"Gargoyles" Review: Season 2 (Part IV of IV)
The finale of my ranting is here! Decided to space out the paragraphs more so it's not just huge walls of text; originally I only spaced them out when I reached my text-to-block limit. I may go edit the other posts to fit that.
40. Bushido--It's rather interesting for the gang to be in Japan; this is the first country outside the UK where we see gargoyles in a country ruled by a monarchy. I do wish we could see how that affects their lives, though. But points for this being a substantially-sized clan--even if no one is shown speaking Japanese before speaking to the Americans. And why did Kai give up hope of meeting other gargoyles? Considering that Japan ended their isolationist policies long ago and Kai's own clan being the biggest we've seen thus far (after Goliath's OG clan), wouldn't he have expected to meet more someday? I also find it interesting that the gargoyle-human town is a secret in Japan; given the culture, couldn't they hypothetically thrive in the countryside, rather than being isolated to one town? I know they can't really discuss it due to being an American cartoon, but I am curious about the Japanese gargoyles' feelings about forced westernization and World War II; at least that would explain the concept of the gargoyles remaining isolated in the town. However, Kai doesn't explain why some gargoyles have survived while others haven't; that sounds important. Heck, Goliath should be having PTSD right now since this is the first time he's turned to stone right in front of humans with other gargoyles; I'd be worried about history repeating. Is that why Goliath faces the sun? Huh, interesting philosophy. But why is Elisa in traditional Japanese garb? I get that men are more likely to wear western clothes, but shown to do it here, and the kimono can limit Elisa's mobility. Also question why the ninjas are in red? The whole point of them being in black was to blend in; red stands out like crazy. And what kind of guns/suit does Taro have for his gun to slide right into his sleeve like that? I know Elisa didn't have time, but I always wished protagonists hit with dart would throw it back at the assailant. TKO for us both!
And I know I'm super late for asking this, but is the petrification 100% parallel to sleep, as in they're asleep and/or derived of their senses? I feel like they've addressed this, but considering that their stone forms also heal them, I couldn't be sure how it worked. The discussion of a gargoyle theme park should've raised alarms immediately; they're moved from town without warning because villagers were gonna turn on them, and now their "savior" whisked them away to an amusement park to live? I see Taro's angle, but I'd expect the gargoyles to know better. His solution to supposed human suspicion is to isolate them and make them a form of entertainment. And Taro being Japanese Xanatos is an interesting idea--but it does remind me that the most prominent villain of the show has been notably absent for a while, and has (for some reason) not made any big brain moves despite finding out Goliath and Elisa are gone. At this point, Macbeth feels more prominent than him. And then there's Yama being discount Demona mixed with Iago. Elisa and co. found Taro insanely fast; I still question why Taro let Demona see his face, and why Taro didn't buy the land for the amusement park under an alias or something. Goliath is right to be suspicious and weary, but I do question his criticism of Yama just because he wants to go along with the park plan. And Angela jumping him felt like an unfair battle when it was between Yama and Goliath. Kai saying "gargoyle must not fight gargoyle" feels like it'd be a cool long-standing rule, and certainly mean more intellectual moves rather than combat--and again, gives me X-Men vibes based on the old rule of siblings not being able to use their powers on each other. But I do like that Goliath didn't want the gargoyles to just do what he said. How are gargoyles hyped up as super strong beings but they can't break glass? How did Taro even manage to get them into that room? Why would they assume chains would keep the gargoyles safe? And looking back on it, how did reporters not figure out Ishimura's secret earlier?
Ah, the "previously" section now makes sense: the show is ripping themselves off. Yes, ripping themselves off--and they wanted us to be aware of it; if they didn't use the chosen flashbacks and we saw this episode, the audience would think they were trying to pull a fast one. Goliath doesn't think back on these events during his past, which is weird because at least that would've connected the narrative rather than feeling like a remake. Modernizing "Awakening" doesn't bring anything new to the table, and is rather a waste of a new culture and characters. How did Hiroshi manage to knock out a ninja? Isn't combat part of their job description, at least with Taro? How did Hiroshi know the code to the gargoyles' jail cell? And I'm surprised Goliath is so vehemently against being televised--yes, it's a life-changing, but he himself has been televised before and hasn't spoken much about his feelings of sharing his secret with the world. This is an important philosophy to bring up throughout the show, I'd think. Props to Yama for actually being better than the captain of the guard, and I love seeing Taro with fans; guys wielding fans are underrated. And Yama saying bushido required he fight Taro alone is rather sad, thinking again how Angela jumped him during his fight with Goliath. Interesting detail to show Taro's chest still moving up and down while he was unconscious, and the whole situation about hiding the gargoyles from humans definitely reminded me of "Jem and the Holograms" with the desperate secret keeping. But wait. The gargoyles were gonna be stone regardless, so Taro wouldn't have been able to prove they were real to the press anyway. And why just two reporters and a cameraman? Taro couldn't get more people? And lemme get this straight: there was NO purpose in being in Goliath's gang being there. Yama is the one who fights Taro and defeats him. The gargoyles didn't help with anything, and Elisa making Taro look crazy is something that Hidoshi could've done himself. Literally all of this would've played out the same without Goliath and his group. That's frustrating, as is the show's decision to make this "Awakening" but with a better ending--though I'll admit I came out liking Yama more than the characters he was supposed to represent, though Taro was nowhere close to Xanatos level; I was hoping he'd at least be Shinobi Shaw level. Owen would've whopped his--4/10.
Note: Honestly my knee-jerk reaction was to be like "why don't they use creatures from Japanese folklore since gargoyles are European-derived," but I have been asking for more lore, so I'll let it slide!
41. Cloud Fathers--Was it necessary to include the flashback where Xanatos told Goliath "I didn't even notice you there?" This episode making Elisa's dad and sister the guest stars feels like the show is just now remembering them. Same for her mom; Elisa is a major character, but her character isn't very fleshed out beyond being a cop and working with the gargoyles, despite it seeming like she's close with her family (despite her secrets). And I find it annoying that they have to tie her family to Xanatos AGAIN. And I'm very confused; why would Peter be able to help Beth with Xanatos? While he is a police officer (easy to forget, what with Eliza never involving him and him seeming completely unrelated to the force), what jurisdiction does he have in Arizona? Not to mention the fact that she's a student, so IDK why Peter would think Xanatos was messing with her personally. I also think it's weird that Peter still seems to be at odds with his dad, but doesn't seem to have issue with Beth attending school where he is. It's cool if he didn't wanna prevent her from a relationship with her grandfather, but given how stern Peter seems on the man, I'd think he'd feel some type of way. Shouldn't Peter and Beth be suspicious that a guard let them into the construction site? All Beth said was "we're from the university"; she didn't bring up her dad's police credentials or anything.
Xanatos actually showed up in Arizona? Weren't he and Owen conspiring about Goliath being out of New York? Plus, wouldn't Fox have told him about seeing Goliath and Eliza and thus want to put whatever plans he has into hyperdrive while they're gone? So Diane did call the family to update them. Hmm, this feels like something that warrants a physical visit--and did they ever explain why she went to Africa when the whole family was "sick with worry" about Eliza? They lost Derrick to the gargoyle experimentation, so I'd think they'd be more emotional with Eliza disappearing and reappearing. And why AGAIN, why does Peter seem taken aback by the gargoyles when Talon became one himself and they immediately embraced him? Then we get the more talk-no-jutsu with Peter having issue with the gargoyles doing illegal activity, Eliza saying they can't break the law since they don't legally exist (that's not how that works) and him immediately saying he knows not to argue with her. What? No! With everything that's happened, her family should be overprotective as heck, even if they lived in a rowdy place like NYC. This is unprecedented. Side note: what does Beth go to school for? Eliza brings up their grandpa again, and Peter shuts it down. How did they meet him to begin with if Peter moved away and wanted nothing to do with him? This makes it even more weird that Peter didn't seem upset that Beth was going to school near his father.
Why'd isn't Coyote 4.0's face fixed? Heck, why even use Xanatos' voice when his face isn't there anyway? And the 4.0 makes sense as a reference, but weird since he never calls himself 2.0 or 3.0 before. In any case, I prefer his original design. And why does Peter think that the "security guard" helped Xanatos frame them? At this point, shouldn't they think Xanatos didn't know who this guy was? And this is our first time seeing Xanatos in 15 episodes; why is cliched villainy even a factor in his mind--heck, why is he interested in killing the gargoyles? Why he kept them around is never really explained, and now he's just...willing to kill them? And where's Owen? And how does Xanatos know Angela is Goliath's daughter? He doesn't even mention his own child that he's expecting--you know, assuming Fox told him offscreen. I'm still reeling from the fact that Bronx managed to take out Xanatos while Goliath and Angela couldn't--well, it was Coyote, but Coyote is nowhere to be seen. This felt like some plot armor was mixed in here.
Props to Beth and Eliza for figuring out that the "security guard" was Coyote--but this means the show ripped themselves off twice in a row, this time with "Heritage." And I find it funny that Eliza uses the gargoyles to justify that some legends are real, despite saying that she didn't believe in Nessie a while back because there were enough strange things already. Peter being big on coincidence and ignoring how Coyote looks like him feels really dumb, and we're not even focusing the episode on him; we're just using it as the background while Xanatos' scheme is the focus. Weird callback and power given to the Cauldron of Life solely for this episode (so far), seeing how it wasn't mentioned since. And I'm nitpicky about Xanatos seeing himself as a trickster; usually that's more playful, or at least neutral, but in the show he's more of a schemer.
