#when we getting the darkwing reboot?

[scribbsrambling]

a brief summary of why webby is my favorite character

[meerkatp]

Now, let's talk about Drakepad. Can we talk about Drakepad, please? I've been dying to talk about Drakepad all year, OK! Sometimes I can't help but wonder if Drake and Launchpad were suppost to become a couple in the Ducktales reboot.

Like, you got that leaked concept art from the Darkwing spinoff (I guess it's okey to post this? It's long been dead if Disney even considered picking it up at all.) where Launchpad clearly has his hand on Drake's shoulder, but it looks like Drake's got his hand on LP's back. And I say Launchpad and not Gosalyn because if it was on/ around Gos we'd likely see his hand on her head or her shoulder which it very clearly is not.

This pitch likely predates TDKR and if I were to guess when it was pitched it'd of likely been sometime in 2018? Possibly even earlier judging by Drake's design as it's still pretty early. (Plus LP's bio in the pitch bible having big (and literal) "let's pick out curtains" energy.)

And then you got this excerpt from the bonus book of the deluxe edition of the Ducktales artbook where it talks about those romantic secret side adventures Launchpad has that we never got to see, and then mentions him meeting Drake as one of these aforementioned side adventures.

And then you got this Gay-ass moment from TDKR.

And the scene of them holding hands with Drake making goo-goo eyes that was intended by the storyboarder to be romantic.

And LP returning the favor in the finale.

The symbolism of the "go to them" scene, as well as how he puts his hand over his heart because of Drake.

Side note: He did this in the original show too.

Not to mention Launchpad's canonically Bi (though they never got to explore this in the show itself).

But even if they were, there's like no way Disney would of allowed it considering how pissed they were about Penumbra being a Lesbian (forcing them to censor it in a way that makes it seem like she's just racist (Speciesist? Planetist?)). And considering how Disney's been trying to reboot Darkwing Duck there problobly would of been the thought "Well if we make them Queer in this then we'd have no choice but to make them Queer in every adaption after that" and Disney has been notoriously anti-Queer when it comes to media (That we even got The Owl House feels like a miracle in and of itself.) and now with actual fucking anti-Queer terrorism on the rise in America especially, and Project 2025 on the horizon, the higher ups are cowards at best, that is if they don't agree with the terrorists themselves (okey I'm getting on a bit of a tangent here, sorry!)

IDK did I miss something? It's like almost 4AM and I can't sleep (if that wasn't obvious).

Anyways when I said that this is what it feels like to ship Drakepad I was not exaggerating or joking.

chika chika

[zelda-cooper]

Character Ideias - Darkwing Duck (aka Drake Mallard)

This blog is for Darkwing Duck writers who plan to write a fanfic, comic or anything that directly or indirectly involves the character Bushroot. The ideas may not be for everyone and everyone has their own different vision of the character, but this blog is for those who are experiencing writer's block or any other creative issues. I hope you understand and, if you use any of these ideas, please give me credit. Thank you for understanding.

Yeah, I know... It took a while but it's here... Sorry for the delay, it's just that my hyperfocus on Loonatics is back and it really messes with my reasoning...

"Excuse me, let me introduce myself..." •pushes me away• "HELLO, MY DEAR FANS!!! I, the great Darkwing Duck, managed to convince you to finally write a blog about me! You lucky ones, hearing only things about me! HAHAHAHAH!"

Sure, sure... Is the speech over? I have to get back to the blog, I'm completely out of patience today...

"Yeah yeah yeah... You know, guys? She lost the first version of the blog because of Tumblr's problem... And probably incompetence..."

I HEAR THAT YOU S-

"Anyway, keep the blog!"

Character's Past

This part is one of the ones that I think won't be that much of a problem regarding the origin of "how Drake became a superhero", because there are a lot of origins that he told in the original series... Even though I think that the ones he told in the episode "The Secret Origins of Darkwing Duck" are all lies and one of the only reliable ones is from "Clash Reunion".

"Wait a minute, are you calling me a liar?!"

I'm not calling... I'm sure...

"HEY HEY HEY!!! REPEAT IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE!!!"

The fact is... Darkwing Duck's origin does have a basis and foundation, you can choose whether he incorporated the persona as a child or at the end of college in his fight against Megavolt. Now, when we talk about the Reboot... We have a small problem... We do know how he became Darkwing Duck in Ducktales 2017, the hero was his idol since childhood and he became an actor for that, then after the event with Jim Starling, he decided to incorporate the heroic persona into his life. So far, so good... But Drake's family was never exactly shown. And, I know, his ancestors were shown, but I mean HIS PARENTS. In this one, it really is a very free path for interpretation, however, I have some suggestions.

- Orphan

There's no way to escape that much, especially because Darkwing is inspired by Batman, and we already know what happened to Bruce... I'm not saying it should be the same, but at least have something similar.

- Toxic or problematic family

This is another factor that could be interesting and, if you want to consider the original version of the series that Negaduck is an alternate version of Darkwing Duck, it's a good starting point. I've seen some people use this and, honestly, it's valid. It could be one of the factors for Drake to actually be overprotective of Gosalyn and, at times, be a jerk to her (example: "Slime Okay, You're Okay").

- Normal family, but...

Now a more interesting one... We can consider that Drake did have a normal childhood, his parents were present and stuff. However... Why doesn't he talk about his parents? And why did he never introduce them to Gosalyn? Maybe he had a fight with them? Did he cause an accident that made him distance himself from his family? You can interpret this part however you want, whether it was Drake's fault or not, but considering his difficult personality... Maybe it was his fault... Speaking of guilt...

The Problems of a Problematic Personality

Now the fun begins... We all know that Drake is not exactly the nicest person in the world... In fact, he has a lot of problems... Whether it's his ego, his character, his relationships, his self-esteem, probably traumas he suffered... But let's start slowly... What are the consequences of Drake's personality? Let's start with his relationships...

- Complicated Relationships

I want to start with this factor because Drake definitely has problems here... First, we have Megavolt/Elmo, who, I know, was never mentioned in the original series, but in many headcanons people say that they were childhood friends. And, yes, it's cute and even cool to think that... But have you seen what Drake's CURRENT friendship with Launchpad is like? They are indeed good friends, but there were many times when Drake treated Launchpad badly, like in "Jailbird" and "Quack of Ages". If he treats LP badly, imagine Elmo, who at that time was also a person with no self-esteem and who was constantly bullied. We already know that Drake sometimes tends to be a coward (not like Bushroot, but he values his life a lot), so he probably didn't protect Elmo. Speaking of friendships... Now, if we take it to a romantic level, it doesn't improve the situation one bit... I've already written a blog about how Drake and Morgana's relationship is too problematic, so I won't repeat it... Now, regarding the Gosalyn issue... Even though he's a good father in certain aspects, he's also not... Whether it's because he's a jerk to her or because he's too overprotective... So, yeah... Their relationships aren't good... Worse than that, is the issue of his hero life.

