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I have a few questions about Demona one of my favorite characters in the show and the one I pity most.
1) How much money does Demona have?
2) Does she know Thailog is still alive by hunters moon?
3) What is her position in Nightstone Unlimited before and after Thailogâs betrayal?
4) What was her real reaction to learning who Angela was?
1. Quite a bit.
2. I'm not sure she ever took it for granted that he was dead.
3. Dominique Destine was co-C.E.O. with Alexander Thailog.
4. I'll leave that to your imagination ... for now.
I rewatched "Double Jeopardy" today - a few new thoughts.
Elisa's again driving along a lonely road by the coast, far from Manhattan, just as she'd done in the immediately preceding episode ("Revelations") - but this time, we know why she's out there (a warning about a power plant emergency - actually a hoax, courtesy of Thailog).
Broadway tells Elisa, as he and Lexington head off to Gen-U-Tech, "We're on the case". His way of phrasing it invokes again his interest in detective work (cf. "The Silver Falcon").
All the dates on Sevarius' video documentary about Thailog are written in the "British format" - i.e., "15 NOV", with the day first, then the month. Something you don't often see on American television.
Dates are hard.
Hi Greg I just discovered gargoyles and I think itâs one of the best animated shows Iâve ever seen and I wanted to ask do you think thailog can have some redemption arc of some sorts or is he just plain evil
No spoilers. But I'm glad you like him - and the show!
Hello again Mr.Weisman! I'd just like to Say I'm one of the Lucky few Fans Who've just managed to Get the Graphic Novel Version of the Gargoyles: BAD GUYS series! And I LOVE IT! and Here are Some questions I Do Have for it if you Don't Mind!
1) I Don't Know if you Answered this Already, But Is there was reason why the 3rd issue was Drawn by a different Artist than the one who drew the Rest of the other Comics?
2)Since Dr. Sevarius works for Thailog Now at Nightstone Unlimited, Is it Possible That Thailog was IN or aware of Sevarius's Plan to turn everyonein Times Square on New Years Into mutants?
1. Deadlines.
2. Anything's possible.
1. So I get the qualities Thailog inherited from Goliath and Xanatos but what do you think he got from Sevarius? Sorry if this is obvious but I just don't see it, is that why he might hold Sevarius in less regard than he does his other "fathers"?
2. Do you think Thailog holds Brentwood in more regard because he joined him of his own free will? Will he grant him more responsibilities like Xanatos does with Owen or will he get someone else to fulfill that role?
3. What does Thailog think about immortality? On the one hand I could see him being like Xanatos on the other I could see him adopt Nightstone Unlimited as a pseudo clan and achieve immortality that way maybe both? Great villain by the way so much like Xanatos and Goliath and yet so different at the same time.
1. He's a performer, but, yes, I think he holds Sevarius in less regard than his other fathers.
2. Shari fulfills the Owen role for Thailog. But we'll have to wait and see how Brentwood fares with him.
3. Not sure I'm following your reasoning here.
Lately I've been thinking of a villain trope that is decades (if not centuries) old. The maniacal laugh or the evil laugh. When used properly, I love it. When not, it can be hammy, over the top, and out of character.
Several of the villains you've written over the years have used it, and many haven't.
Off the top of my head, Thailog comes to mind first. And I wouldn't want Thailog without it. Granted, I sometimes wonder where he picked it up. It definitely wasn't from Xanatos. And while Sevarius might be hammy, I don't recall him doing it.
Hyena also has a maniacal laugh, and given her name (and personality) it definitely suits her.
The Archmage had a maniacal laugh.
Demona laughed maniacally three or four times. But it's not a trait we normally associate with her.
And let us not forget the Green Goblin in "Spectacular Spider-Man". I think he was the only villain on the show to have one. Likewise, I recall Nerissa doing it on "W.I.T.C.H." at least once.
The Joker aside, I do not recall any of the villains on "Young Justice" doing it. Any of them. Maybe I'm misremembering, it's been a while since I watched through the show, but I am struggling to remember and coming up blank.
Which leads to me to ask. Is the maniacal laugh a dated relic? Especially as we expect supervillains to be more sophisticated in our dramatic fiction, superhero or otherwise.
For example, in "Transformers", the classic Megatron used to laugh maniacally all the time. All the time. More modern takes on Megatron have done away with the maniacal laugh.
I love it, don't get me wrong, but should villains still be doing it. If we ever get more "Gargoyles", I definitely want Thailog to continue doing it. But, had Thailog made his debut in the year 2017, would I still want him doing it?
You have gotten the chance to create your own great supervillains as well as write many of the classic and iconic supervillains. Right now, what are your thoughts on the villainous laugh?
I haven't exactly studied this issue.
I use it when it feels right in terms of character and situation. Obviously, some characters have more of a sense of humor about what they do than others.
Not all villainous laughs qualify as "maniacal" in my book either.
I would never outlaw the practice, but I think I do use it sparingly, both to avoid silliness and to make it special if and when we do use it.
1. You said that Demona would have 4 or 5 great loves total. Does that number include the one-sided romantic relationships she's been in? Like the Paris romance with Macbeth and her romance with Thailog, in which only one partner genuinely loved the other.
2. You said that Demona's clan, between 1040 and 1057, often slept at Castle Moray but never all at once. What was the reason for that? Was Demona's distrust of humans a factor?
2b. What was Demona's primary residence during that time?
3. When Demona is human during the day, does she experience any psychological changes due to her being fully human? The human hormones, instincts, etc... do they affect her perceptions/interests/attractions in any way?
4. Between 1040 and 1057, did Demona have anyone other than Macbeth, human or gargoyle, that she was friends with? Was there anyone as close or closer to her than him?
Thank you. :)
1. I don't think I said that. Can you give me a reference? I definitely wouldn't count what we've seen of either Macbeth or Thailog in Paris.
2. Yes.
2b. Castle Moray.
3. Not that she'd acknowledge.
4. No spoilers.
It seems to me that Thailog has an obvious complex with his 'father' Goliath (perhaps with all three of his fathers actually) but in particular I think that in creating the first set of clones he was trying to build something equal to what his 'father' had, with Demona's influence of course.
Clearly after the comics Thailog will continue cloning to try and build his own clan, but I wonder, should that clan fail too, do you see Thailog, no matter how successful he is in business and his other ventures, always trying to compete with Goliath on that personal level, and seeking a clan of his own?
I don't know how to answer this without at least implying spoilers, which I won't do. And in any case, this feels like the kind of thing best left to each fan's personal interpretation.
Do you think Keith David could voice any other of your characters? If so, which ones?
P.S
I am still a fan of the show and totally used jump off of an ironing board trying to fly when I watched Gargoyles as a kid.
I don't understand what you mean. Keith is amazing, and has done a voice for me on nearly every series I've produced. The list includes Goliath (Gargoyles), Officer Morgan (Gargoyles), Thailog (Gargoyles), Mama (3x3 Eyes), Hades (Kidd/Hero), The Big Man (The Spectacular Spider-Man) and Mongul (Young Justice: Invasion).
Why did Sevarius leave Gen-U-Tech for Nightstone Unlimited? Xanatos didn't want to lose him as a resource and he didn't become more ethical. Did Demona and Sevarius offer him more money? If so, isn't Xanatos rich enough to give Sevarius a raise? Did he decide to limit Sevarius' creative freedom? What happened?
I'll leave the answer to that to your interpretation.
Hi
1. In 'Double Jeopardy' Lexinton and Broadway view the tapes of Severius, detailing the creation of Thailog. (I'm being a bit specific in case some details have slipped your mind over the years) Anyway, Severious artfically aged Thailog to be the age of Goliath, but how did Severious know Goliaths age or did he just estimate?
2. Also in that tape, Severious mentioned how he managed to counter the 'slow aging process'. Goliath would later explain to Elsa that gargolyes age at 1/2 of humans, so once again, how did Severious know that?
3. If Thailog had been aged differently, say to the age of the Trio or Hudson, would that have affected his mind by much?
4. In Vows, Thailog and Macbeth meet for the first time and I do love Macbeths reaction. 'Who the blazes are you?!'. Did Macbeth react like that because he was put off by Thailog's resemblance to Golaith?
5. In that same scene, Thailog slips Macbeth a gun and allows him to escape. So I'm assuming that Macbeth was not entirely sure of Thailog's intentions, other than that it looked like he was double crossing Demona, but it has me thinking. Does Macbeth count Thailog as an alley, enemy, or just neutral?
1. He estimated, I suppose. But I also think it's possible that he had that information from Xanatos, who may have gotten in the past through Demona.
2. I don't remember this. Are you sure you heard that right? Because Thailog from this point on ages at a normal rate.
3. Too hypothetical to answer.
4. He was reacting to that, yes.
5. I think by the time Macbeth and Goliath were done comparing notes, Macbeth would regard Thailog at best as someone to be very wary of.
I rewatched "Sanctuary" recently, and I have a little doubt. When Goliath sees Thailog, he doesn't seem really surprised (I mean, he is suprised to see him there, but he doesn't seem suprised to see him alive): did Xanatos alert him, somewhere between "Double Jeopardy" and "Avalon Part 1", that their "child" was probably still alive?
No.
I wrote this up on my blog last Christmas (a bit of a gift to myself there) and thought I'd share it here.
For every hero, or group of heroes, there must be villains. The villains test the hero, the villains make the hero. In the realm of superhero lore, Batman and Spider-Man have been cited as having the greatest rogues' galleries in comics. And I do not disagree. Sadly, other heroes or teams seem to come up lacking. Sure they may have one or two great villains, but the rest seem to be meh. The FF have Dr. Doom and Galactus, sure. The X-Men have Magneto and the Sentinels, Green Lantern has Sinestro, but the rest of their rogues galleries have always seemed, at least to me, to be okay at best. I know some will contest this opinion, but it's my opinion and as far as this blog goes, that's the one you're stuck with. Personally, I always thought the Third Great Rogues' Gallery belonged to "Gargoyles." So, let's honor them.
First of all, here's who didn't make the list and why:
Wolf - Nothing against Wolf, he's fun. He's a big dumb thug, but he's fun. But, as of yet, I haven't found him to be very interesting on his own. And I always thought his teammates were more interesting and fun to watch.
Tony Dracon - I like him a lot more than a lot of other "Gargoyles" fans seem to. He's usually fun, but he didn't quite have enough to make this list.
Oberon - I never thought of him as a villain, and I still don't. Even when he was trying to kidnap Alex. Did I agree with him? Not at all, but I don't think he was in the "legal" wrong either.
Robyn Canmore, Dingo, Matrix, Yama, and Fang - If you don't know why, shame on you.
Second of all, here's who I hope to add to the list some time:
Queen Mab - Come on Disney, let Greg do it!
Morgana le Fay - Ditto.
With that out of the way, let's dive into list.
20. Duval and Peredur fab Ragnal
At present, we've seen too little of these two to know much about them. But what we have seen has been enough to give us an intriguing mystery, especially if you've been following ASK GREG for the past fourteen years. They are the guiding hands of the Illuminati Society, which was created a century after the Fall of Camelot, by Sir Percival to "set things right." Which of these two men is Sir Percival? Well, I have my theories on that. Peredur fab Ragnal is the Welsh name for Percival, and Duval sounds like a modern alias for Percival as well. In fact, for years Greg Weisman told us that Percival was Duval, and then when the comic comes out we get Peredur. Following that, he said nothing changed from his original plan? So, who is Sir Percival, and what's the deal with the other guy? Again, I have my theories.
But I imagine that should new material ever come our way, one or both of these guys will shoot up on this list.
I also enjoy the idea of Duval being cybernetic, but I think he needs a bit of a re-design. Especially in what he wears.
19. The Banshee/Molly
The Banshee may have only been in one episode (with a cameo appearance in another), but damn did she leave an impression. Everything about this character was executed flawlessly. The character model, the animation, the voice, the effects! I loved how ghoulish she appeared, you could see the background through her.