And he still wants immortality? Why? I don't even feel like I understand his character. He doesn't spend enough time with Fox or appreciate Owen lately for immortality to seem worthwhile, and we never see him enjoy his wealth to actually understand why he wants money. Why did Coyote 4.0 suddenly lose some intelligence points and allow himself be tricked into letting Coyote go? Also, why didn't C4.0 use his disorienting rays earlier? Yeah, he's really dumb in this episode. Coyote wasn't even being smart about it. Xanatos' comments about Goliath always interferring was irritating...but that doesn't make sense; the last time they interacted was in "The Cage" (22 episodes ago), but the last time Goliath really messed up his plans was...the series premiere. Literally, any time Xanatos has shown up afterwards, he either needs the gargoyles' help or doesn't end up losing anything. Peter changed his mind just like anyone else in this show, with no exploration or expansion; we never even learn why he was mad at his dad or what made him leave. Coyote also mentions Peter wearing his mask years ago and thus why they're connected, but it's an event we never see, and only plays a part in why Coyote and Peter look alike--which in itself is confusing to me; why does wearing the coyote mask tether them together when Coyote is a separate entity? Does everyone wearing the mask become tied to him? Why did Coyote only want him back now? And from the casual way Beth and Eliza asked Peter to see his dad, it seems like he may have been back to Arizona before, so why is this a big deal now? Plot twist; Peter's dad died and "visiting" him means going to his grave. That's an unnecessarily sad reveal, particularly since we don't even know the source of their conflict. And you're telling me Peter was so mad at his dad that he wouldn't even go to his grave, and yet we never learn why? This and it being a repeat of "Heritage" made this a 2/10 for me.
Also worth noting that Weisman's blog said Peter's dad had mixed feelings about him being in an interracial marriage, which IMO would've been a better source of conflict to use than...whatever reason they had years earlier.
42. Ill Met By Moonlight--So, I'm confused on how this works. We've heard them talk about returning to Avalon in-between their travels, so why are they upset about being back there? That's a part of the magic. Angela being tired of the back-and-forth is relatable, and Eliza being sick of it is equally understandable. If anything, they should be mad at Goliath for turning down Renard's offer to fly them home back in "Golem" (were they around for that? I forget). Though Eliza saying that Avalon "isn't OUR home" doesn't really hold weight since it's more familiar to Goliath than New York, anyway. Also I notice that the gargoyles don't gravitate towards Goliath like Angela does, nor did he show any interest in being paternal to them; all that talk about being a leader to the clutch, but Goliath doesn't show it. Oberon and Titania not knowing that the gargoyles and humans are on the island is weird; I know the sisters were in charge of watching the island, but they've been there for decades. What is time to an immortal, I know, but I'd think the sisters would've called Oberon on them first rather than getting involved with the Archmage and having to wait so long for revenge. And what is Tom talking about, "lies"? The weird sisters DID tell them they couldn't come to Avalon and only attacked when Tom protested--granted, it was a matter of life and death, but the sisters did tell them they weren't allowed to be there. I'm still confused how they were even "banished" by the Magus in the first place. The "once and future queen" title for Titania is kinda awkward in relation to King Arthur.
And shouldn't Oberon be happy that Titania's resentment towards humans have changed as he wished? How are they divorced if they're both still the king and queen? And the story just contradicted itself; Oberon divorced Titania, but now she's offering herself to marry again, as if she divorced him. If Titania could seal Oberon's power, why did she need him to agree to it? Is that some unspoken rule of their magic? And seeing how even the humans were about to be killed by him, why don't they have to engage in the hunt, or other gargoyles besides Goliath, Angela, and Gabriel? Considering Eliza and the gang met the banshee a while back and returned to Avalon since then, why wasn't iron mentioned as a weakness for a child of Oberon before? The iron issue should've been brought up when the sisters were bound. And is that why Demona had him chained in "The Mirror"? Feels like that could've been brought up then. Also side note: but I do wish Oberon had a more unique look to him rather than a standard fantasy villain, especially since the blue/black/red/gold aesthetic comes off as super busy and clashes more than complements. Have the gargoyles moved on all fours before? I thought that was just a Bronx thing? And the way they took off looked a lot like flight, seeing how they took off immediately rather than catching the wind to glide. My question: how did Tom learn about making swords if the gargoyles never trained themselves to fight before the Archmage arrived and Tom himself was a child? I doubt the Magus or Katherine would know the ins and outs. According to a ramble Weisman made on his blog (IDK the context, and "ramble" is his word choice), Michael and Raphael, two of the gargoyles from the clutch, were the ones skilled in metalworking. Why this isn't mentioned in the show, I have no idea. And Ophelia brings up a valid point that this is technically Oberon's home; Eliza saying that he left it for 1000 years means he basically gave it up, but that's from a human perspective--and isn't that just adverse possession? Heck, it might not be that, considering the fact that this involves maintaining the property, and since Avalon is magic, it maintains itself. To an immortal, it was probably a few years, if that. Either way, this discussion deserved more than just shutting it down quickly.
Why does Goliath decide to stop running? Oberon has used magic this whole time, and yet Goliath still underestimated him. Why is Angela saying the fight is unfair? Magic isn't allowed just because they can't use it? That wasn't agreed upon. And if Goliath, Angela, and Gabriel were the champions, isn't it cheating for Tom and Ophelia to use the bell? I'm still confused on how it weakens him; I thought iron had to touch him. And he already won! This is a violation of the game, isn't it? And Oberon mentions the mercy given by Katharine's "breed" is rare...but he sent his family to live amongst humans to learn humility, right? Doesn't that mean he thought humans had some redeeming qualities? Oberon even takes it a step forward and says he will make Goliath and the gang immune to his powers--INSANE move to do since they can kill him easily even without this . And Titania calls Oberon her husband...which only further feels like she divorced him. And I find Titania's hint VERY subtle, to the point where it doesn't make sense to say to Oberon; I'll take the whole "sound the knell of his defeat," but "another ring will be his reward" doesn't make sense for him. What would that mean to him? Are they talking about a wedding ring? Would she give one to him? Unless we see him wearing it in the future, I call B.S. And Titania saying Oberon isn't always right while he's married is contradictory, since he was the one who forced her to live among mortals; her word doesn't seem to overpower his if he's set on it. And yes, the hint-hint of who she actually is is something I know thanks to accidentally being spoiled--though I would've guessed it anyway by her voice. The ending about "the gathering" feels weirdly put; I'm glad it's brought up again since it hasn't been mentioned since "The Hound of Ulster," but it feels like they're just moving on, like it wasn't all that important for Oberon to reclaim his land. Then the weird sisters are just there for cameos. I like Oberon and Titania and Gabriel, but the episode itself was subpar. 3/10.
43. Future Tense--It's become apparent to me that sometimes the flashbacks are just to reflect the first five minutes of the next episode, looking at Elisa's homesickness. But how did Goliath know about the gathering? The banshee mentioned it LONG ago, and he wasn't in earshot when Oberon mentioned it. I'll ask: why are the other gargoyles called "the trio AND Hudson"? I get that they're different generations, but it does feel like isolating him a bit. What kind of apprehension leads to annihilating the boat? How did the person shooting the robot apprehend Goliath not end up hitting Goliath as well? Matt looking like Macbeth is funny to me, and I'm surprised Goliath doesn't mention gargoyles' slow aging process. In any case, I forgot time on Avalon goes by slowly. Doesn't this mean that they've potentially spent weeks in Avalon any time they stop there for a breather? That should be a bigger deal. Xanatos being behind this feels like it'd be more important if the narrative hadn't forgotten him for a significant chunk of time. And Brooklyn's anger is valid; there's no communication with the gargoyles, and barely any with Elisa's family. Goliath deserves 100% of the blame when he CHOSE not to go home when he had the option because of "fate." If the plane crashed on the way back, THEN that would be fate that they needed to keep going the Avalon way. Brooklyn's form is a nightmare to me, and ultimately heartbreaking. I can already tell this episode is making the "should've been an arc" list.
Didn't Goliath tell Brooklyn about the Phoenix Gate in "Vows"? If he just kept that to himself, he's not a very good leader, especially since they know what it is. And HUH?! Demona and Brooklyn is a couple I didn't have on my bingo card. I guess Demona is just someone you can ship with anyone--but why Brooklyn would want her after how she tricked him in S1 and tried to kill him and his family countless times is insanity. What kind of magic does she have going on, and what kind of fanfic were the writers fulfilling with this? Thailog died offscreen years ago, so that's a bummer (and the person who should've been in charge of this dystopia). Where is Macbeth in all this, and why is Goliath surprised about Xanatos having a son? He saw a very pregnant Fox several episodes ago! And that's Xanatos' son? Alexander have his design but Fox's color scheme? That seems lazy, and kinda weird given the melanin love we get for other characters. I was gonna praise Alexander's VA for matching Xanatos' VA's energy, but then I realized they had the same VA. Crazy to think Xanatos has no love for his son; he showed care for his dad, and said he'd use immortality for himself and Fox, so why is he suddenly okay with having no heirs just because of immortality? Weird choice to use Alexander so briefly, especially as the secret weapon. Also weird that Goliath isn't more conflicted about using the Phoenix Gate. Sonar collar or not, why is Broadway brought onto this mission? Goliath saying that hiding isn't the solution is weird, since we haven't really hit a situation where that was a lesson to learn. And why can't everyone just go to Avalon? At the very least, the important characters. I find it ridiculous that Xanatos could go to jail for pieces of his building crashing down and potentially harming people, but he somehow got away with world domination? Lexington's delivery for several of his allies dying felt like he was disappointed rather than horrified. Desensitized or not, that needed more feeling. Broadway's VA is out here sounding like a different person; Lexington's could've gone harder. And why did Xanatos make Thailog clones? He was horrified at what he'd done before. And wouldn't it have just been better to make more robots or at least capture Thailog to brainwash him? I can't imagine Thailog ever being on the gargoyles' side, seeing how selfish he is with no compassion. Goliath just softly cries at Broadway's death; shouldn't he be having a panic attack now?
