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This article is about the antagonist of the film.
- “Lord what I must do? I left to quell a rebellion and returned to more. This wild land must be civilized. That is your will.”
- ―Cromwell praying.
The Lord Protector, is a character and the main antagonist of Cartoon Saloon’s 4th film Wolfwalkers. He is the protector of an Irish town called "Kilkenny". While the creators admit that he is based upon the historical figure of Oliver Cromwell, he is never addressed by that name in the story.
History[]
Early life[]
The Lord Protector is based on Oliver Cromwell who by 1650 had successfully quelled insurrections in England and Scotland. He is now come to Ireland to do the same. He establishes himself as ruler of Kilkenny. He wants the forest cleared in order to open good farming land in Ireland for English transplants. When the woodcutters are repeatedly attacked by wolves, the Lord Protector calls Bill Goodfellowe, a wolf hunter, from England to come and deal with the problem.
Personality[]
The Lord Protector is a proud and inflexible man virtually devoid of compassion, sympathy, understanding, and is intolerant of anything or anyone that questions or threatens his authority.
A religious man, he is self-righteous and believes he acts in accordance to the will of God in spreading order and taming the wilds, a representation of the disorder and strife he hates and will not allow in the land that is his protectorate. He has no patience for children and would rather put those under his command to exhausting work in the scullery than allow them to run wild and misbehave, and he has no qualms threatening a child to the stocks to get them back in line with his authority.
Due to his Christian worldview, he abhors anything he considers to be pagan nonsense though after realizing the mystical Wolfwalkers are real, he declares their abilities to be witchcraft and that they must be destroyed.
In his final moments, rather than die at the fangs of Wolfwalker, which he believes is a form of deviltry, Cromwell choses to take his own life. He believes he is dying a martyr's death and hearkens his soul to the Lord with his final words.
Physical Appearance[]
The Lord Protector is a broad shouldered, heavyset man with shoulder-length brown hair that's turning grey. His face is stern and has a wart on his nose and chin. His eyes are steel gray.
Role in the Film[]
He first appears with his soldiers as Seán Óg talks disparagingly about him regarding his rule and soon has the woodcutter thrown in stocks for his disrespect. Cromwell reprimands Bill for not making any progress on ridding the forest of wolves so the woodcutters can work without fear. Upon noticing Robyn behind her father, the Lord Protector reprimands her for being outside the city walls, and orders her to be sent to the scullery. Before leaving to deal with a rebellion in the south of Ireland, he gives Bill a two-day deadline to finish off the wolves by the time he returns.
The Lord Protector returns on the night that Robyn, in wolf form, is searching the city for Moll having caught her scent. Her presence in the city causes a panic that drives The Lord Protector into pledging to tame the wild land and shooting at Robyn when he finds her in his chamber. Later that morning he calls forth Bill to chastise him for his failure to take care of the wolf situation. He also condemns Robyn to the stocks when she petitions for the release of Moll, calling her a Wolfwalker. Only Bill's pleading saves them both as the Lord Protector gives them one last chance to quiet down and follow orders.
The next day the Lord Protector has a public demonstration in the town square where he intends to show how Moll, as a giant wolf, has been tamed and that the woods are not to be feared because they too will be tamed. Mebh however charges the stage causing mayhem and embarrassing the Lord Protector. Mebh escapes to the city gate and shouts that she will return with the wolves to eat everyone in the city. This allows the Lord Protector to rally the troops and proclaim that he will go out and burn the forest down and kill all the wolves.
As the Lord Protector leaves the city with his troops he comes across Bill who is cradling his unconscious daughter. Rather than attend to him or Robyn, he orders that Bill be chained so he can deal with him later and continues his pursuit of the wolf pack setting fire to the woods as they go.
The Lord Protector tracks the wolves to their den and orders his soldiers to continue burning the woods as well as being prepared to shoot any wolf they encounter. When Mebh calls the wolf pack back to the den, the Lord Protector opens fire on them with a cannon which temporarily stuns Robyn. When the Lord Protector specifically targets the wolf den, Robyn awakes and jumps on the cannon forcing it to fire into the ground causing a massive explosion.
Robyn is knocked out by the blast and the Lord Protector moves to kill her with his sword. Before the fatal blow can be struck, Bill is able to free his wolf form to save Robyn and then proceeds to battle the Lord Protector fang vs sword. Bill is able to overpower the Lord Protector and force him to the ground. However, the Lord Protector sees that an injury he made to Bill's wolf form has also appeared on Bill's human form. Realizing they are connected somehow, the Lord Protector grabs his flintlock and prepares to shoot Bill's human form only to be saved at the last second by Robyn who returned to her body and uses a crossbow to disarm the Lord Protector.
