Reepicheep

Reepicheep
Physical information
Gender	Male
See also
Portrayal in other universes	Warwick Davis (BBC miniseries)

"Sire, my life is ever at your command, but my honour is my own."

―Reepicheep (Chapter 13)

Reepicheep was one of the Talking Mice of Narnia, and was their leader. He was also one of Caspian's most loyal and bravest knights. His second-in-command was Peepsiceek.

Reepicheep lived before and during the reign of Caspian X, and was completely loyal and faithful to Aslan. He took part in the Narnian Revolution, nearly getting killed in the process, and also sailed with Caspian on the Dawn Treader to the End of the World. He also welcomed the Seven Friends of Narnia to Aslan’s Country after Aslan ended the Narnian world.

Biography

Early Life

Reepicheep is descended from the dumb mice who chewed away Aslan's binds at the Stone Table during the Winter Revolution. Aslan gave the mice the ability to talk as a reward for their kindness.

In childhood, Reepicheep lived in the forest, and one of the dryads used to sing him a lullaby:

Where the sky and water meet,

Where the waves grow sweet,

Doubt not, Reepicheep,

To find all you seek,

There is the utter East.

Narnian Revolution

Reepicheep during the Battle of Aslan's How.

Reepicheep had always had an adventurous spirit, which together with his skill with a sword led him to become leader of all Narnia's mice. He played a major role in the Narnian Revolution, in which he swore his allegiance to Caspian, and fought alongside the Old Narnians in their attempt to take the country back from the Telmarines and the usurper Miraz. He was joined by several of his fellow mice, including his second-in-command, Peepiceek, and was an advisor and friend to Prince Caspian, and the Kings and Queens of Old, the Pevensies.

He participated in the Second Battle of Beruna, and suffered near-fatal wounds in the fight. Queen Lucy healed most of his injuries with her magic cordial, but was not able to restore his severed tail. Aslan was at first reluctant to restore what Reepicheep considered "the honor and glory of a mouse", for fear it would encourage the mouse's pride. However, the love between Reepicheep and his followers, evidenced by their willingness to cut off their own tails if Reepicheep had to go without his, persuaded the Lion, and the mouse regained his tail.

After he was healed, he was made a knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion by Caspian, after he himself was knighted by Peter, along with Trufflehunter and Trumpkin.

On the Dawn Treader

Reepicheep comforts Eustace in his Dragon form.

Reepicheep sailed with Caspian on the Dawn Treader to the end of the world.

He demonstrated that he was a good chess player, often playing with Lucy and Eustace during the voyage. He won most games, even though the pieces were large and required him to use both paws to move them about the board. On occasion, he forgot that he was playing chess and acted as if the game was a real battle, making ridiculous moves that caused him to lose. 

During the voyage, he had some minor scrapes with Eustace Scrubb, who showed the mouse no respect and once swung him around by his tail. Angered, Reepicheep challenged him to a duel, but Eustace declined on the grounds of being a pacifist. When he did this, Reepicheep began to whip him with the flat of his blade until he was forced to apologize. The two were almost complete opposites in character, creating extreme dislike between the two.

Lucy says goodbye to Reepicheep.

Reepicheep's problems with Eustace ended on Dragon Island, when Eustace was temporarily turned into a Dragon. Reepicheep forgave him for his former mistreatment, and comforted Eustace by telling him stories at night, when they were the only ones awake. Having shown Eustace such humility and kindness, the two of them became good friends.

Reepicheep was the only native Narnian to travel toward the end of the world with Edmund, Lucy and Eustace after the Silver Sea became too shallow for the Dawn Treader.

Although he was always quite eager to engage in combat for honor and glory, Reepicheep also demonstrates quick tactical thinking. When the sea serpent attacked the Dawn Treader, Reepicheep was the only one who had the sense to see that attacks against the monster were useless, and he shouted at the crew to push its coils off of the ship. It was so unusual for the mouse to tell people not to fight that they all stared at him in shock. By following his lead, the crew was able to rescue the ship.

