Characters
Watership Down
Hazel - He leads the rabbits from Sandleford and eventually
becomes Chief Rabbit of Watership Down. He is the primary protagonist of
the series. Although he is not the strongest or smartest of the bucks,
Hazel is a charismatic leader who recognizes and employs the skills of
his fellow bucks to great success. He is shot while freeing the hutch
rabbits at Nuthanger Farm and almost dies, but is saved by his younger
brother Fiver. Although lamed by this injury, he leads the foray to
Efrafa and comes up with the final, successful strategy to defeat
General Woundwort. Hazel's beautiful mate is Primrose who is free from
Efrafa.
Primrose Born at Redstone and a captive in Efrafa until her
rescue by the Watership Down rabbits. Primrose is very supportive of
Hazel, who becomes her mate and is also a dedicated mother to her three
children Snowdrop, Mallow, and Gilia (who were fathered by Hazel). She
and Campion also have a strong bond due to her being saved by him
multiple times back in Efrafa. In Efrafa she showed a rebellious and
stubborn attitude toward Vervain, who bullied and tormented her at every
given opportunity. Despite her deep hatred for Vervain, she, Fiver,
Holly, and Captain Broom saved his life when he was caught in some wire,
although she originally protested the idea of helping the rabbit "that
made her life miserable." Later she hates herself for letting him go
when she finds out he formed an alliance out of fear with Woundwort.
Primrose replaces the character of Hyzenthlay from the novel and film.
Fiver – A small runty rabbit who had visions of the
destruction of the Sandleford warren lead him to leave, along with his
older brother Hazel and several other rabbits. He appears to be more
prescient than his novel counterpart, and his visions come in rhymes. He
often feels responsible for foreseeing terrible things or blaming
himself for their outcome. He and Hazel are very close together.
Bigwig – A rabbit who was formerly an officer in the
Sandleford Owsla, so-called because of the large amount of hair
surrounding his face giving him the appearance of a lionhead rabbit.
The largest and most powerful of the Sandleford survivors, he is often
blunt and impatient for dangerous action and fighting. After nearly
getting killed in a snare in episode 3, he realizes that Fiver is right
more often than not. He quickly befriends Kehaar and often asks for his
help on Hazel's behalf. Hazel often selects him for the most dangerous
missions, such as the infiltration of Efrafa. Later, he becomes captain
of the Watership Down's Owsla and falls for Spartina, a doe from
Darkhaven.
Blackberry – Although originally a buck in the novel,
Blackberry is a doe who has skills in herbs and is referred to as the
digging expert. Her character is otherwise unchanged, she is the most
intelligent of the rabbits, and often comes up with ingenious ideas. She
is the only doe to go to Watership Down with Hazel and the others.
Later in the series she falls in love with Campion. She is devastated
when she thinks Campion is dead, but is rejoined with him when she is
taken prisoner in Darkhaven. At the end of the series she and Campion
return to Watership Down together.
Dandelion - Dandelion is of the slowest of rabbits,
contrasting his characterisation as speedster in the novel and although
still an accomplished storyteller,He is more of a joker and wise guy and
provides much of the series' comedy relief. He is a good friend of
Hawkbit, despite their mutual attraction to former Efrafan doe Heather
(who later leaves with Moss to start a new warren). He and Hawkbit serve
in Bigwig's Owsla together.
Pipkin - A very young and adventurous rabbit eager to prove
himself in the eyes of the bigger companions—particularly Hazel and
Bigwig, contrasting his nervous and timid personality from the novel.
While the youngest of the Watership Down rabbits, he has the gift of
making friends with everyone including other animals in the Down area,
to the point that when he is in trouble they will immediately join
together with the Watership Down rabbits to come to his rescue. Even
General Woundwort found he was not immune to Pipkin and refused to kill
him, saying that it would be like killing a part of himself. During the
last season Pipkin grows up to be a responsible rabbit, even leading the
'Junior Owsla'.
Hawkbit – He is a pessimistic, grouchy and sarcastic rabbit
who always has a biting comment for every situation, but is a dependable
member of the warren whenever help is needed. An outstanding example of
the effect Hazel has upon those rabbits who would otherwise have been
totally disregarded in the warren hierarchy, He later becomes a good
friend of the more cerebral Dandelion and during the last season, he
settles down with Clover.
Holly – Former captain of the Sandleford Owsla, Holly has only
a minor role and is mostly used as a background character, He's formed a
key part of the Watership Down defenses in the last season.
Clover – A fomer hutch rabbit rescued from Nuthanger Farm. She and Hawkbit settle down at the ending of the series.
Blackavar – A rabbit with very dark fur. He is obsessed with
escaping from Efrafa. Together with Primrose, he frequently attempts to
escape only to get captured again by the Efrafan Owsla. With Hazel's
help he finally succeeds and once free, He joins Hazel's warren atop
Watership Down. After the escape, he is used as a minor background
character, and does not appear after series 2. His appearnce is vastly
changed from that of the novel, where his ears were badly ripped, and
the film, in which he is killed.
