Everybody loves DuckTales, the cartoon where the ducks go on adventures and have a good time. However, one adventure these beloved characters will never go on is to Heaven, because they have no souls, and are therefore barred from Paradise. Here are five times Uncle Scrooge reminded his grandnephews of this fact during the winter’s first snowfall.
Season 1, Episode 15 — Duckman of Aquatraz: When Uncle Scrooge’s Brief Imprisonment Leads Him to Pray to God, But God Does Not Answer
After Uncle Scrooge is framed for stealing a painting and sent to Aquatraz prison, it’s up to Huey, Dewey, and Louie to save him. While incarcerated, Uncle Scrooge prays for God’s mercy, but it is not until his grandnephews rescue him that Scrooge is freed.
Noticing the moon’s light reflecting off the pristine white snow as they return home, Uncle Scrooge explains to the boys that unlike the snow, their souls are neither pure nor corrupted, since they have no souls to begin with. Louie is confused because he thought that God loves all His creatures equally. “Only humans were made in God’s likeness. Our species was created for God’s amusement: nothing more,” Scrooge says.
Season 1, Episode 45 — Raiders of the Lost Harp: When Uncle Scrooge Bemoans That All His Riches Cannot Afford Him a Seat in God’s Kingdom
While Huey, Dewey, and Louie eagerly make plans to go sledding and have snowball fights during the season’s first snowstorm, a fit of melancholy befalls Uncle Scrooge, who tells the boys, “Enjoy these simple pleasures. For their will come a time when they cease to excite you and you’ll be left alone with only your thoughts.” He then retired to his gold coin swimming pool and impotently tried to light it on fire, lamenting that the fortune will never buy him a soul.
Eventually, he gave up and helped his grandnephews track down a magic harp that can tell when people are lying (but he was pretty quiet the whole time and his mind seemed to be elsewhere).
Season 2, Episode 10 — Money to Burn: When Uncle Scrooge Decided to Use His Fortune to Open a Weapons Manufacturing Facility and Sell His Product to the Highest Bidder
During an unseasonable October snowstorm, Huey, Dewey, and Louie marvel at the beauty of such a rare event. Uncle Scrooge sees it differently, believing it to be evidence of the lack of rhyme or reason in this world. Before any of the boys could respond, Scrooge began a long speech explaining that he once believed that not having a soul was his curse, but he has come to see it as his gift now. “I can embrace a life of hedonism and immorality with no fear of consequence. If God has turned His back on me, then I too shall turn mine on Him.”
In this episode, Scrooge appeared to show a glimmer of humanity for the final time in the series when he questioned how long he can distract himself with material possessions and ignore that every penny he earns comes stained in blood.
Season 3, Episode 9 — The Big Flub: When the Government Investigates Scrooge’s Illegal Arms Trafficking and Launchpad McQuack Takes the Fall
It was only a matter of time before the feds began sniffing around Scrooge McDuck’s business operations. Initially, Launchpad was reluctant to take the blame for Scrooge’s affairs, but during a tense moment, Scrooge told him it was his duty to do so and promised him a handsome reward after serving his time. Unfortunately, Launchpad never got that reward, as he died under mysterious circumstances in jail while awaiting trial (though Scrooge had been expressing concerns about both the trial and Launchpad’s loyalties prior to this).
At Launchpad’s funeral, Scrooge McDuck gave a eulogy as a gentle snow fell. “While I’ll certainly miss my employee and friend, I know one thing for certain: he is not in Heaven right now, for ducks have no soul.” Then he looked directly at his grandnephews and said, “I have my doubts whether there’s a heaven at all.”
Season 4, Episode 5 — Scrooge’s Last Adventure: When Uncle Scrooge Succumbs to the Effects of Old Age and Learns He Did Have a Soul After All
Scrooge’s wrinkled flesh and weakened body finally gives way and he passes quietly in his sleep. However, Scrooge is shocked to find himself at St. Peter’s Gate. The opportunity to share God’s glory in the afterlife was always there for him, but his wickedness made certain his fate would be an eternity in Hell. Using the magic of Christmas snow, Uncle Scrooge is able to return to Earth one final time to warn Huey, Dewey, and Louie that they must lead good Christian lives.
The episode ends with the iconic DuckTales theme song being performed with the sounds of weeping and gnashing of teeth in Hell. It would be another 27 years before Disney rebooted the series and invited fans to more outlandish fun with Scrooge and the boys!