A Station Eight Fan Web Site

Gargoyles

The Phoenix Gate

Ask Greg Archives

Children of Oberon, The

Archive Index


: Displaying all 541 records. :


Posts Per Page: 1 : 10 : 25 : 50 : 100 : All :


Bookmark Link

Jonah Lucedo writes...

Hi Greg, I am a big fan of Gargoyles and I have a question. Do Yōkai, mythological creatures from Japan, exist in the Gargoyles universe as part of the Third Race?

Greg responds...

Potentially. I'd have to do research.

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

Bookmark Link

Iluvendure writes...

We know that Children of Oberon and humans can have children among them (Fox is the greatest example), while gargoyles and humans can not reproduce:
1. My question is this: Could a Gargoyle and a Children of Oberon together conceive a child in a supposed relationship?... after all the living nature of the "fairies" is strange

Thank you very much and forgive the inconvenience

Greg responds...

1. In theory.

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

Bookmark Link

B writes...

http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=21805 was in reference to http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=21568

Greg responds...

Okay.

Response recorded on April 13, 2017

Bookmark Link

B writes...

You've indicated that Nimue was the third daughter of Igraine and Gorlois, exchanged with the changeling Morgana. Does that make her magic (or that of stolen children in general, if you prefer) mortal sorcery by definition? Except mortal sorcery isn't allowed on Avalon, where stolen human children would logically be raised. Did she not know any magic before Merlin taught her (as in the legend) despite her upbringing by the Third Race, or is she (or stolen children in general, if you prefer) able to manipulate the energies of Avalon like the Magus learned to, thus technically staying within the prohibition?

Greg responds...

Mostly, I'm going to answer: NO SPOILERS. But I will say that not every option you cited above is mutually exclusive with every other option.

Response recorded on October 31, 2016

Bookmark Link

B writes...

If, as Goliath says, the Vikings called the Oberati "Dark Elves", then what about the Light Elves that are also present in Viking mythology? Were they more myth than fact, were they angels (like the ones in Jacob's vision in the issue "The Rock"), or are they also members of the Third Race but Goliath only chose to mention the Dark Elves for some reason? In Norse myth, Light Elves were like what we would think of as Tolkien Elves and Dark Elves were like Tolkien Dwarves.

Greg responds...

No spoilers.

Though I'm not sure I agree with your associating Dark Elves with Dwarves. I'd have to do some research, but I recall both Dark Elves and Dwarves in Norse mythology as two different species.

Response recorded on October 28, 2016

Bookmark Link

Няшный Кэк writes...

Hi again. As long as rules require to group questions by different topics, I've written that as separate questions.
So.
1. If Puck is Oberon's servant, why can he be summoned by Titania's mirror? Not some Oberon's possessions, but Titania's.
2. Does the spell, that Demona used to summon Puck, have any translation? Was it in Latin? I failed to find it on Wiki.
3. Why didn't Oberon just use the mirror as Demona did in order to summon Puck? Was he just in a mood for stroll?
4. In the way I see it, there's kind of tension between Puck and the Weird Sisters, as they say they can hunt him down for Oberon. I mean -Hunt-. Not to bring him, not to call him, not to remind to him. Hunt him down. Why? If this IS a spoiler, please, just forget you've read 2d question. If I just dramatize, feel free to tell it in any form you like.
5. Would - if heard - the ringing of the iron bell be at least painful to ANY one of Oberon's children in their true form? If not to all, then to who will it be?

Greg responds...

1. If the spell is powerful enough, he can be summoned by any magic mirror.

2. It's Latin and can be found here: http://gargwiki.net/Summoning_Spell
I don't have the translation here at my Nickelodeon office. But you can probably get it from one of the fans by asking in the S8 Comment Room.

3. Yes. He pretty much says that. (Are you asking these questions from memory without looking back at the episodes? Cuz, if so, you're really waiting a LONG time to get answers you could've gotten yourself.)

4. It's a spoiler.

5. To all.

Response recorded on October 13, 2016

Bookmark Link

Wonderfulakari writes...

Are fairy-human shape shifts like Owen still bound by things like "Iron hurts you" and "No stealing magical items like the phoenix gate"?

Also just to say your shows inspired me to pursue a major/career in illustration and comics. I saw your shows and others like it and decided I wanted to find a way to contribute to them somehow. Hopefully one day I'll story-board something half as good as what you produce.

Greg responds...

Thank you.

Owen can still be hurt by iron. Can't you?

Response recorded on July 11, 2016

Bookmark Link

Joanne writes...

Hey, long time Gargoyles fans and I got a bit of an odd question, and I don't think it's been asked before (at least from my searches).

Since in the gargoyles world fairies, god/goddess, and other mythical creatures exist a thought strikes me...do Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy actually exist in the Gargoyles world or at least some kind of version of them?

I know it's a bit of a silly question, but they do come from old stories just like all other mythological beings do. So, I couldn't help, but wonder.

Greg responds...

As I've said before, there's a version of Santa Claus, for sure. In fact, there's an entire Santa Claus archive here at ASK GREG, so you didn't search very hard.

As for the others, no spoilers.

Response recorded on May 11, 2016

Bookmark Link

KaJoSitz writes...

Hello Greg! I've read your statement that all members of the Third Race choose their own appearances and do not have "true forms." So in that case, I'm curious as to what they look like when they are born/come into being for the first time? Do they manifest as clouds of magic energy until they get an idea for their personal looks or what? Thanks in advance!

Greg responds...

No spoilers.

Response recorded on April 19, 2016

Bookmark Link

Mara writes...

We know that Oberon sent the Fae out from Avalon in order to teach them some humility... Was there a singular inciting incidentthat caused this ruling, or was it just from the sheer number of small incidents of individual Fae?

Greg responds...

Okay, first. I try not to use the word "Fae" to refer to all of Oberon's Children. That's a fan term, which I have - through not paying attention - occasionally found myself using by accident or out of laziness. But I'm trying to break myself of that habit.

Anyway, the answer is BOTH, i.e. there was a cumulative effect of multiple incidents that started Oberon thinking along certain lines. But there was also a singular incident that ultimately triggered his decision.

Response recorded on March 09, 2015

Bookmark Link

JC writes...

You've said that "sides were taken" during the war between Mab and Oberon.
I have a few questions regarding this conflict:

1) Were the "sides" you refered to composed of, lets say "morally ambiguous," Children like the Wierd Sisters, Banshee, Anansi, and Raven versus the relatively benign Children like Puck, Odin, Coyote, and Grandmother?

2) Does Oberon hold any animosity for those who sided against him, ranging from general distrust to outright distain? Does he forgive any of them completely?

3) Do any who took Mab's side still prefer to be refered to as "Mab's Children?"

4) Were any Children who fought against Oberon imprisioned along with Mab?

Greg responds...

These are all spoiler questions. No comment.

Response recorded on September 03, 2014

Bookmark Link

Al writes...

I'm just filled with Gargoyles questions today, so heres another one.

You've said before that the New Olympians, being decendants of Children of Oberon/Human hybrids, don't use Children of Oberon (henceforth I'm going to refer to them as "Fae," although I know thats not technically accurate) magic in the traditional sense, but rather have internalized it into individual "powers."

1) My question is regarding Fox. The only time we've seen her use Fae magic was in the form of an energy blast. Was/is that her "power," or, given the proper training, would she have had powers (less than or equal to) a pure-bred Fae?

2) Also, Alexander seems to be able to access (full?) Fae abilities, including an extreamly long life-span. Is that because he is only a couple generations away from a pure-bred Fae, or because he is decended from such a powerfull Fae as Queen Titanya? (I want to ask if his decendants would be as powerfull as he is, or turn out like the New Olympians, but that would be a "spoiler request," so I won't. Unless you're feeling generous, then I am).

Greg responds...

Okay, I didn't say the New Olympians were Children of Oberon/Human hybrids (though there were some of these). I said the New Olympians were Children of Oberon/Mortal hybrids.

And, of course, we NEVER use the term Fae in the series.

1. If we're talking theoretically, it's hard to say. If you're asking me specifically: No Spoilers.

2. Ditto.

But generally, the magic of the Children is more art than science, so it's difficult to quantify.

Response recorded on July 15, 2014

Bookmark Link

Jessy writes...

I have a rather...odd question.
I've read that fairies seem to have a problem with the words "thank you". 1. Do you think that's true in the Gargoyle's universe, in the case of say, Puck? If the Gargoyle's world considers him a fairy and not, like, a hobgoblin, maybe he's considered both, I don't know. 2. Would this be something they've grown out of, dismissing it as a human eccentricity or would it still irk them enough to go berserk on the poor well-meaning human? I've always made the half-joke that that's why Puck likes to mess with people. He gives them what they ask for but in a way that makes sure they never make the mistake of thanking him for it.

Greg responds...

1. I've seen no indication of that.

2. <shrug>

Response recorded on May 22, 2014

Bookmark Link

Jessy writes...

A few questions about the Third Race.
1. Did they take anything with them to Avalon, or did they mostly just drop whatever it was that they were doing?
2. Did they take technology with them? Electronics. I mean, I'm sure magic compensates for most actual work they would have to do, but that doesn't mean that a few wouldn't like to take their Game Boy or something with them when they go home. No batteries on Avalon, I'm sure, but they might be able to make it work.
3. Would Oberon ALLOW them to bring technology onto Avalon, or does he consider it foreign magic?
4. I'm guessing that those who were married to humans at the time weren't allowed to bring their spouses along, were there a lot of broken homes made that year? You would think Oberon would make concessions about those things but then Avalon might see a spike in mortal inhabitants.
5. That brings me to another question; Would Oberon see a marriage between one of his race and a mortal as anything of significance? Anyways, I am glad you're still doing this, thank you! ^_^

Greg responds...

1. Stuff isn't a big issue for a magical race.

2. Again, I'm not sure that's necessary. But if it pleases you...

3. He doesn't consider technology to be magic - much to his chagrin at times.

4. Oberon isn't big on concessions. But I'm not going to confirm or deny this one. Feels spoilery.

5. It would depend on a lot of factors.

Response recorded on March 21, 2014

Bookmark Link

Erebus1994 writes...

1. Are members of the third race physically stronger than humans or gargoyles?
2. Can members of the third race increase their physical strength by casting spells?

Greg responds...

1. Not necessarily. Depends on their form.

2. Yes.

Response recorded on March 04, 2014

Bookmark Link

no name writes...

Can halflings with a Gargoyle and a Third Race parent have children with humans - or human/Third Race halflings with Gargoyles?

Greg responds...

With or without the aid of magic or advanced science?

Response recorded on April 15, 2013

Bookmark Link

Otho Fernandes Damasceno writes...

Did the Hunters ever interacted with any of the Children of Oberon? If so, what's their opnion about them?

Greg responds...

SPOILER REQUEST. NO COMMENT.

Response recorded on April 12, 2013

Bookmark Link

Otho Fernandes Damasceno writes...

I would like to make a few questions about The Children of Oberon's weakness: Iron.
1) Why they are vunerable to it to begin with?
2) Is iron COMPLETLY inmune to their magic, or only highly resistent to it?
3) If so, how much iron composition other substances (like Steel) would need to be at least resistent to their magic?
4) If a Children of Oberon turn itself into a creature stronger than an average Gargoyle, would he/she be able to break a iron chain with it's bare hands?
5) If the Children of Oberon can't affect iron with magic, how did Oberon managed to do things like levitating Xanatos' laser-gun, shockwave several robotic gargoyles and melt a lamppost with his bare hands?

Greg responds...

1. Maybe because most iron comes from outer space? (Honestly, I don't know. They just are. Like Mon-El's vulnerable to lead.)

2. Iron is immune, but if you can pick up a pair of wood tongs with your magic, you can use the tongs to pick up the iron rod. (Or something like that.)

3. Any iron in an alloy adds resistance, but if you're looking for a numerical value, you've asked the wrong guy.

4. Nope.

5. Depends what they are made of. And also look at the answer to question two. A mighty wind is a mighty wind and can blow anything out of it's path. If Oberon can create a wind, it blows.

Response recorded on March 20, 2013

Bookmark Link

Tymiko writes...

I noticed in another series of children's books called The Sisters Grimm that the author, Michael Buckley, also had Puck as a main character, only he has the form of a 12 year old and seems to have the mindset of one. He also has a pair of pink insect wings (despite still being a shape-shifter) that he isn't ashamed of at all.

He's written in a way that makes me believe he could have been your version of Puck at a younger age, though he is considered in that series to be the literal child of Oberon and Titania (Oberon's children, haha).

What's more is that King Oberon and Queen Titania live in Manhatten, New York City. I can't help but wonder if there's some of the Gargoyle show's influence at work here.

1. Were you aware of this series and its similarities?

2. Did you ever exchange words with Michael Buckley?

3. Do you think it's possible he watched your show, Gargoyles, or more likely that it was a coincidence?

Greg responds...

1. No.

2. No.

3. I have no idea.

Response recorded on October 29, 2012

Bookmark Link

Tymiko writes...

Your rendition of Puck really rekindled an interest of fairy lore in me, especially since I love tricksters and their amoral personalities that make them so complex. I love how you never know if they'll do something 'good' or 'bad' to someone else simply on a whim, and you portrayed that so well.

I read a previous answer of yours to someone else that said you didn't want to label Puck, Oberon, and Titania as 'faeries' because of the pejorative connotations that the word has. I realize and empathize with you about how fairies are often thought of as nothing more than pretty little girls with butterfly wings or something to that effect, who wave magic wands to grant wishes and always do good. Makes me sick.

1. Is that why you didn't have Puck, Oberon and Titania portrayed with fairy wings despite their status in their original play?

2. If so, why bother to have Puck fly around at all, let alone with fairy dust trailing behind him?

There's a show I recently learned of called Durarara!! in which a Dullahan (technically a sort of fairy) comes to Tokyo to find her missing head, taking the form of a black-wearing motorcyclist and transferring her headless horse's spirit into a pitch black motobike. To hide the fact she has no head, she wears a full helmet and tries to blend in with the city, acting as a transporter and courier for gangs and info brokers, forcing fans to reconsider their initial mental image of a typical fairy.

I think if you had recognized that Puck and the others were Fae, it just might have saved the Fae's tainted, modern day reputation, considering how well-known and admired the Gargoyles show is. However, I understand respect the choices you made, and it was pretty much obvious who they were in the long run.

Greg responds...

1. "Despite"? Most of the versions I've seen are wingless.

2. Uh... it looked cool?

I don't recall saying no to the words "faery", "fairy" or "fae" because of perjorative connotations. I think the point I was making is that Oberon and Titania were "larger" than that. The Children of Oberon include those creatures traditionally associated with the "fae" but also various pantheons, etc.

Response recorded on October 29, 2012

Bookmark Link

Tymiko writes...

1. If a Child of Oberon were to be imprisoned in a cell, box, room, or cage of iron, what effect might it have on them (if they can even be contained in one)?

2. Would that depend on the length of time they were imprisoned in such a cell?

3. Could they die from it, or only be weakened by it?

4.Does it physically pain them?

Greg responds...

1. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

2. See above.

3. See above.

4. See above.

Response recorded on October 29, 2012

Bookmark Link

Sean Mc Bride writes...

Hi first time questioner, long time fan so here we gp
1)Does Titania still have feelings for Renard?
2)When Oberon sent all of the third race into the human world to learn humailty, what he was he doing for that time. Was he in the human world aswell?
3)Oberon said that they golaith could have killed him with the iron bell. If he had died what would have become of his children?(so to speak)

Greg responds...

1. Feelings, yes. Romantic feelings - not much.

2. Yes.

3. They'd probably become Titania's Children for the short term. Beyond that, I'm not to big on hypotheticals.

Response recorded on May 07, 2012

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Can Oberon's children eat food containing iron, such as meat or spinach?

Greg responds...

Let's not get carried away.

Response recorded on February 23, 2012

Bookmark Link

Stephanie writes...

What I don't get is that if Oberan commanded them (his children) to not interfere in human affairs why are so many of them interested in carving out their own little dominion across Earth? That just never really clicked in my head...

Greg responds...

The "don't interfere" doctrine came LONG after they carved out their dominions, as you put it. It's relatively recent. (Just over a thousand years ago.)

Response recorded on February 09, 2012

Bookmark Link

Algernon writes...

Hey Greg,
I've got a Third Race question I've been mulling over. Now obviously a lot of the Children are drawn from the gods and supernatural beings of various world mythologies. But since you established that many of them have adapted mortal identities over the centuries, particularly during the 1001 year exile from Avalon, did any of them take mortal identities we might recognise from conventional history books?

Greg responds...

Any of them? Sure.

Response recorded on August 25, 2011

Bookmark Link

Josh writes...

I don't quite understand the Gathering; was it a family reunion meant to last a few centuries before letting all the Children go back to the real world, a chance for everyone to worship their Lord, or did everyone have to go back to Avalon and stay forever?

Greg responds...

Initially, it was a return for a reassessment. The result of that is yet to come.

Response recorded on May 16, 2011

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

I have a question for you about the half-mortal, half-Third Race hybrids. I know that the Children of Oberon cannot use their magic directly on iron. But can half-mortal hybrids use Third Race magic to directly affect iron?

Thank you!

Greg responds...

No. Unless they're using mortal magic.

Response recorded on April 07, 2011

Bookmark Link

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

You say that Titania as Anastasia, like Puck as Owen, is completely human. Does that mean Fox being half Fae was planned choice? Does conceiving a half Fae child requiring choosing to only appear human rather than be human for a change?

Greg responds...

Fair question. It's worth discussing. But I don't have a hard, fast answer now.

Response recorded on December 22, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

I just re-read The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw. It's a book I mentioned in a much earlier question to you, one about a changeling girl who is half human and half fae, and the weirdness and difficulty she has fitting in with either because she is different from both species. (It's even set in medieval Scotland.) It prompted me to ask you how different or similar, emotionally and psychologically, the Third Race are to humans, because the depiction in this book is of quite inhuman fae who really can't relate to humans. You have consistently answered that the Third Race are quite similar to humans, emotionally and psychologically -- that the main difference is that of great power without great responsibility, of never growing old or having to work, and of being able to look however they want on a whim. You've even said that a human could imagine what it is like to be such a being by imagining what life for one of us would be like with those benefits.

Reading The Moorchild again got me to wondering about what it is like growing up as a hybrid (in a family of non-hybrids), or as a non-hybrid changeling raised by another species, in the Gargoyles universe. The personality differences don't seem nearly as pronounced between humans and Third Race as they are between humans and fae in The Moorchild, so it seems like fewer problems should arise, although physically there seems to be quite a lot of difference between mortals and the Children even when they look human. Clearly a half-mortal child like Fox can grow up without ever figuring it out, or learning magic. But did she ever feel different from the mortal children around her? Did other humans notice anything different about her? Or was there nothing really out of the ordinary, no noticeable outward signs of her magical heritage?

And what about Morgan le Fay, who according to what you have revealed is a purely Third Race changeling. Was it strange for her to grow up among humans? I assume she looked human, but did she feel human, or did she feel different from those around her? Did she seem unusual to her human parents and siblings, or did they never really notice anything out of the ordinary, personality-wise or physically? Did she just seem like a regular human being to them?

As for Nimue, well, she can't have helped but notice she was different, not having the same nearly-effortless magical abilities and shapechanging that the Third Race have. That and not being made of pure magic, along with whatever that entails.

I imagine a slightly different dynamic for the Avalon Clan, since there was no human society around them and they actually outnumbered their foster parents 11-to-1, but I'm sure that was at least somewhat weird, especially for the humans.

Greg responds...

I guess if the question is: "Did they feel different?" then the answer is a resounding "YES!". Because, I'm pretty sure I'm not a magical hybrid and I felt different. Doesn't everyone?

Response recorded on December 22, 2010

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

alright greg! we know oberon had two halfling sons, but he also had a son and a daughter with titania. who are they?

and...

are they at the gathering?

can they leave like there parents can?

and what magic are they capable of together and/or separate?

please accept this fans should really know.

Greg responds...

I don't accept that I have ANY obligation to reveal my future plans. I only EVER do it on a whim, and the last sentence of your post doesn't exactly inspire whimsy. More like... teeth-grinding.

Response recorded on December 03, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

Thanks for clarifying the feudal society of the Third Race.

Given this feudal arrangement, where does that put the Weird sisters? They are the Norns of the Norse, but also the Greek and Roman Fates, Furies, and Graces. Does that mean they're part of the Aesir? Or part of the Greek gods?

Thank you.

Greg responds...

They're part of nearly every pantheon, in a sense. But really they're not part of any. They report directly to Oberon.

Response recorded on December 01, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

I have a question about Anubis.

Anubis is a death god, is strongly connected to death, and apparently has power over death (whether or not he chooses to use that power). But is he able to use magic that is not connected to death? Is he limited to only using and reversing the effects of "death magic," or can he mostly do anything he wants, magically speaking?

Thank you.

Greg responds...

He's still one of the Children. Power isn't infinite, as we've seen. But he has options.

Response recorded on November 11, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

From watching The Gathering and other episodes with the Children of Oberon in it, and from your reveals on s8, it appears to me that the Third Race have a feudal-like system, with Oberon as the high king (more or less), and others as his subjects or vassals. I think you have said that there are various "subsets," such as the Aesir and the Egyptian gods.

Do these "subsets" or "pantheons" have any political or social reality in Third Race society? What I mean is, are they just convenient catagories for mortals to refer to this or that Child of Oberon as belonging to a mythological category, or are they actual groups who associate(d) with one another as such, who have something political, social, or cultural in common with one another?

Thank you.

Greg responds...

Yes, it's a FEUDAL system. Odin reports to Oberon, but the Aesir report to Odin. And etc.

Response recorded on November 03, 2010

Bookmark Link

MasterGhandalf writes...

Regarding Oberon:

1. Do the Third Race as a whole view Oberon as their most powerful member, or do they follow him for other reasons (royal bloodline, his overthrowing of Mab, etc.) Are there any who might stand a chance of overthrowing him, or would even want to?

2. Is Oberon regarded as a tyrant by his subjects? Obviously neither Puck nor Banshee wanted to go to the Gathering, but what is more general opinion of Oberon's rule?

3. Several of the Third Race are venerated as gods by mortals (such as Anubis and Odin), while Oberon himself, so far as I'm aware, has never been the object of a major religion. Is he at all irritaded by this, or would he even care?

Greg responds...

1. Probably all of the above.

2. Nah, I think generally most are loyal to him and believe he's ruled relatively wisely. Although, "relatively" may be the key word, as their previous ruler was Mab.

3. No.

Response recorded on October 28, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

I've looked all over the archives and I did not find an answer to this. Once, somebody asked you why Anansi chose to be so big and ungainly, presumably since this form gave him trouble when fighting the gargoyles in "Mark of the Panther." You answered: << He ate a lot and gloried in it, I guess. And changing may not be as easy as you make it sound.>> Reading that, I realized that it has never been established explicitly whether shapeshifting is something that all of the Third Race can do. Anansi himself does shapeshift later, but only after getting stabbed. If it was very easy for him to change into a tiny form and run away, I would expect him to do that once pleading and offering bribes didn't work, instead of sitting there and getting stabbed.
Here's the original question: http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=3095

So are all of the Third Race able to shapeshift, or just some or most of them?
Are all of them able to assume mortal forms (like Owen), or can just some or most of them do this?
And are they all equally good/skilled/versatile at shapeshifting?

Thank you.

Greg responds...

1. I don't want to make blanket statements, but most can.

2. Ditto.

3. No.

Response recorded on September 15, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

The question in the last queue about whether Fox and David can vote after getting out of prison, and my own thoughts about the Third Race and Oberon's Law against interfering with mortals, has led me to this question: What does the Law of Oberon prevent and what does it allow, in terms of Oberon's Children participating in human politics? Do Anastasia Renard and Owen Burnett have U.S. citizenship, or if not could they get it if they wanted it? Can they vote? Can they get any more politically active than voting? (Leaving aside whether they actually want to do any of these things.)

Thanks.

Greg responds...

My I-won't-be-held-to-this answer for the moment is that as long as they are living AS humans, they can PARTICIPATE in human affairs. They can eat lunch with other humans. They can see movies made by humans. They can conduct business with humans, and so, it follows, they can vote as humans vote... as long as they're not using magic to alter things.

Response recorded on September 01, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Greetings Greg,

I still don't have time to write out my thoughts about Bad Guys, let alone watch and read the Gargoyles medieval flashbacks marathon like I planned. They'll probably have to wait until graduation and winter break. But I still have so many other questions I want to ask you about Gargoyles!

I wonder often about the Third Race in the Gargoyles universe. You have revealed a lot of information about the gargoyles, since obviously they are the focus of the whole series, and less about the Third Race. I wonder how similar to or different from mortals they are, psychologically. The Third Race include the gods of various polytheistic religions, and at least in Greek, Norse, and Egyptian myths, gods are depicted as having pretty human psychology, and the same emotions as human beings. They are also depicted as having cultures very similar to their worshippers. Of course, myths were created by mortals and "few things are accurate." The Third Race also includes beings like the Fair Folk and/or the Fae. In fiction that I have read about Faerie folk, they aren't often depicted as psychologically similar to human beings. For example, in the book "The Moorchild", the Faeries (called Moorfolk) seem quite different from human beings. They raise their children communally, and also seem to entirely lack the emotions of love and hate. They don't even seem to form any emotional ties to one another, perhaps not even what humans would necessarily call friendship. The book convincingly and successfully depicts beings that are, in some ways, very alien from human beings. Other depictions (like in the table-top role-playing game Exalted) make the Fair Folk even more alien.
In the Gargoyles show and comics, gargoyles clearly have a similar psychology to humans: although they have some differences which make them more than just humans with wings, they're pretty similar to us in most ways. They obviously feel love and hate, for example, and although their family relations are structured differently, it seems pretty clear that they love and care about their children, parents, and siblings. I think in a past response you said that none of the races in the Gargoyles Universe are designed to be all that alien, not even the actual aliens, and that it should be possible to relate to all of them with some effort. So far, as individuals, the depictions of the Third Race make them seem more like the gods of myth, not necessarily following human moral ideas and sometimes being whimsical, but having a mostly human-like psychology. But except for the glimpses of the relationship between Titania and Oberon, and Titania's relationship to her human family (when however she was mostly in a human body, presumably full of human hormones and neurotransmitters) there wasn't a lot of interaction between the Third Race in the show, and obviously their society wasn't the focus.

So the main questions in my mind about this subject are these:

1. Do the Children of Oberon have the same emotional range as human beings, including emotions such as love, hate, shame, compassion, gratitude, jealousy, indignation, etc.?

2. How much detail of their long lives do they remember? Do they generally have better memory than humans, or is their memory only about as good as a human's? Does someone as old as Oberon have only a fuzzy recollection of things that happened 3000 or so years ago, or does he remember 3000 years ago (such as the events of Midsummer Night's Dream) as clearly as he remembers 30 years ago? Humans (and presumably gargoyles) have limited neurons in the brain for forming memories and synapses, and synapses that are not used regularly are trimmed away to make "room" for more useful connections, leading to loss of memories and skills that are less frequently used. But since Children of Oberon are made of pure magic, I don't think they even have neurons.

3. In their long lives, do the Third Race tend to get bored any more or less often than mortals do, or about as often?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. Easily.

2. Better memories for quantity, not necessarily more accurate.

3. If you're talking about frequency, I guess it's about the same -- except that they don't have to WORK for a living, so they have less they NEED to do, which may lead to increased boredom.

Response recorded on May 21, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Greetings Greg,

I have another question about the New Olympians, halflings, and the Law of Oberon (related to what Random Fan asked about the Law). In the Gathering, Oberon showed that his law is applied and interpreted differently for different halflings. Fox is too human because she has grown up with a mortal life, so the Law applies to her as to a mortal. But Titania has permission to interfere in Alex's life, perhaps because he is newborn and has not yet grown up to be human, but has the potential to be or become something else.

How does Oberon interpret and enforce his law in relation to the New Olympians? Are (or were, before the Gathering) the Third Race permitted to interfere in the lives of New Olympian halflings, or does Oberon view them as mortal and therefore not open to (unsolicited) interference?

Thanks.

Greg responds...

The New Olympians ARE mortal.

Response recorded on April 22, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Greetings Greg,

On the subject of halflings, I have been wondering for a long while how halflings that are part human and part animal (like the New Olympians) are born. My understanding from the archives is that a member of the Third Race can only breed with a mortal by assuming a truly mortal, flesh-and-blood body of the same species as the mortal they want to breed with. If this is correct, how does a mortal, with a Child of Oberon in a truly mortal body of the same species, end up with a child which does not look like the parents? For example, if a human and a Child of Oberon in a completely human body, like Anastasia, had children, how would the children look like anything except normal human beings? Or if a Child of Oberon took on a mortal horse form and mated with a mortal horse, wouldn't the offspring all look like normal horses? For example, how were the first centaurs, or the first minotaurs, born?

Thank you!

Greg responds...

Fair questions... maybe they're second generation... since Fox clearly has magical power...

Or maybe you're putting to DEFINING a limit on the Children, given that their powers and abilities are all about loopholes half the time.

Response recorded on April 16, 2010

Bookmark Link

Random Fan writes...

It seems the more I read the archives (now that I've discoverd them)the more questions I have. The one that plagues me now is about an answer you gave in response to whether Halflings have to adhere to the no medeling rule.
Greg responds...
The rule is magically enforced. Oberon doesn't need to know about you to enforce it. You don't need to know about Oberon to have it enforced. But -- as we've seen -- loopholes abound. The trickier you are the easier it is to find loopholes. Bloodline -- or blood purity, so to speak -- has nothing to do with it.
My qustion then is how doesthe rule affect Halfling human relations? Because I havent heard anything about New Olimpus breaking the rules by becomeing part of the U.N, or An older Alex being a big wig in the 2198 spin off. What are a Halflings limits?

