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Xanatos, David

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Emyy250 writes...

http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=9336
Do you feel like answering the first two questions now? Or maybe just the second one since it doesn't require research?

Greg responds...

At this point, I'd say these are all NO SPOILERS questions.

Response recorded on January 28, 2020

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Phoenician writes...

I was swimming through the S8 archives and noticed a Gargoyles question that's been asked before but never really had a chance to be answered (at least online).

From 2001: http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=2177

From 2013: http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=19262

Naturally, I'm curious myself now (and curious that I've never really wondered about it before tonight). So how many seasons and/or episodes was The Pack on the air?

Just to be thorough, I double checked the ol' This Day in Gargoyles' Universe History rambles from 2007-2008 and the posts relative to the on-air Pack program only refer to the day the television at the castle began airing episodes of The Pack on all stations all day and night long (http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=644), the day of the live-performance engagement (http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=645), and the aftermath of Wolf & Fox's arrest, leading to the show's cancellation (http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=647) . . . all in the span of four days from November 3rd to November 6th, 1994.

Finally, I've been reading Cary Bates's and your work on The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom and I just finished World of Warcraft: Traveler! I thorougly enjoyed both and I (like so many others) cannot wait for Young Justice season three :D

Greg responds...

Thanks for the kind words!

The Pack had at least one season and had begun (at least) its second when the $#!^ hit the fan. I don't have Gargoyles materials here at my WB office, and I just can't remember if they had more than one full season. But I don't think so.

Response recorded on August 03, 2017

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Emily writes...

Hello again Mr. Weisman, I Just Got and read the first 6 issues of the 'Gargoyles' Comics, and here's 1 of the Curious Questions I do have related to them, though it's More like a 3 in 1 question if you don't mind

Between "Invitation Only" and "Bash" Why Does Xanatos Invite Margot Yale and her Husband to his castle? Since He surely does know that She's the Assistant District Attorney and the Adviser to the gargoyle taskforce and is Clearly Against the Gargoyles, doesn't he think it would be too risky because of the Rumors circulating that he's "harboring" the gargoyles? And Does Margot only accept the invitation to Find Proof of the rumors?

I don't know if it's just me, but she certainly seems like the kind of dirty D.A who'd take advantage of her position by any means to get what she wants

Greg responds...

There's nothing in what we've shown of Margot to indicate that she's dirty or corrupt. So I'd be careful with words like that.

I think the stated reasons given in the conversation between Xanatos and Hacker for inviting anyone would apply double to Margot in her position.

As for her showing up to snoop, clearly she didn't. She showed up to socialize with all the right people, including Judge Roebling and others. Whether or not she suspects Xanatos of harboring Gargoyles, she clearly couldn't imagine that he'd just be letting them walk around his party dressed like characters from Wizard of Oz.

Response recorded on May 08, 2017

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Emyy250 writes...

What year was Xanatos born?

Greg responds...

1955.

Response recorded on March 14, 2017

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FallenLegend writes...

Shows:Young Justice+Gargoyles

I recall you mentioned that the villains (the light) and David Xanatos didn't kill the heroes because they considered that would be a waste.

1.-What could they possible gain gain from keeping them alive? I mean in their reasoning.

Thank you Greg.

Greg responds...

It's all right on the screen. Look at all the times that they've USED the heroes. If what you saw in the episodes doesn't convince you, I don't know what I could say here that would.

Response recorded on November 09, 2016

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Няшный Кэк writes...

Hello, Greg! I hope you're doing well.

1. So long after I've seen "The Mirror" episode for the first time, and I'm still deeply curious: what was Xanatos look like as a gargoyle? Preeeeeeetty interested. I know, that this is not the best question to be answered in writing, but if only briefly...

2. Episode "The Edge" starts with a sparring between Xanatos and Owen. And Owen gets the upper hand.
a) Why did Xanatos stopped the following sparring?
b) Was the purpose of sparrings with Owen in training him in hand-to-hand combat?

Greg responds...

1. I'll leave this to your imagination.

2a. Didn't he have an appointment?

2b. No, it was to maintain his edge.

Response recorded on October 13, 2016

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Mr. Joe writes...

Do you remember the Gargoyles board game that came with a VHS back in the 90s? In the beginning of the video, David Xanatos will taunt the players. One part I find humourous is when he laughs maniacally. It seems so out of character for him to do. Did that part bother you? We don't see Xanatos laugh in the show. In the video, he is laughing like a saturday morning cartoon villain.

Greg responds...

I remember it fondly. I don't particularly remember that bothering me. (I know I was there for the recording.) I'd have to look at it again to be sure.

Response recorded on October 03, 2016

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Anonymous writes...

In "Rock of Ages" the Stone of Destiny is seen talking to David Xanatos in Leith and King Arthur in the Lantern of the Abbey at the exact same time November 15, 1:06 PM GMT. Then on the next page, the time it's talking to Arthur changes to 1:07 AM GMT, twelve hours earlier. Was the first one a mistake or was it meant to drive home the point that the spirit of destiny can inhabit any vessel, even a supposedly fake one?

Greg responds...

I'm looking at the issue now.

It appears there is a typo for Arthur. He should be A.M. on both pages. It's very frustrating that I missed correcting that.

But there were no fake vessels. A rock is a rock. So that is part of the point - not of the error - but of the story.

Response recorded on September 09, 2016

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RexBlazer1 writes...

Hi Greg,

I'll try and keep this short, as I'm sure your busy and having things to do, but basically I would like your honest opinion on something. And no, don't worry, it's not about ideas for any of the things you've worked on, nor anything that I or others have written.

Anyway, I'm an aspiring writer who wants to make his own series, and there's an aspect of storytelling that I can't seem to decide on. You see, I have always felt that there are, primarily, two types of villains:

1. The kind who do bad things and don't care
2. The kind who believe that their actions are justified

Summarily, I can't seem to decide which one is worse, as it could really be argued either way. I've asked some friends what they think, and have gotten back different answers.

Admittedly, the self-justifying villain tends to fall under a trope that I have a disliking towards:

Knight Templar - a villain who is convinced that he/she is the hero.

And, after thinking about it, there is at least one thing to appreciate about the "bad and don't care" villains; at least they have no illusions about what they want or what they're doing. Plus, we've seen a lot of the self-justifying villains in recent years, to the point where I think it might be overused. Which is why I think a balance between the two needs to be met, as too much of one can get old fast.

But anyway, I mainly just wanted to ask which type of villain you think is worse; the "bad and don't care" kind, or the self-justifying kind?

Greg responds...

I take some issue with the reductive nature of your question. And so I think you're going about things the wrong way. It's not about which is worse. It's about what fits your character. Take, as an obvious example for this website, GARGOYLES.

We have two rather unique and memorable lead villains, DEMONA and XANATOS. I suppose you could reduce Xanatos to your definition of a type one villain. And I suppose you could reduce Demona to your type two. But there are moments when Xanatos thinks what he does is justified, and moments when Demona does a bad thing and just doesn't care. There are also moments when each has done truly heroic things.

The point I'm making is that a great villain is nothing more or less than a great CHARACTER. Write a character with consistency, backed by consistent motivation and history and I don't really care if he or she is type one, type two or type three. (Because, among other things, I doubt that there are truly only two types.)

Response recorded on September 08, 2016

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Paul writes...

What was Xanatos' contingency plan in case Goliath threw him off the edge of the Eyrie Building at the end of "Awakening, Part Five"?

Greg responds...

Don't know.

Response recorded on July 22, 2016

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Anonymous writes...

Why did Sevarius leave Gen-U-Tech for Nightstone Unlimited? Xanatos didn't want to lose him as a resource and he didn't become more ethical. Did Demona and Sevarius offer him more money? If so, isn't Xanatos rich enough to give Sevarius a raise? Did he decide to limit Sevarius' creative freedom? What happened?

Greg responds...

I'll leave the answer to that to your interpretation.

Response recorded on June 27, 2016

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NoOneSpecial writes...

I heard you got work a new project. Hope to enjoy in the three years' time when you answer these questions

1. When Puck went about creating his persona for Owen, how smart did he want Owen to be? Now Owen strikes me as the kind of guy who'd be very intelligent. I would be willing to hazard that he's almost as smart as his own boss. Was Puck just going by his observation of Preston Vogul when he set up Owen's intelligence?

I understand if this sounds muddled, but I'm not necessarily asking if Puck literally made himself smarter or dumber through magic. I'd assume that everything Puck knows, Owen also knows and vice versa. My question is how did Puck decide on Owen's intelligence?

2. Now I'm asking if Puck literally can make himself smarter or dumber through magic. We see Fae change their forms, so can they change their mentality to the same degree and just "give" themselves more knowledge? I mean, could Puck make himself a "super genius" if wanted or did he have to educate himself a little as Owen?

