Bandersnatch (バンダースナッチ, Bandāsunacchi) is a character from Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts. He is the Chain that is Contracted to Lily. As one of the Baskerville Clan's Chains, Bandersnatch can exert far more potent a power through his bond with Lily and thus is more powerful than regular Chains, their Contract having been active since before the Tragedy of Sablier one hundred years ago. Like his Contractor, Bandersnatch is dedicated to finding their master Glen Baskerville and restoring the power they had lost to the Four Great Dukedoms and Pandora.
This article contains plot and/or ending details for Pandora Hearts.
Read at your own risk.
Description[]
Bandersnatch appears as a black dog, slightly larger than regular dogs in both overall size and muscular build. Bandersnatch has round, pupil-less gray eyes with deep crimson-colored markings just behind his eyes. Bandersnatch appears to have a larger, more powerful jaw than regular dogs with long sharp canines that act as his primary weapon for snapping the necks of his prey, as well as tall perked ears, and short black fur covering his entire body.
Whilst Bandersnatch has not yet displayed much intellectual individuality, his overall personality thus far is very feral and uncontrollable. Bandersnatch will often go against Lily's wishes, often scavenging people for food despite Lily's urges not to. It does appear, however, that Bandersnatch's contract with Lily does allow her to get through to Bandersnatch, as she was able to successfully stop Bandersnatch from killing Reim on two occasions. Any more of Bandersnatch's personality has yet to be explored.
Plot[]
The Feast Arc[]
Lily embarked to a foreign country alongside Lottie, Dug and Fang when word of Oz Vessalius' second Coming of Age Ceremony got around, in order to be able to search the estate of one Isla Yura in hopes of locating the Sealing Stone which he had been rumored to own.
Lily summoned Bandersnatch in the lower levels of the mansion in order to help her find said Sealing Stone, whilst Lottie, Fang and Dug took to their own searches. Bandersnatch soon encounters a Pandora member wandering through the mansion as well, and so Bandersnatch losing his sense of control and attacks the Pandora member, closing his jaw around his victim's neck to snap it and kill him. The snap of the Pandora member's neck is heard from a distance by Reim Lunettes and two other Pandora members also searching for the Sealing Stone.
As Bandersnatch begins to gnaw on the corpse, Lily scolds him and reminds Bandersnatch that they're meant to be searching for the Sealing Stone, which meant no scavenging. Suddenly, Reim and Lily come face-to-face with one another, and Bandersnatch once again goes berserk. Reim's two colleagues are killed by Bandersnatch, however Bandersnatch only manages to slash through Reim's side with his claws, as Lily stops him before he could kill Reim.
Lily has Bandersnatch bring Reim to a more private room, where Reim lies unconscious until Bandersnatch begins licking his face to revive Reim. Once Reim realizes who he's keeping company with, he immediately attempts to escape, however a wound in his side prevents him from getting very far. Lily asks what Reim's doing, when suddenly Bandersnatch runs after Reim and nearly closes his jaws around Reim's neck with the intent of killing Reim. Luckily, Lily orders Bandersnatch to stand down in time, and so Bandersnatch withdraws. Lily then smacks Bandersnatch on the head, telling him that he's a bad dog and that he's not to kill without permission. Lily asks Reim a flurry of questions, like if Reim was a contractor, why he didn't use his Chain's power and what his Chain's name even was. Lily elaborates and explains that she had spared Reim's life because Bandersnatch hasn't been getting enough exercise as of late, and so she was looking for a good playmate for him. This greatly confuses Reim, but when he doesn't answer Lily, Lily suggests having Reim only half-killed so that he would feel more like talking. Reim simply lets everything he was thinking out because of his nerves and telling Lily how his Chain, March Hare, was useless and powerless rather than fit to be Bandersnatch's playmate.