So, Xanatos isn't immortal after all--it's basically Coyote 4000. And no one knew this? How did his consciousness get transferred to a machine? Goliath himself said Xanatos wouldn't be doing such terrible things, which is kinda funny since he was 100% believing that Xanatos COULD do all these things a minute ago. And how anticlimatic for Xanatos to say "whatever you plan to do won't work" and he's defeated instantly. And Lexington being the twist villain is an odd one. Weirdly, I can see this happening in the OTL, but the episode doesn't focus enough on the trio to lead us to this outcome to feel properly earned/developed. What does Goliath mean, "too weak to use the phoenix gate"? Suddenly you need energy to use it? Plot twist #3: Puck is involved. Random time to bring him back, 38 episodes later. His logic confuses me: apparently Oberon can be bribed (rather disappointing to learn about someone with a sense of honor), but I don't get why Puck wouldn't be allowed to stay with humans. You're telling me that Avalon is where everyone lived before? I thought it was just one of Oberon's domains; where did he go while Titania and co. were banished to the mortal realm? And aren't the humans and gargoyles that live there in danger of being attacked by millions of his children? Oberon said his magic couldn't hurt them, not his childrens'. Suddenly kicking them off of Avalon seemed like a mercy. In any case, it makes even more sense for why he'd want Avalon back, and why the humans would be better off vacating. What rules say he can't take the phoenix gate? Is this another "we can't interfere with mortals" thing? Because driving them insane via nightmare sounds like interference. Weird that Puck's this powerful though; no one else could do these mind games. What about the PG makes it covered under Oberon's jurisdiction?
But then Puck decides not to bother pressuring Goliath to give him the gate...why? He went through all this work, but the moment Goliath refuses to give him the PG, he gives up. Why did his illusion go away, anyway? Because the episode was running out of time? And oh, Goliath could've gotten rid of the Phoenix Gate at any time after saying he'd never use it again, but chose not to. Gotcha. But what does "lost in time" mean? Does that mean anyone can get it? That's a super dangerous and stupid move if that's the case. And did Elisa just stop rowing when Goliath passed out? I'd think a teammate being unconscious meant that we needed to make it to our destination quickly. This episode was a fever dream--or rather, something I would've dreamed up while watching the show late at night. It's interesting, but quickly sped through. It being a creation of Puck's (or maybe a prophecy) negates my pacing/characterization concerns, but I do wish there was more character focus, even for a fantasy. I did trim down a lot of my gripes since this was an illusion rather than reality. 4/10.
44. The Gathering Part One--Very weird decision to formally introduce Oberon and Titania and then have an episode in between that and the gathering; either have their intro bleed right into that storyline or introduce them much earlier and build upon it. The gathering itself was featured very little up to this point, and when it finally felt important, it was right before this episode, like the writers just remembered it. And I'm not thrilled about the whole "Titania and Oberon are the progenitors of all these different characters" since they bleed into mythology and fairy tales and don't feel cohesive to me. We couldn't just keep it with fairies, maybe witches? Not to mention that the lack of buildup made this feel unearned to see all the characters converge. Heck, most of them didn't even mention the gathering; only Puck and the banshee mentioned it. Why didn't Coyote--heck, why does he STILL look like Peter? Even the whole "all of us are children of Oberon" thing feels like it should've came with more questions. None of the main characters really inquire upon the nature of Oberon or his children. Oberon is the father of Odin too? The king of the Norse gods ranks below a fairy king? Again, this series has too much going on, especially for season 2. Why did Oberon seal Banshee's mouth shut instead of just taking away her voice with magic? And Oberon saying Titania can come and go as she pleases continues to confuse me over Oberon's supreme rule--and it confuses me more why Oberon would ask Katharine to hunt Puck down. Glad to see Katharine wasn't sassing Oberon, considering she and others remained in his home.
Owen! And Fox's family with Vogel! Neat to see everyone together. But didn't Vogel mention how Renard was ill or something like that back in "The Green"? I get him wanting to see his grandson, but this illness is never brought up during this episode, so it's like it didn't even exist. Was it just a cold? Kinda crazy how Fox just delivered the baby, no buildup or anything; after she reveals she's pregnant in "Outfoxed" (S2E14), she has an unspoken role in "Upgrade" with no reference to her pregnancy (S2E17), she's heavily pregnant in "Walkabout" (S2E33), and then gives birth now. It's worse than the pacing for Jean and Scott's storyline in season 1 of "X-Men '97." At least Xanatos and Fox invited their family. Very vain of Fox to name the baby after her new name (I'm assuming it wasn't her birth name), but this also means we have missing info since Puck's illusion already knew Alex's name, meaning he learned about it offscreen. Cagney stays with the gargoyles? Isn't that dangerous up there on top of the clocktower? And the gargoyles STILL don't know where Goliath and Elisa are? Did Elisa's family just keep it to themselves? They didn't even tell Talon or Matt? What is Xanatos' dad smoking? In what way does Xanatos' baby look like him? Pink-ish skin, blue eyes, and orange hair. If Weisman hadn't confirmed that Owen was asexual and if he wasn't loyal to Xanatos, I'd think that baby was his! Were there scrapped plans to give him a different design? Really weird with the Titania reveal now, considering the whole "secret" she had didn't matter since we only saw her twice, and once in disguise; this isn't really a "big reveal" like the show wants you to think it is. Oberon can hypnotize people? Was that power taken away when he was hunting down Goliath and co? Weird that he could do a bunch of other stuff but hypnosis was removed--I guess it's too OP. And now he's worried about Titania? What about "my wife can come and go as she pleases"? Xanatos immediately being jumpy when Anastasia has his baby feels a bit OOC for him, seeing how level-headed he usually is even in bad situations. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Oberon reminded Titania of his laws against meddling in human affairs and telling her not to take Alex, which kind of implies this is a regular law, not something Oberon's subjects are held to by magic. So when everyone says "we can't interfere with mortals," they were either lying, lazy, or didn't know they could (because it was convenient writing). This means Puck could've taken the Phoenix Gate from Goliath, assuming that's what was keeping him from having it. Or is it just Titania who's exempt?
Is Oberon really surprised that Titania started a life while she was banished for 1000 years? But then that brings up the "rules of Oberon" thing: if it was something she was compelled to obey, she shouldn't have been able to do it since that's HEAVY interference with mortals--but if she had the option to ignore these rules, I'd think Oberon would be displeased, unless he accepted it since she no longer hated mortals. What made Titania interested in science? And her saying no one but Oberon can hold her interest makes me wonder if she's been with many mortal men. Titania sounding disappointed that Fox didn't have magic is not only infuriating (because Fox is barely used as-is), but also sounds weird, since she mentions any potential Fox had withered years ago...so why didn't she cultivate it? Why did she still show an interest in science instead of teaching her daughter arcane arts and taking her to Avalon like she's trying to do to Alex? Honestly it feels like a quick explanation to remove any fan theories that Fox could use magic. Not to mention, wouldn't it be beneficial for Oberon to have won the battle against the humans and gargoyles? Then she could take Alex to Avalon with no meddling. It's a bummer that Titania's mentions that Alex's magical bloodline thins (probably due to human admixture), but Oberon saying he couldn't interfere with Fox makes NO SENSE. Even without magic, she still had Titania's blood, meaning she wasn't fully human. Why does the existence of magical potential qualify someone as human or not regardless of their parental race? And even with that out of the way, taking her son should count as interfering with mortal affairs since both his parents are (apparently) human. Xanatos even points this out! But Oberon just says "I made up my mind," so that means his laws are flexible and not something he's beholden to. So he could've killed the gargoyles after he "lost" anyway. To quote Allison Pregler when she was critiquing another show: "So...the rules are more like guidelines. And the guidelines are more like zigzags and squigglies."
This is the most emotional I've ever seen Xanatos--and FOREVER? Why can't Alex return to the human world? Also, why didn't he wake up during the blasting? And how did the blasts hurt Oberon? That wasn't an iron blast. The news reporter was messy for mentioning Xanatos and Fox's criminal pasts, but I forgot that Fox was also former criminal. The media should be banging on their doors all the time! But I'm surprised that they let the media in, considering the circumstances. I'd think the gargoyles seeing Alex would have their own existential crisis about kids and being mortal. Crazy how Goliath and co. return unceremoniously. I kinda wish the episode had just focused on Xanatos and the others. If Elisa noticed Angela's similarity to Demona, everyone else should. I forgot that the group met Griff; looking back, they had a ton of questions that never got answered besides Griff saying "I met Goliath in London." Owen going behind Xanatos' back and keeping secrets from him would feel almost satisfying, seeing how Xanatos took him for granted in his last few appearances, if Owen didn't admit he'd been doing this since it was discovered Fox was expecting (whenever the heck that was since we never see her tell them). Owen backing out of being a diehard Xanatos supporter is also something I wouldn't have seen on my bingo card--though if it was related to his stone arm, I would've understood. Elisa had the nerve to say their adventure was FUN for the most part?! What exactly was fun, because their lives were in danger almost every episode; I'd still be having nightmares from "Grief." What is this random almost love confession?! The show has done a poor job at clearly defining romance between Elisa and Goliath besides "main male lead and main female lead, so they've GOT to get together" save for some rare instances. Was there a concern the audience wouldn't be interested in romance? Either way, the talk they have feels like a "we've come a long way" type of talk, but romantically they haven't. How does gliding work in the rain? Wouldn't a storm cause the winds to be much more haphazard?