Greg responds...

What is the question exactly?

How does joining the U.N. magically interfere with anything?

Response recorded on April 01, 2010

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Greetings Greg,

I have a few questions for you about the Third Race and language. Since the TV show never depicted non-English languages for technical reasons, and Avalon apparently translates in some way when it sends visitors to the mortal world, I do not assume that what sounds like English is necessarily English.

1. What language(s) do the Children of Oberon speak amongst themselves on Avalon? Do they speak a language (or languages) of their own there, or do they speak only human languages?
2. Do the Third Race have any languages of their own?
3. Did the Third Race ever have any languages of their own?

Thank you once again for answering fan questions!

Greg responds...

1. All of the above.

2. Many.

3. Many.

Response recorded on March 25, 2010

Bookmark Link

Allen writes...

Hey, I've been following Ask Greg on and off since 2001. This is only my second post. Just wanted to say I appreciate you sustaining the fanbase.

1) Were halflings like Merlin or The New Olympians invited to go to Oberon's Gathering? I would think that Oberon's determination in attempting to bring Alex meant that The Gathering would not be limited to "full" fae. But I could be wrong. What's the truth, Greg?

Greg responds...

1. Case-by-case. (But in general the New Olympians were not included.) Merlin wasn't there either.

Response recorded on March 01, 2010

Bookmark Link

Allen writes...

What was Oberon's purpose for The Gathering?

Greg responds...

It was planned 1001 years ago... to reunite the Children after their banishment.

Response recorded on February 23, 2010

Bookmark Link

Clark Cradic writes...

Has Macbeth had any contact with or even know if the Third Race exist?

Greg responds...

Yes and yes.

Response recorded on July 27, 2009

Bookmark Link

The MythMaker writes...

The Egyptian term "netjer", which a previous commentor says can be translated as "god" actually means "watcher". There is more to this story...

Greg responds...

...and you're hiding it from me?

Response recorded on July 08, 2009

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

In the past, some posters here have implied that only iron can kill a member of the Third Race. This has never really been confirmed. Yet, when once asked if there were casualties in the war between Mab and Oberon, you said "yes, any war has casualties." If some of the Children of Mab did kill each other in that war, I find it hard to believe they used iron weapons!

So, is iron the only thing that can kill a member of the Third Race?

Greg responds...

No.

Response recorded on July 07, 2009

Bookmark Link

DarkFae writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman,

I have read through the FAQ and archives and could not find an answer to why the Third Race is called the Children of Oberon or the Children of Mab. Why are they called these things? Is it to show they follow that leader or is it something more? And what would happen to a member of the Third Race who called themselves a Child of Mab while Oberon ruled? Thank you for any consideration you give this question.

Greg responds...

It seems fairly straightforward to me, so I think you may be overthinking it. Oberon's the leader -- and a very paternalistic one at that -- so his "people" are referred to as the Children of Oberon (which is NOT to say that he is their literal parent). Before him, Mab was the leader, and they were referred to as the Children of Mab. It doesn't seem likely after so much time that anyone would still mistakenly refer to the Children of Oberon as the Children of Mab, so if it happened, it would probably be a political statement of some kind, and Oberon would deal with that depending on the situation.

Response recorded on July 01, 2009

Bookmark Link

Clark Cradic writes...

Can Oberon's Children breed with Gargoyles?

Greg responds...

Yep.

Response recorded on June 26, 2009

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

About the Third Race: You've said that a Child of Oberon can recover from anything, as long as they aren't killed. When Oberon was very nearly killed with the iron harpoon, he recovered in just a matter of minutes, which was quite remarkable. But he's Oberon, he's much more powerful than most of his vassals.

When Anansi was stabbed with the spear and "bled" of some of his magical energy, he appeared to die but escaped by becoming much smaller. How long did it take Anansi to heal or recover? Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? I'm not asking for an exact number, of course.

Thanks!

Greg responds...

I'm glad you're not asking for an exact number, because my response is "a while". It took a while for him to recover. I hope that's inexact enough.

Response recorded on June 24, 2009

Bookmark Link

Clark Cradic writes...

In your opinion who do you think is more powerful: the Weird Sisters or Puck? I ask because I've noticed that they're the only ones of Oberon's Children who consistantly fight or aid the Gargoyles and I was curious what would happen if they ever came into conflict.
Also Oberon forbid his Children from harming or interfering with humans, did he forbid his Children from fighting amongst themselves? Again I ask cause I wonder why Grandmother didn't fight Raven herself.
Finally, why does Oberon even care what he or his race do to mankind? It's a little suprising that a being so powerful could have compasion for such 'mere mortals'.

Greg responds...

I guess I'd guess that the Sisters are more powerful, since at the very least there are three of them. But of course Puck's a trickster, and really the question seems a bit pointless.

Oberon did not forbid the Children from fighting among themselves. But Grandmother wasn't fighting for herself, but for the island. Plus, there's some question as to whether she could have beaten Raven in a straight-up head to head fight. Especially since fighting is clearly NOT her way.

I'm way more powerful than my dogs and cat, but I have a lot of compassion for them, and certainly wouldn't want anyone to harm them.

Response recorded on June 19, 2009

Bookmark Link

Wesley Nichols writes...

I have a question regarding child rearing among the fae or Oberon's Children as they call themselves. Human children are generally raised by their biological parents while Gargoyle children are raised by the whole clan. How do the fae raise their young?

Greg responds...

There's a lot of cultural inconsistency there, but generally I'd say parents raise children.

Response recorded on June 18, 2009

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

While I was looking in the GargWiki for information about the Olympians, I saw that you wanted to know the Ancient Egyptian name for the Egyptian pantheon.

The word which can be translated as "god" is _netcher_ or _netjer_, feminine _netcheret_ or _netjeret_, plural _netcheru_ or _netjeru_. TCH and TJ are just ways to spell the CH sound at the beginning and end of English "church," without confusing it with the German or Greek CH. As with every Ancient Egyptian word, the vowels were never written down, so the vowels in netjer and netjeru are speculatively added to make N-TJ-R and N-TJ-R-W pronounceable.

Netjeru refers to all the deities, including large numbers of minor deities who are servants to the greater deities, and who are often referred to in English as "demons" or "spirits." Netjeru sometimes also include other beings: deified mortals, the _akhu_ or souls of the dead, and divine beings like Ammut and Apophis that were not worshipped. Netjeru can also include the _bau_, which are "manifestations or emanations" send forth from a deity.

I do not know if netjer was also used to refer to gods of other religions, but I'm guessing it was.

What I have told you comes from Richard Wilkinson's "The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt." In my non-expert opinion this is one of the best books on Egyptian Mythology that I have seen for the non-specialist.

Greg responds...

Wow, that's seriously helpful, both the info and the reference book. I'm definitely buying that book! Thanks.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello again,

I have a questions about the original Olympians in the Gargoyles universe. I hope you aren't sick of my curiosity about the Third Race, but the links to mythology are my favorite parts of Gargoyles, since I've always loved mythology.

I was looking in the Archives about the New Olympians, and I found two entries that interested me. In 2000, concerning the New Olympians and their ancestors, when asked about those ancestors who were worshipped as gods, you wrote:
"They weren't actually immortal."

Later in 2001, you wrote:
"The ancestors were the "gods and monsters" of legend. Many of whom were known as the Olympian Gods of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
Most of them were of the Children."

I'm sure I am misinterpreting your responses, but I find these two seem contradictory. The 2001 response indicates most of them were "of the Children" but the 2000 response seems to me to mean that most of them were not Children of Mab.

1. With regards to the original 12 Olympians, were most of the 12 Olympians Children of Mab, or just some of them? Or were most of the original 12 Olympians hybrids?

Thank you.

Greg responds...

Just some of them.

Response recorded on April 27, 2009

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

Thank you for taking questions again!
I have been waiting a while to continue this conversation about the Third Race. Honestly I have so many questions that I've been waiting to ask for the longest time, but I have generally held back so I wouldn't flood the queue.

A while ago, I asked you <<"Are Children of Oberon vulnerable to steel, since it contains iron?">>
You responded:
<<"I think pure iron is what they're MOST vulnerable, but who wants to take chances?">>

I think it makes sense that they're _most_ vulnerable to pure iron (wrought iron). However, it doesn't make sense to me that steel has no effect _at all_, yet this appears to be the case, judging from the ineffective-ness of Hudson's sword in The Gathering, and that spear in Mark of the Panther. Steel is stronger than wrought iron and holds a sharper edge, but chemically there is very little difference between steel and pure iron.

I did some research, and steel (including ancient steel and most modern steel) is 98%-99.5% elemental iron -- almost as pure as wrought iron. Cast iron is actually less pure than steel, it contains less elemental iron. Modern stainless steel is even less pure than cast iron.
It also turns out that all of what is marketed as "wrought iron" today is actually steel.

1. I have a question. Children of Oberon can be seriously harmed by being cut or stabbed with pure iron, but does it harm them just to touch it? Was Puck harmed (even just getting a rash or a minor burn) by having those chains on all night (in the Mirror)? They were touching his skin, but he didn't seem physically uncomfortable, just annoyed at Demona.

Greg responds...

I don't think it causes hives, but I suppose it varies from individual to individual.

Response recorded on March 24, 2009

Bookmark Link

Wesley Nichols writes...

I reread one of your old postings where you state that fans sometimes call Oberon's Children fey, yet you do not really use this term because you need to do more research on what it means. Fey is one of the ways of saying fairy in french (fairy is a french word) with different ways of it being spelled such as fey, fae, or fairy. You have also stated that Oberon's children were sometimes called Dark Elves yet according to Elves, Wights, and Trolls by Kveldulf Gundarsson, Dark Elves were actually the dead in old Scandinavian religion. We know less about the light elves who were a type of god. However modern mythologists often confuse them with Dwarves (Swart Alfs). Alfs is what the scandinavians called elves before the word was anglecized by the english.

Greg responds...

"Swart" means "black". So Swart Alfs would be Dark Elves... so...?

And in any case, I think my point about the fey was that it was NOT my term of choice. It didn't cover ALL that Oberon's Children were.

Response recorded on October 22, 2008

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

I've been thinking about the Gathering of the Third Race, and its effect on the various pantheons of the Gargoyles Universe. Once when asked about the afterlife and the Underworlds run by the gods, you wrote:

"My gut reaction, based on Dante as much as anything, is that people go where their souls truly want to go. Since it's voluntary, though not necessarily consciously so, there's no conflict with Oberon's edict."

I find this response interesting, since it allows those religious beliefs to all be true and (fairly) accurate, at the same time.
You've also told us that during the Gathering, the Children of Oberon (with a few exceptions like Puck and Titania) will be mostly confined to Avalon and will have to stay there until the Gathering ends. This raises two questions in my mind.
In various mythologies, the afterlife/underworld is populated by gods who judge and watch over the dead. The Greek myths mention Elysion, Tartaros, and the Kingdom of Hades, and Egyptian mythology mentions the Duat. The Aztec gods have several different afterlife options, such as Mictlan. In your previous response you said that dead mortals can still go to afterlives/underworlds controlled by the Third Race if they give some unconscious assent. But what happened to these afterlife places (or whatever you want to call them) after the Gathering started?

1. Are the Children of Oberon completely forbidden to visit in these underworlds/afterlife places during the Gathering?

2. During the Gathering, are the Children of Oberon completely forbidden to visit Earth or interact with the mortals there?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. I'm sure Oberon doesn't want his "officers" shirking their responsibilities. Some considerations have probably been made.

2. Largely, yes.

Response recorded on October 03, 2008

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

1. I've been wondering about the subject of families for a while.
Humans usually form nuclear families, or extended families, around biological kinship -- biological parents and children, and maybe grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Children generally grow up with their biological siblings, raised by their biological parents, or maybe a grandparent. If adopted, they generally form nuclear families as though they were biological. Many human societies have legal polygamy, while others value monogamy.
Gargoyles usually raise their offspring communally, one entire generation of parents raising a whole rookery generation as a set of siblings. Biological relationships are not important, and each individual has many parents and siblings. Siblings are only those who are the same age. For both species, it appears (except in dysfunctional families) that parents and children tend to bond closely, and individuals bond more or less closely with their siblings. Among gargoyles, mates are usually rookery siblings, they mate for life, and are almost always monogamous.
So far we have not learned anything about Third Race families, and I don't know whether you've thought much yet about how they raise their offspring. But I'm curious to see what you're willing to share about how Third Race parents, offspring, and siblings usually define their relationships to each other, how or whether they emotionally bond, what their (typical) concept of a family is. Does a member of the Third Race only have their two biological parents, or more than two parents, or less than two? Who usually raises them? Do they value monogamy, or is it acceptable/legal for them to have multiple marriages at once (not all partners are marriages)? I'm not looking for individual answers, but just an idea of what is typical or common or average for the Third Race.

2. Short question: Humans kiss and gargoyles stroke each other's head/hair/horns. What is the Third Race equivalent to these behaviors? (I'm guessing that since the Third Race can be humanoid or giant spiders or else have the heads of jackals, etc., that kissing isn't practical.)

Greg responds...

1. I'm mostly not going to answer this now, but expect variety.

2. Kissing works often. But there are other options, I'm sure.

Response recorded on April 30, 2008

Bookmark Link

Zabrian writes...

Now i noticed and a may be wrong but Titania seemed less effected by iron as did puck then Oberon himself. I was wondering if maybe this was because they are less Allergic to it being his children, and is Titania just less effected in general?

Greg responds...

They're not LITERALLY his children. And I'm not sure why you say they were less effected?

Response recorded on April 14, 2008

Bookmark Link

Queen of Night writes...

Wow, I had no idea Bad Guys was already out. It's been a busy month. But I got a lot of thinking time since I've been on medical leave and I came up with these little gems.

1. OK, in the case of Owen/Puck you've said that Owen is fully human and can't do magic unless he's Puck (as far as I know anyway) and that rule applies to all Faeries. However, Fox is the offspring of Titania as a human and Reynard but she and her son are able to cast spells. I've read a few things about the differences between human and faerie magic but the only times we've seen magic in humans is through an object of some sort i.e. the Grimoire, the Eye of Odin, the Pheonix Gate ect. So what kind of magic do Fox and Alex (and presumely Merlin) use? If human why don't they need an object; if Fairy how?

2. I'm a HUGE fan of Midsummer's Night Dream but there is one thing that has irritaed me even when I was 10 years old. You switched the roles of Titania and Oberon. In the play Oberon was the consort though he was King of the Elves, Titania was the Queen of Fairies. What made you switch their roles?

3. I know you'll hate this question but is Mab plotting the destruction of Titania and Oberon or is she just gonna destroy us all outright?

Thanks for the answers!

Greg responds...

1. Mortal sorcery doesn't enter into it. Owen is a mortal construct, able to do no magic except transform into Puck. Fox is half-human/half Child of Oberon. Alex is 3/4 human, 1/4 Child. Merlin is half and half. What isn't clear about this?

2. I've read and seen Midsummer easily 100 times. In what way did I switch their roles? Are you sure you're not allowing your interpretation of the play to influence your interpretation of what we did on the show?

3. I don't hate the question, but I have no intention of answering it at this time.

Response recorded on January 15, 2008

Bookmark Link

NOVEMBER 18

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

November 17th...

1994
Tony Dracon steals hi-tech weapon prototypes from Xanatos Enterprises. Elisa is put on the case and confronts Dracon, who later orders Glasses to sell a few of the weapons on the street. Broadway rushes off to see the movie Showdown again and then goes to Elisa's loft for a bite to eat. He accidentally shoots her with her own gun and rushes her to Manhattan General Hospital. He does not return to the castle.

1995
At the behest of Fox, the cybots are reprogrammed by Preston Vogel to sabotage Fortress-2. Goliath and Renard join forces to defeat them and save the ship. In the end, Vogel has a change of heart and assists. Early that morning, Fox confronts Renard, informing her father of her pregnancy. Owen learns from Xanatos that Fox is pregnant and begins making preparations for a possible attack from the Children of Oberon.


Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

I have a few more questions I'm wondering about the Children of Oberon. I'm trying not to ask too many at one time.

1. a. The Children of Oberon are shapeshifters, able to appear any way they want, right? So I'm wondering, why did Odin always have one eye in "Eye of the Storm" (before he got it back) in all forms? The obvious/immediate answer is that in the myths he's one-eyed, so he had to be one-eyed in the show, but what is the reason for that in the Gargoyles Universe? After giving an eye to Mimir, was Odin unable to change shape into a form with two (or more) eyes, or did he just chose not to (that we saw)?
b. In the myths of some cultures (like the Norse) gods can lose body parts, but in some other cultures the myths say gods can't be permanently injured. Is it possible for Children of Oberon to permanently lose body parts (um, until they find them again and reattach them like Odin did), or be injured seriously enough to leave permanent scars? I've gotten the impression they are not flesh and blood -- even when Oberon was stabbed with the iron harpoon, he didn't bleed.

2. a. In the past when asked if the Third Race need food you answered "Yes, depending on their chosen form."
When a Child of Oberon is not in a truly mortal form, does he or she need food? (By "truly mortal form" I mean a mortal flesh-and-blood body like Owen, not just a shape that looks like a human or gargoyle.)
b. When a Child of Oberon is not in a truly mortal form, does he or she need to breathe?

3. When a Child of Oberon takes on a completely mortal body and mates with a mortal of the appropriate species, the offspring is a "halfling." But what happens if two Children of Oberon both take mortal forms of the same species, and then have kids together? What would their offspring be?

And thank you again for answering our questions! It's really great to have this website.

Greg responds...

1a. The exchange itself created a mystic restriction.

1b. Rules that cannot be broken can be bent, but they can't be broken. But they can be bent. But not broken. (Get the idea.)

2a. Yes, but I'm not defining what food is for them.

2b. Yes, but I'm not defining what they breathe.

3. Confused?

Response recorded on November 07, 2007

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Yay the queue is open! I'm happy you're taking questions again. (and I'm of course excited to get #6, which I'll be ordering asap). I hope you don't mind questions unrelated to reviewing the comic... those Children of Oberon always make me so curious.

1. a. So Ragnarok already occured in the Gargoyles Universe. When did it happen? (If you don't want to give a year or decade, can you please say what century it happened in?)
b. Did any of the gods survive Ragnarok, other than Odin? If some did, who?

2. You've also told us that the war between the Titans and Olympians was a real event in the Gargoyles Universe. What happened to the defeated Titans afterwards? (I don't want to assume it is the same as the myths, or to ask more specifically for fear it would be an idea)

3. When was Oberon born? (If you don't want to give the year or decade, please say what century?)

Greg responds...

1a. Yes, it occured, but no I'm not going to hint at a date (even a century) at this time.

1b. Yes, a few others did. But I'm not revealing who at this time. (Though the myths themselves are a good hint.)

2. I'm not answering this at this time.

3. Ditto.

Response recorded on October 11, 2007

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

I hope nothing in my previous questions about the fae bothered you.

These are the other questions I have about the Children of Oberon ... as you can see I'm very curious about them. I hope five questions are not too many. (At least I got the number right this time!)

1. In some cultures, shamans believe that they have a personal connection to an animal totem who acts as a helper or spirit guide. In the "Gargoyles" universe, is this true? (OK, all things are true, but is it correct? :) ) Do any of the Third Race such as Raven and Coyote form personal connections to shamans or other individual humans (besides the one formed in the Coyote Dance)? I understand this isn't necessarily something you want to reveal, I'm just hoping you're in the mood. :)

2. How many people can be avatars of a single Child of Oberon at any one time? Is there a limit?

3. a. Are halflings vulnerable to iron the way that the Third Race are? Fox doesn't seem to be bothered, she never suspected she was a halfling. But if for example, Alex shapeshifted into a non-mortal form, would he be vulnerable to iron?
b. Can a halfling be bound with iron, the way Puck was in The Mirror, or how the Coyote robot captured Coyote?

4. The Children of Oberon cannot use their magic on iron. But the Magus (a human) used Avalon's magic on iron. Can halflings use fae magic to affect iron? (but I don't mean to imply that Avalon's magic is the same as fae magic)

5. a. Does each Child of Oberon have an inherent sex or gender, or is their sex/gender only a shape they take? Personally I think of sex as a biological or physical trait, but gender seems to be more psychological, or even spiritual.
b. Not necessarily the same question ... can Children of Oberon take on shapes of either gender (or no gender, or hermaphroditic, or make up an imaginary gender)? Can they take mortal forms of either sex?

OK, anyway thank you again for answering our questions! It is really great to be able to find out more about the Gargoyles Universe.

Greg responds...

1. Sure.

2. One.

3a. Have to wait and see.

3b. Chains are still chains.

4. Again, the term "fae" is NOT from the show. The fans use it so much, that I sometimes slip into it. But it's not accurate to my mind. Which doesn't, of course, answer your question.

5a. The Children are a relatively new species. Gender may be learned on their part (the way language came from human to gargoyle) which doesn't make it less important at this point.

5b. Yes. Remember Loki, MOTHER of Sleipnir.

Response recorded on July 16, 2007

Bookmark Link

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

My favorite part of "Gargoyles" has always been the incorporation of myths and legends -- both the presence of actual gods and characters like King Arthur and Cuchullain, and the hints that gargoyles inspired some mythical creatures, such as griffins, black dogs, and feathered serpents. Greek Mythology was one of my first great loves as a child, and remains one of my favorite things to read about and study, though I've branched out somewhat into the myths of other cultures. And I agree with Chip, I'm very glad you didn't make Anubis evil. Lots of fantasy settings that use mythological characters just assume that all death gods are evil, without really reading any of the stories about them, and that irritates me a great deal.

So naturally, I am very curious about the Children of Oberon, and their connection to mythology around the world. I have a lot of questions about them, and I don't want to bother you by posting a ton all at once, so I'm only posting some of them for now. I hope 6 in one post is not too many.

1. a. Are Children of Oberon vulnerable to steel, since it contains iron? Oberon reacted badly to Elisa's gun which she said was "steel alloy" but I have no idea what bullets themselves are made of, or if Oberon knows what bullets are. And the spear that Anansi was stabbed with looked to me like steel.
b. Can Children of Oberon be harmed at all by non-iron weapons, such as a bronze sword, or fire, or a laser?

2. a. In the past when asked if the Third Race need food you answered "Yes, depending on their chosen form." To clarify, do you mean that they only need food when they take a truly mortal form like Owen, but not when they are in a Third Race form (like Puck)? Or that it depends on what shape they take even when not in a mortal form?
b. Do the Third Race need to breathe? I mean, when they are not in a truly mortal form like Owen. c. If they do breathe, what gas do they use? Oxygen, or carbon dioxide, or something else? I'm guessing I know what the answer is, somebody once asked about blood and oxygen and you said they have no blood. I'm just trying to be sure.

3. You've said that some of the Greek gods were Children of Mab but some may have been halflings similar to the New Olympians. Since Zeus and the other Greek gods were worshiped at least as early as 2000 BC, if any of the Olympians were halflings, could any of them still be alive in 1996? Can halflings actually live thousands of years? (without being enchanted by somebody else like Macbeth and Demona were)

4. Were/are the Titans members of the Third Race?

5. I think you've stated that the Aesir were of the Third Race. What about the Vanir?

Thanks again for answering questions from the fans.

Greg responds...

1a. I think pure iron is what they're MOST vulnerable, but who wants to take chances?

1b. Depends on their form, their preparedness, etc.

2a. Uh... yes?

2b. I'm not really in the business of allowing you to be sure. (I'm in a quirky mood today. Excited about the Gathering, I think.)

3. Not revealing this at this time.

4. Largely.

5. Many, not all the Aesir were Children. As for the Vanir... not revealing this at this time.

6. Didn't you say you had six questions?

Response recorded on June 12, 2007

Bookmark Link

Chip writes...

As I mentioned at the '06 Gathering (but you prolly forgot, no big) I am an Egyptology Major and my favorite episode was "Greif". Because A; it portrayed Anubis (Which is his Greek Name BTW, the Egyptians called him Yinepu or Inpu) in a positive light (and as one of the Third Race, cool to tie everything together) B; because it was a well written and powerful episode C; because it explained (Though not in so many words) the blending together of Egyptian Gods (They merge and change roles frequently) and D; because as powerful as Anubis was he could not undo death, even death he caused. Very powerful to me.

Which brings me around to my question, which other gods of Egypt (also called Neter or Netjer just like the Norse gods were called the Aesir) exist in the Gargoyles Universe? Because of the Shapeshifting Nature of the Third Race any number of gods could have fullfilled many roles (as they did in Eygptian Mythology)

Is Thoth in the Gargverse? Osiris? Isis? Set? Horus? Ra? Hathor/Sahkmet? Bes? Sobek? These are just some of my favorites, there are over 10,000 Egyptian gods.

In honesty, I don't expect you to have thought about this as much as I have, but you never know, I might just be surprised (you do that alot)

Rock On!

(OH! PS: if you need an Egyptology Consult for any upcoming issues I'm your guy!)

Greg responds...

Thanks, Chip. I might take you up on that someday. Thoth is pretty much a lock. Beyond that, I'd rather not say.

Response recorded on May 22, 2007

Bookmark Link

APRIL 25

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 25th...

1058
Canmore is crowned High King of Scotland as Malcolm III.

1996
The Banshee informs Puck that the Gathering is at hand.


Bookmark Link

Shadow Wing writes...

When they speak of Oberon's Law and/or The Law that Cannot Be Broken, does this refer only to the law of non-interference, or in a more general, "his word is law" sense?

Greg responds...

Depends on context.

Response recorded on April 03, 2007

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are changelings called to the Gathering?

Greg responds...

Probably depends on what their status was pre-diaspora, i.e. 1001 years ago.

Response recorded on March 29, 2007

Bookmark Link

Apostolos writes...

At Gathering, Part II, when Petros Xanatos shoot and wounded Oberon(deadly, in my opinion) with an iron arrow, why Oberon didn't died? Is he "just" valnerable to iron, or can die by it?
For example, if you cut Oberon's head with an iron sword, would Oberon died?

Greg responds...

He can die from prolonged exposure, but assuming the exposure isn't prolonged to the point of death, he can recover by having the exposure "removed". (Think Kryptonite, for lack of a better term.) So the answer to your first question is both.

Having said that, I did feel like we cheated a bit in Gathering II.

And I would think that if you managed to cut off Oberon's head with an iron sword, he would in fact die... assuming he didn't see it coming and removed his own head to dodge the blow.

Response recorded on February 15, 2007

Bookmark Link

Raci writes...

How does Oberon maintain his rule over his Children? So far we've seen that many of them have abilities that could probably kill Oberon like Anubis's ability to manipulate life and death and Puck's ability to rewrite reality or is Oberon just much more powerful than the combined might of his children?

Greg responds...

Than the COMBINED might... no, I doubt it. But do you really think that THAT group could agree on a replacement?

And to address your specific examples, Oberon is clearly more potent than Puck. Puck can't rewrite reality. He can simply send a false vision. SO not the same thing.

And we've seen how rigid Anubis is with his powers.

Response recorded on January 12, 2007

Bookmark Link

dph writes...

Could you please list the following events in chronological order:

1)Oberon overthrew Queen Maeve
2)in reference to City of Stone part 4 in the scene where Bodhe says the English rid their land of gargoyles years ago, the point in time in which the English thought they rid themselves of gargoyles
3)Merlin was born
4)Oberon married Titania
5)Atlantis fell
6)Last Member of the Lost Race died
7)Goliath, Angela, Bronx, and Elisa meet Nokkar

Thank you for answering this question.

Greg responds...

5.
3.
1. Although it's Mab in our continuity, not Maeve.
4.
7.

2 & 6 I'm choosing not to reveal at this time.

Response recorded on December 21, 2006

Bookmark Link

Brett writes...

How did Anubis die?

Greg responds...

He didn't.

Response recorded on October 23, 2006

Bookmark Link

Richard von Heinz writes...

1) Why did the producers of the show go with iron as the general weakness for Oberon's Children when many of them like Raven, Odin or Anubis were figures from mythologies that didn't see iron as a sort of "god kryptonite". In fact the Fenris wolf from norse mythology was able to snap his iron chains and had to be finally chained with a magical one and many of the gods and demons of the Far East didn't seem to have a problem with iron.

2)In relation to the first question why was Oberon the king and lord of the third race that included such beings as Odin and possibly Zeus and other godhead when in the traditional stories he was just a minor king of the fairies or elves?

In general I'm just rather curious why you put so many of the qualities found in fairies and elves such as Oberon and the iron weakness onto mythological figures such as Odin, Coyote or Anasi which in the end from my point of view kind of diminishes the gods.

Greg responds...

1) When combining so many mythologies, certain choices have to be made. Since we were putting a traditional "fairy" figure like Oberon at the top of our feudal pyramid, using iron made sense. I understand your objection, even sympathize with it, but I also don't regret our decision.

2) Well, a short answer is that we wanted to diminish the gods a bit... or put another way, we wanted to create a unifying system for them all. A feudal system. Oberon and Titania got priority, because in general SHAKESPEARE got priority. Titania, as far as I know, is not a traditional figure but an invention of ol' Will's. I've always freely admitted to being a Shakespeare fanatic, so his characters, including Macbeth, Oberon, Titania, Puck, the Weird Sisters, etc. were always going to have featured roles in this series. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, and I was the guy in charge. That doesn't make me RIGHT in some transcendent sense, just means that I had the right to create the universe I wanted to play in. So I did.

Response recorded on August 24, 2006

Bookmark Link

Tyler Durden writes...

In the "Gathering", what are the names of that winged horse and the name of that half man/horse next to Coyote??

Greg responds...

It's been a long time since I've seen the episode. I don't know if we had names for them.

