What does "The Last of Clan McDuck" means?

[Fethryfan]

In "The Old Castle's Secret", Scrooge refers to himself as the "last of Clan McDuck". Don Rosa also used this term in "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck"

But, what does this term exactly means? That Scrooge is the last member of the clan? And more important than that, does this exclude other McDucks from the Barks-Rosa canon (Gideon, Douglas, Moocher...)?

[Baar Baar Jinx]

As I posted on another thread, I think it simply means, "last surviving male member of the Clan McDuck with whom, if he does not procreate, the line will end." I never took it to mean youngest male McDuck. In other words, if Scrooge, Gideon and Rumpus all exist, there is no "Last of the Clan McDuck". However, even ignoring Rumpus and Gideon, that definition doesn't quite explain why Scrooge is considered last of the Clan when his father and two uncles are still alive and potentially can have more male children (even though they don't in Rosa's work).

[Scrooge MacDuck]

Rumpus may be biologically the son of Fergus McDuck, but his name is McFowl and he clearly doesn't consider himself a McDuck, so unlike Gideon, I think he can survive the "Last of the Clan McDuck" dogma without even needing to resort to the idea that he's the product of an affair. Similarly, since his whole point is that he was cast out in disgrace at a young age, Cyril McDuck could still exist in the Rosaverse that way. 

But Baar Baar, the fact that Scrooge already holds the title long before Pothole, Fergus and Jakes' deaths is a very good point in favor of "Last" as "Latest", come to think of it. 

[Fethryfan]

Oct 30, 2019 10:40:04 GMT Scrooge MacDuck said:

Rumpus may be biologically the son of Fergus McDuck, but his name is McFowl and he clearly doesn't consider himself a McDuck, so unlike Gideon, I think he can survive the "Last of the Clan McDuck" dogma without even needing to resort to the idea that he's the product of an affair. Similarly, since his whole point is that he was cast out in disgrace at a young age, Cyril McDuck could still exist in the Rosaverse that way. 

But Baar Baar, the fact that Scrooge already holds the title long before Pothole, Fergus and Jakes' deaths is a very good point in favor of "Last" as "Latest", come to think of it. 

So even you, who apparently believes all stories are set in the same universe, does not believe there are other male McDucks besides Scrooge in his generation?

[Baar Baar Jinx]

Oct 30, 2019 12:13:29 GMT Fethryfan said:

Oct 30, 2019 10:40:04 GMT Scrooge MacDuck said:

Rumpus may be biologically the son of Fergus McDuck, but his name is McFowl and he clearly doesn't consider himself a McDuck, so unlike Gideon, I think he can survive the "Last of the Clan McDuck" dogma without even needing to resort to the idea that he's the product of an affair. Similarly, since his whole point is that he was cast out in disgrace at a young age, Cyril McDuck could still exist in the Rosaverse that way. 

But Baar Baar, the fact that Scrooge already holds the title long before Pothole, Fergus and Jakes' deaths is a very good point in favor of "Last" as "Latest", come to think of it. 

So even you, who apparently believes all stories are set in the same universe, does not believe there are other male McDucks besides Scrooge in his generation?

I don't think he's saying that, I think he's just pointing out that within the Rosa-verse, the term "Last of the Clan McDuck" does indeed seem to mean "youngest male of the Clan McDuck", which isn't what Barks meant, I believe, and which robs the title of a lot of its import. Being the "last" of a clan puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders (not just to produce a heir but to uphold the image, reputation and heritage of your ancestors); being the youngest has little additional significance.  

[Scrooge MacDuck]

Oct 30, 2019 12:13:29 GMT Fethryfan said:

So even you, who apparently believes all stories are set in the same universe, does not believe there are other male McDucks besides Scrooge in his generation?

Oh, I don't, personally. I'm just saying that if you want to take Rosa's "Last of the Clan McDuck" boogaloo literally, then Scrooge (with the exception of Rumpus and Cyril; possibly also Cheeryble if we take him to have been banished like Cyril) would be the only male McDuck of his generation.

[Dr Ivo G Bombastus]

I really don't know how Gideon's existence can be squared with The Old Castle's Secret.

[Scrooge MacDuck]

Oct 30, 2019 18:34:00 GMT Dr Ivo G Bombastus said:

I really don't know how Gideon's existence can be squared with The Old Castle's Secret.

If you're talking about the "I'm the last of clan mcDuck" quote all on its own, Scrooge in these 1940's stories has no qualms about lying to people, Donald included. If you're talking about the general logic of "why would he assume the treasure would be his?", presumably it's because the Castle was inherited by him in full. 

