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Chapter XXII: "City of Stone, Part One"
Time to Ramble on "City of Stone, Part One", which I watched the other night with my family....
Story Editor: Michael Reaves
Story: Michael Reaves
Teleplay: Brynne Chandler Reaves & Lydia Marano
Well, over a year had passed since we had revealed in "Enter Macbeth" that Macbeth had named Demona. Now we were gearing up to explain that little tidbit of info. I'm curious to know how many people were still focused on that before the "PREVIOUSLY ON GARGOYLES..." reprised it.
City of Stone was a story I had conceived originally (but briefly) as a Direct to Video movie. My boss Gary Krisel rejected it. He felt that a movie featuring the Gargoyles needed to feature our heroes a LOT MORE than this story did. Nevertheless, he liked the concept of the HUNTER a lot. So I got him to agree to let us do City of Stone as a multi-parter for the series. And I promised that Michael and I would come up with a new Hunter story that focused more on our heroes. Thus Hunter's Moon was born -- as a Home Video, originally, and we had an ending to shoot at for the entire second season.
Meanwhile, I couldn't actually disagree with Gary too much. This was Demona and Macbeth's story. The origin of two of our major villains. We had some great animation on this from Koko in Korea. Not as strong as our WDTVJapan stuff, but still very good.
What was the terrorists' cause, you might ask? I'm not telling. At the time, I had no answer. We were vague on purpose. Since then, I've come up with an answer. Now I'm being evasive on purpose.
I love Matt as a hostage negotiator.
But not as much as I love Brendan & Margot as hostages. They're a hoot.
How fast was everyone on the uptake with the Weird Sisters? Those three little girls. Even before the gargs showed, one was saying something like: "Don't worry, it'll be over soon." Did you think they were odd then? Did you notice them?
I like Brooklyn's "Don't gush" line.
When the Weird Sisters tell Goliath they weren't talking about THAT terrorist, my six year old daughter Erin said: "I think they were talking about Demona." For Chanukah, I gave Erin a Kenner Brooklyn, Broadway and Hard-Wire Goliath (which I told her was a Goliath robot). My three year old son Benny got Goliath, Lex and Xanatos. So for the first time, while they watched they could play with the toys.
It's interesting to watch the first flashback SET. All sorts of old footage from Awakening Part One, mixed with new footage. It's all very seemless thanks to great editing by Bob Birchard. And it wasn't easy. Because there was considerable confusion overseas throughout City of Stone, in terms of which model of Demona to animate. We had her standard model. Plus one that was slightly older, for the second set of flashbacks in this episode. They were constantly mixing the models up. We'd call retakes whenever we could, but sometimes we decided just to make due. So you have the flashback from Awakenings, where Goliath tells Demona to stay behind. That's followed by us finally seeing what Demona and the Captain said to each other after Goliath left. No great revelation in that scene, but we figured it would be nice to finally reveal it. Plus we wanted to clarify things from Demona's point of view. But in some of those shots, Demona appears to have aged a bit.
We see Othello & Desdemona. We are allowed to do something in this episode that we couldn't really do for S&P reasons in Awakening. To personalize the victims of the massacre a bit. In Awakening, we only got to meet the survivors. Finally we meet the victims. Of course, we're still cheating a bit, since my excuse to S&P was that our audience already knew (1) that these two died and that (2) they survived in a sense in Coldstone. But it did, independent of previous episodes, allow the startling moment when Demona picks up a fragment of Othello's face. Of course, I tried to get tha fragment -- and all those fragments in the immediate vicinity -- to be the pieces that survived into Coldstone. I think that was semi-successful.
Demona's cowardice overwhelms the courage of her strongly held convictions. She flees. Benny: "The sun's gonna come up." Yep. She turns to stone, shedding a tear. That "TEARS OF STONE" image was so effective that I allowed it to repeat in the episode. Later, her tear drops onto the stone Goliath and seems to be coming from his eye. A nice visual variation on a theme.
Demona: "It worked! At last my clan is free of human rule!"
Erin: "No. It didn't work."
Later Erin sees Demona watching Goliath holding some smashed gargoyles' remains and crying "my angel of the night". Erin says: "He thinks that was her [Demona]." Now you may be wondering why I'm reprinting such obvious responses here. But they interest me. It really struck me this viewing that in this episode, despite the "Previously" segment and all the flashbacks, that you really would be lost if you were a new viewer. Is there anyone out there for whom City of Stone was your first Gargoyle experience? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Did you have a clue as to what was going on?
Demona's classic neurotic short-circuit: "What have I -- What have THEY done to you?" The motivation that writer's live for.
And a little hint of Avalon things to come, as we see Tom, Princess K and Magus depart with the eggs. How many people had given the eggs any thought since Xanatos told the gargs back in Awakening Two that they were the last of their kind? And did this little tidbit whet the appetite, or did you forget about it immediately? I was already planning the Avalon/Archmage/World Tour/Angela stuff.
Benny (out of nowhere) asks: "What happens if someone is frozen in the sky?" We discussed various possibilities. But we're still weeks away from getting around to seeing "The Price". So I didn't want to spoil that one for him.
The intro of Gillecomgain. Erin (who has seen these before once, long ago) suddenly remembers: "His face is gonna get scratched."
Now, back in the 20th century, Owen points out that Xanatos' tv override works for "Cable, as well." I always liked that.
I also like Demona's VERY convincing lie. At this point, we don't know how she's survived through the centuries. Maybe she did do it by stealing minutes of life from thousands of people. And maybe now, she and Xanatos will do the same on a citywide scale. I always thought it was a very elegant lie. What did you guys think? Did you buy it?
The "Watch or Listen but not both" stuff regarding the magic, wasn't just a convenient excuse to give us a Robbins expository scene later. I always felt that the magic our various sorcerors did couldn't be as simple as it seemed. Anyone who reads the spell out loud can do it? No. There are complex inflections, movements, etc. involved. Study and willpower, etc. This was an attempt on my part to demonstrate that it was about more than just being in range with someone who has a copy of a Grimorum page.
On the other hand, I do think we cheated a bit to trap Owen. That spell she reads is the City of Stone spell. Yet it seems to put Owen, of all people, into a trance. We talked about her nailing him some other way first. But it was too clumsy and time consuming, so we just cheated.
Gathering Clue: Demona to Owen: "You are the tricky one." And she wraps him up in iron cable.
Elisa's watching Casablanca. Great movie.
Phoebe is looking at Seline when she speaks to Luna. Like Demona aging, we had a hell of a time getting the overseas studio to keep the three sisters straight. I began to insist that each of their appearances on the storyboard was accompanied by a hair color chart. And once more, it's black for Seline, blonde for Phoebe and silver for Luna.
We also made a real effort to put subtle character distinctions between the three sisters. Seline is the hard case. Phoebe is the gentle one. Luna is the mystic. It was part of hinting that the Sisters would serve multiple purposes in the series. Some of which I still have not revealed.
Back to the past. The guard says "Maybe they won't come." Erin asks: "Maybe who won't come?" And then the gargoyles come. The guards are taken down, and Demona raises her mace into the air. Erin asks: "Are they dead?" And dad... equivocates.
