The brothers come across a lone baby elephant and bring him back to the Tortuga HQ for safety until they can find his mom. But they learn how mischievous baby elephants can be and get more than they bargained for when it almost destroys the Tortuga!
Tropes:
- An Aesop: Keeping wild animals in your home, however cute they may be, may cause you more harm than good.
- Babysitting Episode: Thornsley is a baby elephant and every member of the Wild Kratts Crew is tasked with keeping an eye on him so they don't get in trouble. He manages to fry Koki's control panel and computer and ruins Jimmy Z's lunch within minutes of him arriving at the Tortuga, but things only get worse from there.
- Blanket Tug O' War: During the night, Thornsley snatches Chris's blanket, leaving him freezing. But he doesn't stop there — he grabs Chris with his trunk, throws him on his brother, then grabs both brothers by the ankles and yanks them so that Martin is on the ground stomach-first and Chris is lying horizontally on top of him, still freezing. Thornsley's taken both of their blankets by the end of it all in addition to the one he already has, but they still manage to fall asleep in the same positions.
- Brick Joke: Jimmy tries to get himself a sandwich twice. The first one is stepped on by Thornsley. The second one is teleported in the path of a hyena...by Thornsley. The third one is stolen...by Thornsley and his trunk, but he gives Jimmy that one.
- Covered in Gunge:
- When Martin runs to scoop up some mud from the pool where the bachelor herd is bathing, an elephant flings his trunk back and covers him in mud. Chris decides to do a full-on mud cannonball, but one of the elephants decides to use the tree he's using for a diving board as a source of food instead.
- During the rescue of Thornsley's mother, Jimmy is tasked with keeping an eye on the calf. He manages to trip on his trunk and fall face-first into the mud, causing him to snark that "I wanted a mud mask today".
- Cuteness Proximity: Aviva immediately falls in love with Thornsley when he arrives at the Tortuga and believes he can do no harm, even when presented with evidence to the contrary. And then he manages to separate her, Koki and Jimmy Z from Chris and Martin by leaving them stranded in the desert while they sleep, and she begins to realize just how rambunctious he is — that is, until she says he can't stay in the Tortuga and chews Chris and Martin out only for her to get rubbed on by Thornsley and won over by how cute he is.
- Death Glare: Aviva manages to shoot Jimmy one when he demands that Thornsley can stay on the condition that he doesn't ruin his lunch again. He's quick to backtrack and say that he can stay for as long as he wants.
- From Bad to Worse: Thornsley goes from ruining sandwiches and computers to stranding five humans in the desert and shrinking them down to the size of ants within the span of a single night.
- Hope Spot: When searching for the Tortuga, Chris and Martin stumble upon a matriarchal herd that has two cows but only one calf. They realize that one of the moms is displaying signs of worry about her missing baby, and they believe it's Thornsley's mom. However, her calf comes marching from the bushes seconds later and reunites with her, which dashes their hopes.
- Incredible Shrinking Man: Thornsley's footsteps take the long cord of the Miniaturizer with them, causing the device to fall and for it to inadvertently shrink Aviva, Koki and Jimmy. What follows is them trying to avoid getting squished by the baby calf as they run around the Tortuga.
- Meaningful Name: Thornsley was named due to the thorn in his foot, but as the crew quickly finds out, there's another meaning to his name.Martin: When I named him Thornsley, I didn't know he'd be such a thorn in our side.
- Oral Fixation: Similar to how human babies and children suck their thumbs, Thornsley sucks his trunk to help him sleep.
- Sleep Squashing: A sleeping Martin manages to get 250 pounds of baby elephant square on top of him when Thornsley rolls over in his sleep.
- Smelly Feet Gag: In their efforts to get away from Thornsley, Aviva, Jimmy and Koki land in one of Chris's running shoes. It doesn't even take them a second for them to stand up and hold their breath from how stinky the shoe is.
- Tempting Fate: Martin tells Aviva that he and Chris will take turns keeping an eye on Thornsley (who sleeps for four hours a night) so she, Koki and Jimmy Z can get some rest. She asks him what harm he can do, and he responds by telling her that he's already squished Jimmy's sandwich and fried Koki's computer. She still doesn't get the hint...but does when Thornsley manages to drive the Tortuga and separate her, Koki and Jimmy Z from the brothers.Aviva: When Martin said "playful", I think he meant "mischief maker"!
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Jimmy has this reaction when Thornsley manages to teleport his second sandwich straight into the path of a spotted hyena.
