Abandersnatch is a fictional creature inLewis Carroll's 1871 novelThrough the Looking-Glass and his 1874 poemThe Hunting of the Snark. Although neither work describes the appearance of a bandersnatch in great detail, inThe Hunting of the Snark, it has a long neck and snapping jaws, and both works describe it as ferocious and extraordinarily fast.Through the Looking-Glass implies that bandersnatches may be found in the world behind thelooking-glass,[1] and inThe Hunting of the Snark, a bandersnatch is found by a party of adventurers after crossing an ocean.[2] Bandersnatches have appeared in various adaptations of Carroll's works; they have also been used in other authors' works and in other forms of media.
Carroll's first mention of a Bandersnatch, in the poem "Jabberwocky" (which appears inThrough the Looking-Glass), is very brief: the narrator of the poem admonishes his son to "shun / The frumious Bandersnatch", the name describing the creature's fuming and furious character.[3] Later in the novel, theWhite King says of his wife (theWhite Queen): "She runs so fearfully quick. You might as well try to catch a Bandersnatch!"[1]
In "The Hunting of the Snark," while the party searches for the Snark, the Banker runs ahead and encounters a Bandersnatch:
And the Banker, inspired with a courage so new It was matter for general remark, Rushed madly ahead and was lost to their view In his zeal to discover the Snark.
But while he was seeking with thimbles and care, A Bandersnatch swiftly drew nigh And grabbed at the Banker, who shrieked in despair, For he knew it was useless to fly.
He offered large discount — he offered a cheque (Drawn "to bearer") for seven-pounds-ten: But the Bandersnatch merely extended its neck And grabbed at the Banker again.
Without rest or pause — while those frumious jaws Went savagely snapping around — He skipped and he hopped, and he floundered and flopped, Till fainting he fell to the ground.
The Bandersnatch fled as the others appeared Led on by that fear-stricken yell: And the Bellman remarked "It is just as I feared!" And solemnly tolled on his bell.
Anna Matlack Richards'A New Alice in the Old Wonderland (1895) contains a broader description given of the Bandersnatch within the poemBandersnatchy.[4] In this poem, another hero sets out to slay the Bandersnatch so as to gain respect from his people against the hero who slew the Jabberwock (a story he would sit and tell till after ten o'clock).[4] The author writes that it is necessary to be armed with avorpal sword or a winxypistol, because one never can tell what a Bandersnatch might do. The hero describes the creature as being extremely long-legged with a long tail and the ability to fly. It could be understood that the Bandersnatch perhaps camouflages itself as a tree. Richards' daughter,Anna Richards Brewster, illustrated the hero's encounter with the Bandersnatch.[4]
In a letter from 1959,C. S. Lewis wrote,"No one ever influencedTolkien – you might as well try to influence a bandersnatch."[5]
InRoger Zelazny’s (1987)Sign of Chaos (part ofChronicles of Amber) the protagonist encounters a Bandersnatch. The creature is described as segmented, with a side-to-side gait, leaving a trail of steaming saliva, and hissing like a leaky pressure cooker.[6]
In Wilfrid Blunt's 1966 novelOmar, the characterOmar is ahyrax who speaks English and certain dialects of horses and rhinoceroses. Omar claims that the wordbandersnatch refers to hyraxes, and that the warning to"shun a bandersnatch" only pertains if it happens to befrumious.[7]
InEric Nylund's 2006 novelGhosts of Onyx, the code-name 'Bandersnatch' is used to warn UNSC troops for a radiological or energy-based disaster.[8] It was previously used on occasions whereCovenant troops had 'glassed' former human colonies.
InPandora Hearts (2006), Lily's chain is a large black dog named Bandersnatch.
In theYoung Justice episode "Earthlings",Adam Strange improvises a performance of the second verse ofJabberwocky in order to distract a patrol while on the planetRann. Additionally, Strange's allySardath is shown to own a bird-like alien with an appearance not unlike some illustrations of aJubjub bird.
In the 2010 filmAlice in Wonderland, the Bandersnatch appears as a large white beast somewhat resembling a mix ofbulldog,snow leopard andbear with long fur, black spots, a long tail, and multiple rows of teeth. It is a creature under the control of theRed Queen untilAlice returns its eye, which it had lost to theDormouse. It helps Alice to escape and joins the White Queen's forces. In the video game adaptation of the film, it serves a similar role.
