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The Lost Crown of Genghis Khan
Reviewed: 12/21/2009
I See Launchpad is Prepping For Something Other Than Crashing....
So; we finally end disc one of volume one of Ducktales in just over a week (which usually takes three times that amount in regular ranting) with a snow beast tale and a lost crown. And more kissy-kissy from Launchpad too. So let's rant on shall we....?!
This episode is written by Anthony Adams. The story is edited by Patsy Cameron and Tedd Anasti and the teleplay was done by Carl Barks (!!!). Okay; this is dropping down on the dignity scale quite a bit there Carl.
We begin this one with a pan shot of the snowy mountains and then to a winter path as a convoy of travelers on horses, elephants and yaks carry various furries in winter coats and gear with two red flags and poles. The TMS scroll animation is bad here as we see a Dogface Pete clone with an evil mustache on horseback telling everyone to keep moving as they must be out of Shadow Pass by nightfall. We get the shot of the crown and judging by the swaying; I'm guessing the Dogface Pete clone is Genghis Khan himself who by the process of elimination (and USIMDB) is voiced by Jim MacGeorge who started with various characters in Thunderbolt the Wondercolt (Wondered where Flash The Wonderdog came from huh?) in 1952. He was in Matty's Funday Funnies, Teenagers from Outer Space, The New Casper Cartoon Show in 1963 (!!!), A Laurel & Hardy Cartoon as Oliver Hardy and then on Get Smart as cameos for Stan Laurel in 1970. How about that?! He was on The Jetsons too. Has was Kasper Kat in The World of Hans Christian Andersen, The New Scooby Doo Movies, a cameo appearance in Wait Until Your Father Gets Home, Semi Tough and in a few Fred Flintstone television movies (one as Stubby Frankenstone) along with Yogi's Gang. He was Crazy Claws in The Kwicky Koala Show, Bort in The Mighty Orbots, Beany & Cecil and Bionic Six. Ducktales is his DTVA debut and according to the USIMDB he played Genghsis Khan himself! He also appeared in TaleSpin in the final episode Flying Dupes. His final credits are Random Cartoons as Ginovanni and a special thanks from The Boy From Out Of This World which was still filming in 2009. He also wrote a script for the 1967 show George Of The Jungle.
Then the horse panics as the SHADOW OF DOOM shows up (how fitting?) as everyone gets their weapons ready because it's the Snow Beast. NO?! REALLY?! They throw spears at the shadow to no effect as the Snow Beast (because it's female; check the finger nails on it) has the giant ass snowball and everyone bails like scalded dogs (oh; the irony!) stage left as the snowballs completely MURDER everyone in sight and some go over the cliff side. Then the snow blowing gets worse as the Snow Beast picks up the crown and chuckles (Joan Gerber of course). So we head to 800+ years later inside an estate (painted in peach and brown with a pink flag with no animation whatsoever) as a guy relates a story from inside the room as we see various painting of a duck in various clothing adventuring and bailing from natives like an idiot. The last one shows Scrooge McDuck in gleeful joy as we see the same guy from The Status Seekers near a display board talking about the Shadow Pass and an ice cave to a dogperson like guy with black hair and purple suit and pants with black shoes sitting on a pink chair.
The old guy is Lord Battmountan (Battmounten according to Chris- Chuck McCann) according to the purple dressing dog as he wonders if this is the quest for Explorer of the Year. Battmountan proclaims (while still pointing at the map on the display board) that the first one to get the crown is the winner of the honor. The purple dresser is not amused as the two ducks sitting in chairs wearing English formal gear clap their hands in amusement calling it a jolly good show. I'm guessing the thin one is Jim MacGeorge; but I cannot tell the balding one since I lack information. Then the green chair turns around and there is Scrooge blowing off his friend for not getting the crown. Battmoutan explains that he was chased off by the Abominable Snowman. Or as they say; the Snow Beast is an abomination. A descendant of the snow beast that stole the crown. Somehow; I don't buy that assertion. The fat bald duck thinks this will add spice to the quest. The thin one agrees with him of course.
