Gargoyles Season Two, Volume Two Finally Coming? - Tentative Plans Announced

[cabel]

Thanks to an episode of "Mighty Max," I really got into mythology for a time in the mid 90's. So it's no surprise that "Grief" ended up being a favorit of mine.

I'm disappointed there was never a cyborg Anubis action figure.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

Though reading all these reviews has given me an epiphany about Demona, if there's just ONE QUOTE from Homer Simpson that she would ever subscribe to using, it's THIS ONE.

Yup.

 

[Dread]

If it seems like it's been a while since I posted episode reviews, it's only because it has been. Work, Examiner articles, the NYCC, what more can I say? Anyway, I hope to get back into the routine soon, and here's two more, finally.

The world tour gets some luck of the Irish with "THE HOUND OF ULSTER". Our four heroes reach another new land, become involves in another culture's legends, and another long term "STAR TREK" actor has a cameo in the voice acting department. Some development is made for the next multi-part arc coming to end the "tour" but more importantly, this episode is the first and only focus episode for the Gargoyles' four legged member. No, not Cagney - Bronx!

Suffice it to say, "pet characters" were very common in children's cartoon series during the 1980's and into the start of the 90's on some occasions. Virtually every major animated program had some pet or mascot character involved with the cast who was intended to make the kids jump for joy or something akin to it before 1990. Orko & Cringer from "HE-MAN", Cowl from "SHE-RA", Belfry from "GHOSTBUSTERS", Ms. Lion from "SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS", Slimer from "THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS", Uni from "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS", Snarf from "THUNDERCATS", Deputy Fuzz from "BRAVESTARR", Brain from "INSPECTOR GADGET", F.T. from "ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES", Suchi from "CAPTAIN PLANET AND THE PLANETEERS", Ace from "BATMAN BEYOND", and so on. I could seriously go on and on, and a good chunk of them were voiced by Frank Welker, who continued that tradition with Bronx in "GARGOYLES" (as well as other misc. roles here and there). Despite being aimed specifically for kids, when I was actually a kid in the 80's and early 90's, these sorts of pet characters usually either bored me or irritated me with their antics and desperate lunges for attention. Of the lot of them Brain (or Ace) is probably still my favorite, but types like Fuzz, Snarf, or Slimer still make a part of my blood boil thinking of them. Thankfully, "GARGOYLES" ignores most of the "rules" for such characters as it often did with ignoring many of the cliches in Western animation. Bronx wasn't at the forefront of adventures, he wasn't mugging for the camera, he doesn't talk in some obnoxious voice, and he doesn't "save the day" against threats he has no right to just to try for a cheap laugh at the villain's expense. He's their dog (or "gargoyle beast") and usually acts as one would. However, being a member of the cast meant that it was inevitable that he'd get his own episode, and this' it. I chose this tangent because my previous experiences and dislike for these sorts of characters already put the episode in a defensive position for me going in once it became clear what sort of episode it is - the episode about the team dog. It is much the same as many cartoon episodes featuring common animation plots - mind swaps, fantastic voyages, shrinking - suddenly have to prove themselves to me. While I can't say I liked "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" as much as some of the previous "world tour" episodes, it is a perfectly fine episode embellishing another mythical figure and avoids a lot of the annoying tropes of "pet episodes". Bronx still gets some "Lassie" moments, but they're kept to a minimum.

Spoiler

The skiff brings Bronx as well as Goliath, Angela, and Elisa to Ireland and very quickly they find themselves beset by one of the realm's legendary creatures - the wailing Banshee. Her howl proves both intoxicating and deadly, and she believes that the lot of them are there to get her to go to something called "The Gathering". Golly, could that be the name of a two-parter coming up? At any rate, only Bronx is able to escape, and it becomes up to him to get help for his friends. At the same time, a local youth named Rory Dugan and his friend Molly are making their way with being aimless teenagers who quickly become embroiled in the mythical drama. Molly encourages Rory to engage in random thefts and other wastes of his time, while his unemployed father is frequently disappointed in watching his son waste his life. Mr. Dugan is voiced by Colm Meany, who is best known for playing O'Brien on "ST:TNG" and "STS9". It is a nice touch to have a genuine Irish actor play such a part, so we can avoid the usual trope of an American or Canadian actor faking an accent. Molly is voiced by, of all people, Sheena Easton but she does a good job here. Their home is full of urban legends of the past, who Rory (like most youths either in the world tour or in general) doesn't take much stock in until he runs into one himself. He mistakes the legendary "hound of Ulster" for Bronx, but despite his shock at meeting such a creature seems to get over it quickly once it's clear Bronx means no harm.

The big mystery here is that Molly is simply the Banshee in human form, seeking to keep Rory from discovering his true heritage - that he is the reincarnation of legendary Irish hero and Banshee slayer Cu Chullain. I'll be honest; once this episode got going I had Molly pegged as the Banshee herself right off, but knowing that doesn't really take anything away from the episode. Things certainly become more interesting once the Banshee reveals her third form, the giant worm thing Cromm-Cruach. Once Bronx leads Rory to the cairn where the Banshee is holding his friends, Rory stumbles upon the "spear of destiny" and transforms into the hero of legend once more. The episode has some references to "WIZARD OF OZ" as well as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Thor when Rory has the spear become a staff in his mortal form. Knowing very little about Irish folklore beyond stereotypes about leprechauns, I thought this episode did a good job of introducing their version of an Irish hero of myth and recreating him for a new century. Were liberties taken? Certainly, but they've always been so in adapting myths or even the myths themselves, which often contradict themselves in places. The stuff with the Banshee does a good job in starting the subplot for "The Gathering", which is when the mighty Oberon himself ends his exile of the "third race" from Avalon after 1000 years for a visit which is apparently not a request. Naturally, "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT" and "THE GATHERING" parts one and two embellish this further. Finally, we learn that Cu Chullain had a gargoyle beast as a sidekick during his ancient adventures, which allows Bronx to have played a role in the newest incarnation of the hero by being Rory's beast, at least briefly. It is, at least, another example that humans and gargoyles didn't have to be enemies and weren't always so, even in ancient times - which is why Demona's "scorched earth" plans are always an overreaction.

Episodes starring the pet character are never easy, but as Bronx was always part of the cast it was inevitable. Fortunately he isn't made to be an annoying comedic foil and instead plays part in embellishing another land's hero and kick starting a new version of said hero for modern times. There are episodes of the world tour I like more, and worse, than "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" but that's merely because by this point "GARGOYLES" had raised high standards for itself. "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" avoids the pratfalls of episodes focusing on team pets while providing more fascinating education and embellishment of another oft utilized mythology while getting the ball rolling on developing the next major arc. The world of "GARGOYLES" continues to be a deep and fascinating one every week, which is part of the major appeal of the "world tour" arc.

Forty-sixth episodes can often be pivotal depending on a show's episode order. It was this marker which signaled the end of "YOUNG JUSTICE", which finally saw air at the start of this year after two very drawn out seasons on Cartoon Network. It would prove to be the second longest series Greg Weisman served as producer/story editor/writer on besides his original opus, "GARGOYLES" itself. At any rate, "WALKABOUT" sees the official introduction of another cast member who had been mentioned before, another "STAR TREK" actor cameo and the return of yet another member of the Pack in a far off land. This episode has advanced technology, kangaroos, redemption, and drugs. There's something for everyone.

Spoiler

The skiff once again transports our four travelers (Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela) to another nation; this time, Australia (indicated by Elisa spotting a kangaroo right off). No sooner than they arrive, they are attacked by a strange metallic fluid which seems to emerge from the ground and consume everything in its path. Meanwhile, former Pack member Dingo is seeing a wise old Shaman for insight on his life, who suggests he go on a spirit quest into the "Dreamtime" to find his true self. They all become embroiled in yet another experiment of Xanatos' enterprises run amok, this one headed by his very pregnant wife Fox and her mother, Anastasia Renard. Their latest experiment is an artificial intelligence which quickly dubs itself "the Matrix", which soon seeks to consume all life on earth faster than Keanu Reeves or Michael Bay can consume sense in cinema. In order to save themselves and the world, former enemies have to unite and embrace old Australian magics to prevail.

"GARGOYLES" tended to rely more on myths and magic far out science fiction elements, but such elements were still there on occasion to help enforce modern times or to add new elements to old ideas. Beyond cyborgs or robots, to me this is the first major episodes centered around Goliath combating advanced technology since "LEGION" (or perhaps "OUTFOXED"). Fortunately, the Matrix works out a lot better than virtual reality helmets did in "LEGION" and successfully comes across as an all consuming threat which cannot be stopped by any conventional means. One could argue that an artificial intelligence seeking to consume/destroy the world in the name of bringing robotic "order" to it is very old hat for technologically based villains, but being the first of such villains in the Gargoyles universe is to Matrix's favor. More so, unlike, say, Brainiac or Master Mold or no end of similar threats, Matrix isn't itself evil or malicious in the end, ultimately confused and ignorant of what real life is. Meanwhile, this is our first look at Anastasia Renard, Fox's mother and Halcyon's ex-wife. She is voiced by Kate Mulgrew, who is best known as Capt. Janeway from "STAR TREK: VOYAGER" (which was just entering its second season when this episode originally aired in 1996). While I am not a Trekkie, my mother is and I thus absorbed a lot of the lore via proximity, and for some reason I probably saw more of this version of Trek than I did for any other version besides the original with Shatner. Mulgrew's Janeway never impressed me terribly at the time, but she seems to fare a lot better here and in subsequent performances on "Gargoyles" which for now will remain unmentioned.

As I seem to say over and over, the themes of revenge and/or redemption come up constantly within this series and are one of the founding philosophies of the series, same as "power and responsibility" run at the core of Spider-Man. While Dingo has been a member of the villainous Pack and been the enemy of Goliath and Elisa before, he's never been the most wretched of the lot. Once Fox left and he saw the rest of the team devolve into genetically altered wild dogs or cybernetic sociopaths, Dingo ultimately broke ties with them. Initially, Goliath assumes he is once again their enemy but quickly realizes they have a mutual foe and winds up joining forces along with Fox and Anastasia to stop the Matrix. Ultimately, both Dingo and Goliath have to enter "the Dreamtime" in order to meet with the Matrix on its own plane and convince it to stop its conquest of Australia (and ultimately the world). As evidenced in "SHADOWS OF THE PAST", Goliath's feelings of mercy or forgiveness aren't endless - nor should they be - but Dingo is nowhere near as irredeemable a foe as Hakon or his other Pack mates are, or so on. In addition, Dingo began the episode at a crossroads as to where to take his life and this adventure in the end gives him the chance to redeem himself from a life as a mercenary or a criminal. Turns out he missed their old set up of being TV heroes more than anything else, and when given the chance to be a hero for real, Dingo winds up grabbing it.

Now, I know "the Dreamtime" is part of Australian culture and the like, and apologies in advance if the next series of comments prove offensive. Naturally, "GARGOYLES" altered the myth of the Dreamtime a little as they did with many myths they played with, which is fine - Stan Lee did that all the time in 1960's Marvel. But we have a shaman putting "stuff" into a fire that allows Goliath and Dingo to access a higher and different plane of existence by inhaling it. The first time I saw this, my reaction was, "they're saving the world by getting high". Which I don't mean as a complaint or criticism; I think it's great even if perhaps unintentionally amusing. After all, using drugs for desired effects is a timeless trope of fiction and myth; it's simply become more taboo since the "war on drugs" began in the 1980's. I mean, what do you think is happening when you use some herb or potion in an RPG to heal yourself or boost your stats? Superheroes use drugs all the time; they just call it a "serum" (Captain America, Hourman) or a "particle" (Hank Pym, Wasp), or merely "imbibe" the heart shaped herb (Black Panther). Only villains like Bane or the like get to call their drugs what they are - steroids and the like. It's completely unintentional and I am probably taking this too far, but to sing to the tune of Afroman's famous tune from 2000:

The world was gonna be destroyed
But then they got high.
Get covered right up with metal,
But then they got high.
Now Dingo has robot underwear,
And I know whyyy
Because they got high, because they got high, because they got hiiiigh

If only the scene ended with Goliath, Matrix, and Dingo seated near the campfire smiling to themselves and Goliath proclaiming, "Elisa, suddenly I have an unexplained desire for fried snack food!" it would have been perfect. In all seriousness, a common trope for "GARGOYLES" is despite all the action and over the top battles that happen, many times reason is used to appeal to a threat and try to get them to cease their attack or change their mind, if possible. Fortunately, Matrix is convinced to serve law and order as Dingo's armor and all is well. But this will hardly be the last we see of Anastasia, of whom this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The animation is about on par with many episodes of season two; neither the best or the worst. The metal morphing animation usually works, but it seems most studios struggled to keep Fox's eye tattoo on model whenever she moved; that thing winds up changing shape nearly every scene if you pay too much attention to it. It could be a sign of her true heritage for those seeking a no-prize, but more on that another time. Regardless, a solid and action packed episode of the "world tour" which gives Dingo a good farewell episode (at least in animation) as well as introduce another member of Fox and Xanatos' enjoyable family.

Considering how many villains have seemed to take turns for the worse as time goes on (Demona, Thailog, most of the rest of the Pack), a straightforward redemption tale for one of their lessor enemies is appreciated.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

If it seems like it's been a while since I posted episode reviews, it's only because it has been. Work, Examiner articles, the NYCC, what more can I say?

You hung out with the King of Hell.

Suffice it to say, "pet characters" were very common in children's cartoon series during the 1980's and into the start of the 90's on some occasions.

Don't remind me.

Virtually every major animated program had some pet or mascot character involved with the cast who was intended to make the kids jump for joy or something akin to it before 1990.

You're going to remind me, aren't you?

Orko & Cringer from "HE-MAN", Cowl from "SHE-RA", Belfry from "GHOSTBUSTERS", Ms. Lion from "SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS", Slimer from "THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS", Uni from "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS", Snarf from "THUNDERCATS", Deputy Fuzz from "BRAVESTARR", Brain from "INSPECTOR GADGET", F.T. from "ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES", Suchi from "CAPTAIN PLANET AND THE PLANETEERS", Ace from "BATMAN BEYOND",

Oh yeah, it's all coming back to me.... *shudders*

Despite being aimed specifically for kids, when I was actually a kid in the 80's and early 90's, these sorts of pet characters usually either bored me or irritated me with their antics and desperate lunges for attention.

Did anyone in the target audience ever like any of these characters?

Of the lot of them Brain (or Ace) is probably still my favorite, but types like Fuzz, Snarf, or Slimer still make a part of my blood boil thinking of them.

Bronx wasn't at the forefront of adventures, he wasn't mugging for the camera, he doesn't talk in some obnoxious voice, and he doesn't "save the day" against threats he has no right to just to try for a cheap laugh at the villain's expense.

That's why I like him.

He's their dog (or "gargoyle beast") and usually acts as one would.

Trivia, he almost WAS more in line with those annoying pets, but Frank Paur put a stop to that.

However, being a member of the cast meant that it was inevitable that he'd get his own episode, and this' it. I chose this tangent because my previous experiences and dislike for these sorts of characters already put the episode in a defensive position for me going in once it became clear what sort of episode it is - the episode about the team dog. It is much the same as many cartoon episodes featuring common animation plots - mind swaps, fantastic voyages, shrinking - suddenly have to prove themselves to me. While I can't say I liked "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" as much as some of the previous "world tour" episodes, it is a perfectly fine episode embellishing another mythical figure and avoids a lot of the annoying tropes of "pet episodes". Bronx still gets some "Lassie" moments, but they're kept to a minimum.

"The Goliath Chronicles" produced an episode where Bronx befriends an Amish kid and the two of them get chased through Pennsylvania by rednecks with sledgehammers. I **** you not.

Her howl proves both intoxicating and deadly, and she believes that the lot of them are there to get her to go to something called "The Gathering". Golly, could that be the name of a two-parter coming up?

Could it also be the name of a fan convention that ran for thirteen consecutive years?

Molly is voiced by, of all people, Sheena Easton but she does a good job here.

I also enjoyed her as Finella in "Avalon Part One" and her character in "Hunter's Moon."

Once Bronx leads Rory to the cairn where the Banshee is holding his friends, Rory stumbles upon the "spear of destiny" and transforms into the hero of legend once more.

Gae Bolga - the Spear of Light. The Spear of Destiny was the weapon that pierced Christ when he was on the cross... and which Demona played with in the the Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles Radio Play.

The episode has some references to "WIZARD OF OZ" as well as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Thor when Rory has the spear become a staff in his mortal form.

Weisman actually regrets how Thor-like Cu Chullan turned out. But they were making fifty-two episodes in less than ten months and they didn't have time to come up with a more original design. Oh well.

Episodes starring the pet character are never easy, but as Bronx was always part of the cast it was inevitable. Fortunately he isn't made to be an annoying comedic foil and instead plays part in embellishing another land's hero and kick starting a new version of said hero for modern times. There are episodes of the world tour I like more, and worse, than "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" but that's merely because by this point "GARGOYLES" had raised high standards for itself. "THE HOUND OF ULSTER" avoids the pratfalls of episodes focusing on team pets while providing more fascinating education and embellishment of another oft utilized mythology while getting the ball rolling on developing the next major arc.

If only the crew of "The Goliath Chronicles" was as competent, we might have avoided, well, this:

This episode has advanced technology, kangaroos, redemption, and drugs. There's something for everyone.

Yes indeed.

In addition, Dingo began the episode at a crossroads as to where to take his life and this adventure in the end gives him the chance to redeem himself from a life as a mercenary or a criminal. Turns out he missed their old set up of being TV heroes more than anything else, and when given the chance to be a hero for real, Dingo winds up grabbing it.

You've gotta read "Bad Guys" some time.

Now, I know "the Dreamtime" is part of Australian culture and the like, and apologies in advance if the next series of comments prove offensive. Naturally, "GARGOYLES" altered the myth of the Dreamtime a little as they did with many myths they played with, which is fine - Stan Lee did that all the time in 1960's Marvel. But we have a shaman putting "stuff" into a fire that allows Goliath and Dingo to access a higher and different plane of existence by inhaling it. The first time I saw this, my reaction was, "they're saving the world by getting high". Which I don't mean as a complaint or criticism; I think it's great even if perhaps unintentionally amusing. After all, using drugs for desired effects is a timeless trope of fiction and myth; it's simply become more taboo since the "war on drugs" began in the 1980's. I mean, what do you think is happening when you use some herb or potion in an RPG to heal yourself or boost your stats? Superheroes use drugs all the time; they just call it a "serum" (Captain America, Hourman) or a "particle" (Hank Pym, Wasp), or merely "imbibe" the heart shaped herb (Black Panther). Only villains like Bane or the like get to call their drugs what they are - steroids and the like. It's completely unintentional and I am probably taking this too far, but to sing to the tune of Afroman's famous tune from 2000:

The world was gonna be destroyed
But then they got high.
Get covered right up with metal,
But then they got high.
Now Dingo has robot underwear,
And I know whyyy
Because they got high, because they got high, because they got hiiiigh

I'll never be able to watch this episode the same way ever again.

Considering how many villains have seemed to take turns for the worse as time goes on (Demona, Thailog, most of the rest of the Pack), a straightforward redemption tale for one of their lessor enemies is appreciated.

Agreed. And it's redemption that makes sense, unlike a lot of Demona fanfics out there.

 

[Dread]

Happy Halloween! While "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" is the natural episode for this holiday, I have some "treats" of reviews for the next two in my slow but steady review of "GARGOYLES" season two.

Next up on the "Gargoyle world tour" is "Mark of the Panther", episode 47 of 65 of the core "Gargoyles" animation run. That isn't to be confused with the song "Eyes of the Panther" by the band "Steel Panther". Much like the rest of the "world tour", it offers a look into another country's mythology as well as develops one or more of the traveling characters. In this case, our four travelers (Goliath, Angela, Elisa, and Bronx) find themselves in Africa and run afoul of not only poachers, but some relatives in unlikely places as well as not one, but two cameos by a longtime "STAR TREK" related actor. A critical subplot between Goliath and Angela finally is resolved and we see first hand how Elisa was raised to be so tough.

