Something not-Vivziepop related, wow, lol, but I've been getting back into the Redwall series, and Mariel is absolutely iconic, so I decided to try drawing her and her trusty Gullwhacker ^^
This is now my blog for any Redwall themed tournaments I feel like doing or that anyone else may suggest. Best Villain and Most Tragic Death have been done elsewhere but anything else is fair game.
Same mod as @incorrectredwallquotes
Starting out simple with best Redwall book. In order to make the math pretty I’ve included The Great Redwall Feast and A Redwall Winters Tale, additionally the semi-finals will feature triple contestants. Polls will last a week to get some traction.
Match Ups Round 1:
Redwall vs. Eualia Winner: Redwall
Lord Brocktree vs. Marlfox Winner: Marlfox
The Long Patrol vs. Mariel of Redwall Winner: Mariel of Redwall
Rakkety Tam vs. Martin the Warrior Winner: Martin the Warrior
Triss vs. A Redwall Winters Tale Winner: Triss
Mattimeo vs. Outcast of Redwall Winner: Mattimeo
Salamandastron vs. High Rhulain Winner: Salamandastron
Pearls of Lutra vs. Doomwyte Winner: Pearls of Lutra
The Bellmaker vs. Mossflower Winner: Mossflower
The Great Redwall Feast vs. The Sable Quean Winner: The Sable Quean
Loamhedge vs. The Taggerung Winner: The Taggerung
Legend of Luke vs. The Rogue Crew Winner: Legend of Luke
Match Ups Round 2:
Redwall vs. Marlfox Winner: Redwall
Mariel of Redwall vs. Martin the Warrior Winner: Martin the Warrior
Triss vs. Mattimeo Winner: Mattimeo
Salamandastron vs. Pearls of Lutra Winner: Pearls of Lutra
Mossflower vs. The Sable Quean Winner: Mossflower
The Taggerung vs. Legend of Luke Winner: The Taggerung
Match Ups Round 3:
For this round only one contestant will be eliminated, the remaining two contestants will swap competitors and move onto the semi-finals.
Redwall vs. Martin the Warrior vs. Mattimeo Eliminated: Mattimeo
Pearls of Lutra vs. Mossflower vs. The Taggerung Eliminated: Pearls of Lutra
Match Ups Semi-Finals
Contestants have swapped competitors to avoid going against the same book as the previous round.
I'm sure this has been discussed before, in years past when Redwall was a more active fandom, but. Man Brian Jacques really just flat out forgot what Rufe Brush's personality was supposed to be between Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker, didn't he.
I was all for giving him the benefit of the doubt, like maybe since Rufe gets more spotlight in Bellmaker we're just seeing a new side to him or realizing that his "strong, silent" persona was actually just shyness.
But no, Rufe straight up goes from stoically helping lead the Abbey's defenses against Graypatch in one book, to cringing and flinching at the thought of stealing the Pearl Queen in the next. The shrews lend him a rapier and he barely knows which end he's supposed to point. Like buddy why are you shivering in your boots at the thought of facing down a searat crew when you were literally chucking javelins at a different searat crew in the last book you were in.
I'm just going to pretend that Rufe Brush post-Mariel left the abbey to go keep watch for bandits in the woods and left his bellringer duties to his younger and more timid brother, also named Rufe Brush.
Actually I know it's a lil weird but I wanna ramble about Redwall for a bit
(cut so this ain't a long post)
It's really fitting how both Martin and Matthais were both just random kids in the eyes of Redwall. (Well, Mossflower in Martin's case.) Like we know Martin's origins and where he came from and even who his dad is, but to those who live in the Mossflower area he's just a plucky kid who shows up out of nowhere, gets jailed by Queen Tsarmina, then fights himself nearly to death in order to overthrow her. Meanwhile, Matthais is a kid who grew up at Redwall with uncertain origins and ends up being Martin's ancestor / reincarnation?? This kid outta nowhere really got a whole plot puzzle dumped on him and then ended up a hero hahaha.
On that note, I don't think I'll ever forget Matthais' name or call him that because of those puzzles. In my head he is always first and foremost "I, am that is". (Which is followed always by "My sword will wield for me" that part stuck in my head it lives there thanks Brian Jacques)
I have forgotten a lot though, like I don't remember a lot of other notable character names unfortunately. I remember Chickenhound, Cluny the Scourge, and that's about it. Is there a notable Mole character? The moles have always been my favourite, I love their chill and soft cadences while also possessing their big ol' claws, but they all had the same voice in my head so telling them apart was hard. (For that matter, their accent was hard to interpret at times, but that's a dyslexic thing.)
The Hares and Squirrels gotta be my second favourites, though it is a little strange that both were warrior races. Squirrels always being ready to throw down while Hares are master tacticians (and big eaters) is a lot of fun, though. It just makes sense. And I think the one hare and the mom squirrel became good friends in one book? (Can't remember if Mossflower or Redwall) and I adored that.
Hey actual Badgers are not that peaceful. It's weird that all male badgers were lords of the forge and fighters while the females were usually matriarchal and capable of fighting, but usually super nurturing. If one of the later books had a female lord of the forge that's sick as hell but where is my male badger wetnurse. (Sunstripe is another name I will remember forever. I think he was the son of the Redwall mother? And they found that out in Mattimeo?? I really have to reread these books.)
Yo shoutout to my girl Mariel for getting blasted onto the scene by choosing violence as her answer to most things. Girl woke up on a beach with amnesia, found a rope with a knot at the end, and scared off the seagulls looking to eat her with only that and then screamed into the ocean that she was gonna fuck shit up. We stan a legend I love her forever.
That's all the memories I got. I love this series it carried me through middle school ;w;
Tarquin: There are some things beyond our understanding. We must accept them and learn from them. Because these moments of crisis are also potential moments of faith. A time, when we either come together or fall apart. Nature always has a way of balancing itself. The only question is, what part will we play?
Mariel: Did you just make that up?
Tarquin: No. I read it in a fortune cookie once.
Mariel:
Tarquin: A really long fortune cookie.
Vote for your favorite Redwall villain! Not who you think would win in a fight, but who you think is most effective as a villain or who you enjoy the most!