Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: Avalon Part 2

Welcome Back to Gargoyles Everyone! Last time, a mysterious stranger who turned out to be someone who knew Goliath one thousand years ago showed up in New York. The stranger, Tom, along with Princess Katherine and The Magus, were entrusted with the safekeeping of the Gargoyle Eggs left in the rookery following the massacre at Castle Wyvern. After a series of events so unimportant in the grand scheme of things the “Previously on Gargoyles” segment doesn’t even bother to recap it despite it taking up the bulk of the last episode, our heroes set sail for the mystic island of Avalon, the one place they knew the eggs would be safe. After dispatching the Guardians of Avalon, who just so happened to be our old friends the Weird Sisters, our heroes lived on the island in peace for a number of years. However, when the Arch-Mage, who is also somehow still alive, attacked the island, Tom went out into the mortal realm to find Goliath for help. Along with Bronx and Elisa, Goliath heads to Avalon with Tom only to discover that the “Eggs” have since hatched into fully grown Gargoyles.

Our episode opens with two fully grown Gargoyles and a Gargoyle dog like Bronx greeting our heroes at the shores of Avalon. Turns out “Eggs” is actually an endearing nickname for the Gargoyles hatched on the Island. Speaking of, the new Gargoyles here are Gabriel, the large male Gargoyle, Boudicca, the dog, and most importantly, Angela the female. Angela in particular seems excited to meet Goliath, having heard stories of their old clan leader since she was very young. However, Angela’s fangirling will have to wait as the sand begins moving and forming the image of The Arch-Mage, who looks a lot bigger and tougher than the last time we saw him. Granted, he was a powerful sorcerer back in Long Way to Morning, but he was still a frail old man. Now, he looks like he can kick some serious butt, which he promptly does, transforming the sand into copies of himself as well as various other forms to attack his enemies, and several years before a certain ninja from a certain anime would become famous for doing the same thing no less. Our heroes fight back, but to no avail. Elisa even tries to shoot it despite presumably being smart enough to know that bullets do not work on sand. Goliath roars and manages to hold back Archie’s onslaught, but the Arch-Mage tells them not to celebrate just yet since all they’ve managed to accomplish was beating up a beach. The Arch-Mage disappears and the others fall back to the Castle they now call home.

On the way back, Elisa notes something interesting. Angela seems to bare something of a resemblance to Demona, only with different coloring. This prompts Elisa to ask whose daughter she is. It is here where we learn that Gargoyles don’t really go in for the whole traditional family structure thing. A child born to the clan is considered son and daughter to the entire clan with their biological parentage being largely irrelevant. It is the Gargoyle way. I wonder if Angela, who was raised by humans, will see it that way, especially given the fact that anyone with a brain stem has already figured out exactly who her parents are by this point, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

At the Castle, the young Gargoyles all seem very excited to see Goliath, but the mood is not a happy one as many are still wounded from a previous encounter with the Arch-Mage. See, up until now, the Gargoyles and their human parental figures have lived on the island alone, save for someone referred to as “The Sleeping King” and there was no need to hone their combat skills, so when the Arch-Mage attacked, they were critically unprepared. It is here where we are re-introduced to Princess Katherine and The Magus, the latter of whom seems a bit saddened by Tom and Katherine’s loving embrace upon reuniting. The Princess is overjoyed to see Goliath who is grateful for all that she’s done to protect the children of his clan. However, Goliath is soon shocked to find laser burns on one of the wounded Gargoyles. Turns out that Archie isn’t alone. He has The Weird Sisters at his beck and call as well as two warriors who match the descriptions of Demona and MacBeth. We also note that Archie has access to The Eye of Odin, the Phoenix gate and the Grimorum Arcanorum, the latter being especially troubling since earthly magic isn’t supposed to be able to enter Avalon, hence why the Arch-Mage didn’t bring it with him in the first place. Goliath puts two and two together and realizes that the Arch-Mage must have been the one manipulating things behind the scenes all this time.

