* AngstAversion: For people expecting a lighthearted Disney read, [[spoiler:it might be a bit jarring with the heavy use of LoveHurts (between Scrooge and Goldie) and eventual [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain dark turn]] the story takes which ultimately leads it to a DownerEnding. Thankfully, the final ending with the introduction of Donald and his nephews giving Scrooge an AdrenalineMakeover leaves things on a much happier note, much to the appreciation of many, by that point, choked-up readers.]]
* GeniusBonus: The fact that Creator/CarlBarks ''already'' had made Goldie wait for Scrooge in his old cabin for fifty years before he returned to her, something Don Rosa elaborated further in his narrative doesn't make this ''less'' of a Genius Bonus, considering that Creator/HenrikIbsen had used the same plot device in ''Theatre/PeerGynt'' -- Solveig waited for Peer in his old cabin just as long (whether Barks actually knew that much of Ibsen is a moot point).
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Like the rest of the ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse, the story is infinitely more known and popular in Europe than in the States. It's also very popular in Brazil, having had two special releases over the years.
* HarsherInHindsight:
** Scrooge briefly mentions his weakening eyesight in Chapters 5 and 10, foreshadowing when he eventually begins wearing his familiar spectacles. These otherwise inconsequential moments become hard to read once you know of [[http://career-end.donrosa.de/ Don Rosa's later, much more tragic and painful struggles with his own deteriorating eyesight]].
** "The Empire Builder From Calisota" gets much harsher twice due the Italian saga "The Amazing Adventures of Fantomius - Gentleman Thief":
*** Scrooge is constantly distracted from going back to Duckburg and apologize to his sisters. "The Amazing Adventures of Fantomius - Gentleman Thief" reveals that Scrooge had in fact managed to briefly come back once, only Matilda and Hortense were out of town and Fantomius, knowing of Scrooge's reputation but not his actual character, threatened to rob him of ''everything'' the moment his money wasn't under his relatives' responsability anymore, causing Scrooge to leave again until 1929.
*** When Scrooge comes back to Duckburg for good everyone in town comes to greet him, and there's thousands of people begging for money at the money bin... Because Flintheart Glomgold had been the mayor for a year, ruined the city's economy, and robbed most citizens blind before Fantomius ran him out of town. And Scrooge, not knowing, thought they were parasites just wanting his money rather than desperate people greeting the hero they hoped would help them recover.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight:
** In "Last Sled to Dawson," Scrooge briefly considers settling down and starting a family with Goldie. Decades later, there's a brief moment at the end of "The Richest Duck in the World" where he regrets never starting a family of his own ("It's too late! That's the ONE experience I've never had! Yet... there was a time when I... almost..."). ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales 2017}}'' would grant his wish by [[spoiler:giving him a surprise daughter.]]
** "The Night of Fantomius", part of "The Amazing Adventures of Fantomius - Gentleman Thief", shows what Scrooge did after returning to Duckburg: single-handedly restart the local economy ravaged by the Great Depression and a year of Flintheart Glomgold as mayor.
* HilariousInHindsight: Fans of both "The Dream of a Lifetime" and ''Film/{{Inception}}'' have noticed how similar the latter is to the former, sharing many core concepts on how their dreams work. It is noted that ''Inception'' was [[https://www.avclub.com/the-inception-ripped-off-scrooge-mcduck-theory-that-w-1798221139 pitched]] one year ''before'' the original comic was published.
* MemeticMutation: X is a hangin' offense in Langtry, Texas.[[labelnote:Explanation...]]CatchPhrase of Judge Roy Bean in ''The Prisoner of White Agony Creek'' when [[HangingJudge he's feeling in the mood to hang someone]].[[/labelnote]]
* MoralEventHorizon: Soapy Slick mocking a chained-up Scrooge over his mother's death in "The King Of Klondike", which Scrooge himself hadn't even found out about yet, establishing him not only as an evil, greedy bastard, but a petty, sadistic one at that. Even the Beagle Boys wouldn't sink that low.
* NightmareFuel: The closeup to Scrooge's ''incredibly'' pissed-off face in "The King Of Klondike".
* ShockingMoments: Chapter 3 B: "The Cowboy Captain of the Cutty Sark". When you start to believe nothing can actually beat the Krakatoa's ''explosion'', Don Rosa makes sure to prove you wrong.
* {{Squick}}: In the ''King of the Klondike'', Soapy's men wake Scrooge after abducting him by pouring the contents of a ''spittoon'' over his head.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: About the only thing that separates the whole story from being an adventurous comic for adults is the fact that it's inhabited with {{Funny Animal}}s. That and fights never ending in anything more than AmusingInjuries, even for villains. The few characters that die do so off-page.
* {{Woolseyism}}: A few European translations of the series changed Scrooge's reference to John Philip Sousa in Chapter 7 with a Benny Goodman one. In Norway, neither is particularily well known, so Scrooge instead makes a joke about being "Janitsjarmann", someone who plays in a Janissary Band, which Jabby misinterprets as him saying his name is Janni Tsjarmann.
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