3. Why didn't Xanatos take Puck's original offer? I mean he was offering Xanatos a chance at immortally and he instead he chose Owen's service. Now I consider two reason.

The first is kinda obviously. Xanatos wouldn't trust Puck since he's a "trickster" and he would suspect some horrible twist to Puck's wish. On the other hand, Xanatos was willing to get Coyote, another trickster, to do the same thing. But then again, Xanatos had captured Coyote so maybe he thought he had better leverage.

I wouldn't have put it past Puck to have some kind of trick in mind if he gave Xanatos immortally. Of course maybe the real trick was in fact that Puck would have been true to his word and granted Xanatos immortally, no strings attached. Meaning Xanatos had in fact blown he's one perfect chance to be immortal. But that's just a theory

The second reason I have, is also part of my question. Does Xanatos consider Owen's service to be invaluable?

4. When did Xanatos become aware of the existence of magic and the supernatural? Was when he first met Demona or when he met Puck? Was he sceptical of it at first?

5. Puck once said that he could make Goliath love Demona again. "Piece of cake" as he said. So could he have actually made Goliath fall in love with Demona or would it just be a spell more akin to the one Demona used to put Goliath under mind control?

Greg responds...

Just a year plus, thank you very much.

1. Probably, but he cheated. Went with his own intelligence, for the most part. Harnessed.

2. I dunno.

3. Both.

4. No Spoilers.

5. Closer to the latter but less obvious.

Response recorded on May 16, 2016

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Max writes...

Hey Greg! My question is in regards to the letters sent by Xanatos in Vows:
1. What details were included in the first letter? Did he just say "here is a coin" or were stock tips or other future knowledge included?
2. Who did young David think sent the letter? Could someone as intelligent as X really leave that alone for 20 years?
3. Are the letters constructs of the time stream or out of David's head? Did he read (or copy) the originals before traveling back in time?

Greg responds...

1. Just the coin, basically, as I recall. It's been a while since I've rewatched the episode.

2. He never knew. He may have searched on and off for an answer, but didn't find one until the second letter came.

3. He probably had them memorized. So the content may in fact have been born with the time stream.

Response recorded on May 06, 2016

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Todd Jensen writes...

I've read the synopsis of the radio play crossover you made for "Gargoyles", "The Spectacular Spider-Man", and "Young Justice" (it'd be neat if you could put up the script for it at "Ask Greg" as you did for "Religious Studies 101", and noted that, near the end, you had Batman asking Goliath to join the Justice League. Now, the obvious reason why you had Batman be the one approaching Goliath was for the joke about Xanatos trying to get both Batman and Iron Man to join his club for rich guys with fancy equipment. But I remember how, back when you were making "Gargoyles", you were concerned that people might see it as a rip-off of "Batman: TAS" (to the point where you even drew up a list of differences between the two series); did you choose Batman for that role as a sort of callback to that?

Greg responds...

Not consciously.

Response recorded on April 22, 2016


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Steel-Goliath writes...

I wonder you said that kaijudo was complex to write even for you could you clarify also what was it like to write for the choten any similarities to writing for xanatos

Greg responds...

There are a lot of characters, multiple worlds within worlds, lots of rules, lots of alliances. It's complex. Not undoable. And not necessarily hard to understand while viewing. But it's a lot to keep track of while writing. Even for me, and I specialize in juggling this kind of thing. That's not meant as a criticism. I think the series is a blast. But it was a challenging show to get my head around as a freelancer.

I suppose there are some low level similarities between Xanatos and the Choten. Certainly, they both have complex agendas. But I suppose you'll forgive me if I see more differences than similarities and believe that Xanatos is at a different level of sophistication in terms of his goals. In terms of what he cares about and especially what he DOESN'T care about. He's less... obvious. (But of course, I'm biased.)

Response recorded on October 09, 2014

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EXALT writes...

I rewatched "Sanctuary" recently, and I have a little doubt. When Goliath sees Thailog, he doesn't seem really surprised (I mean, he is suprised to see him there, but he doesn't seem suprised to see him alive): did Xanatos alert him, somewhere between "Double Jeopardy" and "Avalon Part 1", that their "child" was probably still alive?

Greg responds...

No.

Response recorded on September 03, 2014

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DENVER COMIC CON REVISED & UPDATED #3

ONE MORE TIME!! This looks to be as final a revision as it's going to get for Denver Comic Con website (http://denvercomiccon.com/), before I head for the airport in a couple minutes. But, again, follow me on TWITTER @Greg_Weisman to stay up-to-the-minute on when and where I'll be.

DENVER COMIC CON LATEST PANEL, INTERVIEW & SIGNING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JUNE 13th, 2014

10:30am - 11:20am - ART OF THE PITCH in ROOM 110/112.
Victor Cook, Greg Guler and myself will be talking about pitching and selling animated telvision series to the Powers That Be.

11:30am - 12:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.
I'll be signing my novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS throughout the weekend for $10 cash. (That $10 includes the book, a personalized signature and copies of the original development art by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was.) I also have a half-dozen copies of Young Justice teleplays, which I'll sell (and sign) for $20 cash. I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for free - especially if you buy my book. ;)

12:50pm - 1:20pm - INTERVIEW with Tim Beyers of MOTLEY FOOL in the MEDIA LOUNGE.

1:30pm - 2:20pm - CARTOON VOICES I in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM.
I'll be moderating this panel, which features Kevin Conroy, Jim Cummings, Michael Dorn, Jennifer Hale & Veronica Taylor.

3:30pm - 4:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

4:45pm - 5:35pm - YOUNG JUSTICE in the MINI-MAIN ROOM.
This one includes myself (writer-producer, voice actor) & Christopher Jones (YJ companion comic book artist).

5:35pm - 6:05pm - OPENING CEREMONIES in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM.

7:00pm - 10:00pm - FOUR COLOR MIXER at Breckinridge Brewery/Hilton Garden Inn Denver Downtown.

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th, 2014

9:35am - 10:00am - INTERVIEW with BEYOND THE TROPE at my table at Booth 122.

10:00am - 10:20am - INTERVIEW with WESTWORD at my table at Booth 122.

10:30am - 11:20am - RAIN OF THE GHOSTS in ROOM 201.
I'll be reading from and discussing my new novels, Rain of the Ghosts & Spirits of Ash and Foam.

11:45am - 12:35pm - ANIMATION PROFESSIONALS in ROOM 201
I'm moderating this panel, which features Chris Beaver, Victor Cook, Greg Guler, Derek Hunter, Christy Marx, & Jan Scott-Frasier.

3:00pm - 3:50pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

4:00pm - 4:50pm - GARGOYLES 20th ANNIVERSARY in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM.
This is a big one, with me (writer-producer-creator), Victor Cook (storyboard artist), Jim Cummings (voice of Dingo), Jonathan Frakes (voice of David Xanatos), Greg Guler (character designer), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (voice of Elisa Maza) and Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona) .

5:00pm - 6:00pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

SUNDAY, JUNE 15th, 2014

9:30am - 10:20am - INTERVIEW with EXAMINER.COM at my BOOTH 122.

10:30am - 11:20am - THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in the MINI-MAIN ROOM.
Includes myself (writer-producer-voice actor), Victor Cook (director-producer), Jim Cummings (voice of Crusher Hogan) & Greg Guler (artist).

1:30pm - 2:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

2:45pm - 3:35pm - CARTOON VOICES II in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM.
Again, I'm moderating for Robert Axelrod, Kimberly Brooks, Jennifer Hale & April Stewart.

4:00pm - 5:00pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

In addition to the times listed above, I'll often just be hanging out at my table, so stop by. Attend a panel, buy a book, say hello!


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DENVER COMIC CON REVISED & UPDATED #2

Okay, so I just took a look at the Denver Comic Con website (http://denvercomiccon.com/), and the schedule there doesn't always match up with the schedule I was sent. I'll make adjustments below, but what this really means is that I'm not 100% sure where I'll be at any given moment. I will be tweeting throughout the weekend though, so follow me @Greg_Weisman to stay up-to-the-minute on when and where I'll be.

DENVER COMIC CON LATEST PANEL, INTERVIEW & SIGNING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JUNE 13th, 2014

10:30am - 11:20am - RAIN OF THE GHOSTS in ROOM 201
I'll be reading from and discussing my new novels, Rain of the Ghosts & Spirits of Ash and Foam.

