 Episode: 317 "The First Adventure!” 11/16/20
Starring: Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, Della Duck, Bradford Buzzard, and Black Heron Costarring: Mrs. Beakley, Ludwig Von Drake, Duckworth Introducing: Captain Yellow Beak Setting: London (S.H.U.S.H. Headquarters), Duckburg (The Money Bin), and Phantom Island PlotTales Before moving forward with the ever escalating clash between F.O.W.L. and the Greatest Adventure Family of All Time, we take a trip down memory lane to see the opposing sides’ respective origin stories. Even more interesting though, is how the two groups’ leaders, Scrooge McDuck and Bradford Buzzard, each inadvertently play roles in both creating and strengthening their rivals’ standing. It’s that symbiotic hero/villain relationship that heightens the conflict and propels the story towards its inevitable endpoint. It’s hard to believe but Scrooge McDuck wasn’t always the fun-loving adventure seeker who relishes the chase for fortune more than the mythical baubles he’s procured along the way. For the overwhelming majority of his life, he was a solo act who characterized his globetrotting with all the soullessness of “corporate conquests” and “business trips.” This would all change though when his nephew and niece, Donald and Della, tag along on his search for the Binding Papyrus. Then, in much the same way Huey, Dewey, and Louie reinvigorate him from his doldrums (due to his role in Della’s disappearance) in the show’s pilot “Woo-hoo!” (S1, E1), Donald and Della first energize him here through the simple notion of seeing and embracing the “fun” of it all. Now that Scrooge has shed the role of “grouchy uncle” and embraced his avuncular responsibilities, he has decided to forego the day-to-day business of running McDuck Enterprises to “spend more time adventuring with (his) heirs.” While it’s easy to get caught up in the swashbuckling antics of our heroes amidst the blustery bombast of declarations like “I’m Scrooge McDuck. As long as adventure courses through my veins, no villain can best me!” It’s Bradford Buzzard’s beginnings that prove most compelling as he ultimately vultures the meat of the story (as one does) while managing to “best” Scrooge McDuck. We’ve gotten inklings of Bradford’s nature and motivations in the past but nothing quite so revelatory as this. Back in the swingin’ 60s, Bradford was a mop topped, pencil pushing S.H.U.S.H. accountant with a penchant for delusions of grandeur and “kooky bad-guy stuff.” It’s when his hand wringing over the chaotic, money draining nature of S.H.U.S.H.’s many escapades is met with such contempt and derision by his boss, Ludwig Von Drake, that he ultimately spins off from his “world-saving organization” and creates “a world-stealing one.” It’s after Bradford establishes F.O.W.L. alongside notorious super-villain, Black Heron, that his purpose becomes less clear and more fraught. Bradford has always had an uneasy relationship with the unadulterated fiendishness he’s been forced to collaborate with. Bradford’s vision is much more nuanced. Yes, he wants to “efficiently rule the world from the shadows with an iron fist” but he legitimately sees himself as a necessary saviour who brings balance and order. And now, while they provide the muscle for his outfit, Bradford seems to spend just as much energy attempting to keep his reckless foot soldiers at bay than anything else. Bradford’s no villain, he constantly reminds Heron, he’s an “undercover counteragent.” However, it’s starting to feel like these types of declarations are made more to convince himself than anything else. Which brings us back to Scrooge and family… in “Let’s Get Dangerous!” (S3, E12), Bradford reveals that the biggest threat to him achieving his goal of reigning in the world’s chaos is the McDuck family’s constant adventuring. Yet, who provides the opposition to Scrooge in his quest for the Binding Papyrus resulting in the very “fun” that creates the Greatest Adventure Family of All Time? It’s Bradford himself - he creates the chaos! Then, in turn, it’s his reckless behaviour in using the Papyrus to wipe the ducks’ memory of his role in the affair that makes it possible for him to become CFO of McDuck Enterprises. This moment, whether he likes it or not, is when Bradford finally embraces his inner villainy. He can patronize and scold his ne’er-do-well lackeys all he wants; the chaos Bradford breeds is the very same chaos he seeks to eliminate. Quacking Points We know that the 1960s flashback scene takes place before the events in “From the Confidential Case Files of Agent 22!” (S1, E18) by virtue of the fact that F.O.W.L. doesn’t exist yet and Black Heron still has a non-robotic right arm. Back in the 60s, Ludwig Von Drake is seen solving a Rubik’s cube which wouldn’t be invented until the 1970s. Could it be that Ludwig is a time traveler or do we just chalk it up to the DuckTales timeline not exactly jibing with our own? Though not explicitly stated, the main story probably takes place in the early 90s - roughly the same time period (albeit, a bit earlier) as when we first met young Donald and Della in “Last Christmas” (S2, E6). During Scrooge’s morning rundown, Duckworth notes a brief trip to mystical Tralla La to visit their bottle cap plants. The mythical land first appeared in 1954 as the title of a story from Carl Barks’ Uncle Scrooge series of comic books. It also was the subject of the DT ’87 episode, “The Land of Tralla La.” Tralla La is a utopia, of sorts, deep within the Himalayas where money doesn’t exist. However, during Scrooge’s visit, he disposes of his bottle caps from his medication which, in turn, are seen as rare treasures and become the basis of Tralla La’s first monetary system. Duckworth also mentions a routine security check at Falcon Island. We learned from “The Richest Duck in the World!” (S2, E23) that the island is where Scrooge has imprisoned the Bombie - a creature that is cursed to hunt down whoever holds the title of Richest Person in the World. The handwritten note that Scrooge’s sister, Hortense, sends with Donald and Della mirrors the note that Della sent when she asked Donald to watch Huey, Dewey, and Louie from the one-page comic strip, “Donald’s Nephews” (1956) - right down to the line about lighting firecrackers under their father’s chair. Della references Scrooge’s “crazy fun adventures” from the past such as “The Colossus of the Nile” (1996) and The “Treasure of the Ten Avatars” (1996), which are both issues from the Uncle Scrooge Adventures series of comic books. Duckworth giving Donald and Della a sack of marbles is a callback to Scrooge’s same offering to the nephews in “Woo-oo” (S1, E1). Beakley, now Director 22, has received a promotion or two in the thirty years since her days as an agent in S.H.U.S.H. Captain Yellow Beak first appeared in Carl Barks’ very first duck comic as well as Donald’s first American book, “Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold” (1942). For all of Scrooge’s many accomplishments and skills, you’d think he’d at least know how to pilot a plane. Or, at the very least, he should present a more viable option in performing an emergency landing than an early adolescent Della - even with her video game, flight simulator experience. While exploring Phantom Island, Scrooge regales Donald and Della with the story about his hunt for “The Treasure of the Golden Sun.” Of course, he’s giving them the plot points from DT ‘87’s five-part-pilot, of the same name. He even mentions the villain, El Capitan, and the Wakka River (called the Wakka-Wakka River in the original story). What’s curious though is that Scrooge says it was all for naught - “no gold, no treasure, didn’t even get a souvenir.” However, we’ve seen one of the giant golden discs from the Temple of the Golden Sun multiple times; first stashed away in Scrooge’s garage and now on display in the Adventures Wing of the Duckburg Museum as seen in “Treasure of the Found Lamp” (S2, E8). We first saw the Von Drake Action Cane PPK in the aforementioned “From the Confidential Case Files of Agent 22!” In order to save Donald and Della from Heron, Scrooge quickly writes on the Papyrus “...be lost once more until the rightful heir of Scrooge McDuck can find your final resting place.” I don’t mean to belabour the point from last week but, once again, the idea of Scrooge’s mortality is once again in play. This will also surely play into this season’s endgame with Donald, Della, and the kids having to find the Papyrus to save Scrooge from whatever dastardly pinfeathered plan F.O.W.L. has in store for him.
