Wednesday, September 6, 2017

'Toon Reviews 5: DuckTales Vol 1 Part 19

Top Duck











We’ve got another Launchpad McQuack-centered episode to cover, and one that introduces us to his family.  I love a good cartoon that explores a great character’s background, and since Launchpad’s proven himself as a likable one, this is one to get excited for.  This particular cartoon lives up to its potential not just for the newly established background on Launchpad, but as a fun adventurous cartoon in general.  To further elaborate on Launchpad’s family life, the story centers on him striving to do whatever it takes to impress them at an upcoming air show.  You see, they’re part of a flying troop called the Flying McQuacks and they’re all highly skilled at performing air stunts.  As you can tell from his established habit of crashing planes, Launchpad feels inferior to them, making his desire to make them feel proud of him understandable.  This is especially felt when, at the air show, he successfully pulls off flying and demonstrating the skills of Scrooge’s new plane, the McX, but then gets it crashed when the Beagle Boys sabotage one of the engines with bubble gum unbeknownst to everyone.  Now, part of the reason Launchpad is ashamed to face his family because of his failures is because he doesn’t stop to listen that they are proud of him for what he is.  True, it seems frustrating that Launchpad’s conflict partially arises from him not listening to the truth, but I feel this works because of his established naiveté and he does learn to stop and listen at the end.  Still, for his sake, Launchpad ultimately gets a moment of self-redemption when he catches the Beagle Boys using the McX to rob Scrooge’s money bin, and leads a daring air battle to get the money back which is an awesome climax with great animated angles and moments for all characters involved to shine.  It’s a pretty cool way to cap off Launchpad’s arc for the episode.  Other aspects to make this episode shine include the moments with the Flying McQuacks themselves.  It’s great that they love Launchpad for who he is despite him really not being up to their league in flying as well as help him however they can as shown in a scene where his sister, Loopy, gives him tips on how to adjust his own plane while he’s venting.  Plus, for much of the second act, we’re treated to a lot of entertaining bits of Huey, Dewey, and Louie trying to stop the Beagle Boys from using the McX to carry out their robbery, even getting some help from the entreatingly flamboyant Benzino Gasolini from “Hotel Strangeduck” at one point.  For its character development, great moments from all involved in the story, and an awesome climax, this isn’t just an amazing episode, but “a chip off the old propeller.” 10/10

The Ranking
  1. Hotel Strangeduck
  2. Maid of the Myth
  3. Hero for Hire
  4. Top Duck
  5. Robot Robbers
  6. Much Ado About Scrooge
  7. Magica’s Shadow War
  8. Duckman of Aquatraz
  9. Armstrong
  10. Sir Gyro de Gearloose
  11. Master of the Djinni
  12. Sphinx for the Memories
  13. Send in the Clones
  14. Down and Out in Duckburg
  15. The Lost Crown of Genghis Kahn
  16. The Money Vanishes
  17. Where No Duck Has Gone Before
  18. Dinosaur Ducks
  19. Superdoo!


Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Scrooge and the gang go after "The Pearl of Wisdom" against a pair of villains who looks an awful lot like Pete.
If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far.

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