Lord Sloth writes...

Why do none of the New Olimpians bother to tell Goliath that there are other Gargoyles on New Olimpis? Where do the other gargoyles live on the island? How big is the Island? it looked like it was just one floating city.

Lord Sloth writes...

Hi Greg, is it July 4th now? You seem to be making quite the effort to catch up to us. Just know that I have a big list of questons that I havn't even asked yet. Anyway, to the question.

When Goliath and co. returned to N.Y., what did they do with the skiff? Did it sink like Arther's? And when they got back, was it from the lake near Belveder Castle, or in from the Atlantic or what?
Tank u.

Lord Sloth writes...

Was there a reason that so many of the world tour eps were about locals learning to accept thier responcibility and or heritage seriously (ie. heritage, hound of ulster, cloud fathers, golem)?

Anonymous writes...

What exactly is the dreamtime? Is it like the astral plane?

Sloth writes...

When the Goliath & co. finished the egypt ep, they just calmly turned to stone in front of the spinx. Since they weren't sure what happend to they pack, weren't they being a bit careless about where they slept, or were they confident that Elisa could protect them from Wolf, Jackel AND Hyena?

Anonymous writes...

Any plans on retconning parts of Hound of Ulster?

Pyro X writes...

Greg;
The Native Peoples of NA came to NA VIA the Bering Strait some thousands of years ago.

1) When Oberon dispatched his "family" to live among mortals, did Raven make his way imediatly to Q.F.I off Canada?
2)Did Raven "take on" the persona of "The Raven" based on Native legend, or was he always "Raven"?
3) As you have said, you never know if that is Pucks true form (As the in the elvish form). Does this, as well, apply to the Other children? Was that Raven's true form?
4) Does Raven have a true form?
5) Did the "Raven" legend spring from "Raven" himself?
6) What WAS that thing Grandmother turned into??? (the thing with the weird mouth).

Thanks!

Todd Jensen writes...

In "Eye of the Storm", Erik and Gunther's surname was "Sturluson". Was this an allusion to Snorri Sturluson, the author of the Prose Edda (one of the leading primary sources on Norse mythology)?

Sloth writes...

Did Goliath, elisa, Angela & Bronx return to Avolon in between every world tour episode? If so was it just to go there and quickly leave, or did they have more adventures there? And when they leave do they just sail into the mist and land where ever Avolon wants?

Sloth writes...

The show states that gargoyles can withstand very cold tempretures, but how about hot? I'm asking cause Goliath and co fly close to the Magma in two volcanos and seems fine. BTW, can volcanos be like that and not be active?

matt writes...

just watched "The Hound of Ulster", and (arn't you surprised?) i had some questions:

1. when the Banche saved Goliath, Elisa, and Angela from drowning in the bog, how did she do it? did she transport them to that chamber, or was that chamber directly below the bog or what?

2. How old is Rory? and how old is Molly? Rory said he was out of school and i'm asuming he means high school... so is he, 19? 20?

3. after the episode, what and how much did Rory tell his father? everything?

and as Gargoyles is known for its foreshadowing:

4. when Goliath said, "A whole clan of gargoyles could not batter down these walls!" were you thinking of the Irish garg clan you've said existed being in that same chamber ever?

5. Rory said, "The Hound of Ulster? Sure, and dwarves made me shoes..." well, the hound turned out to exist, so DID dwarves make Rory's shoes? :)

Todd Jensen writes...

When you first had Xanatos and Owen mention the Emir in "The Edge", did you know that he'd feature in an episode in a prominent role at that time? Did you when you got to their mention of him in "Double Jeopardy"?

Anonymous writes...

Are there actual gargoyles that resemble Raven's clan of illusion?

Greg "Xanatos" Bishansky writes...

Ok, this has been on my mind for a while, and checked the archives and didn't find it there.

What was Raven hoping to gain by driving everyone away from Queen Florence Island in "Heritage". I don't really understand his motivations there.

Sloth writes...

Was there a point To Xanatos finding out that Goliath was missing in "Kingdom" other than to prove that Brooklen is a good desision maker? Xanatos did meet up with Goliath in Arazona, but that seemed to be a coincidence that he turned to his advantage in finding Cyotie (the trickster, not the robot :^). Was this a point you wanted to expand more on?

Todd Jensen writes...

This is something that I should be posting later, ideally, since you haven't yet gotten to the Avalon World Tour episodes in your ramblings, but I finally decided that I needed to let this out of me soon, so I'm doing so now.

I've noticed, over the years since I discovered "Gargoyles" fandom on the Internet, that many people didn't like the Avalon World Tour for various reasons (the length of time, the absence of Hudson and the trio, the focus on myth and fantasy aspects rather than more "mundane" elements like crime-fighting, etc.). On the other hand (while I may have had my moments of wondering when Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx were going to get back to New York), I quite liked the World Tour. To a certain extent, I'll admit that I'm biased - my tastes naturally run towards fantasy/myth elements. But after doing a little thinking on this one, it increasngly struck me that, aside from all that, something of the nature of the Avalon World Tour was a must for "Gargoyles" at some point.

The reason for this is that the World Tour served a very crucial purpose (besides the general one that you mentioned of expanding the "Gargoyles Universe"). It made it clear that Goliath, his clan, and Demona weren't the only gargoyles left. And that was a crucial step. Because if they really had been, the gargoyle species would have been almost irrevocably doomed to extinction, with only seven members left, only one of those seven a female, and that one estranged from all the rest and very unlikely to reconcile with them. Goliath and the others would have been the "last gargoyles", not only in the sense of being the only ones left, but also in the sense that no new gargoyles would come along after them.

