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"Gargoyles" Season 2 Review (Part II of IV)

The ramblings continue--but I'll try to be slightly more concise in the future. Enjoy it if you have nothing else to do or if you're just rewatching the show.

14. Outfoxed--The "previously on Gargoyles" is kinda funny since it's trying to remind us of Xanatos and Fox's relationship when their romance has only been the focus of one episode; even the episode of THEIR WEDDING put their romance on the backburner for Goliath and Demona's. Odd that we're only just now hearing about Cyberbiotics again, considering it's been a year (and 20 episodes to us) since the situation went down and Xanatos has been in the news since then. Needing an extended flashback shows this was something that should've been covered when it was still fresh in our minds. I'll give points for Preston pretty much being an Owen clone--save for the voice. I do like Fox and Xanatos' chemistry now--but like I said, I wish it had better buildup. Fox and the Pack in general are villains I wish got more focus before Fox's eventual marriage to Xanatos. Also interesting to see the animation differences between the earlier episodes and season 2. I did kinda huff to myself since Goliath mentioned Xanatos tricking him early on, considering how Goliath had just experienced significant trauma (at least from his POV) and how Goliath still got tricked by Xanatos later. I'm also surprised everyone STILL isn't up to date about the "gargoyles in New York" situation. And Goliath's own statement of "how do you reason with machines" feels like a bigger conflict that should've represented the millennium of time the gargoyles were away. Lexington's interest in technology, for example, could've been a lot more gradual--or at least met with more hostility. Plus it's weird how Goliath acts offended and surprised at Cyberbiotic assuming he's trying to destroy their airship and is working with Xanatos, seeing how that was the exact situation last time. Reynard calls this out, and I'm really taken aback that Goliath quickly says it wasn't his fault. While I don't 100% blame him, I'm surprised he didn't feel any guilt for not keeping Demona in line or something; a hero like him usually feels guilt even if they aren't intending to cause problems. Reynard calls him out for this too, and I do love it, but it feels odd, since him being a villain makes it seem like he's supposed to be wrong about what he says, and his statement feels like it's supposed to be deep and philosophical, as if Goliath has a habit of not taking responsibility. That's Demona. If anything, his longterm flaw is being too trusting. But I do love the whole "chickens come home to roost" thing, even if it's super late. Also neat note that Sevarius and Owen were poached from Cyberbiotic by Xanatos; seems like Reynard should've tried to keep Xanatos in jail longer. Also love that Reynard mentions that even if Goliath was tricked, he still caused damage and should take responsibility. Weird that Goliath doesn't. And I do find it fascinating that Xanatos shows concern about Reynard, and I love that the couple has different things going on, with Xanatos uninvolved in Fox's takeover. The annoyance he shows with Fox is something I find kind of odd, since nothing really bothers him. Reynard and Goliath's conversation almost make me wish this was more of a hypnotic/psychological torture episode, but this is better--even though it doesn't fit Goliath as a character and he goes from "I'm not responsible" to "I was wrong" in like 3 minutes.

If Reynard didn't seem to be an actually decent person, I'd think he was pulling a Professor X with some telepathy; he's got the chair for it. Honestly surprised Goliath isn't takn out by the robots again; it's not like he gets stronger or faster or anything. I do appreciate that Preston wants to get Reynard to safety, though. Production issue that Preston's image appears as though he's still in the office, btw. And WHAT?! TWO people are required for override? What if one of them was incapacitated or not present? That's a huge issue. Preston actually breaking down and admitting to his betrayal was a surprise, since I expected him to be a schemer. Then we get the reveal that Fox is Reynard's daughter (should've seen that coming with the names) and that he would give her the company if she asked, but she found it wouldn't be any fun that way. If Fox was a more present and fleshed-out character who I could understand, I think her statement about having fun would mean a lot more than what it did here. And also wanna point out that this episode makes no sense; it's called "Outfoxed," but no one is outfoxed. Fox attempted a hostile takeover and failed, and Preston helped save the ship out of loyalty to Reynard. No one won anything, no one was outsmarted. And then there's Fox revealing she's pregnant. The pacing is insane; in her 2nd appearance she's hyping up Xanatos, in her 3rd it's revealed they're lovers, in her 4th they're engaged, in her 5th they get married, her 6th and 7th appearances are bit parts, and in her 8th she reveals she's pregnant. The writers already know this season is gonna be 52 episodes; why are we rushing so much? Also, why didn't Elisa call on the other gargoyles when Goliath was taking so long? Points though for this not being something Xanatos had a hand in. 5/10.

15. Revelations--Almost watched "The Price" first. Glad I avoided that! Apparently it's out of order. NGL, the intro with Goliath in such a dangerous place reminds me of Macbeth's mansion. And NO. Why did we have to do a "how did I get into this situation, you wonder?" with Matt? Not a big fan of those things. And I do think the Illuminati angle is doing too much with this premise. It's giving "spinoff." And is this the first time Elisa was caught leaving the tower? I'd think her attached partner would've caught her before. It's like a superhero trying to keep their identity a secret--from another detective. And Elisa lying to Matt about bending regulations (in order to keep the gargoyles' cover) should raise more flags to him, tbh; even if the gargoyles weren't a factor, that's not legal. And Matt's change in attitude feels like it should be a climax, a turning point for the relationship between Elisa and Matt--but Matt's been pretty minor since his introduction, save "Silver Falcon." He isn't there enough for this to feel like a significant change. And Elisa just reveals the secret to Matt after all that drama about not letting Derek know about them? (Also, we never see Derek listen to Fox's recording.) And what is Goliath talking about FINALLY telling Matt? When was it ever discussed that he would ever be clued in? And while I do like Goliath saying that trust isn't a commodity to be bartered with, I did fall out laughing when Matt said Goliath was nobody's fool, seeing how easy he is to manipulate where Demona, Xanatos, and even his fellow gargoyles are involved. Also curious why Xanatos told the Illuminati about the gargoyles, seeing how he kept it a secret from most people (it was kind of a plot point in his arrest in season 1). And I'll give it to the writers; the "why didn't you use the key I gave you?" a great moment of comedy. The idea of breaking Goliath, while fascinating, feels repetitive given Demona's temporary control of him, particularly since it didn't work out here. And I'm surprised Malone actually thought Matt just dropped his key and Goliath found it--also surprised he went straight to the idea of killing Goliath since he had the key. I also question why the Illuminati is interested in Goliath, but only Malone is in charge of controlling him. I'm surprised Xanatos didn't want to jump in, or that the Illuminati didn't want more of his resources/knowledge to take Goliath down personally. And how did Malone not get rope burn in the elevator shaft?! And I'm surprised Malone got such a quick end, seeing how it was a big deal for Matt to catch him, only for him to fall into his own trap. And HUH?! Elisa didn't share the secret of the Gargoyles because she wanted to be the only human they confided in? Is that the REAL reason she didn't share the secret with Derek? Then she definitely shares partial blame for him still being involved with Xanatos and becoming Talon. That's awful--and it makes no sense given her character. If she simply said "It wasn't my secret to share" (and they didn't give her permission like they did with Talon), it'd make more sense if she agonized over it and stressed about it until the gargoyles gave their blessing. And their captain sees them coming out of the broom closet, but isn't suspicious? In another show, this would be a love triangle with Matt/Elisa/Goliath. The reveal of Hacker being an Illuminati member is a surprise, but given this is only Hacker's second appearence and only the second episode mentioning/focusing on the Illuminati, it just doesn't have an impact for me. NGL, the involvement of gargoyles felt obligatory. For half of the episode, they weren't even a plot point. And while I was mad at a show named "Gargoyles" not featuring Gargoyles, them actually being included didn't feel properly implemented to me. 2/10.

