Mighty Ducks

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File:Mighty Ducks Opening**Mighty Ducks** is an American animated television series that aired on ABC and The Disney Afternoon in the fall of 1996.  The show was inspired by and loosely based on the live-action films and the NHL team, the Anaheim Ducks. Twenty-six episodes were produced in total. The series most recently aired on Toon Disney but was removed from schedules in November 2004, and has not appeared on the channel's line-up since. The series' main theme, composed by Carl Swander Johnson, is performed by Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship fame.

A direct-to-video feature film, *Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Face-Off*, was released in 1997. It comprises three episodes of the animated series edited into one continuous movie: The First Face-Off parts I and II, and Duck Hard.

DisneyQuest, an "Indoor Interactive Theme Park" located in the Downtown Disney area of the Walt Disney World Resort, has an attraction loosely based on the program called Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. Wildwing is the only character from the show featured, first as a life-size cutout at the front of the queue line and then again as the goalie in the game.

## Plot

In another galaxy in another universe exists a planet populated entirely by humanoid ducks. Dubbed "Puckworld" by its inhabitants, it is a very cold, icy planet, perfectly suited to the Ducks' favorite pastime, ice hockey. For the citizens of Puckworld, hockey was not simply a sport, but a way of life, occupying virtually every aspect of day-to-day existence, from fashion to philosophy.

A very popular legend has it that centuries ago, during an invasion by a reptilian race called Saurians, a duck by the name of Drake DuCaine became the planet's savior over the Saurians' Overlords. The legend tells that DuCaine did so with a seemingly normal goalie mask that transforms into a high-tech mask. With it, DuCaine sent the Saurians to a mysterious dimension, known only as "Dimensional Limbo".

As it turns out, the legends ended up being true. The last of the Saurians escape Dimensional Limbo and return to Puckworld with an armada of robotic attack ships. The group of four is led by the last of the Saurian Overlords, Lord Dragaunus, who is assisted by the burly Siege, the shape-shifting Chameleon and the mystic Wraith. They invade the planet, enslaving the people of Puckworld so that they can produce more weapons to conquer the universe. However, a resistance was formed by Canard, a brave duck who found The Mask of Drake DuCaine in a tomb in the mountain called Twin Beaks. With it, the wearer of the Mask could see through the Saurians' invisibility cloak. Canard formed a band of Ducks to fight Dragaunus. The members of his team consists of Wildwing, Nosedive, Tanya, Duke, Mallory and Grin. They go on a mission to destroy Dragaunus's fortress the Master Tower and free the planet from the Saurians' control. While the mission is successful despite some setbacks, Dragaunus and his forces narrowly manage escape in their ship, the Raptor. The Saurians opened up a dimensional gateway and did the same thing that they did to escape Dimensional Limbo, attempt to escape through it. But Canard and the others followed him into the portal with the Aerowing, intent on capturing him and returning him to where he belongs and return home victoriously.

Dragaunus finds out that they're following him, attempts to get rid of the Ducks inside the portal by attacking them with an electromagnetic worm that will grow until it can swallow the Aerowing. In a desperate attempt to get rid of the worm, Canard sacrifices his own life by throwing himself to the worm. The plan succeeds, but at the price of Canard being devoured by the worm and never being seen again (except for in flashbacks and the episode "Take Me to your Leader", though the latter was Chameleon disguised as Canard to lure the ducks into a trap). Luckily, Canard gave the Mask and the leadership of the team to Wildwing Flashblade, his best friend. Both the Raptor and the Aerowing leave the portal and enter a different dimension, landing in the Earth city of Anaheim, California. The Ducks meet Phil Palmfeather, a human who becomes their manager and makes them a legitimate NHL team. Their arena, only known as The Pond in the show, has a hockey rink that doubles as a landing pad for the Aerowing above and has a formal HQ below. On Earth, the Ducks and Dragaunus continue their fight, although there are other villains that also challenge the six Ducks.

The Ducks and Saurians that landed on Earth are the only ones seen except in some flashbacks done by Grin when speaking of his past and one Lucretia DeCoy who was a traitor to the race of the Ducks and a spy for the Saurians.

## Characters

**Wildwing Flashblade** (voiced by Ian Ziering) — Saved by Canard back on Puckworld, he is the leader of the Ducks on and off the ice. At first reluctant to take charge after Canard fell, he eventually comes to accept the role of leadership. As a hockey player, he's the goalie, wearing the jersey number 00 and being known for his ability to take any kind of beating and still remain standing. Brave like Canard before him, Wildwing is also intelligent and just. He usually plays the straight man to the other ducks and protector to his younger brother, Nosedive. Along with the mask of Drake DuCaine, Wildwing uses body armor and a Puck Launcher on his left gauntlet.

