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Children of Oberon, The
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One writes...
1) Is there any particular reason why Grandmother chooses to look like an aged native american woman and possess the mannerisms thereof? Most fae we've seen in the series perfer a youthful or mature adult form, usually not children or the elderly. Puck, Oberon, Titania, the Wyrd Sisters, Bean Sidhe, etc.
2) Who are among the eldest of the Fae race? Oberon? Titania? Mab?
3) Is Cold Iron the only way to kill a fae, if not, what other ways are there?
Greg responds...
1. The Weird Sisters took many forms. Some very young, some very old. Grandmother is comfortable in that form. (And also as Thunderbird or the Sea Monster.) Why shouldn't she be?
2. Mab certainly.
3. If I told you, Oberon would have to kill you.
Corrine Blaquen writes...
What nationality is Titania's human form supposed to be?
I find it very cool that you have so much ethinic/racial diversity in the human cast, from Elisa's Native American/African background to Xanatos's half Greek. It's such a fresh change from other cartoon characters with no heritage at all.
I myself am French-American, and I LOVE it that Fox, one of my favorite characters, is half French-American. Thanks, Greg!
Greg responds...
Xanatos isn't half-Greek. He's 100% Greek-American. I also like mixing up the ethnic backgrounds of our characters.
As for Anastasia, however, you need to remember that the identity was a fiction. Her first name suggests a Russian background, but her voice suggests that she's lived in the U.S. all her life. And we don't know her maiden name. So I don't really know how to answer this question.
Basilisk writes...
A note to Greg:
'Horae' is the plural of the Greek word 'hora' or fairy/goddess of a season. To the Greeks, there were only three seasons, spring, summer, and winter. So I can see why that person might have thought that the Weird Sisters could be the horae.
Greg responds...
Hmmm...
Then I tend to think NO. Because at some point we pull in a fourth season at a minimum. And there's no fourth sister. (Living in SoCal, I've always felt that there are five very subtle seasons here.)
Oberon writes...
The horae were the three female guardians of olympus in greek mythology, I thought they might be the weird sisters because the weird sisters guarded Avalon. So were the Weird Sisters the Horae
Greg responds...
So the Horae aren't the "Hours"?
Tentatively, I'll answer yes. But I really have to do more research first.
matt writes...
when Grandmother told Goliath, "I'm glad to see that you (gargoyles) thrive." was she just saying that cuz she's a nice old fay? or did she like gargs more than humans? or does she have some past connection with the gargs? or what?
Greg responds...
Mostly the former. It's of course unnecessary to assume from her comments that she likes gargs MORE than humans. It's not a competition.
matt writes...
what did Oberon do during the 1001 year exile from Avalon? were the fae required to spend time among mortals or could they have totally isolated themselves until the Gathering?
Greg responds...
Do you really expect me to relate 1001 years worth of experience here? This is not the format for novel-length responses.
And the fae were required to learn humility. Oberon assumed that would be achieved by interacting with mortals.
Anonymous writes...
1) What is Puck's sexual orientation? (assuming his true form is male) Does he have even any interest in sex?
2) Has Puck ever had any loves? If so, who and of what race?
3) Under optimal conditions for both parties, who has the most magical strength, Puck or one of the Weird Sisters (assuming the Weird Sisters are of equal strength; if not, Puck vs. the Strongest Weird Sister and Puck vs. the Weakest Weird Sister)?
Greg responds...
1. Is that really any of your business?
2. I'm not saying at this point.
3. I'm not big on quantifying this kind of thing.
One writes...
Is there any particular reason Desdemona divided herself into three versions of herself (one with black hair, blond, and white) in "High Noon"... I just thought there might be relation between this and the fact the weird sisters were in the episode manipulatining MacBeth and Demona.
Greg responds...
Des didn't do it. She opened herself up to possession and the Weird Sisters did it.
LSZ writes...
What species were Zeus, Hades and Poseidon in the Gargoyles universe?
Greg responds...
Which ones?
Oberon writes...
