"The Untimely Terror of the Time Turtle" is one of two stories included in the Darkwing Duck Annual, which was published on March 3, 2011.
Summary
Drake allows Gosalyn to purchase a pet. He is thinking something small and manageable like his own childhood pet slime mold, Freddie, while Gosalyn goes for the large carnivores. From admiring a snake at the pet store, she fantasizes about siccing it on her father for gifts and bedtime flexibility. Drake disrupts her daydream and takes her to another part of the store to negotiate the acquisition of a turtle for reasons of its built-in armor. Just as he picks one up to show her, a large man comes storming in and demands they hand over the animal to him. Drake meets hostility with hostility, giving Gosalyn time to consider the turtle in her hands. She notices a peculiar message written on the critter's belly: "Pack the bungee," after which she dissolves in time to solidify at a point about an hour later. She and the turtle have relocated to the clockwork of the St. Canard Clocktower and so have Darkwing and the large man, now a villain by the name Chronoduck. They are locked in combat, but Chronoduck holds a future version of the turtle and dissolves out of the way when Darkwing lunges at him. The caped crusader falls over the railing to his death, much to Gosalyn's shock and horror.
She returns to the present right as the future criminal snags the turtle from her. He walks out of the store proudly proclaiming the turtle's special power Gosalyn just got a demonstration of: time travel. Drake has gotten into his Darkwing Duck costume in the meantime and takes a swing at Chronoduck. As he did in the future sample, Chronoduck time travels away before he is hit. He reappears behind Darkwing, now in a costume of his own that he picked up at home. To further taunt the crimefighter, he announces he's currently stealing the Hourglass Diamond because he left an hour ago and Darkwing already wasn't there to stop him. He takes his leave then, giving Darkwing the room of thought to deduce that a time-obsessed villain has to be hiding out in the St. Canard Clocktower. Gosalyn begs him not to go, but grants her permission if she can come along.
Inside the clockwork of the St. Canard Clocktower, the present plays out as the future once did, although with one small detail changed; Gosalyn has brought a bungee cord with her. She lassoes it around her father's ankle and waits, sitting out Chronoduck's gloating until Darkwing is pulled back up. The masked mallard kicks down on Chronoduck's back, who becomes incapacitated and releases the turtle. Gosalyn catches the animal to ensure his safety and to have a means to leave her past self a note to pack the bungee. After all this, Gosalyn is fine to get herself a fungus as pet, while Drake ties his brain in knots trying to figure out the logic behind this time-warping experience.
Cast
Quotes
- "I have fond memories of my childhood fungoid friend. He loved rotten fruit frappes. Sometimes I couldn't tell where the frappe ended and Freddie beg[an]."
- — Drake fondly remembers fungus.
- "There has to be something that is both safe for you and from you."
- — Drake's demands of Gosalyn's pet.
- "Where are we? And why does this seem like page seven action?"
- — Gosalyn time travels and breaks the fourth wall.
- "There's only one hideout for a time-obsessed villain. The St. Canard Clocktower!"
- — Darkwing knows his villains all too well.
- "You can't chase him, dad. It's too dangerous."
- "Um... you've heard my catchphrase, right?"
- — Gosalyn and Darkwing.
Notes
Milestones
- This episode marks the first appearance of Chronoduck, the Time Turtle, the St. Canard Clocktower, and the Hourglass Diamond.
References
- The staff Gosalyn holds in her fantasy is the one of Jafar in the 1992 Disney movie Aladdin.
- "Webtendo Z Box" is a pun-portmanteau of Nintendo and Xbox.
- The pet store is filled with nothing but references. In order they are Chum and Anchor from the 2003 movie Finding Nemo, Flotsam and Jetsam from the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid, Joanna from the 1990 movie The Rescuers Down Under, Mushu from the 1998 movie Mulan, Spider and Centipede from the 1996 movie James and the Giant Peach, Sir Hiss from the 1973 movie Robin Hood, birds from the 1963 attraction Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Thumper and Flower from the 1942 movie Bambi, Sammy from the 1972 attraction Country Bear Jamboree, Timothy Mouse from the 1941 movie Dumbo, Bianca and Bernard from the 1977 movie The Rescuers, Gurgi from the 1985 movie The Black Cauldron, Jaq and Gus from the 1950 movie Cinderella (1950 film), Gill, Nemo, Crush, and Bubbles from Finding Nemo, Ballerina Ggoldfishes from the 1940 movie Fantasia, Pascal from the 2010 movie Tangled, Si and Am from the 1955 movie Lady and the Tramp, the Cheshire Cat from the 1951 movie Alice in Wonderland, and Scat Cat from the 1970 movie The Aristocats.
- The dog and cat on the rooftop are Dodger and Oliver from the 1988 movie Oliver & Company.
- Ratigan, Basil, and Dawson from the 1986 movie The Great Mouse Detective appear amidst the clockwork.
Other
- This is the only story of the Boom! Studios run not adjusted in any way for the Joe Books run, probably because it is a guest comic written by Tad Stones.
