User blog comment:Verminfate/Essay: Redwall's most controversial character..... Veil/@comment-33322546-20171204231724

Here's what I think.

Since he jumped in front of the spear, even though it might have meant his death, he had the seed for good inside him, and most likely did his whole life.

The ONLY reason that it didn't show sooner was because of those jerks in the Abby that treated him as if they KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt his nature would overcome whatever good they MIGHT have shown.

Since they treated him as if he was born a badbeast, he confirmed their expectations when grown, and thus acted as if THEY were the victims.

The reality is the opposite. Everything that happened at the Abby was because of them.

Veil was only a poor scape-ferret that was the victim of subconscious brainwashing, along with the 'unfortunate' reality of him being a ferret.

So what if his nature predisposed him to being harsher than any other beast?

He showed concern for the only creature who loved him and who stood up for him his whole life. That's why he didn't show the same to any other beast, because of their attitude towards him.

In other words, nurture can be more powerful than nature.