- Failed Heroic Life

Okay... Where to start? Maybe the fact that he's mostly lazy and not very competent? Sorry, guys... But you have to agree that Drake is really very incompetent! He may have good intentions sometimes and even do the job right sometimes, but most of the time he only cares about fame and is driven by it, sometimes also driven by anger when someone underestimates him. So you can get an idea... Even as a VILLAIN, even if as a disguise, he is incompetent in and of himself, because instead of committing crimes, he ends up solving them unintentionally. Again, there are times when he does manage to do the hero's job right, but in the original series that's not the case. And I know it's a comedy series, but still, his deeds aren't exactly good...

- Psychological Effects

In addition to work relationships and personal relationships in general, there is another factor here... Drake has extremely low self-esteem and this causes the chain reaction that is the egocentric and temperamental personality that makes him problematic. But have you ever stopped to think about how this also affects him mentally? Let's be honest, the life of a hero probably causes Drake a lot of trauma, whether it be stress, burnout, relationship problems and, mainly, a feeling of failure. Drake Mallard, as a civilian, is a mediocre person (in the sense of being a totally average person with nothing special), but when he is Darkwing Duck, he manages to have the self-esteem he always wanted. And therein lies the problem... Staying comfortable in a fantasy, in a persona, is not good... Keeping the mask of confidence when your inner self does not have it and embracing arrogance has a big impact. You end up hurting yourself and the others around you and end up pushing them away, making you feel alone. And, as we can see, Drake does not exactly do well alone...

Eh, I... I think Drake is not well mentally... So let's try to talk about a lighter topic...:'3

Character Development

The character development in the original series is a bit messy, but it's easy to draw a line under it. An arrogant and lonely person who, with the help of people in his life, ends up changing and, even with adversity and internal problems, ends up becoming a better person and a better hero. It's a very basic line of reasoning and a "cliché" character development, but it's effective when done correctly. So, I'll just give you a few tips to help you with your writing.

- Work on the character's psychology

This may require some psychology study, but it's not that complex... Basically, you'll end up acting like a therapist/psychologist for the character. What are his fears? Why does he act the way he does? Why is it difficult for him to change? Use some base episodes if you can; the more you study more about the character's psyche, the more capable you'll feel about writing about him.

- Parallels of the hero and his villains

Again, this may require some in-depth analysis, but like Batman's villains, Darkwing's villains (depending on whether you're going to rewrite them or not) end up having small parallels to Drake. To give you some basic examples... Quackerjack could be a representation of Drake's "mask", how he performs his actions as a hero just as Quackerjack performs his actions as a villain. Bushroot could represent Drake's insecurities and his fear of being alone. Liquidator could represent how his ego and hunger for fame can lead him to be a despicable person. And Megavolt represents Drake's demons from the past, how his personality affects others and turns them into enemies or just hurts them. It's up to your interpretation.

- How Relationships Affect Drake

I've already said how much he affects people, but what about the other side of the coin? We know how much being Gosalyn's father affected him in a positive way, he started to care and have a more noble cause for himself. Lauchpad was a friend for him to vent and talk about his problems. Morgana, in my view, would end up becoming a safe place for Drake to be himself. Now, as for the Justice Ducks... You can interpret that however you want... But, in general, it would make Drake start to have a greater sense of leadership and more responsibility. However, there is one last topic that... This one, although optional, is one of the most interesting to explore...

The Trinity of Alternate Darkwing Duck Versions

This topic, as I said, is completely optional, but if you want to play with multiverse or alternate versions, I have some comments about that... Again, I'm going to play with Undertale's routes.

- Dictator's Route

Let's start with Darkwarrior Duck's route, who is a character that I find, honestly, very interesting... He's still Drake, but at the same time, he's not him anymore... And all because he lost Gosalyn... He lost the person who made him see beyond his greed for fame. But now... She's no longer by his side... You can say that she died (because alternative futures are something that's complicated to work with and, honestly, I don't have the patience to work with time travel) or something else, but the loss of Gosalyn will result in him becoming a dictator who probably killed ALL of his villains and has a completely distorted view of "justice".

- Negative Route

This is his route based on the Negaverse. You can consider Negaduck to be like the original and he's an alternate version of Drake. But if you take into account the 2017 version, you can play with the concept... You can make Jim a good person in the Negaverse and Drake a bad person here. I'm not saying to turn Jim into "Darkwing Duck", no... But making Drake a villain is an interesting idea in the Negaverse, regardless of whether this universe will have a "Darkwing Duck" or it will be just the Friendly Four who stop him. There are thousands of reasons you can give to make Drake become "Negaduck" here, it's just up to you to choose.

- Archer's Route

To finish the trinity, I wanted to talk about an alternative version that only appeared in the comics: Quiverwing Duck. This version of Drake also lost Gosalyn, but also... We didn't see the "Launchpad" version here at any point, so... It could be that he didn't just ask for Gosalyn, he could also have lost Launchpad. We can consider that this Drake lost his support network for some reason, but unlike Darkwarrior, he remained at least sane. He kept his true sense of justice... However, he is still lonely... In this version, you can explore Quiverwing Duck's loneliness and how much this trauma of losing his loved ones affected him.

Reference Suggestions

As a side topic, I will recommend some characters that might be interesting to use in writing your version of Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck.

- Batman from DC Comics

It's the most obvious choice, since it's inspired by Batman (in part), and it could also be interesting to explore the psychological side of the character.

- Caitlyn from Arcane (Spoilers Alert)

One of the most recent, let's say... Although her arc was "weak" in the end, she's still a good choice. Whether it's to show Drake's inexperienced side at the beginning or his downfall when he becomes a dictator.

- Blitzø from Helluva Boss

A character who struggles with his relationships and has a toxic personality, who is struggling with this side of himself and has to face the demons of his past. Could it be more perfect for Drake? -w-

- Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz from Steven Universe

One of the most complex characters in fiction, one that you can either love or hate, but it is the perfect representation of a problematic person who also has to fight against these problems and who hurts people without even realizing it. It is really essential to work on this side of Drake and his constant struggle, also the side of him being "truly neutral".

- Azula from Avatar The Last Airbending

A recommendation that is unusual, but can be a good basis, whether for the version of Drake as Darkwarrior Duck or him as "Negaduck", his decline into insanity.

Conclusion

So, are you happy now?

"Of course! Worthy of me!"

Do you want to finish it for me? I really need it...

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Just this once..."

Well, my dear fans! Thank you for your patience in waiting for my wonderful blog to arrive! It had to be rebuilt from scratch due to some technical issues, but now everything is fine. Again, thank you for coming this far and leave in the comments any suggestions, opinions, compliments for me and other things. Now I have to go, the villains of Saint Canarian don't rest day or night! Goodbye and, don't forget... Stay Dangerous!

