Holly (Watership Down)

Holly is a major character in the Watership Down franchise. He is a rabbit and was the captain of the Owsla (The rabbits guards who protects the warren) from Sandleford until it was destroyed by humans. Luckily surviving, Holly joined a small group of rabbits who had fled Sandleford just before its destruction and that he had attempted to arrest. Together, they formed the Watership Down station, which they had to protect from many dangers, including a hostile station who wanted their dead, Efrafa.
In the Movie, Holly was voiced by the late John Bennett. In the TV Series, he was voiced by Rob Rackstraw who also voiced Campion in the same Series and in the Miniseries, he voiced by Freddie Fox.
==Personality==
At the beginning of the story, Holly seems to be a rather cold and unfriendly individual because of his title of captain. This can be seen when he rejects Hazel's request to see the rabbit chef without even caring if it was important. He takes his role very seriously even if that does not mean that what he is doing is good, as when he wanted to stop the attempt to escape from Sandleford because he considered it as mutiny and did not listen to their warning about the danger ahead. Holly also seems to have too high an opinion of his force, as when he does not hesitate to attack Hazel despite that he is outnumbered against rabbits less imposing than him. However he turns out to be a coward when Bigwig easily knocks him down, he flees instead of fighting back against the rabbit stronger than him.
After surviving the destruction of Sandleford, Holly remained traumatized and never really recovered. The near death experience had made him realize that he had been more than wrong in wanting to stop the fugitives who had reason to flee. The trauma also caused the rabbit to lose most if not all of its negative features, forgetting any encounters with Hazel's group and tirelessly looking for them to join them because he had nothing left. Despite his actions towards them, Hazel and his friends forgave him without reluctance and welcomed him as one of their own.
==Book==
Holly first appeared when he intercepted a group of rabbits who wanted to leave Sandleford after a runaway rabbit named Fiver had a vision of the destruction and massacre of the warren. Hazel, the leader of the group stands up to the captain and orders him to leave where they will kill what he says attacking Hazel only to be overthrown by a former member of the owsla bigger and stronger than him, Bigwig. Sensing his numerical inferiority, Holly fled.
After a long absence, Holly reappeared but injured and accompanied by a another rabbit named, Bluebell. The duo managed to find the fugitives from Sandleford who were shocked to see Holly half dead. The gray rabbit then told that Sandleford was destroyed by humans and that he, Bluebell and two other rabbits managed to survive but on their way, the two other rabbits died. Despite that Holly is was their enemy, Hazel welcomes him with open arms in his group and together they arrive at the hill that Fiver had seen in his visions to build a new warren there. For the rest of the story, Holly helps his friends protect Watership Down from the Efrafan attacks led by the vile and bloodthirsty General Woundwort. After the Efrafans were defeated, Holly moved in with Clover, a female hutch rabbit who lived on the farm not far from the hill.
==Movie==
Holly is first seen eating in front of the Threarah burrow which is guarded by Bigwig when Hazel and Fiver come to ask for an audience with the chief rabbit. Holly orders Bigwig to send them away, but Bigwig ends up leaving them anyway. Other rabbits approach the burrow to listen to the underground conversation, only to have Holly keep them away.
In the evening, the entire population of Sandleford rabbits, minus the Owsla and the rabbit leader, tried to flee with Hazel but they were quickly caught and surrounded by Holly and the other guards except the group of Hazel who was able to run away faster than the others. The Owsla escorts all the other fugitives to Sandleford while Holly personally tracks the group. He stuck the fugitives at the exit of the barbelets and declared them under arrest for attempted mutiny. Seeing that he refuses to obey his order to return with him, Holly coldly reminds them that he is the captain of the Owsla only so that Hazel threatens that he and the others will kill him if he does not go away. Holly replies that he is the one who is going to kill him and attack him only to be easily overthrown by Bigwig. With Bigwig now against him, Holly is forced to flee but Blackberry warns the others that Holly is going to come back with the whole Owsla, meaning that they must not hang out.
Several days after this incident, While the rabbits have taken refuge in a small burrow, A wounded Holly with mutinous ears manages to find their track before collapsed from fatigue. Shocked to see Holly in bad shape, the rabbits approach the poor gray rabbit who faintly expresses his relief at having finally found them. He recognizes Fiver as the one who announced the horrible things that were happening to Sandleford, then he revealed that Sandleford was ravaged by humans and their construction machines that blocked the burrows, blocking the fresh air and pushing the rabbits pile up to death in the smallest out before human machines destroy all Sandleford. His story finished, Holly then mentions that it was the Efrafans who scratched him and broke his ears but too tired by his traumatic journey, Holly can no longer keep his consciousness and falls asleep before saying more about the Efrafan.