After the humans waded toward the island, where they met Aslan, he sailed over the edge of the Narnian world and reached Aslan's Country, fulfilling his life-long wish.

Aslan's Country

Reepicheep was there to greet the Seven Friends of Narnia, when they arrived after the Narnian world ended, into Aslan's Country, saying:

"Welcome, in the Lion's name. Come further up and further in."

―Reepicheep (Chapter 16)

Reepicheep at the gates to Aslan's Country.

Physical Description

He was about "two feet tall", weighed about "seven pounds", with dark fur that was almost black, and looked, according to Lucy, "so cute!", a description he didn't appreciate much. He always wore a short belt around his middle, with a rapier at his side. At the time of the Dawn Treader Voyage, he wore a a thin band of gold around his head with a long crimson feather sticking out of it, possibly as a sign of his leadership.

Personality

For more in-depth and opinion-based discussion, see Reepicheep's personality

Reepicheep was exceedingly brave and loyal to the death, willing to fight and die for his king and lord. His honor was very important to him, such that that Aslan warned him that he thought too much of his honor. Apparently honor had become a point of vanity to Reepicheep, rather than purely an adherence to virtue for virtue's sake. Reepicheep was fierce in battle, always eager to fight for Narnia's cause. He did not fear death because he knew that when he died, he would go to Aslan's Country, which was his one dream.

Although Reepicheep seems overconfident about his strength and bravery, he is actually worried about how others perceive him. In Prince Caspian, Reepicheep confesses to Aslan that he feels the need to prove himself to the world. He considered the loss or pulling of his tail a sign of dishonor. Reepicheep learns the lesson of humility by confessing this well-kept secret to Aslan. Unlike many of his fellow Old Narnians, Reepicheep still upholds the old ways of the Narnian Knights. Reepicheep shows his respect by being the First to Acknowledge High King Peter as his Leader. Much like Oreius (LWW movie) the mouse is fiercely loyal to The Kings and Queens of Narnia.

He is open, honest, and miserable after he loses his tail at the battle of Aslan's How. Aslan restores Reepicheep's tail, as mentioned above, simply because the mice, who also served as Fellow Knights of Reepicheep, Love and Respect Him. Reepicheep does not need to prove himself to Aslan, because Aslan accepts him just the way he is, with or without the honor of a tail.

Reepicheep is very adventurous. He loved to fight in battles, and was also quite good at chess. It is also mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book that Reepicheep is an excellent swimmer.

It was Reepicheep's dream and all-engrossing desire to sail to the end of the world, and to Aslan's Country; a dream he achieved at the end of his voyage on the Dawn Treader with Caspian X in 2306.

In Prince Caspian (2008) Reepicheep is very sarcastic, sometimes to comedic effect. One such instance is when Reepicheep replies in a smart-aleck sort of way to Pattertwig's remark about collecting nuts.

"We could collect nuts!"
"Yes, and throw them at the Telmarines!...Shut up!"

―Pattertwig and Reepicheep

In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) Reepicheep retained his sarcasm, along with his bravery and sense of humour. He also seemed to possess a great deal more patience than he did in the book, shown by how he dealt with Eustace Scrubb, who he was known to fight with constantly in the book. Yet, in the film, he only ever lost his temper with him once, when the boy grabbed his tail.

"No one, repeat, no one touches the tail! Period. Exclamation mark."

―Reepicheep

Reepicheep appeared to be more amused than angry by Eustace and his snide ways, and even when he did become angry when Eustace grabbed his tail, thus challenging him to a duel, he seemed to use this as a way to teach Eustace sword-fighting. Judging by the film, he appeared to have taken Eustace under his wing, so to speak, as a sort of student, teaching him the ways of a hero, comforting him when he was turned into a dragon, and fighting alongside him against the Green Mist. Towards the end of the film, he came to care for Eustace very much, shown by his concern for him when he was fighting the Mist alone, and his apparent relief when he saw him alive at the end, and considered him a true hero and a great friend.

Reepicheep admitted in the film that he could be a bit over-zealous at times, revealed by how he attacked the dragon that turned out to be Eustace trying to get their attention.