**Nosedive Flashblade** (voiced by Steve Mackall) — Wildwing's younger brother, who initially was not intended to be part of Canard's resistance. However, Wildwing makes Canard take Nosedive with them ("If you want me, then my brother's part of the deal.") Once they reach Earth, Nosedive becomes an official member of the team, both on the hockey team and the crime fighting team. He is by far the team's most impulsive and immature member, similar to Michelangelo of the *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*. Nosedive is more childish and easy-going than the other Ducks, and often looks toward his older brother for support and protection. Nosedive can be very likable, making friends with teammate Grin, and humans Thrash and Mookie. He wears body armor, but not as much as Wildwing. He usually uses a Puck Blaster and rides a Duckcycle. On-ice, Nosedive is the left winger, and his jersey number is 33.

**Duke L'Orange** (voiced by Jeff Bennett) — A notorious jewel thief on Puckworld, Duke changed his ways to battle Lord Dragaunus. Duke has used a Puck Blaster in some episodes, but he mainly uses a golden sword called a Ducksaber (or sometimes just a 'saber'). He also carries lock picks and a grappling hook attached to his wrist. Duke has a Brooklyn accent and is pretty level-headed, albeit egotistical at times. He also has an eyepatch and a chipped beak, possibly as a result of his past as a thief (In the episode "Dungeons and Ducks", he tells Borg, "Hey, take it easy, you can put someone's eye out with one of those things [a sword]. I should know." He was formerly the leader of a gang called The Brotherhood of the Blade. He remains the most experienced of all the Ducks and possesses a good balance of skill and confidence. Unfortunately, there are some minor trust issues with Mallory due to Duke being an ex-thief, though this fact doesn't seem to faze their leader Wildwing. His name is a pun on the dish duck à l'orange. He is the team's center, and his jersey number is 13.

**Mallory McMallard** (voiced by Jennifer Hale) — Mallory is a fiery redhead who is well-learned in Puckworld's version of the martial arts, although most of the time she is content with just using a Puck Blaster. She has a sharp tongue and usually directs it towards Nosedive's immature acts, or anything that she feels is "out of line." Her trust is easily broken, particularly in Duke's case, and as she sees it, for some very good reasons. With her strong military background as a member of the "Puckworld Special Forces," she often thinks in black and white. She's a strict disciplinarian, and has a high regard for the chain of command. She's also stubborn, which can be a fault as much as a strength. Mallory is the team's right winger, and her jersey number is 15.

**Tanya Vanderflock** (voiced by April Winchell) — The Ducks' resident genius who is often the one turned to for advice, even by Wildwing. She is good with mechanics and uses the Omnitool on her wrist with many of her projects. Despite her intellect, she has bad allergies (including an ironic allergy to feathers, with the result that she constantly sounds like she has a cold), lacks confidence, has a gentler personality, and is not as good a fighter as the other ducks. She makes up for this with her good common sense and wry humor. According to herself, her middle name is Gertrude. On-ice, Tanya is the left defenseman, and her jersey number is 23.

**Check "Grin" Hardwing** (voiced by Brad Garrett) — A super strong Goliath with a Zen-like philosophy. Unlike the stereotype of strong people, Grin is wise and doesn’t let his anger cloud his judgment. He rarely uses weapons in battle, relying on his wisdom and strength instead. He has a strong sense of honor and can always be counted on for support. He is a good friend of Nosedive. During Grin's younger years, he had a horrible temper. He found enlightenment with the training from the grand hockey master, Tai Quack Do. Grin is the right defenseman of the team, and his jersey number is 1, the same number that Tai Quack Do wears on his robe.

**Canard Thunderbeak** (voiced by Townsend Coleman) — Canard Thunderbeak was Wildwing's best friend, and the only remaining survivor of the Resistance from Puckworld (or so we thought). He was the original leader and team captain of the Mighty Ducks before being pulled into Dimensional Limbo. While following Dragaunus through a dimensional gateway, Canard sacrificed himself when the Saurians released an electromagnetic worm on the Aerowing. Before he did, he gave the mask of Drake DuCaine to Wildwing and told him to be the team captain. To this day, as far as the Mighty Ducks know, Canard is still trapped in dimensional limbo. He was a great leader and a great friend. Wildwing believes Canard is still alive and swears he will find him. In the episode "Take Me to Your Leader", he appears to have escaped and made a distress call to the Ducks, but it is revealed to be Chameleon setting a trap for them once again leaving Wildwing feeling guilty for not being able to save his friend and possibly more determined to find him.

## Episodes

*Mighty Ducks* has a total of 26 episodes spread over 1 season that were produced from September 1996 to January 1997.

## References

1. ↑ Lowery, Steven (1996-04-10). Disney and NHL Hope Young Fans Will Be Drawn to Hockey Via Animated Series. *The Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved on September 4, 2010.