Animation Source Forums

What do you think of Duke?

Personally, I didn't like him. He was all nice to Balto and gave him lots of attention but deep down, he wanted to steal Balto's sons job! But yeah, I would have still wanted him in the movie because that's the storyline. This post is about his personality..

i like him becase he let balto fly on his aeroplane

I agree. He wasn't a classic "bad guy". He may well have been a threat to the jobs the dogs had, but he really was a very dynamic and interesting character - and it was a great bit of creativity on the part of the Balto 3 production team that they developed Duke into the character he is.

Duke's definitely one of my faves...

Well, I thought Duke was a good character for WoC.

Sure, he wanted to take the jobs of the sled dogs (duh, that was his purpose in the film), but he didn't seem like such a bad guy. He was becoming friends with Balto for who he was, unlike what the other sled dogs thought he was doing (being a "traitor" and all that stuff). He was on screen for just enough time to not be annoying (like some characters were in the other sequel), but he was like a "human's" POV (mainly about moving on with the future of technology for the time period) - times were changing and the old-fashioned things were beginning to become a thing of the past.

So to the dogs (and some of the mushers, townspeople, etc.), he was an enemy, but to Balto (and others), he was more of a friend that was just doing his job to move things along with his plane (which made him more curious about flight and whether the times were indeed changing).

He seemed to have a typical personality that made him likeable like a normal person (we can relate to him - he's a guy looking for a job to live, even if it means to take another's job in the process).

- Juuchan17

What so many members, who criticize Balto 3 as a cartoon (for its animation quality, storyline, characters, etc.) seem to forget is that, if you look at the history of Alaska in the late 1920s, what is shown in Balto 3 is actually more historically-accurate than even what is shown in the original Balto cartoon. While the first Balto cartoon is loosely based upon the real history of the 1925 Serum Run, it is a fanciful retelling, with many elements that are total fantasy.

And while the story in Balto 3 never actually happened, it is much more firmly-grounded in historical context, imagery and plot than ANYTHING in Balto 1. What is shown in Balto 3, in a much more general way, actually DID happen all across Alaska in the late 1920s, and into the 1930s. With the increased use of bush planes, dog sled teams were relegated to only very short supply and mail runs (and, really, in Alaska there are STILL very VERY few "short" runs of anything!), and then longer runs in the winter (and late fall, and possibly the early spring, in the more northerly locations) due to the inability of those planes to fly in extremely-cold and violent weather.

Still...*SIGH*...even those members here who style themselves as being "in the know" and well-versed on animation, art, story-telling, etc. think they have a pretty good take on the three cartoons, and that Balto 3 is still a lame story. Which means they know SQUAT.


We also like the idea of having the human perspective of what it'd be like to have Balto as a friend. Duke provides that for us. He brings us "inside", representing us. I'm sure that's not what the writers intended, but it still exists nevertheless. We see Duke being kind and friendly to Balto, and getting Balto's friendship back, and we start to live vicariously THROUGH Duke...wishing we were HIM. That's awesome! I know I did...and do everytime I watch Balto 3. Even if I know that the Balto character is not what the real Balto was like (physically and historically), I still like the character so much because, IN ALL THREE CARTOONS, he was well-acted (moreso, I believe, in 2 and 3 than in 1), and a very sympathetic character...one which part of me will always wish it were possible to really meet and befriend.

Besides, I can envision myself in that world, having a drink or two with Duke in the local saloon after a mail run! I'm sure, were he real, he'd make an interesting guy to hang out with!

No offense,I just didn't like the way Kodi spoke about Duke.

Well, of course Kodi would talk badly about him - he never got the chance to get to know him like Balto (his own father) had!

But since this is a topic about Duke's personality, let's continue to talk about such, okay? ^__~

BaltoSeppala, again you make good points! (as usually expected) As you have done in other replies, I feel like all I need to say is "Well said!" (because you have said everything!)

- Juuchan17

Not to continue taking this off-topic, but SF, now YOU'VE added one of thoes Kodi + Kirby banners TOO??

I'm not being critical of Tibby. She does great work. But we've SEEN how much this over-exposure of the Kodi + Kirby "buried secrets" thing has stressed out Balto Source (on both sides of the fence). Why add to it?

Duke has a far better personality than Kodi.

Kodi never liked Duke, because you know why.. <_<

Duke is ok..he's not that cool thought he's like a boring chareter again, but not that boring.He's nice to Balto but what about Jenna??






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Duke!

I agree, SimbasGuard - Heck, for all we know, he probably would have been nice to all of the dogs if they only gave him the chance.

(Blame Kodi for this - he was joining the bandwagon that his teammates were on instead of siding with his own father. Of course, Jenna was on Balto's side, and thanks to her, Kodi realized his misjudgment and that maybe changes were necessary in the world he lived in . . . the first change that had to be made was the change inside him.)

- Juuchan17

There's a message for the young members (kids, pre-teens, teens, and college-aged members) of this site with regard to Kodi's dilemma, isn't there? Kodi did indeed jump on the bandwagon of Simpson's team for a while, and was more concerned about impressing his friends/teammates than standing up for what is right and good, as his father and mother had taught him.

Yep...LOTS of inferences can be drawn between Kodi's experiences in that movie, and the current issues facing Balto Source.

I liked the way Duke knelt down to greet Balto.