If that had been the case, it would have obviously made a rather depressing series. Admittedly, having the main character be the "very last of his kind" wouldn't necessarily be utterly melancholy - Superman is the very last Kryptonian, and his story's an upbeat one, on the whole. But the situation there's different; Superman's alien origin is treated more as a plot device to explain his abilities, so his being "the last of his kind" doesn't appear quite so melancholy. Goliath and his clan's "gargoyleness", however, was treated in the series from the start as a crucial part of them and their very nature, rather than a similar handy plot device to allow them to serve as effective protectors of New York. And also, it was clear enough from the start that an important part of the series would be the gargoyles seeking to make peace with humanity, to overcome the fear that so many humans view them with. Such a quest would have been futile (in a sense) if they were the last of their kind - the understanding on humanity's part of the true nature of gargoyles would come too late to avert the race's extinction - the best that the gargs would be able to hope for in such a situation was that they might be able to live out their last years without the general human population hunting them down, but still aware that there would be no new gargoyles after them. Not very happy.

So there'd obviously have to be gargoyles living in other parts of the world to ensure a future for the species. And Goliath and his clan would have to come into contact with those other gargoyles for the audience to see that they weren't the last. But the clan's situation would make that tricky. For one thing, there'd be the obvious transportation problems - they can't simply hop aboard the next plane bound for London or Japan. And given how secretive gargoyle clans would obviously have to be in modern times, even if Goliath and Co. had a mundane means of transportation to wherever it was that one of these clans was living, they would certainly not be likely to find out about these other clans easily. The only solution to both questions that wouldn't feel contrived was magic - as in the magic of Avalon that sends you where you need to be. That way, Goliath could be brought to the locations of the clans in London, Guatemala, and Ishimura in a convincing fashion.

So I think that the Avalon World Tour was indeed a practical must for the series, to allow the crucial moment when the clan can learn, as Hudson put it in "The Gathering", "We're not alone. We're not the last."

Anonymous writes...

What was the purpose of the episode Cloud Fathers? Was it to introduce Coyote the trickster or Beth?

Anonymous writes...

Did you have plans for Tea's hunter friends?

Anonymous writes...

Whatever happened to that guy and his son that we saw in eye of the storm? Do you have plans for them?

matt writes...

obviously Elisa told Matt about many of the World Tour adventures (i.e. Hunters Moon- Easter Island Statues) did she tell him about the New Olympians? did she tell any other humans? did Goliath and co. tell the trio and Hudson about the New Olympians?

Justin writes...

Hey Greg, it's been awhile since I posted.
My question is
1) Was it Avalon's magic that enabled Goliath and co. to talk to Zafiro, Kai etc. during the world tour?
2) If yes then would the residents of New Olympus speak some Mediterranean language?

Thanks

durax writes...

<i>You said that the yeti would be seen in Gargoyles for sure. Is it an animal elated to the gargoyles or a gargoyle.
--------------------------------------Greg answered---------------
That story is actually written. It was written for Marvel's Gargoyle comic book before it was cancelled.</i>

Would Coldstone have been involved with this story?

Anonymous writes...

You said that the scenario in Bushido was purposely similar to that surrounding the Wyvern massacre so was the scenario of the two were panthers purposely similar to MacBeth's and Demona's scenario which is a fay giving mortals extraordinary power for a price?

Anonymous writes...

Whats the difference between Shangri-La and Xanadu?

matt writes...

ok, if you won't answer what other World Tour episodes you had "planned" besides the Himalayas and Korea, what were some ideas you had for other possible locations?

Todd Jensen writes...

You indicated in one of your recent responses that Shangri-La came to mind as the site of a possible, but unmade, Avalon World Tour adventure. What I'm curious about is whether it'd be possible to include Shangri-La in "Gargoyles". I believe that it was invented by James Hilton in his novel "Lost Horizon", written and published in the 1930's, which could make it a little too recent to be quite in the public domain as yet, though I'm not certain on that.

matt writes...

in "The Gathering" when Goliath and co. arrived in New York what happened to the Avalon Skiff? did it sink as Arthur's skiff had done in London? if the just left the skiff in the lake or river could anyone have gotten in it and accidently gone to Avalon?

matt writes...

besides the Himalaya w/ Coldstone episode and the Korean garg episode were there any other possible World Tour eps planned? if so, where would they have taken place?

matt writes...

when Derek was mutated into a panther like mutate did you have "Mark of the Panther" in mind? i found it really great that Diane was telling this story about humans turning into panthers, which is kinda what happened to her son, and then is still surprised when the were-panthers change, and again has seen Derek as a pseudo-gargoyle and still is shocked by the gargoyles in Nigeria with Elisa!

matt writes...

how does the World Tour thing work? do the travelers return to Avalon after every stop in the real world, or only sometimes, or only when the spell is cast? who would cast this spell among Goliath and co. and Jade and Tequesa?

Tanika writes...

Hello, Greg!

I was recently reading a Nigerian folktale, "Nana Miriam," (in the book "Not One Damsel in Distress," bu Jane Yolen) which reminded me of some questions I had about "Mark of the Panther," and brought up some new ones.

1. Specifically, two of the characters in the tale are named Fara Maka and Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi. What is the relation of those people/names to the character of Fara Maku and the city of Kara-Digi? (Were those the correct spellings of the names in the episode?)

2. Was the tale of Anansi and the panther woman an actual folktale, or did you (or someone else) write it for the show?

3. If it was written, what elements, such as the character of Anansi himself, were drawn from actual legend?

4. If it is an actual legend, what elements, if any, were changed or adapted to suit the purposes of the episode?

Thank you . . . this is something I've been wondering about for some time. :)

(The Guppi) writes...