I like that gargoyle (Demona's second) with the breast plate. John Rhys-Davies did his voice.
At this stage, Demona believes that these scattered gargoyles are all that are left in the world. A second later, three gargoyles she's never met show up. (Now, true, they're the Sisters. But I was trying to make a general point, hinting that sometimes characters make absolute statements when they flat out don't know what they're talking about. Audience members beware.)
Benny immediately figured out that the three old gargoyle females were the weird sisters, or as he put it: "They're the humans. The one's that disappeared." I.e. the kids that disappeared in the first sequence of the episode. That made me feel a little better. People are always telling me that I write stuff that is too adult for kids to get. I tell them that I try to write on multiple levels. So that the kids get what they need to get and that adults, etc. get more. But it's nice to get confirmation that the kids do get it on occasion. Particularly in an ep as complicated as this one.
Intro Findlaech, Gruoch, Bodhe and young Macbeth. I like how quickly they are all characterized in that scene. F is loyal. B is equivocal at best. Bodhe is already thinking about how to marry G off to advantage. "What about Macbeth? Is he a match for the lass?" Yeah, sure he's talking about chess. I came to have a great deal of contempt for the character of Bodhe. (Too be fair, I have no idea what the historical Bodhe's character was like.) And yet, almost simultaneously, I became fond of him too. He was SO human. SO flawed. SO afraid of the world. And yet SO desperate to tread water in it.
We also establish the "SIGIL OF MORAY" which will become an important prop throughout.
I like that little blushing moment of G & Mac's. But mostly, I like it because of B & F's reactions. Bodhe is suddenly nervous that Gruoch might, shall we say, lose something with Macbeth prematurely. Though he pushed them together, he now rushes to separate them. But it's too late. The connection has already been made. F just laughs.
Now... Enter the HUNTER. The Hunter got a sort of Steve Canyon intro. That is, he's been talked about by various people for the last few minutes, though we haven't gotten a look at him. (This was the technique used when Steve Canyon was first introduced in the comic strips.) Now he shows up, and I trust he isn't disappointing. Benny immediately says: "THat's the one that got scratched." Sharp boy. (Keep in mind, that we haven't yet seen the adult Gille, so we haven't seen his scarred face yet.)
I love this sequence. It's a great fight, full of great little touches, flourishes, etc. Great storyboarding work here.
Again, characters are revealed in a nutshell. Gruoch's already loyal. Bodhe's revealed to be a coward. Even when his daughter rushes downstairs, he stays above.
Findlaech dies. It's a classic Disney fall-to-one's-death death. But there is a difference. F is the good guy. Usually, that's done with the villain. Was anyone shocked?
I love how at this point, Macbeth is nothing but an annoyance to both Demona and the Hunter. I also love how complex Demona is. Under it all, she's really something of a romantic. She rescues the young lovers. Then can't believe she did it. She's trying to will herself to be cold. So that she won't feel anything. But it isn't natural. She's not a cold woman, though her plans often are. It's that divide that's generally gonna screw her up everytime.
When the Hunter first enters on Prince Duncan, we were supposed to (BRIEFLY) think he was there to attack the Prince as well. But I don't think that comes off even slightly.
And o.k., yes, Gillecomgain has a face to match the Hunter's mask. It's worse than Clark Kent and those glasses. Does Scotland really not know it's him? Believe it or not, that never even occured to me initially. (Yes, I'm a dope.) Now, I'll chalk it up to the notion that everyone figures he's TOO obvious a suspect. You can almost here the water cooler talk:
MacMorris: "Hey, MacTavish, have you ever noticed that that Gillecomgain guy has scars across his face just like the red marks on the Hunter's mask?"
MacTavish: "What are you saying, MacMorris? That Gillecomgain is so stupid, he'd wear a mask and then put his scars ON the mask? Not much of a disguise. Know what I think. I think the Hunter is trying to throw suspicion onto old Gilley."
MacMorris: "Oh, give me a break."
MacTavish: "Hey, pal, it worked with you."
I made a real effort to just have the Weird Sisters EVERYWHERE.
Back to the present. Someone dons a Hunter's Mask. How many knew it was Macbeth right away? I figured at the time that regular viewers would figure that out pretty darn quick. That didn't bother me. For them, I figured the mystery would be "WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD MACBETH DON A HUNTER'S MASK, WHEN THE HUNTER KILLED HIS FATHER?" I thought that mystery was at least as intriguing. Do you guys agree or disagree?
I also liked the variation on the mask. No eyes. Nothing. Modern technology.
Fox. Fox presented an interesting dilemma. What was Xanatos' attitude toward her in this? We already know he loves her. But he doesn't include her in the immortality thing with Demona. Why? Demona won't allow it? Or he thinks Demona won't? Or he doesn't fully trust D and won't risk Fox until he knows the set-up works?
And then he finds out that she did watch the broadcast. He had told her not to, but she did. He doesn't fill her in. (Not that there's much time.) Is he prepared to let her lose a minute from her life (as he believes has happened)? How would he have felt if Demona wasn't lying about that? At the end of her life, would an immortal Xanatos be desperate to give her that one minute back? Of course, given Fox's heritage, which I didn't know yet, it's possible, she'll outlive him by quite a bit. Course, anything's possible.
How's the cliff-hanger? We haven't seen the city yet, but we do get to see Owen, Fox and Elisa all turned to stone. We're so used to the Gargoyles in stone, but not humans. I thought it was sort of chilling. The more chilling, because we know from earlier in this very episode, what can happen when living beings are turned to stone. (The Wyvern Massacre.) Now we've seen this four-parter a bunch of times and we're used to it. But I'm curious as to how you all felt the first time you saw Part One.
Another interesting aspect, is that 3/4 of the threat is to characters that we consider to be villains. Or more than 3/4. In the past, young Macbeth has lost his father and is clearly at risk. And Demona is being hunted. In the present, Fox and Owen are stone. And Xanatos and Fox appear to be falling to their deaths. Sure, the clincher is Elisa. But I think it's a tribute to how well-rounded are villains are that we care what's going to happen to them. Can you imagine most cartoons making the death of the villains a cliff-hanger? People would simply cheer.
One little flaw: Elisa's facing the wrong way. It was easier to board that way, I'm sure. But I can't figure out why she would have been standing and facing that direction at sundown.
Comments welcome, as usual...
Waffle writes...
I know that iron is the only thing that can kill the Children of Oberon, but is it the only thing that can harm them? For instance, if you set one of them on fire (I have no idea why you would, but this is a hypothetical question), would he be hurt or would he walk away completely undamaged?
Greg responds...
Depends on their form at the time.
And healing anything but a wound from iron is relatively easy.
Anonymous writes...
Who were Anubius's parents?
Greg responds...
dunno...
Anonymous writes...
Does the Scroll of Thoth have anything to do with the Book of Thoth that appeared in Egyptian legend?
Greg responds...
dunno...
Anonymous writes...
Since most gods of myth are Oberon's Children then what are angels? Are they also Children of Oberon?
Greg responds...
Most things are case by case.
Oberon writes...
