- "In a place that breeds intrigue and lies, truth is a weapon to be used when the time is right."
- — Spartina to Campion
Spartina is one of Darkhaven's warrior does. She was sent by Woundwort to trick the Watership Down rabbits into thinking that she is their friend, so she can spy on them and find the location of their warren. However, while she was there, Silverweed managed to see through her guise as he saw her in Darkhaven, and she confessed everything to Hazel and the others, due to her developing feelings for Bigwig.
She returned to Darkhaven, in order to save Blackberry from being killed by Granite, who was instructed by her to kill Blackberry under the next full moon, since she was under Woundwort's orders. However, she is soon held prisoner along with Blackberry. Later Spartina managed to escape along with Campion and Blackberry, and aided the Watership Down rabbits in their fight against Woundwort. It is assumed that she settles down with Bigwig at Watership Down after the final battle.
Personality[]
Spartina is a gentle, cunning, intelligent and smart doe. She is a strong fighter and she has far more than just intelligence. Spartina was sent by Woundwort to spy on the Watership Down rabbits, but she eventually turned against Woundwort after she found out they fight to protect what they love and that Woundwort fights to destroy what he hates, she also falls in love with Bigwig.
She appears to be true to her word unless she has to lie to protect something, an example of being true to her word is when she returns to Darkhaven to save Blackberry, an example of lying is telling General Woundwort where Watership Down isn't located.
She can also be vengeful as when she thinks Bigwig has died, due to thinking that, she kicks a Darkhaven member, saying "That was for Bigwig."
After being threatened by Campion when he says he'll tell Hazel of Spartina being a spy, she decides to protect herself and tell him how she ordered Granite to murder Blackberry if she's captured or imprisoned.
Appearance[]
Spartina is a lilac-furred rabbit, she has blue eyes and a blue feather behind one of her ears. She has a tuft of fur on her head like Bigwig's but unlike his, it's more at the back of her head.
TV series[]
The Dark Deal[]
Spartina, Felspar, Shale and Granite ambush Campion while he's resting, before Shale could kill Campion, Spartina stops him. Spartina says that Campion will do well in the battle pit. Spartina asks Campion for his name. Later, Spartina and the others taken Campion to Darkhaven. She leads him to the battle pit where the Darkhaven warriors are chanting "War!".
Later, Spartina watches Felspar and Granite play bobstones, after Felspar cheats Granite attacks him. She then goes to tell Campion what he's up against. She notices Campion doesn't seem worried or scared. She then gives him a tip to fight a low ranking warrior, if he does, he might survive.
After a while, Spartina takes Campion back to the battle pit and gives a speech about the "Dark One". Spartina gives Campion help by telling him Granite's weak spot. When Campion thanks her, she tells him not to thank her and that Granite will kill him anyway before leaving the battle pit for the two bucks to fight. When Shale complains about an "outsider" taking the rank of the chief, Spartina reminds him about the law of Darkhaven as Campion has won and he's the chief.
Spartina tells Campion he lives to see another sunrise.
Darkhaven[]
After Campion won against Granite, Spartina follows Campion into his burrow. Spartina tells Campion he doesn't belong in Darkhaven and that he is pretending to be like the others. After Campion's cold response she asks what changed him. Campion changes the topic to the "Dark One". Spartina explains that he'll lead them to glory. When Spartina says that he's one-eyed, Campion realized it's Woundwort, Campion tells Spartina she was wrong and that he belongs on Darkhaven.
Spartina tells Woundwort to stop.
Later, Spartina, Granite, Shale and Felspar scent intruders. Granite tells Spartina to carry on down the trail and get their attention. Spartina sees that her group has all been defeated by Woundwort. She stops Woundwort from killing Shale by telling Woundwort he'd need them if she thinks he is who she thinks he is. Spartina bows to him and says she dare not speak his name. When Woundwort presses on, she tells him. Woundwort stops trying to kill her patrol.
