C’mon Zootopia 2, Let’s Stop With The Conspiracy Theorist Heroes

During their investigation into the arrival of a mysterious snake (Ke Huy Quan) to Zootopia and his possession of an important artifact, officers Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) get some help from conspiracy vlogger Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster). Nibbles broadcasts on “EweTube” and is clearly a conspiracy aficionado, with her car bearing bumper stickers like “Aliens Exist!” Nibbles’ knowledge is what successfully leads Judy and Nick to Marsh Market, where she not only serves as an adept guide but gets them closer to the snake.

Later, Nibbles becomes a full-fledged member of the team, staying alongside Nick and Judy as they work to bring the truth to light.
Conspiracy theorist characters have a lot of narrative utility. They’re not only exposition machines, but their presence explains why their knowledge is not widely known.

If your protagonists are relatively normal, then it helps to bring them into contact with someone steeped in the esoteric.

Moreover, for stories set in the present, the online conspiracy theorist is easy to understand, permeating the Internet through videos and podcasts, which solves the problem of “how do our characters know this person?”
These movies don’t include conspiracy theorists because their filmmakers love conspiracy theories.

It’s because they love narrative convenience and easy touchstones. But when you normalize a profession that’s designed to warp perceptions of reality under the guise of hunting for the truth, that’s dangerous territory for a kids’ movie. The real Nibbles Maplesticks aren’t passionate about truth. They’re passionate about selling you vitamin supplements while telling you to trust no one.

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