Elmo has temporarily set aside his long-standing feud with Rocco, the pet rock belonging to his best friend Zoe, in honor of Earth Day. The iconic Sesame Street character joined forces with Gordon Cormier, star of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, in a special YouTube video released on April 22.
"This Earth Day, you can all be Avatars," Gordon declared in the clip, "by celebrating and appreciating the Earth. This means being kind to every single thing."
Elmo chimed in, noting that this kindness should extend to "the wind and pretty flowers and plants and animals and insects," and even to oneself. The message took an unexpected turn when Gordon produced Rocco, suggesting that being nice to everything on Earth includes rocks too.
"Gordon, can Elmo borrow Rocco," Elmo quipped. "Elmo would like to be the Last Pebble Skipper."
However, after Gordon explained that rocks help form mountains, riverbeds, and roads, Elmo reluctantly offered a conciliatory gesture: "Happy Earth Day, Rocco."
This brief truce marks a notable moment in a rivalry that has captivated Sesame Street fans for over two decades. The feud gained widespread attention in 2022 when a 2004 clip went viral, showing Elmo's frustration after Zoe saved an oatmeal raisin cookie for Rocco.
"How? How is Rocco going to eat that cookie, Zoe? Tell Elmo," an exasperated Elmo demanded in the resurfaced footage. "Rocco doesn't even have a mouth. Rocco is just a rock. Rocco is not alive."
The rock-based drama even drew in pop superstar Taylor Swift earlier this year when her "Opalite" music video featured a girl whose best friend is a rock. Elmo responded on social media at the time, writing: "Ms. Taylor Swift. You have got to be kidding Elmo."
Despite his ongoing issues with Rocco, Elmo has maintained his friendship with Zoe. In 2022, he reassured fans on social media: "Don't worry everybody! Elmo and Zoe practiced sharing and are still best buds forever! Elmo loves you Zoe! Ha ha ha!"
He added in a separate post, "Elmo doesn't want to talk about Rocco. Has anybody ever seen a rock eat a cookie? Elmo is just curious."
The Earth Day video represents a rare moment of détente in one of children's television's most enduring—and most one-sided—conflicts.