Post by Fethryfan on Oct 27, 2021 19:58:18 GMT
As to Barks' references to "Cousin Coot". I ALWAYS took that to refer to Cousin Cuthbert, assuming that he was, by far, the member of the Coot side of the family, most currently active in Donald's daily life (e.g. Donald has more contact with Cuthbert than any others of The Coots). So, I have to assume that Cuthbert either has moved to a new place which is nearer to the sea, because he has changed careers from ranching to sea diving, or he owns or rents a vacation home on the seaside, where he dives for a hobby. Because Cuthbert is a reasonably regular player in Donald's life, it would be awkward for him to refer to Cuthbert as "Cousin Cuthbert", and all other Coot 2nd cousins as "Cousin Coot", because, if used so, it would become a useless term, unable to differentiate one Coot cousin from another. So, clearly, ONLY Cuthbert is currently in Donald's life, and, therefore, Donald is referring to Cuthbert, when he uses the reference, "Cousin Coot". Personally, I would rather keep adding new, previously unseen, but always existing, members of The Duck and McDuck, and Daisy's "Duck" families, to help make the story of Donald more realistic, like an historical saga, rather than a single play. The Simpsons' cast is more realistic, and richer, than that of a book, film, or TV series for which the casts are never expanded in succeeding episodes. They tie a saga thread more tightly together than just throwing in outside new characters in each new episode, when needed for the plot, who never before had any connection to the main protagonist of the series.
However, in this case, because of the way Barks used the term "Cousin Coot", it is obvious that Donald was referring to Cuthbert. Nevertheless, that wouldn't stop me from introducing new Coot Uncles, Aunts, and cousins into The Ducks' lives.
Donald does have at least three more cousins whose last name is Coot (Botcho, Marmaduke and Kildare), but, as you've said, Cuthbert is the only one who could be a regular member of Donald's life. Botcho and Marmaduke don't seem to be closer to Donald than Cuthbert is and Kildare stayed years on a psychiatric hospital