My reflections about Zootopia 2

*spoiler alert warning: Please resume reading after you watch Zootopia 2. But if you do not care about spoilers, feel free to read on.

Main cast of Zootopia 2 which were involved in most of the scenes are included in this drawing. Spot them!

The first Disney's Zootopia animation was first released in 2016. So it’s been 9 years till this sequel. The species of animals included in this one are more varied, and most certainly added diversity to the cast.

The main characters, however, remain unchanged. It is still the good ol’ pairing of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. They are touted as the unlikely partners to work together, and aptly described by Judy’s parents as, “big street crook raised on streets” and “small town bunny raised on farm”.

After watching the animation on the second week of its release in Singapore, below are the themes that resonated to the psychologist within me.

Not in any order of its significance, here we go:  

Just like Zootopia 1, Zootopia 2 continues to be about looking beyond and breaking stereotypes in a society made up exclusively of animals.

The duo Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, both partners in Zootopia Police Department, is a classic example of this, and we are reminded of this whenever they appear. Nick is a fox which is stereotypically “cunning” and “unreliable” whereas Judy is a rabbit which is often seen as a vulnerable prey – hence, both, through their courage and hard work, successfully overcame the above stereotypes by joining the Zootopia police department as police officers.

In this sequel, Gary de’ Snake, a viper was introduced to the cast. Despite its stereotype and physical appearance that are perceived as “dangerous” and “ferocious” to many, with the sharp fang and poisonous venom, Gary presented as mostly harmless. In fact, one of his poignant scenes was when he said: “Snakes never hurt anyone. The journal holds the secret to prove it”. He seemed primarily focused on the mission to clear his family name and to reunite with his family. His wish is to prove his family's innocence so that they can return to Zootopia again. In time to come, we get to discover the truth of how his De’ Snake family got framed by the Lynxley family and in turn, snakes and the rest of reptile community were forced into exile. Gary consistently displayed his considerate nature throughout the animation, armed with his antidote serum (contained in a tube-like device) that he brought along, in his waist pouch. This was meant to save the life of anyone who may accidentally come in contact with his poison. He comes across endearing to me, which is contrasting to the stereotype that he is linked to.

Additionally, there is a sloth, named Flash, whom Nick called for assistance when he needed a ride in one scene. Flash arrived speedily in a sportscar (no less!) to bring Nick to his destination. This light-hearted scene made me reflect about how stereotypical beliefs tend to inform one’s behaviours towards an individual. Thankfully, Nick had prior experiences with Flash, through which he managed to see Flash's underlying personality and capability, over and beyond the stereotypical beliefs about sloths in general. This enabled Nick and Flash to form an endearing friendship characterised by respect and acceptance, rather than one based on potentially limiting perceptions and assumptions about each other.

This animation also showcases how individuals can be change-agents in determining the outcome and trajectory for their future. They get to make decisions at choice-points that can potentially break the vicious cycles of generational tendencies and ideologies. Pawbert Lynxley, the youngest son of the affluent Lynxley family, was initially believed to be different (seemingly more collaborative and friendly) compared to his evil family members. For instance, he apparently lent support to the trio Gary, Judy and Nick in locating the journal and patent which are linked to one of Zootopia’s best kept secrets. However, in a twist of events, Pawbert turned against Gary and this showed how he made his decision to side with his evil family in the end. In fact, he revealed at later scenes that his actions were intended to gain approval from his dad and Lynxley family (from which he felt outcasted). As an active change-agent, his eventual decision can influence the trajectories of outcome and relationship in the animation.

In order to feel belonged and/or not be rejected by social groups, there seems to be this need for some to seek validation or approval from significant others. This need for external validation seems evident in Pawbert’s and Judy’s cases.  Judy, with the tendency to “over-do” and be perfectionistic, may be doing so in her bid to seek others’ approval of herself as a worthy police officer. For Pawbert, he seemed to have made use of the trio – Nick, Judy and Gary to locate the said journal/patent in order to gain his dad’s approval of him. Both seems to be seeking external validation to feel belonged and accepted by specific groups.

The discussion of the role of vulnerability in facilitating closeness and bond in relationships is weaved throughout the storyline of Zootopia 2. For instance, in one scene, Judy commented earnestly, “The world will not be a better place if no one does the right thing”. Nick replied, somewhat dismissively, “it is not worth it!”. This led to Judy feeling hurt and caused a rift between them henceforth. It was through a conversation with Nibbles Maplestick that Nick explained that his words were intended to stop Judy from engaging in the “gungho” (read: life endangering) acts. He reportedly treasured her too much to lose her but however, did not mean for his words to dismiss her aspiration. In that moment, he expressed his truth which he was then encouraged to express directly to Judy. He did so, at a later scene. Through this, Nick proved that he is capable of speaking and acting his truth and this expression of vulnerabilities with Judy helped the duo grow closer.

While Judy always strives to do more, Nick tends to be mostly relaxed. Zootopia 2 shows that both are on extremes, which can be unhelpful in the grand scheme of things. Instead, one can consider working towards balance, or come to middle ground between the two. For instance, one can choose to step up (jump into action) or tone-down (chill/relax) depending on situation, effectively working towards a balance that is sustainable and conducive for growth and mental wellness over longer term.

Finally, I observe that there is a mental health professional included in this sequel. It is none other than Dr Fuzzby, who is a quokka (fun fact: this is the first time a quokka is being featured in any animation). In this sequel, Dr Fuzzby runs a group therapy for Nick and Judy at some point. This is indeed refreshing to see my own profession represented in an animation! This suggests the importance of mental health in today’s societies, both animal and human alike.

As an audience, I thoroughly enjoyed myself with the engaging cinematography, sound and visual effects; meaningful narratives within storyline and of course, the catchy theme song. The main theme song has remained as ear worm for me since I watched the movie. Such a feel-good encouraging song! In a world where there is diversity in terms of animals’ species, roles and social classes, it requires everyone's conscious effort, open communication and mutual understanding about differences, to look beyond stereotypes and differences, and co-exist in harmony. This is likewise applicable in our human society too.

Have fun with your exploration and share your reflections about the animation with me too. I can't wait to read your takes on it. Do share this post with anyone you care about.

Rooting for you always,

Jeanice