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In trying times like these, even plush, multicolored super bears can’t placate the nerves of kids and their on-pins-and-needles parents. So while Boomerang’s just-announced animated reboot Care Bears: Unlock the Magic centers on Cheer Bear, Funshine, Grumpy Bear and the rest of the gang as they venture across Care-a-Lot, the show’s beating heart is a new companion: Dibble.
Dibble! Dibble.
Who or what is Dibble? Boomerang only provided a dribble of Dibble info, but we won’t quibble. What we know, scribbled:
Dibble is described in press materials as being “eager as a puppy” and “curious as a kitten,” though her appearance suggests she’s part Minion, part strawberry and part bean bag. The Care Bears discover her in an area outside of Care-a-Lot known as “The Silver Lining,” which is a sad place for her to dwell, because Dibble is pure joy!
While not explicitly stated, the Care Bears regard Dibble as a pet. If she’s as sentient and bipedal as she seems to be, the heroes of Care-a-Lot could have a Dibble rights violation on their hands. No leashes for Dibble.
Dibble communicates through “limited words, coos, and sounds,” henceforth known on the pages of Polygon as “dibbles.” The Care Bears have a difficult time understanding her, but their empathy will run deep enough to “always know what she’s feeling.” How could they not with those big Dibble eyes? Dibble!
Though Dibble’s legs are stumpy, Dibble gets around by bouncing, hopping (noted in the press notes as two different sets of Dibble actions) and riding around on a cloud, which just sounds like the most adorable flippin’ thing I’ve ever heard of. Dibble on a cloud? Dibble is practically a cloud already!
Dibble on a cloud. My god.
Care Bears: Unlock the Magic is currently in production, with episodes that will hopefully reveal more of Dibble’s backstory and connection to the actual English word “dibble” (“a small hand implement used to make holes in the ground for plants, seeds, or bulbs,” per Merriam-Webster) set to stream on the Boomerang subscription service in the near future.
