Nick Wilde

"Never let them see that they get to you."

- Nick Wilde to Judy

Nick Wilde is the deuteragonist of the 2016 Disney animated feature film Zootopia.

Background
As a child residing in Zootopia with his mother, Nick had a dream of joining the local Junior Ranger Scouts, for the goal of receiving genuine acceptance. Though he appeared to have been welcomed by the fellow young members, this was not truly the case. Upon "initiation", Nick was ridiculed, savagely beaten, and muzzled by the other scouts, as a result of being a fox (and the only predator present), which are considered amongst the most untrustworthy and vile species of mammals in Zootopia. After running outside to escape his tormentors, Nick broke down in tears, developing a triggering fear of muzzles and a hatred towards prey mammals. From that moment forward, Nick vowed to never expose his true vulnerability to others, resulting in the fox presenting himself as stoic and unreachable. He additionally decided that, if the world viewed foxes as nothing more than scoundrels, he should not only accept it, but embrace it, subsequently doing so by becoming a successful con-man. Nick appears to be well-off by the start of the film, having made $200 a day since the age of 12, and often working alongside and splitting the day's earnings with his ill-tempered partner and fellow fox, Finnick.

Official Bio

 * "Nick Wilde is a charming, small-time, con artist fox with a big mouth and a lot of opinions. But when a rabbit cop outsmarts him, he finds himself actually helping her solve a mystery."

Personality
Nick is generally charismatic, sociable, wise-cracking, and highly intelligent. A shifty, sly, mischievous and cunning fox, traits supposedly common to all foxes, Nick is easygoing and slick, easily conning and tricking others through his charm and friendly demeanor. He always has a sly smile on his face and seems unfazed throughout most of the events.

Due to his troubled history, Nick grew to be cynical, devious, and prejudiced himself. Unlike Judy, he viewed the world of Zootopia as an abysmal place, where dreams are nothing more than far-off fantasies, and those who strive to become something more than they're stereotyped to be are simply wasting their time and energy. Nevertheless, he kept a somewhat positive aura by embracing and exploring his strong points, which were his wit, intelligence, and ability to con practically all of whom he came across. Furthermore, his past resulted in the fox no longer caring for the opinions of other mammals, no matter how cruel, giving him a sense of strength and independence. These traits would ultimately play a crucial role in solving Zootopia's deadliest conspiracy, and would lead Nick to understanding that, despite the world's viewpoints, it is possible to become something more than you're stereotyped to be.

Though he appeared to be uncaring to those around him, Nick was also sympathetic towards those who experience prejudice, as he did in the past. Witnessing, firsthand, the trials and tribulations that Judy Hopps was wrongfully forced to endure while fighting to prove her worth on the police force, Nick became a firm supporter to the bunny, subsequently proving himself to be quite fearless and protective, when it comes to those he care about. However, Nick is also quite resentful towards those he held a personal trust towards, particularly the ones he personally believed to have accepted him. Said anger was present when Judy publicly stated the feral disease to be due the predator's biology, which caused Nick to feel betrayed towards their apparent friendship when she had essentially reinforced prejudice of predators, foxes included.

However, Nick's admiration and love for Judy would also act as his weakness, bringing about his vulnerability, once more, and rendering him capable of becoming strongly affected by the viewpoints of someone else. Even so, his laid-back nature makes him a quick forgiver, as his care for others ultimately overrides his occasional bitterness.

Role in the film
On an average day, Nick and Finnick were in the midst of their latest scheme. He is first seen snooping about Savanna Central, and eventually entering Jumbeaux's Café, unknowingly being tailed by Officer Judy Hopps, a rookie of the Zootopia Police Department, as she believes Nick, being a fox, is up to no good. Inside the café, Nick is denied service due to his species, though Nick claims he means no harm, and is simply looking to buy a jumbo pop ice-cicle as a birthday present for his son (Finnick, disguised as a toddler). Jerry refuses again, prompting Judy to intervene. She does so by threatening to shut down Jerry's establishment for health code violations, and out of fear, Jerry complies with Judy's demands by allowing Nick to buy the pop. With his luck running strongly, Nick furthers his scheme by claiming to have left his wallet at home, prompting Judy to pay out of sympathy. Nick then thanks Judy for her services, before he and Finnick leave the scene. They head to Sahara Square to further their plot, which is revealed to be an elaborate scheme in which he and Finnick melt down the jumbo pop to create dozens of miniature pops (Pawpsicles), selling them to lemmings at less than the original price, and recycling the popsicles' sticks to sell to mice for construction in Little Rodentia. After the work for the day is complete, Nick and Finnick split the profits and part ways, just before Judy reveals to have witnessed their entire scheme unfold, feeling foolish for having fell for Nick's trickery.

