Bigwig's Way

[Darkling Nocturnal]

Alright, this episode may not be one of the really good episodes, but it's far better than this sheep-disaster  

Especially Bigwig is great in this episode (Who would have thought it with that title   ?)

Also Tassel is introduced in this episode (at least she and her squirrel-friends will help Watership Down in the third season). Generally, her tree adds a nice location to the series.

The problem, I have with this episode: It's right before the season-finale. On DVD, we have the piece of luck, that this episode is placed within the third season. But seeing it in order of the series, it's simply prolonging the season.

[Myrkin]

In this episode Bigwig's critique of Redstone's state of security is so intense, that Hickory becomes visibly irritated and Hazel has to step in before Bigwig delivers more of it. I can understand how somebody would get annoyed with that, but Bigwig says those things for good reason. It's like Hawkbit says: "There is a good way, there is a bad way and there is Bigwig's way."

I wonder if this is what made Hickory think he wasn't a good Chief Rabbit and that's why he gave that position to Woundwort in third season?

[Darkling Nocturnal]

I don't think, that Bigwig affected Hickory's decision to commit the leadership to Woundwort. He seems to be very annoyed of Bigwig's criticism. Hickory thought, Woundwort was the savior of Redstone. The warren struggled with Elil, humans and food shortage. Woundwort killed the Elil, repulsed the hunter (with a bit human help ) and solved the food problem. That's, why Hickory commited the leadership.

But B²T:

Even the other rabbits realized, that Bigwig only tries to do the best for the warren. He did it just in his own, special way  

[Myrkin]

I'm not so sure about that. Just because someone is annoyed with your criticism doesn't mean they can't take it to heart. "Bigwig's Way" is set near the end of second season, right? What happens in the beginning of third season? Redstone is practically besieged by predators and human hunter; the food around the warren is of poor quality; and the rabbits Hickory tells to watch for elil treat his orders lightly, eating while they are supposed to be on guard duty. Hickory could see (rightly or wrongly) all these problems as his personal failures as a leader and Bigwig's criticism would be still fresh in his mind. Remember that he says to Marigold:

"Weedstalk is helping me to become Chief Rabbit I always wanted to be."

That sounds to me like Hickory believes himself to be an inadequate leader. This belief could be the result of recent problems and slightly less recent comments made by Bigwig about the state of Redstone security. He tries to learn from Weedstalk and become more competent Chief, but ultimately he decides that Redstone needs someone who already knows how to lead and not Chief-in-training.

[Lord of the Lough]

"Weedstalk is helping me to become Chief Rabbit I always wanted to be."

Haha I always thought it was Wheatstock :P

[Darkling Nocturnal]

"Weedstalk is helping me to become Chief Rabbit I always wanted to be."

Haha I always thought it was Wheatstock :P

And I thought, it's Wheatstalk  

[Myrkin]

Well... Either way we all know who we're talking about.

[Darkling Nocturnal]

Yes, and now we know, why Spartina said "We don't speak your name", when she met him.

Simply because no one in Darkhaven knows his real name

(Alright, actually, that's true. otherwise, she wouldn't has taken Campion to Darkhaven)

[Myrkin]

Are you saying she took him to Darkhaven, because she though he might be the Dark One (since Campion had lost one eye, he kind of fit the description)?

[Darkling Nocturnal]

Didn't Spartina call Woundwort "The One-Eyed Warrior"? So she might have confused him with Campion.

But we're getting a little bit off-topic

[Hawkbit]

"Weedstalk is helping me to become Chief Rabbit I always wanted to be."

Haha I always thought it was Wheatstock :P

And I thought, it's Wheatstalk  

Wheatstalk.  

Indeed that is how it is spelled.

[Darkling Nocturnal]

So my old ears didn't fool me  

[Hawkbit]

Well I'd hope not, you're a bat.  Maybe you can bust through some hi-fi nonsense I walk through on some hi-end forums.

[Darkling Nocturnal]

Now I know, why I fell like I'm talking to a brick wall, when I converse with you

Read the Silverwing books. IIRC, the bats there could also talk to other animals. WIth such tales, I wouldn't see everything in a super-realistic way, as long as the story is entertaining

[Hawkbit]

*goes to find his old copies of Silverwing*  Been a while since I read those ones.  TV series didn't measure up to the books.