16. Double Jeopardy--Was the attack from a year ago actually shown in the show? Also, they could've just said "the present" instead of "one year later" after "one year ago." Also, evil Goliath? I guess Keith David got practice before Dr. Facilier; this episode was inspired by exploring his VA abilities, apparently. I'm surprised Broadway sounds so accusatory when wanting to talk to Goliath. These guys are magical creatures who have both magical and scientific enemies; no one was gonna consider that that wasn't Goliath at all? Also surprised Xanatos was outfoxed (THAT'S how you do that) by Sevarius, seeing how he's usually ten steps ahead. And where is Fox during all this? I like that the duo have separate lives, but not to the point of her not actually being in important episodes. And why didn't Brooklyn and Goliath return from their patrol the same night? And I'm pretty bummed that we're only 7 minutes in before revealing that the Goliath we saw wasn't the real deal. And Xanatos really went through the hard route; since Goliath didn't know what DNA was, I think Owen could've gotten it without having the robot attack him. Also BIG criticism for Elisa not seeing that coming since she does know what DNA is--and we already established that gargoyles heal when they're in their stone form, so Owen didn't need to treat it. And I'm still confused about how gargoyles have DNA. I get that they reproduce and are biological for half the day, but I'd think cloning a magical creature would be much more difficult. And the whole cloning process is confusing; why does the aging process lead to pigmentation differences, any by "slow aging process," does this mean the gargoyles age slowly? Given the CoS arc, I find that hard to believe, since Demona goes from young to old in 8 years. And gonna be nitpicky here, but Sevarius said that Thailog's personality was tailored to fit Xanatos' "unique slant on things," which is very confusing, since Thailog doesn't strike me as having Xanatos' personality AT ALL. Took me a second to find out Thailog is Goliath backwards (well, almost), and I actually prefer his color scheme to Goliath's; as someone getting into DnD, it reminds me of the Drow. Also find it funny how quick they are to adapting to a clone being human--wouldn't medieval magical creatures have qualms about this? At least use the "this helps increase the gargoyle population" argument! And it annoyed me when Elisa said Thailog is like his son--wouldn't a twin brother be more appropriate? Unless we're using two or more people's DNA, I don't see a clone as an offspring. Thailog does later refer to Goliath, Xanatos, and Sevarius as his fathers, but he only has Goliath's DNA, so the point still stands. Also, I don't blame Sevarius for assuming Xanatos was pulling one of his complex schemes again, and the plot twist that Thailog was behind it all was pretty awesome. But I am curious about what Xanatos' plan was. Have we learned why exactly he wants a gargoyle? And now that he has Goliath's DNA, can't he just make more clones or kill the rest of the gargoyles? And, um, Thailog just took out Goliath AND Xanatos. This makes him the strongest villain thus far (physically, anyway; IDK if the Weird Sisters are villains, and their magically OP, it seems). Nevermind the fact that Goliath seems to get knocked out often--and it's not even a strategic move; it's when he's the only gargoyle. Gotta keep a score card of this. Also something about a gargoyle wanting to make use of millions of dollars makes me giggle; I would've died of laughter if Thailog said "I'll find a way to make it rain," but missed opportunity aside, it's still fascinating. Still curious why Thailog is evil; Xanatos has been shown to care about others, so IDK why Thailog seems worse off than him, morally-speaking. I also got annoyed when he said he considered working with Goliath before changing his mind; show, don't tell. And the flirty dialogue from Xanatos seems odd considering he never flirted with Elisa before and he seems to be in love with Fox.

Seeing Thailog scramble for his money is kinda hilarious, even if annoying; Xanatos cares about money, but he's a lot more clever. Thailog bring called smarter than Xanatos feels presumptuous; all he did is survive with his money when everyone thought both of them were done for. And it's not like a long amount of time passed; Xanatos realized it the next morning. Not to mention that Thailog is supposed to share personality traits based on what Xanatos taught him. Intelligence isn't a personality trait--and even if it was, I don't see Xanatos, intelligent as he is, making someone so smart as to outsmart him; just smart enough to obey. The whole "I turned on my creators" angle isn't as interesting since we didn't know about Thailog up until this moment. I continue to be annoyed with stuff that should've at least been hinted at earlier. I looked at the timeline, and this started 20 episodes (and 10 months in-universe) later. Stuff like this gives me "let's make this up on the fly" vibes, which shouldn't be the case when you have 52 episodes to work with. Plus, I wasn't gonna say it, but...this feels like a Coldstone episode, or a Talon episode. While I like Thailog, his character isn't explored beyond "evil clone" whereas we have more complex tragic gargoyles to explore that we haven't even gotten back to (well, there was Coldstone, but he was more of an accomplice in that episode). I feel like we're getting too many evil/antagonistic/dangerous gargoyles lately. Let's make use of what we have, and if Thailog had to be there, he should've shown up earlier. 6/10.