11:30am - 12:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.
I'll be signing my novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS throughout the weekend for $10 cash. (That $10 includes the book, a personalized signature and copies of the original development art by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was.) I also have a half-dozen copies of Young Justice teleplays, which I'll sell (and sign) for $20 cash. I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for free - especially if you buy my book. ;)

12:50pm - 1:20pm - INTERVIEW with Tim Beyers of MOTLEY FOOL in the MEDIA LOUNGE

1:30pm - 2:20pm - CARTOON VOICES I in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM
I'll be moderating this panel, which features Kevin Conroy, Jim Cummings, Michael Dorn, Jennifer Hale & Veronica Taylor.

3:30pm - 4:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

4:45pm - 5:35pm - YOUNG JUSTICE in the MINI-MAIN ROOM
This one includes myself (writer-producer, voice actor) & Christopher Jones (YJ companion comic book artist).

7:00pm - 10:00pm - FOUR COLOR MIXER at Breckinridge Brewery/Hilton Garden Inn Denver Downtown

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th, 2014

9:35am - 10:00am - INTERVIEW with BEYOND THE TROPE at my table at Booth 122.

10:00am - 10:50am - INTERVIEW with WESTWORD at my table at Booth 122.

11:45am - 12:35pm - ANIMATION PROFESSIONALS in ROOM 201
I'm moderating this panel, which features Chris Beaver, Victor Cook, Greg Guler, Derek Hunter, Christy Marx, & Jan Scott-Frasier.

3:00pm - 3:50pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

4:00pm - 4:50pm - GARGOYLES 20th ANNIVERSARY in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM
This is a big one, with me (writer-producer-creator), Victor Cook (storyboard artist), Jim Cummings (voice of Dingo), Jonathan Frakes (voice of David Xanatos), Greg Guler (character designer), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (voice of Elisa Maza) and Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona) .

5:00pm - 6:00pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

SUNDAY, JUNE 15th, 2014
9:30am - 10:20am - INTERVIEW with EXAMINER.COM at my BOOTH 122.

10:30am - 11:20am - THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in the MINI-MAIN ROOM
Includes myself (writer-producer-voice actor), Victor Cook (director-producer), Jim Cummings (voice of Crusher Hogan) & Greg Guler (artist).

1:30pm - 2:30pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

2:45pm - 3:35pm - CARTOON VOICES II in the MAIN EVENTS ROOM
Again, I'm moderating for Robert Axelrod, Kimberly Brooks, Jennifer Hale & April Stewart.

4:00pm - 5:00pm - SIGNING at my BOOTH 122 on the main floor.

In addition to the times listed above - and especially since I'm no longer 100% sure of my schedule - I'll often just be hanging out at my table, so stop by. Attend a panel, buy a book, say hello!


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Up Next: DENVER COMIC CON

Frank Paur and I had a great time at the GARGOYLES 20th ANNIVERSARY Panel at Califur this past Sunday. Saw a couple old friends, and talked for TWO HOURS on the creation, development and production of Gargoyles.

Up next on the #GARGOYLES20 tour, stop #2: DENVER COMIC CON. http://denvercomiccon.com/

Here's my schedule (which pretty much includes all my favorite things):

FRIDAY, JUNE 13th, 2014
1:30pm - 2:20pm - CARTOON VOICES in the MAIN ROOM
I'll be moderating this panel, which features Michael Dorn, Kevin Conroy, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Hale & Veronica Taylor.

4:45pm - 5:35pm - YOUNG JUSTICE in the MINI-MAIN ROOM
This one includes myself (writer-producer, voice actor), Andrew Robinson (writer) & Christopher Jones (YJ companion comic book artist).

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th, 2014
11:00am - 11:50am - RAIN OF THE GHOSTS in ROOM 201
I'll be reading from and discussing my new novels, Rain of the Ghosts & Spirits of Ash and Foam.

12:15pm - 1:05pm - ANIMATION ARTISTS in ROOM 201
I'm moderating this panel, which features Jan Scott-Frasier, Derek Hunter, Christy Marx, Greg Guler, Victor Cook & Chris Beaver.

2:45pm - 3:35pm - GARGOYLES 20th ANNIVERSARY in the MAIN ROOM
This is a big one, with me (writer-producer-creator), Jonathan Frakes (voice of David Xanatos), Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (voice of Elisa Maza), Jim Cummings (voice of Dingo), Greg Guler (character designer) and Victor Cook (storyboard artist).

SUNDAY, JUNE 15th, 2014
10:30am - 11:20am - THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in the MINI-MAIN ROOM
Includes myself (writer-producer-voice actor), Victor Cook (director-producer), Jim Cummings (voice of Crusher Hogan), Greg Guler (artist) & Andrew Robinson (writer).

1:30pm - 2:20pm - CARTOON VOICES in the MAIN ROOM
Again, I'm moderating for Jennifer Hale, Robert Axelrod, Kimberly Brooks & April Stewart.

In addition, I'll be signing my novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS at my booth throughout the weekend for $10 cash. (That $10 includes the book, a personalized signature and copies of the original development art by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was.) I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for free.

So stop by. Attend a panel, buy a book, say hello!


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NoOneSpecial writes...

Okay so I have to be REALLY careful about how I ask this question. If you cant understand my meaning then its probably my own fault and for that I'm sorry, but I thought this was a very interesting concept. It's about xanatos's letter to himself.
Here we go. So in Vows, Xanatos travels back in time and sends himself the coin that he will eventually use to amass his fortune. He also sends a letter that is to be delivered to himself twenty years after the coin which explains how he has to get the coin, which as he said in the episode he received that very letter a week before the wedding. So I guess the best way I can phrase this is, is that the EXACT same letter and by same I mean the same piece of paper. The way I see it that letter is over a thousand years old and must be pretty worn(unless of course it was carefully preserved). So when xanatos gets the letter, does he just send back the same one he got or copy the information on a new piece of paper and send that back instead? If its the first one then that piece of paper must keep accumulating age to it. He sends it once, its over a thousand years old. He sends it a second time, its another thousand years old, and so on. So the piece of paper could eventually become so worn that it would be either unreadable or destroyed. So does xanatos just make a new letter every time he gets it or send back the one he received? PS loved rain of ghosts, hope you get to make all nine books.

Greg responds...

It was carefully preserved by the Illuminati.

In the past, he wrote the original. He doesn't reuse it.

Glad you liked Rain! If you haven't already, could you do me a favor and write up a review on Amazon?

Response recorded on May 13, 2014

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JC writes...

Hello, Mr. Wiesman,

I have a quick question about Dr. Sevaris and his mutate craetions. First, I'd like to say that even as a child I loved the idea of "mutants" that were composed of several animal species (human, bat, cat, & eel), rather than the simple one animal/human hybrid, like the TMNTs.
I was just wondering why you deviated from that approach with every mutate Sevaris made after the Labyrinth clan?
Now Wolf I can understsnd, seeing as how he was the only willing volunteer, and well, his name is simply "Wolf."
But why simply an alligator mutant, a turtle mutant, a woodlouse mutant, & an armadillo mutant, when a combo of all those animals would lead to mare of a varity in abilities (exept a woodlouse and armadillo wpuld be a bit redundant), and not seem like something that has, literally, been done a dozen times - especially the turtle and aligator mutant in particular. As soon as I saw those two, I thought to myself: "they might as well learn ninjitsu and get it over with."

On a related topic; it's been shown that Dr. Sevaris uses human test subjects to create his mutates. But does he need the actual animal(s) they are mutated into and combine them, or just use that/those animal's DNA?

Thank you.

JC

Greg responds...

1. I think during his Labyrinth experiments, he was testing features first. Mixing and matching might come later. Keep in mind, that his marching orders from Xanatos on the original mutates were specifically to create something as close to a Gargoyle as possible.

2. He just needs DNA samples.

Response recorded on May 08, 2014

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Arlo writes...

Hi, Greg. Congratulations on your new book, and I hope all is going well!

In "Metamorphosis," Elisa clearly was deeply hurt by what Xanatos had done, and she promised him he was "going down, no matter what it takes."

Has she actually done anything to work towards this end, and is she still working towards it as of the last issue of the SLG comic? She clearly fought to get Derek back in "The Cage," but I don't think we've seen any indication that she's actually working towards bringing Xanatos down. Is she still working towards this goal, and why or why not?

Greg responds...

I think her resolve is dozy for the time being.

Response recorded on April 18, 2014

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Rebecca writes...

Hi Greg,

Very recently discovered Gargoyles and it's FANTASTIC! I mainlined the entire thing in about a month and can't wait to rewatch it. What an amazing story you told.

I had a question about Talon and the other Mutates. I've searched the archives and haven't been able to find the answer to this specific question, so I hope this isn't a repeat:

When Derek was originally transformed it made sense that he didn't want to go to the police because he still thought Xanatos was working to cure him. But once he realised that Xanatos was behind it all, I'm confused about why he didn't go to the police at THAT point?

