Christmas Specials Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Christmas Specials Wiki

You've gone too far, Bushroot! Using Christmas trees to ruin Christmas; it's, it's, it's... it's just not Christmas-y.

— Darkwing

"It's a Wonderful Leaf" (originally titled "A Bushroot Christmas" according to the series' production bible) is the Christmas episode of the the Disney Afternoon animated series Darkwing Duck. It was the show's 41st episode in syndication (though it is the show's 54th episode if one counts the episodes that premiered on ABC's Saturday morning line-up in 1991 as part of the show's first season), originally broadcast on December 23, 1991. Its title is a reference to the classic Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life, though the plot has nothing to do with said film.

Synopsis

The episode opens on Christmas Eve at the St. Canard shopping mall, where Dr. Reginald Bushroot, observing the hostile behavior of the other shoppers, finds himself regretting his decision to have waited until the last minute to do his Christmas shopping. While avoiding the frenzied shoppers, Bushroot ducks into a garden shop and starts looking to find presents for the flowers he's able to communicate with. But just as he's found a watering can that would make a perfect gift for one of his plant "friends", another customer takes it from him and knocks him into a nearby barrel. Then, when he accidentally scares a little girl, the girl's mother attacks him with a rake. Bushroot runs out of the store, only to get chased out of the mall by an angry mob. Furious with the horrible treatment he just received from the not-so-jolly mallgoers, Bushroot vows to ruin Christmas for everyone else in St. Canard.

Drake about to decorate his tree

"Now then, Launchpad, let's get...decorative."

Meanwhile, at Drake Mallard's house, he and Launchpad are decorating the Christmas tree. Just as they've finished, Drake's adopted daughter, Gosalyn, comes riding an old sled downstairs and around the living room until she crashes into the tree. Gosalyn apologizes for wrecking the tree, and Drake takes his old sled from her, only for it to disintegrate immediately afterward. Gosalyn wants to open her presents right now, but Drake insists that she wait until tomorrow morning. Gosalyn of course attempts to unwrap her presents early anyway, but her attempts fail due to Drake having put an alarm on top of the (now-fixed-and-redecorated) tree.

Meanwhile, Bushroot goes to a nearby Christmas tree lot that strangely still has a lot of trees in stock despite it being Christmas Eve, and orders all the trees in the lot to "rise up against their oppressors" and join him in his plan. First, they return to the mall, where Bushroot has one of the trees enact revenge against the customers who attacked him in the garden shop earlier. Specifically, he has the tree steal a doll from the little girl and make it look like the guy who took the watering can stole the doll. Then, after having another tree make it look like another customer stole the bell from the mall's Salvation Army Santa, Bushroot's next step is to kidnap the mall's Santa and pose as the big guy himself. As a "Sinister Santa", he displays all sorts of Grinchiness towards the children (and gets a visit from Herb Muddlefoot) until the little girl's mother returns and gets the kids' parents to chase him out.

Bushroot sics Christmas trees on Darkwing and Launchpad

Bushroot sends out three of his trees to attack Darkwing and Launchpad.

At that very moment, Drake and Launchpad happen to be doing some last-minute shopping themselves when they suddenly hear the other customers complaining about their things being stolen. Drake goes to change into Darkwing Duck, but accidentally puts on a Santa Claus costume instead, so he decides to go undercover as a mall Santa to search for clues. Unfortunately, the mallgoers mistake Darkwing for the Sinister Santa and chase after him, but he manages to avoid their wrath by hiding behind a tree and switching to his Darkwing outfit. Darkwing suspects that "some sinister force is sapping the season's spirit", at which point Bushroot reveals himself ("I'm really not sinister; just misunderstood"). When Darkwing lashes out at Bushroot for what he is doing, Bushroot simply responds "Everybody's got to celebrate in their own special way," and then sics three of his trees on Darkwing and Launchpad before escaping. Darkwing shoots one of the trees with his gas gun, covering it in decorations (much to his surprise), and then he and Launchpad escape while the trees are distracted by this. After avoiding the trees' pursuit, they begin following a trail of pine needles that Bushroot's other tree minions left behind.

Bushroot, in the meantime, has stolen a flatbed truck and is driving around the neighborhood, ordering all the trees in the houses (which are apparently receiving his orders via the stars on top of them) to sprout arms and steal the presents spread around them. However, when he comes upon the Mallard household, he finds that it does not have a star on top and puts one on before ordering it to steal the presents. When it does, though, it sets off the tree alarm, much to Bushroot's dismay. Gosalyn and Honker see the tree running off with Gosalyn's presents and, despite the tree subduing them by throwing a wreath around them, they chase after it.

