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Ithica writes...

In your proposed spinoff PENDRAGON, how did you plan to address the Arthur-Gwenyvere-Launcelot love triangle? I doubt you would have completely overlooked it, but some versions of the Arthurian legends say Launcelot and Gwenyvere had an affair, but it would be difficult to present it in a children's show and get it past S&P. How would you ahve approached it, if you were going to approach it at all?

Greg responds...

Well, it wouldn't be a big current issue, since both Lance and Gwen are long dead. But I believe we could have handled it in passing in a straight-forward way. It's such a classic part of Western Culture. It's less problematic than you think. I mean we don't have to SAY that they had sex. Which is not to say they didn't. We simply show them kissing, for example, and we get the idea of betrayal across without doing anything too controversial. Look how we handled the Constantine/Finella/Kenneth triangle.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

One little Arthurian note about your theory that the grave at Glastonbury really contained the bodies of Lancelot and Guinevere rather than Arthur and Guinevere. I noticed that Roger Lancelyn Green went for the same notion himself. (And it's not a bad way of explaining the grave, either, once you a) recall that Lancelot turned monk at Glastonbury after Arthur's passing and so was in the area in his final days, and b) go for the notion of Avalon being a faerie island - as it's portrayed in "Gargoyles" - rather than just an old-fashioned name for Glastonbury).

Greg responds...

Yep.

You and me should start a R.L. Green fan club.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

A comment about your revelation today that Blanchefleur would have been the female companion to Arthur and Griff.

That one, in fact, I'd suspected for some time now (and can share my thoughts with you on how I worked it out after you made the revelation); in fact, that was precisely what led me to suspect Blanchefleur as one of the 8 Arthurian survivors. I'd been wondering who the female companion would be for some time. Now, you'd mentioned that you decided against sending the Magus to accompany Arthur on his adventures in the outside world since that would mean either:

a) they never find Merlin (a let-down)
b) the Magus dies before Arthur finds Merlin (which puts a higher value on Merlin than on the Magus)
c) Arthur has two magic-users accompanying him (not very challenging, in such a case)

From this I figured out that Arthur's female companion could not be a magic-user either. So that ruled out nearly every female character from the legend whom I could imagine as a survivor, since most of them (such as Morgan le Fay) were magic-users. But a female character connected with the Grail could survive to modern times without the use of magic. And as for who that female character was - well, you'd mentioned Roger Lancelyn Green among the Arthurian writers whom you'd read, and Blanchefleur turns up in his version as Percival's queen; thus you'd be aware of her.

So that's how I arrived at my suspicion that Blanchefleur would be Arthur and Griff's female companion, and it seems now that I was correct. Guess that I've got more than a little detective in me.

Greg responds...

Very good. You are dead on.

But you approached it in reverse. I came up with the survivors first. Blanchefleur (translated into the twentieth or twenty-first century) interested me, and I wanted a female in the group.

The whole Magus/Merlin dilemma came later.

Response recorded on August 02, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Thanks for answering my questions about Morgana (and correcting me on the "adopted" word; wrong term). At any rate, I thought that I'd ask you a couple more questions about her:

1. In your interpretation of Morgana, what's her motive for hating Arthur? Power hunger and seeing him as an obstacle to her path to rule over Britain, as in Malory, or a vendetta over what Uther did to Gorlois and Igraine, as per many modern versions of the legend?

2. Is Morgana subject to Oberon's non-intervention law, or does that not apply to her since she was raised as a mortal by Gorlois and Igraine?

Greg responds...

1. All of the above, and more.

2. Both.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

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Vashkoda writes...

What was the originally intended situation that should have awakened King Arthur had Elisa not interfered? Please be specific if possible (I know that he would have been needed, and that "the world does need a leader", but what would have suddenly caused this need?)

Greg responds...

Not telling.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Another Grail-related question, this one about Percival/Duval. In the traditional legends, Percival is portrayed as a rather naive, guileless fellow, even something of a fool at times, ignorant of the world and its ways. Duval, as the head of the Illuminati Society, would obviously have, by the mere nature of the job, to be a very cunning and duplicitous man, a la Xanatos. When you gave Percival the role of the Illuminati's leader, were you going for a contrast between him as he was in Arthur's time period and the way that he is as Duval now?

Greg responds...

I'm not going to confirm or deny your description of Duval's personality.

