Us Weirdos Have to Stick Together

1.) Judy is always punching Nick & no one else. If you have any knowledge of animal mating behaviors, this one is the most obvious.  Female bunnies will often “punch” or box the mate they’re interested in! The first time Judy ever punches Nick, she’s noticeably holding back.  She’s much gentler about it because the two of them didn’t know each other very well yet.  After Judy’s apology, they’re noticeably closer & more comfortable around each other, & Judy’s punches start to become more aggressive.  At the moment, it doesn’t seem like she’s aware of the implications & is acting purely from instinct. Fun fact! Jared Bush, one of the film's directors, recently confirmed punching to be Judy's love language!

2.) Judy is always showering Nick with gifts. Another way Judy likes to show her affection for Nick is through gift giving! So far (at least from what we’ve seen), she’s given him: ・The carrot pen as a gift for his graduation ・A tie with night howlers on it as a reminder of the first case they ever solved together ・A new suit, custom made to his exact measurements, as well as his taste (The waistcoat is Pawaiian print, just like his shirt!  Also, not seen in the film, but included in storyboards, Nick’s suit had pawpsicle-shaped cufflinks!). To anyone else, these are all seemingly small, ordinary things, but to Nick & Judy, they hold more significant meaning

3.) Judy is noticeably more protective of Nick. Because she’s now aware of the trauma Nick endured as a child, as well as his struggle with fitting in, Judy is quick to anger & will unhesitatingly come to Nick’s defense whenever anyone else attempts to bully him. This also includes physical threats.  Judy will move to protect Nick as if by instinct, regardless of how big or small the threat may be: ・An example of this would be when Judy protected Nick from being struck with a flying projectile. ・Another would be when she saved him from falling off the weather wall. A small threat, then followed by a much bigger one, but in both instances, Judy’s first instinct was to ensure Nick’s safety. When there’s danger, Judy will also often grab onto Nick to ensure they don’t become separated.

4.) She wants to prove they belong together. “If I’m right, no one will question whether you & I belong together again.” There is a very intentional double meaning in that sentence.  She could have phrased it so many other ways, especially if she’s only referring to their ability to work together as official police partners.  “Belong together” is a phrase more commonly used in romantic contexts, not platonic.  The writers obviously know this. Let’s also not forget that the reason Judy wanted to take the case in the first place was so that she & Nick could stay together.  Her blind desperation to solve the case stems from a deep rooted fear of the two of them being split up.

5.) She wanted to attend the gala undercover as a couple! This detail is a bit more subtle & can be easily overlooked (How many of you noticed it?).  Judy took a flower from her own dress & pinned it to Nick’s suit so other animals attending would know they were there together.  You could also look at it as being Judy’s subtle way of claiming him. Did you notice Judy was even trying to flirt with Nick?  When she goes to pin the flower to his suit & he comments that this wasn’t her worst idea, her response was actually quite flirtatious - you can see it in her body language & the way she looks at him, & you can hear it in her voice.  She was trying to flirt & was expecting Nick to flirt back before he chose to poke fun of her instead. While it was part of Nick’s plan to get them into the VIP section, the two of them link arms, once again showing others attending that they’re there together, & the two of them share a flirtatious look as Judy praises Nick’s clever thinking. Note:  If you pay attention to the characters in the background, many of them are in pairs!  The gala is seemingly a couples event!

6.) "Happy anniversary!" If you didn't notice (but honestly, how could you not?), throughout the film, Judy puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that it's their one week work anniversary. What's important to note about this, is that Judy doesn't ever specify what type of anniversary she's celebrating. Because of this, Nick & Judy are often mistaken for a couple by other characters throughout the film. And not once do the two of them ever attempt to deny it. Now, is this because Judy secretly wants them to be dating, or is she once again simply unaware of the implications of that statement?

7.) Judy risked her own life to save Nick. The second Judy woke up & saw Nick on the monitor, she wasted no time, knocking down several officers in her haste to get to him. You can see the fear in her eyes as she races through the corridor & up the stairs, trying desperately to reach him in time. And she has no idea he just saved her life right before that. The entire sequence actually very closely mirrors Nick's desperate run to reach Judy at the honeymoon lodge. And the way she jumped off the wall after Nick with absolutely no hesitation? There was no guarantee Gary was even behind her. She never stopped to check & he never gave any indication that he'd be following behind her. She quite literally took a leap of faith to save Nick, because to Judy, it was either save Nick, or die alongside him. Leaving him to die alone wasn't an option. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

8.) "You're my fluffle." For those who don't know, a "fluffle" is basically a pile of rabbits! "No one else in the world matters to me more than you do, either." After very nearly losing him on the weather wall, Judy rushes to hug Nick & confesses that he is the most important person in her life, even before her own family. And just look at Nick's sweet smile when she does! That's probably the most genuine smile we've seen from him so far ♥ Judy has an entire family who loves her, yet she values Nick more than any of them, as he’s the only one in her life who ever chose to believe in her & doesn’t make her feel like she’s not good enough as she is.