I understand that they had come to accept their forms by then, but as a former police officer (even if he had some issues with it as a career for himself), I'm trying to work out why Talon wouldn't want to make the police aware of what had happened. The Mutates themselves are physical evidence of Sevarius' illegal experiments. Even if Xanatos was able to hide the financial trail so it wouldn't be possible to prove he'd been funding Sevarius while he was on the run, then at least the authorities would be after Sevarius?

My assumption is that Xanatos made some sort of report about Sevarius when he originally "discovered" his illegal work (though hiding the existence of the Mutates), so the authorities are already after him, albeit with limited and incorrect information. Without any way to prove Xanatos' ongoing connection, the Mutates decided not to press the matter as they were afraid of being turned into lab rats again if they "went public"?

Would that be accurate? It just surprised me because the show often did talk about police procedure and WHY Xanatos couldn't be charged with things, etc., or characters' motivations that this one's been bugging me.

Thank you for your thoughts, and looking forward to Star Wars: Rebels!

Greg responds...

As you surmised...

1. The Mutates, collectively, don't want to become trapped in someone else's lab. Whether it's a government lab or that of another mad scientist.

2. Sevarius has already gone underground.

3. Xanatos covered his tracks.

Response recorded on April 11, 2014

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Brian writes...

Hi Greg,
To be honest I hadn't followed your work religiously until Young Justice and now I can't get enough. As a theater person I really fell in love with Gargoyles rewatching it now as a 19 year old and noticed so many references to pop culture and to my delight Shakespeare.

I recently purchased Gargoyles in its entirety on DVD as well as the comic continuation. Watching it from start to finish as an adult I saw so much character growth and depth that is often missing from live action television and for that I thank you. Now please don't take this as a criticism, because it is not it is simply my observation about the World Tour arch. I did enjoy it the first time around as I saw great stories. The one thing that I don't want to say bothered me because it really didn't bother me, I was more curious than anything else. Why did many of the original regular characters seem to be sidelined as a result of the arch. I guess for me characters like Demona, Hudson, Lexington, and Xanatos all seemed to be thrust to the side in favor of Goliath and Company. My question is was that intentional or just the way the story worked itself out?

Furthermore my next question is about Xanatos' change of heart regarding the Gargoyles. When looking at what the Gargoyles did to save Alexander the change makes perfect sense to be and I even admire David for that honorable quality. However, when comparing his actions in the Gathering to his behavior in Cloud Fathers, I find the change slightly out of left field. In Cloud Fathers, Xanatos admits to clichéd villainy and in several other appearances his actions towards Goliath and Co. felt so amoral that calling a permanent truce seemed as though it wouldn't have lasted. I guess my question is this do you see Xanatos as so indebted to Goliath that he would never hurt them again or is he still willing to harm them if they threaten his endeavors?

Thanks so much for great storytelling and looking forward to Rebels,
Brian

Greg responds...

1. Inevitably, if we do a journey story, we're going to spend more screen time with those on the journey.

2. It depends on one's definition of harm, I suppose.

Response recorded on January 27, 2014

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Endless Strategy writes...

Why didn't Xanatos try to capture the Kachina Coyote again? Did it go to The Gathering immediately after "Cloud Fathers?" Because if not, he had a couple weeks still before The Gathering. Even if the Tribal Police shooed him off, could he not have sent Coyote and a few other robots to destroy the soil carving without implicating himself?

Greg responds...

He could have, and maybe he did - if that makes you happy.

Response recorded on January 07, 2014

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Endless Strategy writes...

Why doesn't Xanatos make his Steel Clan more intelligent? Both Coyote and his Macbeth-bots have proven to be a tremendous improvement over the Steel Clan, in-part because of their more sophisticated programming: why not apply some form of that programming to the Steel Clan?

Greg responds...

I don't think the Steel Clan is very far behind the Macbeth robots. As for Coyote, you may not want more than one of him...

Response recorded on January 07, 2014

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Riker+Troi writes...

I love Xanatos and Demona as much as I love Riker and Troi. I know they'll never get together or anything but does Xanatos at least think Demona is attractive?

Greg responds...

Sure.

Response recorded on December 09, 2013

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Everything Geek Podcast INTERVIEW

I was interviewed on the Everything Geek Podcast here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idfnqNo-rn8

I discuss my "secret origins", The Spectacular Spider-Man, Gargoyles, Star Wars Rebels, Young Justice and more.

Check it out!

(But of course I totally forgot to mention Rain of the Ghosts at all, darnit!)


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Merlin writes...

What were Xanatos's original intentions with the Pack? He said he created them to be far more than a TV show and he sicced them on Goliath to see how good they were and to also test Goliath.

But how long were they on the air before this? He couldn't have always intended to use them as a test for Goliath, so what were his original intentions there when he created them to be far more than a TV show?

Greg responds...

To be his operatives.

Response recorded on November 27, 2013

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Greg Xanatos writes...

Dear Greg,

Through your career, you've shown a fondness for various "Master Planner" type villains (Xanatos, The Light, Nerrisaa etc.) You've also become notable for thinking out things to great detail (as your timelines and posts on askgreg have shown). So I wanted to know, has your own "master planning" informed these characters? For example, does Xanatos plan his schemes out with cards like you do? Do the Light's group planning sessions reflect an evil version of the Writer's room?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

God, I hope not. I like to think they're all much slicker than I am.

Response recorded on July 11, 2013

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John Essex writes...

Dear Mr Weisman,

I have a question about the character you wrote called David Xanatos. As you know, he was a manipulative Machiavellian mastermind always trying to win at everything. It was started first when he was dating Fox that he didn't love her at first. So here is my question, while the cold David Xanatos was dating her, did he have any feelings of intimacy towards Fox when they first had intercourse or did he have intercourse as a way to keep her in his hand on the metaphorical chessboard he called life? What I'm saying is basically, when he had the birds and the bees with Fox, did he just do it for his own gains in the future? Did he enjoy it at all?

Greg responds...

I don't think of David as cold. And I'm not sure he didn't love her from moment one. The trick was getting him to admit that what he was feeling was love.

And frankly, I think David enjoys pretty much EVERYTHING he does. So sex with Fox? Yeah, I think he had fun.

Response recorded on May 16, 2013

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MasterGhandalf writes...

I've recently been reflecting on your shows, and one thing that's really jumped out at me is that every one of them I've seen is extremely arc and continuity based, but also has, rather than a single "Big Bad", at least two core villains who contrast with and play off each other- Xanatos and Demona, Nerissa and Phobos, Tombstone and Norman Osborn, the Light and the Reach. Even the unproduced Stargate spin-off you posted about a while back had Osyros and Anubis. I was wondering if this was a conscious decision on your part to deliberately include this element in your shows, or if it's just something that flows naturally while designing a series?

Greg responds...

Huh. You know, it's clearly not conscious, since I never noticed it before now.

Maybe it's about trying to world-build something convincing, something that logically plays out the consequences of the world created, which therefore sets up multiple responses from different antagonists to a set of circumstances. And perhaps it also comes out of my belief that nothing is truly monolithic. Even the bad guys aren't just a unified mass of evil. They have agendas of their own.

But honestly, you're guess is as good as mine at this moment.

VERY INTERESTING POST THOUGH.

Because I think I've done the same thing in RAIN OF THE GHOSTS without trying.

THANKS!!

Response recorded on April 30, 2013

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FallenLegend writes...

Hey greg what's up?. I would like to ask you about your anti-revenge theme.

Was there something in your life that taught you that?

If so what it was?

Why do you usually convey that message trough villains (Xanatos and Luthor both hate revenge for example) ?

Why do you think revenge is a sucker's game?. I agree it's a very good message. But I think some people would argue that they are just trying to get justice.

Thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

1. Mostly literature. But it's not rocket science.

2. See above.

3. I personally am tired of the old cliche that a villain is so wrapped up in revenge that he or she has lost track of any other objective. It's still useful sometimes, but for a certain type of villain (like the two you mentioned), I think flipping it is more interesting.

4. Revenge does not equate with justice, per se. And pursuing revenge exclusive of all else is, I think, a sucker's game.

Response recorded on March 20, 2013

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Greg Bishansky writes...

I wrote this up on my blog last Christmas (a bit of a gift to myself there) and thought I'd share it here.

For every hero, or group of heroes, there must be villains. The villains test the hero, the villains make the hero. In the realm of superhero lore, Batman and Spider-Man have been cited as having the greatest rogues' galleries in comics. And I do not disagree. Sadly, other heroes or teams seem to come up lacking. Sure they may have one or two great villains, but the rest seem to be meh. The FF have Dr. Doom and Galactus, sure. The X-Men have Magneto and the Sentinels, Green Lantern has Sinestro, but the rest of their rogues galleries have always seemed, at least to me, to be okay at best. I know some will contest this opinion, but it's my opinion and as far as this blog goes, that's the one you're stuck with. Personally, I always thought the Third Great Rogues' Gallery belonged to "Gargoyles." So, let's honor them.