So we head to the snowy village somewhere in Tibet (I'm winging it here of course) as we zoom in and go to the village's square. Or in this case; a rock. Everyone is in fur coats as Battmountan gives everyone a copy of the map. No dancing; singing or annoying voice over of course. Battmountan decides to return to Duckburg to await the winner of this contest...It starts at noon as Battmoutan looks at his pocket watch and it starts right now as everyone runs away. So we see Scrooge looked ticked off at something as he walks stage left to see the nephews and Webby sitting on a brick stone ledge. Scrooge blows them off because he is behind schedule; even though his paranoia is right on it. He wants Launchpad and we pan over to see Launchpad do the stereotypical Russian dance with two village girl ducks with ponytails and matching outfits (one pink, one green). Okay; this is the funniest thing I have EVER seen in this series (and that covers a lot of ground) and all for the wrong reasons I might add. Thank god Scrooge was RIGHT THERE to pull him away stage right before I lose myself and wet my pants.
Scrooge tells him that they cannot come and that is final. Who Scroogie; the kids or the ladies? I hope it's the later because I cannot take anymore of LP's Russian Dance. It makes Pinky's ass kicking dance on Brain look wimpy. While Scrooge is blowing off LP; we see the greasy haired dogperson use the corkscrew to drill a hole and cause the crude oil to drop from the jet plane. Please; someone give me a name for this guy. I've got nothing to work here. Although the weasel voice sounds a lot like Pat Fraley's. He sneaks away as Launchpad apologizes to the ladies as he is a dashing hero; but Scrooge is the boss of him. I hope so; or I'm going to have to take a vacation from ranting just to control myself. Everyone gets into the plane as the girls wave goodbye and the green girl asks him to hurry back (Joan Gerber) as Launchpad gleefully proclaims that he doesn't know the meaning of the word careful. I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments. And of course he whacks himself right against the tailsection of the jet plane. HAHA! LP holds his head and enters before he does more damage to himself and me (good luck on the later one fool!) as we get another shot of the oil leaking from the hole of the jet plane.
So we head into the sky shot and then to a dogsled team as thin explorer and English Eye Piece explorer marvel the wonders of reaching a snow-covered mountain pass by dogsled. Come on Mr. Adams; throw me a bone here and come up with a name for someone. We then see on the mountain side on the right the greasy heel dogsperon snickering with the binoculars and then he brings out his red mailbox and opens it to reveal a small white bunny. The dogs see them and they mush and follow the bunny stage right as the balding one holds on; but the thin one gets thrown off into the snow. It's always the thin one who gets this spot. The dogsled goes out of sight as the greasy heel writes down on his notes and proclaims that there is one more to screw as we head to a mountain cliff to see a dogperson climber climbing up and carrying the balding duck as he proclaims that he has far more mountain climbing experience than the other. Talk about taking credit of the work of others there dear sir. He's eating a sandwich as he enjoys mountain climbing because he is there. We head to the top of the cliff as the greasy heel dogsperson has a snowball as he is sitting near his orange snow mobile (I think) and he throws it down the hill as it expands into the dreaded BIG ASS SNOWBALL OF DEATH~! That is so casual and yet so vile of him. Even more vile: Mr. Adams not giving me names to work with. The balding guy tries to eat some more; but the snowball engulf him and his pig furry guide and they snowball rock and roll all the way back to town and destroy some buildings in bowling pin fashion (cue the bowling pin sound on impact).
The greasy heel proclaims that there is only one to screw over to go as he looks up and hears and sees the jet plane flying around in a hyperbole. We head inside the plane as Scrooge preps his green parachute as he proclaims that he'll get the jump on the others by parachuting into Shadow Pass. Webby proclaims that he is so smart...he's so smart...SMRT...I mean...SMART. And I guess she drew the straw to be in this one over Doofus, Duckworth, Gyro and Mrs. Beakly. Scrooge thanks her and the nephews open the door asking why they cannot come. Scrooge proclaims that Shadow Pass is no place for kids. Real answer: There is only one parachute in the plane. See how easy it is to notice these things. Scrooge orders LP to take the kids back to the village and LP proclaims that he will and he has nothing to worry about. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! If only LP; if only. And then the engine sputters on cue. It would be easy to call this fatalism; but we saw how the plane was leaking oil earlier, so it's not LP's fault this time around.