At night, Spartina tells Campion that he has a challenge to his leadership. Spartina says it isn't Granite this time. Spartina tells Campion to run and that it's his only chance. Later on a patrol, with Granite, Campion, Felspar and Shale, Granite smells Blackberry and Primrose nearby. Blackberry gets captured by Spartina, Spartina tells her there's a new life ahead of her and she won't like it one bit.
The Eyes of Silverweed[]
Spartina shows Blackberry the Speaker of the Past's class and tells her she'll be safe there. Blackberry asks why Spartina is helping her and Spartina says that nobody helped her when she came here. Spartina meets with Campion, he asks what Spartina had done to her, Spartina asks what happened to the cold Campion from yesterday, Spartina tells Campion that she knows that he knows the outsiders but Campion reminds her that she lied too and that she called Bigwig "Cloud berry".
Spartina tells him; "In a place that breeds intrigue and lies, Truth is a weapon to be used when the time is right.". Campion says that she should stop playing games, Spartina says she never loses because she always sides with the winner. Spartina stalks Blackberry and Campion talking. When Vervain asks her what they were saying, Spartina tells him to beat her in single combat and she'll tell him, scaring Vervain. Spartina watches Campion and Blackberry take Silverweed out of Darkhaven while Granite spies.
Spartina then watches as an army of Darkhaven warriors chase Blackberry, Campion and Silverweed. She catches up to Campion before any other warrior and asks if that was Hazel. She asks why Woundwort is so afraid of him, before Campion could answer Woundwort caught up with them. Woundwort orders his army to track down Silverweed.
The Spy[]
Spartina was put through a course to see if she'd be a good spy. Woundwort acknowledges her skills as a warrior and a survivor. She asks where she should start looking. Spartina and Granite talk, Spartina gives Granite an order, if she isn't back by the round moon, he should kill Blackberry. Campion starts to lead Spartina to the Down. Spartina asks why Woundwort is so determined to destroy Hazel and the outsiders, Campion says that he's afraid of them. Spartina sees through Campion's lie.
"A poor, lost, helpless female... Why do you think Woundwort chose me for the job?"
Spartina recognizes Hazel and Bigwig from the night before. Spartina tells Campion that if she doesn't return to Darkhaven by the round moon, Blackberry will die, Campion tries to attack her and she says she warned him about truth being a weapon when the time's right. She stumbled upon a patrol with Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Pipkin and Holly. Holly acknowledges she's probably from Darkhaven but Bigwig says she's a hurt doe currently.
Primrose heals Spartina's wounds. Spartina gets up and watches Primrose, Holly, Bigwig and Hazel talk. Spartina goes to threaten Silverweed to kill him if he tells the truth. The next day, Silverweed has to look through Spartina's heart. Silverweed lies. Spartina talks to and thanks Bigwig, she tells him she has the looks of a great warrior.
"No... Everything's... Perfect. And that's the trouble."
Primrose shows Spartina around. Spartina and Primrose watch Gilia, Snowdrop and Mallow play tail-tag. Primrose introduces the three to Spartina. Bigwig gives Spartina a carrot. Primrose asks if something's wrong after Spartina looks surprised, Spartina lies saying no.
The Betrayal[]
Spartina leaves Watership Down warren to return to Darkhaven. Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion and a few others look for her at the farm. Spartina gets cornered by Tabitha. Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Dandelion and Hawkbit rescue her. Spartina acknowledges Silverweed. Silverweed reveals Spartina is a spy. Dandelion and Hawkbit take her before she can run, she is taken back to Watership Down as prisoner. Spartina reveals everything, she says she believes the warren could defeat Woundwort. Hazel asks what changed her mind. Silverweed looks into her heart, Bigwig touches Silverweed's paw so they can witness the truth together. The truth shows multiple flashbacks. Spartina attacking Shale, Spartina biting Blackberry, Spartina talking to Woundwort, the patrol picking Spartina up, Bigwig giving Spartina an carrot, Spartina and Bigwig talking while Gilia, Snowdrop and Mallow play, and Spartina and Bigwig looking at the moon.