[1] The first time I watched _Possession_ I pretty much took it for granted how much Coldfire and Coldsteel resembled 'Desdemona' and 'Iago'. It makes sense when you're used to half-baked comic book logic (not to disrespect your own fine work in the field), but Gargoyles takes great pains to create a more, erm, well-done and realistic (or at least snarkily pseudo-scientific :P) universe. On later viewings, I was compelled to contemplate further. The techniques used in creating the Steel Clan wouldn't apply here, I think. The techies at Scarab Corp. (or wherever) probably had lots of old security tapes of Goliath to pore over as much as they liked, but it's hard to imagine how that'd work with the Legionnaires. Was the likeness of design only in animation, then?
[2] Likewise, with the the WWII statue in London, which off-the-bat was recognizable as being of Goliath and Griff. Was its sculptor working solely off of Sir Douglas' accounts? (Pilots are generally more observant than the average bear, and from the impression he made on you as a kid, he musta made one heckuva eyewitness. It still is kind of a stretch, though...)

Ambrosia writes...

I was just driving around yesterday and something came to me that I thought I'd ask you.
In Sentinel, Elisa appears to be kidnapped by this huge... *monster* from the perspective of the doctor and Duane and co. No doubt all sorts of awful thoughts are running through their minds so when they find her again at the end of the episode, I'm sure they really want some answers. So when Elisa suggested to Nokkar that these people could be his new allies and he went off to talk with them, did Nokkar tell them the *whole* story? About who the gargoyles were and that he was the one who gave Elisa her amnesia? If they know about gargoyles now, they could be allies to the clan as well.
Thanks for your time! Happy Holidays!

matt writes...

how many eggs are in guatemala in 1996?
what year were the other clan members destroyed?
having the ability to function in daylight, wouldn't it be a top priority for the pendant wearers to watch over the pyramid, clan, and amulet during the day? why then were ALL four of them away the day the pyramid was raided and the clan destroyed? were they tricked?

Faieq writes...

Quite some time ago you told us some of the religions of the humans and you asked whether you'd missed anyone. No-one major, but I was just wondering if you've given any thought in the religions of the following people:

1)Margot Yale

2)Brendan

3)Officer Morgan

4)Fara Maku

5)Taya

6)Taoro

7)The Emir

8)Travis Marshall?

I know most of these are very minor characters and that you probably haven't given any thought into them, but I was just wondering.

Joxter writes...

Sooo... Why *was* Margot Yale in Paris? Coincidentally at about the same time as the Avalon tour group?

Sapphire writes...

Was the Panther Queen a Fay

Tim writes...

Just thought you might like to know that Toon Disney channel ran a marathon of each and every Gargoyles episode [Minus the Goliath Chronicles. :) ] on Friday the 13th of October from 7 at night to 5 the next morning. I was rather pleased and astonished to see this! Either this was a completely Halloween theme and they needed some appropriate cartoons, or we might actually be getting through to Disney through fan writing and letting them know that YES, we want this show back on the air! Either way it was pretty cool to see Gargoyles all in a row for a page on the T.V. Guide.

A few questions! {A}What exactly did Raven want Queen Florence Island for? {B}Was it his nature as a trickster to oppose Grandmother? {C}What was he going to do with it if he succeded?

Sapphire writes...

In the episode Mark of the Panther what was the Panther Queen? was she an ordinary panther or a fay? I was just wondering because the Panther Queen seemed to have the feelings of a human since animals doesn't have human feelings in any sence of the word

Ed writes...

You established that the Himalayan Coldstone adventure was such that it wouldn't affect the continuity of "POSSESSION" very much. But were there any new parts of the tapestry that would be brought back later on?

Ed writes...

Did you have any further plans for the "WALKABOUT" Shaman?

LSZ writes...

Does the survival of the Loch Ness Monster have anything to do with the fae or the Lost Race?

Vashkoda writes...

skiff questions:

I noticed that there was a face on the Sisters' barge that resembled the face on the skiffs.

1a) Are they of the same person/being? b) Is this person/being a Child of Oberon? c) What is this person/being's name? d) Is he (if it's a "he") still alive at the time of "The Journey"? e) Does he have any associations with sailing or water?

2a) The Princess and company originally left in three skiffs, but Mary and Finella took one back to the mainland, leaving two at Avalon. So how was it that there were three skiffs at the end of "Avalon, Part 3"? (one for the gang, one for Macbeth/Demona, and one for Arthur) b) Why would they need the extra skiff at Avalon? c) Did the Princess or Magus or any of the "eggs" ever accompany Tom to the outside world?

3) Since the incantation to reach Avalon is referred to as a "spell", and the Magus orginally read it from the Grimorum (which may have acted as the necessary conduit), how is it that Tom could invoke the spell, not being a wizard and having no conduit? (in addition, the Magus worries about whether "Constantine or his *sorcerers* get a hold of [the spell]", implying that his sorcerors might be needed to cast it.) For that matter, how will Jade and Turquesa be able to cast it?

Jherti/Patricia writes...

You asked for a confirmation on the meaning of 'yama' in Japanese. Well, I'm no Japanese, but I know that Mount Fugi is called Fugiyama. So I guess Mountain means Yama.

:)

Axem Gold writes...

You remembered how you said that the events in Turf and Vendetta could have happened at the same time.

Did Avalon Part Three and Kingdom occur at the same time? Here's what I mean.

1. Talon asked Xanatos where Goliath, Elisa, and Bronx were. He didn't know. So that mean Goliath and company didn't disturb his projects in Eygpt, Scotland, etc.

2. Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela were probably fighting The Archmage's group while Brooklyn, the Manhattan clan, and the mutates were fighting Fang.

deb writes...

Because this question hasn't been answered yet, I'd like to re-submit Jeff Lenihan's question:

"2)In "Grief," Anubis states that that which is dead and gone cannot be brought back. Why, then, was Demona able to bring the spirit of Coldstone (and those of Coldfire and Coldsteel) back from the dead? Was Anubis trying to say that he is under some sort of magical restriction similar to Oberon's law of non-interferece that prevents him from bringing back the dead, or something else entirely?"

Bruno writes...

Hi, Greg.

My last question (edited)

"Bruno writes...

2- Why every one of them join the group? Blackmail, redemption, who is who?

Greg responds...

2. Bruno, I don't give novel-length responses here. And if you don't know who is who then what makes you think it would be a good spin-off?

Briefly,
Hunter is a highly trained human (and former gargoyle hunter) who first appeared in "Hunter's Moon". She's Scotish.

Dingo is a former mercenary and member of the Pack who first appeared in "Thrill of the Hunt". He's Australian. Both Hunter and Dingo have prison sentences hanging over their heads.

Matrix is an artificial intelligence comprised of millions of nanotech robots. He/it first appeared in "Walkabout". He is a friend and ally to Dingo.

Yama is a Japanese Gargoyle from the Ishimura clan. He was banished from Ishimura after the events of "Bushido".

Fang was an American human mutated by Sevarius in "Metamorphosis". He was one of the Redemption Squad's first opponents. After being defeated, he was recruited.

recorded on 09-16-00"

A small comment about my last question: You're right. My second question about the 'Redemption Squad' was bad written. It really sounded how if I didn't knew who was Fang, Matrix, Yama, etc. But I know. The trouble is that, when I realized my mistake, I'd already posted it. My mistake. I'm sorry.
And, well, yes, I have a fairly, yet vage, idea about these guys' motivation. Except for Yama. If that's alright to you, I'll especulate a bit about him, ok?

Yama is in a quest, searching for his own honor - for both a gargoyle and a samurai (or Bushido warrior), one of the top important things in the world - then why should him join up with the Bad Guys? (and the Squad leader is Robyn Canmore, the Huntress!! Funny, huh?)
He should may had given up of his honor, but I dont't believe this. I believe that this was a voluntary action. Yama believe that "If I can teach some honor for these felons, maybe I can recover my own". And the Director may wish to have a true Good Guy in the Squad, why not?
Then I believe that he will be the group "conscience". And that, eventually, he may just leave and come back home. (But he will not make this, off course: The contrast among him and the others can make great storys.)
Well, that's it.

PS. When I watched 'Bushido', it was recordered in my VCR. But a trouble in the tape erased the sound. Yes, video but no sound in all the episode. And do you want to know? Even without sound, I could understand the story basis perfectly: The friendship among the gargoyles and humans in Ishimura, the idea of a theme park with the gargoyles, and the great final fight. The scene where Yama and Goliath argue in the 'Wyvern castle', I near could ear Goliath talking something as "It seems to me that he wants you and your clan as animals in a circus". Congratulations: These great storys survive everything, even lack of sound.

PS2. In the fight, one of the gargoyles, an old female, has a beak. Coincidence, or a descendant of Brooklin and Katana? (Sorry, silly question ^-^)

PS3. Another thing I noticed: Taro burned ALL his money with that park. For this, he could not mind with the fact that some gargoyles didn't want to be part of that. He must be paying the money losses until today. (he, he :-)

Todd Jensen writes...

In Puck's "Future Tense" illusion, was he attempting to use guilt as a weapon against Goliath to break him down, as well as shock and grief? Brooklyn and Lexington both berated Goliath severely for "running away" and leaving the clan and Manhattan defenceless against Xanatos, making it clear that in their eyes, it was all his fault that the city was in the condition that it was. Lexington also implied (at least, how I saw it) that Goliath's "abandoning" the clan was a reason for his turning evil. So, was Puck attempting to fill Goliath with guilt to weaken him all the more?

Phil writes...

Hi, Greg.

I love the show; thanks for answering our questions, etc.

Now that the clans contest is over, I have a question. In "Bushido," Taro built a gargoyles theme park. The first few times I watched it, I was too enthralled by the new Japanese gargoyles to notice the backgrounds. Recently I realized that the park was more than a re-creation of Ishimura. The castle looks just like Wyvern, Notre Dame de Paris can be seen, and there were a few other buildings of various architechtural design.

1) Did Taro really know there were gargoyles at Wyvern, Paris, etc. or did he just guess?
2) If he did know, how? Is he acquainted with Xanatos, the Illuminati, or someone else who knew?

Thanks for your time!

Kalafarski writes...

Finding myself lost in that massive "Old Ask Greg Archive," I stumbled across a mention of a missing World Tour episode featuring Coldstone in the Himalayas. What would've happened there?

Entity writes...

Hi Greg,

Before I say anything, I'd like to apologize for the impersonalness of my last two guesses for the Clans Contest (about a dozen posts previous). I just figured a preamble was unnecessary, but looking back, it feels cold.

Anyway, I wanted to ask about the unrealized Tibetan adventure. Did it have to do with:

1) Religion
2) Politics/Current Events
3) One of Oberon's Children

Also, how far did it get in development before it was canned?

The revelation that this story was cut for episode volume is disheartening, especially since we won't get another World Tour, even if the show returns.

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?

Todd Jensen writes...

Was watching my tape of "Golem" recently, and found myself wondering about something in it for the first time. After Renard finishes the ritual that transfers his soul into the Golem's body, he tells Vogel to keep his original body safe, because they might need it later on. My question is: what was he planning on needing it for?