Spoiler

The mists of Avalon bring the skiff to Nigeria, Africa, and it brings Elisa memories of a time spent there with her mother Diane Maza in her youth as well as a confrontation with some violent poachers. Being of course a nobler being from a simpler time, Goliath is appalled at the notion of hunting animals for their skins for profit rather than for food or clothing, while Angela's frustration about not being treated as a daughter by Goliath reaches its boiling point (perhaps after the last episode's adventure with the very pregnant Fox, an old enemy of Goliath's who was happily expecting her own child, or even seeing Dingo take on Matrix as a sort of surrogate father). Diane Maza is voiced (as usual) by Nichelle Nichols, better known as Lt. Uhura from the classic "STAR TREK". She gets quite a long monologue as she tells a legend about panthers and the African trickster god Anansi to a group of children which is quite good; one can tell Nichols got into it as one should when telling a story to an audience. One could state that this fable is there to serve as exposition explaining some key details about the rest of the episode, but it was a clever way to deliver it. We soon find out that Anansi is hardly a figure of folklore but is in fact very much alive, one of the many "children of Oberon" who is still making deals involving transforming people into panthers (or vise versa) into modern day. Tea Gora has allied with poachers to get revenge on the panther who gave her the "mark of the panther", which transforms her whenever she gets angry; turns out it was her teacher, Fara Maku. In a bit of brilliant casting, LeVar Burton of not only "STAR TREK: TNG" but of "READING RAINBOW" fame is cast as Anansi, a spider-god who tricks and seeks to conquer by telling stories and making deals. It all leads to a climatic showdown in the abandoned city of Kara Digi that Anansi had built for him in legend which the ancient being seeks to fill with human servants once more.

Much as "HERITAGE" gave us a glimpse into the Native American side of Elisa's culture, "MARK OF THE PANTHER" grants a look at the culture of Africa. I must admit, African legends about panthers may seem a bit over familiar to me if only due to Marvel Comics' own hero, Black Panther. This episode originally aired in early 1996, and Black Panther's first animated appearance happened only two years before in the "FANTASTIC FOUR" cartoon, where he was voiced by none other than Keith David. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, as I haven't seen that stuff nearly as much as I have seen Asgard and Norse stuff (more on that later on). The real meat of the episode for me is not only the terrific climax in the ancient city, but the interactions between Goliath and Diane as two parents meeting from across time. While Elisa has long sought for Goliath to wise up and start acting like a father instead of a "clan leader" with Angela, but being Goliath's friend as well as her own character meant she usually went about it with more patience. Diane hasn't known him as long and thus cuts to the heart of the matter; Angela is not only his daughter, but the only member of his clan with him (besides the team dog). At first I thought Diane would be there to issue her moral and move on, but she's fearless about taking part in the adventure; the show even is willing to have her get tossed around a bit during the fighting. The episode also lays some of the issues between Diane and Elisa bare, and the two become closer due to their time together here. A part of me did wonder why Elisa continued to keep the gargoyles a secret to her family after they were willing to accept the mutated Derek and his bat-winged, furry friends to dinner back in "THE CAGE", although it could have been her hesitancy to "share" her special friends with others ("REVELATIONS"), even family members. LeVar Burton does a great job as Anansi, and highlights include a very engaging final battle against him as well as Elisa mocking him by calling him "Spider-Man"; a decade later, Greg Weisman would be working on producing/story editing only the best Spider-Man adaptation yet made, "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN". The stuff between the two panther people is also good, tying well into the fairy tale earlier, but the real crux of the episode to me is the great stuff between the Mazas and the gargoyles. Eleven episodes (or ten if one dismisses "KINGDOM") is a fair length of time to resolve the conflict between Goliath and Angela; long enough that its conclusion doesn't seem cheap or easy, but not so long that it got annoying. In the end it did take another parent of an adventurous daughter to get through to Goliath and relate on a similar level to him. Accepting fatherhood isn't easy for anyone, especially people who were shocked to survive 1000 years and discover a daughter from their evil ex is alive and puberty aged. Separating Goliath from the rest of the clan so he could learn this lesson and develop as a character was key to making it work, which was another strength of the "world tour" besides changing the scenery and allowing Angela to flourish without forcing her to directly upstage or compete against the rest of the cast.

Along with "GRIEF" (as well as "HERITAGE"), this episode also cements the idea that the gods and goddesses of other lands and cultures are in fact real and still active as this thing called "the gathering" is set to occur in regards to all of the "children of Oberon". It explains the mythic figures behind the legends and stories of other cultures and allows those figures to not only be introduced (or reintroduced) to viewers, but to take part in new adventures with the series' own iconic characters. It is a format where the sky is the limit and virtually no legend or culture's mythology is off limits. It is perhaps for this reason in addition to the great characters of Goliath, Elisa, and Angela that I didn't have any issues with the "world tour"; that and I had the luxury of watching it all quickly on uncut DVD for the first time with no air delays or cable edits. Having taken conversations about Kid-Flash to insane levels during the many gaps in airings of new "YOUNG JUSTICE" episodes, I can certainly understand how a fanbase can become frustrated and how some of those frustrations can gestate when months are added between episodes.

So, on the whole, a great action packed episode with more than one moral (as a good anti-poaching episode that didn't need Looten Plunder to work) which reveals another legend and unites several families into one for a common goal. Elisa Maza sure came from good stock.

The "world tour" is nice and all, but how about the rest of the Manhattan clan? Right on cue comes "PENDRAGON", an episode which does a great job of giving us another glimpse of the rest of the main cast left behind but mingles them well from subplots spawning from Goliath's "world tour". In fact, if memory serves this is only the second episode of the series in which neither Goliath or Elisa appear. I consider those two the stars of "Gargoyles" and so long as one or both appear, the series still feels like itself. That said, there is nothing wrong with giving them a break for an episode (or two) to allow the rest of the cast to have an adventure and make due without them. It is good to touch back with the Manhattan clan after nine episodes to see how they're doing after "KINGDOM" as well. As with many episodes during this segment of Season 2, the episode is inspired by a myth of legend - in this case, the legend of King Arthur. In addition, another one of the series' great villains - or anti-heroes by this point - makes another noteworthy appearance.

Spoiler

"PENDRAGON" is of course the last name of King Arthur himself (son of Uther Pendragon), who has made his way to modern day London from Avalon, where he was awoken by Elisa to help against the Archmage and the Weird Sisters' scheme in "AVALON PARTS TWO & THREE". It was noted then that he was awoken from his ancient slumber earlier than was destined, which is confirmed by this episode. At any rate, Arthur is mystified at the modern city but breaks into a church hoping that his legendary sword Excalibur had returned to the "stone of destiny" within it. Instead he meets Griff (from "M.I.A.") who was patrolling the area and both are transported to Manhattan by none other than Macbeth, via another dabbling in magic. When the rest of the Manhattan clan arrive for another dance with Macbeth, it soon becomes a mad dash for Excalibur with only hints from an old poem Griff knows as well as from the stone and the "Lady in the Lake" as clues. It climaxes with scenes at Central Park and ultimately the Brooklyn Botanical Garden as the enchanted blade itself can only be claimed by defeating a mighty stone dragon.

As usual, there is a lot going on here. We see that the jitters over leadership that Brooklyn had in ("KINGDOM") are being worked through, as now he is more confident leading Lex, Broadway, and Hudson into battle without second guessing himself into failure. He's still an inexperienced leader, but Hudson always serves well as a wise second in command to a youthful captain after his own decades as such in the middle ages. We get to see Griff again and he fits in with the Manhattan clan well, despite coming from a different land and culture. The episode is meant as a character building episode for Arthur as he has to once again prove himself worthy of Excalibur and being the "king of kings". John St. Ryan does a find job voicing the mythical hero, although I have to admit some bias as while the myth of Arthur himself is fascinating, I often have found Arthur himself a bit too stoic and stiff as a lead figure. In comparison, John Rhys-Davies' Macbeth is always terrific and I found myself rooting for him to get Excalibur despite his role as adversary. After all, "GARGOYLES" is a show notable because its villains aren't bumblers who sometimes win encounters, right? While Arthur's own legend has plenty of tragedy to it, "GARGOYLES" spent four episodes laying out Macbeth's own tragic legend. I know that this episode was one of several imagined as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off show, and while it would have been leagues better than "KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF JUSTICE", I probably would be more jazzed for a "Macbeth" show than more of Arthur. Regardless, Macbeth also gets his own development here as things come full circle in a way since "A LIGHTHOUSE IN THE SEA OF TIME". King Arthur was a figure of legend even back in Macbeth's era, even if more recent than by the mid 1990's. Macbeth naturally respected the legend of the man and in between revenge quests against Demona has sought to gain relics from that era for his own betterment; first Merlin's scrolls and now Excalibur itself. I've read one or two criticisms of this episode which felt Macbeth was too antagonistic here, but I felt the episode struck the right chord with him. "SANCTUARY" had put him through a ringer and likely made the idea of retirement for the moment less palpable, and it certainly reawakened feelings of bitterness and resentment in him. As he later states at the end of the episode, he has been king himself and kneels before no man (willingly, of course). In the end, Arthur's courage and fortitude prove him to once again be worthy of the enchanted blade and that wins Macbeth's respect.

Griff, as always, is a hoot. If Arthur can sometimes seem stiff or headstrong (there seemed moments he seemed frustrated about having to prove himself again, as if he felt he'd already earned it), Griff balances it out well with his dashing swashbuckler flair. It's always fun seeing the Manhattan clan meet some of Goliath's new friends from the "world tour" and seek to compare notes and catch up to the audience on their own. We can see the long term saga ultimately working itself out to reunite the clan with their missing friends, it simply isn't going to be a quick or easy path for either. The old line about "Avalon sends you where you need to be" can rumble in one's head to be interpreted many ways even here. The mists sent Arthur on a path to be reunited with his sword; his conflict with Macbeth was intended not only as a test to him but for Macbeth as well. Avalon may even have plans for the Manhattan Clan themselves, as their time without Goliath or Elisa has forced them to grow up and manage without the protection of either. This is the last animated appearance of either Macbeth, Griff, or King Arthur but it does leave them in a good place. The SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS comic book series of 2008-2009 written by Greg Weisman actually flesh out the "Rock of Ages" as well as Macbeth, Arthur, Griff, and the rest of the London Clan in a brilliant manner. However, this is a TV forum for TV reviews and going on about comics is something else.

Overall, "PENDRAGON" expertly gives viewers a glimpse of the Manhattan Clan left back home from the "world tour" as well as developed subplots and characters introduced during or just before the "world tour". Done poorly it could have served as a stale "meanwhile" sort of episode, but instead it work on multiple levels to address many needs. Viewers won't ever have to wait nine episodes again to catch a glimpse of home during the last half of the "world tour", although my perspective is skewed since I watched it all on DVD. It was great to see the clan interact with each other again as well as with some of Goliath's new friends, and overall it was a satisfying adventure which offered a week's rest from the "world tour".

 

[ImmaDeker]

I probably would be more jazzed for a "Macbeth" show than more of Arthur.

As a possible counterpoint, Macbeth feels more like Spike from Buffy in that while he's a powerful, compelling character he doesn't seem like he fits in a spin off all of his own. Though, for a time, Weisman and staff were considering adding him to the cast of Pendragon until, among other reasons, the idea of his backstory being too complex to have to REINTRODUCE. And I think that works for the best. As great as Macbeth is, like Demona, he feels better constructed for his long history and gravitas to bring a specific weight to individual stories. The big tell all Macbeth show would be interesting, but at the cost of Macbeth's mystery. And though the Gargoyles logline of "with enough time, we'd cover everything" is a good one indeed, I'd rather it spaced out. What Macbeth adds to a story, I feel, is a better gift than relegating that to its OWN story.

I'd find the Gargoyles Arthur to be a pretty perfect lead character especially over Macbeth, given his dynamic with Griff. Despite Griff's own temporal displacement, he's still the far more contemporary of the two and provides an interesting balance. They overlap and contrast in a good way and THAT feels like a basis for a show. They're both, in their own unique way, the stuff of legend. The Once and Future King and one of the most noble of the Allies, both born, bred, and battled in two separate ages of legend, now seeking out ties to the past. Seeking to find themselves by uncovering the mysteries of old age's heroism in this new world. That's a show. That's a story.

"Rock of Ages" is my favorite Gargoyles story ever, though, so I'm biased.

 

[Dread]

As a possible counterpoint, Macbeth feels more like Spike from Buffy in that while he's a powerful, compelling character he doesn't seem like he fits in a spin off all of his own. Though, for a time, Weisman and staff were considering adding him to the cast of Pendragon until, among other reasons, the idea of his backstory being too complex to have to REINTRODUCE. And I think that works for the best. As great as Macbeth is, like Demona, he feels better constructed for his long history and gravitas to bring a specific weight to individual stories. The big tell all Macbeth show would be interesting, but at the cost of Macbeth's mystery. And though the Gargoyles logline of "with enough time, we'd cover everything" is a good one indeed, I'd rather it spaced out. What Macbeth adds to a story, I feel, is a better gift than relegating that to its OWN story.

I'd find the Gargoyles Arthur to be a pretty perfect lead character especially over Macbeth, given his dynamic with Griff. Despite Griff's own temporal displacement, he's still the far more contemporary of the two and provides an interesting balance. They overlap and contrast in a good way and THAT feels like a basis for a show. They're both, in their own unique way, the stuff of legend. The Once and Future King and one of the most noble of the Allies, both born, bred, and battled in two separate ages of legend, now seeking out ties to the past. Seeking to find themselves by uncovering the mysteries of old age's heroism in this new world. That's a show. That's a story.

"Rock of Ages" is my favorite Gargoyles story ever, though, so I'm biased.

Bias or not, that is a fairly convincing argument. "ROCK OF AGES" was good.

 

[ImmaDeker]

Spin offs are a tricky beast. So much of them rely on the characters who support their source materials in a way you couldn't see anyone else doing yet, paradoxically, not in a way that uses their character to an extent that makes their own story a let down. Angel got around this by the easy conceit of Angelus being less important than whether or not it'll be Angel or Angelus who plays a vital role in the apocalypse that gives the one with the angelic face his humanity. The show could've never relied on the inherent power of Angelus as a concept or that wealth of backstory as a show pitch because that is a story already told. Which is why the real pitch for Angel's own story comes from when he and Buffy are possessed by the student and his teacher lover, because the real concept for Angel the Series is immense emotional conflict while at the indecipherable whims at destiny who often don't have your interests in mind. Divorce that from the mythology of the character and you still have a premise going beyond that scene.

I'm not sure you have that with Macbeth. He possesses a great compelling story, but it's also not really his own story. He's the HISTORICAL Macbeth and, likewise, much of what gives him power in the contexts we have is that history. But it's a history of tragedy and misunderstanding that strongly mirrors and is meant to enhance and parallel the gargoyles. So much of the series meditates on the nature of immortality that Macbeth's strife is not necessarily a unique one. For King Arthur, looking back is an excellent moral. For Macbeth, that's the thing he probably shouldn't do. Which is what separates them: looking forward, respecting the past but acknowledging that its long gone? That's Macbeth's wheelhouse and firmly in the lessons to be learned on Gargoyles, whose themes are synonymous. There's no thematic thrust to propel him to newer directions because he's learning the same lessons the gargoyles are, if perhaps more wearily.

Compare King Arthur and Griff, who by design are longing to look back. They DID miss out on the changes in the world, presenting the basic narrative conflict through which to filter their journey.

Minor Bad Guys spoilers:

Spoiler

Bad Guys is brilliant in this regard. It's composed almost entirely of characters who exist in a way as to not really repeat the basic ideas found in the principal cast of Gargoyles. Dingo doesn't protect the castle because it is his nature, he does it because he wants to FIND his nature. Yama is quite explicitly Demona if she had learned her lesson. Rather than being the gargoyle ahead of his time, Hunter is the team (or clan) matriarch whose warrior heritage instills her with a prejudice she must actively try to conquer. Fang, the Elisa Maza who settles the team into their true environment and gives them the contemporary know-how to get them out of situations more slyly. Matrix, the "real reason" Hunter is here for Dingo, is an abstract representation of their supposed goals but lacking any humanity in its execution. Everything you need to know about the series or it's overall purpose and goal is in that single moment where Hunter says she came for Matrix-because thematically speaking, she came for the desire to create law and order, to fulfill this abstract requirement for her own redemption.

And it all stems, majorly, from the scene in Walkabout where Dingo grasps his heroic aspirations and dons them as armor.

That moment.

As much as the Gargoyles Tapestry is a long, sprawling entity with several stories or even protagonists, I don't think that means you can so easily construct individual stories around every single person. It might even seem that way, considering my own favorite story in the franchise began as a Pendragon tale (which gives me lots of mixed thoughts, mind you!). But so many of them seek to complement an already highly archetypal series that all the characters that COULD make the most valuable spin offs are thematic foils of the more prominent cast members. Which works in the end, because hey, there's more to play around with. They have That Moment, that singular lesson or revelation they learn that the series can live without, but also can't quite be replaced. So you move it somewhere else.

But when I think about all the animated characters I wished got their own spin offs or could've carried stories to equal their source protagonists, you'd be surprised how few Gargoyles characters make that list!

And I know you didn't disagree or ask for more, but I felt like expanding my thoughts.

 

[Dread]

No need to apologize, ImmaDeker. I'd be a hypocrite if I was offended by people who seek to make a long form argument for an opinion. At any rate, you offer a convincing argument for that "Pendragon" spin-off and I will concede that Macbeth would have made a better anti-hero/antagonist for the show than a star. I still like him more than King Arthur himself as a character, but you've articulated your counterpoint well.

Anyway, it's review time.

After a well deserved break to check back on the Manhattan Clan, we're knee deep back into the "world tour" of "GARGOYLES" with "EYE OF THE STORM". Considering this is the same season as "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" aired, do I even have to which key artifact is the centerpiece of this episode? At any rate, this episode finds our travelers Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx travel to a new land and face their biggest challenge yet - overcoming a mythology which thanks to Marvel Comics, many audiences were (and are) over familiar with. Throughout this "world tour", I have commended the series for avoiding the two mythologies which I feel many Western audiences through school, comics, or other media sources are the most familiar with - Greek/Roman and Norse mythology. And to be fair, the series had done a terrific job of playing with the urban legends and mythologies of more neglected lands such as Scotland, Ireland, Africa, Britain, or even from Jewish lore. However, when one has a magical artifact literally called "the eye of Odin" which has served as a plot device since season one, it is inevitable to take that to a full conclusion. Fortunately, the writers and producers of "GARGOYLES" manage to come up with their own unique take on a very well known mythological figure as well as use the episode to do what the show is best known for - challenging its characters.

Spoiler

The skiff has once again deposited our heroes and heroines to a far away land - this time in Norway in the middle of a terrible blizzard. While gargoyles are so resistant to temperature extremes that Angela can marvel at a blizzard as yet another new sight and experience, humans aren't as lucky as the harsh storm quickly takes its toll on the lightly dressed Elisa. Desperate to help Elisa before she freezes to death, the gargoyles are met by a strange old man with one eye who offers a warm fur coat if Goliath only surrenders one item of his burden - the powerful "eye of Odin". This old man proves to be far more than he seems, and he does not take rejection well. While Elisa fortunately encounters two Norse natives (Erik Sturluson and his son Gunther) who nurse her back to health from the elements, the old man isn't through with them yet. He soon transforms into a giant polar bear and attempts to take the eye from Goliath and Angela by force. Failing even in this, he resorts to attempting to kidnap Elisa to make her his hostage to convince Goliath to surrender the item. Left with no choice, Goliath goes against his vow from "AVALON - PART THREE" and uses the eye to empower himself. The real question, however, becomes whether Goliath himself is incorruptible.

