The Secret(s) of Castle McDuck!

DuckTales"The Secret(s) of Castle McDuck!"
Season 1
Number 21
Episode information
Production code	122
Story by	Francisco Angones Madison Bateman Colleen Evanson Christian Magalhaes Bob Snow
Written by	Bob Snow
Storyboards by	Vaughn Tada Brandon Warren Jason Zurek
Directed by	Matthew Humphreys
Original airdate	August 4, 2018
DuckTales Episodes
Previous	"Sky Pirates...in the Sky!"
Next	"The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!"

"The Secret(s) of Castle McDuck!" is the twenty-first episode of the animated series DuckTales. It premiered on August 4, 2018.

Synopsis

On a family trip to Scrooge's ancestral castle, Dewey tries to hide the truth about his mom as his brothers search for family secrets.

Plot

Scrooge brings the kids on a sojourn to Dismal Downs, Scotland for cryptic reasons (and without telling Donald). Knowing the area holds secrets of their family, Dewey confides in Webby about keeping his brothers from uncovering more on Della Duck, fearing a revelation could upset them. When the group comes to Castle McDuck, home of the Clan McDuck, the family is greeted by the lairds of the estate — Scrooge's parents, Fergus McDuck and Downy McDuck.

At the castle, Downy greets Scrooge and the kids with open arms. Scrooge explains that years ago, Scrooge helped buy back and rebuild Castle McDuck with mystical Druid stones. This deal backfired for his parents, for they were cursed with immortality, only reappearing along with the castle once every five years when the mists of Dismal Downs part enough to reveal it. They guard the Lost Treasure of the Knights of Templar hidden by Simon McDuck, therefore Scrooge travels there whenever the castle returns to claim it, but Fergus will not relinquish it unless Scrooge proves he is worthy of it.

While exploring the family portraits, Dewey keeps vigilant of any clues on Della before coming across a riddle written by her. Huey and Louie theorize it will lead them to the treasure and decide to embark on it. Using the first clue, they find the entrance to one of Sir Swamphole McDuck's passageways, though Dewey attempts to solve the riddle before his brothers do.

Scrooge and Fergus remain tense towards each other during the visit as the latter suspects Scrooge's irresponsibility towards family. After Scrooge and Fergus get into an argument during dinner, Scrooge sets off to explore the castle on his own to claim the treasure, having had enough of trying to prove himself to his father, although Fergus tags along, too.

In the catacombs, the triplets unearth the crypt of deceased McDucks where they find one tomb designated to Donald. Inside, they find only a bag of Della's belongings right before they encounter Swamphole's demonic Hound. While fleeing from the Hound, Dewey is forced to admit that the bag belongs to Della. His brothers react severely to Dewey withholding the truth, Huey reprimanding him for keeping it for himself and Louie becoming devastated. Dewey realizes he has been selfish for doing this.

During Scrooge and Fergus' search, Fergus reveals that the Number One Dime came from him to instill Scrooge his value of hard work; had he not, Scrooge wouldn't be the successful duck he is today. Scrooge sees Fergus is right thus he apologizes to his father at last. What they expect is the treasure, at last, turns out to be a letter from "Dirty Dingus" McDuck, having found the treasure first and hid it somewhere else. Although they didn't find the treasure, Scrooge and Fergus, having mended their grudge, vow to find the real treasure the next time Scrooge returns.

Somewhere else, Dewey is on the run from the Hound. His brothers hear Dewey's call for help and apology and return to save him. The spirits of their ancestors come to their aid, and together they scare the Hound away. The riddle then leads them to the final mark: Donald's hat, as part of an elaborate prank left by Della. The triplets then decide to continue the search for Della together, starting with another clue Huey finds on the back of the riddle: a sketch of what appears to be some manner of aircraft with a date that coincides with the week the boys hatched.

The family then warmly parts ways with the McDuck couple. But, to Webby's horror, she was so overwhelmed by the McDuck history that she forgot to ask the couple about Scrooge himself after they leave.

Cast

• David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
• Danny Pudi as Huey Duck
• Ben Schwartz as Dewey Duck
• Bobby Moynihan as Louie Duck
• Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack
• Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack
• Graham McTavish as Fergus McDuck
• Ashley Jensen as Downy McDuck

Goofs

• Scrooge introduces Launchpad as Donald to his parents as their grandnephew. However, Donald is actually their grandson. The mistake could be attributed to nervousness on Scrooge's part.