Weapon

Reepicheep's Rapier.

Reepicheep wielded a rapier sword. Most likely, he had it made for him by Dwarf weapon-smiths in the Shuddering Woods. The sword was very nearly as long as his own tail, with a slightly flexible blade that was made of dwarf-tempered steel.

Upon reaching the world’s end, he threw his sword across the Silver Sea, having no further use for it, and where it landed its hilt remained above the surface before it sank.

Centuries later, when Reepicheep greeted the Seven Friends of Narnia to Aslan’s Country, it was noted that he had a long sword on his person. It is not known whether this was the same sword that he had thrown into the sea at the World’s End.

Gallery

Reepicheep, as drawn by Pauline Baynes.

Reepicheep at Aslan's Table.

BBC version.

Reepicheep in the film series.

VDT poster.

Reepicheep's first shot in the Prince Caspian (Disney movie).

Caspian meets Reepicheep.

Reepicheep swears his loyalty to Caspian.

"Your Majesty, with the greatest respect, I am NOT cute!"

"Nuts...seriously???"

"Har har har!"

Yes, I'm a mouse!

The night of the Telmarine Castle Night Raid.

Reepicheep and his mice.

The mice watch the Telmarine army arrive.

"For Aslan!"

Reepicheep at Death's Door.

"But a tail is the honour and glory of a Mouse."

"Hey! Check out my new tail!"

Reepicheep on the Dawn Treader.

Reepicheep welcomes Edmund and Lucy back.

Reepicheep on the Dawn Treader's figurehead.

"Told you, you should've taken my hand!"

"For Narnia!"

Reepicheep valiantly attacks the slaver Pug.

Hands off!

Sleeping Reepicheep.

Reepicheep catches Eustace stealing rations.

No one touches the tail!

Reepicheep and Eustace duel.

He's behind you!

Reepicheep attacks the dragon.

Reepicheep watches the dragon depart.

Reepicheep stays by Eustace's side.

Reepicheep teaches Eustace bravery.

Reepicheep joyfully welcomes Eustace back.

The Silver Sea.

Reepicheep humbles himself before Aslan.

The brave mouse says his final goodbyes.

Reepicheep leaves for Aslan's Country.

Trivia

• Warwick Davis, who played Nikabrik in Prince Caspian (2008) played Reepicheep in the BBC version of Prince Caspian & The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (BBC).
• Reepicheep is descended from the mice who helped cut Aslan's bonds at the Stone Table. The mice were wild, but became talking mice because of this noble deed.
• Reepicheep is named Ripipip in Scandinavian language (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian) and Ripichip in Portuguese.
• Reepicheep says that a Dryad sung him the song about the Utter East, but how could that be, since the Dryads were all trapped in their slumber?
• In the Prince Caspian Video Game, he is the only character who cannot pick things up.
• Reepicheep and Eustace's relationship is a lot different in the film from the book. While they were constantly at odds throughout the book, in the film, however, Reepicheep was not so easily angered by Eustace's antics. In fact, he seemed more amused than anything, and their relationship appeared to be based more on a teacher/pupil role. Indeed, with Eustace's extended period as a dragon in the film, Reepicheep is his fast companion and rides him on the dragon's head in flight.
• In the Prince Caspian book, Reepicheep is described as being only over a foot high. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, though, he is described as being about two feet high.
• In the films, Reepicheep's fur is golden-brown coloured, while in the books it is described as being very dark, almost black.
• In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader book, Reepicheep's song goes as, "Where the sky and water meet, Where the waves grow sweet, Doubt not, Reepicheep, To find all you seek, There is the utter East." While in the film it went as, "Where sky and water meet, Where the waves grow ever sweet, Doubt not, you Reepicheep, To find all that you seek, There is the utter East."

Crew of the Dawn Treader Crewmembers: Caprius – Caspian X – Cruickshanks – Drinian – Edmund Pevensie – Eustace Scrubb – Gael – Jemain – Lucy Pevensie – Nausus – Pittencream – Reepicheep – Rhince – Rynelf – Tavros