Surly

### Likes

Annette, farming, having fun with his friends, training, walnuts and almonds, children, dancing, going to balls, romance

### Dislikes

Gossip, his friends and family in danger, Red Bird, the Rock Brothers' antics, crime

### Powers and abilities

Farming skills
Training skills
Eternal youth

## Family information

### Other relatives

Squirrel Family
Annette (fiancé)

**Surly** is a major character in the feature film, Animal Planet and in the Black Lion franchise. He's the childhood friend of Ben and Owen, boyfriend of Annette and a resident of Animal Town.

## Background

Many years ago, Surly lived on a farm with his extended family. In the Animaliverse, the Squirrels managed to grow nuts and sell them to all of the stores in Animal Town. The Squirrel family were paid handsomely for their nuts. One day, while farming, Surly met Benjamin and Owen, who were playing ball. He dropped his tools and went over to play with them. After playing with them, a long-lasting childhood friendship was created. Surly began to spend more time in Animal Town with his friends and while he was in the city, he met and fell in love with another squirrel named Annette.

Surly eventually graduated from college and he moved into Animal Town, where he got a job as the city clerk. He started a romantic relationship with Annette while his best friends got married. Sometime after Mayor Robinson's election, an infamous bird nicknamed Red Bird infiltrated Animal Town and sought residence in the Bungle Jungle Volcano, inviting mammals to play poker with him, only for them to learn that Red Bird plays dirty. He murders the loser mammal by dropping them into the depths of the volcano. The ATPD managed to catch and imprison Red Bird, but only for a brief minute.

Aware of the city being in danger, Surly, along with the other City Hall workers swore to defeat Red Bird and save the city and their people.

### Personality

Surly is portrayed as an elegant, optimistic and polite squirrel who's loyal to his family and people. When introduced, Surly immediately befriends that person and tries to make them feel welcomed into the city. Surly has a rather cocky and cheeky disposition, probably due to being the best farmers in all of Animal Town. Surly proves to be far from a egotist, by having empathy and being satisfied with what he has and doesn't seek more. Like most of the Animal Town residents, Surly seem to lack prejudice and was capable of encouraging Matthew to fight Red Bird when he was scared of keeping his new friends, if he failed. Excluding Benjamin and the others, Surly's confidence and kindness greatly influenced Matthew's confidence, which lead him to defeat Red Bird, restore peace back to the Animaliverse and his friendship with them, last forever.

Surly is a fierce fighter and is shown to be extremely protective of his family and friends. At the training camp, Surly often defended Matthew from the brutish Rock Brothers or the tough-as-nails, General Coby. Nevertheless, Surly was open and extremely forgiving, accepting the Rock Brothers' apology and becoming their friends. Surly's protective and sensitive side of his personality shows how strong his loyalty to his people and country are. Other people's kindness or selflessness inspires him to protect them, nevertheless.

Surly is very romantic, thoughtful and generous. He's capable of thinking of a way to celebrate Annette's birthday or places to go for a date. For one, a romantic ball in the 2nd dimension.

### Physical appearance

Surly is a slender brown squirrel with a slight muscular build. His uniform in and out of work consists of a white dress shirt with a black tie and suspenders and brown pants.

## Appearances

### Animal Planet

Surly is introduced shortly after the gang's arrival in downtown Animal Town. He is seen exiting from Joe's Diner, along with Ben and Owen. He witnesses Matthew and the gang being chased by Red Bird's chicks. He helps Benjamin set up a slingshot that shot the chicks all the way back to the lair in the Bungle Jungle Volcano. The gang officially meets the mammals and gets to know each other. However, the mammals had to report back to their job at City Hall for an emergency announcement. Matthew and the gang tagged along with them. In the building, the gang learned about the city's most wanted criminal, Red Bird and how he's been an increasingly dangerous threat to the mammals. Feeling sympathy for the citizens, Matthew boldly offered to fight Red Bird and his army.

Before departing from Animal Town, Surly introduced Annette to Matthew and the gang. The gang went over to the training camp. At the camp, Matthew was struggling to ace his tests, mostly due to the Rock Brothers' cruel pranks and harassment. Fortunately, Matthew managed to ace his classes and befriend the general and Rock Brothers. With the army done with their training, the soldiers headed over to the Sahara Desert to battle Red Bird. "Red Bird" unleashed an army of robotic clones at the army. With the robots being unstoppable and powerful, Matthew and Benjamin triggered a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed "Red Bird," his clones and lair. Matthew was cheered as the hero of Animal Town and the cadets returned home to Animal Town to be reunited with their families.

Later in the film, it was revealed the "Red Bird," that the soldiers encountered back at the Sahara Desert was clone as well. Red Bird was still alive and somewhere in Animal Town. Out of the blue, he tranquilized all of the mammals, abducted and all sentenced them to painful deaths. Just as the mammals thought they were going to meet their doom, Matthew returned to Animal Town to face his foe. Matthew rendered Red Bird powerless and had him defeated for good. The mammals were freed and saved.

Following the events of the adventure, Matthew became the king of Animal Town. One day later, the gang attended a concert in Rainforest Town. Surly is last seen dancing with Annette.

### The Black Lion

Surly appears in the cartoon series as a major character.