The Amazing Squirrel from Ice Age – All You Need to Know
With Ice Age having been such a popular movie series, millions of viewers have loved and adored the characters Scrat, a saber-toothed squirrel, and his acorn-chasing misadventures. This character has played an important role throughout the Ice Age movie series, providing comic relief and endearing attitude to those who watched it. Through the series, Scrat’s obsession to finding and protecting his prized acorn, has led to some of the most enthralling moments in the Ice Age series. But, what has allowed Scrat to be so popular? With most other characters having to share the roles of the major characters, like Manny, Sid, and Diego, what has set this squirrel apart? This article will discuss the fan-favorite squirrel from Ice Age and why they have become so popular.
Who is Scrat?
Scrat is a saber-toothed squirrel and a major character in the Ice Age franchise. He is known for his obsession with finding and protecting his prized acorn and his misadventures that can typically make the entire audience laugh. He is seen as the comic relief to the movie, providing funny and endearing moments that adds to the storyline of the series.
Scrat first appeared in the first movie of the series, Ice Age, back in 2002 and has become such an important part of of the series in every movie since then. He has consistently been an important character, even having an entire short movie about him separating from the main Ice Age series in the year 2009. As an iconic character, fans and critics worldwide have come to love Scrat and his obsession with finding that acorn.
Physical Appearance
Scrat is designed through the use of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI), making him look just like a real animal, but exaggerated. He has a light grey fur collor, evident on his chest and lower legs, while the rest of his body is a darker grey color. His long hair on the back of his neck gives him the appearance of being a cross between a chipmunk and a squirrel. His face is distinct, with thick black eyebrows and a set of two huge buckteeth. The most distinctive thing about Scrat, however, is his claws on his front paws. These are used by him in a number of outrageous and humorous ways in the movie.
Personality
Scrat is generally presented as uncoordinated and not capable of speaking intelligibly. When he does speak, it is through the use of gibberish or chattering which doesn’t mean anything to the other characters in the film. This means that Scrat is unsuccessful in any attempts to communicate with others and he is unable to get his point across to the other characters. As a result, Scrat is portrayed as lonely and unaware of his surroundings.
Despite this, Scrat is also known for having incredible strength and agility. This can be seen through his ability to perform physical feats such as running up walls and/or stopping huge avalanches from happening. He also is quite energetic and can often be seen in physical activity throughout the Ice Age series.
Scrat’s Motivation
The main motivator for the saber-toothed squirrel throughout the Ice Age movies is his single goal of finding and protecting his acorn. He has been chasing his prized acorn, since his first appearance and this is what drives him through the storylines of the movie series. From the moment we first meet Scrat in the first movie, we can see that his prized acorn holds a special place in Scrat’s heart and he will do anything to protect it.
Throughout the movies, some of the funniest moments come from the lengths that he will go to protect it. He is willing to fight, climb, or swim all in the name of protecting the acorn. In some of the movies, the chase of the acorn interferes with the main storyline, and forces the characters to find away around Scrat’s paths.
Appearances In Other Media
Since its debut in 2002, Scrat and his quest to find the acorn have been featured in a number of other platforms besides the Ice Age movies. This includes a number of video games for various consoles, books, and a short film which was a spinoff from the movies.
Video Games:
• Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006, PS2)
• Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009, Wii)
• Ice Age Adventures (2014, iOS, Android)
• Ice Age: Scrat’s Nutty Adventure (2019, PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Books:
• Ice Age: Scrat and the Heat-Seeking Acorn (2003)
• Ice Age: Scrat’s Saber-toothed Houseful of Fun (2010)
• Ice Age: Scrat and the Lethal Lava Land Adventure (2011)
Short Film:
• Scrat’s Continental Crack-up (2012)
Reception
Scrat has been met with a generally positive reaction by both fans and critics of the Ice Age movie series. He is often cited as one of the best characters in the series due to his comedic timing and his humorous expressions. Aside from his appearances in the movies, Scrat has also been featured in various games and books, gaining even more attention and positive reviews from fans.
So why has Scrat become such an icon? It is likely due to his endearing and relatable nature of a character who never give up no matter of the circumstances, as well as his amusing mannerisms and expressions that show his reaction to his predicaments.
Scrat has become one of the most recognizable characters from the Ice Age movies, with his short films alone providing entertainment for millions of viewers worldwide. With his various appearances in games, books, and on other mediums, Scrat has become an icon. It is likely due to his relatable nature and comedic timing, as well as his unwavering protection of his acorn in spite of the obstacles in his way, which has allowed Scrat to be loved by so many.