But I will acknowledge that time and tide have had their effect on young Percival.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Did Galahad exist in the Gargoyles Universe (at least, in your opinion)? The hints that you've made about the Grail's status in the Gargoyles Universe indicate that it's still on Earth and being guarded by Percival and Blanchefleur at Carbonek (cf. your comments on the 8 Arthurian survivors), which comes closer to the way that the Grail is treated in the pre-Galahad version of the legend, rather than those versions of the Grail story, such as Malory's, where Galahad appears; in the Galahad version of the Grail story, the Grail is taken up to Heaven after Galahad achieves it, never to be seen again. On the other hand, I have read modern day versions of the Grail Quest where Galahad achieves the Grail and yet where the Grail remains on Earth with Percival as its guardian, so Galahad's existence isn't necessarily incompatible with the Grail still being around in modern times. (Of course, since Galahad isn't on the survivors list, I doubt that he'd be that much of an issue in "Pendragon" if you had made it).

Greg responds...

Galahad did exist. He ascended to Heaven after drinking from the Grail. But the Grail didn't go with him. What need does heaven have for things?

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

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LSZ writes...

Did Morgana or Nimue attend the Gathering?

Greg responds...

The one in Dallas or one of the ones in New York?

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

A few "Pendragon" questions for you.

1. In your opinion, what is Arthur's response to discovering that he and Camelot have been remembered all these centuries after his departure to Avalon? The thing that prompted this question was a reflection on my part that, according to the traditional plot-line of the legend, his achievements must have seemed pretty bleak to Arthur at the time of his "death"; the Round Table's been split in half, nearly all the knights are dead, his own son rose up against him, Guinevere was separated from him and besieged in the Tower of London, Lancelot away in France, Gawain dead and buried; it must all have seemed for nothing. (I admit that this description is somewhat influenced by that bit at the end of "The Once and Future King" where Arthur's brooding in his tent on the eve of the final battle - which is, IMHO, one of the best parts of White's book). What do you suppose the impact on him must have been to discover that he and his ideals haven't been forgotten, that he's practically become a household name as a symbol of medieval chivalry, as has Camelot?

2. In your opinion, what are Arthur's current (as in, at the time of the episode "Pendragon") feelings on the Lancelot/Guinevere business? Has he been able to get over it, more or less?

3. In the episode "Pendragon", Arthur notes (somewhat puzzledly) that his reclaiming of Excalibur is taking place in New York rather than in Britain. While the obvious reason for this is the necessity of the plot (in order to get Hudson and the trio involved), was there any deeper significance here, as in, suggesting what Arthur's ultimate long-term destiny might be in the modern world? (Come to think of it, in that same episode, the Lady of the Lake says "The world doth a leader need" - "The world" as opposed to merely "Britain" - is that also significant?)

Greg responds...

1. Have you ever read White's "The Book of Merlin". It's wonderful and heartbreaking. And the sequence where the hedgehog takes Arthur out to show him his sleeping country always makes me cry. I like to think that -- even in the Gargoyles Universe -- as Arthur approached his first "death", he had had the benefit of a hedgehog (or some hedgehog equivalent) to let him know that it wasn't all for nought. As for all the attention that came in the intervening years, I think he'd be surprised, flattered, embarrassed, outraged, etc. depending on the individual retellings. As of the "Pendragon" episode, he wasn't even aware of any of it.

2. I don't think his opinion ever really changed. It hurt. But these were the two human beings he loved most in the world. If he could have protected them, he would have.

3. Yes. Significant. Arthur was meant to play a part on a larger stage.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

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Demonskrye writes...

Arthurian Contest

I'm adding in the reasoning behind my choices, just to make this a bit more interesting.

1. Arthur Pendragon (You already gave us this one. He's already appeared on the show. No-brainer.)
2. The Lady of the Lake (Another one you gave us. Also already showed up.)
3. Merlin (Various references to him in your replies make him an almost certain candidate.)
4. Morgan Le Fey (Some of the Arthurian baddies have to show up <though Morgan falls out of this category if you take the view of her from "Mists of Avalon"> Anyways, Morgan does survive in most versions I've read. And I rather see her than Morgause, especially as written by T.H. White <shudder>)
5. Percival (I didn't consider Percy until he came up in other people's guesses. He's one of the knights who found <or came close to finding, depending on who you read> the Grail. He could still be around somewhere.)
6. Galahad (He's kind of a long shot, but I'm basicly using the same logic I used for Percival. Plus he was considered Arthur's best knight, being Lancelot's son and all. So why not?)
7. Mordred (This one's a real dark horse <Hey everyone, go read "Hellboy"!> but like I said, there's got to be some villains. Plus, you've been talking about how you like the "bastard" achetype and Mordred's pretty much a bastard in every sense of the word.
8. Bedevere (He's the last Round Table knight...I think. Really wish I had a book with me. Anyways, he didn't die and it gives a sort of odd continuity to it. Assuming I've got the right name.)

Greg responds...

Well, this contest was over months and months ago.

Your first five guesses are correct. You're last three are wrong. Galahad ascended after drinking from the Grail. Mordred was killed by Arthur. Bedevere died en route to the Holy Land.

Instead of those three guys we have Nimue, Blanchefleur and the Green Knight.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000


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