Response recorded on December 05, 2005

Bookmark Link

Regarding Oberon

The other day, I was asked a question about sources for Oberon. I didn't know the answer, but I received this e-mail from site moderator, Todd Jensen:

Dear Greg,

In "Ask Greg" today, curousity asked you if there were any other sources besides Shakespeare for Oberon as "king of the faries [sic]". You replied, "Not off the top of my head." I hope that I'm not presuming here in e-mailing you, but I have found at least three works beside "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that portray Oberon in that role, both of which are early enough that they count as "primary sources".

One is a late medieval French work about one of Charlemagne's knights, entitled Huon of Bordeaux (written in the 15th century, and translated into English by a certain Lord Berners in 1548 - early enough, in other words, that Shakespeare could have used it as a source for Oberon). In it, Huon befriends Oberon in his adventures, and the latter becomes Huon's guardian, almost a "fairy godfather". (Oberon is portrayed in it as around three feet tall due to a curse placed upon him in his infancy, and as the son of Julius Caesar and Morgan le Fay!) At the end of the story, Oberon even brings Huon to Avalon and formally abdicates in favor of Huon, declaring him ruler over the "faerie-folk"; a bit of trouble develops, however, when King Arthur arrives at the gathering and protests, saying that if any human should be ruling over Avalon, it should be he himself rather than a relative newcomer like Huon. Oberon angrily tells Arthur that he has chosen Huon for his successor, is not going to change his mind, and even threatens to curse Arthur by transforming him into a werewolf if he doesn't accept it. Huon at this point steps in as a peacemaker, to say that he doesn't think that he could rule Avalon on his own and suggests that he and Arthur act as co-rulers. Oberon and Arthur both agree to this, after which Oberon peacefully dies and Arthur and Huon are crowned in his stead.

Another non-Shakespeare "primary source" involving Oberon is Michael Drayton's Nimphidia, which has Oberon ruling over the "fairies" as well - and wedded here to Queen Mab! (According to the research that I've done on fairy mythology, Titania appears to have been Shakespeare's invention as opposed to a pre-existing legendary figure, though Oberon and Puck both predated him.)

A third is Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, which presents Oberon as the former ruler over "Fairyland", now deceased, with his daughter Gloriana - the Faerie Queene of the title - ruling in his stead. (Gloriana is actually an idealized Elizabeth I, meaning that the Oberon of Spenser would be an idealized Henry VIII.) The poem also includes, incidentally, King Arthur, Merlin, and Talos as on-stage characters.

THANKS, TODD!!!!


Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Hey Greg on the portrayal of the children of oberon were you trying to making them as non-human and alien as possible in character or were you just trying to make them more like people who had incredible amounts of power?

Greg responds...

I didn't have that kind of agenda, one way or another. I simply wanted to make them viable and compelling as characters.

Response recorded on July 05, 2005

Bookmark Link

curouosity writes...

That you for taking the time to look at this.
I was wondering the following considereing Oberon and the 3rd race:

1. Before the space-spawn invasion, does Oberon know of alien races and go to other worlds or does he not know or not care?

2. Are all of the third race weakened by iron or are some like Anubis and Odin who seem so different from the likes of Puck immune to it?

3. Why is Oberon far more powerful then other memebers of the third race? Is that the only reason he is king?

4. If I understand the weakness to iron correcly, it means any magic shield a fay attmpts to use pure iron would pass through and magic blasts like Oberon demonstrated would be stopped, right? Would these also apply to Odin's lightning bolts or Anubis's ageing attacks?

5. Do you know where it is written(story or other place) that Oberon is king of the faries and the magic's vulnerability to iron? Besides Shakespeare

6. Is Avalon an actual island on Earth Oberon hides with magic or is it in a different reality?

7. What do the third race do on Avalon? Puck seemed to think it would be boring and there does not seem to be alot to do for beings that are so powerful.

Thanks

Greg responds...

1. I'm not aware of him knowing about them at this time.

2. All.

3. It goes a long way toward explaining things. But it combines with heredity.

4. Rules that won't break, can bend.

5. Not off the top of my head.

6. Somewhat other-dimensional. But it is attuned and part of the Earth.

7. It's home. Home can be boring sometimes, but most of us like to hang there.

Response recorded on July 05, 2005

Bookmark Link

Francois Ferland writes...

Hello yet another time Greg! Sorry to flood you with questions as of late but keep fate, as I'm running out of things to ask you.

1. This one's simple and concerns the Children of Oberon.

Almost everyone uses Children of Oberon and Fae interchangeably. But after going through the archive for said beings, you once mentionned that Fae (or is it Fey? No one seems to agree on the spelling) are only one particular group of Oberon's Children akin to the Norse or African pantheon.

I'm not really knowledgeable in myths and legends, so could you tell me who the Fey are, with example from the show? I assume (perhaps or should I say probably wrongly) that it simply represents another pantheon, maybe the Anglo-Saxon one (is it Anglo-Saxon if I'm refering to England, Scotland, Ireland and other countries nearby) in which case, Puck, Oberon and Titania might be a part of it, being quite ingrained in English litterature.

But then again, what do I know?

2. This one's not a question but a personal comment, so I can get away with it not being on the same subject :) . It just dawned on me that by creating such a complex and (in itself) realistic universe with Gargoyles, you ran the risk of the viewers not "getting" many of the subtleties of the show, its universe and characters.

With your average TV show, things are often very clear. Heroes, while hardly perfect, are almost always morally right, while bad guys, which are not always purely evil persons, are almost always despisable no matter how they try to justify themselves. You rarely see a character that can't basically be classified as "good" or "evil", or to use more appropriate terms, morally "right" or "wrong".

Also, most of the time, what you see of a character on screen is a pretty accurate representation of who that person is and what they do all the time. So if someone is always seen giving money to the poor and never seen doing anything reprehensible, you assume that person is caring and generous. It never dawns on you that the man in question might actually beat up his wife everyday, because it wouldn't "fit" with the image shown to you. Yet it would not be impossible, as people are known to have very selective values sometimes. He might feel bad for those less fortunate while thinking that "disciplining" his wife is the right thing to do for a husband. Like I said, such is rarely the case, and what is shown is often intended to be representative of the whole truth.

And finally, things are often easily explained in most TV shows. The villain did this because of that, the aliens invaded for such reason, etc.

What am I getting at? That a lot of the questions you get at Ask Greg are due to the above. Although the fans recognize and live the show for its maturity and above-average (and that's putting it lightly) complexity, they fail to realize that things in the Gargoyles universe, just like in real life, don't have easy answers.

The seemingly benign Weird Sisters lost a large part of the popular vote when it seemed all their interventions were geared for the sole purpose of revenge. Yet, you said yourself that the Sisters have many aspects, with vengeance and fate being a part of them. We at first ASSUMED they were completely (or close to) benign, and then we changed our perception to one where they are only after revenge. And yet, like you said, things aren't that simple, and we STILL don't know much about who the Sisters really are. The fate part might play a larger role later on, or they could yet reveal another part of their identity. In the end, they are complex characters who cannot be summed up in a few sentence, which is what most people seem to want.

Oberon is another victim of this. I admit that I too, thought he was a big arrogant jerk, whom Titania manipulated all the time to get what she felt was best for everyone. But like you made me realize, he has a lot of quality, the first being that he cared enough about mortals and how his Children dealt with them to force them out in the real world for a millenium in the hope of them gaining some maturity. And in every story we saw with him, he always ended up being generally fair to most. He isn't perfect (and who is?); is not above pettiness and anger for example. But his behaviour, from his POV, is perfectly acceptable, if not admirable. And there is so much about him we don't know and haven't seen to be able to judge his being accurately. For all we know and despite appearances, Titania might not be THAT more mature than him.

The list goes on and on. People (and I'm guilty of that as well) want easy answers where there are only complex explainations. I hated the concept of Anubis on my first viewing of "Grief" because it seemed at first that all death on Earth were and had always been caused by the guy. It just seemed so cheap, yet I accepted it at face value because it was what was shown at the time (and like I said, we tend to not question things seemingly presented as fact). Now, thanks to you, I know better, with what little you let on about death-gods and their connection to death and such. And just like there's no solid rule as to wether the Children can go against Oberon's law. It depends on all sorts of things, like intent, bending the law itself and people's words and so long and so forth.

In short, thanks for Ask Greg, I've gotten a better perspective on the complexity of the Gargoyles universe. It doesn't mean I'm no longer looking for easy answers, but I understand why you might reply that "there are no easy answers" or "it isn't that simple", because in your mind, that's really the case. Thanks again for your patience and dedication!

Greg responds...

1. The fans took to using the term Fae (spelled variously) as a replacement term for the admittedly awkward "Children of Oberon". Sometimes in answering questions, I have slipped and used the term as well, but I was never comfortable with it. And I'm even less comfortable in trying to define it as a subset of the Children. I haven't researched the subject enough.

2. Thank you for the kind words.

Response recorded on April 26, 2005

Bookmark Link

Francois Ferland writes...

Hello again Greg.

I just have a few observations about Oberon and his children.

1. I'll admit to being one of the many people who was very disappointed by the way the Sisters acted in the "Avalon" trilogy. I've read all your explainations in the archive, but although it makes sense and I can accept it on an intellectual level... it still doesn't feel right. I've been asking myself why, and I think I've found an answer or sorts...

I think what was really intriguing about the sisters was the whole mystic surrounding them throughout the series up until the "Avalon" three-parters. They always seemed to have some higher goal in mind, like they were an integral part of destiny (you'll probably say they are, but I meant in a more intentional way). Their words of wisdom when talking to Goliath and friends in "City of stone" were especially touching. They appeared almost like moral guardians of some sort.

When we see them again in "Avalon", we find out their primary motive has been revenge all along. Maybe it wasn't the whole reason for their actions, but it certainly felt like that. And thus, their whole involvement in "City of stone" felt like cruel mindgames and very subtle manipulation.

Hum, you know, maybe the thing that makes it hard to accept is the fact the we, the audience, uncounsciously feel like WE were cheated and manipulated. Like Goliath and the gang, we were fooled from the beginning and we have a hard time accepting the truth, thus we prefer to think that the Sisters' characters were simply cheapened.

The human mind works in mysterious ways...

2. Oberon's children were forbidden by his law from interfering in the affairs of mortals. Those who took on a human form were obviously not a problem, since they were limited by their bodies just like every other mortal. I suppose assuming any other mortal form, like Gargoyle or simply animal, would also be okay.

Of course, a great many actually took on more fantastic forms, like Banshee and Anansi.

I've noticed that most of those we saw never really showed the full extent of magical powers that feys posess, although they often exhibited at least SOME kind of magical abilities.

a) Are they limiting (or customizing) their power in relation to their "character" of the moment, like Banshee having a powerful voice, or Odin having control over the elements? Because since they'd be limiting themselves, they wouldn't really be using "fey magic" against mortals and as such, wouldn't go against Oberon's law.

b) This one's technical, so if you don't feel like answering it, no problem.

You often said that the Third race don't have a true, definite form, being shape-shifters. Of course, some DO have a form they obviously prefer and we tend to associate it with their true form but "that assumption is faulty" as you would say.

I've been thinking about their vulnerability to iron, and how assuming a mortal bodies removes that limitation (as well as any magical power except reverting back). So Anastasia can touch iron but can't do any magic. That's simple. Any other mortal form would do the same.

Now, is it possible for a fey to assume a non-existing form, like Anansi as a giant spider, which would have some innate powers unique to this body (so it would have no other powers except the one of that form and the possibility to change back to "pure fey") while being immune to iron, pretty much like a mortal body?

And if you don't know and don't want to think about it, just say so. I'll understand :)

Greg responds...

1. Totally agree... and that was my intent. I guess I just didn't count on HOW strongly people would feel along those lines... and how they would then translate that into disappointment with our execution. Or maybe we just sucked.

2a. You're assuming that every one of Oberon's Children have the exact same base power that can then translate into anything they choose. That's not the case. Banshee's appearance may or may not be a glamour. But Banshee is Banshee. Banshee isn't some other Oberon's child glamoured and powered as Banshee.

2b. See above. Appearance may be deceiving, but Anansi is Anansi. He is one of Oberon's Children in that form and is thus vulnerable to iron. Now if he shape-shifted himself into a real spider...

Response recorded on April 15, 2005

Bookmark Link

Puck Robyne Lover!! writes...

Can you give me a family tree of oberon and titiania's children across the centuries? I can't figure out if Puck is Alexnder Xanatos is pucks nephew or not. I would really like to know about Puck's/owen's secret love that you mentioned earlier too.

Greg responds...

I'm not going to reveal anything new at this time, but I will summarize what I've already revealed:

Lord Oberon is the son of Queen Mab.

Lord Oberon married Titania (who became Queen Titania after Mab was overthrown). (Note: Oberon intentionally did not take the title of King. Retaining his "Lord" title is his semi-skewed attempt at being more... egalitarian.)

Oberon and Titania have two children together: one male and one female. I know exactly who they are, but I'm keeping their identities and personas secret for the time being.

Oberon also has at least two sons by mortal women: Merlin and the changeling boy from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Titania has one child with the mortal Halcyon Renard. This is Janine Renard, a.k.a. Fox.

Fox married David Xanatos. They have one child: Alexander Fox Xanatos.

Puck, a.k.a. Owen Burnett, is not directly related to ANY of these individuals.

Response recorded on November 18, 2004

Bookmark Link

juan castano writes...

please can you tell me a list of all of oberon's children

Greg responds...

Nope.

Response recorded on October 28, 2004

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

How long was the Lady of the Lake living in that lake in Manhattan?

Greg responds...

I don't know that she was living there.

Response recorded on September 30, 2004

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Could Anubis really have resurrected the Emir's son if he wanted to? Would it have taken a lot of effort?

Greg responds...

It is unclear whether he could have. The moral imperative NOT to seemed to have made it impossible.

Response recorded on September 28, 2004

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are the Weird Sisters older than Oberon? How about Titania, Odin or the Banshee?

Greg responds...

I'm not going to tie my hands by revealing this stuff now. They're all pretty darn old.

Response recorded on September 22, 2004

Bookmark Link

Gir writes...

1) Can any of the fae magically perceive the future (not predict and use magic to change the future) as it will be? e.g. predict the order of lotto numbers 200 consecutive times, not predict and magically set the numbers as such

2) If so do they often exercise such an ability? Why or why not? also, did Mab also perceive her fall?

Greg responds...

1. Some may have precognative ability, though I tend to think it would come with some limitations.

2. I doubt Mab saw it coming.

Response recorded on May 27, 2004

Bookmark Link

Gesamtschule/Felix writes...

Who is puck? What kind of craeture is he?

Greg responds...

He's a member of the so-called "Third Race" a.k.a. "Oberon's Children" a.k.a. "The Children of Oberon" a.k.a. "The Fair Folk" a.k.a. "Dark Elves", etc.

Response recorded on March 23, 2004

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

1.Are Thor's sons alive? I mean they were said to survive ragnorak.
2.How about Vidar and Vali?
3.What about Odin's wife? Is she alive?

Greg responds...

I'm not going to start rattling off a laundry list of Norse Gods and figures.

I have basic ideas about how Norse mythology fits into the Gargoyles Universe, but I won't pretend I've yet had the opportunity (or need) to go through each and every "character" and figure out where he or she or it is currently hanging.

Response recorded on February 23, 2004

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Do Titania and Oberon's two children in any of the traditional stories about the fay?

Greg responds...

It depends what you consider fay-canon, I guess.

Response recorded on February 13, 2004

Bookmark Link

Zarok writes...

Does Oberon's law of non-interference in mortal affairs extend to animals? In a previous response you said Anansi's turning the Panther Queen into a human didn't count because she provoked him or words to that effect, which implies that it does but the children are often depicted with animal servants. Odin had Hugin and Munin, Anansi had that army of spiders, or are these some kind of special cases that are the result of some loop hole?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure what I said about the Panther Queen, and you didn't quote me directly. It's also possible (given it' legendary status) that the interaction between her and Anansi pre-dated Oberon's edict.

Having servants is different than slaves. I suppose one could argue the point on pets either way. But my dog seems happy enough, getting food, shelter and affection. Maybe Hugin and Munin feel the same. Maybe the spiders worship Anansi. Maybe Oberon is too arrogant to include animals. Lots o' possibilities here.

Response recorded on January 08, 2004

Bookmark Link

Zarok writes...

Here is a question that's being rolling around in my head for a while now. Considering your 'all things are true' policy have you given any thought to how you would approach the 'life after death' aspects of the mythologies you've introduced? I mean did slain Viking warriors really join Odin in Valhalla or mummified Pharaohs join Anubis beyond the western horizon? How would this work in relation to Oberons non-interference edict? I'm not asking you to give me the Gargoyles version of every afterlife myth in existence or even to set out anything in stone, I just want your perspective on the subject that I've been pondering.

Greg responds...

My gut reaction, based on Dante as much as anything, is that people go where their souls truly want to go. Since it's voluntary, though not necessarily consciously so, there's no conflict with Oberon's edict.

Response recorded on January 08, 2004

Bookmark Link

Sam writes...

I noticed in the Gathering Part One, a Pegasus was among those that were coming to attend, was there ever a plan to place Pegasus or Unicorns into the series?

Greg responds...

Well, by your own admission we showed a Pegasus in Gathering One. And I believe we showed a unicorn in M.I.A.

Response recorded on August 26, 2003

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

1.Are the preferred forms of Puck and the other children of oberon illusions? The reasoning is that you said that when the children of oberon transform they lose their powers so are their preferred forms where they utlize their power illusions?

2.Was the deathworm an illusion/glamour?

Greg responds...

1. No. Transformations, not illusions.
2. No. Ditto.

Response recorded on August 15, 2003

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Does alex or merlin have enough fay blood in them to mate with non-compatible species?

Greg responds...

I'm really not sure I understand the question.

If they transform into another species than they can mate. They have enough "fay blood" to theoretically transform, but it also requires extensive training. And more training for them than for the average Child of Oberon.

Response recorded on July 29, 2003

Bookmark Link

seeker writes...

Where do Oberon and his kind come from? Did the just materlize out of nothing, or did they just develop differently then humans or gargolyes, from magick instead of animals if you follow that line of thinking?

Is oberon in charge because he is the most powerful, linage , the oldest, or respect?

Which is the oldest of the three races?

When refered to as a child of Oberon, does that mean that they are just a memeber of the third race and use it in a metaphor sense? Or are they all related to Oberon in some way or another?

In the animated series, both aliens and magick were introduced. Does Oberon and his kind know of aliens and possilbe vist other worlds, could there possible be other beings similar to Oberon on other planets?

Greg responds...

There isn't one question here that hasn't been asked and answered before and is easily accessible in the "Children of Oberon, The" ASK GREG archive. Not one. And yet, here I go again...

1. The Children evolved from creatures of pure magic such as the Will-O-The-Wisp seen in "Pendragon".

2. There is definitely an element of lineage in his leadership role, as he is the son of the previous ruler Mab. But the main reason is power. He managed to depose the powerful Mab. He's the most powerful... as far as we know.

3. As I've said before, I don't know, but I lean toward Gargoyles first, humans second and the Children third.

4. They are not literally Oberon's children and they are not all related to him or even all younger than he is. When Mab was in charge they were all called Mab's children.

5. All things are true. But Oberon's power is tied to the magicks generated by our planet. He'd lose considerable power by traveling offworld.

Response recorded on July 23, 2003

Bookmark Link

Aaron writes...

If Oberon were to be killed, or even removed from rulership of Avalon, would the third race be freed from his Law, or not? (I know this seems like a "duh" question, but I thought I'd ask and be sure)

Greg responds...

It depends on who takes over.

Response recorded on June 09, 2003

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Possibly starting a debate...

Galvatron> Umm... "western"-centric because Greg made western deities such as those of the Greeks or the Norse be children of Oberon? Do you think that Athens is somehow located to the *east* of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Mecca?

I assure you, it's not. :-)

Anyway, the Greeks, Norse, whatever had their deities be finite creatures which began their lives within the universe. There's a difference between that and a supposedly infinite God which *created* the universe. I can imagine the monotheists being upset if they discovered their god was a fay - if The Infinite proved finite, only one of many. But the Norse and the ancient Greeks already believed that there existed many gods. Why be too upset at discovering a couple more they hadn't heard about?

Greg responds...

THANK YOU!!!!

Response recorded on May 29, 2003

Bookmark Link

Galvatron writes...

Don't you feel it's alittle bit western centric making the god of the Greeks, Norse and all the other "pagan cultures" Children of Oberon who are no better than the non-corporeal beings of scifi while the God of Judaism, Islam, Christianity is actually the creator of the universe? I mean it's like saying that they're stupid for getting suckered in by the Children while we're smart for actually worshipping the true God.

Greg responds...

Well, first off ALL THE GODS you mentioned are "Western Culture" gods. All of them. So it's hardly Western centric -- beyond the fact that we got more western culture into the show period.

Second, I have never confirmed or denied the existance of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic GOD in the series. I have left that to every individual character and viewer's view of the universe. So I've hardly given the Abrahamist religions priority over the old "pagan cultures".

Finally, not to split hairs, wow, you got me. I've made fictional characters out of the gods of myth. Shocking.

Response recorded on May 29, 2003

Bookmark Link

Wingedbeast writes...

Questions regarding three of the Fair Folk

1. After the Wierd Sisters were banished by a simple parlor trick, they rather easily accepted the ARchmage's suggestion for help. Why that as opposed to just using Avalon's magic to destroy the clan?

Why put that much trust in a single human?

Did they even hedge their bets with attempts of their own to remove the clan?

2. When Odin went through his entire deal of getting his eye back, why didn't he, at one point, attempt identifying himself as Odin before threatening a Gargoyle's protectorate? It seems he'd tried everything but the truth before threatening Elisa... and then the truth at the same time, so what really could it have cost him to identify himself before going to threats?

3. While Oberon may have seen himself as being well in the right for wanting to rid Avalon of the mortals, why didn't he think to identify himself as Oberon: Rightful Lord of Avalon? Seems to be pretty much an obvious thing that he may have missed.

Basing this next question on the idea that Avalon wants the humans and Gargoyle clan to remain (or else why bring the world tour group back to Avalon just in time?). Why did Avalon obey Oberon's commands to attack Goliath, Angela, and Gabrial?

Greg responds...

1a. Well, I could say, "Why not?" But the not-quite-as-short answer had to do with their own banishment from the island by Oberon. By becoming "servants" to the Archmage, it enabled them to embark on the island at his command. Otherwise, how do they attack the Magus, et al, when they're forbidden to set foot on the island. There's also a longer answer and a very long answer, but I'm not getting into those now.

1b. They didn't.

1c. They have three plans in play and removing the clan is only a part of each.

2. Chalk it up, as he did, to recent inexperience at dealing with mortals.

3. I believe he did.

3a. That's a big assumption. The Island didn't bring the travellers back. To return to Avalon, the travellers use a spell. In any case, what the island wants and needs, doesn't change the fact that the island is soaked in magical energy, which Oberon is a master at utilizing.

Response recorded on May 22, 2003

Bookmark Link

Zelandonii writes...

In the Gargoyle universe, did Ragnarok already happen? Or is Fenrir still waiting for dinner...

Greg responds...

A Ragnarok happenned. Maybe not THE Ragnarok.

Response recorded on May 21, 2003

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

What is the true form of the Children of Oberon? Anything close to a Will O Wasps?

Greg responds...

Not particularly. I think of them as more solid than that. But I'm not sure even they know what their true forms are.

Response recorded on May 16, 2003

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Did Oberon and his children invent the gods they were worshipped as or did humans invent them?

Greg responds...

Huh?

If I'm getting your drift, the answer, I guess, is both.

Mostly, Oberon & Co. just were who they were, and various humans began to treat or worship them as gods.

Occasionally, I think it's possible that a culture had a god or two that one of the Children posed as.

Response recorded on May 16, 2003

Bookmark Link

Lynati writes...

Why can't I sleep?
I've been up since 7 am yesterday. This just isn't fair.

Getting to the *actual* question...(I've looked through the archives, and haven't seen this one. I apologize if I missed it. And even more so If I've previously asked this question but forgot your response because it was a smart-ass one.)

"All things are true" you say, but I would appreciate it if you would clarify this for me:
In your conception of the gargoyles universe, are all "non-mortal" beings of the Fae race, or do you allow for the existence of anthropomorphic personifications?
(My, you do get a lot of Neil Gaimen inspired questions, don't you?)

[And as Aaron seems to have become lax in his posting of webcomic (and related) links...]
http://pixelscapes.com/sailornothing/

Greg responds...

Well, I hope you've been able to get some sleep since November 9, 2001...

I guess, and I'm not trying to be a smart-ass here, I'm not sure how you're defining "anthropomorphic personifications"? How is that different from, say, Anansi or The Stone of Destiny?

Anansi is definitely a "Child of Oberon." Not literally his kid, but one of his race. (Note: he's not Fae, which is not a term from the series. I view the Fae as a subset of the Children. Same with the Norse Pantheon and the Egyptian Pantheon, etc.)

Whereas, the Stone of Destiny is either an enchanted object or a Child of Oberon. I've intentionally left that vague for now.

As you've seen, the New Olympians are, strictly speaking, not Children of Oberon, though they are descended from them. Do they count as anthromorphic personifications?

So, I'm not trying to dodge the answer. I just honestly don't know how to define your terms.

Response recorded on May 14, 2003

Bookmark Link

Aaron writes...

Greg writes: Re: The Oberati. "But they can't die of old age, unless they stubbornly insist on maintaining a mortal form until it kills them."

So, if one of Oberon's Children dies in mortal form, that's it? Poof, all gone? No reversion to their normal form, no last-second save? Nada? One second they're walking along, happily playing mortal, somebody drops a lunchbox off the 90th floor, and splat!, no more Child of Oberon?

If so, geez, they really take their lives in their hands every time they take mortal form, don't they?

http://rpgworld.keenspace.com

Greg responds...

Don't we all?

Response recorded on May 07, 2003

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

In one of the Avalon episodes the Weird Sisters sais something like "We make no bargains with sorserers" so my questions are
1: Is this because they dislike magic using mortals?
2: If so, why?
3: Do the Children of Oberon feel that way in general?

Greg responds...

1 & 2. They have a bit of contempt for mortals in general, and probably magic-users in particular -- since they seem to be infringing on the Children's turf.

3. Many do, I'd think.

Response recorded on April 23, 2003

Bookmark Link

Galvatron writes...

Is Mab the most powerful being of the third race? If so who is number two? Oberon?

Greg responds...

Generally speaking, yes. Mab #1. Oberon #2.

But power is a relative concept. And depends on how or what it's used for. There may in fact be many with more power, but only to do certain things. Or who only would do certain things.

See?

Response recorded on February 12, 2003

Bookmark Link

The Endless writes...

1) You've mentioned that the fae evolved somehow - if so, are they related to the same evolutionary tree that animals belong to? What are their cloest evolutionary but non-third-race relatives and what are they like besides magical?

2) Why precisely did Mab go insane - or was she always that way?

3) If you had to be one of the Third Race, which one of them would you be and why?

Greg responds...

1. I've mentioned this before: Will-O-The-Wisps.

2. Pretty much born crazy.

3. What makes you think I'm not?

Response recorded on July 22, 2002

Bookmark Link

Chapter XXXVIII: "Heritage"

Time to ramble...

This chapter was written by Adam Gilad. Story Edited by Gary Sperling, and directed by Frank Paur.

FAME

As I watch each episode with my family, I've got my journal open in front of me to take notes for these rambles. During the opening credits, my five-year-old son Benny said: "I like Gargoyles." I was very pleased, of course. Then he said, "Can you write down that?" So I did. And so I have.

SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT

Back on the skiff, and Elisa still hasn't QUITE gotten the idea. She still anticipates being back in Manhattan. Like visiting Scotland was an anamoly, but now surely Avalon will send them home. (What did you all think at the time?)

And boy, that girl likes her hot dogs. Make her one with everything, you know?

A.K.A. CECIL

Our Sea Monster attacks. It's a cool design, based on research that we did. (It happens to look a lot like a pre-historic whale I saw last night on a Discovery Channel special: "Walking with Pre-Historic Beasts".)

I wish we could have found a less generic name for the creature than "Sea Monster". Thunderbird is a cool name -- particularly since I have fond memories of the L.A. T-Birds from Roller Derby telecasts of my youth -- but our research never turned up another name for the Sea Monster.

Keep in mind that though we did research, we also had time constraints. We couldn't keep researching a topic indefinitely. Eventually, we'd have to use what we had and run with it in order for the story and script to be delivered on time.

But I know Gary and Adam did quite a bit of backgrounding for this story. The Sea Monster, Thunderbird, Raven and Grandmother all came from Haida stories -- though we conflated quite a bit, I think. We did always try to be as true as possible to the history and legends we were riffing on.

HEY, WEREN'T THERE FOUR OF YOU?

As the battle with the Sea Monster came to a close, my seven-year-old daughter Erin said: "What about Elisa? Where's Elisa?"

Five seconds later, Goliath surfaces and says pretty much the same thing, before fearing her drowned by shouting "ELISAAAAA!!" (Shades of things to come -- in Hunter's Moon III.)

TOTEM POLES

Speaking of research, the origin of the whole episode was the fact that Totem Poles caught my eye as being a particularly gargoylesque deal. Then we did some preliminary research and found that they weren't carved in anything that seemed to resemble a gargoyle tradition. They were 'carved to honor animal ancestors'. So rather than stretch (or abuse) the truth, we decided to let the characters (and audience) be lured off course by the poles, just as we had been.

Fake GARGOYLES, right here in North America.

In many ways, I think it could be argued that what takes place in this episode is handled or covered in other episodes to come. We have another episode with a 'sea monster'... a more famous sea monster in a certain loch... coming up rapidly in "Monsters". Also in that ep, one of our cast is lost and feared drowned after an early attack by that monster. And much of Nick/Natsilane's dilemma is also re-covered with a more-important recurring character (Peter Maza) in our other Native American-themed episode: "Cloud Fathers". We even do more with a volcano in "Ill Met by Moonlight". On some level I suppose I regret the duplication of efforts. I don't think we usually did this sort of thing.

