I was in two minds as to whether or not I would cover these deaths as part of my retrospective. When I started, I hadn't anticipated devoting an entry to every single nameless extra who perishes in the series, wanting to focus more upon the demises of actual established characters. This wasn't much of an issue for Series 1, but in Series 2 it becomes slightly more problematic, as there are a number of shocking and fairly plot-significant ends for creatures who otherwise have zero presence within the show. In the end I relented and decided that I would cover these deaths too. I am unlikely, however, to devote entries to random prey animals who show up merely to be fodder for the predators (eg: the pheasants killed by Bold later on in the series) - I'm honestly not that much of a completist.
Scarface and his family suffer quite a few losses throughout Series 2, all of which seem to involve the Farthing foxes in some way...which does go a little toward making their ongoing dislike of Fox seem somewhat understandable. This particular mishap certainly isn't Fox's fault, but the fact that the swift-thinking Fox is here able to profit from what is a terrible tragedy for the blue foxes is obviously not going to soothe tensions between the two clans.
With food resources in White Deer Park still scarce for the winter, Badger suggests that the animals venture out into some of the neighbouring farms and houses and scavenge amongst the humans' supplies. Unfortunately, Scarface's family have had the very same idea, and Fox and Vixen arrive at a local farm to find that the blue foxes are already in the process of trying to pull off a chicken heist. Two of Scarface's children (a son and a daughter) are seen fleeing from the farm with dead chickens in their mouths. A human is then heard firing two gunshots from off-screen, and the young blue foxes are both hit and killed instantly. Fox and Vixen are both horrified, but Fox spies an opportunity, and he and Vixen are able to move in quickly, grab the chickens from the dead foxes and flee before the human can get to them. From a distance, Scarface and his mate, Lady Blue, are revealed to be watching. Lady Blue is mournful at the deaths of her children, although Scarface seems far more aggrieved that his arch-rival has managed to make off with their bounty.
I recall being pretty shocked by this sequence the first time it aired, in part because I mistakenly thought that the two foxes who died actually were Scarface and Lady Blue. I was greatly taken back that the main villains of the series would apparently have been killed off so abruptly, and it was only when they were subsequently revealed to be watching from the bushes that I realised that it wasn't them. In my defence, you don't get a particularly good look at the two unfortunate young foxes, although with hindsight it does seem obvious from the go that this isn't Scarface or his Lady.
It's also at times like this that I wish I still had a copy of the Colin Dann novels to hand, for, although I do recall this being based on an occurrence in the books, I can't recall if the two foxes who died therein were ever explicitly revealed to be related to Scarface. A little help here?
HORROR FACTOR: 7. The deaths themselves technically occur off-screen, but manage to be fairly startling in their abruptness, and we do get quite a generous serving of blood in the aftermath (even if the colouration seems a tad off).
NOBILITY FACTOR: 7. Paid the price for their thievery, but all in an effort to provide food for their family. At least the Farthing foxes were able to benefit.
TEAR-JERKER FACTOR: 1. It's somewhat hard to shed tears for these characters as we don't even know who they were, though Lady Blue's comments do at least indicate that their loss will be felt by someone.
RATING: 15
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