Before the events of zootopia, Nick wilde was a soldier for close to 7 years. He was a very dedicated and strong willed mammal according to his friends in the military. But, it wasn't always like this. Nick was a very troubled kid before he joined. He would go out at night and shoplift, vandalize and when his parents were not home, he would go out and hustle. one day when he was brought back home by the cops, his mom and dad had a big argument and left them. When nick's dad left, he just got into more trouble. Constant fights at school, more shoplifting and hustling. This kept on for more years to come. One night, he came back in handcuffs after he was caught stealing from a convenience store. His mother looked at him in extreme disappointment and she just took him in only saying "thank you" to the officer. Nicks mom softly closed the door and looked at him.
"Nick... I am sickened by your behavior"
Nick just looked up at his mothers eyes seeing hurt in them. He knew he screwed up big time.
"ever since your dad left, you have been causing nothing but trouble for me. I try to be very patient with you hoping you can have a change in you but all you have ever done is mess up. I work so hard to take care of you but instead of paying for food, I have to pay for everything that YOU have destroyed and having to pay to get your ungrateful ass out of juvenile hall."
Nick just looked down in shame not saying a word.
"you are almost 18 now and everything you do will get you put in jail. Not juvenile hall but actual jail. Now you get yourself together or I'll kick your ass out the very second you turn 18. You got it?"
nick kept his head down with tears starting to roll down his eyes
"y-yes, mom"
"go to your room. NOW"
Nick slowly walked upstairs and when he reached the top, he heard his mom softly crying. He felt a sense of sadness in his heart like it completely shattered. At the time, he was turning 18 with his birthday in 5 days from now. Although his heart was broken, he needed a source of income and hustling was the only way for him to pay for the things he wants. Because of this, Nick's mom made sure on her promise. She gifted him 700 dollars and kicked him out. He knocked on the door begging her to let him back in.
"MOM, PLEASE! WHERE DO I GO NOW?"
There was no response from her and Nick left after 30 minutes begging her to let him back in.
He walked to downtown Zootopia to try to look for a job but the hard part about this is that all the jobs that were hiring were the places he either stole from or vandalized so he was out of luck until he saw a table with an army logo on it. Nick approached the table to talk to the soldiers.