Titania asking for Goliath's help is weird. Was she hoping she could get him to help based on her saving his family's lives? On paper, it should work, but she didn't really stand her ground with that, even if Goliath's sense of loyalty should technically make him consider the deal, as well as fear of retaliation. The whole "I learned parents and children shouldn't be separated" thing is a really weird thing since his own circumstance with Angela was wrought with hypocrisy and technically he has every right to assume Xanatos wouldn't be a good dad, particularly with the nightmare he saw. I'm not saying Goliath would be right, but it'd fit with his character a bit more. And Titania just said "you won't interfere or Oberon will crush you with a thought." Okay, let's walk through this. The queen of the fair folk (and whoever else), the woman who stripped away most of the king's power, decides not to fight the gargoyles when they refuse to help her, but let them off with a warning--despite Goliath just resisting her guilt-tripping and Titania knowing how the gargoyles act. And, um, you might have forgotten this, but OBERON MADE THEM IMMUNE TO HIS POWERS. If he can take it back, that's one thing--and he should be able to if he can ignore his own rules about human interference--but if he can't, Titania looks really dumb for not incapacitating them. Why not just trick them as Anastasia and tell them that she's worried Fox and Xanatos will corrupt the child? It's not far-fetched. Goliath says they were sent to New York by Avalon for a purpose rather than just being returned home, so does that mean they have to get back on the boat?
The whole iron weakness is frustrating to me, seeing how abundant the material is; it literally takes up 1/3 of Earth's mass! Everyone getting into crashes thanks to Oberon's spell is a neat detail since it shows the possible carnage, but I'm questioning if it's gonna be addressed later, or if it's like "City of Stone" where people were murdered and we just never brought it up again. Speaking of, where is Demona? She's been M.I.A. (no pun intended) for a while now. I'm surprised Oberon loses patience so quickly when confronted by a forcefield; he's never faced people with iron before? And while I love his dedication to Titania...why doesn't he just make her get it? He's missing the gathering because he went to retrieve Puck (who he's basically forgotten about) only to get involved with Titania wanting to take her grandson away. It's not even confirmed if he has magic, and Oberon's going through all this effort to retrieve Alex. Can't he just hypnotize Xanatos through the cameras? It's one thing for iron to harm him, but for it to block out his spells entirely negates his OP status--to the point where we didn't even need him to say he'd never harm the gargoyles. The episode has interesting threads, but as usual, it doesn't feel well-built upon. 3/10.
45. The Gathering Part Two--This two-parter should've been called something else; the gathering was only important for like 5 minutes, making the whole event in question rather underwhelming. With everyone knocked out in the rain, I wouldn't hate it if we got a "filler" episode where everyone's sick, lol. But why aren't the gargoyles affected? Oberon just said "sleep"; he didn't say "humans sleep." Goliath seeing separation from one's child as an immeasurable sacrifice is odd considering how he CHOSE to keep Angela at a distance for a while, and didn't press for the rest of the clutch (ie the reason he was afraid of "picking favorites") to join him in New York to avoid separation. It'd be one thing if it was because Tom and Katharine were like their parents, but this is only mentioned by the Magus and Goliath mentions his reasons for not acknowledging Angela as his daughter. Brooklyn is right as usual. Hudson saying Angela has an influence on Goliath is irony at it's finest. Shouldn't Oberon's attacks on Xanatos' tower hurt him, since the force field is powered by iron? And I'm surprised Xanatos doesn't have an underground bunker for situations like this. Didn't Xanatos have a bunch of staff members? Why not give them some iron tools to fight Oberon? So lemme see if I got this right: Oberon is weak to iron AND has limited energy? I guess it makes sense to balance off his powers, but I'd think his stamina was a lot higher. He just got started! And Petros thinking the gargoyles were Xanatos' enemies is weird, considering the only time he saw them was when he saw Goliath, and while Xanatos tricked him, they didn't actually fight. What does he think of his sons' gray morals? Glad to see Oberon took back the gargoyles' gift of immunity, but seeing how this is the first time they're dealing with him since that episode, that feels rather...pointless? Heck, the respect between them in their previous encounter is basically nonexistant here! And nitpick, but Oberon saying his decrees were his own to interpret sounded weird, like he was simply twisting his own words, when in reality he was redacting his words entirely. We've seen Oberon hypnotize humans and almost instantly kill the gargoyles and humans in Avalon; why isn't he doing that here? It's more plot armor.
Vogel brings up a good point to Renard; why is he helping Fox and Xanatos? Renard says he's doing it for his grandson, but I'm pretty sure he'd still leave Alex in his parents' care; what difference does it make to him if his grandson is raised by his parents or in another world by his ex-wife? He may as well just take Alex and care for him himself. If Oberon could animate the statues, couldn't that mean he is the creator of the gargoyles? I mean, I know he's not, but it's something to think on. How did Renard figure out Oberon's weakness? Yeah, they should've anticipated Oberon going underground; my bunker idea would've screwed them, but they could've had some underground tunnels to use or something. Crazy how all this work is for a character whose parents have only been sparsely featured lately. Why haven't Xanatos and Petros seen eye-to-eye? This is another "Cloud Fathers" situation! If Oberon can teleport anywhere, can't he just appear where Alex is? Ooh, the jumpscare with Oberon's weak form. His cloak can just swallow people up now, AND he can become translucent? How are the characters giving him a run for his money? The Puck reveal is pretty surprising, but it's something I accidentally spoiled for myself. It does feel random though; Owen and Puck are nothing alike and there's no real hinting at this. The show isn't great at foreshadowing. I'd believe Xanatos was Puck before I believed that Owen was--heck, Xanatos even said "I consider myself a trickster" and THAT could've been foreshadowing; not much, but at least it'd be something...though it'd bring up questions of consanguinity between him and Fox--or would it? Did Oberon have all his children with Titania, or were they just created by him alone? At least Xanatos being Puck would explain why Alex didn't look like Xanatos. In any case, the Puck-Owen twist is pretty much a plot twist for the sole purpose of surprising the audience rather than having the substance to back it up. And how does it work since Weisman said Owen was asexual and Puck was bisexual? If Puck just abstaining as Owen and identifies as asexual when in disguise? Honestly, I'd find it more believable if those sexualities were reversed (but only if they were separate people). How does a stone statue hold Oberon back? How does rock hurt him? He may be weakened, but he's still shown to have immense power. So Puck just stole Vogel's swag? And is Owen a recent hire? He mentions working for Xanatos through Fox, but they weren't revealed to have been together until season 2 started, and Owen worked with Xanatos since the show began. Feels like a retcon. Heck, that kinda contradicts the previous episode since Xanatos seemed surprised at Owen's behavior and actions. And why didn't Puck just start working for Xanatos without the ties to Fox? Did he know she was Titania's daughter? Why did Puck even wanna become someone else's servant? And how is it that the mischievous elf is less shady than the guy he's imitating? Seriously, Vogel has went behind Renard's back on stuff at least twice, but Owen never does that. And apparently Xanatos knew about Puck and Puck gave him an ultimatum offscreen? This show loves to bury the lead. And Xanatos picking Owen over a wish doesn't fit into the grand scheme of things, seeing how Xanatos wanted to be immortal with Fox; I'd think that would override his relationship with Owen.
Puck asks Oberon to put off the gathering...why? What is the purpose of this gathering? Is this whole episode named after Oberon getting his family back together and not focusing on it at all? It didn't even have to do with Alex, so why didn't Puck just show up for a minute and then sneak back to the mortal world? I have a hard time believing Oberon would keep ALL of his children from returning. So Oberon just appeared in front of Alex and Fox as I said he could; why did he waste time? How did Fox's powers work against Oberon? Shouldn't he be immune to his descendants' powers? I rolled my eyes because this is the most egregious use of talk-no-jutsu yet; Goliath says that if Fox can tap into her underdeveloped powers, then Alex should be fine where he's at, and can be trained by Puck--and Puck is on board with this. Fox just barely tapped into her powers (despite there being other situations that could've happened before) and Puck is a wildcard. But you know what? It doesn't matter. He was only doing this for Titania, and instead of telling him "I changed my mind about wanting to take my grandchild," she simply tries to convince Oberon to change his mind, as if it was his idea. But ha! He got Puck good with taking away a lot of his powers. But WHY DIDN'T HE DO THAT BEFORE?! Actually, why didn't Puck use magic more? There are several situations throughout the show where Puck could've used his magic to help Xanatos, but weirdly only uses it when he's in his true form, ie "The Mirror," "Future Tense," and now. Actually, how does "The Mirror" work if Puck was pulled through it? It just forced him forwards from Xanatos' home and bound him to Demona for a bit? Gotta look back on that. But at the end of the day, everyone gave up easily, and the attempt to make Titania look like some secret manipulator falls flat for me. They try to make Titania seem clever, like she had manipulated the outcome for Alex to stay with Fox and Xanatos…but she actually looks really dumb. Oberon wasn't going to take Alex away until Titania asked him to; if anything, she's generated feelings within him (either as a king or a stepgrandfather or a fellow magical being) that weren't there originally--heck, even when she revealed her family to him, he didn't really show interest in taking Alex until she begged him to. What was her end goal? If she wanted Puck to look after Alex, she could've simply asked Oberon to do so, including stripping his powers to keep him out of trouble. If she wanted Fox's powers to awaken, she could've put Alex in danger (or make it seem like he was) without getting Oberon involved. Fox is still mad at her by the end of the peiosde, so it's not like she got to keep her hands clean by having Oberon do the fighting. I fail to understand what exactly she wanted and why she didn't go about it a cleaner way. And if Puck looking after Alex in order to stay in the human world, why didn't he just offer that instead of fighting Oberon or trying to get the Phoenix Gate? He said himself that Oberon could be bribed, so I think they could've avoided the fight. Xanatos going soft is a neat change (especially since he hasn't been around enough lately as a villain), though Goliath's comment about being a parent changing him makes no sense since Angela just affected his relationship with her, not with others. This was another episode that felt like it needed more focus on character than action, and the title of "the gathering" felt very underwhelming since it's not the focus of the story. Heck, this arc was pretty much pointless since the outcome was gonna happen anyway without Oberon and Titania; Puck was still gonna look after Alex and be Xanatos' right-hand man. 3/10.
