Movies - Rabbit of Caerbannog

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	Movies - Rabbit of Caerbannog

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog is a famous fictional beast from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail
. According to Tim the Enchanter, it "has a mean streak in it a mile wide!" The creature is also known as the "vorpal bunny", though this name does not appear in the film.

The Cave of Caerbannog ("Caer bannog" being Welsh for "turreted castle") is the home of the Legendary Black Beast of Aaarrrgh, and is ostensibly guarded by a fearsome predator of an unknown description, because no one who attempts to enter the Cave or face the monster has ever survived.

In the movie, the Knights of King Arthur's Round Table, accompanied by Tim the Enchanter, having found themselves misled to the Cave of Caerbannog by the latter, find that they must face down the beast.

The beast appears to be a fluffy white rabbit, surrounded by the bones of the fallen. Despite Tim's warnings, Bors, one of Arthur's knights, approaches it, sword drawn, only to be promptly decapitated by the rabbit to the sound of a can opener. The knights attempt to attack it in force, but are soon driven into retreat as the bunny rabbit leaps from knight to knight, tearing out their throats. (Oddly enough, some of the knights killed by the rabbit appear, alive and well, later in the film.)

Only the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch allows the knights to defeat the beast and proceed further.

Other appearances

The Rabbit of Caerbannog also appears in the games Wizardry, Quest for Glory IV, Ultima Online, Asheron's Call, Final Fantasy XI, and Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, though in these games it is usually referred to as the Vorpal Bunny or Killer Rabbit.

3D Realms' martial arts based first person shooter game Shadow Warrior featured a reference to the rabbit. One secret area contained a single white rabbit, and upon entering, the protagonists proclaims; "That's no ordinary rabbit!" In the same room, the word "Tim" can be found written on a wall.

The popular card game "Munchkin" features a monster card that appears to be a weak monster. When engaged in combat, however, a die is rolled, and on a result of "6" the rabbit turns out to be "the rabbit from that one movie." If the player is forced to flee, the rabbit slays the player. Interestingly, the rabbit can still slay the player, even if it isn't actually the Rabbit of Caerbannog!

The 1985 Iron Crown's game supplement Creatures and Treasures features the "killer rabbit" which "bounds for the throat, never for another part of the body, and treats damage from 'exploding' attacks as 'slaying' (H.H.G.O.A.)".

In Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, the Shaolin monk Kung Lao has a white rabbit that he presents as part of his finishing moves. Always appearing from his razor-rimmed hat (in a nod to the old magician's trick of pulling a rabbit out of their hats), it is presented either as a Friendship) in MK2, or as a prelude to two of his Fatalities in Shaolin Monks; the first, it is used as a bludgeon to beat the opponent to death, while the second is closer to the rabbit's Monty Python roots, being thrown to the opponent to pet for a few seconds before it murderously decapitates them.

In the Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game, there are two rabbits similar in their effect to the actions of the Rabbit; Inaba White Rabbit, in the Legacy of Darkness and Dark Beginnings 2 sets, is a Spirit monster (Level 3/Earth/Beast/700/800) that can attack the opponent's life points directly. In the Flaming Eternity set, Blade Rabbit (Level 2/Earth/Beast/400/300) that can destroy an opponent's monster when its position is changed from face-up Attack to face-up Defense position. Curiously, Blade Rabbit's card art depicts an eyepached and leather vest-clad white rabbit with a set of enormous blade-like front teeth and carrying a spiked carrot, giving it the feel of his Monty Python cousin.

Quotes

Tim the Enchanter: That's no ordinary rabbit, that is the most cruel, vile, bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!

"Death awaits you all with nasty big pointy teeth!"

"There it is!", "What? Behind the rabbit?", "It is the rabbit!"

"What's he do, nibble your bum?"

"It has huge, sharp...it can leap about...Look at the bones!"

Speaking after the knights have witnessed the decapitation of Bors: "I warned you. I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well, it's always the same. I always tell them. Do they listen to me? Oh, no."

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Rabbit of Caerbannog ]

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