The old man proves to be Odin, the Highfather of the Norse gods and the original owner of the "eye of Odin" artifact - it was literally the eye he sacrificed for knowledge in his own lore. Considering Thor had been a modestly known figure even in the mid 90's thanks to decades of Marvel Comics as well as some other animated appearances, most viewers may be at least more familiar with him then on Irish legends or Jewish folklore. While in 1996 Thor hadn't appeared in as many media adaptations as he had within the past few years, he still had a Xerox animated cartoon in the late 1960's as well as a guest appearance on "Spider-Man & his Amazing Friends" in 1981. John Rhys-Davies (Macbeth) had voiced Thor in the second season of "FANTASTIC FOUR" in 1995 and would reprise that role in "INCREDIBLE HULK" in 1997. My meandering point is that Odin is a figure who many viewers at the time and especially in later years are very familiar with due to Marvel's Thor, whether in comics or cartoons and now film, which makes seeing him here a hurdle to overcome. As I have mentioned before many times, I adored the fact that this chose to play with the mythologies, legends, and urban legends of many different lands and cultures who rarely get much notice in mainstream fiction rather than rely on those of the Norse and Greeks, who seem to be very commonly adapted. While I can imagine that the fact that a figure of one of those pantheons hadn't shown up sooner is a testament to dedication to embellishing other legends, but by this stage in the "world tour" I imagine that was no longer a reason to exclude a well known figure. Instead, a more unique spin is put on Odin here than is typically seen in his Marvel adaptations. For one thing, his garb is closer to the source material than the armor clad stuff Jack Kirby loved; his famous steed is even here (even if he doesn't have as many legs as usual). This Odin is brash and even thuggish in his tactics, not above kidnapping someone or threatening one's life to get what he wants. This is good because when the rest of the episode shifts to a focus on Goliath being corrupted by power, it is noteworthy to remember that he didn't take on the eye flippantly. Odin had left him little choice, and proved himself to be a powerful and stubborn opponent - Goliath would have been a fool to surrender the artifact to him based on how brutish Odin was with trying to claim it via blackmail, blunt attacks and soon abduction attempts. Yet once Goliath does become corrupted beyond even Odin, it flips the situation on its head when suddenly Odin almost begins to sound reasonable in comparison.

Much like with Thailog episodes, this was certainly an episode where Keith David gets a chance to flex his voice acting muscles. It is perhaps easy to take for granted now that he can play adversarial roles in the many voice acting gigs he's gotten since (including from Greg Weisman productions), but at the time it must have been akin to hearing Optimus Prime fight becoming power mad on TV. The design for the "eye possessed Goliath" is quite good - I dubbed it "Super Goliath" personally. The biggest lesson of the episode for me is that shows how any philosophy when taken to an extreme can become dangerous and even counter-productive. In this case, Goliath's desire to protect his friends and those around him goes to such an extreme that he is creating the very threats he seeks to protect them from, and has resorted to imprisoning everyone in a cave in the name of "protecting" them. The episode lays it out in fairly stark terms - Erik (as voiced by the legendary Cam Clarke) flat out calls Goliath a "tyrant". Fortunately for him, neither Elisa or Angela give up on Goliath and are convinced he's still in there somewhere; they just have to survive trying to get through to him. While for Angela this is a sign of the stronger bond she has with Goliath now after "MARK OF THE PANTHER", Elisa has already seen what the eye can do to loved ones in "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER". In the end it is that bond between father and daughter which saves the day in the end. Another "Jalapena" use and all is well. Having grown up on Ninja Turtles, I always like hearing Cam Clarke in other roles; while to a degree he may always be Leonardo to me, he's had many diverse roles since such as Die Fladermaus in "THE TICK", Doc Samson in "AVENGERS: EMH" and even a great turn as Prince Adam/He-Man in the 2002 "MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE" revamp. It's not the first time he's had a guest spot on "GARGOYLES", but figured it was time to note him.

Overall, "EYE OF THE STORM" is a resounding success. It takes a figure who many in the audience know almost too well compared to others and does what "GARGOYLES" does best - put a unique spin on him and use him to tell a story about one of their characters facing something which breaks them down a little and builds them back up. Goliath and Elisa were unlike many leads in adventure cartoons in that they were hardly perfect and their flaws and temptations were often ore for many episodes, forcing them to grow up with their audience; and those flaws were more complicated than just "being leader" or "getting into danger", respectively, as many of their peers and predecessors were. An episode which shows that not even Goliath is incorruptible doesn't make him weaker; it makes him stronger for having faced it and needing help from both friends and strangers to do so.

I naturally like the entire "world tour" arc, but this remains one of my favorites - and one of few which doesn't include Macbeth, the Pack, and/or Demona. This is good because the next episode is actually one of my least favorite of the entire series.

"GARGOYLES" hits the big 5-0 mark with "THE NEW OLYMPIANS" as the "world tour" arc continues to wind along to different lands and different myths. Apparently after developing a new spin on over done Norse mythology, the show's writers were emboldened enough to take a crack at a mythology more over done and over familiar with audiences than the Norse - that of the Greeks. Do I even need to cite examples? While this episode brims with imagination and it is a good adventure for Elisa with a solid moral, I'd be less than honest if I didn't state that this is probably my least favorite episode of the entire series. At least "LEGION" had David Xanatos to shine through then-trendy use of virtual reality stuff. While this episode actually has a fairly ruthless and effective villain, things just don't seem to click for me here as much as they usually do.

Spoiler

At any rate, the skiff manages to park Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx on the hidden island of New Olympus, which is home to, naturally, the New Olympians. It could have just been me but I swear I heard the phrase "new Olympians" said enough times this episode that I could have gotten drunk if it were a drinking game. Regardless, these new Olympians are the children and ancestors of the original beings of Greek myth who decided to flee human prejudice and live on their hidden island forever. They welcome the Gargoyles with open arms, but immediately arrest Elisa out of fear that she will bring about their island's downfall, as well as due to sheer prejudice of their own. Naturally, Goliath and the others don't take kindly to their friend being imprisoned and persecuted for nothing more than her existence - they've been all to familiar with such tactics in the middle and modern ages. Unfortunately, the prison cells of New Olympus contain not only centaurs for guards, but the island's worst criminal - the shape shifting Proteus, who wants to destroy the entire island and has no remorse for his actions. He quickly takes advantage of the entire situation to entrap Goliath and go about with his vengeance fetish.

The episode doesn't stumble for me due to lack of trying. I liked the touch that most of the "New Olympians" are descendants of the "monsters" of ancient myths who "heroes" became famous for slaying. One of the stars of the island is Taurus, descended from the original Minotaur who Theseus slew in the maze. While some do look "godly" such as Boreas or Helios, others resemble the "monsters" of myth such as Ekidna and even the legendary Talos. Taurus is voiced by Michael Dorn who as always puts in a great and commanding vocal performance. Roddy McDowall (perhaps best known as Bookworm from the 1966 "BATMAN" series and Mad Hatter on "B:TAS") does a great job with Proteus, who is a irredeemable creep who slew Taurus' father and is not above using his powers to brag about it. And any episode where Elisa can spend much of her airtime manacled or chained up and still wind up saving everyone still has a lot going for it. I guess I simply found the moral and gist of the plot a bit too predictable than I prefer for this series, with not enough of a unique spin on the material to make up for it. The lesson of course is that even an oppressed minority can become just as bad as their oppressors if they let their resentment fester into "eye for an eye" style treatments of others. Throw in some ho-hum animation and while this episode is still very good compared to other cartoons of the day or now, it's not up to many "GARGOYLES" efforts for me. Much like "PENDRAGON", this was actually a backdoor pilot for another spin off and while I am sure it would have been better than "CLASS OF THE TITANS" would be later on, "PENDRAGON" would have made a stronger spin off from the two. I suppose this take on the figures of Greek myth isn't too dissimilar than Marvel Comics' "The Inhumans" - a franchise I can't say I am the biggest fan of, either.

Still, the lesson about bigotry is a noble one, and the dialogue as always is well written. It's far from a terrible episode by any means, and has some good action and great performances. It's teaming with imagination and a lot of great character designs. And the villain of the piece almost gives Jackal a run for his money in terms of being a pure sociopath. Yet despite all that why doesn't it come together like many other episodes do into grade A territory for me? There always seems to be something missing every time I reflect on it, something which other episodes do better, or it could just be the sheer over-familiarity of the themes and lore here.

The episode is memorable for its villain and Elisa getting to save the day and show what a good person she is despite adversity, but other episodes have had better villains and better executed victories for Elisa or so on.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

I'm behind on replies.

We soon find out that Anansi is hardly a figure of folklore but is in fact very much alive,

All things are true...

Tea Gora

Someone's been on GargWiki.

LeVar Burton does a great job as Anansi, and highlights include a very engaging final battle against him as well as Elisa mocking him by calling him "Spider-Man"; a decade later, Greg Weisman would be working on producing/story editing only the best Spider-Man adaptation yet made, "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN".

Now I wish LeVar Burton was in that Radio Play, just to toss Anansi into the mix... would have been glorious.

I think JMS linked Spidey to Anansi during his Spider-Totem story, too. Makes sense, both are spider-tricksters.

Along with "GRIEF" (as well as "HERITAGE"), this episode also cements the idea that the gods and goddesses of other lands and cultures are in fact real and still active as this thing called "the gathering" is set to occur in regards to all of the "children of Oberon". It explains the mythic figures behind the legends and stories of other cultures and allows those figures to not only be introduced (or reintroduced) to viewers, but to take part in new adventures with the series' own iconic characters. It is a format where the sky is the limit and virtually no legend or culture's mythology is off limits.

Except those with followers who might kill you for "disrespecting" their deity. I can think of at least one prophet who will never be depicted.

Elisa Maza sure came from good stock.

Indeed, you seldom see supporting characters get "humanized" like this.

In fact, if memory serves this is only the second episode of the series in which neither Goliath or Elisa appear. I consider those two the stars of "Gargoyles" and so long as one or both appear, the series still feels like itself. That said, there is nothing wrong with giving them a break for an episode (or two) to allow the rest of the cast to have an adventure and make due without them.

Both of them took a very long break in the comics, during the Stone of Destiny and Phoenix arcs.

"PENDRAGON" is of course the last name of King Arthur himself (son of Uther Pendragon),

I believe it is a title, really. "Dragon King". I have a friend who is an expert on Arthurian Legends, and would know.

It was noted then that he was awoken from his ancient slumber earlier than was destined, which is confirmed by this episode.

Peredur fab Ragnal says he wasn't expected for another two hundred years in the comics.

As usual, there is a lot going on here. We see that the jitters over leadership that Brooklyn had in ("KINGDOM") are being worked through, as now he is more confident leading Lex, Broadway, and Hudson into battle without second guessing himself into failure.

Take that, Rodimus Prime!

I've read one or two criticisms of this episode which felt Macbeth was too antagonistic here, but I felt the episode struck the right chord with him. "SANCTUARY" had put him through a ringer and likely made the idea of retirement for the moment less palpable, and it certainly reawakened feelings of bitterness and resentment in him. As he later states at the end of the episode, he has been king himself and kneels before no man (willingly, of course). In the end, Arthur's courage and fortitude prove him to once again be worthy of the enchanted blade and that wins Macbeth's respect.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that for a long time now, Macbeth has been suicidal. Now he's simply looking for a purpose, a meaning, something to justify the nine-hundred years he's suffered. Being the new timeless king might have been that thing, which is why he fought so hard for Excalibur. He's already hit rock bottom, now he's looking for that life line... and so far a beautiful French girl named Dominique Destine and Excalibur were brief glimmers of hope.

This is the last animated appearance of either Macbeth, Griff, or King Arthur but it does leave them in a good place. The SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS comic book series of 2008-2009 written by Greg Weisman actually flesh out the "Rock of Ages" as well as Macbeth, Arthur, Griff, and the rest of the London Clan in a brilliant manner. However, this is a TV forum for TV reviews and going on about comics is something else.

It's also the "Gargoyles" thread, and it is all the same continuity. Would love to see comic rambles.

At any rate, this episode finds our travelers Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx travel to a new land and face their biggest challenge yet - overcoming a mythology which thanks to Marvel Comics, many audiences were (and are) over familiar with.

Marvel is the reason why Greg Weisman has declared that in the "Gargoyles Universe", Thor is dead, and Loki is most likely dead. Mostly because while they're fun, especially Loki, he'd need to to think of a really unique take on them to justify using either of them.

For one thing, his garb is closer to the source material than the armor clad stuff Jack Kirby loved; his famous steed is even here (even if he doesn't have as many legs as usual).

Except when he shows up in armor during the climax. But the hooded cloak of stars... straight out of the myths.

This Odin is brash and even thuggish in his tactics, not above kidnapping someone or threatening one's life to get what he wants.

Believe it or not, that was almost considered a fair way "do business" back in those days. Vikings, man...

The biggest lesson of the episode for me is that shows how any philosophy when taken to an extreme can become dangerous and even counter-productive. In this case, Goliath's desire to protect his friends and those around him goes to such an extreme that he is creating the very threats he seeks to protect them from, and has resorted to imprisoning everyone in a cave in the name of "protecting" them. The episode lays it out in fairly stark terms - Erik (as voiced by the legendary Cam Clarke) flat out calls Goliath a "tyrant".

You know what they say about absolute power.

Goliath and Elisa were unlike many leads in adventure cartoons in that they were hardly perfect and their flaws and temptations were often ore for many episodes, forcing them to grow up with their audience; and those flaws were more complicated than just "being leader" or "getting into danger", respectively, as many of their peers and predecessors were. An episode which shows that not even Goliath is incorruptible doesn't make him weaker; it makes him stronger for having faced it and needing help from both friends and strangers to do so.

I've actually encountered people who don't care for the series BECAUSE of that. Preferring their Optimus Primes, General Hawks, He-Mans, etc, etc....

I naturally like the entire "world tour" arc, but this remains one of my favorites - and one of few which doesn't include Macbeth, the Pack, and/or Demona. This is good because the next episode is actually one of my least favorite of the entire series.

Here we go...

And any episode where Elisa can spend much of her airtime manacled or chained up and still wind up saving everyone still has a lot going for it.

Further proof that she's awesome.

I guess I simply found the moral and gist of the plot a bit too predictable than I prefer for this series, with not enough of a unique spin on the material to make up for it. The lesson of course is that even an oppressed minority can become just as bad as their oppressors if they let their resentment fester into "eye for an eye" style treatments of others.

Demona embodies this far better.

Still, the lesson about bigotry is a noble one, and the dialogue as always is well written. It's far from a terrible episode by any means, and has some good action and great performances. It's teaming with imagination and a lot of great character designs. And the villain of the piece almost gives Jackal a run for his money in terms of being a pure sociopath. Yet despite all that why doesn't it come together like many other episodes do into grade A territory for me? There always seems to be something missing every time I reflect on it, something which other episodes do better, or it could just be the sheer over-familiarity of the themes and lore here.

For me it comes down to the fact that there were no idealistic New Olympians who would have been on Elisa's side. While the prejudice came in different forms, I believe the episode would have been helped by the presence of Sphinx (a character who was going to be in the spin-off, who was younger and idealistic). I understand why she wasn't included, but I think the episode needed her or someone like her.

 

[ImmaDeker]

Preferring their Optimus Primes, General Hawks, He-Mans, etc, etc....

Optimus Prime was a giant robot who played basketball, making him tower over the grand majority of cartoon protagonists by default.

 

[nygma619]

Did "Super Goliath" ever have an action figure made of him? And if not, why not? That design was sweet, it was like Goliath if he were, "godlier" sorry it's after midnight so I can't think up better adjectives.

For me it comes down to the fact that there were no idealistic New Olympians who would have been on Elisa's side. While the prejudice came in different forms, I believe the episode would have been helped by the presence of Sphinx (a character who was going to be in the spin-off, who was younger and idealistic). I understand why she wasn't included, but I think the episode needed her or someone like her.

Thanks for helping me realize what my problem with the episode was. I think having someone older and idealistic would've worked; than in the spinoff you can have the old wise one related sphinx. Though I suppose one could make the argument that it spoke highly of Taurus that he came around to accepting Elisa, WITHOUT someone idealistic to nudge him in that direction.

Though truth be told, I found Greg's ramble about the episode to be more interesting. Particularly the part where he talks about his friend in college "coming out", mostly because I went through a similar experience with my cousin when he "came out" 2 years ago.

 

[Dread]

Review time? Review time. I may not get to 'em all before 2014, but I will get to 'em all.

Having moved past one of only two or three episodes of "GARGOYLES" that I'd have graded below an A- were they exams, the second season rights course immediately with "THE GREEN", an episode which seems to have something for everyone. It has another new setting as the "world tour" progresses as well as offers a subplot which takes place back in Manhattan with the original clan members. It offers some solid character conflict between the two stars of the series as well as the return of several of the series' notable antagonists. It's a plot which spans across an ocean and it all ties together in a fairly neat bow in about 21 minutes. Finally, it offers an environmental moral which doesn't come anywhere near as being as ham handed, simplistic and naively blunt as typical "CAPTAIN PLANET AND THE PLANETEERS" fare (which technically was still on the air the same year as "GARGOYLES" season 2, 1996).

Spoiler

As usual for the "world tour", the skiff brings Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx to another land smack in the middle of a conflict. In this case, it's Guatemala where the quartet just about literally walk into a fire fight between half of the Pack (the insane siblings Jackal and Hyena) backing up loggers against a pack of Mayan Gargoyles. This is the first time since "M.I.A." where the group have come across Gargoyles from another nation and much like the London clan, they don't seem to have the same hang-ups over choosing names that the Scottish clan seemed to have. While cultural differences between gargoyles of different lands is part of the rich tapestry of the universe the show creates, even if I often joked about it to myself as, "Only the Scottish clan were Communists about names". In seriousness, it is possible that during that 1000 year sleep, things like names got more universally accepted for their kind who survived into the modern era. Much as with the London clan, the character designers are hardly lazy and make sure to make these Mayan gargoyles look different from the usual gargoyles we usually see; they all have Klingon- like crests on their heads, with one of them (Zafiro, the leader of the clan) having the lower torso of a snake (and the head to match). While all gargoyles have some common features, the fact that every land has some who look different, and ones who you can imagine inspired mythology (i.e. Griff of the London clan resembling a Griffin, Leo perhaps having a "lion heart" like King Richard, etc.) is one of those clever details which easily inspire all the fan art and the reception the show still gathers. Zafiro is voiced by Hector Elizondo, who usually plays villains in voice acting roles (perhaps most famously, Bane in "BATMAN: MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN"), so much like with Clancy Brown's Captain Stacy it was nice to hear him voice a hero for a change. He's flanked by Obsidiana the healer as well as Jade and Turquesa.

The sociopath cyborg siblings aren't just there to spread violence; they've been hired by Preston Vogel of "Cyberbionics" to protect the loggers he's hired for his operations in the rain forest (or, "the green" if you will) who have come under attack by the Mayan gargoyles. It's odd to see Vogel without Halcyon Renard, but it also cements the facts presented back in "GOLEM"; Halcyon's health is failing him, and without Fox or Anastasia around, it's up to Vogel to take over day-to-day operations. Thus, even this detail helps further along a minor subplot from a prior episode and helps add weight to "GOLEM", that Renard wasn't paranoid and seeking to possess the Golem as some quirk; he really was dying and desperate. At any rate, the addition of the "traveling" gargoyles as well as Elisa complicates the mission for the siblings, although quite frankly it sparks the usual megalomania from Jackal. It seems in addition to having their own physical features, the Mayan clan have magical amulets which allow them to remain active in daylight so long as they wear them; figuring out the secret behind them, the siblings split up to plan their destruction. Jackal is eager to avenge himself on Goliath from "GRIEF", and a fantasy sequence involving him smashing and literally defacing Goliath's stone form comes off as surprisingly disturbing considering it is bloodless and thus "safe" for network TV. If someone just altered a gargoyles' stone face while in sleep, would they survive? Awaken in horrible pain as if someone literally tore off their face in their sleep, since that's what happened? Thinking stuff like that helps that little scene stick with me and plays off just how demented Jackal has become. It turns out that the key to the amulets is a a larger Sun Amulet which is currently owned by the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan; Hyena goes off to smash it and instead runs afoul of Broadway and Lexington on one of their nightly patrols.

The struggle between the loggers and the Mayan clan sparks debate between Goliath and Elisa over the proper course of action. Goliath sides with the Mayan clan in seeking to protect their forest no matter the cost, as the humans seek to destroy it. Elisa, however, argues for a more reasonable approach considering that she is a representative of humanity and the situation isn't as simple as it seems. She notes that while overzealous deforestation should be prevented, the loggers should be able to cut down SOME trees or utilize SOME of the forest's resources so they can take care of their own families, and that legalities such as own actually owns the forest can't be ignored. The Mayan gargoyles don't see any compromise, seeing it as an either/or choice. Goliath and Elisa disagree here, and while Elisa notes (as she usually does) that gargoyles exist outside of the law intended for humans, she won't aid in vigilante actions. It is a tense scene but thankfully it is free of a lot of screaming or hysterics; Goliath accepts her opinion and leaves with the others - there are no cries for her obedience or so forth. While one can easily understand why the Mayan clan is so zealous in protecting the area - they are the last survivors of poachers and looters, and the forest and their pyramid is all they have left, an overzealous knee-jerk reaction rarely solves much in the long term. Regardless, the last act gets interesting as there are battles on two continents with Jackal leading a crew to fight the gargoyles just as the sun is rising, anticipating Hyena smashing the Sun Amulet in Manhattan - where she instead is fighting Lex and Broadway. It's always great to see Lex and Broadway banter off each other during an adventure, especially as their appearance during the "world tour" is suddenly an unexpected treat. There is a bit near the end when added suspense is gathered from Lex and Broadway not knowing exactly what intention Hyena had with the Sun Amulet and they mull destroying it to prevent it from causing more trouble for them as various magical items have over the series' run. Considering this was an era when cellular phones were still a luxury (which the gargoyles and Elisa didn't have anyway), it naturally uses the distance between the scenes to good dramatic effect. About four years later, the "X-MEN EVOLUTION" episode "Middleverse" seemed to borrow some elements of this when Nightcrawler is accidentally trapped in another dimension with Forge and the device critical to his rescue is found by his teammates, who have to decipher a cryptic message and risk accidentally dooming their friend by smashing it. Frank Paur, one of the co-producers of "GARGOYLES" was also a series director on "EVOLUTION" so I imagine the homage was less than coincidence (even if Paur did not direct or write "Middleverse"). In both cases, the result is the same; after an initial debate, the heroes decide not to destroy something without good reason, thus preventing disaster due to unintended consequences.

In the end, a compromise is struck when Vogel is convinced to abandon the current forest gig and the Mayan clan are convinced to plant some of their forest's seeds on Avalon in an attempt to transfer some of their home there, since human development of the forest in some form is inevitable. This is the last appearance of either Hyena or Jackal in the animated series' main canon, and overall it's been a great run for them. Cree Summers to date has never voiced as insane a character as she did for Hyena (and seemed to relish not having to voice Penny Gadget or another heroine and allowed to go to town as a maniac), while Matt Frewer made up for being saddled with horrible dialogue in "INCREDIBLE HULK & SHE-HULK" by eventually devolving into a true cybernetic menace. He gets some sufficiently chilling lines here and as mentioned with his "fantasy" scene, showed off how "GRIEF" was truly his "moral event horizon".

So overall, "THE GREEN" gets things back to form after a minor hiccup with "THE NEW OLYMPIANS". It offers great villains as well as another glimpse of a clan inspired by the mythology of another land, at least in the character design department. A lesson on the environment is taught without it resulting in some crude finale where Captain Planet blows out a forest fire with his breath and then chases off Looten Plunder and Hoggish Greedly, which further cements Elisa and Goliath in that the show wasn't afraid to have them fundamentally disagree about a course of action while remaining "friends". Great episode, as per usual with this series. We're approaching the final stretch of the "world tour" and from here the stakes continue to increase.

We're nearing the home stretch of the "Gargoyles world tour" with episode 52, "SENTINEL" which once again brings our four travelers to a new land and face to face with another legendary figure. However, this episode is interesting for two key reasons. The first being that it does something different with the origin of the legend of the week compared to previous tour episodes. The second is that it is another rare instance of "GARGOYLES" dipping a toe into what some could consider a "formula episode". In this case, its their take on the "amnesia episode". I am usually not a fan of many formula episodes, with "the amnesia episode" being one of them. However any plot mechanic can work when done well and this episode manages to pull it off in an entertaining manner. To this degree, I see it as a complementary episode to "EYE OF THE STORM". In that episode, something happened to cloud Goliath's judgement and it was up to his friends to do their best to help him through that crisis and rediscover himself. "SENTINEL" does much the same thing, only this time with Elisa.

Spoiler

The skiff with our usual four travelers - Elisa, Goliath, Angela, and Bronx - reaches Easter Island on yet another quest from Avalon far from Manhattan. The trip was a long one for Elisa, so she is still asleep when they make landfall on the island, marveling at the mysterious stone head statues on the island. Goliath and Angela set out to explore the island and leave Bronx behind to guard Elisa until she awakens, but once they leave, a mysterious island guardian or SENTINEL if you will emerges from the ground and zaps Elisa with a weird beam before zapping Bronx. Goliath and Angela return and then make the usual sin of horror movies heroes - agreeing to split up to look for a missing friend - which eventually results in Bronx and Angela getting captured by the island boogeyman. Elisa, meanwhile, has stumbled across the two archeologists from "A LIGHTHOUSE IN THE SEA OF TIME" and is soon checked out by a doctor at their hotel. Unfortunately for everyone, Elisa is suffering amnesia and remembers little of her long and short term life - which isn't a good thing when Goliath bursts into the hotel room seeking his friend. As such, their friendship seems to have to begin all over again just as the island sentinel, Nokkar, captures the lot of them and triggers an ultimate climax.

Naturally the meat of the episode is seeing Elisa "meet" Goliath again for the first time and having the circumstances for both of them be far different than they were in "THE AWAKENING" yet in the end coming to similar conclusions. This time around there're no ledges to fall off of, and Goliath is lucky that the show didn't cheat the audience and give Elisa bullets after so many episodes. Their interactions after that "Not another step or I'll shoot you where you stand" moment are also amusing ("I can't believe you drew your gun at me", "And I'd have shot you too if I had any bullets" or words to that effect). At first Elisa is dismayed at her circumstances (feeling she must not be a good cop if she's halfway around the world with a useless firearm) and initially finds the idea of being "good friends" with a gargoyle, much less many, to be hard to believe. Yet despite the amnesia, Elisa is still herself at her core, which means she may be tough as nails but is also considerable and above all open minded about what she encounters; amnesia takes away the facts but not the heart of the character. Thus when they meet Nokkar and learn his origins, she ultimately saves all of them by putting her trust in Goliath and the others despite just meeting them - which is exactly what she did in "THE AWAKENING".

Let's talk about Nokkar. He's voiced by Avery Brooks, better known as Captain Sisko from "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" which at the time was airing on the same network. Quite a lot of good actors worked on that show and I did catch some of it at the time, and naturally some of them have had voice roles here or on other cartoons since. The biggest distinction about Nokkar is that he isn't a child of Oberon or some genetic creation, he's an alien from the N'Kai who has been guarding Easter Island since 400 C.E. from a vile race called the "Space-Spawn" of whom he initially believes the Gargoyles to be agents of. He hasn't interacted with humanity since ancient times and thus is as ancient to modern society as any god or demon might be. His face naturally resembles the famous carvings of Easter Island as they were a tribute to him from the native people when he initially landed there. By this point this is the first time "GARGOYLES" has played the alien card as it were and to a degree this is a bit shocking. Up until now all of the threats and beings of the series' mythos were earth based, either ancient creatures or creations of modern science, or combinations thereof. The addition of Nokkar expands this already deep and vast mythology to include space and at least two other alien races not of Earth, and possibly more. Adding aliens to a franchise which usually hasn't had them can seem jarring; that was one of many criticisms of "INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL" and "SPIDER-MAN 3", among other films. "X-MEN" started delving deep into alien hooey in its third season and didn't look back. While I can't say I was eager to add aliens to this world, I don't think it does any harm and I actually appreciated that the writers wanted to try a different tactic with their "legend of the week". Up until this point one could perhaps get used to just assuming any land's ancient god or myth was some lost "child of Oberon" or spell or some such. Well, now Nokkar the alien mixes that up a bit, and I try not to hate on things just because they're unexpected. Fortunately it wasn't as if the rest of "GARGOYLES" starts to rip off "STAR WARS" or fly face first into alien stuff to the detriment of anything else as one could argue "X-MEN" risked at times. Unless that "GARGOYLES 2198" spin off happens, this was it. Besides, at what point does one say that one type of sci-fi is acceptable and what is a bridge too far? One can swallow living AI which transforms into armor for a guy with a mohawk but an ancient alien is too much? While I can't say Nokkar is my favorite of all of the beings met on the "world tour", he certainly brings home a lot of morals. Naturally, while seeking to protect an area from an enemy race is noble, keeping to himself for so long risks him losing sight of what is really important and making errors in judgement due to self imposed ignorance of his surroundings. Despite being thousands of years old, he knew less about the planet he was guarding than Goliath or even Elisa did. Nokkar also helped represent how long waged wars spread far into other lands can quickly become issues of routine rather than anything concrete. Nokkar had little idea of the threat of the "Space-Spawn" or even what they truly looked like after so long. To this end, the "amnesia beam" he hit Elisa with was a tool to remove "Space Spawn brainwashing" where amnesia was a temporary setback. Even suffering that, Elisa's loyalty to the gargoyles inspires even the rigid Nokkar to offer them mercy and understanding, and ultimately rejoin society.

Another detail that I liked was that there was no easy fix to the amnesia. By that I mean that Nokkar explains that while it is temporary, it was something which would take days to fade and that was that. There was no quick-fix anti-amnesia beam or some other MacGuffin which undid it before the credits as is common in so many "amnesia episodes", even "BEREFT" from "YOUNG JUSTICE". No, the audience is given enough information to figure Elisa will be fine by next episode and are assumed to be smart enough to accept that. In the end the moral was that true friendship, or even love if you will is strong enough to survive even the raw knowledge of its existence - memories may fade but the heart has a deeper memory than the mind sometimes. Elisa is also fortunate that Goliath isn't Demona, who has abandoned friendships of over 3 decades over the mere hint of a betrayal, much less a friend drawing a weapon at her. It may seem odd but I couldn't help but think of "CITY OF STONE HERE"; Elisa and Goliath have been "good friends" for over a year and while that may not be long to as long lived a people as gargoyles, Goliath was hardly one to abandon it despite quite a trial as amnesia. It naturally helps that while Goliath isn't naive to the ills of man, he doesn't think anyone - gargoyle, human, or child of Oberon, has a monopoly on good or evil. Demona, by contrast, was allies with Macbeth for well over a generation in the middle ages yet all it took was one overheard meeting for her to destroy it because in the end she hates people and doesn't give any of them a chance or benefit of the doubt - while hypocritically judging them as evil for their lack of understanding or tolerance of gargoyles. Much as Elisa had faith with Goliath when he was corrupted by the "eye of Odin", Goliath had faith in Elisa that she would overcome her amnesia and remember the bond she had with him, as well as Angela and Bronx. I also wasn't shy about the "L" word before - while the official "cementing" of this at least in animated form wouldn't come until the series finale, love can evolve over time and doesn't always start as the romantic kind, even if that is where it ends up.

Quite a lot to this one, eh? That's the way "GARGOYLES" rolled, even formula episodes were usually more layered than they seemed at the start. After this begin the final four episodes of the "world tour", and among the best in the trip as well.

 

[Dread]

Hopefully not the last batch of reviews I do in 2013, but if so, at least I am in the home stretch now.

To paraphrase a lyric from a song by "The Vapors", everyone is "turning Japanese" in the 53rd episode of "GARGOYLES", called "BUSHIDO". Much like "THE GREEN" as well as "M.I.A.", we meet another clan of Gargoyles from another land who were naturally inspiration for the human culture which arose around them. As the title suggests, our four travelers are sent by Avalon to Japan, the land of the rising sun, and once again get involved in a conflict with far ranging implications. Considering that when this aired episode in early 1996 I was consumed by a fascination with anime which had emerged with a vengeance several years earlier in junior high - which was one of a myriad of lame reasons why I didn't watch more of "GARGOYLES" when it was new - it is somewhat ironic to watch this episode now, as it naturally sought to give an introduction to Japanese culture, albeit gargoyle style. The episode also offers a few twists on what by now could have been seen as formula for the show.

Spoiler

Our four weary travelers - Goliath, Angela, Bronx, and Elisa - find themselves in a small Japanese town (Ishimura) and quickly become involved in an interesting status quo which is a drastic change from any they've seen before. While we've seen alternate clans of gargoyles in other lands before, from those who were still reclusive from man ("THE GREEN") to those who hid in plain sight ("M.I.A."), here the gargoyles live openly within the borders of Ishimura living under the ancient samurai code of "bushido". This means that the incoming gargoyles are not treated as freaks, and probably come across the most tolerant neighborhood of people they've yet met in their travels. As with all of the different clans, these gargoyles were designed to fit seamlessly into the cogs and legends of Japan as an organic feeling sense of folklore. To this end, the Japanese gargoyles have enough tweaks that one can easily see how they inspired legends of "tengu" or "oni" in Japan. Fortunately, most of the guest actors in this episode are of actual Asian background so one doesn't get the unintentionally awkward practice of "Anglo" actors trying to "sound" of a different culture as the script demands which can often happen in cartoons. Kai is the leader of the Japanese clan, and among his clan are Yama and his mate Sora. Much like most of the other clans, they don't have the hang-ups over names that Goliath's clan had (albeit in the middle ages of Scotland). Hiroshi serves the role as the "wise old man" of the village while Taro quickly establishes himself as a petulant young man who is eager to upset the status quo for his own financial gain.

The conflict may not be quite as intense as in some previous episodes, but it is still interesting. The level of trust that Kai's clan has with the citizens of Ishimura is something which Angela finds refreshing and similar to Avalon (where she knew mostly bliss until the Weird Sister attack), while for Goliath it takes a bit of getting used to, albeit in a pleasant manner. A major detail of this is how the gargoyles in Ishimura turn towards their own home instead of facing outward as the sun rises, as a symbol of trust to their human comrades in "showing their backs" at their most vulnerable. Goliath (and likely most other gargoyles) prefer to "face the sunlight" as best they can. Unfortunately, the clan are abducted by ninjas despite Elisa's best efforts during the day and taken to the most unholy of all evil lairs - an amusement park. It seems Yama made a deal with Taro to betray the clan in order to facilitate a more broad attempt to introduce their species to humanity at large; he sought to escape the confines of the small village. However, Goliath very quickly sees through Taro's facade; that he is tricking the rest of them to enrich himself, and that the discovery of gargoyles by modern society at large would endanger them all. As for my "lack of intensity" claim in terms of conflict, I merely mean in comparison to types such as the Pack or Proteus or Demona in that none of the antagonists are what one could be considered evil. Yama betrays his clan, but it was for the arguably noble intention to escape the confines of a small village and branch their people out to the world at large; he saw the ancient peace of Ishimura as a baby step their clan had long since outgrown. He ultimately sees his mistake and attempts to reclaim the honor he lost, and accepts his punishment. Taro is clearly the villain of the piece but even he isn't rotten to the core - he's smarmy and wants to get rich by exploiting local urban legends, but he's not a sociopath or a zealot. Still, he is the sort of whiny corrupt businessman who earns his comeuppance at the end. Taro is voiced by James Saito while Kai is voiced by Clyde Kusatsu; would it surprise anyone to know that both had previous roles in the "STAR TREK" TV franchise by now? Of course not. Yama is voiced by Bruce Locke, perhaps best known for "ROBOCOP 3", and naturally his story also follows along one of the central themes of the "GARGOYLES" franchise - redemption.

Admittedly, the episode does bare some cliches, even if the line between being faithful to a culture and utilizing overdone stereotypes can be a thin one. Despite my love of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, it is at the very least predictable to see things like evil ninjas or fan weapons in an episode based in Japan. In a broader sense, I do wonder if this episode was some sort of meta-commentary about the practices of the parent company of this franchise, Disney. Here, we have a villain who is seeking to exploit something simple and creative into a mass marketed merchandising scheme where his only goal is making money regardless of the freedoms of the source material he has to oppress to get there. Many people have lamented the fact that Disney for long periods of time seemed to forget they ever produced this show, despite its high quality or loyal fanbase. True, the show has existed in syndication on some Disney network ever since it ended, but its path to DVD has been a long and frustrating one for many. Greg Weisman and the rest of the producers had to lock horns with their corporate masters more than once over demands for more toy fodder; ultimately it must have gotten so bad that Disney decided to sack most of them and run the show their way with "The Goliath Chronicles" (or, as Yogurt would say, "The Search for More Money"). While one can envision lots of merchandising potential for "GARGOYLES" even today, less than a year from its' 20th anniversary, it would be different from the usual mindless merchandise schemes for cartoons of the mid-late 90's which exists to this day - exploit all one can for cheaply produced toys/games the kids will "lap up" with quality being an afterthought. One can see this practice in action with "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" these days. I understand that it may not have been at all deliberate, but looking at the large picture I can't help but wonder about an episode like this which is all about honoring integrity over short sighted and often vain capitalistic exploitation. Would Disney have treated "GARGOYLES" with more respect and vigor were it a dumber, simpler show which sold more toys and games in the 90's? Considering Disney is best known for its theme parks in addition to its animation, I suppose the meta commentary for this episode sometimes sought to be more interesting than some of the details themselves. Even if the producers in no way, shape, or form intended to craft an episode which at the very least criticized practices at least vaguely similar to what Disney does at large, it still is fascinating to see that Disney produced an episode such as this. It's akin to the Tea Party funding an anti-Bush documentary. At the very least, stuff like this shows that "BUSHIDO" had weight to it, even after so many years.

In the end, "BUSHIDO" is a great episode with another look at a unique gargoyle clan from another land with some great character designs as well as a plot which plays with some of the cultural dilemmas of Japan (modernization versus adherence to ancient traditions and customs) as well as (perhaps unintentionally) pokes some commentary about the cheap commercialization of Disney itself, while on a Disney show. While a fine episode as is, "BUSHIDO" has the task of ushering in arguably three of the best episodes of the "world tour" arc, wrapping it up in high quality.

Episode 54 continues along the "world tour" with an episode which certainly has a lot going on. "CLOUD FATHERS" sees the long awaited return of David Xanatos after last being seen in "GRIEF", as well as not only another look into another legend, but fleshing out more of Elisa Maza's family. Much as "MARK OF THE PANTHER" embellished the ties of her mother, this episode focuses on her father, Peter, as well as her kid sister, Beth. What starts out as curiosity as to what Xanatos wants with meddling in the affairs of the Maza family again, which turns out to be yet another quest by the tycoon for immortality - the one thing money can't buy.

Spoiler

Much like "BUSHIDO" and many other episodes, this is an episode where the question of tradition versus modernization is a key detail to the plot and for one of its key characters. In this case, Peter Maza's rejection of many of the tribal traditions of his people as a petulant youth in Arizona towards a path which led to New York and a successful career with the NYPD. Yet much like many legends in this show, there's more truth to the sayings of elders than meets the eye, and the ancient "dance of the Coyote" somehow linked the younger Maza to the trickster god of the Native American religion. Due to the wisdom of Avalon, our four travelers - Elisa, Goliath, Angela, and Bronx - wind up in Arizona right when Peter is visiting Beth, who is attending college out there. The father and daughter gargoyle duo investigate one of Xanatos' construction sites and quickly become the bait in Xanatos' plot to trap the trickster god himself. Ultimately Peter has to come to terms with embracing the legends of his people to help the Coyote god in escaping the clutches of his modern day usurper.

There are plenty of highlights to this one. Jonathan Frakes as always oozes charm with every line he has, including his memorable ones about "cliched villainy" and considering himself a trickster being himself. After all, while Xanatos is a formidable fighter with his armor, it's his brains and cunning which are his primary assets, which he's used to manipulate gods, scientists, and time itself to forge himself his own legacy. The Cauldron of Life from "THE PRICE" also is mentioned again as the ore used for his latest version of his Coyote robot, 4.0. Here we learn the true inspiration for the robot's name that was beyond simply matching the Pack's theme of lupine nicknames - which works out splendidly considering how Jackal also got to meet his ancient likeness in "GRIEF". Beth and Peter finally get to meet the gargoyles here, with Elisa watching Goliath fly off and stating wistfully that all she notices about the gargoyles in general (and Goliath) in particular is the beauty. Naturally this is a key cog in the slow burn romantic subplot between the two that forged across time periods and species. For some I imagine their romantic subplot worked too slow but I was perfectly fine with it; inter-species dating isn't to be taken lightly as both Goliath and Elisa had a lot of growing to do together in order to find themselves in the place where they could date. A first kiss is something a franchise can never do over and has to thus get right; a lesson the producers of "MAN OF STEEL" clearly didn't fathom. At any rate, that was another reason why I've enjoyed the world tour arc; how else could the show have reasonably done a subplot where Elisa and Goliath all but co-habitate due to circumstance. They tour the world together meeting the rest of Elisa's family as well as resolving Goliath's relationship with his daughter. It forces both of them to learn more about each other and overcome the sorts of challenges together which will make that pay off more worthwhile. Still, a line like that naturally is good to keep is fresh in people's minds. For my money, Belle and her furry friend can stay in the library - this was Disney's best "beauty and the beast" romance.

The Coyote god himself is as one would expect, with a climax which provides a rarity for "GARGOYLES" fans; an outing where Xanatos literally gains nothing that he wanted. Coyote 4.0 is destroyed, and the god escapes. He did almost kill Goliath and Angela, but as he stated, he never wanted to kill them or destroy the ancient carvings of the god; he just HAD to be willing to do so to lure out his prey. True, Xanatos escapes as always, but considering his armor and wealth, such things are practically a given. In most previous episodes even in defeat Xanatos gained something, whether knowledge or a trinket or something; and this isn't lost on David himself when he gives his final line about growing "frustrated" with the last second victories Goliath and Elisa seem to have over him. And when this episode ended I found myself disappointed in that. Yes, it was an episode where the series' primary villain (or at least one of them) suffered a defeat and I was frustrated for him. There are many moments or reactions which might be used as an example of how innovative "GARGOYLES" was and still is, and this is one of them. How many American animated cartoon shows out there exist where a lead villain gains nothing from a fight with the heroes besides his own escape and you actually are a little disappointed for him? Yet it was this dynamic which I think makes the dynamic between Xanatos and the heroes work and why the dynamic between "the team" and "the Light" in "YOUNG JUSTICE" didn't quite work for me. In YJ, the dilemma is "the Light" are too numerous and too successful far too soon to the point that it becomes difficult to imagine the leads as any challenge for the antagonists until the plot demands they be so. In "GARGOYLES", while David Xanatos is clearly a "master of ceremonies" in the things that happen, the 5 part pilot ends with him suffering at least one setback - temporary imprisonment. Throughout the series while Xanatos proves himself able to manipulate the heroes literally for foreplay with his wife, they are still able to challenge him and even in this rare instance, defeat him. And the fact that this is so rare a thing makes this episode stand out, as well as the fact that Xanatos by now has proven himself such an enchanting and memorable character in his own right that it is possible to both root for him and Goliath (or Elisa) at the same time. People love "GAME OF THRONES" for that sort of complexity now; "GARGOYLES" was doing that way sooner for weekday afternoon animation. The ending of the episode leaves things off in a bit of a soft cliffhanger; Xanatos for the first time seeming to express genuine irritation and frustration with Goliath, teasing of what could come the next time they meet. That wait isn't long and as common for the show, isn't what the end of this episode would lead you to expect. Regardless, "GARGOYLES" managed to pull off that balance of having an antagonist who usually one-upped the heroes yet had heroes consistently able to challenge him which "YOUNG JUSTICE" didn't quite manage to emulate as well. I mean, how many other shows are able to make fun of putting the hero in some lame deathtrap while still playing the deathtrap more or less straight? David Xanatos is usually compared to Lex Luthor or Bruce Wayne by fans online but this episode sought to state in no uncertain terms the sorts of figures that he was truly emulated from; the tricksters of pantheons and legends from ancient lore. It makes far more sense and irony once the revelations in "THE GATHERING" sink in. This episode also sets up the eventual weakness to the children of Oberon (which the Coyote god of course is) which proves essential for the next few episodes.

Peter Maza's own flashbacks and history are quite good, and also tragic in their own way as his own stubbornness cost him valuable time with his own father, who we learn has been long dead. While one could claim this episode comes a tad close to being "stereotypical" considering Peter wearing the traditional "coyote dance" guise is critical to the climax, to me it doesn't come close to the sort of stereotypical stuff which was common in, say, "BRAVESTARR". Elisa and her father have always been close, and naturally this is another episode where the Mazas pull together as a family in their own ways to overcome formidable things together, accepting Elisa's new-found friends as a part of that unit. This is also the most we see of Beth, after her brief cameo at the end of "THE CAGE". Between Derek and all these adventures with the gargoyles, the next Maza family reunion is going to be mighty fascinating. In many ways this episode covers similar ground to "HERITAGE", but it naturally is more personal to Elisa and features a far better villain, and overall improves on the themes "HERITAGE" was setting out to establish. Coyote 4.0 once again seems to bite the dust, but there's no keeping a good robot down; he turns up again in the SLG comics. This was if memory serves the first time Xanatos and Coyote were sharing scenes together so Frakes likely got to talk to himself a bit in the booth this time around.

The "world tour" is in its home stretch now, rounding third base and heading home. In the meantime, "CLOUD FATHERS" forges from reliable ore set up in previous episodes in regards to Elisa's family and as always, David Xanatos' ability to steal any scene or episode he is in. Perhaps in that manner, he usually succeeds over Goliath after all despite Goliath's own depth as the male lead of the series. The last two episodes of the tour end things in very dramatic fashion and then set up the two-part showstopper, "THE GATHERING" which has been building after since "AVALON - PART THREE". The wind's at the back of the skiff now.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

Finally, it offers an environmental moral which doesn't come anywhere near as being as ham handed, simplistic and naively blunt as typical "CAPTAIN PLANET AND THE PLANETEERS" fare (which technically was still on the air the same year as "GARGOYLES" season 2, 1996).

And there are still some people who resent the episode for even approaching the subject.

As usual for the "world tour", the skiff brings Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx to another land smack in the middle of a conflict.

And Elisa takes off her jacket, yay!

This is the first time since "M.I.A." where the group have come across Gargoyles from another nation and much like the London clan, they don't seem to have the same hang-ups over choosing names that the Scottish clan seemed to have.

Time to quote Weisman: "Traditions differ in each clan. The Mayan gargoyles didn't have names so much as "offices" based on the pendants they were custodians of."

There would have been another Zafiro wearing that pendant in 2198, for example.

Jackal is eager to avenge himself on Goliath from "GRIEF", and a fantasy sequence involving him smashing and literally defacing Goliath's stone form comes off as surprisingly disturbing considering it is bloodless and thus "safe" for network TV.

I love this bit.

If someone just altered a gargoyles' stone face while in sleep, would they survive? Awaken in horrible pain as if someone literally tore off their face in their sleep, since that's what happened? Thinking stuff like that helps that little scene stick with me and plays off just how demented Jackal has become.

I believe he would have died right then and there.

The struggle between the loggers and the Mayan clan sparks debate between Goliath and Elisa over the proper course of action. Goliath sides with the Mayan clan in seeking to protect their forest no matter the cost, as the humans seek to destroy it. Elisa, however, argues for a more reasonable approach considering that she is a representative of humanity and the situation isn't as simple as it seems. She notes that while overzealous deforestation should be prevented, the loggers should be able to cut down SOME trees or utilize SOME of the forest's resources so they can take care of their own families, and that legalities such as own actually owns the forest can't be ignored.

Which is SO refreshing in an episode dealing with this subject matter.

This is the last appearance of either Hyena or Jackal in the animated series' main canon, and overall it's been a great run for them. Cree Summers to date has never voiced as insane a character as she did for Hyena (and seemed to relish not having to voice Penny Gadget or another heroine and allowed to go to town as a maniac), while Matt Frewer made up for being saddled with horrible dialogue in "INCREDIBLE HULK & SHE-HULK" by eventually devolving into a true cybernetic menace. He gets some sufficiently chilling lines here and as mentioned with his "fantasy" scene, showed off how "GRIEF" was truly his "moral event horizon"

They were fun. Don't get me wrong, I love Xanatos and Demona. But sometimes it's fun to cut loose with a couple of psychos. They also make me wonder how Carnage would have been depicted in "Spectacular Spider-Man".

The biggest distinction about Nokkar is that he isn't a child of Oberon or some genetic creation, he's an alien from the N'Kai

Someone's been to GargWiki

While I can't say I was eager to add aliens to this world, I don't think it does any harm and I actually appreciated that the writers wanted to try a different tactic with their "legend of the week". Up until this point one could perhaps get used to just assuming any land's ancient god or myth was some lost "child of Oberon" or spell or some such. Well, now Nokkar the alien mixes that up a bit, and I try not to hate on things just because they're unexpected.

I think it also helps that aliens wouldn't have become a major element until "Gargoyles 2198". If the Space-Spawn invaded in Goliath's lifetime, that would have been way too much. No way could you anchor the series anymore. It's a line that Marvel and DC walk regularly, alien empires are known to exist, and yet humans' way of life does not seem to be affected in the slightest.

Nokkar had little idea of the threat of the "Space-Spawn" or even what they truly looked like after so long.

I think he knows what they look like, but he believed the gargoyles to be another race in service to them. Like the Drakh were to the Shadows on Babylon 5.

To this end, the "amnesia beam" he hit Elisa with was a tool to remove "Space Spawn brainwashing" where amnesia was a temporary setback.

It's coming up. I can feeeel it..

There was no quick-fix anti-amnesia beam or some other MacGuffin which undid it before the credits as is common in so many "amnesia episodes", even "BEREFT" from "YOUNG JUSTICE".

.... there it is!

Taro quickly establishes himself as a petulant young man who is eager to upset the status quo for his own financial gain.

My least favorite villain in the series, folks!

However, Goliath very quickly sees through Taro's facade; that he is tricking the rest of them to enrich himself,

After dealing with Xanatos on a regular basis; Taro couldn't pull one over on him.

Yama is voiced by Bruce Locke, perhaps best known for "ROBOCOP 3", and naturally his story also follows along one of the central themes of the "GARGOYLES" franchise - redemption.

And Yama would later join the Redemption Squad in "Bad Guys." Incidently, in the Bad Guys leica reel that Weisman plays at conventions, Yama was recast with Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in the role, who I enjoyed more.

Despite my love of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, it is at the very least predictable to see things like evil ninjas or fan weapons in an episode based in Japan.

I admit, the fans are a little too much for me.

In a broader sense, I do wonder if this episode was some sort of meta-commentary about the practices of the parent company of this franchise, Disney. Here, we have a villain who is seeking to exploit something simple and creative into a mass marketed merchandising scheme where his only goal is making money regardless of the freedoms of the source material he has to oppress to get there. Many people have lamented the fact that Disney for long periods of time seemed to forget they ever produced this show, despite its high quality or loyal fanbase. True, the show has existed in syndication on some Disney network ever since it ended, but its path to DVD has been a long and frustrating one for many. Greg Weisman and the rest of the producers had to lock horns with their corporate masters more than once over demands for more toy fodder; ultimately it must have gotten so bad that Disney decided to sack most of them and run the show their way with "The Goliath Chronicles" (or, as Yogurt would say, "The Search for More Money"). While one can envision lots of merchandising potential for "GARGOYLES" even today, less than a year from its' 20th anniversary, it would be different from the usual mindless merchandise schemes for cartoons of the mid-late 90's which exists to this day - exploit all one can for cheaply produced toys/games the kids will "lap up" with quality being an afterthought. One can see this practice in action with "ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN" these days. I understand that it may not have been at all deliberate, but looking at the large picture I can't help but wonder about an episode like this which is all about honoring integrity over short sighted and often vain capitalistic exploitation. Would Disney have treated "GARGOYLES" with more respect and vigor were it a dumber, simpler show which sold more toys and games in the 90's? Considering Disney is best known for its theme parks in addition to its animation, I suppose the meta commentary for this episode sometimes sought to be more interesting than some of the details themselves. Even if the producers in no way, shape, or form intended to craft an episode which at the very least criticized practices at least vaguely similar to what Disney does at large, it still is fascinating to see that Disney produced an episode such as this. It's akin to the Tea Party funding an anti-Bush documentary. At the very least, stuff like this shows that "BUSHIDO" had weight to it, even after so many years.

t:t:t:

From Greg's ramble on the episode:

Elisa: "If you don't hurry, you're gonna wind up TV Stars!"
Goliath (horrified): "NO!" (See, we always blamed Disney for GARGOYLES low corporate profile, but Goliath himself was uncooperative.)

t:t:t:

For some I imagine their romantic subplot worked too slow but I was perfectly fine with it; inter-species dating isn't to be taken lightly as both Goliath and Elisa had a lot of growing to do together in order to find themselves in the place where they could date. A first kiss is something a franchise can never do over and has to thus get right; a lesson the producers of "MAN OF STEEL" clearly didn't fathom.

What, you don't think sharing a first kiss on top of a holocaust is romantic?

People love "GAME OF THRONES" for that sort of complexity now; "GARGOYLES" was doing that way sooner for weekday afternoon animation.

Love that show!

The ending of the episode leaves things off in a bit of a soft cliffhanger; Xanatos for the first time seeming to express genuine irritation and frustration with Goliath, teasing of what could come the next time they meet.

I remember back in 1996 wondering what was next; that line surprised me.

David Xanatos is usually compared to Lex Luthor or Bruce Wayne by fans online but this episode sought to state in no uncertain terms the sorts of figures that he was truly emulated from; the tricksters of pantheons and legends from ancient lore.

I've always compared him to Odysseus. Both of them are Greek. Both of them are warriors and tricksters. Both outsmart gods and monsters. Both want immortality. Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor are not tricksters.

Elisa and her father have always been close,

You can tell she's a daddy's girl.

The "world tour" is in its home stretch now, rounding third base and heading home.

Two more to go.

 

[GremlinZilla89]

I was going to post an official appreciation thread for this show but I figured it would be best to just post in here.

In my honest opinion, this is better than BTAS as far as dramatic fantasy storytelling in childrens animation is concerned.

That is probably a bold statement considering many here find BTAS the best kids cartoon ever, even the best cartoon ever period, but I think Gargoyles takes the cake.

It has stellar animation, a great voice cast, a delicious Gothic atmosphere, a mostly continuing story instead of stand alone episodes, and it gets pretty freakin' dramatically heavy on a regular basis. I'm shocked a Disney show has as much adult themes as Gargoyles. It confronts and shows death frequently, and even has blood from time to time. It never really gets bogged down with comedy (until the third season) but it still has humor and it develops it characters better than most children cartoons I've ever seen. Ignoring the third season, which I don't think it horrible, just disappointing, it's a simply stunning piece of work.

20 Best/favorite Childrens Cartoons:

1. Gargoyles
2. BTAS/STAS/Justice League/Unlimited/Batman Beyond (I know this is major cheating but I love all of these about equally so I really can't rank them in a definitive order)
3. Adventure Time
4. The Real Ghostbusters
5. X-Men: The Animated Series
6. Spectacular Spider-Man
7. Spongebob Squarepants (seasons 1-4)
8. Powerpuff Girls
9. Hey Arnold
10. Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes
11. Rocko's Modern Life
12. The Tick
13. G.I. Joe
14. Avatar
15. Animaniacs
16. Rugrats
17. TMNT 80s/2K3
18. Ren and Stimpy
19. Tiny Toons
20. Samurai Jack
21. Thundercats
22. Johnny Bravo
23. Dexters Lab
24. Pinky and Brain
25. Star Wars: the Clone Wars (2D)

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

I was going to post an official appreciation thread for this show but I figured it would be best to just post in here.

In my honest opinion, this is better than BTAS as far as dramatic fantasy storytelling in childrens animation is concerned.

That is probably a bold statement considering many here find BTAS the best kids cartoon ever, even the best cartoon ever period, but I think Gargoyles takes the cake.

This is a very bold statement... that I agree with.

 

[COliv1977]

Kevin Grevioux fpr Goliath in a Gargoyles movie

 

[Dread]

Welcome, 2014! It has been about a month since my last review of "GARGOYLES" episodes, but schedule as well as to the next two being big episodes contributed to that. Thanks for bumping this from page six, folks!

How big are the next two episodes on my journey of reviewing the series? So big I couldn't fit both under SHH's 20,000 character limit!

We've hit the big FIVE FIVE in terms of episode numbers of "GARGOYLES" which brings us to the end stages of the world tour arc with "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT". It not only introduces several figures who will become critical for the next few episodes (as well as the next multi-part episode), but also develops subplots which have been brimming since "AVALON - PART THREE" and have been advanced and mentioned in several episodes of the tour (such as "THE HOUND OF ULSTER"). In a broader sense it also helps develop subplots which began at the start of the second season with "THE MIRROR" and fleshes out more of the unique mythology that exists within the show.

Spoiler

Throughout the entire "world tour" arc, it's taken for granted that after every trip, the skiff returns to the island of Avalon and then once more sets forth into the mists of the ocean, being sent from the island to their next location - which for Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx, is anywhere but Manhattan. We know from "THE GREEN" that at least some of their tropical forest has been transplanted to this mythical isle. Back during the three part "AVALON" saga, we were told that the island was home of Oberon himself, the "father" figure (or at least leader) of the "third race" of magical beings that exist on this world, and who were often the gods (such as Odin or Anubis) and sprites (Puck) of legend and art. Time runs slowly on this island and its ruler has been an absent one for the centuries of real time that the Scottish gargoyles as well as their human protectors Katharine and Tom (and formerly the Magus and the slumbering Arthur Pendragon) lived a life of relative bliss until the attack by the Weird Sisters, the Archmage and their pawns Macbeth and Demona. Well, now after a thousand years Oberon has come home and is set about to bring about this "gathering" which has been hinted at for some time now. He's flanked by his powerful ex-wife Titania and he'd very much like for these "guests" to leave his island - a desire which is far from a request. Events very quickly develop which force Goliath and his allies into a conflict against a figure I usually dub "the god of gods".

Oberon has been a figure who the show has built up subtly for some time. The "third race" of beings that exist on this world are more commonly called "Oberon's children", which of course emerged from Shakespeare's "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM". Throughout the course of the world tour we have met no end of powerful beings who are among this "third race", such as Odin, Anubis, the Raven, Coyote, the New Olympians, the Banshee, and Anansi (among others). Puck in "THE MIRROR" served as an introduction but it is the world tour which did wonders to flesh this race out and also to lay in this deep seeded feeling - if this entire race of beings are seemingly named after or are considered lower than Oberon, than who is this Oberon and how powerful is he? I bring this all up because after such development for so long over so many episodes, nailing Oberon himself was something which was utterly crucial. He's arguably the most powerful being who exists in the animated "GARGOYLES" universe which was produced (others such as Queen Mab remain in draft notes for future projects) and thus a damn lot of pressure and weight going into this episode, to reveal him after all this time. Fortunately, the show as usual manages to pull off all the right moves with him. His design conveys elegance and power without pandering to the "extreme" stuff of the 90's that some toy people may have wanted. Every time I see him I am impressed that they chose to make him so colorful. Between his skin, hair, and royal clothes he has some 5-6 colors going on and it still works. The next installment besides a good design and good writing is a good actor, and in that they got Terrance Mann - who in film may be best known for "A CHORUS LINE", "BIG TOP PEE-WEE" and the "CRITTERS" trilogy, but whose real trade seems to be as a stage and Broadway performer (acting, singing, etc.). Thus he gives Oberon a lot of projection as well as the air of a haughty, regal being who has little time for anyone beneath him - which is virtually everyone but Titania. He uses the royal "we", he is arrogant as crap and has all the power to back that up. The powerful Weird Sisters take orders from him. Villains in "GARGOYLES" often work in different levels and areas, and Oberon represented to me raw, almost elemental power. Attempting to stop him with force is akin to trying to stop a tornado with a wrestler. He only has a few appearances in this show, but this is wise because such raw power figures can't be overused, lest their menace and weight becomes routine - i.e. the Juggernaut from X-MEN.

Thankfully, Oberon is not alone, and not only is he flanked by the Weird Sisters, but by his estranged former wife, Titania. She's voiced by Kate Mulgrew, star of "STAR TREK: VOYAGER", whose performance here frankly impressed me more than a damn lot of what I saw of her as Captain Janeway. But, wait, wasn't Mulgrew also the voice of Anastasia Renard from "WALKABOUT"? Yes, and that bit of guest acting is far more delicious than this episode lets on, but for the sake of not repeating myself twice during these reviews we'll best save that for "THE GATHERING" where it belongs. While very powerful in her own right, her true power doesn't come from magical abilities, but in manipulation. The gist of the key exposition is that in ancient times, the three races on Earth (gargoyles, humans, and "Oberon's Children") used to interact more than in modern day, despite Oberon's belief that their people were far too high above mortals to meddle in their affairs. His "children" routinely ignored this, and one act by Titania upon them so angered him that Oberon banished them from Avalon for 1,001 years. As a part of this punishment, they were forced to live with mortals while forbidden to directly interfere with them, as an act to at last teach his people humility. Yet it quickly becomes clear when Oberon is introduced and seeks to kill the squatters of Avalon on a whim that he's clearly the one who needs to be taught some lessons in humility. Thus, Titania manipulates Oberon into challenging Goliath, Angela, and Gabriel (one of Angela's "rookery siblings") to a hunt with only a child's worth of his power with the prize being her hand in marriage once more. The ever haughty Oberon agrees, but the real challenge isn't in the chase; it is in Elisa, Katharine, and Tom's ability to interpret from very keen words that Titania uses and their willingness to bend the rules of the contest themselves to their benefit.

The chase between Oberon and the gargoyles is quite good, with some pretty good storyboard pacing with his fight with Goliath in particular. As Goliath wisely warns the younger in his party, even a "third racer" with a child's worth of power is incredibly formidable - Puck, for instance, cannot easily be physically overcome either. Even with only an infant's worth of his power, Oberon proves virtually unstoppable and eventually overpowers even Goliath's best efforts. Much like with Oberon himself, it's the lady alongside Goliath that one usually has to worry about. While it had been hinted at several times that the "third race" had a weakness, it was the previous episode, "CLOUD FATHERS", which came the closest to cementing it before this episode laid it bare - iron is the only thing which weakens them. This naturally brings in old lore about elves, but also reminds one of "THE MIRROR" where Demona is wise enough to bind Puck in iron chains once he is summoned so he can do her bidding. But, wait, didn't Demona also bind Owen in cables and claim he was "the tricky one" back in "CITY OF STONE"? Again, getting ahead of ourselves, wait until "THE GATHERING". At any rate, it all comes down to Elisa, Tom, and Katharine figuring out the clues behind Titania's statements and how to best forge that in to a weapon against Oberon. In that way, perhaps they're demonstrating one of those quirky things one has to learn when out in the mortal world - how to be creative with what one has and how to bend the rules that restrict them to prevail. Admittedly, a part of me expected them to forge bullets for Elisa's gun but in the end a silver bell worked out just as fine. After all, best not to confuse it with the old weakness of werewolves and plus bells have some elements in "fairy" lore from last I read. This gives us a chance to not only see Elisa doing more of what she does best but also see more of the cast from the "AVALON" saga working together. Even in this it's not as simple as it seems; one of the female gargoyles (Ophelia according to the wiki) brings up the notion of whether what they're doing is right or not, since the island does technically belong to Oberon even if he had ignored their trespass upon it for centuries of mortal time.

Fortunately, it all seems to work out in the end; while Oberon has won his hunt as expected, he didn't count on the leftover party to be kept so busy and not only agrees to allow the Scottish clan to remain, but undoes the magic binding Goliath and his travelers to the mists of Avalon - meaning that their next trip into open water will finally bring them back home. Of course, nothing is ever this easy for Goliath as "FUTURE TENSE" will demonstrate, and this also won't be the last of Oberon or Titania ("THE GATHERING" parts 1 and 2). Trying to list what this episode does well is difficult as that could last quite a while (and obviously, I have tried). It seems to bring the "world tour" to a climax while introducing many long rumored characters as well as breathe a modern life and spin to some old characters of Shakespeare in a way which doesn't ignore their timeless nature. Whenever "GARGOYLES" indulges in this, whether its with Shakespeare or some other timeless legend or character it never feels desperate or fills such things with the sort of dated pop culture that many animated affairs, even from Disney, tended to do at the time and sometimes still do. Yet in this it also serves as a prelude to "THE GATHERING" and the next confrontation with Oberon (or, the next manipulation by Titania).

Naturally, "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT" is well met by viewers, offering a bit of everything that a good story in serialized fiction should as well as all the things "GARGOYLES" does well. Advancing plots, great action, great acting, great updates of old legendary figures of yore, and building towards even better and greater things.

 

[Dread]

A review of one of the most notable single episodes would naturally shatter the character limit on posts. Bare with me.

So, it seems as if the mists of Avalon have been lifted and it's only a quick ride back to NYC for our four weary travelers? As if anything were ever easy for the heroes of "GARGOYLES"! Fortunately for us and unfortunately for Goliath, the ride home results in "FUTURE TENSE", which is one of the most notable and memorable single episodes of the show according to no end of reviews and opinions online and elsewhere. Greg Weisman himself chose "THE MIRROR" as his personal favorite episode and while it is incredibly difficult for me to pick out one as a favorite, but "FUTURE TENSE" is naturally one of those who would be in the running. How important is the episode? It was animated by Disney Japan in a season where the episode count made such things a luxury, thus usually reserved for only the best of the best, the cream of the crop. Once I was this deep into the show I didn't give a Bronx behind about the animation quality since even at its worst it was no worse than many cartoons of the 90's at their best. I was already too invested in the cast, the universe, and the narrative to care if someone was off model now and again. However, that extra oomph of quality from Disney Japan I could recognize seconds in for an episode and it became a bigger treat every time.

Spoiler

In fact the only demerit the episode has nothing to do with it, but its' reputation. Even avoiding many "GARGOYLES" fan circles before finally seeing the show in its glory, the rep of this episode would emerge very often. So even going in, one of the few episodes besides the few I saw in Season 1 that I knew anything about was "FUTURE TENSE" and that it was "the dream episode". Such episodes are somewhat standard in many TV shows, both animated and live action. "DALLAS" may still own the record for using one to shamelessly erase a season or so's worth of stories. As this show is often compared to "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES", it is worth it to mention their most notable dream episode, "PERCHANCE TO DREAM" - an episode even Kevin Conroy still is fond of and usually mentions if given enough time at a panel appearance. There was also "OVER THE EDGE" but that one was less notable for various reasons. My much beloved, and criminally underrated, 2003 era "TMNT" cartoon had "BAD DAY" as their version of this in their fourth season in 2005, and that was excellent. I bring all this up because for many of these episodes, learning the twist at the end helps add to the punch of the episode, even if it is a twist that many poorer episodes of poorer shows have turned into a cliche. Thus, knowing this twist going in can sometimes ruin the effect for many episodes. While I can never experience what watching "FUTURE TENSE" would have been like without knowing that twist beforehand, the episode offers so much else that by the finale it hardly mattered.

The skiff and its four travelers - Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx - finally return to the waters of Manhattan Island, only to find that nothing is like they remembered it. Having been filled with tales of the island that her friends call home, Angela is quickly horrified at what seems to be a land reassembled after a terrible war. Almost immediately, she and Elisa are captured by fleets of Steel Clan robots who patrol the land and rule with a, well, iron fist, except for Goliath and Bronx. It seems as if the aspects of time being different on Avalon have proven true as Goliath finds that he has been away from home for 40 years. In that time, David Xanatos has exceeded his control of NYC and declared it a state apart from the U.S. which he rules with his armies of robots or genetic monsters (including mass produced cyborg clones of Thailog). The few humans who remain live in filth and the underground resistance is a shadow of what remained of the Manhattan Clan. Brooklyn was still leader in Goliath's absence, but is now missing an eye, hardened from battle, bitter at Goliath for abandoning them and seemingly mated to Demona, his second in command. Broadway is alive but blinded, relying on sonar equipment to navigate, while Lexington has become a cyborg to make up for his own injuries. The wingless mutate Claw is the only survivor of Talon's clan, and while an aged and haggard Matt Bluestone remains their closest human ally, not even he can make up for the loss of Hudson, who fell in battle fighting Xanatos. Even Xanatos' son Alexander is disgusted by him and aids in the resistance. But can Goliath or any of them truly defeat a David Xanatos who attained his greatest desire - immortality?

There are many reasons why this episode works despite its key twist being blown, and the stunning animation and storyboards are just the start. The second is that it was hardly the only twist the episode offers; the cause of Goliath's dream is still to be revealed, even if the final moments do make it easy to guess. Much like "PERCHANCE TO DREAM" worked by laying almost all of Batman's desires and anxieties bare, this episode does the same with Goliath in constructing a "dream time" which lays almost all of his issues, fears, and unresolved business bare for the viewer to see. Coming home to a world drastically changed? It's the horror and confusion of the 1,000 year sleep all over again. Losing his clan and friends to war and battle? Goliath all but committed suicide over grief from that once in "THE AWAKENING" and had unfinished business from this trauma in "SHADOWS OF THE PAST". The horror of losing Hudson, his mentor? Macbeth is lucky only a robot attempted to put Goliath through that in "THE PRICE". The anxiety of Brooklyn actually dating Demona? Some unfinished business from "TEMPTATION" rears its head. Goliath's feelings regarding Demona are naturally quite complicated; having essentially gone through a very violent divorce from an abusive and genocidal spouse will do that to a fellow. Goliath would be especially concerned to see any of his clan, especially his second in command, become romantically linked to Demona. I also wonder if a part of him might even feel dismayed that if anyone could get Demona to reform from her madness, it could be someone other than himself. Warped things happening due to advances in technology? There are many, MANY episodes where Goliath expresses his mistrust of late 20th century technology (for fair reason); notables include not only later installments of "THE AWAKENING", but "REAWAKENING" (Coldstone being "an abomination" of cybernetics and sorcery), "LEADER OF THE PACK", "LEGION" (the VR episode), "METAMORPHOSIS", "UPGRADE", and "WALKABOUT". I'd argue that out of the entire cast of primary Scottish gargoyles, Goliath probably puts the least stock in technology and is the most hesitant about it and the evils it can unleash. Lexington naturally is the most adept and interested in it, while even Hudson and Broadway learned to enjoy TV as well as other things. Brooklyn was briefly interested in motorcycles. Angela has an innocent curiosity about such things, but Goliath would rather stick to books. The fact that Xanatos made fleets of robots as well as his own personal body armor in Goliath's image hardly helps in such matters. That isn't to suggest that Goliath is a Luddite who wants technology to go, but that out of his time flung clan he's always seemed to be the most apprehensive about it in comparison to the others. Add this in to the usual pressures of trying to be a good leader and avoid failing his clan alongside the constant insistence of everyone he seems to care about to use the Phoenix Gate once more to undo these horrible events, and this episode is an emotional torture chamber for Goliath.

Thirdly, unlike some "dream episodes", this one doesn't cheat and offer many (if any) scenes or bits from outside of Goliath's point of view which he otherwise wouldn't be privy to. "OVER THE EDGE" cheated about this detail so many times that it can become easy to knock down the episode just on this regard alone. "BAD DAY" avoided this complication by having the four Turtles (and Splinter) all share the same dream via meditation, even if one could also say that it was convenient. Angela and Elisa being captured almost immediately upon arriving in the Manhattan bay is key to this, as it allows Goliath to see all the horror unfold before him alone; sure, Bronx is there but he's a dog. I might go so far as to further suggest that the fact that Elisa and Angela seem to do little besides be captured and become hostages occurs because from Goliath's perspective they are the two he wishes to protect and defend the most; thus, a nightmare such as this would put them in the most peril.

I did briefly gloss over it, but the animation here is something to behold. Virtual reality "cyberspace" was very big in the 90's and while "LEGION" often seems dated by these details, the cyberspace sequences here are among some of the peaks of animation for the series; full of some great battles and effects, as well as more than one character seeming to bite the dust. The detail in Claw's redesign alone is commendable. A damn lot of design work was put into this episode, which is amazing considering this was a one-off and such things often add to a show's animation budget. The concept of David Xanatos attaining his much sought after immortality within an cyberspace avatar is a detail which flows well from "LEGION" and would naturally link with Goliath's own hesitation regarding technology; his greatest enemy utilizing a resource Goliath may never master to attain godlike powers. There's a quick reference to "HAMLET" as well, which is hardly to be unexpected here; a nod to "MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL" was another interesting referene. The seeming "deaths" of Goliath's allies are tough to take, and the revelation of Lexington was perhaps the first time viewers got to hear Thom Adcox playing a villain years before he would seem to do that more often in his roles in "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" and "YOUNG JUSTICE". In this we see more of Goliath's fears merging to become something dark - the fear that the smallest of his clan who was the most adept and loving of technology would become corrupted by the power it granted him and become a menace even greater than Xanatos, who had to be put down. As always, the voice acting here is exceptional, as has long since become standard for the series; nobody ever gives a phoned in performance.

The biggest twist of the episode, besides the fact that it's a dream, is its cause and its' ultimate effects. Once Goliath lays battered and mortally wounded and Elisa seems to INSIST that he personally give her the Phoenix Gate no matter what, it can become quick in those final moments to realize that this entire shebang is the work of one of Oberon's children - who cannot directly interfere with mortals but remain able to attempt to manipulate the hell out of them to their ends. Brent Spiner once again returns as Puck for only his second direct appearance, and as always plays the role to the hilt. There have been some who have lamented the idea that due to an unwillingness to compete with Marvel, no version of Loki remains active in "GARGOYLES" canon; I'm not one of them because I think Puck serves more than ably in the realm of "trickster god", at least in the sense that unlike Xanatos, is he actually closer to being a god being of the third race. Thus it stands revealed that this entire ordeal was Puck's attempt to manipulate Goliath into delivering the powerful Phoenix Gate device to him; since Goliath resisted the temptation to use it again after "M.I.A.", this time he attempts to destroy it once and for all so Puck nor anyone else can ever use it again. Naturally, enchanted items remain difficult to permanently destroy, but at least in terms of the animated canon Goliath is successful. As with many poignant episodes, however, the biggest unanswered question remains asked by Goliath himself; how much of the dream was Puck's illusion, and how much was prophetic? The answer of course is that more of it may be prophetic than Goliath would prefer; for soon-to-be-obvious reasons Puck was privy to know the name Xanatos and Fox would choose for their son: Alexander Xanatos. In the SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS comic book series, Brooklyn would wind up going through a time flaring "dance" which leads to him becoming the battle hardened figure Goliath gets a glimpse of here. By the end of the animated series ("HUNTER'S MOON"), the Clocktower would be destroyed and their time as mere urban myths would come to an end. Some more details from "FUTURE TENSE" are seen in Greg Weisman's draft of a sequel series, "GARGOYLES 2198", which he's posted online. So, what was likely the biggest bunk? Under no circumstances beyond magical or cybernetic mind control would Brooklyn and Demona become lovers; if anything, she and Goliath wind up sharing more common ground than they should for brief moments in "HUNTER'S MOON". I chose to go on and on about how the dream/prophecy seemed to play on many of Goliath's insecurities and baggage because that was the heart of what I got out of the episode. Part illusion, part prophecy, Puck tailor made a nightmare specifically for Goliath to try to get what he wanted out of him; and he was only inches from his prize by the end. And the worst nightmares often combine elements of oneself and one's experiences and cast them into new combinations of horror or turmoil. In that we see that while Puck can be playful and funny, he has a cruel imagination and is hardly one to be underestimated. Naturally, we also see what Goliath is made of as no matter how terrible the situation is. His will proves insurmountable - more than likely further forged by all of the adventures he's been on since "THE AWAKENING" when he surrendered to grief - and while he is willing to allow "Elisa" to try with the Gate on the brink of death, he hadn't so abandoned hope or his senses that he failed to catch the tell of Puck's ruse. Puck played to Goliath's emotions, but failing to realize that even when battered he still had a cunning eye for detail by himself proved his undoing. Yet even in this Goliath avoids being flawless and boring; sure, he triumphs in the end, but Puck did come awfully close. Despite hammering Goliath with as many emotional and intellectual blows as he could, by the time Puck was near victory he was all but forced to overplay his hand just enough that Goliath could spot his "tell".

The "world tour" did many things, but to a degree it shares some similarities with Homer's "The Odyssey", the ultimate epic of a warrior's attempt to come home after the struggle of war. The battle of "AVALON" was merely the beginning of the segment and the task of coming home would prove to be a challenge for not only Goliath, but Elisa in many ways, too. Even Angela will arrive on Manhattan Island not quite as naive and inexperienced as she was when she decided to go exploring for the first time - which serves to allow her to meet "the trio" later on as an equal in a manner which feels earned instead of her being a "Mary Sue". Yet while Goliath and Elisa have an idealized version of home which comes from any extended absence, neither it or they will be the same when they reunite once more. "FUTURE TENSE" is the perfect bookend to that idea. If any single episode makes one cross that this show never won an Emmy, this is certainly a contender. And despite no end of terrific characters, if any episode stood alone as to why if pressed to list which one as an individual was my favorite, this would be one of the ones I drew to justify my answer as Goliath himself. It may seem "easy" to pick the male lead, and the longer I am pressed the more I might go on about Elisa (who is equally as strong), or Xanatos, or Demona, or Broadway or Brooklyn or etc. But episodes like this where the chips in his armor can be laid bare and he still comes out stronger than before without such conclusions seeming cheap or obligatory are episodes as to why.

In the end, the journey home for the leads of "GARGOYLES" is never easy, and we'd be disappointed if it were. The end result is "THE GATHERING", which had to be epic in order for "FUTURE TENSE" to appear as a prologue for. But, that's a review for another time.

 

[Dread]

Kevin Grevioux fpr Goliath in a Gargoyles movie

Welcome to Super Hero Hype, COlive1977!

Kevin Grevioux is best known for the "UNDERWORLD" film series as both an actor, co-producer and writer. Greg Weisman fans will know him best as Black Beetle from the recent "YOUNG JUSTICE". He would certainly be an interesting choice for the role you suggest.

That said, your comment made me think about a lot of things, a "Gargoyles" movie naturally but also about trends in Hollywood and my own personal preferences. Disney did actually announce plans for a live action "GARGOYLES" film around summer 2010 which was not connected in any way to the animated series or its canon, but there's been no chatter about it since. As much as some people may want to see one, for me that's a good thing.

I've reached a point in my life where I may fondly remember something from the recent or distant past, my tolerance and eagerness to see it remade into a new version - especially as an attempt to capitalize financially on nostalgia with a licensed property rather than make something new - is less than it used to be. Thus, a live action "GARGOYLES" film would essentially be a remake of "THE AWAKENING" which probably won't be as good (despite the best of intentions). My own desire to see that done is very low. Considering that my full viewing and enjoyment of the series came very recently - I briefly watched some of season 1 when it was new but for some reason never stuck with it back then - it could be that the property is still fresh for me and I've not had as long a drought as the fans who had stayed with it in the 90's. I never went through the disappointing "Goliath Chronicles" (the network's move of kicking Greg Weisman and the rest of his production staff out and making the show on their terms for toys), nor read the Slave Labor Graphics "GARGOYLES" comics when they were coming out monthly around 2006 or so. That said, I've reached a point in my viewing life that I can only endure so many retellings of the same stories, and would like to move on.

It may be a bit selfish and unfeasible, but if a film of "GARGOYLES" were to be something Disney wanted to do, I'd very much prefer they keep it within the realm of 2D animation where it excelled in. That's not as impossible as it seems; Disney was willing to do so with "THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG", the new "WINNIE THE POOH" and even some segments of "ENCHANTED". It goes without saying that as "GARGOYLES" was the creation of Greg Weisman, continuing it without his input causes it to lose its magic. While it is probable not all of the production/writing staff from the show may be free to work on it again, certainly some could and they're not all dead or retired. Frank Paur is still involved in animation; Michael Reaves continues to co-write novels despite suffering from Parkinson's Disease, and Brynne Chandler, Cary Bates, Eric Luke, et al. are still around.

The real question would be the content of such a theoretical wish fulfillment flick. Weisman wrote 12 issues of a "GARGOYLES" comic for SLG from 2006-2008 which covered how he would have progressed the story from its canonical animated finale, "HUNTER'S MOON PART THREE". I could imagine the first bunch of issues being able to be rewritten properly for a 90-100 minute animated epic to continue the series. Continuing a story some 20 years after its last installment may seem to be a daunting task, but it is hardly impossible. Disney themselves is set to do just that with further "STAR WARS" films which will be sequels to "RETURN OF THE JEDI" nearly 30 years ago. Fox rolled the dice on a sequel to "WALL STREET" some 23 years after the previous one. "DIE HARD" sequels keep coming; both "RAMBO" and "ROCKY BALBOA" debuted some 20 years after their last installments; even "BAD BOYS II" came out 8 years after the first one did. Besides, there is a bit in the comics themselves (a 2 page splash) which recaps the series so one could likely put in some sort of similar segment into the film. Besides, between the show's long life in syndication and renewed interest in the complete DVD series, "GARGOYLES" has never really left TV for long.

That said, such a plot would essentially see Greg Weisman re-write or oversee the re-writing of some stories he'd already written for another format. "The Journey", the only episode he wrote for "THE GOLIATH CHRONICLES", would essentially be rewritten a third time if such a thing happened. Would that be something Mr. Weisman would like to do if given the opportunity? Rewrite some of his comic book episodes into an animated motion picture? Or would he like to truly continue the franchise in a new story on such a big stage?

To this end we have "Gargoyles 2198", which was one of several proposed spin-offs to "GARGOYLES" in the 90's which CBS was briefly interested in. A full outline was written up by Weisman himself on his "Station 8" blog some time ago: http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/faq.php?s=gargs2198

Now, while this was initially planned for a TV series, it certainly wouldn't be impossible to work from this for an animated feature film. In this way both old and new fans would be coming in on about the same playing field. A recap of the original premise would make sense as the story truly takes place late in the 22nd century with a mostly new cast of characters descended from the old. This would naturally allow for most (if not all) of the old cast to return, even if only for cameos, while a new cast would still be possible and still make sense in the context. And hardly any of the original VA's are retired or out of reach, even if a few of the actors who played smaller parts may no longer be around (such as Robert Culp). John Rhys-Davies has seen his stock rise substantially due to "LORD OF THE RINGS", so there's no telling if he'd return to play Macbeth in some big futuristic animated epic.

I mean, it's impossible for me to remove "GARGOYLES" from the medium in which it excelled and for me, the voice actors owned their roles. It's incredibly difficult for me to imagine a new universe being done without them, at least being of similar quality. Especially when doing a brand new animated motion picture epic which features the old cast as well as new characters in new adventures is hardly impossible. Especially when Disney is willing to perform such indulgences with "STAR WARS". Keith David IS Goliath every bit as much as Peter Cullen is Optimus Prime or Kevin Conroy is Batman, and I could say the same of every other actor from the main cast. It's hard if not impossible to imagine them recast.

Anyway, those are my thoughts about "GARGOYLES" in film, and thanks for encouraging my usual long winded over-analysis.

 

[Specter313]

‘Gargoyles’ Available to Stream on YouTube

Gargoyles was a Disney animated series far ahead of its time, and retains a devoted fan base to this day. Airing from 1994-1997, the show is widely considered to be one of the best of its era, alongside classics like Batman: The Animated Series, and it seems as though Disney wants to get more exposure for the cult favorite. Disney.com reports that all 78 episodes of the series are now available to stream via the DisneyShows YouTube channel.

Co-created by Greg Weisman (who went on to co-create Young Justice), Gargoyles focused on a clan of mystical gargoyles, who turned to stone during the day, but came to life at night. After billionaire David Xanatos relocates the Gargoyles’ medieval Scottish castle to New York, the clan must adjust to modern living, aided by intrepid NYPD detective Elisa Maza, while clashing with Xanatos.

The entire run of Gargoyles is available online, including the controversial third season, with which Weisman was dissatisfied. He would go on to write a Gargoyles comic book series that ignored the third season, instead choosing to pick up from the end of the second and tell a new story in its place.

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2014/02/04/gargoyles-available-to-stream-on-youtube/

Woo hoo!

 

[Dread]

"THE GATHERING" is the second to last multi-part episode in the canonical "GARGOYLES" animated series, and is not only a one-two punch of action, characters, revelations and battles, it is also the culmination of at least 22 episodes of development and storyline since "AVALON PART THREE". It is the official end of the "world tour" arc in that the Manhattan Clan are finally reunited, and it creates a status quo which will carry the series through the rest of its run and, as the Slave Labor Graphics comics showcased, even beyond. There are guest stars galore and if I had to come up with a crude summary of this two-parter, it would be "a Shakespearean summer action blockbuster". I planned to do this as one long review as with most multi-parters, but it got so long winded that it had to be chopped up into two. As Super-Shredder would say, "So be it."

Spoiler

As has been hinted at throughout the "world tour" but put in stark terms in "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT", Oberon has ended the exile of his "children" after 1,001 years and has begun an event known as "the gathering" to take place at his castle in the realm of Avalon. Considering Oberon's power and haughty nature, this "gathering" is not a request; Banshee quickly learns that the word of their "master" is not to be taken lightly. Speaking of which, the "world tour" seems to be recapped quickly as we see cameos from many of the figures our travelers met: from Banshee to Raven to Odin to Coyote to Anubis and Ananasi; even the Lady of the Lake from "PENDRAGON". There are also probably a few New Olympians there as well. Regardless, one notable figure who is missing is Puck, who is apparently Oberon's court jester. The appearance of all of these figures naturally adds more weight to all of the so called "isolated" adventures as well as only adds to Oberon's reputation and power. After all, here we see powerful "gods" like Odin and Anubis, the Highfather of the Norse and the god of Death themselves, demonstrating their tribute to Oberon, the "god of gods". Having met many of these figures and knowing that most of them are far from weak and have ambitions of their own - and yet Banshee is the only one who speaks out of turn - showcases the company with which they're in. Heck, just the fact that someone as powerful and crafty as Puck (who proved himself a match for the Manhattan Clan and Demona in "THE MIRROR" and nearly got Goliath to crack in "FUTURE TENSE") is merely Oberon's entertainment says a bit. Simply put, I think these "court of Avalon" scenes perfectly set up the major conflict to come. Thus, when Puck refuses to arrive in time for the gathering, we know this is not something Oberon is going to shrug off; he's going to move heaven and earth, quite literally, to make sure he complies.

And that's at the heart of this two part epic; a conflict. It will eventually boil down to almost every major protagonist as well as a great deal of their antagonists against Oberon himself, at full power. There will be no handcuffs to impress the ex-wife this time; this time it's Oberon at his full might. It's an adventure against a living, breathing, ranting force of nature with pointed ears and fancy pants clothes. But, now I am getting ahead of myself.

Things have been quite busy in Manhattan, as it always seems to be. Fox is finally about to have her son with David Xanatos, and the entire extended family is there; Petros Xanatos (last seen in "VOWS"), Anastasia Renard (last seen in "WALKABOUT"), Halcyon Renard (last seen in person in "GOLEM") and his assistant/budding CEO of Cyberbionics, Preston Vogel (last seen in "THE GREEN"). Considering that Xanatos has a higher net worth than many countries, the media is all in a frenzy about the birth of his heir apparent. As if the tension between in-laws who don't get along wasn't bad enough, the normally unflappable Owen Burnett is anxious all of a sudden. In no time at all, Oberon appears within the Aerie Building and breaches all of Xanatos' security with a grace that would do Obi Won Kenobi proud. Isn't it wild that Greg Weisman will suddenly be working on a "STAR WARS" cartoon all these years later? Regardless, Oberon wastes no time revealing himself to all present, as well as exposing quite a secret - that Anastasia Renard is not who everyone thinks she is.She's revealed as his ex-wife Titania in her mortal disguise. Not only is this a brilliant twist, but it also makes perfect sense given that Kate Mulgrew voices both characters. Now, some voice actors have a bit of range and can easily voice many characters without it seeming quite so obvious - Jeff Bennett being an easy example here. Not every voice actor has such a range, but this show capitalizes on this fact by forming a connection between roles. Suddenly the audience member who wonders why Anastasia sounds like Titania isn't simply brushed aside as someone who is peeking too closely at the curtains behind the stage; that viewer is rewarded for their sharp ear with a fuller story. This would not be the first time "GARGOYLES" capitalizes on such a thing, and it's yet another wise move that only respected the intelligence of its viewership as well as continued to forge quite a family history for the Renards and the Xanatos'. Suddenly it's revealed that David Xanatos' mother in law is literally the queen of the gods, and that makes his son with Fox a member of the "third race" destined to have incredible magical powers. Since Fox apparently never properly manifested her own magical powers despite a similar heritage, Oberon cannot entrust one of "his" people to be raised by "lowly" mortals. As an act of "compassion" (suggested by Titania, of course), he gives Xanatos and Fox 24 hours to bid their son Alexander farewell before Oberon comes for him - and as usual for the "god of gods", this is not a request. The hunt for Puck abandoned for the moment, Oberon leaves, and for perhaps the first time since they became allies, Owen has to abandon Xanatos in his darkest hour - although not without giving him critical information in his war against Oberon. By now, the roots of Owen's own revelation have been well planted and have sunk deep into the earth, and as "THE GATHERING" goes on its a revelation that only becomes more inevitable. This is naturally the first time we're seeing Fox since "WALKABOUT" and David Xanatos since "CLOUD FATHERS", and this appearance is drastically different from how that episode left things. Just two episodes ago, Xanatos was being his usual self; manipulating all ends seeking immortality and willing to sacrifice others to these goals. That affair ended with him being the most frustrated he'd been in the series. Now, however, he's facing something akin to "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" only multiplied by ten. Now he's the one being manipulated by gods in a game that even he didn't know the full complexity of and even someone of his considerable resources is a major underdog in wanting to defy the will of someone like Oberon. But, as often happens with Xanatos, it's easy to sympathize with him if only because he's just out to defend his family here. And even with Owen going underground for "some reason", he's surrounded himself with a more than capable wife and a father in law who has his own flying warship and an army of robots at his disposal.

Meanwhile, the Manhattan Clan is finally reunited for the first time since "AVALON PART ONE", as Goliath, Bronx, Angela, and Elisa make it back to the clock tower. There are hugs all around, as well as a sign of things to come as Angela is introduced to the trio, who haven't seen a young gargoyle woman since the middle ages. Goliath flies Elisa back to her apartment and there's a great scene where they acknowledge the end of their extended, unexpected "vacation" together and how going back to "normal" life may have been something they wanted, but may not be something which can quite work the same. Sure, the two became fast friends and the show heavily teased their budding romance before the "world tour", but the "world tour" has cemented this into something much deeper. The two got to essentially live together and explore the world with a daughter and a dog for many months, which is something which never would have happened without the mists of Avalon or, on a broader scale, the long term whims of Oberon and his eventual "gathering". Many episodes opened the door for their romance, from as far back as "THE AWAKENING" to episodes like "THE MIRROR" and "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER" and many others, but the tour united the two together without the distractions of being a cop or leading a clan. The kinship between Angela and Elisa is not unlike that of adopted relatives, which only becomes more clear later on. Their long adventure only strengthened the bond that Goliath and Elisa had for each other, and has only deepened the love they have for each other. Of course, long term romantic subplots are difficult things to do, especially between two "species". Drag it out too long, and people get bored. Climax too soon, and it feels like a waste or melodrama. Overall, I think "GARGOYLES" handed it perfectly and scenes like this at the apartment are to why. You know where its going, but the show isn't out to cheat you. It'll get there when its worth it, and not waste it a moment sooner. After all, if fans wanted to see some awkward romance attempts, the trio's efforts to woo Angela are coming soon enough. The union between Goliath and Elisa may seem "obvious" to us in the audience, but to the characters it means overcoming literal centuries of time as well as no end of social norms and of course differences in biology. Regardless, this moment was one of many ways that symbolized the weight of the "world tour", that things changed for everyone and they won't be resetting anytime soon. Another sign is how Brooklyn, despite his joy to see Goliath and the others again, has grown into his role as commander of their clan in Goliath's absence.

Like with most good times, it doesn't last. They are barely united when Titania appears within the clock tower and implores upon the gargoyles to help Xanatos defend his son Alexander (who the clan heard about on TV and was one of a few things Puck's dream sequence in "FUTURE TENSE" was right about) from Oberon's wrath. At first Goliath and the rest refuse to do her bidding, especially after having just escaped the mists of Avalon. As always, Titania never lets victory escape from the jaws of a set back; she next implores upon them to not interfere in any way with Oberon's gathering attempt for their own sake. The reverse psychology works wonderfully as soon the gargoyles are seeking to aid Xanatos anyway, under the philosophy that not even their worst enemy deserves to have his son stolen from him. Brooklyn and some of the others many not be thrilled to be helping Xanatos, as well as being new to beings such as Titania or Oberon who Goliath has met in battle once, but as always, they're family.

The finale to "THE GATHERING PART ONE" really got my blood pumping even if this wasn't a Disney Japan episode and thus the animation probably wasn't 100% perfect. The first 22 minutes come to a close with Xanatos readying all of his various defense strategies based on what Owen told him; a horde of "Iron Clan" robots along with an iron equipped version of his usual armor. Halcyon Renard has readied his fleet of cybots and his latest warship, not about to lose his grandson. Even Petros is ready with a nasty looking iron harpoon type weapon, and Fox we'll see is packing a gun that's almost too large for Cable to carry. It all reaches a crescendo when Xanatos activates a force field around the building to bar Oberon's way - under the logic that "magic" or not, energy is energy as per the laws of physics, and thus related. Being barred from entering the building again by mere mortal technology is the last straw for Oberon, who completely loses control of himself in his fury. With a bellow, he puts every human outside the force field to sleep and grows to giant size, GODZILLA style, and is set to rampage as if he's in the middle of Tokyo up against a pagoda. I mean, come ON, now that's how you end a two parter! It was one of those moments where I fully embraced and appreciated the opportunity to be able to enjoy the episodes for the first time on DVD. No waiting a week or so for a conclusion; there's no way I could have stayed sane waiting a week for the rest, not this deep into the series. Having a villain assume giant size is something which has to be done sparingly; it is ironic considering at the time, "GARGOYLES" arch nemesis on afternoon TV was "MIGHTY MORPHIN' POWER RANGERS" which turned the seemingly awesome feat of an enemy assuming giant form and made it a routine joke. "CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN" years later would end with the Red Skull assuming giant form in an attack on Washington, D.C. and to this day I am not sure if that's awesome or ridiculous. But here it works perfectly due to the storyboarded pacing of it as well as the nature of the figure utilizing it. In "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT", Oberon was held back by his own pride. For all his appearances his might and true power is more implied than shown or more subtle than overt. However, now he's truly lost his temper and is showing his full fury as a living force of nature. Entire religions were based around mortals witnessing the feats of Oberon's UNDERLINGS; therefore, Oberon's own power should be something to dwarf them. And because the show wisely chose to not overuse Oberon, that weight of sheer power comes across extremely well in "THE GATHERING PART TWO".

 

[Dread]

As promised, the review for "THE GATHERING PART TWO".

Spoiler

The second chapter is the blockbuster, the summer action spectacular. Armored Xanatos, Iron Clan robots, flying war ships, and "gift gargoyles" all pitching in to try to stop the towering Oberon. It is sheer insanity and while Koko Enterprise Co. may not be Disney Japan, they still pull it together considering a very tall order of an episode. This was all the spectacle of a season finale with seven more episodes to go. Fans of action have to be pleased with what the episode delivers. Want to see the Manhattan Clan united again? You got it. Want to see Xanatos in his cool armor fighting something he's never faced before? Check. Want to see Angela fight alongside Hudson, Brooklyn, Lex, and Broadway for the first time? You get that in spades. And because of the "world tour", now Angela doesn't seem as if she is a "Scrappy Doo" or someone inserted into the show to appeal to some demographic midway through a season, because she had that time to be developed without having to directly upstage the trio, or Hudson, who got many episodes to develop before her. Now she joins them as an equal. Naturally, the "enemy mine" situation makes for some entertaining moments as now the gargoyles are on the same side as their robotic doubles. In the end, Oberon proves to not be completely invincible, but still be pretty damn tough. The shields weaken him, but barely stop him. He can animate statues around the area to come to life and do his bidding, and summon ice storms on a whim. Even his HAIR is alive and able to occupy Goliath's attention (in a bit like "THE TICK VS. DINOSAUR NEIL", only played straight). Not even the iron robots or the shards they leave behind when destroyed slow Oberon for long.

This episode was the late Robert Culp's last contribution to the series as the voice of Halcyon Renard, and it certainly gives him a bang to go out on. Come to think of it, despite all the sound and fury that the gargoyles and David Xanatos put in, I have to say the MVP's here just might be the grandpas. He and Vogel fly in with a fresh FORTRESS II and use all their robots (or cybots or whatever) to greatly weaken Oberon with an energy net. It doesn't matter that Renard may never have been wild for Xanatos and that Fox has tried to steal his company from him; Renard is still willing to die to defend them and their baby. Yet the effort causes the warship to take severe damage and forces Renard to make an emergency landing elsewhere, feeling he's failed to save his grandson despite his best efforts. It's made all the more poignant since we know Renard's health is failing and he's at death's door. Culp was an actor who I didn't appreciate at the time but I've grown to like from watching "GREATEST AMERICAN HERO" as an adult, and he never phoned in a performance wherever he was. He had an open mind about a lot of projects (such as "I SPY", which at the time was an edgy show in the height of the civil rights era where many similar actors played it safer) and naturally being a part of as imaginative and trend setting cartoon like "GARGOYLES", even for some notable guest appearances, only adds to his body of work. At any rate, Renard's efforts were hardly in vain, although in shrinking, Oberon is knocked from his fury enough to figure out how to bypass the shields and raise the states even higher. Even in weakened form, none of the gargoyles or even Xanatos are a match for Oberon. Yet it's Petros who seems to land a telling blow, sticking Oberon right in the chest with that harpoon in a scene I have to imagine the Disney Channel edited out of reruns.

This of course leads to one of the biggest reveals of the entire "GARGOYLES" animated series - that the sprite Puck was posing as Owen Burnett this entire time. Not only does it lead to another great guest performance by Brent Spiner, but is one of those moments that screams "REPLAY VALUE" once you see it. Not only does it explain how Owen knew all the weaknesses of Oberon and the "third racers", but there are some little tidbits from previous episodes as well. One is that bit in "CITY OF STONE" where Demona makes sure to bind Owen to a chair with metal cables and says, "You always were the tricky one". There are probably more but that's the biggest one I recall right now. At any rate, not only does Puck have a go at fighting Oberon now that he's severely weakened, but has fun giving out a lot of exposition. Banished with the rest of his race a thousand years ago, he started hanging around Titania when he figured out her guise as Anastasia Renard and posed his own mortal disguise around Preston Vogel, who he considered to be the pinnacle of what a boring human man-servant could be. I noted in "OUTFOXED" how Vogel seemed to be a twin or relative of Owen based on how similar he looked; now it seems that simply recoloring a character model to make a new character and save some production costs actually worked out brilliantly in the actual story itself! Much like with the Anastasia/Titania reveal, it rewards those in the audience who were smart enough to wonder why the two looked so alike. Bored with hanging around with the Renard family, Puck became more interested when Titania's daughter Fox started dating David Xanatos and (rightly) figured he was in for the greatest show on earth with them. As an eternal jester, Puck also saw it as a challenge to play the straight man for once - and for anyone who says that's unrealistic, I need only remind you of how many times Jim Carrey or Robin Williams seemed to want to be taken seriously as an actor with some stuffy dramatic role. Yet even in this role Puck was able to have some influence; forbidden from directly meddling in human affairs, being the key assistant to one of the world's most powerful men is a great way to get around that and still be a part of all the good action. I also liked the bit where Puck says that he revealed himself to Xanatos some time ago and offered him either a lifetime of service as Owen, or to be granted one wish as Puck, and Xanatos chose the former. It says a bit about Xanatos's own wisdom as well as loyalty - which aren't usually traits you see highlighted in one of the lead antagonists in an action cartoon. No end of animated villains of the time - Magneto, Lex Luthor, the Joker - are hardly very wise, forward thinking, or loyal. At any rate, Spiner is always a joy to hear voicing Puck to the point that every time I hear it, I can see why he was cast as Joker in "YOUNG JUSTICE" and wonder why that didn't work out as well. Maybe it was because that version of Joker wasn't nearly as "playful" as Puck is? But, now I digress.

But just when you think "THE GATHERING PART TWO" is done with turning point moments, it seems another comes out of the woodwork when Fox manifests that magical energy everyone said she never had to knock Oberon's ass through a wall to save her son. Frankly, the clue that she had it all along was how her "fox" face tattoo seemed to change shape in many shots. Hey, if the show is explaining away some standard animation techniques or formalities as a key part of the narrative, I can choose to give a "no-prize" answer for when studios struggled to keep the face tat on model if I want, can't I? Rorschach can have a mask that changes its ink blot formation to fit his mood, and he didn't have magic in his blood. Later episodes of "THE GOLIATH CHRONICLES" would of course butcher Fox's bad ass motherhood skills, but thankfully that's not canon so I can ignore it. From here, the situation fortunately winds down and reaches a compromise thanks to Goliath capitalizing on the situation as well as having enough experience with Oberon to make a compromise seem like he's being a gracious and wise king figure. Now that Fox has revealed her own potential as one of their "third race" with Puck working alongside her, it makes perfect sense to keep Alexander Xanatos in their care. He'll be raised by his own people and not by mere mortals, so Oberon's will will still be done. It was at this point where I truly appreciated how layered this two-parter as well as the show were. Here was an adventure in which it was essentially everyone notable versus an unstoppable magical god in one of the biggest action spectacles the show had seen. Yet what happens in the end? Oberon's not defeated or destroyed as if he's Dracula; instead everyone talks it out and a compromise is reached - and it's STILL satisfying as hell, and leads to a far more interesting set up for later episodes. So many cartoons have tried to have resolutions where the hero saves the day by talking it out with the "villain" of the week and it almost always is hammy, corny, and usually used to try to teach some blunt lesson to the audience. Here, on the other hand, it works out marvelously without being blunt or corny. Oberon still looks powerful because he was still not defeated outright. Titania still looks like the best mastermind of all, for having manipulated the "god of gods" at almost every turn (as well as the gargoyles). Puck is trapped in his Owen form aside for instructing or protecting Alexander, and is thus punished for his shenanigans. And most of all, Xanatos extends an olive branch to Goliath and the gargoyles for aiding in saving his son.

Yeah, how about that? At the end of "CLOUD FATHERS", the show teased with the idea of David Xanatos becoming frustrated by Goliath and his allies' meddling in his affairs. It at least raised the sheer possibility that Xanatos might make more of an attempt against them in revenge or at least to prevent further meddling. Yet instead in their next appearance together they'd team up to fight a god and wind up reaching a truce. In theory this might mean the end of drama or strife, but that's only if it's handled poorly. Goliath is wary of Xanatos and slow to trust him after all of his exploits and manipulations, and that's perfectly in character. It also is in character for Xanatos to still manipulate the gargoyles even if he does consider them allies; just ask the Pack. There still are skeletons in Xanatos' closet, more schemes from the past of his coming home to roost - which is essentially part of the premise of "POSSESSION". When done properly, it isn't just Xanatos and Goliath having a handshake and them punching the LEGION OF DOOM together. And even if Xanatos has made a truce with the gargoyles, that doesn't mean his own personal goals have changed; goals which often conflict morally against those of Goliath and his comrades. Becoming a father does change Xanatos - which is should, since fatherhood is an experience which should leave some impact. But that isn't the same as domestication. If anything, a truce between the Xanatos clan and the Manhattan Clan doesn't end tension or drama for them; it increases it in a different way than them being enemies for another dozen or so episodes. It also showcases how Goliath and Xanatos are different from Demona - for whom there is no compromise with an enemy, even when vengeance is against her best interests. Neither Goliath or Xanatos are the same now as when they first began their play together at the start of "THE AWAKENING", and in a way fatherhood (for both) is a reason why. How many animated action series give almost equal character growth to their male lead and main (or one of the main) antagonist(s)?

Any blemishes? Well, as much as I appreciate the nod to the classic play from which he is based, Oberon literally name dropping "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" did get an eye roll from me the first time I saw it. That said, I'd much rather a show be that blunt with referencing something classic, iconic, or timeless, rather than some pop culture reference which will only date it the next year. Beyond that, I can't think of any and even that last one is a minor quibble.

So, "THE GATHERING" are two episodes with what seems like the ramifications of half a season or more of stories coming to roost, as well as laying down the seeds for many more exploits. It is an "event" which promises that things won't be the same after it is done, and lives up to that promise. It delivers on offering up one of the biggest action set pieces the show has ever seen as well as living up to the usual high standard of dialogue and character development as well. It sets up the last phase of the animated series and offers up some new dynamics to freshen things up. It united almost every major character on stage at once and mingled elements of technology and mythology seamlessly. All the high quality the show seems to allow to be taken for granted is present and still improved upon. Countless action cartoons offered multi-part episodes which promised the moon and the stars but in the end things always went back to a status quo; "X-MEN" in particular did this a lot. "GARGOYLES" never did and "THE GATHERING" stands as evidence as to how blockbuster events don't have to mean checking your brain at the door or a lower standard of narrative quality.

 

[Sarcastic Fan]

You've been busy and I suck for not noticing sooner.

Back during the three part "AVALON" saga, we were told that the island was home of Oberon himself, the "father" figure (or at least leader)

Definitely their ruler, not father figure. I believe Weisman wanted to call them the Oberati originally, but Michael Reaves felt it sounded too much like an Italian sports car.

Events very quickly develop which force Goliath and his allies into a conflict against a figure I usually dub "the god of gods".

And remember, his power was severely reduced for a fair fight... and at his peak, his mother, Queen Mab was even more powerful.

Oberon has been a figure who the show has built up subtly for some time. The "third race" of beings that exist on this world are more commonly called "Oberon's children", which of course emerged from Shakespeare's "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM". Throughout the course of the world tour we have met no end of powerful beings who are among this "third race", such as Odin, Anubis, the Raven, Coyote, the New Olympians, the Banshee, and Anansi (among others). Puck in "THE MIRROR" served as an introduction but it is the world tour which did wonders to flesh this race out and also to lay in this deep seeded feeling - if this entire race of beings are seemingly named after or are considered lower than Oberon, than who is this Oberon and how powerful is he?

I love this build up. It simmers to a boil, and flows organically. Introduce Oberon first and the whole thing is jarring.

I bring this all up because after such development for so long over so many episodes, nailing Oberon himself was something which was utterly crucial. He's arguably the most powerful being who exists in the animated "GARGOYLES" universe which was produced (others such as Queen Mab remain in draft notes for future projects) and thus a damn lot of pressure and weight going into this episode, to reveal him after all this time.

I have a longing to see Mab. All we know about her is that she is Oberon's mother, was bat **** insane and chaotic, way more powerful, and her favored form was about six inches tall.

Fortunately, the show as usual manages to pull off all the right moves with him. His design conveys elegance and power without pandering to the "extreme" stuff of the 90's that some toy people may have wanted. Every time I see him I am impressed that they chose to make him so colorful. Between his skin, hair, and royal clothes he has some 5-6 colors going on and it still works.

I was just discussing this with my brother the other day. That design in theory should not have worked, and yet it does. I also like how neither he nor Titania are depicted as caucasian... considering what they rule over, that would have unfortunate implications.

The next installment besides a good design and good writing is a good actor, and in that they got Terrance Mann - who in film may be best known for "A CHORUS LINE", "BIG TOP PEE-WEE" and the "CRITTERS" trilogy, but whose real trade seems to be as a stage and Broadway performer (acting, singing, etc.).

True story, back in January of 2002, some friends and I attended a Broadway production of "The Rocky Horror Show" and he played Frank-N-Furter. We were seated right next to the stage and in Rocky tradition, you yell at the performers. He told us to shut the **** up... then later gave one of my friends a lap dance. Later in the show, he had the line "all my children turn on me" which led to a Gathering reference that we shouted out. We hung out with him after the show for a bit, and he signed some Oberon screenshots we printed... sadly, I seem to have lost mine over the course of three moves.

He only has a few appearances in this show, but this is wise because such raw power figures can't be overused, lest their menace and weight becomes routine - i.e. the Juggernaut from X-MEN.

Agreed. Makes me wonder how Mab would have been handled.

While very powerful in her own right, her true power doesn't come from magical abilities, but in manipulation. The gist of the key exposition is that in ancient times, the three races on Earth (gargoyles, humans, and "Oberon's Children") used to interact more than in modern day, despite Oberon's belief that their people were far too high above mortals to meddle in their affairs. His "children" routinely ignored this, and one act by Titania upon them so angered him that Oberon banished them from Avalon for 1,001 years. As a part of this punishment, they were forced to live with mortals while forbidden to directly interfere with them, as an act to at last teach his people humility.

Once upon a time he was the most mature, but he didn't think he needed to learn while many of his Children did. That should be a clue as to what Titania was like back then. I think the non-interference rule was something he set up after he overthrew Mab.

Yet it quickly becomes clear when Oberon is introduced and seeks to kill the squatters of Avalon on a whim that he's clearly the one who needs to be taught some lessons in humility.

Not quite a whim, he did order them to leave and then attempted it when they wouldn't. Not justifying it, just saying it's a tad more complicated.

While it had been hinted at several times that the "third race" had a weakness, it was the previous episode, "CLOUD FATHERS", which came the closest to cementing it before this episode laid it bare - iron is the only thing which weakens them. This naturally brings in old lore about elves, but also reminds one of "THE MIRROR" where Demona is wise enough to bind Puck in iron chains once he is summoned so he can do her bidding.

I believe Anansi was also stabbed with an iron spear.

But, wait, didn't Demona also bind Owen in cables and claim he was "the tricky one" back in "CITY OF STONE"?

Indeed she did! WHAT DOES IT MEAN!? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! t:

(Ophelia according to the wiki)

And according to the episode.

Fortunately, it all seems to work out in the end; while Oberon has won his hunt as expected, he didn't count on the leftover party to be kept so busy and not only agrees to allow the Scottish clan to remain, but undoes the magic binding Goliath and his travelers to the mists of Avalon - meaning that their next trip into open water will finally bring them back home.

He doesn't do that last one... Avalon sent them to Manhattan because they were needed. What he does do is make the Avalon Clan the honor guard of Avalon, and declares that Goliath and his clan will be immune to his magicks.

Naturally, "ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT" is well met by viewers, offering a bit of everything that a good story in serialized fiction should as well as all the things "GARGOYLES" does well. Advancing plots, great action, great acting, great updates of old legendary figures of yore, and building towards even better and greater things.

I like it. But there are very few that I dislike.

A review of one of the most notable single episodes would naturally shatter the character limit on posts. Bare with me.

Tell me about it, the fandom hasn't shut up about this one since 1996.

Greg Weisman himself chose "THE MIRROR" as his personal favorite episode and while it is incredibly difficult for me to pick out one as a favorite, but "FUTURE TENSE" is naturally one of those who would be in the running.

I think I would like it better if I hadn't seen a lot of dark, future dystopias before. Not to say I don't like it, it's in my Top Ten. I love it, but I wasn't "Stunned silent" by it, so to speak.

How important is the episode? It was animated by Disney Japan in a season where the episode count made such things a luxury, thus usually reserved for only the best of the best, the cream of the crop.

And this episode needed it. I don't think it would have worked anywhere near as well with one of the lesser studios.

In fact the only demerit the episode has nothing to do with it, but its' reputation. Even avoiding many "GARGOYLES" fan circles before finally seeing the show in its glory, the rep of this episode would emerge very often.So even going in, one of the few episodes besides the few I saw in Season 1 that I knew anything about was "FUTURE TENSE" and that it was "the dream episode".

IT WAS HIS SLED!

As this show is often compared to "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES", it is worth it to mention their most notable dream episode, "PERCHANCE TO DREAM" - an episode even Kevin Conroy still is fond of and usually mentions if given enough time at a panel appearance.

I believe "Future Tense" was screened a few times at the Los Angeles Museum of Radio and Television.

There was also "OVER THE EDGE" but that one was less notable for various reasons.

I got in trouble the last time I voiced my opinion on that one. Oops.

My much beloved, and criminally underrated, 2003 era "TMNT" cartoon had "BAD DAY" as their version of this in their fourth season in 2005, and that was excellent.

It is... I only have one complaint, and that's Karai's "FATHER, I AM FINISHED" line as she drops dead. But solid episode. Creepy episode.

I bring all this up because for many of these episodes, learning the twist at the end helps add to the punch of the episode, even if it is a twist that many poorer episodes of poorer shows have turned into a cliche. Thus, knowing this twist going in can sometimes ruin the effect for many episodes. While I can never experience what watching "FUTURE TENSE" would have been like without knowing that twist beforehand, the episode offers so much else that by the finale it hardly mattered.

I wish I could remember my first impressions of the episode, I can for some... but not this one. In my defense, it's been eighteen years.

Having been filled with tales of the island that her friends call home, Angela is quickly horrified at what seems to be a land reassembled after a terrible war.

Well, I'm sure it will still smell like urine when she gets to the real one.

Almost immediately, she and Elisa are captured by fleets of Steel Clan robots who patrol the land and rule with a, well, iron fist, except for Goliath and Bronx.

I love that those Steel Clan robots have Xanatos-style goatees.

Brooklyn was still leader in Goliath's absence, but is now missing an eye,

He still has both of his eyes here. You're thinking of the comic, when he showed up in that armor.

hardened from battle, bitter at Goliath for abandoning them and seemingly mated to Demona, his second in command.

And the 'shippers went wild!

Broadway is alive but blinded, relying on sonar equipment to navigate, while Lexington has become a cyborg to make up for his own injuries.

If you look again, one of Lex's scars resembles the Pack insignia.

The anxiety of Brooklyn actually dating Demona? Some unfinished business from "TEMPTATION" rears its head. Goliath's feelings regarding Demona are naturally quite complicated; having essentially gone through a very violent divorce from an abusive and genocidal spouse will do that to a fellow. Goliath would be especially concerned to see any of his clan, especially his second in command, become romantically linked to Demona. I also wonder if a part of him might even feel dismayed that if anyone could get Demona to reform from her madness, it could be someone other than himself.

Perhaps, but I don't think he's in love with her anymore... at all. Despite complicated feelings.

Thirdly, unlike some "dream episodes", this one doesn't cheat and offer many (if any) scenes or bits from outside of Goliath's point of view which he otherwise wouldn't be privy to. "OVER THE EDGE" cheated about this detail so many times that it can become easy to knock down the episode just on this regard alone.

*Looks nervous* I didn't say it this time, he said it!

There's a quick reference to "HAMLET" as well, which is hardly to be unexpected here; a nod to "MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL" was another interesting referene.

This is my favorite part of the episode.

The seeming "deaths" of Goliath's allies are tough to take, and the revelation of Lexington was perhaps the first time viewers got to hear Thom Adcox playing a villain years before he would seem to do that more often in his roles in "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" and "YOUNG JUSTICE".

He's so good at it.

Brent Spiner once again returns as Puck for only his second direct appearance, and as always plays the role to the hilt. There have been some who have lamented the idea that due to an unwillingness to compete with Marvel, no version of Loki remains active in "GARGOYLES" canon; I'm not one of them because I think Puck serves more than ably in the realm of "trickster god", at least in the sense that unlike Xanatos, is he actually closer to being a god being of the third race.

Plus we have the Kachina Coyote, Raven, and Anansi also as tricksters. Loki is cool, but unnecessary.

Thus it stands revealed that this entire ordeal was Puck's attempt to manipulate Goliath into delivering the powerful Phoenix Gate device to him; since Goliath resisted the temptation to use it again after "M.I.A.", this time he attempts to destroy it once and for all so Puck nor anyone else can ever use it again. Naturally, enchanted items remain difficult to permanently destroy, but at least in terms of the animated canon Goliath is successful.

But in Weisman canon.... t:

Under no circumstances beyond magical or cybernetic mind control would Brooklyn and Demona become lovers;

I have a friend who absolutely loves this pairing because anime taught him "the bickering couple always gets together." Of course I wouldn't call this bickering, and while Brooklyn hates her... I doubt she spends much time thinking about him. Yeah, definitely not bickering.

if anything, she and Goliath wind up sharing more common ground than they should for brief moments in "HUNTER'S MOON".

A chilling moment I can't wait to discuss with you here.

In that we see that while Puck can be playful and funny, he has a cruel imagination and is hardly one to be underestimated.

Like a good trickster.

And despite no end of terrific characters, if any episode stood alone as to why if pressed to list which one as an individual was my favorite, this would be one of the ones I drew to justify my answer as Goliath himself. It may seem "easy" to pick the male lead, and the longer I am pressed the more I might go on about Elisa (who is equally as strong), or Xanatos, or Demona, or Broadway or Brooklyn or etc. But episodes like this where the chips in his armor can be laid bare and he still comes out stronger than before without such conclusions seeming cheap or obligatory are episodes as to why.

He's not my absolute favorite, but I appreciate him more and more the older I get.

In the end, the journey home for the leads of "GARGOYLES" is never easy, and we'd be disappointed if it were. The end result is "THE GATHERING", which had to be epic in order for "FUTURE TENSE" to appear as a prologue for. But, that's a review for another time.

Or right now...