"The Ballad of Duke Baloney!" is the twenty-sixth episode of DuckTales. It premiered on November 3, 2018 and is the third episode in the second season.
Synopsis[]
After his disappearance, Glomgold resurfaces as anything but his ever-scheming self. As Webby and Louie try to uncover the truth behind who is Duke Baloney, an unlikely origin story unfolds.
Plot[]
In a flashback to the climax of "The Shadow War!", Flintheart Glomgold is trying to pull back his rogue shadow but is dragged out to Duckburg Harbor where he falls in and nearly drowns. After he is rescued by two fishers named Fisher and Mann, Glomgold finds he doesn't remember who he is.
Flash forward to the present, Glomgold Industries appoints Zan Owlson to replace the vacant CEO position. Owlson intends to reform the company to a more efficient structure by partnering up with Scrooge McDuck to start a charity called "Dimes for Ducklings." Meanwhile, Louie and Webby visit Duckburg Harbor for a boat trip when they hear a familiar voice. Entering the bait shop, they are greeted by an amnesiac Glomgold going by "Duke Baloney", a humble South African fisherman. Louie and Webby immediately become suspicious, albeit Louie is convinced that Glomgold is faking it while Webby sees Glomgold is suffering memory loss. Their investigation on Duke lead them nowhere, though they do observe Duke possessing a particular money clip.
At the docks, Duke witnesses the McDuck Enterprises fishing boat pass by. Although Duke faintly recognizes the name, Duke is instead threatened with the competition and proposes elaborate fishing plans to his peers, but Fisher and Mann turn the idea down for the approaching storm. Nearby, Webby proposes to Louie they try to find evidence to clear the matter. After spending hours consulting and researching for any connection between Glomgold and Duke, Webby uncovers nothing of Duke Baloney nor records of Flintheart Glomgold existing before arriving in Duckburg in the 1980s. The two then decide to ask Scrooge to identify Duke.
Meanwhile, Duke suffers a surreal nightmare in his sleep containing objects symbolic of his true identity, though he dismisses it after waking up. At the tavern, Duke becomes pleasantly surprised when Fisher and Mann announce they're making him their new boat partner. Scrooge then enters the tavern for a brief talk with Duke. Scrooge confirms to Webby and Louie that Duke is Glomgold but refrains from telling Duke, believing that having amnesia is better for Glomgold than a life of constantly injuring himself from his schemes. While pondering of his Glomgold persona, Duke sees Louie and Webby on their rowboat heading towards the storm. Thinking that storm could harm them, Duke sets out on his boat to rescue the kids but a crane hook swings around and strikes him in the back of the head, knocking him into the water.
As he succumbs, Glomgold's memories return to him: his life began in South Africa as Duke Baloney, a young shoeshiner wishing to become the richest duck in the world. His next customer happened to be Scrooge coming back from another adventure and Duke regales to Scrooge his wish. But as it turned out, Duke had overcomplicated schemes to achieve his goal. Scrooge, reminded of his start as a shoeshiner, decided to give Duke a dime to teach Duke about self-reliance. Instead of being inspired, Duke felt cheated and mocked by Scrooge. He furiously teases Scrooge. Upset and annoyed, Scrooge leaves in a huff, saying that he was trying to help. However, Scrooge is unaware that Duke swindled Scrooge's money clip. With his new fortune, Duke creates the persona of Flintheart Glomgold and begins his lifelong goal to outdo Scrooge.
Glomgold then regains consciousness and swims back toward Louie and Webby's boat. Webby gives Glomgold her hand to help him, but he pulls her overboard to steal the fish she and Louie have caught, shocking the onlookers at the docks. Glomgold reassumes his false persona and leaves to reclaim his company. There, Glomgold arrives in the middle of Scrooge and Owlson's negotiations to propose a competition: whoever makes the most money in one year becomes the richest duck in the world and receives the loser's company. Scrooge initially refuses until Glomgold pulls out the money clip he stole from Scrooge and taunts him with it. Enraged, Scrooge agrees to Glomgold's wager.
Cast[]
- David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
- Bobby Moynihan as Louie Duck
- Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack
- Keith Ferguson as Flintheart Glomgold
- Natasha Rothwell as Zan Owlson
- John DiMaggio as Fisher
- Grey Griffin as Mann
- Kari Wahlgren as Roxanne Featherly
Trivia[]
- As of this episode, four months have passed since the events of "The Shadow War!".
- The name "Zan Owlson" is a reference to series producer Suzanna Olson.
- The name "Duke Baloney" is a reference to the Carl Barks comic "Turkey with All the Schemings" (Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #148) in which Donald has a doppelgänger named the Duke of Baloni, a Mediterranean duke who is the second richest duck in the world (this story was written before Barks created Glomgold).[1]
- It's revealed that Glomgold is actually a Boer from South Africa like he is in the comics.
- During the flashback scene, Glomgold imagines himself beating Scrooge while taking first the magic lamp from the original show's episode "Master of the Djinni".
- This is the first episode of the reboot where Dewey is absent, henceforth making every major character in the reboot absent for at least one episode.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Angones, Frank (November 5, 2018). "Where did you guys get the name Duke Baloney from?". Tumblr.
