Julius may be a cockatoo, but don’t let the feathers fool you he’s got strength. Sure, he spends most of his time bossing everyone around from his perch, screaming at unacceptable household activities, and side-eyeing anyone who dares challenge his authority. But every now and then, he decides to participate in family activities.

And today? That activity was tug of war.

It started as a joke. Abbi was in the middle of an intense match, locked in battle with Dad over her rope toy, shaking her head like a wild little beast. Julius, watching from the sidelines, clearly decided he had seen enough. Without hesitation, he marched up, grabbed onto the rope with his beak, and much to everyone’s surprise refused to let go. At first, Abbi thought this was just a fluke. Ha ha, look at the bird thinking he can play tug of war. She gave the rope a solid tug, expecting Julius to be yanked right off his feet.

But Julius? He held on.

Not just held on—he fought back.

Feathers fluffed, crest raised, beak locked onto the rope like his life depended on it, Julius pulled. Hard. And suddenly, Abbi wasn’t as confident. She gave another tug, but this time, Julius dug in.

Dad? Stunned.

Abbi? Confused.

Julius? Victorious.

With one final, dramatic yank, he ripped the rope free from Abbi’s grip and launched himself backward in a feathery explosion of glory. The room fell silent. Abbi blinked. Julius, still holding the rope, stood tall a champion. Did he drop the rope and immediately act like this was the outcome he expected all along? Absolutely. Did he scream in victory just to make sure everyone knew he won? You bet.

And Abbi? Well… let’s just say she’s reevaluating everything.