Blackavar - Efrafan Rabbits

Efrafan Rabbits

• General Woundwort: The Chief Rabbit of Efrafa serves as the primary antagonist in the novel, film and television series. He is a hard and brutally efficient rabbit who was orphaned at a young age. He engineered and founded the Efrafa warren specifically to minimize notice from humans. He is described as the largest rabbit anyone has ever seen, and thought by Holly to be the one rabbit that is more than a match for Bigwig. In the television series and the movie, Woundwort is blind in his left eye. A brutal and tyrannical leader who sees himself as the one doing everything for the best of his warren, Woundwort strives to destroy Hazel and his 'outsiders' because of the hope for free life they represent for his own subjects. After being tricked by Bigwig and Hazel into losing ten does and Blackavar, Woundwort attacks the Watership Down warren with his Owsla and Owslafa. He fights savagely against Bigwig but cannot kill him; after retreating once he realizes that he is afraid to attack Bigwig again. He is thought to have been killed fighting the Nuthanger Farm dog, but he lives on in rabbit legend as a bogeyman and cousin to the Black Rabbit of Inlè. In the TV series, Woundwort deeply respects Campion, even after his betrayal by him, and although he often punishes and threatens Vervain, he still values him as an advisor and loyal subject. After the destruction of Efrafa, Woundwort becomes obsessed with seeking his destiny, which leads him to the warren he was born at, Darkhaven. In the end, he is taken by the Black Rabbit of Inlè along with most of the Darkhaven rabbits.
• Hyzenthlay: A doe; she is one of the representative leaders of a group who unsuccessfully tried to convince General Woundwort to extend the warren due to overcrowding. She is thought of by Bigwig as a smart, sensible doe and he depends on her to help him and nine other does escape from Efrafra. She is also a seer who has visions of Woundwort's attack, the freeing of the Nuthanger Farm dog, and Hazel riding in a car. In Tales from Watership Down she mates with Hazel and the two rule the warren as co-Chief Rabbits. Hyzenthlay's name is Lapine for "fur shining like dew".
  In the animated movie adaption, Hyzenthlay is given a role in luring the dog back to the warren, being the last in the relay. The dog becomes distracted and nearly catches Blackberry, but Hyzenthlay saves his life by regaining the dog's attention.
  In the television series adaptation, Hyzenthlay was renamed Primrose, and she hailed from a warren called Redstone. She is otherwise mostly identical to Hyzenthlay. Primrose is very supportive of Hazel, and she and Campion have some strong bond due to being saved by him multiple times back in Efrafa. She also harbors deep hatred for Vervain, who molested and bullied her at every given opportunity back then, despite this she, Fiver, Holly, and Captain Broom saved his life when he was caught in some wire, although in the beginning she protested the idea of helping the rabbit "that made her life miserable". Later she hates herself for letting him go when she finds out he formed an alliance out of fear with Woundwort.
  Primrose also seems to be a dedicated mother to her three children Snowdrop, Mallow, and Gilia (who were fathered by Hazel). In Efrafa she constantly showed a rebellious, and stubborn attitude toward Vervion by constantly disobeying him, and ignoring his snide bullying. Vervain disliked this, and told Campion how he wanted to make her fear him, and almost attacked her until Campion protested, and jumped in the way. Hyzenthlay in Lapine means "shining dew fur."
• Thethuthinnang: Hyzenthlay's friend and also one of the leaders of the Efrafan does. Her name is Lapine for "movement of leaves".
• Groundsel: An Owsla officer. He was captured at the end of Woundwort's raid on the warren at Watership Down and later was allowed to join the warren. In the end, he becomes Chief Rabbit of a new warren between Watership Down and Efrafa, which in Tales from Watership Down gets the name "Vleflain".
• Thistle: Another rabbit who was captured at the end of the attack on Watership Down. He is a good tracker, even better than Blackavar. In the TV series, he and the other Efrafans come to Watership down after the raid on Efrafa. He then goes with the newly appointed chief Moss.
• Campion: A captain of the Owsla; he is a brave and a skillful leader, and respected by General Woundwort. He is well liked by both Hazel and Bigwig despite being their enemy for a while. Campion takes over the warren of Efrafa after Woundwort's disappearance, and agrees that Efrafa and Watership Down can co-exist in peace. In Tales from Watership Down, the final chapter is devoted to Campion; he introduces the Wide Patrol to Vleflain and Watership Down and becomes a respected and well-liked leader. He eventually dies on patrol after a fight with a pair of cats, but like Woundwort lives on in rabbit legends, as a sort of guardian angel for rabbits on patrol. In the film adaption, Campion makes a short non-speaking appearance in a scene with Bigwig and Woundwort, his fate is ultimately left open ended at the end of the film. In the TV series, Campion sees that Woundwort's leadership is destroying Efrafa, but is torn between his feelings for the free ways of Watership Down and his loyalty to his chief rabbit. In the end, Campion turns against Woundwort to save his friend's warren, yet sacrifices himself to save Woundwort from a falling rock. Surviving miraculously but with terrible scars and losing an ear, Campion is touched by the Black Rabbit of Inlè and is tasked with stopping Woundwort. Feeling empty and half-dead, Campion's will to live is returned thanks to the love of Blackberry. He finally settles with her in Watership Down.
• Vilthuril: One of the escaping does. Eventually she becomes Fiver's mate who is particularly understanding of his personal burdens acquired in the final battle against the Efrafans.