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 Episode: 316 "New Gods on the Block!” 11/9/20
Starring: Huey Duck, Dewey Duck, Louie Duck, Webby Vanderquack, Donald Duck, Daisy, Zeus, Storkules, Selene, Scrooge McDuck, and Della Duck, Costarring: Flintheart Glomgold Appearances by: Gibbous and Good Boy Introducing: Hades, Crownus the Titan, Cupid, and Sowvanna Setting: MonGullia and Duckburg (McDuck Manor and Duckburg Pier) PlotTales We’re all replaceable; whether it’s Jim Starling, Zeus, or even *gasp* Scrooge McDuck. The question is, when that time comes, will it be met with resistance, is it simply out of one’s control, or will it be a voluntary passing of the torch? I hate to say it but the weighty issues of mortality and legacy have been burbling just below the surface all season and they could be hurtling us towards a major shakeup within the McDuck family. With no F.O.W.L. or Missing Mysteries to speak of this episode, it may be time to forecast where “the greatest family of adventurers and treasure hunters of all time” (and the show) is headed. It’s hard to look at the dysfunctional family of Greek Gods and not feel like you’re seeing a bizzaro, funhouse mirror version of the McDucks. The biggest difference being, their patriarchal figure is a petulant man-child who is prone to destructive “godly whims.” This is why Zeus’s children, Storkules and Selene, have taken his laurel which effectively strips him of his powers as well as his lofty title as King of the Gods. Not only that, Storkules and Selene are looking to replace their father by crowning a new ruler. Of course, Zeus ends up reclaiming his throne, albeit pathetically, but the point remains… nothing is forever. Which brings us to Scrooge… there will be no familial coup d'etat or hostile takeover but his place as the spry and virile 150-ish-year-old does feel a bit tenuous and he knows it. The clues are there and mounting:
We are all hoping that the show gets renewed and the series goes on forever but we all know that’s now how TV works. If DuckTales does end, it won’t be a sad or tragic ending, but it could be a bittersweet one where Scrooge hangs up his spats for good with Donald and Della heading up the Adventure Team. Even still, something terrible could happen to Scrooge, especially at the hands of F.O.W.L., and there could be a moment or prolonged period where Scrooge is on the sidelines and the rest of the family has to take over. The nephews are definitely more the main character in this modern incarnation as opposed to Scrooge’s firm grip as the unquestioned lead in DT ‘87. We could always have a Star Trek-esque arc for season 5 where treasure hunting takes a back seat in lieu of... “The Search for Scrooge.” Quacking Points Genghis (or Hengis) Kahn has a rich history in the Scrooge McDuck universe. “The Lost Crown of Scrooge McDuck” was first the title of a Carl Barks’ comic from his 1950s Uncle Scrooge series and then an episode of the same name in DuckTales 87. Again, we have to assume that Launchpad flew Scrooge and team to Mongullia since Della was at home waiting for them. This begs two questions: why isn’t LP accompanying them on their adventure and why is Della always staying at home? She hasn’t been on a treasure hunt or left Duckburg since “The Lost Harp of Mervana!” (S2, E4). Junior Woodchuck Guidebook Rule #642: A team’s only as strong as its weakest link. The effects of the rare failed Scrooge adventure: first comes the wallowing, then the anger, then he shakes it off. This is Donald and Daisy’s second date. Surely, their meeting in “Louie’s 11” (S3, E5) can’t be counted as their first date. Meaning, their first rendezvous must’ve occurred offscreen. Strong move by Donald to host their second date at his boat which is docked in the pool at McDuck Manor. It shows that he’s grounded while also flaunting his family money, implicitly reminding Daisy that he’s in line to inherit GAZILLIONS! As for the kids’ choices for their godly powers, they are as follows and provide insight into their character: Dewey - god of fortune (obsession with monetary means) Huey - god of intuition (obsession with knowledge and over-preparing) Webby - goddess of sunny friendship get-along times (obsession with maximizing everyone’s happiness) Dewey - forgets to choose a god power and just does a dance routine (obsession with Dew-ing whatever he wants?) Hades (God of the Underworld/Zeus’ brother) makes his first appearance. He can be seen texting fellow gods Athena (Goddess of War/Zeus’ daughter) and Poseidon (God of the Sea/brother of Zeus). Eros (or Cupid) also appears, albeit bound and gagged, when Storkules steals his arrows and attempts to shoot Donald and Daisy. I love how Daisy just giggles and let’s Donald hold her during their date. It’s a nice illustration of her declaration that she “feels like she can be (herself) around him.” The way their budding relationship is presented here is also a refreshing contrast to what we’ve grown to expect from them. In the past, Donald’s and Daisy’s relationship has been marked by tumult and strife, especially in comparison to that of their contemporaries, Mickey and Minnie. Although, their squabbles have yielded two of my all-time favourite Disney shorts in Donald’s Diary (1954) and “The Adorable Couple” (2104). I’m guessing the Titan that Hercules summons is the previously mentioned Crownus. After all, the real-life Cronus’ story somewhat mirrors this episode where the Titan dethrones his father only for his children to then dethrone him. I would’ve loved to see the new McDuck special ops team of Penumbra (the brawn), Quackfaster (the wildcard), and Djinn (special reconnaissance) in action. Don’t get me wrong, the kids are GREAT, but would it kill them to give us just one episode where we get an adult only adventure?  Episode: 315 "The Split Sword of Swanstantine!” 11/2/20
Starring: Huey Duck, Lena Sabrewing, Scrooge McDuck, Dewey Duck, Webby Vanderquack, Louie Duck, Violet Sabrewing, Black Heron, Steelbeak, Gandra Dee, and John D. Rockerduck Costarring: Ugly Mug Appearances by: Hack Stabnikov, Stinky Boots, Peg Leg Meg, Clown and Capsule Introducing: Christoph and Fluffy Setting: Instanbird (the Grand Bazaar and the Spice-A-Torium) PlotTales As with most MacGuffins, it’s not about the treasure, it’s about the character development and growth from which it inspires... or, as Dewey puts it, “the friends we made along the way.” The McDucks’ bid to beat those “feculent F.O.W.L. agents” in a race to acquire the missing parts to the eponymous Split Sword of Swanstantine is no different. In this instance, the treasure hunt is about the kids discovering their respective inner strength of which the Sword supposedly channels. Or, to look at it even deeper, the Split Sword represents the Duality of Man - especially as it pertains to Huey Duck. To paraphrase Greek philosopher Plato, the Duality of Man is the idea that one part of man lives in his mind, thinking and observing, while another part moves and creates. Huey, the nerdy triplet, has always been more about preparation and planning. Even when he does spring into action, it’s under the guidance of his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook or within the parameters of whatever list he’s formulated to best maximize efficiency and success. Rarely does Huey move based on instinct or impulse. However, this approach proves to be woefully ineffective when Huey and Lena find themselves up against the unhinged brutishness of Steelbeak. Even when Lena freezes time and transports them into Huey’s mindscape, he doubles down on his efforts of analyzing every scenario to create the perfect plan. Lena wants to appeal to his baser, more physical nature but Huey stubbornly clutches to order, refusing to “give in to the animal within.” Of course, Steelbeak cuts through these overthought, milquetoast attempts like a sharpened blade through roast duck. This is where the Duke of Making a Mess steps in. Like Dewey’s Dude Popular, Huey also has an alter ego. However, he’s been suppressing this side of himself because it gets “in the way of (his) thinking” and “is against everything (he) stands for.” The Duke is his exact opposite. It’s a snarling, sharp-toothed creature born from “pure, chaotic rage” (think Donald in fight mode) that serves as an antidote to his more cerebral and frustratingly ordered inclinations. Luckily, Huey is paired off with Lena who has recently battled and conquered her own demons. As the Duke bangs against the steel door locked inside the deep recesses of Huey’s mindscape, Lena pleads with him to let it out. “You can’t ignore the parts of yourself you don’t like, even the parts you’re afraid of. You have to own them.” Huey reluctantly listens to Lena, sucks it up, and lets the Duke out. By channeling his inner strength, Huey ultimately reaches a communion with the aforementioned “animal within” and is able to draw upon his newfound duality of order and chaos to pluck the threat of Steelbeak. Dewey (confidence), Webby (friendship with Dewey), Louie/Violet (honesty), and Scrooge (the kids) also managed to channel their inner strength but, lest we forget, this is Huey’s season and his journey was much more fraught and emotionally resonant. Plus, the reveal of the Duke of Making a Mess will