The Royal Tenenbaums Dog Names

Buckley is the family's Beagle, specifically Chas and his two sons. Through a tragedy, Chas' wife dies in a plane crash but Buckley, who was also on the plane, somehow survives. After the loss, Chas becomes obsessed with the safety of his family and lives in constant fear. The velvet-eared family member often is found on his embroidered dog bed and serves as a constant reminder of what the family has lost, though he is deeply loved despite this.

A series of events unfold leading up to the siblings' childhood friend, Eli, to go on a drug-fueled joy ride during a mental meltdown. He consequently crashes right into the Tenenbaum's house, destroying their idea of safety and killing beloved Buckley in the process.

Audiences all over were shaken at the realization that Anderson actually let the canine take the fall for the characters' years of bad behavior, and while it is devastating to watch, it becomes the main turning point for the film. The fact that no one is safe, not even the furry friend, is actually the simple fact that frees Chas and his boys.

He had not realized how Buckley's presence left a lingering pull on the family to always be focusing on what they had lost. Buckley's burial allows Chas to complete his grieving for his wife, which he odes to be bringing out the same whiskey that he drank after her funeral. This distressing event also leads to the reconciliation of Chas with his father, Royal, which is one of the film's main subplots. Royal wins back his son by spending quality time with him the way he never did win Chas was young, and he allows Chas and the boys to focus forward by getting them a new dog, Sparkplug the Dalmatian.

The death of a beloved dog isn't a taboo subject in many of Wes' films. He uses this loss to reach out and grab hold of his viewers' heartstrings, as any who have loved a dog have had to go to that dark place where we must let go of our shorter-life-spanned friends. Even though the film maintains a light and whimsical tone, by introducing serious life events into the movie, he brings the film back earth and makes it relatable to his audience.