It also helps that "The Hound of Ulster" is one of the best World Tour episodes. The script is tight, the animation is gorgeous, and a lot of the character actions are subtle and over the top when they need to be. Look at Molly's brief, brief exchange with Rory's father for the subtly, which contrasts the wonderful over the top performance as the Banshee.
18. Duncan
This guy was a jerk. I mean, really. A paranoid tyrant who thought the world was out to get him. Well, not the world so much as his cousin, Macbeth. I suppose I can understand seeing Macbeth as a threat to the throne, but he just seemed to go out of his way to make Macbeth miserable. He reveled in it. When he died, we were all happy to see him bite it.
17. Hakon
Batman has Joe Chill, and Spider-Man has the Burglar. Goliath has this Viking chieftain who massacred his clan. Well, Hakon may not have acted alone, but with the swing of his mace, the series really began. Like his descendant, Wolf, he's pretty one-note. But he plays that note masterfully.
But perhaps the better story isn't even the one where he shattered the clan, but the one where his vengeful spirit attempted to drive Goliath insane. That episode was the perfect send off for Hakon, even more so than falling off a cliff to his death. His angry, vengeful spirit was trapped alone at the bottom of a cavern for all of eternity without anyone or anything to hate. At least that's where I think he should have stayed. Hakon might have ranked higher if he didn't come back one last time in an episode that I thought was one of the show's only misfires. But hey, sixty-five episodes, eighteen comics, and only one misfire. You're still golden.
16. Coldsteel/Iago
Now this guy is fun. I love his design, both as a gargoyle and as a robot. I love his Doc Ock-esque tentacles, and I loved Xander Berkeley in the role. Coldsteel is a manipulative jerk, and it's fun to watch him work. His favorite victim is usually Coldstone, and his goal remains unchanging… possess Coldfire. In a nutshell, he's a creepy stalker.
What's also fun is that he's had three voice actors, and not because Berkeley was unavailable. When he controlled Coldstone's body, he was played by Michael Dorn. When he possessed Brooklyn, he was voiced by Jeff Bennett. And they both did it without talking like their regular characters. Watch "Possession" again and listen to "Brooklyn" speak. It's obvious who is in the driver's seat.
I also enjoyed his appearance in the comics, working for Xanatos to distract our heroes from the theft of the Stone of Destiny. Where will he go from here? I'm not sure. I tend to think he works better when he's teaming up with other villains than acting on his own. Well, he did see potential in the Coyote robot, so maybe that's not over; one could see him working with Thailog too; perhaps even re-team with his rookery sister, Demona… they did get along quite well in "High Noon."
15. Constantine III
What can I say about this guy? He follows a long tradition of Disney tyrants, and is just as fun to watch as any of them. Sometimes I think the tenth and eleventh century villains are even more vicious than the modern day villains, and Contantine sums that up.
When we first meet this guy, he uses Finella, the woman who loves him, to lure King Kenneth (who is in love with her) out just so he can murder him in cold blood and take his crown. Then he casts her aside so he can marry Princess Katharine and better secure his claim to the throne. And he tries to keep in control with barely veiled threats against her charges. Harsh.
But even better than that is his return in the "Gargoyles" comic book where he's hunting down and murdering every gargoyle clan he can find, and trying to find Katharine and her friends. By now, he's been in power for two years and rules with an iron fist… which leads to a civil war. This guy is such a jerk that he even kills the messenger that the army of the Three Brothers sends. You never kill the messenger.
And then there was his rather creepy relationship with his new protégé, Gillecomgain, which led to the two inspiring each other in a very twisted ways. Constantine is inspired by Gillecomgain's scars to wear them as war paint in battle, and in turn, Constantine inspires Gillecomgain to become the Hunter. As if Gillecomgain needed any more inspiration. Which brings me to…
14. Gillecomgain
Let's face it, even as a kid, Gillecomgain had issues. Obviously there was a lot of darkness instilled in him by his father, who himself had some very understandable issues also. What did these issues lead to? One rogue gargoyle was going through their barn, and Gillecomgain pointed a pitchfork into the shadows to scare a thief only to get slashed across the face. What did THAT lead to? Arguably the events of the entire series.
Gillecomgain's life didn't get better. Constantine III took an interest in him which set him on the path of becoming a masked political assassin, not to mention his continued hunt for the demon that scarred him. Like dominos, this led to events that made Macbeth the man he is today, the Canmore clan what they became, and set the tone for centuries of hatred and pain. And all because of one scratch in a barn.
As a character himself, Gillecomgain stacks up well. There is a moment after his arranged marriage to Gruoch, who obviously doesn't love him, where you almost wonder if you should feel bad for a man whose wife obviously despises him. Then he crushes her rose underfoot. What does this mean? Here's a hint, Luach might not have been Macbeth's son. Powerful stuff.
13. Falstaff/John Oldcastle
Okay, this guy is fun. Him and his gang of LARPers gone bad. They appeared only in the final two issues of "Gargoyles: Bad Guys" but they made an impression. I loved the buildup Falstaff received. We see him take a young Harry Monmouth (who would grow up to become Dingo) under his wing. Train him to be a thief, and take pity on the poor boy after his mother ran out on him. Only for that shocker of a final page where we see Oldcastle with his hands wrapped around the throat of her already dead body.
I really love his gang. At first glance, they seem super human, but are in fact incredibly skilled. And I love that Oldcastle, maybe the world's greatest thief, named himself after Shakespeare's king of thieves. He looked the part, and just seemed to take so much joy in everything he did, and that helped make it a joy to watch him do it.
I hope we get more at some point, because I want to know more about him. Why did he murder Dingo's mom? And when did the Illuminati recruit him? Does he have any other responsibilities for the Society other than guarding their giant vault? Well, until next time, and I believe there will be a next time.
12. Shari
Of all the new characters introduced in the comic books, the most intriguing has to be Shari. Is she Thailog's new executive assistant, or does she own him? So far it seems to be a little bit of both. But I'm sure it's far more one than the other.
I love the narrative device of her storytelling, and I wonder where her knowledge comes from. Sure, she's a very high member of the Illuminati Society, but there are some things she just shouldn't know. And yet, she does. Like I said, she's intriguing. Now, I have my theories on who she really is, in fact I think it's so obvious, I almost wonder what the point of not revealing it was, aside from the fact that I can't see a place in the stories released to do it.
And as a final bit of trivia, Shari's look and basic design was inspired by stage actress and long time "Gargoyles" fan, Zehra Fazal. I've seen her perform on stage, and she is brilliant. She definitely deserved to be immortalized in "Gargoyles" canon in such a way.
11. The Archmage
Who would have thunk it? A one-shot villain if "Gargoyles" ever had one. You watch "Long Way to Morning" again, and you'd never think this guy would have become so important in the grand scheme of the series. Well, let's just say that David Warner kicks ass.
While I do write off his appearance in "Long Way to Morning" as 'obvious one shot villain,' he's still fun, even there. But I think what everybody remembers most is his turn as the villain in the "Avalon" triptych. I loved "Avalon Part Two." I thought the script was brilliant. I thought David Warner's dialogue with himself was tremendous. The entire endeavor was just wonderful.
Do I agree with the decision to kill him off? Absolutely. I don't think he would have had any staying power in the modern day material. The guy is a clichéd sorcerer, even if he's a very fun one. However, that doesn't mean I think the character is done entirely. There is plenty for him to do in a certain spin-off that takes place during the "Dark Ages." Or maybe even something to do if one were to TimeDance and have an encounter with him.
10. Coyote
What can I say, I have a soft spot for this glorified toaster oven. At first glance he may seem like Ultron wearing half of Xanatos's skin, but the influence from Xanatos is evident. This robot has a sense of humor, sometimes even a perverse one. Granted it's not sentient or self-aware, but it almost seems close enough to fool you.
I love all the designs he goes through. They're all different, while at the same time reminding you of who you're looking at. But my favorite will always be the first one. I loved the look, I loved his perception-warping weapon the most. I wish he'd used it more often.
What's next for this character? Well, Greg has kept extremely tight-lipped. We know more upgrades are on the horizon, but come "Gargoyles 2198" … well, let's just say I think I know what the Xanatos of "Future Tense" was actually foreshadowing.
9. Jackal and Hyena
The "Gargoyles Universe" is well known for their complex, complicated villains. But sometimes, it's nice to just cut loose. Enter the sociopathic Jackal; and his twin sister, the psychotic Hyena and we're in for a good time whenever they show up. These two will crack you up one moment and then make you sick the next.
The first time they appeared, they didn't seem THAT bad. Then, come their second appearance, you have Hyena nearly slicing a fan's face up, and smiling when she gets arrested. Following that, we have Hyena falling in love with a robot. And then, after that, the two volunteer to trade in their body parts for cybernetic implants. Frankly, it's rather sick.
Jackal almost seems normal when you compare him to Hyena. "Normal" being very relative, until we get to "Grief" where he becomes the avatar of Anubis, giving him power over life and death, and what does he do? He decides he wants to end all life on Earth. Yeah….
I'm glad these two are close siblings, because they deserve each other. Still, whatever else they are, they're very fun bad guys. Hell, even a friend of mine named his gold colored Aztek after Hyena.
8. Anton Sevarius
Dr. Anton Sevarius earns points for being the creepiest villain we have encountered so far. He's even creepier than Jackal and Hyena! Sure, he's pretty much a hired gun, but the guy enjoys it. He revels in it. I can sum up Sevarius with one quote. After he was asked why he was doing this:
"For science, which as my associate Fang indicated, must ever move forward. Plus there's the money… and I do love the drama!"
This guy is only slightly more ethical than Dr. Mengele! And I also need to give a ton of credit to Tim Curry for really bringing this guy to life. Apparently, Brent Spiner was the first choice to voice Sevarius, but Curry got the role, and Spiner was cast as Puck. Thank god for those decisions.
Another moment that really stands out was when he was all over Angela in "Monsters." Does he have a sexual interest in her? I don't know, probably not. I think he just took pleasure in making her as uncomfortable as possible.
I think my other favorite Sevarius moment comes from "Double Jeopardy" where he thinks he's taking part in a Machiavellian scheme of Xanatos's and decides to act the part… very badly, I might add. So much fun, even when he makes you scream.
7. The Weird Sisters
Okay, let's get this out of the way. Silver haired Luna is the Sister of Fate; Raven haired Selene is the Sister of Vengeance; and Golden haired Phoebe is the Sister of Grace.
The Weird Sisters are, for the most part, a complete mystery. They have plans within plans that stretch through the centuries, after all what is time to them? They could even give Xanatos a run for his money. What is their agenda? Only they know. We've seen two thirds of the story, with Luna ascendant during "City of Stone" and Selene ascendant during "Avalon." But there is a missing piece, where does grace fall in their plans for Demona and Macbeth? Hopefully time will tell.
These three are great fun to watch. I love how they can be both nowhere and everywhere. And I love how they can and will take on different forms depending on who is looking at them at any given moment. Where do their loyalties lie? Well, it seems to be with Oberon, but I've long suspected there is something bigger at play with these three.
It would be easy to say they were plucked straight out of the Scottish Play, but in several folklores and mythologies, the Weird Sisters are present in some form. There is just something elemental and primeval about them. And that's part of what makes them a great element of the series.
6. Fox
Any woman who David Xanatos would marry would have to be cut from the same cloth he is, because anyone else would be beneath him. Fox is that woman. Hell, sometimes she gets the better of him, whether they're sparring in the dojo, or playing chess. And he doesn't resent this; it's just further proof that he's found the love of his life.
It's weird to watch her in "The Thrill of the Hunt" at times, because Wolf, Jackal, Hyena, and Dingo just seem so far beneath her, she almost seems out of place there. And yet, at the same time, the more we learn about her, the more it makes sense. When we meet Halcyon Renard, a huge piece of the puzzle is put into place. She was never a daddy's girl, in fact, quite the opposite. She was clearly motivated, for years, by just annoying her father. Maybe her mother too.
And I think it was just as much of a shock to her that she loved David. But I wonder what their relationship was like before her prison sentence? Obviously Xanatos made her a television star, but what else was going on there?
