Matthias

Matthias, also known as Matthias the Warrior, was a male mouse resident of Redwall Abbey. He was the husband of Cornflower Fieldmouse, father of Mattimeo, and the grandfather of Martin II. The spirit of Martin the Warrior lived within him; he is most recognized for retrieving Martin's sword for Redwall and defeating Cluny the Scourge.

Matthias arrived at Redwall Abbey as an orphan, not knowing his parents. He was well-liked by many of the Redwallers. Abbot Mortimer expected Matthias would join the Order of Monks as a peaceful caregiver. However, Matthias had the spirit of a warrior, always yearning for more in life, as well as a passion for fighting.

Redwall

After Cluny the Scourge began the Late Rose Summer Wars against the Abbey, Matthias and seven others were made military commanders of the Abbey Defenders, with Matthias being among the most active. Matthias experienced visions of Redwall's legendary hero, Martin the Warrior, who guided him on a quest to find his missing sword, which Matthias intended to use to end Cluny's siege.

Matthias realized he was the successor of Martin through the anagram "I Am That Is" and joined with Brother Methuselah to locate the sword's whereabouts by solving riddles; together, they found Martin the Warrior's shield and sword belt inside his tomb. Matthias followed the trail to the roof and the Sparra kingdom, earning a new friend in Warbeak, but he was subsequently detained by the unstable King Bull Sparra.

While he was held captive, Methuselah was murdered by Chickenhound. Matthias escaped the sparrows, but he was badly injured in a fall from the roof and physical attacks from King Bull. The two crashed into the Abbey pond, a fatal impact for the sparrow monarch. Matthias was rescued and taken to the Infirmary. While he was unconscious, Matthias was visited by Methuselah's spirit, who urged him to continue his journey without him.

Matthias carried on his mission, despite losing Methuselah, and retrieved the sword from the lair of Asmodeus Poisonteeth, beheading the snake in the process. When he returned to Redwall, he defeated Cluny, saved its residents, and became the Abbey Warrior. Matthias and Cornflower were married, and they soon had a son, Mattimeo.

After Cluny was killed by the Joseph Bell, which fell on him after Matthias cut its rope in the Bell Tower, the great bell was recast into a set of twin bells. One of these was named after Matthias for his efforts in the battle against Cluny.

Mattimeo

During the Summer of the Golden Plain, Mattimeo and other young Redwallers were kidnapped by Chickenhound, who returned to exact revenge on the Abbey and its warrior as Slagar the Cruel. Matthias vowed that he would find his son and the missing young ones. He followed the slavers' trail to the underground kingdom of Malkariss, where Matthias and the woodlanders declared war on the Blackrobe Rats.

After what was meant to be a one-on-one battle with the Wearet, Matthias fell from a great ledge and was believed to be dead. Down below the fighting, Matthias freed Malkariss' slaves and they joined him in battle. While he worked his way back up to the ledge, Matthias heard Mattimeo calling to him. In a mad charge to regain his son, Matthias experienced Bloodwrath and fought like a berserker with nothing standing in his way. Matthias was then reunited with Mattimeo.

Outside, the group was confronted by Slagar, who had survived the massive cave-in of Malkariss. In a rage, Matthias and Orlando the Axe ran after him. Neither were able to kill him, though, as Slagar stumbled and fell to his death in an old well. Matthias, Mattimeo, and their friends returned to Redwall. Seven seasons later, he formally stepped down as Abbey Warrior and passed the mantle on to Mattimeo. Matthias later died of old age.

The Redwall Warrior's Code

Set prior to the events of Redwall, Abbot Mortimer and Brother Alf regale young Matthias and Cornflower about the heroes of Redwall's past. The Abbey leader informs the pair about the Warrior's Code, which was written by Abbess Germaine. They set about solving a series of riddles throughout Redwall, eventually discovering the code itself.

Post-Death

Seasons after his death, Matthias visited young Russano the Wise in a dream, along with other heroes of Redwall and Salamandastron.

Upon returning to Redwall after rescuing Mattimeo, Tim Churchmouse chronicled the tale of the quest in a journal, which included a map. The map was later used by Bragoon, Sarobando, Horty, Fenna, and Springald to find Loamhedge Abbey.

Nelvana Redwall TV Series

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Young Matthias from the Redwall TV Series, Season 1

Matthias' biography differs from the novels in the Nelvana Redwall TV Series. In Redwall, it is never explained how Matthias came to the Abbey or how his parents died, but the TV show provides an origin narrative for him.

Cluny the Scourge burns his village in the north, and his older sister Myrtle, who was not a character in the book, carries him on her back to Redwall.

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Matthias from the Redwall TV Series, Season 2

According to series creator Steve Roberts, "Brian led the thinking [on Matthias' backstory]. Once we got the right idea I worked a few scenes up which he then reworked and we went on like that until he was satisfied."

Matthias is also described as age 13. Matthias' relationship with Cornflower is more in-depth in the show than in the books, where they only interact on a few select occasions, and do not have an extensively written dialogue. In the show, the couple has multiple conversations, and they deal with various problems and adventures throughout each episode.

The Lost Legends of Redwall

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Matthias in The Scout Act III

Matthias appears as a non-playable character in The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Act III in the final level at Redwall Abbey, which occurs prior to the events of Redwall.

Matthias is a young apprentice at Redwall Abbey, but seemingly discontent with a life of quiet chores. Something within this mouse years for adventure and leadership.

Abandoned as an infant, his lineage remains shrouded in mystery. The Abbot could only assume some sad tragedy befell his parents, leaving the dibbun to be raised within the abbey's walls. Verily, Matthias feels the order's bond of brotherhood and sisterhood deeper than most other abbey mice. He is perhaps closest of all with Methuselah, who happily took the role of surrogate father and has walked with him throughout dibbunhood.

Trivia

• Watch Brian Jacques discuss Matthias here.
• The name Matthias is of Biblical origin.
• Brian Jacques stated the following on Matthias' 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."
• Out of all the characters who wielded the Sword of Martin, Matthias has the most direct kills, with three.