17. Upgrade--Question: was Xanatos explaining the staged escape plan to Fox supposed to be news to her, or was it just for audience benefit? I'll be optimistic and assume it was the latter, but I do wish it was explained in a less obvious way. And is this one of the episodes where the animation quality changed? It looks different from the season premiere. And I find it funny how Dingo mentioned them falling so low as to robbing banks, considering that they were, at their height, viewed as heroes in the city with more money than they could deal with. It was their own fault since they craved more action (and now Hyena wants to stay at the top of the "Most Wanted" list; you guys already had fame). Curious about what they did before though, and why they still work together now. And Goliath points out something I hadn't considered before; the Pack just disappeared since the premiere and no one, not even Fox or Xanatos, mentioned them. Rather strange. Also surprised to see Broadway claw someone. And Dingo had the nerve to say "if we take out Goliath, this fight is ours"? Well gee, by that logic, a lot of villains should've been able to win that fight; this is at least the third episode in a row where Goliath is taken out. And why did they only have one grenade? Also confused on why it only worked on one person instead of a surrounding area. And ooh, Xanatos half-robot head jumpscare! Hudson said Goliath needs to choose a second in command. I'm mixed on that. On one hand, Hudson is "too old" (age continues to befuddle me with gargoyles) while the others are still young--well, are they?--so it makes sense if Goliath hasn't picked one. But on the other hand, considering their close-knit group, I'd think they'd have already done that. But secret third hand: why should it matter? Aside from Goliath often getting kidnapped and knocked out and then getting himself out of the situation often without the other gargoyles, the gargoyles' numbers are dwindling. At this point, just enjoy life. And I'm not surprised Goliath wanted to name Hudson as his successor--and even less surprised that Hudson pointed out that made no sense when Goliath was his second before becoming leader. I feel like Goliath's decision should be something that is warranted by flashbacks into his own origins. And why was Wolf surprised that Xanatos' robotic head was working for Xanatos? It's kinda obvious. ONE MONTH LATER?! No! We've been doing a lot of "while the audience wasn't looking these past few episodes," and skipping a month ahead doesn't add anything to this. And why is Goliath not joining patrols? he's already healed. And the others JUST left; Goliath could've got them to defeat the pack. Mixed feelings on everyone's "upgrades" (Hyena probably looks the best) and confused how Dingo's armor hurts Goliath, but Xanatos' own armor didn't seem that powerful. Kinda feel like we're jumping around here; we don't see the Pack get the upgrade--you're telling me Dingo was the only one who had qualms about it?-- and as soon as Coyote defeats Goliath, everyone starts splintering. I thought Jackal and Hyena were at least a ride-or-die team. I wanna know more of these people as characters rather than a unit. I'm surprised the younger gargoyles are impatient with Goliath's decision not being made yet--it's only been a month, and like I said, age stuff befuddles me with them. Also curious why Bronx going with them means the situation is dire. Is Bronx more powerful, or is it just a sign of needing all the help they can get? And the "I'm on your side" stuff meant nothing, apparently, since Wolf and Jackal end up with Coyote by the next scene.

And finally, Xanatos is keen on killing the gargoyles--though I'm curious as to why. Does he still have Goliath's DNA like I thought? Does he wanna try again with another Thailog? Honestly surprised he hasn't tried to team up with the gargoyles to find him immediately. It can't be that hard to find a gargoyle with $20 million. He's gotta spend money somewhere. Or since Goliath is unconscious for the upteenth time, why not try brainwashing or giving him an "upgrade" like the Pack, just fit with hypnosis tech like Coldstone? And you're telling me the gargoyles are STILL in hiding? Why doesn't Xanatos follow Elisa to see where she goes, or scour the city? And don't give me "villain cartoon logic" when this show is dark and has a streamlined plotline; this isn't episodic "next time, Gargoyles!" adventures. Not a huge fan of the scenes switching to Fox and Xanatos for like 3 seconds for "mwahahaha" purposes. Strange that by this point, no one's brought up the idea of trackers, nor why Matt wasn't there to help Elisa. Also love that none of the gargoyles are "the dumb one"; everyone is clever and intelligent in their own way while having personality. And was Dingo always the voice of reason? Again, really wish we knew more about them as individuals. The body horror with Hyena and Jackal is so creepy to me, so I guess they succeeded if that was the goal. But the way everyone's defeated feels hollow. It's not via strategy (Brooklyn says he has a plan, but it's mainly distraction) or numbers; it just seems like the gargoyles are stronger. Plus Dingo being defeated felt like some Saturday Morning Cartoon; very goofy. And the whole leadership thing ends up feeling like a B-plot (congrats though Brookyln!), when it's not supposed to be. This didn't feel like a major episode when it should've been, from the Pack's upgrade to the gargoyle's second-in-command. 1/10.

18. Protection--Odd to me how quickly criminals can get out of jail--okay, maybe not that surprising, but seeing how Dracon is a big-time criminal, I'd have thought they'd have had a tighter grip on him. Bizarre that despite living in New York for a year, Goliath has never heard of criminals being paid for protection in order for businesses to prevent conflict. And besides, this wasn't a thing in medieval Scotland? Also surprised the gargoyles are okay with going days without seeing Elisa without concern. Elisa's new outfit looks gorgeous; I love the blue and black on her. And really, Elisa? You thought you could go incognito from your magical friends for several nights and they wouldn't check in? And I find it fascinating that Dracon actually didn't go to jail; even Xanatos had to do some time, and he's much richer than Dracon. And I give props to the gargoyles for catching onto things, thanks to Broadway. The Glasses shade is so unnecessary, Dracon. And how did Broadway survive that bomb exploding? Curious what Goliath means by "gargoyle justice is not human justice" since I thought gargoyle justice would be pretty traditional. Neat plot twist of the cops being part of Elisa's con; makes the earlier stupidy I criticized make sense. And NOW we have enough evidence against Dracon? You mean we didn't before? Didn't Elisa just mention him having great lawyers and such? What makes now any different? And Elisa had several days, er, nights, to tell the gargoyles, so IDK what she meant by she didn't have time. "Protection from ourselves" didn't really make much sense to me since that wasn't the theme of the episode, and the Goliath/Elisa romance hinting felt almost off since Broadway was part of the equation as well; heck, I'd ship him with Elisa more than Goliath at this point. I also regret that we didn't see Matt interact with the gargoyles, given the circumstances, but I guess it wouldn't work in this case. 2/10.

19. The Cage--First time seeing (and mentioning?) Elisa's sister in the show. Also sad that Derek hasn't been seen in 17 episodes and it's been 2 months in-universe and Eliza seems to just be denying anything is wrong. And her dad is JUST NOW wanting to file a report? They also brush past Derek's disappearance way too fast. I wish we got more of Elisa's family, seeing how they live in the city (well, not her sister, but Derek and her parents did). It feels almost contradictory; we can have cop episodes where the gargoyles guest star, but we can't get to know Elisa more as a person. It does scream that this show has an "action over story" issue. And Elisa's justification for not telling her family about Derek is THE SAME SITUATION she had with Derek; she didn't tell the truth because she thought it would be too much for them to handle. She didn't learn anything! And lemme ask: the Trio (I should start referring to the younger gargoyles by that; saves space) are at a concert at the park and everyone else is chilling at the tower? How do their patrols work? I thought they were big on protecting the city. I'm not saying they can't take breaks, but I'm curious about their schedule. I'm surprised Goliath at least isn't out. And then Goliath pulls the same move Elisa did by keeping Talon's reappearance a secret from her. I feel like they could've sprinkled Talon cameos beforehand to show Goliath was keeping tabs, and it feels weird for Goliath to keep a secret. And I call MASSIVE B.S.: Goliath has tried to make it through to Coldstone and Demona, who have both proven dangerous (albeit for different reasons), but then, the first episode we hear of Talon post-transformation and Goliath says "he made his choice"? You wouldn't say that with your clan! And they should've brought Hudson and Bronx to Xanatos' castle for backup just like when they teamed up two episodes ago.. And Xanatos said Elisa and Goliath are always welcome; I know it's a spider inviting flies into his parlor, but I do think it's a rather neat thing, since he was cool with it when he was in jail, too. I do think Talon's vengeance is fascinating though; this is similar to the "taking responsibility" motif from "Outfoxed," and Goliath is more responsible for this than the ship going down. Elisa calling Goliath her guardian angel is so cute; I wish all the gargoyles had nicknames, similar to Goliath calling Demona his angel of the night. And AGAIN, Talon's group is a cast of characters I'd like to know more about individually; this show makes great teams but doesn't really work to flesh them out on their own. I feel really bad for Claw, who's been so traumatized that he can't speak now. And why is Maggie the only one open to believing the gargoyles are possibly good? Did Derek forget about the tape Elisa gave him to look at? That's very significant evidence right there. And I completely forgot Maggie was taken to the gargoyles' home. Why didn't she mention it before? Also my VA meter is broken; every time Kath Soucie plays a character here, I think it's Tara Strong. And I'm just now realizing this: why did Sevarius bother to ask Xanatos about DNA for cloning? Looking at the timeline, this was half a year after they got Goliath's DNA. There was no need to bring it up at all in front of Derek. Not to mention Xanatos tells Talon that Goliath wanted Sevarius to make gargoyle clones, but he was there when Sevarius and Xanatos were talking about cloning. Why did he buy this? And then Talon "admits" (within the premise of a lie) that he kept things from Talon, and yet Talon doesn't question anything. I need more insight into his and Elisa's relationship; at least if his family life seemed toxic, it'd explain why he ran into to Xanatos' arms. ANd I meant to ask this earlier; how do the artificial gargoyles have magic? This just feels insulting that magical creatures could be replicated and the test subjects could be given powers. If magic didn't already annoy the heck out of me in this world, I'd be fine with the X-Men vibes.

