Fleetwood Yak

**Fleetwood Yak** (*吴福利*) is a supporting character. A close companion to Bodi and Khampa, even guiding Bodi in his growing up in Snow Mountain. His story before the events of the movie is unknown, though he states that he once came from the City before moving and settling to Snow Mountain. He convinced Khampa to let Bodi pursue his dreams of becoming a rock star. He also serves as the story's narrator.

## Background

### Biography

*Fleetwood Yak is a cool and wise elder with many stories to tell. Having left the city life long ago, he has found peace living in Snow Mountain among the happy band of sheep, Bodi and his old friend Khampa.*
### Personality

Fleetwood Yak is a laid-back and calm elder of the village of Snow Mountain. Despite this, he is very wise and would help people who may be in need of or seeking some advice. He originally came from the city before settling in the village and staying there.

Not much is known from his younger year, nor his reason for staying in the village nor whether he was really the village elder when he came. In the opening however, it is shown that he lives his life in the village calmly, playing his instrument and playing along with the sheep villagers and young Bodi, calling the village a "paradise".

His role as the village elder can really be seen on him. Whenever the wolves attack, he is seen protecting the villagers, even as far as trying to fend the wolves off, however, he completely relies on Khampa on protecting the whole village from attackers.

### Physical Appearance

Fleetwood is an elderly yak with light brown fur, tan horns, brown nose, brown eyes, and long light gray facial hair.

His clothing consists of a red-and-amber robe, ornamental beads, tan sandals, and wielding a walking stick, similar to how wandering Tibetan monks are commonly seen.

In his younger days, he had the same body build and also had shorter facial hair, wore a shirt with a similar color to his robe, dark purple pants, and went barefoot.

## Story

### *Rock Dog*

Playing his dramyin, Fleetwood opens the film story by introducing the audience to Snow Mountain and explaining how the mastiffs have honoured the tradition as protectors. He introduces us to Bodi and his father Khampa, and that once the village enjoyed music. When the wolf pack led by Linnux attacked the village, Fleetwood tried to defend the sheep with his dramyin, until Khampa defeats the wolf pack. Fleetwood is saddened later when Khampa forbids all music in the village and locks up all instruments, resulting in things getting "a whole lot quieter..."

Moving to the present, Fleetwood observes Bodi attempting to play some of the instruments with a long stick, before admonishing him to gather the daily sheep guards, then addresses the audience once again.

When Bodi takes Fleetwood's dramyin and converts it to a full-stringed guitar, the yak is impressed with the young mastiff's natural ability to play music and inspire the villagers to join in with their own makeshift instruments. Addressing the audience, Fleetwood adds that Bodi's antics will lead him to trouble sooner or later. "My guess is sooner."

Later that night, after a failed attempt by Khampa to "scare Bodi straight" with a fake wolf attack, Fleetwood is frequenting the pub when the sounds of fearful screams and panic send him outside, only to be trampled by a few terrified villagers.

The next morning, Fleetwood returns to the pub to find a sulking Khampa, angry at Bodi for failing to stay focused on guarding the village. The yak consoles Khampa that he needs to give Bodi a chance to find his own dream in life and slides over a bus ticket, which the mastiff reluctantly accepts.

When Bodi prepares to leave the village for the City, he says goodbye to all the villagers and Fleetwood, who gives Bodi his dramyin-guitar, encouraging him to find his dream and make it a happy one.

Fleetwood isn't seen again until near the film's climax with Linnux's wolf pack returning to Snow Mountain. Having captured Khampa, the pack approaches Fleetwood and the remaining villagers, attempting to barricade themselves inside a structure. The yak initially laughs when the doors appear barred, but is disappointed when the wolves simply open the doors the other way, leaving everyone completely vulnerable. Tied up with Khampa, Fleetwood is mockingly provided a dish by the wolf pack as they prepare to roast the captured villagers. Bodi arrives to the rescue and peacefully subdues the wolves with his serene music, causing Fleetwood and everyone else to levitate in tranquil bliss, before Bodi destroys the wolf's barbeque and everyone returns the ground as friends together. Fleetwood addresses the audience one last time, as he's still tied up, but will be released "sooner or later. My guess is later." Amusedly, he's pleased by the fact that Bodi and Khampa have reconciled and that things around the village will get "a whole lot louder."

He joins Bodi, Angus, Darma and Germur on stage, with some of the villagers, playing the dramyin-guitar once again to the song "Glorious", happy that music has been restored for everyone.

## Relations

### Bodi

Fleetwood has always been with Bodi since his birth, thus their relationship are undeniably close. Fleet was the one who gave Bodi his very first instrument and he cared for him as if he was his own son. Fleet also helped Bodi to pursue his dreams of becoming a rock star, and trusting him of making his own paradise.

### Khampa

Khampa and Fleetwood are close friends, maybe even when he first arrived in the village. Khampa always seeks the advise of Fleetwood, most especially whenever it concerns Bodi and his dreams of becoming a rock star. However, Fleetwood would always be on Bodi's side, even as far as convincing Khampa to let Bodi fulfill his dream.

## Trivia

* His name is a play on the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac.
* In the opening of the movie, he said that the view of Snow Mountain is "Glorious", which is where Bodi might have gotten the idea for the word when talking to Angus.
* Fleetwood has the least on-screen appearance of all the main characters in the movie.
* The dramyin that Fleetwood plays is similar to what Bodi owns and he was only seen playing it for two times, in the beginning and ending only.
	+ In the beginning scene, when Fleetwood showed Bodi the dramyin, there's a small ticket that is stuck beside it. This may either be the ticket he used to get to go to Snow Mountain and the same one used by Bodi to get to the city.
* Sam Elliott, Fleetwood's voice actor, has voiced in animations like *Barnyard* as Ben the Cow and *The Good Dinosaur* as Butch.
* There are reference sheets of a Young Fleetwood on the archive, which implies that at one point, Fleet's arrival to Snow Mountain was going to be explained on the movie.