With the stolen goods, the trees gather onto Bushroot's truck and he starts driving off, thinking his plan is a success. Suddenly, Darkwing and Launchpad catch up to him on the Ratcatcher. The Duck Knight jumps in front of the truck and lands on the windshield, only for Bushroot to stop the truck and then run over him. Gosalyn and Honker catch up to Darkwing at this point, and they all get into the Ratcatcher to resume pursuing the plant-based supervillain. In the process, Darkwing and Launchpad get knocked off of the Ratcatcher and land on a plastic Santa-and-his-reindeer display. Gosalyn turns the motorcycle around and lassos the plastic display, dragging it along until it goes flying into the air with Darkwing and Launchpad hanging on to it.

Bushroot pulls up at the front of the Christmas tree lot, thinking he's lost sight of his pursuers, when he suddenly sees Darkwing and Launchpad coming in for a landing on the plastic display. Bushroot and his trees make a run for it, leaving behind most of the stolen presents, just as Darkwing and Launchpad make a crash landing. Just as they emerge from the wreckage, Gosalyn and Honker then crash the Ratcatcher into them. Gosalyn wants to keep all the presents that Bushroot's minions left behind, but Darkwing tells her, Launchpad, and Honker to return the presents to their rightful owners while he looks for Bushroot.

It does not take long for Darkwing to find the half-plant mutant, as Bushroot captures him with a lasso of Christmas lights. When the Duck Knight threatens him with his gas gun, Bushroot warns him that he might upset his new best friend - Douglas Fir, a giant Douglas fir tree. The tree knocks Darkwing into a giant candy cane and then throws a star at him ninja-style, but Darkwing hides behind a fire hydrant to avoid the star. Bushroot orders the rest of his trees to throw everything they've got at Darkwing. In the process, Darkwing ends up pulling the fire hydrant out of the ground, causing water to shoot out from underneath. Darkwing grabs a shovel from a nearby snowman and uses it to direct the water at the trees and Bushroot, freezing them.

DarkwingXmas

Darkwing dressed as Santa.

After leaving the frozen Bushroot for the police to arrest, Darkwing catches up with his group. Launchpad informs him that they managed to return all the gifts, but they couldn't find the Muddlefoots' presents. Honker glumly heads home, but luckily, Gosalyn has an idea to cheer up her friend. Shortly later, Darkwing, dressed up as Santa, shows up in the Muddlefoots' house (during which he causes Tank's attempt at trapping Santa to backfire on him) and gives them Gosalyn's presents. After that, while heading back home, Darkwing tells Gosalyn that he's proud of her for giving her presents to Honker's family. Just then, Launchpad finds a sled on the doorstep, with a card addressed to Gosalyn from Santa. As Gosalyn goes to play with her new sled, Darkwing wonders who gave her that sled and then, looking in the sky, sees Santa and his reindeer flying overhead.

Broadcast history

As an episode of Darkwing Duck, "It's a Wonderful Leaf" continued to air in reruns on the Disney Afternoon from 1991 to 1995 and 1996 to 1997. It was later aired in reruns on the Disney Channel from 1995 to 1999 and on Toon Disney from 1998 to 2004.

Edits

  • On Disney+, the shot of Bushroot's eyes popping out of their sockets as he says "Oh no, a tree alarm! I h-h-hate those things!" (after he causes Darkwing's tree alarm to be set off) is replaced with a slowed-down version of the preceding shot played over the audio.

Availability

In 1993, the episode made its home video debut on a VHS tape titled Happy Holidays from Darkwing Duck and Goofy!, which also contained A Goof Troop Christmas: Have Yourself a Goofy Little Christmas. It was later made available on the Darkwing Duck: Volume 2 DVD set, released on August 7, 2007. It was also featured on a stand-alone DVD sold exclusively through the Disney Movie Club in 2008.

Cast

Voice actor Character
Jim Cummings Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard
Herb Muddlefoot
Santa Claus
Terry McGovern Launchpad McQuack
Christine Cavanaugh Gosalyn Mallard
Katie Leigh Honker Muddlefoot
Dana Hill Tank Muddlefoot
Susan Tolsky Binkie Muddlefoot
Tino Insana Bushroot