Does Avalon have any connection to the third race (a magic link or something) or did they just clame it as there own.
Greg responds...
They're related.
LSZ writes...
1) Was Anubis always so commited to his policies and careful with his powers as he is now?
2) If not, did he start to be so before or after he was worshipped as a god?
Greg responds...
1. Far as I know.
2. See above.
LSZ writes...
Considering how arrogant Oberon can be, how does he like having to announc ehimself as ruler of the Third Race?
Greg responds...
You mean as opposed to first or second?
Cuz he doesn't refer to them that way. He calls them the Children of Oberon.
warrioress writes...
Someone wrote: How does Demona feel about Oberon?
You answered: I'm not sure she's aware of him.
You mean you're not sure if Demona is aware Oberon exsists? How could she not? She knows Puck exsists, and she had her thugs in "The Mirror" use the password "Oberon sent me". Or did you mean she was aware of the Shakespearian Oberon, but not the real one?
Hope I didn't sound too confusing.... :-)
Greg responds...
She's clearly aware of the legend of Oberon. I just don't see any evidence that she's ever met him to her knowledge.
LSZ writes...
Your stuff on the Earth's biorhythms sounds vaguely like Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis..especially the part about Gargoyles being more in tune with it.
1) Were the Lost Race even more in tune?
2) Is there any specific reasons that make humans less in tune than gargoyles?
3) What about fae?
Greg responds...
I don't know who Lovelock is.
1. I'm not answering this.
2. They make too much noise. They adapt their environment instead of adapting to it.
3. The fae are attuned to Earth's magic.
Sapphire writes...
I have some questions to ask you about the fay?
1)Have any fay ever converted to human religions?
2)In the future will any fay convert to human religions?
Greg responds...
1. Ever? Sure.
2. Ever? Sure.
Sapphire writes...
i recall seeing that Oberon has fangs I was wondering is sharp teeth a natural trait for the fay I mean do all the fay have fangs?
Greg responds...
We all have fangs. Oberon's may be a bit more pronounced. Otherwise, I'll leave it to you to judge whether all fey look one way or another. You have plenty of examples to compare him with. Weird Sisters, Titania, Nought, Puck, Raven, etc.
Todd Jensen writes...
Did any of the Third Race that we know directly from the series (i.e., the ones that Goliath and Co. met on the Avalon World Tour) support Queen Mab in her war with Oberon, or were they all on Oberon's side? (I personally suspect the latter, since I doubt that Oberon would be permitting any Mab-loyalists to roam about on the same level of freedom as the rest of the Third Race, but I thought that I should ask you about it anyway).
Greg responds...
Yes.
Oberon writes...
1 do the wyrd (or wierd) sisters have emotions.
2 do they have thoughts independent from one another.
3 do they still have planns for demona and macbeth.
4 if so is it a new plan or something they intended all along.
5 what did the wyrd sisters do during the Oberon-Mab war.
6 do the wyrd sisters long-term planns go over even oberon's head.
Greg responds...
1. Yes.
2. Independent is putting it too strongly, but they have aspects that are slightly different.
3. Yes.
4. Yes.
5. They sided with Oberon. I won't say more than that.
6. It's got nothing to do with Oberon, really.
LSZ writes...
1) Can Puck also be summoned by Oberon's Mirror?
2) Was Titania's Mirror meant to be used to summon Puck only, or could it summon any fae if you knew how?
3) If so to the former, what makes Puck connected to the Mirror?
Greg responds...
1. In theory.
2. It's something of a generic portal.
3. See 2.
LSZ writes...
Did you ever have any plans to fit in parts of traditional faerie folklore like the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Wild Hunt, and the Tuatha de Danaan into the Gargoyles universe?
Greg responds...
Everything eventually.
LSZ writes...
Do the fae require any atmospheric gases to breathe at all?
Greg responds...
They do if they want to breathe atmospheric gases.
LSZ writes...
1) Do the New Olympians know about Oberon?
2) Do they know the Greek gods were really fae?
3) Did any fae visit New Olympus after Oberon banished them from Avalon?
Greg responds...
1. Maybe.
2. Maybe.
3. Probably.
(The Guppi) writes...
01) In one of your MIRROR memos, you mentioned that the character design for the Weird Sisters' "true" forms should include earpoints. (I don't recall seeing them portrayed with such, but that doesn't mean much.) I know you really hate making quantifications, but... what level of pointiness had you in mind? Would they be giving Puck a run for their money?
_
02) Nearly all of the humanoid CoO appear to have pointed ears. ('Nearly', because one can't be too sure about that Nought fellow...) -a- Why? -b- And is this purely cosmetic, or does it have some practical basis?
Greg responds...
1. Whatever final models appeared on screen is exactly what we finally decided on, old memos not-withstanding.
2. It just tends to set them off as non-human, and also feels traditionally fae for some reason, Mr. Spock not-withstanding.
LSZ writes...
Were Baal, Astarte, and other Sumerian and Middle Eastern gods who were in conflict with Judaism fae?
Greg responds...
Some.
LSZ writes...
Any other ideas on which gods and entities did not survive Ragnarok?
Greg responds...
Yes.
LSZ writes...
Beside Gargoyles and Timedancer, would Mab appear in any of the other series? If so, which ones?
Greg responds...
No current plans for her in the others.
LSZ writes...
What made Oberon decide on a thousand years for the fae to be banished from Avalon?
Greg responds...
1001.
jack writes...
hi greg
who are oberon and titana two kids? (I mean their names)
Greg responds...
Not telling.
Todd Jensen writes...
Have you ever read Katharine Briggs's "An Encyclopedia of Fairies"? It's a very good dictionary of faerie-folk and faerie elements in legend (don't worry; it all deals with the fay as portrayed in primary sources), containing entries on practically every aspect of them. In particular, it's got entries on many of the familiar fay in the series (Oberon, Titania, Puck, the Banshee, the Lady of the Lake, Odin), ones that you planned to get into the series (Queen Mab and Morgan le Fay), and related elements (Cuchulain, iron, bells, time in Fairyland, A Midsummer Night's Dream), etc.
Greg responds...
No, but it sounds great. Something for my birthday list. Thanks.
Anonymous writes...
Are the Weird Sisters connected to fate just as Anubis is connected to death?
Greg responds...
Sure. And more.
Marduk writes...
Is Oberon taking precautions to make sure that his children don't overthrow him?
Greg responds...
No. I doubt it occurs to him.
Marduk writes...
You said at the time of the Journey, Oberon and Titinia had two children. I always assumed they were twins and were born after the gathering, but after checking the archives I didn't see anything to back that up so... 1) are the two children twins? 2) can Fey/fae/whateveryoucallthem have twins?(this may have been answered before) 3) were the children born after the gathering? 4) will you tell us their names?
Greg responds...
I never said they were twins. And they were definitely born before the Gathering.
1. No.
2. Sure.
3. No.
4. Not right now.
Vashkoda writes...
1a) Would there be any point in the future when the practice of mortal magic becomes more common than it is at the time of "The Journey"?
b) If so, roughly how long would it take for such a revival to come to pass? (decades, years, centuries?)