almost certainly prove to be a character altering development for Huey. And, while F.O.W.L. is severely lacking in regards to inner strength, coming home with the Sword wasn’t exactly their endgame anyway. During the course of her episode-long-duel with Scrooge, Black Heron was able to accomplish their larger mission by plucking a plume from Scrooge’s pinfeathers. What it’s for, we don’t know, but it most certainly has to do with some nefarious plot by which to gain an advantage over Scrooge and his family. Quacking Points Last week, Mrs. Beakley put on quite the emotional and violent performance all for the sake of impressing upon the children how dangerous F.O.W.L. is. Yet, she is nowhere to be seen in this episode, seemingly feeling good about letting Scrooge take six kids to a foreign land to treasure hunt and fight highly trained agents. She must be protecting McDuck Manor or something… Who flew the family to Instanbill? We don’t see or hear any mention of either Della or Launchpad. Surely, Scrooge could’ve used another adult to help fight off F.O.W.L. or, at the very least, supervise the children. The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is actually a real thing. It’s one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, boasting 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. Scrooge promised the reward of shish kabob once they found the Sword and he delivered at episode’s end From Isabella Finch’s Journal of Missing Mysteries, “Swanstantine the Great was a warrior-king. The mystical sword channeled the bearer’s inner strength. When he died, the king ordered the sword be divided into three pieces and hidden within the very city he founded centuries ago.” Also from the Journal, the three parts to the Sword can be found in the “Heavens” (the handle), the “Underworld” (the guard), and the “Splendor of the Earth” (the blade). In real life, Constantine was the Emperor of Rome from 306 to 337 who, most notably, was the first ruler to adhere to Christianity. The Sword of Constantine is an actual 2007 historical book that documents the split between Judaism and Christianity - fun stuff! Apparently, Scrooge interrupted another McDuck Manor sleepover (the sixth!) by yelling “everybody in the plane!” and that’s why the pajama’d Sabrewing sisters are present on the trip. In the Spice-A-Torium, there’s a poster of Flintheart Glomgold with the message of “Do not accept checks from this man!” Christoph has a Sallah (from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark/Last Crusade) vibe going for him. Louie references the Spoonerville Feisty Fiesta Cook-Off which, of course, took place in the town where Goof Troop (1992) took place. Among the ne’er-do-wells hanging out at the Spice-A-Torium are:
This isn’t the first we’ve heard of the Duke of Making a Mess. He was first mentioned in “The Infernal Internship of Mark Beaks” (S1, E7). When Huey loses out on the internship to Dewey, he breaks, descending into multiple zany characters - the last being the Duke of Making a Mess!  Episode: 314 "Escape from the ImpossiBin!” 10/26/20
Starring: Scrooge McDuck, Della Duck, Louie Duck, Mrs. Beakley, Webby Vanderquack, Huey Duck, Dewey Duck, Donald Duck, and Bradford Buzzard Costarring: Lil Bulb, Gandra Dee, Goldie O’Gilt, Vero, Aletheia, Darkwing Duck, Gene the Genie, and the Phantom Blot Setting: Duckburg (McDuck Manor and The Money Bin) PlotTales After last week’s much ballyhooed sojourn into St. Canard, this episode is a much needed palate cleanser that recalibrates us, and the McDuck family, for the second half of the season. Since Bradford Buzzard has been exposed as the proverbial fox in the henhouse, F.O.W.L. has also managed to vulture all of the Missing Mysteries that the McDucks had previously found. But before “the greatest family of adventurers and treasure hunters of all time” can return the relics to their rightful place and foil F.O.W.L. once and for all, they must get on the same page for the fight ahead. Scrooge is feeling vulnerable and betrayed… and for good reason. Bradford “knows everything about (him), (his) business, and (his) weaknesses.” But he’s “smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies” so Scrooge’s immediate response is to outwork his new rival by testing out the Money Bin’s vaunted security system. To do so, he’s enlisted the help of “the two most cunning individuals (he) knows” - Della and Louie to try to find any weaknesses in its defense. He truly runs them through the gamut too. The two must contend with a room full of ultraviolet saw blades, anti-gravitational runes, a time loop room, a tentacle monster, and even a robot made in the image of “the greatest warrior of the past century,” Scrooge himself. But it’s Scrooge’s boner of forgetting the password to the security system that proves to be the biggest threat to the trio. I’ve mentioned this before but you have to wonder if Scrooge’s age is starting to get the best of him. But, when Bradford manages to commandeer the Scrooge-bot with the help of Gandra Dee, the family is able to rally back by using their experience and knack for adventuring to ward off the attack. Meanwhile, at McDuck Manor, Mrs. Beakley and Webby have begun training Huey, Dewey, and Donald to become “the best prepared defense team of all time.” Like Scrooge, Webby and Mrs. B are pushing things to the limit. Poor Huey and Dewey are a bit soft and ill-prepared compared to the hard-boiled intensity of Webby. In fact, after Huey becomes overwhelmed and is reduced to tears due to Webby’s psychological and physical warfare, she starts to question the methods of her granny. However, Beakley doesn’t back down, continuing to stress the seriousness of the threat that F.O.W.L poses. This results in the two engaging in prolonged physical combat that is, as Dewey puts it, both “exciting and horrifying.” While emotional (she even wipes away a few tears), Beakley is steely in her resolve that this is the best method in which to prepare the children for what lies ahead. Even Donald objects to her no-holds-barred approach. But it’s not until Webby parries one of her kicks, resulting in Mrs. Beakley nearly falling off the roof of McDuck Manor, that she comes to her senses. The biggest takeaway from all of this is, despite their typical brand of cocksure bluster, that Beakley is scared and so is Scrooge. They know more about the diabolical nature of F.O.W.L. than anyone else and they were both willing to put their family in harm’s way to prepare them. But it’s the kids who set them right. Webby correctly states that “we won’t get stronger by attacking the people we love.” Going forward, they will depend on the strength of their bond as a family and their like experience in adventuring. The McDuck family is “done playing defensively.” No more hunkering down in the Money Bin and/or McDuck Manor... they’re “ready to fight.” Quacking Points Beakley declares that F.O.W.L. was long thought to have been eliminated by agents of S.H.U.S.H. Lest we forget, Beakley, known as Agent 22, was once a member of S.H.U.S.H and in “The Secret Case Files of Agent #22!” (S1, E17) we were taken back in time to when Scrooge, as a freelancer, teamed up with 22 to work a case. Appearing on Beakley’s and Webby’s dry erase board of “Potential Traitors” are Lil Bulb, “Uncle” Donald, Fenton, Bluescreen Beagle, and “Louie.” Most intriguing is the character of Bluescreen of whom we’ve never heard mentioned, nor have we met. Even more curious is his role as a traitor since that would mean that he would have to be in league with Scrooge and not his assumed association with the Beagle Boys. I’d also guess that he’s some sort of computer hacker because, you know… like the dreaded Blue Screen of Death that Windows users are all too familiar with. While not appearing this episode, the presence of both Gyro Gearlosse and Mrs. Quackfaster loom large since their “dementedly dangerous” minds are what’s responsible for the ImpossiBin’s many traps. The Ancient Rosa Runes are in homage to Don Rosa who took up the mantle of scribing and illustrating the Uncle Scrooge comics after Don Barks retired. Della’s ire for Gyro is so pointed and, dare I say, passionate you would almost guess they had some kind of history… but then Della mentions her resentment over the liquorice flavoured gum that KEPT HER ALIVE for a decade (seriously, she should be grateful). Among the books that Louie pulls in Quackfaster’s Archive are the following:
During Webby and Beakley’s battle, you can see a Ziggy Starduck poster on the wall… an obvious reference to David Bowie. One small detail that can’t be overlooked is that Louie successfully made the dive into Scrooge’s money! All the way back in “The Great Dime Chase!” (S1, E3), we learned that performing the iconic plunge is no small feat that takes “muscles and dexterity” lest you’d risk “cracking your skull!” Louie truly has learned a thing or two from his uncle. While the McDucks were distracted with the Bin and training, the Eggheads stole the Harp of Mervana, Steelbeak pilfered the Solego Circuit, and the Phantom Blot took Gene the Genie. This version of Darkwing Duck has his first encounter with Steelbeak who was one of his main villains from DW ‘91. And, from the looks of it, Steelbeak beat DW up but good. Poor Fenton… we always knew that Sandra Dee wasn’t what she presented herself as but you have to wonder how legitimate her feelings for Fenton are and how that will play out in the future.  Episode: 312 "Let’s Get Dangerous!” 10/19/20
