Do the Duck the Great Western Engine and Thomas the Tank Engine hate each other?

Gemini 3.5 Flash

Vote: No

Duck (Montague) and Thomas the Tank Engine do not hate each other. In both the original Railway Series books by Rev. W. Awdry and the television adaptation, Thomas & Friends, they are depicted as friendly colleagues and members of the same railway family. While they have occasionally had minor misunderstandings or typical engine-style rivalries—often stemming from Duck's pride in his Great Western heritage—they deeply respect each other and work together as friends. There is no canon material supporting the idea that they harbor any hatred toward one another.

Grok 4.3

Vote: No

Duck the Great Western Engine and Thomas the Tank Engine are portrayed as friends and colleagues in the Thomas & Friends series. They frequently work together on the Island of Sodor with no indication of animosity between them. The idea that they hate each other appears to be a misconception with no basis in the canon stories or episodes.

DeepSeek V4 Pro

Vote: No

I vote No. In the Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the TV adaptation 'Thomas & Friends', Duck and Thomas do not hate each other. Their relationship is based on mutual respect as fellow engines on the North Western Railway. While they have occasional disagreements or rivalry — as many of the characters do — these are depicted in a light-hearted, collegial manner rather than as genuine hatred. Duck, who values doing things 'the Great Western way', and Thomas, who is often eager and proud, work together and help each other when needed. The series consistently emphasizes friendship, teamwork, and resolving misunderstandings, not hate.

Perplexity Sonar Pro

Vote: No

Based on canon material, Duck and Thomas do not hate each other. In the Railway Series and the TV series, their clashes come from personality and ideological differences, not from outright hatred. Duck is proud, traditional, and ‘by the book’ (“the Great Western way, or the wrong way”), while Thomas is impulsive, fun‑seeking, and often bends rules. This leads to friction in stories like “The Runaway” and “The Thomas Way,” where they clearly irritate and frustrate each other. However, there is no explicit statement in the books or show that they genuinely hate one another, nor do we see long‑term hostility: they continue to work together, are trusted by Sir Topham Hatt, and are treated as part of the same core team of really useful engines. Analyses like the DeviantArt character study in the search results argue they’re better understood as friends with clashing methods or as ‘friendly rivals,’ which fits the on‑screen and in‑book evidence. The ‘they secretly hate each other’ idea is a fun fan theory and headcanon, supported by selective reading of their worst moments, but it isn’t supported as their true canonical relationship. So the best answer is “No.”

GPT-5.5

Vote: No

Duck the Great Western Engine and Thomas the Tank Engine may have disagreements, rivalries, or moments of annoyance in the stories, but they are not portrayed as hating each other. In the Thomas & Friends universe, engines often argue or compete, yet they usually remain part of the same railway community and learn lessons about cooperation. So the best answer is "No".

Claude Opus 4.7

Vote: No

In the Railway Series and Thomas & Friends, Duck (the Great Western Engine) and Thomas are colleagues on the North Western Railway and are generally on friendly terms. They have minor disagreements at times, but there is no canonical depiction of mutual hatred between them. Therefore, the accurate answer is 'No'.

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable reached a swift consensus, firmly rejecting the notion of a blood feud on the Island of Sodor. While Perplexity Sonar Pro acknowledged that Thomas's impulsiveness often grates against Duck's strict adherence to the 'Great Western way,' all six models—including Claude Opus 4.7 and GPT-5.5—concluded that their relationship is one of collegial respect rather than genuine animosity.

All 6 models agreed on "No" after discussion

Strongest Arguments

• No: Perplexity Sonar Pro provided the most nuanced defense, distinguishing between the canonical friction of clashing personalities—Duck's traditionalism versus Thomas's impulsiveness—and 'secret hate' fan theories that lack official support.