Bandersnatch stood by behind Lily as she laid down on top of Reim, playing with his glasses and explaining how she became a Baskerville. Bandersnatch continues to keep his distance as Reim and Lily talk, Lily eventually deciding that Reim and her could be friends. Reim asks Lily if she was there because the Baskervilles were looking for the Sealing Stone, which Lily confirms, and so Reim asks Lily if she and her colleagues would carry out another event like the Tragedy of Sablier if Glen asked them to after the Baskervilles bring him back. Lily tells Reim that if that was what Glen wanted, then the Baskervilles surely would cause another tragedy. Reim then asks Lily if she'd come to Isla Yura's mansion alone, Lily explains that she came with Lottie, Fang and Dug and that they had split up to search for the Sealing Stone, but that they haven't found anything yet.
Reim asks Lily if she wanted to see his Chain still, which Lily confirms. Reim summons his Chain, March Hare, using it to distract Lily and Bandersnatch long enough for Reim to draw his gun and shoot Lily through the back of the head whilst she marvels at March Hare. Bandersnatch fades away as Lily's body falls to the ground. Reim begins to feel some regret over what he'd done, before deciding that he had to hurry to tell Oz and the others about the Baskervilles' presence at the Coming of Age Ceremony.
Suddenly, Bandersnatch reappears and jumps on Reim, slashing through Reim's chest with his talons. Reim falls to the ground in pain as Lily stands once again, reminding Reim how she'd told him that the Baskervilles are "special". Lily smashes Reim's glasses under her boot as she decides that it's time for her and Bandersnatch to play with Reim.
Later, Bandersnatch goes in to attack Reim again after Lily had asked Reim if he was going to get up or not, but Fang steps before Reim and stops Bandersnatch with his sword, ceasing Lily's game. Fang clearly displays his disappointment with Lily before he kneels down and checks Reim's pulse. Fang then announces to Lily that Reim's already dead, and as he says this, Xerxes Break comes around the corner. Break tries to get Reim to say something upon seeing him, and Fang is surprised to see Break, but Fang reiterates by telling Break that his efforts are useless as Reim's already dead. Upon hearing Fang say Break's name, Lily identifies Break as the friend whom Reim had spoken of earlier. Reality sets in on Break, and his sense of control breaks as he summons Mad Hatter and draws his sword. Fang and Lily are surprised, which Break teasingly acts confused by, asking Lily if she still wanted to play, offering himself up to replace Reim. Break beckons Lily to him, and Lily begins to cry.
Fang immediately grabs Lily and runs out of Isla Yura's mansion. Fang stops running and puts Lily down when he reaches the forest, and so Lily asks why they ran away from Break. Fang notices that Break had followed them outside, and so he draws his sword and explains to Lily that their not running away, rather they were relocating to a place where it'd be easier to fight. Fang defends himself as Break lunges at him with his sword, and so Fang takes the opportunity to compliment Break, telling him how it was an honor to cross swords like this. Fang and Break push off from one another, and Lily exclaims. Fang tells Lily to stay back, reminding Lily of Mad Hatter's power, which was at Break's disposal. Fang goes to attack Break, and Break stands unaffected by the danger before him. Break suddenly tells Fang that it really was nice, the keen intent to kill, Break ducks out of the way of Fang's sword at the last second, making Fang stab his sword into the ground. Break then comes up underneath Fang and slashes through his torso with his sword, remarking on how Fang was too slow.
When Fang once again begins attacking Break, Break is confused because he was sure the blow he'd delivered to Fang was fatal. Break notes the Baskervilles' incredible healing capacity, and questions whether it'd be more accurate to call them immortal. Lily summons Bandersnatch once again and Bandersnatch leaps high into the air to attack Break. Break turns to face Bandersnatch and kicks him, sending Bandersnatch flying through the air, crashing into Fang. Lily runs to Fang and Bandersnatch and tries to push Fang to the ground as Bandersnatch stands. Fang tells Lily not to push on his wound and to get out of his way, but Lily tries to tell Fang to let her and Bandersnatch take over the fight because she can heal much faster than Fang can.
Meanwhile, Break has realized that Fang and Lily fear the power of Mad Hatter based on the fact that they ran from him when he initiated the fight. Break summons Mad Hatter once again, and Lily vows to beat Break with Bandersnatch by her side. Break passively waits for the Baskervilles' attack, questioning if he would die before the Baskervilles for using Mad Hatter's power. Unexpectedly, Fang yells that Break was going to meet his end, and Fang's Chain comes up from underground. Tove rips through Break's side and returns to Fangs side. Fang tells Break that not even he could avoid an attack from underground. Fang, Tove, Lily and Bandersnatch pursue Break, and Break realizes that he has no other choice. Break uses Mad Hatter's power, beginning to cough up blood as soon as he does, also taking the opportunity to apologize to Reim and the Intention of the Abyss for failing both of them.
