Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: City of Stone Part 3

Welcome back to City of Stone. Last time, Demona turned the everyone on the island of Manhattan to Stone using a magic spell and went on a killing spree until MacBeth finally caught up with her. We also were told in flashback parts of the history between Demona and MacBeth, particularly how MacBeth’s cousin, Prince Duncan, conspired to kill him with the aid of the Gargoyle Hunter. After MacBeth and Demona killed the hunter, Duncan took his mask for his own sinister purposes.

We open todays episode in the present with the sun coming up and the humans who were turned to stone waking up from their sleep. I hope it’s only the humans who are still intact and not the ones who were smashed by Demona, otherwise the city streets are not going to be a pretty sight. Anywho, Elisa wakes up at the clocktower in the middle of frantically warning the Gargoyles about Demona’s broadcast but stops when she realizes it’s now Dawn when it was Sunset two seconds ago from her point of view and The Gargoyles are nowhere to be found. Back at the studio, The Gargoyles turn to stone just as Owen starts waking up. I have to say, the face that Owen makes as he’s trying to warn Xanatos over the phone only to learn the line has been cut is priceless. Owen is quick on the uptake and has figured out what’s going on. Owen suggests searching the Grimorum Arcanorum for a counter-spell, but Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes, Take a Shot) thinks that’s a bad idea since he’s not a practicing sorcerer and messing around with more magic could make things even worse. However, this does give Xanatos an idea. If it’s anything like the spell that turned the Gargoyles to stone one thousand years ago, then there has to be some kind of escape clause, like the whole raising the castle above the clouds thing he spent billions of dollars on. Worth it by the way. Owen gives the direct translation of the spell. “All Who See This All Who Hear This Turn to Stone Throughout the Night, until the Skies Burn.” Well, guess there’s only one thing to do. LIGHT THE SKY ON FUCKING FIRE!!!

Meanwhile, MacBeth is in his lair brooding about how Demona got away yet again. This once again prompts a flashback. It’s been another eight years since MacBeth and Demona’s defeat of Gillecomgain. We join MacBeth and Duncan, who is now King, as they take a walk with their sons, Luoch and Canmore, along the cliffs. Duncan is being his usual dickhead self until some he steps on some loose rocks and nearly falls off the cliff. If it were me, I’d have let him drop, but MacBeth is noble to a fault and saves his asshole cousin. Duncan is grateful and thinks that perhaps he was wrong to doubt the loyalty of Clan Moray. Duncan then spots something up ahead, Demona’s cave where she and her Gargoyles lay sleeping in stone. Duncan, being a douchebag, is about to smash them but MacBeth stops him, recognizing Demona and explaining to Duncan that he owes the leader of these Gargoyles his life. I appreciate this scene. Remember back in Enter MacBeth, MacBeth refused to kill the Gargoyles while they slept. It’s nice to know that after all this time, that hasn’t changed, even given all that’s soon to come. Since Duncan owes MacBeth his own life, he agrees to spare the Gargoyles. They exit the cave and run into the weird sisters, now in the form of three witches like the ones that appeared in Shakespeare’s play. The witches give a spiel about how both Duncan and MacBeth shall be king. MacBeth continuously professes his loyalty to the throne and urges Duncan not to take the ravings of three mad old women seriously, but Duncan is too busy erasing the line he just drew through “Kill MacBeth” in his to do list three minutes ago and underlining it several times to hear his cousin’s plea.

Later, Duncan, now wearing the Hunter’s mask, returns to the cave with a group of soldiers. He manages to smash a few Gargoyles, but the sun goes down and the remaining Gargoyles wake up and attack. The Gargoyles fight well, but they are overwhelmed and retreat. As they glide away in search of a new lair, Demona (Marina Sirtis, Take a Shot), who is now looking quite old complete with white hair and everything, says how she’s grown weary of the fugitive life. She also comments that though she may be old, she still sees herself as the only one worthy to lead Gargoyle kind. I like the face one of her Gargoyles makes at that comment as if he’s trying to say “Oh Come On! I’m Right Here!” Demona thinks that the strange Gargoyle Sisters who keep warning her of the Hunter may be able to help and decides to seek them out.

