Sunflash the Mace
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Sunflash the Mace is a fictional character from the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. He is an anthropomorphic badger.
Born the son of Bella and Barkstripe, Sunflash takes his name from the yellow streak of fur on his head. After Barkstripe was killed by Verdauga Greeneyes and his daughter Tsarmina, Sunflash went to avenge his father. He disappeared, and was presumed dead. However, after years of wandering, he came to the mountain of Salamandastron. Taking up the title of Badger Lord, he succeeded his grandfather, the legendary Boar the Fighter. He was voiced by Simon Smithies in the full-cast audiobook of Mossflower.
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[edit] In The Books
[edit] Mossflower
Background information of Sunflash and his disappearance is given by his mother, Bella. In the epilogue, Sunflash arrives at Salamandastron.
[edit] Mariel of Redwall
Lord Rawnblade Widestripe is described as a mirror image of Sunstripe the Mace, of course without the golden stripe on his head. This is the first book that Sunflash/Sunstripe was mentioned.
[edit] Outcast of Redwall
While wandering Mossflower, seeking revenge against the Greeneyes, Sunflash is captured by Swartt Sixclaw and his small troupe. Swartt uses him as a beast of burden, and calls him "Scumtripe".
Sunflash won his freedom from Swartt after saving a hawk named Skarlath from death, gaining the bird as a friend. Skarlath bit through Sunflash's bindings, and Sunflash attacked Swartt with a tree limb, shattering his six clawed left paw. Keeping the tree limb as a symbol of his slavery, Sunflash called it his mace.
After fleeing for several months, Sunflash became a legend as he righted wrongs across the land. During one of these incidents, he saved two families of moles and hedgehogs.
Sunflash and Skarlath took up residence with the family, and Sunflash learned to be a farmer and friend to beasts of all ages. However, Sunflash still felt something missing, which was revealed as he lay sick after being bitten by two adders before he slew them. At the edge of death, he found himself at the gates of the Dark Forest. There, he saw his father Barkstripe, grandfather Boar, and great-grandfather Lord Brocktree guarding the entrance. He was denied entry, for his time was not yet done. Sunflash then saw a vision of his mother Bella, and learned that he was destined to go to Salamandastron.
Leaving Skarlath with the families, but still at his beck and call if need be, Sunflash traveled on. Befriending shrews, squirrels, and otters alike, Sunflash made his way to the mountain. There, he took command, and became a popular Lord because of his ability to befriend all age groups. He took up farming, and later wrote his own poetry. Under his guidance, the mountain flourished as never before.
Sunflash's peace was not to last, as Swartt arrived with his new horde in tow. Donning black armor and chain mail, Sunflash was overtaken by the Bloodwrath as he battled his sworn enemy. Defeating the horde, he pursued his adversary to Bat Mountpit, the peak that was home to the bats. Along the way, Skarlath was slain by Nightshade, a seer fox working for Swartt. Sunflash, pursuing Swartt in a blind fury, was knocked out when he was struck from behind with a boulder.
Rather than killing Sunflash outright, Swartt decided to torture him, staking him next to a campfire. He was saved by a mousemaid from Redwall named Bryony, who had followed Swartt's son Veil to the camp. Bryony loosed Sunflash's bonds enough that he was able to break them, and he killed Swartt by hurling him over the side of a mountain.
Accompanying the Redwallers home, Sunflash met his mother Bella for the first time in years. He stayed at Redwall until her death, then returned to his mountain. He became a terrible foe for all wicked beasts, known only as the Mace to those who faced him. Sunflash took his title of "the Mace" from his weapon, the oaken branch he had crushed Swartt's paw with while escaping.
He later changed his proper name to the more gentle Sunstripe. His legacy would live on in his great grandson, Rawnblade Widestripe. Sunflash was unique in his love for all ages, particularly the young children, whom he would play with whenever the chance arose.
[edit] Trivia
- Sunflash was named Sunflash in the book Mossflower, but in Mariel of Redwall, and the rest of the series before Outcast, he was named Sunstripe. Outcast explained this continuity error by saying that Sunflash changed his name to Sunstripe after the battle with Swartt.
- In Mariel of Redwall, Rawnblade Widestripe is described as the first Badger Lord to suffer the Bloodwrath since Boar the Fighter. Over time, the Bloodwrath has changed from its original concept to something that badger lords fall into every time they are brought to battle, creating a continuity error from the earlier books in the series.