Strawberry - A orangely rabbit who leaves Cowslip's warren
after meeting Hazel and Bigwig and joins them in Watership Down.
Initially lazy from his time with Cowslip, he later proves to be an
accomplished digger and serves in Bigwig's Owsla.
Captain Broom - The former captain of the Redstone Owsla. When
Primrose, now free from Efrafa, returns to see her old friends Broom
informs her that an unspecified illness has wiped out the entire warren
but him. He joins the Watership Down rabbits at Hazel's invitation. He
usually bores them with his tall tales, but does have wisdom (his
knowledge about sheep helps avert a disaster) and can be relied upon in a
crisis. He and Captain Holly also get along with each other.
Kehaar – A black-headed gull who is forced by an injured wing,
to take refuge on Watership Down. He is characterized by his frequent
impatience, guttural accent and unusual phrasing. Eventually, after
Hazel and the others befriend him, He flies over the countryside in an
attempt to discover other warrens where the rabbits might find does to
mate with. He discovers the Efrafa warren and after helping the rabbits
he meets a gull called Gluk and flies to the city to settle down with
her because she likes life in the city better.
Hannah is a brown mouse. She is a good friend of Kehaar and
has a kind of love/hate relationship with Bigwig who feels she is too
small to be of any use in a fight, but her bravery more than makes up
for her size. After Kehaar's departure, Hannah tries to learn magic to
help her friends on the Down. Silverweed instead takes her magic into
himself to save the Down. Although a mouse featured in the novel, it
appeared only briefly, and spoke with a thick Italian accent.
Snowdrop is a daughter white kit. One of Hazel and Primrose's kits.
Mallow is a son dark tan kit. One of Hazel and Primrose's kits.
Gilia is a daughter tan kit. One of Hazel and Primrose's kits.
Cowslip's Warren (The Warren of the Shining Wires)
Cowslip - the so-called leader of the warren, there is some
doubt as to whether he is insane or totally evil. Hazel, Fiver and
Bigwig first encounter him when they accompany Captain Holly to recover
an injured Sandleford rabbit left there, only to learn the warren's
terrible secret when Bigwig nearly becomes a victim and that the missing
rabbit was a victim. He becomes angered by Hazel's warren when they
help a group of his rabbits escape from his warren, and even helps
Woundwort to get his revenge on them, however, as he himself states,
"I'm a plotter, not a fighter" and he uses both sides for his own gain.
Later he trades his seer, Silverweed, to Woundwort in exchange for the
destruction of his escaped rabbit's warren.
Silverweed – he is a seer with mental abilities similar to
Fiver, in particular possessing the ability to see into another rabbit's
mind by touch. He is traded to Woundwort to help him seek his destiny,
but later ends up on Watership Down and becomes a good friend of the
rabbits there, even sacrificing most of his youth to help save the
warren from Woundwort.
Redstone Rabbits
Hickory - was one of the rabbits who were liberated from
Cowslip's warren by the Watership Down rabbits. He and several other
rabbits including his mate Marigold, decided to live inside Primrose's
old home of Redstone. They lived peaceful lives until Woundwort and
Vervain (under the alias of Wheatstalk and Chaff respectively), arrived
there to try and turn Redstone into a warren controlled by force and not
reason. At first Hickory was taken in by Woundwort's guise and it
wasn't until it was too late that he found out the truth. Thanks to a
bargain he made with Cowslip, who wanted revenge on his deserters,
Woundwort tricked Hickory and the others rabbits at Redstone to stay put
while their warren gets demolished by man, but Hazel and the others
saved them in time. Hickory was re-united with Marigold and they all now
live with Hazel and the others on Watership Down.
Marigold - is Hickory's mate and the mother to his kittens.
She was actually the first rabbit to see through Woundwort's guise when
he first came to Redstone with Vervain. Knowing that he was dangerous,
Marigold risked everything to seek help from Hazel and the other
Watership Down rabbits who all arrived just in time to save Hickory and
his rabbits.
Flax - a friend of Hickory's;
Efrafan Rabbits
General Woundwort – He serves as the primary antagonist of the
series. A brutal and tyrannical leader who sees himself as the one
doing everything for the best of his warren, Woundwort strives to
destroy Hazel and his 'outsiders' because of the hope for free life they
represent for his own subjects. He has black, ragged fur and is blind
in his left eye. He deeply respects Campion, even after his betrayal by
him, and he often punishes and threatens Vervain, but still values him
as an adviser and loyal subject despite this. He shows a soft side
briefly after Pipkin tells him that his parents were killed by a weasel
(a fate that Woundwort himself went through), and for a brief moment
before Efrafa's destruction sees himself for what he is and what he has
brought Efrafa to. After the destruction of Efrafa, Woundwort becomes
obsessed with seeking his destiny of destruction, which leads him to the
warren he was born in: Darkhaven. In the end, he is taken by the Black
Rabbit of Inlé along with most of the Darkhaven rabbits.
