Continuing the success of the first season, this season goes above and beyond in expanding the personalities of established characters. Meanwhile, this season saw the addition of more original characters and characters from other parts of the larger Mickey Mouse universe. With Magica being defeated, the show’s next major conflict would come in the form of the invasion of the Moonlanders. The saga of Della Duck would continue and conclude in this season, with the reunion with her children being a first in Duck history.
Like how the first season focused on Dewey, the second season placed a focus on Louie and his desire to make money. In comparison to the past season, Louie’s episodes have a more episodic structure that is representative of his different attempts at money-making. Unlike Dewey, Louie’s arc has a sense of conclusion even if he still has growth ahead of him in the next season. While Louie’s arc may be more predictable than Dewey’s, the entertainment value and emotional weight are just about the same.
In addition to expanding upon the new characters from the last season, there are some notable new characters brought to the mix such as Violet Saberwing and Zan Owlson. Even with most of these new characters not having as much prominence, their presence is welcome and compliments the rest of the cast. This season also saw the addition of more pre-existing characters such as Fethry Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito, along with fully integrating Della Duck and Darkwing Duck into the fold. More characters from the original DuckTales also came back for this season, with most of those characters receiving drastic changes, primarily Gandra Dee and D’jinn (formerly known as Dijon).
Integrating the moon and Moonlanders for one of the overarching narratives makes for an interesting sense of progression that builds upon Della’s arc of returning to Earth. The world-building of the moon integrates elements from the DuckTales video game and creates a more cohesive experience among other parts of the franchise. One step backward is the lackluster build-up to the season finale, especially in comparison to the season one finale. While the episodes that directly built up Magica’s wrath were weaker on their own, they still did their job in building up the emotional weight for the season finale. The individual episodes that lead to this season’s finale are better in quality, but their payoff feels lackluster and drags down the excitement for the season finale.
In comparison to this first season, this season is an overall improvement outside of the season finale. Even with the episodes set in Duckburg, there are more fantastical elements integrated into the plot and that raises the stakes of the overarching narratives of the season. Among these larger-scale adventures is the continual evolution of the lead characters, along with implementing new character dynamics and shaking up previous character dynamics. At this point, the show has found its footing and is taking its storytelling above and beyond to bring new life to old stories while also telling new stories.
SEASON 2 EPISODES – WORST TO BEST
- “The Depths of Cousin Fethry!” = 7/10
Emulating how Huey and Dewey felt during this episode, this episode is an adventure with a few instances of fun but lacks emotional weight and significance. The parallels between Huey and Fethry are welcome, as it makes Huey feel more comfortable in being an eccentric genius. Fethry is a standout character in this episode because the writers do a good job at recreating his weirdness from the comics. Despite the few instances of danger, the lack of emotional weight or creativity makes these moments feel lackluster outside of the climax.
- “The Ballad of Duke Baloney!” = 8/10
The first episode that serves as a consequence of the season one finale, this episode brings a somewhat new twist to the amnesia plot. Despite the slower pacing and lower stakes, Glomgold (or Duke Baloney) feels like a different character while still holding a grudge against Scrooge. Glomgold’s backstory is executed very well and naturally ties into his rivalry with Scrooge, along with implementing elements from the comics and the original DuckTales. This episode also contains a visually bizarre dream sequence that effectively sums up the conflict.
- “Storkules in Duckburg!” = 8/10
Despite the title, there’s more of a focus on Louie in starting up a business rather than Storkules spending time in Duckburg (outside of instances where Storkules is working for Louie). Storkules adjusting to life on Donald’s boat provides some moments of humor and a touching climax that slightly evolves their friendship. Louie’s attempts at starting a business have some level of grounded relatability that is mixed with his money-hungry mindset, even if the emotional weight is slightly lacking due to the predictability.
- “Treasure of the Found Lamp!” = 8/10
An interesting pseudo-treasure hunt that has some memorable humor while taking inspiration from DuckTales: the Movie. The most welcome update is D’jinn (a.k.a Dijon in the original DuckTales), as he went from being a Middle Eastern stereotype into an honorable warrior with an interesting backstory. Scrooge and Webby’s fake quest is filled with fun moments while the triplets’ search for the lamp also has its moments despite feeling somewhat predictable. In terms of the writing, the plot does a good job at portraying the theme of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
- “Last Christmas!” = 8/10
An episode that feels in line with the first season in the best ways, as it sees Dewey finally meet his mother (though not in the way he expected). Dewey’s interactions with the younger versions of Della and Donald make for a creative exploration of the past while providing the usual heartwarming lesson about the importance of family. Scrooge’s plotline shows a bit more of his history and has its subversion by showcasing Scrooge’s true passion for Christmas. The various subtle nods to Mickey’s Christmas Carol are a nice homage and highlight an important piece of Scrooge’s real-world history.