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?

Bud-Clare writes...

1. What were the names of the four members of the Guatamalan clan before they were given the pendants? (It's odd that I'd ask you a question that I don't really expect you to have an answer to. Consider it definitive prove that the universe is a silly place.)

2. Will they revert to their old names when they "retire"?
(2b. Am I correct in assuming that, unless they die, they'll eventually pass their pendants on to younger gargoyles?)

Entity writes...

Why was the visit to Tibet not shown in the World Tour? Considering it's only one extra location, I doubt it had to do with episode volume. Was it an idea you thought of afterwards?

LSZ writes...

1) What was it that allowed Sevarius to discover the LNM(Loch Ness Monster) when so many other people have failed? Chance? Better equipment?
2) Who funded his expedition?
3) What were his main purposes for finding the LNM?
4) By the time of the Future Gargoyles Series, whenever it is set now, would the world know about the LNM publicly? Meaning would they have been discovered and even slightly studied by the scientific public post-Sevarius..
5) Do any of the fae seen on the show know about the survival of the LNM?
6) Does the Illuminati know?
7) Does Xanatos?
8) Does Demona?

Emmlei writes...

Quick questions.
1. Were there any plans to use some eastern European and/or Russian folktales during the foreseeable course of the series (any series actually)? I can think of at least 3 stories that might have come up, with two possibly Fae related.
2. I hope this isn't going to come off as an idea, but were you going to do anything with the Romany (aka Gypsies)? They have to be the one of the most mysterious group in all of European history (for a number of reasons).

Todd Jensen writes...

You mentioned in one of your most recent responses about the Rory/Cuchulain business reminding you of Thor as portrayed in Marvel Comics (and wanting to handle his transformation differently if you ever got to do Rory again). That part intrigued me because I'd been wondering for some time about the fact that there did seem to be a certain basic similarity between Rory/Cuchulain and Marvel's Thor (whom, I confess, I'm not that familiar with, but, because of my interest in Norse mythology, I did read up a fair amount on the Marvel Comics interpretation of the Norse myths). I did see the resemblance in the fact of a seemingly ordinary human transforming into a "real" mythological figure (Thor for Dr. Donald Blake, Cuchulain for Rory Dugan) through the use of a staff or cane that was really the traditional "magical weapon" of that figure (Mjolnir/the Gae Bolga). In your opinion, was there some influence there?

LSZ writes...

How long did it take Sevarius to find the LMN?

Todd Jensen writes...

In your first season Gargoyles Bible, you raised the question of whether gargoyles fought in the Battle of Britain, a notion that eventually became "M.I.A." in the second season. This indicates that the notion of gargoyles protecting London from the Germans in 1940 was one that you'd had quite early on in the history of making the series.

Is there any particular reason why you had thought of gargoyles as participants in the Battle of Britain?

Justin writes...

For starters I love the show and I was deeply saddened when it was canceled.My question is that you mentioned that one Zafiro's descendants would play a role in 2158.
1)Who exactly would his/her parents be?
2)Will any other descendants of clans from the world tour play a part?
3)Who exactly is/was Zafiro's mate?

LSZ writes...

Were any golems created before the Golem of Prague?

Demona Taina writes...

Here's something I've been wondering for a long time, Greg. You see, my native language is Spanish, so I started taping the show in Spanish, then in English. I've got several questions about the translations of the names and all, but I'll stick to the questions I need an answer for.

In the episode "Mark of the Panther," or "La Marca de la Pantera" as the case would be, there's Tea and Faramaku. Well, in the Spanish translation, she calls him "father," and in English, "love." Well, I'm pretty sure that you wanted them to be daughter and father to reflect Goliath and Angela's feelings, but in that last scene, they hug each other so tightly, and talk to each other about love and all, that it's hard to tell whether they're related or not.

Sorry if I spelled the names wrong, but they're always changing them in Spanish. And I do mean always. Like "New Olympus" and "Nueva Olimpia," "Goliath" and "Goliat," "The Pack" and "La Manada".. little details that are hard to keep track of. But hey, I try. ;)

Thanks for your time, Greg. :)

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?

Sixshot writes...

Hi mr. Weisman

In Mark of The Panther, Goliath killed "Anansi". He used a spear, but was it in iron? If not, how could a spear make him disappear like that?

Anonymous writes...

In Hound of Ulster was Cuchulainn lying when he said he use to have a hound similar to Bronx? According to Celtic myths he never owned a hound, but he did kill one.

Anonymous writes...

Avalon World Tour Questions and Comments

1) When did Goliath, Bronx, Elisa, and Angela finally arrive in New York on The Gathering Part One? What I mean is did they arrive at the same time Oberon gone to the Eeire Building?

2) You mention that if the Gargoyle Comic Series continued there would be an Issue where Goliath and Company were sent by Avalon to the Himalayas to run into Coldstone. If and when you get to continue doing Gargoyle episodes would you consider converting the issue into an episode?

3) During the episode Golem Goliath was hoping that Renard could help them get back to New York, but then he realizes that fate has guided them to every place on their journey and they must see it through to the very end. Here's the question though why didn't he consider using the Phoenix Gate to get them back to New York? Plus they would have returned to New York a few minutes after the left for Avalon.

P.S. I have more questions on the way.

LSZ writes...

If these questions have been asked before, they aren't in the old or new archives, though I'm sure at least the first has been asked before:

1) How long were Goliath, Elisa and Bronx away from New York on the World Tour?
2) What was Elisa's explanation to Chavez and her friends?
3) How many places besides the ones we saw did they go to?
4) Care to name some of the unseen ones?
5) Is there any significance to the carved face on the skiff?