Out of anger, Judy threatens to arrest Nick, but the fox retorts by claiming he's done nothing illegal, having all of the required permits and paperwork in check to allow such schemes to take place. He subsequently berates Judy on her failure as a police officer, and giving her the "reality check" that Zootopia is a not a place where anyone can be anything, but a place where you are who you are. These words strike Judy, and the following day, she becomes determined to prove herself, as her boss, Chief Bogo, also has negative feelings towards a bunny cop. She receives the opportunity when she volunteers to help solve the missing mammals case of Emmitt Otterton, though Bogo only allows her 48 hours to do so, or face resignation. After investigating, Judy finds that Nick had ties to Otterton, and labels him as a witness. She finds both Nick and Finnick in the midst of another scam, and asks information on Otterton's whereabouts, being that Nick sold him a pawpsicle shortly before his disappearance. When Nick refuses to help, Judy threatens to arrest the former for tax evasion, which she hustles him into admitting to have committed, using her carrot voice recorder to do so.

With his luck run out, Nick unwillingly joins Judy's mission, hoping to retrieve and dispose of the carrot recorder once their job is complete. Nick takes Judy to the Mystic Springs Oasis, a naturalist club, where its owner, Yax, aids them by giving the license plate of the car Otterton was last seen in. Nick then asks for the carrot recorder, believing his role to be fulfilled, but Judy realizes that she cannot run a plate, as she is not yet in Zootopia's system, forcing Nick to do it for her. Nick takes Judy to the DMV, where Flash the Sloth, being a sloth, takes the entire rest of the day to run the plate, as according to plan for Nick. Judy chides Nick on his actions, but the fox merely admits that the idea of her failing is something he relishes in.

When they find the car in Tundratown to be fenced off, Nick comments that Judy must back down as she doesn't have a police warrant to enter the premises, meaning their partnership is over. However, Judy once again tricks Nick by throwing the recorder over the fence, making him rush to get it, thus violating trespassing laws and forcing him into another corner of blackmail. Judy digs under the fence as fast as Wilde can climb, and the two begin searching through the car. Nick soon realizes that the car belongs to Mr. Big, the most feared crime boss in Tundratown, who has a price on his head for a business transaction gone wrong. Nick attempts to escape, only to find himself and Judy captured by Mr. Big's henchmen. They are taken to the crime boss' mansion, where Judy interrogates the arctic shrew, accusing him of being a suspect in Mr. Otterton's disappearance. In response to this and Nick, Mr. Big orders to have the two frozen to death, only to have a change in heart when his daughter, Fru Fru, arrives and explains that Judy saved her life earlier. Mr. Big allows the two to live, and invites them to Fru Fru's wedding as honored guests. There, Mr. Big gives information on Otterton's disappearance, advising that Nick and Judy travel to the Rainforest District, to question Mr. Manchas, the last person to have seen Otterton alive.

After meeting and convincing Manchas to allow them in for questioning, the latter suddenly loses sanity, becoming a savaged predator. Nick and Judy make a run for their lives, and are hotly pursued by Manchas, though they narrowly escape. Chief Bogo and his police force arrive on the scene, only to find that Manchas is nowhere to be found. Bogo accuses Judy of failure, and requests her badge. Nick views the cruelty from behind, and steps in to defend Judy, noting that she still has ten hours left to solve the case, forcing Bogo to stand down and allow the opportunity. Nick and Judy take their leave on a gondola, where Judy thanks Nick for his compassion. Nick then takes to time to explain his rough childhood, and his sympathy towards the oppressed. He immediately regrets doing so, as he broke his vow to keep his vulnerability under wraps, but Judy comforts him, and thanks him, again, for his warm heart. Suddenly, Nick gets the idea to track what happened to Manchas by using the city's camera systems, with Judy having the connections in City Hall that allows her to do so.

Later that morning, they visit Bellwether, the assistant to Mayor Lionheart, who grants them access to the city's traffic cams. They find that Manchas was captured by wolves (the "Night Howlers"), and Nick cunningly tracks their path through hidden roads to an abandoned hospital outside of town called Cliffside. Judy, impressed by Nick's actions, congratulates the fox, and the two head out, eventually finding a hospital heavily guarded by wolves, and filled with imprisoned predators who have fallen under the "savage" infection. The operation seems to be run by Mayor Lionheart, who Nick and Judy eavesdrop on, learning that he wants to keep the imprisoned predators a secret to prevent public panic, and by extension, protect his job. When discovered, Nick and Judy escape, and report their findings to Bogo, who arrives with his force and arrests Mayor Lionheart.