Now one of them, Holly follows his new friends up the hill where Fiver is sure to be their new home. Arrived at the summits, the rabbits look with pleasure at the immense view that the hill offers them.
A few days later, after Hazel was wounded in the leg by the farmer's gun and their new friend the bird Kehaar is discovered a nearby warren with a lot of female rabbits named Efrafa, Holly enters the conversation and reveals that after his survival at the destruction of Sandleford, he was captured and taken to Efrafa where he received his scratches which serve as identification there and that the chief of the warren is a brutal and tyrannical rabbit even more imposing than Bigwig who calls himself Woundwort. He also says that he managed to escape thanks to the help of a does named Hyzenthlay but he was chased by guards until a train killed them when he was able to pass narrowly.
Hazel understands the danger but since they have no other choice to find females, Efrafa will be their next destination despite Holly's warnings and that from his point of view it is the worst of all ideas. As he would be recognized at Efrafa, Hazel asks Holly to stay at Watership Down during their infiltration of Efrafa.
Despite some difficulties, the rabbits managed to bring back numerous females to Watership Down and for a few days, the peace seemed lasting until the Efrafans invaded the hill to take revenge. Holly and the other rabbits take refuge in the depths of the burrows while the Efrafans try to reach them from the surface by digging. The Efrafans are finally defeated when Hyzenthlay attracts the dangerous farm dog to them and he massacres them quickly before attacking Woundwort without the result of the fight being never shown.
==TV Series==
Holly is a minor, even insignificant character in the TV series. First appearing at the end of the second episode where he finds the group of Hazel, He plays only one major role in the following episode when he accompanies Hazel, Bigwig and Fiver in the warren of Cowslip.
==Miniseries==
In "The Journey", Holly is first seen twice being watched by Sandleford, first when Hazel is looking for Fiver and after when Hazel and Fiver passes next to him by to find eaten, they avoid looking him in the eye. After Threarah is ignored Fiver's warnings about the upcoming destruction of their warren, the rabbit brothers try to warn all the other residents of the danger, while avoiding warning the Owsla. At nightfall, the only rabbits to have joined their escape plan are Bluebell, Blackberry, Dandelion and Hawkbit but as they are about to leave, Holly and two other Owsla members intercept them under the bridge and declare under arrest for mutiny and panic provocations. Fiver tries to convince the captain that the danger is real but Hazel then warns Holly that even if he is bigger than them, they are more numerous and will not hesitate to fight. Bigwig then joins the scene and seems to hold a grudge against the brothers for letting them see Threarah and that it almost cost him his position in the Owsla before he turned against Holly to say that he left the Owsla by himself. Holly begins to back away in fear while Bigwig continues to approach him, shouting at him that he cannot bear to obey him. Holly tries to dissuade Bigwig from mutinying, just to be threatened with death by the biggest rabbit if he doesn't leave right away. After Holly and her henchmen left the scene, Bigwig warned the rabbits that Holly had been warned of their escape attempt and that they had better leave before the Owsla did come back.
Later that same night, Holly and the Owsla track down the fugitives in the forest and try to catch them, but Hazel and his friends climb onto a trash can lid which allows them to float on the water, preventing the Owsla from caught. When they get too close to the coast, Holly takes the opportunity to attack Bigwig who easily repels it and allows fugitives from the past to cross the river. Enraged, Holly yells at Bigwig that he will find him and that there will be no river for the rescued.
Later, when the fugitives stopped at Cowslip's warren, Fiver revealed to Hazel that it was Dewdrop who warned the Owsla of their escape plan as he had heard Dewdrop talking to Holly.
Finally when Hazel's group finally finds the hill of Fiver visions where they can live a new life, Holly arrives in the evening completely injured and falls to the ground. The other rabbits approach Holly who reveals to them in a voice frightened that Sandleford has been completely destroyed before turning to Fiver to tell him that he had always been right about the danger. The injured rabbit then warns the group that they are not safe here and anywhere else before Hazel and Bigwig help him get up.
In "The Raid", Holly looks at his reflection in the water then is joined by Hazel who asks him what happened to Sandleford. Holly explains that the Threarah decided to abandon the pursuit of the fugitives and that the next day it all started. In the Flashback, Holly sees the burrow collapsing and tries to help the others out but the outlets are quickly blocked, causing the rabbits to dig for their lives and Holly accidentally finds himself stomping under their feet before a backhoe did not kill them, while Holly found himself in it and was brought to the surface. When the story is finished, Holly admits that most of his injuries were more due to her friends when they accidentally stepped on them rather than to humans. Hazel doesn't understand why the humans did it, Holly doesn't know either, but he does know that humans only bring death and that we have to stay away. Holly then tells that he followed in the footsteps of Hazel and his friends for days, despite his injuries and around the third day, he met Blackavar who warned him against the Efrafans and that he had better run away.