But I don't regret the episode. I had plans for Raven. Plans for Queen Florence Island. Plans for Nick/Natsilane. I still think the ep has some cool stuff in it. And I think we NEEDED to cover Totem Poles. It was a natural.

HAR with a V. VAR with a D.

I went to a high school in North Hollywood, CA named "Harvard High School". Named after the University. (Some people have incorrectly stated I went to Harvard for college. But I went to Stanford for Undergrad and U.S.C. to get my Masters.)

I don't remember who's idea it was to have Nick be a graduate of Harvard. Might have been mine. Harvard of course is useful as a symbol.

I like Nick/Natsilane. He's got some nice attitude here and a nice shift. Maybe not the most impressive of our so-called "International Heroes". But very likable.

I give a lot of credit to the voice actor for bringing him to life. Gregg Rainwater was brought in by our Voice Director Jamie Thomason. Gregg was terrific. We used him again in Cloud Fathers, but I've used him many times since Gargoyles. I've even written parts with Gregg in mind. He was Jake Nez in Max Steel. And I cast him as Jake MacDonald in 3x3 Eyes. He always brings incredible humanity to a part, I think. Heroic, but real.

THAT'S NOT A CROW

It's a raven. Our second Trickster makes his first appearance. Of the four (Puck, Raven, Anansi and Coyote), Raven was the guy we gave the most evil bent to.

I like all the shape-shifting he does. (Though when he flees at the end, I wanted him to flee in his bird form, not his Raven-Goyle form.) I also like how he lies by using pieces of the Truth.

Raven-Goyle: "There is an evil sorceress named Grandmother. She summoned the monster that you fought."

When he said that, did you believe him?

Of course, Grandmother does have magic power and she did, in a way, summon the Sea Monster.

IT COULD BE WORSE. I ONCE LIVED ON 28TH STREET.

While doing our research, we encountered names of Islands off the Canadian coast like Queen Charlotte Island. So I named the fictional island we'd be using "Queen Florence Island."

Growing up in Woodland Hills, California, I lived on Queen Florence Lane, a street off Queen Victoria Road. Victoria and Florence were the daughters of Michael Curtiz, the director of such films as CASABLANCA. Curtiz, at one time, owned all the property in that area, so he named the two streets after his daughters.

OR so I once was told... by a ghost named Humphrey who tried to convince me that he was Humphrey Bogart, though you could tell by looking at him that he wasn't.

WHO EXACTLY IS THE SICK ONE HERE?

Elisa is so strong so much of the time, that it's kinda sexy to see her vulnerable and feverish.

Notice that Grandmother doesn't use Fairy magic to heal Elisa. She uses Haida medicine. Thus the rule of non-interference is bent not broken.

I like when Nick comes back in and the Fever's broken. And he says just don't tell me you cured her with tree bark.

When she says, "...and roots." His expression is priceless.

SEEING RED

I like the lighting in the Volcano scene.

Goliath is so glad to learn that other clans have survived, that he doesn't notice -- in fact defends -- the inconsistencies in Raven's story.

Angela, on the other hand is suspicious. This was done, in part, to further develop her character. She's naive about certain things. Having been raised by humans, she's not inclined to judge them harshly or fear their prejudices. But she's not stupid. Something doesn't smell right and she notices.

For once, Bronx though does not. I chalk this up to the high quantity of magic being tossed around on this dying island. Grandmother is not what she seems. Neither is Raven. Bronx is confused.

Anyway, Goliath speaks to Gargoyles protecting to explain away why "Raven's Clan" can both hate humans and protect them. You get the sense that he understands all too well. Like despite everything, there's a part of him -- a prejudiced part -- that hasn't forgiven the human race for what happened at Wyvern. (Also keep in mind, he was just at Wyvern again, rehashing all those old memories.)

Of course, once Goliath learns that Raven was pulling something, he's furious at the trickster. Playing on his hopes AND his prejudices, Raven has risked G's wrath.

At the end of this scene, the three silent gargs vanish magically.

Erin said: "What happened? What just happened?"
Benny said: "How did they just vanish?"

They know I know the answer. But I resist telling them. It's a touch cruel. What did you guys think?

YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF THE CITY...

Elisa is such a New Yorker. Everything is compared to that. "This sure isn't Central Park."

Anyway, Raven, then a bear, then Bronx and finally Angela and Goliath find Elisa. I love Goliath and Elisa's hug. It's so unselfconscious. They were so worried about each other that they forgot the usual distance that they maintain.

SUSPICIOUS MINDS

So who did you trust? When the gargs disappeared, that had to indicate that something was up with the Raven-goyle.

So when Goliath tells Elisa that Grandmother is a sorceress, particularly given that Grandmother saved Elisa's life, we all tend to think that G's been duped. Then we spot Grandmother turning into Thunderbird. What did you all think then?

Benny noticed "her ears" and suspected her even before she turned into T-Bird.

THAT'S GOTTA HOIT

A cool moment in the battle against T-Bird is when Goliath rakes the creature with his claws.

Then Angela spots the Illusion. And plays it cool with Raven.

I like Goliath's line to Grandmother: "We live. We do not thrive."

Grandmother than establishes that Raven is a Trickster and that they are both "Children of Oberon". Thus we establish that aspect of our series.

She states that they are forbidden from directly interfering in human affairs. Reinforcing what the Weird Sisters said a few episodes before.

Raven joins the party. The jigs up, but he revels in it. He's got a few decent lines too.

I like "It's so messy."

POOR HORATIO, ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, NEVER A BRIDE

Elisa more-or-less quotes Shakespeare: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Natsilane, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

I've always loved that line.

Anyway, Goliath and Angela depart to fight Raven. They arrive first, but given the fact that Nick had to...
1. Have a final change of heart.
2. Change clothes.
3. Get up to the volcano without wings.

...He makes good time, don't you think?

Raven brings the totem beasts to life. This was always a bit weird. We introduce illusion gargs based on the totem beasts. But then when we bring the totem pole to actual life (or semblance) we have new designs for the woody creatures.

Does everyone see Goliath play dead for that bear?

Raven has a nice exit line here: "This place no longer amuses me."

Neither does this Ramble.


Bookmark Link

Matt Maybray writes...

Since all of Oberon's children have a portfolio of sorts (i.e. Puck's a trickster, Anubis is a Death God, etc.), what would Nought have been the "god" of?

Greg responds...

Nothing.

Response recorded on May 09, 2002

Bookmark Link

Laura 'ad astra' Ackerman writes...

Second question, well topic of question, is on Oberon's Children: You described them as descendant from Will O' Wisps, (or at least I think I read that).-

-1- Do you mean descendent from WO'W like we say humans descend from apes- ie. common ancestor closer (in our eyes) to that branch then our own- or do you mean literally?

-2- When did the fae (assumably pre-Oberon's rule) begin having children? Was it a gradual change, or was it an all of the sudden happenstance that was duplicated by others? Basically- did Oberon's children evolve, or come into being via sudden change?

[I am making assumption that WO'W aren't born in a biologically equivalent way to humans. Is that correct?]

-3- Assuming they did not evolve, are there still Oberati around who were not born, who made the jump from WO'W to sentience, instead of being born to it, or are all the current Oberati the product of two (?) parents?

-4- Continuing on the same assumption- when they discovered parentage and birth, was there an explosion in the birthrate, or did they slowly get used to it? [It would be an interesting source of all the half magical bastards of legend.]
-4i- If they did go a little crazy about the possibility and did not confine themselves to their own kind, would there be a very high percentage of humans with trace elements of their magic in their history?
Not the sort of thing to make them wizards or sorcerers, just enough to cause a resonance or immunity that is not recognized as such because it is so common.

-5- While I can imagine an extremely long life span might potentially weaken the parental bond, the newness and 'ownness' of it might strengthen it, (or give it a 'new toy' aspect). Which scenario is closer to fact?

-6- Where the do the WO'W come from? All I now of them is something vague about bright lights darting about luring people from the path, possibly taking on aspects of humans to do so. Did they get so used to appearing as mortals that the jump to taking on a more permanent solid form was a natural thing to slid into?

-7- As just plain ordinanry WO'Ws, do they have mass, or are they only energy?
-7i- ibid for Oberati in 'natural form'?
-7ii- and what of halflings raised fae?

Greg responds...

1. We're talking a form of evolution. (Again, humans did not descend from Apes. As you noted they have a common ancestor.)

2. You're assuming facts not in evidence about the Will O'the Wisps. Again, we're talking evolution.

3. Again, the race did evolve in my mind, so I think the question is moot.

4. See above.

5. We're still going down an odd path here.

6. They evolved from the magical soup of Earth. Just as we evolved from the biological soup.

7. I'm guessing the latter, but I won't be held to it.
7i. I'm not sure I understand this question? We've yet to define 'natural forms' for the Children of Oberon.
7ii. See above.

Response recorded on May 06, 2002

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You mentioned that you could only recommend Isaac Asimov's book on Shakespeare (I assume that you mean his Guide to Shakespeare, which I have a copy of) with reservations. I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about those reservations of yours about it.

Greg responds...

Boy, I must have been really touchy on September 10th.

Let me just say, it's weird to be looking at these questions, asked early in the morning of 9/11, clearly before the events of the day. (Or at least before people became aware of those events.) Puts everything into perspective, you know.

Anyway, Merlin and Oberon have a thorny relationship to say the least. I can't really answer your question in any more detail at this time. I half regret revealing that Oberon was M's dad.

Response recorded on January 23, 2002

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You've mentioned earlier that Merlin isn't considered one of "Oberon's Children" (by which I mean the Third Race, rather than Oberon's biological offspring). I recently began wondering over the reason for that, i.e., what reasons Oberon has for not classifying him as such.

The only other "halflings" we know of in the Gargoyles Universe at present are Fox and Alex, and we know what criteria Oberon had for deciding whether they could be considered "Children of Oberon" or not. He viewed Fox as human rather than Third Race because she had shown no sign of manifesting any magic (at least, at the time of "The Gathering Part One") and Alex as Third Race because he still had the potential of developing magic.

Now, moving back to Merlin; he clearly did learn how to use magic, so obviously Oberon used a different criterion for classifying him as human rather than "Oberon's Children" than he did with Fox. So my question is, what is this different criterion?

(And don't worry; this isn't one of those "trying to trip you up questions" that you mentioned being unhappy with recently. I'm just genuinely curious about this).

Greg responds...

Boy, I must have been really touchy on September 10th.

Let me just say, it's weird to be looking at these questions, asked early in the morning of 9/11, clearly before the events of the day. (Or at least before people became aware of those events.) Puts everything into perspective, you know.

Anyway, Merlin and Oberon have a thorny relationship to say the least. I can't really answer your question in any more detail at this time. I half regret revealing that Oberon was M's dad.

Response recorded on January 23, 2002

Bookmark Link

Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

I cant find this in the archive, tho I find it hard to believe it hasnt been asked.

1. Do Oberon's Children reproduce in the biological sense? I mean do they actually pick a mate and have offspring?

2. Demoness asked why Mab disliked Titania, and you said its because Mab thought Titiania was a spoiled brat, and beneath Oberon. So was Titania *raised* as a spoiled brat, meaning she had actualy parents, or did she just have a high opinion of herself (in Mab's eyes).

3. Were the Children of Oberon we have seen (banshee, anansi, etc) mostly offspring of Oberon? Or were most of them there before him?

4. What did Mab call them all? Obviously not 'Oberon's Children'. Or am I wrong?

Greg responds...

1. Largely.

2. Not answering this now.

3. Neither.

4. The Children of Mab.

Response recorded on November 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Gipdac writes...

1) Did you ever have plans for the trickster Loki?
2) If so, what are they?

Greg responds...

As I've mentioned before, I'm on the fence about Loki, as he is a character who has been done to death elsewhere. Same with Thor. They may be dead. But I haven't decided. I haven't found a way into the characters that strikes me as unique enough to justify including them in anything but flashbacks.

Response recorded on November 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Why doesn't Anubis look like the Emir when he appeared in the Gathering? What happened?

Greg responds...

The Emir joined his son in death, releasing Anubis.

And by the way, I apologize for that goofy moment in "The Gathering" when it looks like Anubis is laughing.

Response recorded on November 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Do the Children of Oberon know of the Space-Spawn prior to 2198?

Greg responds...

No.

Response recorded on November 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Where did Banshee go after Cuchullain beat her?

Greg responds...

She stayed in Ireland, while she regrouped -- but keeping well out of Rory's way. Eventually she was dragged to Avalon.

Response recorded on November 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Were there any Fay casualties of the Oberon and Mab War? If so care to give a ballpark figure?

Greg responds...

As most of you know, I'm not big on quantifying things that haven't been worked out.

But yes, any war has casualties.

Response recorded on October 17, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Is Osiris dead in 1996? What about Set?

Greg responds...

I'm not just tossing this stuff out to you. What would I have to gain?

Response recorded on October 17, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

If the Oberon's Children are called the Oberite what exactly were Mab's children called?

Greg responds...

The Children of Oberon were never called the "Oberati". That was a behind the scenes suggestion that I made that some combo of Michael/Brynne/Lydia rejected as sounding too much like an Italian sports car.

Response recorded on October 17, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

What is Banshee doing in 2198?

Greg responds...

Not talking.

Response recorded on October 16, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who were Mab¡¯s parents?

Greg responds...

Never & Satisfied.

Response recorded on October 16, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Was Grandmother the original Thunderbird that inspired the Thunderbird legends?
What was the sea monster that Grandmother turned into in Heritage? Was it a legendary monster?

Greg responds...

1. I don't think so.

2. It was a legendary monster, I beileve.

Response recorded on October 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Why didn¡¯t Banshee kill Bronx and Rory when they climbed out of the pit? Why did she take him back to his home after she kissed him? Why didn¡¯t she do anything to Bronx?
Was Banshee the original Deathworm that inspired the legends or was the original another child of Oberon? If not what was it?

Greg responds...

It would really help if you'd number your questions.

1. There's no one simple answer. But she wanted to avoid waking Rory. An actual attack might have triggered the very thing she feared.

1a. She was trying to put him back to sleep.

2. She said that she didn't perceive him as a real threat.

3. I believe so.

Response recorded on October 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Cha-Cha writes...

1. Who was the centaur at the Gathering?
2. Is Medusa a N.O. or one of Oberon's children?
Because she was at the Gathering and in an older post someone mentioned she was also on New Olympus.

Greg responds...

1. Good question.
2. The Medusa I've given any thought too is a New Olympian. If there was a medusa-like character at the Gathering, I don't recall. But keep in mind that the Children are shape-shifters and can look pretty much like whatever they want.

Response recorded on October 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Is it true that the fay don't have a true form?
If so why can't Puck in his Owen form perform magic while he is able to do it in his Puck form?

Greg responds...

It may be true.

Because becoming Owen isn't a magical act of illusion. It's a magical act of transformation.

Response recorded on September 11, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

By 2198 how many fae are off Avalon?
Care to give a few names?

Greg responds...

Very few.

Puck. Alex.

Response recorded on September 11, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are there any other sentient races native to our solar system besides Lost race,Gargoyles,Humans,Fae and New olympians? If so care to list a few?

Greg responds...

If there were, I wouldn't list them. But there aren't. But if there were, I wouldn't list them.

(All this of course ignores our recent discussions about the misuse of the term 'sentient'.)

Response recorded on September 11, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Is Morgana at the Gathering on Avalon? What about Nimue?

Greg responds...

One is. One isn't.

Response recorded on September 11, 2001

Bookmark Link

Gipdac writes...

1) Did Titania ever really have any of the fairy attendants like she did in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
2) If so, what happened to them
3) Are any/all of them still alive?
4) Were any/all of them fae?
(My favorite is Mustard Seed)

Greg responds...

1. Yes.
2. My God, has something happened to them?
3. Far as I know.
4. Most.

Mustard Seed is cool.

Response recorded on September 09, 2001

Bookmark Link

Punchinello writes...

I just reviewed what I have written here. It's so formal it's almost offensive. I'm sorry. I don't think one can talk about issues like this without sounding (obtuse? Stuffy? Something like that.) And not a word about Gargoyles.

Let me leave the realm of animal intelligence's for a minute and consider the intelligence of some of the more fantastical characters in your story. The fae. When I think about this kind of (ethereal?) character, these are the kinds of associations that I make.

-The thought of angels moves faster than human thought. (I don't recall where that comes from)

-A four dimensional object or being will cast a three dimensional shadow. (That's an observation Buckminster Fuller made.)

-A being that cannot die will have no concept of death, and certainly will not attach values, positive or negative, to the ending of a life. (This is a condensed and bastardized summary of some of the speculation of extraterrestrial intelligence's that participants of the SETI program publicized.)

I hope some of the above makes sense. My thinking is this. That the content of fae thought/mentality may be fundamentally different from homo sapiens thinking. Not just an accelerated or enhanced analogue of human thought, but structurally different. Our mental world is the emergent condition of innumerable biological systems interacting with one another. I have no reason to conclude that the fae's intelligence emerges from anything reductionist in nature. It is a condition that exists without origin in biology (potentially). Everything that we think of as intelligence rests on an evolutionary foundation of connections to allow us to successfully distinguish between things we can eat and things that will eat us. It would be absurd to think that the fae (who I don't think were subject to natural selection through predation) would have an intelligence structured upon the same principles. Simple alternative concepts like "either or" may not have the same meaning to them. This could go far towards explaining why they are so damned irritating.

My second thought on the matter, in reference to the three dimensional shadow concept, is that the visual representation we get of the fae in the story may be a poor representation of the reality. I use the concept of a hypothetical four dimensional being to illustrate. A two dimensional being could be aware of my presence if I allowed it to, although it would be a simple matter to remove myself from it's perception with a minor movement. However it's awareness could not give it a complete representation of what I am. It could only understand me as a fragment that can be translated into something comprehensible within the context of it's world. I can easily attribute an extra dimensional quality to beings like Oberon and Puck who seem o appear and disappear at will. We might not be able to understand completely, what they are. Only that the portion of them that is represented in three dimensions resembles a group of tall, angular, oddly complexioned people in period costume.

My third observation of the fae, and in particular of Oberon who has demonstrated a dispassionate distance to killing his rivals in certain instances, is that he may have no concept of murder because he may have no concept of death. (Yes I know that he reacted to the iron bell in such a way that would indicate it was harmful to him. Even lethal.) However, even if he were to express a concept of death we would not be able to be certain that his concept was anything like our concept. Does death mean an end for him? If it does not, then the gravity we attach to it may be lost on him and the other fae.

I think my point is that while it would certainly not be appropriate to think of a creature like this in human terms, i'm not even certain you can extrapolate "human" from him. There could be creatures, so far removed from human experience that it would be impossible. Of course, the associations that I make with the fae are not going to be the same ones that you make. Your concept of them may fall within human experience. You have other creatures though. Your space spawn. They would certainly have been subject to mental dispositions grounded in a different biology. We're conditioned with the genetic remainders of our hunter gatherer ancestors. They would be conditioned with something else. I dont know what. Something spawny probably.

Greg responds...

Spawny. I like that.

Play with these ideas:

1. I believe that Oberon's Children evolved from the Will-O-the-Wisp.

2. I believe that they can die, as completely or not as any human. But they can't die of old age, unless they stubbornly insist on maintaining a mortal form until it kills them. They are therefore, acutally, technically mortal themselves, but don't truly comprehend mortality (if that makes sense). So they like to pretend they are fully immortal, fully untouchable. (Well, that's a generalization, really. Individuals may vary.)

3. I don't necessarily believe that we have seen the true form of any of Oberon's Children. We have seen 'preferred forms', but not anything that isn't just as much of a guise as any other shape they've taken on.

4. When they transform into a mortal of whatever species -- as opposed to just taking on the glamour of a mortal -- they are bound by all the rules of that species, save ONE. They can transform back.

5. I don't find them as irritating as you seem to.

Anyway, play with those five notions and get back to me.

Response recorded on September 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

Can the Third Race bleed in their mortal forms, or forms that are not their "normal" form?

Why i ask this is because in "Heritage" when the Gargs are attacking Grandmother in her Thunderbird and Sea Monster form I could have sworn that the claw marks they inflicted on her were red with blood.

I just want to make sure that this theory is correct.

Greg responds...

Yes. When they transform into mortals they take on all aspects of that mortality -- save for the ability to change back.

Keep in mind however, that sometimes they don't transform, they just create a 'glamour' or illusion to fool people.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are there any fay as powerful as Oberon and Mab? Care to list a few?

Greg responds...

No or No.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who exactly were Coyote's parents?

Greg responds...

Reggie and Midge.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who exactly were Raven's parents?

Greg responds...

Jughead and Moose.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

What are the names of the centaur, winged horse and giants that we saw in the Gathering?

Greg responds...

Don't know.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Lord Sloth writes...

Who was in charge of death before Anubis? He's of the younger generation of fae, isn't he, so he wasn't around from the begining.

Greg responds...

What gave you the idea that he's 'of the younger generation'? And I never said he was 'in charge of death'.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Does the Lady of the Lake have any biological children? Have you mentioned the name of any of her children on Askgreg?

Greg responds...

YOu are now officially making me sleepy.

Response recorded on September 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

1. Are there any other Oberon's Laws besides the "non-interfernce", "forking over talismens willingly", "Avalon Clan can stay" and "Goliath's Clan's immunity"?

2. If yes to above, what are a couple of those other laws?

3. Were there any placed before Oberon became King?

4. What are a couple of those?

Greg responds...

1. I'm sure there are.

2. No cheese on Saturdays. No littering.

3. No. Mab likes cheese.

4. There was something about smoke alarms in the lavatories at the Palace, but now I'm blanking.

Response recorded on September 05, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

In "Future Tense" at the end of the illusion Elisa yells "No, not now!" and the illusion disappears and she becomes Puck. So my question is:

1. What was Puck referring to when he said that?

b. Was it Oberon's Law because Goliath realized that what he was experiancing was an illusion and the law dictates that Oberon's Children can not interfer in mortal lives and thus so forced the illusion to end?

c. Or was it another law that has to do with mortals willingly handing over talismens to Oberon's Children, kinda saying that if your intentions are discovered the game ends?

Greg responds...

1. That Goliath had figured him out when he was so close.

b. More or less.

c. More or less.

Response recorded on September 05, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

I just watched "Heritage" and I just noticed something. I know you've said before that your colored blind and sorry to bringing up colors again...but I'm curious.

1. How come in "Heritage" Raven and Grandmother glow a blue aura when using their magic while others glow a green aura? Such as Oberon, Titania, the Wierd Sisters, and Puck.

I think Odin glowed white, Anasi-blue, Banshee-white, Anubis-black, and Lady of the Lake-blue.

2. Does this coloration have anything to do with their connections (meaning Anubis=death)?

3. Does it have to do with positions in their culture? Like warriors in the warrior caste, tricksters in the tricksters caste, royalty, servents, etc etc?

Greg responds...

If we were consistent, then sure. But I'm not sure we were.

Response recorded on September 05, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

"As to Oberon's Children, you've seen one of their ancestors on the series. "- Greg W.

Who is this person you speak of that is a ancestor of Oberon's Children?

Greg responds...

No person. (Didn't I confirm the correct answer to this already?)

I realize that when you asked this question, I may not have answered it yet. But didn't you see that the question had already been asked in the queue ahead of you?

Response recorded on September 03, 2001

Bookmark Link

Alex "Cyclonus" Bishansky writes...

I'm not sure if this was asked before or not.

In "Cloud Fathers" the Kachina Dance must have been performed many times before, how come when Peter Maza danced in it, Coyote developed this bond with him?

Greg responds...

It was 'rarely' performed even in Peter's day. But I believe Coyote developed a bond with all who danced the part of Coyote.

Response recorded on September 03, 2001

Bookmark Link

Sapphire writes...

Dear Greg

Earlier you said that some of the fay have converted to human religions. Can you tell me the religion of the following fay

Oberon

Titiana

Puck

Coyote

Anansi

Banshee

Odin

Lady of the Lake

Nought

Pegasus

Grandmother

Raven

Anubis

Greg responds...

I don't think that's exactly what I said.

And I can't believe you haven't gotten the fact that I don't respond well to laundry lists.

Response recorded on September 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Lord Sloth writes...

Heya Greg
I'm just 17, and I got the tootsie rool thing right away.

Anyway, I read some more unsatisfactory responces so I'll just restate some of them.

1)For the ill met by moonlight questons you didn't answer one cause I called Angela "Angie", But why should that keep you from answering? Anyway the question again is:

2)When Goliath, Gabreil and ANGELA fall into the water being filled with lava, why isn't it too hot to survive? If you don't know, just say so.

3)And I didn't understand your answer about Oberon giving Goliath immunity to his magic. Didn't he take that away in the Gathering, or does he just temporarily set it aside when it suits him? b) Is Goliath and clan immune to his arts by the end of the Gathering?

thank you.
P.S.and, you right. I have a very dirty mind, so I'll just imagine Brooklen says what I want him to.

Greg responds...

1. Sloth. Let's start by saying I don't actually owe you an answer to anything. If I'm not in the mood, I may just try to be funny. I may fail. But I could use a bit less 'tude, dude.

2. Like here, for example.

3. He never took the immunity away, he just interpreted the edict. He never uses his magic DIRECTLY against Goliath or the clan.

b. Depends on who's doing the defining. Since it's Oberon, he was, is and will always be immune.

P.S. I've forgotten what this refers too, but maybe that's just as well.

Response recorded on September 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

Qs on Fae:

1. Is it Fay or Fae?

2. The symbol on the periodic table for iron is Fe. any connection?

3. Ive noticed (any i know youre colorblind) that whenever the fae change forms they tend to stick to their own hair color. Titania/Anastasia red. Weird Sisters. Puck/Owen blonde/white. Oberon white. Now do you attribute this to:
a. they like their own appearance, and so make their alternate form look as much like their normal self as possible OR
b. (less likely) they have restrictions on their shape shifting abilities

Greg responds...

1. It's Children of Oberon or Oberon's Children.

2. To what?

3. You're stretching things with Puck which throws off your premise. They do what they want. But they are vain, generally.

Response recorded on August 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

If a mortal askes a Child of Oberon for assistance does Oberon's law still apply?

Greg responds...

Largely, no.

Response recorded on August 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

"As to Oberon's Children, you've seen one of their ancestors on the series. "

AHH~ THE TORTURE! come on, a hint! oh please oh please?!

Greg responds...

Will-O-the-Wisp.

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

So we've seen one of the ancestors of the fay in the series? Do you mean the Will-o-the-Wisp in "Pendragon"? (To be perfectly fair, it was Aris Katsaris who suggested the idea first, but it made sense to me).

Greg responds...

Do I want to reveal this?

Not really.

But, hey for you and Aris -- Yes.

(Keep in mind, we're talking about evolutionary ancestors. I'm not literally saying that the Wisp in Pendragon is Mab's grandfather or anything.)

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Puck said that he couldn't take the Phoenix Gate from Goliath--Goliath had to "fork it over". Is the same true for other Avalonian magical objects? I may be remembering this incorrectly, but didn't Odin physically attack Goliath and try to take back the Eye? And does this rule only apply to Children of Avalon? If so, it would explain why the Weird Sisters had to use Demona and MacBeth to steal the talismans for them (were you consciously doing this so as not to break the rule you would establish later about the Gate in "Future Tense"?)

Greg responds...

Odin may have been an exception, as the EYE could arguably belong to him.

But the general rule of non-interference prevented Puck or the Sisters from just magically or otherwise stealing anything themselves.

Response recorded on August 07, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

How did Raven get around Oberon's non-intervention edict when he laid Queen Florence Island waste in "Heritage"?

Greg responds...

There was pattern and precedent established. From Raven's point of view it was Natsilane who was abandoning the island. That left it in Raven's hands.

Response recorded on August 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

*lol* After reading your latest batch of answers, you've reminded me why I had you write that message on the back of my Thailog card.

I'd asked you who was a changeling other than Morgana, and you answered, "Nimue". I thought only the elf child that took the baby's place was called a changeling, but I guess you're using the name both ways (which makes sense). So let me rephrase my questions and ask, "Have any changelings other than Morgana and Nimue appeared in the series? Will any appear in the spinoffs you've planned?"

It was nice seeing you again, Greg!

Greg responds...

Ever?

Response recorded on July 20, 2001

Bookmark Link

Pyro X writes...

Greg;
The Native Peoples of NA came to NA VIA the Bering Strait some thousands of years ago.

1) When Oberon dispatched his "family" to live among mortals, did Raven make his way imediatly to Q.F.I off Canada?
2)Did Raven "take on" the persona of "The Raven" based on Native legend, or was he always "Raven"?
3) As you have said, you never know if that is Pucks true form (As the in the elvish form). Does this, as well, apply to the Other children? Was that Raven's true form?
4) Does Raven have a true form?
5) Did the "Raven" legend spring from "Raven" himself?
6) What WAS that thing Grandmother turned into??? (the thing with the weird mouth).

Thanks!

Greg responds...

Pyro,

Your initial premise is scientifically accepted. But I think many Native American Tribes disagree. It doesn't fit their legends and holy stories. For the purposes of Gargoyles, I'm not taking sides. All things are true.

1. Keep in mind that what Oberon mainly did was to banish the Children from Avalon and insist that they not interfere with mortal lives. It's not like Raven had never been among mortals up to that point.

2. He's Raven.

3. It applies to ALL the other children. Including Raven.

4. Do any of them?

5. See question 2.

6. I assume you mean Thunderbird. (She says that in the episode.)

Response recorded on July 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

In your Gargoyles 2198 (i think that's the date) summary, you said that aliens would attack the earth.
1) If earth was destroyed, wht would happen to Avalon?
2) Doesn't Puck's protection duty allow him to use magic to save Alexander from the Space Spawn?
3) I know Oberon's pompus and all, but would he reall just sit back and watch the entire human race (as well as Puck) be destroyed (Even with Oberon's law, many fay could indirectly help)?