The plane goes into a tailspin (BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!) as Scrooge goes into the cockpit demanding answers as LP proclaims that they are out of gas. Scrooge panics because they filled the tanks and just took off. LP blames the plane for being a gas guzzler beyond the pale. Scrooge goes into the cupboard and sees about fifty pictures of Launchpad as he panics about the parachutes. LP then remembers that he locked them in the shed behind the hanger at the airport. HAHA! I knew his fatalism would get involved somehow. Everyone gasps in horror as we cut down to the greasy heel with the binoculars watching on snickering. He walks off proclaiming that he is ready to go as we head into the hospital room as we see the thin explorer and the balding one which is finally addressed as Percival (Chuck MacCann); selling injuries with casts and bandages lying in bed. That means the greasy heel Du Jour is Sir Guy Standforth (Pat Fraley in an encore appearance). They talk about their injuries of course and being out of the running as Scrooge is going to win it for the 33rd year in a row as we see in the background the jet plane crash into the mountains, DUH! We then go to the mountains as the QUACKEROONIES OF DOOM are hanging (on Scrooge's legs of course) onto the only parachute they have left (a banana yellow one; just to ruin the dignity even more) and they land in a snowbank on a hill with a wussy bump.
So we go to the scene changer as Scrooge takes the parachute and places it into the green backpack. No singing or disturbing eating spots either. One of the nephews calls it rough and since they don't have their baseball caps on; I cannot tell them apart either. Except for Webby of course. Scrooge isn't so upset since they made it onto Shadow Pass. Nephew #2 asks why they call it Shadow Pass. Scrooge has no idea as the dreaded big ass shadow engulfs the remaining nephews (as Scrooge addresses #2 as Louie, the left nephew duck in the fur coat). The nephews get scared and run stage left as we head to the top of the hill with a philliac symbol in the snow (WHAT?) and out pops Launchpad proclaiming that it was his kind of landing. Oh man; Launchpad is just slaying me with out of context crap here. And of course he flops into the snow and goes about two feet into it to boot. HAHA! So we get another scene changer of doom as we see the parachute being used as a tent as Scrooge tells the nephews, Webby and LP that he should reach the cave and back in a few hours. Webby waves to him sitting on a purple bucket as Scrooge proclaims that he will as he has the map. We go to the mountain shot to see the Snow Beast in shadow (check the ring on the top of her hair; I'm not fooled guys) overlooking the tent as the nephews shiver like Scooby Doo on speed (seriously; they used the Hanna Barbera teeth chattering sound effect for this one) as Shadow Pass is scary and they hope it gets dark soon. Nephew #2 asks nephew #1 (eating a hamburger?) why he wants it to get dark and he states that there is no shadows. Riiiigggghhhtttt. Then we hear Webby scream and they go over to her and it's a false alarm as a snowflake landed on her nose. Even though we don't even see one. The nephews blow her off on that one which saddens me considering how Jolly Molly Christmas ended.
They go into the tent as we go to AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) and there are ten bijillion of them since it is the average blizzard in Tibet. HAHA! Launchpad is worried about Scrooge since he was supposed to be back by now. LP wants to take another look and the nephews plead for him not to; but he does and we have a freezing windbag all over the tent as LP returns with a snowball in his head. I see he has Snowhead Syndrome which is slightly dumber than Airhead Syndrome. He doesn't see a thing, duh! The nephews want to go look for him; but they don't have the right equipment anyway and they were supposed to stay put. Webby cries about Scrooge getting lost, or hurt or dead...Thankfully; the tent opens and in comes Scrooge as a snowman. HAHA! I see Snowhead Syndrome is as catching as Airhead Syndrome. He shakes the snow like a dog and we get the scene changer and a recycled sequence of the snow blowing outside the tent hard. Since that is too boring we go inside and see everyone asleep on the floor snoring and whistling. And you know it's a not so good episode when the “wah-wah-wah” spot isn't used. I guess this starts the quacking snore I cannot stand. Webby wakes up and hears some growling outside as LP proclaims that it is just the wind. Scrooge doesn't see it that way since winds don't go UH-OH! Yeah; Tellatubbies go “Uh-oh” which is a bad sign for them right off the bat. Scrooge looks outside and sees that their supplies have been wasted and scattered about. The Snow Beast shadow decides to run away stage right. Scrooge goes back into the tent to tell everyone that it is gone and one of the nephews wishes he could too.
