Let's look at the arcs of our two main characters in the two movies.
The theme of the first movie: It's important to try despite what's against you.
Judy's Philosophy: Anyone can be anything, and Zootopia is a place where everyone gets along.
Nick's philosophy: We are what we are, and nothing can change that.
Judy first believes that if she tries her best nothing can go wrong, she can achieve her dreams if she just tries. Yet she wants to believe she's above everyone else because she is willing to try and so she's willing to look past everyone's bias. Since she believes that anyone can be anything, she believes since she believes that, that she's doesn't have a bias towards anyone. She wants to make the world a better place but doesn't see the faults within herself.
Nick first believes since no one will cut him any slack there's no point in him trying to be honest. Since people laughed at him crying about the unfair way he's being treated, he chose to close himself off and deflect the harshness of the world back at others.
As a therapist pointed out in Cinema Therapy (Channel on Youtube, Episode: Optimism vs Cynicism in Zootopia), Nick and Judy are both right, but also both wrong. Judy is right in that it's important to try if you desire it as that's the only way to acheive it, and Nick is right that there will always be bias and obstacles. Judy is wrong in thinking that being her best self means she doesn't need to improve or take in mind people's bias. Nick is wrong in thinking there is no point in even trying or being the best self you can be. Nick is aware of the world's darkness, and Judy is aware of the world's hope. The light and dark need to balance each other out.
Throughout the first movie, at first Nick laughs at her naivete and how much she tries to be a cop thinking it's going to blow up in her face. Judy at first thinks that Nick is a no good scumbag and a jerk who didn't even try to be better. Midway through the movie, Nick finds Judy to be impressive at how she can handle big threats and be a hero, showing she does have what it takes but no one cuts her any slack either. So he sticks up for her. Judy then learns throughout the movie whilst Nick is cunning and sly, he's resourceful. Also, he did try to be better once, and it blew up in his face, thus making him what he is.
They both realize the other's merit, as well as the reasoning behind their philosophy. Nick actually starts to think there could be more for him than how people see him, until Judy opens her mouth at the press conference. That's when he realizes his philosophy again, people will see you how they see you, even the supposed people who like you. Talking with Judy after just proves his point that she has a bias against him, she's scared of him and doesn't trust him. Nick is sick of that treatment and refuses to associate with her after that.
That opens up Judy's eyes of what she did and how what she said innocently was still hurtful, that despite her self boasting, she does have a bias. Everyone is then easily swayed by what she said, and it makes things worse for everyone. Judy realizes in proving a bunny could do more, she also proved that predators are less. She proved she can be anything, bunnies could be anything, but she didn't do the same for preadators. She sees her actions have consequences and people's bias are complicated and won't go away so easy. She proved Nick right, bias doesn't go away no matter what you do, and she is just like everyone else.
Later, Judy apologizes to Nick (espeically after Judy realized 1.a bunny could go savage and is thus just like a predator, 2. The flowers affect everyone and the predator's biology has nothing to do with them going crazy.) She admits Nick was right and that she is very naive and unthoughtful ("Dumb Bunny"), and doesn't mind if he hates her for it, but she really needs his help because she's come to rely on him. Nick does forgive her, because she is naive and she admits it, but also hopeful, and he's come to admire that part of her.
At the end of the movie, Judy accepts the world is complicated and messy like Nick said, but you should still try to be better and make the world better. Nick meanwhile, has opened himself up slightly, and has accepted he could do good, especially if he's with Judy.
Now for Zootopia 2: Spoilers!!
This movie has also focused on their philosophies.
Judy's Philosophy: In order to be taken seriously by everyone you need to prove yourself to them, and the world can only be better if you're willing to risk it to do the right thing.
Nick's Philosophy: People are going to judge you and as long as you're okay with yourself you don't need to prove yourself to anyone, and if you care about someone you would do anything to protect them, even if it goes against their beliefs and desires. The world is as it is you're not always going to succeed or change anything.
Again, they are both wrong and both right.
Judy is right in that in order for things to get better you have to be couragous in trying to change things. Nick is right in that you don't have to prove yourself as long as you're okay with yourself. Of course, it seems Judy tries too hard and Nick doesn't take anything seriously. Nick has flippant "you can't win'em all" attitude, and Judy has a "bunny hero complex," to the extent she overrides his "can't win'em all" attitude a lot. She's like: "We're doing this," and he's like: "Let's not stress over it."
Of course, they are there for each other. Judy does not think they need consuling, despite her overriding him in the session, and tries to defend him from bullies. Nick always supports her in her endeavers even when he suggests against it, and defends her from bullies as well.
Judy and Nick are both wrong in their philosophies. Judy is wrong in trying to risk her life and career all the time to change the world, and Nick is wrong in going against her beliefs and desires, as least as he as he worded it. He's mostly wrong in how being a hero won't change anything.
Nick tells her at one point, being a hero won't change the world and the case they're on isn't worth dying for. Judy thinks he's being a coward in this instance who doesn't care about what she wants or helping others.
Nick admits to Nibbles that his words came out wrong and what he meant was: while he does care about helping others, he doesn't want to lose Judy in the process. He wasn't being a coward, he's just scared for her and wants to protect her.
