In his youth, Cranky's role in the island's 'grand poilitics' was much the same as mainly DK's, except, as he says, "I wasn't a lazy-ass couch-potato". His job, which again is much like DK's, was to govern the island while at the same time seeing to it that it was protected at all costs. So naturally, as soon as the weasel-man said that there was a make-fire-go-boom device set on 'Exodia... OBLITERATE!' pointed squarely at the island, the senses of high-alert he had thought long-retired went into 'OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE' mode. In fact, the scream he let out of what felt to him to be a cross of 'oh god oh god oh god we have to do something' and 'ARE YOU FRIGGIN' KIDDING ME' is pretty much what set DK into exploring this particular area of the Jungle.