So we go to the scene changer at dawn as Scrooge and company pack up and decide to return to the village. The nephews hate to see Scrooge give up so easily; but Scrooge states that they cannot risk another blizzard. We then go to the top of the hill to see the orange snow mobile and Sir Guy looking pissed off that he still got in front of him. So he brings out the old Flintheart special (TNT) and throws it down the cliff blowing off Scrooge's chances as it explodes onto a large pile of snow and we have our vintage avalanche as Webby points out the obvious to everyone. Scrooge panics and everyone tries to flee; but the wave of snow engulfs everyone (Webby first of course) as they ride the snow waves for a while before the snow settles down onto the ground. Webby pops from the snow carnage calling for Scrooge; but the Snow Beast shadow beckons again. Webby turns around and sees the horrors and gasps in horror as the segment ends ten minutes in. Average episode thus far; except for the LP antics.
After the commercial break; we see the babyfaces on the side of a hill (the right one) calling for Webby on the sky and neat shot. Nephew #1 notices Webby's tracks and the tracks of something else as the other nephews are not sure they like where this is going as they see the tracks of the Snow Beast next to her. This indicates that no struggle took place and thus Webby went on her own power; thus indicating that she wasn't kidnapped by the Snow Beast. Oh boy; this is turning into another Webby/animal subplot that I think is getting way too overplayed even at this point in the ranting process. Scrooge proclaims that it's a snowman and LP blows that off because they don't have feet see. I see LP has been watching too much Frosty the Snowman cartoons that don't involve the classic one from my childhood. LP goes on and on and Scrooge finally finds a way to screw him: Just have him and the nephews follow the tracks. HAHA! Launchpad runs forwards wanting them to wait for him. So we go to a pathway of snow as the babyfaces follow the snow tracks, duh. And then we hear growling as a fake snowman (check the black eye circles; I'm not fooled guys) rises from the snow tomb and scares the babyfaces into stage left as they slide down and hide behind snowbanks. Except for LP who dives fave first into one. HAHA!
Guy takes off the mask and laughs his ass off (He has the heel WildCat on this Pat fellow does). He goes over to the snowmobile to check the map proclaiming that he scared Scrooge good and then the snow beast engulfs him and questions the words used here. Man; that snow beast is EVERYWHERE. And where is Webby in all this? Guy turns around and sees the horror and is forced to bail stage right. So we head back behind the rocks as the babyfaces pant as nephew #1 states the obvious to LP. LP calls it the abominable hair man. Now THERE'S a robot master Capcom SHOULD create for Mega Man. Guy does the worst Goofy scream I have ever heard and Scrooge sees it as an all clear sign. LP agrees and then walks stage left. HAHA! Scrooge blows him off on THAT one and LP trips on himself. HEE HEE! Trying to weasel your way out of this one LP? LP walks up behind the gang as we climb up the hill to fetch a pail of Webby nuts. POW! OUCH! Ummmm....
So we go to the scene changer of doom as we make it to the ice cave. We know this because the tracks lead inside and Scrooge is afraid of this. Scrooge tells the boys to be as quiet as they can. I think LP needs the lecture; not the nephews Scroogie. He's been drawing attention to himself this entire episode. LP has the rope as they walk inside and of course nephews yells as loud as he can. D'OH! And here comes the shadow of the snow beast from outside as LP asks inside what they should do; search together or split up. The nephews and Scrooge see something and they run stage right (Disney Captions screws up; as they said Ahh instead of run.). Launchpad claims that they should do it together. Of course you should LP; just TURN AROUND AND STOP DRAWING ATTENTION TO YOURSELF~! I wondered why LP was a shell of his former self in Darkwing Duck?
Thankfully he turns around and we see a female snow beast wearing jewels, bracelets and necklaces. And she has the lost tiara as a ponytail; how cute! And lipstick and swelled cheeks. She gets all PMS on us as we get the SCOOBY DOO CHASE SEQUENCE THE SNOW BEAST EDITION~! We go to the fork in the road as Scrooge picks the right fork (Republican!); the nephews pick the left fork (Democrats!) and who cares which one LP picks...We cut to the nephews sliding down the steep ice hill. I speak for everyone here that now they know how I feel about Mr. Icy Roads. Funny how LP picked the left one when it looked like he picked the right one with Scrooge. I guess the sliding sequence was changed at the last minute. And then we get some of the stiffest flips known to mankind and Kuzco over the edge and then they free fall and land onto the ice slide. We slide some more and then it's the ice slide ski jump as we get more flips. Geez; now the nephews are drawing attention to themselves as we get the good old FPS video game sequence of them sliding into the abyss and then spiraling around.