Greg responds...

1. Earth's not destroyed. Leastways not in 2198.
2. It would have. But it happened too fast.
3. I'm not confirming or denying that Oberon's even still alive.

Response recorded on July 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are you going to explore the stories of Ymir, Tiamat and Gaea?

Greg responds...

Eventually everything.

Response recorded on July 10, 2001

Bookmark Link

Sloth writes...

Was the first hound of Ulster a gar-beast?

Has the Banshee/Molly seen the Wizard of Oz and did she like it?

Greg responds...

1. Yes. Unless you mean Cu Chullain himself.

2. Who wouldn't?

Response recorded on July 09, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

Garg 2198

1. Will the Fae ever get involved in the resistance? (Other then Puck)

2a. What would the Fae's opinions be on Earth being conquered?

2b. Oberon's and Titania's opinions?

3. Would Titania be extremly upset, angry, 'beyond the no return type angry', or unconcerned that Alex has been...'kidnapped' by the Space-Spawn?

As you probably noticed with my previous questions, I like Oberon and Titania. :)

Greg responds...

1. Not initially, for a good reason. Everyone gets involved one way or another eventually.

2. Whaddaya think?

3. I'm not confirming or denying Titania's continued existence in 2198.

I like 'em too.

Response recorded on July 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Our ancestors are apes and our distant ones are a bunch of rodents that resemble lemurs or rats. The ancestors of the gargoyles are lizards and dinosaurs. Who exactly are the ancestors of the fay? Blobs of energy or something else entirely?

Greg responds...

All primates have common ancestors. It's not quite the same thing as saying OUR ancestors are apes.

All gargates have common ancestors. Calling those common ancestors dinosaurs is only accurate in a very general sense.

As to Oberon's Children, you've seen one of their ancestors on the series.

Response recorded on July 06, 2001

Bookmark Link

Sloth writes...

How is life for Katherne, Tom and their "eggs" now that they live in the smae castle with the world's supply of fey? I would think it might be very hectic, dangerus and "sub-ter-fuge-ic" with all the tricksters, evil banshees and gods. Do you?

Greg responds...

A famous curse goes something like: "May you live in interesting times."

Such is life in Oberon's palace.

Response recorded on July 03, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who is Anubis's father Todd says it's Osiris (making him a bastard), but Roger Lancelyn Green says it's Set? So who exactly is he in the Gargoyles Universe?

Greg responds...

Not going into that now. Mostly because I haven't done enough research recently to have made my decision.

Response recorded on July 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are the Children of Mab literally descended from Mab or is it a metaphor casting Mab as the ruler/parent and the fay as the kids?

Greg responds...

Metaphor. Though Oberon is literally Mab's son.

Response recorded on July 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Do Anubis's "life-and-death" powers extend to the Third Race? That is, is he (or someone who is his avatar a la Jackal) able to age or destroy any of the fay, the way that he can to humans and gargoyles?

Greg responds...

Aging the Children is an oxymoron. Killing them is something else again.

Response recorded on July 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Punchinello writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman.

I don't come here often, but occasionally I'm struck by the urge to quiz you on something. I was browsing the questions you're fielding, and I was struck again by something I notice every time I visit this page. There seems to be some preoccupation here with "the mind of the other." I noticed another poster make reference to your interest in it (although I cannot find any record of your having initiated the discussion).

While the series was still active I saw you invoke this theme frequently whenever you emphasized the cultural shock that the gargoyles experienced in modern America, and I appreciated the fact that you treated our linguistic tendencies to "name everything" as a curious human social construction. It helped to push the idea that these creatures were _not_ human and that we could not understand their natures or their motivations from within the context of human sensibilities. I see there is some similar talk here of the fay, and the notion that their essential nature might be something that is sufficiently far removed from humans so as to be outside our understanding. All of this puts me in mind of the anthropomorphic problem that the SETI administration outlined for dealing with the idea of extraterrestrial intelligence's. Human beings have a tendency to ascribe human values to non human species, and beyond that have considerable difficulty in contextualizing "the mind of the other" without unconsciously resorting to the context of human sensibilities.

Which brings me to the reason for this post; because being a student of the sciences (and probably less attached to my humanity than most people), I have found reason to be extremely critical of some of the aspects of the way the anthropomorphic problem is treated within the natural sciences as it applies to non-human animals. Generally speaking, my problem is that some of the more archaic ethical distinctions that are made between humans and other animals have their foundation in the premise that the ascription of certain mental capacities ( reflection, emotion, etc.) are the ascription of _uniquely human_ qualities. The fact that this premise, itself, is socially constructed rather than informed by data, seems to be lost on at least most _social_ scientists. What is troubling me is that I have begun to observe this kind of thinking migrate into the popular domain through science fiction. I don't really follow sci fi, but I've seen star trek, and I have had occasion to see the half-dozen or so other popular sci fi programs that one can find on television. I see a trend wherein the heroes casual disintegration of a planet is commonly justified with the hazily defined and indistinct ethics of "It did not harbor any sentient life."

This trend is scaring the hell out of me; because the expression "sentient" is not really used within the scientific community, so it does not have any agreed upon definition attached to it and there is no objective data informing the idea of it. The word seems to have infiltrated popular culture, however, where it finds frequent expression. That's what's bothering me. I see a lot of the same hazy ethical reasoning on this board. A number of messages expressing the confusion that humans in your story were subject to when they "mistook the gargoyles for animals rather than sentient beings" and in doing so, justified a campaign to exterminate them.

I would hope that a reasonable group of people would be given pause by the almost casual disregard for life that is being demonstrated with the prioritization of one life over another based upon the presence or non-presence of this seemingly magical endowment. Because if I am reading the intentions of the contributors to this board accurately, then it would appear their position is that if the occupants of that clock tower had been a group of stray dogs or a family of polar bears, then annihilating them with a wire guided missile would have been perfectly reasonable. "It's all right. It didn't harbor any sentient life." I would encourage the fans that come to this site to give some thought to what it is they mean by "sentience." What is the content of this sentience? If it entails that a creature can react to it's environment, anticipate, reflect and emote, then it should be pointed out that what available data exists indicates that this capacity is only about as exclusive a domain as most land based vertebrates.

I guess they shouldn't have disintegrated that planet after all. I hope to encourage others to give this issue the thought that it requires. I am also hoping to elicit some commentary from you, on the matter of how you perceive "the mind of the other." What mental distinctions do you draw between humans and gargates or faeries. I would be interested in hearing you address the notion.

Punchinello

Greg responds...

Thank you for writing. It certainly gets me thinking.

I'm probably as guilty as anyone of overusing, or rather overbilling the issue of "sentience". I think the concept has its uses. But it's probably used as a crutch too often.

Certainly, I don't want to see a family of polar bears, anthropomorphic or otherwise, blown up by a guided missile.

I don't much like the idea of destroying planets. In science fiction or otherwise.

As to this "mind of the other" concept...

Well for starters, I don't believe I did initiate the discussion of it -- unless you're including my constant admonishments to posters here that they are thinking like a human.

The previous post by Demoness and my response are a perfect example. She thinks Oberon is out of line. But she's thinking like a human, and a biased one at that. (I don't mean to pick on you, Demoness.) Oberon has a valid point of view. We may not like it, but it seems justifiable to me.

But the question of the mind of the other, was posted here initially by someone else. ( I can't remember who it was at this moment. ) I only just answered it in the last few days. Since you posted YOUR question, hopefully you've seen my response to that one.

And to reiterate, my response was that I'm still (in our universe) interested in the mind of US. Not the OTHER. But one way to explore that is to put ourselves in the shoes of the OTHER. Finding and describing and bringing the OTHER to life, whether as a Gargoyle or as a Child of Oberon, is for me an exercise in EXTRAPOLATION.

For example: If I was me, BUT I turned to stone every day AND I aged at half the rate I currently do PLUS most of my species had been exterminated 1000 years ago, ETC. -- then WHAT WOULD I BE LIKE?

For me, it's less about investing in species then in individual characters. Each with his or her own UNIQUE LIST of "extrapalatory parameters" (I just made that phrase up.)

It's really no different with a character like Elisa. After all, I'm a white Jewish male from California who has spent his entire adult life working in fiction. Elisa is an African-American/Native-American female from New York who's spent her adult life fighting crime. To understand her, I need to extrapolate.

However, in order to understand individuals of another species, I need to know more about that species. I need to envision the parameters that I will use to fully create their characters. So I've done that. In many ways, to me, gargoyle culture represent a kind of ideal. Not perfection, which doesn't personally interest me. But an ideal. Purpose. Loyalty. Oneness with the world they live in. Etc. I've borrowed things that I admired from multiple cultures and from my imagination, and I've tried to weave it into a coherent whole that fits the biology that I assigned them. These biological limits also create parameters for extrapolating character. Yes, the turning to stone thing. But also the group egg laying on a twenty year cycle. This naturally leads into the group child rearing thing. One is biological. One is cultural. But they are linked by extrapolation.

[Or... and I know this sounds silly but... perhaps they are linked by truth. By the fact that they exist in the Gargoyle Universe. As I've said many times before, sometimes this show flowed so well and easily, that it just seemed like I was tapping into something that existed. (But that's got nothing to do with this discussion, so let's ignore it.)]

And yet, from my point of view, all this is used to further illustrate the human condition. I don't think Oberon does or should think like us. But don't we all know a couple people with a little Oberon in them.

Keith David has said, as recently as seven days ago, that when he grows up he hopes to be like Goliath. And I personally think, that flawed as he is, Goliath is a wonderful role model. So we, as humans, can learn from Gargoyles. And we, as humans, can learn from Margot Yale as well. Maybe as a negative example. Maybe as something more down the road.

Ending Hunter's Moon with Jon Canmore becoming the human equivalent of Demona, was not an accident. They arrived at that point in two very different ways -- each, I hope, well informed by his or her species. (Or well extrapolated.) Nevertheless, the similarities between them are obvious and represent a "lesson" for us all.

All that stuff interests me MUCH, MUCH more than the exercise of creating something fully OTHER, just for the sake of achieving that.

Someday that may not be true. Aliens could land in Washington D.C. tomorrow and then comprehending the OTHER for the sake of understanding the OTHER will become a BIG priority fast. But for the time being, the human race is effectively alone in the universe. And before the aliens land, I'd like us all to get to know ourselves MUCH, MUCH better. In that sense, an Oberon, a Goliath, a Nokkar, are all just tools to that end.

The concept of sentience, comes in again, as I said, as a crutch. A convenient distinction between Bronx and Goliath, for example. Let's say you're from Russia. You don't speak English, and Goliath doesn't speak Russian. Still you have a hope that one or both of you may learn to speak the other's language. Dialogue is possible.

Bronx isn't ever going to speak Russian or English. That's the distinction. For what it's worth. In a moral sense, I'd say it's not worth MUCH at all. In a PRAGMATIC sense, we're not being honest if we don't admit it MEANS a lot.

Now. I don't think sentience is a WALL. Koko the gorilla can communicate in sign language. And I've got to say, I'm not sure that whales and dolphins aren't squealing complex philosophical discussions every day of the week. (Which is confusing because Dolphins have an eight day week, and whales have a thirty-seven day week. But what are you going to do?)

But even including a Bronx or a Cagney has value in the show. How do we respond to them. How do they respond to us? It's fun to do "The Hound of Ulster" and try to understand how an "animal" responds to various stimuli. It's still extrapolation. Now, with Bronx, I can cheat. I can keep him a beast and anthropomorphize him to my heart's content, because that species doesn't truly exist. I can make him as intelligent as I want. My goal there is to simply be consistent. Bronx can't start responding like Scooby Doo one day. You get the idea.

It's still about us understanding us and our place in the world. If in my own small way, I'm helping to open minds, helping to pave a bit of a way for when the aliens DO LAND, then great. But first and foremost, I'm asking us to KNOW OURSELVES.

Anyway, I feel like I'm starting to get repetitive. But this whole thread intrigues me. Feel free to post again with a follow-up. And everyone's welcome to join in.

Response recorded on July 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Demoness writes...

1a. Do the Fae tap into Earth's Magic?

1b. If yes, lets say a Fae somehow finds himself on Mars, would he be weaker then normal or completely powerless, or not effected at all?

2. How come Oberon could throw Xanatos magically when his magic is powerless against iron? (The Gathering pt 2)

3. In your opinion, who would win in a fair battle, Q or Oberon?

4. When did the Mab/Oberon war happen? Could you please give me an estimated date like c. 1000 BC-500 BC.

Greg responds...

1a. Sometimes.

1b. I'm not big on hypotheticals.

2. He grabbed his head.

3. I have no interest in this question.

4. It is forbidden.

Response recorded on July 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Sorry for asking another "Roswell Conspiracies"-related question, but:

You've indicated in past responses that your original plans for the series included its female lead being a banshee whom you were going to name Siobhan. When you came up with Siobhan, were you planning to use her as an at least partial "cannibalization" of the plans that you'd had for the Banshee/Molly in "Gargoyles"?

Greg responds...

No. I developed Roswell Conspiracies, but I didn't create it. The basic concept was handed to me.

The idea on that show, at least when I was working on it, was that all those magical creatures like Yeti and werewolves and vampires and Shee, etc. did exist. But that they were various alien races from other planets.

Siobhan was native to Earth, in the sense that she was born here. But she wasn't human.

By the way, I offered up a copy of my pilot script to Roswell at the G2001 charity auction. I'm curious who bought it, what they paid for it and what they think of it? Please post and let me know.

Response recorded on July 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

You said that the Olympian/Titan conflict and the Frost giants/Aesir existed, but what about the conflict between Tiamat and Marduk did it exist in some form?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You mentioned once that you somewhat regretted calling the fay in "Gargoyles" "Oberon's Children", because that led some of the audience to get the wrong impression, and believe that the fay were Oberon's biological offspring. Actually, I was recently watching my tape of "Heritage", and noted a strong piece of evidence for Oberon not being the biological father of them (or at least not all of them). In the episode, Raven describes Grandmother as his cousin. That would certainly indicate that they are not biological siblings and therefore do not share a common father in that sense. So the series does have something to make it clear (for the observant) that the faeries aren't Oberon's children in that sense. I just thought that you'd like to know.

Greg responds...

Yeah, thanks. I'm aware of it.

But it still doesn't change the fact that when you first hear the phrase, it's a touch misleading.

But so is fae or fay. It doesn't adequately cover the concept as far as I'm concerned.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who were the giants, centaur and winged horse that we saw in Gathering? Would they be featured in future stories?

Greg responds...

Eventually.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

Are any of the races stronger than any others?
It seems the Children of Oberon are much more powerful than humans or gargoyles. But, for some reason, i always thought that with all strengths and weaknesses added up, the races were pretty much equal.
Is this at all true?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure what you mean by strength. And in any case, I'm not big on quantifying this sort of thing.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

*I meant traits not trip in my last question

Greg responds...

Okay...

I still don't understand.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

1) Do any of the three races hace any personality trip that they lean towards?
2) If so, what are they?

Greg responds...

I don't understand this question.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Is the god of Judaism, Christianity and Islam a fay in the gargoyles universe?

Greg responds...

If I'm interpreting your question correctly, no.

But to be honest, I personally don't see GOD that way, so your questions is almost impossible to answer in the form you've stated it.

Response recorded on June 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Were there any matings between Gargoyles and fay? If there was did they inspire any monster legends?

Greg responds...

It seems unlikely that there was NEVER a mating between gargoyle and fay.

Response recorded on June 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Rob Irwin writes...

Man, they just keep coming!
The new Olimpiens, I get the felling that they are not a group of Oberon's children, yet they all seem to differn't to be of one race. Are they a group of many differn't races living together to help ech other, there seemed to be only one of each kind (ie. centaur, winged guy, fire dude).

OK, that will be the last one for awhile I think, at least till my others get answered

Greg responds...

It's not like you saw every New Olympian on the island. Talos is a robot. He's a citizen. There are Gargoyle New Olympian citizens as well.

But most are a single hybrid race descended from the mingling of Oberon's Children with various mortals. They are almost all compatible enough to breed with each other.

Response recorded on June 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Laura 'ad astra' Ackerman writes...

Another try at sending this out-

I just typed up a particularly long question that didn't post and got lost, and I was foolish not to copy it somewhere before hitting submit. I apologize if it turns up later and this becomes a double post, and also if I can't get rid of the autoformating in Word and it looks a little screwy. After losing that long a question I am not taking a chance working directly into the web page.

It has been a long time since I posted a question... of course it has been a long time since I have been caught up with your answers. After reading all of the new responses, particularly those dealing with Oberon and Titania, a question has come to mind. [Actually two, but how many new ways can you ask, "What did Titania whisper to Fox?"? That question should almost have its own section.] The short form of the question is this: Just how different are Oberon's hildren from humans? I am not referring to physical or magical characteristics, but rather do they think in a quantifiably different way than do humans?

The long version of the questions comes after the long digression:

A while back a friend practically shoved an anthology into my hands and insisted I read a particular article. I believe it was called, "Hamlet in the Bush". The gist of it was that a young anthropologist found herself with an indigenous culture for a long boring stretch. [She had thought the off season would be a wonderful time to get to observe their culture. Had she asked them they would have told her the off season is the off season because the weather is so miserable that they cannot even visit the next village. They spend the time drink the local equivalent to bear waiting for it to pass.]

Before leaving she had had an argument with a friend. She argued that at base all humans are the same and once you do some explaining to take care of cultural differences, a great work of literature would be recognized as such by all people. The example that was bandied about was Hamlet, so he gave her a copy as a going away present.

With nothing else to do she sat in her tent and read it over and over until the locals asked her what on Earth she was doing. They were a non-literate culture and to them reading papers meant reading boring legal documents. Even a white person could not be so daft as to spend weeks doing so. She seized upon it an opportunity to test her theory and they, being a story telling culture, were happy to oblige.

She immediately ran into two problems:
-1-They didn't have a concept of "ghost". Zombie, yes. Evil spirit in false guise, yes. But the idea of a dead person's spirit hanging around this world was simply ludicrous to them.
-2-They thought Claudius was a great guy. He acted as an exemplary uncle and brother-in-law, although he waited a bit long in taking care of his brother's household. [Three whole months! And with only one wife to tend the fields!]

In the end they loved the story (with their corrections) and thought she was on her way being a great storyteller, (being female aside). They also told her to be sure to tell her elders that they had been good hosts and had corrected her misremembering lest she continue in error.

I think her premise held, but she hadn't realized how far cultural difference went. The more complex the story, the more it was tied to its own cultural assumptions and the harder it is to explain to another culture.

Back to Gargoyles-

In Gargoyles the basic emotions seem pretty much universal. Gargoyles, humans, New Olympians, and even Nokar and Matrix as far as we have seen them, display them. Love, hate, curiosity and fear, as well as slightly more complex emotions of protection and loneliness are clearly expressed and are more easily understood than some lost cultures of our own ancestors. Are Oberon's Children fundamentally different, or if we can imagine long enough the effects of great power and incredibly long lives we can empathize without too much brain-sprain?

There are great works of speculative fiction that try to understand the mind of The Other. Zelazny had a whole series of stories of robots worshiping and trying to understand the long last human race. I recently read a great book called "Exogesis" (a post-modern Prometheius) by Astro Teller dealing with how a newly emerged AI might think and how humanity might respond. If I would list every book I could think of on the topic I will never stop typing and will eventually have feel the urge to start listing plays and movies as well, (and probably have to deal with Frankenstein, and I am not fond of the book. It is hard to like a book when you hate the main character. Perhaps the movies were right to make the monster the lead character. :).

It all boils down to this: Are the Children of Oberon "the Other", or something very much like ourselves?

Boy this is long! sorry.

Greg responds...

Don't apologize. It's fascinating.

Boiling it down...

YOU WROTE:

Are Oberon's Children fundamentally different, or if we can imagine long enough the effects of great power and incredibly long lives we can empathize without too much brain-sprain?

I'd have to say the latter. Great power. Little or no responsibility. Long lives. Being able to look however you feel at a given moment. You add these things up and they may seem other for awhile. But fundamentally, it's about extrapolation on our human emotions.

Because fundamentally, as a writer, what else can I do? Maybe someone else has the talent, ability, INTEREST in truly creating the OTHER. But not me. I'm interested in US. Gargoyles, humans, Oberon's Children. Toss in the New Olympians, Nokkar, the Space-Spawn, the Lost Race, etc. I'm fundamentally interested in figuring out what makes us real world humans tick. Or boil it down further, and I'm fundamentally interested in figuring out what the hell makes ME tick. All the characters in the Gargverse are just there as an alternative to me being in therapy, I guess.

Does that make sense?

Response recorded on June 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

puck<40> writes...

A question I asked earlier dealing with Oberon's Law of non interferance...
"3. If they are magically restricted, how much of a strain does that put on Oberon himself?

3. None, anymore. It's a done deal. "

so.......
1. Does this mean something is in place that could be taken down to remove the law?
2. Is Oberon bound to it just as strictly as his "children"?
3. Trying to understand this in full. I *think* I have it now. hee hee. So..... A fae cannot physically or magically *break* the law in any circumstances. Even Oberon himself. If they tried, nothing would happen since its a restriction on themselves. But if they can justify it in there minds, it provides a back door, hence the possibility. Meaning it might come easier to *some* fae than others... hence like ones who can twist meanings of ones words like no tomorrow. But the restriction is a more of a physically mental one (oxymoron 9.9;) to if they can't justify it, they can't do it. That about right?
4) Do some things take priorty over others? A for instance, Puck changes *all* the humans into gargoyles and vice versa. I can only come up with two reasons, being bound by iron and commanded to do it takes priority. Or since the humans and gargoyles never noticed the changes themselves, it didn't interefere with there lives. o.O Kinda curious. ^.^
5. a)Mab. would she be considering among the "first generation" of fae? b)Would Oberon be of second generation? c) Would Puck be Third?
6. And just a comment. ^.^ I like how you don't quantify power, because it comes in so many different forms. For instance, Oberon was magically weaker than Mab, but in terms of "power", he defeated her. anyways, just a comment.

Greg responds...

1. Huh?

2. Yes. But he's also the interpreter of his own edict. So if he can find a mental loophole, it exists. In one sense, that's true for all of them. The difference is that if Oberon later disagrees, then the transgressor may be in trouble. So everyone else has to be more careful than Oberon himself.

3. Yes. Exactly. More or less.

4. Both, I guess. He's trying to obey the law, I suppose. Mostly, he's trying to stick it to Demona for imprisoning him. He's more or less off the hook as he's Demona's slave. Oberon's more likely to punish her than him.

5abc. More or less. I'm not going to stratify things at this point.

6. YES!! Exactly.

Response recorded on June 28, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

What is the birthrate for Oberon's children?
What is the birthrate for Nokkar's race?
What is the birthrate for the Space-spawn?
What is the birthrate for the third race involved in the galactic war?
What was the birthrate for the lost race?

Greg responds...

At this time, I have not set any of these things in stone. INTENTIONALLY.

Response recorded on June 28, 2001

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

since you weren't sure the last time I asked this question, was there any ruler of the Third Race before Mab?

Greg responds...

I have no plans for one at this time.

Response recorded on June 28, 2001

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Fey magic and metals: I've noticed that most of the magical items forged by fey magic (the Eye, the Gate, and Puck's flute) are made of gold. Iron, of course, seems to have a disruptive effect on fey magic. Is there a particular reason why the fey chose to forge their talismans out of gold and not some other metal (except iron, obviously).

Greg responds...

It's shiny.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Duncan Devlin writes...

WQhen Oberon's children spent the millenium among the humans, how did those who took human form avoid the "...cannot directly interfere in human affairs" ruling.
By marrying Halcyon Renard, Titania severely altered his life, and anyone who gets married will need records, which will cause some form of interference.
In fact, what constitutes inteterferance, since Banshee had been screwing around with the locals for years (if I remember correctly).

Greg responds...

What they feel they can get away with, generally.

Take your Titania example. Oberon ORDERED her (and the others) to learn about mortals. Taking a mortal form (and artificially producing whatever necessary records are required) was fulfilling that order. She could justify marrying Halcyon as part of her "course work". Etc.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Why are the fay the youngest race? In almost all mythologies the gods/fay are the first to appear?

Greg responds...

That's what they'd like us to think.

As to the why... Just is.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

How big of a story arc would Queen Mab get?
Would it be bigger than that of the archmage story?
How many episodes did you plan for it?
What others characters were to appear besides our regulars
and Oberon and Titania?

Greg responds...

This wasn't planned out in detail while the series was still in production, so I didn't sit down and say this is a Five parter or anything like that. It's a big story that we would have built to, if that helps.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Jim R. writes...

(Laughing at Sapphire's comment to matt.) Well, buddy, it looks like you and I both get ourselves in deep water sometimes...Let the Almighty and Honorable Greg Weisman be the judge, for this is his courtroom. (Laughs)

Anyways...(turning to Greg)

Do members of the Third Race exist outside of Earth? Because, we all know that from what Broadway said, there are three Earth races: Humans, Gargoyles, and Oberon's children. But....
Should your Space Spawn series go through...there would undoubtedly be a fourth race, maybe not Earth-originated, but yet another race. So eventually that leads me to believe that could there be be other races in the universe that exist like Oberon's children?

I've always sort thought of Oberon's children like the "Q" on Star Trek...And the Space Spawn spinoff sort of clashes two worlds together, as if Babylon 5 and Hercules got together, if you know what I mean...

Greg responds...

I don't think I do know what you mean.

If you're asking if there are other magic-based races out there in the cosmos, then I'd be a fool to say NO absolutely. Big cosmos, you see. But if you're asking if those races are directly related to Oberon's Children, then the answer is no.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

You said that the ancestors of the New Olympians were the Olympians. Are these Olympians the gods who sat on Mount Olympus or are these Olympians something else entirely?

Greg responds...

The ancestors were the "gods and monsters" of legend. Many of whom were known as the Olympian Gods of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

Most of them were of the Children.

Response recorded on June 27, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Why did you go for the more villainous portrayal of Raven and the more heroic portrayal of Coyote? In most legends Raven is seen as benevolent and brings humans food while Coyote is seen as more an Anasi type trickster.

Greg responds...

I've read all sorts of versions of EVERY trickster, including the three you mention.

Story largely dictated our choices, I guess. But it wasn't cavalier. And we had further plans for all four Tricksters (including Puck, of course).

Given enough episodes, I think you would have seen more rounded portrayals.

Response recorded on June 21, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who are Morgana"s biological parents?
Who are the Green Knight's biological parents?

Greg responds...

Not saying on the former. Don't know on the latter.

Response recorded on June 21, 2001

Bookmark Link

matt writes...

its funny that Oberon says the children must live among mortals, but not interfere with them because that really isn't possible, you can't observe or live among any people without changing them, its a scientific law. there are many examples of this in the real world, and many other examples in the Gargoyles Universe... obviously Oberon has to expect some Fae/Mortal interaction, and hence interference... Xanatos/Puck, Renaud/Titania, Wierd Sisters/D and M, etc. etc.

Greg responds...

I think Oberon would think you are nit-picking. Everyone understood the gist of what he had procalimed. Don't actively use your magic to alter the course of human events.

Response recorded on May 30, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Was the resemblance between Nought and Ghede of voodoo mythology intentional? I mean both of these guys have virtually the same costume top hat and all.

Greg responds...

Most likely it was a conincidence.

Response recorded on May 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who were Raven's parents?
Who were Coyote's parents?
Who were Anasi's parents?

Greg responds...

Who are your parents?

Response recorded on May 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Have we seem Queen Mab's prison?

Greg responds...

Nope.

Response recorded on May 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

1)You saud that Queen Mab was insane but was she when she ruled over the third race?
2)Did Mab have a husband?
3) If so, was he king, or beneith Mab
4) Was Oberon's fathre Mab's husband?

Greg responds...

1. Oh, yeah.

2. What only one?

3. Nothing's that simple.

4. See above.

Response recorded on May 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Dark Nyusu writes...

Is it possible for a child of Oberon like Puck to have a relationship with a gargoyle?

Greg responds...

Sure.

Response recorded on May 04, 2001

Bookmark Link

Durax writes...

It has been said:Anonymous writes...
1) What has Mab been doing all those eons in confinement? Even prisoners must do something with their time. I assume the solitary confinement has worked wonders on her sanity.

Greg responds...
Not saying.

This question caused me to wonder is Mab imprisoned alone? I had thought that her supporters were imprisoned with her, or were they all killed?

Greg responds...

Not saying.

Response recorded on May 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Super-man writes...

Note:
You said that you didn't like Morgan le Fay and Ceasar being Oberon's parents and that it was chronilogically impossible. But the myth probably meant Morgan in her fay, queen of Avalon form and the queen of Avalon is Oberon's mother so the myth isn't entirely impossible in the gargoyles universe

Greg responds...

Huh? Are you conflating Morgan and Mab?

Cuz I'm not.

Response recorded on May 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

The Children of Oberon who are the gods of legends thus they must be the first race and they are made of pure magic. The gargoyles who are the second race have some magic in them since they can turn themselves and their equipment into stone. While humans who are the third race can't perform any feats of magic unless they have a spell book. So my question is the magic energy on the Earth diminishing?

Greg responds...

Faulty premise.

Gargoyles are the first of these three. That is, the oldest. They don't do any magic themselves. Turning to stone is a biological process. Turning they're gear to stone was a human magical spell, inflicted upon them.

Humans evolved second.

The Children incubated in magic and "evolved" third.

Response recorded on April 09, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Since Titania was derived from Queen Mab and eventually replacing her as Queen of the Fairies in the folktales then can we assume that Oberon's father was the figure in folktales that Oberon was derived from ?