Are the wyrd sisters the mythological
fates ?
norns ?
furies ?
horae ?
sirens?
are they classical moon goddesses selene, luna and pheobe or just named after them?
if they are these figures, do they have different forms? (personality traits?) for different names?
Greg responds...
Fates, norns, furies, moon goddesses - yes.
Sirens - No.
Horae? What are those again?
And they have many different forms. We've seen at least four on the show (plus multiple costume changes).
Jim R. writes...
Do you think our technology will progress further than the magic of Oberon's children? When will Oberon's children reach the limitations of their magic? Would any of them possibly decide to live amongst us mortals and begin thinking scientifically, like an outcast fae, that would prefer sceince over sorcery?
Greg responds...
1. Apples and oranges.
2. Who says they will?
3. To some extent, Titania has done this already.
Chapter XXV: "City of Stone, Part Four"
Time to ramble...
Picking up right where Part Three leaves off, Demona is forced to back off on killing Elisa right away because of Bronx. I really like that scene, mostly for how it illustrates Bronx's level of sophistication. It's not like he understands English, beyond a few simple names and commands. But he understands tone of voice. Something that Demona uses. She talks him down by saying nasty things in a nice tone of voice. He's still suspicious. But as long as her actions and tone don't get hostile, he's content to back off. At one point though, she can't restrain her venom, and he starts to growl again. And she has to regain her composure.
FLASHBACK
Great Choral music during the battle. Carl Johnson and music editor Marc Perlman (both of whom will be attending the Gathering this June in Los Angeles) did a magnificent job with this.
And there's some great fog as well.
It's also nice to see a legitimately joyful Demona, hoisting Macbeth into the air. He laughs, but his mind's on other things, wondering why Bodhe wanted to talk to him without Demona present. Perhaps he's feeling guilty. Perhaps she picks up on that, which is why she eavesdrops.
A tragedy of bad timing: My sense is that Macbeth is about to read Bodhe the riot act, when Luach interrupts. Mac essentially agrees with Luach, but not with his manner. He takes JUST the wrong moment to teach him a lesson about being a good king. Luach reacts badly and storms out. And it is Luach's behavior that Macbeth is considering when Demona leaves. Two seconds later, I'm quite sure the conversation went like this:
Bodhe: "Well, sire?"
Macbeth: "Well, what?"
Bodhe: "The Gargoyles, sire. You must disavow them!"
Macbeth: "Don't be a fool." etc.
The siege is pretty cool too. (Though you'd think boulders dropped from the battlements would be a touch more effective.)
Mac rescues Gruoch. Even at this age, I still think they're a sexy couple.
I like the scene where Canmore removes his Hunter's Mask. Like Gille before him with Demona, he's truly annoyed when Mac doesn't immediately recognize him.
"Never would I have done so! We have been allies for thirty-seven years!!" Demona ain't a great judge of character.
Luach and Bodhe show up. I like this scene too. (O.K., I'm partial. What can I tell you?) Bodhe has an interesting moment. One of two things happens here. Either he's pleased to finally have one of his own blood (i.e. his grandson) installed as King or the death of Macbeth has finally awakened the hero inside him. Or both. For once, I tend to give Bodhe the benefit of the doubt. I think, at this late date, he's finally come into his own. I like to think he died a good warrior's death at Luach's side.
Demona wakes up. She claims not to believe Gruoch's admonishment, but NOTE, she does not kill Gruoch. Underneath it all, she knows that Gruoch is right and feels chastened.
Macbeth wakes up. Here we have our final scene on Lunfanan Hill. It parallels the previous break-up of Mac and Gru. That time Mac sent her away, but he loved her still. This time she sends him away. She loves him too. But this parting is permanent. Very moving to me. "I will always love you." And because of that, he must leave her. But we know he hasn't forgotten her even into the present. Her loss informs what follows.
Back to the present. Over episodes two and three, things in the present have been progressing very slowly. Now the present takes center stage.
Demona echoes what I'm sure by this time we were all thinking: "Take off that mask. You aren't fooling anyone... Macbeth." And he explains that he wears it as a symbol of her betrayal. (And for a psychological edge, no doubt.)