And then we cut to Scrooge walking peacefully (smartest guy in the entire episode right there) as he makes it to the edge and proclaims that the time for quiet has passed. Which would have been fine if the nephews were not yelling from the top of their lungs earlier. So Scrooge yells out for a hello and it echoes of course. And of course the yelling causes a piece of ice Scrooge was standing on to cut off and Scrooge does some HB looping effects before using the cane to grab onto the ice edge. Scrooge hangs on as the ice block breaks through the ice floor and then it shines a lot of gold. Scrooge swears in DUBBED SCOTTISH STYLE (Skittle my kilts! I smell lawsuit in your future Scroogie!) and climbs up as his favorite color is gold. Of course it is Scroogie. Scrooge walks away to find the path to the gold as we cut to the nephews and LP showing off for the camera again with the Kuzo flips. I'm sure Kuzo is crying in his magic potion after THAT one. The nephews bump into the steep ice wall with pretty sick bumps for kids and then free fall again. Launchpad takes a nastier bump to the face and free falls.
We get some decent off-screen bumps as Launchpad calls it a ride while being drunk. Nephew #1 recovers as the freezing cold just gets worse. Well; you are DEEP into the deep freeze guys. It's not like you are at the center of the Earth here lads. And it's scarier too as LP proclaims that they need to think positive. The nephews gleefully answer that one for me as everything is lost. Except for LP's drawing attention of course. LP thinks that there must be something good to come out of this and nephew #2 proclaims that if they don't keep moving they will freeze to death (death reference #1). LP considers THAT a positive. I think LP needs to study the difference between a positive and a false positive. So we head to the Ice Treasure Cave as Scrooge sees nothing but treasure and gold. He then looks up and sees the thing he has been looking for all this time: The Lost Crown Of Genghis Khan. It's on top of a gold coin hill of course. Scrooge climbs to the top and grabs the crown and puts it on his head proclaiming himself king of the explorers once again. Scrooge then sulks because everyone is missing and it just seems like a waste of time for him without family. Nice bit of character development there from Scrooge I might add. And then the huge shadow of doom shows up from the light and Scrooge gets a big ass snowball right in the body as he is a snowball tomb. HAHA!
So we head inside deeper into the caves as the nephews and Launchpad continue to walk and they are freezing even more by the second. And their beaks have frozen up as they are ice blue as LP talks about the stiff upper lip. HEE HEE! Everyone is so tired that Launchpad starts to nod off as the nephews plead for him to get up; but no dice (funny how the beaks are frozen; but the web feet of the nephews are not) as everyone cannot keep their eyes open; but they struggle and then nephew #1 sees from the fogginess of their eyes Webby who is completely all right and has a grape snow cone in her hand. That is just peachy guys. Nephew #2 blows her off as we get death reference #2 for the episode. Told you she wasn't kidnapped. The webfoot prints gave that fact away much earlier in the episode. And we REPEAT THE ENTIRE EATING SNOW CONE SEQUENCE!
So we head inside the main room of the Snow Beast as Launchpad gets a banana yellow blanket and some hot soup (I guess) as we pan over to the nephews thanking Webby near the fireplace (Huh?) while eating stew. Webby claims that she knew they were there when Launchpad started to snore. HA! She pours some stew into the bowls as Launchpad marvels at the ice stuff and then gets his ass freezing in one of the chairs. HEE HEE! The nephews then ask what happened after the avalanche. Webby claims that she had a teddy bear. UH OH! The nephews call her out on that one as the SHADOW OF DOOM comes near by and Launchpad turns around and sees the Snow Beast panicking. Everyone gasps as Webby asks about seeing Scrooge and she has the snowball as she slams it down onto the ice and it splits like an egg to reveal Scrooge completely frozen with the crown. The nephews yell out for him and that ends the segment nearly 16 and a half minutes in.
