Slagar the Cruel



Slagar the Cruel is an anthropomorphic fox and the main villain of the Redwall book entitled Mattimeo as well as the second season of the TV series.

Slagar was originally named Chickenhound, and, along with his healer mother Sela, made a pact with Cluny the Scourge. Later, they proved disloyal and were executed. Chickhound survived, and sought shelter in Redwall Abbey. In return he murdered an old mouse and stole their valuables. He escaped into the forest, but was attacked by the adder, Asmodeus. Chickenhound survived with his knowledge of healing, but his face was forever deformed and twisted from the venom.

Renaming himself Slagar the Cruel, he gathered a band of weasels, stoats, and ferrets and tricked his way into Redwall Abbey in order to exact his "revenge" upon the warrior mouse Matthias, whom he held responsible for his disfigurement. Slagar captured Matthias's son as well as some other young creatures to be sold as slaves to the underground kingdom of the polecat Malkariss.

Matthias and his fellow animal warriors followed Slagar and ultimately defeated him when the fox fell into an old well-hole that led down into the underground kingdom while running away from his pursuers.

Despite his semi-insanity caused by the adder venom, Slagar was extremely intelligent and manipulative, constantly fooling his enemies and betraying his allies. He was pitiless and cruel (as his name implies) and was an expert with a bolas.