Ikki is a character who was featured in the 2016 remake of The Jungle Book.
Background[]
Personality[]
Ikki is a porcupine who lives in the jungle. Depicted as a hoarder, he is shown to take objects he can carry - particularly objects that are light for him to carry from leaves to branches. However, when it comes to other animals attempting to take an object that is his interest, Ikki would act hostile to the animal who took it like during a situation when he encountered a peacock attempting to grab a stick during the Water Truce. In spite of this, Ikki also raises his quills for self-defense whenever he feels threatened like what porcupines do in real life.
Origins[]
Ikki is based on the character of the same name from the original stories by Rudyard Kipling from The Second Jungle Book. In early editions of the book, the character was known as Sahi, but Kipling himself decided to change the name in reference to the porcupine's quills naming him "Ikki" in later editions. Ikki originated from the story "How Fear Came" where he taunts Mowgli who attempted to pull his quills only for the porcupine to taunt him.
Role in the film[]
During the dry season, Ikki is seen curiously interacting with a leaf as well as observing rocks he could find at the Peace Rock, telling the other animals that it's the Water Truce. Chil, who watches from above, hears Ikki calling the other animals about the Peace Rock being revealed and the Water Truce being called. He then appears attempting to grab a stick, only for a peacock to interfere and grab it, just as the two fight. As Mowgli accidentally touches one of his quills, Ikki apologizes for his quills being involuntary, which Mowgli stumbles upon Rocky the Rhino, his daughter Raquel, and various other animals who are curious to see a man-cub in the Truce. Later when it rains, Ikki then drags a branch for his burrow and then lowers his quills to enter his home.
After Mowgli returns to the jungle with a torch which he obtained from the Man Village, Ikki and the other animals are seen rushing to the Water Truce, where he is seen running past a group of jerboas, just as Ikki notices Mowgli who has brought the Red Flower in the jungle, fearing that it would start a wildfire. As the animals arrive at the river, Shere Khan arrives and confronts many animals at the Water Truce. Seeing Baloo getting attacked by Shere Khan, Ikki fearfully raises his quills as he plans to back away from the quarrel, followed by Raksha, Mowgli, the wolf pack, and the other animals fighting against Shere Khan and later Mowgli luring Shere Khan to a patch of burning trees. The battle ends when Shere Khan falls to his death in a pool of fire with the Red Flower extinguished. Ikki and the rest of the animals happily stare at Mowgli riding on Hathi, Jr. where they praise him for being a protector of the jungle just as the wolves happily howl together for Mowgli's victory.
Trivia[]
- Ikki was Garry Shandling's final film role before his death on March 24, 2016, one month before the film's release. As a result, the film was dedicated to Shandling's passing alongside stuntman Shawn Robinson who passed away on July 28, 2015, nine months before the film's release.
- A clip of Ikki at the Water Truce was used during the Jungle Book sequence in the nighttime Disney's Hollywood Studios show "Disney Movie Magic".
