Chomper

[Weather_lord_7]

Chomper discussions go here.  

[Kor]

Chomper is one of my favorite characters, along with Ducky.   His reaction to certain lines from other characters can be funny.  

One of my favorites is his reaction to Shorty's line from the Big Longneck Test.

Shorty: because of all your help I'm going to let you 2 be part of my group.

Chomper:thanks
 _______________________
       Spoiler

This is done after the group saves Shorty's life

  End Spoiler

_____________________

[Manny Cav]

Am I the only one that notices that Chomper gets involved in a lot of pre-LBT TV merchandise and stuff when he wasn't even a regular character? Look here to get a sample of what I mean. That part of the website looks to have not been update for the more recent sequels, but they still associate Chomper as one of the gang of five.

[Malte279]

You are not the only one who noticed it. The explanation is most likely just the fact that Chomper was a member of a different species than the maincharacters (and an interesting species at that). This, I think, is a reason why there wasn't any Ali merchandise. She would have looked too much like Littlefoot.
Another important point is Chomper's being the only one to make a return in an active role in a land before time sequel. Over here in Germany there was at least one piece of Mo merchandise (a plush toy) but I am not sure if it was sold in the US as well.

[Kor]

That may be a reason.  I wonder how popular he is with most of the public in comparison to some to some others like Ali and Mo.  I guess with Ali one could get a second Littlefoot plushie or other figure and pretend it is Ali.

[Manny Cav]

It gones on further than that. In two different "Dollar General" stores I went to, there were these small story books for little kids with short LBT stories (that I'm sure have no place in the LBT cannon). They were all set in the Great Valley, there was the original Gang of Five, and no Ruby, but oddly enough, Chomper was in the Valley. Wow! The only explination I can think of is that Chomper somehow beat Ruby to the valley.

And in similarity to that is an LBT game for the Game Boy Advance that again features the gang of five, no Ruby, but Chomper is again in the Valley (you have to find him in the game, I believe). Chomper got a lot of association with the gang before it was due, but it may have just been a prelude to the fact that he was destined to become a regular member.

[Kor]

I guess you could say he and Ruby may have got briefly separated a bit after the flashback seen in Star Day Celebration.

That or he went into the valley to visit his friends and then left for some reason and encountered Ruby and her family.
 
Maybe it has to do with the fact that T-rexes are popular with the public.

Would be interesting to see how the Great Valley adults were convinced that Chomper is a nice sharp tooth and not like the other sharpteeth.  That could be a whole episode by itself.

[raidpirate15]

chomper is number 1

[WeirdRaptor]

I think Chomper's appearence is subsequent LBT merchandise, before the animated series is due to his popularity with the general LBT fanbase. Something about him just strikes a cord with most people, I notice. Anyway, he's a good, interesting character who they should explore more. He's a meat-eater whose friends with leaf-eaters. That should be an issue they touch on more.

[Kor]

It could lead to interesting character dynamics and lots of areas to explore character wise and character issues.   Though likely since they aim the series and movies at young kids these will likely not be explored much if at all.

[WeirdRaptor]

All tghe more reason why I wish people would wake up and realize that children are not as delicate as they think. I survived "Jurassic Park" as a sever year old, for Pete's sake!

[Manny Cav]

All tghe more reason why I wish people would wake up and realize that children are not as delicate as they think. I survived "Jurassic Park" as a sever year old, for Pete's sake!

While I also wish for more serious plots and action in LBT as you do, we have to remember exactly who this series is aimed at. My liking for LBT and my equal liking for more serious issues, plots, etc. (even something like the original movie would suit my tastes better...) are at a bit of a conflict. I doubt I'm the only one in this boat, as I've seen from others' responses.

[Kor]

True, though the more serious stuff will have to explored in fan fiction it seems.

[Manny Cav]

Indeed.

[DarkHououmon]

All tghe more reason why I wish people would wake up and realize that children are not as delicate as they think. I survived "Jurassic Park" as a sever year old, for Pete's sake!