Meanwhile, we have that semi-feeble exchange between Goliath and Xanatos in the air. Feeble (a) because in one little scenelet, the mouth on Xanatos' armor is moving like it had lips; and (b) because the whole tapestry thing was a fairly forced way to get X and Goliath back to the castle.
I like Demona's line: "Let's not start that again. You blame me. I blame you..." etc. It's a very rational Xanatosian moment for her. But that rationality is born from the knowledge that she can't kill Macbeth without killing herself. Her usual vengeful attitude is useless. What she doesn't know is how suicidal he is. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. And I have waited 900 years for mine." Hey, leave a dish out for 900 years and it will get pretty cold.
There's always a bit of comedy in the pain-sharing battles of D&M.
When the floor starts to give way, it reminds me of a scene that was WAY better animated in the DuckTales pilot. Where the bricks of gold fall away in a simlilar vein. It's nice here, but it was awesome there.
I also like when Demona has Mac's E-M gun, tosses it and catches it to fire at X and G. Nice little touch.
And Xanatos' truly frightened yet underplayed: "This is bad." when he sees the computer screen.
I like the multiple falls that get us down to the Atrium -- a wonderful setting for the final confrontations.
And Goliath's speech: "...Death never does."
Again we get multiple images of the Sisters throughout this scene. And again, I had to fight for that.
Each Sister gets to take a mental punch to weaken first Macbeth and then Demona. Are they being hypocrites here? One aspect of their persona is, certainly. But there's more going on, some of which I still haven't revealed.
But the key thing in terms of this scene (and the events of AVALON) is that both Mac and Demona need to be mentally weakened for the spells of control that the Sisters are going to use on them in HIGH NOON and AVALON. And M&D need to borderline volunteer to relinquish control over themselves. Macbeth, who has been suicidal, is tired and willing. Demona's tougher. But even she doesn't put up much of a fight. "You tricked me." she says. And certainly they have, but she can't break the grip of three children, and though of course they are not ordinary children, one must wonder if she really wanted to.
Goliath: You have learned nothing.
The sisters (as children) say their cool (and ironic) line: "We have written their stories. They are our responsibility. They are our children." My three year old son Ben says: "I love the triplets."
But theirs is a story for another day.
Xanatos really has to sweat in this one. Unusual for him. I love his line to Bronx: "What are you looking at?"
But once the skies burn, he's back to his old self: "Magnificent." Believe it or not, it took some effort to really get the skies burning. The animation came back with only a few contrails of gas burning. We used video tricks to get that whole sky-burning effect that was SO important to the story.
When the gargs rush back inside they were supposed to lift Elisa up into the air in their joy at seeing her unstoned again. Thus you have contrast to explain Xanatos' line to Owen, "You'll forgive me, if I just shake your hand." (But you also have to wonder how he'd respond to Fox when next he saw her.)
And Xanatos gives a line I'd been waiting to use for a year. "I always wondered why I allowed you gargoyles to live. You come in handy now and then." I had always worried that an audience raised on certain villain cliches would just assume that the reason Xanatos never killed the gargs on one of the myriad occasions when he had the chance, was because we were bad writers. This X/G exchange was here to demonstrate that X wasn't that kind of villain. That he was never wasteful. Maybe at this point in the series, it wasn't necessary to spell it out. But it was still nice to get the sentiment across.
Of course, this ends the Xanatos/Demona partnership. Uneasy though it had been. It's why VOWS had to come first.
And that's my ramble...
Where's yours?
Oberon writes...
If a child of oberon transforms into a human, you said that they were truey human, so does that mean that they can handle iron and go against oberon's law?
Greg responds...
They can handle iron, though most don't like to.
And no one can break Oberon's Laws. Only bend them. You included.
Yttrium writes...
Greg,
I was recently reading a book on the last Grand Duchess of Russia, Anastasia Romanov. She had a older sister named Tatiana. But every time I looked at the word, I read it as Titania. Titania's human alter ego is named Anastasia. Did you get the idea for Titania's human form from these two sisters?
---Ytt
Greg responds...
Not exactly.