Spartina and Bigwig talk.
However, this scares Bigwig. Silverweed says that Spartina was telling the truth. Hazel asks what she was doing going back to Darkhaven if she wasn't going back to say what she found. She reveals that she sent Granite to kill Blackberry on the round moon. Spartina begs Hazel to let her return to Darkhaven to save Blackberry. Spartina is followed back to Darkhaven to save Blackberry. Spartina promises to Bigwig that she will not betray Watership Down. She asks if she could come back to Bigwig and he replies saying if she can.
Spartina asks where Granite is, when Vervain tells her, she quickly goes to him and asked if he killed her. When he denied, she says he did the right thing. Campion jumps on Spartina and tries to silence her. When Woundwort asks her again, Spartina reveals the name of the warren but lies about its location.
"Oh, I believe you alright. Guards!"
Spartina goes to talk to the prisoners, Granite tells her he doesn't think she should, Spartina tells him to step aside. She talks to Campion and Blackberry about escaping, just for Vervain to rise from behind the barrier. Two Darkhaven warriors pin Spartina down. Woundwort says that Spartina will die with Campion and Blackberry. The next day, Woundwort orders the sentence to be carried out. Spartina and Blackberry get pushed in after Vervain convinces Woundwort to make Campion reveal the location of Watership Down warren, otherwise Spartina and Blackberry both die. Campion saves the two but at what cost.
The Beginning of the End[]
Spartina says it's time when the Darkhaven warriors start to chant. Granite takes them to the battle pit. Spartina, Campion and Blackberry are forced to lead Woundwort's Darkhaven army to Watership Down. When a hawk comes swooping down, Campion, Blackberry and Spartina don't cower unlike everyone else. Spartina says she saw Hannah on the hawks back, Campion says he saw that hawk before and Blackberry tells them that the hawk's name is Skree, Blackberry explains his backstory. When Vervain talks about how ironic it is that Campion betrays Efrafa, then Darkhaven, then Watership Down, Spartina attacks him and continues to follow the army.
Spartina asks Campion why he keeps helping Woundwort, Campion replies with him thinking there's a pattern to all of this and Campion explains to a confused Spartina. Spartina asks if it's like it's like a trail they've traveled before. Campion explains more about the last battle. Later at night, Spartina talks to Campion and Blackberry about reaching Watership Down before Woundwort. Spartina says they won't get two hops and they should wait. When Blackberry says that maybe the Elil will take all the Darkhaven rabbits, Spartina remarks she doesn't sound like the peace-loving daughter of Watership Down anymore, Blackberry suggests she been in Darkhaven too long. Hannah managed to get to Spartina, Blackberry and Campion while Darkling and his bats attack the army.
Spartina, Campion and Blackberry flee. Vervain notices this and the Darkhaven army chase the escapees to the ravine. Skree takes Blackberry, then Spartina. General Woundwort yells at Spartina and Blackberry, warning them. Campion follows Spartina and Blackberry and the three return to the Down. Spartina and Bigwig reunite.
The Magic[]
She is seen attacking a Darkhaven warrior and says that was for Bigwig before telling Hazel there’s too many of them. Later, when the Black Rabbit of Inle is taking the Darkhaven rabbits, she is seen in the warren. When Bigwig returns to the down she runs up to him and says “Bigwig! You’re alive!”
Trivia[]
- Spartina is Bigwig's love interest in the TV series. As such, it's possible that her character was created to replace Thethuthinnang, who became Bigwig's mate in the book.
- Spartina's former friends are Granite, Shale and Felspar.
- The color of Spartina's fur is lilac.
- Spartina speaks in an Australian accent.
- 'Spartina' is a name of the genus of a Cord grass.
- Spartina's voice actress is unknown.
Gallery[]