Note: an alternate version of the gathering included various Disney characters. If the storyline featured the gathering more prominently, I would've been against this since it kinda feels gimmick-y. But since we're not introduced to any new characters or an important storyline involving the gathering itself, I would've been fine with the cameos. I also did research, and I'm assuming the situation with Alex was supposed to reference the plot Oberon and Titania had in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," but considering the story ended with Oberon getting the child, I'm surprised that didn't happen here. And Weisman's ramble does nothing to ease my concerns on this episode.
46. Vendettas--At this point, genetic engineering is a bust for Xanatos; Thailog is a lost cause (which I guess he doesn't care about getting back? Goliath should've sent Xanatos on their trail and get them fighting each other) and the Pack is ultimately failing at every turn. Rich or not, I'm sure Xanatos understands a bad investment. I'm just now putting it together that post-"Grief" we've had episodes dividing each of the Pack. I guess now it's Wolf's turn. Ironic that all of them got episodes to highlight them and their characters weren't fleshed out at all. Props for Wolf not killing the constable, though! Why don't more villainy have palmprint-reading technology? Seems right up Xanatos' alley. Crazy work to give a villain arc to the guy who's motorcycle was taken by Lexington. And Vinnie even calls them gargoyles, further confusing me on what everyone thinks of these creatures; does New York recognize them as real or not? Apparently the judge didn't believe Vinnie, but aren't there cameras around? And haven't the gargoyles been caught on camera before? What about City of Stone? And Oberon sending everyone to sleep and some people getting into car accidents? People have got to admit weird stuff is going on. And why did they say Vinnie was intoxicated? They can't just say that because he said something outlandish (unless he actually had alcohol). Villain origin story: VALID. Also noting that this wasn't included in the flashback sequence; just stuff for Wolf. Odd. Vinnie's VA sounds like he'd make a great male version of Harley Quinn, though.
Hakon's back? Wasn't he trapped--IN SCOTLAND? Wolf did start off in Scotland (for unforeseen reasons), but Hakon found him in New York...somehow. And Wolf asks no questions, despite preferring to work alone now and give orders rather than take them? If he's cool with 2v2, why didn't he just keep his team, or at least hunt one of them down? All of them hate the gargoyles. Why would Wolf want to attack Hudson and Goliath, AKA the strongest gargoyles? Why does no one wait until they turn to stone? Don't give me "honor"; a lot of these guys don't have it, and at least Jackal had thought that through. Hudson brings up a good point; why is Wolf suddenly using an axe? It'd make more sense if Hakon's spirit formed one instead of possessing Wolf's.
Ah, so Vinnie's a filler villain; gotcha. Are we just tying together several random characters, or were they actually intended to be the same? Again though, his origins are valid since Cyberbiotic wasn't an evil company. Shouldn't he make enough money working for them that he doesn't really care about revenge, though? I guess it's just a pride thing, not to mention his life was put in danger. Him having a cartoony villain-style defeat (even more than others) was disappointing, though. Why is he even here, if that's the case? Has Wolf always been stronger than Goliath AND Hudson? Hakon can possess people now? Why didn't he possess Goliath in "Shadows of the Past"? How does Hakon possess the axe AND Wolf, and why does Hudson refer to Wolf as a werewolf? That security guard at Gen-U-Tech didn't look anything like Vinnie--why was the writing team intent on making several one-second characters into one guy getting revenge? And Goliath telling Hudson that they needed backup, while smart, does make me question why they do team patrols; anything can pop up, so you may as well not go too far from each other. I'm surprised Angela didn't insist on joining. What exactly are Hakons limitations, seeing how he can teleport, disappear, and possess and travel long distances? Knock it off with "Jalapena"--and boy, was it easy for Goliath to break Hudson's trance. Hakon being Wolf's ancestor means...absolutely nothing, like many of the "twists" in this story. Why is the axe Hakon's link to the Earth-plane? I saw a note saying Weisman forgot that it was Hakon used a mace, so does that mean Wolf got the mace from the rubble in Scotland? Again, what was he doing in Scotland, and if Hakon possessed the mace, why didn't he do it when Wolf was in Scotland? I still don't know how he escaped the rubble. NGL, if either character was fleshed out, this could be a neat insight into Xanatos and Alex's future, seeing Wolf and Hakon as parallels to them.
Goliath theorizes Hakon is involved due to the magic he and Hudson had just faced...really? Last time, Goliath just heard voices and saw creatures made out of mud. How are these powers anything alike? Heck, he'd have been better off saying this was Oberon again, or even Demona, or somehow the Archmage. Or, you know, SOMEONE ELSE. "Gargoyles do not beg" is funny as heck because I'm almost sure they have, at least a few times. Why is Hakon worried about wasting time when sunlight is on their side? And again, Wolf is cool with having the number advantage, but didn't bother trying to get the old team together; didn't he want to be a leader? Hakon dies, and I still don't care--heck with the nonsensical way he somehow got out of Scotland, he could return now. Why would Goliath insulting Wolf's form make Wolf angry? Wolf CHOSE genetic mutation, so it shouldn't matter. You know what, Vinnie made me giggle at the end, albeit an annoyed giggle. It's just...just so stupid. How is this "EVEN"? The gargoyles got you fired, got your license suspended, made you convicted for driving under the influence, put your life in danger...and you're cool with giving a pie to the face? Don't go anywhere, lemme get you a clown costume and the Joker's phone number. And why does a pie thrower seen more dangerous than it actually is? I was expecting it to be a bomb pie at the end. If I were Vinnie, I would've found out where they lived and blackmailed them; I want restitution. Though this reminds me that again, Xanatos has no idea where they are and hasn't been shown to search for them.
So, Wolf was unnecessary; it's insulting that this is the only episode that focuses on a member of the Pack without really focusing on him, since he's possessed for half of it. Heck, we don't even need Vinnie. This is the most filler of filler episodes. If I wasn't reviewing this show (canon only), I would've skipped it. But I am, so 1/10.
47. Turf--I'm only just now noticing how several of our recurring male villains have male assistants who wear glasses: Xanatos has Owen, Renard has Vogel, and Dracon has Glasses. Granted, Owen was made to copy Vogel, but seeing the pattern, it's a shame that Puck did didn't make his own twist on the glasses-wearing assistant. The Trio suddenly trying to flirt with Angela gives me ick--they're not being creepy, but certainly cringey. I get it being their first time meeting a good female gargoyle since before they went to sleep (though this would've only been a year for them), it's weird how the characters feel rather reduced to macho stereotypes. It'd be one thing if it was simply their gargoyle nature flaring up out of the whole "we're a dying breed" thing, but this felt like casual flirting that just didn't hit for me. Granted, this COULD be a gargoyle thing since they weren't this way with Elisa, but IDK; it seems like they're trying to go the "goofy teens" route with this. Also curious why they didn't act that way with Maggie. Did her being an artificial gargoyle make a difference? Brooklyn was at least able to act normal around her/ Given Brooklyn was the leader when Goliath's not around, I was expecting more maturity from him. Also find it funny to see Lexington flirting when he was confirmed as gay; I know that couldn't make ti past the censors for 90s Disney, but I would've thought the writers just wouldn't have him as flirty with Angela as Brooklyn and Broadway. I'd also think they'd wanna hear her stories about other gargoyles on Avalon, a paradise without constant battles--at least compared to New York. Is Cyberbiotics the only tech company in the area? REALLY? Props to a bad guy who doesn't leave anyone behind.
I agree that Brooklyn is abusing his power, but Lexington and Broadway are WAY too involved with Angela at this point despite just meeting her. But then Brooklyn just attacks Lexington? Have they not matured AT ALL since Goliath's been gone? Why are they bringing up the Macbeth robot drama? Broadway was fighting it to keep everyone safe and now they wanna rag on him like he was doing something reckless? Insane how the presence of one gargoyle female who isn't an enemy has these guys either abusing power of defying orders. Dracon was VERY obvious despite being in jail and observed by guards. First time I ever heard him get loud, though. Rather surprising that Salli managed to evade a bunch of police officers--and how did the gargoyles come alive when there was still sunlight? I thought it had to be nighttime. How is this the first time someone's been up to the tower? Surprised that this was Elisa in disguise; I didn't recognize her appearance or voice at all--though in terms of design, I prefer her look back in "Protection." They never established how she managed to tell her job why she's been away for...however long she was gone. Using Fox's pregnancy as a time marker (she could've learned she was pregnant as early as a month into the pregnancy) and the fact that the Avalon/World Tour arc started 7 episodes later, they were probably gone about 8 months. Even if it was less than that, Elisa was missing days and weeks for sure. Was Matt covering for her? We never clarified if he found out about her whereabouts since his voicemail was full and the gargoyles had to hear about it from Griff and Arthur. How long has Elisa and the gang been back? No time to have a normal case before going undercover?