Same here. I think I was about that age, maybe 8, when I saw Jurassic Park. Despite the PG-13 rating, mom and dad let me watch it and I was not frightened at any moment of the movie, and I never had nightmares from it. I didn't even know it was PG-13 rated until a few years ago, and I was surprised. I thought it was just PG.

[Kor]

It needs to be on a case by case bases with each individual.  Most kids can take those sorts of movies with no problem.  I remember when i was very very young I use to try to stay up late to watch horror movies on tv on project terror.  It never bothered me any.  

I guess their taking the road where they try to not offend anyone.  Reminds me of a south park episode where they did a christmas pagent thing (forgot what it was  called) where they kept taking out stuff that offended someone and what they wound up with.

Most in this country are more lenient when it comes to violence then other things.  Let a kid see even part of a nude breast and they think they will be horribly scarred for life it seems like.  But it's ok to let them see folks get a bullet in the head.  Though that is a different topic.  

For back on topic:  It is ok for Chomper to eat insects and such now (and get enough to eat), but imagine some of the character tension and dynamics when he is in his teens and how would that effect his friendships (I highly doubt he'd change to try to harm his friends, I don't mean those sorts of things, going to find places with fish is one possibility he may do, leaving the great valley for periods of time is another).  As well as Cera's dad being a speciest and she is to an extent, how would that effect her frienships with various others as she gets older, and that with her dad.  Lots of interesting character dynamics, tension and story lines we'll never see.  Oh well, at least we do have something, and in the tv series we do get to see Chomper in every episode at least.  Like I may have said before, they give him some great one liner reaction dialog to some other characters.  And his often being serious when he says them, to me at least, adds to the funnyness.  He makes a great straight man, if that term is used now adays.

[Manny Cav]

For back on topic:  It is ok for Chomper to eat insects and such now (and get enough to eat, but imagine some of the character tension and dynamics when he is in his teens and how would that effect his friendships ( I highly doubt he'd change to try to harm his friends, I don't mean those sorts of things).  As well as Cera's dad being a speciest and she is to an extent, how would that effect her frienships with various others as she gets older.  Lots of interesting character dynamics, tension and story lines we'll never see.  Oh well, at least we do have something, and in the tv series we do get to see Chomper in every episode at least.  Like I may have said before, they give him some great one liner reaction dialog to some other characters.  And his often being serious when he says them, to me at least, adds to the funnyness.  He makes a great straight man, if that term is used now adays.

I would like to see something like this, but the loathsome Charlie Brown Syndrome will most likely prevent anything like this from happening. -_-

[Kor]

Very true.

[Noname]

While there is great potential for conflict when Chomper gets old enough, it ought to be noted that the producers are unlikely to allow any scene of Chomper turning against the inhabitants of the valley. This is a complex issue, and because it is species, not race, based, there is no possibility of Chomper being accepted if he has to kill dinosaurs in the valley in order to eat.

If this were a more mature series, it would be explored in greater detail. But since children's movies and TV series' aren't exactly good sources for the ideas of Free will vs. Fate ; Chomper is fated to have to eat dinosaurs to survive, and yet he doesn't want to eat any of the dinosaurs that live in the valley.

So far, there are two signs that something could go wrong, even in the children's series that the show is.

1. Chomper has repeatedly mentioned being hungry, which frightens various creatures  of the valley (Ducky and some of Petrie's siblings have been scared of him, to date.)

2. In the very first episode, Chomper goes berserk when the cave leaks, and displays unusual strength in doing so. Imagine what could happen if he were older and stronger...

If something were to go wrong and Chomper did get out of control, the only main  character who could probably stop him is Littlefoot, who by that time will be misnamed due to his mass of many tons. Spike and possibly Cera might be able to help Littlefoot as well.

[Kor]

I would guess he'd leave the valley to live in the mysterious beyond to not hurt his friends.  Though he may come to visit them now and then.  That still leaves him with various options.