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DuckTales Season 3, Episode 19 Review

It’s a new year, and that means new episodes DuckTales, that beautiful, beautiful reboot of the classic cartoon that managed to surpass its predecessor. This time, however, the new episodes taste bittersweet, as it was announced that Season 3 will be the show’s last. I’ve followed the show since the start and loved every minute of it, but I’m not going to be sad. I’m going to spend the show’s last month celebrating what makes it so special: the amazing characters, like good old Fenton Crackshell Cabrera.

When I first met this version of Fenton, I didn’t think much of him. But now, he’s yet another stellar member of an already amazing cast that I’ve grown to love. It’s only fitting that one of the final episodes focuses on him finding a sense of happiness and accomplishment in life in the new episode “Beaks in the Shell”.

Fenton+Gandra Dee =Infinity

Do you guys remember Gandra Dee? That morally dubious grunge scientist that Fenton developed a crush on, only for it turn out that she’s working for F.O.W.L. ? Well…..they’re kind of dating.

I know they’re supposed to be on opposite sides of the fight between F.O.W.L. and the Duck family, but I can’t help it. I SHIP THEM SOOOOO MUCH!!! They have an undeniable chemistry, work great together, and are genuinely happy with each other. So well, in fact, that Gandra’s planning on quitting F.O.W.L.; but first, the two are using the crime syndicate’s resources to create a VR world where they conduct experiments without the worry of collateral damage.

I am a big champion of the use of VR to better people’s lives, so I am genuinely impressed with this concept from a technical standpoint. From a storytelling point, though, this VR sandbox dubbed the “Gizmocloud” (it’s a working title) also helps to humanize Gandra, and confirm what I already suspected. Gandra’s not evil; she’s just struggling to get people to understand her genius, which only leaves F.O.W.L. as a viable backer. Plus, it proves that she genuinely like Fenton. And that lovable dork deserves a chance at happiness.

Too bad Mark Beaks shows up to ruin things.

Mark Beaks Stinks

After careful deliberation, I’ve concluded that Mark Beaks is my least favorite villain on the show. All he does is steal other people’s ideas and pass them off as his own, and now not even that’s good enough. Yep, Mark Beaks’ company is going under, and since he’s so inept at coming up with his own ideas, he resorts to trying to steal the Gizmoduck suit. For the umpteenth time. But then he finds the Gizmocloud and decides to use that to steal everyone else’s ideas.

Like I said, Mark Beaks might be my least favorite villain in the show. The guy’s basically a rip on Mark Zuckerberg, only more of a jerk. Still, when he’s a threat, he’s a threat. And he ends up forcing Fenton, Gabby, Huey, Gearloose, and Fenton’s mom into teaming up to defeat him. Oh, and they all get cool, Big Hero 6-esque suits, which is awesome!

A F.O.W.L. Obstacle

Alas, while it seems that Gandra’s ready to defect to the good guys, F.O.W.L. is not having any of it. Buzzard has Gandra imprisoned in something called the “Lost Library”.

What is “the Lost Library?” Is it some sort of place where F.O.W.L. keeps everything they’ve stolen? If that’s the case, then that’s got to be where they’re holding the Missing Mysteries. In other words, this is going to be play a role in the grand finale coming up.

So, DuckTales moves to its endgame, wraps up an ongoing arc with Fenton Cabrera, and builds us to the climax of the show, all in its first episode back. I can only say one thing after this episode: if you’re not watching DuckTales, then get on that bandwagon now. It’s going to be worth the ride!

I Give “Beaks in the Shell” A 4/5

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DuckTales Season 3, Episode 7 Review

I don’t remember where I read it, but a big theme to the third season of DuckTales is legacy. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are starting to realize that, for better or worse, Scrooge will have to pass the torch down to them one day. While that is awesome, it makes wonder if they’re capable of stepping into Scrooge’s shoes someday. And what prompts this question, you may ask? A trip to Valhalla to fight a world-eating snake in a wrestling match. It’s one of those episodes of DuckTales.

Snake Smackdown in Valhalla

Once every ten years, Scrooge travels to the Norse afterlife of Valhalla to keep the world-eating serpent Jomungandr at bay. However, the means of doing so is through a wrestling match, complete with all the smack-talk, fans, and metal chairs we’d expect to see from the sport. Honestly, it’s hilarious to watch, especially since Jomungandr’s voiced by Game of Thrones alumni Kristofer Hivju. What makes it even funnier is that in Valhalla, Scrooge plays the bad guy, and how he just embraces the role. His alter ego of the “Millionaire Miser” plays up his stinginess and I enjoyed every second of it. Unfortunately, he hurts his back after Round One, leaving Webby and Dewey to fight in his stead.

Wrestling tropes aside, the heart of the episode focuses on Huey and Dewey facing different dilemmas. Huey’s still coming to terms that he may not be as good at everything as he thinks. Dewey, meanwhile, has to learn that not everyone will like him, no matter how much his need for attention wants. In a heart-to-heart in the locker room, the two openly question if they can live up to Scrooge’s legacy. It’s a real world problem people have to face growing up: can they measure up to their parental figure’s expectations?

Real Wrestling Rules

The episode ends on a predictable note: Dewey ends up beating Jomungandr and makes him lose the respect of the people of Valhalla for being a jerk. It may seem to counter what the episode is about, but honestly, I don’t care. I enjoyed the wrestling.

This episode may not be for everyone, and I doubt I’ll remember it in the long run. However, not every episode of a good show has to be this ground-breaking thing. I was entertained, and that’s all that matters.

I Give “Rumble for Ragnarok” a 3.5/5

Stray Observations

• Leave it to DuckTales to take a one time joke from their Christmas Episode and build a premise behind it.
• Too bad Della and Donald didn’t appear. They would have destroyed that Serpent.

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