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"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[]

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".
    • 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.
  • 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.[1]
  • 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[]

References[]

v - e - d
DuckTales logo
Media
Shows/Movies: 1987 series (videography) • 2017 seriesWalt Disney's World on Ice: Double Feature... Live!Raw ToonageDuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost LampChibi Tiny TalesThis Duckburg Life

Video Games: Video game (HD remake/Soundtrack) • DuckTales 2The Quest for GoldScrooge's LootDisney Heroes: Battle ModeDisney All-Star RacersDisney All-Star Party
Comics: Comic Books (IDW)
Books: The Secret City Under the SeaSphinx for the Memories and Sir Gyro GearlooseScrooge's Treasure HuntChristmas at the North PoleWebby Saves the Day

Disney Parks
DuckTales World Showcase AdventurePLAY!Donald's Duck Pond
Characters
1987 series: Scrooge McDuckHuey, Dewey, and LouieLaunchpad McQuackWebby VanderquackBentina BeakleyDuckworthChief O'HaraShedlock JonesGyro GearlooseLittle HelperYardarmDoofus DrakeFenton CrackshellDonald DuckLudwig Von DrakeGladstone GanderBubba the Cave DuckAbominable SnowwomanTootsie the TriceratopsSkittlesBlackjackPouponGene the GenieGlittering GoldieMad Dog McGurkFeathers GaloreBurt QuackarachMajor CourageMicro DucksAdmiral GrimmitzKing HomerQueen ArielShawebizadGandra DeeMcPapaMcMamaRoboticaBeagle BoysMa BeaglePeteFlintheart GlomgoldPhantom BlotDijonArgus McSwineMagica De SpellMinima De SpellPoe De SpellEl CapitanJoaquin SlowlyMerlock the MagicianCinnamon TealDracula DuckDr. NoGoodMillionara VanderbucksFritter O'WayLawrence LoudmouthBruno Von BeakArmstrongThe SirensCirceHarpiesYuckalindaQueen GriseldaDjinniTerra-Firmie KingOverlord BulovanSolegoGICU-2Magica's ShadowThe Fear DemonsVacation Van Honk

2017 series: Della DuckLenaBradford BuzzardBentley and Buford BuzzardCaptain PeghookManny the Headless Man-HorsePixiuGabby McStabbersonHack and Slash SmashnikovRoxanne FeatherlyToad Liu HaiMark BeaksFalcon GravesAmunetSabafToth-RaZeusSeleneStorkulesCharybdisBriar and BrambleDarkwing DuckGosalyn MallardMegavoltDon KarnageQuackerjackLiquidatorBlack HeronZan OwlsonFisherMannDrosera occidendumJosé CariocaPanchito PistolesFethry DuckJohn D. RockerduckJeevesGavinGrandpappy BeagleViolet SabrewingUnicornPercival P. PeppingtonNightmare BeastPaddywhackBushrootNegaduckDaisy DuckGoofyChip and Dale Monterey JackZipperGadget HackwrenchKit CloudkickerTaurus BulbaMolly CunninghamLieutenant PenumbraGeneral LunarisMoonlandersMoon MitesGilded ManNeighbor JonesSteelbeakIsabella FinchIndy and Ty SabrewingTri-Crested TittertwillAletheiaVeroKing HonestusEmma GlamourInspector TezukaAkitaStrongbeardHeckaJormungandrPonce de LeonMatilda McDuckEmutilda

Episodes
1987 series

Season One: "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" • "Send in the Clones" • "Sphinx for the Memories" • "Where No Duck Has Gone Before" • "Armstrong" • "Robot Robbers" • "Magica's Shadow War" • "Master of the Djinni" • "Hotel Strangeduck" • "Lost Crown of Genghis Khan" • "Duckman of Aquatraz" • "The Money Vanishes" • "Sir Gyro de Gearloose" • "Dinosaur Ducks" • "Hero for Hire" • "Superdoo!" • "Maid of the Myth" • "Down and Out in Duckburg" • "Much Ado About Scrooge" • "Top Duck" • "Pearl of Wisdom" • "The Curse of Castle McDuck" • "Launchpad's Civil War" • "Sweet Duck of Youth" • "Earth Quack" • "Home Sweet Homer" • "Bermuda Triangle Tangle" • "Micro Ducks from Outer Space" • "Back to the Klondike" • "Horse Scents" • "Scrooge's Pet" • "Catch as Cash Can" • "Merit-Time Adventure" • "The Golden Fleecing" • "Ducks of the West" • "Time Teasers" • "Back Out in the Outback" • "Raiders of the Lost Harp" • "The Right Duck" • "Scroogerello" • "Double-O-Duck" • "Luck o' the Ducks" • "Duckworth's Revolt" • "Magica's Magic Mirror"/"Take Me Out of the Ballgame" • "Duck to the Future" • "Jungle Duck" • "Launchpad's First Crash" • "Dime Enough for Luck" • "Duck in the Iron Mask" • "The Uncrashable Hindentanic" • "The Status Seekers" • "Nothing to Fear" • "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. McDuck" • "Once Upon a Dime" • "Spies in Their Eyes" • "All Ducks on Deck" • "Ducky Horror Picture Show" • "Till Nephews Do Us Part"
Season Two: "Time is Money" • "Super DuckTales"
Season Three: "The Land of Trala La" • "Allowance Day" • "Bubbeo & Juliet" • "The Good Muddahs" • "My Mother the Psychic" • "Metal Attraction" • "Dough Ray Me" • "Bubba's Big Brainstorm" • "The Big Flub" • "A Case of Mistaken Secret Identity" • "Blue Collar Scrooge" • "Beaglemania" • "Yuppy Ducks" • "The Bride Wore Stripes" • "The Unbreakable Bin" • "Attack of the Fifty-Foot Webby" • "The Masked Mallard" • "A DuckTales Valentine"
Season Four: "Ducky Mountain High" • "Attack of the Metal Mites" • "The Duck Who Knew Too Much" • "New Gizmo-Kids on the Block" • "Scrooge's Last Adventure" • "The Golden Goose"

2017 series
Season One: "Woo-oo!" • "Daytrip of Doom!" • "The Great Dime Chase!" • "The Beagle Birthday Massacre!" • "Terror of the Terra-firmians!" • "The House of the Lucky Gander!" • "The Infernal Internship of Mark Beaks!" • "The Living Mummies of Toth-Ra!" • "The Impossible Summit of Mt. 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
DuckburgAtlantisThe Money BinMcDuck ManorCastle McDuckFountain of YouthScotlandNotre DuckValley of the Golden SunsSt. CanardCape Suzette
Organizations
Air PiratesF.O.W.L.Junior WoodchucksS.H.U.S.H.
Objects
Number One DimeJunior Woodchucks GuidebookGizmosuitGene's LampMerlock's TalismanSun CoinSun ChaserHarp of TroyMillennium ShortcutGyro's HelicopterMolecular ManipulatorGolden GooseWebby's Quacky Patch DollHindentanicMagic MedallionRatcatcherJewel of AtlantisPep!Gummiberry JuiceIron VulturePirate FightersSpear of SeleneSea DuckRanger Plane
Songs
DuckTales ThemeThree Cheers for Bubba DuckBoogie Beagle BluesMoon Stage ThemeSky PiratesThe Three CaballerosHear My Voice
See also
Carl BarksThe Disney AfternoonDarkwing DuckQuack PackDisney XD (Netherlands)Let's Go to Disneyland Paris
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