She was his lover and employee. And a trained mercenary, let's not forget that.
Like her husband, she grew and developed as the series progressed, and is every bit as interesting a character as he is. In fact, in an alternate universe, I wonder how the series would have played if Fox was in Xanatos's role from the get go.
5. Thailog
Ah, the prodigal son… and he's a bastard. Literally.
I love this guy, he's just a hoot. Thailog is as powerful as Goliath, as brilliant and amoral as Xanatos, and as hammy and immoral as Sevarius. All at once. And it shows. In every single appearance, it shows. The guy is a walking Oedipus complex, what with his desire to prove his superiority to his fathers. I suppose one might say that he's already gotten the better of Sevarius, since he has the good doctor on his payroll. And while he outsmarted Xanatos once, I don't think he's done. Turning Nightstone Unlimited into a powerhouse to rival Xanatos Enterprises is obviously a means to this end. But what next?
I think my favorite thing about Thailog is that while he is a clone of Goliath, that's the last thing that comes to mind when I think about him. He's a fully developed character in his own right, and not simply Goliath's evil twin. On that note, I'm happy his coloring is different, because the last thing this show needs is an entire episode where the gargoyles try to figure out which one is the real Goliath.
And how can anyone not find that maniacal laugh of his to be anything but endearing?
4. John Castaway
John Castaway is a fascinating character, hell to crack the top five, he has to be. Castaway is a weak man, and at the heart of everything, a frightened child. Too weak to stand up to his brother and say "this is wrong" and too weak to admit he was wrong when he pulls the trigger and everything goes to Hell. I think the only thing that has changed is his support system.
Now that the gargoyles have been revealed to the world, Castaway represents a political movement who are moving against them. And it's rather frightening. Not for being a group of hooded thugs, they are not, but for being like a cross between the neighborhood watch, and a support group. Oh, there is a violent wing of the Quarrymen, we know that. But with Castaway's shrewdness, and the Illuminati's backing, I don't think he would do something stupid like fire anti-aircraft cannons in Manhattan, or hijack a train. No… because that would make Castaway much less difficult to defeat than he is. And even then, who says that happens? The Quarrymen are destined to be a problem for at least the next two hundred years, and like the Hunters before them, his descendents will lead the organization.
Keep in mind, we can all trace this back to a scratch in a barn in the tenth century.
3. Macbeth
Well, where do I start? Well, I suppose I will start by saying that I almost feel bad for putting him on this list at all. He has a strong sense of honor, if skewed. He's worked against our protagonists and with them. But, in the end I think the only side he's on is his own. While he is more of an ally now, that doesn't mean he hasn't been part of the problem before and won't be part of the problem again.
His story is terrific. Rather than follow the Scottish Play, the story we got was a loose adaptation of the true history of Macbeth and his reign over Scotland. Yes, we had Demona and gargoyles, and the Weird Sisters and sorcery, but we also had a history lesson unfolding, even if we didn't know it at the time. And it's terrific. To this day, it's my favorite tale in the entire mythos.
When we first meet him, the centuries have certainly taken their toll. He is not above attacking the gargoyles, taking hostages, and committing grand theft. And yet, we never once think of him as evil, despite doing some pretty unethical and amoral things. That changes with "City of Stone" when we learn his story and feel sorry for him. But at the same time, I think the perception among many fans has swung around too far. Yes, we understand him more now. But that wasn't his redemption. Far from it.
I think the tail end of "Sanctuary" and "Pendragon" is where the change begins, and I stress this, begins. In the former, he learned that he is still capable of love. In the latter, while some didn't quite get why he competed so violently against King Arthur for Excalibur, well, it always made sense to me. This is a man who has suffered so much, who viewed his existence as sad and endless, that he was looking for something to give it meaning and maybe justify every terrible thing that has ever happened to him. Being the new Once and Future King would serve that purpose, wouldn't it? Well, it doesn't quite work out for him, but over the course of the series we have seen this man go from suicidal renegade to a man who doesn't think life is completely worth living, and now seeks purpose in his existence. Did he look like a fool clutching that broken sword? Well, he was a broken man. And once you hit rock bottom, the healing can begin.
2. David Xanatos
He was designed to be a heroic character, and he was cast as the villain of the piece. That, right there, is what makes this character so brilliant. He has so many positive qualities, so many admirable traits. He's smart, he's cool, he's suave, he's practical, he knows his priorities, he doesn't sweat the small stuff, he doesn't hold a grudge; the titled heroes have more personality flaws than he does! But he is also incredibly ruthless, and while he's not evil, he is incredibly amoral. He seems to be the walking personification of Frederick Nietzsche's ubermensch when one stops to think about it. And he is awesome.
I am actually struggling here, what more can be said about David Xanatos that hasn't already been said? He's designed many tropes all by himself. There was never a villain like him in animation before, and even after he's left, there still has never been anyone quite like him. He doesn't surround himself with dimwitted henchmen and beat them up and scream when they fail. No, quite the opposite, he is always surrounded by incredibly competent people. His assistant and majordomo, Owen Burnett comes to mind. And he so rarely loses. In sixty-five episodes, and eighteen comics, I can count the number of actual losses on one hand. Aside from that, he always comes out on top. Always. But when he doesn't, he doesn't throw a fit and scream, he shrugs it off and moves on to the next plan. There are always contingencies. This guy is the coolest guy in the series.
His character arc throughout the series is brilliant. I love his rivalry with Goliath, and I love how he doesn't hate or even dislike Goliath. He likes Goliath a lot, admires him, and regards him with what I can best call a mix of interest and benign amusement. That's far more interesting than Megatron's hatred for Optimus Prime. And I really love how Goliath would often use the word "evil" to describe Xanatos. Sure, Xanatos has done some evil things, but Goliath's view of him for the longest time was very two-dimensional. It almost represents how most audiences, especially in animation, were trained to view the villain. No, Xanatos wasn't a Dark Lord, or a diabolical evil. He was simply a trickster. A human trickster.
While Xanatos and Goliath seem to have made some form of peace, that still didn't make Xanatos one of the good guys! I love that! In a way, he's still the enemy, and now the gargoyles are living with him, and they know it! He still has plans and schemes, and while he likes the gargoyles and helps them out, that doesn't stop him from manipulating them to his own ends, or even working against them. And best of all, as far as Xanatos is concerned: it's nothing personal.
I also have to give a ton of credit to the performance of Jonathan Frakes. He made Xanatos sound so sophisticated, fun, and erudite.
David Xanatos, he should run a seminar on villainy. Often imitated, never duplicated.
1. Demona
Demona is the clear number one on this list, for reasons both grounded and very esoteric at the same time. At the most minimal of glances, she seems very typical. We've seen genocidal human haters before. But scratch the surface, even a little, and we get the deepest creation of not only the series, but one of the deepest creations in the realm of fiction. I'm going to say this now, and roll your eyes all you want, but Demona would not be the slightest bit out of place in Russian literature. Or William Shakespeare's for that matter. I love this character.
Let's start with the surface elements first. She's got a terrific character design, and was so very well animated. Marina Sirtis deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the work she did bringing her to life. She embodied that character so completely that I never want to hear anyone else ever voice Demona on any animated project. No one can do it. Period. Hearing Marina Sirtis voice Demona was just as much of a revelation as hearing Mark Hamill's Joker. And I will stand by that statement even under threat of torture. She is also just such a badass! An intimidating warrior, an immortal, a sorceress, and she transforms into a human during the day! Hell, in both forms, she's pretty hot.
Now, for the esoteric. She has a guilt complex that makes Peter Parker's look tame by comparison, but she spreads it around to everyone else rather than internalize it. And considering how much she has to feel guilty over, this makes her arguably the most dangerous character in the series. She cannot accept her own culpability for the terrible things that happened to her, and for all intents and purposes, murdering her clan. She may not have swung the mace, but her ambition, her bigotry, and her cowardice put them in front of it.
Her favorite scapegoats are humanity as a whole, who make an easy and convenient target for her to project her guilt and self-loathing on. Now, does she have a point? Yes. Let's face it, humans can be bastards. We've done terrible things as a species. But, just as you cannot blame every Muslim for the attacks on September 11th, or every German for the Holocaust, Demona is wrong to blame every human for the terrible actions of a few. And at the end of the day, she was either directly or indirectly responsible for those actions. She betrayed her clan, and caused the massacre; she created the Hunter, and betrayed Macbeth. Demona created her own pain, and she intends to wipe out every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth just to justify every damned stupid choice she ever made.
Despite all of that, she is an eternally conflicted character. She is not a one-dimensional cut-out. Deep inside, she knows she's wrong, she knows what she did. But she cannot and will not acknowledge that. And that's what makes her hatred for Elisa Maza so interesting. The one human she hates most is the one that has been a true friend to the gargoyles, because Elisa is living proof of just how wrong Demona really is. And the fact that Elisa and Goliath are now in love doesn't help considering Demona's lingering feelings of jealousy.
Of course, there is Demona's biological daughter, Angela. She is probably the one person Demona cares about in the world. My single biggest regret about the cancelation of the comic book is that we didn't get to see the two of them interact again. I am beyond curious to see where this goes. But one thing I am confident of, it's not heading towards a hysterically easy redemption. Nope, if we take the plan for the "Gargoyles 2198" spin-off seriously, and I most certainly do, Demona is still plotting against humanity long after Angela has died. Is it sad? Yes. Is it tragic? Yes. Is it Demona? Absolutely.
I also love how she is a walking mess of contradictions. Her belief system is based so much on lies she tells herself, that she will rationalize anything she can to fit her world view. Why? Because the alternative is admitting she is wrong, and right now, she will not do that. Cannot do that. Sadly for both her and Angela, I see tragedy in their future.
Demona's through line is one of the main reasons I am so desperate for "Gargoyles 2198" to be produced. I want to see how her story ends, and if it's going to end anywhere, it's in that spinoff. This is a story I am dying to see, and if Disney never produces it, well… one way or another I intend to find out what happens to her. What her ultimate fate is going to be. We know she'll have an epiphany of some kind. How does it happen? Why does it happen? What's the fallout? How does her story end?
Demona is an endlessly fascinating character. We've never seen anything like her in the realm of western animation before her debut, and I don't think she's been replicated since. Why? I don't know. But lightning has been caught in a bottle, and I am rather happy that no one has attempted to imitate this unique and perfectly conceived character but tragically flawed person.
What? No love for Bruno?
Here's hoping you're in a sharing mood. From your timeline, you have revealed the following vague events that line up with a Gathering date and a character played by one of the special guests:
July 19, 1997: Goliath makes a bargain.
August 14, 1998: Vinnie visits family.
June 25, 1999: Lexington goes into business.
June 22, 2001: A crisis brings together representatives of four clans.
June 28, 2002: Vinnie's quest begins.
June 27, 2003: Lexington holds a press conference.
August 6, 2004: Goliath is briefly forced into hiding.
July 29, 2005: Lexington takes a chance and loses.
June 23, 2006: Obsidiana comes to the United States of America.
June 22, 2007: Lexington continues his journey.
We're still missing Gatherings 2000, 2008, and 2009. Any chance that you're in the mood to give us the last three?
August 3, 2000 - Lexington faces an extremely hostile takeover.
June 27, 2008 - Eggs are stolen from the Manhattan rookery.
August 21, 2009 - Thailog attacks.
Why does Sevarius willingly work for Thailog after he previously attempted to kill the "good doctor?" Is he willing to forgive that for Thailog's money, or is there some fear involved?
No hard feelings. Sevarius follows the money. And the science. And the opportunity for drama.
How does Thailog run Nightstone Unlimited when nobody ever sees him?
By speaker-phone, memo and e-mail.
According to your timeline, Demona and Thailog were back in New York when Oberon put the city to sleep. Did Demona and Thailog fall asleep?
I'd think not.
Hi, Greg. Remember me? I dressed up like Shari at The Gathering in Chicago. Well, here's something I've been wondering about for years. I've been reading Ask Greg, and the GargWiki for many, many years and I've never found the answer to this question: Does Thailog speak French? And if he does, is he fluent or does he know enough to get by? You don't know how happy hearing the answer will make me. I'm kind of a huge Thailog fan!
