Launchdad

Launchdad is the family ship between Gosalyn Mallard and Launchpad McQuack from the Darkwing Duck and DuckTales fandoms.

Darkly Dawns the Duck
As Gosalyn falls, Launchpad swoops in on the Thunderquack. He's then able to catch her on the top. He gives her a smile as she says that it was a nice save. Once inside Gosalyn decides it's payback time and gives the queue to Luanchpad. He says it's no problem and chases the bird that grabbed her earlier.

DUCK BLIND

Gosalyn asks Launchpad how long Darkwing is going to be blind for, but Launchpad says that the doctors weren't sure. Gosalyn thinks it's terrible, but Launchpad assures her that he'll be okay. The problem that Gosalyn sees is that all Darkwing knows how to do is fight crime, so what's he gonna do now.

Let's Get Dangerous!
After watching Gosalyn and Drake argue, Launchpad follows Gosalyn to her spot at the window. She admits that she knows she's being hard on him, but she needs to find her grandpa. Launchpad understands, and also reveals that Drake hasn't slept in days for that reason. Gosalyn is confused, and Launchpad tells her that Drake has been spending his free time talking to Fenton about a way to get her grandpa back. Gosalyn is surprised and then goes over to listen to Drake talking to Fenton.

Launchpad wakes up Gosalyn with a stack of pancakes. As she does, she notices that Drake is gone and is angry that he left them behind. W.A.N.D.A. then finds Drake fighting the fearsome four, which Gosalyn knows he can't take all at once. Launchpad decides that they need to go fight them, but Gosalyn realizes that they need to be smart. Gosalyn realizes that they're the villains don't realize they're not from a tv show, and asks what Launchpad knows about Darkwings villains, much to his excitement.

As Launchpad and Gosalyn walk up to the McDuck building dressed as C tier villains, Gosalyn realizes that the plan might be dumb and immediately regrets it. Quackerjack lets them in and they sneak into the lab. They find Drake tied up and caught by the villains and Launchpad decides that now is when they get dangerous, only for Gosalyn to become scared. She thinks it's too much and that it's not like tv. There's real danger. Launchpad says that's true and that sometimes you lose. But no one knows that better than Drake. Doing the right thing when things are easy, but doing it when things are hard is what makes people heroes.

Season 1
Darkly Dawns the Duck
 * Launchpad calls for Gosalyn in the water.
 * Gosalyn and Launchpad both watch Darkwing get blown up.
 * Launchpad arrives to pick up Drake after he adopts Gosalyn.

Getting Antsy
 * Launchpad watches Gosalyn and Honker for Drake.
 * Gosalyn and Launchpad both yell no, when Darkwing is shrunk even smaller.

The Apes of Wrath
 * Gosalyn tosses the bomb to Launchpad.
 * Launchpad and Gosalyn hide in the bushes as Darkwing talks to the poachers.
 * Launchpad asks how Darkwing was able to get Gosalyn to sleep so easily.
 * Launchpad is proud of Gosalyn's trap working, even if it's not on a gorilla.

DuckTales
Let's Get Dangerous!
 * Launchpad is the first to spot Gosalyn.
 * Gosalyn runs right into Launchpad.
 * Launchpad encourages Drake to help Gosalyn.
 * Launchpad jumps in front of Gosalyn to stop Bulba and tells her to run.
 * Launchpad catches Gosalyn and Drake.
 * Gosalyn tries to knock some sense into Drake and Launchpad.
 * Launchpad decides Gosalyn is the "Dewey" in their adventuring family, but Gosalyn turns it down.
 * Launchpad places Gosalyn on his lap in the side car, and puts a helmet on her head.
 * Launchpad grabs Gosalyn as they ride past her and puts her back in the side car.
 * Launchpad cries over Gosalyn helping Drake get to sleep.
 * Launchpad picks up and hugs Gosalyn and Drake.

Behind the Scenes
"Frank Angones once said to me, ‘Tad, there is no Darkwing without Gosalyn and Launchpad’. He said, ‘Everybody knows it’s about the family of a father, a daughter, and a Launchpad’. So how they’ll arrange that to happen and how it’ll be different and changed and the dynamics...y’know, as I tell people, they’re doing the show for the 21st century, we did the one for the last century. It is new thinking, new types of storytelling, and every time they run something past me, I say ‘It’s awesome’. I’ve never been a guy who says ‘No, it has to be done just like the old one’. Because, then it’s like, why don’t you just watch the old one again? It’s a modern take."

- Tad Stone

Fanon
Launchpad and Gosalyn are a dynamic enjoyed by most fans of the original '91 series. Many hoping to see them have a similar dynamic in the DuckTales reboot. Fans of the two who also ship Drakepad typically want Launchpad to officially adopt Gosalyn alongside Drake. Most want this as in the original series, Launchpad was already helping him raise Gosalyn.

On AO3, Launchdad is the second most written relationship for both Gosalyn and Launchpad. It is also the seventh most written in the Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991) tag.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Launchpad & Gosalyn tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Launchpad McQuack & Gosalyn tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Gosalyn & Launchpad tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Gosalyn & Launchpad tag on FanFiction.Net

TUMBLR

Variations

 * Mallard McQuack Family refers to the ship between Launchpad and Drake Mallard as the parents of Gosalyn