Following these events, Judy is hailed a hero, and a press conference is held in regards to the situation. Nick advises a nervous Judy to remain calm, and moments before it's time for her to speak to the press, Judy offers Nick a position on the police force as her partner. Nick, touched that someone sees something beyond his species, takes it into consideration, and proudly looks on as she speaks about her latest victory. When asked why the predators are savage, however, Judy suggests it may have something to do with "natural behavior", which is taken as a serious sign that predators are reverting back to their ruthless, aggressive ways, not seen since the earliest days of the earth, thousands of years prior. Nick takes extreme offense by this, feeling Judy has done nothing but labeled all predators as "savages" which, in technicality, she did. While being confronted on the matter, Judy starts to feel threatened, and actually makes reach for her fox repellent, confirming that she, too, sees Nick as a potential savage, much like the rest of the world. A betrayed Nick then leaves the department, declining Judy's offer to join the force.

Following these events, Nick returns to his normal life, reuniting with Finnick and finding himself lounging about in solitude in his spare time. Suddenly, Judy returns and with a breakthrough in the case, needing Nick's help to solve it and save the city. Nick declines, which prompts Judy to confess how foolish she's been, and how regretful she is for causing so much trouble while, most importantly, hurting Nick in the process. Knowing her words are genuine, Nick forgives Judy, teasingly recording her confession on her carrot recorder, which he held onto. The two then make their leave and track down Duke Weaselton for information. Duke stole flowers on Judy's second day in the city, and those flowers were linked to what causes animals to go savage. When Duke refuses to cooperate, the pair bring him before Mr. Big, who threatens to ice him unless he told them what they wanted to know. Duke reveals that the flowers were sold to a ram named Doug, who owns a lab hidden in the underground subway tunnels. Nick and Judy find Doug, and learn that the flowers have been used to create a serum that, when injected, will turn predators savage. Judy hijacks the lab (which is on a still-functional train) and tries to take the evidence to Bogo. Doug and other rams attack, but though they are defeated, the train is derailed and destroyed.

Nick, fortunately, reveals to have saved the evidence containing the dart gun and its night howler toxin ammo, and the two make way to Bogo through the history museum. There, they encounter Bellwether, who is revealed to be the true mastermind behind the villainous operation. She sends her minions to capture Nick and Judy, and though they make a break for it, Judy is injured in the process. Nick refuses to leave her, and tries to carry her to safety, only to be thrown into a pit-like exhibit by Bellwether's goons. There, Bellwether shoots Nick with the savage serum so that he would become feral and kill the injured Judy. Bellwether subsequently calls Bogo to make it all look like another accident, but both Judy and Nick reveal to have got the best of Bellwether, as the bullet was actually just a blueberry. With Bellwether's confession recorded on the carrot pen, Bogo and his force arrive and arrest her.

In the end, Judy is reinstated as a member of the Zootopia Police Department. Nick, with a change of heart towards his life, joins as well, as her partner. A ceremony is held, where Judy badges Nick herself, and the two begin their duties immediately afterwards. The epilogue shows that Nick has become a welcomed member of the force, and even a liked companion of Chief Bogo, who gives both Nick and Judy the task of tracking down a street racer, who ironically reveals himself to be Flash, much to Nick's surprise and amusement.

During the end credits, Nick joins Judy and several other Zootopia citizens in attending a concert starring pop star Gazelle.

Trivia

 * Nick first appeared as a cameo in Big Hero 6, specifically on one of the billboards in San Fransokyo and with his likeness on Honey Lemon's phone case.
 * In the original Zootopia draft, Nick was the protagonist whilst Judy was the deuteragonist, however, their roles were later switched during production.
 * His actor Jason Bateman, finished recording his voice on September 16, 2015.
 * Nick's shirt originally belonged to Clawhauser in earlier stages of the film's development.
 * In earlier drafts of the story, Nick and Finnick worked at a fast food restaurant in Little Rodentia called Chez Cheese.
 * According to Judy, Nick was committing tax evasion. Also, since Nick was lying on his tax forms, it's considered a federal offense which would lead to 5 years in jail.
 * According to Nick's job application for the police force, his height is 4ft and his weight is 80lbs.
 * Nick's tax forms shows personal information on him:
 * His phone number is 555-16-2234.
 * His address is 1955 Cypress Grove Lane.
 * He was committing tax evasion as his records were all zeros.
 * Aside from his name being true, it is unknown if his phone number and/or his address are false.
 * Nick's design was based on that of the titular character of Robin Hood, also an anthropomorphic fox.
 * Nick's last name, Wilde, is a play on the word "wild".
 * During renovations of the Walt Disney Animation Studios building, beginning in 2014, Nick was one of the character silhouettes featured on the wall mural.