First of all, here's who didn't make the list and why:

Wolf - Nothing against Wolf, he's fun. He's a big dumb thug, but he's fun. But, as of yet, I haven't found him to be very interesting on his own. And I always thought his teammates were more interesting and fun to watch.

Tony Dracon - I like him a lot more than a lot of other "Gargoyles" fans seem to. He's usually fun, but he didn't quite have enough to make this list.

Oberon - I never thought of him as a villain, and I still don't. Even when he was trying to kidnap Alex. Did I agree with him? Not at all, but I don't think he was in the "legal" wrong either.

Robyn Canmore, Dingo, Matrix, Yama, and Fang - If you don't know why, shame on you.

Second of all, here's who I hope to add to the list some time:

Queen Mab - Come on Disney, let Greg do it!

Morgana le Fay - Ditto.

With that out of the way, let's dive into list.

20. Duval and Peredur fab Ragnal

At present, we've seen too little of these two to know much about them. But what we have seen has been enough to give us an intriguing mystery, especially if you've been following ASK GREG for the past fourteen years. They are the guiding hands of the Illuminati Society, which was created a century after the Fall of Camelot, by Sir Percival to "set things right." Which of these two men is Sir Percival? Well, I have my theories on that. Peredur fab Ragnal is the Welsh name for Percival, and Duval sounds like a modern alias for Percival as well. In fact, for years Greg Weisman told us that Percival was Duval, and then when the comic comes out we get Peredur. Following that, he said nothing changed from his original plan? So, who is Sir Percival, and what's the deal with the other guy? Again, I have my theories.

But I imagine that should new material ever come our way, one or both of these guys will shoot up on this list.

I also enjoy the idea of Duval being cybernetic, but I think he needs a bit of a re-design. Especially in what he wears.

19. The Banshee/Molly

The Banshee may have only been in one episode (with a cameo appearance in another), but damn did she leave an impression. Everything about this character was executed flawlessly. The character model, the animation, the voice, the effects! I loved how ghoulish she appeared, you could see the background through her.

It also helps that "The Hound of Ulster" is one of the best World Tour episodes. The script is tight, the animation is gorgeous, and a lot of the character actions are subtle and over the top when they need to be. Look at Molly's brief, brief exchange with Rory's father for the subtly, which contrasts the wonderful over the top performance as the Banshee.

18. Duncan

This guy was a jerk. I mean, really. A paranoid tyrant who thought the world was out to get him. Well, not the world so much as his cousin, Macbeth. I suppose I can understand seeing Macbeth as a threat to the throne, but he just seemed to go out of his way to make Macbeth miserable. He reveled in it. When he died, we were all happy to see him bite it.

17. Hakon

Batman has Joe Chill, and Spider-Man has the Burglar. Goliath has this Viking chieftain who massacred his clan. Well, Hakon may not have acted alone, but with the swing of his mace, the series really began. Like his descendant, Wolf, he's pretty one-note. But he plays that note masterfully.

But perhaps the better story isn't even the one where he shattered the clan, but the one where his vengeful spirit attempted to drive Goliath insane. That episode was the perfect send off for Hakon, even more so than falling off a cliff to his death. His angry, vengeful spirit was trapped alone at the bottom of a cavern for all of eternity without anyone or anything to hate. At least that's where I think he should have stayed. Hakon might have ranked higher if he didn't come back one last time in an episode that I thought was one of the show's only misfires. But hey, sixty-five episodes, eighteen comics, and only one misfire. You're still golden.

16. Coldsteel/Iago

Now this guy is fun. I love his design, both as a gargoyle and as a robot. I love his Doc Ock-esque tentacles, and I loved Xander Berkeley in the role. Coldsteel is a manipulative jerk, and it's fun to watch him work. His favorite victim is usually Coldstone, and his goal remains unchanging… possess Coldfire. In a nutshell, he's a creepy stalker.

What's also fun is that he's had three voice actors, and not because Berkeley was unavailable. When he controlled Coldstone's body, he was played by Michael Dorn. When he possessed Brooklyn, he was voiced by Jeff Bennett. And they both did it without talking like their regular characters. Watch "Possession" again and listen to "Brooklyn" speak. It's obvious who is in the driver's seat.

I also enjoyed his appearance in the comics, working for Xanatos to distract our heroes from the theft of the Stone of Destiny. Where will he go from here? I'm not sure. I tend to think he works better when he's teaming up with other villains than acting on his own. Well, he did see potential in the Coyote robot, so maybe that's not over; one could see him working with Thailog too; perhaps even re-team with his rookery sister, Demona… they did get along quite well in "High Noon."

15. Constantine III

What can I say about this guy? He follows a long tradition of Disney tyrants, and is just as fun to watch as any of them. Sometimes I think the tenth and eleventh century villains are even more vicious than the modern day villains, and Contantine sums that up.

When we first meet this guy, he uses Finella, the woman who loves him, to lure King Kenneth (who is in love with her) out just so he can murder him in cold blood and take his crown. Then he casts her aside so he can marry Princess Katharine and better secure his claim to the throne. And he tries to keep in control with barely veiled threats against her charges. Harsh.

But even better than that is his return in the "Gargoyles" comic book where he's hunting down and murdering every gargoyle clan he can find, and trying to find Katharine and her friends. By now, he's been in power for two years and rules with an iron fist… which leads to a civil war. This guy is such a jerk that he even kills the messenger that the army of the Three Brothers sends. You never kill the messenger.

And then there was his rather creepy relationship with his new protégé, Gillecomgain, which led to the two inspiring each other in a very twisted ways. Constantine is inspired by Gillecomgain's scars to wear them as war paint in battle, and in turn, Constantine inspires Gillecomgain to become the Hunter. As if Gillecomgain needed any more inspiration. Which brings me to…

14. Gillecomgain

Let's face it, even as a kid, Gillecomgain had issues. Obviously there was a lot of darkness instilled in him by his father, who himself had some very understandable issues also. What did these issues lead to? One rogue gargoyle was going through their barn, and Gillecomgain pointed a pitchfork into the shadows to scare a thief only to get slashed across the face. What did THAT lead to? Arguably the events of the entire series.

Gillecomgain's life didn't get better. Constantine III took an interest in him which set him on the path of becoming a masked political assassin, not to mention his continued hunt for the demon that scarred him. Like dominos, this led to events that made Macbeth the man he is today, the Canmore clan what they became, and set the tone for centuries of hatred and pain. And all because of one scratch in a barn.

As a character himself, Gillecomgain stacks up well. There is a moment after his arranged marriage to Gruoch, who obviously doesn't love him, where you almost wonder if you should feel bad for a man whose wife obviously despises him. Then he crushes her rose underfoot. What does this mean? Here's a hint, Luach might not have been Macbeth's son. Powerful stuff.

13. Falstaff/John Oldcastle

Okay, this guy is fun. Him and his gang of LARPers gone bad. They appeared only in the final two issues of "Gargoyles: Bad Guys" but they made an impression. I loved the buildup Falstaff received. We see him take a young Harry Monmouth (who would grow up to become Dingo) under his wing. Train him to be a thief, and take pity on the poor boy after his mother ran out on him. Only for that shocker of a final page where we see Oldcastle with his hands wrapped around the throat of her already dead body.

I really love his gang. At first glance, they seem super human, but are in fact incredibly skilled. And I love that Oldcastle, maybe the world's greatest thief, named himself after Shakespeare's king of thieves. He looked the part, and just seemed to take so much joy in everything he did, and that helped make it a joy to watch him do it.

I hope we get more at some point, because I want to know more about him. Why did he murder Dingo's mom? And when did the Illuminati recruit him? Does he have any other responsibilities for the Society other than guarding their giant vault? Well, until next time, and I believe there will be a next time.

12. Shari

Of all the new characters introduced in the comic books, the most intriguing has to be Shari. Is she Thailog's new executive assistant, or does she own him? So far it seems to be a little bit of both. But I'm sure it's far more one than the other.

I love the narrative device of her storytelling, and I wonder where her knowledge comes from. Sure, she's a very high member of the Illuminati Society, but there are some things she just shouldn't know. And yet, she does. Like I said, she's intriguing. Now, I have my theories on who she really is, in fact I think it's so obvious, I almost wonder what the point of not revealing it was, aside from the fact that I can't see a place in the stories released to do it.

And as a final bit of trivia, Shari's look and basic design was inspired by stage actress and long time "Gargoyles" fan, Zehra Fazal. I've seen her perform on stage, and she is brilliant. She definitely deserved to be immortalized in "Gargoyles" canon in such a way.

