I do think, in the very beginning here, there’s a part of Perry that has just… snapped. Obviously, not aggressively so. But he’s been risking everything down to his very life for this one little baby bird, and I think the overall absurdity of it just really starts to set in while he’s sat down with this chance to sort of quietly think about it. And, if just for a brief moment here, maybe he starts to question to himself why he’s even doing all of this? Whether it’s all really worth it? Because he is so tired, so worn and distressed, potentially even traumatized to some degree by, at least, all the near death situations he’s gone through so closely together all in an effort to protect this little chick that quite literally stumbled into his life (and, that, initially, he very much didn’t even want anything to do with).
But, of course, it is worth it. It’s largely the accumulated stress of it all, perhaps, that would cause him to consider otherwise. Her life is as precious as his, though, and obviously it is not anymore her fault than his own that she happened to wind up in her unfortunate situation to begin with and, surely by no more than sheer coincidence, found herself in Perry’s path that day.
But I think it’s that snap which has a crucial hand in helping him realize… he loves her. That feeling of love even further amplified when she suddenly starts to ‘fly’ (or, at least, begins to learn to) for the very first time because, clearly, this little milestone she’s reached, after everything he’s been through with her, it emotionally affects him as if he were, in fact, a parent watching their own child achieve something very good. You can see it on his face that he is genuinely so happy for her, maybe even proud. He appreciates this, to be taking care of her, protecting her, and the sense of fulfillment if you will, that follows in the success of such.
I think it’s roughly at this point that it’s basically confirmed, he’s happy that she’s in his life now in this moment, despite all of the danger and the stress that has come along thus far with looking after her.
And he is certain, now, that he will continue to do whatever it takes to protect her. Even including something totally insane, like assaulting a notoriously powerful and hungry eagle that would easily have any other bilby absolutely refusing to set foot above ground anywhere near the situation.
Because, then, there’s sort of a second 'snap’. It is seeing this sweet little chick who Perry has gone through so much for thrive and feeling that love and affection for her, and that pride… and then watching as her life is promptly threatened by, again, something specifically very terrifying for a bilby. But, then, there’s Perry feeling overwhelmed, more than ever before, by this sense of urgency to protect her at all costs.
It almost feels as though this, or something of this sort of magnitude, needed to happen, cosmically, in order for Perry to fully realize just how important this chick had truly come to be to him.