Weird that she STILL doesn't keep the gargoyles up to date on everything she's up to with her job--even weirder that despite having gone undercover before, no one recognizes her. And even weirder how her wig stayed on after the explosion that knocked her out. I forgot about Thomas being the villain of "Golem," though I do find it narratively convenient that he moved his operation to New York. It's not impossible, but what about just focusing on local threats for a while after World Tour? Brooklyn continues to come off as immature, and Elisa quickly comes around to the gargoyles helping her since it'd be difficult to keep in contact with Matt. Does he even know she's undercover? It was always weird to me that he's her partner but is rarely ever used unless the plot focuses on him (and those tend to be boring to me). I'm not a fan of Elisa's advice to Angela; she seemed uncomfortable, and Elisa told her that she was a big girl and just tell the guys how she wanted to be treated, reasoning that it's because it's been 1000 years since they're been around a female gargoyle. I trust the Trio under normal circumstances, but we're risking potential harassment if this continues, and Elisa pretty much told Angela she could figure it out. This isn't empowering; it's virtually abandonment. Doesn't it look MORE suspicious that Elisa is talking to the captain while in her disguise? Shouldn't she have changed first? Even with the cover they did, it'd still look suspicious; no one saw Salli sneak away of Captain Chavez come to get her. It's pathetic that Brooklyn continues to abuse his power--but even worse that Lexington and Broadway decide to defy him just to be with Angela. The crazy thing about it is that Broadway's loyalty, Brooklyn's leadership, and Lexington's tech skills would've impressed Angela much more, even if not done in a romantic capacity.
It's disappointing how regressive the Trio became, and how Angela asserting herself quickly changed their minds; if her presence alone was enough to make them lovesick, I'm surprised they gave up so easily when she shut then down. Not saying that they should've kept going after her, but it seems a rather sudden of character--then again, all of this is. And I'm just now realizing how much Dracon looks like Alexandra Cabot; was that intentional? Why would Dracon expose Elisa when she's trying to help him--and how does he recognize her but Brod doesn't? It's interesting that Brod refers to the gargoyles as reptiles; it would be interesting if they were a reptilian race. And how does neither Brod nor Dracon manage to shoot them? Do the guards have no question about how Elisa managed to capture the bad guys by herself. Props to Angela being a good sport, even if I think kissing them was probably the wrong method of slowing them down--and FIFTEEN sisters? I don't recall seeing that many Avalon gargoyles in general! Rather quick to establish Angela in a romance after she just got to New York, tbh. And please, never do a world tour arc again. What kind of stupid guards put two inmates together that OBVIOUSLY don't get along? That's a big concern for conflict. Overall, the episode was annoying in the B-plot and not very interesting in the main plot for me. 1/10.
Note: Weisman mentioned this episode took place concurrently with "Vendettas," with the latter being between August 1st and 2nd (and Goliath and Hudson didn't return in time on the 2nd), while the former took place between August 2nd and 3rd, and Bronx was on his own adventure. This is confusing, though; "Turf" took place over two nights, and Hudson and Goliath should've been back by the second night for the second half of the episode. Along with this, how does Bronx go on his own adventure? He would've been taken from and to the clocktower by one of the gargoyles, so did they just leave him somewhere? Him going off on his own is fine if the show established it earlier, but this feels so random, especially sicne Weisman calls it an adventure, but we're never given insight into what it is, and it's not acknowledged that he was on his own in the show.
48. The Reckoning--Honestly, I would've expected the tech thefts to be more tied to the Pack, though since they're all split up and defeated, I guess not. Though in theory, they could've all broken out again via Xanatos. Why does Goliath seem annoyed at Angela calling Demona her mom? She is, and it's not like Goliath sat her down to really try to persuade her to see otherwise--especially since the lack of female gargoyles doesn't offer Angela a chance to find a new mother figure. And his long reluctance to be acknowledged as her father kinda fueled this. Brooklyn jumping on the offensive, while apt given his relationship with Demona, continues to feel like a backtrack from his more mature moments. Demona "forgetting" that clans travel in groups is weird, seeing how her original goal was gargoyle supremacy. Is she just in it for herself now? She mentions knowing every gargoyle alive right now, so she should still be fighting for them. And her confusion over Angela is weird; she laid an egg, so wouldn't that be a possibility? Eliza noticed their resemblance immediately. Neat new note of gargoyle lore: banishment as punishment. Of course, only Iago and Demona are shown to be evil gargoyles, so we never actually get to see or hear this in practice before. Demona stayed out cold for a LONG time, and it's weird to me that Elisa comments on the commitment Goliath is undertaking, but not Talon and the labyrinth clan. They suddenly arrived and asked if they could look after an enemy of theirs. Talon and his group have never even faced her. That's unfair to them. But real talk: how are there prisons down there? What was this place before the artificial gargoyles came? I thought it was like an abandoned subway or something.
Hudson didn't need to step in here; Angela is young and obviously attached to her biological parents. I'm SURE Goliath mentioned this. Giving her the first watch without supervision (even if some artificial gargoyles are walking about) is asking for trouble. And then...Angela runs her mouth. Fang can hear their conversation? That's not a concern for anyone? How did Lexington not noticed the bug come out of Demona's belt? Sevarius has kinda become the new Xanatos, seeing how he's had more important episodes post-Avalon (okay, two, but Xanatos doesn't even have that many where he's the villain). Why on Earth would Sevarius want to work with Thailog, the creature that almost killed him? It's weird how Thailog doesn't want another clone of himself; he said that he wanted Goliath to join him at one point. How did the censors get away with Fang saying "kinky" on a kids' show? And why's he seem like he's never seen it happen before?
Five weeks pass, and Goliath never stood watch for Demona? This was HIS idea! Surprised Demona didn't lash out at Fang calling her half-human, half-gargoyle. And yeah, they definitely flew; that wasn't gliding. I'm just trying to understand why Thailog came back to New York, where both Goliath and Xanatos reside, and why he'd even deal with Demona still; the whole reason he faked a romance was to get money from Macbeth--but now he's spending a lot of cash for a risky venture. And Goliath sees that Thailog and co. led him and Talon to a trap, and instead he leaves to get backup rather than bringing Talon or having him do it. And he only brings his clan. Why not Talon's, too? It's not like they're guarding Fang anymore. Wait a minute; if Fang had magic, why didn't he just break out of his prison? And I know Thailog didn't want more of himself, but he took almost a year to be made the way he was, while the other gargoyles were made in 5 weeks. No concerns of them being underbaked? Because they are. Xanatos should've been called immediately to make this a fair fight, seeing how Thailog doesn't fight with just hands.
Demona, get out of here; instead of the backwards naming style Thailog (kinda) has, she named the Bizarro clan after California places. She was in Paris for a while; she couldn't have just named them after places in France? The west coast analogy doesn't make a lot of sense since we don't see her spend time there, even if I get the point they were making. But lemme ask: if Thailog just wanted goons, why not just hire them? Obviously his money gets him through doors, and I doubt he wouldn't be able to hire some humans like Demona had in "The Mirror." In-universe, this seems like more work, took longer, and probably cost more. Wait, so Demona knew about Angela the whole time? What was the point? Demona said she had to make Angela "understand." Understand what? Her gargoyle supremacy? Clearly, she failed; Angela only saw her in shifts, and Demona never made a breakthrough to her. Why not wait to reach out to Thailog until Angela had been successfully manipulated, or simply NOT GET CAPTURED and meet her privately? Granted, it'd be similar to what she did with Brooklyn, but it'd make more sense. Heck, I don't even understand why Demona would feel attached to Angela; if gargoyle mentality is that the next generation is parented by the entire previous generation, then Demona shouldn't care any more about Angela than the trio--even if she thought Angela was malleable.
CRINGE! So we get a villainous clone of Demona, who was already evil, mixed with the DNA of Elisa. When did Thailog get their DNA? Why does he care about Delilah when Demona was so loyal to him and cared about him? This feels like more work and more money than he needed to put in. Given Delilah is intelligent, did he personally raise her himself over the same period of time it took for him to develop? I need a timeline for this, because it feels a little murky here. And lemme just say that I see more Elisa than Demona; did Demona did supply the gargoyle aspect? Elisa's VA playing her only furthers this. A mix should've had a new voice actor. Come to think of it, shouldn't it have been difficult to clone two people into one body? How many DNA samples does Thailog have? If he gets Owen's DNA, the gargoyles are screwed--or they should be; plot armor would probably save them. Fang was easy to defeat. Thailog talking about the love going out of their relationship is wild since he never loved her--which makes the creation of Delilah even more nonsensical. And is no one paying attention to the whole Demona-Macbeth thing? Demona can't die unless it's by Macbeth's hands. Or did Thailog never figure that out? And why isn't the fire department there?
Suddenly the gargoyles can talk? And here we go with Talon taking up more responsibility. Secret MVP. But it's weird; Thailog said they were designed to only obey him. Him being dead shouldn't mean they follow the next person who commands them. This would work if they wre the result of a magic spell or something, but they're not. Angela's anguish over Demona feels appropriate, but the emotional rollercoaster felt too hamfisted since everything happened so fast and Angela wasn't the complete focus. Not to mention I question how Demona could've turned her back on Goliath and been willing to kill him, but not let Thailog kill Angela. Worth noting this episode was originally supposed to be the season finale before "Hunter's Moon" came into the picture, but even if it had another episode, I'm not sure this could've delivered a satisfying conclusion. 2/10.
49. Possession--Weird how we have two back-to-back episodes with references to "High Noon" and they barely have anything to do with the main context of the episode; that episode was a mismatch of various ideas. Coldstone left 30-something episodes ago; why bother having him off in some far-off place if Xanatos found him so quickly (without explaining how)? At this point, he may as well have stayed in New York. He gives no reference to Iago having taken over while he was gone. They can't keep Coldstone unconscious/offline while tinkering with his body? Terrible timing that when Puck's magic is needed, it's sealed away--and I still question why he never healed Owen's arm to begin with before his powers had parameters put on them. Alex looks grown! How much time has passed? Plus they keep talking to Coldstone as Othello--which only makes it more confusing since the three gargoyles within him aren't explicitly named in the show. And I've gotta ask: what part of Iago and Desdemona did Coldston get? Coldstone just seems to be Othello with robot parts. Is no one suspicious of Goliath? He suddenly gets all foreboding and Thailog-ish. But no; Angela just wants to help and the guys are tripping over their claws to impress her...again. The plan doesn't make sense, though; Iago's soul will disappitate without a host, but what stops him from possessing someone? Thank you Lexington for bringing up how the heck Goliath suddenly starts using magic (which is as flimsy as ever in this show). Feel like the lie could've been sold without the magic dust. The possession episode certainly reminds me of live-action Scooby-Doo when the daemon ritus kept swapping around their souls. Just gonna ask: were volunters necessary? Isn't being voluntold an option?
