Ella, A Meerkat's Tale



Ella, A Meerkats Tale is a 2008 Oxford Science Film following the events of two year old Ella Pandora. Young Ella faces isolation when she breaks the golden rule in meerkat society; having pups, a right exclusively to Lady Day, Ella's mother. If Ella is to raise her pups and withstand the perils of the Kalahari, she must use all her wit and courage to stand up to her violent mother. Most scenes in the film were either from Meerkat Manor or footage of other mobs.

Summary
The story begins with an introduction to the Pandora Mob, the largest meerkat mob in the Meerkat Kingdom. They are ruled by Lady Day(Flower), who became the dominant female after overthrowing her mother two years ago. Lady Day is said to be very ruthless and violent. We then meet Ella(Baddiel/Mozart/Daisy) Lady Day's eldest daughter, a "despotic" threat to Lady Day's leadership. We learn that Ella has a secret that May change her life forever.

One morning the whole Pandora is getting up and ready. Lady Day notices Ella is missing. We then learn Ella's secret. She has given birth to three pups; Jango(Jogu/Charlie), Max(Maladoy/Tina Sparkle)/ and Charlie(VWM076). However, she has broken the golden law in the Pandora, having pups, a right exclusively to Lady Day. Ella realizes she must try to keep her pups a secret or else she will face her worst fear; being evicted into the harsh Kalahari alone.

Ella tried to sneak her way into the Pandora, leaving her litter underground. However, Lady Day notices Ella's wariness and the smell of milk on her. She heads underground to kill Ella's pups. Ella rushes after her but Lady Day reached the pups first. Surprisingly, Lady Day does not kill the pups. She allows them to live, but gives Ella a beating. Lady Day then leaves Ella and her boys alone to lead the group out to forage. Ella realizes that her pups may have been spared but she knows the future will be dark.

A few days have passed and Lady Day's litter is emerging from the burrow, the whole group making a big deal about it. Ella sits on the edge of the mob. Since having pups, the whole mob has been shunning her and her pups. Lady Day and the group forages while she leaves Ella(played by Shakespeare) and Angela(played by Mozart) to watch over Lady Day's litter. After a few hours Angela goes to find Ella and herself some food. Suddenly, a young meerkat named Piper(Kinkajou) steals one of Lady Day's pups, Ronny(Mitch) and abandeds him underneath the eyes of a hawk. Ella notices he's missing but then sees another threat; a lone male watching Ella and the pups. Ella is faced with two choices; leave hers and Lady Day's pups with a stranger or leave Ronny to die and face eviction. Ella pushes the pups underground and rushed to save Ronny, which she thankfully does. She brings him back to the buteo only to notice that Lady Day is watching.

A few days later and Ella has gone with the foraging group to provide milk for her pups. She leaves Angela in charge of the pups. However, the dominant male of the Pandora, Rune(Yossarian) charges a burrow move, taking Ella's pups out from the burrow. Angela quickly rushes to get Ella, who runs back to save her pups. However, Lady Day follows also. Rune has Charlie in his jaws and abandons him. Lady Day moves the pups underground but blames Ella for the burrow move. Ella notices that Charlie is missing and sets out to find him. However, she finds him dead and wonders if Lady Day set the whole thing up.

About two weeks after the tragedy, Jango and Max emerge from the burrow. Jango is said to be very adventures and playful while Max is said to be calm and clever. However, Ella and her boys have been facing harsh treatment from the other members, namely Lady Day. Ella teaches her boys about the outside world. Jango manages to get a millipede but greedy Ronny steals it and attacks him. However, no meerkat can do anything. A weak Jango trembles while Ella rushes to comfort. her son. In the evening while the Pandora are all re-enforcing their family bond, Ella and her boys are forced to sit apart from the mob. Suddenly, a rover named Dave(JD) appears and mates with Angela. Lady Day does not punish her but Ella notices that Lady Day is pregnant, a huge problem for Ella and her pups.

A few days later, Ella is with her pups when pregnant Lady Day evicts her, forcing Jango and Charlie to watch. Ella runs away and finds herself facing her worst fear. She spends her days alone trailing the Whiskers. She noticed that Ronny keeps bullying Jango. Ella tries to help but she is chased off and attacked by Lady Day. Ella then barely escapes a hawk attack. For months she wonders alone, watching her sons grow up from a distance.

She then meets Dave(played by Wilson) and the two spend a few days together during a fire. However, Dave soon left Ella(played by Mozart) alone. Ella goes back to trailing the Pandora to find out that the mob has split. Ella noticed the splinter group without a dominant female. Ella makes her way into the splinter group and reunites with her sons and her sister. She becomes the dominant female of the splinter group and is radio collared. Ella(played by Rocket Dog in this part) proved herself as a worthy leader when she saved the Pandora from their enemies, the Hunters. One evening Lady Day and her half reappears. Lady Day gives Ella a choice, back down on dominant position and rejoin or challenge her be exiled permanently. Ella chooses to fight Lady Day but looses. She spends another lonely night in a burrow without her family.

The next day, Lady Day forced the Pandora to fight against The Hunters. Ella worries for her boys as Max is badly injured but other than that they're fine. Ella doesn't see Lady Day and realize this might be her chance to rejoin. However, Lady Day reappears and orders the entire mob to chase after Ella. Ella flees and looks back on her mob one last time, realizing it's time to move on. Untimely, she had done what she had set out to do; raise Jango and Max. A few days later Ella runs into Dave(Bobby) again. The two mate and set an unknown future together to raise a family.

Three years have passed and Ella(Played by Rocket Dog) has become the dominant female of a large group alongside Dave. She has had many litters and has been kind to her daughters, unlike Lady Day. Ella then sees Lady Day(Baddiel) in the distance. It is revealed that the Pandora left Lady Day after realizing he true nature. Ella chases Lady Day off and looks into the distance, realizing she has found her place in the Kalahari.

Cast
Ella: The main character and protagonist of the story. As the second eldest female in the Pandora, Ella poses a threat to Her mother. Ella breaks the golden rule in meerkat society by having Jango, Charlie, and Max. Having pups is a right exclusively to the cruel Lady Day and Ella fears for her pups. Lady Day spares Ella's boys but indirectly causes the death of Charlie and forces the mob to give Ella and her songs awful treatment. However, Ella manages to raise her sons. She soon gets evicted, until she temprily becomes the dominant female of the splinter group. Ella challenges Lady Day and decides it's time to stand up to her mother. Ella loses but manages to start her own family. She was a smart and clever meerkat who used all her wit an courage to stand up to her violent mother. Actresses: Ella was mostly played by Baddiel Whiskers, Super Furry Animal Whiskers, and Mozart Whiskers. However, Rocket Dog, De La Soul, Flower, and a few unknown females stood in for Ella.

Lady Day: the Pandora's ruthless leader and the antagonist in the story. Lady Day sees Ella as threat to her leadership and forces the Pandora to be harsh to Ella and her sons. She was seen as a vicious meerkat who stole food from her own pups and allowed meerkats to attack Ella's sons. Then the Pandora split and Ella took dominance in the splinter. Lady Day overthrows Ella and evicts her for good. Lady Day also emerged from a bloody battle unharmed and seemingly invincible. Three years later, her family left her, just like she forced them to do to Ella years ago. Actresses: Lady Day was mostly played by Flower Whiskers. However, Rocket Dog Whiskers and Baddiel Whiskers and possibly Grumpy Lazuli stood in for Lady Day.

Dave: A rover from the Hunters who mates with Angela. He and Ella become close but then he is forced to leave her. Later, he and Ella have formed a family of their own. Actors: Played by JD Lazuli, Wilson Zappa, and Bobby Lazuli.

Angela: Ella's kind sister who helped raise Jango and Max. Actresses: Baddiel Whiskers, Mozart Whiskers, Super Furry Animal Whiskers, and Tina Spakle Whiskers.

Rune: Lady Day's partner who causes the death of Charlie. Actor: Yossarian Vivian and Zaphod Vivian.

Piper: A young juvenile who steals pups and causes trouble for Ella. Actress: Kinkajou Whiskers.

Jango: Ella's son who is very adventures and playful but tends to get bullied. Actors: Jogu Whiskers, Machi Pichu Whiskers, and Spud Whiskers.

Max: Ella's eldest son who is calm and very clever. Actors: Maladoy Whiskers, Clive Whiskers, and Mitch Whiskers.

Charlie: Ella's son who died. Actor: Sophie

Ronny: Flower's son who bullies Jango. Actor: Mitch Whiskers.

Triva

 * This film is completely unrelated to the real life Ella Whiskers.
 * The majority of the film were either scenes or deleted scenes from Meerkat Manor and some footage of the Moomins Mob.
 * The storyline is based on Baddiel's story but the scenes do no appear in order.