Gilbert Nightray comes up from behind Break and kicks him to the ground, surprising and confusing Fang and Lily. Gil shoots Lily twice. Gil explains to Break that Oz had ordered him to be back in ten minutes, so Gil had to put an end to the fight right away. Lily asks who Gil was, and so Gil explains that he's Break's left eye before summoning Raven. Raven spews forth its blue flames and Fang grabs Lily, (who has Tove on her head) whilst Bandersnatch runs alongside Fang, and frantically flees the scene, explaining to Lily that Raven's fire can seriously hurt even the Baskervilles. Lily recognizes Raven and begins crying as she recognizes it as Glen's Chain. She yells after Gil, demanding that he give Raven back to them. Fang tries to find a way for himself and Lily to double back and get closer, but seeing Raven in the distance prompts Fang to decide that the two of them should fall back and wait for Lottie and Dug to join them. Lily, however, insists that they can't retreat because she wouldn't abandon Raven. Lily asks Fang if she was right that should they kill Gilbert, then Raven would be freed from the contract Gil has with it. Thinking about Reim, Lily identifies Break and Gil as her enemies, insisting that they need to kill their enemies.
Suddenly, Break descends on Fang and Lily, coming between the two of them in order to keep the Baskervilles separated. Lily notices that Break's back is completely exposed, and so she sends Bandersnatch after Break in an attempt to maul Break. Gil then steps in and fights back-to-back with Break, shooting Bandersnatch three times, while separating Fang further from Lily by making a wall of fire between the two of them using Raven.
With Bandersnatch injured and Fang isolated, Lily draws Reim's gun, which she had stolen off of Reim earlier, and aims it at Break as he approaches her coughing up blood from the strain of his overuse of Mad Hatter. A voice calls Lily from the forest, Reim, whom Lily is happy to see is alive. This distracts Lily long enough for Break to go in for the kill. However, Fang breaks through Raven's wall of fire in order to push Lily out of the way, taking Break's sword, with the concentrated power of Mad Hatter in it, in his torso instead. Lottie comes out riding Leon in time to watch Fang die, she then picks up Lily and the two retreat while Tove fades away. At an unknown point following Bandersnatch's injury, but before Fang's death, Lily had Bandersnatch return to her body.
Later, Dug leads Lottie and Lily into the underground temple which holds the Sealing Stone following the death of Isla Yura. After a short battle between Dug and Oz (using B-Rabbit's power), Oz realizes that he needs to protect Alice, and so he shields her as Dug uses his mace to shatter the Sealing Stone. The pent up energy that was meant to be used in Yura's failed tragedy is released, causing earthquakes throughout the country. Power crackles through the air, and Lily shows concern as she tells Lottie that Bandersnatch is going berserk from the energy released from the Sealing Stone. Lottie and Lily regroup and are picked up by Dug, who carries them to safety out of the mansion as it begins to crumble.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Bandersnatch appears to be able to blend with the shadows in his surroundings, as his legs and tail often appear to have an ethereal consistency.
- Supernatural strength and endurance.
- Healing (Over a prolonged period of time)
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Retrace XLIX: Night in gale (First Appearance)
- Retrace LI: Lily&Reim
- Retrace LIII: Humpty Dumpty Sat On A Wall
- Retrace LV: Back To Back
- Retrace LIX: Couldn't put Humpty together again (Mentioned only)
- Retrace LXXIX: Falling*
- Retrace LXXXV: Reverberate (Mentioned only)
- Retrace XCII: A Story
- Retrace XCIII: Abyss
- Retrace XCIV: Blaze
- Retrace XCVIII: Reverberate
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Trivia[]
- The name "Bandersnatch"[1] is mentioned in the Jabberwocky poem[2] included in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass; but he only appears proper in the separately written poem The Hunting of the Snark.[3]