Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: Reawakening

Welcome back to Gargoyles everybody. Our episode today opens with a convenience store getting robbed. That may seem like a non-sequitur, but it’ll be important later.

Our episode opens properly with a flashback to Castle Wyvern on the eve of the massacre of Goliath’s clan. Much like we saw in Awakening, Demona is arguing that Goliath should bring the entire clan to go after the Vikings. This time however, Demona’s play is backed by a Gargoyle we haven’t seen before whom Goliath regards as his brother. Technically, this guy doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s interesting to note that in the script, in order to differentiate the character, he was given the unofficial nickname of “Othello” a reflection of Greg Weisman’s great admiration for Shakespeare not doubt. After The Magus pops up to be jerk for a few seconds, both Demona and Othello express their frustration at having to protect the humans who treat them like dirt, but Hudson arrives with some words of wisdom before he and Goliath depart.

Oh, before we move on, I should mention that Othello here is voiced by the Great Michael Dorn, better known as Commander Worf from Star Trek the Next Generation as well as Deep Space Nine. That’s right, nobody puts Deep Space Nine in the corner, not on my website! However, for those of you playing the Gargoyles drinking game, you just got Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn in the same scene, that’s two shots. Trust me, if you think this is brutal now, wait until we get to the world tour arc and Levar Burton plays a giant spider.

Anywho, we join our heroes in the present at the Clocktower where Goliath stares introspectively at a snow-covered Manhattan. The trio are heading to the movies and invite Hudson to come along. Hudson is grateful for the offer, but declines saying someone needs to stay and guard their home, reiterating his line about how a Gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle than breathing the air. Elisa comes for a visit but cannot stay long as she soon has to be on duty. Goliath finds himself intrigued by the police motto of “Protect and Serve,” seeing it as similar to the Gargoyle way of life, and asks Elisa if he may follow along.

At the castle, Demona and Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes, Take a Shot), recognizing that both have failed to take down the Gargoyles on their own, have pooled their recourses combining Demona’s knowledge of ancient sorcery with Xanatos’ state of the art technology. We don’t see clearly what they’re making just yet, but given the figure laying on the slab and the eerily familiar Frankenstein style setup, it’s clear that it’s some kind of monster. As the creature begins to move, Xanatos appears to get caught up in the spirit of things, enthusiastically shouting “IT’S ALIVE, ALIVE!!” Apparently, he’s always wanted to say that. That is so cute, Xanatos got to have a little nerd moment. Good for him. Anywho, the creature springs from the slab, and while it’s still mostly in shadow, we can clearly see that it’s a resurrected Othello from the Flashback, augmented with Cybernetic implants. That’s right, for those of you who thought I was joking when I alluded to this in an earlier article, we finally have a Laser Robot Zombie Gargoyle. God Dammit I love this show! Demona renames the creature “Cold Stone” the name by which I’ll be calling him throughout the rest of the article. Cold Stone retains some of his memories but doesn’t quite have the full picture. Demona fills in the blanks with her version of events, placing the blame for the massacre of their clan squarely on Goliath and claims that he’s the reason for Cold Stone having been turned into an abomination. Cold Stone sees his reflection in the mirror and lets out a roar of anger.

On the streets, Elisa is out on patrol with Matt Bluestone while Goliath follows closely behind, staying in communication through a small radio device. Matt makes a point to stop off at a convenience store, the same one from the opening, that’s been robbed several times in the past few months, and wishes to check on the owner, a friend of his. Goliath is confused as to why the old man keeps his shop open if it keeps getting robbed. Elisa says that the people in this neighborhood depend on his shop to have a place to buy food. I.E. his community needs him in order to survive. However, the discussion will have to wait as all units are called to Times Square where something big is going down.

