imported>LordTBT: /* The Spirit of Martin the Warrior */

2026-06-10T14:26:22Z

The Spirit of Martin the Warrior

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{{Character|
image=
<gallery>
Martin.jpg|1
Martin002.jpg|2
MartintheWarriorchalk.jpg|3
MartinspiritRGN.jpg|4
</gallery>
|caption=
|color=background:#ff8080
|character_name=Martin the Warrior
|species=[[:Category:Mice|Mouse]]
|origin=[[North Shores]]
|gender=Male
|parent=*[[Luke the Warrior]]
*[[Sayna]]
|weapon=[[Sword of Martin]], [[Sword|swords]], [[Sling]], Staff, [[Bow and Arrows]], [[Pike]]
|death=Unknown
|books=*Physical: ''[[Mossflower]]'', ''[[Martin the Warrior (book)|Martin the Warrior]]'', ''[[The Legend of Luke]]''
*Spirit: All other books except ''[[Lord Brocktree (book)|Lord Brocktree]]''
|voice=*Ben Campbell (''[[Redwall - Season 1|Redwall]]'', ''[[Redwall - Season 2|Mattimeo]]'')
*Amos Crawley (''[[Redwall - Season 3|Martin the Warrior]]'')
*Paul Braithwaite (''[[Salamandastron]]'')
*Gordon Hall (''[[Taggerung (book)|Taggerung]]'', ''[[High Rhulain]]'')
*Austin Schmidt (''[[Escape the Gloomer]]'', ''[[The Scout Act III]]'')
*Marc Jacques (all others)
|tvseries=[[Redwall - Season 1|Season 1]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Redwall - Season 2|Season 2]] <nowiki>|</nowiki> [[Redwall - Season 3|Season 3]]
|games=''[[Escape the Gloomer]]'', ''[[Caverns of Kotir]]'', ''[[The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Act III]]''
|}}

{{#SQuote:
|id=1
|text=He was the bravest, most courageous mouse that ever lived!
|speaker=[[Matthias]]
}}

'''Martin the Warrior''' was the mouse co-founder of [[Redwall Abbey]] along with [[Abbess Germaine]]. A courageous leader, Martin was known for being the Abbey's backbone, and he remained an inspirational figure long after his death. He was a great fighter, both wise and ferocious, though he had a brutal and tragic past.

His spirit appeared to numerous creatures, generally when the Abbey experienced a time of great need.

===Biography===
Martin the Warrior was born in a cave along the [[North Shores]] to [[Luke the Warrior]] and [[Sayna]]. He was named after his paternal [[Martin the Elder Warrior|grandfather]]. Martin never knew his mother as [[Luke the Warrior's Tribe|their tribe]] was attacked by the corsair [[Vilu Daskar]] shortly after his birth, resulting in her murder. Seasons after Sayna's death, Luke gave Martin his [[Sword of Martin|sword]] and [[Sayna (ship)|sailed off]] in search of revenge. Martin was then raised by his maternal grandmother, [[Windred]]. As a young mouse, Martin was headstrong and even a little rebellious, sometimes resenting that his older friend [[Timballisto]] led the tribe rather than himself. Consequently, Martin would often push at Timballisto's authority. On one such occasion, Martin traveled needlessly far from the caves and began chopping at driftwood with his father's sword, reasoning that he could not be scolded too harshly for bringing back firewood. Windred went after him and started to chide him, but a patrol sent by [[Badrang the Tyrant]] arrived on the scene. Martin tried to fend them off, but he was struck unconscious, detained, and his sword was stolen. The pair were chained to a long line of captives and marched off to serve as slaves at [[Fort Marshank]]. Windred died along the way, effectively leaving Martin without any living family members, though Luke's death probably occurred after Martin's capture.

Eventually, he escaped with the help of [[Laterose of Noonvale]], her brother [[Brome]], [[Felldoh]], and [[Grumm Trencher]]. Laterose, Grumm, and Martin journeyed to [[Noonvale]], Rose's home, and returned with recruits to battle Badrang and put an end to his cruelty. When Badrang believed hope was lost, he dove for a tunnel that Grumm had dug, intending to flee, and attacked the mole. Rose tried to distract Badrang and save Grumm's life by jumping on the Tyrant and hitting him with her loaded sling, but he threw her against a wall, resulting in an instantaneously fatal concussion. When Martin noticed that Rose had been killed, he was overcome by a [[Bloodwrath|fierce rage]] and became unstoppable in his pursuit of Badrang. Taking back his father's sword, he stabbed the stoat in the heart. Grieving, Martin journeyed south into [[Mossflower Woods]], unable to return to Noonvale.