Trivia

• This episode is loosely based on the Carl Barks story "The Hound of the Whiskervilles" and its 1987 DuckTales adaptation, "The Curse of Castle McDuck". Like its 1987 counterpart, the Hound is an actual creature, though it is not the Whiskervilles'.
  • Additionally, its plot takes inspiration from stories of the Uncle Scrooge comics, specifically "A Letter from Home" (Fergus hiding the Knight Templar treasure), "Of Ducks, Dimes and Destinies" (Fergus giving Scrooge the Dime), and "The New Laird of Castle McDuck" (Scrooge buying back his family's land and the ghosts of Clan McDuck). Ironically, in the latter, it was Fergus himself who couldn't pay the taxes.
  • According to their animated debut in the 1987 series episode "Once Upon a Dime", Scrooge's parents are deceased; near the end of the episode, when Huey asks if Scrooge considered himself rich when he built his Money Bin, Scrooge replies sadly: "Oh, just the opposite, lad. Without my parents, I felt poorer than ever".
    • In The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, Scrooge's parents also passed away long ago (Downy during the Klondike Gold Rush and Fergus after his children moved to Duckburg).
  • Unlike Once Upon a Dime, Fergus and Downy are alive in the present day here.
• Dewey finally tells Huey and Louie about their mother in this episode.
• While not stated, Fergus seems to be mildly senile, given his constant treatment of Scrooge as if he were a child; even though Scrooge proved he has made an honest living years ago.
• The triplets going down the staircase is a nod to a similar shot from the original series episode "Hotel Strangeduck".
• The ghosts of the McDucks consist of Sir Eider McDuck, Sir Swamphole McDuck, Seafoam McDuck, Molly Mallard, Sir Roast McDuck, Quagmire McDuck, and Sir Simon McDuck.
• Although Donald and Bentina Beakley aren't in this episode, their voice actors are still credited.
  • This makes it the third episode (after The Great Dime Chase! and The Beagle Birthday Massacre!) where a voice actor's name is credited when the character he/she voices is absent.
• Fergus' first line in this episode was the same line Scrooge said to Donald in "Woo-oo!".
• Huey, Dewey, and Louie's birthday is revealed to be within a week of April 15, the same date as their animated debut in Donald's Nephews.
  • This, however, contradicts the comic story "Donald Duck in Panama" (published in Walt Disney's Vacation Parade #4), in which they mentioned that they are Leos, which would put their birthday between July 22nd and August 23rd.
• Launchpad disguising himself as Donald is a reference to the fact he was originally created to replace Donald in the original DuckTales.
• When Downy introduced Dirty Dingus to the triplets, Huey and Louie snickered while Dewey looked at them worriedly. This provides a little bit of foreshadowing, as later, in "Raiders of The Doomsday Vault!", Dewey's middle name is revealed to be Dingus.

Gallery

Scrooge and his father glaring

And still glaring

Launchpad dressed as Donald Duck

Webby overwhelmed

"Because it belongs to mom!"

Saying goodbye

"Noooo!"