Gallery

External links

The Walt Disney Company
Animated shorts
Empty SocksMickey's OrphansSanta's WorkshopMickey's Good DeedThe Night Before ChristmasBroken ToysToy TinkersPluto's Christmas TreeThe Small OneMickey's Christmas Carol • "Jingle Bells, Something Smells" • "The Nutcracker" • "Mickey's Mixed Nuts" • "Mickey's Christmas Chaos" • Operation: Secret Santa • "Oh, Christmas Tree!" • Olaf's Frozen Adventure • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Tinsle Tussle" • Mickey's Christmas Tales
Movies
Animated Christmas JollitiesThe Nightmare Before ChristmasBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasMickey's Once Upon a ChristmasWinnie the Pooh: Seasons of GivingMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseRecess Christmas: Miracle on Third StreetA Very Merry Pooh YearMickey's Twice Upon a Christmas . Disney Princess: A Christmas of EnchantmentMy Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Sleuth Christmas MovieA Christmas CarolMarvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!
Live-action Babes in ToylandOne Magic ChristmasThe Christmas StarErnest Saves ChristmasA Mom For ChristmasIn the Nick of TimeThe Muppet Christmas CarolThe RefThe Santa ClauseThe Preacher's WifeThe Christmas TreeI'll Be Home For ChristmasThe Ultimate Christmas Present 'Twas the NightThe Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseSanta BuddiesThe Search for Santa PawsGood Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!Santa Paws 2: The Santa PupsThe Nutcracker and the Four RealmsNoelleGodmotheredMarley
Television specials and episodes
Animated
Television specials "A Present for Donald" • "From All of Us to All of You" • A Disney Christmas GiftA Disney Channel ChristmasWinnie the Pooh and Christmas TooA Goof Troop ChristmasPhineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!Prep & LandingMickey's Christmas SpecialPrep & Landing: Naughty vs. NiceToy Story That Time ForgotDuck the HallsLEGO Star Wars: Holiday SpecialMickey and Minnie Wish Upon a ChristmasMickey Saves ChristmasShortsmas with Big City Greens
Television episodes Disney Television Animation "Jolly Molly Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Leaf" • "Miracle at the 34th Precinct" • "Doug's Secret Christmas" • "A Christmas Cruella" • "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" • "Don't Be Elfish" • "A Kosher Christmas" • "A Dog for All Seasons" • "The Worst Holiday Ever" • "Holiday Time" • "Cheery Theerlap, Lloyd" • "The Blight Before Christmas" • "Pete's Christmas Caper" • "Clarabelle's Christmas List" • "Happy Holidays, Mr. Gruff!" • "A Very Possible Christmas" • "Topper" • "On Whiskers, On Lola, On Cheryl and Meryl" • "Hairy Christmas" • "A Giftmas Story" • "Season's Beatings" • "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular 5" • "Stitch and Santa" • "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" • "A Cousin Kyle Christmas" • "Merry Fishmas, Milo" • "The Gift" • "Gingersnaps and Grumpy Snaps" / "Jollybells" • "Future-Worm and the 54 Days of Snordfest" • "Stump Day" / "Holiday Spellcial" • "A Christmas Peril" • "Tree Lighting" • "A Merry Mocap Musical" • "Last Christmas!" • "The Present" • "Green Christmas" • "How Santa Stole Christmas!" • "Froggy Little Christmas" • "Saving Christmas" • "Virtually Christmas" • "White Christmess" • "We Wish You a Merry Chaos-Mas"
Playhouse Disney /
Disney Junior
"The Wishing Tree" • "Little Dog Lost" • "A Circus Town Christmas" • "Twinkle's Wish" • "The Christmas Wish " • "A Very Handy Holiday" • "The Wind-Up Toy Prince" • "Mickey Saves Santa" • "The Night Before Zipsmas / A Gift For Zooter" • "Flicker Saves Christmas" • "The Ayalas' Christmas Extravaganza" • "The Living Holiday Lights" • "It's a Winter Never Land!" • "A Very McStuffins Christmas" • "Holiday in Enchancia" • "Captain Scrooge" • "Winter's Gift" • "Toby's Christmas Critter" / "A Very Tricky Christmas" • " Navidad" • "The Mystic Isles: A Very Mystic Wassailia" • "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • "Happy Hot Diggity Dog Holiday!" • "Happy Holiday Helpers" • "A Very Pug Christmas" • "The Latke Kerfuffle" • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" • "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "A Santa for Bob" • The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special • "Nanpire and Grandpop the Greats" • "Snow Place Like Home" • "Nancy and the Nice List" • "A Gargoyle Carol" • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Elves for a Day/The Dreidel Dilemma" • "Festival of Lights" • "Tinsle Tussle" • "Santa Baby" • "The Fright Before Christmas" • "Merry Chickmas" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "A Christmas Mission in Toyland / Nine Lights Tonight" • "The Christmas Car-Sled Race" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "Jingle Bog Rock" • "Wrap Party Pups" / "Fixing Santa's Sleigh" • "Jingle Birds" • "Blizzard Buds" • "Pupstruction Saves Christmas" • "Merry Mousemas" • "Santa’s Crash Landing"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "How the Super Stole Christmas" • "A Very Special Clone High Snowflake Day Special"
