Deep Dive Ducktales: Wes Looks at The Duck Knight Returns

Yeah, I actually remembered that this was a thing that I was doing. Well, sort of. My new work schedule and general attention deficit disorder has meant that updates to the blog have had to slow down significantly in recent months, which means the Ducktales retrospective had to be put on the back burner for a while. It sucks, but it happens. In any case, today, I’ve decided to skip ahead in the Ducktales retrospective to honor the four year anniversary of my favorite episode. This episode comes to us from the show’s second season, but fortunately, it doesn’t deal too heavily with the main story so there won’t be too many spoilers. In fact, this episode isn’t even really about the Ducktales cast but rather focuses on a character who holds a very special place in my heart. I’ve made it no secret over the years that Darkwing Duck is my favorite Superhero, but despite this, I haven’t really gone into too much detail about the character or why he holds that coveted distinction. Darkwing Duck was a show that was sort of in the same universe as Ducktales but also sort of not. Long story short, series creator Tad Stones wasn’t really into the whole continuity thing. In any case, Darkwing Duck was a parody of sorts of most popular superheroes of the time. He still stood for justice, but was also incredibly egotistical and kind of an idiot. We’ll get into this in more detail when we discuss the episode itself, but the reason I consider DW to be my favorite superhero is because I like the idea of a superhero who is flawed and imperfect and Darkwing was one of the first such characters I ever encountered. As much as I love Superman and roll my eyes at the claims that he’s too powerful to be interesting, I do still recognize that he is overly idealized. Darkwing is not like Superman. He is self-absorbed, childish, stubborn and often times, not that great at the whole superhero thing. In essence, despite being a Duck, Darkwing Duck is very human, for all the good and bad that that entails. We’ll elaborate more on this point as we go through the episode, but for right now, let’s dive deep into the Ducktales episode, The Duck Knight Returns.

Our episode opens with an episode of the old Darkwing Duck TV Show (a previous episode had established that Darkwing Duck in this universe was an old TV show that Launchpad is a superfan of.) A masked villain, who somewhat resembles Hooded Justice from Watchmen, has set up a series of explosives and is ready to blow up the city, but he’s confronted by, who else, Darkwing Duck, played here by DW’s original voice actor, the one and only Jim Cummings. I just have to say, hearing Cummings say his signature Darkwing catchphrases of “I Am the Terror that Flaps in the Night” and “Let’s Get Dangerous” still gives me goosebumps all these years later. After nearly getting blown up several times, Darkwing unmasks the villain, only to find that it’s a doppelganger of himself under the mask, ending the episode within the episode on a To Be Concluded and providing some nice foreshadowing for what’s to come

Cut to reality, and Jim Starling, the actor who played Darkwing Duck in the old show, is signing autographs at the grand opening of a furniture store, with only about five or six people in the crowd showing any interest. Among them are Launchpad, who, as we’ve established, is a Darkwing Duck superfan, Dewey, who could care less about the show, but is there with Launchpad for moral support I guess, and one guy we don’t know in a pink shirt and a Darkwing Duck ball cap who, if it’s even possible, seems even more excited to meet Jim Starling than Launchpad, who can’t even look Jim in the eye without fainting. The guy in the pink shirt, whose name I won’t reveal just yet, goes up to Starling’s table and starts geeking out like I did the time I met Jim Cummings. Dewey helps a barely conscious Launchpad up to the table next and takes a picture of the two together, but when he posts the photo on his Instagram… or… Duckstagram… it doesn’t matter, he sees that Darkwing Duck is trending number one world-wide. Upon learning that they’re making Darkwing Duck into a major motion picture, Starling is elated, thinking that this is the big comeback his career needs.

Launchpad, being the fan that he is, gives Starling a lift to the studio and Dewey comes along because he just loves the idea of seeing a major Hollywood studio, even if the so-called star they’re bringing with them is a washed up has-been who by all appearances, hasn’t had a shower in a while. However, when they arrive, the gang is shocked to learn that the studio is owned by none other than Scrooge McDuck.

It seems Uncle Scrooge, who by his own admission has not seem a movie since 1938, built this studio to make inexpensive office safety videos for his company. Recently however, he was approached by a Hollywood auteur director named Alistair Boorswan to use the studio to make his masterpiece and double Scrooge’s profits, but right now, he’s significantly over budget. By the way, Alistair is voiced by actual director Edgar Wright and I think is meant to be a parody of Christopher Nolan but don’t quote me on that. Also, this scene starts a great running gag of Scrooge being obsessed with giving the movie’s villain a mustache to twirl. Dewey barges in and demands to be told why Scrooge never told him that he had a movie studio that could fulfill a young boy’s cinematic dreams. Apparently, it was to avoid this exact conversation. Anywho, Starling wastes no time kissing up to the director, still believing this movie is his big comeback. I also want to take this time to highlight one of my favorite lines from Launchpad. “Wow a Big Budget Reboot of a thing I loved as a kid, those are Always Awesome.” Even though that line is meant to be ironic, I honestly find Launchpad’s optimism inspiring.

