalance everything.

[Jetthebinturong]

A mouse would already basically fit right inside a cat's mouth. Redwall's sizes are not analogous to real-world animals.

[The Grey Coincidence]

A mouse *did* basically fit inside a cat's mouth. Poor Mathias was nearly catfood- granted that was the first book.

But while that may be true Jet, depending on how big the bear is, it could easily swallow a mouse. Although sizes is always a tough subject...

[Jetthebinturong]

I think when we discuss the sizes of the animals, it's a given that we can disregard the first book.

[The Grey Coincidence]

Very true, yes.

But at the same time I think most people have their own little headcanons in terms of sizes and stuff. A bear *could* swallow a mouse whole in my interpretation of Redwall sizes- but BJ left everything vague didn't he?

[Jack the Quick]

Yes, that he did.

[The Grey Coincidence]

My point being that, depending on how some other view sizes, a bear could either be about as tall as the abbey walls ooooor just a bit bigger than a badger,

[Sebias of Redwall]

My point being that, depending on how some other view sizes, a bear could either be about as tall as the abbey walls ooooor just a bit bigger than a badger,

Yeah, I think Brian Jacques liked it when his readers imagined all of the sizes and such.