- “The Golden Armory of Cornelius Coot!” = 8/10
Like how the triplets felt as this episode’s mystery progressed, the adventure becomes gradually tedious and manages to rebound in excitement when Della and Launchpad literally crash in from their subplot. While Webby seeking to prove herself by solving a mystery that Della couldn’t solve makes for an interesting plot to explore, the execution feels run-of-the-mill despite some fun moments. Partially ramping up the excitement of the episode is Big Time Beagle’s internal conflict mirroring Webby’s conflict, as it creates a sense of competition between the two groups. The subplot featuring Della and Launchpad makes for some interesting comedy and dialogue.
- “The Outlaw Scrooge McDuck!” = 8/10
A flashback Scrooge episode that adds a “futuristic” twist, and serves as a lesson of sorts on hard work. Scrooge and Goldie continue to be a compelling couple, with their love-hate relationship being expanded upon further. An interesting shake-up to this flashback plot is the presence of Gyro via time travel, as he and Fenton’s sheriff ancestor bring some humor to the episode. The climax is also a nice change of pace, with Scrooge needing to partake in a scheme to recover the giant gold nugget he discovered. Rockerduck is another great addition from the classic comics, as he challenges Scrooge in a more sophisticated manner.
- “What Ever Happened to Donald Duck?!” = 8/10
While the plot of the episode isn’t anything too exciting, the history and character development hold a lot of emotional weight and importance. Having Donald figure his way off the moon and Webby and Dewey’s search for a new mystery were plot points that were expected to happen, and the writing doesn’t do much to make these stories stand out. However, new information revealed about Donald and General Lunaris makes their characters more interesting and raises the stakes of the impending invasion of the Moonlanders. Meanwhile, Penumbra has a change of heart and becomes a likable character.
- “The Richest Duck of the World!” = 8/10
While Louie’s plotline about learning the hardships in maintaining wealth is relatively standard, this lesson is elevated by the inclusion of the Bombie. A nice change of pace to the story is having Scrooge attempt to rebuild his wealth, and having him realize the difficulty of starting from scratch. There’s sentimental value in having Scrooge and Louie team up to stop the Bombie, as their “battle” serves as a humility check for both characters. Meanwhile, the subplot involving Della and the rest of the kids is mainly just there to set up the invasion of the Moonlanders.
- “Moonvasion!” = 8/10
With the high bar set by “The Shadow War”, this season’s finale comes across as slightly disappointing, despite its strengths in the second part. The main problem with this season finale is Lunaris’ limited screen time before the finale, as his fear-mongering lacks emotional weight. With that being said, Lunaris works well as a formidable threat to Scrooge due to being one step ahead. It’s also disappointing to see Della and the kids relegated to avoiding the Moonlanders during the first part, but their subplot is salvaged once they reunite with Donald. While both parts have great action scenes, the second part is superior due to Glomgold’s involvement in stopping Lunaris and the action-packed climax in space.
- “What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!” = 9/10
Della Duck finally gets her time to shine, as this episode works well in showcasing her outgoing personality and perseverance to get back to Earth. Despite being the only character for much of the episode, Della’s personality makes her escapades compelling and builds up emotional weight. The episode’s emotional weight is especially strong during the climax, as Della begins to learn about being a mother. There’s plenty of references to the Moon level from the DuckTales video game and its remake, with Della’s lullaby being set to the iconic Moon theme.
- “The Golden Spear!” = 9/10
Essentially serving as a sequel to Della’s introductory episode, this episode continues to highlight Della’s extroverted personality and juxtaposing that to Donald’s subplot about his increasing stress. Della’s outgoing personality makes the “wonders” of Earth all the more convincing to the Moonlanders and the audience. Meanwhile, Penumbra works as a great foil for Della due to her skepticism and introverted personality. A notable instance in making this series feel grounded is Donald’s growing stress to reflect his limits, despite all of his years adventuring. The ending is very notable in being a massive shake-up for Della, Donald, and the Moonlanders.
- “Timephoon!” = 9/10
Louie’s time-traveling scheme was expected to have no consequences in theory, but the timestream manipulation conflict is cleverly sourced to the side effects of Gyro’s time tub. Raising the stakes of the conflict is the Duck family fending off against people transported from different eras. Bubba the caveduck is finally integrated into the reboot with stronger ties to the McDuck family, along with the smart decision to relegate him to a guest role. Della gets some notable character development in this episode, as she learns about needing to deliver tough love.
- “The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!” = 9/10
Fenton gets a chance to shine in the standard superhero plot where the hero must overcome evil without their super abilities. Elevating this type of story is Fenton and Gandra’s relationship and how Fenton has been actively finding a way to prove himself without being Gizmoduck. Gandra is updated in a modern way that allows her to bond with Fenton more creatively and intimately. As another of Mark Beaks’ attempts to outshine Gizmoduck, his plan to become a giant monster feels standard at first but becomes much more interesting when Fenton relies on his smarts to stop him.
- “The Most Dangerous Game… Night!” = 9/10
The start of the season brings a fantastical edge to what was expected to be a “relaxing” family game night. This episode establishes Louie as someone who can see all the angles, and how his mastery at planning and street smarts allow him to effectively come up with schemes. As a character-driven episode, there’s plenty of entertainment value from the characters spending time together and competing in simple games, as it highlights some old and new character dynamics. The miniature group of people that Gyro discovers is a welcome mix-up and leads to a creative climax and resolution.
