Rose of Noonvale

Rose of Noonvale is the season three finale episode, thirty-ninth episode overall, and the series finale for the Nelvana Redwall TV Series.

Summary

Martin the Warrior encourages a group of Fur and Freedom Fighters as they slam the gates of Fort Marshank with a battering ram. However, with Badrang the Tyrant's army firing upon them from above, they make little progress. Laterose of Noonvale convinces Martin that a tactical retreat is necessary. Badrang celebrates the victory.

At the Fighters' camp, Martin requests a council meeting and reconnects with Brome. He outlines his battle plan, and visits Felldoh's resting place.

Badrang's sentries keep watch as Tramun Clogg torments them.

Martin awakens Brome to prepare for the upcoming assault on Marshank, and Rose provides further motivation for their leader. Martin calls his army to action, and they depart for the fortress.

The Fur and Freedom Fighters push a flaming cart into Marshank's gates, setting them ablaze. Badrang calls for defensive measures, as the Warden of Marshwood Hill and Boldred drop a net over Marshank's walls, allowing the Queen Amballa's Highbeasts to climb up. The Gawtrybe scale another side of the complex and lower ladders to their companions.

Badrang hides in his chambers as his soldiers try to extinguish the flames. The Fighters rush in through the burned gates. Spotting Rose, Badrang grabs her as a hostage. A full-on war breaks out between the woodlanders and Badrang's army. While on the wall top, Martin observes Badrang's possession of Rose and rushes to help her. Badrang demands he drop his sword to save her life, and Martin complies. However Rose bites Badrang in an effort to break free, and he drops his sword. As he goes to retrieve it, Rose falls to the ground.

Martin and Badrang proceed to engage in a duel; Martin causes Badrang to drop the sword and fall into the prison pit. In one swift action, Martin picks up the sword and thrusts it into Badrang as he falls, ending his life. As Martin climbs out of the pit, he notices Rose's body; she's died in the conflict. He drops the sword to the ground, promising to never fight with it again. The Fighters achieve victory at Marshank.

Filled with sadness, everyone departs. Martin, injured, eulogizes Rose, and is then carried off on a stretcher. Brome plants a rose upon her grave, and invites anyone interested in a peaceful life to join him at Noonvale. Many fighters abandon their weapons, and Keyla torches them.

At Marshank, Clogg emerges and mocks the deceased vermin around him.

Grumm Trencher leaves a rose for Rose, and the various Fur and Freedom tribal factions go their separate ways. Martin deeply mourns Rose.

At Polleekin's residence, Rowanoak, Grumm, Brome, Keyla, and Pallum prepare to head to Noonvale when Martin unexpectedly arrives and reveals that he won't be joining them. Instead, he'll be traveling south, solo. Goodbyes are exchanged and Ballaw De Quincewold leads the group in song.

Recorder Tim Churchmouse concludes the story of Martin at Redwall Abbey.

Official Synopsis

The Fur and Freedom Fighters attempt to batter the Marshank gates, but it will not yield and so they are forced to retreat. Meanwhile, inside the walls, Badrang humiliates his rival, Clogg. Regrouping, Martin plans his next attack. Hatching a cunning battle plan that would give each group a precise role in conquering Badrang and Clogg, it becomes clear that Martin has now truly become a leader. He and Rose confess their love for each other in a brief and beautiful calm before the storm. In the battle, each group fulfills its purpose and Martin's army courageously retakes Marshank but not before Rose heroically sacrifices her own life to save Martin from Badrang.

Martin, unaware of Rose's fate, leads his troops to victory. His triumph, though, turns to unspeakable grief when he discovers that his beloved Rose has died. Overwhelmed by sadness, Martin buries Rose. Brome invites all to return with him to Noonvale and return to peace. Martin returns to Noonvale briefly as do many other creatures. Rose can be heard singing in the background. Now that Badrang is dead and Clogg has been driven mad, the fighters bid their farewells and begin the long trek home. But Martin will not join them. He has chosen to journey on alone and devote his life to peace. We learn from Tim Churchmouse as he concludes his story, that it is Martin who ultimately helped to found Redwall Abbey.

Differences from Martin the Warrior

• In Martin the Warrior, Badrang kills Rose by hurling her against a wall. In the Nelvana Redwall TV series, it is implied that Badrang falls on top of her. Lead writer Steve Roberts said "It was felt that [Rose's death in Martin the Warrior] was overtly violent and very difficult to animate without smashing her head and breaking her neck. And we had to know she was killed. The solution was that Badrang fell on top of her. No less conceptually unpleasant, but at least out of sight of the eyes of the audience. Somehow being squashed to death by a fat tyrant felt preferable to breaking her head on stone ... overt violence is unacceptable on the small screen and these choices have to be made."
• In the episode, Martin throws his sword to the ground after finding Rose's body and vows never to use it again. At the very end he heads south, without his weapon, which calls into question how it arrived at Redwall Abbey for the events of season one and season two. When asked about this in an interview, Roberts said "The actual script reads, MARTIN: 'Dear Rose. Forgive me. (Kneels) Upon my father's sword, in your name I swear I will never kill with it again.' It is likely that he was animated as sticking the sword into the ground as a dramatic emphasis. There was no implication that he abandoned the sword. Indeed, later he is seen on the stretcher 'his sword by his side, the rose in his hand.'" This was not accurate, as the sword is physically tossed to the ground in the animation, does not appear on or near the stretcher, and is never seen on-screen again after that moment. Martin's recorded line was also changed to "Upon my father's sword, I swear, I shall never fight with it again." In Martin the Warrior, the sword accompanies Martin to Mossflower Woods. He temporarily hung it up only after the events of Mossflower.
• During their duel in Martin the Warrior, Martin and Badrang both grab onto the sword hilt and Martin turns it around and rams it into Badrang's heart. In the TV episode, Badrang falls down onto the blade as Martin holds it out.
• Martin and Rose never confess their love for each other in Martin the Warrior.
• In Martin the Warrior, when Martin holds onto Rose, he whispers to her, "Rose, we could have chopped down the sycamore with this" and is thereafter unconscious for a season, only waking up once at Polleekin's treehouse to weep and not saying a single word until the day he finally decides to leave. In the TV series, he is conscious for the entire journey back and gives Rose a brief eulogy.

For other uses, see Rose (disambiguation).

Featurettes

• Presenters: Featurette Girl 3, Featurette Boy 2

Segments include:

• "Boldred"
• "How Pirates Use Maps"
• "Dan Mokriy, Compositor"

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Streaming

Rose of Noonvale is available for streaming on Nelvana's official Treehouse Direct YouTube channel.

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