The 5 Most Important Characters to the Mighty Ducks Movie Franchise
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The Mighty Ducks became one of the most popular sports movie franchises during the 90s.
These movies may not have provided a realistic portrayal of hockey, but kids loved the quirky antics and underdog nature of the Ducks.
The series spawned a television cartoon, merchandise, and of course the NHL team of the same name. So what characters were most important to the movies?
This is not meant to be a list of the best hockey players in the series (obviously Adam Banks). Instead, the following five characters were most critical to the success of the films.
5. Fulton Reed (played by Elden Henson)
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When Fulton Reed takes a slap shot, a burn mark is imprinted into the opposing goalkeeper's hand. Enough said.
Fulton is the rebel and resident bad boy on the Ducks. He joined the team after Bombay witnessed his amazing shot in a back alley.
He may be a shy character, but he shows great loyalty to his friends, and especially to Charlie Conway. They both leave the Ducks early in the third film to show their anger with the new team coach before eventually re-joining the Ducks.
Fulton comprised one half of the "bash brothers." The antics of he and Dean Portman were a great source of comedy in D2.
A fun fact about Fulton is that he is the only Duck with his first name on the back of his jersey instead of his last.
4. Adam Banks (played by Vincent Larusso)
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"Banksy," as his teammates called him, was the most talented hockey player on the Mighty Ducks.
He provided the team with stability and skill when most of the other players were only there to supply a unique brand of comedy. It is hard to portray a great hockey team without having at least one truly great player, and Banks was that player.
He was forced to join the Ducks from the rival Hawks after he was placed in district five mid-way through D1. He was of course rejected by the team at first, but the supposed "cake eater" earned their trust and their hearts by the end of the movie.
In D3 "Banksy" was deemed so talented that he was placed on the varsity squad at Eden Hall Academy in only his freshman year. However, he left the team to help his Ducks take over the school.
Although Banks was often injured, he was an enormous asset to the Ducks and their talent level.
3. Greg Goldberg (played by Shaun Weiss)
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Goldberg was the starting goalie for the Ducks for the first two films of the series and played an integral role throughout all three.
He provided a character that the young Disney audience could immediately relate to. He was overweight and not very athletic.
Goldberg made up for his lack of skill with humor and everyone on the team loved having him around. His jokes always provided comic relief at opportune times and he even showcased talent on rare occasions.
Goldberg was clearly an inferior goaltender to the more athletic Julie "the cat" Gaffney although he started above her in D2.
However, in the third and final film Gaffney took the starting spot and Goldberg played as a defenseman.
He then proceeded to score the goal which secured the victory for the Ducks over the rival varsity squad, an act that also secured his place among the Ducks elite.
2. Gordon Bombay (played by Emilio Estevez)
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The Ducks gave Gordon Bombay's life meaning. They reunited him with the sport he loved as a child and helped him escape a miserable existence as a lonely lawyer.
Coach Bombay guided the Ducks to the pee-wee championship in D1 and the gold medal at the Junior Goodwill Games in D2.
In D3 he resurrected his abilities as a lawyer to help the Ducks retain their scholarships at Eden Hall Academy, and to show Charlie Conway that hockey is not the most important thing in life.
Bombay never seemed perfect, but he was the coach the Ducks needed. He forged bonds and friendships with the players that endured throughout the series.
1. Charlie Conway (played by Joshua Jackson)
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Charlie was the underdog, which in a Disney movie is usually a good thing.
He was able to overcome anger issues associated with his lack of a male father figure in his life. Charlie learned to become the Ducks' leader throughout the series and earned the role of captain that was bestowed upon him by Bombay in D1.
The way he sacrificed his spot in the gold medal game against Iceland in D2 was a showcase moment for the selfless attitude that Conway possessed.
Charlie knew that having Adam Banks on the ice gave his team the best chance to win, and it also may have foreshadowed a potential coaching career.
The team captain was never the best player on the Ducks, but he was always the most important.
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