#larrikins

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.

• The Albatross Empire & the Outback are completely separate locations, the former being some considerable distance out at sea.

• Which, then, it makes sense that Perry would have been asked to bring the Royal Egg to the pelicans rather than directly to the albatrosses, as it also seems to be that case that the pelicans do live in/near the Outback as well as being regularly in contact with the Empire. (And Perry very clearly does not look like an animal that is equipped to travel across the ocean. And he very much isn't.)

• The pelicans sort of serve the albatrosses through offering advisory and guidance. (Sort of in a 'seeking guidance from your wise elders' sort of way.) They have a strong sense of moral duty, and loyalty to the Empire, and usually prefer to approach problems thoughtfully and responsibly.

• The eagles also seem to serve the Empire, or at least somewhat regularly convene with them, but their feelings (or at least particularly Hotspur's, the seeming leader of the flock) are a bit less innocent than the pelicans'. They more or less see the albatrosses (and pelicans) as a whole as fools and cowards for the way they prefer to seek civil or peaceful solutions to problems whereas the eagles would otherwise be much more eager to attack (literally) and eradicate problems. While they display respect for the Albatrosses' nobility and their royal authority in order to stay around, they (mostly Hotspur) tend to see themselves as much more fitting to run the Empire.

• The Empress, by default, does not fully trust Hotspur, and can occasionally be wary of his motives because of this. Yet she and the Emperor continue to maintain their relationship with he and his flock.

• Hotspur has a wife(?)

• To some extent, Perry very much believes that he wishes to be a 'larrikin' despite having basically no suitable qualities of one, and having a sort of naive almost glorified impression of what it means to be a larrikin. For example: Larrikins in the Outback live for adventure and good times; and they often live daringly and recklessly to seek those things (albeit sometimes with limited regard for the impact their actions may have on others, to some extent or another); they are independent and unconventional and confident. Perry, on the other hand, is very conscientious and timid, at times he feels sympathy for even complete strangers more deeply than any other animal would. In a sense, he "cares too much" to really be an authentic larrikin. And not only in the way of caring for others but also for himself in the way of being rather anxious and hesitant to do many things that are against the best interest of his wellbeing, whether the threat is real or merely perceived. Still, we have evidence to suggest that he's not exactly incapable of standing up and pushing back when it's necessary in situations where he really has no other good options. (And/or in defense of a smaller, younger loved one.)

• It's possible that Perry has actually unknowingly misconstrued a desire to simply be overall stronger/braver and more confident and self-advocating (and, maybe, also hoping to ultimately changing others' perspectives that he is nothing but a weak little bilby, if he's lucky?), with a desire to be 'one of the cool kids', so to speak. For lack of a better term. Resulting in such a contradictory goal for himself. Perhaps he may even believe that, achieving this, he'll finally regain some sense of belonging in the world after having been cast out from his home and family.

• He's also a bit defeatist about it, though. Having convinced himself that he isn't capable of achieving it on his own, anyway, he doesn't really try very hard anymore to change things or to stray from what he knows.

I just really love that (based on these clips, plus other things) Perry’s and Andrew’s dynamic was that Andrew — having an attention seeking personality but in such a way that he tends to crave the validation of others instigating the attention first, would, on multiple occasions, try to bait Perry into prying into his past by alluding that something very tragic and mysterious took place, clearly operating on the assumption that Perry would be too curious to resist pressing for more information.

Perry, however, was respectfully accepting of the notion that Andrew’s past, as intriguing as it was seemingly being built up to be, was a painful subject. And, as such, Perry was not going to be so selfish as to press him to talk about it just for the satiety of his own curiosity. Unaware that pressing him to talk about it is precisely what Andrew had desperately been trying to get him to do.

because look at a real world bilby’s claws

and now look at the way they depicted Perry’s claws

real world bilbies often sleep on their heads:

so I tend to imagine that it probably feels just sort of instinctively comforting to Perry to press the top of his head against something/someone.