#dawn bellwether

[ultraericthered]

Out of four consecutive Disney Villains that were defined by plot twists regarding them, I've often thought: what made Turbo and the Cybug he merged with in Wreck-It Ralph work out so well and deliver a villain so infinitely stronger than the villains that followed? I'd concluded that mostly it was because Turbo got to be around as an active and characterized antagonist as King Candy and the twisty nature of his villainy was more comparable to Judge Doom than following the Stinky Pete, Henry J. Waternoose, and Lyle T. Rourke route of only being revealed as a villain in the third act and getting to be actively antagonistic for a limited time while taking on drastically different characterization than before like the later Twist Villains (or in Bellwether's case, in only the final minutes of the third act!).

But there was something else too, and it recently struck me.

Hans, Callaghan, and Bellwether all adhere to basically the exact same formula, with only the specifics of their roles differing due to each movie being a different type of story - Frozen is a fantasy adventure-thriller, Big Hero 6 is a superhero story, and Zootopia is a buddy cop mystery. The formula is that not only is the villain introduced as a friendly character in the first act and ultimately shows their true villainous self in the third act, but during the story there's another villainous character thrown at the viewer to serve as the red herring. In Frozen, it's the Duke of Weselton. In Big Hero 6, it's Allister Krei. And in Zootopia, it's Mayor Lionheart. All of these characters seem more like the sort of villains you'd typically expect to pop up in stories of these films' natures, radiating such obvious evil energy that the viewer is naturallly meant to have their suspicions drawn to them rather than the unassuming nice person who turns out to be the real villain of the piece. I'd argue it worked best when first tried in Frozen because the Duke ended up having absolutely nothing to do with the main conflict or how it got resolved, his main contribution being to tell two men to be prepared to kill Elsa at one point and that's it: he was a red herring in the purest sense. With Krei and Lionheart afterwards, they both had increased prominence in the narrative, the former being responsible for what drove Callaghan into grief-stricken, vengeful supervillainy, and the latter at first being Bellwether's boss and actually serving as a secondary antagonist in the plot with his unethical captures and coverups in response to Bellwether's Night Howler conspiracy. And they both are such obvious suspects for being behind evildoing even in-story that it loops around to becoming obviously NOT the true culprits at all. (Not helping is how both the Duke of Weselton and Allister Krei are voiced by Alan Tudyk, at the time still most known for King Candy/Turbo!)

Whereas with Turbo, I think it was so effective because it was sort of flipped around. The story was leading us to look at King Candy as the red herring or ultimately just the diversion, continuing to remind us that the Cybug that Ralph accidentally brought with him into Sugar Rush was lurking below and breeding, which we knew could become a true threat to the game and to the whole arcade world given the way Calhoun talked the Cybugs up. Even when Felix goes into the backstory of "Going Turbo", we're not really linking that to what's currently going on with King Candy, who we at that point had not been given reason to think is anyone but who he appears to be, and King Candy's such a silly, whimsical doofus of an antagonist that we suspect he'll amount to nothing more than food for the Cybugs. How King Candy goes on to manipulate Ralph and the revelation about him as a usurper turns our perspective of him on its head as is, but then it's revealed he's not just any usurpeeeer - he's Turbo! This on its own makes him that much more villainous, but then still we get the kicker: Turbo gets eaten by the lead Cybug, just as we might've predicted would befall him....and his code overwrites the Cybug from within, making him even more dangerous and malicious than ever! So while the Cybugs do indeed become the endgame threat, they're also used as the actual diversion to get you not looking harder at King Candy and figuring out both his true identity and his true nature as the primary, most menacing villain in this story. It is ingenious.

Pulling off a Twist Villain is easy. It takes a lot more thought, skill, style and polish to pull off a Turbo-Tastic villain as Wreck-It Ralph did.

[biancqueen]

there are gay people in zootopia’s city government we need to stop them NOW

[aquamarineglow]

Look at this nice happy family

Oh god...

Thinking about my Bellwether/Marmalade ship and decided it would be funny if Boingo from Hoodwinked was their adopted son.

