Huey, Dewey, and Louie are the three troublemaking, but often heroic, nephews of Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck, but it took until theDuckTalesreboot for it to be revealed what happened to the ducks' parents.The long history ofDuckTalesand Huey, Dewey, and Louie extends much further back than fans of the TV shows may realize. First appearing in the Donald Duck Disney comic strips in the 1930s, the triplets became immediate thorns in Donald’s side, with their antics often setting off Donald’s signature anger.
They later started appearing inanimated shorts alongside Donald, and after a few years, they were inseparable from Disney’s famous duck. In the 1980s, the ducks were assigned their colors, with Huey getting red, Dewey getting blue, and Louie getting green. Then, in 1987, the triplets get paired up with the great-uncle, the wildly wealthy Scrooge McDuck, inDuckTales. The show was later rebooted in 2017. In between,Huey, Dewey, and Louie have been featured in Disney games, spinoffs, and more, but their parents have been absent the entire time.
Huey, Dewey, And Louie’s Parents Are Mr. Duck & Della
Donald Duck Is Della’s Brother
Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s parents are Donald’s sister, Della Duck, and an unnamed father duck, who are only mentioned in the triplets' debut. The father is never mentioned again in the comics or shorts, and Della is only referenced on rare occasions in the comics. It wasn’t until 2014 that Della’s backstory was given more of an explanation.Donald explains to Huey, Dewey, and Louie that Della was a successful test pilotand the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. However, she was stranded in space after her rocket ship propelled her away from the Earth.
Huey, Dewey, And Louie’s Extended Family Tree
Maternal Grandmother
Hortense McDuck
Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s father is only briefly alluded to in official art from Disney, where his name and face are always covered up. In the 1994 Scrooge McDuck comic, “The Richest Duck in the World”, Scrooge talks about the members of his family who have disappeared. The boys respond, “We know how that feels!” a reference to their parents' absence.
Why Huey, Dewey, And Louie’s Parents Send Them To Live With Donald Duck
The Triplets Injured Their Father In A Prank
In the triplets' first appearance,Donald receives a note from Della explaining that she’s sending Donald’s nephews to visit until their father is out of the hospital. He was injured by a firecracker set off by the boys. The note reads,
“Dear Donald,
I am sending your angel nephews Louie, Huey and Dewey, to stay with you while their father is in the hospital. A giant firecracker exploded under his chair. The little darlings are so playful. I hope you enjoy them.
Your cousin,
Della.”
So it wasn’t just a firecracker gone wrong that injured their father; his boys were actually playing a prank on him. It’s this mischievous attitude that would get them in trouble with Donald frequently. It also explains their kind nature. Even when pulling pranks, their mother never seemed to get too upset by what they did.
The DuckTales Reboot Explains What Happened To Della
Della Returns To Her Family In DuckTales (2017)
More about Della Duck is revealed in theDuckTalesreboot from 2017. At the end of the season 1 premiere, the triplets see a photo of their mother fighting pirates with Scrooge and Donald, sending them on a season-long quest to find her.She appears infrequently throughout season 2 until episode 7, “What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!”, when the triplets learn their mother borrowed Scrooge’s prototype rocket before it was ready and got lost in space.
DuckTales' Scrooge McDuck Is WAY Richer Than You Think (In Disney Lore)
While Forbes may have calculated Disney’s Scrooge McDuck to be the second richest fictional character by net worth, some comics reveal more details.
She eventually reunites with her sons, brother, and uncle, though she has trouble adjusting to being a mother. She also reveals she wanted to name her boys Jet, Turbo, and Rebel. The mystery of Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s parents' disappearance has been half-solved, thanks toDuckTales. We’ll have to wait a little longer to hear what happened to their father. If we ever find out, that is.
