‘DuckTales’ Un-Plucked – Episode #22: “The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!”
There’s only 1 more episode left this season on Ducktales, and it’s fitting that the finale showdown with Magica de Spell will come when Scrooge is at his lowest. Though you wouldn’t have known that from how this week’s episode started. With everyone excited for a family roadtrip, we truly got to see Scrooge and everyone for that matter at peak happiness. Sadly, the higher you are, the harder you’ll fall. And WOW did our heroes fall by episodes end….
So get out your tissue box and pull up your DVRs – or just click on the link below – and let’s get ready to take a Closer Look at the absolutely heartbreaking Ducktales (2017) Episode 22: “The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!”
–WATCH HERE ON DISNEY XD –
Relationships Broken – Scrooge & The Family.
First off, whereas the gravity of that final reveal and the ensuing fallout might have made the rest of the episode seem lengthy and time-wasty, it did serve to build tension and show the cracks building in both Dewey and Scrooge. More and more, both of them begin to show their frailties. Dewey’s becoming more and more unhinged and Scrooge is getting more and more set in his stubbornness – a trait we’ll see on full display by episode’s end. But did you also note how at one point, he referred to the boys with “her”. Even before we got the flashback showing how much Scrooge put into finding Della, we can see how much he cares. When he looks at the boys, he sees Della. In a way, protecting them and being good to them is a chance for him to make things right. Sadly, rather than explain his full story when he’s confronted, he immediately takes the defensive and would rather push everyone away than have the tough conversations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVPdNcg-liA
Though also – in a way – we can see this as Scrooge being the martyr. When Beakley asks if he’s happy to have pushed everyone away, he mutters through tears to an empty room “I am”. This whole confrontation opened old wounds for him and maybe he just realizes that those he cares about would be better if they’re far away from him. It’s also fitting that this episode should come right after Scrooge’s reconciliation with his own father about forgetting people and pushing them away. This episode opened some major wounds for everyone and I doubt all will be healed in the finale. But hey, that’s what Season 2 is for. Either way, Scrooge will need all the help he can get next episode and despite being the harshest to her, Webby might just be the only one able to bring everyone back together.
The Silver Lining of This Episode:
So this episode was emotionally BRUTAL, but I’m going to try to point out something that might make you smile and heal a bit. No, not the redone Darkwing Duck theme – though that was awesome. I’m of course talking about the one “who’s got the sweetest disposition”. The one who “never starts an argument”, “never shows a bit of temperament”, “never wrong but always right”, and would “never dream of starting a fight”… you see where I’m going with this right? I’m of course talking about the one “who gets stuck with all the bad luck”, Donald Duck!
Donald might not have actively taken part in this episode; but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a huge role in …. everything. Watch the Scrooge/ Della flashbacks again. Donald might not have taken center stage visually, but the moments he did appear meant everything. Look at the scenes of him wheeling the stroller with the nephews’ eggs in them. Look at him yelling at Della for wanting to go off into space just as her children are about to be hatched. Yes, the boys are upset with Scrooge; but …. Della isn’t without blame either. She chose to go and before Scrooge even told her. Donald is the most parental figure out of all of them. The boys are everything to him and he has consistently made choices for them.
This added backstory gives a huge boon to Donald as a character in this show. Why is he rarely part of the adventure? Because he still hasn’t forgiven Scrooge for what happened! Then why is he at the mansion in the first place? Because he swallowed his pride and asked for help because he knew the boys needed it! He didn’t tell the boys about Scrooge’s role in their mothers’ disappearance, but left them free to enjoy the company of whoever they wanted. He constantly sacrificed for those three and I wish they show this more in the finale/ next season because this side of the story deserves more than a subtle reference here and there.
Things That “Quacked” Us Up – Easter Eggs, Quotes & More:
- Netherworld War II… nice word play
- It’s been 6 months since the series started
- Scrooge referred to Beakley as Agent 22, a reference to Episode 17
- Louie sweet-talked Quackfaster, Scrooge’s crazy Archives Librarian we met in Episode 03
- Their in flight entertainment is Darkwing Duck, which we also learned was a show back in Episode 11
- Again, Louie has a wonderful moment of character development. Notice how HE – the one usually concerned with money – is the one who calls out Scrooge for being too cheap when it came to using funds for a search party.
- Oh darn, even Duckworth can be seen leaving at the end.
- Favorite Quotes:
- “I have 987 vacation days saved up… It’s high time I ‘Wilded Out’, with some ‘maxing’ and ‘relaxing’, hmm.” (Mrs Beakley)
- “Six months ago, if you’d have told me I should take in a group of younglins” / “I did!” / “I would of called you daft. But I tell you I haven’t felt this energized and vital since… well, a long time” (Scrooge/ Beakley / Scrooge)
- “Nothing can stop us –“ / “Stop milking the moment!” (Dewey / Huey, Louie & Webby)
- “This is nothing. The plane could be on fire. Or we could be on fire. Or this could be a volcano. Everything could be on fire!” (Scrooge)
- “Given the altitude, the condition of the plane and the weather pattern, we have a 1 in 17 million chance of surviving.” / “Wait, really!?!?!” (Huey/ Louie)
- “Huh, never crashed a Jeep in a Plane before… into a plane sure, but…” (Launchpad)
- “Mr McDuck” / “Kids” / Mrs. Beakley… sorry, I just thought I could keep the blame circle going.” (Mrs. Beakley/ Scrooge/ Louie)
- “Jr Woodchuck Rule #18: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” / “I thought that was Newton” / “Where do you think he got it from?” / “Science?” (Huey / Webby)
- “Stand down 22, I am still your boss” / *tightens belt forcibly* (Scrooge / Beakley)
- “What have you got there?” / “Not secrets…” / “Literally the worst answer you could have given” (Scrooge/ Dewey / Huey or Louie?)
- “You can’t give up the rest of us to find the one person we lost” (Louie?)
Previous Reviews:
Episode 21 – Episode 20 – Episode 19 – Episode 18 – Episode 17 – Episode 16 – Episode 15 – Episode 14 – Episode 13 – Episode 12 – Episode 11 – Episode 10 – Episode 09 – Episode 08 – Episode 07 – Episode 06 – Episode 05 – Episode 04 – Episode 03 – Episode 02 – Episode 01
Joe primarily covers video games news (i.e.: Pokemon, Spyro & Destiny) as well as the occasional ‘Theory Thursday’ pieces. Before writing for FanFest, Joe was the Creator & Editor of TheInsightfulPanda.com. He is also an illustrator and is currently working on Season 3 of his not-for-profit, fan-art crossover series PokéRangers on Instagram.
