Disney's Darkwing Duck is a Disney cartoon show that ran from 1991 to 1994 (often inside The Disney Afternoon), featuring an eponymous superhero anthropomorphic duck with the alter ego Drake Mallard. Owing much to the tradition of The Shadow and Batman, the only people who know the hero's secret identity are his adopted daughter Gosalyn Waddlemeyer Mallard (mistakenly referred to as his niece in recent Disney information sources), his sidekick Launchpad McQuack (originally from Duck Tales), Gosalyn's best friend Honker Muddlefoot, and in later episodes, Darkwing's girlfriend Morgana Macawber.
In some episodes, Darkwing is sent on missions as a freelance agent of S.H.U.S.H., a covert crime fighting organization that is so secret, nobody knows what the acronym stands for. His S.H.U.S.H. missions most often have the aim of thwarting various evil schemes of the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny (or F.O.W.L.).
Darkwing's main weapon of choice in his crime-fighting escapades is his "gas gun", which fires a variety of different gases at his opponents. His main forms of transportation are the Thunderquack, a small airplane-like vehicle that he depends on his sidekick to fly, and his motorcycle, called the Ratcatcher.
When not fighting crime, Darkwing Duck's alter ego is Drake Mallard, whose occupation is never given. This has lead to inquiries by some fans as to how Darkwing makes any monetary income.
Entrance
Darkwing is a big fan of dramatic entrances; they usually involve mysteriously appearing in a cloud of smoke, and almost always include some version of the following speech:
- I am the terror that flaps in the night,
- I am the [noun] that [verb]s you [noun],
- I am DARKWING DUCK!
The metaphor in the middle line often consists of Darkwing comparing himself to something annoying, such as "I am the bubblegum that sticks in your hair", or "I am the termite that devours your floorboards." Others tend to make very little sense, such as "I am the ABC that floats in your soup."
Darkwing's catchphrase, featured in the show's opening theme, is "Let's get dangerous!"
Other characters
- Herb and Binkie Muddlefoot (Honker's parents)
- Tank Muddlefoot (Honker's brother)
- J. Gander Hooter (director of S.H.U.S.H.)
- Dr. Sarah Bellum (S.H.U.S.H. scientist)
- Agent Vladimir Goodenov Grizlikoff (S.H.U.S.H.'s top agent)
- Gizmoduck (Launchpad's old friend and Darkwing's rival super hero, also originally from Duck Tales)
- Neptunia the Fish Queen
- Steggmutt the Dinosaur
- Posiduck (when Darkwing Duck is galvanized his positive half is known as Posiduck)
Villains
- NegaDuck (Darkwing's evil counterpart)
- Megavolt (Lord of Electricity)
- Dr. Reginald Bushroot (Master of Plants)
- Quackerjack (a vicious jester with a weird obsession for toys)
- The Liquidator (a watery villain)
- Steelbeak (chief agent of F.O.W.L.)
- Eggmen (F.O.W.L. flunkies)
- Ammonia Pine
- Ample Grime
- Moliarty
- Tuskernini
- Dr. Slug (who never appears in an episode in any major capacity)
- Splatter Phoenix
- Taurus Bulba
- Hammerhead Hannigan
This show was inspired by two episodes of DuckTales, entitled Double O'Duck and The Masked Mallard. The original concept had Launchpad McQuack as the star.
There was also a Darkwing Duck video game released by Capcom.
The character of Darkwing Duck also appeared in the series Bonkers.
There is an online petition to Disney calling for the show's release to DVD.