Todd Jensen writes...

This is about your mention once that King Arthur and Griff would visit the South Pole during their quest for Merlin:

1. I understand if you don't want to answer this question, but I'm a bit curious as to why they'd think of looking for Merlin in Antarctica. Back in the 5th century, nobody in Britain would have been aware of Antarctica's existence, so it would be a rather unlikely place for Merlin's Crystal Cave. Why would Arthur and Griff consider it a candidate, then?

2. Was your decision to include the South Pole on Arthur and Griff's itinerary influenced at all by the fact that Antarctica was the only continent that Goliath and Co. never visited on the Avalon World Tour?

Aris Katsaris (repost by Aris) writes...

This comes with some delay but better late than never... Concerning Morrigan (to give credit where due) Todd had already guessed that in the Gargoyles Universe she may have been Banshee... I had my doubts, in part because I hadn't guessed that the 'love' part in their love/hate relationship went back to their earlier life...

Anyway... So, the Morrigan of legends is an amalgation of Banshee and the Weird sisters... interesting and ofcourse quite fitting. (I also wonder if the idea of the Weird Sisters in love with anyone could ever pass S&P - it would seem a bit like a group orgy or something... :-)

I was intrigued (and quite pleased) when I found out that you had further plans for Banshee as Molly - the episode had left me rather unsatisfied, Rory transforming into Cuchullain and attacking/killing the Banshee as if Molly had meant nothing to him... it felt kind of a letdown (especially since I quite liked Molly while the Banshee seemed two-dimensional). So I'm glad this is not the end of their relationship, even though I agree with you that it would be difficult to near-impossible to focus a whole series on the two of them.

Hmm... here are a couple of questions. Does Rory know that the Banshee is still out there or does he think that he has killed her? And that 'transformation' into Cuchullain... would you have it happen again, or even on a regular base? (I rather disliked the transformation - I didn't much like Cuchullain's form...) And how does Rory feel now about Molly/Banshee/Crom Cruach?

Thanks btw, for the compliment on my usage of English... However the specific post concerning the Morrigan was in great part a copy-and-paste job from a mythological website... :-)

Demona (repost by Aris) writes...

Hi, Greg! I have a quick question for you -- why did Avalon send Demona and MacBeth to Paris? Goliath, Angela, Elisa, and Bronx were sent to Paris because of Demona and MacBeth. So, why were Demona and MacBeth there? Thanks!! :)

LSZ writes...

At what period in history was Karadigi built?

LSZ writes...

What's the Emir's real name?

Justin writes...

The guatemalan clan was almost nearly wiped save four.
did any eggs survive? If so, how many?

Nyrtleka writes...

It seems that naming is not a gargoyle custom. Yet the other clans in the World Tour (London, Ishimura, Guatemala) have names. My question is how did Griff and Una and Leo get their name?

Pamber writes...

Great work on Gargoyles, Mr. W!

With the Guatemalan gargs, the names Obsidiana and Turquesa are similar to the stones obsidian and turquoise. Jade is spelled like another stone, jade. On that sun amulet thing in "THE GREEN", some of the stones were black, green, and I think bluish, which are the same colors as obsidian, jade, and turquoise. I think there's another color also, but I'm not sure. My question is this: is the name Zafiro based on another type of stone?

Pamber writes...

have jade and turquesa returned to guatemala from avalon yet? did they go on adventures wherever avalon sent them?

Kevin Catchpole writes...

How come you didn't use the silent c pronunciation for Cuchulain (phonetic: Koo-hul'-in)..I noticed this in a reference guide in the Morgan Llywelyn novel Red Branch. Is she in error listing it thusly, or is either pronunciation considered acceptable. Just curious :)

Ambrosia writes...

Was Gary Sperling the one who wrote Grief? :)
Anyways, sorry about my last post on Max Steel. I should have known you'd clear that up long before you got to read it.
See you later!

Nyrtleka writes...

In the AskGreg Archive, you wrote: "I expect Angela, Sora, Ophelia, Boudicca, Obsidiana, and Turquesa to all lay eggs in 2008."

As I see it, Angela is Broadway's mate, Sora is (presumably) Kai's mate, Ophelia is Gabriel's mate, Obsidiana is Zafiro's mate, and Turquesa is Jade's mate. But what about Boudicca? Did she and Bronx mate? It seems logical, since (other than Fu-Dog) there are no other gargoyle beasts in the series. Is this true?

Ambrosia writes...

Ah, The Edge…
I just adore that scene where Owen and Xanatos are sparring. The first time I saw that episode though, I thought it was laughable: Owen Burnett in a gi, his glasses and electronic organizer set aside so he can be beat on by his employer. I was quite surprised when he actually won. I looked at Owen a lot differently from that point on. He is, as Demona likes to say, "A force to be reckoned with."
I'm afraid I did guess that the red robot was Xanatos. Still, the part at the end where he removes the helmet is wonderfully dramatic.
It's been a long time, so I don't remember for absolute sure, but I think, since the museum was so dark, I thought it *was* Goliath stealing the Eye. You're right, it seems obvious, but after that scene with him roaring at the news report and the whole clan looking at him in that, "uh oh, he's lost it," kind of way, I thought he was enraged enough to do it.
About Munch's "The Scream" (and this is straight from my art history text): it's in Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo. Don't ask me where exactly that is… but it's not in Manhattan. Sorry.
Absolutely amazing that the Emir was mentioned this early in the series but wouldn't physically appear for another season or so. Were you planning the Avalon eps in that much detail, that much ahead?
I *love* Travis Marshall. He always seems to tell it the way it is… whether it's against public opinion or not.
I'm with Erin. I was on the edge of my seat in the battle scene, seeing this ep for the first time, not as much because of the danger and action, but because I was sure someone was going to damage Lady Liberty. Why did Xanatos choose her as their battle field anyway? Goliath had said before that he probably didn't want anymore damage done to his city…
Thanks, Greg. We love ya!