[dobithequack]

Kay. If we get a darkwing duck reboot eventually (I'll probably be an adult by the time that happens but I have my hopes.)

I really hope DW gets a chance to expand his interactions with the villains, the fearsome four in particular, a few examples are when they team up but it's always for a short time and things go back to normal.

My favourite one has to be with QJ, it's not just cause I like QuackerWing, but cause it was an interesting truce, the way QJ IMMEDIATELY knew DW could save him from Paddywack's hands always brought a smile to my face.

And listen, as much as the comics are bad for treating QJ like the joker, the only joker and Batman I can see DW and QJ being is Lego Batman 2017. Because they're just so healthy there. I do hope they get something like that in a future reboot, as they kinda have a routine, ya'know? It's a Hero/Villain dynamic I need to see more, because it's underrated.

You can also say QJ and DW are Harley Quinn and Batman, which is 100% true and fair.

I wish more moments of temporary truces happened, specially with Liqqy, cause... Ya'know... You two kinda have a lot to talk about, don't you?

"cases are so much easier when the bad guy offs himself like that."

A LOT. TO TALK ABOUT. Seriously tho. Who says that after someone literally DIED right Infront of you?? He wasn't a BAD bad guy, just someone doing something selfish, sure, a criminal, he was contaminating the water for his own selfish motives, but not a SUPER villain, you could have just sent him to jail, but now, hey! You have a water super villain to deal with, congratulations!!

I think interactions between Liqqy and DW are underrated, not as a ship, at least not to me but you do you, but as people with unsolved issues with each other, sure, I don't expect liqqy to FORGIVE and FORGET that DW unintentionally caused his death and did absolutely nothing about, but for DW to AT LEAST show some regret about that event

[popculturebuffet]

With Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon originals covered, may as well put this in full circle with Disney TVA (only bringing up non-preschool stuff and the half-hour ones to make it simple). Who is your favorite character from the 1987-92 half of the Disney Afternoon era cartoons you saw like: Adventures of the Gummi Bears, The Wuzzles, DuckTales 1987, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, The Little Mermaid 1992, Raw Toonage, and Goof Troop?

I haven't seen Gummi Bears or Wuzzles, though the former's theme song kicks ass and I love that it keeps getting brought up. Ducktales 87: *womp womp womp womp womp womp* Faviorite character is Webby. It was a shockingly easy choice but she's adorable, and while she has a cutsey nature a lot of the time it's oftset by her genuine heart and pluck. She'll gladly tag along, and while she'll cry and be more emotinal because well.. 80's kid show version of what they think a little girl is, those emotoins often ground her against her peers, less in the cliche

Way and more simply by having more of a heart than scrooge (who shuts his off but Webby is one of the few people that can bring out his warm caring side) and the boys (Who are often sexist dicks who need to get thrown into a volcano tekken stylez to learn a lesson). Her reboot self IS better in pretty much every way

But it's comparing a character who got a lot of layers and came out in an era where women were actually writing the character. So the comparison is hard.

So as for the show itself.. it's decent. It has gorgeous animation, captures barks style well and throws in it's own touches with webby and launchpad (and beakly but unlike the og webby who I feel is underated, og ms beakley sucks as much as her reputation), and later Gizmoduck. It's a solid series and it's easy to see why it set off the disney afternoon and disney tva as a whole; while gummi bears proved it was possible, Ducktales proved it could be a roaring success and that putting good money into animation was just good sense. The show changed animatoin.

I respect the show but admit it's just.. okay to me. It's not bad, I wouldn't mind reviewing more episodes , plug plug plug shill shill shill, but it just dosen't really hit me the way some of the other cartoons in this block or later disney stuff does. IT's a fine adaptatoin, decent enough and Alan Young is THE scrooge, with David Tennant a close second, but it's just not something I seek out. Granted i'm bad at watching shows that are just sitting ther eon D+ but while I enjoyed what I saw before the reboot back when I had the dvd, it's one of those shows that was worldshaking then but now is just.. okay> Not bad, still specail, but just not for me. Maybe that'll change if I see some of the later episodes, I feel my opinon could easily evolve, but for now it's just a fine part of the lore and worthy of adding to the cannon , but not for me.

As a bonus since all of the shows adapted are present i'll also throw my opinons in on the nes games as one of the first things I got for my PS4 was the disney afternoon collection and while I intend to review these games in full at some point (Again comms are open for those intrested) . So in order: Ducktales is really good, a solid platformer whose only real flaws are difficulty (not as bad in an age of rewinds) and the amazon requiring a cash gate. Really fun platformer. The second one is decent, not quite as good but I do like the adition of adapters like mega man.. even if said addition left me stuck at one point bu tthat's ag ripe for another day.

Finally we have remastered, another one to review some day and a beautiful well game you can still find on steam and I have on both there and x-box 360. like with the disney afternoon collection it was one of my first purchases when I got one again about two years back. It feel slike a grand and proper finale to the cartoon, bringing back everyone who was alive at the time, having vibrant animation and ending on a wonderful note. IT's only real issues are difficulty once again and the fact the lovingly crafted story to justify each level does eat up a bit of time in each level and breaks the momentum. I wish we'd get another platformer like this from disney though I intend to try illusion island at some point.

The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Eeore. Always. Honestly haven't seen this one outside of some vauge recoltions of catching it on disney channel as a kid, so I can't say much but unless they made him a giant sentient fart cloud that kicks tigger in the gonad I doubt my answer would change.

Chip N Dale: Gadget. She's the kind voice of reason, and can be real funny. The show itself.. is mid. I've reviewed a few episodes at this point and the show is fine, it just leans into cliches a bit, which being a late 80's show, isn't suprising. It's got some creative energy, a standout ep or two and some shockingly adult content, but it dose'nt have ducktales grandness or the next two's energy and vibe. It's just kinda a kids show As for the NES games the first is like the show itself: fine, kinda forgetable, probably not bad to at least check it out. The second on the other hand is a shocking leap in quality: the sprites are more detailed, it evolves on the pick up stuff and throw it gameplay, and gives the game an actual plot.. an excuse plot still but one fitting the show and shockingly detailed for an early 90's videogame. Well worth checking out.

