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Redwall Wiki | Brian Jacques and Redwall Information

Matthias, later called Matthias the Warrior, was a male mouse of Redwall Abbey and the husband of Cornflower Fieldmouse, father of Mattimeo, and the grandfather of Martin II. The spirit of Martin the Warrior lived within him.

Matthias arrived at Redwall as an orphan, not knowing his parents. He was well-liked by many of the residents. Abbot Mortimer expected Matthias would join the Order of Monks as a peaceful caregiver. However, Matthias had the spirit of a warrior, always yearning for more in life, and he had a passion for fighting. Matthias, like his friend Methuselah, could understand the sparrows' strange way of speaking.

The Redwall Warrior's Code

After Abbot Mortimer and Brother Alf regale young Matthias and Cornflower about the heroes of Redwall's past, the Abbey leader informs the pair about the Warrior's Code, which was written by Abbess Germaine. They set about solving a series of riddles throughout Redwall, eventually discovering the code itself.

Redwall

After Cluny the Scourge began the Late Rose Summer Wars against the Abbey, Matthias and seven others were made military commanders of the Abbey Defenders, with Matthias being among the most active. Matthias experienced visions of Redwall's legendary hero, Martin the Warrior, who guided him on a quest to find his sword, which Matthias intended to use to end Cluny's siege.

Matthias realized he was the successor of Martin (through the anagram "I Am That Is") and joined with Methuselah to locate the sword's whereabouts; together, they found Martin the Warrior's shield and sword belt. Matthias followed the trail to the roof and the Sparra kingdom (earning a new friend in Warbeak), but was subsequently detained and held captive by the unstable King Bull Sparra.

When he was away, Methuselah was murdered by a fox, Chickenhound. Matthias escaped the sparrows, but he was badly injured in a fall from the roof and physical attacks from King Bull. The two crashed into the Abbey Pond, a fatal impact for the sparrow monarch. Matthias was rescued and taken to the Infirmary. While he was unconscious, Matthias was visited by Methuselah's ghost, who urged him to continue his journey without him.

Matthias carried on his mission, despite losing Methuselah, and retrieved the sword from the lair of Asmodeus Poisonteeth the adder, beheading the snake in the process. When he returned to Redwall, he defeated Cluny, saved its residents, and became the Abbey Warrior. Matthias and Cornflower were married, and they soon had a son, Mattimeo.

After Cluny was killed by the Joseph Bell, which fell on him after Matthias cut its rope in the Bell Tower, the great bell was recast into a set of twin bells. One of these was named after Matthias for his efforts in the battle against Cluny.

Mattimeo

During the Summer of the Golden Plain, Mattimeo and other young Redwallers were kidnapped by Chickenhound, who returned under the new moniker Slagar the Cruel, exacting revenge on the Abbey and its Warrior. Matthias vowed that he would find his son and all the missing young ones. He followed the slavers' trail to the underground kingdom of Malkariss.

Matthias and the woodlanders declared war on the Blackrobe Rats of Malkariss. After what was meant to be a one-on-one battle with the Wearet, Matthias fell from a great ledge in the underground kingdom and was believed to be dead. Down below the fighting, Matthias freed Malkariss' slaves and they joined him in battle. While he worked his way back up to the ledge, Matthias heard Mattimeo calling to him. In a mad charge to regain his son, Matthias experienced Bloodwrath and fought like a berserker with nothing standing in his way. Matthias was then reunited with Mattimeo.

Outside, the group was confronted by Slagar, who had survived the massive cave-in of Malkariss. In a rage, Matthias and Orlando the Axe ran after him. Neither were able to kill him, though, as Slagar stumbled and fell to his death in an old well. Matthias, Mattimeo, and their friends returned to Redwall. Seven seasons later, he formally stepped down as Abbey Warrior and passed his sword onto Mattimeo. Matthias later died of old age.

Nelvana Redwall TV Series

Matthias and shield

Young Matthias from the Redwall TV Series, Season 1

Matthias' biography differs from the novels in the Nelvana Redwall TV Series . In Redwall, it is never explained how Matthias came to the Abbey, but the TV show provides an origin narrative for him.

Cluny the Scourge burns his village in the north, and his older sister Myrtle, who was not a character in the book, carries him on her back to Redwall.

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Matthias from the Redwall TV Series, Season 2

According to series creator Steve Roberts, "Brian led the thinking [on Matthias' backstory]. Once we got the right idea I worked a few scenes up which he then reworked and we went on like that until he was satisfied."

Matthias is also described as age 13. Matthias' relationship with Cornflower is more in-depth in the show than in the books, where they only interact on a few select occasions, and do not have an extensively written dialogue. In the show, the couple has multiple conversations, and they deal with various problems and adventures throughout each episode.

The Lost Legends of Redwall

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Matthias in The Scout Act III

Matthias appears as a non-playable character in The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Act III in the final level at Redwall Abbey, which occurs prior to the events of Redwall.

Matthias is a young apprentice at Redwall Abbey, but seemingly discontent with a life of quiet chores. Something within this mouse years for adventure and leadership.

Abandoned as an infant, his lineage remains shrouded in mystery. The Abbot could only assume some sad tragedy befell his parents, leaving the dibbun to be raised within the abbey's walls. Verily, Matthias feels the order's bond of brotherhood and sisterhood deeper than most other abbey mice. He is perhaps closest of all with Methuselah, who happily took the role of surrogate father and has walked with him throughout dibbunhood.

Trivia

  • The name Matthias is of Biblical origin.
  • Brian Jacques stated the following on Matthias' inspiration in Ask Brian Volume 1: "No one person is the model for either Martin or Matthias. Rather they are a mixture of good and noble characters from my reading and honest and brave friends from my life."
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