Also questioning Maggie's sudden change of heart; is she just there to be a contrarian? I'm baffled by Brooklyn's certainty that the artificial gargoyles will find out Xanatos' true colors; they've bought all his lies thus far, and as far as they know (I think) he wasn't involved with Sevarius' experimentation, so they have no reason to believe he isn't trying to look for a cure. And why are we getting the "reveal" of Goliath kidnapping Sevarius? Elisa's first thought was that it was him, and Hudson said he'd be gone for a few nights. This is an odd move from Goliath; for all his talk of justice and not harming people, this feels very out of character--and screws him over with Talon. Plus strange time to hint at Goliath/Elisa when it's very infrequent and vague--and AGAIN all it takes it 2 minutes and Goliath changes his mind on something. Stop trying to fit things into one episode! And what? The whole reason Talon wanted to find Sevarius was for the cure, not to mention killing him for transforming him in the first place. But not he's "past the antidote"? You can't say you want someone to pay for their crimes and then act like their crime against you doesn't bother you. And again, I question why Xanatos needed robots, human criminals, artificial gargoyles, an ex-loyal gargoyle, and a robot clone. I don't even know what all this is for, but the robots seem to be what he should stick with and refine. And just gonna throw it out there...why didn't Xanatos just send the robots instead of going there himself and revealing his partnership with Sevarius to Talon? He kinda did a dumb move, especially since Maggie knows where the gargoyles live. And the Maggie/Talon romance is so random (Brooklyn and Maggie had better chemistry, and they barely interacted)--as is Goliath inviting the other gargoyles when they literally just tried to murder them. He's been knocked out too many times. What was all that about "he made his choice"? And Talon just rejects the offer because he has his own clan...why? Is there no point in sticking together and learning how to live as they are? I'd think Goliath would insist, given his trauma at losing his clan members. And then Elisa suddenly introduces her parents to Talon with no blow-back. THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR ANYTHING. No, seriously, this changes nothing; it's not like Talon had a recurring role that would affect Xanatos and Elisa now that he's swapped sides. And someone tell me why Elisa introduces her family to Talon (and he introduces them to Maggie), but she can't introduce them to the ACTUAL GARGOYLES. Also weird final shot at the abandoned prison where Sevarius was, like it's supposed to be hinting at something. 4/10 for this one.

Side note: Interesting outfits for the artificial gargoyles. Very classic superhero-esque. I would've preferred regular clothes (why does becoming a gargoyle suddenly mean you wear less clothes?), but it still looks neat.

20. The Price--Hudson saying the gargoyles didn't live a bad life is another circumstance where I wish they considered what "life" meant to them: they were limited in group size and suddenly found themselves defending New York, enjoying modernity, but they don't really dwell on the loss of their gargoyle culture or seem to suffer from the trauma of it. Always glad to see Macbeth return; I love Xanatos, but if he wasn't the main villain, I could see Macbeth having his spot. And it does seem weird that Goliath only now mentions Macbeth escaping the Weird Sisters instead of "High Noon," and even weirder that they don't mention or look out for Demona, who was teamed up with him last time they checked. Also strange of Goliath to question why Macbeth attacked them; why not ask this during previous encounters? And didn't Macbeth already say that he did it to lure Demona out? Demona is a big factor here, but she's unmentioned. Also, props that a gargoyle other than Goliath actually gets knocked out--though this is what helps them win against Macbeth. And they think Macbeth is dead and there's no real discussion? Lexington shows disbelief, Goliath stands by his choice despite ALWAYS being against killing before regardless of circumstances, and Hudson just says "no one's questioning you" and they move on. This is a big deal for them, and they brush it off. Also, side note: why do they strike poses? I get blending in in their usual spot (even if it's not really blending in because they shouldn't be there), but why on top of a random building? Won't that attract more attention, especially for people who lived/worked in taller buildings? Also surprised Macbeth didn't just wait for the sunrise, especially with the powder he used to keep Hudson stuck in stone form? And I have beef with Broadway asking how they'd make a cure for Hudson work when none of them are sorcerers. Is it established if Macbeth is? Even if he is, the powder was an item; it shouldn't require magical power to activate (as far as I know from worldbuilding), and the same can be said for an antidote. And Hudson's delivery of "So, you threw with me" just sounds so casual, I had to laugh. And Xanatos randomly having a Fox callback feels less impactful than it should be since she's been gone the past few episode (can I even count "Upgrade" since her role wasn't explored?), and there's been no mention of Xanatos learning she's pregnant--which would be something to get him thinking about living forever instead of simply enjoying all the riches on Earth. And I've never heard the gargoyles' stone forms being referred to as "stone skin" before. Again, an easier way to get Goliath's DNA for Thailog. Not to mention the talk of immortality circles back to my wish for this show to cover the meaning of life and the gargoyles' survival if there's not a lot of them left. Also random circumstance where the gargoyles actually acknowledge Owen instead of just Xanatos. Good for him to get some dialogue in there. And I rolled my eyes when we FINALLY mentioned Demona--but not for the sake of her ties to Macbeth (or even considering she helped him), but because they need a sorceress. And it's very late in the game to wonder where the heck she's been staying, especially since she revealed that she has a human form, one that walked into Elisa's place of work. Also surprised that Elisa sounds lost on finding Demona; yes, it's a tough task, but she's usually a lot more determined. Heck, I'd be a lot more concerned if I was her, because Demona CERTAINLY knows where she lives.