Starring: Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard, Launchpad McQuack, Dewey Duck, Huey Duck, Louie Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Bradford Buzzard, Quackerjack, Megavolt, Dr. Reginald Bushroot, and Liquidator Costarring: Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gizmoduck, Zan Owlson, and Black Heron Featuring: Gosalyn Waddlemeyer and Dr. Taurus Bulba Introducing: Dr. Thad Waddlemeyer and W.A.N.D.A. A Cameo by: Bonkers D. Bobcat Setting: St. Canard (Dr. Bulba’s Lab, Darkwing Duck’s Secret Headquarters, Cranky Frank’s) PlotTales “You have to tear things down first before you make something new - that’s innovation!” These are the words of blowhard, supervillain-hiding-in-plain-sight, Dr. Taurus Bulba, in bloviating on his latest invention, the Ramrod. And it’s not so dissimilar to what the creative braintrust behind our favourite animated series is doing - albeit, not as wanton and reckless. Unlike the aforementioned Ramrod, the show isn’t merely conjuring something from nothing, nor is it destroying the past like Bulba would suggest. What it is doing, though, is innovating. The world of Darkwing Duck is being reimagined and canonized within that of DuckTales by pulling matter from past incarnations… or other dimensions - LIKE THE RAMROD! We’ve known something like this was coming since Launchpad’s superfandom of show-within-the-show, Darkwing Duck and its star Jim Starling, was revealed in “Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!” (S1, E11). And then, when the corresponding fall/rise of Starling/Mallard was chronicled in “The Duck Knight Rises!” (S2, E16), it was a fait accompli. Now that we’ve finally crossed the Autubon Bay Bridge from Duckburg and into St. Canard, we have fully entered the realm of the Purple Protector himself, Darkwing Duck. It’s easy to get lost amidst the overwhelming deluge of references and meta-storytelling (and, I promise, we will) but there is an actual story here. On paper, former actor and budding vigilante, Drake Mallard, has it all. Since bringing the Darkwing Duck character off the screen and into the streets, he’s systematically reached all the benchmarks in becoming a hero:
But since donning the cape, Darkwing Duck has been presumably spending most of his nights perched atop St. Canard’s skyline, scanning the city for any opportunity to “get dangerous” but to no avail. The thing is that DW doesn’t have any actual crime to thwart. Since new mayor, Zan Owlson, took office, she’s managed to clean up the streets of St. Canard’s and, with that, rid itself of its ignominious title of the “supervillain capital of the world.” Without bad guys, DW has no one to lock beaks with nor does he have anyone to help. However, all that changes once Darkwing is confronted by displaced youth, Gosalyn Waddlemeyer. Her plea for help pulls him into a multi-dimensional conspiracy backed by a criminal organization whose fiendish plot threatens not only all of reality but Scrooge McDuck and his family as well. Gosalyn’s grandfather, Dr. Waddlemeyer, was once Bulba’s lab partner and helped create the aforementioned Ramrod. But a falling-out between the two resulted in Waddlemeyer’s disappearance, leaving Gosalyn an orphan and determined to expose Bulba and find her grandpa. On the McDuck side of things, Huey is growing suspicious of Bulba and the Ramrod himself and soon uncovers their secret. The machine is using one of Isabella Finch’s Missing Mysteries, the Solego Circuit, to suck objects (and people) in from other dimensions (which are really just windows into every work of fiction) and into their world. Once Bulba’s deranged scheme is revealed, he goes full villain and uses the Ramrod to pull in the supervillains from Jim Starling’s Darkwing Duck to wreak havoc on St. Canard. With Quackerjack, Bushroot, Megavolt, and Liquidator on the loose, DW finally has his stable of villains to contend with. But his biggest challenge proves to be balancing fighting the bad guys with keeping Gosalyn safe and reuniting her with her grandpa. In fact, he’s exhausted himself from staying up all night with Fenton, trying to figure out how to find Dr. Waddlemeyer. While DW burns the candle at both ends, Launchpad captures the plight of the hero best; “Anyone can do the right thing when it’s easy, but it’s what you do when things are hard that makes you a hero.” And Gosalyn more than proves her mettle in that regard by destroying the increasingly erratic Ramrod rather than further risk everyone else’s lives by searching in vain for her grandpa. Although the new crime fighting trio didn’t succeed in their ultimate goal, they have hit their stride as a team and, more importantly, come together as an “adventure family.” But the biggest arc-altering development is F.O.W.L.’s role in all of this. It turns out that Dr. Bulba has been under the employ of Bradford Buzzard and his attempts to crack the Solego Circuit are all a part of F.O.W.L.’s master plan for world domination. Bradford wants all chaos to be reigned in and he sees the McDuck family’s constant adventuring as the biggest threat to his campaign. This shows that he’s a different and more dangerous kind of big bad than what the McDucks have faced in the past. Unlike Magica DeSpell and Lunaris, Bradford doesn’t consider himself a villain and actually sees himself as protecting reality from Scrooge and his family. Not much is scarier than a bad guy thinking he’s the good guy. Now that Bradford is no longer working from a position of stealth within the hierarchy of McDuck Enterprises, he and his team of flunkies will likely be turning up the heat in their efforts to put an end to Scrooge and his family’s adventure seeking antics. Likewise, because of Bradford’s outing as the proverbial fox in the henhouse, Scrooge will almost assuredly set forth plans to go on the offensive against F.O.W.L. The race to retrieve the rest of Finch’s Missing Mysteries is about to reach a fever pitch. But the bigger, series-altering question remains: will Darkwing Duck remain within the DuckTales incubator or will it leave the proverbial nest and soar on its own? There’s probably enough there now that DW has Bulba’s Supervillain Solutions to contend with along with the matter of reuniting Gosalyn with her family for them to spin him off proper into its own show. My only concern would’ve been “what would happen to Launchpad” but he has already confirmed that he will remain a part of both universes (as long as he doesn’t off himself sleeping while driving). But what does this mean for the strongly hinted at “Disney Afternoon’iverse” as a whole? With Solego’s Circuit firmly established as a canon-bending function of the show, the possibilities are endless. Any piece of fiction can be pulled/sent through a trans-dimensional rift and that is THRILLING. Quacking Points So, how does all of this work? I guess we have to assume that Drake’s (former?) acting career is what’s bankrolling the various expenses of being a hero. He’s also indirectly being funded by McDuck Enterprises since Fenton is supplying the gadgets. In DD ‘91, it stands to reason that S.H.U.S.H. was supporting him financially. Although, it was never explicitly stated. And, as fun as all of this is (and it really is!), can we talk about how ridiculous the whole premise is? I mean, imagine if Michael Keaton all of a sudden started dressing up like Batman in real life and started fighting crime. One of the best pieces of retrofitting this episode does is in correcting the Launchpad issue. In DW ‘91, LP was DW’s loyal sidekick with nary a mention of what happened to his employment under Scrooge other than him referring to Mr. McD as his former boss. As a kid, I found all this very upsetting… was LP fired, is Scrooge dead, WHAT HAPPNED??? Speaking of Launchpad McQuack, I’ve oft complained about how overwhelmingly dumb they’ve made him in this series and how it’s taken away from the heart he would regularly display in the original series. But here, he’s finally seemed to perfect threading the needle between being hilarious and appropriately tender while still maintaining his dim jocularity. In DD ‘91 Taurus Bulba’s appearance is similar enough to this new incarnation but there are many differences as well as a few similarities between the two worth noting. The old Bulba wasn’t a scientist, but more of a criminal mastermind. He was also Russian. Bulba wasn’t the leader of the Fearsome Four either, that job belonged to Negaduck (which he called the Fearsome Five). Similarly, he also served as the main villain in DD ‘91’s two-part-pilot, “Darkly Dawns the Duck,” and was also responsible for Dr. Waddlemeyer’s disappearance (although then, he was murdered by Bulba’s henchmen). Former CEO of Glomgold Industries, Zan Owlson, is saying and doing all the right things as the crime busting mayor of St. Canard. But, lest we forget from whence we last saw her, she declared that she was leaving Glomgold to become her own billionaire. Last I checked, a local level politician doesn’t become that rich without a fair amount