The Great Escapes

The Great Escapes is the seventh episode of Season 3 and the thirty-third episode overall of the Nelvana Redwall TV Series.

Summary

Laterose of Noonvale, Grumm Trencher, and Pallum face off against the Mirdop, successfully destroying it. Martin the Warrior then reveals Fescue, Mildwort, Burnet, and Buttercup Mirdop, the rabbit family behind the monstrous mechanism, who had been using it to scare travelers. The Mirdops invite them inside their residence.

At Fort Marshank, Tramun Clogg and Badrang the Tyrant have a disagreement about the events of the prior evening, and Clogg departs to capture the escaped slaves.

Inside the Mirdop home, the hares refer Martin and his companions to the Warden of Marshwood Hill for guidance to Noonvale, and warn them of cannibal lizards.

As the Rambling Rosehip Players flee the scene with the freed slaves, Celandine gets caught on a tree and collapses.

Martin and the travelers make camp for the night in the West Marshes. The cannibal lizards surround and detain them.

The Players and slaves establish their own camp, and Rowanoak realizes Celandine is missing.

The lizards provide food and water to Martin's group in an effort to fatten them up for consumption.

Felldoh volunteers to find Celandine, while Barkjon shows concern for his mental state. Ballaw De Quincewold, Rowanoak, and Brome challenge Felldoh to a javelin throwing contest - whoever wins gets to join him. When Rowanoak easily crushes the competition, Felldoh agrees that she and Ballaw can accompany him. Brome joins as well. As Celandine sings alone on the trail, Clogg approaches her.

Rose and Martin ask a Dipper for help communicating with the Warden for a rescue, while the lizards force them to eat.

Celandine runs from Clogg, and he sends his corsairs in pursuit. Felldoh, Rowanoak, and Ballaw save her from them, killing several. Clogg attempts to urge his fighters to continue chasing them, but they all flee from an onslaught of javelins.

The Warden arrives, frees Martin and his companions, and disperses the lizards. He agrees to guide them through the marshes as long as they follow his laws.

As Felldoh, Celandine, Ballaw, and Rowanoak return to camp, Brome, feeling inspired, takes weapons from the dead corsairs and plans to rescue the remaining Marshank slaves. Clogg returns to the fortress.

While the Warden sleeps, slow worms capture him. Martin rushes to protect the large bird.

Official Synopsis

Rose and friends battle the fearsome Mirdop only to discover it is a giant doll created by timid rabbits to frighten away intruders. Upon learning of Martin's mission the rabbits agree to help the travelers and warn them of cannibal lizards and, even worse, The Warden of Marshwood Hill. At Marshank, the slaves and the players flee but one of them, Celandine, goes missing. Clogg leaves Marshank after an argument with Badrang and stumbles across Celandine. Meanwhile Martin and friends are captured by slow worms and dragged into the cannibal lizard's lair. The lizards feed them-- but it soon becomes clear that it is to fatten them up for eating. When they hear the approach of a giant bird, they assume they are to be its victims.

Rowanoak and Ballaw save Celandine from Clogg's corsairs, forcing him to retreat to the fortress. Naive young Brome decides he too will be a warrior and heads for Marshank and, what he hopes to be, great deeds. Martin and friends face the bird-- it's none other than the Warden. The fierce law-keeper rescues them from the lizards and offers to guide them-- but is unable to as he is attacked in his sleep by choking snakes.

Differences from Martin the Warrior

• In the book, the Warden eats the lizards, instead of throwing them into the river.
• The cannibal lizards tie nooses around the prisoners' necks in the book, but in the series, they tie their paws.
• In the book, Clogg's vermin are impaled by the Fur and Freedom Fighters' javelins, while in the episode, they are simply knocked on the head. The action still results in their deaths.

Featurettes

• Presenters: Featurette Girl 3, Featurette Boy 4

Segments include:

• "The Warden"
• "Pirate Rules & Punishments"
• "Background Artists Don Gauthier & Gary Hunt"

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Streaming

The Great Escapes is available for streaming on Nelvana's official Treehouse Direct YouTube channel.

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