References

v - e - d

Media Shows/Movies: 1987 series (videography) • 2017 series • Walt Disney's World on Ice: Double Feature... Live! • Raw Toonage • DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp • Chibi Tiny Tales • This Duckburg Life Video Games: Video game (HD remake/Soundtrack) • DuckTales 2 • The Quest for Gold • Scrooge's Loot • Disney Heroes: Battle Mode • Disney All-Star Racers • Disney All-Star Party Comics: Comic Books (IDW) Books: The Secret City Under the Sea • Sphinx for the Memories and Sir Gyro Gearloose • Scrooge's Treasure Hunt • Christmas at the North Pole • Webby Saves the Day • The Art of DuckTales Disney Parks DuckTales World Showcase Adventure • PLAY! • Donald's Duck Pond Characters 1987 series: Scrooge McDuck • Huey, Dewey, and Louie • Launchpad McQuack • Webby Vanderquack • Bentina Beakley • Duckworth • Chief O'Hara • Shedlock Jones • Gyro Gearloose • Little Helper • Yardarm • Doofus Drake • Fenton Crackshell • Donald Duck • Ludwig Von Drake • Gladstone Gander • Bubba the Cave Duck • Abominable Snowwoman • Tootsie the Triceratops • Skittles • Blackjack • Poupon • Gene the Genie • Glittering Goldie • Mad Dog McGurk • Feathers Galore • Burt Quackarach • Major Courage • Micro Ducks • Admiral Grimmitz • King Homer • Queen Ariel • Shawebizad • Gandra Dee • McPapa • McMama • Robotica • Beagle Boys • Ma Beagle • Pete • Flintheart Glomgold • Phantom Blot • Dijon • Argus McSwine • Magica De Spell • Minima De Spell • Poe De Spell • El Capitan • Joaquin Slowly • Merlock the Magician • Cinnamon Teal • Dracula Duck • Dr. NoGood • Millionara Vanderbucks • Fritter O'Way • Lawrence Loudmouth • Bruno Von Beak • Armstrong • The Sirens • Circe • Harpies • Yuckalinda • Queen Griselda • Djinni • Terra-Firmie King • Overlord Bulovan • Solego • GICU-2 • Magica's Shadow • The Fear Demons • Vacation Van Honk 2017 series: Della Duck • Lena • Bradford Buzzard • Bentley and Buford Buzzard • Captain Peghook • Manny the Headless Man-Horse • Pixiu • Gabby McStabberson • Hack and Slash Smashnikov • Roxanne Featherly • Toad Liu Hai • Mark Beaks • Falcon Graves • Amunet • Sabaf • Toth-Ra • Zeus • Selene • Storkules • Charybdis • Briar and Bramble • Darkwing Duck • Gosalyn Mallard • Megavolt • Don Karnage • Quackerjack • Liquidator • Black Heron • Zan Owlson • Fisher • Mann • Drosera occidendum • José Carioca • Panchito Pistoles • Fethry Duck • John D. 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Neverrest!" • "The Spear of Selene!" • "Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!" • "The Missing Links of Moorshire!" • "McMystery at McDuck McManor!" • "JAW$!" • "The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!" • "Day of the Only Child!" • "From the Confidential Casefiles of Agent 22!" • "Who is Gizmoduck?!" • "The Other Bin of Scrooge McDuck!" • "Sky Pirates...in the Sky!" • "The Secret(s) of Castle McDuck!" • "The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!" • "The Shadow War!" Season Two: "The Most Dangerous Game...Night!" • "The Depths of Cousin Fethry!" • "The Ballad of Duke Baloney!" • "The Town Where Everyone Was Nice!" • "Storkules in Duckburg!" • "Last Christmas!" • "What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!" • "Treasure of the Found Lamp!" • "The Outlaw Scrooge McDuck!" • "The 87 Cent Solution!" • "The Golden Spear!" • "Nothing Can Stop Della Duck!" • "Raiders of the Doomsday Vault!" • "Friendship Hates Magic!" • "The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!" • "The Duck Knight Returns!" • "What Ever Happened to Donald Duck?!" • "Happy Birthday, Doofus Drake!" • "A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!" • "The Golden Armory of Cornelius Coot!" • "Timephoon!" • "GlomTales!" • "The Richest Duck in the World!" • "Moonvasion!" Season Three "Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!" • "Quack Pack!" • "Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!" • "The Lost Harp of Mervana!" • "Louie's Eleven!" • "Astro B.O.Y.D.!" • "The Rumble for Ragnarok!" • "The Phantom and the Sorceress!" • "They Put a Moonlander on the Earth!" • "The Trickening!" • "The Forbidden Fountain of the Foreverglades!" • "Let's Get Dangerous!" • "Escape from the ImpossiBin!" • "The Split Sword of Swanstantine!" • "New Gods on the Block!" • "The First Adventure!" • "The Fight for Castle McDuck!" • "How Santa Stole Christmas!" • "Beaks in the Shell!" • "The Lost Cargo of Kit Cloudkicker!" • "The Life And Crimes of Scrooge McDuck!" • "The Last Adventure!" Locations Duckburg • Atlantis • The Money Bin • McDuck Manor • Castle McDuck • Fountain of Youth • Scotland • Notre Duck • Valley of the Golden Suns • St. Canard • Cape Suzette Organizations Air Pirates • F.O.W.L. • Junior Woodchucks • S.H.U.S.H. 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