- "A coward dies a thousand times, but a warrior dies only once."
- — Luke's final words to Vilu Daskar
Luke the Warrior was the father of Martin the Warrior and husband of Sayna. His father was also named Martin. He and his tribe lived in caves along the western shore to the far north after being driven out of his birthplace at St. Ninian's by Verdauga Greeneyes. His best friend was Vurg.
When his wife was killed by Vilu Daskar, Luke was deeply hurt and swore revenge against the evil stoat. After leaving his sword to his young son, he sailed off on the Sayna, a ship named in memory of his wife. He had captured it from corsair vermin led by Captain Reynard Chopsnout, while they attempted to raid his tribe.
Luke sailed the sea for a long time, searching for Vilu, without success. But one night, when the Sayna was drifting near Twin Islands, the Goreleech, Vilu's ship, rammed into the Sayna, sinking the ship and taking Luke and two others prisoner as oarslaves. The rest of the crew were killed.
Luke tricked Vilu and managed to convince him that there was a treasure hidden at the shores of his home, and the Goreleech headed back to the caves on the shoreline. By then, two of his crew, whom he assumed were dead, and had prepared the prisoners for battle on the Goreleech. At Luke's signal, they began to fight the vermin crew. One particular female squirrel named Ranguvar Foeseeker slaughtered many, telling Luke that they would make a last stand if need be.
Luke, who was steering the Goreleech, was attempting to alert Martin to their arrival. But seeing that the caves were deserted, he deliberately smashed the Goreleech into a cluster of giant stone pillars called Tall Rocks. Unfortunately, Luke and Ranguvar died in the process, as did many of the other creatures on board the Goreleech, when it split in half and carried them to the bottom of the sea.
In the Redwall TV Series, Luke went after Badrang the Tyrant instead of Vilu Daskar.
Luke from the Redwall TV Series
Trivia
- Luke's final words to Vilu Daskar are based upon a quote from the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar: "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once."