Campion – Campion sees that Woundwort's leadership is
destroying Efrafa, but is torn between his feelings for the free ways of
Watership Down and his loyalty to his chief rabbit. He met Blackberry
and it was love at first sight, but he sacrificed himself to save his
chief from a cave in. He survived and was taken to Darkhaven, as was
Blackberry soon after, and they sealed their love in Darkhaven and
escaped to Watership Down. He fought in the last battle against
Woundwort. Afterwards, he and Blackberry settled down together.
Vervain - is a cowardly and sneaky rabbit, more adept at
spying on others and threatening the weaker ones then in actual combat
and is (next to Woundwort) the most hated and despised rabbit of the
Watership Down story. Despite his shortcomings, Woundwort values him
(though he would not show this) for his loyalty to him. Although Campion
saved his life on more than one occasion, Vervain hates him with a
passion and would like nothing better than to make Woundwort realize
Campion is a traitor. Kehaar is particularly not fond of Vervain and
calls him an 'ugly bunny'. After Efrafa's destruction, Vervain tries to
live on his own but quickly loses hope, until he is saved by Woundwort.
Although somewhat shocked by his master's increasing madness, Vervain
continues to serve him, though more out of fear than respect, and he
secretly longs to lead a different life, even if such thoughts are
futile.
Moss - was one of Woundwort's corporals, who much like Campion
hoped for things to improve within Efrafa. After Efrafa was liberated
by the Watership Down rabbits, Moss was elected by them to be their new
chief, so together with his mate Heather, they left Watership Down to
start their own warren with the former Efrafan rabbits.
Heather - Moss' mate and a doe of whom Hawkbit and Dandelion once fought over before they realized she had already chosen her mate.
Aspen - An Efrafan Owsla rabbit who developed a close
relationship with Vervain. However, the relationship was short lived, as
Aspen was later attacked and killed by a weasel.
Gorse - An Efrafan Owsla rabbit who was on a Wide Patrol along
with Campion, Vervain and Thistle. He and Thistle were killed by a fox
that was chasing Bigwig.
Thistle - An Efrafan Owsla rabbit who was on a Wide Patrol
along with Campion, Vervain and Gorse. He and Gorse were killed by a fox
that was chasing Bigwig.
Larch - An Efrafan Owsla rabbit who was on a Wide patrol led
by Vervain. He got sick on patrol and was left behind on Vervain's
orders. if an elil did not get him he presumably died of the sickness.
Darkhaven Rabbits
Spartina - is one of Darkhaven's warrior does. She was chosen
by Woundwort to trick the Watership Down rabbits into thinking that she
is their friend, so she may spy on them and to find the location of
their warren. However while she was there, Silverweed managed to see
through her guise with his powers and she confessed everything to Hazel
and the others, as she is beginning to have feelings for Bigwig. She
returned to Darkhaven, in order to save Blackberry from being killed by
Granite (under her orders), but she is soon held prisoner along with
her. However she managed to escape along with Campion and Blackberry and
aided the Watership Down rabbits in their fight against Woundwort. It's
assumed she settles down with Bigwig at Watership Down after the final
battle.
Granite - was the chief of Darkhaven, before losing his title
to Campion during combat (of which later Campion gave the title to
Woundwort as soon as he arrived at Darkhaven). Granite is no doubt one
of the warren's strongest rabbits. He was instructed by Spartina to kill
Blackberry by the next full moon, however since Blackberry once saved
his life, Granite was unable to perform the deed, meaning that he does
have a sense of honor.
Shale - A rabbit from the Darkhaven Owsla.
Felspar - A rabbit from the Darkhaven Owsla. Always seen with Granite, Spartina and Shale.
Nuthanger Farm
Chester - the farm's dog. He first appears in the first
episode "The Promised Land" where he chases after the rabbits but
fails in the process. He then has a small appearance in the episode "The
Raid" where he barks at Hazel as he escapes from the barn. His last
appearance was in the episode "Tale of a Mouse" in which he is
guarding the farm's vegetable. At the end of the episode, he chases after the
farm's cat, Tabitha. Chester's breed is somewhat of a Rottweiler.
Tabitha - the farm's cat. She also first appears in the
first episode "The Promised Land" where she attacks Kehaar when he is
trying to steal her bowl of fish. She then had a larger role in two episodes,
"The Raid" and "Tale of a Mouse". In "The Raid",
she tries to attack and eat Hazel, Fiver and Pipkin when they are trying to
free hutch rabbits but fails. In "Tale of a Mouse", she goes after
the rabbits again, and also after Hannah. At the end, she is chased by Chester
around the farm. Tabitha appears again in "The Betrayal" when she
attacks Spartina in a barn in Nuthanger Farm, and is driven off Bigwig and the
others. Tabitha's breed is somewhat of a Tabby Cat or a Calico. Unlike Chester,
she can speak (except her appearance in "The Promised Land").