When they reunite, they admit their faults. Nick admits he's not great with words, and he still retains the deflecting part of his personality from the first movie as he's afraid of getting hurt. Judy admits she has been railroading him and not taking his thoughts into consideration because she wants to prove herself, which she implies she doesn't need to do but wants to do. She's risking herself too much and she needs to work on it.
After the confession, Nick is reinvigorated of going after the Lynxlys with Judy because they both just survived death together. He has opened himself to taking risks, as long as he's with Judy and they can protect each other. Judy has accepted that they may not matter to everyone, but they matter for what's most important.
Sidebar: In my opinion, the first movie's main focus was on Judy's growth, her overcoming her bias and naivte. She has the ending monolouge for that movie.
The second movie is more focused on Nick's growth, he overcomes his bias, and some of his insecurities. He has the ending monolouge of the movie.
Some more details that prove this are sprinkled throughout the second movie:
In the first movie we're introduced to Judy's place, in this movie we're introduced to Nick's place.
The First movie started with Judy putting on a performance, the second movie started with Nick putting on a performance (He was the main seller of that whole undercover charade).
The directors said they were trying to make Nick uncomfortable in this movie like Judy was in the first movie. There's even a scene that mirrors the naturalist club with the reptile speakeasy. Judy recruits someone who Nick is uncomfortable with at first like how Judy was frustrated with Flash, Nick is annoyed with Nibbles.
Like how Judy saved Nick from Manchas, Nick saved Judy from the Red Line.
Nick and Judy have a falling out again, this time instead of Nick being offended at what Judy said and leaving her, Judy is offended at what Nick said and leaves him.
First movie: Nick is attempted to be given a substance that would kill Judy. Second Movie: Judy is given a substance and then they try to Nick.
Finally: Nick overcomes the bias he has in the first movie. Even off screen in the second he calls her a dumb bunny jokingly. While Judy no longer has any bias against Nick, at the end he finally says "She's not a dumb bunny." Moreover, in the end of the first movie he's still partially closed off, the end credits showing him dancing only after Judy pressures him. In the end of this movie he's dancing from the begining of his scenes of the credits, showing he's opening up more. Teasers of the first movie show him roll his eyes when Judy glomps into his selfies, and the end of the second movie show him smiling widely when she jumps on him for a selfie, which is more evidence of his opening up.
{EDIT}: In the first movie, Judy admits she loves him at the end, and at the end of the second Nick tells Judy he loves her.
(Edit): In the first movie he jokes that Judy is a bad driver at the end, and in the climax of the second Judy says thar Nick is a horrible driver.
Overall, in the first movie, whilst they both realized where they wrong in their philosophies, Judy had the most growth in recognizing bias and overcoming it. In the second movie, they both realized they were wrong in their philosophies, but Nick had more growth in overcoming his bias and fear over Judy and his own emotions.
Judy's ending monolouge in the first: Change starts with you.
Nick's ending monolouge in the second: Our differences may bring us closer together than you think.
Okay so obviously the name is a pun on the term utopia but I have interesting stuff to say. Zootopia already passes the infrastructure portion of a utopia. All people of all shapes and sizes are able to go about their lives and be successful without physical obstacle. Socially is when people may begin to have objections.
We see discrimination (specifically against predators but prey can also experience it based on size or species), government corruption, and gentrification all happen in the city. How can the franchise be utopian fiction if there are these clear issues plaguing their communities? Well let me ask you, what happened at the end of the films?
You see I believe Zootopia represents a utopian society in the way that its citizens are able to adapt to change and fix past mistakes. They welcomed Nick, a fox, onto the police force despite previous discrimination and stereotyping. They rebuild their relationship with reptiles and invite them back onto their land the city had stolen.
I think Zootopia is telling us that a utopian society, or at the very least a positive society, rests in the paws of the people. That’s Judy’s whole message at the end of the first film. Try.
Why do you think Nick rarely calls Judy by her first name?
This may sound slightly weird, but I think it has a lot to do with the old saying, “If you name it, you get attached to it.”
As we know, Nick doesn’t like to get close to people, since he lives in this mindset where the world is out to get him. He doesn’t want other people to hurt him, so he doesn’t let them get close enough to. Calling people nicknames is a way of keeping his distance, of not getting attached. Nick isn’t getting close to Judy Hopps, he’s being bothered by a rabbit, a meter maid. It’s very impersonal.
When Nick first meets Judy, he calls her all kinds of nicknames - evidence that he’s keeping his distance. He doesn’t know her, he doesn’t want to, so he avoids attachment by keeping her at a safe distance.
The first time we see him come close to calling Judy by her real name is after he defends her to Bogo.
By this point, they’ve grown to be a lot closer. This is a sign that Nick is allowing himself to open up to Judy, which is shown by how he literally does so moments after, when he tells her about his childhood.
The first (and only) time he calls her by her real name, Judy, is when he thinks she could be hurt.
At this point the two are full-on partners. They’ve connected and become close over their experiences, and Nick has fully opened himself up to her. Instead of trying to push her away, Nick calling Judy by her first name is a sign that he deeply cares and is worried for her.
After Nick becomes an officer, we see he still calls Judy nicknames, but they’re no longer in a derogatory way. He’s not trying to belittle her, but instead, the names are terms of endearment.
I think that him calling her, “Carrots,” and so on is his way of saying that he cares for her, without actually having to flat-out say it. It’s a different way of holding his emotions at bay, however, this time it’s in a far more positive light.