2a) Why is it so dangerous to mix fae and mortal magic? Energy is energy, right? And both fae and mortal magic are presumably of earthly origin. So what makes them so incompatible? b) What are the actual consequences of mixing the two?
3) The Archmage was able to bring the Grimorum to Avalon by "bending the rules", and so bypassed Oberon's Law. But in the end, he was still using the Eye to control the Grimorum, and hence, was "mixing magics". Why didn't this have any (visible) consequences?
4a) You've mentioned "ghost magic" before. Would it fall under the "mortal magic" category, or is it a completely different form of magic? b) If it's different, is it safe to mix with mortal or fae magic?
5) Which is the Megalith Dance powered by--fae or mortal magic?
6a) Do any New Olympians possess (or are capable of practicing) "fae" magic? b) Do any New Olympians practice "mortal" magic?
Greg responds...
1a. Maybe a tiny bit -- but not until WAY beyond 2198.
b. Centuries.
2a. Different frequencies maybe. Feedback. I don't know exactly. Just is.
b. BOOM. Usually. Or some other backfiring.
3. The Eye is a bit more flexible. It WANTS to "help".
4a. Another category, I think, maybe, sorta.
b. Not recommended, but less dangerous.
5. Not telling its origin right now.
6a. Maybe, but it's more internalized as "powers" generally.
b. Maybe, but not many. They're a technology driven society.
jack writes...
hi greg,
I'm ask this question becaues I little confisson
is all the gods in mythology are oberon's childen?
or can you make me list of oberons's childen of that you know of?
thank you
Greg responds...
Got to watch out for confission.
I'm not making any lists, but many 'gods' were children.
Sapphire writes...
In the episode the Gathering part one I saw a Pegasus as one of Oberon's children lining up to greet Oberon. I was wondering can that Pegasus talk?
Greg responds...
Not in that form.
puck40 writes...
Oberons Laws.
Some people get confused with how you have them restricted and stuff. So in the proper yes/no type questions and such.
1. Are the Fae physically or metaphysically... magically<?> unable to perform magic that goes against Oberons edicts?
2. Do the Fae follow it purely because they y'know, fear the big guy?
3. If they are magically restricted, how much of a strain does that put on Oberon himself?
ugh, class. later! <runs off>
Greg responds...
1. Yes. Unless they can find a loophole.
2. Yes. Unless they think they can get away with it.
3. None, anymore. It's a done deal.
Adam Z. writes...
If all the Gargoyles have to do to defeat Oberon is ring a bell, then why didn't they simply do so during the Gathering. And why didn't Puck know that was his weakness.
Greg responds...
My guess is that (a) forging an iron bell is a bit harder than you think. And (b) Puck can't handle that bell or whip one up magically. And (c) I wouldn't be surprised if Oberon has a contingency for that now.
Todd Jensen writes...
In "The Gathering Part One", when the Weird Sisters report to Oberon that Puck hasn't returned to Avalon for the Gathering, they speak his (Puck's) name in a very unfriendly and bitter way. Do the Sisters have some sort of strong grudge against Puck?
Greg responds...
Yes and no.
LSZ writes...
1) How do Death-gods in general feel about non-fae immortality? Do they generally view it as cheating or in a generally negative way?
2) How does Anubis personally view immortality?
Greg responds...
1. Every Death-Figure is unique. I can't give generic responses.
2. I don't think he believes in it. Everyone's alive until he or she dies. Anubis has seen nothing to indicate that everything doesn't eventually die. The fact that Macbeth and Demona (assuming he knew about them) live still, doesn't prove they won't die.
LSZ writes...
Could you give the name any of the fae who were worshipped and actually believed they were gods?
Greg responds...
Yes.
LSZ writes...
A more careful rephrase of the earlier question, which got a rather good smart-ass answer:
Just what is it that makes Oberon and Mab so powerful magically? Is it acquired power? Is it luck? Does it come just from being the ruler of Avalon? Does it come from, for lack of a better word, genetics?
Greg responds...
A lot of it is "genetics". A lot is WILL. A lot is about natural magical loci. Some is acquired. And you could call it all luck on at least some level.
LSZ writes...
Is it possible for the Children of Oberon archive file to be split into smaller subcategories? For example, you go into Children of Oberon, you get all the historical, nature-of and other in general stuff about the species there, but you can also click on a little list of subgroups on individual fae, like Oberon, Mab, Titania, Anansi, etc.
Greg responds...
Not the way things are currently constructed. I could from this point on, start new archives that are more specific, I suppose. One for Mab, one for Oberon, one for Titania, etc. But I don't feel a real need for it.
Why do you ask?
LSZ writes...
Who ruled before Mab?
Greg responds...
I'm not sure there was a "before Mab".
LSZ writes...
Does Mab have any redeeming qualities?
Greg responds...
Sure. Fresh breath.
Todd Jensen writes...
A question about "Ill Met By Moonlight". At the end of this episode, Oberon appoints the Avalon clan his "honor guard". Is this going to turn out to be a largely ceremonial function with little real work? I can't help but suspect this, in view of the fact that anything capable of seriously threatening Oberon, a fellow capable of swelling up to giant size, animating stone figures, and ordering the earth to swallow up intruders, (and I will confess that the only thing that I can think of in the Gargoyles Universe that could really endanger him at present is Queen Mab) would be able to easily wipe out a whole clan of gargoyles without much effort. (I do have the suspicion that Oberon's appointing the gargoyles to that position was more a matter of "practical politics" - giving them a definite role in Avalonian society - than a matter of "providing for defense", myself).
Greg responds...
Generally, an "honor guard" is by definition ceremonial. If not literal definition, then certainly by common practice.
So I agree. But it doesn't hurt to have loyal warriors handy the next time someone shows up with an iron bell.
Vashkoda writes...
Ok, I'm bored, and since I won't enter the contest, it leaves me with little else to do but ask questions. So....
1a) Did Mab have any followers in her battle with Oberon? b) If so, were any of them imprisoned along with her? c) Is there anyone presently guarding her prison? d) Can anyone besides Oberon free Mab from wherever she's being imprisoned?
2) Was it Oberon himself who originally decided to battle Mab, or did he need convincing?
3) You said that Ragnarok happened in the Gargoyles Universe. a) How about the battle between the "Greek gods" and their predecessors, the "Titans"? b) Were either of these battles associated with the one between Oberon and Mab?
Greg responds...
1a. Yes.
b. Maybe.
c. Sorta.
d. Possibly.
2. Not telling.
3a. Yes.
b. Not telling.
Kelly L Creighton / Kya White Sapphire writes...
re: wyrd sisters
i saw a shirt that i SO wana get entitled "The Maiden, The Mother, The Crone" with three women (hence the title) in front of a moon.... AHHH I WANT IT! its *so* the wyrd sisters. *cries* *is broke*
image: http://www.pyramidcollection.com/catalog.cfm
Greg responds...
Yeah, we consciously chose not to take that approach. Largely because that version of the characters was extremely prominent in SANDMAN at that time.
Wing writes...
Can fae have anemia?
Greg responds...
Yeah, but it means something different to them.
It's more metaphorical.
Wing writes...