- “Nothing Can Stop Della Duck!” = 9/10
One of the most significant episodes of the series, with one of the most emotional scenes in the show. The first act has plenty of humor and emotion as Della finally reunites with her children, and it’s very touching to see them interact with each other. It’s refreshing to see Della as a flawed but passionate mother, as she begins to learn about taking care of children. The only notable flaw is the predictability of a climax (even if the action is fast-paced and engaging), as Della feels the need to prove herself and learns about not needing to be a perfect mother.
- “The 87 Cent Solution!” = 9/10
Scrooge’s slow descent into insanity after losing 87 cents makes for a riveting mystery with plenty of humor. Despite his insanity, this episode showcases Scrooge’s persistence, even when he temporarily takes a break to recover from his sickness. Seeing the gradual concern for Scrooge’s well-being makes the episode and underlying mystery engaging, with Glomgold appearing more “sane” as the episode progresses. Like all great mysteries, the ending wraps up satisfyingly and justifies Scrooge’s paranoia.
- “Raiders of the Doomsday Vault!” = 9/10
Della and Dewey start their bonding process with an adventure to encounter something important. This episode establishes why Dewey and Della can connect so easily, as Della nurtures Dewey’s sense of adventure and both characters have a tendency to take leaps of faith. Glomgold and Scrooge working together make for some comedic moments while maintaining a sense of contempt for each other. Easter eggs such as the excerpt of Powerline’s “Stand Out” and Ludwig Von Drake’s color combination password are nice additions to the episode.
- “Friendship Hates Magic!” = 9/10
Webby once again tampers with the supernatural in her attempts to get Lena back from the Shadow Realm and gets a new best friend in the process. Webby and Violet work well together as they bond over their fascination for the supernatural, with Lena’s attempts to get Webby’s attention having some comedic appeal. Like “The Ballad of Duke Baloney”, this episode is also a result of “The Shadow War”, as Violet gets ahold of Lena’s amulet when Magica was defeated. There’s also plenty of enjoyment from Mrs. Beakley and Launchpad spending some time together and bonding over Darkwing Duck in a gradually effective way.
- “Happy Birthday, Doofus Drake!” = 9/10
One pairing that was destined to happen eventually was Louie and Goldie, as they share an interest in being con artists. The plot of Louie and Goldie “competing” for the gift bags among the other scheming party guests makes for an episode that unravels in a compelling and comedic way. Even with their scheming tendencies, the second half of the episode showcases that Louie and Goldie have some level of compassion for each other. One of the best subplots of the series comes from this episode, as Della teaches Huey about getting out of his comfort zone through a video game experience filled with subtle but epic moments.
- “GlomTales!” = 9/10
In highlighting this series’ theme about family, Glomgold unites some of Scrooge’s worst enemies to form his own “family”. The entire recruiting process is filled with compelling character interactions and instances of humor, particularly the running gag of Magica being seen as Scrooge’s greatest enemy. Louie’s attempts at scheming his way to the family’s adventure are filled with humor, as the twists in the final act highlight his mastery of schemes. Glomgold’s parody of the theme song is very hilarious in a “so bad, it’s good” way.
- “A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!” = 9/10
Having both sets of trios in this episode makes for an interesting adventure that is quite literally character-driven. The individual dream sequences (along with the dream montage) showcase plenty of visual creativity and humor, and they perfectly reflect the personalities of each character. Driving the conflict of this dream adventure is Magica, as she attempts to get Lena’s magical powers in subtly creepy ways. There’s also a lot of sentimental value in this episode as Webby, Violet, and triplets are willing to help Lena in overcoming her internal conflict.
- “The Town Where Everyone Was Nice!” = 10/10
The Three Caballeros are back for another adventure that mixes in old and new elements. Even though the lesson of the primary plot is nothing new, the chemistry between the characters makes the experience worthwhile and harkens back to the simplicity of early Disney films. Despite José Carioca and Panchito maintaining their simplistic personalities, their amiable charm is a nice change of pace from the rest of the cast. The subplot involving Dewey, Louie, and Webby is relevant and highlights the importance of living your life instead of spending time capturing it on camera. There’s plenty of nods to The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos, along with a climax that took some visual inspiration from those films.
- “The Duck Knight Returns!” = 10/10
Darkwing Duck is fully integrated into the DuckTales universe in what is arguably the best episode of the series. There’s plenty of references to the Darkwing Duck series and the writers clearly understand and respect the source material. This episode is a clever commentary on the reboot craze, as it addresses the people who may feel apprehensive about the changes and the importance of honoring the source material when integrating new elements. The plot does a perfect job at introducing Drake Mallard and indirectly passing the baton from Jim Cummings to Chris Diamantopoulos. While every scene provides a dramatic or comedic emotional experience, the two most impactful scenes involve Drake’s inspirational Darkwing Duck story and the epic climactic battle featuring the two Darkwing actors.
SEASON 2 SCORE: 9/10
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