Hello everyone, it's Emeraldblade95 again to bring you another potential NPG candidate. After my successful collab proposal about Vaggi, I've decided to go solo this time and do a new proposal alone.
Recently, I rewatched the first Zootopia, before going to see the second film in theaters over the previous weekend. In both films, there is a particular character that I found to be surprisingly admirable that I think could qualify as NPG, that character is Zootopia's own pop sensation Gazelle.
Without further delay, let's begin.
What is the Work?
Disney's Zootopia is a 2016 animated film. It focuses on the character Judy Hopps, a rabbit from the small rural community of Bunnyburrow who aspires to become a police officer in Zootopia. During the course of the film, she comes across a con-artist named Nick Wilde, whom after blackmailing him help her with a missing persons case, reluctantly agrees to "help" her. During the course of the film, the two uncover a conspiracy that was masterminded by Mayor Lionheart's own secretary and successor Dawn Bellwether, and foil her plans with turning Zootopia's predator population into savages.
A sequel was released this year in which the two are framed by the powerful Lynxley family for helping out a reptile named Gary De'snake, who attempted to steal the Lynxley Journal from the Zootenical Gala (which actually belonged to him. Throughout the film, the two of them pursue Gary whilst flee the ZPD (who are antagonistic for much of the film). Eventually after learning Gary's true intentions, they work to stop the Lynxleys' planned expansion of Tundratown that will destroy much of Marsh Market.
Who is She? What has She Done?
Gazelle is a supporting character in both films. She is a famous poster that is beloved by nearly all of Zootopia's residents. Depp-down she is also a vocal activist for animal rights, as she believes that all of Zootopia's residents can live in harmony equally and peacefully. Both Judy Hopps and Benjamin Clawhauser idolize her, with the latter having a crush on her.
In the first film, she is initially not seen physically, only appearing through digital means such as on Judy's playlist as she travels to Zootopia for the first time, her image is then seen on a massive jumbo-torn TV where she welcomes people to Zootopia, as well as an app Clawhauser downloads to photoshop his face on one of Gazelle's tiger entourage.
Later on in the film, when fear and division spreads across Zootopia over the belief that predators will turn savage. Gazelle appears in person for the first time holding a rally in-protest the chaos and calling for peace and harmony to be restored to the city. During that seen, many of the citizens are counterprotesting against her, with Judy actively defending her. She is interviewed during the rally where she states that fear cannot overwhelm its citizens, and calls out the discriminatory claim that all predators are savages.
In the second film, she plays a larger role in which she performs during the gala held by the Lynxley family in Tundratown. During the event, Gary De'Snake steals Ebenezer Lynxley's journal, causing chaos to break out. In the shuffle one of the Zebros shoves one of her tiger dancers aside violently, causing her to hold a grudge against the incompetent cops.
Much later in the film, she appears at Burning Mammal Festival where she is about to perform, only to be stopped by Judy Hopps, Gary and Pawbert, who are being chased by the ZPD. Knowing Judy had saved Zootopia once and that the Zebros are among her pursuers, Gazelle and her backup dancers agree to hold them off long enough for them to enter the Sahara/Tundertown wall in order to allow them to find Reptile Town before the Lynxleys go forward with their expansion.
At the end of both films, she performs her signature songs "Try Everything" and "Zoo" amongst an entire crowd of fans, including all of the main characters.
Admirable Standards
| “ | Zootopia is a unique place. It's a crazy, beautiful diverse city where we celebrate our differences. This is not the Zootopia I know. The Zootopia I know is better than this. We don't just blindly assume blame. We don't know why these attacks keep happening, but it is irresponsible to label all predators as savages. We cannot let fear divide us. Please, give me back the Zootopia I love. | „ |
| ~ Gazelle condemning the fear and prejudice consuming Zootopia in the first film. |
Gazelle is considered a role model and idol amongst much of Zootopia's population. Like Judy, she cares about achieving peace and equality among all animals regardless of whether or not they are predator or prey. As such she her personality alone is undeniably admirable, as throughout both films she is both kind and modest despite the obvious fact that she is a celebrity.
After fear consumes much of the city under the belief that predators would turn savage. Gazelle holds a rally denouncing the violence and discrimination, calling for an end to the prejudice that is running rampant across the city, knowing full-well that Predators aren't savage (as she has them as backup dancers respectfully). Her beliefs on peace and equality do not end with just mammals, as her views also extend to reptiles, which is put into action in the second film, as like with predators and prey, she believes reptiles and mammals can coexist peacefully too.
Perhaps the most admirable act she did occurred towards the end of the second film. When Judy is framed for assisting a reptile in stealing the Lynxley Journal, she returns the favor to Judy by assisting her in distracting the ZPD long enough for her, Gary and Pawbert to reach the weather wall. In this particular scene, she was one if the very few residents who knew Judy was innocent of the crime she was accused of and decided to repay her for what she did for Zootopia in the first film by stating to "We are with you Judy Hopps." She and her entourage proceed to distract the Zebros long enough for Judy, Gary, and Pawbert to reach the wall (although Pawbert would later betray the other two). If she had refused to act, Judy, Gary, and Pawbert would of likely had been captured by the ZPD, and possibly euthanized/killed.
What Prevents her from being Pure Good?
The only real mitigating factor that I see as a true prevention is that Gazelle lacks screen time when compared to Judy Hopps, only appearing in no more than ten minutes worth of both films, as such Judy is moreorless the only character that she fails to. Despite this, the main rebuttal here is that in the very little time she does appear in, she plays a significant role.
In the second film, she develops a grudge against the Zebros after the two of them shove one of her backup dancers aside, knocking him over. As such when she sees them at the Burning Mammal Festival later on, she willinging fights them off to get back at them for what they did. However, this could be seen as a heating-up period as technically the Zebros weren't a very competent cop pair and it was in fact their fault for causing her to hold the grudge against them, plus they were protecting Judy from being captured.
Final Verdict
Gazelle is definitely an unusual and surprising candidate, but based on what I provided, I personally think she meets the criteria to be a strong NPG heroine that borderlines the PG category.