DuckTales=DAU (Disney Afternoon Universe)

DuckTales Season 3, Episode 3 Review

Since its inception, the reboot of DuckTales has not shied away from calling on the works of past Disney cartoons. To be more precise, it’s full of references to the cartoons of the Disney Afternoon Block of the 90s. At first they started out with simple easter eggs, but now they’ve imported characters from many of the big names from that famous TV block. As of the latest episode, “Double O Duck”, I’d say DuckTales is a Disney Afternoon Universe!

A F.O.W.L. Spy Plan

In this episode, Dewey and Launchpad try to win a James Bond inspired AR game at Funso’s Funzone’s, only for Launchpad’s stupidity to make caused them to repeatedly fail. However, the pizza place also doubles as a secret for Black Heron and Darkwing Duck alumni Steelbeak. They think Scrooge’s is on to them, so they seek to eliminate the group for F.O.W.L.

I never got to meeting Steelbeak in the original Darkwing Duck. Thus, I don’t know much about his original personality. However, this version seems to be the Nappa to Black Heron’s Vegeta. He’s deadly, arrogant, but isn’t that smart. Black Heron, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to have learned from her defeat at the hands of Scrooge, Webby, and Mrs. Beakley. Her latest evil plan involves using a ray gun that can enhance or diminish someone’s intelligence to make Scrooge dumb.

That plan manages to backfire not once, but three times on Black Heron, each in a hilarious fashion. Firstly, Steelbeak turns on her after she calls him dumb one too many times, and her ray ends up sapping her intelligence. Secondly, the same ray hits Launchpad, only it makes him into a James Bonds-esque genius that kicks Steelbeak’s butt. Finally, it ends up creating another component of the Disney Afternoon Universe, the Rescue Rangers.

Rescue Rangers Shoehorned Cameo

As with many other characters from the Disney Afternoon Block, the Rescue Rangers from the titular show make their first appearance here. Thus, they get added to the Disney Afternoon Universe of DuckTales. However, this appearance feels more shoehorned in than the likes of Steelbeak or Darkwing Duck.

In this instance, Black Heron’s directly responsible for the Rescue Rangers creation, as she tested her ray out on the animals that became them. As a result, they end up helping Launchpad twice during the events of the episode. Beyond that, though, they have little to offer the plot and seem to only be there as a shout-out. Not a good way to use them, but I hope they return as the season progresses. They could be big help in the fight against F.O.W.L.

F.O.W.L. Remains a Secret

In the end, Launchpad stops Steelbeak from making the entire city dumb, but it costs him his newfound intelligence. Since he and Dewey thought the whole thing was part of the AR game, they know nothing about F.O.W.L.’s return. Well, Launchpad does, but he forgets it all. As for Scrooge, he was too distracted by his newfound obsession with skeeball. As a result, F.O.W.L remains in the shadows.

I did enjoy seeing Launchpad being a suave super-spy for a short time, and it reinforces the fact that F.O.W.L. is going to war with the Duck Family. However, I think the whole “I thought it was fake” plot wasn’t that interesting. In addition, I think the Rescue Rangers introduction to the Disney Afternoon Universe could have been given more importance. With all the characters to be introduced in this new season, hopefully they handle them better the next time around. In the meantime, I want more Darkwing Duck!

I Give “Double-O-Duck In You Only Crash Twice!” a 2.5/5

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