I threw the name Anastasia into "Outfoxed" before I knew Titania and Fox's secrets.
But obviously, I got the name Anastasia from Anastasia Romanov. I didn't know she had an older sister named Tatiana. Cool, huh?
Entity writes...
Hi Greg,
We've all been awaiting this ramble for a long time, and no doubt, the coming weeks will be VERY enjoyable. :)
CITY OF STONE, PT 1.
I'll admit to you that the opening terrorist sequence wasn't all that effective to me. It came off rushed. But it provided an excellent transition to Demona. And then... THE FLASHBACK. The first of many. My God, this was glorious. I always imagine that if I were to ever show off Gargoyles to someone new in under 5 minutes I'd show them this flashback. Even though deductive reasoning filled the holes that this flashback does in, it was still such an experience actually seeing it take place, like witnessing history. The Wyvern Massacre was the defining moment of the series. And now, to see the behind-the-scenes was breathtaking beyond description. Demona's tearful turn to stone, then horrific discovery at sundown were amazing. That 'blood-curdle' music is just great, too.
Let's see, I can't go on like this with every scene, so I'll try to sum up from here.
You mentioned it was originally going to be a three-parter. Allow me to accidentally spit my drink all over my keyboard at reading that. Even now, I think about how much better it could've told its story with five or even six parts. Just three? Impossible. There is so much jammed in there. Too much, really. I'm glad you're here for insight, because I'll be honest: I got scarcely any of what you had in mind for various characters' motivations and inter-relating. Everything was crunched to 'sound bites' and didn't get enough flesh for me to interpret what you were aiming for. Of course, I got all the necessary things needed to understand the flow of the story, but I regret not getting the rest...
This is completely random, but I just thought I'd say that when Macbeth removes his Hunter's Mask later, in Part 4 I think, I like how his hair was ruffled. A nice touch. Very appreciated.
Anyway, to do with Part 1, I have really one more comment. I think the "mistake" you made with the Weird Sisters in their portrayel in this multi-parter has to do with just one key scene... aww, crap, here I go referring all the way to Part 4 again. Oh well, the scene in question is the very end, the "they are our responsibility... our children... that is a story for another day" scene. Up until then, I believe our impression of the Sisters was of benevolent helpers, like you wanted us to believe, according to your memos. However, in this scene, they suddenly "reveal" that they actually had a reason for helping them. That there is a greater design. That Demona and Macbeth have destinies to fulfill. I, and I'm sure most other people, suddenly got insanely excited thinking that D&M were going to be instrumental in saving the world from some great prophecy or something. But as it turns out, it's just a petty strike on an island...
Just my take. (I'd be interested - if this doesn't sound like me usurping your forum, Greg - in what others' takes were.)
Lastly, I just thought I'd mention that, ironically, I was talking with a friend this morning about the play Macbeth. I mentioned Gargoyles and off-handedly about its superior historical accuracy, to which Friend reponded that Macbeth, the play, was fiction. I insisted there really was a Macbeth and Duncan, but he was convinced otherwise. Interesting, huh?
Of course, I myself thought it was all made-up by you and the makers of the show till I looked it up in my Encyclopedia, to see what kind of historical "damage" you were doing in drawing these elaborate tales set in real countries' pasts... heh.
Greg responds...
Again, the sisters have many aspects. Like the moon. Vengeance was certainly one. Petty vengeance at that. But they have other motivations as well. That is a story for another day.
(And I'm always interested in other takes. I welcome them here.)
As to Macbeth and the legends/history, we always tried to be as accurate as we could. Not necessarily out of benevolence, but because the truth, when mixed with our gargs, made for such GREAT stories!
You're friend needs to be dragged into a library. It never bothers me when people don't know things. But it sure is disturbing when they're positive they know something and they're wrong.
matt writes...
in "Future Tense" Puck tells Goliath that he can't take the Gate from him, Goliath has to give it to him. Does this rule apply to other magical talismans? if so, how did Odin manage to snatch the Eye of Odin from Goliath in the form of a polar bear in "Eye of the Storm"?