[Fethryfan]

Oct 30, 2019 19:36:53 GMT Scrooge MacDuck said:

Oct 30, 2019 18:34:00 GMT Dr Ivo G Bombastus said:

I really don't know how Gideon's existence can be squared with The Old Castle's Secret.

If you're talking about the "I'm the last of clan mcDuck" quote all on its own, Scrooge in these 1940's stories has no qualms about lying to people, Donald included. 

Yes, but Donald certainly would know about his own uncle, wouldn't him? He would know Scrooge was lying

[Scrooge MacDuck]

Oct 30, 2019 20:28:15 GMT Fethryfan said:

Yes, but Donald certainly would know about his own uncle, wouldn't him? He would know Scrooge was lying

Who knows? He basically only knows Scrooge through hearsay in The Richest Duck in the World, after all, so it's clear Hortense and Matilda were very successful in keeping Donald on their side of the feud. The question thus becomes, whose side did Gideon take in the feud between Scrooge and Hortense & Matilda? If he took Scrooge's side (or tried to stay neutral only for Hortense to interpret that as taking Scrooge's side), Hortense could well have kept Donald equally in the dark about Gideon as about Scrooge. 

If this is right, then the answer becomes self-evident: if he even remembered him at all, Donald isn't surprised at all to hear his 80-something uncle say he's the last McDuck, because it doesn't even remotely surprise him that this Uncle Gideon of his is in fact dead. 

This is all hypothetical, of course. IMO the "last of clan McDuck" business in Scrooge's mind is childish boasting which Donald sees right through and is wryly amused by.

[Dr Ivo G Bombastus]

Oct 30, 2019 19:36:53 GMT Scrooge MacDuck said:

Oct 30, 2019 18:34:00 GMT Dr Ivo G Bombastus said:

I really don't know how Gideon's existence can be squared with The Old Castle's Secret.

If you're talking about the "I'm the last of clan mcDuck" quote all on its own, Scrooge in these 1940's stories has no qualms about lying to people, Donald included. If you're talking about the general logic of "why would he assume the treasure would be his?", presumably it's because the Castle was inherited by him in full. 

But that story also has $crooge call himself the last McDuck in his own thoughts. And he says it again to "Scottie", who would logically know about the existence of other McDucks (whether in maintaining his cover or just as Diamond Dick, since he's related to the family through marriage).

The only way Gideon could fit in to this picture is if, like Rumpus, there was a time when $crooge was unaware of their relationship.

[TheMidgetMoose]

Oct 31, 2019 4:49:57 GMT Dr Ivo G Bombastus said:

Oct 30, 2019 19:36:53 GMT Scrooge MacDuck said:

If you're talking about the "I'm the last of clan mcDuck" quote all on its own, Scrooge in these 1940's stories has no qualms about lying to people, Donald included. If you're talking about the general logic of "why would he assume the treasure would be his?", presumably it's because the Castle was inherited by him in full. 

But that story also has $crooge call himself the last McDuck in his own thoughts. And he says it again to "Scottie", who would logically know about the existence of other McDucks (whether in maintaining his cover or just as Diamond Dick, since he's related to the family through marriage).

The only way Gideon could fit in to this picture is if, like Rumpus, there was a time when $crooge was unaware of their relationship.

It could also just be a known fact that Gideon is not a biological McDuck. He could be adopted, could be an illegitimate child of Downy's, or could be a stepbrother from a previous marriage of Downy's. I'm not too sure I personally view Gideon McDuck as existing in the same continuity as The Old Castle's Secret, but I think if one wants him to, they can make it work.

[crazycatlord]

Oct 30, 2019 18:34:00 GMT Dr Ivo G Bombastus said:

I really don't know how Gideon's existence can be squared with The Old Castle's Secret.

I think that Gideon's existence can't be squared with almost nothing.

[Baar Baar Jinx]

For those who want to incorporate Gideon, Cheeryble, Scrooge's sister Evelyn, perhaps even Rumpus, or any number of other potential Scrooge siblings into Rosa's Life of Scrooge, Fergus' "and" here before being interrupted is a godsend ...

[Fethryfan]

Nov 4, 2019 14:39:26 GMT Baar Baar Jinx said:

For those who want to incorporate Gideon, Cheeryble, Scrooge's sister Evelyn, perhaps even Rumpus, or any number of other potential Scrooge siblings into Rosa's Life of Scrooge, Fergus' "and" here before being interrupted is a godsend ...

That does not really help me. Marley and Evelyn are not canon to me and i believe Gideon was born later.

So Fergus probably would say "...and my brother Jake who is too lazy to get a job and lives in my house"