"The Secret Origins of Darkwing Duck" is the forty-third episode of Darkwing Duck and the thirty-third episode to air on The Disney Afternoon.
Synopsis[]
200 years in the future, a class of children is touring a Darkwing Duck exhibit when two kids (Gosaloid and Honkulon) are accidentally trapped in a display that resembles the spinning chairs at Darkwing's house. Gosaloid accidentally hits the switch, and they are spun around and trapped under the display. While cleaning, the janitor accidentally releases them. Honkulon and Gosaloid argue about Darkwing's existence, when the janitor explains that Darkwing was real, and begins to tell the origins of Darkwing Duck.
The Janitor explains that the reason there is no record of Darkwing's existence is because Darkwing was born on a planet named Zipton, and that it was accidentally destroyed by Darkwing's father. While on the other side of the planet, Darkwing's uncle had built a rocket to escape himself, but his baby son (Negaduck) took the other rocket. While on route to Gribblefritz, Darkwing's rockets bumped into Negaduck's rocket and both were diverted to Earth.
Darkwing's rocket landed in a monastery. There, he trained as a baby in kung fu until he was old enough to leave. After he left, Darkwing crossed a desert and came across a bottle in the sand. The bottle contained a genie resembling Herb Muddlefoot. The genie granted Darkwing three wishes. Darkwing wished for a can of cola, new clothes and the secret to the genie's mysterious entrance covered in smoke. The genie granted his wishes and left, and Darkwing continued his trek across the desert. Gosaloid asks the janitor what happened to the other baby. The janitor explains that the other baby was found by space pirates, and grew up to be greedy and mean-spirited.
While Darkwing continued walking in the desert, Negaduck, the other baby now older, beamed Darkwing up to his flying ship. Negaduck explained that he planned to take over the world and wanted Darkwing's help. Darkwing refused and got thrown out of the flying ship. While falling, Darkwing landed on the window of a plane, the Thunderquack. Darkwing met Launchpad, and the Mysterious Masked Avenger of Evil (played by Gosalyn), Avenger for short, with Launchpad being her sidekick. Avenger asked Darkwing his life's story, and Darkwing explained everything. Avenger and Launchpad took him to Avenger tower, to train him so he could stop Negaduck from taking over the world.
While at the tower, Negaduck began his attack on the planet. They headed out to stop him, and Avenger gave Darkwing a cape and a mask to wear so he would look... dangerous! The Thunderquack got hit by a laser from Negaduck's ship and was disintegrated. They fell into a factory and landed in a vat of Coo-Coo Cola. Coo-Coo Cola was the Avenger's one weakness, and as she was about to die, and she asked that Darkwing continue her job as a crime fighter. Back in the future, the janitor tells Gosaloid and Honkulon that Darkwing now knew his destiny: To fight evil.
Darkwing and Launchpad took another Thunderquack out to stop Negaduck, and Launchpad crashed into the side of Negaduck's ship. Darkwing hopped on board. He then used the genie's secret smoky entrance to surprise Negaduck. Darkwing confronted Negaduck and thanks to what he had learned from everyone, he was able to defeat him.
Back at the museum, Gosaloid and Honkulon are woken up by the museum curator. They tell the curator that the janitor had told them the story of Darkwing Duck. The curator explains that there hasn't been a janitor at the museum for over fifty years. Honkulon blows his nose into a rag that the janitor had given him, and the curator recognizes it as Darkwing's missing mask. Gosaloid asks Honkulon if he now believes that Darkwing existed to which Honkulon replies that even myths can have a basis in reality.
Voice cast[]
- Rene Auberjonois - Vinny
- Christine Cavanaugh - Gosaloid, Avenger
- Jim Cummings - Darkwing Duck, Negaduck, Genie, Drake-el, Negaduck's Father
- Katie Leigh - Honkulon
- Terry McGovern - Launchpad, Tour Guide
- Zelda Rubinstein - Darkwing Duck's Mother, Negaduck's Mother
Trivia[]
- This episode is one of three differing origin stories that were produced for the original show. The other two are "Paraducks" and "Clash Reunion".
- During the Superman parody origin, as Darkwing's father, Jim Cummings does a parody of Marlon Brando's Godfather voice. This references the fact that Marlon played both Jor-El in the 1978 Superman film as well as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
- Coo-Coo Cola is a fictional soft drink that had previously appeared in the Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers episode "The Case of the Cola Cult".
- The idea of Darkwing Duck being a TV show in-universe with an actor playing the eponymous hero would later be explored in the DuckTales reboot, starting with the episode "Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!" The actor playing Darkwing here, goes by the name "Jim Starling", later becoming the new series' version of Negaduck.