11. The Archmage

Who would have thunk it? A one-shot villain if "Gargoyles" ever had one. You watch "Long Way to Morning" again, and you'd never think this guy would have become so important in the grand scheme of the series. Well, let's just say that David Warner kicks ass.

While I do write off his appearance in "Long Way to Morning" as 'obvious one shot villain,' he's still fun, even there. But I think what everybody remembers most is his turn as the villain in the "Avalon" triptych. I loved "Avalon Part Two." I thought the script was brilliant. I thought David Warner's dialogue with himself was tremendous. The entire endeavor was just wonderful.

Do I agree with the decision to kill him off? Absolutely. I don't think he would have had any staying power in the modern day material. The guy is a clichéd sorcerer, even if he's a very fun one. However, that doesn't mean I think the character is done entirely. There is plenty for him to do in a certain spin-off that takes place during the "Dark Ages." Or maybe even something to do if one were to TimeDance and have an encounter with him.

10. Coyote

What can I say, I have a soft spot for this glorified toaster oven. At first glance he may seem like Ultron wearing half of Xanatos's skin, but the influence from Xanatos is evident. This robot has a sense of humor, sometimes even a perverse one. Granted it's not sentient or self-aware, but it almost seems close enough to fool you.

I love all the designs he goes through. They're all different, while at the same time reminding you of who you're looking at. But my favorite will always be the first one. I loved the look, I loved his perception-warping weapon the most. I wish he'd used it more often.

What's next for this character? Well, Greg has kept extremely tight-lipped. We know more upgrades are on the horizon, but come "Gargoyles 2198" … well, let's just say I think I know what the Xanatos of "Future Tense" was actually foreshadowing.

9. Jackal and Hyena

The "Gargoyles Universe" is well known for their complex, complicated villains. But sometimes, it's nice to just cut loose. Enter the sociopathic Jackal; and his twin sister, the psychotic Hyena and we're in for a good time whenever they show up. These two will crack you up one moment and then make you sick the next.

The first time they appeared, they didn't seem THAT bad. Then, come their second appearance, you have Hyena nearly slicing a fan's face up, and smiling when she gets arrested. Following that, we have Hyena falling in love with a robot. And then, after that, the two volunteer to trade in their body parts for cybernetic implants. Frankly, it's rather sick.

Jackal almost seems normal when you compare him to Hyena. "Normal" being very relative, until we get to "Grief" where he becomes the avatar of Anubis, giving him power over life and death, and what does he do? He decides he wants to end all life on Earth. Yeah….

I'm glad these two are close siblings, because they deserve each other. Still, whatever else they are, they're very fun bad guys. Hell, even a friend of mine named his gold colored Aztek after Hyena.

8. Anton Sevarius

Dr. Anton Sevarius earns points for being the creepiest villain we have encountered so far. He's even creepier than Jackal and Hyena! Sure, he's pretty much a hired gun, but the guy enjoys it. He revels in it. I can sum up Sevarius with one quote. After he was asked why he was doing this:

"For science, which as my associate Fang indicated, must ever move forward. Plus there's the money… and I do love the drama!"

This guy is only slightly more ethical than Dr. Mengele! And I also need to give a ton of credit to Tim Curry for really bringing this guy to life. Apparently, Brent Spiner was the first choice to voice Sevarius, but Curry got the role, and Spiner was cast as Puck. Thank god for those decisions.

Another moment that really stands out was when he was all over Angela in "Monsters." Does he have a sexual interest in her? I don't know, probably not. I think he just took pleasure in making her as uncomfortable as possible.

I think my other favorite Sevarius moment comes from "Double Jeopardy" where he thinks he's taking part in a Machiavellian scheme of Xanatos's and decides to act the part… very badly, I might add. So much fun, even when he makes you scream.

7. The Weird Sisters

Okay, let's get this out of the way. Silver haired Luna is the Sister of Fate; Raven haired Selene is the Sister of Vengeance; and Golden haired Phoebe is the Sister of Grace.

The Weird Sisters are, for the most part, a complete mystery. They have plans within plans that stretch through the centuries, after all what is time to them? They could even give Xanatos a run for his money. What is their agenda? Only they know. We've seen two thirds of the story, with Luna ascendant during "City of Stone" and Selene ascendant during "Avalon." But there is a missing piece, where does grace fall in their plans for Demona and Macbeth? Hopefully time will tell.

These three are great fun to watch. I love how they can be both nowhere and everywhere. And I love how they can and will take on different forms depending on who is looking at them at any given moment. Where do their loyalties lie? Well, it seems to be with Oberon, but I've long suspected there is something bigger at play with these three.

It would be easy to say they were plucked straight out of the Scottish Play, but in several folklores and mythologies, the Weird Sisters are present in some form. There is just something elemental and primeval about them. And that's part of what makes them a great element of the series.

6. Fox

Any woman who David Xanatos would marry would have to be cut from the same cloth he is, because anyone else would be beneath him. Fox is that woman. Hell, sometimes she gets the better of him, whether they're sparring in the dojo, or playing chess. And he doesn't resent this; it's just further proof that he's found the love of his life.

It's weird to watch her in "The Thrill of the Hunt" at times, because Wolf, Jackal, Hyena, and Dingo just seem so far beneath her, she almost seems out of place there. And yet, at the same time, the more we learn about her, the more it makes sense. When we meet Halcyon Renard, a huge piece of the puzzle is put into place. She was never a daddy's girl, in fact, quite the opposite. She was clearly motivated, for years, by just annoying her father. Maybe her mother too.

And I think it was just as much of a shock to her that she loved David. But I wonder what their relationship was like before her prison sentence? Obviously Xanatos made her a television star, but what else was going on there?
She was his lover and employee. And a trained mercenary, let's not forget that.

Like her husband, she grew and developed as the series progressed, and is every bit as interesting a character as he is. In fact, in an alternate universe, I wonder how the series would have played if Fox was in Xanatos's role from the get go.

5. Thailog

Ah, the prodigal son… and he's a bastard. Literally.

I love this guy, he's just a hoot. Thailog is as powerful as Goliath, as brilliant and amoral as Xanatos, and as hammy and immoral as Sevarius. All at once. And it shows. In every single appearance, it shows. The guy is a walking Oedipus complex, what with his desire to prove his superiority to his fathers. I suppose one might say that he's already gotten the better of Sevarius, since he has the good doctor on his payroll. And while he outsmarted Xanatos once, I don't think he's done. Turning Nightstone Unlimited into a powerhouse to rival Xanatos Enterprises is obviously a means to this end. But what next?

I think my favorite thing about Thailog is that while he is a clone of Goliath, that's the last thing that comes to mind when I think about him. He's a fully developed character in his own right, and not simply Goliath's evil twin. On that note, I'm happy his coloring is different, because the last thing this show needs is an entire episode where the gargoyles try to figure out which one is the real Goliath.

And how can anyone not find that maniacal laugh of his to be anything but endearing?

4. John Castaway

John Castaway is a fascinating character, hell to crack the top five, he has to be. Castaway is a weak man, and at the heart of everything, a frightened child. Too weak to stand up to his brother and say "this is wrong" and too weak to admit he was wrong when he pulls the trigger and everything goes to Hell. I think the only thing that has changed is his support system.

Now that the gargoyles have been revealed to the world, Castaway represents a political movement who are moving against them. And it's rather frightening. Not for being a group of hooded thugs, they are not, but for being like a cross between the neighborhood watch, and a support group. Oh, there is a violent wing of the Quarrymen, we know that. But with Castaway's shrewdness, and the Illuminati's backing, I don't think he would do something stupid like fire anti-aircraft cannons in Manhattan, or hijack a train. No… because that would make Castaway much less difficult to defeat than he is. And even then, who says that happens? The Quarrymen are destined to be a problem for at least the next two hundred years, and like the Hunters before them, his descendents will lead the organization.

Keep in mind, we can all trace this back to a scratch in a barn in the tenth century.

3. Macbeth

Well, where do I start? Well, I suppose I will start by saying that I almost feel bad for putting him on this list at all. He has a strong sense of honor, if skewed. He's worked against our protagonists and with them. But, in the end I think the only side he's on is his own. While he is more of an ally now, that doesn't mean he hasn't been part of the problem before and won't be part of the problem again.

His story is terrific. Rather than follow the Scottish Play, the story we got was a loose adaptation of the true history of Macbeth and his reign over Scotland. Yes, we had Demona and gargoyles, and the Weird Sisters and sorcery, but we also had a history lesson unfolding, even if we didn't know it at the time. And it's terrific. To this day, it's my favorite tale in the entire mythos.