JEB writes...

Was the inclusion of the Scroll of Thoth in "Grief" a references to the Conan stories/Cthulhu Mythos?

Alex Wittenberg writes...

Two questions inspired by the Avalon World Tour and "The Gathering"

1. What is the nature of Avalon that it sends poele where they need to be? It is alive or sentient or just an agent of kismet? And why is the island endowed with these powers? (OK, that's really three questions, but one answer, I suppose)

2. We don't see Goliath, et al, actually return to New York. What happened to the skiff? Did it sink like Arthur's skiff did? And was there a scene perhaps showing them returning that was left on the cutting room floor?

F.A writes...

Whatever happened to the Guatamalan Sun Amulet? The last time we saw it Broadway was holding it when he turned to stone.

Scott Iskow writes...

Hi, Greg.

Just last night, I was talking to a few of my floormates, talking about childhood cartoons, toys, and the like, when the subject of the Disney Afternoon came up. After going through each cartoon in the order that they aired, we came to "Gargoyles," at which point I was surprised to learn that it was pretty much a consensus that the show was "amazing." I say "surprised" because I didn't figure these types of people to appreciate a show like that, yet here they all were, in the same room.

One person in particular appreciated the "Avalon" storyline. He loved the mythology, and didn't know until a chance encounter at the library after "Mark of the Panther" that Anansi existed outside of the show.

Just letting you know that there must be tons of people you reached with "Gargoyles" that aren't even part of the fandom.

Robin Wynn writes...

Hi Greg!
I figured I'd take this time just to state my opinions on the Avalon episodes. Especially since so many people seem to have disliked them (mostly I finally decided to do this after reading Alaxk's negative posts). I, on the other hand, LOVED them. I mean, I had wondered about other gargoyles living in the world, and it had already occured to me (before all the Avalon stuff) that unless the other gargs found some reason to come to New York, (and that seemed unlikely, seeing as mostly the gargs were unknown, and that gargoyles would want to stay at their homes to protect them) we would never see them, because our gargs certainly didn't seem to be going anywhere. The Avalon eps. were the perfect opportunity.

The Avalon eps. accomplished a lot of stuff that otherwise never could have been touched in the normal series. Also, as far as the quality of the show, if anything, i think it went up. From episode to episode you never knew what was going to happen. When would Goliath get home? Would Angela find a place to stay along the way, or would she follow them all the way to Manhattan(yeah..I actually wondered that for awhile)? What was happening back home?(which my only complaint would have to be that you didn't manage to do very many eps on this issue. Though i think you said that you had planned for one) Plus, though I'll admit a couple of the eps weren't that great, and maybe one or two that were, in my opinion, a little corny(ie Vendettas), but those eps existed in the series even before Avalon (ie. A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time, Silver Falcon, Protection, etc.), Most of the episodes were really good! (IE. Shadows of the Past, Future Tense, MIA, Grief, Bushido, etc.)

...ok...lets see..did I leave anything out...I think I've sorta lost my train of thought....what was I talking about?....

The Gatekeeper writes...

In your ramblings on 1/24/00 you asked for what our reactions were to several of your more risky plot twists. It is hard to think back to when I first saw them, particularly when I rewatch the episodes and see new things; but I'll give it a go.
When the World Tour was originally airing, I found it interesting to begin with, but the major characters that I liked at the time were back in New York, so I would start groaning at another world tour episode. In retrospect, the world tour was probably a very good idea. Too often a series dies due to lack of new material. In doing the world tour, you opened up a large number of new ideas and possibilities.

I don't really remember my reaction to the clocktower beign blown up. I think I was surprised. It had become a standard set piece, and people generally don't go destroying things like that. I was not surprised at the return to the castle. With Xanatos' change in attitude after Alex's birth that move was being telegraphed.
I was also not suprised at the move out of the castle, Elisa was pushing so hard during the entire episode that Goliath didn't have much of an option.
Just my $.02 worth. I mainly just enjoyed being able to escape reality for a while and not be bored silly while exercising. (An hour on a rowing machine while watching the news can be mind numbingly dull).

E.J. Kalafarski writes...

Hi Greg. Did you walk into the World Tour with the intention that Goliath would loose all the items the Gargoyles had been safeguarding? I mean, by the time the travelers got home, Goliath had lost the Grimorum (destroyed), the Eye of Odin (recovered by Odin), and the Phoenix Gate (lost in time). I realize the Gargoyles picked up the Guatemalan Medallion along the way, but was the concept of Goliath returning home with none of these items a conscious decision on your part, or just the way things worked out? Thanks.

Ray Kremer writes...

Greg,
Another enormous fan of the show here. Gargoyles is truely the Babylon 5 of animation. (And if you haven't experienced Babylon 5, it's recommended. The reference is to the interlinking plot elements that gives the show a "big picture" quality.)
One of your ramblings asked for comments about blowing up the clock tower, moving back into the castle, etc. I think those were great moves, and fit well into the story. I always hoped they would make it back into the castle someday. Even the world tour eps were great, the only annoying thing was we went through several rerun cycles before getting to "The Gathering". On a straight run through of the eps, I don't think there were too many world tour eps at all.
Anyway, there needs to be a question here. In "Metamorphosis", the 'death' of the Sevarius was so convincing because just as Derek was about to get the antidote shot, the gargoyles burst in the door, threw Anton into the eel tank (breaking the antidote vial), and escaped. Now, this works out the way Xanatos wanted, but how could they have set it up so perfectly, with such wonderful timing? There was no way to tell when the gargoyles would make the rescue attempt, or which door they come through, or where they would be throwing people.
Thanks again for the show, and count one more vote that it comes back someday. (Speaking of which, using the net to ignore TGS and the time gap - I'd go for that.)

