The Final Conflict

For other uses, see The Final Conflict (disambiguation).

"The Final Conflict"
Redwall TV Series
Season	1
Episode	13
Production #	113
Original U.S. Airdate	April 16, 2001
Running time	22:33
Written by	Steve Roberts
Directed by	Raymond Jafelice

Official Synopsis

Cluny seizes the family of a dormouse and threatens to kill them unless their father, Plumpen, betrays Redwall and opens the gates to the now huge army of rats. The plan works and Redwall is finally captured. But Matthias challenges Cluny and in a final confrontation, he kills him. Cornflower and Matthias are at last married and Redwall returns to its idyllic lifestyle. Matthias has become like the hero he admired in his childhood.

Plot

The day after Matthias killed Asmodeus and retrieved the Sword of Martin back, Cluny and his captains kidnapped and enslaved many woodlanders including Plumpen and his family. At Redwall, Dunwing reports to Matthias on what she saw. This prompts Matthias to go on a mission with the Guosim and a few Redwall guards. At Cluny's camp, Plumpen begs for his family not to be harmed. Meanwhile, on the ramparts of the wall, Basil supervises the reconstruction of the gates and walls. Plumpen is forced to betray the Redwallers for his family's lives.

Plumpen hops aboard a scaffold that elevates upwards to the ramparts. At the camp, the rats replicate themselves by using straw and twigs, where they sneak to the back of the Abbey. Plumpen opens the door for Cluny and begs the rat to free his family, but Cluny doesn't listen, he boasts that Redwall is his. At the back gate, Plumpen cries for what he has done and Matthias finds out the vermins at the camp were nothing more than fakes. Dunwing tells Matthias that he needs to return to Redwall. Matthias devises a plan to take out the Scourge once and for all, he gets one of the vermin to open the back gate for him and the heroes after the rat fall for the trap.

Matthias uses the hilt of his sword to knock him out. At the courtyard the dwellers are forced to line up to their new master. Cluny orders the Redwallers to kneel to him, but Abbot Mortimer, Constance, and Basil refuse kneeling to evil. This makes Cluny upset and he turns the "ceremony" into a mass execution. Before Cluny can take his revenge, Matthias, dressed as Martin approaches Cluny which causes Cluny to cower. A battle between the two factions commence: as Matthias pursues Cluny, Constance kills Fangburn by biting him. Cluny uses Cornflower as a hostage, Matthias chases Cluny to the Belltower. A battle between the warriors ensues, Cluny taunts that he will never surrender, so he runs up the stairs to the top of the belltower, then slides down the rope that connects to the bell. Cluny bargains for Matthias to come down or Cornflower dies. Matthias lies to Cluny that he will come down, which plays right into Cluny's arrogance by calling him a "Warlord." Cluny is then flattered at the new title, and demands Matthias come and bring his honor with him.

Matthias causes the Joseph Bell to fall onto Cluny, killing the rat. On his deathbed, Abbot Mortimer says Matthias cannot be a brother of Redwall, and he must be the protector of the Abbey and Cornflower. Peace is finally restored to the Abbey.

Differences from Redwall

• John Churchmouse states that he is the father of Cornflower and the grandfather of Mattimeo; in the book, Cornflower was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fieldmouse.
• It is mentioned in this episode that Dunwing takes over the Sparra warriors to become their queen. In the book, Warbeak becomes queen.
• During the final battle, Cluny the Scourge uses Cornflower as a hostage instead of Friar Hugo.
• Constance kills Fangburn by biting him. However, in the book, she smashes him against a wall several times.
• The deaths of Scumnose, Frogblood, Darkclaw and Killconey are not shown in the episode.
• Matthias returns to Redwall from his expedition to retrieve the sword of Martin from Asmodeus. In the book, he returned as Cluny was seizing control of the Abbey. In order to have it more true to the book, a new scene is added in which Matthias, before Cluny begins to take over, goes off to recruit warriors and then returns during the final battle.
• In the book, Cluny lashes out at the Abbot and mortally wounds him with his tail-barb, but in the episode, Mortimer dies of an unknown cause.
• During the final battle, Cluny climbs up the bell tower, with Matthias following, before sliding down the bell rope to the floor. In the book, Matthias tries to escape Cluny by running up the tower, but Cluny never follows.
• In the series, Basil was put in stocks and chains. In the book, no such precaution was taken.
• In the book, Constance was sleeping in the grounds when she was netted. In the series, she was netted in her bed.
• Cluny's tail is cut off in the belltower in the series, whereas in the book, it was cut off in the grounds.