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The Beagle Birthday Breakout
This may be a reboot, but with this episode, it really starts standing as something all its own with a great new core element not seen anywhere in DuckTales before. That new element happens to be a new recurring character in the cast bringing solid development for herself and to one of the main characters.
It starts with Webby, adventurous as ever, ready to join Huey, Dewey, and Louie on their own sea voyage, but there’s no room for her in their boat. The boys end up brushing her off, but refreshingly, unlike how they’d do so for petty reasons in the original series, they’re actually reasonable and gentle about leaving Webby. For that, it’s good to know that they do still make an effort to be good friends to her.
Anyway, while left out, Webby comes across a series of messages in bottles that seem to suggest help, but turn out to be pranks. This is where she meets the new character in question, Lena, who instantly shows great appeal. Lena is very laid-back and smooth-talking, doing as she pleases and being her own person. It’s a major contrast to Webby who’s more energetic and outgoing and wants to make friends. Despite these differences, there’s an instant bond and care for each other and they instantly feel believable as friends.
It’s all felt throughout to ensuing adventure where Lena shows Webby more of her rebellious side. She brings Webby along to crash a party which sounds fun at first until Webby recognizes the guests. They’re all members of the Beagle family, and they’ve gathered at the junk yard to celebrate Ma Beagle’s birthday. Because these criminals have a soft spot for their mom, once Webby and Lena are spotted, they set out to honor her order to catch them. Adding weight to this, Ma Beagle wanting to bring Webby to justice is a direct result of being captured by her a few episodes back.
Webby and Lena now have to escape the Beagle family by making it back to McDuck Manor for safety, and their adventure stands out in some notable ways. As they outrun different groups of Beagle Boys, there’s a sense of how big this family is. Unlike this reboot’s incarnation of the main Beagle Boys who all act the same, the other ones are far more imaginative. There’s a group of daredevil bikers, silent tumblers, and even friendly hospitable types that are still on the villain side; it’s a versatile ensemble. No matter who they run into though, Webby and Lena are always able to outrun them and even outwit them as shown in an amusing scene where they pretend to be British.
There’s also a break in the action for more emotional moments. Webby talks about how great it is to have friends and family while Lena demonstrates a lack of trust in such things. She even points out that Webby’s perception on friendship is blind to how the boys left her alone earlier. At that time, Huey, Dewey, and Louie appear again, but even as they act sympathetic over leaving Webby, Lena still assumes the worst in them. It seems like the new friendship ends before it can really develop as Lena leaves Webby who opts to protect the boys from the Beagle family.
However, it’s ultimately Lena who’s captured by them, and after getting a message in a bottle from her that’s not a prank, Webby sets out to save her. During that time, Lena reveals that a big reason she can’t stand families is because of the constant fighting as proven by an argument Huey, Dewey, and Louie get into. This opens questions over how much of a bother this is to Lena, but Webby sees this as an opportunity. When all the Beagle Boys are present, she leads them all to argue over which group is the best, turning them against each other, and allowing herself, Lena, and the boys to escape. It’s clever wit and care for others that solve this issue, and it seems that Lena’s grown to see this if her clear chemistry with Webby is an indication.
This could be a solid ending point for the episode, but the actual final scene goes even further. It appears to build huge mysteries over whether Lena is trustworthy, and it all relates to an amulet she wears. The moment it’s brought up in a conversation has Webby build suspicion of what it does, and the ending scene doesn’t hesitate to show that off. When alone, Lena chants an incantation, and the amulet reveals her to have a connection with notable DuckTales villain, Magica de Spell. Whether people know the character or read the context of the scene, this is enough to raise questions if Lena’s friendship with Webby was truly genuine. In time, those answers become clear, mainly through showing what her relationship with her aunt Magica is like, but for now, it’s an effective mystery that can go either way.
This episode is an effective mix of familiarity and adding unique flairs through how it adds extra layers to established characters as well as fresh new characters. With this particular new character, she astounds as a great addition with an enjoyable personality, plenty of layers, believable chemistry, and huge mysteries. It’s a well-crafted adventure fit to show off this reboot’s capabilities,
A+
Series Ranking
1.
The Beagle Birthday
Breakout
2.
The Impossible Summit of Mt. Neverrest
3.
Daytrip of Doom
4.
The Great Dime Chase
5.
Escape To/From Atlantis
6.
Woo-oo
The next review puts Donald in the spotlight as he's called to help his lucky cousin Gladstone.
Next time are more exciting reviews from Amphibia.
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