Mr. Fox

Living… in a foxhole. Mr. Fox, his wife, Felicity, and his sullen son, Ash, are poor but happy. Still, Mr. Fox is 7 years old in non-fox (i.e. human) years, and his dad died at age 7.5. He has his eye on a home at the base of a nearby tree – there are better views above ground. His lawyer Badger advises him against the move, saying the area is dangerous for foxes. But Mr. Fox would feel less poor there.

Profession… newspaper columnist.  His column for the Gazette is called Fox About Town With Mr. Fox FOX ABOUT TOWN WITH MR. FOX. It’s a rag, he says. What he was really born to do is steal chickens.  As he explains, “Foxes traditionally like to court danger, hunt prey, and outsmart predators, and that’s what I’m actually good at.” Mr. Fox has been stealing birds since before he could trot, but his wife wanted him to get a safer job and he went to the paper. But he will never truly be happy without a dead chicken between his chompers.

Interests… apple cider (“taste like pure melted gold”); munching on a crisp apple; taking the scenic route; listening to Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier on his Walkman; and playing Whack-Bat. A seven-time Most Valuable Player of the Fox-Year, Mr Fox is the best Whack-Bat player in the history of his old school, which Ash now attends.

Relationship Status…. married to the lovely Felicity Fox. She may have been the “town tart” back in the day, but Mr. Fox is lucky to have her, and he lets her know as much. They have a nice, snappy rapport, though Felicity is constantly forced to rein in Mr. Fox’s cavalier outlook on life.

Challenge… pulling off one last master heist. Pining for the glory days when he stole chickens professionally, Mr. Fox conceives a master plan. He intends to infiltrate the properties of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean – three of the ugliest and meanest farmers around – and steal their birds. It’s foolproof. Right?

Personality… resourceful, dapper, and self-assured. Mr. Fox is quite the charming rogue, and no one knows it more than him. Being known as such is important to his self-image. As he puts it, “I think I have this thing where I need everyone to believe that I’m the quote un-quote ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ and if they’re not completely knocked out and dazzled and intimidated by me then I don’t feel good about myself.” But Mr. Fox’s occasional self-absorption can lead him to neglect the needs of the people who rely on him most – namely his son, Ash.