After the commercial break; we see Scrooge resting in a corner warmed up with the Gedo Fashion Sense blanket of doom as he wakes up to see the nephews and Webby eating grape snow cones. I guess that don't melt in here and they only come in pink. Webby notices Scrooge waking up as Launchpad gives him the bowl of hot soup proclaiming that he will feel fat as a fiddle. Now there's something LAUNCHPAD needs methinks. Scrooge slurps from the bowl with no spoons and it feels good according to him. That smile spells: LP; I'm going to strangle you after this adventure is over you show off! Scrooge asks who made and LP points out the Snow Beast with jewels and Scrooge is in SHOCK. At least he got the gender right this time around. Webby claims that she is sweet and gentle; plus makes fantastic snow cones. She's also the one who nearly froze Scrooge to death in an ice statue with a snowball. And Scrooge naturally points that out while swearing in DUBBED ANIME STYLE (blasted beast). Webby claims that Scrooge is hurting her feelings. I doubt that very seriously considering her ways of snow ball throwing Webbigail. Scrooge of course get in between them and calls the snow beast a monster and uses the cane to back her up.
I can understand him in this situation considering that she nearly iced Scrooge to death. And then the snow beast cries and I'm SHOCKED that her tears don't turn into ice cubes. The snow beast runs away as Webby scolds Scrooge for what he done to her. I don't blame him; those snowballs are deadly Webby. Webby runs to find her as Scrooge orders the troop after her and tries to follow; but faints down due to weakness. The nephews catch him on the way down as Launchpad proclaims that he'll find her. LP calls this a role reversal since it's always the girls chasing her. Somehow I'm glad that this experience muted that ladies man trait of his; I shudder to think of my bladder if he tries that dance again. Launchpad runs stage right and catches up with Webby as he asks where the snow beast went. Webby tells him to be quiet and they listen and hear the snow beast crying and sobbing somewhere. They then practice the fine art of not being seen as they see the snow beast crying her eyes out near an ice cave wall. And then she runs away again as Webby asks Snowy (Tintin hyper reference alert!) not to run anymore.
Snowy runs across a thin narrow bridge which clearly cannot support her weight and she slips and breaks through the ice. She free falls; but manages to hang on to the edge right next to the bridge side. How about that for a weird fall?! Webby tells Snowy to hang on and Launchpad has to save her. Launchpad agrees to it because he's not a hero for nothing you know. So LP invokes the LASSO OF BANE TO ALL ACTION CARTOONS EVERYWHERE and it latches onto an icicle spike. LP swings like Tarzan over to the other side and lands about 10 feet away from the edge where Snowy is hanging on. I'm going be that name since Webby keeps calling her by that. Launchpad goes over to Snowy and Snowy grabs his hand and of course she's just TOO FAT. However; Launchpad manages to do the old wrestling flip over his head and manages to get Snowy up over and landing safely. Now THAT is an amazing feat of strength on par with Kit getting Baloo up in Lost Horizons from LP there.
Nice MAN-SIZED bump off-screen of course as LP comments on her eating of too many snow cones. And then Snowy gets up and wants to do some kissy-kissy to Launchpad! Oh lord; I cannot contain myself watching this and this is the only awesome entertainment I am getting from this episode which is LP being LP. LP dodges Snowy and then runs away stage right as Snowy follows her. Webby giggles her can off on THAT one since LP is the hero to millions of snow beasts and villains to millions of wet pants. So we head inside the ice living room as Scrooge packs up his green parachute as the nephews and Webby complain. Scrooge blows them off because it's his final word since the snow beast is dangerous and they need to get the hell out of there..and then he opens it up and sees the lost crown inside. Webby explains that Snowy put it there as an apology for snow coning him. I think that is a fair trade myself as Scrooge looks like he just screwed himself. Scrooge then decides to leave and find Launchpad and with about 2 ½ minutes to go; I suspect Guy will show up anytime...now....Webby giggles on cue because nothing is going to catch up with LP.