When we first meet him, the centuries have certainly taken their toll. He is not above attacking the gargoyles, taking hostages, and committing grand theft. And yet, we never once think of him as evil, despite doing some pretty unethical and amoral things. That changes with "City of Stone" when we learn his story and feel sorry for him. But at the same time, I think the perception among many fans has swung around too far. Yes, we understand him more now. But that wasn't his redemption. Far from it.

I think the tail end of "Sanctuary" and "Pendragon" is where the change begins, and I stress this, begins. In the former, he learned that he is still capable of love. In the latter, while some didn't quite get why he competed so violently against King Arthur for Excalibur, well, it always made sense to me. This is a man who has suffered so much, who viewed his existence as sad and endless, that he was looking for something to give it meaning and maybe justify every terrible thing that has ever happened to him. Being the new Once and Future King would serve that purpose, wouldn't it? Well, it doesn't quite work out for him, but over the course of the series we have seen this man go from suicidal renegade to a man who doesn't think life is completely worth living, and now seeks purpose in his existence. Did he look like a fool clutching that broken sword? Well, he was a broken man. And once you hit rock bottom, the healing can begin.

2. David Xanatos

He was designed to be a heroic character, and he was cast as the villain of the piece. That, right there, is what makes this character so brilliant. He has so many positive qualities, so many admirable traits. He's smart, he's cool, he's suave, he's practical, he knows his priorities, he doesn't sweat the small stuff, he doesn't hold a grudge; the titled heroes have more personality flaws than he does! But he is also incredibly ruthless, and while he's not evil, he is incredibly amoral. He seems to be the walking personification of Frederick Nietzsche's ubermensch when one stops to think about it. And he is awesome.

I am actually struggling here, what more can be said about David Xanatos that hasn't already been said? He's designed many tropes all by himself. There was never a villain like him in animation before, and even after he's left, there still has never been anyone quite like him. He doesn't surround himself with dimwitted henchmen and beat them up and scream when they fail. No, quite the opposite, he is always surrounded by incredibly competent people. His assistant and majordomo, Owen Burnett comes to mind. And he so rarely loses. In sixty-five episodes, and eighteen comics, I can count the number of actual losses on one hand. Aside from that, he always comes out on top. Always. But when he doesn't, he doesn't throw a fit and scream, he shrugs it off and moves on to the next plan. There are always contingencies. This guy is the coolest guy in the series.

His character arc throughout the series is brilliant. I love his rivalry with Goliath, and I love how he doesn't hate or even dislike Goliath. He likes Goliath a lot, admires him, and regards him with what I can best call a mix of interest and benign amusement. That's far more interesting than Megatron's hatred for Optimus Prime. And I really love how Goliath would often use the word "evil" to describe Xanatos. Sure, Xanatos has done some evil things, but Goliath's view of him for the longest time was very two-dimensional. It almost represents how most audiences, especially in animation, were trained to view the villain. No, Xanatos wasn't a Dark Lord, or a diabolical evil. He was simply a trickster. A human trickster.

While Xanatos and Goliath seem to have made some form of peace, that still didn't make Xanatos one of the good guys! I love that! In a way, he's still the enemy, and now the gargoyles are living with him, and they know it! He still has plans and schemes, and while he likes the gargoyles and helps them out, that doesn't stop him from manipulating them to his own ends, or even working against them. And best of all, as far as Xanatos is concerned: it's nothing personal.

I also have to give a ton of credit to the performance of Jonathan Frakes. He made Xanatos sound so sophisticated, fun, and erudite.

David Xanatos, he should run a seminar on villainy. Often imitated, never duplicated.

1. Demona

Demona is the clear number one on this list, for reasons both grounded and very esoteric at the same time. At the most minimal of glances, she seems very typical. We've seen genocidal human haters before. But scratch the surface, even a little, and we get the deepest creation of not only the series, but one of the deepest creations in the realm of fiction. I'm going to say this now, and roll your eyes all you want, but Demona would not be the slightest bit out of place in Russian literature. Or William Shakespeare's for that matter. I love this character.

Let's start with the surface elements first. She's got a terrific character design, and was so very well animated. Marina Sirtis deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the work she did bringing her to life. She embodied that character so completely that I never want to hear anyone else ever voice Demona on any animated project. No one can do it. Period. Hearing Marina Sirtis voice Demona was just as much of a revelation as hearing Mark Hamill's Joker. And I will stand by that statement even under threat of torture. She is also just such a badass! An intimidating warrior, an immortal, a sorceress, and she transforms into a human during the day! Hell, in both forms, she's pretty hot.

Now, for the esoteric. She has a guilt complex that makes Peter Parker's look tame by comparison, but she spreads it around to everyone else rather than internalize it. And considering how much she has to feel guilty over, this makes her arguably the most dangerous character in the series. She cannot accept her own culpability for the terrible things that happened to her, and for all intents and purposes, murdering her clan. She may not have swung the mace, but her ambition, her bigotry, and her cowardice put them in front of it.

Her favorite scapegoats are humanity as a whole, who make an easy and convenient target for her to project her guilt and self-loathing on. Now, does she have a point? Yes. Let's face it, humans can be bastards. We've done terrible things as a species. But, just as you cannot blame every Muslim for the attacks on September 11th, or every German for the Holocaust, Demona is wrong to blame every human for the terrible actions of a few. And at the end of the day, she was either directly or indirectly responsible for those actions. She betrayed her clan, and caused the massacre; she created the Hunter, and betrayed Macbeth. Demona created her own pain, and she intends to wipe out every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth just to justify every damned stupid choice she ever made.

Despite all of that, she is an eternally conflicted character. She is not a one-dimensional cut-out. Deep inside, she knows she's wrong, she knows what she did. But she cannot and will not acknowledge that. And that's what makes her hatred for Elisa Maza so interesting. The one human she hates most is the one that has been a true friend to the gargoyles, because Elisa is living proof of just how wrong Demona really is. And the fact that Elisa and Goliath are now in love doesn't help considering Demona's lingering feelings of jealousy.

Of course, there is Demona's biological daughter, Angela. She is probably the one person Demona cares about in the world. My single biggest regret about the cancelation of the comic book is that we didn't get to see the two of them interact again. I am beyond curious to see where this goes. But one thing I am confident of, it's not heading towards a hysterically easy redemption. Nope, if we take the plan for the "Gargoyles 2198" spin-off seriously, and I most certainly do, Demona is still plotting against humanity long after Angela has died. Is it sad? Yes. Is it tragic? Yes. Is it Demona? Absolutely.

I also love how she is a walking mess of contradictions. Her belief system is based so much on lies she tells herself, that she will rationalize anything she can to fit her world view. Why? Because the alternative is admitting she is wrong, and right now, she will not do that. Cannot do that. Sadly for both her and Angela, I see tragedy in their future.

Demona's through line is one of the main reasons I am so desperate for "Gargoyles 2198" to be produced. I want to see how her story ends, and if it's going to end anywhere, it's in that spinoff. This is a story I am dying to see, and if Disney never produces it, well… one way or another I intend to find out what happens to her. What her ultimate fate is going to be. We know she'll have an epiphany of some kind. How does it happen? Why does it happen? What's the fallout? How does her story end?

Demona is an endlessly fascinating character. We've never seen anything like her in the realm of western animation before her debut, and I don't think she's been replicated since. Why? I don't know. But lightning has been caught in a bottle, and I am rather happy that no one has attempted to imitate this unique and perfectly conceived character but tragically flawed person.

Greg responds...

What? No love for Bruno?

Response recorded on March 13, 2013

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Gilford writes...

Hi Greg,

I am just writing to say the gargoyles was and still is one of my favourite childhood shows. The twists with fox being part magic and owen was puck the whole time?!! I was utterly surprised!! Now i get how Xanatos knows some things that are unnatural.

Another thing, in the episode upgrade, i noticed that fox and Xanatos were playing a game of chess with the pack and the gargoyles as pieces whilst the pack and the gargoyles were fighting each other at the same time. That cannot be a coincidence. i believe they were playing their lives as if it was a game to them and chess seems to be a perfect way to illustrate the point.

Genius

Greg responds...

Thanks. (And I don't think we were being subtle about it. We never wanted the audience to think it was a coincidence.)

Response recorded on March 07, 2013

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Anonymous writes...

What is David Xanatos's favorite literary genre?

Greg responds...

I'll leave that to your imagination.

Response recorded on December 14, 2012

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Tyler Reznik writes...

Hello yet again, Mr. Weisman. Today, I'd like to talk about Gargoyles, particularly David Xanatos.

In relation to Xanatos' desire for immortality, I've noticed that, on two seperate occasions, an older, wiser man managed to pierce David's figurative armour through fairly simple methods (the methods themselves being simple, rather than the effect, meaning, or characters being so).

