Wes's Guide to Gargoyles: Pendragon

Welcome back to Gargoyles everyone!

We open in Manhattan where a storm seems to be brewing. MacBeth seems to believe that this is something called the harmonic convergence. Magical forces are gathering in the city to open a door through time and space. When there are only a few immortals left, they will feel an irresistible pull towards a faraway land to fight for the prize, for in the end, there can be only one. Wait, no, never mind, wrong notes, I’m thinking of that other immortal Scotsman. All this really means is that something powerful is on the way and that MacBeth wants a piece of it. The Manhattan Clan seems to sense something as well, but what could it be?

Maybe we’ll find out in London as an Avalon Skiff containing King Arthur emerges from the fog. Arthur is in awe of this modern city of wonders as he draws his mace. It’s not Excalibur, but it’ll do in a pinch. Arthur explores the city, not knowing that someone is watching him from the shadows. Arthur breaks into Westminster Abbey, which for some reason has no alarms whatsoever, and senses something familiar. Apparently, the stone of destiny, which once held Excalibur, is in the Abbey and shocks Arthur when he tries to commune with it. Arthur is then confronted by the shadowy figure, who turns out to be our old buddy Griff. Griff doesn’t care who Arthur is or why he’s dressed like he just walked off the set of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As far as Griff is concerned, he’s just another trespasser, but when Arthur mentions Goliath, that seems to get his attention. Griff and Arthur introduce themselves to one another, though Griff doesn’t believe that Arthur is who he says he is. To be fair, why should he. If I caught some middle-aged man with a big nose breaking into a local church, I certainly wouldn’t believe him if he claimed to be Richard Nixon. However, Griff soon gets more proof than he bargained for as the Destiny Stone starts talking to him. The Stone says that if Arthur wishes to seek the sword Excalibur, he must prove that he is still worthy. The problem is, Arthur has no idea where the sword is. All he has to go on is a nursery rhyme about Excalibur that Griff heard as a Hatchling. “Isle of Towers Glass and Stone, The Lady Waits for Him Alone, Ebon Glass in Emerald Frame, Pure White Lillies Speak Her Name, Blood Red Bane in Dragon Stone, Excalibur Waits for Him Alone.” The Destiny stone hears the poem and sucks both Griff and Arthur into a magical portal, warning Arthur that there will be other tests.

Back in Manhattan, the storm is still raging as a portal opens in the sky and Griff and Artur fall through it, right at the feet of MacBeth. MacBeth tries to attack, but The Manhattan clan arrives and MacBeth makes a hasty retreat. Arthur and Griff introduce themselves to the Manhattan Clan, endearing themselves to them by namedropping Goliath. However, the more pressing issue is that if Arthur was brought here by the Destiny Stone, that must mean that the sword is here in Manhattan. The Gargoyles try to analyze Griff’s poem, and deduce that the “Isle of Towers” is obviously Manhattan and that the Ebon Glass in Emerald Frame is likely the lake in Central Park. Little do our heroes know, MacBeth, using this odd doohickey that is activated by a magical incantation, but plugs into his jet like a cell phone, has them under surveillance and is watching their every move.

Our heroes reach the Lake and Arthur summons the Lady of the Lake herself. Arthur entreats the Lady for his sword, but, if Arthur is going to be declared the one true King, then it’s going to take more than asking nicely. Besides, some watery tart going about distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Anywho, the Lady summons a large water spirit to battle Arthur and his allies, but, thanks to some quick thinking, our heroes dispatch it rather quickly. However, there remains one final test. At the heart of a great maze, the sword Excalibur lies within the heart of a great stone dragon, waiting to be claimed by the timeless king. Lexington deduces that the maze they’re looking for is the hedge maze in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. MacBeth, who’s been watching this whole time thinks, “Wait a minute, Timeless King? I’m a Timeless King, and I’ve actually been doing shit for the last nine hundred years while Mr. Fancy Pants down there has been sleeping on the job. That sword should be mine!” (I may be paraphrasing slightly.)

Arthur and the Gargoyles arrive at the maze, but they’re soon besieged by MacBeth’s minions on some dope Flying Laser Bikes! The Manhattan clan holds off the goons while Arthur and Griff head for the sword, Griff using a gun he stole off MacBeth to blast his way through the maze. The two reach the Stone Dragon statue, but MacBeth has beaten them to it and MacBeth has retrieved the sword for himself. Arthur attacks, but during the right, recognizes that MacBeth retrieved the blade fair and square and yields. Just as he’s about to kneel before MacBeth, the Stone Dragon springs to life. Well… shit. MacBeth, Arthur and Griff try to fight the Dragon off, but even when the Manhattan Clan gets involved the great beast is still too much for them. Eventually, the Dragon knocks the sword from MacBeth’s hands. It’s caught by Arthur who realizes that it is a false Excalibur. The true legendary sword is in the red jewel in the stone dragon’s heart. With the help of Griff, Arthur shatters the Jewel and claims his sword and his rightful place as the one true king. In the aftermath, MacBeth kneels before Arthur, seeing now that he is truly the one spoken of in legend. Arthur offers MacBeth a chance to travel with him. MacBeth declines but says that should Arthur ever be in need of him, he’d be honored to fight by his side. Our episode ends with Arthur officially knighting Griff and Griff agreeing to join Arthur on his adventures, and together they shall ride to… CAMELOT!! Eh, on second thought, let’s not go to Camelot, it is a silly place.

Despite some very janky animation (perhaps the animator suffered a fatal heart attack), this was actually a really cool episode. I mean, it brings back two really cool characters and has them team up with the Manhattan Clan to fight a Dragon, what’s not to love? Much like The Hound of Ulster, this episode was intended as a backdoor pilot for a failed spinoff. While Hound of Ulster had potential, it needed some serious retooling before it was ready to stand on its own. This show however, I would have watched the shit out of it! Griff and Arthur are official the Vastra, Jenny and Strax of the Gargoyles Universe. Who are Vastra, Jenny and Strax? Well, Vastra, Jenny and Strax were characters introduced in an episode of Doctor Who who many wished would have their own spinoff. Picture this: Two lesbian lovers, one a member of an ancient race of lizard people, one a ninja chamber maid, fighting crime on the streets of Victorian London alongside their trigger-happy diminutive alien sidekick. Sounds cool as hell right? Now imagine King Arthur having adventures all over the world alongside his Nazi fighting, wise-cracking Gargoyle best buddy, and you get a similar feeling. So, yeah, I liked Pendragon. Next time, the world tour takes us to Norway and Goliath faces a foe so powerful that he’s forced to do something drastic in Eye of the Storm