of corruption and chicanery. I don’t trust her. I LOVE it when Scrooge immediately trusts Huey’s suspicions about the Ramrod and forces the issue with Bulba. A common trope is adults not trusting or believing the intuition of children (like DW didn’t initially with Gosalyn) until it’s too late. Here, Scrooge indulges his nephew without hesitation. DW is kind of a doofus and a klutz but he is more than adept (and actually kind of impressive) at hand-to-hand combat as he gives his much bigger foe, Taurus Bulba, all that he can handle. This isn’t Solego’s first foray into the Disney Afternoon’iverse, in fact, he’s the one who first made it a possibility. All the way back in 1994, Solego was the main antagonist in Disney Adventures 4-part-crossover extravaganza called “The Legend of the Chaos God.” While still a crocodile looking creature, he wasn’t just a “mad thinker” like in DT ‘17, but a sorcerer as well as the eponymous “Chaos God.” For the first time, one story manages to incorporate DuckTales, Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, and Goof Troop. Among the many interesting details the crossover reveals is that TaleSpin takes place fifty years before the other four shows. We’ll wait on deep-diving into the rest of the Fearsome Four but we can get into Bushroot a little bit since his origin story is hinted at by DW and LP. Respected and renowned scientist, Dr. Reginald Bushroot, was about to have his funding cut so, in desperation, he performed one of his experiments on himself resulting in him becoming a hybrid plant-duck creature. This results in him becoming less evil and more just sad and lonely which drives him to insanity. He’s an incredibly complex and sympathetic character despite being a proverbial thorn in DW’s side. Bonkers D. Bobcat of one of the less popular Disney Afternoon shows, Bonkers (1993), makes a brief cameo as a St. Canard police officer - meaning, we may be seeing more of him in the future. The premise of Bonkers the TV show was inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) where Bonkers, a toon, becomes a police officer in the human world once his former career in show business flames out. In what’s a deeeeep cut, a static image of Ozzie, Stanley, and Tippi from the Fluppy Dogs (1986) appears while Gosalyn is scanning various dimensions in the Ramrod while looking for her grandpa. The Fluppy Dogs was a one-off, one hour special (that was supposed to be the Pilot for a full series but bad ratings nixed that plan) detailing the adventures of a group of pastel coloured dogs who utilize a crystal key to dimension hop (sound familiar?). Both the Darkwing Duck movie poster as well as the lunchbox WITH the indentation from Drake’s face from “The Duck Knight Returns!” (S2, E16) can be seen displayed in DW’s HQ. Megavolt’s Tronsplitter can also be seen stored in DW’s HQ. The weapon is responsible for zapping DW and creating the first incarnation of Negaduck, the black-and-white Negatron version. The Liquidator isn’t just made of water, he’ll also help you liquidate your assets (after he destroys you home)! “Make money from home by having your home destroyed! Just ask me how!” When Scrooge gets sucked into DT ‘87, he is seen throwing a tantrum and screaming “a sea monster ate my ice cream!” over and over again. This is in reference to the infamous scene from the four-parter, “Catch as Cash Can” when an irate Scrooge is informed that a sea monster gobbles up half his fortune of which is being transported by boat under the guise of being a shipment of ice cream. Upon returning from DT ‘87, the nephews can be heard asking “what’s quackaroonie?” as well as commenting on how round their heads were. Quackaroonie was an oft repeated phrase by the nephews that more or less a catchall expression for “cool!” or “HOLY SHIT!” LP and Gosalyn disguise themselves as C-string DW ‘91 villains Jambalaya Jake and the Bug Master. Jambalaya Jake and his pet gator, Gumbo, originally hailed from the bayou but relocated to the sewers of St. Canard to try their hand at being crooks. Bugmaster was Goslayn’s role model and newscaster Bianca Beakley (no relation to Bentina… that we know of) until she broke bad and began committing crimes as a means to boost her ratings. LP and DW reference real DW ‘91 episodes, “Beauty and the Beet” as well as “Just us Justice Ducks” - the former featuring Bushroot’s origin story while the latter boasts the first appearance of the Fearsome Five. Like in DW ‘91, there’s a bit of a one-sided rivalry between DW and Gizmoduck. Although here, while Drake is still the jealous one, he also has a close and very friendly relationship with Fenton (of whom he doesn’t know is Gizmoduck).  Episode: 311 "The Forbidden Fountains of the Foreverglades!” 10/12/20
Starring: Scrooge McDuck, Goldie O’Gilt, Huey Duck, Dewey Duck, Louie Duck, Webby Vanderquack, John D. Rockerduck, and Jeeves Featuring: Ponce DeLeon Setting: Florida (The Conquistador Inn and the Foreverglades) PlotTales “We’ve spent our whole lives at each other’s throats, Scroogey. But what if we could do it all over again, knowing everything we know now, avoiding the same mistakes? This is our chance at a fresh start!” This is Goldie O’Gilt’s plea to longtime rival and object of her flirtations, Scrooge McDuck. The pair, often at odds, have found common ground after wetting their beaks on the “youth juice” from the fabled waters of the Fountain of the Foreverglades. Now, as a couple of squirrely teenagers, Scrooge and Goldie attempt to make this change permanent as they thirst for more… and each other. While both Scrooge and Goldie are starting to show signs of wear and tear from their advanced age, it’s the Richest Duck in the World whose deterioration is the most troubling. This is the second time we’ve been confronted with Scrooge’s mortality this season. After his creaky back kept him out of action in “The Rumble for Ragnarok!”(S3, E7!), that same injury is slowing him down once again. Lest we forget, he also floated the idea of finding his successor in that very same episode. Could we be heading for a point where Scrooge really does hang up his spats for good? This could explain why he’s so adamant in his attempts to stay young forever along with his wistfulness for time lost with Goldie. Goldie’s intentions, while seemingly less urgent, are far more interesting. Up to this point, Goldie has been nothing more than a selfish tease who shamelessly uses her feminine wiles to take advantage of her male counterparts. While she has exhibited some real affection for Scrooge in the past, it’s never truly manifested itself into anything tangible or meaningful (as far as we’ve seen). That’s why this sudden change of heart is so compelling. Goldie refuses to let anyone get too close, keeping everyone between Scrooge and newly minted protege, Louie, at wing’s length. But, with this newfound chance to be young again, Goldie sees this as an opportunity to right the wrongs of her past. Her life of solitude lies in stark contrast to that of Scrooge who is always flanked by a flock of ducks. To even acknowledge that she’s made mistakes is such a 180 from her usual cold, calculating, and cocksure veneer. Sure, there was evidence of it cracking when she proudly slips a photo of Louie into her wallet after their adventure in “Happy Birthday, Doofus Duck!” (S2, E18). Then, when things are going bad and she has a chance to steal and keep the rejuvenating waters for herself, she catches a glimpse of a tied up Louie and decides against it. Every time we’ve seen Goldie, she always cuts bait and flees whenever the opportunity presents itself. She always chooses herself over others. But it’s different this time. Even once her hopes of staying young forever are dashed, she decides that “a fresh start isn’t worth it without (Scrooge).” And then, she even returns Isabella Finch’s journal that she pilfered earlier in the episode, grabs the “old coot,” and plants a long, wet one right on his kisser. Sure Goldie is leaving again, off to do her own thing, but this time she stayed to the end and even consummated her hundred-years-long flirtation by taking Scrooge to first base. Will the two be following through on their intentions of “making the most of the time we’ve got?” I don’t see Goldie moving into McDuck Manor anytime soon, if ever, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the two galavanting along on more treasure hunts... not as rivals, but as dates. Quacking Points The Fountain of Youth is the next Missing Mystery from Isabella Finch’s journal. Based on what we’ve seen from the book’s pages, the only Mystery left that we know of that we haven’t seen yet is The Stone of What Was. The gang tackled the Third Eye Diamond in “Double-O Duck in You Only Crash Twice!” (S3, E3) as well as the eponymous harp in “The Lost Harp of Mervana!” (S3, E4). Ponce de Leon is based on real life Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce De Leon, who discovered Florida while searching in vain for the Fountain of Youth. As we learned back in “The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!” (S1, E15), Goldie’s youthful appearance is thanks in part to a Fountain of Youth she once drank from in Wronguway. Figuring out Scrooge’s exact age involves some fuzzy arithmetic factoring