ALARM BELLS! Why is no one concerned?! But I enjoy this episode immensely now that Puck and Alex are invovled--even if I question how changing a baby's form works and how Alex was able to keep his cover as Hudson. And how did they know were the gargoyles lived? They litrally left that place to be away from Xanatos, and no one should know where they are. Granted, it's EASY for Puck to find them, but why isn't this treated like a big deal? Did he tell Xanatos? And did Fox just give up on trying to learn her powers? She and Xanatos left for date night like the adults in a "Tom & Jerry" short. Shouldn't they be paranoid after the king of the fairies just tried to take him? Puck or no, I don't know if I'd be able to go on date night or whatever it is with that looming over me. And Iago immediately gave himself away. Shouldn't Desdemona and Othello feel a little guilty for taking some other bodies out for a joyride? I know they volunteered, but still. Good voice acting to the possessed parties, all around. You're telling me Lexington couldn't wiggle his way out and get the attention of Goliath and Hudson? Bronx didn't even do anything! Uh, Othello still doesn't have qualms about stealing Broadway and Angela's bodies? The Coldsteel and Coldfire bodies only further my point that Coldstone is just Othello in body; they could've made cyborgs of Desdemona and Iago--because the three-in-one body thing gets old very quickly. Lexington joins the "easy to TKO" club. Othello is incredibly selfish here, to the point that I can't imagine him being the same hero in previous episodes.
Why are gargoyles tied up? Can't their claws cut the ropes? Yes, Othello, you should've seen this coming. So Xanatos actually wanted to help Goliath--and Coldstone, in a way. Neat to see him keeping his promise. Surprised the robots are waterproof; again, I'm used to plot armor. Iago has a point with Othello's selfishness. Got him! I hadn't put everything together, so this was neat--even if robot Iago is probably no different from Thailog in the long run. And Othello just changed his mind at the drop of a hat. Ah, so the soul transference does have to be voluntary; I guess that's a good thing, all things considered. Weird to see Puck use his magic for altruistic means rather than mischief--but not unwelcome. I question how Alex's intelligence suddenly changes based on who's body he's in; he's able to speak long sentences (weird that he spoke as Lexington but not as Hudson) and use magic now? And while Othello says he and Desdemona got to live again for a night, isn't it still a consolation that they get their own bodies? Goliath offers Othello and Desdemona a spot on the clan AGAIN, and they turn it down; before it was about Iago taking control, but now it's about Coldsteel running rampant. Can't we all team up to stop him? At this point, I'd just assume they don't wanna join the clan. No one does; literally every attempt to get someone to join them has failed except for Angela, and she volunteered. I call BS on Puck not using magic in hours; he literally possessed Coldstone. And did Alex get younger? Is no one scared out of their minds that a mischevious elf was able to train a baby how to shapeshift and perform soul transferrence over the course of a night? He needed to go to Avalon. Let his grandma and step-grandpa look after him! Why is this the first thing Puck teaches him? That's super advanced, and if Alex can do it by himself, that's a huge safety risk! Still, Xanatos' "present" wasn't all that bad--even if it gives an old enemy new autonomy. I do regret that Puck's identity means we won't be seeing Owen as much, and I don't get why Xanatos wouldn't still keep his regular goons around; we haven't seen them in a while. I would've had a lot of questions if I was Xanatos, and question why Puck turned back into Owen if he was gonna be transparent about it. If we know who you are, why bother being Owen in private? And Puck's ability to shapeshift and Alex already being close with him only furthers my theory that he's Alex's actual dad. That said...I actually liked this episode. Crazy, huh? Not everything was flawless--the storytelling still needed work--but for the first time in a while, I'm left satisfied by this episode. 6/10.
Note: Funnily enough, I thought this shared a title with an episode of "X-Men: Evolution" (I was thinking of "Self-Possessed") that I loved. Even if I was wrong, I'm glad I was still pleased with both episodes. Also wanna highlight this among the talk of getting bodies and shapeshifting: why don't we ever get to see the garoglyes as humans again? Considering Puck changed Demona just out of annoyance, I'd think he'd do it for the gargoyles as a favor. Feels weird we got the human episode so early in the series. And I question why we couldn't get more content of the human gargoyles from "The Mirror"; Puck could simply be teaching Alex about it.
50. Hunter's Moon Part One--Gee, who would've thought something 41 episodes ago would matter now? Seriously, you had all this filler with the World Tour arc, and you couldn't do this earlier? Hmm, I do feel bad for Gillecomgain, seeing how Demona snuck into his own barn and scarred him with no remorse, and his father just brushes it off. Can't blame him, especially if gargoyles already have a reputation in that village. Did Brenden really suggest he and his wife ride the subway just to "meet interesting people"? I guess people would eventually think like that if they livd in New York long enough--or if they were new to New York. IDK why it's funny that one of the goons called Goliath handsome, not seeming intimidated by his gargoyle appearance. Brooklyn saying the gargoyles still have a PR problem only seems to confirm to me that gargoyles ARE well-known in New York, not a secret. Again, weird Elisa/Goliath shipping moment. There isn't enough "will they, won't they" hinting for me to ask the question, nor is there consistency on that account, so it feels very random when it pops up. Matt holding Elisa's hand kinda makes me ship them, though. Angela literally says they live a good life; this isn't repetitive for her, fighting crime every night and not getting to explore since settling down from the world tour arc? Matt and Elisa breaking up would be sad if they actually spent more time together; usually Matt's in the background, and has only been the central focus for like two or three episodes. At least he gets to be in on the gargoyles' secret. But it's weird how they both give up when Jason appears; they should still be concerned about Elisa working the day shift since the gargoyles rest atop the building. It'd be suspicious if she kept appearing every night there, unless she's having Matt do it now. By the way, is there no training for new partners? Are they just expected to get along immediately? And is this the morning FOLLOWING Elisa's recent shift on the train? Did Chavez just make her work a morning shift right after a night shift?
Odd to see Demona out of her Starfire look and looking more like Jessie from "Pokemon"--even more odd to see her alive. How did she get a job in a high-up company? She's someone's BOSS. How long has she been doing that, and how has no one caught her yet? New York may be big, but the plot convenience doesn't usually let that stop things like that. Heck, she should've been able to find Elisa and track down the gargoyles? Why did she let her outfit tear? She must make good money to replace it. What was the point of Brooklyn giving himself a bandage when the stone cure-all heals him? Matt calling Xanatos Mr. X tickles me due to me seeing some X-Men parallels in this show; imagine if Disney had the rights to X-Men back then! Xanatos and Alex's little relationship is cute, but the lack of resemblance is still killing me. Weird that Goliath takes her comments about Jason to be about him; their situations aren't similar at all. And Elisa WAS working double shifts! Not exactly healthy for a detective. Is Xanatos really surprised at being a popular guy, considering his reputation, past, and wealth? Maybe he just means nighttime specifically. The last photographs taken of Xanatos' castle was when the gargoyles were still there? Sounds odd, considering he doesn't stop people from coming up to visit, and I'm sure he would've been hounded by the press after he came back from jail.
And then he has weird dialogue, saying to a reporter that he destroyed the gargoyle statues, but then saying if they were brought before him, he'd pulverize them. WE know what he's talking about, but to the reporter, that's be contradictory. "Urban myth" of gargoyles? They've been caught on camera and in places with tons of people. You're telling me none of them noticed stoneskin on the top of the castle for a year? They use that space, and I'm sure Xanatos makes sure it's taken care of. I wish we'd see the gargoyles lounging more, ie Hudson watching television. It occcurs to me that the gargoyles have no growth in terms of combat; we're 63 episodes in and Goliath is still taken down by tech. He doesn't even carry a weapon like Hudson to get out of traps like that. Even if they didn't turn to stone, I doubt gargoyles would last long in the modern world thanks to human tech. Heck, even Demona uses weapons, and she hates humans! (Allegedly.) Brooklyn being a hothead sadly continues. Why did the Hunters fight the gargoyles? You didn't need to fight them to see Angela was younger with different colors, and when they realized it, they left. They're not good at their job. The hot-headed hunter doesn't care if it wasn't Demona, so why leave instead of finishing off Goliath and Hudson? The hunters had the advantage. I get Goliath wanting to kill them to defend Angela, but it does feel a bit OOC considering his character. I get the circumstnaces, but it still feels a bit sharp--but then again, he was gonna get revenge on the viking and captain for the deaths of his bretherin, so I guess this is fair. This episode flew by for me, but it's not much to work with on it's own. 2/10.
51. Hunter's Moon Part Two--I'm just now thinking about it, but why isn't Macbeth here? He was part of the original hunter's story. Why's Elisa performing CPR, and did they manage to resussitate her so late after her injury? The gargoyles kinda screwed themselves by posing inside the library, and shouldn't Matt be the one doing recon with them now? Considering Elisa wasn't there for "The Reckoning," I forgot that the gargoyles even briefed her on the adventure. But did they tell her about Delilah? I wouldn't be able to trust being around anyone after learning my DNA was stolen. And shouldn't she have told them that Demona CAN'T die unless it's by Macbeth's hands? Love Jason's eye details, but the romance hinting feels odd since this series has never really taken it seriously aside from Othello and Desdemona--and they're minor characters, so...I 100% understand Elisa not trusting Xanatos, but at this point, knowing who Owen really is, seeing how the gargoyles saved Alex, and the whole events of "Possession," I'd be inclined to ask Xanatos for help. So Demona is working with Sevarius; is this leftover from his relationship with Thailog? Because if so, I'd be weary to trust him. Her new assistant being female Owen is funny to me; while Vogel is the OG, Owen was the first character to debut. Good to know gargoyle's sleep cycles also heal their internal injuries. But does Goliath still want to kill them? Angela's not dead, so blood for blood shouldn't be a factor.
