Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!

"Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!" is the eleventh episode of the animated series, DuckTales. It premiered on May 11, 2018.

Synopsis
Brilliant young scientist Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera is recruited by Launchpad who is feeling menaced by tech genius Mark Beaks' newest invention.

Plot
Dewey watches an episode of an old superhero series called Darkwing Duck while hanging out with Launchpad McQuack. Dewey criticizes Darkwing Duck's lack of superpowers which incites Launchpad to ensure Dewey that a superhero's true strength is their bravery. Launchpad then gives Dewey a ride to the Money Bin to celebrate getting his driver's license and expects Scrooge McDuck to be there to celebrate with him. At the Money Bin, Launchpad and Dewey run into Scrooge working with Gyro Gearloose on a sound-powered monorail experiment. When Gyro's intern Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera bursts in to report his categorizing to Gyro, the monorail crashes and ruins Gyro's blueprints. Fenton apologizes but receives a reprimand from Gyro. Scrooge wants Gyro to publish a new invention; although Gyro claims that building takes time and innovation, he changes his mind when Dewey mentions that Mark Beaks has made a self-driving car. Gyro decides to check out the device believing that Beaks couldn't develop one himself. Launchpad is left upset that Scrooge doesn't acknowledge his achievement.

At Beaks' Waddle demonstration, Beaks unveils his invention - a robot driver named B.U.D.D.Y. (Beaks Unmaned Driver Drone Yay) that can safely drive any vehicle. Launchpad and Gyro are quick to denounce the product on its integrity and morality, but Beaks assures them that B.U.D.D.Y. is safe and will not turn evil. Scrooge considers buying B.U.D.D.Y. from Beaks, but Launchpad challenges the robot to a race to see who is the better driver. Scrooge allows this to test out B.U.D.D.Y.'s capabilities.

Launchpad goes to Gyro hoping that the scientist has something that will help him in the race. Gyro instead directs Launchpad and Dewey to Fenton for help. Fenton suggests they use the top-secret project Gyro has been working on, although Gyro cuts him off claiming that it's not ready yet, so Fenton offers to teach Launchpad how to drive. During the race, Launchpad gets overwhelmed with Fenton's notes that he crashes and is forced to improvise with bikes and roller skates. Launchpad almost reaches the finish line when the roller skates give out, letting B.U.D.D.Y. win. However, Gyro recognizes B.U.D.D.Y. as a rebranded Lil Bulb robot. Beaks reveals he bought the design from Fenton, who had posted it online to help Gyro with his resources. In rage, Gyro fires Fenton. The others ride home with B.U.D.D.Y. so Scrooge can buy it from Beaks. However, since Beaks never modified B.U.D.D.Y.'s morality glitches, an offhand insult from Beaks angers B.U.D.D.Y. and it takes the group on a deadly ride.

Back at the track, Launchpad and Fenton share their sentiment of being ignored despite their best efforts. However, they catch sight of B.U.D.D.Y.'s car signaling the group is in trouble. Launchpad drives after B.U.D.D.Y. to cut him off at the ravine. In the car, Dewey manages to get free and tries to reach Launchpad. Meanwhile, Fenton phones Gyro's intern Manny the Headless Man-Horse to send him Gyro's project by Fenton calling out "Blathering Blatherskite". The suit is summoned and binds to Fenton, turning him into Gizmoduck, and he catches up to save Dewey in mid-air. Placing Dewey in Launchpad's care, Gizmoduck rescues Scrooge, Gyro, and Beaks from B.U.D.D.Y.'s car before B.U.D.D.Y. rams into Gizmoduck. Launchpad drives ahead to catch Gizmoduck where he learns the superhero is Fenton. Unfortunately, a boulder falls on the bridge and B.U.D.D.Y. corners them. Launchpad instead crashes into B.U.D.D.Y.'s car, and it plummets into the river. Before their car falls too, Gizmoduck activates helicopter mode and saves the group.

At the Money Bin, Launchpad is assured that Scrooge respects him as his driver when Scrooge states he would not replace Launchpad, and also congratulates Launchpad after being informed by Dewey. Fenton runs into Gyro trying to cover about the suit getting out, but Gyro informs him that he already knows Fenton's alter-ego and has decided to let him stay to keep the project from spilling out. Meanwhile, Beaks is engrossed on the reveal of Gizmoduck and desires to obtain him.

Cast

 * David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
 * Ben Schwartz as Dewey
 * Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack
 * Lin-Manuel Miranda as Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera
 * Josh Brener as Mark Beaks
 * Jim Cummings as Darkwing Duck
 * Jim Rash as Gyro Gearloose
 * Corey Burton as B.U.D.D.Y./Lil Bulb, Liquidator
 * Michael Bell as Quackerjack
 * Keith Ferguson as Megavolt

Trivia

 * It is revealed that this incarnation of Darkwing Duck is an old superhero show while the lead character was played by an actor named Jim Starling (possibly a spoof of his voice actor, Jim Cummings). Launchpad is also a devoted fan of the show.
 * This is the first appearance of Darkwing Duck villains Liquidator and Megavolt in shows other than of Darkwing Duck.
 * This is the second time Quackerjack has appeared outside of the show, the first time being a cameo in Goof Troop.
 * A billboard appears featuring Vladimir Goudenov Grizzlikof promoting for the S.H.U.S.H. agency.
 * According to Launchpad's driver's license, he lives in McDuck Manor's garage, was born on September 18, 1987, and is an organ donor.
 * September 18, 1987 is a reference to the date that the original DuckTales premiered on.
 * In the original series episode "A DuckTales Valentine", however, Launchpad said he was an Aries, which would mean his birthday is between March 21 and April 19.
 * Aside from Jim Cummings (Darkwing Duck's voice actor), Michael Bell is the only Darkwing Duck voice actor to reprise his role as Quackerjack.
 * The episode's plot is identical to the 1987 episode, "Armstrong", the major difference being that Huey and Louie are absent, and B.U.D.D.Y., unlike Armstrong, has no plans on conquering the world.