Knowing you are an English type teacher (as opposed to Science and what not), is it safe to assume you are familiar with the concept of the HERO'S JOURNEY? (a journey of self-discovery?)
It can be said that Titania went on the HERO'S JOURNEY. She took a trip and came back all the better (simplified). Too, it can be said, that Oberon ordered all fae to complete a HERO'S JOURNEY of sorts. (Loving the capital thing by the way) Oberon himself I belive went briefly on a journey, but only kinda (assumed from previous answers).
My q is, will Oberon ever go on a HERO'S JOURNEY and have a coming of age? Has this already happened, more subtly? Will his character continue to develope?
Greg responds...
I like to think all of my characters continue to develop. (And yes, I'm familiar with the Hero's Journey concept.)
DrFaust writes...
Is Peter Maza the first human with whom Coyote has had a "connection"?
Greg responds...
No.
Todd Jensen writes...
When did Oberon pass his non-intervention edict? And in particular, was it extant during Arthur's original time period in the 5th century? (To be even more particular, was it extant at the time that Morgana got placed in the cradle in exchange for Gorlois and Igraine's biological daughter?)
Greg responds...
Not saying.
Kayless writes...
Hey there, Greg. Since my last questions seemed to have been devoured by the Internet Goblin, I'll repost them, rather than trying to ask you directly using 'The Force'. ;)
1. When asked about Mab not long ago you wrote: 'She's MAD, I tell you, MAD, MAD! BWAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAAAA'. Putting all jesting aside, is she insane?
2. If the answer to #1 is yes, was she this way prior to her incarceration/banishment or as a result of it?
3. Do the Fae in general feel that Oberon was justified in overthrowing her? Or are there holdout followers of the former ruler? Old school Mabites. =)
4. How can Oberon be so petulant and conceited? Despite all the centuries he's been around he still hasn't learned how to act like an adult. It's highly ironic that he banished the Fae from Avalon to teach them humility when he has so little himself (not exactly a model of introspection is he?). Not to mention that his son Merlin is renowned for his wisdom and for mentoring the noble Arthur. Yet Oberon himself seems devoid of all leadership qualities. He forbids his people from directly interfering with mortal affairs then blatantly breaks his own edict when he tries to kidnap Alexander. How can he be the ruler of an entire species and be blissfully ignorant to the fact that no one is above the law, especially the ruler? Sorry, that was more of an opinionated comment rather than a question.
5. Merlin is Half-Fae. So does he use human magic, Fae magic, or a combination of both? I am assuming that he was the one who enchanted the iron suits of armor guarding the sleeping Arthur. Such a feet of conjuration seems very difficult for someone who uses just Fae or human magic, but if Merlin used both then I can see how it's feasible. However, wouldn't that be mixing magics? And isn't that inherently dangerous?
(Listen to me! Talking about magic being feasible! This reminds me of all the discussions I've had with other Trekkers about why/how modern Klingons possess ridged heads and Original Series Klingons don't. Obsession on minutia: the hallmark of the fan. You can quote me on that).
Greg responds...
1 & 2. I never said she WENT insane, which I think is what your question implies. She is what she is. Mad, I tellyou, Mad, Mad!!
3. In general, a sigh of relief was breathed. But nothing's ever unanimous.
4. I know a lot of adults who behave MUCH worse than Oberon with a hell of a lot less justification for their arrogance. Don't you?
Everything's relative. Oberon is hardly devoid of leadership qualities. You don't like him so you're not paying close attention. He's the one that banished his arrogant race and caused many if not all of them to learn something about mortals. The old Titania in particular made Oberon seem like Mr. Maturity. Admittedly, she changed and he didn't. But she wouldn't have changed if HE hadn't forced her to learn certain lessons. He's also the guy who created the non-interference law. He didn't have to do that. He wanted to.
You accuse him of blatantly breaking it, but how human of you. He didn't feel he was breaking the law at all. As the ultimate Supreme Court Judge in this matter, he "ruled" that Fox was human, but that Alex was not. Taking Alex would therefore not be breaking his law.
Look at Elian Gonzales. Literally millions of well-meaning people disagreed on how to handle that. Some thought he should go back to his father in Cuba. Others believed he should stay with relatives in the U.S. Oberon acted as a judge in (what he honestly believed would be) the best long-term interests of the child. You and I may disagree, but we're clearly as biased as he is. And when another viable option was presented to him, he relented. A truly immature un-leaderlike guy would NEVER have relented. It's not like he was defeated. It's not like Fox's one surprising powerblast represented any real threat to him.
Try to stand in his shoes for a minute. You see a child, who runs the risk of being crippled if he stays with his real parents. On the other hand, there's a grandmother (who happens to be your wife) who can raise the boy to be happy and healthy on the paradise of Avalon. Who's to say Oberon was really wrong? [O.K. I think he was wrong. On the other hand, I think Elian's relatives were wrong to keep him from his father. And I'm sure to this day, they sincerely believe they were right.] My point is that people of good intentions sometimes disagree. So when you judge Oberon so harshly, who exactly is being immature?
5. Both, but never at the same time or on the same thing.
As for Klingons, I always had this theory that Q altered the entire Klingon race without telling anyone as an experiment. That the Klingons weren't this race of honor until Q messed with them, changing even their memories, history and religion. I think someday, he might offer them the chance to change back.
KW Keller writes...
Wierd Sisters Question:
1. Previously, you mentioned that there was a connection between the Wierd sisters and the Norns (which would make sense, since Wyrd is derived from Urd, the Norn of the past). Are the Wierd Sisters and the Norns the same?
2. If yes, which Wierd Sister represents Urd/Urdr/Wurd (past), which is Verdandi (present), and which is Skuld (future)?
Greg responds...
It's not that simple.
Aris Katsaris writes...
Concerning the Weird Sisters...
1. Are they 'biologically' sisters? By which I mean - did they have the same parents? Or is it just a designation that kind of describes the relationship that they have between them?
2. Are they triplets, or is one of them older than the other?
3. Do they do *everything* together? :-)
4. And (just in case the above question wasn't already obvious Christine Morgan material :-) has any of them ever had a boyfriend/mate/spouse/etc ?
5. (Getting back to the PG stuff) Have you decided who are their parents?
Greg responds...
1. They're sisters.
2. They're triplets. One is older. One is younger. But not necessarily the same one all the time.
3. Pretty much everything and then some. Plus they also do nothing together.
4. "All things are true."
5. Sorta.
Ed writes...
In the Mab/Oberon war, surely whoever was on Avalon would have something of a disadvantage in terms of preparation time. I mean, any enemy that invaded would have twenty-four times the length of the time to prepare. Would this have been important in the war?
Greg responds...
Not if they're both on Avalon. Or both not.
Matthew writes...
What would have happened to Puck if he broke the rules and simply taken the Pheonix Gate?
Greg responds...
He couldn't. It's not just a rule. It's Oberon's Law.
OnyxStar writes...
This is kind of off-topic, but I learned something interesting in Chemistry class yesterday that I thought might be worth sharing, especially since there have been some questions about Children of Oberon and resistance to Oberon.