Greg responds...

Your premise seems faulty to me.

Response recorded on April 09, 2001

Bookmark Link

Alex "Cyclonus" Bishansky writes...

When Goliath put on the Eye of odin, how come his armor looked like Odin's? Neither Fox not the Archmage took on any of elements of Odin's appearance.

Greg responds...

Proximity is literally part of the reason.

Goliath became an avatar of Odin, much like Jackal did for Anubis.

Response recorded on April 09, 2001

Bookmark Link

The ONe writes...

1) Why didn't Anansi use his magical arts against Angela, Goliath, and the others? Why did he choose to only use melee attacks instead of such powerful and simple attacks such as the weird sister's magickal bolts or Oberon's sleep spell to ensure victory?

2) Why did Anansi even need hunters? And especially mortal hunters for that matter. Couldn't he have magically created a source of his own food and why make his form a giant spider that couldn't support itself?

Greg responds...

Perhaps what you're getting at is that Anansi isn't that bright. But I think we were true to the Trickster tradition. Anansi is a bit lazy. A bit interested in using people for his amusement. It defines who he is and how he acts.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

durax writes...

Who gave Oberon and Titania their twin mirrors? They were a wedding gift correct?

Greg responds...

Correct.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Duncan Devlin writes...

Who is Nought?

Greg responds...

Who isn't?

(Something kinda familiar about this one, eh?)

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

DrFaust writes...

Hi, Greg. In the latest batch of answers, Matt asked how Titania will feel when Renard dies, and you answered, "very sad." What I'd like to know is would it be considered unusual among the fay for one of them to feel so at the death of a mortal?

Thanks a bunch, Greg. I think we've all a great thing going with this open forum.

Greg responds...

You're welcome, Doc.

As to your question, I wouldn't say it's unusual. But it's not common either.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Did the Weird Sisters give immortality to any other mortals?

Greg responds...

Other than who?

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

The One writes...

1) Does Titania truly love Oberon or is he more of a pawn that she uses while she rules through him? What initially attracted the two together?

2) What are Titania's feelings toward's Halcyon Renard's illness? Obviously, it would have been in her power to cure the disease or indirectly use it to create some scientific cure. Why hasn't she tried to heal Renard?

3) What are Halcyon Renard's feelings towards Titania/Anastasia? Is he bitter, angry? How does he feel about the fact that Titania shall stay young, beautiful, and alive forever while he is condemned to rot before his death?

Greg responds...

1) She loves him. And he is very attractive to her. He has power and unpredictability. A certain nobility. Intense loyalty. Command. He's probably great in bed too, frankly.

We've tended to see him from a certain point of view. Not hers.

2. It's neither that simple or that easy. I reject your premise. But she still cares for him, if that's what you want to know.

3. I think he misses her terribly. I don't think he quite has his head around the entire Titania thing. But I also think to him, even before he knew about Titania, Anastasia always seemed young and beautiful. And on some level, that was a comfort. He's not looking to bring the whole world down with him. Let alone those he cares for.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

1) Can the any of the fae or the fae collectively create a world as in a planet? In the myths and legends the fae were often the creators of all life and the earth.

Greg responds...

Seems beyond their range, frankly.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

The One writes...

1) Why did Odin's eye contain his magick and power? How did he come to lose the eye? Other fae have lost great parts of their perceived bodily mass seemingly without any loss of their magickal abilities (Anansi and Bean Sidhe).

2) Why didn't Odin call upon the Aesir or his magical servants to help him retrieve the eye? You said that since Goliath possessed the eye that Odin did not feel that he was breaking Oberon's law; so then, why not call upon Thor or the Valkryies (spelling)?

3) Are there any other fae body parts out there that function as potent magickal talismans? If so, what are they?

Greg responds...

1) The eye didn't contain his power. It linked to it. He traded the eye for a drink from Mimir's pool of wisdom.

2) The Children of Oberon tend not to travel in packs these days. Besides, him retrieving his eye isn't interfering. Asking Thor, assuming Thor survived Ragnarok, is a whole other kettle of Aesir.

3) Yeah, like I was going to answer that.

Response recorded on April 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

The One writes...

1) When the Magus died, why didn't Goliath try and use the Weird Sisters to resurrect him? Obviously, they had the power to keep MacBeth and Demona's lifeforce going on forever, it seems likely that they could also restore life.

2) Was the Katherine the Magus' only love? By that I mean did he ever have any other serious romantic relations or "crushes" on, and if so, with whom?

3) What was the Magus' real name? I assume he had another name and that his mother did not name him a word that's synomous with sorceror at birth.

Greg responds...

1. I don't agree with your premise. Mac and D had the power. Not the Sisters. They just linked them.

2. Katharine was it.

3. He wasn't born with the name Magus, you are correct about that.

Response recorded on March 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Iron is obviously harmful to the fey--even deadly. However I don't understand why it is that once Puck and the Sisters were wrapped in iron chains, they followed the orders of whoever captured them. It's not like they weren't able to use magic to free themselves, as Puck was obviously able to cast spells for Demona. I don't see why they couldn't do something simple like turning themselves into mortals or teleporting away and leaving the chains behind. Similarly, I don't see why Oberon couldn't use his powers to escape from the bell (unless the bell shorted out his magic completely, but then I don't understand why this is more harmful than being in direct contact with iron chains).

Any clarification would be appreciated!

Greg responds...

You're just being too literal minded. The iron bell sent out waves of ANTI-MAGIC against a creature of pure magic.

The chains created a bondage/servant situation.

Etc.

Or come up with your own explanation.

Response recorded on March 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Josh Wurzel writes...

Dear Greg,

Puck seems like a pretty powerful little fae, what with the whole soul transferrence thing and turing all the humans in Manhattan into gargoyles (with help from Titania's Mirror) If Puck really wanted to, could he break the Weird Sister's spell over Demona and Macbeth? And why did he serve Oberon? Was he created/bred/conceived for that purpose? Or did he just sign up for the job? And if he did sign up for the job of Oberon's lackey, in god's name WHY did he do it?

Greg responds...

It's harder to interfere with the magic of others than it is to just cast spells of your own.

And as usual, I'd prefer not to quantify who's more powerful.

As to why Puck once served Oberon, that's a long story.

Response recorded on March 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

One writes...

1) The Weird Sisters are capable of mental manipulation and coercion, e.g. MacBeth and Demona stealing the Eye of Odin, Phoenix Gate, and GA. So why didn't the Bean Sidhe simply extract the information that she believed Goliath, Angela, and Elisa through mental manipulation. Is she really fond of torture?

2) Why do Puck, the Weird Sisters, Oberon, and Titania use rhymes and iambic pentameter in conjunction with their magicks while other Oberati such as Anubis, Odin, Bean Sidhe, and the Lady of the Lake do not use such verse to tap into their magick? Is it preference or does the verse somehow enchance the effect of their magick given a certain amount of energy?

3) Since the fae can change their physical form on a whim, why does Odin prefer to stay in the physical form of such an old man?

Greg responds...

1. Mac and D. had to get extremely vulnerable, emotionally exhausted before the sisters could control them. And even with that, they began to fight off the spell in High Noon. The Sisters had to give them a booster. And then let the Archmage+ take over. The Banshee didn't have the patience to be quite so manipulative. Also, don't assume that every power that one Child has another has. Life doesn't work that way. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

2. For casting spells, an entity less powerful than Oberon uses the words to focus the magic. Rhyming helps that. Anubis never cast any spells, that I can recall. And Banshee was using her voice. The Lady did rhyme, as I recall.

3. He's earned it. NOT ALL OF US VIEW AGE AS A NEGATIVE, One.

Response recorded on March 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

1) Have you given any thought to how MacBeth and Demona will die--if they ever do?

2a) Can you think of any specific way in which the magical bond between them can be dispelled (other than through death)? b) Can the bond be altered in any way, or are the conditions fixed?

3) Demona and MacBeth asked for the Sisters' help, and thus they were justified in magically linking the two together and "interfering in mortal lives". But once that act is ended, how can they put the two under a geis and force them to steal the magical artifacts and fight for the Archmage (I doubt they were given permission)? Does Oberon's law permit them to continue interfering with any mortal whose life they've already once affected?

Greg responds...

1. Yes.

2a. Not telling.

2b. Not telling.

3. Emotionally exhausted, Demona and Macbeth relinquished their personal sovereignty. Watch the scene again.

Response recorded on March 29, 2001

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did Mab have parents?

Greg responds...

One way or another.

Response recorded on March 13, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

1) What has Mab been doing all those eons in confinement? Even prisoners must do something with their time. I assume the solitary confinement has worked wonders on her sanity.

Greg responds...

Not saying.

Response recorded on March 13, 2001

Bookmark Link

One writes...

1) Most of the fae in their "natural" (so we believe) forms have pointy ears, is there any particular reason for this? Bean Sidhe, Titania, Puck (especially Puck), the Weird Sisters, Oberon, Raven, Grandmother.

2) If a fae created a wall of stone (or any other dense material) to block a cold iron spear being thrown at them, what would happen to the wall? It's said the fae magick cannot resist cold iron but what of things created from fae magick? Say Puck created a golem would that golem be very vulnerable to cold iron?

3) How do you think Oberon would react if Titania was to be killed, hypothetically?

Greg responds...

1. Maybe it comes naturally. Who told you to have round ears?

2. It all depends on method and execution.

3. How do YOU think, hypothetically? Geez.

Response recorded on March 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

One writes...

1) Is there any particular reason why Grandmother chooses to look like an aged native american woman and possess the mannerisms thereof? Most fae we've seen in the series perfer a youthful or mature adult form, usually not children or the elderly. Puck, Oberon, Titania, the Wyrd Sisters, Bean Sidhe, etc.

2) Who are among the eldest of the Fae race? Oberon? Titania? Mab?

3) Is Cold Iron the only way to kill a fae, if not, what other ways are there?

Greg responds...

1. The Weird Sisters took many forms. Some very young, some very old. Grandmother is comfortable in that form. (And also as Thunderbird or the Sea Monster.) Why shouldn't she be?

2. Mab certainly.

3. If I told you, Oberon would have to kill you.

Response recorded on March 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Corrine Blaquen writes...

What nationality is Titania's human form supposed to be?

I find it very cool that you have so much ethinic/racial diversity in the human cast, from Elisa's Native American/African background to Xanatos's half Greek. It's such a fresh change from other cartoon characters with no heritage at all.

I myself am French-American, and I LOVE it that Fox, one of my favorite characters, is half French-American. Thanks, Greg!

Greg responds...

Xanatos isn't half-Greek. He's 100% Greek-American. I also like mixing up the ethnic backgrounds of our characters.

As for Anastasia, however, you need to remember that the identity was a fiction. Her first name suggests a Russian background, but her voice suggests that she's lived in the U.S. all her life. And we don't know her maiden name. So I don't really know how to answer this question.

Response recorded on March 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Basilisk writes...

A note to Greg:

'Horae' is the plural of the Greek word 'hora' or fairy/goddess of a season. To the Greeks, there were only three seasons, spring, summer, and winter. So I can see why that person might have thought that the Weird Sisters could be the horae.

Greg responds...

Hmmm...

Then I tend to think NO. Because at some point we pull in a fourth season at a minimum. And there's no fourth sister. (Living in SoCal, I've always felt that there are five very subtle seasons here.)

Response recorded on March 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

The horae were the three female guardians of olympus in greek mythology, I thought they might be the weird sisters because the weird sisters guarded Avalon. So were the Weird Sisters the Horae

Greg responds...

So the Horae aren't the "Hours"?

Tentatively, I'll answer yes. But I really have to do more research first.

Response recorded on March 08, 2001

Bookmark Link

matt writes...

when Grandmother told Goliath, "I'm glad to see that you (gargoyles) thrive." was she just saying that cuz she's a nice old fay? or did she like gargs more than humans? or does she have some past connection with the gargs? or what?

Greg responds...

Mostly the former. It's of course unnecessary to assume from her comments that she likes gargs MORE than humans. It's not a competition.

Response recorded on March 07, 2001

Bookmark Link

matt writes...

what did Oberon do during the 1001 year exile from Avalon? were the fae required to spend time among mortals or could they have totally isolated themselves until the Gathering?

Greg responds...

Do you really expect me to relate 1001 years worth of experience here? This is not the format for novel-length responses.

And the fae were required to learn humility. Oberon assumed that would be achieved by interacting with mortals.

Response recorded on March 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

1) What is Puck's sexual orientation? (assuming his true form is male) Does he have even any interest in sex?

2) Has Puck ever had any loves? If so, who and of what race?

3) Under optimal conditions for both parties, who has the most magical strength, Puck or one of the Weird Sisters (assuming the Weird Sisters are of equal strength; if not, Puck vs. the Strongest Weird Sister and Puck vs. the Weakest Weird Sister)?

Greg responds...

1. Is that really any of your business?

2. I'm not saying at this point.

3. I'm not big on quantifying this kind of thing.

Response recorded on February 22, 2001

Bookmark Link

One writes...

Is there any particular reason Desdemona divided herself into three versions of herself (one with black hair, blond, and white) in "High Noon"... I just thought there might be relation between this and the fact the weird sisters were in the episode manipulatining MacBeth and Demona.

Greg responds...

Des didn't do it. She opened herself up to possession and the Weird Sisters did it.

Response recorded on February 22, 2001

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

What species were Zeus, Hades and Poseidon in the Gargoyles universe?

Greg responds...

Which ones?

Response recorded on February 15, 2001

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

Are the wyrd sisters the mythological
fates ?
norns ?
furies ?
horae ?
sirens?
are they classical moon goddesses selene, luna and pheobe or just named after them?
if they are these figures, do they have different forms? (personality traits?) for different names?

Greg responds...

Fates, norns, furies, moon goddesses - yes.
Sirens - No.

Horae? What are those again?

And they have many different forms. We've seen at least four on the show (plus multiple costume changes).

Response recorded on February 07, 2001

Bookmark Link

Jim R. writes...

Do you think our technology will progress further than the magic of Oberon's children? When will Oberon's children reach the limitations of their magic? Would any of them possibly decide to live amongst us mortals and begin thinking scientifically, like an outcast fae, that would prefer sceince over sorcery?

Greg responds...

1. Apples and oranges.
2. Who says they will?
3. To some extent, Titania has done this already.

Response recorded on February 07, 2001

Bookmark Link

Chapter XXV: "City of Stone, Part Four"

Time to ramble...

Picking up right where Part Three leaves off, Demona is forced to back off on killing Elisa right away because of Bronx. I really like that scene, mostly for how it illustrates Bronx's level of sophistication. It's not like he understands English, beyond a few simple names and commands. But he understands tone of voice. Something that Demona uses. She talks him down by saying nasty things in a nice tone of voice. He's still suspicious. But as long as her actions and tone don't get hostile, he's content to back off. At one point though, she can't restrain her venom, and he starts to growl again. And she has to regain her composure.

FLASHBACK

Great Choral music during the battle. Carl Johnson and music editor Marc Perlman (both of whom will be attending the Gathering this June in Los Angeles) did a magnificent job with this.

And there's some great fog as well.

It's also nice to see a legitimately joyful Demona, hoisting Macbeth into the air. He laughs, but his mind's on other things, wondering why Bodhe wanted to talk to him without Demona present. Perhaps he's feeling guilty. Perhaps she picks up on that, which is why she eavesdrops.

A tragedy of bad timing: My sense is that Macbeth is about to read Bodhe the riot act, when Luach interrupts. Mac essentially agrees with Luach, but not with his manner. He takes JUST the wrong moment to teach him a lesson about being a good king. Luach reacts badly and storms out. And it is Luach's behavior that Macbeth is considering when Demona leaves. Two seconds later, I'm quite sure the conversation went like this:

Bodhe: "Well, sire?"

Macbeth: "Well, what?"

Bodhe: "The Gargoyles, sire. You must disavow them!"

Macbeth: "Don't be a fool." etc.

The siege is pretty cool too. (Though you'd think boulders dropped from the battlements would be a touch more effective.)

Mac rescues Gruoch. Even at this age, I still think they're a sexy couple.

I like the scene where Canmore removes his Hunter's Mask. Like Gille before him with Demona, he's truly annoyed when Mac doesn't immediately recognize him.

"Never would I have done so! We have been allies for thirty-seven years!!" Demona ain't a great judge of character.

Luach and Bodhe show up. I like this scene too. (O.K., I'm partial. What can I tell you?) Bodhe has an interesting moment. One of two things happens here. Either he's pleased to finally have one of his own blood (i.e. his grandson) installed as King or the death of Macbeth has finally awakened the hero inside him. Or both. For once, I tend to give Bodhe the benefit of the doubt. I think, at this late date, he's finally come into his own. I like to think he died a good warrior's death at Luach's side.

Demona wakes up. She claims not to believe Gruoch's admonishment, but NOTE, she does not kill Gruoch. Underneath it all, she knows that Gruoch is right and feels chastened.

Macbeth wakes up. Here we have our final scene on Lunfanan Hill. It parallels the previous break-up of Mac and Gru. That time Mac sent her away, but he loved her still. This time she sends him away. She loves him too. But this parting is permanent. Very moving to me. "I will always love you." And because of that, he must leave her. But we know he hasn't forgotten her even into the present. Her loss informs what follows.

Back to the present. Over episodes two and three, things in the present have been progressing very slowly. Now the present takes center stage.

Demona echoes what I'm sure by this time we were all thinking: "Take off that mask. You aren't fooling anyone... Macbeth." And he explains that he wears it as a symbol of her betrayal. (And for a psychological edge, no doubt.)

Meanwhile, we have that semi-feeble exchange between Goliath and Xanatos in the air. Feeble (a) because in one little scenelet, the mouth on Xanatos' armor is moving like it had lips; and (b) because the whole tapestry thing was a fairly forced way to get X and Goliath back to the castle.

I like Demona's line: "Let's not start that again. You blame me. I blame you..." etc. It's a very rational Xanatosian moment for her. But that rationality is born from the knowledge that she can't kill Macbeth without killing herself. Her usual vengeful attitude is useless. What she doesn't know is how suicidal he is. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. And I have waited 900 years for mine." Hey, leave a dish out for 900 years and it will get pretty cold.

There's always a bit of comedy in the pain-sharing battles of D&M.

When the floor starts to give way, it reminds me of a scene that was WAY better animated in the DuckTales pilot. Where the bricks of gold fall away in a simlilar vein. It's nice here, but it was awesome there.

I also like when Demona has Mac's E-M gun, tosses it and catches it to fire at X and G. Nice little touch.

And Xanatos' truly frightened yet underplayed: "This is bad." when he sees the computer screen.

I like the multiple falls that get us down to the Atrium -- a wonderful setting for the final confrontations.

And Goliath's speech: "...Death never does."

Again we get multiple images of the Sisters throughout this scene. And again, I had to fight for that.

Each Sister gets to take a mental punch to weaken first Macbeth and then Demona. Are they being hypocrites here? One aspect of their persona is, certainly. But there's more going on, some of which I still haven't revealed.

But the key thing in terms of this scene (and the events of AVALON) is that both Mac and Demona need to be mentally weakened for the spells of control that the Sisters are going to use on them in HIGH NOON and AVALON. And M&D need to borderline volunteer to relinquish control over themselves. Macbeth, who has been suicidal, is tired and willing. Demona's tougher. But even she doesn't put up much of a fight. "You tricked me." she says. And certainly they have, but she can't break the grip of three children, and though of course they are not ordinary children, one must wonder if she really wanted to.

Goliath: You have learned nothing.

The sisters (as children) say their cool (and ironic) line: "We have written their stories. They are our responsibility. They are our children." My three year old son Ben says: "I love the triplets."

But theirs is a story for another day.

Xanatos really has to sweat in this one. Unusual for him. I love his line to Bronx: "What are you looking at?"

But once the skies burn, he's back to his old self: "Magnificent." Believe it or not, it took some effort to really get the skies burning. The animation came back with only a few contrails of gas burning. We used video tricks to get that whole sky-burning effect that was SO important to the story.

When the gargs rush back inside they were supposed to lift Elisa up into the air in their joy at seeing her unstoned again. Thus you have contrast to explain Xanatos' line to Owen, "You'll forgive me, if I just shake your hand." (But you also have to wonder how he'd respond to Fox when next he saw her.)

And Xanatos gives a line I'd been waiting to use for a year. "I always wondered why I allowed you gargoyles to live. You come in handy now and then." I had always worried that an audience raised on certain villain cliches would just assume that the reason Xanatos never killed the gargs on one of the myriad occasions when he had the chance, was because we were bad writers. This X/G exchange was here to demonstrate that X wasn't that kind of villain. That he was never wasteful. Maybe at this point in the series, it wasn't necessary to spell it out. But it was still nice to get the sentiment across.

Of course, this ends the Xanatos/Demona partnership. Uneasy though it had been. It's why VOWS had to come first.

And that's my ramble...

Where's yours?


Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

If a child of oberon transforms into a human, you said that they were truey human, so does that mean that they can handle iron and go against oberon's law?

Greg responds...

They can handle iron, though most don't like to.

And no one can break Oberon's Laws. Only bend them. You included.

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Yttrium writes...

Greg,

I was recently reading a book on the last Grand Duchess of Russia, Anastasia Romanov. She had a older sister named Tatiana. But every time I looked at the word, I read it as Titania. Titania's human alter ego is named Anastasia. Did you get the idea for Titania's human form from these two sisters?

---Ytt

Greg responds...

Not exactly.

I threw the name Anastasia into "Outfoxed" before I knew Titania and Fox's secrets.

But obviously, I got the name Anastasia from Anastasia Romanov. I didn't know she had an older sister named Tatiana. Cool, huh?

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Entity writes...

Hi Greg,

We've all been awaiting this ramble for a long time, and no doubt, the coming weeks will be VERY enjoyable. :)

CITY OF STONE, PT 1.

I'll admit to you that the opening terrorist sequence wasn't all that effective to me. It came off rushed. But it provided an excellent transition to Demona. And then... THE FLASHBACK. The first of many. My God, this was glorious. I always imagine that if I were to ever show off Gargoyles to someone new in under 5 minutes I'd show them this flashback. Even though deductive reasoning filled the holes that this flashback does in, it was still such an experience actually seeing it take place, like witnessing history. The Wyvern Massacre was the defining moment of the series. And now, to see the behind-the-scenes was breathtaking beyond description. Demona's tearful turn to stone, then horrific discovery at sundown were amazing. That 'blood-curdle' music is just great, too.

Let's see, I can't go on like this with every scene, so I'll try to sum up from here.

You mentioned it was originally going to be a three-parter. Allow me to accidentally spit my drink all over my keyboard at reading that. Even now, I think about how much better it could've told its story with five or even six parts. Just three? Impossible. There is so much jammed in there. Too much, really. I'm glad you're here for insight, because I'll be honest: I got scarcely any of what you had in mind for various characters' motivations and inter-relating. Everything was crunched to 'sound bites' and didn't get enough flesh for me to interpret what you were aiming for. Of course, I got all the necessary things needed to understand the flow of the story, but I regret not getting the rest...

This is completely random, but I just thought I'd say that when Macbeth removes his Hunter's Mask later, in Part 4 I think, I like how his hair was ruffled. A nice touch. Very appreciated.

Anyway, to do with Part 1, I have really one more comment. I think the "mistake" you made with the Weird Sisters in their portrayel in this multi-parter has to do with just one key scene... aww, crap, here I go referring all the way to Part 4 again. Oh well, the scene in question is the very end, the "they are our responsibility... our children... that is a story for another day" scene. Up until then, I believe our impression of the Sisters was of benevolent helpers, like you wanted us to believe, according to your memos. However, in this scene, they suddenly "reveal" that they actually had a reason for helping them. That there is a greater design. That Demona and Macbeth have destinies to fulfill. I, and I'm sure most other people, suddenly got insanely excited thinking that D&M were going to be instrumental in saving the world from some great prophecy or something. But as it turns out, it's just a petty strike on an island...

Just my take. (I'd be interested - if this doesn't sound like me usurping your forum, Greg - in what others' takes were.)

Lastly, I just thought I'd mention that, ironically, I was talking with a friend this morning about the play Macbeth. I mentioned Gargoyles and off-handedly about its superior historical accuracy, to which Friend reponded that Macbeth, the play, was fiction. I insisted there really was a Macbeth and Duncan, but he was convinced otherwise. Interesting, huh?

Of course, I myself thought it was all made-up by you and the makers of the show till I looked it up in my Encyclopedia, to see what kind of historical "damage" you were doing in drawing these elaborate tales set in real countries' pasts... heh.

Greg responds...

Again, the sisters have many aspects. Like the moon. Vengeance was certainly one. Petty vengeance at that. But they have other motivations as well. That is a story for another day.

(And I'm always interested in other takes. I welcome them here.)

As to Macbeth and the legends/history, we always tried to be as accurate as we could. Not necessarily out of benevolence, but because the truth, when mixed with our gargs, made for such GREAT stories!

You're friend needs to be dragged into a library. It never bothers me when people don't know things. But it sure is disturbing when they're positive they know something and they're wrong.

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

matt writes...

in "Future Tense" Puck tells Goliath that he can't take the Gate from him, Goliath has to give it to him. Does this rule apply to other magical talismans? if so, how did Odin manage to snatch the Eye of Odin from Goliath in the form of a polar bear in "Eye of the Storm"?

Greg responds...

It was his eye.

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Dracolich writes...

Hello again.

After checking a great website called Encyclopedia Mythica (probably the most extensive list of mythology) I discovered an interesting tidbit on a being that might make the unusual depiction of the Banshee in the Garg universe understandible. The creature there is called a Baobhan Sith, and on a different webpage, it is considered to be another name for the Banshee.
This being is supposed to be a fairy-vampire. Interesting to note that it is supposed to wear green clothes, like the Banshee of the series. Interesting.

Greg responds...

Yeah.

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

Basilisk writes...

Idiot question:

You know that Phoebe, Luna, and Selene are all personifications of the moon? Not to mention epithets of Artemis/Diana.

Well, you MUST know, seeing as you named these three extremely ethereal-celestial sisters. A very nice touch, by the way.

Greg responds...

Thanks. And, yes, I knew. Know. Whatever.

Response recorded on February 01, 2001

Bookmark Link

(The Guppi) writes...

What kind of bed does Owen have? (silly question)

Greg responds...

Whatever kind he feels like having at any given moment.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

Corrine Blaquen writes...

I was reading through the archives, and I came across a memo about THE MIRROR. It said that you needed to establish a race for Puck to belong to so he isn't mistaken for a demon. You also said you needed to come up with a name for that race. My question is why did you not go simply with the term 'Fairy'? Puck is from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, a member of Oberon's race, and he is described as the King of the Fairies. What made you not use this moniker for the third race?

Greg responds...

Honestly, because of the perjorative connotations attached to that word in common speech.

I find it frustrating, that I have to consider such things, but I felt that using that term would be more distracting than helpful.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

(The Guppi) writes...

On the same astronomy tack, how do Oberon, Titania, and Puck feel about their namesake planetary satellites? The three are moons of Uranus (offering not a few opportunies for low humor), all of which are named after famous Shakespearean characters. Appropriately enough, 'Titania' and 'Oberon' are the largest in mass, with 'Puck' being the largest of the small inner moons. (Titania is actually ~4.6e20 kg heavier than Oberon -- not that that means anything. :P)

Greg responds...

I would think Titania finds it amusing. Puck too.

I'm not sure Oberon knows. But I'd guess he likes tributes of all kinds.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

(The Guppi) writes...

Hello again, Greg. Did you manage to catch the partial solar eclipse on the 25th? There wasn't really much to see this far out west, but it was pretty cool to watch on television. On to my vaguely related question, then... Are the Weird Sisters' powers tied to the phases of the moon?

Greg responds...

I basically missed the eclipse.

Sort of.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Have you already planned exactly how Mab escapes?

Greg responds...

Not the little details, but the basics, yes.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

How does Odin feel about the fact that he's no longer worshipped as a god (at least, not on the level that he was back in the Viking Age)?

Greg responds...

I think he likes to think that he's generally at peace with it.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Somebody recently asked you who Anubis's parents are, and you said that you didn't know. According to my memory (which may be a little inaccurate, admittedly), in Egyptian mythology, Anubis was the child of Osiris by Nephythys (Set's wife).

Of course, that may not quite be the case in the Gargoyles Universe, since legends don't always necessarily match up to truth. (Some of the pre-Shakespearean legends about Oberon make him the son of Julius Caesar and Morgan le Fay, which obviously isn't the case in the Gargoyles Universe, given that:

a. we already know that Oberon's mother is Queen Mab rather than Morgan le Fay.
b. While we don't know who Oberon's father was, he obviously wasn't a human (I can't imagine Oberon having a drop of mortal blood in him), which Caesar was.
c. Julius Caesar was assassinated about five hundred years before Morgan le Fay's birth - assuming that she was indeed born in the 5th century A.D., as per tradition - making any union between them chronologically impossible - not to mention the further chronological muddle of both of them post-dating Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding).

Greg responds...

Yeah, the whole son of Caesar and Morgan thing doesn't work for me AT ALL.

As for Anubis, I'll take your word for that FOR NOW. If and when it comes up for story reasons, I'll do some more research, and reach my own conclusions.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Do the fae have a strong magnetic sense?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure what that means.

Response recorded on January 26, 2001

Bookmark Link

Andrew Hume writes...

1) When the Archmage used the Eye Of Odin, the Phinex Gate, and the Grimorum was he more powerful than the Weird Sisters.

2) In Avalon part 2, the future Archmage told the past Archmage to use Avalon as a base for when he took over the world. If the wierd sisters found out about this would they have become enemies of the Archmage.

Greg responds...