Thanks for your time, Greg. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all our questions.
Of course, I remember you!
I imagine Thailog speaks many languages - French included.
Silly little question- Do you ever feel the urge, (or give into the urge), to slip something into a script purely because you know something about the actor? Like writing a song into a scene because you know the actor sings, (but maybe not telling them that they're going to be doing Sondheim or Gilbert & Sullivan till after they agree to sing 'some ditty'), or make them speak a foreign language because someone is fluent (but perhaps has a horrid accent)? Someone has a great cackle? Find a reason to have it come up. Someone is afraid of canaries? Put on on the character's shoulder for the whole episode. etc The only example I can think of now would be to have M'gan spout a long series of made up equations to see if Danica McKellar's head explodes in the face of nonsensical math. (Or replace of a series of made up equations with her own theorem at the last moment and wait for her to notice.)
Or does "Jalapeno!" qualify as such evil?
Jalapena definitely qualifies.
Thailog qualifies in general. (How can I write for Keith David and never give him the chance to laugh?!)
I would have loved to do musical episodes of Gargoyles and/or Spectacular Spider-Man, but in the former I couldn't think of a smart way to make it work (pre-Joss Whedon's "Once More With Feeling") and in the latter, we didn't get enough episodes...
But it was fun doing the two musical episodes of W.I.T.C.H.
I don't remember if I asked this question, but is Thailog psychotic or something? I mean I do know that he's the opposite of Goliath, but to me, he sounded like he has gone crazy.
When?
I searched some of the archives and I don't think you've answered this, but what was your main inspiration for the creation Thailog's character? He was definitely one of my most favorite antagonists in the show, as well as Demona and Xanatos.
P.S.
Young Justice was amazing! :)
This HAS to be in the archives somewhere. But there were three immediate inspirations: (1) a mix session where the word Goliath kept getting played backwards (hence the word "Thailog"), (2) John Byrne's negative zone redesign of the costumes of the Fantastic Four (hence Thailog's color scheme) and (3) the amazing talent of Keith David (hence the desire to give him the shot at playing a villainous Goliath).
This one here is a very silly question: I was reading information about Thailog and it says that something about Negative Zone, right? Well, I was playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl and a character Luigi (Mario's brother; Super Mario Bros. Series) has a very strong move known as "Negative Zone" and I am thinking if Luigi stole Thailog's Negative Zone thing...oh wait. That was from Fantastic Four...My bad. Anyway, Luigi has taken the Dark Side move and use it for the good side...maybe.
Uh. Okay.
If Xanatos's archetype is the trickster, and Thailog's is the bastard, what is Demona's archetype?
The Fury, largely.
Referencing back to this question.
http://s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=12342
Well, I definitely didn't think that Demona literally told Thailog every detail of her life and every scheme she has in the works, she definitely had Operation Clean Slate in the works, and Sevarius working on the CV-1000 as a side project while she and Thailog were together.
But was Thailog aware of this particular plan?
Kinda moot.
Okay, this one has been on my mind for a while.
Demona trusted Thailog with a lot of her secrets. Thailog even said that they had no secrets from each other. Obviously, he was lying. But, did she keep things from him too?
Specifically, was Thailog aware of Operation Clean Slate? I don't think he'd have been on board with her plans for genocide. Neither did we see him feign a hatred for humanity in her presence. I tend to think that if he knew, he'd have put a stop to it while she was imprisoned in the Labyrinth.
But then again, she told him the secret to killing her, that's kind of a biggie.
So, do you think he knew about Operation Cleanslate, or not? And if he didn't know, why do you think she trusted him with the secret to killing her, but not her master plan?
I don't think Demona had TIME to reveal every little detail of her life or every little plan she has in the works... it's been a long life and there's been a lot of time to scheme.
How many issues shy were we of finding out why Thailog took the genetic samples from the Manhattan Clan?
If you're talking specifics, many...
I was sure this was in the archive, but when I checked I couldn't find it. The clones coloring is different because of the forced maturation process. Is that also why Thailog's eyes glow red instead of white.
(I could've sworn I remembered you answering it, but when I looked to confirm the answer, even going into the Thailog section and manually searching for 'red' turned up nothing.)
Yes.
G2009 Radio Play - Act Three
672. NARRATOR
Act Three.
673. DEMONA
Norman Osborn was a fool. So obsessed with the power of science, he kept the Crown of Thorns in this vault as if it was just another souvenir â" albeit an expensive one â" to hang upon his wall. But with the Crown and the Spear of Destiny together, I now have the power to force all of humanity to its knees.
674. GOLIATH
These are Christian icons, Demona. Not every human being is a Christian.
675. DEMONA
Not every human being speaks Latin, but that didnât stop me from using a Latin spell to turn a city-full of humans to stone. The magic I wield is potent beyond measure. Mine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory. No human may resist. No human will be spared. None will be spared who oppose me. Just look at this foolâ¦
676. GOLIATH
Her name is Obsidiana.
677. DEMONA
Of course it is. For she wears the mystic Obsidian pendant fashioned by human sorcerers. Even that is enough to put her in my thrall. She has relinquished her gargoyle birthright.
678. GOLIATH
I have relinquished nothing.
679. NARRATOR
Demona waves the Spear of Destiny, and Electro rises and blasts Goliath back into the wall.
680. GOLIATH
<impact>
681. DEMONA
Yes, Iâm surprised youâre unaffected⦠since you reek of humanity. The stink of your human whore is in your hair, on your lips, everywhere. And nothing in this world will give me more pleasure, Goliath, than watching your detective on her knees to me, as she draws her service revolver and thanks me with tears of joy in her eyes⦠before gratefully blowing out her own brains.
682. GOLIATH
(coldly furious)
That will never be.
683. DEMONA
No? My power expands with every second. I doubt sheâs far away.
684. GOLIATH
You will not harm Elisa.
685. NARRATOR
Goliath advances on Demona. Electro blasts away, but Goliath will not be stoppedâ¦
686. DEMONA
No one ever said you werenât persistent, Goliath. But what do you hope to gain?
687. GOLIATH
(through gritted teeth)
I will turn these forces back upon you.
688. DEMONA
Impossible. I am the last true gargoyle left on this world. The Crownâs magicks cannot touch me.
689. GOLIATH
So you believe. But I am not the only one who reeks of humanity. Am I⦠Dominique?!
690. NARRATOR
Goliath grasps the crown. The thorns bite into his hands, drawing blood. They struggle for control of the immense powerâ¦
691. GOLIATH, DEMONA
<roaring to the heavens>
692. SPIDER-MAN
<moan>
693. NARRATOR
Goliathâs intervention â" and his complete immunity to the Crownâs effects â" creates the smallest of fluctuation in Demonaâs control. In a haze, Spider-Man lifts his armâ¦
694. SPIDER-MAN
Thwip.
695. NARRATOR
He shoots off a web, yanking the bloody crown from Demonaâs head.
696. DEMONA
Noooooo!!!!
697. NARRATOR
There is a massive explosion of mystic energy and light! Demona, Goliath and Electro collapse.
698. GOLIATH
<moan>
699. SPIDER-MAN
Goliathâ¦
700. GOLIATH
The Spear⦠the Crownâ¦
701. SPIDER-MAN
Gone. I think they⦠blew up. Calypsoâs gone too. But Iâm betting thatâs just a talent of hers. And Iâd guess sheâs taken Kraven and the pussycat with her.
702. DEMONA
<unconscious moan>
703. SPIDER-MAN
But the Big Badâs still hereâ¦
704. GOLIATH
(sadly)
Leaving behind, as always, nothing but a handful of thornsâ¦
Goliath, Spider-Man and Demona sit. Jonah, Elisa, Matt and George STAND.
705. NARRATOR
While Goliath helps Obsidiana, Spidey webs up Demona, Electro and Ock. In the outer vault, Zafiro and the Trio recover, finding only an unconscious and de-venomed Eddie Brock. Outside, the bad guys have all been beaten. Goblin and Vulture, their tech badly damaged, barely manage to fly away. Carnage and Jupiter are once again Cletus and John.
706. JONAH
Iâm here, Johnny. Your old Popâs hereâ¦
707. ELISA
Mattâ¦
708. MATT
Call an ambulance, Elisa. Old Man Dracon said something about seeing a light. Then he collapsed. A stroke or something. Iâve been giving him C.P.R.
709. ELISA
Matt⦠Matt! You can stop. Stop. Heâs gone.
710. GEORGE
Youâre gargoyles are flying off, Detective.
711. MATT
(breathing hard)
Really? Not sure I see âem myself. But is that Spidey web-slinging away?
712. GEORGE
You think? I must have missed him?
Margot STANDS.
713. MARGOT
Are you all blind?! Theyâre right over there!
714. GEORGE, MATT, ELISA (UNISON)
Oh, give it a rest, Margotâ¦
Elisa, Matt, George, Margot and Jonah sit. Peter, May, Harry and Gwen STAND.
715. NARRATOR
Back at the busâ¦
716. PETER
Iâm back. And not a single decent picture to show for my efforts.
717. MAY
Well, you tried your best, Peter. Iâm sure Mr. Jameson will appreciate that.
718. PETER
Oh, yeah. Heâs a sweetheart that way.
719. NARRATOR
Emily Osborn watches as her son finally emerges from the bathroom.
720. GWEN
Harry?
721. HARRY
Hey, Gwen. I feel much better.
Harry, Gwen, Peter and May sit. Jonah and Robbie STAND.
722. NARRATOR
Later that night, at The Bugleâ¦
723. JONAH
Whaddayou mean I canât publish it?! How else can I make them all pay for what they did to Johnny!
724. ROBBIE
You canât publish because the authorities refuse to comment. We have no pictures or statements to corroborate a story that includes gargoyles, a dead Green Goblin and everything except the kitchen sink. No one will believe it. I was there, and I donât believe it! Print this, Jonah, and The Bugle becomes the next Daily Tattler.
725. JONAH
Ms. Brant, call the bomb squad. BECAUSE IâM ABOUT TO EXPLODE!!
Jonah and Robbie sit. Gwen, Peter, Kong, Curt, Harry, EMILY OSBORN and Mary Jane STAND.
726. NARRATOR
Later still, aboard OsCorpâs private jet en route to Miamiâ¦
727. GWEN
I still canât believe we ran into you in the airport parking lot, Doctor Connors.
728. PETER
Yeah, and weâre so sorry you got mugged.
729. KONG
Dude, they took your shoes?! Thatâs hilarious! <laughs>
730. CURT
Yes, well, I just really appreciate the ride back to Floridaâ¦
731. HARRY
Anytime, Doctor C. Anytime.
732. EMILY
Harry, could I have a moment⦠in your fatherâs office?
733. HARRY
Uh, sure, Mom.
Curt, Kong and Gwen sit.
734. MARY JANE
Pete, help.
735. PETER
Whatâs wrong?
736. MARY JANE
Tiny. Cute enough, but itâs like talking to a tree stump.
737. PETER
Tried to warn you.
738. MARY JANE
Just say weâll spend the week as a threesome, okay, Tiger.
739. PETER
Sure!
740. MARY JANE
Not that kind of threesome.
Mary Jane and Peter sit.
741. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, Harry follows his mother Emily into the jetâs private office.
742. EMILY
I know you were playing at being the Goblin, Harry.
743. HARRY
What?! Mom, thatâs crazy! I was in the bathroomâ¦
744. EMILY
Donât lie to me, baby. You hired the worst chauffer in the city to delay our progress. You had a secret hatch installed in the bus bathroom, so you could slip in and out undetected. And you left a pre-recorded âvomit tapeâ with voice recognition software. All very impressive for a sixteen-year-old. But you need to understand⦠the Green Goblin is not what your father wanted for you.
745. HARRY
I have no idea what Dad wanted for meâ¦
746. EMILY
Then let him tell youâ¦
747. NARRATOR
She slips a DVD into the computer and Norman Osborn appears on screenâ¦
NORMAN OSBORN STANDS.
