Did You Catch the Reference to the Unofficial Mascot of NYC in ‘Nimona’?

Several fun Easter eggs have been uncovered in Netflix’s Nimona since its release, but did you catch the reference to New York City’s unofficial mascot? Nimona premiered on Netflix on June 30, after a long waiting period, as development on the animated film, based on the graphic novel of the same name by ND Stevenson, began all the way back in 2014 when 20th Century Fox Animation acquired the film rights and passed the project on to its subsidiary, Blue Sky Studios. Unfortunately, Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019 and subsequently chose to shut down Blue Sky Studios, scrapping Nimona in the process.

However, Nimona was saved by Netflix and has proven its worth with its phenomenal critical reception and strong viewership. The film follows the knight Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) and shape-shifter Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) as they forge an unlikely alliance to get justice after Ballister was framed for a crime he didn’t commit.

As the adventure plays out, viewers can spot a few clever Easter eggs and references. One pays tribute to Blue Sky Studios, while another appears to depict a character from Stevenson’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The film also contains one reference to a meme-worthy mascot from New York.

Nimona includes a nod to NYC’s Pizza Rat

Some fans were delighted to spot New York City icon Pizza Rat in Nimona. Pizza Rat became a meme and, to some, a mascot after the rodent was caught on camera in 2015 dragging a slice of pizza down the stairs of a subway station. The video was posted on social media and quickly went viral as users were captivated by the little guy carrying a snack at least twice his size. He was thereby christened Pizza Rat and has lived on as a meme ever since.

Nimona doesn’t take place in New York City, but at one point in the film, Nimona and Ballister are forced to take the subway to get to a certain area in their kingdom. However, the place is being scouted by law enforcement officers and knights who still think Ballister is guilty. As a result, Nimona creates a distraction to lure the knights away and then shapeshifts into a rat to get back to the subway undetected. When Ballister finds her, she’s still in rat form, attempting to pull a piece of pizza onto the train after her. In doing so, she brings the Pizza Rat meme to life.

Nimona isn’t the only film that has included a Pizza Rat Easter egg. Animated films We Bare Bears: The Movie and Soul also included references to Pizza Rat. Perhaps Pizza Rat will become a tradition for animated films and will further expand the enduring legacy of the New York icon.

(featured image: Netflix)