As you’ve probably already guessed, Cold Stone is wreaking havoc in the square and the police are powerless against the might of a Laser Robot Zombie Gargoyle. Goliath swoops in and tussles with the monster, only to get tossed around. Cold Stone recognizes Goliath and blasts him in his rage. I will say, Cold Stone’s shock at discovering he now has a built-in laser cannon is a nice touch. Goliath is horrified to see what’s become of his brother and barely manages to hold his own. All the while, Cold Stone calls Goliath a traitor. At the movies, the trio overhears the fight and, realizing that there aren’t any explosions in Bambi, head outside to see what’s up, joining Goliath in the fight. However, just as Goliath receives reinforcements, so too does Cold Stone as he’s joined by Demona, Xanatos in his Red Battle Suit and another Steel Clan robot. Goliath is outraged to realize that Demona has filled his brother’s head with lies. Demona orders Cold Stone to destroy Goliath but Xanatos stops her wanting The Gargoyles alive. Goliath says to Cold Stone that there has been enough death and pointless destruction, something which causes the Gargoyle to hesitate briefly. Goliath suggests moving the fight to some place less populated and Xanatos agrees.

The fight moves over to the George Washington Bridge, which is conveniently closed for construction. The ensuing fight is pretty cool. The trio fights off Demona, Xanatos and the robot down below while Goliath squares off with Cold Stone up top. Goliath doesn’t want to hurt his brother, but Cold Stone is clearly beyond reason at this point. Eventually, the two fall into the frozen river. As they sink to the bottom, Goliath still tries everything in his power to save his brother before he loses consciousness. As Hudson’s words about protection echo in Cold Stone’s ears, the former Gargoyle finally understands, and saves Goliath from a watery grave. Cold Stone finally questions Demona’s claim that destroying Goliath is the only way for their clan to survive, believing that there must be more than mere survival. Demona believes that survival is enough, but Goliath insists that it is a Gargoyles purpose to protect others and to lose that is to be corrupt, empty, lifeless. Cold Stone asks Goliath what it is he protects, but before Goliath can answer, Demona blasts him over the edge, Goliath diving in after him. Demona tries to do the same to the others, but Xanatos stops her, still wanting the Gargoyles alive. It’s at this point that Elisa arrives with Hudson and Bronx in tow. Knowing when they’re outnumbered, Xanatos and Demona retreat. Elisa wants to know what happened to “the monster” but Goliath, having just emerged from the river, insists that Cold Stone was not a monster, he was family, and now he’s gone. Exhausted, both physically and mentally, Goliath and the others head for home.

Back at the Clocktower, the trio is still pondering Cold Stone’s question. What exactly is it that The Gargoyles protect? Hudson suggests the answer is the Clocktower, but Goliath says that that’s merely where they sleep. The Island of Manhattan, that is the Gargoyles’ castle now, and it falls on them to protect all who dwell within it, human and Gargoyle alike. Our episode ends back with the convenience store owner from the beginning, only this time, the thief nervously returns the stolen money and insists that the clerk call the cops so he can turn himself in. Apparently six monsters just told him to. And we draw the episode to a close with Elisa standing alongside the six stone Gargoyles on a nearby rooftop, claiming that with Manhattan now truly under their protection, the city feels safer already.

This is a great episode that expertly combines exciting action with meaningful introspection. Up to this point, The Gargoyles have mostly been concerned with their own survival, interfering in human affairs only when it directly affected them, but by the end, Goliath and the others have realized that this is simply not the Gargoyle way and have found a new sense of purpose with their mandate to protect the people of Manhattan. Cold Stone was also a really cool antagonist for Goliath and the others. Not only is the character design appropriately creepy and Dorn’s delivery on point, but he also serves as a metaphor for Demona’s world view. Demona has strayed from the Gargoyle way of life, and as Goliath says, to lose that way of life is to become corrupt. Demona may claim that turning against the humans makes Cold Stone and herself the true Gargoyles, but look at Cold Stone, he’s a monster, a twisted abomination given form by dark magic and mad science born of a lust for vengeance. And while Demona may not show it on the outside, that same lust for vengeance has made her a monster as well. Anywho, that actually about does it for season one. Yeah, the first season only had thirteen episodes. However, don’t go thinking that to be some sort of trend. The show was so popular that the following season quadrupled the number of episodes. So, join me tomorrow when we kick off the second season with a bang as The Pack returns in full force for the first time since Thrill of the Hunt in Leader of the Pack.