And random Goliath/Elisa moment again. Hudson actually getting under Xanatos' skin felt like something that should've been more satisfying; Xanatos doesn't really get angry (and his tone doesn't change regardless), so I thought it'd be more..satisfying. And mention of Hudson's age makes me wonder how old he is, and continue to be befuddled by the aging of gargoyles. Also surprised Xanatos didn't removed the stone shards. And I'm still kinda confused on how Macbeth gave 5 gargoyles a run for their money with one weapon and a hovercraft(?). Maybe two, but not all of them. Quick thinking on Elisa's part, but Macbeth simply calling the gargoyles "trophies" and leaving is so weird. And the Owen shade is unacceptable! But how did Elisa manage to convince people to convince the operators of the crane to place the gargoyles on top of the building with no questions? The moment Hudson awakened, I just realized that my previous question about the gargoyles and sunlight is apparently untrue, as he's away from sunlight all day. Why do gargoyles turn to stone during the day, then? And why didn't anyone notice the weapon he was holding ALL DAY? Glad to see the gargoyles questioning Macbeth like I did. And Hudson is over 100 years old? Wow. Glad to have that question answered, though. And again, Hudson brings up Demona, but doesn't question her involvement--but I did like Xanatos' comment about death/old age having a price too expensive for him. And Elisa, you're OUT of bullets? You're telling me you went the whole day (and I guess skipped work or had the night off) without knowing? And I'm still kinda confused on how the gargoyles apparently don't fly--they glide on wind currents--but they move like they do. IDK what the point of saying they glide is when it seems more akin to flight. And after being knocked out several times in a row, it's good for Goliath not to have been taken out by Macbeth. Also, the horror of Robot Macbeth is gonna stick with me. But WHY would Xanatos keep Hudson's sword so close by?! His hubris is definitely cartoon-level, and it's insulting since he seemed to reflect on it with Thailog. And were the robots always so easy to destroy? And I do kinda like Hudson just leaving Xanatos to his business after escaping. "He's earned it" is something that kinda makes me feel like the gargoyles could pretty much play in Xanatos' face; he doesn't seem to mind their antics. And when the team thought Hudson was dad, I wish Broadway brought up that they learned reading together. And OWEN?! What was that? Xanatos was shown to care about Owen in other episodes, but now this episode has him treat his assistant like trash. Also very dumb for Owen, someone skilled in combat to some degree (we don't see it enough) to put his whole arm into the cauldron. That's a huge handicap for him. This episode didn't really add new lore or anything memorable, and trying to find Demona didn't end up going anywhere, with the main motive getting very little attention. And I gotta ask: why is "jalapeña" their catchphrase? This is the first time I'm hearing it outside the initial episode they use it in (maybe I missed it), and it just feels so random. I say 3/10.

21. Avalon, Part 1--Starting off with a random thought: I'm just now thinking how I'd like to edit of the show's intro using the intro music of "X-Men: Evolution." The flashbacks feel like they should be things that required more buildup. Goliath chooses to read over do patrols? I get that patrols aren't their actual job, but he was the one big on protecting the city. Not saying he can't want free time, but as with many of his (and others') behaviors, I'd like to see us build to this rather than just have it as "that's how they feel now." And WHY are the gargoyles still urban legends? So many people have seen them, and I doubt no one has noticed them moving from time to time. And I've said it before, but the mindsets of everyone changes so quick; the princess, magus, and Tom's mom all suddenly changed their minds on gargoyles, no hesitation or suspicion left? Not to mention that I'm surprised Katharine didn't have more security. What happened to the human guards? Plus there only seems to be some hesitation about the princess arriving with gargoyle eggs. I'd think there'd be an uproar, or at least plans to brainwash them into slaves as soon as they hatch. The scheming that goes on in the human world would honestly explain Demona's displeasure for them if she wasn't exactly the same. And the drama going on feels like it could've been a prequel series. Magus, you should've had an idea HOURS ago; it took you less than a minute to find a spell to curse the gargoyles. The old switcheroo feels like it should've been done with the group, not just the eggs. And while I like Magus/Katharine, it felt like something the earlier episodes could've done better with, since he just seemed like a loyal servant. I know they're not major characters, but rapid development in relationships is a big flaw for the show. And I'm curious why they didn't want to go to Avalon from the start, especially with the vikings attacking. And very surprised the Weird Sisters can be so easily defeated by one spell from Magus. Also still confused as ever how magic works. Sometimes you need a book, sometimes you don't, so I don't understand why Magus needs the grimorum to conduct his magic. And this splitting up idea is so weird; the whole point was to escape Constantine's wrath, but Finella decides to go back so the grimorum can be protected, and Tom's mother Mary wants to stay to keep her out of trouble. What can either of them really do? I'm sure they have their wits, but it feels like a waste. You're telling me there's no spell to transform a powerful book into something inconspicuous? And someone tell me if my math is right: if a an hour in Avalon is 1 day IRL and it's been over 1,000 years, that means Tom's only aged 42 additional years, right? I do kinda feel like they could've just made it so no time passes, and maybe Tom came to the human world a few decades ago and got lost. IDK, the whole thing felt like a way to have him and the gargoyles as adults, but I'd think Avalon was one of those ageless places. But it doesn't distract me from the fact that Tom said he returned every 100 years. WHY? Why not just return every time it's a been a day in Avalon? That means checking once a month in the human world, and would've saved a lot of time. If Hudson's over a century and is seen as old, that means Tom could've missed his window and the gargoyles would've revived and died. I'm gonna assume Goliath didn't do the math to understand that the gargoyles would've hatched by now, but he sees Tom is considerably older. Is it normal for gargoyle eggs to take decades to hatch? 3/10 for me.