In any case, Alistair shows our heroes the trailer for the new movie and much to the chagrin of Launchpad, it’s nothing like the Darkwing Duck he knew and loved. Instead, it’s a dark and gritty psychological thriller akin to Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Launchpad is disgusted. Darkwing Duck would never hurt innocent people or set the city on fire, not on purpose. Oh, and after I just praised you for your optimism Launchpad. For those that don’t know, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people complain about movies that haven’t even come out yet. If the trailer doesn’t interest you, fine, don’t see the movie, but if you’re going to complain about a movie, at least bother to see it first. I may have a lot unkind things to say about The Little Mermaid, but at least I watched the movie from beginning to end before I formed my opinion. You may have noticed though that I have yet to say a word about the remake coming out later this month. You know why? Because I haven’t seen it and have no idea if I like it or not yet. Anywho, Dewey also hates the trailer, but mostly because of a severe lack of ninjas, aliens or skateboarding sidekicks who speak only in catchphrases. Scrooge, seeing Dewey as the main audience for the film, decides to put him in charge for the remainder of the production, much to Alistair’s horror.

However, now comes the really upsetting news, Jim Starling will not be playing Darkwing Duck in this movie. Who is playing DW then? Why it's that guy from the autograph signing in the pink shirt. I still won’t say his name, for reasons that will be obvious to anyone who has seen this episode, so let’s just call him The Actor for now. Naturally, Starling does not take this news well and tries to attack his would-be-successor, getting thrown out of the studio by security for his trouble. With Launchpad wanting to fix the movie and make it more like the Darkwing Duck he remembers and Starling wanting to get into the picture, the two team up for a common cause, Starling even donning his old Darkwing Duck costume for the occasion.

The plan is for Starling to break onto the set and take the actor’s place while Launchpad locks the actor in his trailer. Launchpad is somewhat concerned that kidnapping and breaking in sounds less than heroic, but Starling simply reminds him that Darkwing Duck always fights for what’s right, and since he’s Darkwing Duck, he must be right. That’s good enough for Launchpad and the plan begins.

Launchpad breaks into the actor’s trailer only to get locked in himself. The actor arrives to save him, but once he learns that Launchpad is there to sabotage his movie, the two get into a fight, nearly breaking several of the actor’s valuable Darkwing Duck collectables, including special Darkwing Duck brand grape scented shampoo, a complete run of Darkwing Duck comics and a rare Darkwing Duck action figure that was taken off the market for blinding small children. As the fight goes on, Launchpad realizes that the actor may very well be a bigger Darkwing Duck fan than he is. Soon, the two give up on their fight and just start geeking out together.

While Dewey starts making a mess of the production, Launchpad and the actor become BFFs as they bond over their love of their shared fandom. Before we go any further, I just need to say, I love this scene. Fandom can be a wonderful think, but more often than not, it can be pretty ugly with so many people getting into meaningless arguments of what they don’t like about their fandom rather than bonding over their mutual love for it. Anywho, the actor then shows Launchpad the most prized piece in his collection, an old and dented lunchbox. It’s here where the actor explains that he was bullied as a kid, but was inspired by a show about a hero who, no matter how many times he was beat up, blown up or electrocuted, he always got back up and kept fighting for justice. The actor was inspired by Darkwing Duck and even though carrying around the lunch box caused the bullies to beat him up much harder, he still kept getting back up. By the way, this entire backstory is presented in comic book format and is in the art style of the old Darkwing Duck cartoon from the 90’s. A very nice touch. The actor knows this movie isn’t perfect, but he hopes to do all he can to make it the best it can be, and if he does, maybe someday, he’ll be on the lunchbox that inspires a kid like him, and a cut of the toy sales would be nice.

As Dewey continues to turn the movie into… frankly I’m not sure even he knows anymore, the actor confronts Starling and offers him a chance to come work on the movie with him, believing that together, they can make the movie the best Darkwing Duck ever. However, Starling isn’t interested in being a part of any movie where he’s not the star and seems to have gone off the deep end as he beats the actor into submission and locks him in a broom closet. I also want to point out how Jim Cummings is slowly putting more and more gravel into his voice as the episode continues, something that will pay off at the end.

On the set, Dewey is ready to film the finale where Darkwing Duck confronts the villainous Megavolt, who, in this gritty reboot, is just a parody of Bane from The Dark Knight Rises, and has a mustache per Scrooge’s request. The scene calls for Darkwing Duck to surrender to Megavolt, but Starling, who’s taken the actor’s place, is having none of it and goes off script, accidently setting the set on fire in the process. It’s clear that Starling has completely lost his mind and is deadest on finishing the film, even if he has to kill everyone in order to do it. This is when we hear it. “I am the terror, That Flaps in the Night. I am the Overstuffed Burrito that Spills onto the lap of Crime. I am, DARKWING DUCK!” Clad in full attire, the actor has arrived to save the day. And with his first “I Am The Terror” speech, both the actor in universe and the voice actor, Chris Diamantopoulos, have cemented themselves as the new Darkwing Duck in a moment that still gives me chills years after I first saw this episode.

