Duck to the Future is the fifty-second episode of DuckTales 1987.
Synopsis[]
Magica De Spell fools Scrooge McDuck into entering the future. But when he's there, he has no way of getting back. And with no Scrooge to stop her in the past, the present, and the future now belongs to Magica.
Plot[]
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are operating a lemonade stand with Doofus, and refusing to let Webby out. Their efforts are less than successful, and Scrooge, upon discovering their efforts, encourages them with a few business tips. He then makes his way into Duckburg, where Magica De Spell is waiting for him. Posing as a fortune teller, she offers to tell Scrooge's future, but then uses her magic to send him forty years into the future.
Arriving in the future, Scrooge finds that technology has advanced greatly but that everything is incredibly expensive. He also learns that McDuck Enterprises has been taken over by Magica, who now has the Number One Dime. Going to the corporate office, he manages to sneak in and discovers that his nephews are now ruthless businessmen working for Magica. They cite him as the inspiration for their cutthroat tactics, but then have him throne out due to not believing his claims of being Scrooge.
Scrooge then goes to find Gyro Gearloose, who fails to recognize Scrooge due to having gone senile in his advanced age. At Scrooge's urging he attempts to get his old Time Tub working again, but it ends up flying off with Scrooge aboard. Scrooge is arrested by robotic police after crashing into a class taught by the aged Launchpad McQuack, and is unable to call the nephews for help due to the expense. Much to his surprise, he is bailed out by an adult Webby and Doofus, who are married and in the employ of the nephews.
The trio travel to Magica's fortress, and find that Magica has been expecting Scrooge's arrival; she then traps the three in a dungeon. Doofus is able to call Launchpad for help, and Scrooge sneaks back into the fortress to steal back the Number One Dime. He succeeds, but is pursued by Magica and the nephews, though the nephews turn against her after learning she's trying to shoot Scrooge down. Scrooge then manages to get ahold of Magica's magic hourglass, and attempts to use it to return to the present.
Scrooge and Magica end up traveling through time, landing in Rome, medieval Europe, and the old west, before ending up on a blimp fated to explode. With Scrooge in possession of the last magical sands, he forces Magica to return the dime in exchange for him taking her back to the present with him. They succeed, and she departs swearing vengeance. Scrooge then turns his attention to the boys, correcting their misunderstanding of his business advice. After making a few comments based on his recent trip into the future, he leaves to take a nap.
Cast[]
- Brian Cummings as Doofus Drake
- June Foray as Magica De Spell and Ms. Woods
- Terry McGovern as Launchpad McQuack
- Avery Schreiber as Robot Guard
- Hal Smith as Gyro Gearloose and adult Huey, Dewey, and Louie
- Russi Taylor as Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck and Webby Vanderquack
- Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck
Video releases[]
VHS
- "DuckTales: Duck to the Future" (US release)
Laserdisc
- "DuckTales: Lost World Wanderers / Duck to The Future" (US release)
DVD
- "DuckTales: Volume 3" (Reg. 1)
- "DuckTales: 3rd Collection" (Reg. 2)
Trivia[]
- The episode title is a reference to the popular movie, Back to the Future.
- The hologram in Magica's castle is based on scenes from The Wizard of Oz.
- The blimp Scrooge and Magica arrive on before returning to the present is based on the Hindenburg.
- Doofus says that vehicles are no longer powered with gas, but with dilithium crystals, a reference to Star Trek.