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Moss, also referred to as Corporal Moss, was an Efrafan rabbit. He is a character unique to the television series, and appears in all seasons in a minor role. He is possibly based off of Groundsel.

Personality[]

Moss is shown to be strict, with a strong sense of honor, but is also shown to be caring and respectful towards others. He is shown to be loyal towards Woundwort and his cause, and becomes a Captain in his Owsla. However, he eventually betrays Woundwort and frees some of the slaves, showing that Moss knows what is right and what is wrong, and when to stand up to wrongdoers. He greatly respects Captain Campion, and speaks to him on a friendly note. He shows deep regret that he has to arrest Campion in episode 18, but follows Woundworts orders through, sounding the alarm and calling in the Owsla when Campion resists. Even when ordered not to refer to Campion as "Captain" after he loses his position, Moss does so anyway, showing he has deep respect for Campion, and will continue to address him Sir. He shows regret and sympathy for a captured Pipkin in episode 14, saying that even if he is ordered to do so, he will be upset if he has to kill Pipkin. He remarks that all the officers are the same, being "as cold as snow," showing he has little regard for what he sees as unnecessary cruelty.

Biography[]

Season 1[]

His first appearance is Episode 11, Friend and Enemy. Moss gets caught in a rabbit rap net, attracting a hawk that nearly kills Campion. Later in the same episode, he reappears along with Vervain, out looking for Flay-rah on Woundwort's orders. When Vervain is reluctant to stay for long, Moss says that Captain Campion would've insisted on a thorough patrol, to which Vervain replies that Campion is not there, so it doesn't matter what he would have done. He is glad to see that Campion was not dead after all.

Season 2[]

Moss in season 2

In Prisoner of Efrafa, he is seen guarding Pipkin with another Owsla member. Moss remarks that he doesn't have the heart to kill Pipkin, even on Woundwort's orders.

Moss appears in The Stand when he and his Owsla are searching for two Efrafan's who have run away. When the runners are found, he orders his subordinates to take them back, and give them half-rations until further notice. He then later appears to arrest Campion on Woundwort's orders. However Campion resists arrest and Moss sounds the alarm.

Untitled

Moss places Campion under arrest.

Moss doesn't appear again until the final episode of season 2 when he and two other Owsla were leading a group of slaves, including Vervain, back to Efrafa. Vervain escaped from Moss's watch and found the cave that leads to Hazel's warren .Once Vervain returned, Moss was ordered by Captain Campion to keep him in his quarters, so that he could warn the Watership Rabbits, under the disguise of wanting to check Vervain's story before telling the General. Vervain got pass Moss and told Woundwort of the tunnel, despite Moss trying to convince Woundwort that he was insane.

When Woundwort was ready to lead his army to Watership Down, he told a returning Campion that this was war. He is seen fighting with Hazel in the cave, and behind Woundwort near the close of the second season when Campion is crushed under a falling boulder.

Season 3[]

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Moss and Heather prepare to leave the down.

Moss survives the cave collapsing, and once outside, informs General Woundwort that more than half of the army was killed. He was promoted to Captain Moss.

In Efrafa, he and Heather arrange a break out, and that as many slaves as possible would be freed in the memory of Campion, as Moss can no longer follow a mad chief. The same night, when Hazel and all the other animals attack, he brings his plan into affect but they are cornered by two Efrafan Owsla, who he briefly fights with.

After Woundwort was supposedly killed, he and the other Efrafans are taken to Watership Down. He breaks up several fights on the down between quarreling Watership and Efrafan rabbits. After almost fighting with Bigwig himself over a dispute, Bigwig leaves on solitary patrol, returning with another Efrafan Owsla member that was attacked by a weasel. After hearing what happened, Moss sits alone to think, before being visited by Heather. Together, they come to a decision that all Efrafan rabbits should leave and start a new warren far away from Efrafa. It is hinted that Heather became his mate, and she and Moss are not seen afterwards.

Changes between seasons[]

Moss' character design was changed in season 3. In the first two seasons, he has a light green mask like design around his eyes, which stretches down his nose and mouth. His underbelly fur and inside of his ears are the light green as well. In season 3, he retains the shadows around his eyes, these being a beige-green colour. His underbelly fur, muzzle, mouth and inside ear fur are a tinted green colour. In both designs, his eyes stay the same colour.

Gallery[]

Rabbits
Cross-media
Sandleford Warren
BigwigBlackberryBluebellCaptain HollyDandelionFiverHawkbitHazelPipkinPimpernelSilverThrearahToadflax

Nuthanger Farm
BoxwoodCloverHaystackLaurel
Cowslip's Warren
CowslipKingcupLaburnumSilverweedStrawberry
Efrafa
BlackavarCaptain CampionCaptain ChervilCaptain OrchisGeneral WoundwortHyzenthlayRagwortSainfoinThethuthinnangThistleVervainVilthuril
Folklore
Black Rabbit of InléEl-ahrairahHufsaRabscuttle

Books only
Introduced in Watership Down
AcornAshAvensBartsiaBetonyBuckthornButterburCaptain BuglossCaptain MallowCharlockColtsfootFlescaGroundselMarjoramMoneywortNelthiltaNightshadeNildro-hainNose-in-the-AirPine NeedlesScabiousSnowdropSpeedwellThrayonlosaThrearThunder

Introduced in Tales from Watership Down
BurdockCelandineCrowfootCrowlaFescueFlyairthFoxgloveHeartseaseKing Fur-RociousKnapweedLemistaLoosestrifeMelsaMianMilmownNyreemPeertonPrakeQuiensRithlaSandwortStitchwortStonecropThrennionTindraWoodruff

AspenBlueskyButtercupCaptain BroomFelsparFlaxGentianGiliaGorseGraniteHeatherHickoryLarchMallowMarigoldMossPrimroseRaincloudRedShaleSnowdropSpartinaSpeaker of the Past
Film/Miniseries only
Dewdrop (Miniseries) • Nettle (Miniseries) • Violet (film)
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