Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: Temptation

Welcome back everyone, to more Gargoyles.

As we open today’s episode, we learn that The Trio apparently learned nothing from the motorcycle incident as Lexington is building a new motorcycle out of scrap. It seems that Lexington’s fascination with 20th century technology has made him the quickest to adapt to their new surroundings, a character trait which has led to many comparisons between him and Donatello of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Brooklyn seems to think that Lexington having ridden a motorcycle for about thirty seconds before it crashed into a wall and exploded means he’ll automatically be able to build one in quick fashion, leading Lexington to humorously quip, “You Rode a Horse Once, Can you Build one from Spare Parts?” In any case, the Motorcycle is completed and Brooklyn has apparently called first dibs on taking it for a test drive, even donning a helmet, leather jacket and shades to get into the spirit of things. I would think that if you had a pair of naturally occurring hang gliding apparatus’s growing out of your back, you wouldn’t really have much need for a motorcycle, but what do I know? Brooklyn actually handles the motorcycle pretty well and is having the time of his life, so much so that he’s unaware he’s being watched from the shadows. Brooklyn’s joy riding attracts the attention of cops, but he evades them with a sweet wing assisted jump, leaving the cops shocked and ready to give up sugar. It’s worth noting that one of the cops is actually Officer Morgan, who was seen in an earlier episode talking to Elisa. That’s not terribly important, but it’s just nice to see the show taking advantage of previously established characters.

Anywho, Brooklyn spots a gang of bikers and tries to introduce himself. At first the bikers are friendly, admiring Brooklyn’s motorcycle, but as soon as they get close enough to see what he is, they jump him immediatey. Okay, seriously, between Mr. Lead Pipe from Awakening and these guys, what is with the people in this show thinking they can take down the Gargoyles. To be fair, Brooklyn’s nowhere near as physically imposing as Goliath and the bikers clearly have him out numbered, but he’s still a six-foot-tall winged nightmare beast and these guys react to him the same way they would if they saw a dude in a Red Sox jersey walking down the street. Look, I like Brooklyn, I’ll even go so far as to say that he’s the sort of person I’d get along with if he existed outside the realm of fiction, but that doesn’t change the fact that if I see something that looks like one of those really annoying enemies from the video game Super Ghouls n’ Ghosts coming at me on a motorcycle that looks like it was stolen from the cover of a Meatloaf album, I’d be terrified, because that’s terrifying. Dammit you stupid bikers, be terrified! Anywho, the bikers swarm Brooklyn because they can’t abide someone trying to fit in. No really, they actually say the line “He’s Just Trying to Fit in! Get Him!” Brooklyn holds his own, but the numbers game catches up to him quick, especially when one of the bikers pulls out a gun and blows up his bike. Fortunately, the shadowy figure from earlier swoops in and joins the melee evening the odds just enough for the two to be able to escape.

Brookyln follows the shadowy figure to the top of a nearby roof where she reveals herself to be Demona. (Marina Sirtis, Take a Shot) Brooklyn is immediately suspicious, vividly remembering how Demona tried to blow him away with a bazooka last time he saw her, but Demona insists she just wants to talk. Brooklyn is having none of it, but Demona seems sincere in her intentions. She also confirms that she has indeed been alive for hundreds of years, though doesn’t elaborate further. Brooklyn doesn’t like it, but he acknowledges that Demona saved his life and reluctantly agrees to hear what she has to say. Demona reiterates her whole “Humans Are The Worst” philosophy to Brooklyn, only this time with more tact and diplomacy than was present during her mad rant from awakening. Brooklyn doesn’t want to believe it but sees that Demona is actually starting to make some sense. Demona offers to show Brooklyn what mankind is really like, showing him various examples of humanity at their worst such as a purse snatcher, a broken home where the family is constantly abusive towards one another, and a crime scene where someone had been gunned down in cold blood. Brooklyn argues that humanity can’t be all bad, citing Elisa as an example, and Demona even willingly acknowledges that the policewoman may be an exception that proves the rule, but is still convinced that the majority of the human race would sooner destroy the Gargoyles than accept them. It’s hard to argue that point, especially after we just saw a group of humans viciously attack Brooklyn simply because he looked different. Brooklyn is ready to admit that Demona might be right but knows that there’s no way they’ll be able to convince Goliath. Demona has a solution, an incantation within the pages of the Grimorum Arcanorum, The Magus’ spell book that’s currently locked away in the castle that Demona says will bring Goliath around to their way of thinking.