22. Avalon, Part 2--Tom's explanation that he referred to the gargoyles out of spite made me want to backhand him. He said "the eggs" a couple times and NEVER clarified it. Yes, it was because the writers wanted to do a plot twist, but since we find out at the end of last episode anyway, it wasn't really necessary, especially when Tom is shown to be a grown adult now so the audience likely already considered this possibility. I was gonna side with Goliath about the name thing since it wasn't a gargoyle custom (glad they remembered that), but considering a human named them, it made sense that they'd get names. And I caught onto the biblical elements of them, especially with the Angela/Demona parallel. But come on Elisa; you have limited bullets and you wasted it on SAND? And I'm just now realizing this, but where did Tom get his armor, and why are the gargoyles dressed in scraps? Yes, the OG gargoyles dress in limited clothing, but seeing how the eggs were raised by humans, wouldn't they dress more modestly as well? The Archmage's importance feels almost random to me; he seemed like a one-off villain in "Long Way Till Morning" and then reappeared in the prequel of "Vows" with a minor role (honestly I didn't even do the math that they were the same person; that's on me). Goliath says that children belong to the whole gargoyle clan; it would be interesting to see that idea of "community=family" clash with the more modern idea of nuclear families and the human sense of bloodlines. Glad Elisa caught that Angela looked like Demona, and it doesn't miss me that Goliath sidestepped her question about paternity. And why is Elisa surprised Macbeth and Demona are working together? There was a whole episode about them working together like 9 episodes ago--and Goliath only know connecting the Weird Sisters' involvement is weird. And why does the future Archmage say the grimorum has it's own place in time and time cannot be changed? It's been established that he can travel through time, so doesn't that mean he can make things his own way earlier rather than waiting? And what does the Archmage want with ultimate power? It also feels underrated that the Magus is the Archmage's pupil (and Demona was too). Very quickly run through. And question for historians: would the Archmage know the years? Were people in the 10th century already labeling them like that? And I know it's "cartoon logic," but I'm surprised Finella and Mary didn't see the Archmages. And future Archmage saying present Archmage has to do things himself for the future to succeed is one of the banes of time travel; the FA is already helping the PA, so isn't that already getting involved? And how are the Weird Sisters banished from Avalon? The Magus just turned them into owls. And did Demona betray the Archmage? I thought he thought she lost the Phoenix Gate. Their fallout between that and their fight in LWTM isn't explained. NGL, finding out that the Archmage is the one orchestrating things makes the Weird Sisters less interesting--and WHY would they bring the special items to him when they could just double-cross him? They have more power than he does, generally-speaking. And then the PA says he hadn't thought far in advance what he'd do with power. Very weird for someone who wanted it. And why didn't the sisters just steal the items instead of using Macbeth and Demona? Doesn't eating the grimorum mean that the Archmage himself should be prevented from entering Avalon? Also surprised how the gargoyles' stone forms still occur on Avalon; I'd think the magic worked differently. And again, why were Macbeth and Demona needed for the attack on Avalon? They kinda just felt there just because--especially with no dialogue lines. And HUH?! The archmages can literally time travel. Why are they waiting until dawn, or for Goliath, when they can just transport themselves to that time? And time travel confusion: if we're going in a constant loop, couldn't an infinite amount of Archmages appear in the present?

They'd all have the Phoenix Gate--which is insane since an OP treasure like that should have some limit to it. And it's just now occurring to me, but why didn't Tom tell Goliath to get the other gargoyles to help fight a battle where the antagonists supremely outmatch them? IDC if Goliath is the main character and Elisa is his plus-one; they needed everyone. This storyline is rather pesky since it has nothing to do with the gargoyles and humans storyline; it's just a magical villain unrelated to the conflict. It again reeks of too many ideas going on. 2/10.

23. Avalon, Part 3--Wait, so Gabriel says "I heard something over there" and no one wants to investigate? "Jalapena" being the catchphrase still isn't working for me. And someone explain to me why the Eye of Odin cursed Fox but the Archmage could wear it just fine? Elisa wanting to wake the sleeping king feels like it should've been an option from the get-go; Tom and the others have been there for decades (well, over a millennium, technically) and yet Elisa suggesting waking up the king is seen as a fool's errand--but I do think bringing her is dangerous until itself since she has no magic to protect herself, and the only magic-user on the good guys' team is old and outmatched. And Macbeth and Demona having blue eyes when brainwashed felt unnecessary, since they looked normal the last time they were. Macbeth's sense of honor is highly debatable, since he was only present for three episodes, and it was only for three episodes (not including flashbacks) and his sense of honor isn't cited as a defining characteristic; while he did let the gargoyles go in "A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time," it wasn't mentioned that it had anything to do with honor--and NO ONE brought this up when they battled his robot. And Magus said that him, Katharine, and Tom lived peacefully? You mean there was no horror at the past they ran away from, worry for the people they left behind, and concern about raising a bunch of gargoyles on their own? And EW! Katharine and Tom became like husband and wife? I know it was a different time, but that's horrifying, especially since the Magus had feelings for Katharine. Not to mention it makes Katharine and Tom look terrible for not noticing his loneliness, and I wanna hear Katharine's own thoughts since she's protective over the eggs now but was super weary of gargoyles the night before they rescued the eggs. I like that the Magus admitted his guilt over the situation with the gargoyles, though I wish the previous episodes had given more POV for that; he is the catalyst for the gargoyles waking up in New York. Elisa, AGAIN, why are you wasting bullets? It's armor! Isn't what the Magus said a contradiction: magic is the lifeblood of Avalon, but he can't tap into it a second time without his grimorum. You're telling me he never used magic, never tried, and struggled in a world FILLED with magic? Also don't get how the grimorum is a conduit; you're reading spells from there, not simply shooting out magic from the book itself. King Arthur being the sleeping king confused me, since I thought it would be Oberon himself--also I've got questions, since the writers put an emphasis on this series having a focus on Scotland...but then give us the King of Great Britain...when Britain didn't even exist yet...and his earliest origins were Welsh...Anyways, Demona and Macbeth are two of the greatest warriors of all time? I'm gonna have to look back to see if they've never been defeated, buuuut I'll just give them "two of the greatest warriors of this show"; these guys haven't actually faced a huge amount of villains. I do hate how the duo's autonomy is robbed from them, though, and they're just brainwashed lackeys. And does Demona (even brainwashed) not understand how her bond with Macbeth works? Even with distance, they'll still feel each other's pain. And I find it funny how the sisters taunt Magus when he actually turned them into owls and yet they say he isn't a match for them. Everybody, put your stats up; I need to see health bars and skill levels. Finally, Elisa runs out of bullets; girl, you should've known better. And I'm surprised that the Archmage didn't want revenge on Hudson as well. I'm also surprised Hudson was defeated by Arthur; I'd think his modern combat skills would've given him the advantage. And the sisters were defeated by a chain?! Not magical imprisonment or something? How did Goliath break through the ice?

His wings couldn't have helped, since he glides. And wait a minute. The archmage says he can still beat Golaith due to having the grimorum and the phoenix gate...but then immediately he realizes he can't control the grimorum without the eye? Was this addressed before? That's insanely convenient. I'm glad Magus got some praise for looking afterthe gargoyles' children, but Magus dying was infuriating since he was used so little and feels like he could've been used more. And again, we meet more gargoyles who aren't interested in joining Golaith's group. Shouldn't this cause a meltdown for him given his loss of his clan? Shouldn't he be determined to make them stay with him or something? And Avalon means absolutely nothing for the gargoyles; it's just them. They don't want to explore? Didn't Goliath say it was in their nature to protect and all that? King Arthur just decides to go off on his own with no directions, no magic, no help? And why did the Weird Sisters free Demona and Macbeth. They weren't being threatened or anything; why did the chains restrain them? But I did laugh at how quickly Goliath yeeted them out of Avalon. Though them having no memory of the past few weeks feels very strange, since they were shown to have awakened from the sisters' spell before. Not to mention, what stops the sisters from pulling this stunt again? The whole extent of their goal (apparently) was revenge, and even if they got it against Magus, there's no reason they wouldn't want it against the rest of the group too. Why did they even bother warning Goliath or seeming to give him guidance in City of Stone? And did Tom say beforehand that Avalon will send you to where you need to be? Because Goliath and co. seem surprised by this. If Tom did say it before, it makes Goliath look super dumb for sending Macbeth and Demona off unsupervised (though even if they went back to New York, they still should've all went together). In any case, Tom should've reiterated that before they left. Why'd he let Angela leave if where they were going was unforeseen? I will say, best episode of the trilogy, at least--even if plot armor goes crazy. Overall though, the action felt very quick and the exposition felt like it could've been better used, since we glean no additional insight into gargoyle culture. They honestly should've blended this together with City of Stone. 4/10

