Winter on Watership Down

[s-tlk]

I think you are familiar with the story, but anyway in short: Hazel and his friends are going to find some food for the Frith feast, but got lost in the snow. On their way they encounter a Fox and Bigwig fell into the ice. Looking for warm place for Bigwig to recover they met Buttercup who invited them into their burrow, located near a human house in some kind of labyrinth. Of course, Hazel and the others assumed it is a trap like Cowslip's burrow, but in the end they found out it is a save place and celebrating Christmas eve together with the humans, before they returning home.

Although this two episodes contributes not much to the overall story, I still like it very much. For instance we see Watership Down covered in snow and also the other landscapes are beautiful drawn. And the Watership Down rabbits  learn that not all humans are elil.
It's of course true when you say, this is produced to fill the gaps and bound some connection with Christmas, but I think they did a good job. They also produced a tune especially for this two episodes called "Winter on Watership Down".

[Keith]

I thought this episode was going to be a complete disaster, being a christmas special an idea with zero potential, but yeah it was surprisingly a great episode with great drama and it introduced Buttercup who I thought was awesome, she should have showed up more.

[Darkling Nocturnal]

I like the episode and I like the Winter Song. It's great to see Watership Down covered in snow It's a fantastic location. I like Buttercups warren - again a great location.

It definitely puts some alternation into the series.

[Hawkbit]

even though this episode is filler, I think it is mostly a good idea.  consider this, in the book, Hazel had the opportunity to learn that not all men were evil. up to this point, Hazel in the series has not seen man behave in a good manner. to match one of the book's major points, this episode did a good job teaching the characters that everyone can have good traits. it may have been a Christmas episode but I looked beyond the holiday theme.

[Keith]

Although, the new warren was such a waste of good potential! Imagine that warren aligning with Watership Down, and then perhaps there'd be a battle in the hedge maze, that would have been awesome!

[Darkling Nocturnal]

But then, I ask how it should be directed?

I mean, the main aim for Woundwort was the destruction of Watership Down, because the warren is a potential aggressor in his eyes. Buttercups warren doesn't seem to be one for him.

OK, Hazel and the others could flee from Watership Down and beg for help in Buttercups warren. So Woundwort follows them and the battle shifts to the maze. But I think, Hazel wouldn't risk the destruction of another warren just to protect his people. He will stand and fight (what he, strictly speaking, did in WSD).

[Keith]

Woundwort would probably attack them just to deny Watership Down, what looked to be, a strong ally. Or maybe even to draw Hazel and the others there for a trap, perhaps?

[Myrkin]

I mean, the main aim for Woundwort was the destruction of Watership Down, because the warren is a potential aggressor in his eyes. Buttercups warren doesn't seem to be one for him.

True. Watership Down's mere existence was a threat to Woundwort's rule, since Efrafan rabbits had a place they could try to escape to. What is more, Hazel and others personally challenged Woundwort more than a few times and in the end destroyed Efrafa. Rabbits from Buttercup warren did none of that, so taking care of them one way or the other would be pretty low on Woundwort's list of priorites, if he had known about them.

On the other hand, Buttercup and others were taking food from the hands of humans, and Woundwort hated humans most of all. Who knows how he would react to rabbits who live alongside one of the worst elil (in his opinion)? Besides, IIRC even before encountering Hazel and company Efrafa had a policy of conquering all warrens they could find. I think Buttercup's warren would have met similar fate, if Woundwort had found it after destruction of WSD.

[Acacia Heartstrings]

I mean, the main aim for Woundwort was the destruction of Watership Down, because the warren is a potential aggressor in his eyes. Buttercups warren doesn't seem to be one for him.

True. Watership Down's mere existence was a threat to Woundwort's rule, since Efrafan rabbits had a place they could try to escape to. What is more, Hazel and others personally challenged Woundwort more than a few times and in the end destroyed Efrafa. Rabbits from Buttercup warren did none of that, so taking care of them one way or the other would be pretty low on Woundwort's list of priorites, if he had known about them.

On the other hand, Buttercup and others were taking food from the hands of humans, and Woundwort hated humans most of all. Who knows how he would react to rabbits who live alongside one of the worst elil (in his opinion)? Besides, IIRC even before encountering Hazel and company Efrafa had a policy of conquering all warrens they could find. I think Buttercup's warren would have met similar fate, if Woundwort had found it after destruction of WSD.

Not forgetting that he does his best to avoid them, so invading the Buttercup burrow would be a serious mistake.
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It is a beautiful Christmas special with its own merits and not a marketing junk. It is a story of the series and the rabbits of Watership Down.
I love this special and this is the ideal season to relive this beautiful time.    
And I do not mind the mistakes XD has


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CRGXG7K4L.jpg
Rabbits never wore a scarf, but art is beautiful. The best season to have a great feast of food is spring, it is crazy to think of getting food in such a tough time.
etc LOL but i dont care XD

[Myrkin]

Not forgetting that he does his best to avoid them, so invading the Buttercup burrow would be a serious mistake.

You mean Woundwort avoids humans? Yes, that could make him hesitant to invade Buttercup warren, but then again Woundwort in his "Dark One" mode might have fewer qualms against doing that. If he believes that conquering that warren is his destiny, then human presence would do little to dissuade him. He could always just wait with the invasion till nightfall when humans are asleep, so he wouldn't have to worry about them stopping his attack by scaring Darkhaven warriors away.

[MeadowRabbit]

I had this one on video for a bit, and have not anymore, so I guess that is quite telling I didn't think too highly of these episodes. Don't get me wrong, it was not bad, but pretty filler-y to me and so lacking some depth.

[Chipster-roo]

This is perhaps one of my favourite episodes of the series.

Technically, it's a filler like most of season 2, but it has an interesting storyline.  I like the idea of a storyline set in winter, and it's the only one in the entire series.  Even TFWD quickly skips through the season.

Also, the El-ahrairah story.  This is my favourite one in the series.  The blessing story is good, but it's overdone.  It was nice to see Rowsby Woof, but the version in the book was much better.  This one almost feels like it could have been in the book, I think.

Also, Buttercup is an amazing character and her warren is fascinating.  Unfortunately, she never shows up again...

The only real problem I see with this episode is that it seems to me that it has more animation mistakes than any other...

[Acacia Heartstrings]

Certainly, although it is a filler episode, it is one of the best in the series, because it puts our protagonists in a different environment: The harsh winter. In addition to being the perfect excuse to meet good humans and other animals that share their food, for its celebration. Hazel and fiver has an excellent performance as protagonists, more than exemplary.  

[CockatielPony]

I should probably watch that before Christmas.

[Acacia Heartstrings]

I should probably watch that before Christmas.

totally agree.
Just call my attention X3