The Bandersnatch appears in theOnce Upon a Time in Wonderland episode "Forget-Me-Not." This version is a monstrouswild boar whoAlice encountered in the past. In the present,Jafar and the Red Queen send the female Bandersnatch after Alice and theKnave of Hearts in order to get Alice to use up one of her wishes from Cyrus, only for the Knave to stab and kill it.
In the adult animated filmMardock Scramble: The First Compression (2010), a dockside warehouse owned by the livestock export company "Bander Snatch" is used as a clandestine meeting location.
InDate A Live season 2, the robotic creatures of Deus Ex Machina are called the Bandersnatch.
In the television seriesOnce Upon a Time, the Bandersnatch is mentioned by Alice in the episode "The Girl in the Tower" as a reference to her speed; she states that she once outran a Bandersnatch.
Seattle rock bandForgive Durden released a single entitled "Beware theJubjub Bird and Shun the Frumious Bandersnatch!" (2006) from the albumWonderland.[9]
Dutch composerTheo Verbey wrote a piece calledBandersnatch for cello and pianola, which was premiered during the 2010 Amsterdam Cello Biennale.
In the 2010 graphic novelCalamity Jack, sequel toRapunzel's Revenge (published in 2006), the giant Blunderboar has a pet Bandersnatch named Lewis, presumably after Lewis Carroll. This Bandersnatch appears as a giant toadlike being with a massive mouth, two small mouths in place of eyes, a long froglike tongue, and the ability to spit acid. It is killed by the Jabblewocky [sic?].[10]
In thevisual novelSekien no Inganock - What a Beautiful People, Bandersnatch appears as a fantastic Creature that manifests itself inside the "engine space" within the City's computer network and preys upon hackers who access the virtual reality.
Bandersnatch is a children’s tabletop game published byMattel in 1968. Players compete in a card game to acquire pieces of a 4-inch tall plastic figure of a bandersnatch. The player who completely assembles his figure first wins the game.
Bandersnatch, a 1984vaporware game project by Imagine Software that led to the 1986 gameBrataccas.
Bandersnatch is the name of several enemies in theFinal Fantasy video game series (1987–present). In most games, it is a common enemy that does not create much difficulty for the player, and it usually has qualities of wolves or lions in appearance. InFinal Fantasy IX, the Bandersnatch is a slightly stronger enemy resembling a large, demonic poodle with an expansive toothy grin. The Bandersnatch ofFinal Fantasy XV is a bipedal reptile vaguely resembling aTyrannosaurus with rows of teeth and spines across its body.
In theMMORPG gamesMabinogi (2004) andLaTale (2006), the Bandersnatch makes an appearance. InMabinogi, a Bandersnatch is an ice monster located in "Par Dungeon". A normal Bandersnatch can only be killed with one of the fire spells, or a giant's stomp ability, due to their high defense. The Giant Bandersnatch can be killed as a normal monster and is the boss of the dungeon. Both normal and Giant Bandersnatches move slowly and will not normally attack unless first hit is activated. InLatale, the Bandersnatch is a dog-like creature that either lunges or headbutts to attack.
Bandersnatches are a powerful type of enemy inKingdom Rush: Origins, appearing as a large, blue and purple monster with a spiny back and the ability to roll into a ball.
The indie gameWelcome to the Fells depicts Bandersnatches as small, brown, feline creatures with matted fur. If the player gets close the Bandersnatch will wake up and chase them at high speeds.
In theShadowrun universe, bandersnatches are humanoid creatures whose bodies can refract light. They can blend in almost perfectly with their surroundings, making them difficult to see, even with the use of thermal detectors, since the radiation of their body heat is also masked.
Bandersnatch is the name of an enemy inResident Evil – Code: Veronica. It shares nothing in common with the source material other than an extendable arm, giving it the 'long reach' of its namesake.
Frumious Bandersnatch is the name of a familiar in the browser-based multiplayer online role-playing gameKingdom of Loathing, obtained by buying a special monthly item in March 2009.
In theTera universe,Bandersnatch is a name given to the last boss inWonderholme's dungeon.