24. Shadows of the Past--I don't mind Angela joining, but her being with Goliath and Elisa feels like bias since she's a relative to Demona (supposedly), when the other gargoyles deserved to come along for the Avalon adventure too. What happens if Xanatos pulls something? And Angela mentions returning to Avalon. So you can always find you way there, but it won't send you back the same way? And are you telling me that Goliath recognizes his home 1000 years later? I'd think it'd look somewhat different. Also, props on Angela carrying Elisa because Goliath DID NOT offer. It's nice to hear about Goliath being hatched at the rookery, but I wanna know who all he hatched with. The gargoyle past isn't well-explored despite it being a big deal to defend/preserve the gargoyle lifeline and culture. And let's not move on from what Angela said: if Goliath hadn't saved Katharine, NONE OF THE EGGS WOULD'VE HATCHED. But Goliath just talks about revenge; how about we talk about the fact that he never raised the eggs and was more preoccupied with the gargoyles turned to stone? And I can already tell this episode is gonna frustrate me because it's like the show only just now remembered that Goliath had trauma and issues he hasn't dealt with--you know, things that should've affected his relationship with Elisa and almost everyone else. While I get what Goliath means, "too much of the past here" feels like something he'd want to embrace, not move on from. And SHAME on the writers for giving more dialogue to Demona as a phantom in Goliath's mind than when she was actually present in the Avalon arc. And why was the captain's ghost calling Goliath a betrayer? It was the other way around. And given the context, this feels even more appropriate to involve his Manhattan clan; neither Elisa nor Angela have any idea what he's going through right now. The whole betrayal thing from the gargoyles shouldn't affect Goliath either--not unless it was ACTUALLY ADDRESSED that he felt guilt about it, that Demona and the captain blaming him for not taking his clan with him to stop the vikings was something that actually sat with him. But it's never addressed. And I'm surprised it took seeing Demona for Goliath to realize they weren't real--and they all just crumble to dust when he acknowledges it. Also weird lampshading for why the ghosts are there; maybe it's magic, maybe it's their hatred that's kept their spirits alive, maybe it's Maybelline. And I am sobbing while laughing. Wasn't the captain of the guards pro-gargoyles? Weird that he has such an issue with Goliath in this episode, and the drama isn't really addressed; when Goliath accuses him of betraying them, he just says "I never wanted that." Actually, why do they need Goliath's life force? Couldn't they have just led anyone down there? And how had that existed down there with no one knowing about it? And talk-no-jutsu strikes again; Goliath brings up honor, and suddenly the captain of the guards changes his mind. I know you didn't wait 1000 years for that. The redemption doesn't really hit for me. All in all, if this is how the captain's story was gonna go, he may as well have never been involved in the plot at all, just leaving it to Demona. And this story isn't that long, Elisa. I honestly forgot about the sunlight thing since most of the Avalon storyline with the gargoyles happened outside of that. The episode feels like it should be a weight off of our shoulders, but...it's not. Goliath hasn't struggled with his trauma much, and the captain's "redemption" is very rushed. 1/10.

Side note: When I think of this episode title, I think of the "X-Men: Evolution" episode of the same name (even if it is a fairly common phrase), and I definitely found that superior to this. But the actual context reminds me of "Haunted" from Teen Titans--which I also found better than this. Also just taking Elisa, Goliath, and Bronx on this journey thus far kinda feels like how the Scooby-Doo franchise did with Daphne, Scooby, Scrappy, and Daphne in "The 13 Ghosts"; it's not bad, but it could've been better with the OG cast there, too.

25. Heritage--Okay, so I'm gonna poke a hole in the logic here. From the beginning of the episode, the group is back on the water and going...who knows where. This seems to be using Avalon logic that they'll just be transported to their destination--but that's not how it was explained; you had to leave AVALON for it to work that way, but they just left Scotland. Also surprised no one mentions concern with wondering how things are going in New York, with Elisa just saying she plans on getting a hot dog. What about Xanatos, the other gargoyles, and Demona and Macbeth? Plus I'd wanna circle back to Angela looking like Demona; even if we didn't go the "she looks like our sworn enemy" PTSD route, it'd still be something to be curious about, especially if Demona herself found out about her. As much as Goliath likes to read, I'm surprised he never heard of totem poles before, especially if he was desperate to find some semblance of gargoyle life beyond his own clan (though his grief over that just floats in and out whenever the episode revolves around it rather than a fixed trait). Neat to see Native American gargoyles--though I'd think Angela wouldn't be surprised at the gargoyles' bitterness towards humans given Goliath's own trauma that was the focus of last episode. Angela brings up a good point that's weirdly danced around in this show; when she asks why gargoyles protect humans if they mistreat gargoyles, Goliath responds that they "protect with honor," even though I don't understand how not protecting someone who doesn't want you around is seen as dishonorable. Then Goliath says that it's a gargoyles' heritage to do so; I thought protection was a matter of their nature, rather than it simply being tradition? It may sound like semantics, but it's fundamentally different. Not to mention, aren't totem poles fundamentally different from gargoyles in purpose? They even address this, but I'm sorta confused; are gargoyles what totem poles are based on in this world? Goliath mentions that they serve as markers for the befallen clan. Not to mention Nick says that gargoyles aren't real, which is weird since the term just refers to the statues themselves rather than a magical creature. What EXACTLY did Elisa think she'd accomplish by herself if Grandmother ended up being a wicked sorceress? And why does Elisa seem confused about the existence of more gargoyles when Goliath just told her? I'm surprised the gargoyle didn't notice Elisa, and slowly the pieces of the plot twist start to come together. Probably should've noticed earlier. And I find great irony that Angela, who grew up surrounded with love and innocence until the Archmage attacked, is better at seeing through deception than Goliath, a warrior who's been betrayed multiple times. And weird time to tie everything back to Oberon, but I did wonder about the pointy ears Grandmother had. If Children of Oberon can't interfere in human affairs, why did the Weird Sisters get to do so? They literally brainwashed Macbeth and helped the Archmage! Also confused on why Elisa used Nick's real name in the introduction between him and the gargoyles. Goliath acts really cruel here, saying Nick is of no use since he doesn't want to fight Raven. Weirdly cold, coming from him. And how exactly did Nick become chief of his village anyway? It doesn't sound like he wanted it. And talk-no-jutsu works wonders again, it seems; Nick changed his mind in like a minute--and how did he follow them there so quick? Gargoyles could glide, but he got there on foot. And Raven lost easily despite his powers, but him not being defeated for good doesn't seem to be important? I wouldn't want my kids to have to face that! And Goliath says Nick not knowing much about gargoyles isn't important; it's like the show is addressing me for every time I commented on the lack of lore and development. And then grandmother just...heals the island? I know she said things would work out if Nick defeated Raven, but this ending really screamed "crunched for time" because I'm left confused AF.