Wolf Bill and the Lord Protector fight to the edge of the bridge with Bill clearly having the upper hand. The Lord Protector decides to die as a martyr rather than die at the fangs of some devil wolf and unbuckles his armor to fall to his death.
Relationships[]
Robyn Goodfellowe[]
He has no patience for children and would prefer to send them to the scullery for a day of exhausting work than allow them to stay at home unsupervised. The Lord Protector sees Robyn as nothing more than a necessary inconvenience. He needs Bill to capture the wolves, Bill has a daughter, so here she is. Even though she is introduced to him, the Lord Protector never uses her name only "girl". He quickly grows tired of Robyn's protests about how he is dealing with the wolf situation and nearly sends a 12-year-old girl to the stocks for using the word "Wolfwalkers" with only her father's pleading to change his mind. Even then he threatens to separate her from her father if she doesn't fall in line. Later on, he tries to kill her in her wolf form before he cowers when she shoots his pistol away from him when he tries to kill Bill.
Mebh Óg MacTíre[]
He doesn't know Mebh from any other unruly child in the city except that she dared to charge the stage and make a mockery of his authority as he tries to prove the big wolf is tamed. When she unleashes her truly wild side and threatens to bring the wolves into Kilkenny to eat them all, the Lord Protector responds by promising to put an end to the wolves by burning the forest to the ground. The Lord Protector never encounters Mebh again.
Bill Goodfellowe[]
The Lord Protector brought Bill to Ireland to clear the wolves from the surrounding forest. As the days go by and Bill continues to return empty handed, the Lord Protector looks less and less favorably on Bill's usefulness. When his daughter starts challenging his decisions and spouting pagan nonsense, the Lord Protector grows tired that Bill can't even manage his daughter and revokes his role as a hunter and relegates him to a common foot soldier. To command his obedience, he gives Bill one last chance to follow orders or else he'll be off to war as cannon fodder.
Móll MacTíre[]
He doesn't know Móll as anything other than a very large wolf that needs to be tamed. He attempted to show the population of the town that she was no longer a threat, but Mebh and Robyn's interference ruins his plan. Since she is no longer useful to him, he orders Bill to kill the wild beast and he last sees her escaping from the city with Robyn on her back.
Wolves[]
Lord Protector claims the Wolves as ‘beasts’ and hates them primarily because they represent the untamed wildness and their presence hinders the wood cutters from clearing the forest. He orders all Wolves to be killed and, in real life, his financial rewards for hunting wolves led to wolves being driven to extinction in Ireland in 1786.
Appearances[]
- Wolfwalkers (First and Last appearance) - Simon McBurney
Books[]
Trivia[]
- This Character is based on Oliver Cromwell, an English General who lived during the English Civil War, but since the artists took liberties on the historical figure, he is only referred to as the "Lord Protector", a title that Cromwell claimed for himself in 1653.[1]
- In real life, his financial rewards for hunting wolves led to wolves being driven to extinction in Ireland in 1786. Because he dies much earlier in this story and it concludes with a large wolfpack under the guidance of four Wolfwalkers, it creates the possibility of an "alternate history" where wolves still exist in Ireland.
Gallery[]
Quotes[]
- “If you have grievances you should speak with me directly.”
- ―The Lord Protector
- “So, wolf. Tomorrow, I will show them that I have tamed you, just as I will tame this land. They will have nothing to fear if they trust in the Lord’s will.”
- ―{{{2}}}
- “(brings out Móll) You see? This once wild creature is now tamed, obedient, a mere faithful servant! (shoves torch in front of Móll, causing her to cower) I will rid our land of all its wretched kind!”
- ―declaration
- “People listen to me, listen to me! Do not fear! Wild girls? On wolves? Because tonight, we will put an end to this! I will burn this forest to the ground! I will lead cannons to the den of these beasts and send them all to hell! […] We shall prevail! It is the Lord’s will!”
- ―{{{2}}}
- “(Robyn: No please! You can’t!) (Bill: Robyn! Stop this!) And for heavens sake, put manners on that girl, or manners be put on her.”
- ―{{{2}}}
- “By God's glory and punishment he vanquishes thee.”
- ―The Lord Protector as he prepares to kill Robyn in her wolf form.
- “Into your arms, my Lord. (loosens breastplate armor) I commend my soul.”
- ―Cromwell's last words before he falls below into the ravine.
References[]
- ↑ The Art of Wolfwalkers by Charles Solomon, page 15