First, Petros, David's father, succeeded in giving his son pause through a few well-chosen words and "a simple American penny". Then, in "The Price", Hudson is able to discern and point out Xanatos' fear of growing old and dying (here, he cracks Xanatos' cool demeanor, but doesn't quite break it), and by the end of the episode, he had managed to escape Xanatos alive, simultaneously posing a question that, like Petros with the penny, gave David pause, and, I think, something to ponder.

Now, my point is that both of the aforementioned characters were, as I said, older and wiser than Xanatos, which makes me think (perhaps incorrectly; you'd know better than I would) that one of Xanatos' flaws is his inability to truly appreciate the values of age and experience, which ties in to his desire to be immortal.

However much he denied it to Hudson, Xanatos IS terrified of growing old and dying. It's something unknowable, uncontrollable, to a point, unpredictable (who knows when and how they're going to die?), and, barring a means of becoming immortal, it's unavoidable. The value of age and experience, as well as the wisdom that comes from it, is something that he, quite simply, does NOT want to learn firsthand. In fact, he even brushes off Hudson's descriptions of the downside to immortality, remarking that death and old age have a price, one too steep for him to pay. It is this unwillingness to accept his own mortality that makes Xanatos vulnerable to the metaphorical defeats he received from Petros and Hudson. The fear of mortality he possesses makes him blind to the wisdom that only comes from the passage, and indeed, the ravages (of which Hudson is all too aware) of time.

1) Do you agree with my assessment of this aspect of Xanatos' personality?

2) Is it possible that as he grows older, Xanatos will learn to appreciate the wisdom that accompanies age?

Whether you agree with my perspective or not, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post, and have a good day, sir.

Greg responds...

1. I do. Very much so.

2. SPOILER REQUEST. NO COMMENT.

Response recorded on December 05, 2012

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Luna writes...

I have some questios regarding Lex Luthor.

Do you think he would get along with Xanatos?
Is He as smart as Xanatos?
Would David Xanatos be a member of the light if he lived in earth 16?

I know it is never going happen becuase one is from DC and one is from Disney/Marvel. But I would love to see the two of them interacting.

How would you do an episode with Lex and Xanatos?.(I don't consider this one a spoiler or an original idea becuase copyright will never allow this to ever happen).

thank you!

Greg responds...

1. Sure.

2. See, now, the Hulk is more powerful because the madder he gets, the stronger he gets. But the Thing can still beat him if he keeps his wits about him.

3. I'm not interested in those kind of hypotheticals.

4. I wouldn't.

Response recorded on November 30, 2012

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Greg Bishansky writes...

1. Did Xanatos know Demona's name before she revealed it to Goliath?
2. For that matter, while we know Xanatos regarded the gargoyles with benign amusement and interest, and you've said before that he always rather liked Goliath as a person... what did he think of Demona? On the one hand, while we know he felt she had her uses, on the other hand there she was talking about the genocide of humanity right in front of him. I guess I feel for being as intelligent as he was, and knowing about how much she despised humans, he put a lot of blind faith into her... he didn't even have the page with the Stone By Night spell translated prior to putting her on the air. That was a mistake far larger than the creation of Thailog.

Greg responds...

1. Yes.

2. I do think he underestimated her. He has a low enough opinion of fanatics, that he perhaps didn't take her quite seriously enough as a threat.

Response recorded on November 17, 2012

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Matthew writes...

When exactly did Owen reveal himself as Puck to Xanatos?

Greg responds...

Before the start of Season One.

Response recorded on October 29, 2012

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Tymiko writes...

1. Although he's amoral and generally has a commitment to self-preservation, why did Puck return to help Xanatos against Oberon "against [his] better judgement"?

Was it simply because he was impressed by Xanatos' choice to have him serve him for life instead of being granter a wish? I considered this, but then I thought it unlikely that Owen would have left Xanatos in the first place instead of returning after some consideration to stand at David's side.

2. Why DID David Xanatos choose Puck as a life-long servant instead of a wish? Wasn't he after immortality?

Greg responds...

1. He likes him.

1a. Yes.

2. He weighed the worth of the two options and chose.

2a. Ultimately, yes.

Response recorded on October 29, 2012

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Battle Beast writes...

I was having a religeous debate at work today with a staunch Christian. Long story short, she got to "Remember David Versus Goliath?" and I said to her, "Hold it. I know full well about them but the only Goliath I care about is eight feet tall and lavender."

And then it hit me: David V. Golaith. I never, ever thought of that connection before... so I check the Archive and sure enough I was right. It was intention, you said.

I get their relationship now on a different level... Very clever! :)

Greg responds...

Thanks.

Response recorded on October 08, 2012

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Andre writes...

Hey man, been a big fan of Gargoyles since my early childhood days, and have been following your work from Spectacular Spider-Man to Young Justice.

My question refers to the primary antagonist of the Gargoyle universe, David Xanatos. What was the inspiration for you to create such a complex gray villain? Also, where'd the name come from for Xanatos too?

Greg responds...

1. The most immediate inspirations were Captain Hook/Duke Igthorn mixed with a healthy dose of General Wade Eiling, plus some Bruce Wayne and Captain Kirk.

2. The name is a variation on Thanatos, the greek god of death. It also is a real name you can find in most phone books. Assuming you can find a phone book.

Response recorded on August 30, 2012

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Richard Jackson writes...

In "Metamorphosis", Sevarius and Xanatos were pretending to be at odds after the former had injected Derek/Talon with the mutate serum. As part of the performance, Sevarius asked Xanatos if he had some junk bonds to sell.

Is Xanatos the Michael Milken of the Gargoyles Universe? I know he's a savvy businessman, but also a Wall Street trader?

Greg responds...

I wouldn't label Xanatos as Milken specifically. He certainly wasn't a model for the character.

But Xanatos has his hands in many pies.

Response recorded on April 12, 2012

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Anonymous writes...

Ok trying these questions seperately this time around hoping atleast something gets approved.

While it appears that Xanatose generally prefers to avoid killing he's had his moments where he almost does(sending the steel clan to kill the gargs in awakenings when he realized he can't control them being the biggest example). So I have to ask has he ever killed or had someone killed?

Greg responds...

Not that he'd admit to.

Response recorded on April 11, 2012

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alfred writes...

I just wanted to ask something about the gargoyles episode The Gathering part 2.

Was Xanatos wearing an iron suit?If the suit is iron,how was Titania able to freeze him?

Greg responds...

His helmet was off.

Response recorded on February 02, 2012

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Todd Jensen writes...

In "Cloud Fathers", Xanatos makes his famous quip to Goliath and Angela about how his acid trap that will spill over them and the Coyote Carving is "my first real stab at cliched villainy".

Recently, I realized that in Xanatos' next appearance in "Gargoyles", "Future Tense" (if that one counts, since the Xanatos in that episode was a deception twice over), he displayed a *lot* of cliched villainy (openly taking over New York, turning most of the population into Mutates, planning world domination, etc.). I don't know if that line in "Cloud Fathers" was intended as a foreshadowing, but it became all the more fun after I thought of it in connection with "Future Tense".

Greg responds...

If it's fun... then we all win!

Response recorded on February 02, 2012

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Joe writes...

I'm gonna try and ask this really carefully because I don't want it to be a suggestion more than a question. I'm a bit curious about the relationship between Xanatos and Sevarius.

1. Did Sevarius really need Xanatos or just his money?

2. Did Sevarius just let Xanatos think he had control over the project?

Thanks in advance

Greg responds...

1. Money and resources. Though I think Sevarius admired Xanatos to a certain extent.

2. I don't know what you mean. Which project?

Response recorded on January 31, 2012

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MasterGandalf writes...

Something that I've always wondered about "Double Jeopardy"- when Xanatos and Owen are discussing who could have "abducted" Thailog, Xanatos explicitly lists a small number of enemies- and he uses that exact word- who could have pulled it off. Specifically, the three he names are Demona, Renard, and Macbeth. Now the first two are easy enough to understand- Demona is the enemy of all humanity and has a history with Xanatos personally, while Renard is his main business competitor- but so far as we've seen Xanatos and Macbeth have only met in person twice (once in "Enter Macbeth", when Mac was actually working for Xanatos, albeit for his own reasons, and once in "City of Stone" when Mac pretty much ignored Xanatos and focused all his efforts on Demona). So my question is- why does Xanatos consider Macbeth an enemy? Have they had an offscreen run-in that we never saw, presumably because it didn't concern the gargoyles, that would lead to this attitude, or is it just a case of Xanatos naturally being wary of someone with the resources and skills to pose a legitimate challenge to him? Or is there some other reason?

Greg responds...

I think they've been at odds -- and he feels Macbeth has the resources. "Enemy" probably is too strong a word.

Response recorded on November 17, 2011


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