The next day after Bigwig, Hazel and Fiver left for the neighboring farm in order to free the rabbits trapped there, Holly is seen sitting in a lamenting corner. Blackberry notices him and asks him what is wrong so that he replies that he would have liked to come with the trio because he still feels guilty for having wanted to prevent them from leaving Sandleford, only for Blackberry to comfort him because that he only obeyed orders and that none of the escaped rabbits resented him for that. The two rabbits then sees Kehaar left them without thanking them for their help in his recovery. When Kehaar returns after his wing is still injured, Holly and Blackberry decides to ignore him despite the arrogant bird's pleadings. This changes when Kehaar talks about a nearby wharf where there are many females. Holly suggests we go take a look with Blackberry and Bluebell who had invited himself in spite of himself.
At nightfall, the trio paused in a ditch, but Efrafans led by Captain Orchis ambushed them and forces them to follow them to Efrafa. Arrived in the warren, Holly, Blackberry and Bluebell does not take long to see how cruel and tyrannical the efrafans are with females. Seeing Vervain hit a female, Holly tries to intervene but he is prevented by Orchis before Vervain decides to make the trio go before Efrafa's advice. Taken before the council chamber, Holly again meets Blackavar who has been captured again before he is taken to Vervain and dares to tell him that he has no animality, just to be threatened by Vervain. Before the council, Holly is questioned by Campion about the reason for their presence. Holly explains that he and his friends only wanted to ask them if they could ask if some of the females from Efrafa wanted to settle in their warren, Vervain laughed at this request before General Woundwort put an end to the laughter and shared the Vervain's viewpoint on the refusal to entrust their females. Holly says that they will not leave without defending their cause but Woundwort interrupts him to ask him who had told him that they could leave.
Now resident of Efrafa against their will, the trio are taken away with other females, including Hyzenthlay to be marked. As Nettle passes first, Holly asks Hyzenthlay why no one is trying to run away from Efrafa to learn from her that escaping from this warren is impossible without leaving some dead on the conscience. When Nettle gets scarred, Holly berates Campion for looking away, making him an accomplice in the torture. Campion says he only obeys orders like a good soldier does, only so Holly only tells him what makes a good soldier doesn't do what makes a good rabbit. Holly tries to convince Hyzenthlay to escape with them, the female expresses her mistrust towards him because he does not know her and that he could be a spy.
At night, the three are now marked and watched by Vervain and the guards who shows them Blackavar to dissuade them from trying to escape if he does not want to end up like him. Holly then warns Blackberry and Bluebell that when she reports, they run and never return. As they start to walk away, Vervain notices them and Holly gives the signal and they run with all their might.
Tired, they stop but its quickly caught up with by Vervain who declares that they have made a big mistake before Hyzenthlay attacks him to give them time to flee. While continuing to run, Blackberry begins to slow down and asks his friends to drop him so that Holly yells at him to shut up and kept running. As they go up to the railroad, Blackberry tumbles down because of its too deep mark and falls towards the Efrafans but hopefully Holly quickly catches it and helps it to go up. As they cross the rails, Vervain attacks Blackberry, forcing Holly and Bluebell to come back to help him as a train approaches. Bluebell succeeded in overthrowing Vervain, allowing him, Holly and Blackberry to narrowly avoid the train while Vervain and his henchmen are crushed to death. Recovering from their emotions, Holly thinks that Frith decided it was too early for them to stop running.
In "The Escape", The trio returned to Watership Down, learns that Hazel is missing after the farmer is shot at him. Bigwig asks Holly if Efrafa is as horrible as he thought so Holly replies that the place is worse. When Clover suggests looking for Hazel, Holly objects because of the wind outside, despite the fact that he too has found Hazel. Fiver arrives and reveals that he has found his brother through his visions. Clover decides to go alone if necessary but Holly prevents him from going out because according to him a rabbit hutch with no experience of living in nature did not survive outside. When Bigwig offers to accompany Clover, Holly asks the big rabbit to be reasonable while Bigwig sarcastically points out to him that he is not the rabbit leader what Holly does not want to be and asks Bigwig not to be impetuous , which annoys him. Unfortunately, when the rabbits were wasting their time arguing over what to do, Clover came out found Hazel without anyone else.