So, how did the Arch-Mage do it? Well we’re about to find out. And I’m going to warn you, this is where things get, strange. We dissolve to Archie’s base where we see, Two Arch-Mages? See what I mean, strange! One Archie asks the other if he knows what to do and the other responds by saying “I Should, I Watched You Do It.” With that, one of the Arch-Mages uses the Phoenix Gate to disappear. Archie arrives in Scotland 984 A.D. during the events of Long Way to Morning where the Arch-Mage was allegedly killed. So, quick heads up here, there’s going to be a lot of two Arch-Mages interacting from this point forward, so, in order to avoid confusion, the Arch-Mage that came back from the future will be referred to as Archie-1 and the one from the distant past currently falling to his death in a cave in tenth century Scotland will be Archie-2. Everyone got that? Good! So, Archie-1 saves Archie-2 from falling to his death, Archie-2 being more confused than anything else by Archie-1’s presence. Archie-1 asks Archie-2 what he wants most and Archie-2 only desires two things, ultimate power, and vengeance. Archie-1 teleports them away prompting Archie-2 to ask where they are, and Archie-1 gives the whole “Not Where, When” answer that I hate so much. Look Doctor Who, I’m aware you’ve time traveled, but you’re clearly not still in that cave in Scotland so “Where Are We” is still a valid question. Anywho, where and when we are happens to be the scene we saw last time when Katherine and the others first came to Avalon. Archie-2 thinks they should take the Grimorum from The Magus but Archie-1 insists that the Grimorum must remain part of history for now. Magus turns the weird sisters into Owls like last time. When the coast is clear, Archie-1 restores the Triplets and proposes an alliance, to which the sisters agree, seeking revenge on the mortals who humiliated them. Odd considering how they had a whole speech about the futility of vengeance back in City of Stone, but they are a deceitful bunch, so I’ll roll with it.

Next part of the plan, Archie is going to need warriors at his side. This is where MacBeth and Demona come in. Archie-1 tells the Sisters to bind Demona and MaBeth to one another and make sure they survive for the next nine-hundred-and-seventy-five years. So, you mean to tell me that everything we saw in City of Stone was all so an evil sorcerer could get himself a couple of lackeys? That’s… a bit lame if you ask me, but we’ll talk about this more when we get to the end.

And so, it’s nine-hundred-and-seventy-five years later, though only a few seconds to Archies 1 & 2. The plan is coming together now, and the Arch-Mage is ready to launch his campaign to conquer the entire world. However, he’s going to need a safe place to serve as his seat of power, Avalon. That means the humans and Gargoyles squatting there have to go. The Sisters arrive with a brain-washed Demona and MacBeth as well as the Eye of Odin, the Phoenix Gate and The Grimorum, freshly stolen for the Clocktower back in High Noon. Archie-2 uses the Eye of Odin, transforming himself into the more powerful form we see Archie-1 has taken. The Eye of Odin and the Phoenix Gate were both forged on Avalon, so they may be taken to the island no problem, but getting the Grimorum onto the island may prove tricky. I mean, what is Archie-2 supposed to do, eat it? Well… yes as a matter of fact. Archie-2 takes the book and wolfs it down like a Philly cheese steak. Delicious. Don’t worry, Archie-2 didn’t just eat a book for nothing as the Grimorum is no ordinary book, it’s a large concentration of magical energy. Now that the book is part of the Arch-Mage, all of its spells are his to command and its magic goes wherever he goes. Before the Sisters depart, they warn the Arch-Mage of The Sleeping King. Seems whoever he is, he’s someone powerful enough to foil the Arch-Mage’s plans. Archie-2 simply says they’ll have to make sure he stays asleep.

Cut to the Castle home of the young Gargoyles, several hours before Tom went looking for Goliath. All seems well until the Sisters attack along with MacBeth, Demona and Archie himself. The Gargoyles quickly get their asses handed to them before the Arch-Mage calls back his forces. Archie says that this was merely a demonstration. He has given them the rest of the evening to make their peace, for at sunrise, he will return and destroy them all while they're helpless. We finally return to the Arch-Mage’s base the same scene with the two Arch-Mages from earlier plays out, Archie-2 now about to do for his past self what Archie-1 did for him.

Back at the Castle, Goliath says that while he can deal with MacBeth and Demona, it will be impossible to take down the Arch-Mage without Magic. Goliath turns to the Magus for help, but Magus sadly insists that without the Grimorum, he’s useless. Goliath then proposes a sneak attack in order to steal one of Archie’s magical objects. Goliath figures that Archie needs all three to sustain his ultimate power and losing one may disrupt that. As Goliath leaves, he tells Elisa to come up with a contingency plan in case this doesn’t work, prompting Elisa to ask about the Sleeping King. Our episode ends with The Arch-Mage using his magic to see Goliath, Angela and Gabriel coming for him and laughing maniacally at the thought of finally having his revenge on Goliath.

As I said last time, any analysis of this story will be saved for the end. Suffice to say, the Arch-Mage's time travel antics gave me a headache. I believe the gif of Austin Powers saying "Oh No I've Gone Crosse-Eyed" would seem appropriate for the occasion. Anywho, Join me tomorrow for the Final Battle as Avalon concludes.