Watership Down episode 2 recap: The Raid

Watership Down continues with its second episode as the rabbits of the Watership Down warren attempt to save new friends while facing new foes.

“The Raid” begins with Captain Holly (Freddie Fox) recounting of his travels to find the rabbits of Watership Down to Hazel (James McAvoy).

Fiver’s (Nicholas Hoult) vision had become truth, and Holly barely survives the onslaught of digger claws. He travels across the country, following their scent the best he can, before coming across a similarly injured rabbit coming the opposite way. Holly is warned of continuing on, of an imposing threat that will find him.

As Watership Down is burrowed into, Bigwig (John Boyega) voices his frustration at the slow progress and lack of does. With Strawberry (Olivia Colman) as the only doe and a fight already having broken out over winning her affection, Bigwig’s mind is on preserving and growing the warren stronger. He suggests they go to the nearby farm and recruiting some of the does there, but Hazel disagrees, shaken by Holly’s story of the humans’ cruelty.

A gull crashes in front of the group, its wing injured. The others are leery of this new threat, but Hazel sees opportunity in befriending a creature with the advantage of flight and higher visibility. They feed him worms and beetles, learning his name is Kehaar (Peter Capaldi).

Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig head for the farm. A quite large rottweiler sleeps by the farmhouse, and humans can be heard arguing inside. Bigwig keeps watch as Hazel and Fiver approach the hatch cage in the barn. Inside is Clover (Gemma Arterton) along with several other does. They attempt to chew through the leather straps, but are interrupted with the farm’s cat striking Bigwig. The three are forced to retreat.

More frustrated than ever, Bigwig questions Hazel’s leadership for the second time. Hazel confides in Fiver of his doubt and fear of the humans. Fiver turns to his visions to put his brother’s mind at ease, but only finds pain and death in them.

Back home, Strawberry clears out the ground underneath the Watership Down thicket and provides a proper warren to the rabbits. Holly feels survivor’s guilt, wishing he believed in Fiver earlier. Kehaar flies from the warren, overlooking the countryside and taking note of a large warren in an industrial section. His wounded wing acts up, and he is forced to return to Watership Down. He informs the rabbits of the nearby warren, and of their does.

That night, Holly, Blackberry (Miles Jupp) and Bluebell (Daniel Kaluuya) head for the other warren. Nearly there, they are stopped by Captain Orchis (Jason Watkins) and his soldiers. They are escorted to the warren, named Efrafa, where they learn of its distressing and tormented rule. They are brought before General Woundwort (Ben Kingsley), where their request for more does is denied and they are told they will never leave. Each is branded with a wound on their hind leg and a section of the warren to be enslaved in. They make a break for it, hunted by the larger and deadlier rabbits. When all hope seems lost, they use the distraction of an oncoming train to escape, the train killing Captain Vervain (Adawale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Orchis’ brother, in the process.

Hazel goes alone back to the farm in the dead of night, but the hatch cage has been moved inside. He sneaks through the farmhouse, avoiding the cat and the humans. He works with Clover and the does to free them from the cage, but the cat attacks them. Bigwig and Fiver come to the rescue, but they are chased throughout the home while the farmer and his wife are alerted. The rabbits escape out the bedroom window, Clover slipping and nearly being taken by the Rottweiler.

Nearly free of the farm, the farmer approaches from the road, brandishing his shotgun. In saving one of the other rabbits, Hazel is shot, collapsing into a storm drain. The others search for him, but they find no sign. In and out of consciousness, Hazel is visited by the Black Rabbit, a spirit guide. He is told it is not his time yet as he falls into blackness.

What did you think of the second episode of Watership Down, “The Raid”?