1. Largely.

2. No, not when they were in erinyes mode.

Response recorded on January 17, 2001

Bookmark Link

City of Stone Outline Notes

Since I just did my ramble on City of Stone, Part One, I thought I'd reprint the "memo" on that episode. Actually, it's a memo on all four episodes. My "NOTES ON OUTLINE" to Michael Reaves. Michael's story was a three-parter and we were still hoping to turn City of Stone into a home video, so I expanded it to a four parter.

Greg Weisman 7-12-94

NOTES ON OUTLINE for "City of Stone"
O.K. O.K. I changed a lot. (Less than you probably think, but a lot.) You gave me great raw material, but I wanted to focus it more. Also since you wrote the three-part outline, this movie thing came up. Gary's informed me that they can sell it better if it's more in the 75 - 80 minute range. That freed me up to add a little more material for clarity. If we don't use it as a video, we'll make it a 4-parter instead of three. If it turns out short, we can add the bit about "Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane", which I've left out for now. We discussed some of the other changes at our lunch with Frank. But I'll reiterate them, and the reasons why, below.

General Notes...

Weird Sisters - The more I thought about this story, the more I came to believe that the Sisters were the key to cracking it open. Currently their role is limited, and yet they are the only characters who could see the whole picture. I definitely wanted to expand their role, particularly in the 20th century segments. But as I worked on achieving that goal, I realized that I wasn't clear on their motivation. I'd be happy to take you through all my thinking (there are probably two or three good story ideas in the stuff I rejected for the Sisters), so if you're ever curious, let me know. But cutting to the chase, here is what I wound up with...

Presentation: The three sisters (Phoebe, Seline and Luna) will always be depicted as triplets and female. The only physical distinction will be their hair color. Phoebe has golden hair, Seline has black hair, Luna has silver hair. (The same voice actress will play all three parts.) The three will rarely be seen apart. These will be the consistent visual (and aural) elements that will allow us to recognize them, because otherwise their appearance will vary from scene to scene, and sometimes within scenes. In the eleventh century, Macbeth sees them as old human crones, but Demona would see them as three old female gargoyles, even if they're both looking at them simultaneously. In the twentieth century, they might appear as three fashion model types in modern clothes. In our opening sequence Goliath will see them as three strange little nine year old girls. When speaking to others they present a united front. But personality-wise, particularly for conversations between themselves, I'd like to give them subtle differences. Phoebe is optimistic and cheerful. Seline is a cold realist. Luna is spiritual and distant.

Motivation: The sisters work hard to put Demona and Macbeth together in the eleventh century: to save them both, to hook them up and then to secretly add in the immortality thing. WHY? Obviously, they need these two for something. Something that isn't going to happen for centuries, or else why make them immortal. The obvious answer seemed to me to be the attack on Avalon. The sisters need powerful foot soldiers to attack Avalon for their master (probably a reworked Archmage [David Warner]). For a reason to be figured out later, the master won't be ready to attack until 1996. So the Sisters have time to plan ahead. They've decided that Macbeth and Demona would make the perfect foot soldiers. So they create immortal warriors who they then let walk around for a millennium. D & M become embittered and borderline nuts. Vulnerable to the Sisters machinations. Demona's "City of Stone" thing falls right into their hands. We have to assume that the Master is almost ready to attack Avalon. Time for the Sisters to take direct control of D & M. But over the millennium, D & M have become pretty savvy magically. It makes them more useful to the sisters but harder to control. The sisters help Goliath and Xanatos defeat Demona and Macbeth in this story so that they will be weak, defeated and vulnerable to the Sister's control.

Revelation: The cool thing is we don't have to reveal hardly any of the above in this story. In fact, we can almost present the exact opposite face. In the eleventh century sequences the Sisters will seem to really help the sympathetic Macbeth and largely sympathetic Demona defeat the nasty Gillecomgain and Duncan. In the 20th century sequences, they will help Goliath defeat Demona and Macbeth, and will again seem like three really useful ladies. There's no need to mention the master, the plan or Avalon. Our audience will think these three are great. Then if/when we get to do the Avalon story, we'll reveal the truth. The audience will hate them more cuz they'll feel as used and manipulated as Demona and Macbeth and Goliath, etc. were. The most we'll do is leave D & M under the Sisters' power at the end. We won't even hint at their malevolence.

Macbeth - Mac was great in the eleventh century stuff, but he and Xanatos seemed redundant in the present. I think we need to get clearer on his present motivation as well. Xanatos wants to save his city. I don't think Mac cares. Think of him as a nihilist. Past caring about anything. He wants Demona for the reasons we've already discussed. He's not interested in helping Manhattan. He's not part of the solution. He's a wild card who should in effect be part of the problem. We should see that immortality has done about the same to his disposition as it did to Demona's. He's honorable, but only up to a point. Reference his first appearance... he wouldn't attack the gargoyles as stone statues, but he had no compunction against kidnapping them to lure Demona to him. That's a fairly skewed definition of honor. Frankly, this yarn is more Macbeth's story than anyone's. We take him from youth to immortality. Through and beyond his entire natural lifespan. He's the one who learns something: Life is precious; vengeance and death accomplish nothing. Demona never learns this lesson. And Goliath really already new it. So we should emphasize the theme with Macbeth as much as possible. In many ways, he's carrying the emotional and thematic weight of our story.

Macbeth & Demona's Link - From 1040 on, neither can die unless both do simultaneously. If one kills the other, then both die. But if a third party tries to kill one without the other, then they both live. But there must be a penalty. I think they both feel each other's pain. (At least each other's physical pain.) We don't have to worry about cuts and scrapes, but any major blow that one feels, the other feels as well.

Reversing Demona's Spell - Since Mac won't be helping with a magical cure, I think we need another solution. (Kat Fair also pointed out that almost everyone would have their t.v.'s off and thus miss the counterspell.) I keep returning to the notion of a time limit to the spell that equates to "until Judgment Day". For our first spell, we had "until the castle rises above the clouds". From the Grimorum's point of view, that meant "until hell freezes over" or some equivalent. We can do the same thing here. Remember, Demona is getting this spell from a book that was written with no knowledge of modern science (let alone cartoon extrapalatory science). Heck it's in Latin. For example, "You will turn to stone at night until the seas boil and the skies burn." The solution to this is for Xanatos and Goliath to team up and find a way to make the seas boil and the skies burn, while simultaneously stopping Demona, saving the "statues" and dealing with Mac. That will focus their quest. It will also help give Xanatos something real to do. Only he has the technology to make the sky burn and the sea boil. I know you're concerned that this will be perceived by our audience as a cheat. We did the clever cheat once when we brought Goliath out of Demona's trance. But I see this as different. This equates with our original spell. The one that put our gargoyles to sleep for a thousand years. The solution was not a cheat. It took Xanatos' Herculean resources to match the spell's condition for reversal. The same can be true here. At first let's give the false impression that just by turning off Demona's broadcast, the spell will be reversed. Then when that fails, I'm gonna use the burning skies in what follows, but if you've got another idea for the spell's limit or reversal, that's cool. It's just a 'for instance'.

All them Scotsmen - A lot to keep track of. Let's simplify by focusing our villainy on Duncan & Gillecomgain. We won't ever see King Malcolm II. The nasty machiavellian thug Gillecomgain will work for the nasty machiavellian Prince Duncan, who later becomes the nasty machiavellian King Duncan. We will also introduce his young son Malcolm III, but we'll let him go by his alternate name Canmore so as not to confuse the audience. Canmore won't be evil, just misguided and righteous; he believes that Macbeth and Demona are evil. There are still a lot of characters, but subtracting Malcolm II will clean things up, I promise.

The Hunter - I've also added an element. The Mask of the Hunter. It belongs to Gillecomgain. After his death, Duncan takes it. After him, Canmore. In modern times, Macbeth will wear a modernized version of it. The identity of the Modern wearer will be a mystery to some of our audience until the end. Of course, anyone who saw "Enter Macbeth" will guess soon enough, but the Mask itself will carry frightening meaning -- the equivalent of a KKK hood -- and for those who guess it's Macbeth, the mystery will be why this Macbeth, who is so sympathetic in the past, would wear this horrible mask in the present. As we go through the eleventh century flashbacks chronologically, the conceit of the Hunter's mask will, I believe, help to focus our audience to differentiate between all the Scots, and even keep a few of them guessing as to the identity of the Modern Hunter.

Matt Bluestone - I definitely don't want Matt to have found out about the gargoyles in between the first and second seasons. He should be right where we left him. He knows they exist. He's seen them twice. But he doesn't know anything about them. And he certainly doesn't know that Elisa knows them. That's a great episode in and of itself. We don't want to toss it away in an off-hand line.

Flashbacks - I definitely want to intercut between the 10th/11th century sequences and the 20th century sequences. Without that intercutting, I'm afraid the two stories will seem largely unrelated. As often as possible, flashbacks should have a point of view: Demona's, Macbeth's or maybe the Weird Sisters', but they don't have to be presented to our other characters as stories unless that works in a given instance. Basically, we're using the same format that we used in "Long Way To Morning". Often the appearance of Demona, the Weird Sisters or the Mask of the Hunter will work as a convenient visual bridge between past and present.

Timeline - You may notice a few slight discrepancies here from the "Gargoyles Timeline" that you have. Here are the changes I made:
1. I placed Gillecomgain's birth at year @ 978 so that he would be @ 16 years old in 994 when he first meets Demona; @ 42 in 1020 when he kills Findlaech; and @ 54 in 1032 when he buys the farm.
2. I moved the wedding of Gillecomgain and Gruoch from 1030 (which was an approximate date anyway) to @ 1032, in order to compress events of that period into a more cohesive flashback.
3. Since I moved the wedding two years forward, I moved Luach's birth two years forward as well, from 1031 (another approximate date) to @ 1033. This makes Luach @ 7 years old in 1040 when his father becomes king; @ 24 in 1057 when he becomes king; @ 25 in 1058 when he is murdered.
You may want to note these changes on your timeline for future reference.

Demona - This yarn tells Demona's story. But she doesn't learn from it. We have to make sure that the audience is getting more than just a simple chronological depiction of her history. Since she doesn't learn the lessons of the past, we have to make doubly sure the audience does: Life is precious; vengeance and death accomplish nothing.

Goliath - Although this story belongs to our villains more than anyone, I think we need to thematically make it one of our leads as well. Goliath, obviously, gets the nod. Again, the theme is: Life is precious; vengeance and death accomplish nothing. If he forgets that, he will become like the villains he battles. "Every life is precious" applies to how he feels about all those human statues (particularly Elisa), but also -- and this is the key -- to how he feels about Demona, as well. Goliath has to work very hard to stop Demona, and then very, very hard to save her life. (Deep down, it may have something to do with her being the last female gargoyle that he knows about and/or their past relationship, but we can generalize to the notion of life's "preciousness".) The Weird Sisters can help reinforce this. (Of course, they're lying. They want Demona alive for their own personal use. But the message will sound right here.)

BEAT SHEET
1995
I. Hostage situation - Manhattan - Night.
A. ELISA & MATT outside.
B. LEAD TERRORIST inside says the cause means everything to her.
C. Our six Gargoyles take out terrorists.
1. GOLIATH approaches terrified Lead Terrorist.
a. Leader is willing to sacrifice her men to save herself.
b. Goliath is disgusted.
c. Leader flees and nearly gets herself killed.
d. Goliath saves her, almost despite himself.
D. Hostages are clearly more frightened of Gargoyles than terrorists.
1. Trio's frustration with ungrateful humans.
E. But three hostages approach Goliath.
1. We don't yet reveal that they are WEIRD SISTERS.
a. 3 nine-year old girls named PHOEBE, SELINE & LUNA.
b. Identical triplets except for hair color.
2. They are strangely unafraid of Goliath.
a. They comment on Lead Terrorist. Something like:
i. Seline: "The cause is everything until her own life
is threatened. But it's good you saved her."
ii. Phoebe: "If you forget what she has forgotten:
that every life is precious, you'll be no different
than she. "
iii. Goliath: "I'll never be like that terrorist."
iv. Luna: "We weren't talking about this terrorist."
3. Goliath looks at lead terrorist.
a. When he looks back, the Sisters have vanished.
b. This is strange. Who could they have been talking about?

II. DEMONA... wings through Manhattan skies - Night.
A. She clutches a torn piece of parchment.
B. Push in on her for flashback.

994
III. Wyvern Castle before the Massacre - Scotland - Night.
A. Repeat pp. 23-24 of 4319-001.
1. CAPTAIN & Demona try to convince Goliath to take all the
gargoyles to harry the Vikings away.
2. Instead Goliath assigns Demona to guard the castle with most of
the gargoyles.
3. Goliath leaves.
B. Demona & Captain discuss situation.
1. Original plan is blown.
a. HAKON would've attacked while gargoyles were away.
b. Gargoyles would have returned to human-free castle.
2. Captain reassures her that plan can still work.
a. He'll have Hakon attack during day.
b. Humans will still be dragged away.
3. Demona worries Gargoyles will be vulnerable.
a. Captain promises to protect them.
4. Demona agrees.

IV. Just before Sunrise - Wyvern. Demona is clearly antsy.
A. For a second she may consider revealing truth to PRE-COLDSTONE.
1. But she wimps out.
B. She takes off and hides in nearby woods or somewhere.
1. She turns to stone as the sun rises.

V. Smash Cut to sunset, she explodes out of her shell .
A. She rushes toward Castle which has clearly been sacked.
B. She sees dead gargoyle rubble.
C. She sees Goliath and HUDSON approach.
1. She can't face them and flees.
2. She's losing it. talking to herself.
a. She'll return later with some excuse.
b. He'll be so glad she's alive.

VI. She returns to castle and watches from a distance - Night.
A. Just in time to see Goliath in stone at night being placed on the castle.
1. Near the stone forms of Hudson, BROOKLYN, LEXINGTON,
BROADWAY & BRONX.
B. She watches KATHARINE, MAGUS, TOM and others leave.
1. They take wagon loads of Gargoyle eggs with them.
C. She takes off in opposite direction.

VII. Weeks later at a Scottish farmhouse, a starving Demona scavenges for food.
A. A sixteen year old boy [Gillecomgain] investigates the noise.
1. He holds a pitchfork, defensively.
B. Like a trapped animal, Demona slashes at him with her claws.
1. His face is hurt, but he falls back into the shadows, so we can't
see.
2. In the shadows, the boy's eyes glower at Demona accusatorily.
C. Demona flees, saying that'll teach those humans to betray us.

1995
VIII. Return to Present as Demona lands at Packmedia studio- Night.
A. XANATOS & OWEN are there.
1. All is ready. X had necessary equipment brought in & set up.
a. It can over-ride every broadcast channel in Manhattan.
i. Cable too.
B. She has the last stolen page from the Grimorum.
1. With it, she claims, she can steal time from other people.
a. This, she claims, is how she has remained immortal.
i. Stealing a little time at a time on a small scale.
C. By combining spell with broadcast technology...
1. They can steal one minute from the lives of everyone who watches broadcast.
2. She & X will share stolen time.
3. Given the number of people they'll reach, this'll keep them
young for a long while.
4. Spell will broadcast through the day
a. Culminate after sunset tomorrow.
i. Xanatos should return then.
D. Xan likes idea, but he's not without his suspicions.
1. Tells Owen to keep an eye on her.
2. Warns him not to simultaneously look AND listen to spellcast.
a. Xanatos leaves.
E. Demona videotapes spell.
1. Incantations; gestures; magical light show.
2. Owen listens but does not look.
a. He knows Latin and knows spell isn't what she claimed.
i. Don't tell audience what it is yet.
3. Owen puts up a good fight, but she takes him out.
a. She ties him up. Tapes his eyes open in front of monitor.
4. Puts tape in machine. Sets broadcast override. And leaves.

IX. Elisa's Apartment - Afternoon.
A. Elisa gets out of the shower and turns on t.v.
1. Remember, Elisa works the Nightwatch
a. She has slept thru the day's broadcast.
b. CAGNEY's present but ignores t.v.
2. Demona's tape plays spell over and over on t.v.
a. Elisa watches it, switching channels. But it's everywhere.
3. She plans on telling Gargoyles as soon as they wake up.
B. She heads for precinct.

X. Manhattan sidewalk - Afternoon.
A. Weird sisters watch Demona's broadcast in store window.
1. They appear to be three attractive NY fashion models.
2. A crowd of confused New Yorkers are also watching sets.
B. They discuss situation calmly.
1. Phoebe: "This is exciting. It's begins again."
2. Seline: "Concentrate, sister. Or it will all end here."
3. Luna: "There are no beginnings or endings."
a. "Remember -- it was only 975 years ago."
4. Or some such rot as they calmly walk away.
a. Tight on Demona's face on t.v. screen.

1020
XI. Dissolve to Demona's face, older, lined by time & hardship - Dunsinane,
Scotland - Night.
A. (She's biologically in her early 40's.)
B. Demona leads a small band of gargoyles in smash and grab.
1. She uses medieval human weapons.
C. Human soldiers curse gargoyles.
1. It won't be long before the "HUNTER" wipes them out.

XII. Demona & Co. return to their Cave on Lunfanan Hill - Night.
A. She makes sure that even the gargoyles who were too weak to
participate in the raid get food.
B. Establish that she's gathered last surviving gargoyles etc.
1. The Gargoyle-Hunter has hunted them to near extinction.
2. Demona keeps them alive by sheer force of will.
C. When another gargoyle suggests making peace with humans...
1. She takes him down brutally. (As she did with Owen above.)
2. She brooks no challenge to her authority.
D. Three old, female gargoyles (Weird Sisters) arrive.
1. Demona doesn't know them, but she has no reason to fear them.
2. Sisters have spotted the Hunter near Castle Moray.
3. Now's Demona's chance to get him.

XIII. FINDLAECH, High Steward of Moray, entertains at his castle - Night.
A. Also present is his fifteen year old son MACBETH.
1. There is a strong resemblance between father and son.
B. The guests are the beautiful young GRUOCH and BODHE, her Father .
1. Clear attraction between Gruoch & Macbeth.
C. Adults discuss Macbeth's cousin, PRINCE DUNCAN.
1. A flawed young man.
2. They have their doubts about his ability to someday rule.
3. But he is to be king someday. They are loyal.
D. Gruoch and her Father go up to bed.
1. Findlaech calls for servants to clean up dinner.
a. None answer his call.
E. The Hunter steps out of the shadows.
1. He wears a distinctive mask that completely covers his face.
a. Black with red claw marks painted across it.
b. Obviously, there are eye-holes, so he can see.
2. He attacks Findlaech. No explanation or reason.
a. There is a fight, but Findlaech is killed.
[Note: Adrienne is o.k. with this death. But not with the method depicted in the outline. It would be best if we could come up with some unique (and semi-fanciful) method of killing that we can use consistently throughout movie. Talk to me and/or her about this.]
F Upstairs, Gruoch hears the fighting and rushes to help.
1. Against her cowardly father's wishes.
G. Hunter goes to kill Macbeth when Demona arrives.
1. Fierce battle between Hunter and Demona.
2. At a crucial moment, Demona must choose between saving Mac and preventing the Hunter's escape.
3. Without thinking, she saves Mac, allowing Hunter to escape.
a. Perhaps Gruoch's concern for Mac touched some long buried feelings?
H. Mac & Gruoch are grateful, but Demona leaves, disgusted with herself.

XIV. 19 year old Prince Duncan paces the floors of Edinburgh Castle near dawn.
A. The Hunter enters by a secret door and is welcomed by Duncan.
1. Hunter removes mask.
2. His face has scars matching the painted claw marks of his mask.
a. We realize that this is the boy that Demona attacked in the
farmhouse, above.
3. He is identified as GILLECOMGAIN (age 42).
B. Gillecomgain reports that Findlaech is dead as ordered.
1. Though Mac lives.
C. Duncan is largely pleased.
1. Findlaech was popular.
2. With his support, Mac might have become King.
3. Without his father, Mac is just another poor relation.
D. As a reward, Duncan makes Gillecomgain the High Steward of Moray.
E. Duncan calls for a celebration.
1. Three serving wenches (the weird sisters) approach with a feast.
2. Tight in on Gillecomgain's discarded hunter's mask.

1995
XV. An unseen man watches Demona's broadcast, muted - late afternoon.
A. He puts on a modern version of the Hunter's mask.
1. (It has no visible eye-holes. It must use special one-way lenses).
B. This new HUNTER clicks off the t.v.
1. Note: This is MACBETH in his mansion, rebuilt since 4319-008.
a. He can be dressed in his modern battle armor and duster.
b. It's o.k. if many of our viewers realize it's him, we still
won't reveal it yet.

XVI. Elisa arrives at precinct house - just before sunset.
A. Precinct phones are ringing off the hook cuz of Demona.
1. Matt & MARIA CHAVEZ dealing with calls and complaints.
B. Elisa slips upstairs to be there when Gargoyles awaken.

XVII. Xanatos' castle near sunset.
A. He gets in his helicopter heading for Studio, with Derek at pilot.
1. Derek asks if Xanatos saw Gargoyle broadcast. (Derek saw it.) a. Xanatos made a point of skipping it.
B. Phone rings. It's Owen calling from Packmedia Studios at sunset. 1. Owen has just freed himself from his bonds.
2. Owen turns to stone before he can say anything too revealing.
C. Suddenly, the copter starts to drop.
1. Derek has turned to stone next to Xanatos.
2. Chopper's going down.

XVIII. At clock tower, the Gargoyles explode out of their shells and come to life.
A. They move inside, ignorant of the day's events.
B. Elisa's "statue" stands just inside of the clock face.

[If and/or when we divide into multiple parts, I think this is where part one ends.]

1. They don't realize the statue is Elisa.
2. They assume it's a statue of her.
a. Keep in mind that gargoyles (except Goliath) haven't seen
each other as stone, because they are always stone at the same time.
3. But how did statue get here?
4. Who else but Elisa would leave it?
5. Why would Elisa give them a statue of herself?
6. And why wouldn't she wait to see their reaction?
7. And if it wasn't her, who left this here and how and why? Etc.
C. Only Goliath has seen his friends as stone.
1. He doesn't necessarily state his fear. But he's uneasy.
2. He assigns Hudson and Bronx to guard the statue.
3. He and the trio will patrol the city, as usual.

XIX. Xanatos fights to save his life.
A. Pulls chopper out of dive and brings it in for rough landing.
1. Any landing you can walk away from, hmm, Derek?
2. Derek doesn't answer. At least he's unchipped.
B. Xanatos looks around him. Everywhere people are "stoned".
1. Obviously, Demona and he need to have a little talk.
2. Pulls a mega-weapon out of the first aid kit or whatever.
3. Heads off to PackMedia Studio on foot.

XX. Goliath & Trio patrol the night skies.
A. From a height, everything seems peaceful at first.
B. But eventually they discover the "stone" populace.
1. Maybe a single blind man & his seeing-eye dog are unaffected.
a. Brooklyn talks to blind man over the barking of dog.
i. Dog is freaked out by gargoyles, not "statuary".
ii. Man doesn't realize he's talking to gargoyles.
b. Gargoyles learn about broadcast from blind guy.
i. He heard it and was told about it, but didn't see it.
ii. Gargoyles figure out the truth (including Elisa).
iii. Brooklyn is furious at Demona as usual.
c. They tell the blind man he'd better stick close to home.
C. Goliath says they'll have to split up to find Demona.
1. Brooklyn will stay with him.
a. Goliath's afraid Brooklyn's a loose cannon.
2. As for Broadway and Lex...
a. He tells them to stop by clock tower.
i. Fill Hudson in.
ii. Send him and Bronx off as a third team.
b. Broadway worries about leaving Elisa unattended.
i. G: "She's as safe in the tower as anywhere."
c. The priority now is finding Demona.
i. Lex: "But How?"
ii. Goliath is afraid that, unfortunately, finding her
will be all too easy.

XXI. On Manhattan streets we follow a highly visible trail of rubble and destruction...
A. To Demona, who is having a grand old time with the "stoners".
1. Here she blasts one with a laser-cannon.
2. There she smashes one with a medieval mace.
3. She's practically giddy, talking to herself and the "stoners".
B. She remembers her appointment with Xanatos at the studio.
1. Can't let him turn off the broadcast.
2. She heads off with impunity in that direction, continuing the
destruction as she goes.

XXII. The New Hunter [Macbeth] is flying his hover-jet through NY's night
skies.
A. Demona's broadcast silently plays over and over on a small monitor.
B. A computer voice tells us that it is tracking the t.v. override signal.
C. Soon. He says. Soon. Fade into flashback.

1032
XXIII. Dunsinane, Near Moray -- The Original Hunter [Gillecomgain -- age 54,
but still as fit as any warrior] battles Demona (age 47).
A. It could go either way, but the sun is rising and she must flee.
B . Both swear to finish it later.

XXIV. At Castle Moray, Macbeth (age 27) and Gruoch's Father converse.
A. Mac can't believe that Bodhe is marrying his daughter off to
Gillecomgain.
1. He threatens to run away with Gruoch.
B. Bodhe protests.
1. Prince Duncan has ordered the marriage.
2. If they defy the Prince, it's equivalent to capital treason.
a. There'll be no safe place for them to run.
i. Which is fine for Macbeth, but think of my
daughter.

XXV. Mac & Gruoch rendezvous on Lunfanan hill as planned to run away.
A. But Mac is distant, unfeeling, unloving.
1. Tells Gruoch to marry Gillecomgain but won't give real reason.
a. Because he knows she would risk anything for him.
B. She's clearly devastated by his cold dismissiveness. (So's he.)

XXVI. The Wedding of Gillecomgain & Gruoch at Castle Moray.
A. Macbeth lurks in the back.
B. Prince Duncan (age 31) is there.
1. He's showing off his one year old son PRINCE CANMORE.
C. Maybe Gruoch's bridesmaids are the Weird Sisters.
D. After the ceremony, Duncan & Gillecomgain confab.
1. Duncan wants Gillecomgain to tie up the last loose end.
a. Kill my cousin Macbeth.
2. But Macbeth is Gille's insurance.
a. Mac's an heir to the crown and popular.
b. If Duncan gets out of line, Gill will reveal that Duncan
ordered Findlaech's death.
i. Which cousin will wind up King then?
3. Duncan is major league steamed.

XXVII. Macbeth is summoned to Prince Duncan at Edinburgh.
A. Baby Canmore plays nearby.
B. Duncan plays Mac like a lute.
1. He's just discovered something truly shocking and horrible.
2. He knows who the mysterious Hunter is...
a. The man who killed your father...
b. It's Gillecomgain.
3. Duncan laments that Gil fooled him completely.
4. Oh, if only Gillecom were gone, Duncan would:
a. Give Macbeth his rightful title: High Steward of Moray.
b. Give him Gruoch's hand in marriage.
5. But Duncan doesn't dare attack Gille openly.
a. It could start a civil war between Moray and rest of
Scotland. All would suffer.
6. Duncan shakes his head. What can be done?

XXVIII. At Moray, in a scene parallel to the death of Findlaech:
A. Macbeth steps out of the shadows to battle Gille.
B. Gruoch hears fight and comes downstairs.
C. Gill is ready to kill Gruoch to save himself.
1. He taunts paralyzed Mac.
2. He slips on the Hunter mask as final insult.
D. But Demona is here watching.
1. She had been tipped off by Weird Sisters again.
2. She didn't know which of them was the Hunter.
E. Tables turn. Mac rescues Gruoch while Dem fights Hunter.
1. Maybe in here, Gil reveals to her that he was the boy she scarred
for life.
F. Mac rescues Demona in some way.
G. Gille/Hunter buys the farm in some way.
1. Preferably by whatever method Gill used on Findlaech.
H. There is a brief moment of respect between Mac & Demona.
1. Then off she goes.

XXIX. Outside Castle Moray just after the wedding of Macbeth and Gruoch.
A. Prince Duncan puts on the Hunter's mask himself.
1. There will always be a Hunter, he says to his baby son.
a. The boy is attended by the Weird Sisters.
2. And there will always be the Hunted.

1995
XXX. Manhattan/Night. Goliath and Brooklyn come across Demona's trail of
human rubble.
A. Goliath and Brooklyn are devastated.
1. This reminds them of the massacre at Wyvern.
2. Goliath: "Every life is precious."
3. Brooklyn hates Demona. "This could be Elisa."
4. Goliath erupts. NEVER!!
5. Goliath swears to put an end to Demona's evil once and for all.
B. Suddenly, three stone figures begin to speak to Goliath without
transforming back from stone -- very spooky.
1. The Weird Sisters as speaking stone versions of the nine-year old
girls that Goliath met earlier.
2. They agree that Demona must be stopped.
3. But they remind him of his own words -- every life is precious.
a. Stop her, but don't become like her.
b. Vengeance begets nothing but a vicious cycle of further
vengeance.
4. They advise him to follow the trail of rubble.
5. Then they crumble into rubble themselves.
C. Goliath and Brooklyn follow trail of rubble.

XXXI. Xanatos & Demona arrive at PackMedia almost simultaneously.
A. Xanatos is determined to turn off broadcast.
B. Demona is determined to stop him.
C. Big fight. (Stone Owen at risk.)
D. The New Hunter [Macbeth arrives].
1. Just seeing that mask drives Demona to fury.
2. But she's not nuts, she flees.
3. Hunter fires off a cable attachment that wraps around her ankle.
4. As she flies off, he holds on by cable -- determined.
E. All this allows Xan to shut down broadcast.
1. He expects Owen to turn back to flesh.
2. Owen does not.

XXXII. In the skies above Manhattan, the Hunter tries to hold on and nail
Demona.
A. Big aerial sequence.
B. Ultimately, Demona shakes him (roughly) and flees.
1. Let's subtly indicate somewhere in here that when one is hurt
both feel pain.
C. He summons his hover-thing. He hasn't given up.