It seems that the word "iron" comes from Greek (or was it Latin?) meaning "metal from heaven," because iron is often found in great quantities in meteors. As the fae were generally seen as an abomination from a religious viewpoint, such metal from heaven was a way to hurt them.
Just a general observation I thought might be interesting. Especially if "maza" does indeed mean iron. Hmm...
Greg responds...
Thanks. Interesting...
Nemi writes...
*Sigh*
Don't get me wrong, I like Oberon, hell, he's one of my favorite characters, right up there with Puck, Titania, and Xanatos.
I, and most of the people I hang around with, have a tendancy to torture/ridicule/act like we don't like the charcters we love.
For instance, Nabiki GMYW is a close friend of mine, and I happen to know that Puck is one of, if not her favorite character. However, in her fan fics she makes his life a living hell.
Just because Oberon has bad fahion sence and is an insentsitive imature jerk doesn't mean he hasn't lived for an extreamly long time. he's wise, he learns from his own mistakes (hasn't visted the Xanatos's now, has he?) and he can most likely learn from the mistakes of others as well.
He also has to have some sort of soft spot deep under that thick blue hide of his, or at least something aproching decentcy. He simply doesn't have the air time nor the reason to show it.
*Shrugs*
But that's just the way I feel.
Anyways, on to the questions.
Does Iron occure naturaly on Avalon?
Except to the fey is it a poison to the things that live there?
And does the fact that iron is bad for the fey have anything, anything at all to do with the fact that it is the last thing a sun produces before it dies and goes nova/turns into a nutron star?
-Nemi, who salutes Gore Because she knows she would have a hard time picking out what's a legimit question and what's an Idea masqurading as a question
Greg responds...
No.
Depends what you're talking about.
Hmmm... Maybe.
By the way, I think your analysis of Oberon's kinda cool.
Aris Katsaris writes...
Does Nimue know who her mortal parents were? (Yeah, yeah, we've all guessed it was Nimue :-)
Does Morgana know that she's not the biological child of her parents?
Which Oberati did the exchange? And for what reason?
Greg responds...
I don't want to answer this now.
Matthew Smith writes...
At the end of "Mark Of The Panther" was that little spider scurrying away Anansi making an unnoticible escape, or was it just any other spider?
Greg responds...
Anansi.
Demona Taina writes...
Oops! I spelled Antarctica wrong. My bad. :) [kicks evil typo]
And, well, while I'm at it, let me ask you this. Could Oberon ever punish somebody if he had a very good reason?
If the person he wishes to punish is mortal, can he punish him? Or does his law prevent him from messing with the lives of mortals?
Thank you for your time. :)
Greg responds...
If he can come up with an excuse to bend his law he can do it.
Todd Jensen writes...
How did the Banshee get around Oberon's non-intervention edict when she kidnapped Goliath, Elisa, and Angela, and took them to Cairn na Culainn for interrogation?
Greg responds...
Her excuse was she thought they were agents of Oberon. The scent of Avalon was upon them, so she thought she wasn't interfering with mortals. Just with Oberon. Of course, she did this at her own peril. But there was nothing magical preventing her from doing it.
Aris Katsaris writes...
To Duncan Devlin who said: "I don't quite understand the response. From my experience, not ALL things are true."
Let me just paraphrase a sentence of Terry Pratchett: "All things are true, for a given value of 'true' "
Greg responds...
Yeah. Exactly.
By the way, thanks for reading the questions. It's very refreshing.
Who's Terry Pratchett?
Sixshot writes...
How does Hydras, Dragons, Harpies, Cerberus and all other mythological animals/creatures fit in the three races?
Greg responds...
Some may have been Children of Oberon (or Mab). Others may have been New Olympians or the like. That is half-breeds. Some may have been exagerations of something else all together.
Emmlei writes...
In response to LSZ's many posts: i think what she wants to know is what some of the Faes' personify. Like how the Greek Olympians each personified (though how well is up for grabs) various attributes or crafts; Athena personified wisdom and defensive warfare, Ares war, Appollo truth and the arts. In the Garg's universe, Anubis clearly personifies death.
LSZ, you can correct me if i'm wrong, but i think that's what she means.
Greg responds...
I thought that too at first, but then some of LSZ's questions didn't seem to fit that idea. Anyway, I'm not going to run down a list of every mythological being and list "affiliations" or "connections" or whatever it is we're talking about. Use common sense and do a bit of research and nine times out of ten, you'll get the answer without me.
LSZ writes...
Ok, first of all; most of the Gargoyles villains can be counted as amorals(like Xanatos), grays(Macbeth), insane-sufferers(Demona), and genuinely evil/malicious and remorseless folks like Proteus and perhaps Jackal and Hyena.
All of them can be, to some extent, perhaps with the exception of Macbeth, considered evil or selfishly uncaring. Still, Oberon cannot be considered evil; he is horribly arrogant, but he has his own sense of nobility.
But is Mab evil? Is she Chaos in the dark trickster manner of Raven and presumably Loki? Is she just a more petty version of Oberon? Is she genuinely malicious and nasty ala Hakon and Proteus? Is she gray-but-still-dark like Duval?
So what is Mab?
1) What is her moral worth in comparison to Oberon?
2) What is she compared to the other Gargoyles villain-types?
Greg responds...
She's MAD, I tell you, MAD, MAD! BWAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAAAA
1. LSZ, haven't you learned by now that I REFUSE to QUANTIFY stuff for you?
2. See above.
LSZ writes...
1) Did Oberon have any help in defeating Mab?
2) Did Oberon use trickery?
Greg responds...
1. Yes.
2. Some.
LSZ writes...
Hmm. Ok, good answer to the iron question, I'll admit. Still, is there any Fae Science in a Gargoyle-Science-esque answer on why iron harms the fae?
Greg responds...
I'm not sure I understand the question.
You looking for chemical reactions?
LSZ writes...
If the humans of (time of Future Gargoyle series) know 'a lot' about the origins of the New Olympians, do they know that the fae are real?
Greg responds...
Largely, no.
But again, I'd prefer if everyone held off asking anymore questions about what WAS Gargoyles 2158 until I make the announcement regarding it's revamping. Watch for it at this site.
Todd Jensen writes...
I thought that I'd give my own comments here on the Weird Sisters as portrayed in "City of Stone" and "Avalon".
My own reason for being bothered by the change in the Sisters' portrayal between these two stories wasn't based on the fact that in "Avalon" they were working for the Archmage. What bothered me rather was the apparent change in their moral character. In "City of Stone", they talk about how revenge is wrong and every life is precious. In "Avalon", they're vengeful and consider the lives of mortals meaningless, and display this attitude even before they meet the Archmage, when they try to turn the humans into owls. They underwent what looked almost like a 180 degree turn around that I found difficult to comprehend.
The best that I could come up with as an explanation was that in "City of Stone", they didn't want Macbeth and Demona to kill each other since they needed them for the assault on Avalon, and were just doing the usual "villain speaking of virtue to achieve his or her own goals" (kind of like Shakespeare's Iago telling Othello to beware of jealousy even while secretly and deliberately sowing the seeds of jealousy in him). But while I could accept that with the simple overall statements, I found it hard to apply that to the questions that they were putting to Macbeth and Demona at the end of "City of Stone Part Four". The insight that they showed in the lives of Demona and Macbeth in speaking those questions seems to me something that one just can't fake, that would be beyond the abilities of mere clever hypocrites. That's the big reason why I have a problem with reconciling the Sisters' behavior in the different episodes.