Elisa is showing Jason to her house?! I don't even think Matt's been there. And then they kiss. This is the first kiss we see in the show, isn't it--at least between main characters? Did Demona ever kiss Macbeth, Goliath, or Thailog? Maybe she did. But what if Goliath doing outside Elisa's apartment? He should be looking for the hunters. And again, there hasn't been enough romantic hinting to make me understand the hurt/jealousy. "There's someone else" is B.S. And have we learned that Demona became human via Puck? Couldn't the gargoyles ask him to change them and just frame it as training for Alex? Xanatos is in their debt, kinda-sorta. Wait, Goliath was going to get Elisa? He knows she works the day shift now, so wouldn't he expect her to be tired at night? And Goliath makes a dumb move to attack the hunters? How does no one in the city see this, or the gargoyles for that matter? Aggressive Goliath doesn't sell "leader" to me--and is him and Demona on the airship supposed to be a callback to "Awakening"? Also love the facial expressions here. But I don't believe Lexington and Brooklyn could hold her back. All this talk of gargoyles being so powerful and dangerous, but they're easy to imprison, knock out, incapacitate, etc. I question the whole generational vendetta trope, since this stuff costs money and conviction, and over 1000 years, I'd think that'd wither--at least with conviction. Did they wipe out the last clan in Scotland? Is she referring to the ones she led in her old age? I didn't know she also identified them as hunters. She shouldn't really question why the hunters want to kill her, seeing the usual human prejudice towards them and her reciprocated feelings. Why is no one asking how she's alive? They seemed surprised--even Elisa, who knew she couldn't unless it was by Macbeth.
It's sad to hear Demona say she hates her old clan, and weird to see Demona temper Goliath's anger. Before, she would've liked this side of him. But why isn't she reminding them that she refused to let Thailog kill Angela? That has to count for something, slimy as she is. Weren't the Hunters supposed to be finding their third, dumb as that move is? Evn the WALLS are eloctrocuted. All this fighting, and somehow Demona and Goliath recognize similarities with each other? I'd think there'd be no reworking their bond unless it was to schedule custody of Angela. Just now realizing the art style is different because Jason looks different. I honestly wouldn't have even known that that was Robyn and the reporter Jon if I hadn't read the wiki. Gee, should've noted the new characters suddenly popping up would've been important. But how do the Hunters think their airship can follow the gargoyles without being noticed? It took the Hunters ONE night to figure out Demona is Dominique and where the gargoyles live, while Xanatos never figured it out (unless Puck told him). And the Hunters are willing to attack a police office despite supposedly being just anti-gargoyle? I'd say it was fascinating, but there wasn't much depth for me. 2/10
52. Hunter's Moon Part Three--Generational trauma is a crazy motivator, isn't it? In any case, "I've been training for this all my life. I can't possibly fail" is anticlimatic after a three-second battle. It should've been obvious not to fight a winged creature on a high building. Also, why didn't the Hunters attack during the day? The animation budget seemed to go up for this finale. So Owen calls the clocktower the gargoyles'...so Xanatos (and Fox) knew? I feel like Matt doing a quick look into Jason's past means th cops should've been able to as well. What kind of business are they running? Goliath mentions justice over the law, but didn't he say gargoyles were honorable and didn't kill, or something like that? Goliath's wrath is interesting, but it similar to his "romance" with Elisa, it feels inconsistent; we've seen him made, but vengeful isn't something we've seen since the premiere--and if that was the point, that's fine, but I'd want better writing than "we wanted to make a reference." This show has been TERRIBLE with expanding/exploring on Goliath's trauma, or anyone's trauma relating to the gargoyle deaths in Scotland. Heck, him pushing Angela away would've been a great way to bring it back into focus, being afraid of losing more gargoyles, and also why he named a second-in-command. But no, the show doesn't explore any of this.
And it's funny to me when everyone gangs up on Goliath; it's very rare to show their respect for him as a leader and show he's the wise one aside from Hudson, but unlike when everyone dug their talons down about leaving Xanatos' castle, they just give in when he wants vengeance. And then Goliath just tells them to stay away from the Hunters when he goes out to find them himself via Lexington tracing their signals. Broadway actually made me smile about Elisa needing a lift; I wish we got more of him being the bubbly member of the group; everyone has distinct personalities. Glad they didn't have Elisa fall when Jon moved her, but what on EARTH made Goliath think fighting Jon with her over the cliff was a good idea. And what kind of cry of anguish was that? Elisa disappearing into the water was kinda annoying, since we just had the almost-death with Angela. Aside from being repetitive, it kinda makes the females feel other'd from the group. And I was very confused about what a "Hunter's Moon" was until the wiki told me it was the first full moon in October. Never heard of that before, and it since it's a regular occurence with no magical or strategic significance, it felt weird to name it that (or if it's a real thing, to name the episode that). And Elisa kept telling Goliath not to seek vengeance, but he's not abiding by that now. I also question if Jason's siblings know where Elisa's apartment was. Did he never tell them? Because that would be the obvious place for the gargoyles. Why not seek Xanatos' help? And not to put too much of a point on this, but the Hunters attacked Goliath, so it's kinda on them.
I have questions about Demona's plan. For one: why didn't she do this before? You gotta have a better explanation than "we just wrote it in." She even asked Puck to do it back in season 1. Secondly: if the tablet grants her her greatest wish, why would she need protection? Can't she just wish for the eradication of humans? Thirdly: why does she even need the chemicals and the virus? This show is weirdly intent on mixing science with magic at times when science isn't really needed? Just have the spell do it itself. And why would Demona record this? If I was her, I'd leave no evidence and just shrug when the spell goes down. "I know, it's weird, but this is convenient for me." So all of a sudden, people see gargoyles flying and police are only just now looking into them? Surprised Jon didn't want to chase after Demona himself? Why would the police have a riot? You're telling me a bunch of people WANT to tangle with these mysterious creatures? Or is it about the desecretation of the church? NGL, I kinda love Brooklyn being Demona's rival more than Goliath; I again get XME flashbacks to Cyclops and Mystique. Shame that Goliath shows no remorse for Jason's death, and even threatens Jon. HUH?! Did Jason hit his head in the water? What changed his mind so suddenly? If it's not talk-no-jutsu, it's offscreen development. Jason hated them with a vengence, and Jon randomly shoots Goliath when he CLEARLY can tell Goliath is going to run past Jason. And then Jon is all "What have I done?" I swear, the pacing would've killed me if I wasn't almost doen with this series. But then Jon changes his mind again. What was the point of the back-and-forth? And I'm SO LATE in noticing Demona's the only gargoyle to have her eyes turn red while everyone else's turns white. I wish their eyes changed more. Smart move on Goliath's part, and dumb one on Demona's for sharing her plan. What exactly was the escape plan for the gargoyles? Everyone's seen them and looking for them; you think they wouldn't notice their statues? Granted, they didn't before, but no one was paying attention, apparently. Can Matt give orders to cops as a detective? Jason losing his mobility from the waist-down is kinda wild when you remember that the gargoyles would've healed the next night, anyway. He probably didn't know that (he should've, though), but yeesh. And given the inconsistent aspect of Elisa/Goliath's relationship status, I don't think she needed to say "there's someone else." She could've just said Jason needed to focus on healing, or that he tried to kill her friends and she couldn't get past that. But what does it matter? Their random romance was super brief anyway. Xanatos restating his position as an ally is great; just hope he doesn't change his mind later. Neat to see them all end up back at the castle again. "Chapter 2, or is it 3? I've lost count." It's Chapter 5 at this point, Brooklyn. Elisa asking Goliath if he knows how she feels about him is like asking the audience, because it has NOT been clear. Again, I don't mind this ship, but they had SO MUCH screentime, but never built on it. Was the rotating castle supposed to hint at the empty spots where more gargoyles would join? Is no one suspicious that Xanatos was behind the gargoyles' safe escape? Everyone knew he used to have gargoyles that disappeared. Do the math. None of this stuff feels settled; at best, this feels like a season 2 finale for an average-length season, not a series finale for second season 4 times the length of the first. Plus the main villains were weak from random past villains who had no significant purpose in present-day before now (Macbeth had a much stronger claim to this finale) and Demona's plan is super last-minute; yes, she mentioned the contagion before, but her actual plan was only revealed halfway through this episode. I'm not satisfied. -0/10 2/10.
I'm FREE! I've never done an episode-by-episode review of a show before, and this was...something. I was gonna do "The Goliath Chonricles," but they're not canon except for the first episode, and that's recapped in the comics, anyway. Maybe I'll read them someday. I will admit that I don't think it could be THAT bad since I'm kinda bummed out from the canon series. This wasn't an awful show by any means, but I definitely think it could've been better. I will admit they were kinda screwed from the start, as creator Greg Weisman mentions they only had 10 months to make the first season and twelve to make the second season--which was four times as long as the first. But considering the large amount of things Weisman decided to include despite the rushed schedule, as well as admitting to underestimating the Manhattan trio and my feelings on his other show, I don't think more time would've led to the show being better for me in any substantial margin. A lot of season 2 felt like a season 4/5, AKA when a show is in decline rather than it's prime. Also wish the Arthurian content had never been used and instead they just focused on gargoyles; the stuff with Titania and Oberon could've been for an Alex spinoff or something as he learns to control his magic. Also: why didn't we get more moments of human Demona?!