Talespin: OH OH OH OH OH OH SPIN IT!. I've made my love for what i've seen of talespin (I badly need to watch more) very clear. My faviorite is Sheer Khan, a villian whose a nice mix of caluating and honorable: unlike most buisness scumbags, while he will do shady stuff, he does so right and can be our heroes ally, enemy or a neutral party depending on the day, utterly respecting higher for higher but not being afraid to go against them if needed with cold, calculating percision. A perfect adaptation

As for the show itself.. it's a lot of fun. Granted the 1930's 40's pulp adventure setting with plans, tons of gorgeous tropic vistas and eiral acrobatics is for me: I love a good plane, and I love this kind of 40's set story if done right. See INdiana Jones. So it works. it has a great main cast, fun antagonists, and a great setting. Unlike Ducktlaes the episodic nature dosen't bother me as much because they vary it up more, sometimes adventuring around cape suzette sometimes doing globetrotting. It all depends on what the episode needs and this show is sensatoinal The nes game is a tad hard, you WILL die and you WILL need that rewind, easily the hardesdt of the bunch.. but I can't hate it being fun, breezy and having a kickass chiptune version of the theme. Granted it's also because I just love this cartoon so much, so i'm an easy mark, but it is a lot of fun and I feel dosen't get the respect it deserves.

Darkwing Duck: Negaduck, the perfect arch enemy. While Darkwing has a solid as hell Rogues Gallery, Negaduck has that extra menace, being one of the very few foes of his that comes off as menacing, with Jim Cummings low growl feeling perfect. He's everything Drake COULD be and worse: Cold, arrogant, murderous and yet he still fits the zany tone, gladly whipping out a chainsaw or engaging in slapstick just enough to make him not feel jarring iwth the show as a whole, but not enough to undercut his menance

The show itself is great and I REALLY wish we'd gotten that reboot. But the original is really good: like ducktales or chip n dales it's got a very loose continuity and i've talked at length about how the episode order is a styigan labyrinth from which few escape. But it mostly works.. by being funny. When it isn't it's mid and i've reviewed plenty of episodes I didn't like.. but when it's working, it REALLY works, having a ton of laughs, a suprising amount of heart, and a really fun well thought out prtoaganist: part egotist, part genuinely heroic, part judgemental fuckup, all darkwing duck

The final NES game covered here and easily my faviorite. Granted it's partly a prefrence thing: I'm a HUGE mega man fan, so getting a game tha'ts essentially another nes mega man but still perfectly caputres the spirit of darkwing duck is an easy sell. The game is HARD, though rewind helps.. but man if it isn't fun. Like all 6 games, capcom put a lot of heart into it and a lot of effort into matching the style of the show. And while the music for all 6 games slaps, darkwing has the best soundtrack by far, perfectly fitting the show, the foes all fitting the zany superhero parody feel an di'ts impressive given the game was clearly put into production early into the shows run using production materials as everyone works for fowl like in an early pitch.. and yet despite this the game is juts pitch perfect.

The Little Mermaid 97: I'm only including this because like winnie the pooh I defintely saw it once in a while, but I dont' remember it. Sorry.

Raw Toonage: I've only seen the episode I recently reviewed and it was.. okay. The first segment was like living in a living nightmare and bonkers sucks at least in these (His own show is probably fine, haven't seen it), adn the other two were fine. Like the concept fine enough.

Goof Troop: REPORT TO THE GOOF TROOP. I like most of the cast.. but it's Goofy. It's the boy. This is one of the best versions of him, though Goofy Movie obviously fleshed him out considerably, this is where the groundwork was laid out. Goof Troop itself is decent.. it dosen't always land or age perfectly, Max like the boys can oscelate betweeen tolerable and punch him in the head, but it's over the top fun nature, great slapstick and kicking theme song help. It's jus ta lot of fun. Budaopbobadowop YEAH

[thechaseofspades]

There is NO Drake Mallard: A DT17/DWD Theory/Headcanon

Spoilers for Ducktales 2017 and a few elements of Darkwing Duck '91

OK but hear me out. Who is Drake Mallard in the original Darkwing Duck show (hereafter: DW91)? It's the childhood backstory (if you can call it that) that we see before he becomes Darkwing Duck, and it's the civilian identity that lives with LP and Gosalyn in the suburbs next to the Muddlefoots.

In Ducktales 2017 (hereafter: DT17), Drake Mallard is an actor who idolizes the "show-within-a-show" Darkwing and lands the role in the reboot. He eventually dons the cape and cowl himself.

So DT17 Drake fits the bill of DW91 Drake in the pre-Darkwing backstory department, but what about his civilian identity? It's a vital part of the original show, but we don't really see it much in DT17.

It's time to talk about the show within the show...

What do we know about the "Darkwing Duck" show in the universe of Ducktales? Based on the references we see to specific episodes, it's obviously based on the real life DW91. But, with one big exception.

We never see Jim Starling (the actor playing DWD in the show-within-the-show) in a civilian identity. He is Darkwing Duck in all of the clips we see of the show. No "Drake Mallard" to be found. No Launchpad or Gosalyn either. The Darkwing in the show-within-the-show doesn't seem to have a civilian identity or a civilian life of any kind.

And that makes sense, since in the DT17 universe, Drake Mallard is a real person. So are Launchpad and Gosalyn. So it would be weird for them to exist in the show-within-the-show.

We'll keep this in mind for later. But for now...

Who is Drake Mallard? (DT17)

Back to this joker. Let's talk about what we know about Chris Diamantopoulos's Drake Mallard.

Now, when I say "Drake Mallard", I mean Drake in his civilian persona. Keep in mind that Drake is an actor who was born to play Darkwing, and completely commits to the bit from the first time he puts on the costume.

But what is "the bit" to him? He bases everything, including his personality to an extent, on Starling's DW. We've established that that Darkwing had no civilian identity, so it would make sense for Drake to replicate that as well.

We only see Drake Mallard (not as Darkwing) in two scenes after he dons the cape. The first is this scene at the end of Let's Get Dangerous...

When this scene popped up, I assumed it would be the adoption scene. I think many people still kinda headcanon this as a soft adoption, when Gosalyn becomes a Mallard. But the show made a conscious decision to *not* do that, because Gos doesn't need adopted. Her grandfather isn't dead. He's in another dimension.

Gosalyn made DW91 Drake Mallard who he is

The pilot episode of DW91 starts off with Darkwing Duck as a vigilante superhero and nothing else. No sidekick, no daughter no civilian identity. During the two-parter, he meets LP (a huge Darkwing fan) and Gos (the orphan granddaughter of a scientist who was killed for his invention).

Sound familiar? That's because the Darkwing arc (Arcwing if you will) in DT17 is based heavily on this show with one notable exception: Thaddeus Waddlemeyer isn't dead in Ducktales. Gosalyn isn't an orphan. Thus, no adoption.

In DW91, the adoption scene at the end of the pilot introduces us to Drake Mallard, DW's mild-mannered civilian persona. Before adopting Gosalyn, DW lived in the tower alone, dedicating his entire life to fighting crime. Now, he has a daughter to take care of.

So why focus on this scene in DT17, and specifically what's different about it? In Let's Get Dangerous, Darkwing asks Gosalyn if she'll be his crime-fighting partner. That's not something new dad Drake Mallard would ask. That's a Darkwing Duck question.

