MovieChat Forums > The Fox and the Hound (1981) Discussion > Does Copper's assertion to save Todd in ...

Does Copper's assertion to save Todd in the end make up for his treason?

posted 10 years ago by white-37
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I don't know, Copper could have thought it through even if he initially blamed Todd out of grief and anger. He could have realized at any point after Chief lived that this was going too far; that killing his friend is wrong and killing these other animals is murder. He was ready to rip Todd piece-by-piece, burn him alive and Todd saved his miserable, black-hearted soul. We all know Copper is gonna hunt and not use any more discretion then before. Why would he!? He's got his family, home and self-respect, it's not like he could ever try and make it up to Todd after this. Todd, who can never return home, who must always do without. Why is Copper not bothered that he will never see Todd again? What an a77h8le! I sorta think all three monsters deserve to die, just re-watched this today and could not find it in myself to think that Copper's 'mercy' at the end was good enough for what he's done to Todd and countless animals. He just shakes his head in amusement over his family's savagery and figures he and Todd are even.

[–] soundwave86 10 years ago

That's actually a good point I never thought of before. Todd always just wanted to be friends with Copper and ended up suffering for it. It wasn't Todd's fault what happened to Chief; he hadn't done anything wrong. Amos and Chief were just bloodthirsty maniacs and [Chief] ended up getting injured in the process. And because of this Todd was forced to be abandoned by his owner.

I suppose they try to spin it like a happy ending by implying that Widow Tweed ended up reconciling with Amos Slade and potentially ending up together with him - solving her issue of loneliness while Todd ended up with Vixey, solving his loneliness. Plus they'd both ended up with someone who they could share their whole life with - given that Todd would probably not live as long as Widow Tweed. At least she could grow old with Amos. Although it is peculiar that they had seemingly reconciled their past differences even though it was indeed Amos' fault that she had to give up Todd.

Also it is peculiar how Copper seems to think that sparing Todd's life is somehow a special thing as opposed to all the other animals, some of them probably foxes as well, that he's helped kill.