Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: Awakening Part 2

Welcome back to Gargoyles everybody. I’m going to assume you all read the previous article so I’ll dispense with any sort of recap. I will make a note of saying that this episode is the one that introduces the Gargoyles theme song, and it, like much of the music in this show, is incredible. Unfortunately, we don’t have Goliath’s narration at the opening yet, that’s not until season 2, but the song is still awesome.

We open with Goliath still mourning the death of his people. Hudson, noticing the cut bow strings, quickly deduces that Castle Wyvern was betrayed. Lexington, Brookyln, Broadway and Bronx, who escapes the massacre due to being confined to the rookery, emerge to find the castle burning and their people slaughtered. As what’s left of the clan reunites, Goliath vows to save the captured humans and take their revenge.

Later that night, the Vikings celebrate their successful raid while Hakon and The Captain contemplate holding The Princess and The Magus for ransom. The Magus threatens them with a spell, but without access to his spellbook, it’s an empty threat, Hakon even going to far as to burn pages of the book to further taunt the helpless sorcerer. The Viking revelry is ended by the arrival of the vengeful Gargoyles. The Gargoyles quickly go to town on the Vikings, Broadway even using his unique signature move of beating his opponent with boned meat. However, in the chaos, The Captain and Hakon make off with The Princess, The Magus assuming that they’ve killed her and blaming the presence of the Gargoyles for it. In anger, he casts a spell to turn the Gargoyles, save for Goliath, to stone permanently. Speaking of Goliath, the big guy corners the captain and Hakon on the edge of a cliff, naturally outraged that a man he called friend had a hand in the slaughter of his people. When Hakon tries to blame the Captain for the destruction of Goliath’s clan, the Captian snaps and attacks Hakon, both of them falling off to the cliff to their death, Goliath barely managing to save Princess Catherine. Goliath roars in anger.

“I’ve been denied everything, EVEN MY REVENGE!”

Things get even worse when Goliath learns that his remaining comrades have been permanently trapped in their stone form, The Magus immediately regretting his actions upon learning that The Princess is alive. Things go from worse to a hell of a lot worse when we learn that Hakon burned the page with the counter spell, meaning that there is no way to bring the Gargoyles back. The terms of the spell stating that they would sleep “Until the Castle Rises Above the Clouds.” As the now Stone Gargoyles are returned to their perches in Castle Wyvern, Goliath makes two requests. First, that The Princess, who intends to leave the castle with her people and find a new home, watch over the unhatched eggs in the Gargoyle’s rookery. Second, he wishes for the Magus to cast his spell on him so he can join what remains of his clan.

Cut to one thousand years later, Castle Wyvern seems to have remained untouched for all that time, until it is found by eccentric New York Billionare, David Xanatos. Who is David Xanatos? I am VERY glad you asked. David Xanatos is easily the best character in the entire show. Imagine if Tony Stark gave up the superhero life and decided to become a bond villain. That’s Xanatos. Xanatos is smarter than you, richer than you, ten steps ahead of you at all times, and he knows it. He always has angle and the recourses to exploit it. We’ll learn much more about Xanatos as the series progresses, but for now, just know that he’s awesome. Oh, and I’d be very remiss if I failed to mention that Xanatos is voiced by the equally awesome Jonathan Frakes, otherwise known as Commander William T. Riker of Star Trek the next generation. (Those of you playing the Gargoyles drinking game, take a shot.) Between this, Star Trek and being the featured guest artist on an album from the band Phish, it’s as if the man has his hands in everything that I love. Getting back on track, As Xantos scrapes the vines off the stone Goliath, he instructs his assistant Owen to buy the castle. Owen reminds Xanatos that the cost of the castle and what he plans to do with it will be astronomical, but Xanatos seems confident that they’ll be able to secure the necessary man-power.

“Pay a Man Enough, an He’ll Walk Barefoot into Hell.”

So what is Xanatos up to? I’m even more glad you asked! Get this, Xanatos plans to disassemble the castle stone by stone and then reassemble the castle on top of a skyscraper in the hopes of fulfilling the whole “Castle Rises Above the Clouds” thing and awakening the Gargoyles. I know what your thinking, that sounds fucking crazy. Spending enough money to feed seven starving countries to transport a thousand year old medieval Scottish castle to the top of your private skyscraper on the off chance that a fairy tale you read about in some old book might actually have been based in fact. But that, my friend, is why you’re not David Xanatos. The man is so rich, he practically wipes his ass with hundred dollar bills and losing a couple billion is like one of us little people losing a penny through a hole in our pocket. He’s also smart enough to know that even if the legend isn’t true, having a medieval castle on top of a skyscraper is still dope as hell meaning that either way, he gets something out of this. Face facts people, Xanatos is better than you, and he knows it. Anyway, the sun goes down and the legend does indeed prove true as Goliath and the others awaken with a mighty roar and a kickass musical score. Goliath is naturally overjoyed to be reunited with his clan but that joy soon turns to confusion as the Gargoyles no longer recognize their surroundings outside of the castle. Xanatos steps in to explain the situation. Xanatos claims that he’s brought the Gargoyles back do to a fascination with the story he’d read in a book, written by The Magus as it happens, and hopes that he and the Gargoyles can become friends and possibly even help each other. Goliath is skeptical, but before anything else can happen, Xanatos hears something outside and goes to investigate.

Outside, the castle is apparently under siege by a helicopter full of thugs who, quite frankly look like rejects from COBRA. The Gargoyles still have no idea what’s going on, but in any century, they are still sworn to protect the castle from invaders, and they spring into action. The Gargoyles have significantly greater strength and stamina than any human, so they manage to hold their own, but they are no yet accustomed to twentieth century technology and get blindsided by things like guns, grenades and tasers. Xanatos however, is very well acquainted with the twentieth century, and opens a secret high tech laser compartment that he had installed in the castle and starts aiding the Gargoyles. Naturally, the fight gets pretty loud and attracts the attention of the people down below, leading to a repeat of the scene that opened up part one and the reintroduction of Detective Elisa Maza. Having stolen whatever it was that they came for, the thugs retreat in their helicopter. Xanatos thanks Goliath for his assistance, but Goliath hears the all too familiar words of The Captain in Xanatos’s voice and is slow to trust. Xanatos proposes a business partnership between himself and The Gargoyles, but while Goliath accepts that the castle is their home no matter where it’s been taken, he refuses Xanatos’s offer of friendship.

“You Broke the Spell of Sleep that Imprisoned us Xanatos, and for that, we are Grateful, but we will Never Trust Humans again.”

At ground level, Elisa’s fellow officer, Morgan (also voiced by Keith David) asks her what she thinks is going on, and Elisa vows to find out.

This episode brings the series into what will become its familiar setting and establishes one of its primary characters and both are done very well. The whole “Castle Rises Above the Clouds” thing is admittedly a bit of a contrivance, but it in no way ruins the show for me. If I didn’t make it overwhelmingly clear in the body of the article, I love Xanatos. He is at all times the smartest, richest and coolest guy in the room and the voice of Jonathan Frakes captures all three. Speaking of voice acting, I really need to give praise to Keith David. He’s always great as Goliath but he really brings his A Game to this episode, capturing the emotional scenes excellently. They really made a great decision when they cast him as Goliath. Next time, Elisa Maza finally comes into the picture.