So we head outside the snow cave as the nephews cannot wait to go home and eat some apple pie like all red blooded American ducks do. Right?! Am I right? Everyone comes out as we hear Launchpad yell no way for no reason other than to be a show off. Scrooge wants to get out of here and as I predicted would happen; here comes Sir Guy on his orange snowmobile circling the babyfaces forcing Scrooge onto the ground and the crown pops loose. Guy grabs the crown as Scrooge blows him off for being a thief; and then Guy circles and forces the babyfaces to bail before blowing Scrooge goodbye and racing off with the crown. Webby asks Scrooge what can he do and Scrooge proclaims that he will take the short cut as Guy must take the long way down and then he jumps off the cliff as the kids panic on cue. That's exactly what Don did when Kit took the plunge from the Iron Vulture in Plunder and Lightning part one. Scrooge drops down and opens his Gedo parachute as Guy circles around with the crown on his snowmobile some more. He dives into the snow and it's the BUGS BUNNY SPOT OUT OF CONTROL~! That would be recycled in Mach One For The Gipper I should point out.
Guy pops from the snow as he drives around; but Scrooge comes down around him. Guy turns around; but Scrooge follows his lead and then dives and uses the cane to snag the crown back from him. Scrooge calls him a vulture of course. Speak for yourself there Scroogie! Scrooge floats up in the updraft as the kids cheer for victory on the ledge as usual. Then the updraft screws him back as he is jerked up and he loses the crown again. D'OH! The crown bounces off the mountain side and then falls right into the hands of Guy in the snowmobile again. Guy blows off Scrooge McDuck for losing and then snow mobiles away stage right with Scrooge following him calling him a cheater all the way. And so we head to Battamountan's estate (Oh no? NOT THE REVERSE DECISION FINISH! ANYTHING BUT THAT!) as we head inside as Battamountan gives the medal of honor to Sir Guy Standforth (who finally gets named after 21 minutes of being nameless, natch). I see the thin explorer and Pervical made the trip and they are still selling injuries from the “accidents” they had earlier. Although LP is a walking “accident” make no mistake of it, both him and my pants. Scrooge then storms in wanting the ceremony stopped at once since he found the crown first. Oh please Scroogie; just take the lost and LIKE IT!
Battamountan proclaims that DA RULES are DA RULES (FAIRY GODPARENTS!). Scrooge proclaims that he stole it from him and Battamountan states that his plane was found crashed on the wrong side of the mountain and Guy rubs it in claiming that he never got to Shadow Pass. Scrooge claims that he has proof and he calls for Launchpad and in comes Launchpad and the Snow Beast. Oh dammit! I just knew they had to ruin it with the reverse decision finish! Launchpad gets dumped as everyone gasps in horror and Snowy has found her new soul mate in Guy. Guy throws the crown away and then runs away like a scalded dog as Snowy chases him stage left. Scrooge proclaims that Snowy has dumped Launchpad good. Launchpad claims that it only hurts for a while as he rubs his ass. So we head outside near the gates as Snowy chases Guy some more around the property (which is near a lake- check the boat) as Guy screams to end the episode and disc one at 21:17. Average episode story wise with a really bad finish and ending; but it stands out for one reason: Me soiling myself after seeing Launchpad's ladies man act. Oh god; have mercy on my pants. Call it *** ¾ (75%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Okay; this was basically another average episode with excellent animation; few logic breaks and basically an average storyline with Webby just there to be bait for Snowy. Sir Guy was another rich snob villain with cheap tricks and the rest I couldn't care less about. Snowy was cute though. However; the real reason for the marking out for me was Launchpad's ladies man act that basically made an average to below average episode shoot to a near thumbs up (would have been a thumbs up if it wasn't for the silly reverse decision finish that they were shooting for and then abandon near the end to allow Guy to be chased by Snowy) was Launchpad basically doing things to show off. Launchpad's Russian Dance Act was so funny I nearly wet my pants and was literally in helpless laughter seeing it. If it wasn't for Scrooge pulling him away; I probably would have stopped ranting forever. It was THAT funny. And of course getting chased by a kissy-kissy Snowy nearly topped that act as well.
So that concludes the first disc of volume one of Ducktales. We got four thumbs up and five in the middle which is a really good ratio to start this disc. So next up on our list is Disc three with Top Duck (Launchpad's family!) and Pearl of Wisdom (Webby demonstrates her marble smashing skills). So.....
Thumbs in the middle pointing up for this episode and I'll see you next time.