Ratland

*For the location, see Ratland Amusement Park.*

"**Ratland**" is the sixth episode of *Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts*. It premiered on Netflix with the rest of season 1 on January 14, 2020. It was written by Bill Wolkoff and directed by Chase Conley.

## Synopsis

The wolves break the news to Scarlemagne as Kipo tries to crack her father's code. Then Benson gives the burrow girl a 13th birthday surprise-- or two.

## Plot

***Warning:** the following text contains spoilers about the plot or the series.*

In a mocking display of ancient nobility, Scarlemagne forces his human servants into dancing in a masquerade ball. The dancing is interrupted by Mega Flamingos delivering the Billions brothers. When the Newtons note the strange smell in the palace, Scarlemagne reveals it's a perfume made from his own pheromones. The mind-controlling pheromone only works against primates however, so the canine wolves supposedly have no need to worry. He shows off the effects using a human he renamed Francis. The Billions inform Scarlemagne that they no longer have a telescope, so Scarlemagne sends out his Flamingo Riders to search for the escaped burrow humans and any others they may come across.

Meanwhile, Kipo and friends reach the billboard. Kipo knows that 3.262 is the length of a parsec in light-years, but she doesn't know what it's supposed to mean in her current situation. It's also actually her birthday: March 26, at 2:00 am, which is why it's Lio's favorite number.

After spending the entire day there trying to make sense of the clue, Benson encourages Kipo to take a break and celebrate her birthday. Kipo reveals she's turning 13 when asked, then wonders when Wolf 's birthday is. When Wolf says she doesn't know, Kipo decides they'll be birthday sisters starting that day. Benson decides they'll need to get each other presents, so the group splits up. Kipo and Benson together and Wolf, Mandu, and Dave together.

At a pharmacy, Kipo frets about her people and comes across anti-human vandalism. Benson tells her to ignore it as sometimes one just come across things like that sometimes. Kipo is momentarily distracted when she spots a present for Wolf. Satisfied with her find, Benson tells her he has a present of his own for her, pulling out a can of cheese spray. Confused, Benson laughingly explains it's not the cheese that's the gift to her.

Meanwhile, Wolf continues to be antagonistic against Dave, because he's a mute. Dave picks up a hubcap and throws it like a frisbee only for it to crash through an auto shop with the name "PARTS ETC," though the 'T's look like they've come off over time.

Back with Benson and Kipo, a dubious Kipo watches as Benson sprays cheese in a specific spot. It turns out, this is actually a signal for pick up from a rat mute driving a van.

The rat mute drives them through a hidden wall then introduces herself as Amy, and another rat in the engine introduces himself as Brad. They then present Ratland, an amusement park for all species, including humans. The park enforces a neutrality zone where no one has to worry about hunting or being hunted.

Wolf continues searching for a gift for Kipo when Dave presents a leather jacket. Wolf says it's the perfect gift, until Dave reveals the jacket is for himself, and it's shortly ruined when he metamorphosizes into his buff self.

Kipo and Benson have a good time at Ratland. He'd taken her there in hopes of showing Kipo that it's not all bad up on the surface, which Kipo appreciates. She also finds herself slowly growing attracted to him. When they get to the top of the Ferris wheel, Kipo confesses her feelings for him.

Benson is surprised, but gently lets her down, letting her know that he's gay. Kipo accepts the rejection, nonetheless happy that they're friends. The moment is ruined, however, when a flamingo rider swoops down and attacks them. After leading them through a dangerous chase, Kipo's left arm is revealed to have magenta jaguar fur, which had been triggered when she and Benson nearly fell off the Ferris wheel. Kipo is alarmed at the biological change which was definitely not normal for a regular human, even though she was getting older.

Tired trying to find a good present, Wolf seems to remember something and realizes that the "PARTS ETC" sign was spelling "PARSEC." They return to the auto shop but Mandu signals that flamingo riders are above them. Dave panics and turns from his buff self into his senior citizen form, so Wolf exasperatedly hides them both.

Amy and Brad save Kipo and Benson, driving them out of the park. As they're leaving, Kipo realizes the flamingo rider that was chasing after them is human. Since the park is supposed to be a safe zone, the park is closed early, and the rats ask Kipo to fill out a survey.

Out of the park, Kipo's arm returns to normal. She decides she'll have to ask her dad, who is a scientist, what's going on. But in the meantime, she asks Benson to keep her change between them.

The other flamingo riders hunting for Wolf, Dave, and Mandu retreat when they can't find them. Once they're gone, Wolf finds a letter with Kipo's birth sign, Aries, on an envelope inside the shop. The letter hints at another clover settlement and on the back, a map. Dave insensitively exclaims how happy it'll make Kipo and how she'll forget they ever existed once she's back home.

Everyone reunites at the billboard, Dave now a baby again. Wolf and Kipo catch each other up, and Wolf guesses that Scarlemagne wants to make Kipo's people into more of his weird nobles. Kipo, while worried, shakes herself out and initiates the trading of their birthday gifts.

Kipo clips a hairpin on Wolf since she'd noticed it tended to get in the way while fighting. Wolf, who has new fears planted in her head of Kipo leaving her, doesn't give Kipo the envelope. Instead, she hands over a sleeve from the ripped leather jacket. Kipo loves it and pulls it on the arm that had previously grown fur.

Kipo heads off again with Benson and Dave shortly behind. Mandu disapprovingly growls at Wolf where the others don't see, but Wolf remains defensive of her choice.

## Credits

* **Written by**
	+ Bill Wolkoff

* **Directed by**
	+ Chase Conley

* **Storyboards by**
	+ Jacob V. Eaton
	+ James P. Gibson
	+ Ben Li

* **Cast**
	+ Karen Fukuhara as Kipo Oak
	+ Sydney Mikayla as Wolf
	+ Deon Cole as Dave
	+ Coy Stewart as Benson
	+ Dee Bradley Baker as Mandu / Gerard
	+ Avrielle Corti as Amy
	+ Ace Gibson as Brad
	+ Grey Griffin as Lemieux
	+ GZA as Bad Billions
	+ John Hodgman as Good Billions
	+ Scott Porter as Francis
	+ Dan Stevens as Scarlemagne

## Transcript

The transcript can be found here: Ratland/Transcript

## Episode notes

### Trivia

* The pharmacy Kipo and Benson go to, "R Sechrist Pharmacy," is named after creator Radford Sechrist.

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