I think Boingo would be spoiled rotten by his wealthy parents and grow up thinking he is entitled to anything he wants.

As an adult, he would start his own confectionary business and do underhanded things to destroy any competition.

To fit in with the Zootopia/Bad Guys Universe I think his real name should be something like Bodhi and Boingo is just a nickname. He would also wear clothes, obviously.

[onceupona-crossover]

a moodboard of evil partners in crime Professor Marmalade (The Bad Guys) and Dawn Bellwether (Zootopia ). With themes of evil masterminds who hate predators and want to control the world, whilst also being adorable little animals who love one another.

Requested by: @aquamarineglow

-Mod rapunzel

[deathcandylove]

Gala Dawn Bellwether

I was having problems figuring out what to dress her in, since her outfits weren't flashy. So I wasn't too sure what would work. Looked up some nice dresses and chose something I felt would work. Keep in mind, this is for my 'Gala Series', so it's got to be elegant.

[iloveplayrehersal]

I'm sorry

[kotori-chama]

A little disappointed they didn't use the Shanghai merch design for Bellwether

I know her roll will be minimum but it's such a stark contrast to how she looked in the first film it would have been funny to see her pop up like this.

[crossoverheaven]

[best-character-named-x-poll]

have you done your daily click

[squorttle-pox]

sorry hellaverse writers but every time you make a sheep!demon oc these are who i picture:

[ranking-disney-villains]

Who's the better villain?

[dumbdumbartprojects]

Two corrupt mayors… they might kiss….

[biancqueen]

Dawn’s tsum tsum is so,,,, something! Dark brown eyes vs Please get her contacts

[aquamarineglow]

Recently watched The Bad Guys and have a terrible idea for a crossover ship:

Professor Marmalade X Dawn Bellwether

Ok hear me out:

On the outside they look like a normal, respectable couple. Bellwether is the hardworking Assistant Mayor and Marmalade is a kind philanthropist.

But behind the scenes, they're the most toxic, manipulative animals you've ever met. Both desire absolute power and both possess tools to control the minds of others for their own gain.

They would come up with the most evil plans together. Such as finding a way to take Mayor Lionheart out of the picture, allowing Bellwether to be promoted to mayor.

Then, with Bellwether's new position, they'd be the most powerful couple in the city.

But nobody would suspect them of anything, after all what can a small sheep and a cute little guinea pig possibly do?

[herrenxenoberg]

Fandorm Showcase #47 - Zootopia

Introducing...

Oviseer (Ovis + Seer)

Oviseer emphasizes social responsibility, regulation, and representation of the unheard—but beneath that is a subtle current of information control, strategic manipulation, and the dangers of unchecked belief in moral superiority. In Night Raven College, Oviseer is akin to a hall monitor committee for the school, they're usually in charge of keeping the order of the school population when school staff are too occupied, any offending student gets reported back to Headmage's office upon detection. If the situation calls for it, Oviseer can issue suitable punishments for rulebreakers or aggressive students under permissible orders.

"A dorm founded on the Silken Strategist's spirit of perception. Students in this dorm focuses on social navigation, hidden influence, and tactical intelligence, making sure order and rules are followed properly."

Dorm Uniform:

I took a lot of inspiration from police uniforms for the overall design, especially the one Judy wore.

Character Roster:

Make sure to follow the rules, or else you'll be caught by the lead hall monitor of NRC...

Daahling Lecher (Twisted off Dawn Bellwether)

Daahling Lecher may look like your typical gentle sheep beastwoman—with her soft fleece, disarming smile, and small stature—but she’s anything but defenseless. As the sophomore housemistress of Oviseer and the lead hall monitor of Night Raven College, Daahling is tasked with maintaining order across the chaotic sprawl of campus—and she takes that responsibility with obsessive dedication.