in time spent in Demogorgana (a timeless demon dimension) as well as three years frozen in an iceberg. But, based on some other clues, he’s around 150-ish-years-old. In yet another story detailing his grit and work ethic, Scrooge references working on his Uncle Pothole’s steamboat when he was a young lad. Pothole first appeared in a 1955 Uncle Scrooge comic and would continue as a recurring character throughout the series. A variation of Pothole, Catfish McDuck, also starred in the DT ‘87 episode, “One Upon a Dime” where Catfish appears in a flashback detailing how Scrooge won a silver dollar in a steamboat race. After the Spring Breakers charge Scrooge because of Goldie’s claim that he’s giving away free t-shirts, many of the youths can be seen donning red frock coats thereafter. Scrooge harkens back to the time Goldie stole his canteen while they were on Oak Island in ‘73. While not a Scrooge reference, Oak Island (a small isle of the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada) is a very popular locale in the world of treasure hunting. There have been numerous books published and television shows created detailing the mythos and pursuit of the famed treasure buried on the island. Rockerduck has thawed out from whence we last saw him literally on ice in “Moonvasion!” (S2, E24). It turns out that he’s been kept alive (though, not very well) by use of “millions of dollars in experimental freezing technology.” Jeeves, on the other hand, has been kept alive through Frankenstein-esque means. As it happens, the waters from the Fountain don’t give youth, but transfer it. Is this our first on-screen death? De Leon has his youth drained from him and decomposes right before our eyes (long curly nails included - yuck!). By episode’s end, Rockerduck has had his “vim and vigor” restored while Franken-Jeeves has been transformed into a puppy (albeit, still stitched and bolted).  Episode: 310 "The Trickening!” 10/5/20
Starring: Huey Duck, Louie Duck, Launchpad McQuack, Donald Duck, Della Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Dewey Duck, and Webby Vanderquack Featuring: Wereduck, Witch Hazel, Frankenstein, and Nosferatu Appearances by: Mrs. Beakley and Timmy Jenkins Setting: Duckburg (McDuck Manor, Hazel House, and Launchpad’s House) PlotTales It’s Halloween night and old demons are rearing their ugly heads, threatening to derail the McDuck family’s conflicting ideas of fun. Adult siblings, Donald and Della, squabble over the binary nature of trick-or-treating. Where angelic Donald is concerned with handing out candy, it’s devilish Della who would rather prank and scare the living daylights out of unsuspecting children. Meanwhile, Scrooge revels in the one-sided reward of outworking everyone for the most “spoils”… without spending a dime of course. Then there’s Launchpad who is haunted by childhood trauma that may or may not be Halloween adjacent. His confusion leaves him paranoid and thirsting for violence, resulting in him attempting to slash, final lad, Scrooge McDuck. But it’s Huey’s obsession with plotting out the “best Halloween ever” that proves to be the stickiest treat to unwrap. Huey has the night all mapped out. He knows which neighbourhoods to hit, when to partake in activities like haunted hayrides, and has even carved out time for bathroom breaks. If they follow his plan, they’ll “score enough candy to last all year.” But Louie has other ideas and literally stomps all over Huey’s map. Louie only cares about the candy and has devised a scheme that will undermine Huey’s “legwork” and make them all “candy billionaires.” His latest shortcut involves taking them to Hazel House - the most haunted house in all of Duckburg that’s also rumoured to harbour years worth of free candy. But it’s not just Huey’s and Louie’s difference in process, it’s their endgame and the subtle distinction between “candy for a year” and “candy for life” that creates the most tension. Huey may be overly fastidious, which can take the air out of the fun balloon, but fun is still his main goal. He wants to give everyone the best night ever. On the other hand, Louie wants to have such a productive night that they’ll never have to trick-or-treat again. He literally wants this to be their last Halloween ever. Once the jig is up with the monsters and all visions for ungodly amounts of candy are lost, Huey and Louie reach a heartfelt detente. They both agree that the candy doesn’t matter with Louie realizing he was in the wrong (despite the fact that his shenanigans led to them meeting some real-life monsters). Donald, Della, Launchpad, and Scrooge converge on the scene and scare the monsters to the point of appreciation. At Huey’s suggestion, the McDuck family, along with the monsters, salvage the night by handing out candy (full candy bars!) at McDuck Manor. Quacking Points Like with “Last Christmas!” and “GlomTales!,” the theme song gets its own, episode-specific rendition. For Halloween, the extended McDuck family’s costumes are the following:
Balor is a real life figure from Celtic mythology. He often is depicted as a giant with one eye and is the leader of a group of malevolent supernatural beings. As he leaves to go trick-or-treating, Scrooge recreates a portion of the famed jig from the aptly titled Silly Symphony short, “The Skeleton Dance” (1929). Hazel House, the most haunted house in town, is an homage to Witch Hazel who famously starred in the classic animated short, Trick or Treat (1952), with Donald and the nephews. Despite having the same name as well as also being voiced by June Foray, the Witch Hazel, who appeared in numerous Looney Tunes shorts, is a completely different character. Speaking of which, Donald’s turn as an angel who just wants to hand out candy belies his character in Trick or Treat when his main objective is to prank his nephews. Louie tries to play it cool but he definitely knows some of the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook by heart, just like the real Huey. The fake Dewey staring at the static-filled television set is in reference to the classic 80s movie, Poltergeist. Among the important dates on LP’s calendar are Burrito Day at the gas station, a Darkwing Duck marathon, a Jr. Woodchuck Meeting at 5 PM (not AM like last time), and ballet class. The gang of monsters “haunting” Hazel House are also wearing costumes due to their theory that “kids today don’t appreciate the classics” and are “scared of random kid stuff” like puppets, clowns, and little girls in wells. The monsters and their corresponding costumes are as follows:
To explain it further, “Frankenstein think it stem from latent fear of being perceived as childish and regressing to place where you no longer in control.” Instead of a costume, Frankenstein was using his dismembered extremities to control various creepy crawlies. Of course, Frankenstein is the doctor, not the “monster” but the big guy refers to himself as Frankenstein so I’m gonna call him “Frankenstein.” Nosferatu is from a German silent film of the same name. The movie and character is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula - so, he's basically a Dracula ripoff. Junior Woodchuck Rule 99: Who cares about the candy? Timmy Jenkins is among the crowd of kids trick or treating at McDuck Manor, dressed as a mummy. The closing shot of a black and white, framed photo of the McDuck family posing with the monsters hanging in Hazel House (of which you can plainly see in numerous scenes prior) is an homage to The Shining (as is the episode’s title).  Episode: 309 "They Put a Moonlander on the Earth!” 9/28/20
Starring: Penumbra, Webby Vanderquack, Dewey Duck, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, and Gibbous Costarring: Della Duck, Zenith, Timmy Jenkins, and Louie Duck An Appearance by: Johnny Ottoman Introducing: Good Boy and the Safety Inspector Setting: Duckburg (McDuck Manor, Duckburg Pier, and Morning Joe) PlotTales One of DuckTales’ strengths is that it always manages to circle back to the characters and plot points that could just as easily have been forgotten or ignored. In this episode, we get to say “oh yeah, the Moonlanders… so, that’s what happened to them after their wayward invasion of the Planet Earth!” But it’s not just a superficial “check-in.” Nor is it a rote, fish-out-of-water story. Captain Penumbra’s and her fellow Moonlanders’ tale is deeper than that - it delves into the concept of assimilation, the experience of an immigrant/political refugee, as well as the transition from military life to that of a civilian. Since being marooned on Earth, Penumbra has established temporary residence in McDuck Manor’s backyard. But she’s become increasingly aggravated by her delay in returning to the Moon, due in part to her struggles in reassembling her rocket ship. Meanwhile, unlike Penny, fellow Moonlanders Gibbous and Zenith have successfully assimilated to Earth life, completely shedding all semblance of their Moon culture. And, they have no intention of ever returning to their homeland either. They, along with a number of other Moonlanders, have put down roots - they throw parties, own pets, wear 90s clothes, and own smart phones. Gibbous has even taken employment as Flintheart Glomgold’s assistant. However, this proves to be problematic as he’s begun going