'Tommy's Bestest Brother': The 10 Best Moments Of Dil Pickles In 'Rugrats' And 'All Grown Up!'

As most fans of the series know, the original Rugrats series ended it's run in 1994, before high ratings in reruns, and critical acclaim for the 'Passover' and 'Chanukah' specials prompted Nickelodeon to not only revive the series, but also greenlight The Rugrats Movie, the first theatrical film based on a Nicktoon.

The movie obviously needed a big event, which it got in the birth of Dil Pickles, Tommy's baby brother. Dil remained a part of the series for the rest of it's run. As a three-month old, he could not often physically participate in an episode's events, but the other babies efforts to teach and protect him were often a core plot point. In the spin-off, All Grown Up!, Dil plays a more active role, as the group's resident oddball. Considering Dil's prominence in the original run, when the CGI Rugrats reboot was announced, many fans were disappointed to see Dil absent from the cast. When questioned, producers reminded fans that the reboot was set in its own timeline, and they would consider imcluding Dil at a later date.

To fans delight, Dil has recently made his debut in episode seven of the Rugrats reboot's second season. Like with most of the babies, Dil's original voice actor, Tara Strong, is reprising the role. To celebrate the character's return, let's look back at Dil's best moments from the original Rugrats, and it's spin-off.

1. The Birth of Dil Pickles (The Rugrats Movie)

The Rugrats Movie opens with a Baby Shower celebrating the imminent arrival of Stu and Didi's second child. However, the celebration is thrown into chaos when Didi enters labour. After a mad dash to the hospital, a surreal CGI sequence, baby Dylan Prescott 'Dil' Pickles enters the world. His parents, though surprised as they had been told to expect a girl, are delighted at his safe arrival.

Aside from his arrival changing the Rugrats franchise forever, Dil's birth is a memorable scene for other reasons. Tara Strong's crying as Dil was was so convincing that one of her recording sessions had to be halted to allow a new Mother in the studio to clean up leaking breastmilk.

2. Tommy and Dil finally bond as brothers (The Rugrats Movie)

After Phil and Lil's ill-fated attempt to return Dil to the 'hopsicle' leave the babies lost in the woods, Tommy is at first eager to step up and care for his baby brother. Unfortunately, Tommy always putting Dil first despite the trouble he causes drives a wedge between Tommy and his friends, culminating in Tommy being left to care for Dil entirely on his own.

Without Chuckie and the twins as a buffer, Dil's seemingly selfish behaviour becomes too much even for Tommy, who in a brief flash of anger, nearly allows Dil to be taken away by the Circus Monkeys who pursue the babies throughout the film. Tommy stops himself, horrified, and Dil finally seems to understand and appreciate what his brother has gone through for him. The pair finally form an unbreakable brotherly bond that remains in place for the remainder of the Rugrats series.

E.G Daily, the voice of Tommy, often names the scene as one of her favourites.

3. Dil saves the Rugrats from the Monkeys (The Rugrats Movie)

For much of The Rugrats Movie, Dil's tendency to grab and play with the controls of the Reptar Wagon is a source of annoyance and danger to the other babies, most notably when he causes the wagon to fall into a river, and soon after, nearly sends it over a waterfall. In the latter part of the film, however, baby Dil finally uses his bad habit for good.

When the older babies are surrounded by the monkeys, Dil, who had been left behind in the Reptar Wagon, manages to drive it to their rescue. With his heroic act, Phil and Lil, who had been the least tolerant of Dil earlier in the film, finally accept him.

4. The Babies think Dil has turned into a Watermelon ('Dil We Meet Again' Season 6)

Early in 'Dil We Meet Again', Betty Deville expresses concern over the other babies feeding Dil too much watermelon at the yearly Block Party, playfully warning them that he might turn into one. Shortly afterwards, while the babies are distracted, Didi takes Dil to clean him up, while a loose watermelon rolls to rest beside his rattle. A series of mishaps familiar to any parent of a young baby prevent Didi from returning Dil in a timely manner, leading the babies to believe Betty's warning came true, and they face their own mishaps trying to care for Watermelon-Dil.

The episode proves how much the babies have come to care for Dil, despite his faults. Interestingly, this is the second Rugrats episode to feature Watermelon as a major plot point, following 'The Inside Story' from season two.