Behind her polite tone and round glasses lies a sharply calculating mind, one that never forgets an offense, a rule broken, or a student who thinks they’re above authority. Though her appearance often causes others to underestimate her, Daahling knows how to weaponize that perception. She uses her perceived harmlessness to blend in, observe, and plan her moves before striking—be it through cleverly worded reports, or policies that subtly strip power from unruly students. Tirelessly diligent and known for being seemingly everywhere at once, Daahling has a near-encyclopedic knowledge of campus rules and infractions. Her dorm, Oviseer, reflects her vision of structured balance—its members are trained in observation, investigation, and tactical order-keeping. But beneath the clean-cut order of her dorm lies a dorm culture that values manipulation over brute force, and information over intimidation.

She smiles sweetly even as she assigns harsh disciplinary measures. And while she upholds justice on paper, Daahling always acts in favor of her own vision of what’s “best for the system”—even if it means bending the very rules she claims to protect. Though she publicly claims impartiality, Daahling keeps detailed personal files on every housewarden and staff member, including suspected secrets, behavioral patterns, and potential leverage points—just in case “campus order” needs a little nudge in her favor.

[SPOILER FOR BACKSTORY AHEAD]

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Born into a quiet, unassuming town nestled in the Shaftlands, Daahling Lecher was the only child of sheep beastfolk parents who lived a modest life as scholars and civil advisors. Her early years were peaceful, filled with books, careful etiquette, and the warm lull of bedtime stories—until one fateful night when a mysterious wildfire engulfed her village and took her parents’ lives. Daahling, only a toddler, survived—saved by a passing wolf patrol from the neighboring town. She was taken in by the Lecher family, a large, stern pack of wolf beastfolk who lived by a creed of strength, survival, and dominance. While they gave her a roof and food, Daahling was never seen as one of them. To wolves, she was prey—frail, passive, and meek. At best, a curiosity. At worst, a burden. She grew up on the fringe of the pack, taunted by young wolves who saw her as an outsider, and barely tolerated by the elders who thought kindness was a weakness.

Yet Daahling watched. She listened. She learned.

She began to realize that what made wolves powerful wasn’t just their claws—but the rules they followed, the packs they formed, and the hierarchies they built. It wasn’t brute force that gave the alphas power—it was order. She leaned into what made her different. She wasn’t strong, but she was smart. She wasn’t loud, but she was strategic. Where wolves growled and snarled, Daahling took notes, kept records, and remembered everything. By her teenage years, Daahling had already turned the tables in subtle ways. When a young wolf tried to sabotage her studies, she caught him with a perfectly timed exposure that led to his exile. When another mocked her softness, she engineered a trap of social embarrassment that left him too ashamed to speak again. No one could prove she did anything wrong. After all, she had followed all the rules.

Eventually, Daahling began to gain recognition—not for her strength, but for her discipline, her intellect, and her flawless ability to maintain control. When she applied to Night Raven College, she submitted a perfect application packet, complete with letters of recommendation from reluctant yet respectful Lecher family. Now, as the housemistress of Oviseer, Daahling has crafted a sanctuary for those dismissed as weak, overlooked, or too clever for their own good. She preaches order and observation as the truest form of strength—after all, she’s lived it. Beneath her calm exterior is a beastwoman who has survived the wilderness of wolves, risen above her prey status, and turned the system that once shunned her into her greatest weapon.

Notable Members:

Richie Marmot (Junior) - A woodchuck beastman who is very obnoxious and annoying, despite being apart of the school hall monitor committee. He has a grating voice, a permanent smirk, and the self-confidence of someone who's never been told “no” convincingly, but a bit of a coward when things escalate too far even for him. (Twisted off the Woodchuck Bully)

Porkella Swinne (Sophomore) - Calm, calculated, and surprisingly cunning behind her gentle eyes and cheery demeanor, she is one of the few members of the hall monitor committee who doesn't need to raise her voice to get results. She has a deep sense of pride in her work, and an uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying or trying to play dumb. (Twisted off Mayor Swinton)

Next Up: Valiant

[charmingradiobelle]

Lionheart: I must say, I’ve enjoyed our squabbles far more than I care to admit. You’ve kept me young, Smell-wether.

Bellwether: *looks him up and down*

Bellwether: I haven’t done a very good job.