When we were kids, we all had our eyes set on that one special toy that we wanted with all of our hearts. But we couldn’t have it because it was too expensive. Or because our parents thought it was too inappropriate. Or because it seemed too aggressive for kids. Whatever the reason, that longing never goes away: it’s hidden deep inside of us.
One person who has that very same longing for a toy they badly wanted when they were a kid is Tumblr user Bunjywunjy. When the first ‘Jurassic Park’ movie came out, they wanted a T-Rex action figure very much, but their mom thought it was ‘too violent.’
However, now that Bunjywunjy is all grown up, they can buy all the toys that their heart desires. Why? Because they’re an adult and earns their own money. So guess what they did. Yup, that’s right, they bought a T-Rex action figure and documented all the fun they had with it.
Bored Panda spoke to Bunjywunjy about their T-Rex Wexter, so scroll down for the fun and light-hearted interview.
Image credits: bunjywunjy
After careful deliberation, Bunjywunjy named their female T-Rex Wexter. We think it’s a great name for a terrifying carnivorous dinosaur. Don’t you?
Unsurprisingly, the internet went bonkers for Wexter who, in her spare time, enjoys playing fetch like a dog, as well as eating flowers. To date, Bunjywunjy’s thread on Tumblr has nearly 250,000 people who showed their support for their little pet project.
Bored Panda interviewed Wexter's owner Bunjywunjy
Bored Panda was interested to hear how Wexter was doing and what she’s up to nowadays. Here’s what her owner Bunjywunjy had to say: “Wexter is doing great, that last picture with her in the snow was taken just this past weekend! She’s currently posed on a pile of National Geographics on my desk so that she can stare directly at me over my laptop screen because there’s nothing like the hot yellow glare of a predator to really focus your attention. (Not that you’ll find that one in the self-help books.)”
Bunjywunjy admitted that they didn’t have as much time as they liked this past year to ‘off around with her’ because they were busy trying to finish their degree. “So I’ve been keeping her pretty close to home and taking pictures in my backyard and the surrounding parks”
“But I’ve recently started thinking about getting her a leash or an iguana harness or something and taking her further afield because I have so many props and ideas for photoshoots to do if the weather cooperates. (Spoiler alert: the weather never cooperates.) So, hopefully, this all pans out, and you’ll start seeing pictures of Wexter out and about at some point. I guess I’d better start looking into iguana harness prices and check if the local dog park allows dinosaurs.”
Dinosaurs are amazing
When we asked Bunjywunjy what their favorite thing about dinosaurs was, they joked that it’s everything. “Seriously though, my favorite thing about dinosaurs is that they were once actual living animals that walked on the same ground, breathed the same air, and drank the same water (gross) as we do today! It’s just really wild to think about. Where are you standing right now? A dinosaur probably stood there at some point!” And we agree. That really is incredible when you think about it.
Naturally, Bunjywunjy doesn’t hide what a huge ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise fan they are. “My favorite thing about the ‘Jurassic Park’ movies, hands down, is the part at the end of the first movie where the raptors have the kids cornered in the atrium and suddenly the T-Rex busts in out of literally nowhere, only to start flinging raptors around like ragdolls and pose dramatically behind the falling ‘WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH’ sign. (Oh, and she saved those kids too, I guess.)”
“Not only was that just a really awesome and cinematic moment that still holds up against anything Hollywood is cranking out today, but it forever moved T-Rex from ‘evil antagonist, will probably eat you’ to a full-on heroic figure in my childish mind. And for years afterward, whenever I got really frustrated or upset, I would make-believe that a T-Rex would come busting through a wall and solve all of my problems for me. (By eating people.) Of course, now that I’m an adult I know that’s not possible! We all have to solve our own problems and eat our own raptors.”
Nostalgia is a powerful thing
We all have toys and other things that we wanted as children; having an action figure of a T-Rex was just one of the things that Bunjywunjy pined for. “Oh man. You know those old novelty beds that were shaped like retro rocketships? I wanted one of those so bad when I was a kid. But it was pretty out of the question, as were my approximately three zillion requests for a robot dog.”
“I think that whether your nostalgic longing for childhood desires fades as you grow up really depends on how that desire fits with the person that you grow up to be. Personally, I’m 25 years into my dinosaur phase and still going strong, so those desires still have an attraction for me as an adult,” they said.
I think that by and large, a lot of us keep at least some of the desires we had as kids. (Otherwise, the Pokemon franchise would not be as big as it is.) Though those desires might also change a little over time: I don’t really see the attraction of a toy robot dog anymore, but I’ve absolutely considered gluing puppy ears onto a Roomba and calling it Spot.”
According to Bunjywunjy, they didn’t expect how popular their thread about Wexter would get. “I’ve been completely blindsided by how just how many people this silly thread about buying a plastic dinosaur at Target resonated with, and I think the internet’s response to Wexter really goes to show how we could all stand to indulge our inner child a little more.”
“Maybe think back on something you really really wanted as a kid, then go and hunt it down like a shark trailing a kayak made of hotdogs. (And if you happen to know where to get a rocketship bed in adult size, definitely hit me up.),” they joked.
'Jurassic Park' is a classic for a reason
The 1993 movie ‘Jurassic Park’ left a huge mark on the world and helped forge an entire generation’s love for dinosaurs. We’d like to believe that the movie franchise nudged at least a few people towards becoming paleontologists, archeologists, or into the film-making business. And the movie continues to have a huge influence on us today, even though it’s nearly as old as I am.
The film has several things working for it. First, the stunning visuals. Special effects artist Dennis Muren told the media that he thought what they did was going to be ‘obsolete’ within ‘five or 10 years.’ However, the visuals hold up well.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the popularity of ‘Jurassic Park’ may also have much to do with the fact that it was the first time that viewers could see what dinosaurs could have looked like when they were alive. It was fresh. It was new. It was spectacular.
So, dear Pandas, what do you think of Wexter the T-Rex? What do you think of the original ‘Jurassic Park’ film? What’s the one toy from your childhood that you wish you could have today? For example, I bought a Transformer with my first paycheck. Share your thoughts with us and everyone else in the comments below.
This is what some internet users had to say about Wexter the T-Rex, as well as toys in general
