Runaway Reptar


"Runaway Reptar" is the 113/114 TV movie episodes of the animated television series Rugrats. It originally aired on the television network Nickelodeon on November 27, 1999, during the series' sixth season. The plot follows the babies watching a Reptar movie and getting sucked into it.
"Runaway Reptar" was written by Ali Marie Matheson and Jon Cooksey based on an idea by Scott Gray and directed by John Holmquist and Jim Duffy. It became available for sale on the VHS on August 3, 1999, and is available on DVD in the Season 6 set for sale on Amazon.com.

Plot summary

Part 1

The Rugrats and Lou Pickles are at a drive-in movie theater, watching a Reptar movie called Runaway Reptar. Their friend, Susie Carmichael, and her parents and two older brothers, are also there to watch the Reptar movie, while Susie's also talking to Angelica Pickles on their two-way walkie-talkies. While they watch the movie they figure out that Reptar is helping his enemy Dactar. The reporters in the movie are also wondering why he is helping Dactar. Tommy says they should go to Tokyo to help Reptar become good again. So he takes out his Reptar car and they all get in except Chuckie and turn on three engines before Chuckie finally gets in. They turn on the last engine and fly into the movie, as Angelica says "Who drooled on my cookies?!" In the car, Chuckie asks if they are going too fast, and Tommy replies by stating that everyone ran away when Dactar and Reptar came and they are the only people in the street. So then Lil says "'Cept for the big butterfly!" the babies see that Dactar is flying over their head and scream.
As Dactar tries to "peck" at them, they go through a tunnel so Dactar will get stuck. They see Reptar eating a firetruck and this convinces them that he has actually gone bad. So Chuckie suggests a snail for a new hero. The reporters on the big screen say to set a trap for him. Back at the Reptar car, Chuckie finds a snail and tries to follow what it does, but Dil throws it. Tommy, Phil and Lil set a trap for Reptar and he walks up behind them, Chuckie sees him and has a slug; he tries taking advice from the slug, instead he throws it and helps Tommy. As Reptar walks closer behind him Chuckie pushes him out of the way and falls in the dinosaur treats. But Reptar's foot gets stuck in the trap and Tommy tries to save Chuckie from being eaten.

Part 2

The Rugrats finally find out the truth that Reptar is a robot controlled and built by Angelica. The man who gave her the idea appears on a blimp and tells them his plan. So robot Reptar go towards their houses; then Tommy and the gang call up Susie to tell them what's going on. The Rugrats head to Mount Fugelica to stop Angelica, but Dactar is behind them again. They fly lower to the ground past a bell and Dactar follows them and hits his head on the bell. Susie and her brothers try to stop robot Reptar in their Halloween costumes. In Mount Fugelica, Angelica captures the babies and she has already captured the real Reptar. So Susie and her brothers had captured robot Reptar and stopped him from crushing Tommy's house. Dil, while Tommy tries to break them out, pulls the "tinkly thing" and darts shoot out and breaks Angelica's machine which controls robot Reptar. Robot Reptar then appears in Mount Fugelica and brings Susie with him. He chases Angelica and Tommy asks her to let them out so they can help her. They hide Angelica in her pile of cookies. Then robot Reptar leaves with Dil and Tommy frees Reptar with his screwdriver. Reptar then helps the babies by fighting the robot Reptar, while they fight Tommy rescues Dil. They all say bye to Susie and thank the real Reptar for his help then ride home. As they go home Tommy uses Angelica's 2-way phone and thanks Susie for helping. Then he falls asleep as Angelica drops her snow globe and Reptar appears inside as the episode ends.

Reception

"Runaway Reptar" originally first aired on Nickelodeon on November 27, 1999. Like all other Rugrats episodes, it received a rating of TV-Y parental guidance rating and was not paired with any other episode. It was also popular enough to have an amusement ride based on it at Kings Island.

Book

A book based on the episode was released in 1999, adapted by Cecile Schoberle.

Roller coasters

Rugrats Runaway Reptar were a collection of several different Suspended Family Coasters designed by Vekoma, which debuted in 2001 at Kings Island. It was the first inverted coaster designed specifically for children. The years 2002 and 2003 saw the coaster open at Dreamworld and Carowinds, respectively. The rides have since been renamed and rethemed.
NameAmusement ParkLocationOpening DateTrack ColorRCDB page
Rugrats Runaway ReptarKings IslandMason, Ohio, United States of America2001Yellow/Green
Rugrats Runaway ReptarDreamworldGold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaOrange/Green
Rugrats Runaway ReptarCarowindsCharlotte, North Carolina, United States of AmericaOrange/Green

Runaway Reptar was once the name of Woodstock's Express at California's Great America. This ride is a traditional steel roller coaster for families.

Production

"Runaway Reptar" was written by Ali Marie Matheson and Jon Cooksey and directed by John Holmquist and Jim Duffy. It was the thirteenth and fourteenth episodes of season six of Rugrats, which was created by Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo, along with Paul Germain, founders of the self-titled company Klasky-Csupo. It is also the series' first double length episode. This episode marks the first appearance of Dactar. It was also first aired as a prime-time special on Nickelodeon.