The Solitary Beaver

[The Skarzs]

Revive for the benefit of Lord Ashenwyte.

I don't really understand why BJ only put the beaver in only one of his books, but as it was the beaver played only a very small part in it, so I feel very little was missed. While it would have been cool if the beavers had took some role to play in association with otters, BJ might have wanted to keep things more simple.

[MeadowR]

I think it was a little nod to the fact Beavers used to be in this country. (Since the book, some have been reintroduced to Scotland.)

[urthstripe]

I remember the solitary beaver talking to constance .I thought it was interesting that "it" was the only beaver in the series. 

[JangoCoolguy]

but as it was the beaver played only a very small part in it, so I feel very little was missed.

Heck, the poor dope was cut from the Cartoon AND the graphic novel and it didn't have any effect on the story!

While it would have been cool if the beavers had took some role to play in association with otters, BJ might have wanted to keep things more simple.

Plus, he never expected/intended Redwall to be published in the first place and spawn a long running series, so it's not like he never really planned anything for them.

[gojuchrisa]

Just re-read Redwall
The beaver is mentioned 4 times
1.  building the crossbow with constance, they also share a few words
2.  he helps throw speas back at the horde during one of the battles
3.  he helps pour one the cauldrons of boiling water on the tunneling ferrets
...leaves the abbey just before the cluny takes over redwall? they have to net down constance but the beaver isnt there
4.  he comes back a year later to drink october ale

[Ashleg]

Not sure if I already said this, but I have absolutely no memory of there being a beaver in the book at all. Not saying there's not one or arguing that there's not, as there clearly is, but I completely missed it.

[SoranMBane]

According to the Redwall Wiki, Brian himself said that no other beavers showed up in the rest of the series to reflect the fact that beavers were extinct in Britain. I suppose the same could be true for the Redwall world; beaver populations might have been waning in Mossflower for one reason or another, and the one we meet in Redwall might have been one of the last of his species by that point. They're probably totally extinct in Mossflower as of the books that take place later in the timeline.

Of course, if the Redwall world also has a North America equivalent, there could easily still be beavers out there in the wider world.

[The Skarzs]

Most definitely.

[clunylooney]

It was Cheesethief. I liked that rat, btw. And also a crossbow, not a longbow.

Isn't this also the only time that crossbows show up?

No, they appear in The Rogue Crew. Razzid Wearat has two big crossbows on the side of his ship and Ketral Vane and his fox gang also used crossbows.

[Sebias of Redwall]

I think the idea of a beaver is cool, but the character (Hmm, should it actually be called that, really?  ) himself didn't really have that much of an impact on the plot. I sorta wish Brian Jacques had named him, though. Missed opportunity there.

[clunylooney]

I think the idea of a beaver is cool, but the character (Hmm, should it actually be called that, really?  ) himself didn't really have that much of an impact on the plot. I sorta wish Brian Jacques had named him, though. Missed opportunity there.

And now the picture is back to normal... also, he was important, he killed Cheesetheif!

[Sebias of Redwall]

And now the picture is back to normal...

Lol. Yes. I missed my otter pic.  (I'm assuming you're talking about my profile pic.  )

also, he was important, he killed Cheesetheif!

Well, he helped build the crossbow, so in a sense, he was important, but looking at it from a writer's perspective, Constance could've taken his role. Though, I do like the actual version better in this case.