Marvel Animation (post-2009) "Nightmare on Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Smash" • "Jingle Bell Rock" • "The Moon Knight Before Christmas" • "A Very Spidey Christmas" • "Halted Holiday" / "Merry Spidey Christmas"
Lucasfilm, Ltd. LEGO Star Wars: Holiday Special • "Life Day"
Hyperion Films "Who Stole Santa? • "Christmas in Oz" • "Seven Days of Kwanzaa"
Live-action
Television specials The Walt Disney Christmas ShowChristmas at Pooh CornerA Magic Kingdom Yuletide SpecialThe Disney Christmas SpecialMickey's NutcrackerDisney's Christmas Fantasy on IceA Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaGood Luck Jessie: NYC ChristmasJessie's Aloha Holidays with Parker & JoeyDisney Channel Fa-La-La-Lidays Celebrates a Radio Disney Family HolidayDisney Holiday Magic QuestDisney Channel's Epic Holiday ShowdownDisney Channel Holiday House Party" • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Television episodes Walt Disney Television "Christmas at the Circus" • "Christmas in Wonderland" • "Refrigerator Day" • "A Roman Holiday" • "Fountain" • "Happy Holidays" • "Heck of a Hanukkah" • "Xtreme Xmas" • "Escape Claus" • "Christmas at the Tipton" • "Christmas Break" • "Killing Me Softly With His Height" • "Present Problem" • "Happy Ha-Ha Holidays" • "A So Random! Holiday Special" • "A London Carol" • "Bro Ho Ho" • "So Random! Episode 18" • "Pair of Santas" • "sANTa's Little Helpers" • "Christmas Story" • "Jingle It Up" • "A Little Elf Esteem" • "A Duncan Christmas" • "Bark! The Herald Angels Sing" • "Merry Merry It Up" • "Oh, Christmas Nuts!" • "Big Dreams & Big Apples" • "Nanny in Miami" • "Fa La La La-A-Rooney" • "Mix-Ups & Mistletoes" • "Twas the Mission Before Christmas" • "silANT night" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays" • "Stan Steals Christmas" • "Merry Miss Sis" • "Secret Santa" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "The Girls of Christmas Past" • "Santas & Surprises" • "Joy-to-a-Rooney" • "Single All the Way" • "Cali Christmas-A-Rooney" • "Girl Meets a Christmas Maya" • "How the Griff Stole Christmas" • "Holly Holly Not So Jolly" • "The Christmas Curse" • "Agh, Humbug" • "Stuck at Christmas" • "A Killer Robot Christmas" • "Would You Wrather Get a Moose Angry?" • "Holiday Video Sketchtacular " • "Bah Humbugged " • "Merry Christmas Mr. Gooch " • "It's Christmas, Gabby Duran " • "Would You Wrather Lose Your Presents? " • "Summer Winter Wonderland " • "How the Syd Stole Christmas" • "Mad About Yuletide" • "Jolly Holidance" • "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" • "Holiday" • "How the Villains Stole Christmas" • "A Very Villain Christmas" • "Friends in Snow Places"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "It's a Marginal Life" • "Yule Better Watch Out" • "I'm Scheming of a White Christmas" • "Santa's Little Helper" • "'Twas the Blight Before Christmas" • "Some Like It Hot Rod" • "'Twas the Night Before Chaos" • "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas" • "Easy Street" • "Bright Christmas" • "A Very Topanga Christmas" • "Home for the Holidays" • "An According to Jiminy Christmas" • "Spirit" • "One Office Party Too Many" • "The Christmas Party" • "Secret Santa" • "Silent Night, Opening Night" • "Stalking Santa" • "Aru-Bah Humbug" • "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" • "The Gift of Maggie" • "Christmas Time" • "Light the Lights" • "The Miracle Song" • "Fake Plastic Snow" • "The Nutcracker" • "Two for the Money" • "Holidaze" • "Boom Crunch" • "Cold Turkey"
Albums
30 Favorite Songs of Christmas with Chimes and ChorusA Family ChristmasDisney's Merry Christmas CarolsMickey's Christmas Around the WorldAriel's Christmas Under the SeaA Pooh ChristmasThe Twelve Days of ChristmasDisney's Christmas CollectionDisney's Christmas Collection IIDisney's Family Christmas CollectionDisney's Snowy Christmas . Disney Santa Sing-AlongDisney's Princess Christmas AlbumDisney's Merry Little ChristmasA Green and Red ChristmasDisney's Holiday Celebration 2007Disney Channel HolidayDisney Holiday Magic 2009Disney Winter Wonderland 2010Phineas and Ferb Holiday FavoritesMickey's Magical Holiday 2011Disney Channel Holiday PlaylistHolidays UnwrappedA Very Merry Disney ChristmasDisney Junior Holiday HitsICON: Disney HolidayDisney Junior Holiday Hits 2Disney Christmas Magic
Other
Disney Parks Christmas Day ParadeThe Magic of Christmas at DisneylandThe Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney WorldFa-La-La-Lidays25 Days of ChristmasThe Santa Clauses
Advertisement