Greg responds...
Sure, but as I've said before, there are wheels within wheels, particularly with the Sisters who represent a lot of triple goddesses and have different aspects.
Remember: All things are true.
They are hypocrites.
But it's also not that simple.
Todd Jensen writes...
A question about Odin's quest to regain his eye in "Eye of the Storm"? Wouldn't this be, technically, a reneging on his deal with Mimir? After all, Odin did voluntarily surrender the eye for a drink from Mimir's well, so that would mean that it was no longer his property, that he had signed it away. (Of course, Mimir probably is no longer in a position to protest this, given that you've indicated in the past here that his beheading by the Vanir took place in the Gargoyles Universe, but I can't help wondering about this issue anyway).
Greg responds...
Mimir's long gone. Think of it as salvage. With Odin having a better claim than most, wouldn't you say?
Alex "Cyclonus" Bishansky writes...
You mentioned that Oberon's power class is Power, and Anubus and the Banshee are connected to Death and Mab Power and Chaos.
Are there any other classes that Fay are connected to that you can state.
Greg responds...
Oh, is that what all that "connectivity" stuff was that LSZ was talking about?
But I can't believe I said "Oberon's power class is Power." Power class is power. That sounds like gibberish to me.
Anyway, I have no desire to go through a list of all the Children that we know and "Classify" them. Most of them are fairly clear anyway.
LSZ writes...
1) Do immortality spells ala Demona and Macbeth's work on other fae?
2) How do the Death-gods in general view immortality?
3) How does Anubis in particular view immortality?
Greg responds...
1. Huh?
2. I don't know how to answer this question.
3. In what sense?
LSZ writes...
Why haven't any fae ever gone to space before? Don't they have curiousity about what's out there?
Greg responds...
Why haven't you gone? Aren't you curious?
LSZ writes...
1) What happens when one Death-god is destroyed?
2) You said the spell in GRIEF put Death itself into stasis; did this apply only to Earth or to the entire universe?
3) Since you said that if all the Death-gods were destroyed, something or other will arise to take their place..this seems to imply that the Death-gods are very neccessary to the running of the universe..well, at least Earth's area. So what were things like BEFORE the fae evolved? What entity or entities had a connection to the process of Death then? Was the act of dying any different pre-fae?
Greg responds...
1. Depends.
2. Earth.
3. Not substantially.
Vasy writes...
1.What did titania whisper into fox's ear at he end of the gathering part2
2.who rules after oberon
3. is fox the next queen of avalon
4. does titania know who the ruler of avalon will be after oberon's demise.
5. when does titania die.
6. how does titania die
7. does alexander, xanatos's child, ever become ruler of avalon.
8.odin is king of the gods in norse myth, and oberon is king in hte scottish/irish myth...so why does oberon ruler over odin?
9.how did oberon dfeat mab
10. why did oberon battle mab
11. who is merlin's mother, i know she is human, but who she
12. did merlin's mom know she had a son to oberon, or didn't oberon tell her
13. does foxes, dad...i say foxes dad because i dont know how to spell his name, well does he know that foxes mom is titania?
14. when oberon made everyone sleep in gathering part 1 and 2, why is foxes dad and vogel not asleep? was this titania's doing
Greg responds...
1. Do you think they'll be wondering about this in Ask Greg four years from now?
2. Who says there is an after?
3. Who says there is a next?
4. Who says there's a demise?
5. Who says she does?
6. See 5.
7. No.
8. You're premise is incorrect. Oberon is not king of the gods in Scotish/Irish myth. He's king of the fair folk. There's a difference.
9. That's an epic story.
10. That's part of the above mentioned epic story.
11. A welsh noblewoman.
12. Huh?
13. Yes. Which doesn't mean he's dealt with it.
14. No. Renard and Vogel put an energy field around the bridge of Fortress-II similar to the field that surrounded the Eyrie.
You know it occurs to me that these questions covered multiple unrelated topics. That's a no-no. Next time I'll get tough on you.
Vasy writes...
1.What is the total plan of the wierd sisters for macbeth and demona?
2. Does titania know what the wierd sisters do?
Greg responds...
1. Please don't ask questions that would require novel-length responses. This isn't the format for that.
2. What do you mean?
Vasy writes...
The fae weren't exisiting during the dinosaurs
1. when did they start to exist
2.how did they come to exist
Greg responds...
1. Upon Earth's creation -- to answer your question literally.
2. How does anything?
Vasy writes...
1. if a human killed oberon, does he become ruler of the third race
2. who kills oberon
3. how does oberon die
Greg responds...
1. No.
2. What do you mean?
3. Who says he does?
Haplo FD writes...
1. I know this queston has been touched upon before but I was wondering how was it that the ringing of an iron bell could bring Oberon to his knees and almost kill him (even after he had been given back his full powers) and yet the iron harpoon in the chest couldn't hack it?
2. Also, near the end of that episode, Oberon was severely drained of his power (with the old man visage), but then for no apparent reason returns to his normal self. What happened which enabled him to return to his usual self?
Thanks. I appreciate any answers given.
Greg responds...
1. One attacked his corporeal form. Which was injured, but he was given TIME (while Puck droned on) to recover. The bell made a more direct attack to his nervous system. Preventing him from recovering, had they kept ringing it. You'll notice that once they stopped ringing it, he recovered very quickly. Whereas once he removed the harpoon, it still took minutes for him to regain his normal form.
2. He had time and the power to heal.
Aris Katsaris writes...
Why changelings? I mean: why would fay exchange their children for human ones? I am not sure it was ever that clear in the real myths but what's the reason in the Gargoyles universe?
Greg responds...
Everything is case-by case. There isn't one answer.
Todd Jensen writes...
After reading LSZ's comments on the use of Norse mythology in "Gargoyles" (particularly with Odin) and your responses to them, I thought that I'd weigh in with my own thoughts on Odin as portrayed in the Gargoyles Universe.
As something of a Norse mythology buff (and, like you, I very much enjoyed the d'Aulaire book which was my big introduction to the Norse myths), I enjoyed Odin's showing up in "Gargoyles". The one detail that bothered me in "Eye of the Storm", though, I confess, was when both Odin and Goliath in his "Eye of Odin" form were wearing horned helmets. This was because I'd read that the Vikings never actually wore those kinds of helmets, and, even more significantly, Hakon and his Vikings in "Awakening" weren't portrayed as wearing horned helmets but the sort of outfits that Vikings wore in actual history. So I felt a bit disturbed by the horned helmets in "Eye of the Storm", on the grounds of "They know better, because of how they drew Hakon and his followers."
Admittedly, since Odin and the "Odinized" Goliath weren't human flesh-and-blood Norsemen like Hakon, but fantasy beings, maybe the horned helmet concept does work for them, in that their appearance would be reflecting the popular imagination view of Vikings.