Later that night, MacBeth is told by Bodhe that King Duncan’s army moves against him. MacBeth is confused by this seeing as how he just saved his life a few hours ago, but if Duncan wants a fight, he’s damn sure going to give him one. Bodhe notes that, while MacBeth’s soldiers may be strong and loyal, they are no match for Duncan’s forces. Bodhe instead suggests that MacBeth surrender, that way Duncan will be more likely to spare his wife and son. MacBeth has an idea and sets out on his horse towards Demona’s cave. MacBeth meets with Demona to beg the help of her and her Gargoyles in defending his clan, but Demona isn’t interested. MacBeth tries to sweeten the deal by pledging to protect Gargoyle kind for as long as he lives, but Demona has heard that before and still isn’t interested. It’s at this point that the Weird Sisters make their presence known. While the viewer clearly sees the Triplets as they are, the show makes a point to show that MacBeth sees them as the three witches and Demona sees them as the three old Gargoyles. Very interesting. The sisters ask both MacBeth and Demona what they desire. Demona desires her youth restored to her so that she may be a stronger leader to her Gargoyles. MacBeth desires the means to defend his clan against Duncan’s armies. The Weird Sisters begin their spell. There’s a lot to it, so I’ll just give you the basics. The Triplets have bound MacBeth and Demona together, which restores Demona’s youth and permanently whitens MacBeth’s hair. They also make it so the two share in one another’s pain, something I assume only works if they’re in close proximity to one another otherwise Demona would have felt it every time MacBeth stubbed a toe over the past thousand years. They are also now both effectively immortal. The only way either of them can now die is if one kills the other, in which case both would die. That’s not exactly what they agreed to but hey, immortality, that’s cool, right? Before the Weird Sisters depart, one of them hands MacBeth a mystical glowing orb before dropping the bombshell that Duncan was the Mastermind behind his father’s murder all along.

Much later, war between MacBeth and Duncan’s forces is now raging and while the warriors of Clan Moray are brave and strong, Duncan has the advantage of superior numbers and resources. That is, until Demona’s Gargoyle army arrives to tip the scales. Duncan and MacBeth meet one another on the Battlefield and engage each other one on one. Duncan has MacBeth on the ropes until our hero uses the orb given to him by the Triplets. MacBeth throws the orb at Duncan causing… well, truth be told I’m actually not sure what just happened but from the looks of things, I’m pretty sure Duncan’s soul just exploded. That was weird. Anywho, amongst Duncan’s things, Demona finds the mask of the Hunter, and both take this to mean that the battle for both of them is truly over. There’s a celebration amongst Clan Moray as MacBeth is declared King of all Scotland. However, one who’s not in a celebratory mood is young Canmore, Duncan’s son. Canmore feels that with his father dead, he is now the rightful king. While some suggest killing the boy, MacBeth shows mercy and spares his life, instead opting to banish him to England. The kid charges at Demona with a knife, but Demona knocks him to the ground effortlessly, though fails to see that the child stole the mask of the Hunter from her. As MacBeth is officially crowned king, he declares that this will now be a golden era of peace and cooperation between the clans of both man and Gargoyle. MacBeth officially gives Demona her name and declares her his royal advisor.

Back in the present, all hell seems to be breaking loose as no one seems to be able to remember the previous evening. Elisa learns that the broadcast originated from Pack Media Studios. That can mean only one thing, Xanatos. Speaking of Xanatos, he and Owen are over at the castle working on fitting his Steel Clan robots with special packs rigged to dispense flammable gas for operation LIGHT THE SKY ON FUCKING FIRE!!! Elisa arrives and is ready to arrest Xanatos on the spot. As Owen tries to stop her, we get something we haven’t seen in a while from this show, characters turning to stone in mid argument. Xanatos even makes a sarcastic quip about it. I love it! Anywho, The Gargoyles arrive and Xanatos explains the plan. He, the Gargoyles and the Robots are going to spread the gas throughout the skies of Manhattan. Then, using his computer, Xanatos will detonate the gas causing the sky to appear like it’s on fire for ten seconds, hopefully breaking the spell. Our heroes take to the skies, hoping that the plan will work.

Meanwhile, Demona has made her way into the castle in the hopes of stopping the countdown on Xanatos’ computer and preventing him from foiling her plans, but stops when she spots Elisa in stone. Not wanting to pass up this opportunity, our episode ends with Demona slowly approaching the helpless Elisa with her Mace ready to strike.

This episode gives us some of the answers we’ve been waiting for for some time, including the secret of Demona’s long life, her connection with MacBeth and how she got her name. However, we do not yet know why they now view one another as enemies. For that and more, join me tomorrow for the conclusion of City of Stone.