He wandered into the domain of Castle [[Kotir]] and the aging wildcat Lord [[Verdauga Greeneyes]], where he was arrested by [[Thousand Eye Army|Greeneyes' soldiers]] for possessing a sword, a weapon the monarch had forbidden woodlanders in his territory from owning. Martin resisted every step of the way as he was dragged into Kotir and brought before the bedridden Verdauga, who was impressed by Martin's boldness, as well as his argument that it was unjust to enforce the laws of a land on a stranger who was unaware of them. He decreed that Martin not be killed, as the law stated, but that he should be thrown in the dungeons and released once his sentence had been served. Verdauga's daughter, [[Tsarmina Greeneyes]], was outraged by the decision and broke Martin's rusty sword, ordering that he wear it about his neck as a mark of shame. Before Martin was imprisoned, he vowed that he would slay Tsarmina. She, in turn, had her father poisoned and usurped the throne, refusing to release Martin when his sentence ended. Martin languished in the dungeons for the rest of the winter, but that spring [[Gonff the Mousethief]] joined him, and the two became fast friends. They escaped soon afterwards with assistance from the [[Corim]], who educated Martin on the Greeneyes family's legacy of cruelty and slavery.

At the urging of [[Bella of Brockhall]], Martin quested to [[Salamandastron (place)|Salamandastron]] with [[Young Dinny|Dinny]] and Gonff to seek [[Boar the Fighter]]'s help in fighting Tsarmina. On the journey, they met [[Log-a-Log]] [[Big Club]] on the [[Great South Stream]], and his ship ''[[Waterwing]]'' brought the travelers as far as [[Bat Mountpit]]. They reached Salamandastron, where Boar the Fighter forged Martin a new blade for his father's old hilt. During a battle between Boar the Fighter and his mortal enemy, [[Ripfang]], they stole the [[Bloodwake|corsair's ship]]. Log-a-Log Big Club navigated it up the [[River Moss]] back to Mossflower Woods. Martin was reunited with Timballisto, who was among the oar slaves freed from the ship's hold.

On his return to Mossflower, Martin and the Corim confronted Tsarmina, demanding that she end her tyranny. When she refused, Martin directed the Corim to lay siege to Kotir, pummeling it with [[ballista]] boulders and damming the River Moss to flood the disintegrating stronghold. Martin, in full battle armor, sought out Tsarmina as she escaped the wreckage. They battled savagely and without quarter. Tsarmina struck Martin down twice. On each occasion, he rose and fought again despite the severe wounds the wildcat had inflicted. He drove her back into the lake where she drowned, but he collapsed unconscious moments later, so close to death that he was talking to the deceased Boar the Fighter at the gates of [[Dark Forest]]. He was found by Gonff, Dinny, and Timballisto, who brought him to [[Brockhall]] for healing. However, it took 20 days before Martin regained full consciousness and he was still physically weak. Under the care of Bella and the [[Loamhedge Abbey|Loamhedge mice]], he experienced a full recovery.

With peace in Mossflower, Martin willingly joined in making Abbess Germaine's dreams of a welcoming Abbey become reality. Martin proved himself a natural leader in peace as much as war, and was known to be the guiding light of Redwall Abbey. When [[Trimp|a hedgehog]] from the [[Northlands]] arrived one summer and mentioned Luke the Warrior, Martin journeyed back to the North Shores to learn about his father's life and death, again with Gonff and Dinny by his side. After this adventure, he gave up warfare and had his sword affixed to Redwall's weather vane. He brought back a [[Redwall Tapestry|tapestry]] of his grandfather from the Northlands, which was later expanded into a tapestry of himself and hung in [[Great Hall]].

Martin was known to have gone on at least one more quest, possibly alone, after the construction of Redwall Abbey. He never wed nor did he sire any blood descendants.

Martin passed away of unknown causes. Afterwards, he was buried with his sword [[Martin the Warrior's Tomb|in a tomb]] underneath the stairs that connected Great Hall and [[Cavern Hole]] within the Abbey.

===The Spirit of Martin the Warrior===
[[Image:Mtwspirit.jpg|225px|right|The Spirit of Martin the Warrior]]
After his death, Martin the Warrior frequently conducted visitations to the realm of the living in spirit form. He often guided Abbey residents, usually its questors, champions, [[Redwall Abbey#Warriors|warriors]], Abbots, Abbesses, and those with good intentions. Generally, he appeared in visions and dreams, presenting a young one with a message, riddle, or puzzle of some sort that they must solve. The first creature he was known to have visited post-death was his friend, Bella.

Martin's spirit advises others in the aid of the warrior, as when he led [[Brother Simeon]] to give [[Dandin]] his sword. He'll also speak in moments of crisis and provide his charge with a warning or vital instructions intended to save their life. Since his passing, Martin has influenced [[:Category:Vision Recipients|more than 30 creatures]], including [[Matthias]], [[Alf]], [[Deyna]], and [[Mariel Gullwhacker|Mariel]]. His spirit also saved the life of Salamandastron Lord [[Rawnblade Widestripe]] while in the throes of [[Bloodwrath]] and communicated with [[Leatho Shellhound]], both of whom were significant distances from Redwall - an indication that his spectral reach is seemingly geographically limitless.