Don't be fooled by the button-up shirt. That is not Drake Mallard. That's Darkwing Duck but his costume is at the dry cleaners. Adopting Gosalyn in DW91 prompts his civilian persona, but in DT17 we don't get to that part.

Darkwing Duck in DT17 is based on the DW91 character pre-pilot

Before adopting Gosalyn, DW91 Darkwing lived alone in the tower and dedicated all of his time to crime-fighting. The ultimate commitment to the bit. As we've established, this is what show-within-the-show Darkwing was like as well, since there were no LP or Gos in that version. This is the Darkwing Duck that DT17 Drake is trying to replicate.

Gosalyn may be in his life, but they are crime-fighting partners, NOT father and daughter. Launchpad is his best friend, but they don't live in the suburbs together. As far as we know, LP still lives in Duckburg while Drake spends most of his time in St. Canard, working out of the Audubon Tower.

We never see that house in the suburbs. And we only see Drake in casual clothes one more time in the entire series...

Here's Drake, very openly talking with Fenton about Gizmoduck and Darkwing Duck business. What part of secret identity do these goofballs not understand?

DT17 Drake Mallard was an actor, and he was born to play this role. He wouldn't be careless with his secret identity. Unless, there is no secret identity at all. His hero didn't have one, so why would he need one?

All Fenton knows in this conversation is that he's talking to Darkwing Duck. Who even is Drake Mallard? Does it matter to him? Does it matter to anyone?

For all intents and purposes, Drake Mallard does not exist. After retiring from acting, Darkwing Duck emerged as the St. Canardian Guardian. He has become Darkwing Duck. He is constantly playing the role. He is not Drake Mallard. He is Darkwing Duck.

In DW91, Drake Mallard's job was to protect and raise Gosalyn.

In DT17, Darkwing Duck's job is to protect her and reunite her with her family.

These are different characters with different priorities. I feel like this was intentional. And even if it wasn't, then I am pretending that it was.

I think that about covers it? This whole thought process started out with me trying to justify as few people knowing Darkwing's secret identity as possible, but it turned into a way bigger thing. I wish Darkwing would get more official stories to explore this concept, but I guess we'll settle for super long Tumblr posts instead

[beanghostprincess]

God. modern Au Usopp would win cosplay competitions for judges choice / most creative because he makes Darkwing Ducks weapons from scratch and puts his entire theatre kid soul into it. Kid Usopp would have woken up at six on a school day to catch reruns of DD and adult Usopp was ECSTATIC when the Ducktales reboot was announced and he heard Darkwing would be in it. I can most definetly see your vision here. Probably likes the new version a bit more but loves that original Darkwing is just such an attention hog while still being a caring person deep down.

Usopp and Sanji start to get closer and one of the hardest things Usopp has to do is let him into his flat were he has just an entire corner dedicated to nerd stuff,several series actually but among other things cells from the original series he spent way more money on that would seem reasonable and autographs and vhs tapes still in their packaging. „Uhh. Yeah it’s- hahh- listen this show is hugely sentimental to me and I love the new one and yea…. You probably think that’s super weird?“ and Sanji just blinks and fumbles and digs around in his bag „No! Nono it’s okay! And pulls out an old, damaged keychain of a figure that probably used to be Card Captor Sakura before all the paint started to chip off. „This is one of my most prized possessions! I admired her so much as a kid!“ And Usopp reconsiders his stances on „faithed love“ and „soulmates“ because obviously god must have made Sanji this perfect on purpose and put him on earth just for Usopp to fall on love with.

I know we don't know each other but I would marry you right now if I could because this is honestly quite exactly what I was thinking about??????????????? Please??????? I- i am having the biggest Ducktales brainrot right now and there you go, adding Usopp and Sanuso sprinkles to it and I am going insane. Thank you.

Usopp would fucking love Darkwing Duck and he would absolutely love Ducktales 2017. I think he'd prefer the new version just a little bit more because it has a bit more depth and he'd relate to Drake Mallard an insane amount. A loser who found comfort in a TV Show (the same as him!!) and then chose to be an actor to bring that happiness to other kids, but then ended up being the hero he had always dreamed of being?? He's overly confident when he wears the suit but there's always something within him telling him that he's not good enough and that he has to keep trying harder. But Launchpad and Gosalyn believe in him!!! And idk, I think Usopp would absolutely love it. It would give him the confidence to be himself and also go back to cosplaying (and also making his own OC! Sogeking!). This is just- The sweetest thing on earth.

And then he meets Sanji and he doesn't tell him about his obsession with Ducktales and Darkwing Duck because it's childish and people always call him a kid for liking these things (personal experience. I fucking hate being 19 and having to hide that one of my fav shows is Ducktales). But he really does want to get to know Sanji better, and the cook keeps insisting on going to his apartment in their early stages of dating (or y'know, starting to know each other with romantic intentions. Pining. Whatever). And then he shows him his room and he has the place full of merchandising (my dream, honestly. Somebody get me a Darkwing Duck figurine for Christmas). And,,, It's exactly what you said,,, They make me so happy,,

Sanji tells him he's a fan of Card Captor Sakura (WHICH BY THE WAY IS ONE OF MY FAV ANIMES OF ALL TIME AND I THINK SANJI WOULD LOVE IT) and they just- Instant love. They start infodumping to each other so hard their faces hurt from smiling so damn much.

I think they'd have cute little dates in which they watch Ducktales and Card Captor Sakura together (Sanji absolutely loves Lena by the end of the show. Something something relating to her story. And I think Usopp loves Kero because silly little guy that's actually the coolest).

[puffyducks]

Hey! Do you still have the link for the Darkwing Duck Reboot pitch? If so, can you pass it to me?

When I was reading through the pitches they were being passed around through google drive files that have since been deleted (Disney ninjas got em) but thankfully user ducklooney has uploaded screenshots of the DWD pitch in full!

I think it's worth mentioning that this was pitched before Let's Get Dangerous existed and seemingly before The Duck Knight Returns as well, so there are some differences between the pitch and some of the content we received in Ducktales 2017 (this is also why Bushroot is absent from the villain lineup picture because he's the only member of the fearsome four that didn't have a reboot design yet).

[glapplebloom]

I’m probably not going to make Knuckles into a One Shot...

So I made Adorabat for Patreon because I thought he seemed neat. So when I wanted to make a comic about her for Patreon, I went into some out of context clips. And MAN, was it not what I was expecting (like Adorabat being a girl). It got me interested in watching more, and thus watching an actual full episode: the first episode of Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart. So let’s see how this is...

The opening is very anime, but short. We open with Adorabat hanging with kids her own age but they don’t want to be around her because she’s intense and they’re way too sensitive. Then we see Mao Mao and his sidekick Badgerclops going to attack Sky Pirates. Mao Mao gives me Darkwing vibes for wanting to be a hero but also being pretty egotistical. 