so far as to parroting his boss’ inflammatory and inaccurate rhetoric against the Moonlanders, referring to himself and his people as “moon scum.” There is, indeed, such a thing as over-assimilation. When you’ve spent the entirety of your life as a hammer, everything is a nail. Poor Penny can’t even part with her Moon armour, let alone enjoy a cup of coffee with friends or play with slinkys. She’s even turned the simple pleasure of having fun into something she must “conquer.” Like so many others from military backgrounds, Penumbra is struggling with transitioning from the life-or-death, task-oriented intensity of war and combat to that of the mundanity of life. If she can’t be the “fearless protector of her people” who is constantly fighting and “destroying her enemies” then who is she? All of her friends keep accusing her of being scared and they’re right. But Penumbra is also suffering from a lack of purpose and direction which is a far cry from the strictly regimented and structured existence of a career soldier. It’s not until some sage advice from “best friend Webby” about leaving her comfort zone, exploring the world around her, and accepting the duality of her own identity (all with the support of her friends and family) that Penny has an epiphany of sorts and actually breaks her self-imposed hunger strike, allowing herself to indulge in some of Earth’s finest delicacies - hamburgers and ice cream. Then she finally finds her purpose thanks to Glomgold who, like another deplorable, millionaire conman from our world, attempts to divert blame and attention from himself and onto Penny, an innocent immigrant. It’s not fighting that Penny loves, it’s protecting her friends where she finds her proverbial “barrel of monkeys.” Penumbra quickly springs into action with the help of pals, old (Gibbous) and new (Launchpad), to thwart Glomgold and save the “Little Dellas.” When we see Penumbra next, she’s hanging out with both Earth and Moon friends alike. She’s abandoned her war helmet and is wearing an “I Survived the Glomwheel” t-shirt while also still donning her Moon gloves and wrap. It looks as if she’s learned to strike the delicate balance between assimilating to Earth life without abandoning all semblance to her culture. When the episode begins, Penny is angrily attempting to reassemble her rocket ship. At it’s end, she’s revealed that she’s dismantling it with the help of her best friends, Della, Webby, and Launchpad. I think it’s safe to say that Penumbra has become the newest member of the McDuck extended family. Quacking Points I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk more about Launchpad’s role in all of this. He may seem like a dim man-child (he is) but he’s also got heart and a surprising amount of maturity. When his crush on Penny goes unrequited, LP shifts his attentions towards maintaining a friendship. A lot of guys in this situation would hold a grudge and show hostility towards Penumbra but Launchpad does the opposite (though, evidence suggests that LP may have learned this behaviour after implied rocky relationships with exes, Ziya and Oceanika). Then, even though it’s obvious he still has feelings for her (did you see the way he looks at her as she’s flying towards the Glomwheel?), his efforts are rewarded when Penny goes so far as to make clear her admiration for him as well as firmly establishing their budding friendship. On Ottoman Empire, Johnny is still hosting solo with him and his brother, Randy, still yet to reconcile. Gibbous and Zenith finally get ther dog, a rottweiler named “Good Boy,” in what’s a callback to “The Golden Spear!” (S2, E11). When the couple imagines what it would be like to go to Earth, Gibbous says “we can get our very own dog!” with Zenith replying “and dress it in slap bracelets!” - AND THEY DID! This is the first mention of Zan Owlson since quitting her post as CEO (not assistant) of Glomgold Industries to become her own billionaire in “The Richest Duck in the World!” (S2, E23) (although, she did briefly appear in “Moonvasion!” (S2, E24/25)). I’m guessing she’ll make good on her aspirations and likely become a new rival for Scrooge. Gibbous’ physical appearance has to be based on that of famed character actor, Ned Beatty, right? While not appearing, Palus is mentioned as one of the Moonlanders who has remained on Earth and also has become quite the party-hoster. Much like last week’s episode, Webby once again takes up the mantle of the “best friend” who helps a friend through a personal crisis. Also similar to “The Phantom and the Sorceress!” (S3, E8), we get another musical montage that is reminiscent from that of an 80s or 90s movie The Shromp Shromp Express makes another appearance coming off of last week’s introduction. Albeit, it’s a different location, at the pier, and has been graded as a B by the city’s health inspectors. It’s just a throw-away gag but Penumbra’s double take at the anatomically correct ducks juxtaposed with the anthropomorphic Dewey and Webby is a joke that’s 86-years-in-the-making. The Hamburger Hippo, where Penumbra has her first dozen hamburgers, was also a chain of quick-service restaurants in Darkwing Duck. Despite everything that happens, Gibbous looks to have retained his employment with Glomgold as his assistant. Among the press gathered around Timmy Jenkins is a female, adult Dewey - blue sweater, same hairdo, and strikingly similar face. Penumbra drops a subtle hint that her romantic proclivities lie with, not males, but females. We’ve already been introduced to Violet’s dads as DuckTales’ first gay characters but it’d be awesome to have a more prominent character, such as Penny, also provide that perspective and representation. It’s not lost on me that Timmy Jenkins, a pig, hogs all the press. Timmy also first appeared in "Daytrip of Doom!" (S1, E3) in a non-speaking role as a background character at Funso's. Speaking of the media, it’s notable that they’re a minor point of Dewey’s “Dew-saster Day” C-Plot yet, there’s no appearance from Roxanne Featherly. At episode’s end, Lunaris’ ship can be briefly seen in the sky, still acting as the Earth's "second moon."  Episode: 308 "The Phantom and the Sorceress!” 9/21/20
Starring: Lena Sabrewing, Webby Vanderquack, Magica DeSpell, Gladstone Gander, Phantom Blot, and Violet Sabrewing Costarring: Scrooge McDuck, Huey Duck, Dewey Duck, Louie Duck, and Della Duck Introducing: Pepper Setting: Duckburg (McDuck Manor and the Duckburg bog/swamp) PlotTales Lena Sabrewing has been through a lot. Since being conjured by her “aunt” through dark magic only to be weaponized against her arch nemesis, Lena has spent much of her angst riddled existence facing one existential crisis after the next. Am I good or am I evil? Can I escape the shadow realm? Can I extricate myself from the literal (and figurative) shadow of my creator? After conquering this litany of bugaboos, it’s high time to move on. But first (*sigh*), Lena must get a handle on her “out of control” magic… by seeking out the very source of her issues (and existence), Magica De Spell herself. Lena’s journey isn’t completely dedicated to one of self-discovery though. There are actual stakes besides just getting her magic right. The urgency lies in the sudden attack from the Phantom Blot, in his attempt to drain her magic, as well as his subsequent trapping of Scrooge and his nephews in the mystical realm of Goat’houl. With that, the sleepover party (plus Gladstone) pop-in to Magica’s creepy swamp lair and manage to convince her to help Lena hone her magic and face the Phantom Blot. As it turns out, Scrooge isn’t the only one Magica is in a generations old blood feud with. Decades ago, she mercilessly destroyed the Blot’s village and most of its inhabitants but he survived and has spent his vengeance-fueled existence developing various devices to drain Magica (and the world!) of her magic. And, since Magica’s magic is already gone, she will once again weaponize Lena to fight her fights - albeit, by Lena’s own choice and with the help of a poppy, 80s style, music montage. Once Lena is able to “harness the magic in (her) soul” by learning to “burn it, turn it, just learn it,” she is able to make not-so-short work of the Blot, reimbue Gladstone with his luck, and free Scrooge and the nephews. But all that plottiness buries the lead. Lena is now a fully operational sorceress, overflowing with “silly disgusting, blue friendship magic”... COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FROM Magica’s amulet. Is this it? Now that Lena is demonstratively claiming her magical legacy as her own, has she finally untethered herself from her fraught and codependent relationship with Magica? Look, I like Lena, she’s probably the best original character the series has given us but her presence is starting to suck the air from most of the episodes she appears in. I understand the need to give her a fully developed arc and the show has done a wonderful job of it but I think it’s time (like the episode suggests) for her to stand on her own and just exist as the magical badass we see at the end of the story. Quacking Points The front page of Scrooge’s Woolstreet Journal reads “Shearholders Fleeced!!!” The back page headline is “Lorem Ipsum Stone Finally Translated.” The joke here is that “lorem