Mattis

**Mattis** is Ronja's father and Lovis's husband. He is the leader of the Robbers.

## Biography

Mattis's first appearance was in Born in The Storm, where he first met baby Ronja. Mattis loves Ronja, but he can get over-protective of and even aggressive towards her. For example, in Endless Fighting: Part 2, he gets so mad at her he proceeds to say he has no daughter. He is a very nice man, but if he is upset or mad or feels that he or Lovis or Ronja is in danger he can get very aggressive. In The Call of Spring, when Noddle-Pete passes away, he even breaks things. This shows that he is over-impulsive in every emotion.

Mattis and Borka were even friends as children until Mattis' father put an end to it.

## Physical Appearance

Mattis's skin is more tanned than peach and he has brown eyes. His hair is brown and messy, and he has a goatee. He wears a beige/peach undershirt and a blue tunic with orange designs all over it. He also wears big pink pants.

## Personality

Mattis is a largely naive and immature individual -at least moreso than Lovis, Borka and the older members of his clan. This may mean that he is younger than the other characters (excluding the children, Lil' Klippen, Pelje and possibly Tjorm).

Like Borka, Mattis can be a cruel and unforgiving individual who never misses an opportunity to gain an advantage over his enemies be they the Sherriff's men or Borka's Robbers, such as ambushing Birk and taking him captive. For all his general joy and love of life, Mattis can be a cunning and vicious enemy. While Borka seems more intelligent, Mattis is more inventive and creative and, along with his men, apparently experiences a boyish glee when using some amusing or complex intimidation scheme during ambushes.

Although Mattis and Borka share similar attitudes and emotions, they express them very differently. Unlike Borka, Mattis is *overly* expressive. He takes the greatest joy from the smallest kind act and the greatest offence from the smallest slight. He shares his daughter's appreciation of life's simple things and cares deeply for all the members of his clan and for his family most of all. Mattis is the most in tune with his emotions and, aside from Ronja, experiences the most emotional learning of all the characters. He is not afraid to laugh, shout, scream, or burst into tears in front of his men and mostly uses his enormous lungs and violence as a coping mechanism or a means of channeling his immense passion, such as when he is given the news of Ronja's birth or when Noddle-Pete passes away.

Unlike Borka, Mattis has a more outwardly affectionate and respectful relationship with his wife. Lovis is the only person he is afraid of but she is also the only person who can scold, guide and comfort him with any success, making her a mother-figure to him.

When he first experiences grief, i.e. when he believes he has lost Ronja, all emotion, save anger and pain, leaves him (depression) and this is only repaired with the prospect that Ronja will come back to him. The second time, i.e. when Noddle-Pete passes away, his grief never descends into depression and he is a more whole and emotionally mature person by the end of the series.