• Blackavar: He tried to escape from Efrafa when he was prevented from joining the Owsla, but when he was apprehended by Campion, his ears were slashed to ribbons and he was kept in solitary confinement. When he was liberated by Bigwig, he quickly proved himself as an expert tracker and ranger, and Hazel came to trust and rely upon him. In the book, Blackavar survives the climactic battle with the Efrafans, but in the film he is shown being brutally killed by Woundwort himself in an anticlimactic attempt to hold back the general's advance in a run. He was voiced by Clifton Jones in the feature film. In the TV series, he is the only rabbit other than Primrose to escape Efrafa along with Bigwig, and he isn't disfigured in any way.
• Vervain: The head of the Owslafa (Council police) in Efrafa. He is a large and bullying rabbit, more used to dealing with prisoners than with active combatants, and dislikes his peer Campion. As Efrafa's most-hated officer, Vervain depends upon Woundwort's authority for his own. After the loss of Woundwort and the battle for Watership Down, Vervain is one of the retreating survivors killed by elil, but he had already lost heart and his sense of purpose. His name comes from an alternative name for verbena, a type of small flowering plant found in England. In the TV series, Vervain is a cowardly and sneaky rabbit, more adept at spying on others and threatening the weaker ones than in actual combat. Despite his shortcomings, Woundwort values him (though he would not show this) for his loyalty to him. Although Campion saved his life on more than one occasion, Vervain hates him with a passion and would like nothing better than to make Woundwort realize Campion is a traitor. Kehaar is particularly not fond of Vervain and calls him 'ugly bunny'. After Efrafa's destruction, Vervain tries to live on his own but quickly loses hope, until he is saved by Woundwort. Although somewhat shocked by his master's increasing madness, Vervain continues to serve him, though more out of fear then respect, and he secretly longs to lead a different life, even if such thoughts are futile. Vervain's cowardice saves his life in the end, as by running away when the Black Rabbit of Inlè appears, he avoids the fate of Woundwort.
• Chervil: An Owsla officer assigned to show Bigwig around the warren when he "joins" Efrafa. Like Vervain he is something of a bully, and has severe contempt for the "lesser" Efrafans. He is very callous towards Blackavar in particular. In the film, Chervil is voiced by Derek Griffiths. His name is also mispronounced and misspelled by some as "Sherbil".
• Avens: Another Owsla officer who accompanies Chervil while training Bigwig. At the end of the book, he becomes a captain and is sent to the warren between Watership Down and Efrafa leading the first group of rabbits.
• Nelthilta: A young doe, spirited and rebellious but not especially smart. When she thinks she's going to escape with Bigwig's group she can't resist dropping hints by taunting an Efrafan officer, whereupon she is arrested and forced to confess to the Council, nearly ruining the whole plan.
• Bartsia: An Owslafa officer who is Blackavar's escort. He is severely injured by Bigwig during the Efrafan does' escape. His fate is unknown, but it is implied his injuries (including a broken leg) were fatal.
• Snowdrop: A very old rabbit who acts as Woundwort's advisor on the Council.
• Charlock: An Owsla captain who was chasing Holly, Silver, Buckthorn, and Strawberry when they escaped from Efrafa. He and the few other officers who were with him were run over by a train as they were chasing the Down rabbits.
• Mallow: Another Owsla captain. Mallow was killed by a fox, inadvertently led to him by Bigwig, while on a Wide Patrol tracking the other Down rabbits who were nearby.
• Bugloss: The captain of the mark that Holly, Silver, Buckthorn, and Strawberry were in when they had been in Efrafa. After the rabbits escape, he is placed under arrest, then later demoted and expelled from the Efrafan Owsla.
• Orchis: Another Owsla captain. He found another warren on a Wide Patrol and brought news of it to Woundwort, who destroyed it and brought back prisoners
• Sainfoin: Owsla captain of the Neck Mark. His Mark silflayed just before Captain Chervil's Near Hind Mark at the time that Bigwig had infiltrated Efrafa.
• Marjoram and Moneywort: A couple sentries under Captain Chervil who, one way or another, are known to Woundwort.
• Thrayonlosa: One of the does who escaped from Efrafa with Bigwig and Hyzenthlay. She sustains severe injuries from a bridge on the river Test after escaping from the Efrafan Owsla, or "Owslafa". She left that night, right before she died, knowing she was going to die.
• Coltsfoot: After the disastrous attack on Watership, Coltsfoot settles on the Down. Despite this, the others give him a wide berth because of his demeanor, which turns out to be a product of a strange encounter he had as a youngster. This event forms the plot of "The Rabbit's Ghost Story" in Tales from Watership Down. Once he has told this story, and after spending much time with Fiver (who seemed to understand it best), he became as agreeable as any rabbit.
• Thunder: An Owsla veteran with experience in invading warrens. He advised Woundwort at Watership Down, but it is unknown what happened to him after that attack.
• Ragwort: An unimaginative Owsla rabbit who helped Captain Mallow and others dig out rabbits in the warren found by Captain Orchis. He was at the attack on Watership Down. It is unknown what happened to him after the attack.
• Nyreem: In the Tales from Watership Down story "Hyzenthlay in Action", Nyreem is one of a group of Efrafan does whom Campion has sent to the Down, in order to deal with overpopulation in his warren. Because she has injured her leg, the others are forced to go on without her. Hyzenthlay (who had just become co-Chief with Hazel) exercised her new authority by sitting with Nyreem all night until Bigwig came to assist her. Later, Nyreem and one of her friends witness Sandwort's lucky escape from the well.