Favorite villain

Skyblade · June 08, 2016, 08:31:17 PM

Who are your favorite Redwall villains?

Mine's Slagar the Cruel from Mattimeo (also my favorite Redwall novel). Between the fact that I haven't read the entire series and my dusty memories, my choice may be inaccurate, but he's the only villain that has really stuck out to me.

One reason I like Mattimeo so much is the adventure. The journey to Malkariss has always intrigued me, the quest is honestly difficult for the "good guys", and the whole novel is just well set up. But it also helps that I was interested in the antagonist (personally, nether Mattimeo nor General Ironbeak appealed to me - they both seemed a bit too much like the stereotypes I'd seen before. Just my opinion

).

I could very well be mistaken, but Slagar is one of the only Redwall villains I recall ever having a backstory. Well, technically everyone has a backstory - whether stated or not. But with most villains (again, could be remembering wrong), the story is left out. All we see is some evil fellow bent on conquering Redwall/Salmandastron/the ocean/some random island.

But Slagar got more development, I think, and I really like that. I won't forget the shock that ran through with me when I first found out he was actually Chickenhound.

So, yeah. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on villain's backstories and motivations, but most of them just seemed evil and not much else to me.

What's your opinion?

Eulaliaaa! · June 09, 2016, 11:43:57 PM

I have always liked Flinky. From the way he acts to the fact that he and his gang actually escaped being punished for everything they did. I'm not sure why Brian Jacques allowed them to get away with murder when every other vermin didn't, but I actually liked it.

And Gulo the Savage was another favorite of mine. He's probably one of the worst villains in the books (which is most likely why he's a favorite

).

Fatch of Southsward · June 10, 2016, 05:21:07 PM

My favorite is the original: Cluny the Scourge!

He was intelligent, precise and patient - unlike many of the clumsy leaders who counted completely on their numbers. He was a master tactician who incorporated brilliant strategies into his attacks, and was foiled by pure luck on several occasions. He successfully conquered Redwall, and only some of the greatest heroic characters were able to stop him in the end. (Matthias, Basil and Constance. No other villain had to go up against such odds!)

He was also a great fighter, and Matthias himself did not attempt to fight him hand to hand. Instead he dropped a bell on him.

So yeah, I'm a fan of Cluny! (and secretly cheered for him most of the time - Hehe!)

Ashleg · June 11, 2016, 03:43:15 AM

Vilu Daskar is my favorite, with Cluny at a close second for the reasons stated above. I also like Gabool, but ahem--Vilu. I liked him because he seemed very refined and almost fancy, and yet he would do just as much of the dirty work as his crew.
And I also found him funny/felt bad for him for some reason. Weird.
As for Gabool, it's a long story.

LT Sandpaw · June 11, 2016, 04:06:11 PM

It's hard to come up with a favorite, because I'll be thinking about what one did, then realize oh yeah there was another that I really liked. I think if I had to pick a favorite group of villain leaders it would be the Marlfoxes. But that's with them all together, it was cool seeing how that relationship worked. But they don't count...

So I'd have to say, my favorite villain (at the moment) would be Graypatch from Mariel of Redwall, with Cluny being a close second. Graypatch is kind of what saves the book. He's got an interesting backstory with Gabool, one that would have been interesting to see more of. His motivations make sense, and he seems like one of the more hardy villains. Even when he's stuck between Gabool and some crazy OP hares, he does pretty well with himself, and even goes down good. Though his death could have been better.

Ashleg · June 11, 2016, 04:55:46 PM

Heh, I was secretly rooting for Greypatch the whole book.

The Skarzs · June 13, 2016, 09:50:48 PM

Graypatch was good, from what I remember. Problem is, it's been so long since I've read all the books (I'm currently rereading them, on Martin the Warrior right now), that I can't fully remember all the villains.

Cluny was a good villain, probably one of the best Brian ever made, and it helps that he was the original. Asmodeus was also a good additional villain, not the main antagonist, but certainly instilling a certain fear into even the reader.

Groddil · June 15, 2016, 03:46:01 AM

UNGATT! TRUNN TRUNN TRUNN!

Why? Because he was successful, and probably the most dangerous villain in the series, next to Gulo. But Trunn had a larger army, and to date, he's the only one to ever take over Salamandastron, the most fortified place in the entire Series.

Hickory · June 15, 2016, 03:49:03 AM

Yes, well, he was also fighting against a weak opponent. 150 senile old hares and an ancient badger is hardly a challenge to a middle aged wildcat and thousands of vermin. Should he have faced up against Cregga Rose Eyes perhaps it would've been a battle of far more epic proportions.

Groddil · June 15, 2016, 03:51:53 AM

Well, he was only really defeated by Brocktree through treachery. Even the badger lord didn't want to engage him in open combat until the very end, when they went 1-on-1.

Hickory · June 15, 2016, 03:53:36 AM

I never said anything about that, I said that Ungatt only conquered Salamandastron by attacking at the right time.

Groddil · June 15, 2016, 03:58:48 AM

I know. I was just saying that Trunn was still very powerful, even though he took over the mountain like that.

The Skarzs · June 15, 2016, 03:59:17 AM

That's something I feel the series really missed: battles of titans. Brian seemed to like the idea of the little guy triumphing, and it was an ongoing theme throughout his books. He even said it himself in one of those mini videos of him. I suppose it didn't hurt the stories too much, but I would still have liked to have seen some really ferocious fights between some seriously top-notch characters.
The best satisfaction to that urge I got when Urgan Nagru fought Finnbarr Galedeep.

Hickory · June 15, 2016, 04:03:11 AM

Quote from: Skarzs on June 15, 2016, 03:59:17 AM
That's something I feel the series really missed: battles of titans. Brian seemed to like the idea of the little guy triumphing, and it was an ongoing theme throughout his books. He even said it himself in one of those mini videos of him. I suppose it didn't hurt the stories too much, but I would still have liked to have seen some really ferocious fights between some seriously top-notch characters.
The best satisfaction to that urge I got when Urgan Nagru fought Finnbarr Galedeep.

That was a wuss fight. Now, LP vs the Rapscallions was truly Titan. Also, Cregga totally REKT Damug, so in general the whole fight was awesome.

Ashleg · June 15, 2016, 04:06:58 AM

Quote from: Sagetip on June 15, 2016, 04:03:11 AM
Quote from: Skarzs on June 15, 2016, 03:59:17 AM
That's something I feel the series really missed: battles of titans. Brian seemed to like the idea of the little guy triumphing, and it was an ongoing theme throughout his books. He even said it himself in one of those mini videos of him. I suppose it didn't hurt the stories too much, but I would still have liked to have seen some really ferocious fights between some seriously top-notch characters.
The best satisfaction to that urge I got when Urgan Nagru fought Finnbarr Galedeep.
That was a wuss fight. Now, LP vs the Rapscallions was truly Titan. Also, Cregga totally REKT Damug, so in general the whole fight was awesome.

How about Lord Brocktree vs. Urgan Nagru? That was intense!

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Favorite villain