Well, that’s all well and good, but Starling is still on a Warpath and is at the controls of a large electric canon, so it’s going to take more than a badass introduction to bring him down. The Actor, who I guess I can now just call Darkwing, forms a plan to distract Starling while Launchpad puts out the fire by setting off the rain machine, the two of them sharing a cute fanboy moment before springing into action. Darkwing faces off against Starling and is blown up more times than Wile E. Coyote on a bad day. But true to the hero who inspired him, he keeps getting back up. The two Darkwings get into a pretty cool but also quite hilarious fist fight in a scene that mirrors Darkwing facing a doppelganger of himself in the old show from the beginning.

Starling is about to finish off Darkwing with a familiar looking chainsaw when Launchpad sets off the rain machine and tries to talk some sense into his hero. To that end, Launchpad launches into a long-winded speech about how Darkwing Duck is bigger than one man, how he’s an inspiration to everyone. Scrooge is dumbfounded that Launchpad has it in him to be so eloquent. According to Dewey, it’s because he knows a lot about this one specific thing. Also, another nice touch, if you listen closely, Launchpad is quoting the classic Darkwing Duck themesong. As Launchpad continues his speech, he’s unaware that a large electrical set piece behind him is about to explode, Starling notes that Launchpad really can go on and on about the show, and Darkwing notes that it’s because he’s Starling’s biggest fan. Hearing this seems to snap Starling out of it long enough to save both Launchpad and Darkwing from the explosion, seemingly sacrificing himself in the process.

As Scrooge shuts down the production, Darkwing, having lost his big break and having accidently blown up his childhood hero, wonders what he should do now. Launchpad suggests that he become Darkwing Duck for real. The actor isn’t sure about this. Sure, he’s scrappy, he’s brave, he looks great in a cape and he’s better than Gizmoduck, but the whole thing could get… dangerous, but then, that’s what Darkwing Duck is all about, and so in tribute to his fallen hero, the actor vows to become Darkwing Duck for the real world, but before he heads out to fight crime, he gives Launchpad his autograph, finally revealing his name to be Drake Mallard, the secret identity of Darkwing Duck from the old 90’s cartoon.

However we’re not done quite yet. Down in the sewer, we see that Starling actually survived the explosion, and is ranting to himself about how Drake stole his glory and humiliated him. Well, if the studio wants grim and gritty, he’s happy to play the part. Starling then steps out the shadows and it’s revealed that he’s now wearing the costume of Darkwing Duck's nemesis, the evil Negaduck.

It goes without saying that this is my favorite episode of the new Ducktales. In fact, I’ll even go one step further and say despite it not being part of the original series from 1992, this is technically my favorite episode of Darkwing Duck. I feel that more than any other piece of media related to the character, this understands the appeal of Darkwing Duck. Darkwing Duck is a deeply flawed character. Selfish, egotistical and not all that smart. A far cry from what one would expect from more typical superheroes. However, no one can truly be superman and only a select driven few are able to be on the level of Batman, but anyone, even a childish glory hound who still believes in doing the right thing, can be Darkwing Duck. Anyone can fight for justice, and even if we’re not that great at it, we still get back up and keep fighting, and to me, there’s something inspiring about that. I think that’s why I’ve ultimately landed Darkwing as my favorite superhero despite the abundance of choices. Not every hero is born on Krypton or bit by a radioactive spider, but anyone can be inspired by another hero and seek to become that inspiration. More than that though, this episode is just a blast for anyone who grew up with Darkwing Duck and feels like a great way to reboot the character while still paying homage to what came before. It’s true, Jim Cummings will always be my Darkwing Duck, just like Kevin Conroy will always be my Batman, but no one actor can play the same character forever and sooner or later you have to either pass the torch or let the character’s story come to an end, and I felt that Chris Diamantopoulos did an excellent job honoring the legacy of character over the course of his subsequent appearances in the series. Speaking of the new Darkwing, I appreciate that despite the slightly more serious tone of the character, this version of Drake Mallard is still the Drake we know and love. He’s still egotistical and still kind of a dork. It’s nice to know that some things never change. Actually I kind of like how Drake seems to embody the best qualities of the classic Darkwing Duck, while Starling seems to embody the worst. Fitting then that the latter ultimately becomes the literal worst version of Darkwing Duck in Negaduck. On that note, if I had one complaint, it’s that the whole Negaduck thing is never actually followed up on within the series and while rumors of a Darkwing Duck reboot persist, we have yet to have anything confirmed and even then, there’s no guarantee said reboot will be in the same universe as Ducktales 2017 so it’s unlikely it ever will be. However, that’s more of a complaint against the rest of the show than it is against this episode, which I consider to be a damn near perfect half hour of television. Thank you for reliving this episode with me my friends. Remember, whatever the world throws at you, always get back up and keep fighting for justice, and most importantly, stay dangerous.