While Badgerclops wants to be cautious since the bad guys do look intimidating, Mao Mao goes for the attack and uses Badgerclops’ cyber arm to take out all of them. One even had metal wings and can’t fly because they’re too heavy. Adorabat sees this from a distance. They escape as the Pirates Ship falls from the skies. All seems to be going well...

Then they crashed into the Pure Heart Barrier. And now monsters are actually noticing the location. So Mao Mao and Badgerclops had never seen this place before. And luckily for them they arrived before the monsters could come in. And Adorabat likes what she sees (in terms of action, not romance). She wants to be a hero just like Mao Mao. Mao Mao doesn’t want her to tag along because she’s a child.

When he wonders how this town exists at all despite being a monster buffett waiting, the King Shows up. The Pure Heart protected them, but it no longer works because someone crashed into it. That someone was Mao Mao, who realized what he has done and thinks his dream of being a Legendary Hero has gone up in smoke for being the guy that caused an entire village to die because he broke their only means of protection.

So he vows to protect this city and stop his travels because he feels responsible for the situation. And good thing too because now the Pirates are back and (minus all the ones that died) are going after the Pure Heart. The two go off to fight them, telling Adorabat to stay behind. She doesn’t listen and saves them from being laser blasted. Pretty good fight scene between Mao Mao and Orangusnake.

Then Mao overhears that Orangusnake is after the Pure Heart so he can become a Legendary Villain. This gives him the idea that protecting the Legendary Artifact will make him a Legendary Hero. Meaning he can not only keep his promise to protect the people but fulfill his dream of being a Legendary Hero at the same time. And after a combo move with a bomb, the Heroes take out the Pirates again.

It ends with Mao Mao and Adorabat getting awards, Badgerclops getting pies, and Mao Mao being declared the official sheriff of the village. And Mao Mao invites Adorabat along to join them. Honestly, I love it. This is what I think the Darkwing Duck Reboot is trying to be: an action series with comedy and a focus on the heroic but egotistical main character, his equally action packed adopted daughter, and the one that keeps them together and grounded. I hope I get to see the rest of this series.

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

Send me a character prompt:

What is your opinion of Drake Mallard: DuckTales 2017 edition?

First impression: "This guy is such a dork....I love him so much. Also, got to love when someone is clearly a huge fan of a franchise gets to have a role in a major project for it."

Impression now: "Why isn't the apparent Darkwing reboot going to be connected to DuckTales 2017? You made me love this version of Drake and then basically just tell me I'm never going to see him again?"

Favorite moment: The moment where we actually learn who he is, with it being made even more awesome because it follows not only him showing he's got what it takes to be a hero instead of just playing one, but him essentially agreeing to take up Launchpad's suggestion that he be Darkwing for real.

Idea for a story: I feel like a situation where he's forced to use the Gizmosuit for whatever reason would be entertaining. Like maybe the password needed to be reset and he was the first one to walk by and speak when prompted for a new password, so the suit just automatically goes to him, and he doesn't know how to get it off so he's got to be Gizmoduck for a while.

Unpopular opinion: This is kind of a meta thing, but when it comes to Drake/Darkwing, I actually think I like Chris's voice a little more than Jim's? Like, Jim is the perfect Negaduck, but when I think of Darkwing, even in the original series, I have to remind myself that Chris didn't voice him back then, because my brain automatically thinks of his voice when I think of the character.

Favorite relationship: I wish we got to see more of it, but his dynamic with Gosalyn was amazing. I always loved their relationship in the old series, and this was a new take on it that was understandably different, but I'd argue just as precious. Still wish we'd gotten some kind of confirmation if Drake had legally adopted her by the end, or not.

Favorite headcanon: I think on some level, he does actually know Fenton is Gizmoduck, but he's in denial about it because he can't get over his jealousy towards Gizmoduck, but he just genuinely likes Fenton a lot and doesn't want to dislike him, even slightly.

[askdarkwingduck]

You know Drake, IF, and WHEN we get a Darkwing Duck Reboot, I hope they use your 2017 design from Ducktales 2017. In fact, let's you and me cheer it together. BRING BACK DARKWING!!!!! BRING BACK DARKWING!!!!! Are you with me Drake?

Indeed my friend! BRING BACK DARKWING!!

[crypticnerdsociety]

I Hate This

So it’s officially the last day before Willow is gone, and my internet is messing up so I can’t even watch it. Disney really screwed us over (again) with another AMAZING show that includes LGBTQ+ and People of Color representation. Disney is a drug that we Hate and Love. It’s a toxic corrupt corporation that has wronged so very many people. I got Disney+ specifically to watch Willow. And yeah I know there’s more stuff to watch on there, but most of the classics I have on DVD or Blu-Ray. I watch other stuff on there as well, but the main thing that made me get Disney plus was Willow. I wanted and needed a new show to watch after The Owl House ended and I found it. I don’t trust Streaming Services because I know eventually more things will be removed and never available again. Like on regular TV most shows aren’t on anymore and they are so damn hard to find in physical format. I really hope they put Willow and various other shows on DVD or Blu-Ray. I don’t want this show to completely disappear and nobody else ever being able to see it again.

Now this is another problem I have, I feel the need to cancel my Disney+ subscription, but then I wouldn’t be able to see the Goosebumps reboot series or the Darkwing Duck reboot series. (Also I am aware that is not a new pic of the Darkwing Duck.)

Remember what I said when Disney is toxic and we love and hate it? Well this is why I love and hate it. I love Goosebumps and have ever since I was 5 years old, it’s what got me into horror and scary stuff. Darkwing Duck is my favorite Disney character of all time, and I have been waiting for this reboot forever. I HATE DISNEY, but it lures you back to it. Like a toxic partner it manipulates you and bribes you with it’s untrue promises and appealing offers and once it has you it hurts you again.

I don’t know if we will ever see our favorite QUESTIES ever again, on screen or in physical media format, but if we do it will still be magical to see them. I just hope they all know how special they are. I’m not going to say ‘were’ because in my mind they will always be the same characters who made me fall in love with this show forever. I will always appreciate Kit and Jades love story, I will always laugh at Boremans dumbassness, I will always cherish Willows wiseness, I will always care for Graydon, I will always appreciate Airks Honesty, and I will always remember Elora Danan as the most badass sorceress that has ever blessed my screen.

[scourgethehedgehogshrine]

so it seems like you like ducktales, and i once saw a post on this site about how scourge would totally team with the evil version of darkwing duck and how they have some things in common and i just want to hear what you think of that? feel free to ramble about it.

