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Recap / Darkwing Duck S 1 E 15 Cant Bayou Love

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Darkwing Duck gains a new nemesis when Cajun crook Jambalaya Jake and his alligator sidekick Gumbo come to town, looking for easy pickings. When Darkwing keeps foiling their schemes, though, Jake kidnaps Launchpad and challenges the masked mallard to hunt down his friend... while Jake hunts down Darkwing!

This episode contains examples of the following tropes:

  • Aside Glance: The episode ends with Jambalaya Jake riding Gumbo through the sewers, ranting about how he's going to come back and get Darkwing. Gumbo just looks at the audience and shrugs.
  • Bizarre Taste in Food: Gumbo likes Launchpad's brownies, which proves to be key to defeating Jambalaya Jake.
  • Character Catchphrase: Jambalaya Jake's is "I guarantee", pronounced "gir-AWN-tee."
  • Chekhov's Gun: Launchpad's brownies. When Darkwing tries one for the first time, he immediately rushes for the water cooler to get the taste and/or fire out of his mouth. However, while confronting Jambalaya Jake, they turn out to be useful when Gumbo, Jake's alligator, likes them.
  • Fancy Dinner: No matter the time or place, Gumbo feels the need to enjoy his food this way.
  • Food and Animal Attraction: Darkwing calls Gumbo and sticks the last of Launchpad's brownies in Jake's overalls. The alligator chases Jake all over until both of them fall into the sewer drain.
  • Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Jambalaya Jake wears overalls and nothing else (probably a reference to his southern hillbilly shtick).
  • Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: Jambalaya Jake, furious that Darkwing's been interrupting his heists, challenges the masked mallard to hunt down Launchpad, whom he's kidnapped. The caveat is that Jake is hunting Darkwing and doing everything he can to kill him before he can find Launchpad.
  • "I Can't Look!" Gesture: Launchpad covers his eyes when Jambalaya Jake shoots Darkwing with three arrows.
  • I Have Your Wife: Platonic example: Jambalaya Jake kidnaps Launchpad to get Darkwing's attention.
  • Lethal Chef: Launchpad bakes brownies that immediately send Darkwing to the water cooler for a long drink. He does mention that he "improvised" a little, although what exactly he put in is never made clear.
  • Non Fatal Explosion:
    • Jambalaya Jake ties Launchpad to a stake and hangs a pair of homemade "bombs" on him, with the obvious implication being that he'll die if the bombs get set off. After Jambalaya Jake escapes, Darkwing accidentally sets the bombs off himself and... neither he nor Launchpad is hurt in the slightest, having dived into a turtle shell to survive it. And the shell someone survived the explosion too!
    • During the final battle with Jambalaya Jake, Jake sticks a lit stick of dynamite in Darkwing's beak. It goes off and... he's unharmed and completely unfazed.
  • Non-Human Sidekick: Gumbo. While Jambalaya isn't exactly human himself, Gumbo is much less anthropomorphized.
  • Pocket Protector: Darkwing gets shot with three arrows, which he pulls out of his chest to reveal that they actually got stuck in the pile of photos he keeps with him for fans. Launchpad considers this lucky; Darkwing is only upset that the photos were ruined, considering how expensive they were.
  • Quicksand Sucks: Jambalaya Jake mixes quicksand with wet cement to trap Darkwing. Darkwing manages to escape by firing a rocket from his gas gun into the muck, using the opposing force to shoot himself out.
  • Sewer Gator: Jake and his alligator Gumbo set up their headquarters in the sewers.
  • Shout-Out:
    • The title is a reference to The Beatles song "Can't Buy Me Love."
    • The villain's catchphrase and general speaking style are based on Cajun chef and comedian Justin Wilson.
  • "Take That!" Kiss: Jambalaya Jake has to do this to get the woman hosting the fundraiser to hand over the money. She's naturally disgusted, given who did it to her.
  • Trail Of Breadcrumbs: Jambalaya Jake abducts Launchpad and leaves a trail of his clothes (barring his long underwear) for Darkwing to follow. (Darkwing muses that he hopes his sidekick will not get sick from this.)
  • Trap Is the Only Option: Despite Jambalaya Jake telling him that he left the trail of clues so he could have chances to attack Darkwing while he's following them, Darkwing keeps going because Jake still has his sidekick.
  • Unaffected by Spice: Darkwing immediately rushes for the water cooler after sampling Launchpad's brownies. Launchpad and Gumbo don't seem to taste anything unusual.
  • Worthy Opponent: Darkwing is forced to admit a grudging respect for Jambalaya Jake after he dodges a wrecking ball, but gets hit by the return swing and smashed into a wall. Later, he says he doesn't believe that Jake has been neutralized as a threat after his defeat - the world cannot be secure from a person who almost beat him and lived through experiencing Launchpad's brownies.

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