Talking Cricket

A card names him the Talking Cricket, "Moral Insect", from The Adventures of Pinocchio NA E4·00:09:13. Brennan describes him as ghostly and translucent, the talking cricket that lived in his father's workshop and that Pinocchio killed with a mallet NA E4·00:07:52. He drives a swarm of bugs off Pinocchio, shouting "Leave the kid alone! He's just a kid!" NA E4·00:07:16 As the woods fade he tells Pinocchio he has to be good, never tell a lie and do as he is told NA E4·00:11:33 NA E4·00:11:37.

In the fourth episode, when Pinocchio says the world is different now, the Cricket answers "Well, with that attitude, it just might stay different." while the strings pull Pinocchio away from him NA E4·00:11:39 NA E4·00:11:44. In the ninth episode, in a memory, Gepetto lists the cricket Pinocchio killed with a thrown mallet among his misdeeds NA E9·00:24:04.

In the tenth episode Pinocchio pulls the 100-year-old Cricket out of his book, and Brennan says he is a magical glowing cricket, no longer a ghost NA E10·00:47:41 NA E10·00:48:17. He tells Pinocchio "It looks like your strings are your own again.", and he apologizes for the times his help was unhelpful NA E10·00:48:50 NA E10·00:51:22. He gives help actions, and Pinocchio hands him the Sword of Truth to fly to Gerard, saying it is a sword he can get behind NA E10·01:30:32 NA E10·01:33:43 NA E10·01:34:23.

In the eleventh episode the Cricket says he does not think the Wolf is that big or bad, and, as the party discusses someone who never lies, says that as long as you don't break the rule you are doing something good and calls it "Basic deontology." NA E11·00:20:20 NA E11·00:30:35 NA E11·00:31:02 He says he has never had water and has told kids for a long time not to drink water, and Pinocchio says those were his big three on the night he threw a mallet at him NA E11·01:35:22 NA E11·01:35:53 NA E11·01:36:11. In the twelfth, when Pinocchio asks whether his power comes from destiny, the Cricket first agrees NA E12·00:35:29. He then asks "What's the difference between destiny and what we think the story of our life should be?" NA E12·00:37:11 Later he suggests they "X Candlewick", then clarifies "No, I just mean detach with love." NA E12·01:33:22 NA E12·01:33:34

In the thirteenth episode Brennan calls for a Dexterity save from the Cricket among others when the Terrible Dogfish erupts, and then says the Cricket is killed instantly NA E13·00:57:42 NA E13·01:01:11. In the fourteenth he crawls back out of Pinocchio's book saying "I died!" and admits he had water earlier, which he says is why he died NA E14·00:05:30 NA E14·00:05:36 NA E14·00:05:49 NA E14·00:05:56. In the fifteenth, sent invisible by Pinocchio to find Pib, he tells Pib that Cinderella is coming and wants her book NA E15·00:57:26 NA E15·00:58:01 NA E15·01:19:27.

In the sixteenth, at the battle at the beanstalk, he flies at the tiny army and shouts "Don't drink water!" NA E16·00:26:46 NA E16·01:13:35. He grows weak, saying "Don't drink water. Don't eat snacks. Don't go to bed.", and Brennan says he appears drunk as he takes a lit firework from Pinocchio and sends it at Alphonse, which breaks the mule's curse NA E16·01:33:20 NA E16·01:54:21 NA E16·01:58:04 NA E16·01:58:44. In the seventeenth he says he is dying and begs to be killed, Pinocchio grapples him, and he tells Pinocchio he probably should have had a little water and is on his side whatever the Stepmother does NA E17·00:52:33 NA E17·00:52:39 NA E17·00:53:20 NA E17·00:54:12 NA E17·00:55:20. Pinocchio says he got Cricket to drink some water NA E17·01:14:00. Cricket says he, Pinocchio's dad and the Fairy with Turquoise Hair owe Pinocchio an apology for telling him he must be perfect to be a real boy NA E17·01:01:35. He says "You shouldn't have to be perfect for people to say you're a real boy." NA E17·01:02:05

In the nineteenth, Snow White's Circle of Death takes 20 from him and kills him NA E19·00:30:12 NA E19·00:32:52 NA E19·00:33:16. He gasps "Hey, Pinocchio" and says "Drink whiskey." and vanishes NA E19·00:33:33 NA E19·00:33:40 NA E19·00:33:56. Pinocchio pours out whiskey for him NA E19·00:38:12. In Lou's finale epilogue the Cricket leaps to Pinocchio's side as the cocktail makes him a real boy and says it does not have water in it NA E20·02:25:11 NA E20·02:25:25. Brennan says they go on as many adventures as they want, with Cricket "way less of a tight-ass" NA E20·02:26:13.