Blaise writes...

Hey Greg! Just read your ramble about taking risks on the show. I have to tell you, I liked that.
Actually the first thing that got my attention was in the first five episodes when a) the majority of the clan was massacred, b) there were actual children (eggs) that vanished, and c) a character who was introduced as a "good guy" and the hero's love to boot ended up a dangerous villainess. I liked that. I wasn't initially as surprised at the gargoyles moving to the clock tower--I guess I kind of expected them to leave the castle sometime (because of Xanatos and all).
During the second season, however, the permanent changes really started hitting me. Elisa's brother and three other humans are turned into Mutates and NOT CHANGED BACK at the end of the episode. Hell, the ep ends with Xanatos pretty much triumphant, Brooklyn depressed, Elisa crying and the other gargoyles troubled (at least, that's how I interpreted it). And of course, Demona gaining the ability to turn human during the day! The Pack's permanent body upgrades (and Dingo's eventual reformation). Owen's stone hand--quite an ending that. And of course the addition of Angela to the cast. I always find it interesting when a new character is added to the show as a REGULAR.
Then there's the Avalon World tour. I got to admit, that's gutsy. Yeah, I got annoyed sometimes--4th or 5th ep I started wondering "when are they going to get home?"--but then I realized I just had to sit back and enjoy the ride. And I did.
The Xanatos family--I didn't really see that coming (how many other characters in animated afternoon shows get married and have kids like this?). The Clocktower's destruction--I could have killed you guys for that cliff-hanger. ;-) I did not expect that, but after it happened, I figured Xanatos would help them and they'd live in the Castle again. But that was only AFTER you destroyed the place they lived in for the majority of the show.
This is a book now, so I'll just finish by saying this: You guys did a bang-up job!

Abigail Thorne writes...

I've been a fan of Gargoyles since it first came on--it's one of my all time favorites. I just wanted to thank you and your staff for creating such an imaginative, complex world for viewers like me to escape into for a half hour. Hopefully, you'll be able to continue your work on the show one day.

Okay, here's the question (I have others, but you said ask one at a time, which makes sense). Elisa, Goliath, and Bronx were gone for many months during their Avalon adventures. Explaining their whereabouts to Matt Bluestone and the rest of the Maza's was no problem since they are all in on the clan's secret. But what about Elisa's superiors at the police station? How did she explain what she had been up to for the past two or three months?

Ed writes...

Nokkar is trapped on Earth with no way of knowing how his people (or his enemies) are doing or even if they are still alive.
1. Does he still believe that they are out there?
2. Does he believe he will ever regain contact in his lifetime?
3. Does he have a family or relations that he has left behind?

Todd Jensen writes...

You've stated that gargoyles, in your vision at least, came about naturally in the way that all other living things did, and were not creations of faerie or human magic. I certainly feel that that's the most probable explanation for them. But something that I would like to raise is this - in the Gargoyles Universe, would it even be possible to create a genuinely sentient race using magic?

My own feeling is that it isn't, based on what I saw in the series. Oberon, one of the most powerful magic-users in the Gargoyles Universe, animates a number of statues in "The Gathering Part Two" to aid him against Goliath and his clan, but the statues remained made out of stone rather than becoming flesh and blood, and showed no sign of true sentience in battling the clan, no more so than - say - the Steel Clan. The same thing was the case with Raven's "totem beasts" in "Heritage", who, when animated by him, remained made out of wood and also behaved more like automatons than like truly alive and intelligent beings. And in "Golem", the Golem that was created by Rabbi Loew likewise didn't come across to me as truly sentient, but just a walking clay statue - it never even spoke except when Renard was possessing it. (The Golem did show some dim signs of genuine awareness, but not on the level of a gargoyle, certainly).

So, what I'm basically asking here is - aside from your belief that gargoyles were not created by magic - would it even be possible in the Gargoyles Universe to magically create a truly sentient being or race? Or is such a thing beyond the capabilities of any being other than God?

Oberons Child writes...

Hi Greg,
It's good to see that you're answering questions again - just take your time, you'll get through them! I have a question I would like to ask of you, It probably seems stupid, but...

In the episode 'Mark of the panther' (I think that's the name) , when Fara Maku transforms, his Necklace is not 'absorbed' by the magic spell. Was this just to distinguish the two were-panthers, or was there another reason?
See, told ya it was stupid!
Anyway, thanks.

P.S. Am I the only Irish gargoyles fan? If not please mail me at oberons.child@oceanfree.net . I'm dying to meet other fans! Thanks again for your time. Oh, and Have a happy X-Mas!!!!

Alaxk writes...

After Avalon, you drop four strong characters (Hundson and company) and their stories so that you can introduce Angela, get rid of the eye and the gate, and to change Goliath's view of Angela as a clan member to Angela as a duaghter, do you feel that this could have been done without devoting 22 episodes to the World Tour.

Alaxk writes...

During pre-Avalon Gargoyles, you developed wonderful conflict in New York between various groups, why did you not continue to use them after Avalon?

Alaxk writes...

Had to do over again, what would you change about the series? (have I biased you yet :>)