Greg responds...
It was his eye.
Dracolich writes...
Hello again.
After checking a great website called Encyclopedia Mythica (probably the most extensive list of mythology) I discovered an interesting tidbit on a being that might make the unusual depiction of the Banshee in the Garg universe understandible. The creature there is called a Baobhan Sith, and on a different webpage, it is considered to be another name for the Banshee.
This being is supposed to be a fairy-vampire. Interesting to note that it is supposed to wear green clothes, like the Banshee of the series. Interesting.
Greg responds...
Yeah.
Basilisk writes...
Idiot question:
You know that Phoebe, Luna, and Selene are all personifications of the moon? Not to mention epithets of Artemis/Diana.
Well, you MUST know, seeing as you named these three extremely ethereal-celestial sisters. A very nice touch, by the way.
Greg responds...
Thanks. And, yes, I knew. Know. Whatever.
(The Guppi) writes...
What kind of bed does Owen have? (silly question)
Greg responds...
Whatever kind he feels like having at any given moment.
Corrine Blaquen writes...
I was reading through the archives, and I came across a memo about THE MIRROR. It said that you needed to establish a race for Puck to belong to so he isn't mistaken for a demon. You also said you needed to come up with a name for that race. My question is why did you not go simply with the term 'Fairy'? Puck is from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, a member of Oberon's race, and he is described as the King of the Fairies. What made you not use this moniker for the third race?
Greg responds...
Honestly, because of the perjorative connotations attached to that word in common speech.
I find it frustrating, that I have to consider such things, but I felt that using that term would be more distracting than helpful.
(The Guppi) writes...
On the same astronomy tack, how do Oberon, Titania, and Puck feel about their namesake planetary satellites? The three are moons of Uranus (offering not a few opportunies for low humor), all of which are named after famous Shakespearean characters. Appropriately enough, 'Titania' and 'Oberon' are the largest in mass, with 'Puck' being the largest of the small inner moons. (Titania is actually ~4.6e20 kg heavier than Oberon -- not that that means anything. :P)
Greg responds...
I would think Titania finds it amusing. Puck too.
I'm not sure Oberon knows. But I'd guess he likes tributes of all kinds.
(The Guppi) writes...
Hello again, Greg. Did you manage to catch the partial solar eclipse on the 25th? There wasn't really much to see this far out west, but it was pretty cool to watch on television. On to my vaguely related question, then... Are the Weird Sisters' powers tied to the phases of the moon?
Greg responds...
I basically missed the eclipse.
Sort of.
LSZ writes...
Have you already planned exactly how Mab escapes?
Greg responds...
Not the little details, but the basics, yes.
Todd Jensen writes...
How does Odin feel about the fact that he's no longer worshipped as a god (at least, not on the level that he was back in the Viking Age)?
Greg responds...
I think he likes to think that he's generally at peace with it.
Todd Jensen writes...
Somebody recently asked you who Anubis's parents are, and you said that you didn't know. According to my memory (which may be a little inaccurate, admittedly), in Egyptian mythology, Anubis was the child of Osiris by Nephythys (Set's wife).
Of course, that may not quite be the case in the Gargoyles Universe, since legends don't always necessarily match up to truth. (Some of the pre-Shakespearean legends about Oberon make him the son of Julius Caesar and Morgan le Fay, which obviously isn't the case in the Gargoyles Universe, given that:
a. we already know that Oberon's mother is Queen Mab rather than Morgan le Fay.
b. While we don't know who Oberon's father was, he obviously wasn't a human (I can't imagine Oberon having a drop of mortal blood in him), which Caesar was.
c. Julius Caesar was assassinated about five hundred years before Morgan le Fay's birth - assuming that she was indeed born in the 5th century A.D., as per tradition - making any union between them chronologically impossible - not to mention the further chronological muddle of both of them post-dating Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding).
Greg responds...
Yeah, the whole son of Caesar and Morgan thing doesn't work for me AT ALL.
As for Anubis, I'll take your word for that FOR NOW. If and when it comes up for story reasons, I'll do some more research, and reach my own conclusions.
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