748. NORMAN
Harry, my son. If you are watching this, then I am dead. And I have instructionsâ¦
Norman, Emily and Harry sit. Big Man, Blackie and SHARI STAND.
749. NARRATOR
Meanwhile at the Big Manâs office, he and Blackie Gaxton are visited by Shari, a young woman wearing a pendant depicting an eye atop a pyramidâ¦
750. BIG MAN
Thirty-six.
751. BLACKIE
Thirty-five.
752. SHARI
Nine. Any problems?
753. BIG MAN
Not particularly. Ms. Destine was ready to believe I could find Dracon and the others useful.
754. BLACKIE
And that faux Goblin was happy to believe Iâd been fooled into thinking he was the real thing.
755. NARRATOR
Blackie removes his false face, revealing that he is actually the Chameleon in disguise.
756. CHAMELEON
Just as he was happy to believe I was the real Blackie Gaxton. But Iâm still not sure why the Society wanted all thisâ¦?
757. SHARI
Isnât it enough to know the Illuminati appreciates your efforts?
CHAMELEON and Big Man sit. THAILOG, BRENTWOOD, Homunculus #1, Homunculus #2 And Homunculus #3 STAND.
758. NARRATOR
Shari leaves Lincolnâs office and pulls out her cellphoneâ¦
759. SHARI
Dial Nightstone Unlimited.
760. THAILOG
Alexander Thailog.
761. SHARI
The Spear? The Crown?
762. THAILOG
Waiting for you to send to Duval.
763. BRENTWOOD
Brentwood capture little robot. Use it to control other little robots. When bright light shine, robots take spear and crown.
764. SHARI
Lovely.
765. THAILOG
What should we do with the Homunculi?
766. SHARI
Set them free. Maybe theyâll get their own series some day.
767. HOMUNCULUS #1
Free, free, set them freeâ¦
768. HOMUNCULUS #2
On basic cable and DVDâ¦
769. HOMUNCULUS #3
Jazz hands!
Homunculus #3, Homunculus #2, Homunculus #1, Shari, Thailog and Brentwood sit. Elisa and Goliath STAND.
770. NARRATOR
At the castle, Elisaâs cell rings.
771. ELISA
Maza⦠Yeah, Captain Stacy said you might call. Sure, heâs right here.
772. NARRATOR
She hands the phone to Goliath, who doesnât quite know how to hold it. She takes it back and puts the call on speaker.
773. GOLIATH
Hello�
Spider-Man STANDS.
774. SPIDER-MAN
Hey, Goliath. Itâs your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
775. GOLIATH
You protect your⦠neighborhood.
776. SPIDER-MAN
Just like you do the super-hero thing without the tights.
777. GOLIATH
Spider-Man, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
778. SPIDER-MAN
Hey, I was just gonna say that. You saw that movie too?
779. GOLIATH
Movie?
780. ELISA
God, I love you⦠<kiss>
Elisa, Goliath and Spider-Man sit. Kafka STANDS.
781. NARRATOR
And finally â" yes, finally â" we end where we began. In the offices of Dr. Ashley Kafka at Ravencroft. Sheâs on the phone to her Board of Directors.
782. KAFKA
After all that tsuris, little has changed. Otto and Eddie are still disassociative. Max still needs a cure, and John still wants power. Cletus? He just keeps repeating, âI got a taste now,â over and over. Yes, we lost Dominic, Iâm afraid. But we do have a new patientâ¦
Dominique STANDS.
783. KAFKA (CONT)
â¦Dominique Destine.
784. DOMINIQUE
Just wait until the sun goes downâ¦
Dominique and Kafka sit.
785. NARRATOR
The End.
THE END
NEXT: I finally get back to answering questions...
G2008 Radio Play (Chapter IX)
Stone STANDS.
237. NARRATOR
12:18AM. LANTERN OF THE ABBEY. Arthur opens the transport container to look upon the Stone of Destiny. Chapter Nine: Rock of Ages. 1:06AM GMT. Arthur listens to the glowing Stone.
238. STONE
â¦Pointless, Arthur Pendragon, to waste time protecting any particular stoneâ¦
Stone sits.
239. NARRATOR
1:31AM. VICTORIA TOWER. Arthur, Macbeth, Hudson, Lex, Amp, Griff, Coco, Coldstone and Coldfire confer.
240. ARTHUR
Perhaps⦠perhaps this is all unnecessary. I donât think we need to guard the stone.
Macbeth, Arthur, Hudson, Lexington, Amp, Coco, Griff, Coldstone & Coldfire sit. Coldsteel & Coyote STAND.
241. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 15, 6:16AM. LEITH. Coyote and Coldsteel stand side-by-side inside a warehouse.
242. COYOTE
No, I am not programmed for free willâ¦
243. COLDSTEEL
Pity. You have potentialâ¦
COLDSTREAM GUARD, Macbeth, Xanatos, Coldstone & Coldfire STAND.
244. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 15, 10:02AM. A Coldstream Guard holds up a hand to stop a transport convoy from driving onto Coldstream Bridge.
245. COLDSTREAM GUARD
Get the bomb unit! Now!!
246. MACBETH
Macbeth to Coldstone: convoyâs stopped, and Xanatos is here.
247. XANATOS
Well, itâs a momentous occasion⦠and such a lovely dayâ¦
248. MACBETH
Safe to say heâs up to something.
249. COLDSTONE
Yes, safe to say.
250. NARRATOR
Coldstone and Coldfire intercept Coldsteel and Coyote heading for the Bridge.
251. COLDFIRE
Hold, brother!
252. COLDSTEEL
Hold, sister!
253. NARRATOR
Coldsteelâs tentacles grab Coldfire, forcing her arms up so that she nearly FRIES Coldstone.
254. COLDSTEEL
As you see, Iâve had time to mend my ways. Well, my appendagesâ¦
255. COLDSTONE
Release her! <pain cry>
256. NARRATOR
Coldstoneâs back is raked by Coyoteâs buzzsaw-arm.
257. COLDSTEEL
Now that weâre machines, donât you love these exhilarating daytime battlesâ¦? No nasty organic gargoyles to even the oddsâ¦
258. NARRATOR
Coldfire HEAD BUTTS Coldsteel violently. His tentacles release her.
259. COLDFIRE
Consider the odds evened.
260. COLDSTEEL
A t-t-temporary s-s-setbackâ¦
261. COLDFIRE
Then letâs make it permanent.
262. COYOTE
Out of Davidâs respect for Goliath, I am programmed to inflict only as much damage as necessary to reach our objective. But I define the parameters of ânecessaryâ.
263. COLDSTONE
Define this.
264. NARRATOR
Coldstoneâs fist SHATTERS the half-Xanatos/half-robot skull image on Coyoteâs screen. Coldstone shoves his forearm cannon down Coyoteâs âthroatâ and fires. Coyote EXPLODES! The dented Coldsteel watches the wreckage of Coyote fall toward the RIVER TWEED below.
265. COLDSTEEL
P-p-pity. He had p-p-potentialâ¦
266. NARRATOR
Coldsteel POWER-DIVES down into the river. Coldstone follows but can find no sign of Coldsteel.
Coyote & Coldsteel sit.
267. NARRATOR
10:12AM GMT. COLDSTREAM BRIDGE. Xanatos stands between Macbeth and Arthur. A Marching Band plays. Xanatos presses a small one-button remote. Inside the Land Rover, the Stoneâs metal transport container is strapped to the floor of the cargo space â" which FLIPS over, so that the real container is replaced by a DUPLICATE (with a duplicate stone inside).
268. COLDSTREAM GUARD
Hold it down! The Bomb Squadâs at work!
269. NARRATOR
10:38AM GMT. The Guard signals the convoy forward.
270. COLDSTREAM GUARD
Right, weâre clear. Not a bomb. Just an empty shoebox.
271. COLDSTONE
Coldstone to Macbeth. Weâve lost Coldsteel.
272. MACBETH
Just stay on the alertâ¦
273. COLDSTREAM GUARD
Letâs go! Weâre behind schedule!
274. MACBETH
The Stoneâs on the move again.
Coldstream Guard, Macbeth, Xanatos, Coldfire & Coldstone sit. Thailog & Shari STAND.
275. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 15, 5:43AM EST. NIGHTSTONE UNLIMITED.
276. THAILOG
Check.
277. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" that on a clear Christmas night, a band of Scottish patriots broke into Westminster Abbey to steal the Stone and in the process broke it in two!
Thailog & Shari sit. Arthur & Macbeth STAND.
278. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 15, 12:00PM GMT. EDINBURGH CASTLE.
279. ARTHUR
Well?
280. MACBETH
The Stoneâs back where it belongs! Well, it belongs in Scone, but at least itâs back in Scotland.
Macbeth & Arthur sit. Stone & Xanatos STAND.
281. NARRATOR
A land rover from the convoy drives past Macbeth and Arthur. 12:36PM. LEITH. The Land Rover pulls into a non-descript warehouse and stops in front of a smiling Xanatos. 1:06PM. Xanatos listens to the glowing Stone.
282. STONE
â¦Pointless, David Xanatos, to substitute yet another stone to fool the Illuminatiâ¦
Stone sits. Coldsteel STANDS.
283. NARRATOR
2:23PM. Coldsteel dumps pieces of Coyote shrapnel on the floor.
284. COLDSTEEL
Thereâs whatâs left of your boy⦠and hereâs your rock.
285. NARRATOR
Coldsteel tosses the Coyote Diamond to Xanatos.
286. XANATOS
Oh, Iâm just its minder.
287. COLDSTEEL
I believe that completes our bargainâ¦
288. XANATOS
Indeed. Consider your tracking device deactivated.
289. COLDSTEEL
Pleasure doing business with you.
Coldsteel sits. FLEUR STANDS.
290. NARRATOR
3:59PM.
291. XANATOS
Thirty-six.
292. FLEUR
Three. <pause> Any problems?
293. XANATOS
Only finding a duplicate on such short notice.
294. NARRATOR
4:04PM. Behind the wheel of the Land Rover, Fleur drives through Leith. Fog rises, until the street is barely visible. The fog forms into Castle Carbonek. The Land Rover drives across the drawbridge into a large cobblestone courtyard.
DUVAL STANDS.
295. DUVAL
Finally. Two.
296. FLEUR
Bugger off.
297. DUVAL
I still outrank you, milady. I wonât tolerateâ"
PEREDUR STANDS.
298. PEREDUR
Couldnât you both try to get along? Since you are, after all, the two people I love most in this world?
299. FLEUR
I brought the Stone.
Fleur, Duval & Peredur sit. Macbeth, Griff, Amp, LUNETTE, Coldstone & Hudson STAND.
300. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 15, 8:13PM. KNIGHTâS SPUR.
301. MACBETH
I know it doesnât matter, but Iâm glad the Stoneâs back in Scotland.
302. GRIFF
You lot should stay a while. Get to know the clanâ¦
303. AMP
Yeah, mates, stay!
304. LUNETTE
Please!
305. COLDSTONE
But Coldsteel is still out thereâ¦
306. HUDSON
Aye, lad, but itâs a mighty big world, and even the banished and the badduns eventually return to the clan.
Macbeth, Griff, Amp, Lunette, Coldstone & Hudson sit. Stone, Peredur & GRAIL STAND.
307. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 16, 1:06AM. CASTLE CARBONEK. A frowning Peredur listens to the glowing stone.
308. STONE
â¦Pointless, Peredur fab Ragnal, to have gone to such extremes merely to possess⦠a rock.
309. NARRATOR
On APRIL 11, 1951, 1:07AM at ARBROATH ABBEY, on NOVEMBER 15, 1:07PM in a warehouse in LEITH, on NOVEMBER 15, 1:07AM in the LANTERN OF THE ABBEY, and on NOVEMBER 16, 1:07AM inside CASTLE CARBONEK, Macbeth, Xanatos, Arthur and Peredur listen to the glowing Stone of Destiny.