Fortunately Hazel is still alive with a leg injury, but unfortunately Clover is captured by Sergeant Sainfoin and taken to Efrafa. Holly with Strawberry and Haystack remains at the station while all the others leave saved Clover and the females of Efrafa.
By infiltrating Efrafa, Bigwig gains Hyzenthlay's confidence by mentioning how much she missed Holly.
In "The Siege", Holly and the other two rabbits happily see their friends return with the females, Hyzenthlay and Blackavar. He reunites with Hyzenthlay and thanks her for saving him while the rabbit thanks him in turn for what his wolf did for her and hers before the two shared a sweet embrace.
Two days later, Holly monitors Blackavar's lesson on smell when Haystack smells of rabbits that she had never smelled, which says nothing good to Holly and Blackavar. With Hazel, Bigwig and Fiver, he leads the investigation and discovers that the Woundwort and his henchmen have started to invade their hill.
Knowing that war is inevitable, the rabbits close most of the outings and keep themselves stationed to defend their wenches. Twinned with Hyzenthlay and knowing that he will maybe no longer have the opportunity to confess his feelings for her, Holly admits that as soon as she arrived at Watership Down, he had sworn to do everything possible to make her happy. Hyzenthlay asked him how he was doing and Holly confessed that he wanted to tell her that he respected her a lot but that in the end he just wanted to tell her that he found her pretty, which is very pleasant to Hyzenthlay.
The attacks of the Efrafans are becoming increasingly savage and push the besieged towards an inevitable defeat. Hyzenthlay is attacked and controlled by the Efrafans until Holly rejects them. He fights bravely but is slowly dominated by his opponents, while Hyzenthlay is immobilized by an enemy and therefore cannot help him. Holly is finally killed by her attackers, leaving Hyzenthlay with a broken heart, Campion who had ended up respecting Holly also mourns his death.
Curled up in the burrow by Efrafa attacks, rabbits mourn Holly's death.
Holly's death would ultimately be the catalyst that drives Campion to betray Woundwort. Holly would finally be avenged when Woundwort apparently met his end in the clutches of the farm dog.
== Quotes ==
=== Movie ===
=== Miniseries ===
==Gallery==
===Images===
====Movie====
HollyMovie1.jpg|Holly spots Hazel's group fleeing.
HollyMovie2.jpg|"You're all under arrest!"
HollyMovie3.jpg|"Bigwig?"
HollyMovie4.jpg|Holly severely injured after the destruction of Sandleford and his escape from Efrafa.
Holly Story.jpg|"The Efrafans wouldn't let me go. They ripped my ear. Ripped it."
Holly Speak About Efrafa.jpg|"You see this? They did it to me. It's an identification mark."
====Miniseries====
Holly Confronts Fugitives.jpg|Holly tries to stop Hazel and his friends to leave Sandleford.
Holly Betrayed.jpg|Holly getting cornered by Bigwig who turned on him.
Holly Fails.jpg|"I'll see you again, Bigwig. I promise you that! And next time, there won't be a river between us."
Holly Injured.jpg|"Sandleford...is gone. So gone".
Holly Hazel.jpg|Holly tells Hazel about the destruction of Sandleford.
Holly Efrafa.jpg|Holly, Blackberry and Bluebell escorted by force to Efrafa.
Holly Efrafa2.jpg|Holly, Bluebell and Blackeberry facing Vervain and his brother Orchis.
Holly VS Vervain.jpg|Holly stand up against Vervain for his human-like cruelty.
Holly Campion.jpg|Holly tells Campion that a good soldier doesn't mean a good rabbit.
Holly Escape.jpg|Holly and his friends after their escape from Efrafa.
Holly Clover.jpg|Holly tries to talk Clover out of looking for Hazel in the fog.
Holly Bigwig Argue.jpg|"You have a reputation for being impetuous, Bigwig. Now is the time for consideration, not impulse."
Holly Hyzenthlay.jpg|Holly and Hyzenthlay reunited.
Four Rabbits Watch.jpg|Holly, Bigwig, Hazel and Fiver see the Efrafans invade Watership Down.
Holly Confession.jpg|Holly admits his feelings for Hyzenthlay.
Holly Death.jpg|Holly's death.
==Trivia==
*In the book, Holly flees Sandleford with Bluebell but in all the other incarnations, he is always the only one to have survived the destruction of Sandleford.
*In the Miniseries, Holly was brown unlike his past incarnations which was gray.
*Ironically, Rob Rackstraw also voiced Campion in the TV Series but the two characters have never crossed paths, unlike the Miniseries.
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