Overall, the episode felt like one of those filler episodes you get when a show has gone past it's prime--crazy work for S2. Also wondering what happened to the NA gargoyles and the aftermath of Nick's home. 1/10.

NGL, whole situation with Nick and his family felt like something that, like other aspects of this show, could've either been it's own arc or it's own series, rather than condensed to one episode. There's a lot of lore here. By the way, isn't Elisa half Native American? Obviously there are many Native American tribes, but seeing how close Canada and New York are, I think it'd would've been cool for the tribe that protected her being the tribe her father came from and learning more about her NA side. A fitting plot for the title of the episode, especially since we don't get a lot of NA leads in tv shows. Also, with all the magic we've seen, why hasn't there been discussion for reviving the gargoyles? Coldstone was pretty much the only attempt, and that was by Demona and Xanatos.

26. Kingdom--Glad I'm using the wiki to follow the correct episode watching order! Someone explain to me why that's the only place where it's accurate. Anyway, I've forgotten that the gargoyles actually don't know where Elisa and Goliath went; Tom just grabbed them (well, grabbed Goliath while Elisa tagged along) and left. And the gargoyles say they've been gone for days, but they didn't connect Elisa and Goliath's disappearances until just now, only checked Elisa's house just now, and didn't even suspect Xanatos being involved? And even when they do, they look at Brooklyn for guidance. I get that Goliath named him the leader if he was unavailable, but Hudson has more wisdom and experience for a unique situation like this, and this is a predicament where it needs to be more of a democracy. And literally everyone believes he's gone for good. And how does Hudson know where Talon's clan is? I feel like they could've explained that in the last episode they were in. And why would Hudson just stand by? I remain confused on why the artificial gargoyles have powers. Neat to see Matt finally interact with the gargoyles since learning their secret; he mentions not being used to them, so I guess that means they really don't interact much, which is a shame. And crazy how Elisa's job gets worried about her before her friends do; I'd have thought they'd have shown up at her job to make sure she was okay--they didn't have issues being nosy before. Weird that Talon mentions not seeing Elisa for "a while" is odd, since she's only been missing for a few days, and there were only two episodes between Talon reuniting with her and the Avalon arc, so I doubt she's been away that long. It's insane that it has to be Talon to be the one to mention Xanatos. Brooklyn doesn't deny it, but just tells him to wait, but doesn't expand on his feelings on the matter. And Lexington mentions listening in on Elisa's family's home. So she still hasn't told her family about them? And shouldn't they have gone INSANE with grief? Their son went M.I.A. for a long time (was it mentioned if it was days/weeks/months?) before being revealed to be transformed. Elisa being missing from work and home for days should have them terrified something happened to her, not just worried. Brooklyn brings up a smart point about not letting Xanatos be aware of Goliath missing, but I'm surprised he isn't even suspicious of Xanatos, like he's already been clued in be the writers. Heck, before the Avalon arc, Hudson had just been kidnapped by Xanatos for experimentation. And then Brooklyn just gives in when asked what he wants to do and Hudson stays behind AGAIN. Y'know, Talon is right for being annoyed at Brooklyn for not really giving alternative plans to nailing down Xanatos, but griping about it not being a good idea--he's right, but offers no plans. And HUH?! Why is Xanatos immediately attacking the gargoyles? Xanatos has said they're welcome any time--or was it just Goliath and Elisa? IDK why Elisa would be allowed, but not the other gargoyles. In any case, it's not his usual style to start going all out--or to be dumb enough to get his place demolished. And I wanted to punch him in the face for his continued lack of concern for Owen and not even looking for a way to reverse it; hope that wasn't his dominant hand. (and shouldn't we have addressed his new weapon by now?). Did Xanatos always know Lexington was the tech bro? And even though we all know what happened to Goliath and Elisa, it's not like Xanatos hasn't lied and manipulated others before, so I can't say I blame the team for thinking he had something to do with them missing--even though they should've thought about it BEFORE. NGL, as I see the villains of this episode, I continue to feel like they should've just done this to the Pack; it would've been better than their upgrade. And if there was ever a time for Thailog to reappear, now would be the time, especially since now Xanatos has more than one gargoyle to track down.

And why is it considered a big deal if Goliath is out of the picture? The artificial gargoyles are the ones that don't turn to stone by day, and Talon has intimate knowledge of Xanatos' home; they're the ones who should make him and Owen concerned. The power play in this episode is very odd, seeing how we barely got screntime to explore the labyrinth and it's inhabitants, as if we've already been here before. Am I the only one who thinks Maggie sounds different? She's still voiced by Kath Soucie. Hudson shouldn't have needed to be told/ordered to come along, and I think it's terrible timing for him to try and push Brooklyn to be a stronger leader. This is a time when his wisdom is needed and the gargoyles should pool together their resources and ideas. Heck, a revolving leader position should be the norm, even if I'm 100% on board with Brooklyn being the leader. I still want to know more about the artificial gargoyles, particularly before they became human. It'd be neat to see into their psyches more. The "flight vs glide" debate is as alive as ever for me. Seeing Maggie cry is actually a big deal for me; have we seen characters actually shed tears here before? Plus I'm annoyed at Fang's resort to cartoon villain at the end with "oh no" and trying to play off everything as a joke. And if Brooklyn doesn't want to be a leader, he could just appoint someone else. Again, revolving position. I think the episode was good, but felt like it was a bit too fast-paced. Plus the title didn't feel like it made a lot of sense; Claw threw around Talon acting like a king, but neither he, Talon, or Brooklyn really went through a situation that felt akin to a king (granted, Claw overthrew Talon, but it was so brief that I couldn't really enjoy the king allegory). 5/10.

The season's halfway over, and it feels like things are rushing as if it had S1's 13 episode count. But it took me a while to get through this second quarter, so who knows how much longer until my next post. Hope this helped you kill a bit of time!

#disney #disney animation #gargoyles #goliath #elisa maza #david xanatos #avalon #brooklyn #lexington #broadway #demona #macbeth #owen burnett #disney villains #disney+#animation

"Gargoyles" Season 2 Review (Part II of IV)

The ramblings continue--but I'll try to be slightly more concise in the future. Enjoy it if you have nothing else to do or if you're just rewatching the show.

#disney #disney animation #gargoyles #goliath #elisa maza #david xanatos #avalon #brooklyn #lexington #broadway #demona #macbeth #owen burnett #disney villains #disney+#animation

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