Brooklyn returns to the Castle but doesn’t tell the others about his encounter with Demona. He doesn’t even get a chance as Elisa arrives with some bad news. Xanatos’ crack team of high priced lawyers and likely a few massive bribes here and there have ensured that Xanatos will be out of prison by the end of the month and Elisa remains insistent that The Gargoyles will need to find a new place to live. Goliath remains stubborn, insisting that the castle belongs to them, regardless of what human laws may claim. However, Brooklyn isn’t fully convinced and is sure that Xanatos will attempt to reclaim the castle, and this time, he may bring more than just, Laser Robot Gargoyles. It could be something far worse, like Laser Robot Zombie Gargoyles! (No joke, that actually happens later in the series.) However, the argument is cut short by, and I can’t believe this is happening twice in as many episodes, the Gargoyles turning to stone in mid argument.

The following night, The Gargoyles reawaken and Brooklyn decides to go through with Demona’s plan, stealing the Grimorum and bringing it to Demona. Brooklyn then lures Goliath to an old Church where Demona is waiting. Goliath doesn’t seem especially surprised that Demona survived and seems more pissed that Brooklyn gave her the Grimorum. Goliath lunges to attack, but Demona hits Goliath with her spell. However, turns out it’s not a spell of clarity as Demona promised, but rather a mind control spell, placing Goliath under the thrall of whoever holds the spell. Brooklyn is horrified by this and attacks Demona, but Demona orders Goliath to attack. Demona still tries to convince Brooklyn that their on the same side, but Brooklyn is long past the point listening to her BS so Demona attempts to place Brooklyn under her thrall as well. Fortunatley, Brooklyn is able to grab the book before she can finish her spell. Demona wrestles it back from him, but not before Brooklyn is able to tear out the pages with the mind control spell, meaning that Goliath has to obey him now and he orders Goliath to attack Demona. Even completely stripped of his will, Goliath is still Goliath and is able to withstand anything Demona can throw at him, including a boulder the size of a smart car. Seeing that she’s been beat, Demona throws the Grimorum, and presumably the only way to bring Goliath back, off a cliff, distracting Brooklyn long enough to get away.

Back at the castle, Brooklyn can’t seem to find a way to restore Goliath, but Elisa has an idea. She takes the pages and orders Goliath to act on his own free will. Seems a bit too easy, but it works and Goliath snaps out of it, holding no ill will towards Brooklyn for being fooled by Demona’s deception. Goliath acknowledges that what Demona believes about humanity wasn’t technically incorrect, but it is only a half truth that Demona has embraced, not the real truth that there is good and evil in all, humans and Gargoyles included. The episode ends on a humorous note with Lex learning about the unfortunate fate of the Motorcycle he built, the young Gargoyles expression of shock and irritation etched in his face as he turns to stone.

For whatever reason, I seem to remember not enjoying this episode as much as a kid, and while I enjoyed it more this time around, I will admit that it’s not perfect. The whole plot of a villain deceiving the hero in order to get them to betray their comrades only to in turn betray the hero had been done to death, even by 1994, even more so today. However, cliché though it may be, it’s not done badly, and I do like how it takes a while for Brooklyn to be fully convinced. Demona mind controlling Goliath was pretty cool, but the resolution to it felt like a bit of a cop out. Still, this episode was decent and fun, even if it wasn’t quite at the same level as some of our previous outings. Anyway, our last episode focused on Lexington and today’s offering was focused on Brooklyn, so next time, it’s time for Broadway to take center stage in, Deadly Force!