ipsum” is nothing more than dummy text that’s commonly used as a placeholder when laying out and editing a newspaper. The “video graphical game” come-to-life that the kids are playing is called “Legends of Legendquest” and first appeared in “Happy Birthday, Doofus Drake!” (S2, E18). Although not physically appearing in the episode, the Goat of Goat’hool returns after making his first appearance in “The Golden Spear!” (S2, E11). This is McDuck Manor’s fifth(!) sleepover (“Jaw$!” (S1, E14), “The Other Bin of Scrooge McDuck!” (S1, E19), “Friendship Hates Magic!” (S2, E14), and “A Nightmare on Kilmotor Hill!” (S3, E, 19)) and the third to feature the trio of Webby, Lena, and Violet. However, instead of Magica interrupting the festivities, this time the girls seek her out. In a very meta, self-referential moment, Violet seems to channel the audience’s frustration in the series’ lack of on-screen treasure hunting (it’s become a common trope for most of it to occur off-screen). In lieu of traveling through an interdimensional portal to adventure in the mystical kingdom of Goat’houl, an exasperated Violet feigns excitement in once again “exploring the complex realm of interpersonal relationships.” The Phantom Blot is a thief, a magic hunter - he hates magic and thinks it’s dangerous. Wherever the Blot goes, all magic disappears. His village was destroyed by Magica and he’s vowed to destroy her. It’s a wonder that Phantom Blot never attempted to exact his revenge on Magica while they were both under the employ of Funso’s Fun Zone. Since the Blot was able to expunge Gladstone’s luck, Violet suspects that Gladstone’s perpetual string of good fortune is a form of magic itself? If so, what’s the story there? Gladstone Gander’s dismay at not being named the 1,000th customer and given a free meal at the Shrimp Shromp is in homage to the DT ‘87 episode, “Dime Enough for Luck,” where he receives a year’s free meals for being the one-millionith customer at a fancy breakfast joint - complete with confetti and balloons! We meet a new Egghead by the name of Pepper, who looks to be the Blot’s personal, F.O.U.L. assigned henchwoman. Magica’s bog-lair is decorated with framed crochet art with quotes such as “Vengeance will be mine” as well as stacks of half-eaten pizza boxes from Papa Swans. Gladstone is so checked-out during the montage that he’s reading a “Duckburg Transit Timetable” pamphlet. After a very brief and one-sided flirtation between Gladstone and Magica, it makes one wonder if this could be a pairing in the future. Perhaps, with his luck probably being magic, they’d have a reason to “explore” that therein…  Episode: 307 "The Rumble for Ragnarok!” 5/9/20
Starring: Scrooge McDuck, Dewey Duck, Huey Duck, Launchpad McQuack, Louie Duck, and Webby Vanderquack Costarring: Mrs. Beakley Featuring: Jormungandr Introducing: Strongbeard, Hecka, and Fernomir Setting: Valhalla PlotTales While Scrooge and co. wrestle with the fate of the universe, the family is faced with their own, more personal Ragnarok: the notion of legacy once Scrooge sheds this mortal coil and takes up permanent residence in Valhalla. As reigning “Champion of the Earth,” Scrooge must choose his successor and begin training them for their annual battle against the transmogrified snake monster, Jormungandr, and his barbarian minions. Because of the Millionaire Miser’s untimely back injury, Scrooge’s hand is forced early in regards to the torch passing. With Louie’s attention focused on merchandising and Huey opting to reprise his role of announcing with Launchpad (harkening back to their pairing in The Lost Links of Moorshire! (S1, E,12)), Scrooge must look elsewhere. Of course, Webby is Scrooge’s first choice but that’s too easy and leaves much to be desired in terms of narrative tension. So, thanks to circumstance, the spotlight shifts to Dewey, the nephew whom Scrooge has the least amount of confidence in and, of course, is also the one who is most desperate to make it happen. Dewey is all too ready to soak up the fame and adulation that comes along with saving the world. But he’s woefully ill-equipped in understanding the psychological and selfless nuances of professional wrestling. The idea of playing your part doesn’t jibe with his “impossible to hate, hero persona” of Champ Popular. The raucous crowd immediately turns on his cheesy moniker, shaking his confidence but, instead of rolling with it and following Scrooge’s advice of “embracing the boos,” he stubbornly declares “No. I can win them over. I can make them like me!”… and fails miserably. Despite the fact that professional wrestling is rife with gimmickry and role playing, the fans feed off of authenticity and can sniff out a phony in a second. Meanwhile, it’s Launchpad who finds himself completely at home in this wackadoodle, mythological realm of wrasslin.’ So much so, in fact, that you may have noticed that he even LANDED the Sunchaser without incident! This lies in stark contrast to his announcing partner, Huey, who is trying to force the issue in much the same way Dewey is. LP recognizes his struggles and even tries to help as he gestures towards the action in the ring and says “you don’t have to make it sound great, it already is.” Huey is an overachieving, control freak who likes to think he has all the answers and not being able to wrap his head around wrestling is driving him nuts. After retreating backstage with his pin feathers tucked between his legs, Dewey is joined by Scrooge who impresses upon him that “doing the right thing is not always easy or popular.” Being both the Richest Duck in the World and/or the Champion of the World isn’t without it’s hardships, nor is everyone always going to love you for it all the time. That much responsibility requires striking the perfect balance between selflessness and bravado. Huey soon joins his brother to commiserate over their respective failures as well as their shared feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in taking over for Scrooge. But Louie will have none of it. First, he encourages Huey to stop overthinking things or, more simply put, “be LP.” Then he reminds Dewey of his penchant for heroism and convinces him to just “Dewey this.” That proves to be the kick in the pants they both need. Once Dewey returns to the squared-circle, he deftly gets under the snake’s skin by calling out his own need to be loved and then finally gets the pop he’s been waiting for by displaying a brand of grit that’s commensurate with both the Norse and McDuck spirit. The barbarians are so taken that fellow wrestler, Strongbeard, tosses him a tuft of his magical beard for that extra bit of “umph” that gets Champ Popular the pin, sending Jormungandr back to his rightful station, encircling the earth, and sucking on his own tail. Even Huey manages to rattle off a few well-worded and wrestling appropriate puns. Then, Dewey’s turn as baby face hero is complete when the Millionaire Miser double crosses him and steals his belt (showing Scrooge isn’t going anywhere anytime soon) - a classic move to create a new angle and rival for Champ Popular to contend with at next year’s Rumble for Ragnarok CI. Quacking Points As a HUUGE wrestling fan in my youth, I have to point out the similarities between Dewey’s condensed path to baby-faced stardom and that of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s own meteoric trajectory in becoming one of the biggest stars in wrestling history. Like Dewey, The Rock also comes from wrestling royalty with both his grandfather and father having had storied careers in the business. The Rock’s first character was named “Rocky Maivia” - a constantly smiling, happy-go-lucky fop with floppy hair and flashy outfits that was meant to be a fan favourite. However, the fans HATED Rocky and would regale him with constant jeers and chants of “Rocky Sucks!” It wasn’t until his heel turn and name change to “The Rock” that he was finally able to find his footing and eventually regain face status as the self-proclaimed “Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.” Many of the characters we are introduced to are, indeed, actual figures from Norse Mythology.
There are many references to professional wrestling (not including my rambling Rock/Dewey connections:
Scrooge first mentions Jormungandr in "Last Christmas" (S2, E6) when he describes one of his many responsibilities as "keeping the world-eating serpent Jormungandr at bay." Scrooge is NOT considering Donald and/or Della to take over for him because he sees the nephews (+Webby) as the “new generation” and doesn’t trust D&D to cooperate on a jigsaw puzzle together let alone carry the title of Champion of the World. Dewey's Champ Popular character is a version of his previously unnamed Big Man on Campus, High School Musical persona from "Nightmare on Kilmotor Hill!" (S2, E19). Beakley’s turn as the Shield Maiden harkens back to the DT ‘87 episode “Maid of the Myth” where she is abducted by Vikings and plays the part of an opera singing damsel rather than the brawny and capable badass seen here. The freeze frame ending stopping just short of Champ Popular and the Millionaire Miser coming to blows is an homage to Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed striking that same pose in the closing scene of Rocky III. |