I LOVE YOU/P

But OH MY GODD THIS THOUGHT JUST CROSSED MY MIND AND I ALREADY HAVE SO MANY IDEAS,, OKAYOKAY SO,

I personally feel like Scourge would look at this guy and go “ okay, what a fuckin’ loser. Ducks are fer’ pluckin’, chump, now scram. ” Negaduck gets mad, he doesn't tolerate this: he was a star for ages back in his prime, he saved a life! Who is this sucker to call HIM of all people a ‘Chump’? They get into a fight, Scourge is visibly winning because.. Well, picture this, Sonic w/ a master emerald boost who has terrible intentions w/ both the world and anyone who crosses his path, but against I'm pretty sure if we're going by the reboots version, an old actor. While I don't wanna underestimate this guy(he almost killed Drake), if we're logically speaking, I doubt he'd ever beat Scourge. He may have played Darkwing Duck, but he never had the spirit of Darkwing Duck — You can see this during season 2 episode 16 of ducktales, when he is visibly shocked on how Drake didn't die when he exploded the box of dynamite under him. So yeah, I do believe Scourge would absolutely SOLO a fight w/ this guy, cuz sure, Scourge is pathetic, but GOD this guy is a SLAG. But anyways, back to the point.

They fight, but during this fight something happens and they make amends, they team up. Both of these losers plan to betray each other, but right now they have a temporary truce to take out the ones they hate: Those insufferable, imposter ’HEROES’.

I could definitely see the similarities, both hate their noble counterparts, DESPISE, even. Scourge can’t stand Sonic because that's what he could've BEEN. He had a chance to be loved, to be admired and respected by everyone, to have a good life. But instead, he was overshadowed by his beloved, heart of gold double. Sonic.

Negaduck hates Drake/Darkwing because that's what HE wants to be. Loved. Not forgotten, not under looked.. He wants attention. We already see in his first appearance that he hates how he's ’Old news’, so much so that he's a complete jerk to his oldschool fans, no matter how much they adore him. But all of a sudden he switches the second he sees a kid, a new beginning.. Just to be disappointed yet again. Then he meets this random stranger, who all of a sudden, is starring in a LITERAL MOVIE. A movie which will be seen by hundreds, no, THOUSANDS of kids. And the target audience? Children. He looked at Drake and saw what was supposed to be HIS future, but was slapped in the face w/ a brutal “You're not in the movie.”

I guess the similarities are there, Negaduck hates Darkwing because that's what he should've been, and Scourge hates Sonic because.. Well, that's what HE SHOULD'VE BEEN.

They parralel each other so well, I could see them clashing together and working w/ each other(of course, before the two betray each other.)

[dalt20]

Tooning in 2. Dev Ross Part 2 of 7

DL: oh. well do you wanna talk about your career?

DR: Sure. I'm leaving next Friday to attend as a guest speaker the South Korean Content Market. I plan to pitch some of my latest stuff - all live action projects save for one animated .

DL: that's exciting! question one, writing plus voice directing for chip N dale rescue rangers?

DR: Yes! Best time ever! Tad Stones knew I had done a lot of acting so thought I'd make a good voice director. I did!

DL: so a couple of episodes i'll like to go over.

DR: Oh boy...

DL: don't worry, only the important episodes.

DR: People often ask me about why I wrote certain stories but it was a long time ago! I will most likely give answers that disappoint

DL: That's ok. All it matters is that you know the story behind the episodes. So,adventures in squirrelsitting?

DR: Did I write that episode?

DL: yes you did. the episode where chip n dale babysit two squirrels, while trying to find the maltese mouse statue. one of squirrel siblings had a crush on chip. on imdb.

DR: Yes, Tad and I co-wrote that one.

DL: the process on coming up with the premise?

DR: The process is the same as to all our ideas. We get a basic idea like babysitting and then start spit balling on how to make it work with our characters. Throw in an emotional story like a crush and let it play out against the larger action story. We always made sure our emotional story rammed right into the action story to create more obstacles. Tad and I both had babies so we often used ideas from having our own kids.

DL: Woah! Using inspiration from real life! Now that's a great source of story martial.

DR: Most of my stories were rooted in my life. Perhaps just fragments but just a funny moment from your kid can transform into an entire story. I especially did that on my Land Before Time sequels.

DL: zipper comes home?

DR: Yes.

DL: Was the process was you were using the classic "i'm a mess up, i'm leaving" trope that used in other cartoons while writing that episode?

DR: I don't understand your question. Oh. Got it. Not at all. No classic trope. I used my own experience as a child when I ran away. I remember how I felt and why I left and used that to create the story.

DL: wow! but do you know the classic running away episode?

DR: I didn’t think about it, no. Again, I did then and do now, create stories based on my experiences or the experiences of others.

DL: throw mummy from the train. the process was?

DR: Just a play on the current movie of the time: Throw Mama from the Train.

DL: was that one with danny devito?

DR: We often looked at the trend of movies - old and new - and idea riffed off them. Yes, Danny Devito

DL: well most of your episode titles are puns of movies or phrases. why was that?

DR: I did one called Gadget Goes Hawaiian based on the sixties film Gidget Goes Hawaiian. I started surfing cuz I loved that movie as a kid. We knew we also had an adult audience so we played with our titles. Used stuffed they were keen on. Fyi: the actress who played Gidget also voiced a role in that one; She played a Gadget lookalike.

DL: Wow! Wait you got sally field? And also, how was it writing for female characters, since you're a female writer. Like how do you write for characters like gadget?

DR: No it was Deborah Walley.

DL: oh new gidget. the 80s one.

DR: I had to push for more female characters. Sally was tv Gidget. Deborah was film Gidget in Gidget Goes Hawaiian.

DL: was she in the 80s reboot?

DR: No.

DL: oh,wait. i'm so confused!

DR: Writing for female characters then was very different. Still had to battle stereotypes . I would write them very different now. Female characters were still stereotyped. I regret that I did not push harder .

DL: was that in your scripts were the female characters stereotyped?

DR: Not in RR but in Darkwing Duck. I created Morgana for DD. She was very stereotypical and I really regret that. But at the time, I was considered pushing the envelop. I would write her very different now.

DL: well i forgot, winnie the pooh for disney and the ABC network? your first writing credit.

DR: Yes. At Disney. I'd written for PBS before that and was nominated for an Emmy twice.

DL: and that was clifford the big red dog?

DR: No that came much later. My Emmy nominated shows were live action.

DL: oh what was the program before winnie the pooh?

DR: Those shows were adapted from my touring stage shows. Winnie the Pooh was my first Disney show. I really knew nothing about animation then and had to learn fast.

DL: how was it writing for animation for the first time?

DR: It was pretty great because there are really no limitations to what you can create. I went crazy with the freedom. My experience had only been with real actors...

DL: well was it hard writing for cartoons?

DR: Yes, absolutely . As much as I loved the freedom and whimsy, I missed real actors and deeper stories. The stuff I write now couldn't be more different!

DL: well which medium do you consider the easy to write.

DR: But writing for animation really made me a better writer. In animation, you really have to spell out the world and direct the action. It was great training. Animation by far. Live action calls for very different skills.