9.) "Hopps and Wilde?" / "Wilde and Hopps!" This one is small & also easy to miss if you aren't paying attention, but it's worth mentioning! At the beginning of the film, after Nick & Judy's first session in partner (couples) therapy, we hear them say the same thing, but they each prioritized themselves instead of each other. They're supposed to be a team, but they were completely out of sync, & they wanted different things. Now, after all they've been through together, becoming fugitives, arguing & being separated, & then nearly losing each other, they're finally prioritizing each other, & acting the way a team should!

10.) Judy didn't want to be separated from Nick again. When Nick & Judy chase Pawbert to the entrance of the maze, Nick suggests splitting up, but Judy appears very hesitant to do so. She nearly lost Nick forever, & it only happened because she left him behind in the first place. They only just found each other, & she doesn't want to risk losing him a second time. So what do they do instead? Why, commit grand theft auto & attempted vehicular manslaughter, of course! And Judy finally gives Nick a turn behind the wheel!

11.) Judy looks at Nick with so much adoration. Ever heard of the “look of love”?  Well, it’s real, & Judy definitely has it.  Every time she looks at Nick, it’s like she’s looking at her entire world.  Her eyes soften & her smile becomes something more affectionate & endearing.  She only ever smiles that way when she’s looking at Nick, whether he’s paying attention or not.  Examples of this can be found all throughout both films, but it becomes even more apparent after their mutual confession on the weather wall. ・During the snow plow chase scene.  Judy comments on Nick’s terrible driving, but it’s in no way meant to be patronizing or malicious.  She’s echoing his words from the end of the first film.  If anything, she’s having the time of her life because Nick is the one driving.  When he accidentally passes over a large bump that sends them both flying out of their seats, he chuckles nervously & all Judy can do is smile at him with open adoration. ・During Nick’s speech at the end of the film.  When asked about how they managed to work through all of their differences to become “the dream team”, Judy gestures for Nick to speak, & it causes Nick to stumble over his words for a second, because he was probably expecting her to take the lead again & would’ve been fine with it, but Judy wants Nick to feel seen & heard, so she gives him the chance to say his piece, & just looks so proud & adoring as he finally gets to have his moment to shine.  Seeing how happy the gesture made him, made Judy happy too.  Nick’s happiness is her happiness! ♥ ・When Nick gives Judy the carrot pen. After Nick hands Judy the pen & tells her he loves her, I think that was probably the nail in the coffin for her. Judy probably never expected to hear those words from Nick, especially so directly, as she knows he's just not someone who can easily communicate how he's feeling or what's on his mind. You can tell by how nervous he looked before giving her the pen that he probably already knew what he wanted to say, & was just trying to work up the nerve. And Judy knows it. The expression on her face says everything! She's in love with her partner & best friend!

12.) Judy jumps on Nick's back to take a selfie together! "It's a party the rises like foam. For you, I'd go to the moon and back." In other words, they'd do anything for each other! Isn't it interesting that Nick & Judy would happen to appear on screen together during those lyrics? Another thing to note is that Judy is displaying a behavior referred to as “mounting”! For those who don't know, "mounting" is a courting behavior, common in bunnies, used as a way to show affection & establish dominance towards a potential mate!

13.) She listens to Nick's recording on repeat! “Hey, bunny! You gonna keep playing that all night?” “Leave her alone! She’s proud of herself, but still seeks external validation!” This scene appears to hint at possible romantic feelings from Judy! We see her replaying Nick’s “Love you, partner.” recording on her carrot pen, & she only stops when her neighbors call her out on it, & it's implied that she'd been replaying it all day. The way she smiles to herself & then glances around to make sure no one is watching just screams crush! Notice that as she turns to leave & bids her neighbors good night, she doesn't grab her badge. So where is she off to? I think it's a safe bet to assume she's going to Nick's place! Telling her neighbors to have a good night implies that she either expects to be home late, or may be spending the night there!

Honorable mentions: These are some other smaller instances where Judy showed care or affection for Nick, some of them being when he wasn't even with her! If I'm forgetting some, please let me know, & I'll add it! ・Judy adjusts Nick's tie during his graduation at the start of the film. ・She keeps a picture of the two of them in her work locker. ・She chooses to study her partner book instead of working on the case because her partnership with Nick is more important. ・She shows concern over the state of Nick's apartment & even snaps a picture. Perhaps she's already formulating a plan to help him get it back to a cleaner state..? ・During the ride to the gala, Judy can be seen looking & smiling softly at Nick while he's not paying attention. ・Judy very clearly checks Nick out in his suit, looking him up & down before pinning a flower to his jacket. ・She shows concern over seeing Nick being dragged away by Bogo. ・After Nick saves them both from drowning, Judy attempts to reassure/comfort him by patting his knee after mistakenly thinking he was trying to apologize. ・Judy is visibly distraught & appears to be on the verge of tears at the thought of leaving Nick after he's captured at the honeymoon lodge. ・Her first thought after waking up from being shot with a tranquilizer dart was of Nick & whether or not he was okay, followed by several other instances where she showed sadness at their separation. ・Judy's panic at seeing Nick locked outside the desert weather wall as it's about to turn on. ・After being injected with snake venom, Judy uses her dying breath to call out for Nick (not her family) & attempts to crawl across the floor to help him. ・Nick & Judy can be seen standing off to the side, away from all the commotion, during the scene at Gary's house. A few seconds later, the two are seen cutting a jumbo pop together (similar to how a married couple cuts their wedding cake!)