310. STONE
Do you think the Spirit of Destiny can be contained in one vessel? I am the Fatal Stone. The Lia Fáil. The Stone of Bethel and Jerusalem, of Egypt, Samothrace and Portugal⦠The Stone at Tara and of Mora, at Iona and of Scone, in London and in Edinburgh⦠I am the Blarney Stone, the Coronation Stone, the Hero Stone⦠I am the Pillar Stone, the Stone of the Sword, the Stone of the Waters, Clach-na-Cinneamhain⦠The Tanist Stone, the Philosopherâs Stone, the Standing Stone, the Cornerstone⦠The Foundation Stone, the Megalith Dance, the Burden of Sisyphus⦠I am the Rock of Gibraltar, the Pillar of Hercules, Uluru, Clach Sgà in⦠Jacobâs Pillow, the Rosetta Stone, the Rune Stone, Sire of the Wyrd⦠I AM THE MANTLE OF FATE⦠I AM THE STONE OF DESTINY⦠I AM THE ROCK OF AGES! Do not dream of possessing me, mortal.
311. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 16, 1:07AM. CASTLE CARBONEK. Behind Peredur, Fleur listens from the doorway.
312. STONE
Besides, Peredur, donât you have more important matters of concern⦠now that your Master has awakened?
313. PEREDUR
What?! King Arthur cannot be awake?!
314. STONE
Awake and returned. I have twice conversed with him.
315. PEREDUR
But we did not expect him for another two hundred years! Everything we planned--
316. STONE
Plans change.
317. PEREDUR
I must contact the Upper Echelons immediately!
318. NARRATOR
Peredur exits. Fleur is no longer in the doorway. The Stone is left alone with the Holy Grail.
319. STONE
Hey.
320. GRAIL
Hey.
Peredur, Stone & Grail sit. Thailog & Shari STAND.
321. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 16, 5:44AM EST. NIGHTSTONE UNLIMITED.
322. THAILOG
Checkmate.
323. SHARI
Very good. Should I continue?
324. THAILOG
Please.
325. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" that the Stone was repaired and recovered. Some say a replica was reinstalled at Westminster; others disagree. Either way, the Stone remained undisturbed until yesterday, when it was transported to Edinburgh without incidentâ¦
326. THAILOG
And thatâs all you know of the Stone of Destiny?
327. SHARI
Well, one last story is told--
328. NARRATOR
As the sun sets, Owen Burnett and Macbeth wait for Goliath to wakeâ¦
329. SHARI
--Though who can say if it be true?
Thailog & Shari sit.
THE END
G2008 Radio Play (Chapter VII)
XANATOS, COLDSTEEL & COYOTE STAND.
13. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 2, 6:46AM EST. Scarab Corp. Coldsteel looks on, as David Xanatos installs a diamond inside Coyote 5.0.
14. COLDSTEEL
And what would that be?
15. XANATOS
Itâs called the Coyote Diamondâ¦
16. NARRATOR
Chapter Seven: The Rock.
17. XANATOS
The stoneâs flawless surfaces and clarity increase the speed of--
18. COLDSTEEL
Iâm sorry I asked.
19. XANATOS
My apologies. Iâm sure youâre much more interested in your own situation.
20. COLDSTEEL
I was under the impression I had free will.
21. XANATOS
And you do. I promise summoning you was a one-time event. On the other hand, your unit does include a built-in tracking device⦠which Iâm happy to deactivateâ¦
22. COLDSTEEL
Permanently?
23. XANATOS
Permanently. All I ask in return is help on one small errand. Are we agreed?
24. COLDSTEEL
We are agreed.
25. COYOTE
Excellent.
XANATOS, COLDSTEEL & COYOTE sit. TALON, SATO, MAGGIE & ELISA STAND.
26. NARRATOR
3:52PM EST. The Labyrinth. Talon cradles Maggie the Cat, as Dr. Jay Sato examines her. Elisa Maza looks on.
27. TALON
How is she, Doc?
28. SATO
Well, her pulse is fine, and her injuries seem to be healing nicelyâ¦
29. MAGGIE
See, Derek, I said you were worried over nothing.
30. SATO
But Iâm a surgeon. Treating someone in Maggieâs⦠âconditionâ is really not my area.
31. ELISA
Not anyoneâs, Dr. Sato. Anyone we dare trust anyway.
32. SATO
Itâs as if youâve revealed a new world to meâ¦
33. ELISA
Yep, youâre a medical pioneer.
34. SATO
Pioneer or not, she needs an O.B.
TALON, SATO, MAGGIE & ELISA sit. Macbeth, BROOKLYN, GOLIATH, BROADWAY, OWEN & Xanatos STAND.
35. NARRATOR
4:50PM EST. Eyrie Building. As the sun sets, Owen Burnett and Macbeth wait for Goliath to wake. NOVEMBER 2, 5:12PM EST. Inside the Great Hall, Macbeth addresses Goliath, Brooklyn, Hudson, Angela, Broadway, Bronx and Lexington.
36. MACBETH
Itâs called the Stone of Destiny. For centuries the kings of Scotland were crowned upon it at Sconeâ¦
37. BROOKLYN
Magic talking stone. Weâve heard of it.
38. MACBETH
Yes, well, the English stole it. Now, after eight hundred years, itâs finally being returned. Iâm asking for your help to ensure it gets to Scotland safely.
39. GOLIATH
Donât you have⦠minions⦠for this?
40. MACBETH
Weâve parted ways. Please, Goliath. Many â" including your landlord â" would stop at nothing to get the Stone.
41. GOLIATH
I have been wounded twice in one week. I am healed â" but not whole. But my second, Brooklyn, can lead Broadway, Lexington and Angela to join your quest.
42. BROADWAY
Yeah, weâre goinâ to Scotland!!
43. MACBETH
Well, England to start with--
44. BROOKLYN
I donât know, Goliath, if youâre recovering, maybe this is the wrong time to send me overseas.
45. GOLIATH
Ah⦠Yes. You are needed here. Hudson may lead this expedition.
46. NARRATOR
Owen, watching the exchange by closed circuit, talks on the phone to Xanatos, whoâs about to board a private plane.
47. OWEN
Yes, Macbeth, Hudson, Broadway, Angela and Lexington⦠Shall I attempt to stop them?
48. XANATOS
That wonât be necessary. I believe Iâve planned for this contingency.
49. NARRATOR
Back in the Great Hall, Angela whispers in Broadwayâs ear.
50. BROADWAY
Uh⦠yeah⦠Manhattanâs dangerous right now. Me and Angelaâll stay too. To help Brooklyn.
51. BROOKLYN
Thatâs great. Thanks.
Macbeth, Brooklyn, Goliath, Broadway, Owen & Xanatos sit. SHARI STANDS.
52. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 3, 5:29AM EST. Nightstone Unlimited. Shari and Thailog are in Dominique Destineâs office.
53. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of two brothers who both loved the same female. And though all strife comes to an end one way or another, some conflicts refuse to stay dead. Xanatos and Demona used science and sorcery to create a monster from fragments of all three gargoyles, their bodies and souls. But in the end, the souls were segregated into Coldstone, Coldfire and Coldsteel. Itâs really a timeless love story.
SHARI sits. Macbeth, CUSTOMS OFFICIAL, LEXINGTON & HUDSON STAND.
54. NARRATOR
3:00PM GMT. London. A private jet lands. Customs Officials greet Macbeth, as workers wheel two large crates from the planeâs hold.
55. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL
Lennox Macduff?
56. MACBETH
Yes.
57. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL
Welcome to England, sir. Anything to declare?
58. MACBETH
Works of art for my home in Berkeley Square.
59. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL
Have to have a look in, sir.
60. MACBETH
Of course.
61. NARRATOR
The crates are opened, revealing Lexington and Hudson, frozen in stone. 4:30PM GMT. Macbeth waits on the roof of his Berkeley Square Townhouse for Hudson and Lexington to wake. The sun sets. 5:07PM. Itâs past sunset. Hudson and Lex are STILL frozen in stone. 6:15PM. Night. No change. 7:01PM. Macbeth grows concerned. 7:45PM. Hudson and Lex finally wake.
62. LEXINGTON, HUDSON
<awakening roars>
63. LEXINGTON
Whoa, I donât feel so hot⦠and look how dark it is? How long have we been asleep?
64. MACBETH
Welcome, lad, to the wonderful world of jetlag. Donât worry. Youâve got ten days to adjust before they move the Stone.
Macbeth, CUSTOMS OFFICIAL, LEXINGTON & HUDSON sit. Shari, INTERCOM & VINNIE STAND.
65. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 4, 5:30AM EST. Nightstone. Thailog soaks in a jacuzzi. Shari sits nearby.
66. SHARI
The story is told -- though who can say if it be true-- of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham⦠who fled the wrath of his brother Esau to a place he would call Bethel, where he laid his head upon a stone and had a wondrous vision!
67. NARRATOR
5:35AM EST. J.F.K.
68. INTERCOM
Flight 994, now boarding all rowsâ¦
69. VINNIE
Can you believe it? Iâm goinâ to Japan!
Shari, Intercom & Vinnie sit. Goliath & Elisa STAND.
70. NARRATOR
9:48PM EST. Goliathâs Tower.
71. GOLIATH
About Halloween⦠I will not hold you to words spoken when you believed my life hung in the balance.
72. ELISA
Even if I want to be held?
73. GOLIATH
I know you care for me. That is not at issue. But what of the things I cannot give you⦠picnics⦠normalcy�
74. ELISA
We can have a picnic anytime⦠and normalcyâs so over-rated.
75. NARRATOR
She runs her fingers through his hair. He takes her into his arms and kisses her.
Goliath & Elisa sit. Shari STANDS.
76. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 5, 5:31AM EST. Nightstone. Thailog and Shari look out over the city.
77. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" that Gathelus, a son of the king of Athens, won many victories for the Pharaoh of Egypt, who rewarded the prince with the hand of his beloved: Pharaohâs own daughter, Scota. But Gathelus had also befriended Moses, the Hebrew, who warned his young friends of the plagues to befall the Kingdom of the Nile. Gathelus and Scota determined to leave Egypt, and Moses entrusted them with Jacobâs Pillow, the Hebrewsâ sacred stoneâ¦
78. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 6, 5:32AM EST. ST. DAMIENâS CATHEDRAL. Thailog, Shari and Brentwood search for something.
79. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" that Gathelus fled Egypt with his wife and the Stone of the Hebrews. He sought landfall on the rocky shores of Samothrace, for Scota was heavy with child and could go no farther. Still destiny blessed them with fine twin sonsâ¦
80. NARRATOR
6:00AM EST. Thailog flies Shari across the city. Brentwood follows.
81. SHARI
Gathelus and his family would wander the globe for two years before finding a home on the Iberian Peninsula in a place they named the Port of Gathelus, or Portugal. By this time the family had grown: the Athenian prince and Egyptian princess now had four healthy boys in their care not to mention one large Stone.
82. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 7, 5:33AM EST. Thailog and Shari begin a game of chess.
83. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" that after the death of her beloved Gathelus, Scota departed Portugal with her eight sons⦠only to lose five of the boys at sea⦠while Scota herself and another son died warriorâs deaths upon landing in Ireland. But her eldest boy, Eremon, and her youngest, Eber Finn, survived, and Eremon was crowned king upon the Stone at Tara.
Shari sits. Xanatos & FOX stand.
84. NARRATOR
2:18PM GMT. Mayfair. Xanatos takes Alexander from Fox.
85. XANATOS
Darling, if you like the shoes, buy themâ¦
86. FOX
The black manolos in the window⦠do you have them in a size nine? Lovely. Wrap them up, please.
87. NARRATOR
2:45PM GMT. Fox exits the store.
88. FOX
Mission accomplished.
89. NARRATOR
7:19PM GMT. Fox admires her new shoes in the full-length mirror of her hotel room. Xanatos admires the shoebox.
90. XANATOS
Darling? Do you still need this shoebox⦠or might I dispose of it?
Xanatos & Fox sit. Shari & THAILOG STAND.
91. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 8, 5:34AM EST. Nightstone. Thailog and Shari continue their chess game.
92. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Moses, who led the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the desert⦠bringing forth water from Jacobâs Pillow to quench their--
93. THAILOG
You said Moses gave the Stone to Gathelus and Scota before leading the Hebrews out of Egypt!
94. SHARI
The story is toldâ¦
95. THAILOG
<pause> Though who can say if it be true? Right. Continue.
96. SHARI
The Hebrews passed the Stone down the centuries, until the prophet Jeremiah offered it in dowry to King Eochaid of Ireland when he wed Tamar Tea Tephi, Princess of Judah. Eochaid ensconced the Stone at Tara and dubbed it Lia Fáil.
97. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 9, 5:36AM EST.
98. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Cu Chullain, the Hero of Ulster, who championed Lugaid Red-Stripe for king. But when the Lia Fáil would not cry to confirm Lugaid, Cu Chullain was enraged, striking with Gae Bolga, the Spear of Light, and splitting the Stone of Destiny forever!
99. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 10, 5:37AM EST. Shari captures Thailogâs white knight with her black bishop.
100. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of young Prince Fergus of Ireland, who carried half Cu Chullainâs handiwork to Argyll in what men now call Scotland to found a kingdom called Dalriada. Though a castle called Carbonek found him instead, bringing the Priest-King Pelles and the Archmage Merlin and their request to borrow the Stone of Destiny for a purpose of their own. A purpose fulfilled in Londontown by a sword clepâd Excalibur in a stone clepâd Lia Fáil drawn forth by a boy clepâd Arthur.
101. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 11, 5:38AM EST. Thailog tips over one of Shariâs black rooks with his white bishop.
102. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Saint Columba, he who tamed the monster of Loch Ness, before returning to the island of Iona, where Merlin and Pelles had brought the Stone once it had served their purposes. And where Columba laid down his head upon Jacobâs Pillow and breathed his last.
103. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 12, 5:39AM EST. Shariâs Black Queen is lined up to capture Thailogâs White King.
104. SHARI
Check.
105. THAILOG
<growl>
106. SHARI
Would you prefer I lost on purpose?
107. THAILOG
Iâd fire you if you did. Donât you have a story to tell?
108. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Kenneth MacAlpin, scion of Fergus, who united the Kingdoms of Scotland and was crowned High King upon the Stone at Scone. As would all the Heirs of Scota â" for the next four hundred years.
COLDFIRE STANDS.
109. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 12, 10:00PM GMT. David Xanatos presses a button on a remote control. NOVEMBER 13, 6:01AM GMT+8. TIBET. Inside the old cave, Coldstone and Coldfire stand over Master Dawa and Sangpo. All react to a noise.
110. COLDFIRE
I believe⦠I believe I can find himâ¦
Coldfire sits.
111. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 13, 5:40AM EST. NIGHTSTONE.
112. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Edward the First of England, the Hammer of the Scots, who sicced his mighty Warwolf on his neighbors to the north and took as prize the Stone of Scone, which he installed in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey, where it has crowned the kings and queens of England down to this very dayâ¦
Shari & Thailog sit. Lexington, Macbeth, Hudson, Arthur, GRIFF, AMP & COCO STAND.
113. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 13, 5:32PM GMT. Hudson and Lex are atop Victoria Tower. Macbeth is below, in front of Westminster Abbey.
114. LEXINGTON
All clear. No sign of trouble.
115. MACBETH
Not expecting trouble tonight. Theyâre only moving the Stone from the Coronation Chair to the Lantern. It wonât leave the Abbey until tomorrow.
116. HUDSON
Aye, and the human security is tight as a drum. Iâm nae convinced you could break in there with a battering ram.
117. MACBETH
Youâd be surprised.
118. NARRATOR
11:46PM GMT.
119. LEXINGTON
<yawn> Still nothing to report. Who exactly are we expecting?
120. MACBETH
Anyone. Everyone. Just stay alertâ¦
121. NARRATOR
Macbeth spots a shadowy figure and pursues it down into a London Underground Stationâ¦
122. MACBETH
Iâm probably on a wild goose chase, lads. But in case Iâm not, youâd better head this⦠wayâ¦
123. LEXINGTON
That could be a problemâ¦
124. NARRATOR
Arthur Pendragon puts Excalibur to Macbethâs throat. Meanwhile, on Victoria Tower, Hudson and Lex are surrounded by gargoyles.
125. ARTHUR
By the blade of Excalibur, what are you up to now, Macbeth?
126. MACBETH
King Arthur?! Iâm here to protect the Stone of Destiny!
127. ARTHUR
Then our two quests are one and the same!
128. MACBETH
Ayeâ¦
129. ARTHUR, MACBETH (UNISON)
The gargoyles!!
130. MACBETH
Theyâll be at each otherâs throats!!
131. GRIFF
Hudson! Lexington! Bloody lovely to see you again!
132. LEXINGTON
You too, Griff!
133. HUDSON
Aye, lad. The baddunsâll have no chance at that Stone now!
134. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 14, 5:28AM. Macbeth radios Lex.
135. MACBETH
Itâll soon be dawn. You and Hudson go with Griff. Arthur and I will stand vigil through the day.
Arthur & Macbeth sit.
136. NARRATOR
5:33AM GMT. Griff, Hudson, Lex and the other two gargoyles glide over London.
137. LEXINGTON
Are we headed to Soho? Goliath said you have a store thereâ¦
138. GRIFF
We do. But I thought Iâd take you home instead. To our clan--
139. AMP
To Knightâs Spur!
140. COCO
You know, Griff, I donât believe weâve been properly introduced to your Yank friendsâ¦
141. HUDSON
<Hmph> Watch who youâre callinâ a Yank, lassâ¦
142. GRIFF
Where are my manners? Hudson, Lexington, this is Constance.
143. COCO
My friends call me Coco.
144. GRIFF
And this is Staghart.
145. AMP
My friends call me Amp!
146. COCO
Nobody calls you Amp, luv.
147. LEXINGTON
Iâll call you Amp.
148. NARRATOR
5:40AM.
149. GRIFF
Welcome to Knightâs Spurâ¦
150. NARRATOR
7:20AM. Atop Knightâs Spur, Old Pog, Hudson, Griff, Lex, Amp, Coco and Lunette sleep as stone.
Hudson, Lexington, Griff, Amp & Coco sit. Arthur & Macbeth STAND.
151. NARRATOR
7:48AM. Macbeth and Arthur sip coffee outside a Nightstoneâs café.
152. ARTHUR
â¦Mortally wounded in 542. So they shipped me off to some magic hill and put me to sleep for a thousand four hundred fifty-three years.
153. MACBETH
Sounds lovely.
154. ARTHUR
And you?
155. MACBETH
Deal with a demon in 1040. Officially died in 1057. Been sleepwalking for nine hundred thirty-nine years.
156. ARTHUR
<pause> Guess I got the better bargain.
157. MACBETH
Ach, I try not to dwell these days. So hereâs to the immortals. There arenât many like usâ¦
Arthur & Macbeth sit. Shari STANDS.
158. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 14, 5:42AM EST. NIGHTSTONE. Shari places her black knight in front of Thailogâs white knight.
159. SHARI
The story is told â" though who can say if it be true â" of Robert the Bruce of Scotland, who defeated the English at Bannockburn with the help of an Irish ally, Cormac MacCarthy. With the victory, came a prize: a fragment of the Fatal Stone that England had taken from Scone. This fragment, the Bruce gave to MacCarthy, whose descendents had it installed at Blarney Castle, where it is said to grant the gift of gab. Iâve kissed it myself a time or twoâ¦
Shari sits. Hudson, Macbeth & Arthur STAND.
160. NARRATOR
NOVEMBER 14, 6:32PM GMT. Knightâs Spur. Hudson, Macbeth and Arthur confer in a book-lined study.
161. HUDSON
Lex, Griff, Constance and Staghart sent you home to rest thenâ¦
162. MACBETH
Aye, Hudson. Weâll catch a few hours sleep then head back out. But youâ¦?
163. HUDSON
I had some questions for the Pendragon. Werenât you on a quest to find your wizard?
164. ARTHUR
Indeed. And Sir Griff and I searched for Merlin in all the obvious places. But to no gain. So Iâve been âdoing researchâ on Merlin⦠and on myself.
165. NARRATOR
Hudson examines a copy of Le Morte DâArthur by Thomas Malory.
166. HUDSON
So many books⦠are any of them true?
167. ARTHUR
All things are true⦠few things are accurate.
168. MACBETH
Aye. No bloody kidding.
169. NARRATOR
Hudson contemplates this.
Hudson, Macbeth & Arthur sit.
Tomorrow, Chapter VIII...
When Thailog produces his new batch of clones will they be carbon copies of the Manhattan clan, or will he have Sevarius dabble about to mix and match, so he has clones that are mixed like Delilah?
No comment.
Why did Thailog not clone Angela? I know in the past you've said that Demona never released the mosquito to gain Angela's dna and that's why. But Thailog could have easily have had his own mosquito(sounds so silly when I say it like that) and got dna samples from the clan himself like he did from Demona and Eliza. Wouldn't he have wanted the additionally manpower? He was planning on betraying Demona anyway that's why he created Delilah. Why respect Demona wishes with Angela? Did he think the other male clones would be easier to control without another female gargoyle?
Your premise is incorrect.
When would Thailog have had the opportunity to gather Angela's DNA (before Clan-Building, I mean)? He got Elisa's DNA from one of Demona's mosquitos. We saw that in the episode. One presumes he got Demona's the same way. That is, the mosquitos were released and took a blood sample. It's not like Demona could tell them whom to bite. Her only control was to NOT release a mosquito. So when Angela was around, she didn't release one.
Just a comment on an archetype that seems to be a theme in your shows. I can't help but notice that the series you produce are populated by tricksters.
Puck is an obvious and classic example, the original trickster. Also, "Gargoyles" has Raven, Anansi, and Coyote who were also literal tricksters.
Beyond that, one of the lead villains, Xanatos, was a trickster... he even said so himself. That's an interesting choice of archetypes for the primary antagonist.
Thailog, while you've cited the bastard archetype often enough, outside of that, he seems like a trickster as well. Which makes sense since he was programmed by one. Granted, he's a more malevolent trickster than Xanatos, but he still displays those characteristics.
Meanwhile, over in in "Spectacular," you have Spider-Man as, perhaps, the most benevolent trickster you have yet to write. Fitting, he is the hero after all, and the people he acts like a trickster towards usually have it coming.
And, of course, you have a more sinister trickster in Green Goblin, hie arch-nemesis.
I know from personal experience how difficult tricksters can be to write, as I've often had to jump through hoops to do it right,
I haven't seen WITCH so I have no idea if this archetype shows up there or not. But it seems to me like the trickster archetype is a favorite of yours to write, and you do it so well.
So, does it just come naturally? Is Greg Weisman a trickster himself, or do you ever find yourself jumping through hoops as I sometimes do to create schemes worthy of the trickster you're writing?
There's some definite hoop-jumping going on. Personally, I'm more of a bastard than a trickster. But I do enjoy both archetypes, so I do the work to make them worthy.
You'll notice, however, that each of the tricksters you named, with the exception of Xanatos, were based on existing sources, which helps. As for Xanatos, he was a variation on General Eiling (from Captain Atom), who was more of a bastard. And Eiling, in turn, was loosely based on Captain Kirk, or rather a dark mirror of Kirk (and, no, that's not a reference to the "Mirror, Mirror," as the Mirror Kirk in that episode couldn't fool anyone).
Thailog is more in the classic bastard mode than the trickster mode -- at least in my mind -- though I'll admit there's definite overlap between the two archetypes.
*** BIG BAD SPOILERS ***
Another great issue of "Bad Guys," it ups the ante even more from the last issue. Action packed, and a villain you want to see get beaten up. And great to see Karine Charlebois return after her absence last issue.
Sevarius is, as he's always been, a hammy bastard. But, what a hammy bastard. He destroys peoples' lives, and he has fun while doing it.