DL: and you're not a great artist right? so you cant draw for cartoons.

DR: I'm a terrible artist, so I paint with words.

DL: yeah, but you tell the animators what to draw right?

DR: Yes! And sometimes they got angry with me because I directed the action so much. But I was instructed too! Some artists did not like that.

DL: well you gotta loosen up. the storyboarder wants to feel in control.

DR: They wanted to do their own staging. It was a matter of time. We were instructed to really storyboard with our words. If the artist didnt like it they could change it. But often, they were in time crunches and so a writer's suggestions were good to work off of. I became best friends with a storyboarder who was very offended that I wrote out so much action. But as we got busier and busier, he understood. My stuff was just something he could work off if he wanted. But I was really good at action and comedy so my stuff was used a lot. My theater background helped there.

DL: so for winnie the pooh, the episode donkey for a day.

DR: Yes

DL: so process for that episode?

DR: That was very early before I was staff I believe. I pitched the story to Mark Zaslove as a freelancer. He took it and handed it over to staff writers. I was inspired by looking at drawings of Eeyore staring at the sky. I just wondered if he was sad or lonely and that was the start. It came from people often misinterpreting what others are feeling.

DR: So you wrote the premise, but you gave it to Mark for the script. So it was story by dev ross, teleplay by mark zaslove.

DL: No sorry, I was staff then. No. I had the idea and Mark added to it but then gave it to more senior writers.

DR: Well the episode, there's no camp like home? What's the process for that. That was the classic "camping episode". if you know what i mean.

DR: It came from my love of camping and telling scary stories around a campfire. I also loved the Heffalumps so wanted to tell a story with them! As there was never any true villains in Pooh we used children's fears and dreams... I went camping as a young girl and mistook a knarled tree as a monster so I used that as inspiration.

DL: Nice

DR: Exactly. I want my stuff to be rooted in real emotions.

DL: cleanliness is next to impossible, process for that episode.

DR: Ah yes! Boy did I get letters from parents about that! They said it was too scary! It was right out of my childhood and Crud was the creature who lived under my bed! I also had a over active imagination and thought that whatever I drew could come alive. Also, my babies liked to draw on the wall with crayons. So I put it all together.

[heyclickadee]

Okay, that is a good point. And I’ll admit that that’s something I tend to not consider when it comes to fake-out deaths. (This got long, so more under the cut):

I’m not really into comic books, at least not superhero comics, in part because there are so many universe reboots, divergences, and character resurrections that I wouldn’t know where to start if how to keep track of anything (1). So, yeah, coming at it as someone who loves Star Wars but is only marginally aware of superhero comics and casually aware of the MCU, my reaction to fake-outs and character resurrections tends to be on a case by case basis because I’m not coming at it already being tired of seeing it happen. But now that you bring it up…yeah, someone who was a comic fan and also a Star Wars fan probably would be jaded as hell about character deaths and resurrections, and could absolutely see one more death not sticking as the final straw. And I can definitely sympathize with that.

But I also think that there’s a case to be made for looking at different kinds of fiction as somewhat (maybe not entirely, because cross-influence happens and nothing is made in a vacuum) separate things with their own particular sets of rules and tropes, sometimes depending on the genre, the medium, or even on what that specific piece of fiction is trying to do. An X-Men comic is not necessarily going to operate the same as a Darkwing Duck cartoon is not going to operate the same as The Boys is not going to operate the same as The Clone Wars, for example. They’re all action-adventure, broadly speaking, but they’re not really doing the same things in the same way. And I sometimes feel like we come at everything nowadays expecting it to all be the same.

(And to be fair, I think that expectation comes from a good almost twenty-years of MCU movies feeling homogenous, with a few exceptions, but that’s a whole other post).

But, again, your point is a really good point.

And Tech’s “death” being a fakeout is the thing that makes the most story sense for me, to the point that I really would be confused if it turned out he didn’t survive. The unresolved goodbye with Phee is definitely one of the many, many reasons why.

1. This kind of also applies to really long running shonen anime. I think they’re probably generally pretty good, but I’m terrified to even try to get into something like One Piece because there’s just. So much of it.

Edit, because there was a whole paragraph I forgot to write: I would also argue that fandoms can be kind of selective when it comes to which characters need to come back and which need to die. I saw a ton of arguments for the Fifth Sister coming back despite the fact that she also fell from high, high up, and had a lot less story justification to come back in Jedi: Survivor. The justifications given by people arguing for her survival were generally just that she was a cool villain. And I’ve seen tons of theories and arguments for Maul surviving again (and, okay, I’d actually be down for Weird Sand Ghost Maul haunting the Dune Sea, but still). But with Tech it’s often the same people arguing that he, specifically, has to be dead, otherwise death loses all meaning, and I sometimes think that the kind of heavy handed fake-out setup is part of why.

I do still think you have a really good point, though.

Fandom salt under the cut. Not really fandom salt. Maybe fandom paprika or fandom ground cloves:

I sometimes feel like the idea that death has no meaning in Star Wars has more to do with backlash to Zombie Palpatine in TRoS and fandom endlessly repeating the idea that no one dies than death actually being uncommon in Star Wars.

Because, yes, there have been some badly handled fake-out deaths and untimely resurrections in Star Wars. But there have been some very well handled fake-out deaths and resurrections, too, and the majority of characters who die do actually stay dead. The ones who don’t tend to fall into one of two categories: either they were originally supposed to die, but then later on someone realized that was a mistake because they just showed up and there’s more story to tell with them, no point wasting a sick ass character design (eg. Maul, Boba, potentially Fennec Shand); or we never actually saw them die on screen to begin with (eg. Ahsoka two times over).

(And then there’s the Palpatine thing which is its own category of one; I enjoy Zombie Palps, to tell you the truth, but that doesn’t mean I think it was a good choice.)

Does that mean they were all well done? Oh, goodness no. But it’s really something that has to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Do I think it was the right choice to bring Echo back? Absolutely. Would I argue the same thing for Fives if he were to come back? No, I probably wouldn’t.

And yes, main characters die a lot less often than side characters, true, but that’s because they’re main characters. They’re the vehicles through which the story is being told so, yes, they’re going to have a bit more plot armor than background characters. Unless it’s Game of Thrones, or something like it where you spend hundreds of pages getting to know a character only to have them die horribly to make a point about the world they live in, when you kill a main character, you really have to kill them. Not everything is or should be Game of Thrones. Otherwise a big chunk of the audience will always be wondering when that character is coming back.

Fake-out deaths can be misused and poorly done. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad trope by itself. A well executed fake-out can be a powerful tool. Theres a lot a writer or a team can do with it. And it doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences; it just means the consequences are different.

[clownmoontoon]

me, a fan of the og animaniacs series, checking out the ‘87 ducktales wiki bc im planning on watching it after i finish darkwing: