Silverwing

Silverwing is a 2003 Canadian animated television series based on Kenneth Oppel's 1997 novel of the same name.

The show uses a hybrid of 2D and 3D animation.

## Synopsis

Long ago before the first migration, the animals initiated the Great Battle to establish the balance of nature and the territory limits of every species. The birds and beasts banished all bats into the darkness for not choosing sides. Shade sets out on a journey to reason with them.

# Characters=

### Bats

* Shade: (Bill Switzer) A young heroic Silverwing bat whom Zephyr taught how to use echo projection.
* Marina: (Sharon Alexander) A young Brightwing bat living alone on an island. The humans banded Marina and the colony banished her, thinking that the band was a bad omen. In the series, Shade and Marina remain friends.
* Goth: (Michael Dobson) A villainous cannibal bat brought from South America to the city for laboratory studies. After escaping from there, he tricks Shade into leading him to the colony. However, Shade and Marina foil the plan.
* Throbb: (Richard Newman) Goth's brother in-law.
* Frieda: (Pam Hyatt) The banded chief elder and main leader of the Silverwing colony.
* Bathsheba: (Shirley Millner) A selfish member of the Silverwing elders who dislikes Frieda and Shade. Bathsheba later abandons the colony.
* Ariel: (Randall Carpenter) Shade's mother whose mate, Cassiel leaves the colony.
* Mercury: (Ian James Corlett) Frieda's male loyal guardian and leader of the female bats.
* Chinook: (Matt Hill) Shade's best friend.
* Zephyr: (Richard Newman) A wise and blind albino bat living in the cathedral spire, serving as "traffic controller" and wishing the colony to be safe. He teaches Shade and Marina star navigation, herbal remedies and echo projection.
* Scirocco: (Ian James Corlett) The charismatic shapeshifting leader of the colony of banded bats dwelling in the mountain's cabin.
* Penelope: (Randall Carpenter) One of the banded bats, whom Shade rescues.
* Hector: (Lee Tockar) Chinook's father and one of the Silverwing elders. He later reunites with the colony at Hibernaculum.
* Breeze: (Stevie Vallance) Shade and Chinook's friend.

### Others

* Brutus: (Richard Newman) The main leader of the owls who destroyed Tree Haven. He later declines the war and forgives the group of bats.
* Orestes: (Richard Ian Cox) Brutus' son. He, Shade and Marina save Brutus from Goth and Throbb.
* Atlas: (Michael Dobson) Brutus' assistant and the supporting leader of the owls.
* Ursa: (Candus Churchill) The Kermode bear who later serves as the leader of the beasts and protects the animals from wolves.
* Luger: (Lee Tockar) The evil leader of the wolves whom Goth recruited.
* Remus: (Richard Ian Cox) The selfish king of the rats and Romulus' brother.
* Romulus: (Lee Tockar) Remus' brother who trusts Shade and Marina, banishes Remus and becomes the new king of the rats.

### Differences from the novel

* In the novel, Orestes is King Boreal's son, but changes into Brutus' for the series.
* In the novel, Throbb is killed by a thunderstorm. However, he survives in the series and is pursued by the owls.
* In *Sunwing*, King Boreal forgives the colony of bats. However, in the *Silverwing* television series, Brutus does the same thing.
* In the novel, Throbb is merely Goth's traveling companion, in the series, they're brothers-in-law.
* In the novel, the beasts do not become embroiled in the owl-bat conflict, but they do in the series.
* Shade cannot echo project in the novel, but he does develop a similar ability in *Sunwing*.
* Marina keeps her band throughout the series, whereas it is removed near the end of the novel.

## Release

### Broadcast

*Silverwing* was commissioned by and first aired on Teletoon in Canada in fall 2003.

In the United States, the series was shown on Toon Disney's Jetix block in autumn 2005, with Jetix later airing the show internationally.

### Home media

The full series has been released on DVD in the US and the UK.

1. ↑ Ball, Ryan (11 October 2005). Bardel Features Sold to Toon Disney.
2. ↑ Template:Cite news
3. ↑ Thursday, March 30th, 2006 (30 March 2006).
4. ↑ Silverwing: Season 1 Set (June 5, 2007).
5. ↑ Silverwing - The Movie Trilogy (28 April 2008).