Matilda McDuck also known as Aunt Matilda, is Donald Duck's aunt and Scrooge McDuck's younger sister. She mostly appears in flashbacks to Scrooge's childhood in Scotland.
Background
In terms of personality, the younger Matilda seemed sensitive, gentle and kind. This is in contrast to her sister Hortense, who was more prone to anger and aggression (traits she passed on to Donald). As late as when Scrooge spoiled the family reunion with his unpleasant behavior, it can be seen that the sisters react quite differently: whereas Hortense is infuriated, Matilda just seems disturbed and saddened. However, in her very last appearance chronologically, A Letter from Home, the personality of the elderly Matilda sometimes seems harsher and more jaded. It is as though she is making up for Hortense's absence by partially taking on her "role" (indeed Don Rosa originally wanted to use both sisters in this story; see Trivia below). After Scrooge admits his shameful actions and regrets, Matilda finally drops her cruel act and becomes a kinder duck, reconciling with Scrooge.
History
Matilda was created by Carl Barks and first mentioned in the Duck family tree Barks wrote for personal use in the 1950s. Here, Matilda was mentioned as Gladstone Gander's adoptive mother and Goosetave Gander's wife. On Mark Worden's illustrated version of the same tree (1981), Matilda made her first physical appearance, bearing a striking resemblance to Gina Luluduckita, an Italian movie actress as whom Magica De Spell disguise herself in her debut story, Barks' The Midas Touch (Uncle Scrooge #36, 1961).
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck
She is a recurring character in the Eiser Award-winning comic book series. In the first part of the twelve-part saga, Matilda is still a child when her older brother Scrooge leaves Scotland for America. In The Invader of Fort Duckburg, Matilda herself leaves Scotland, together with her sister Hortense and brother Scrooge. Arriving in Duckburg, she, Hortense and Quackmore Duck work for Scrooge in his massive Money Bin. According to the saga's eleventh chapter, while Scrooge is on a trip abroad, Matilda and her sister were the ones who hired Miss Quackfaster as Scrooge's new secretary.
When Scrooge finally returns to Duckburg near the end of the story, Matilda and the rest of the family prepare for a surprise reunion, but because of Scrooge's unpleasant behavior the family leaves him.
Matilda and her nephews in A Letter From Home.
Matilda reappeared in A Letter from Home. Here, we learn that Matilda took the job as a caretaker of the McDuck estate in Scotland without letting her brother Scrooge know about it. After a grand adventure, the two siblings are reunited.
In Return to Xanadu (1991), Scrooge mentions that he used to fix his two sisters' dolls back in Scotland when he was a child.
Matilda also appeared as a child alongside her family in Scrooge's flashback in Donald's Homemade Christmas (2012).
Appearances
DuckTales (2017)
Matilda makes her animation debut in the Ducktales reboot, appearing in The Fight for Castle McDuck!. In the series, she has a much younger looking appearance than in the comics.
Trivia
- Don Rosa wanted to use both Matilda and Hortense in A Letter from Home, but his editor (Egmont) did not want Donald's mother to be used in a present-day story, so Rosa only used Matilda.
- Matilda tends to have a flower either on her hair or on a hat. These flowers are constantly losing petals.
- Depending on the colorist, Matilda can have brown or blonde hair. The editions where she has brown hair also have her getting it gray earlier.
Matilda and her family make a cameo appearance.
- Marco Gervasio, creator of a series of Donald Duck comics featuring the gentleman-burglar Fantomallard, taking place in Duckburg of the 1920s, gave Matilda a cameo appearance in one of his stories. She could be seen sitting in the audience of the D.U.C.K. theater (yet another reference to Rosa), together with her sister Hortense and her brother-in-law Quackmore.
- Disney comic artist and writer Don Rosa has suggested that Donald's uncle Ludwig Von Drake could be Matilda's husband. However, this contradicts "Kids is Kids", where Ludwig states he is a bachelor.
- When Webby met Matilda, she called her the youngest of Clan McDuck. Although it seems like a mistake, it's possible that the series was a change-up of the comic series as Matilda was actually the middle, so the creators must've decided to change the characters, making Matilda the youngest child while Hortense is the middle instead.
References
