49: Chapter 47. The Sky Suspended

This episode is scripted by John Ruths, Andrew Stevens and Newell Fisher

The pre-chapter quote is from Lark Rise to Candleford, by Flora Thompson. It seems to clearly reference Bigwig and what's going on between him and General Woundwort.

The chapter begins where we left off at the end of Chapter 45 at Nuthanger Farm and starts with Dandelion's leap when Hazel stamped his alarm. Leaving Hazel's fate behind us, we commence the rapid return to the Down.

Dandelion is not only the fastest rabbit on WD, but he is also not inclined to panic and go tharn. Soon this rabbit and dog pair get up to where Blackberry is waiting, who attempts to draw the dog. Swift and driven Dandelion has now caught up!  The two intrepid rabbits work as a team to continue to draw the dog.

We're now back in the warren on Watership Down where we find a wounded but determined Bigwig who is unwilling to let Holly take his place. Woundwort is attempting to bargain with Bigwig and he actually offers him the Efrafan Mark of his choice. DoesWoundwort truly mean this?

Bigwig's response is surely the best line in lapine in the entire book.

Woundwort leaps forward towards Bigwig again, using his seemingly relentless strength and weight as they bite at one another.  Slipping further back, nearly into the burrow he is defending, Bigwig lets loose of his hold on Woundwort, lowers his head, and pushes as hard as he can. Woundwort bites Bigwig's back but the blood that has been filling his nostrils from Bigwig's earlier blows means that he cannot breathe properly while holding a bite so he has to let go.

In his delerium Bigwig thinks he hears Fiver speaking to him as he did at the Warren of the Snares.  Bigwig then actually squeals "The wire!" aloud before springing back to life only to find that Woundwort has gone.

Woundwort has backed out of his fight with Bigwig and attempts to send Vervain in to "finish" off Bigwig. Vervain shows up again from dealing with Bigwig.  But it's not to report that Bigwig has been killed. Woundwort calls him a coward.

Then he and Woundwort realise that Bigwig is up once again, has moved up within the run he is defending, and is immediately below them. He is in an awful state, his fur-cap matted with blood and one ear half-severed and hanging limply...but he is ready to fight again.

When Bigwig says “My Chief Rabbit has told me to defend this run and until he says otherwise I shall stay here” it only worsens things for Woundwort and Vervain.  They had thought that Bigwig was, surely, the chief. And with this new information they both assume that Bigwig's Chief must be even bigger and stronger.

And now Fiver wakes up from the seeming trance he was in. Woundwort sarcastically orders Vervain to kill him and leaves. But then Fiver states that he is sorry for the deaths of the Efrafans. This is too much for even a sadist like Vervain to take, who is usually comfortable mocking those he is about to kill. He is mesmerised by Fiver's demeanour and flees above ground in terror.

As Woundwort loses control over his rabbits they are also shocked by his appearance.

And then the dog appears. Only Woundwort stands his ground. Woundwort’s stand against the dog is a truly fitting climax for this monstrous, remorseless, magnificent rabbit.

Woundwort bellows the last words that anyone hears him say. A "raging, squealing cry": “Come back, you fools! Dogs aren’t dangerous! Come back and fight!”

This chapter contains three climactic moments, any of which would be a crowning glory for the novel:

The strongest rabbit Bigwig's declaration of loyalty to his chief, weak yet wise Fiver's calm expression of sadness for the deaths of the Efrafans and the horrific fulfillment of Hazel's calm, yet deadly effective, leadership, make up a trio of truly mythic moments that are a perfect reflection of the rule of three.

The novel has truly reached its denouement.