5. Dil is 'kidnapped' by Stu's animatronic Reptar (Acorn Nuts and Diapey Butts)

The three part episode 'Acorn Nuts and Diapey Butts' acts as a lead-in to Rugrats In Paris, the second Rugrats theatrical film. Over the three episodes, Stu Pickles is on a time crunch to complete his life-size animatronic Reptar in time for a Fall Parade, when a Euro-Reptarland employee is coming to see a demonstration of it.

While Stu's Reptar goes on to play a major role in the movie, it is first pivotal in the conclusion of this two parter, when a series of mishaps lead to Dil ending up miles in the air, caught on Reptar's tooth, with the adults forced to mount a rescue. The rescue is successful, and in a humourous twist, the Euro-Reptarland representative is impressed, assuming that Dil's rescue was all part of the show. This allows Stu to sell his Reptar to the theme park, leading into the events of the film.

6. Dil vs Coco (Rugrats in Paris)

In a memorable Rugrats In Paris scene, the film's villain, Coco Labouche, accompanies Chuckie's Father, Chas, on a day trip with the babies as part of her scheme to convince him to marry her. Things are going well until Chas needs to use the bathroom, forcing Coco to hold Dil. Dil, who has already taken a dislike to Coco, does not make things easy for her, drooling all over her and pulling at her face and hair.

Advice from Coco's kind assistant, Kira, fails to help. To the delight of the other babies, Dil eventually throws up on Coco. It is considered one of his best moments in the film.

7. Dil and Principal Pangborn (All Grown Up)

As mentioned earlier, the older Dil of the All Grown Up spin-off is able to take a more active role in the series. A rather quirky character, the early episodes have Dil as a source of frustration for Pangborn, the Principal of the gang's school. Pangborn initially views Dil's unusual behaviours as a problem to be corrected, until being read the riot act by Didi pushes him to reconsider.

Henceforth, Pangborn, while still sometimes frustrated by Dil, makes a genuine effort to embrace his various eccentricities, and Dil, in turn expresses a good natured fondness for his Principal. In some later episodes, Pangborn even sometimes seeks advice from the surprisingly insightful Dil. Their love-hate dynamic made both characters fan favourites in the series.

8. Dil takes the fall for Tommy ('All Grown Up', 'Thief Encounter')

The All Grown Up episode 'Thief Encounter' follows two major plot lines: The kids preparing for a famously difficult Standardised Test, and the adults forming a Neighborhood Watch to catch a serial thief stealing garden ornaments. The two stories converge when Dil discovers that Tommy, overly stressed about the test, is stealing the items while sleepwalking.

Dil is caught while trying to return the stolen items, and rather than give up his brother, takes the blame himself, even though his subsequent grounding will cost him the chance to go on a longed for school field trip. The episode shows how far Dil has come. While baby Dil was selfish, the nine-yaar old Dil is exactly the opposite.

9. Dil goes on a 'Jerry Springer' style TV Show (All Grown Up, 'Brother, Can You Spare The Time?'

The entire Pickles clan are excited and proud when Tommy wins a prestigious Young Director's award. However, Dil soon becomes concerned that Tommy's success will eventually drive them apart. Tommy becomes annoyed, rebuffing Dil's somewhat smothering efforts to reaffirm their brotherly bond before it is too late.

Soon after, Dil appears on the Jerry Springer style TV show 'What's Your Tragedy?' to share his concerns. Finally understanding, Tommy rushes to the studio to reassure Dil that he loves him, and will never forget him no matter how successful he becomes. It is a sweet moment between the two brothers.

10. Dil invents 'Impatience' (All Grown Up)

In a story spanning two episodes across All Grown Up's final two seasons, Dil invents his own frustrating but addictive Connect 4 style game, 'Impatience'. Dil's Aunt Charlotte, aka Angelica's Mom, decides to buy and market 'Impatience' as a way reboot her career after losing her job in season two. Dil reluctantly accepts, and as the creator of the game, finds himself roped into Charlotte's sales strategy.

When Dil feels Charlotte has gone too far, he enacts his own de-escalation plan. At the launch party for 'Impatience', Dil reveals the secret to winning the game, which Charlotte had unknowingly let him hide in the box art, thereby sinking it's chance of good sales.

As well as being fun and funny, many fans enjoy the storyline for it's pairing of two beloved veteran voice actors: Tara Strong as Dil, and Tress MacNeille as Charlotte.

It will be interesting to see how the Rugrats reboot evolves with Dil joining the cast.