The Rumble for Ragnarok! is the seventh episode of Season 3 and the 54th episode overall of DuckTales 2017. It aired on May 9, 2020 on Disney XD.
Synopsis[]
Dewey must embrace his inner heel to beat the beloved Viking wrestling champ Jormungandr in a battle royale for the fate of the Earth.
Summary[]
As the Sunchaser flies to Valhalla, Scrooge explains to the kids that he is Earth's champion in a battle for the fate of the Earth that takes place every ten years. In said battle, it falls to the champion to defeat Jormungandr, and Scrooge is looking to groom one of the children as his successor. Louie quickly sees the opportunity to sell merchandise, while the kids and Launchpad are surprised and/or overjoyed to discover that the "battle" for Earth's fate looks a lot like a professional wrestling match. However, the best of three "Rumble for Ragnarok" will result in the destruction of Earth should Earth's team lose.
Scrooge soon dresses up in his heel persona, the Millionaire Miser, a role Dewey finds himself uncomfortable with. Launchpad and Huey take over announcing as Scrooge faces Strongbeard in the first round, though Huey quickly realizes he has no idea what's going on. Scrooge wins to the dismay of the crowd, only to be struck by a chair thrown at Dewey when his nephew attempts to defend Scrooge's honor. While Louie-establishing the latest iteration of Louie Inc.-capitalizes on Scrooge's injury, Scrooge urges Webby to take the lead. Dewey begs his uncle to let him fight but Scrooge, well aware of his nephew's need for approval knows he won't handle the crowd booing him. Webby and Dewey form a tag team. Dewey, alias "Champopular", attempts to win over the crowd, but is ridiculed while Huey continues to struggle with the unfamiliar sport.
Webby and Dewey are pitted against Hecka and Fenrir of Nifleheim, with Dewey proving no match for Hecka and struggling with his desire to be the crowd favorite rather than the object of their mockery. Webby takes over for him and defeats Hecka, only to be thrown from the ring when Fenrir tricks her. Dewey jumps back in, but ends up getting pinned because he can't stand not being loved by the audience. With the score now at 1 to 1, it all comes down to the final bout against the hulking crowd favorite, Jormungandr. As Dewey walks out in shame, Jormungandr announces that the final round will consist of a battle royale, in which he will take on the entire membership of Team Earth
Realizing that Dewey has walked off, Scrooge goes to talk to him; however, the pep talk Dewey was expecting turns out to be Scrooge informing him that he has already called for backup. Said backup turns out to be Mrs. Beakley, aka Shieldmaiden, who steps into the ring to face Jormungander. As Dewey and Huey commiserate over their failures, Louie comes to their assistance, convincing them both to be themselves. Webby and Beakley suffer an early defeat against Jormungandr, who also swiftly downs Scrooge and Launchpad, alias Captain Crash. Dewey is left the only combatant who can still take part, but soon realizes that Jormungandr's face routine is just that: a routine he puts on for others.
As Jormungandr shows his true colors by mocking his weaker opponent, the audience and his teammates turn against him. Strongbeard severs a hank of his beard and throws it to Dewey, granting him magically enhanced strength that enables him to turn the tide. Dewey defeats Jormungandr, saving the Earth and winning not only the match but the acclaim of both his family and the Fallen Warriors of Valhalla. Scrooge enters the ring to congratulate him, but in a true heel move steals the championship belt and dares his nephew to take it back from him. Dewey, after discarding the beard piece, accepts.
Cast[]
- David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
- Danny Pudi as Huey Duck
- Ben Schwartz as Dewey Duck
- Bobby Moynihan as Louie Duck
- Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack, Female Fan 2 (uncredited)
- Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack
- Toks Olagundoye as Mrs. Beakley, Female Fan 1 (uncredited)
- Kristofer Hivju as Jormungandr
- John DiMaggio as Strongbeard
- Eric Bauza as Announcer, Male Fan 1 (uncredited)
Rob Paulsen also voiced Male Fan 2 but is uncredited.
Trivia[]
- Main Cast Absences: Donald and Della (Though they are mentioned by Huey and Scrooge)
- This is the third consecutive episode in which Della has been absent, and the fourth since she officially joined the main cast.
- The episode name is a reference to the Norse myth of Ragnarök.
- Jormungandr was previously mentioned in "Last Christmas!"
- Beakley's wrestling outfit pays tribute to DT1987's "Maid of the Myth".
- VWE is a reference to WWE (Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment).
- Scrooge's gimmick pays homage to Ted "Million Dollar Man" DiBiase.
- There is a reference to the show 'Wander Over Yonder' —heard from Webby when she says "... allow me to introduce you to this fist, her name is Lady Haymaker.... also her country cousin, the Duchess of Whaling" —which are the same names that Sylvia named her fists, and the co-executive producer and story editor Francisco Angones had previously worked on said show.
- The tournament system of Rumble for Ragnarok may be based on Mortal Kombat where the Elder Gods required Outworld to win ten tournament victories against Earthrealm.
- Dewey's jacket in this episode resembles the same jacket he wore in his dream world during the episode, A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!
