Minor Sandleford rabbits

[Chipster-roo]

In the book, the original group of rabbits that escape Sandleford Warren consists of 11 rabbits Out of these, however, it seems that there are four that don't really get as much attention as the others: Buckthorn, Acorn, Hawkbit and Speedwell.

These characters don't seem to get any significant character development.  Hawkbit becomes a major character in the TV series, but in the original book he is simply a "rather slow, stupid rabbit", and of little importance.  Acorn dies in TFWD, but in the original book hardly does anything.

What do you all think?

[Chipster-roo]

It seems I accidentally locked this topic.  I don't know how that happened, I'm not even a moderator in this section.  Can someone please unlock it? EDIT: Thanks for fixing it Claws

[mfrengle]

I only really knew Acorn existed out of those four.

[Acacia Heartstrings]

All are great, personally I would have liked the development of Bluebell. Although this came apart, along with Holly. It's such a fun rabbit. Not even in the series, they develop it.  

[mfrengle]

Would Bluebell be considered as minor as those listed? I mean he did have a big part in arguably one of the most memorable parts. (The Sandleford Warren Gassing.)

[Acacia Heartstrings]

Apparently ... To this day there is no explanation for not putting the funniest rabbit around Sandleford and Watership Down: Blue bell.
I do not understand the reason.
Neither in the movie nor in the series.    

[Vesper]

For me, I really, really appreciated though how in the Book of WSD, Bluebell kept telling jokes to keep Captain Holly moving forward and happy just for a little bit at least after the Tragedy at Sandleford Warren. That's why I love his Character, no matter how bad things, he was always there to keep you smiling. And after the rabbits of WSD criticize Bluebell for his jokes, Holly defended him by telling that if it was not for him and his intentionally good jokes, he wouldn't be here. Bluebell brought happiness and gave Holly hope when Inle was upon him. Yet because of him, they made it through.  

[Chipster-roo]

I like Bluebell.  I don't think he was a minor character: like mfrengle and Vesper said, he managed to keep Holly going following Sandleford's destruction.  Later on, he also (unintentionally) provided Blackberry with the idea to use the boat to escape from Efrafa.  He played a really important role in the original book.

...which makes it even more disappointing he was left out of both the film and the series.  He didn't even appear in the radio drama!  It seems he will appear in the new miniseries, though, voiced by Daniel Kaluuya.

However, Buckthorn, Acorn and Speedwell didn't appear in any adaptations so far either, and according to IMDb, it seems none of them will appear in the miniseries...

[MeadowRabbit]

Fewer rabbits to have to animate and find varying personalities for, would be the 'cut a long story short' reason for omitting some characters.

It is a shame when the same few rabbits keep getting ignored with every adaptation, though! I can't remember much about their personalities in the books to comment further (which is part of the problem! ).

[Acacia Heartstrings]

For me, I really, really appreciated though how in the Book of WSD, Bluebell kept telling jokes to keep Captain Holly moving forward and happy just for a little bit at least after the Tragedy at Sandleford Warren. That's why I love his Character, no matter how bad things, he was always there to keep you smiling. And after the rabbits of WSD criticize Bluebell for his jokes, Holly defended him by telling that if it was not for him and his intentionally good jokes, he wouldn't be here. Bluebell brought happiness and gave Holly hope when Inle was upon him. Yet because of him, they made it through.  

Well said vesper, it is thanks to this rabbit comedian that Holy continues forward. All have a usefulness in the plot, although they appear useless. like hawkbit XD    

That's the main reason he's alive. And I would love to see in animation. But above all else, because it's a fun rabbit.

It is really strange that a character like Blue Bell was not even in the series, mainly because of the fact that it is literally focused on a children's audience.
I can only think they wanted to fill that comedy gap with Dandileon and Hawkbit.
Besides, the fact of being too many characters.

A since it does not appear in the play either. And I will always have his unique conceptual art, than with us.

http://img02.deviantart.net/890d/i/2015/122/9/c/bluebell_by_sapphiregamgee-d2hq4dn.jpg

[mfrengle]

How do those super minor characters have a part?

[Claws]

I would have loved to know more about Acorn, honestly.

[Chipster-roo]

I like that picture of Bluebell Acacia

These minor characters did not appear in the film and the series, and their absence was hardly noticeable to me (except for Bluebell).  Still, I agree with Meadow that it would be nice if some of them were given a more elaborate personality and a chance to do something important, like Hawkbit in the series.

I agree with Claws about Acorn.  It seems to me that Buckthorn and Speedwell did get a few brief scenes where they played a role, but Acorn, as far as I can remember, didn't do anything important.  And his death in TFWD was only a minor part of the plot, he gets forgotten a few paragraphs later

[Vesper]

For Acron-"My heart joins the thousand for our friend stop running today"

[Chipster-roo]

It's been confirmed.  Somewhat predictably, none of these characters (except Hawkbit again) appear in the miniseries.

It's interesting how Hawkbit, an extremely minor character in the original book, becomes a main character in two adaptations