Flipper

**Flipper** was an Ork of Orkland who moved to the Land of Oz.

## Biography

### Visited by Acquaintanceship

In the version of Oz which was visited by Acquaintanceship-982, Flipper, originally a resident of Orkland, had taken up residence in Oz by the time of Acquaintanceship's visit, though it took him quite a while to cross the distance between Orkland and Oz even using his four wings and propellor-shaped tail.

After the Imps Olite, Udent and Ertinent escaped, stole Dorothy Gale's Magic Belt and brought it back to Blinkie, also stealing the Magic Picture and the Great Book of Records, Ozma convened a great number of her friends and acquaintances to a room on the first floor the Emerald Palace to discuss the situation, including Flipper, Dorothy, Billina, the Wizard, Toto, Tik-Tok, General Omby Amby, Jellia Jamb, Trot, the Glass Cat, the Shaggy Man, the Gump, Eureka, the Lonesome Duck, Cap'n Bill, Jack Pumpkin Head, the Hungry Tiger, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, Ojo, the Woozy, the Woggle-Bug. Also brought to the meeting by mistake was Acquaintanceship-982, who had been mistaken for Tik-Tok by General Amby. When the group discovered that the Red Wagon had been put out of commission (rather to the relief of the Sawhorse, who hadn't been looking forward to pulling such a great number of people), someone suggested that Flipper could carry them all on his back, which Flipper anxiously denied. In the end, the group decided to travel in Acquaintanceship-982's Fog Ship instead.

They first landed in Munchkin Country, where the possé met the Phonograph of Oz, who had spotted the imps. During this brief stop, the Scarecrow applauded the Pathwork Girl's impromptu song trying to show off how much better a real musician was compared to a phonograph. Thanks to the Phonograph's directions, Acquaintanceship knew to fly towards Quadling Country, but on the way through the forest which separated the two Countries, they were attacked by three kalidahs. After evading them, they reached the mountains of Jinxland, where they found not only the imps, but also Blinkie. Gloating, the Wicked Witch unveiled a field full of hundreds of imp statues, which she intended to bring to life as an unstoppable army using the Powder of Life. Acquaintanceship attempted to romanticise Blinkie right there and then, but his shot missed and instead knocked the bottle Powder out of her hands. Taking his chance, Acquaintanceship grabbed the bottle and ran off with it into his Fog Ship, but Blinkie (who had yet to realise he had the Powder and thought he was just escaping) used the Belt to cause him to crash into the forest, and transformed most of the Ozites into various objects, with only Dorothy managing to escape, despite their attempts to attack her (with the Sawhorse notably, if briefly, trampling the witch).

Acquaintanceship was unharmed, however, although his Ship was down. Out of other options, he used some of the Powder of Life to attempt to repair his Ship, with the effect of bringing it to life as a sentient entity. Startled, he dropped the rest of the Powder onto his bow and arrows, which similarly came to life. Together, they returned to Jinxland and managed to romanticise Blinkie and the Imps, who subsequently apologised to everyone and returned the magical items. However, the Ship's inexperience with flying itself caused it to crash again with Acquaintanceship itself, injuring him this time. With the Bow and Arrows finding them, however, the Imps worked with Tik-Tok to repair both of them. Healed, Acquaintanceship was offered the chance to stay in the Emerald Palace as a permanent resident but turned it down, unlike the Ship, Bow and Arrows. (PROSE: *The Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids in Oz*)

## Behind the scenes

   Bearing no relation to Tolkien-style “Orcs”, L. Frank Baum's “Orks” debuted in 1915's *The Scarecrow of Oz*, meaning they are now in the public domain. They are described as quadrupeds with parrot-like heads, a tail shaped like a propellor, and a single crest of feathers on their heads.

## External links

* ***Flipper* on the Oz Wiki**
* ***Flipper* on the Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki**