Tik-Tok is a robot who functions as the Army of Oz in the movie Return to Oz 1985. He is based on the character Tik-Tok who first appeared in L. Frank Baum's Ozma of Oz (1907).
Role[]
In the movie, he is the entire royal army of Oz, ironic considering his generally helpless nature. But throughout the film he shows great loyalty and camaraderie to Dorothy and the group, and his lack of emotions proved beneficial during dangerous events.
Return to Oz
When Dorothy returns to Oz with Billina the hen, six months after her first trip, and after discovering the desolate Munchkinland and the destruction of the Yellow Brick Road, she finds Tik-Tok in a secret room within the ruins of the Emerald City. As she proceeds to wind him up, he then reveals that he was placed there by the King Scarecrow, and after sending Dorothy the key to Tik-Tok's hidden chamber on a shooting star that was shot to Kansas, Tik-Tok was ordered to aid and protect Dorothy upon her arrival. He then accompanies Dorothy (and their soon-to-be allies Jack Pumpkinhead and the flying Gump) throughout the rest of her adventure to save Oz. Upon escaping the evil Princess Mombi, and being captured by the evil Nome King when arriving on his mountain, and who is responsible for Oz's doomed state, the group is forced into a deadly game of chance, where they must individually find a cursed Scarecrow (who has been turned into an ornament by the Nome King) amongst the Nome King's vast collection of ornaments. And every time they fail they end up turning into ornaments themselves. On Tik-Tok's turn, he pretends to have his action run down in order to force the Nome King to allow Dorothy in to the collection room to wind him up. He then reveals that he faked his run down in order for Dorothy to witness his transformation into an ornament as to have a hint of what they are being turned into.
Return to Oz
Dorothy then worries for Tik-Tok and his willingness to sacrifice himself due to his lack of life and so proceeds to hug him, causing the clockwork man to display his first real emotion (compassion) and begins to cry oily tears as Dorothy wipes them away. He then picks his item and sadly turns into an ornament, and due to a bright flash Dorothy was unable to see what he was turned into. Later on after the Nome King is defeated and Dorothy retrieves the stolen Ruby Slippers, everyone in Oz are immediately restored. After Dorothy uses the Ruby Slippers to teleport them back, she soon realizes that they never found Tik-Tok, however the Gump reveals that he found a small green badge prior to their escape and Dorothy proceeds to chant "Oz" on the item which happily turns out to be Tik-Tok. The group then return to the restored Emerald City, where Tik-Tok is polished and given a golden exterior. In the end Tik-Tok, along with the rest of the Ozians, tearfully say their goodbyes to Dorothy when Princess Ozma is released from the magic mirror Mombi had enchanted her into. When Dorothy gives Ozma the Ruby Slippers, she clicks her heels and wishes Dorothy back to Kansas, but tells Dorothy she is forever welcomed to return to Oz and visit whenever she pleases.
Trivia[]
- In an interview which is included in the DVD's special features, Fairuza Balk described the Tik-Tok costume: An acrobat, Michael Sundin, was upside down inside Tik-Tok with his hands operating Tik-Tok's legs and his feet tucked behind Tik-Tok's head. He used a monitor inside this costume to navigate.