In addition to providing aid to allies, Martin's spirit has also interfered with enemies, such as haunting [[Cluny the Scourge]]'s dreams during the [[Late Rose Summer Wars]] and likely clouding [[Mangiz]]'s visions during [[General Ironbeak]]'s invasion.

===Personality===
In his youth, Martin was quite headstrong, and there were few who could counter his will. His father was one of the few who could command Martin, and although Martin agreed to follow Timballisto, he also said that he would lead their tribe someday, a remark that filled his father with pride.

While he was a slave in Fort Marshank, he allowed his anger to get the best of him at one point when he saw [[Hisk]] savagely beating an [[Barkjon|old squirrel]]. Martin attacked the slaver and was nearly killed for it. However, after the [[Battle of Marshank|liberation]] of Marshank and the death of Rose, the love of his life, Martin became more serious and less prone to reckless action.

Martin had a strong sense of right and wrong, and he suffered no injustice when he saw it. He was a steadfast and loyal friend and had a tenacious spirit, never giving up, no matter how overwhelming the odds against him. He was also modest and disliked showing off for the mere sake of it, preferring to use his talents only for battle and reminding other creatures that his sword was only a weapon, and was forged for no other purpose than battle, a lesson imparted to him by Boar the Fighter, the forger of the blade. Martin's nature was not limited to protecting good beasts, as proven when he tried to comfort a sea rat who had been mortally injured by gulls.

See [[Martin (disambiguation)]] for other Martins in the ''Redwall'' series.

===Adaptations===
====Nelvana Redwall TV Series====
[[File:TheWarrior.jpg|220px|right|Martin the Warrior from the Redwall TV Series]]
Differences between ''Martin the Warrior'' and [[Redwall - Season 3|season three]] of the Nelvana [[Redwall TV Series]] include:

*During the final confrontation with Badrang the Tyrant, Martin pulls on Badrang's cape, which causes the stoat to fall right on top of the Sword.
*Martin openly expresses his love for Rose.
*Martin leaves his Sword behind after the Battle of Marshank, vowing to never fight with it again. However, this calls into question how it eventually made its way to Redwall Abbey during [[Redwall - Season 1|season one]] of the series.

====The Lost Legends of Redwall====
[[File:MartinLLOR.jpg|220px|right|Martin the Warrior from Caverns of Kotir]]
In ''[[The Lost Legends of Redwall]]'' video game series, Martin appears in ''Escape the Gloomer'', ''Caverns of Kotir'', and ''The Scout Act III''. While imprisoned in Kotir, Martin hears guards discussing the [[Scroll of Inheritance]]. After meeting with Corim leadership, they decide to send [[Gillig|an otter]] into Kotir to retrieve it.

Seasons after his death, the Spirit of Martin appears to [[Sophia Ryemaid]] as she attempts to navigate the murky [[Portman's Slough]] swamp.

===Other References===
*Four Stacks Brewing, a brewery that operated in Apollo Beach, Florida, from 2016 to 2023, named a 5.8% ABV American Hefeweizen, a "German style hefeweizen fermented to highlight hints of both banana and clove", after Martin the Warrior.

===Trivia===
*The deaths of Martin's mother and grandmother were a result of actions taken by corsair stoats.
*[[Brian Jacques]] stated the following on Martin's inspiration in ''Ask Brian Volume 1'': "No one person is the model for either Martin or Matthias. Rather they are a mixture of good and noble characters from my reading and honest and brave friends from my life."
*Martin the Warrior's species was a [[User_blog:LordTBT/Redwall_Makes_Second_Jeopardy_Appearance|Jeopardy! question]] in [[2022]].

[[de:Martin der Krieger]]
[[fr:Martin le guerrier]]
[[ru:Мартин Воитель]]
[[Category:Mice]]
[[Category:Heroes]]
[[Category:Martin the Warrior Characters]]
[[Category:Mossflower Characters]]
[[Category:The Legend of Luke Characters]]
[[Category:The Lost Legends of Redwall Characters]]
[[Category:The Lost Legends of Redwall App Characters]]
[[Category:Escape the Gloomer Characters]]
[[Category:Caverns of Kotir Characters]]
[[Category:The Scout Characters]]
[[Category:The Scout Act III Characters]]
[[Category:Recurring characters]]
[[Category:Abbey Warriors]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Slaves]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall TV Series Characters]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall Season One Characters]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall Season Two Characters]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall Season Three Characters]]
[[Category:Spirit Guides]]
[[Category:Orphans]]
[[Category:Redwallers]]

Martin the Warrior - Revision history

imported>LordTBT: /* The Spirit of Martin the Warrior */