How Santa Stole Christmas! is the eighteenth episode of Season 3 and the 65th episode overall of DuckTales 2017. It first aired on November 30, 2020 on Disney XD.
Synopsis[]
Scrooge teams up with his arch-rival, Santa Claus, to save Christmas, while Webby discovers the true history behind their infamous feud.
Summary[]
The Duck Family prepare themselves for Christmas, which in this case means setting traps for Santa Claus, with whom Scrooge has a heated rivalry. Della informs Huey, Dewey, and Louie about it, but it quickly becomes apparent that she has no idea why he hates him. Webby is also determined to deter Santa from coming to their house, denying anything jolly about Santa's appearance. To everyone's surprise, Santa, who is as jovial as depicted, comes through the front door and appears to be severely injured with a wounded leg. He informs Scrooge that he needs help delivering the gifts for Christmas, and Scrooge reveals why he and Santa are enemies: Santa "stole" the idea of Christmas from him. He reluctantly concedes, having apparently helped him before, but insists that only Webby come along as she is the only child who is not charmed by Santa.
In flashback throughout the episode, Scrooge is trying to make money selling coal to houses, but fails due to his brunt attitude. He meets Santa Claus, who is trying to give away gifts to people, and manages to charm his way into a house belonging to elves. Santa and Scrooge quickly become friends with them, suggesting they go into business as "McDuck and Claus Deliveries". They decide to start selling gifts by Christmas Day by retrieving the Feliz Navidiamond, an ancient relic that can slow down time. They tame wild flying reindeer, battle a monster snowman, and succeed in their quest. When Santa suggests giving gifts away for free, Scrooge is angered and leaves, with the elves staying with Santa to help make toys for him.
Back in the present, Santa, Scrooge and Webby drop presents at houses. Santa and Scrooge reminisce on old times and start becoming friendly again, and Webby starts to become charmed by Santa when he reveals that he got her a new crossbow. They stop at the final house, where Scrooge decides to enter alone to give the last gift. As Webby searches Santa's bag, she finds that none of the presents have been dropped off and that Scrooge had switched them all out with coal, still convinced that it is a more practical gift than actual presents and apparently unaware that it is considered a gift for bad children.
Scrooge presents the coal to a little girl named Jennifer, who instead fashions it into a doll, annoying Scrooge. He tries to explain how practical coal is, but upon seeing the happiness in Jennifer's eyes for having a rather simple trinket, Scrooge sees the error of his ways and finally understands what Santa has been trying to tell him all these years. Santa and Webby confront Scrooge, with the former revealing that not only did he fake his injury, but he brought Scrooge along as he hoped that it would bring him out of his miserable shell and make them friends again. Scrooge apologizes for his selfish behavior, and they recruit the rest of the Duck family to re-deliver the gifts on time. Santa gives Scrooge jingle bells with the "McDuck and Claus Deliveries" logo on it that reminded them of their time together while Scrooge gives Santa car keys that are actually to turn off the traps in his mansion. Scrooge welcomes Santa to come to his home anytime he wants, as long as he goes through the front door.
Cast[]
- David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
- Danny Pudi as Huey Duck
- Ben Schwartz as Dewey Duck
- Bobby Moynihan as Louie Duck, Purple Hair Elf (uncredited), Blond Dark Colored Elf (uncredited)
- Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack
- Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack
- Paget Brewster as Della Duck, Blue Hair Elf (uncredited)
- Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
- Toks Olagundoye as Mrs. Beakley
- Lin-Manuel Miranda as Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera
- Hugh Bonneville as Santa
- Abby Ryder-Fortson as Jennifer
- Kimiko Glenn as Lena
- Libe Barer as Violet, Red Head Elf (uncredited)
- Eric Bauza as Bouncer, Big Time, Beagles, Blonde Light Colored Elf (uncredited)
- Kimberly Brooks as Green Female Elf (uncredited)
Trivia[]
- The title is a reference to How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss.
- This is the second Christmas special of the Ducktales reboot, the first was "Last Christmas!"
- This is the final episode to air in 2020.
- This episode makes the DuckTales reboot the fourth Disney Television Animation series to have two Christmas episodes, the first three being Teacher's Pet, House of Mouse, and Phineas and Ferb.
- If one also counts Doug due to it having its first Christmas episode during its original Nickelodeon run, then DuckTales is the fifth Disney Television Animation series to have a second Christmas episode.