Greg responds...
Well, I suppose you're right. But maybe that's where the popular concept of horned helmets camed from. Not from the actual vikings, but from the Norse "gods" themselves. Or, heck, maybe from horned Gargoyles, for that matter.
I also won't deny that our Odin was uncomfortably Kirbyesque. Don't get me wrong, I like the design, and I wouldn't change it now. But I wish we had done something a little more original. I guess I didn't mind so much because he spent half his time as a Polar Bear or as an Old Man with that cool cloak.
Entity writes...
Hi Greg,
A belated personal reaction to THE MIRROR. In the past, you've seemed curious as to how things came off to us. Did we get the implication here, or did we correctly interpret there. Well, here's something that really threw me initially. When Goliath describes the Third Race, he uses a lot of different nouns and adjectives. At first, I thought this new "Third Race" was going to be a contrived method of stuffing all other creatures of myth and fantasy into the series, in addition to the gargoyles, without having to give each one a unique background and history. In this way, you could bring in a unicorn, a minatour, an elf or an ogre, and you wouldn't have to justify them existing as individual species like the gargs, because they're conveniently blanket-labelled as the "Third Race." In short, I thought Goliath was describing a people more akin to the New Olympians, a collective, rather than a coherent species. Elisa's response was most responsible for cementing my conclusion, when she said, "Shapeshifters, elves, fairies, you mean they're real?" It sounds a lot like Elisa's interpretation of Goliath's speech was the same as mine.
As you could imagine, I felt quite betrayed and outraged. To forge such a unique, well-shaped universe and then just lazilly toss in everything else as if you said, "Well, on second thought..."
This wasn't the case, and the Third Race wound up being a wonderful addition to the series. But it took me a while to realize that. :)
Greg responds...
On the other hand, it kinda was the case... We just executed it better than you thought we would.
LSZ writes...
Do the smith-gods of various pantheons possess the iron-resistance?
Greg responds...
I don't think so. (It's not like a super-power, o.k.?)
LSZ writes...
Does Oberon's father share his iron-resistance?
Greg responds...
I don't know much about dear old dad yet.
LSZ writes...
Did any of the fae who got worshipped actually believe they were gods?
Greg responds...
Probably.
LSZ writes...
1) Are there any faelike beings out there in space then, if such evolution on other worlds is possible?
2) Are any evolutionary processes to start such beings beginning or halfway through or in the final stages off-Earth?
3) Are any of the three races in the Space-Spawn War on similar evolutionary lines to the fae?
Greg responds...
1. Technically, fae are earth natives. I'm not ruling out the possibility of fae-like beings in space. Anymore than I'm ruling out the possibility of humanoids in space. But you get the idea...
2. See 1.
3. No.
Aris Katsaris writes...
As a comment to one of LSZ's posts> I'm not that certain that Ra would be the leader of the Egyptian pantheon - I think that in the myths the leadership seems to have passed from Ra to Osiris and finally to Horus the Younger when Osiris was murdered...
Greg responds...
I'm not gonna comment on that now.
LSZ writes...
Who's the fae nearest in power to Titania, not counting fae more powerful than she is in raw force(Oberon, Mab)?
Greg responds...
I'm not big at quantifying things. (Haven't you and I established that in the past?)
LSZ writes...
Are the fae leaders of the pantheons(Odin, Ra, Zeus) etc always the most powerful of that group?
Greg responds...
Generally.
Yea! I got one!
LSZ writes...
Did Ragnarok occur or was even part of the Oberon-Mab war?
Greg responds...
Is this one question or two?
I apologize, LSZ, but you have a real knack for asking questions that I just don't get.
LSZ writes...
I think this was also lost in the queue, so
1) What would happen to Oberon when Mab returns?
2) Would Mab be around by 2158?
3) What would happen to Mab by 2158?
4) At what level of maturity would Oberon and Titania's children be by 2158?
Greg responds...
1. He will not go quietly.
2. Can't say.
3. Can't say.
4. Can't say.
LSZ writes...
Just what is it that makes Mab and Oberon so powerful?
Greg responds...
Magic.
LSZ writes...
Are any fae connected to bacteria or any other micro-organisms?
Greg responds...
asdfjkl;
LSZ writes...
1) Were the heads of various pantheons(Odin, Ra, etc) also connected to the ruling class?
2) What were Thor and Loki connected to?
3) What connection is there between Titania and the Titans?
Greg responds...
Somebody stop this person, please...
LSZ writes...
another silly question, but..are any fae connected to iron?
Greg responds...
They don't much care for iron.
LSZ writes...
This is probably a silly question, but are there any single entities in the universe more powerful than Mab?
Greg responds...
Probably. No matter how big you are there's always someone bigger.
LSZ writes...
Are any fae connected to gravity?
2) To science?
3) To one race or type of human or gargoyle?
Greg responds...
1. What does that mean?
2. Huh?
3. O.K. I didn't get this question four posts ago.
KW Keller writes...
Oberon's Children questions (maybe):
1. Are beings such as gnomes, leprechauns, brownies, etc. fay? If so, why is there such a difference in power between them and someone like Odin?
2. Are djinn/jinn/genies (or however one prefers to spell it) members of the third race?
3. We know there have been human/fay hybrids produced in the Gargoyles Universe, but have any gargoyle/fay hybrids ever been produced?
Greg responds...
1. Why does Tiger Woods play golf better than the rest of the planet?
2. Sure.
3. Maybe.
Abigail Thorne writes...
During the World Tour, Goliath and Co. ran into many members of the Third Race and screwed up their plans. Did Oberon find about about that? I was just trying to figure out if he'd find it amusing or if he'd be irritated. From his point of view, the gargoyles had already invaded his island--now these four puny mortals were besting his powerful children? I don't think he'd take that lightly, but maybe I'm wrong. What do you think?
Greg responds...
I don't think anyone went into very specific details. Kinda embarrassing, and runs the risk that Oberon might say: "Were you breaking my non-interference edict?"
LSZ writes...
1) Is it possible for a fae to have a connection to a single or at least a type of species?
2) If so, is Anansi connected to spiders?
3) Raven ravens?
4) Coyote coyotes?
5) Finally, is it possible and are there any fae that are connected to gargoyles or humans as a species?
Greg responds...
ugh
But wait! This sounds like it makes sense.
1. I'm not sure I get it but i think the answer is yes.
2. Yes, obviously.
3. YES!
4. YES!
5. That isn't the idea. Spiders are Anansi's familiars. You don't usually recruit familiars from sentient species. Those are called apprentices or flunkies.
There! Did I break the codeword?!
LSZ writes...
What connections are the most common among the fae?
Greg responds...
Back with those 'connections'.
Did I use this word in some context, cuz I don't have a clue what you mean.
LSZ writes...
Are any of the fae 'gods' we've seen so far like Anubis or Odin older than Oberon?
Greg responds...
Maybe.
LSZ writes...
1) How old is Mab?
2) How old was Mab when Oberon was born?
3) How old is Oberon?
4) Titania?
Greg responds...
1. Old.
2. Old.
3. Old.
4. Old.
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