Recap / Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: S1 E04: "Cactus Town"

"We've got something special here,
What we have is you"

—Kipo and Lio's song

Leading an army of new allies, Kipo argues with Wolf about the best way to avoid a hissy fit on Umlaut Snäke turf. Can she talk it out with a Mega Mute?

---

Tropes:

• Animal Jingoism: Yumyan mentions that the Timbercats once battled an entire army of Mega Mice.
• Big Word Shout: An odd hamster randomly shows up in front of Kipo’s group to warn them about the snakes by screaming "SNNAAKKKEEESSS!!!!" This goes on for a few seconds before the hamster promptly goes away.
• Foreshadowing: The previous episode established that Kipo has the skill to solve situations by, as she says, "a gentle touch", which she shows Yumyan. She now uses it again by using music to soothe the Mega Monkey.
• Giant Footprint Reveal: Benson and Dave stop walking to look at a giant Mega Monkey footprint that is much larger than them.
• Ground Punch: The Mega Mute uses its massive fist to punch into the ground, which creates a massive shockwave that sends many Timbercats flying backwards.
• Heävy Mëtal Ümlaut: The Umlaut Snäkes, who adopt exaggerated rocker personas.
• It Can Think: Contrary to Wolf's assertion that Mega Mutes are mindless beasts, the Mega Monkey is fully intelligent and capable of understanding speech.
• Metal Scream: Enforced; Benson helps out Kipo’s guitar solo in front of Cotton and Camille by ripping off Dave’s antennae, which causes him to let out a long, exaggerated scream reminiscent of a metal scream while Kipo plays.
• Music Soothes the Savage Beast: Kipo calms the mega mute from its rampage by playing music on a guitar.
• No-Sell:
  • Wolf stings the Umlaut Snäkes with her scorpion-tipped staff, but it accomplishes nothing as they have venom flowing their veins anyway.
    Cotton: Oh honey. Do you know much venom I've got coursing through my veins?
  • Later, the Snäkes barely notice Wolf hitting them and breaking a chair over their head.
• The Power of Rock: Kipo, with some assistance from Benson and Dave, befriends the Umlaut Snäkes of Cactustown by playing an epic guitar solo, at which point they decide that she's way too awesome to eat and deem her an honorary band member.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Benson and Dave wonder whether they wouldn't be better off by ditching Kipo and go back to their relative safety without joining her quest.
• Snakes Are Sinister: Downplayed. While they don't like trespassers and they are not above eating them, the Umlaut Snäkes seem quite civil to those who can play awesome music. They even help Kipo during the fight with the Mega Monkey.

---