The new mutates, I didn't think it was possible, but this is even worse than the first four Mutates. Two of them are just children. Now, they're almost literally insects. It is very strongly implied that this is all being done on Thailog's behalf, which probably makes the clone the perfect employer for Sevarius. Yes, you could really feel Hunter's rage here.
And, when Tasha hung herself... damn. This is an advantage to not having the series on television. Wow.
The scheme to mutate the people at Times Square was just, well, if this is indeed Thailog behind it, he's really stepping up his game. Those poor tourists, because only tourists go to New Year's Eve in Times Square, us natives are at private parties getting plastered (I guess no one invited Brendan and Margot to a party).
We also get more hints as to what Thailog is planning with the DNA he stole from the gargoyles in #5 of the main book. It's not exactly what we thought it was, and knowing Greg, should that surprise us? He keeps throwing us more and more curve balls.
The action was intense, the story was good. It was fun seeing Fang announced as their newest recruit... and everyone looks so happy about it. #3 of "Bad Guys" alluded to Hunter having a superior that she reports to. #4 finally confirmed it. If it was her call, I doubt Fang would be on board.
Now that the team is together, I hope that in #5, ten years after seeing the "Bad Guys" leica reel for the first time, we finally find out what is on that island being protected by those giant robots.
A little comment, of course. I could easily hear Tim Curry and Jim Belushi's voices in my head as I read Fang and Sevarius. Those two are just so over the top, this dialogue is just natural for them. I loved it.
And, cameos, cameos, cameos.
Erin and Benny... Greg mutated his two kids. Cute. ;)
Quite a few at Times Square. Long time fans:
Jennifer L. Anderson... she's the one laughing, and the guy looking back with the "God woman, what is that noise" look amuses me. Funny if you've ever heard her laugh. ;)
Stephanie Lostimolo, the former cover colorist (and colorist for #5 of "Gargoyles") giving Eric "Gorebash" Tribou of Station Eight a noogie. Yup, witnessed that in person too.
Cindy Kinnard making her second cameo in the series, she briefly appeared in #5 at Xanatos's party.
Seth Jackson all the way on the right.
None of them native New Yorkers, because, as I said, only tourists go to Times Square for New Years. Come on people, why? You're not allowed to bring booze, and you'll be freezing your butts off for hours on end. Oh, and you never know when some creepy Rocky Horror Picture Show fan and his Furry thug of a buddy might decide to drop a virus on you!
Great issue, I loved it.
*** END SPOILERS ***
I probably shouldn't say this, but all your Thailog assumptions are incorrect.
Why does Sevarius make clones of the Manhattan Clan for Thailog in "The Reckoning" after Thailog tried to kill him along with Xanatos and Goliath in "Double Jeopardy?" In that episode, Thailog told Goliath he had decided to hate him as he hated Xanatos and Sevarius. Why would Thailog ask Sevarius to help him?
Thailog's smart enough to value an asset. And you can't trust everything Thailog says anyway; he's a bit of a performer.
Seeing "Reckoning" when Demona was explaining to Angela how she survived over a thousand years made me think, how much does anyone really know about her immortality; for example during "City of Stone" she lied to Xanatos about it, so…
1. How much of Demona's true story (about MacBeth, her immortality, the Weird Sisters, her clan after Wyvern, the Hunter(s), etc.) does Angela really know?
2. How much does Thailog know about Demona's true story?
3. How much does Xanatos know about Demona's true story?
4. How much does Puck/Owen know about Demona's true story?
5. How much do Goliath and the rest of the Manhattan clan know about Demona's true story?
1. Very little.
2. Very little.
3. Very little.
4. Quite a bit.
5. Very little.
Did Thailog know about Demona's plan to wipe out humanity with the virus and the praying gargoyle? If the answer is no, do you think Thailog would have supported Demona's plan if they hadn't split up in Reckoning?
I doubt Thailog would have been happy. There's too much Xanatos in him.
Hi, I especially enjoyed the series like many others here. I particularly like how the characters were portrayed and developed. Shari seems to be very interesting and I hope we get to know more about who she is later on. Also her relationship to Thailog, whom I never found to be evil. I mean, sure Thailog is a bit maniacal and not so nice, but he's never done anything heartless. I mean even though his body is fully developped, he's still kinda like immature right? Like a child still sorta...he's like someone who's never really been taught why doing wrong was wrong. Why else would he not have killed Goliath or Elisa when he had the chance. Sure he said that "suffering" is just a bonus...but is that kinda like a mask to hide something he always yearned for? Is Thailog truly evil? Will he ever learn to cherish anything?
I'm not going to address what might happen to Thailog in the future -- other than to say keep reading, please. But I think he's done some heartless stuff -- a lot of heartless stuff -- already.
you said before that you came up with the name Thailog from listening to Goliath's name backwards but wouldn't it be spelled/pronounced htailog instead of thailog?
No. Sounds don't respect spelling conventions. "TH" is a sound. In any case, it sounded like Thailog.
Dear Greg, I am curious, what are Thailog's opinions on magic?
Varied.
I asked this question before. You said Thailog would have insisted on Delilah having an egg. "Delilah is genetically much more Gargoyle than human. She is capable of laying a gargoyle egg. Thailog would have insisted on that. But she couldn't mate with a human without some scientific or magical help."
This suprised me as Thailog doesn't strike me as the parenting type. Does Thailog want his own family? As a clone i found it odd that he would have insisted on procreating naturally. Why do you think this is, deep down does he consider himself something lesser than other gargoyles as a clone?
I meant Thailog would have insisted on Delilah being CAPABLE of laying eggs.
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
January 22nd...
1996
"Dominique Destine" marries "Lennox Macbeth". But as the sun sets, Macbeth learns the truth when Dominique transforms back into Demona. She quickly renders him unconscious. But when Thailog arrives, he secretly helps Macbeth escape. His plan is for Macbeth and Demona to kill each other so that he will inherit both their fortunes. Elisa Maza intervenes by temporarily "killing" both of them. Demona flees with Thailog, but Macbeth and the gargoyles declare a truce. Later, Elisa and the gargoyles take the skiff back to Avalon.
Just a silly little question. Obviously, Thailog makes his residence in the Nightstone building. So far we've seen a throne room, and we've seen a jacuzzi. Thailog is quite the hedonist, isn't he? Doesn't surprise me, he always came off as one to me. My question is, are these new? New as in, since "Hunters Moon"? Or were they there when Demona was running the place, if so, did she make use of them? The throne doesn't seem her style, she's never come across as all that much of a hedonist to me.
Keep in mind that the building was largely outfitted while Demona was in prison in the Labyrinth.
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
January 21st...
1995
Goliath, Hudson and Demona turn to stone mid-battle. When the sun sets, Goliath awakens healed. Demona is forced to flee.
1996
Elisa Maza and the gargoyles arrive in Paris during the day. Elisa starts to call her parents, but when she spots Macbeth and Demona together, she follows them to Macbeth's Chateau. Then she follows Demona to Notre Dame Cathedral, where she loses her trail. After sundown, she rejoins the gargoyles and fills them in. Goliath attempts to confront Demona at the Cathedral and is surprised to find her allied (and apparently in love) with Thailog. Angela overhears their confrontation and realizes that Demona is her biological mother. Goliath and his friends depart. Demona informs Thailog that she has successfully set up their new international corporation: Nightstone Unlimited, owned and operated by Dominique Destine and "Alexander" Thailog.
I was wondering about Shari's role as Thailog's executive assistant. We've already seen her feeding Thailog grapes, and telling him stories, alongside playing chess with him. The latter reminded me of Xanatos and Fox in "Upgrade" while the image of her being carried by Thailog in flight seemed very "Evil Goliath & Elisa" to me, but that's just a tangent.
My question is, who is Alexander Thailog's public face? Before "The Reckoning", obviously Dominique Destine was able to speak for both herself and Thailog. Now with Thailog operating Nightstone alone, and Demona laying low, I wonder. Does Shari represent Alexander Thailog in any corporate capacity? Or does someone else? He probably has a middleman of some kind.
I don't think Shari is all that corporate-genic.
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
January 5th...
1996
Convinced that David Xanatos is responsible for Elisa Maza's disappearance, Talon leads the Trio in an attack on the Eyrie Building. Xanatos and Owen Burnett test out their new (Thailog motivated) security system and Owen's new stone fist. Ultimately, however, they allow the foursome to fruitlessly search the place once Xanatos discovers that Goliath and the others are missing. Meanwhile, Fang has staged a coup down in the Labyrinth. He takes Talon prisoner upon his return. Maggie the Cat, however, escapes with Claw's aid and seeks help at the Clock Tower. After sundown, Brooklyn leads the gargoyles and Maggie against Fang and his minions. Talon is freed and Fang is captured.
1997
Dingo, Matrix, Hunter, Yama and Fang are approaching an island when their battle-copter Redemption is blown out of the sky.
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
January 4th...
1066
Edward the Confessor dies of natural causes. His brother-in-law, Harold Godwinson, succeeds him.
1995
Goliath, Lexington, Bronx and Brooklyn return to Castle Wyvern atop the Eyrie Building but are intercepted by Elisa Maza, Hudson and Broadway, who finally manage to convince Goliath to follow Elisa to their new home at the Clock Tower above the 23rd Precinct -- but not before Goliath warns Owen Burnett that the clan will some day return. David Xanatos is finally released from jail that morning and returns to the castle. He starts serving his probation. Later that day, Xanatos goes to Gen-U-Tech Systems to observe Anton Sevarius' progress. Sevarius has successfully cloned Goliath and begins to accelerate the growth of "Thailog".
1996
Hudson and the Trio have been searching for Goliath and Bronx to no avail. Broadway, realizing that Elisa Maza is missing too, brings her cat Cagney back to the Clock Tower. Brooklyn resists taking the reins of leadership, but he does go to visit Talon and Maggie the Cat in the Labyrinth, where homeless humans like Al, Chaz and Lou have joined the Mutates in what is supposed to be a free society of outcasts. Broadway visits Matt Bluestone next, but Matt is equally in the dark over his partner's disappearance. Lex eavesdrops on Elisa's parents and learns they are also worried. Meanwhile on Queen Florence Island, Elisa and the gargoyles find each other again, and then find Grandmother as she transforms into the Thunderbird. Grandmother later admits that she was undergoing these transformations to convince Natsilane to take up arms against Raven to save the island. When Natsilane meets the gargoyles, he is convinced. The gargoyles and Natsilane battle Raven and drive him away. With Raven gone, Grandmother is able to heal the island. The travelers again return to Avalon, where it is six in the morning, causing Goliath, Angela and Bronx to turn to stone.
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
January 2nd...
1996
The Captain has a change of heart and rescues Goliath. The Captain's spirit ascends. Hakon is trapped alone in the caverns below Wyvern. The quartet of travelers return to Avalon so that they may attempt to find Manhattan again. Meanwhile in Paris, Demona encounters Thailog. They quickly form an alliance.
In "Double Jeopardy", Owen has been quoted in saying that Thailog is smarter than Xanatos. In your opinion,
a) does this statement remain to be a true from your point of view?
b) Is a character's intelligence something you consciously think about when writing his/her dialogue? For example, have you ever written dialogue for a character and said to yourself, "This doesn't sound like something this character would say!"?
c) Who is THE smartest character in the Gargoyle Universe, right now in 1996? Does any one particular character stand out in your mind?
a. "remain to be a true" ?? I'm guessing that's a typo of some kind, but I'm not entirely sure what you meant. Is it true? Well, it was certainly true in that one instance -- in the sense that Xanatos was clearly outsmarted. But only time will tell if over the long haul a smarts champion can be declared.
b. Yes.
c. Smart in what sense?
This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....
December 18th...
1995
Tony Dracon's men blow up Art & Lois' Restaurant. Maria Chavez, Matt Bluestone and Elisa Maza continue to pretend that a bitter Elisa has gone bad, this time for the benefit of Pal Joey, one of Dracon's men. Meanwhile, Thailog arrives in Paris and begins sleeping days atop Notre Dame Cathedral.
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