XXXIII. Goliath and Brooklyn arrive at PackMedia Studio.
A. They find Xanatos (and stone Owen) and evidence of battle.
B. Goliath is accusatory, but Xan disarms him by copping to his mistake.
1. "Do you want vengeance...or a solution?"
C. They declare a temporary truce and form an uneasy alliance.
1. They shake on it.

[And this is where Part II would end if and/or when it becomes a Multi-Parter.]

XXXIV. Morning at clock Tower. Elisa transforms back to flesh and blood.
A. Note: she does not explode out of stone shell. She transforms back.
1. Difference between Gargoyles organic process and her magical
one.
B. She has no idea what happened to her.
1. But "two seconds ago" it was sunset.
2. Now it's sunrise and the gargoyles have vanished.
3. Did she lose the entire night?
4. She exits clock tower.

XXXV. Back at the Studio, Owen has transformed to Flesh in front of Xanatos.
A. Xan starts to explain what happened to Owen.
1. But Owen's figured it out.
2. So Xan tells Owen about Gargoyle alliance.
a. Good. Owen suggests searching Grimorum for
counterspell.
b. No good. Even if there's one in there none of us "good
guys" knows how to use magic.
3. Xanatos asks Owen for the exact terms of spell.
a. Owen translates from Latin:
i. "You will turn to stone each night until the sky
catches fire."
4. Xanatos: "Then we'll just have to set the sky ablaze."
a. "Hurry. We've only got 12 hours."

XXXVI. TRAVIS MARSHALL reports.
A. People are panicked.
B. The mysterious broadcast has ceased.
C. But most everyone in the city, including this reporter, has no memory
of the past night.
D. He interviews hysterical woman who claims everyone turned to stone.
2. Incidentally, she missed the broadcast. Doesn't watch t.v.
a. Therefore, she must be crazy.
E. Experts theorize mass hypnosis?

XXXVII. New Hunter [Macbeth] watches report.
A. He can't believe Demona slipped through his grasp again.
B. Fade into flashback.

1040
XXXVIII. The royals hike leisurely up Lunfanan Hill on a gloomy, foggy
morning.
A. Duncan (age 39) is there. He is now High KING of Scotland.
1. With him is his son Prince Canmore (age 9).
B. Macbeth (age 35) is also there with his son LUACH (age 7).
C. All are trying to make nice.
D. Duncan nearly falls to his death. Macbeth saves him.
E. Duncan is more stunned at Mac's loyalty than grateful.
1. He tells Mac he had his doubts, but now he's convinced Mac's a
loyal subject.
F. Suddenly, they come upon cave of stone gargoyles including Demona.
G. Duncan goes to destroy them starting with Demona.
H. Macbeth intervenes; pleads for them.
1. Duncan reluctantly acquiesces.
a. Doesn't like it, but the guy did just save his life.
I. They start down the mountain.
J. They meet the Weird Sisters in their Old Crone Shakespearean guise.
1. "Double, double toil and trouble: Fire burn; and cauldron
bubble."
2. The Weird Sisters hail all four of them as Kings of Scotland.
3. Macbeth protests. Duncan is king.
a. Sisters: King now. But each of you shall be king in turn.
b. Mac: Certainly Prince Canmore, but not him & Luach...
c. Sisters: We have spoken.
K. The sisters vanish.
1. The two boys look at each other suspiciously.
2. Macbeth tries to write it off as nonsense.
3. Duncan (who's been quiet) agrees.
a. But we can see he's already plotting. Dissolve...

XXXIX Lunfanan again, later that day, with Duncan and some men.
A. Suspicious of Macbeth's relationship to the gargoyles.
B. He plans on attacking Macbeth with his army.
1. Doesn't want gargoyles to help Macbeth.
C. Hates to attack so near to sunset, but tomorrow he might not be able to
find them.
D. He puts on the Hunter's mask.
E. He gets up mountain in time to destroy maybe one or two gargoyles.
F. But the sun sets and Demona (age 51) and the others explode to life.
1. Still, all Demona can do is flee with her band.
2. She's getting old, weak.
a. Who will lead after she's gone?
b. If only there were some way to regain her strength and
youth.
i. She must seek the Weird Sisters.

XL. Castle Moray. Old Bodhe warns Macbeth that Duncan's bringing an
army.
A. Macbeth has his loyal retainers, but they can't defeat Duncan.
B. He can't protect his family.
C. Old Bodhe (cowardly as ever) suggests Mac surrender.
1. If he does, Duncan might spare Luach and the rest.
D. Macbeth agrees.
1. He says a cryptic "I love you" to wife and child and rides away.

XLI. Night in the misty wilderness. Lost, Macbeth and Demona stumble upon
each other.
A. Mac begs Demona to help him defend his family.
1. He promises to help her keep the gargoyles safe.
2. She's heard that before. What guarantee does she have?
B. Suddenly, the Weird Sisters appear from the mist.
1. We see that Mac sees them as Old Human Crones.
2. While Demona simultaneously sees them as Gargoyle crones.
C. Sisters suggest an act of good faith. Is there anything Demona wants?
1. Demona wants youth.
2. Would Mac be willing to trade?
3. Anything to save his family.
D. Sisters arrange trade. Magic light show, incantations and morphing.
1. Demona becomes the young Demona we are familiar with.
a. A permanent change from this point on.
2. Mac becomes the older Macbeth we are familiar with.
a. From this point on, he's permanently in his early fifties.
3. Any of our audience that speaks Latin will learn about the
immortality link.
E. Sisters send the new allies off with one last tidbit:
1. "Duncan gave Gillecomgain all his orders."

XLII. Bothgoanan, Scotland. Night. Mac's forces and Duncan's are ready to
battle.
A. Calm before storm. Gruoch and Luach are there.
1. She touches Mac's grey hair gently.
2. She's afraid he made a bad deal.
B. Demona enters tent. It is time.
C. Old Bodhe takes Gruoch and the boy behind the lines to safety.
D. Mac and Demona go to join there forces and face the enemy.

XLIII. The Battle of Bothgoanan. Night.
A. With the gargoyles help, Mac's forces are winning.
1. Mac calls admiringly to Demona: "You fight like a demon!"
B. Duncan is killed in some way. (Preferably the same way Find & Gil
bought it.)
1. Hunter's mask is found as evidence he was responsible for
Findlaech's death.
2. Macbeth is hailed as new High King of Scotland.
C. Prince Canmore is brought forward.
1. Old Bodhe urges the young boy's death.
2. Macbeth refuses. He will banish the boy.
a. Send him to stay with relatives in England.
b. No one notices that Canmore steals the Hunter's mask.

XLIV. The coronation of Macbeth at Scone. Night.
A. Demona, Luach, Gruoch and Old Bodhe are all there and happy.
B. Macbeth makes Demona his primary advisor.
1. He promises a golden age in human/gargoyle relations.
2. He promises that the humans will learn to respect her.
a. She'd rather be feared.
b. Mac: "They'll do that too... 'Demona'"
i. She likes her new name.
3. The happy golden age begins.
a. Everyone cheers. Humans and gargoyles alike.
b. The Weird Sisters, disguised as serving women, smile.

1995
XLV. Precinct, late afternoon. The Weird Sisters, disguised as cops, help out cheerfully amid the panic.
A. Elisa confers with Matt and Maria.
1. FCC has tracked down source of Broadcast.
a. Packmedia Studios show signs of conflict, but no hard
leads.
b. But Elisa knows who owns Packmedia.
i. But she's not saying anything 'til she knows the
extent of gargoyles involvement.

XLVI. In the Great Hall of Xanatos' Castle before sunrise, Owen and Xanatos (in
his armor sans helmet for the time being) are hard at work.
A. They are outfitting all of the Steel Clan robots with special packs.
1. Including Xanatos' own armor.
2. They have extra packs for the gargoyles who should arrive just
after sunset.
3. The audience doesn't yet know what the packs are for.
4. There's a lot of other temporary equipment set up, as well.
B. Elisa arrives ready to blame Xanatos for everything.
1. Owen: "Mr. Xanatos is trying to fix things. What are you
doing to help?!"
C. Before she can answer, the sun goes down.
1. Owen and Elisa turn to stone.
2. X: "That's one way to settle an argument."
D. All six of our gargoyles arrive.
1. Hudson & Broadway carry Bronx between them.
E. Xanatos explains plan.
1. Steel Clan Robots, Gargoyles and Xan will fly in pre-arranged pattern over the island of Manhattan.
2. They will carry packs that will distribute a harmless gas.
3. At a pre-set time, the packs will explode, igniting gas.
a. A time-counter on the computer screen indicates the time
before detonation.
b. Obviously, by that time, Xanatos & gargoyles must be out
of the upper atmosphere and clear of their packs.
c. Xanatos' robots will be sacrificed to ignite gas.
4. For ten seconds the entire sky will appear to be on fire.
5. Hopefully that will break the spell.
F. Sometime during all this, Bronx starts clawing at a tapestry.
1. Xanatos tells Brooklyn it's worth a hundred grand.
2. Brooklyn shoos Bronx away.
3. A distracted Goliath sees none of this.
4. Make sure this isn't too obvious a foreshadowing.
5. Let's loose track of Bronx after this for awhile.
G. Everything's ready. Xanatos puts on his helmet.
1. Goliath approaches Elisa. This has to work.
H. Steel Clan, Xanatos, Hudson, Trio and Goliath take off with packs.
1. Keep Bronx out of sight and out of mind for now.

XLVII. Steel Clan, Xanatos and gargoyles criss-cross the night sky distributing
the gas.

XLVIII. Back in Great Hall, a panel slides open behind Tapestry.
A. Demona steps out.
1. There are secrets about castle that even Xanatos doesn't know.
2. She can use computer set up to spoil Xanatos' plans.
3. But first she's gonna have some fun.
a. She approaches Elisa's stone form with her mace.
b. Didn't know this meddling human was still alive.
i. That can be rectified.

[And this ends part 3, if and/or when we go to four parts.]

B. Bronx intervenes between Demona and stone Elisa.
C. Demona temporarily backs off. She talks in a soothing voice, but:
1. She approaches computer terminal.
2. She reprograms gas-packs to explode early.
a. The computer screen time counter skips ahead quickly.
b. Xanatos & Gargoyles will die in explosion.
i. Intercut to Xan, gargs and robots in sky.
c. Not enough gas will be released to ignite the sky.
d. Then she'll use her laser-cannon to blow away Bronx,
Owen and especially Elisa.
e. Then there'll be no one left to stop her.
D. "What about me?", The Modern Hunter [Macbeth] steps out of the
shadows.
1. In a frozen city, it wasn't hard to spot all those robots and
gargoyles taking off from the world's tallest building.
2. He decided to investigate and found exactly who he was looking
for.
E. But Demona has already reprogrammed the computer access code.
1. It's too late to save the gargoyles and the city.
a. She presses a last button, locking out access to the
computer.
b. The time counter returns to a normal pace.
c. But a lot of time has been shaved off the countdown
before the pre-mature explosion of the gas-packs.
2. The Hunter doesn't care about any of that.
3. He just wants it over between them.

1057
XLIX. At Dunsinane, the Hunter [Canmore -- age 26] leads English soldiers.
A. He is met by Demona leading a combined platoon of gargoyles and
human Scottish soldiers.
B. It's maybe a minor victory for the Hunter; more of a stalemate, really.
C. Demona leaves to inform Macbeth.
1. Demona's still confident that together, she and Mac can put
these English down & destroy the accursed Hunter for good.
a. We get sense that Mac's golden age has been working.
b. We've never seen Demona so happy and at peace with
herself.

L. Castle Moray. Macbeth confers with Old Bodhe and Luach (now age 24).
A. Macbeth wants to know why Bodhe wanted to meet without Demona.
B. Bodhe explains that the Hunter has convinced the English that Mac is
evil because Mac associates with gargoyles.
1. English got rid of their gargoyles long ago.
C. If Mac gets rid of the gargoyles, the Hunter will lose his English
support.
D. Luach can't believe his father is listening to this crap.
1. Luach's about to leave to fetch reinforcements.
2. They haven't lost. There's no need to betray their gargoyle
friends.
E. But Macbeth says a wise king must consider all his options and then
make the correct choice.
1. He doesn't let us in on his choice.
F. And he doesn't realize that Demona has heard the whole thing.
1. She's sure Mac is going to betray the gargoyles.

LI. Demona approaches the Hunter in his camp.
A. She promises to keep her gargoyles out of his battle against Mac if the
Hunter will promise them protection.
B. He agrees.

LII. At Castle Moray, the Hunter launches his attack.
A. Macbeth is suddenly informed that the gargoyles are missing.
1. He's based his defense strategy on their aid.
a. The gargoyles were supposed to help hold off the English.
b. Long enough for Luach to launch a surprise counter-
attack with reinforcements from behind.
B. The battle is lost before Luach can arrive.
C. Gruoch begs Mac to flee with her, and he reluctantly does.
1. They take a pre-arranged escape route.

LIII. But on Lunfanan Hill, The Hunter is waiting for Mac & Gru with Demona.
A. Hunter takes off his mask, revealing himself as Canmore.
1. He is here to avenge his father Duncan and take back what he
considers to be his rightful crown.
B. Macbeth is stunned at Demona's betrayal.
1. But she knows Mac was planning to betray her first.
2. He furiously denies it, and while they fight...
C. Canmore kills Macbeth.
1. Demona doubles over with pain and seems to die as well.
2. As Gruoch cries over her husband...
3. Canmore confirms his belief that Demona & Mac were linked by
sorcery.
a. If one dies, both die.
b. Well, Canmore says, she betrayed Macbeth.
c. She ultimately would have betrayed me as well.
d. So it's a good thing I had all her gargoyles secretly
destroyed.
e. Hers was an unholy race and didn't deserve to live.
D. An Englishman alerts Canmore that Luach has arrived with Scottish
reinforcements.
1. He performs the better part of valor and retreats for now.
E. Luach and Old Bodhe arrive and find Gruoch crying over Macbeth.
1. The horrible sight makes Luach more determined than ever to
stop the English.
2. Even Bodhe's courage finally seems to awaken inside him.
a. He takes Macbeth's crown and gives it to Luach.
b. Luach is the new High King of Scotland.
c. Together, they will fight the English to the last man.
3. Gruoch asks for some time alone. Her father and son depart.
F. Weird Sisters appear in their Old Crone guise.
1. They approach Demona.
a. "The pain is great, child."
b. "But you are unharmed."
c. "Waken to the fate you've made for yourself."
2. Demona stirs.
a. Gruoch, still furious at Demona's betrayal.
i. She tells Demona that Canmore betrayed her.
ii. "Your people are gone, monster."
iii. "You are the last of your duplicitous race."
iv. Or something like that.
3. Demona flies off alone.
G. Weird Sisters now approach Macbeth.
1. For Canmore got it wrong.
a. He said when one dies, both die.
b. "But when one lives, both live."
c. And they vanish into the mist.
2. And then Macbeth stirs.
3. Far from being pleased, Gruoch is frightened.
a. Is it him or his ghost?
4. Macbeth assures her that he is alive.
a. Macbeth wants to join Luach in battle.
b. But Gruoch says no.
i. If he returns now, he undermines Luach.
ii. The English already accuse Mac of sorcery.
iii. This will be the final proof.
iv. It would divide even the most loyal of Scotsmen.
v. Luach & Scotland's only hope is for Mac to remain
dead.
c. Macbeth: But I'm not dead.
d. Gruoch: Then you must disappear.
i. Leave Scotland forever. It is the only way.
5. They share one last kiss, and she departs out of his life forever.

1995
LIV. Back in Great Hall, Demona & Hunter [Macbeth] in stand-off.
A. A confused Bronx looks on. All he knows to do is guard Elisa.
B. Hunter has sought Demona across the centuries for his vengeance.
C. She is unimpressed.
1. Take off that stupid mask. She knows he's Macbeth.
a. He takes it off.
D. Nearby, the counter continues to count off the time until the pre-
mature explosions of the gas-packs.

LV. In the skies above Manhattan, Xanatos & Goliath fly abreast for a moment
as they "pass gas".
A. Xanatos says it's working. Now if that dog of yours leaves my tapestry
alone.
B. Goliath quickly figures out the truth.
C. He and Xanatos head back for the castle.

LVI. Back at the Great Hall, Macbeth holds up the Hunter's Mask.
A. He only wore it as a reminder of her betrayal.
1. She says, "Let's not start that old argument. It's pointless."
2. Besides, what's he gonna do. To kill her, he must die as well.
B. Macbeth has lived so long he no longer fears death.
1. And, indicating "stoners", he has no desire to live in the kind of
world her evil is creating.
2. He'll do what he has to do to get his revenge.
C. They fight.
D. Xanatos & Goliath arrive just as a stray laser cannon blast takes out a
huge piece of the floor.
1. Goliath is just in time to catch Elisa and keep her from falling
down the hole to smash on the lower floors.
E. Macbeth & Demona largely ignore the new-comers.
1. They tumble down to the floor below.
F. Xanatos checks the computer.
1. She's locked him out by changing access code.
2. And pack's are set to go off pre-maturely.
3. We need to save her to save the others and the city.
G. Goliath orders Bronx to guard Elisa.
1. He and Xanatos follow the fight down.

LVII. On a lower dungeon-esque floor of the castle, Xanatos & Goliath catch up
with Demona & Macbeth.
A. Demona & Macbeth are in a berserker rage.
B. Xanatos & Goliath try to just separate them -- no luck.
C. So they wade in to incapacitate them.
D. The battle takes them down again onto a lower floor.

LVIII. The quartet of combatants fall down from the lowest floor of the castle
into the Arboretum beneath it.
A. Goliath & Xanatos use teamwork to come through the drop all right. 1. Demona and Mac hit harder, down through trees, etc.
2. G&X take advantage of this to take them out.
3. Demona is knocked out.
4. Macbeth nearly so, by her injury.
B. But the injured Mac grabs Demona and prepares to do away with her...
1. (And thus himself.)
C. Goliath: "Killing her won't solve anything."
D. "He's right, Macbeth." This from the Weird Sisters.
1. They step out from among trees as NY fashion model types.
a. Though we see that Macbeth sees them as the Crones.
2. They question Macbeth:
a. Duncan was afraid that your father would make you king.
Did your father's death stop you from becoming
king?
i. Mac: "No!"
b. You wanted revenge for your father. Did Gillecomgain's death settle that score?
i. Mac: "No."
c. Did your own "death" save Luach from Canmore?
i. Mac: "...no..."
ii. And the last 'no' breaks his heart.
3. Goliath pipes in. "Death is never the answer."
a. "Life is. Precious, precious life."
4. Macbeth: "I'm just so tired."
5. Sisters: "Then sleep."
6. Macbeth drifts off.
E. Xanatos doesn't know what the hell is going on.
1. He just knows he needs the access code.
2. Intercut timer and trio flying around at risk.
F. Seline wakens Demona, who is groggy, as if in a trance.
1. Phoebe asks Demona for the code.
2. Demona answers like she's talking in her sleep.
a. But she still refuses.
i. She will have vengeance for the betrayal of her
people. Vengeance for her pain.
3. Sisters: "But who betrayed her people? Who caused this pain?"
a. The Vikings destroyed her clan.
i. Who betrayed castle Wyvern to the Vikings?
b. The Hunter exterminated every gargoyle he found.
i. Who created the Hunter?
c. Canmore killed the last of her race.
i. Who betrayed Macbeth to Canmore?
4. Goliath: Your thirst for vengeance created nothing but more
sorrow.
a. End the cycle. Give us the code.
5. She does.
6. Armed with it, Xanatos shoots up through the hole in the roof.

LIX. Xanatos enters through the hole in the floor of the Great Hall.
A. He enters the access code into computer and stops clock with seconds
to spare. Whew.
B. Bronx looks on without a clue.

LX. Back in Arboretum, Demona begins to shake off her trance.
A. Her denial's kicked in. It was the humans' fault, not hers.
1. She wants her revenge.
2. She's learned nothing.
B. Sadly, the Weird Sisters (nine year old girl version) tell her she's tired.
1. She falls back into a trance beside Macbeth.
C. Goliath wonders what to do with Demona & Macbeth.
1. Sisters feel responsible for them.
2. They will take Demona and Macbeth and try to help them.
3. Goliath asks who or what the sisters are?
a. But that's a story for another day.
D. The three sisters vanish along with Macbeth and Demona.

LXI. Hudson & Trio fly over the river and drop their empty gas packs.
A. They head back for the castle.

LXII. Goliath joins Xanatos in Great Hall. It's time.

LXIII. In the skies over Manhattan, the Steel Clan Robots and their packs
explode.
A. The sky is ignited and for ten seconds is aflame for as far as the eye can
see.

LXIV. In the outer courtyard, Xanatos and Goliath watch the flaming sky.
A. Hudson and the trio land beside them.
B. A moment of true awe for everyone.
C. Bronx howls from back inside the Great Hall.
1. They rush inside.

LXV. Xanatos and the gargoyles arrive back in the Great Hall, in time to see the
stone melt away from Elisa and Owen.
A. Goliath is so happy he lifts Elisa up into the air.
1. She laughs. She doesn't have a clue what's going on.
B. Owen and Xanatos shake hands calmly.
1. Owen knows exactly what's going on and is pleased it worked.
C. Xanatos approaches Goliath just before the good guys are about to
leave.
1. They made a pretty good team.
2. All this time Xanatos has been wondering why he allowed the
gargoyles to live.
3. Now, he knows.
4. Occasionally, they come in handy.
D. Goliath starts to get angry, but then admits that occasionally...
1. Xanatos comes in handy, as well.

LXVI. The Gargoyles fly away from the castle.
A. Goliath carries Elisa. Broadway carries Bronx.
B. Everywhere below them are the signs and sounds that Manhattan is
waking up from it's stone sleep.
1. Safe once more, thanks to the gargoyles.

THE END.

That's it. Finally. As ususal, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Sorry it took so long to get this to you. A few last reminders: just write the script as one piece; ignore the part designations for now. Also, do not be afraid to over-explain things. Be as clear as possible. We do not yet know for sure where this is being story-boarded. With all the time shifts and differing ages in different scenes it could confuse anyone. Also don't assume familiarity with previous episodes. Don't hesitate to cite specific references to page or episode numbers of past scripts. Good luck.


Bookmark Link

Chapter XXII: "City of Stone, Part One"

Time to Ramble on "City of Stone, Part One", which I watched the other night with my family....

Story Editor: Michael Reaves
Story: Michael Reaves
Teleplay: Brynne Chandler Reaves & Lydia Marano

Well, over a year had passed since we had revealed in "Enter Macbeth" that Macbeth had named Demona. Now we were gearing up to explain that little tidbit of info. I'm curious to know how many people were still focused on that before the "PREVIOUSLY ON GARGOYLES..." reprised it.

City of Stone was a story I had conceived originally (but briefly) as a Direct to Video movie. My boss Gary Krisel rejected it. He felt that a movie featuring the Gargoyles needed to feature our heroes a LOT MORE than this story did. Nevertheless, he liked the concept of the HUNTER a lot. So I got him to agree to let us do City of Stone as a multi-parter for the series. And I promised that Michael and I would come up with a new Hunter story that focused more on our heroes. Thus Hunter's Moon was born -- as a Home Video, originally, and we had an ending to shoot at for the entire second season.

Meanwhile, I couldn't actually disagree with Gary too much. This was Demona and Macbeth's story. The origin of two of our major villains. We had some great animation on this from Koko in Korea. Not as strong as our WDTVJapan stuff, but still very good.

What was the terrorists' cause, you might ask? I'm not telling. At the time, I had no answer. We were vague on purpose. Since then, I've come up with an answer. Now I'm being evasive on purpose.

I love Matt as a hostage negotiator.

But not as much as I love Brendan & Margot as hostages. They're a hoot.

How fast was everyone on the uptake with the Weird Sisters? Those three little girls. Even before the gargs showed, one was saying something like: "Don't worry, it'll be over soon." Did you think they were odd then? Did you notice them?

I like Brooklyn's "Don't gush" line.

When the Weird Sisters tell Goliath they weren't talking about THAT terrorist, my six year old daughter Erin said: "I think they were talking about Demona." For Chanukah, I gave Erin a Kenner Brooklyn, Broadway and Hard-Wire Goliath (which I told her was a Goliath robot). My three year old son Benny got Goliath, Lex and Xanatos. So for the first time, while they watched they could play with the toys.

It's interesting to watch the first flashback SET. All sorts of old footage from Awakening Part One, mixed with new footage. It's all very seemless thanks to great editing by Bob Birchard. And it wasn't easy. Because there was considerable confusion overseas throughout City of Stone, in terms of which model of Demona to animate. We had her standard model. Plus one that was slightly older, for the second set of flashbacks in this episode. They were constantly mixing the models up. We'd call retakes whenever we could, but sometimes we decided just to make due. So you have the flashback from Awakenings, where Goliath tells Demona to stay behind. That's followed by us finally seeing what Demona and the Captain said to each other after Goliath left. No great revelation in that scene, but we figured it would be nice to finally reveal it. Plus we wanted to clarify things from Demona's point of view. But in some of those shots, Demona appears to have aged a bit.

We see Othello & Desdemona. We are allowed to do something in this episode that we couldn't really do for S&P reasons in Awakening. To personalize the victims of the massacre a bit. In Awakening, we only got to meet the survivors. Finally we meet the victims. Of course, we're still cheating a bit, since my excuse to S&P was that our audience already knew (1) that these two died and that (2) they survived in a sense in Coldstone. But it did, independent of previous episodes, allow the startling moment when Demona picks up a fragment of Othello's face. Of course, I tried to get tha fragment -- and all those fragments in the immediate vicinity -- to be the pieces that survived into Coldstone. I think that was semi-successful.

Demona's cowardice overwhelms the courage of her strongly held convictions. She flees. Benny: "The sun's gonna come up." Yep. She turns to stone, shedding a tear. That "TEARS OF STONE" image was so effective that I allowed it to repeat in the episode. Later, her tear drops onto the stone Goliath and seems to be coming from his eye. A nice visual variation on a theme.

Demona: "It worked! At last my clan is free of human rule!"
Erin: "No. It didn't work."

Later Erin sees Demona watching Goliath holding some smashed gargoyles' remains and crying "my angel of the night". Erin says: "He thinks that was her [Demona]." Now you may be wondering why I'm reprinting such obvious responses here. But they interest me. It really struck me this viewing that in this episode, despite the "Previously" segment and all the flashbacks, that you really would be lost if you were a new viewer. Is there anyone out there for whom City of Stone was your first Gargoyle experience? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Did you have a clue as to what was going on?

Demona's classic neurotic short-circuit: "What have I -- What have THEY done to you?" The motivation that writer's live for.

And a little hint of Avalon things to come, as we see Tom, Princess K and Magus depart with the eggs. How many people had given the eggs any thought since Xanatos told the gargs back in Awakening Two that they were the last of their kind? And did this little tidbit whet the appetite, or did you forget about it immediately? I was already planning the Avalon/Archmage/World Tour/Angela stuff.

Benny (out of nowhere) asks: "What happens if someone is frozen in the sky?" We discussed various possibilities. But we're still weeks away from getting around to seeing "The Price". So I didn't want to spoil that one for him.

The intro of Gillecomgain. Erin (who has seen these before once, long ago) suddenly remembers: "His face is gonna get scratched."

Now, back in the 20th century, Owen points out that Xanatos' tv override works for "Cable, as well." I always liked that.

I also like Demona's VERY convincing lie. At this point, we don't know how she's survived through the centuries. Maybe she did do it by stealing minutes of life from thousands of people. And maybe now, she and Xanatos will do the same on a citywide scale. I always thought it was a very elegant lie. What did you guys think? Did you buy it?

The "Watch or Listen but not both" stuff regarding the magic, wasn't just a convenient excuse to give us a Robbins expository scene later. I always felt that the magic our various sorcerors did couldn't be as simple as it seemed. Anyone who reads the spell out loud can do it? No. There are complex inflections, movements, etc. involved. Study and willpower, etc. This was an attempt on my part to demonstrate that it was about more than just being in range with someone who has a copy of a Grimorum page.

On the other hand, I do think we cheated a bit to trap Owen. That spell she reads is the City of Stone spell. Yet it seems to put Owen, of all people, into a trance. We talked about her nailing him some other way first. But it was too clumsy and time consuming, so we just cheated.

Gathering Clue: Demona to Owen: "You are the tricky one." And she wraps him up in iron cable.

Elisa's watching Casablanca. Great movie.

Phoebe is looking at Seline when she speaks to Luna. Like Demona aging, we had a hell of a time getting the overseas studio to keep the three sisters straight. I began to insist that each of their appearances on the storyboard was accompanied by a hair color chart. And once more, it's black for Seline, blonde for Phoebe and silver for Luna.

We also made a real effort to put subtle character distinctions between the three sisters. Seline is the hard case. Phoebe is the gentle one. Luna is the mystic. It was part of hinting that the Sisters would serve multiple purposes in the series. Some of which I still have not revealed.

Back to the past. The guard says "Maybe they won't come." Erin asks: "Maybe who won't come?" And then the gargoyles come. The guards are taken down, and Demona raises her mace into the air. Erin asks: "Are they dead?" And dad... equivocates.

I like that gargoyle (Demona's second) with the breast plate. John Rhys-Davies did his voice.

At this stage, Demona believes that these scattered gargoyles are all that are left in the world. A second later, three gargoyles she's never met show up. (Now, true, they're the Sisters. But I was trying to make a general point, hinting that sometimes characters make absolute statements when they flat out don't know what they're talking about. Audience members beware.)

Benny immediately figured out that the three old gargoyle females were the weird sisters, or as he put it: "They're the humans. The one's that disappeared." I.e. the kids that disappeared in the first sequence of the episode. That made me feel a little better. People are always telling me that I write stuff that is too adult for kids to get. I tell them that I try to write on multiple levels. So that the kids get what they need to get and that adults, etc. get more. But it's nice to get confirmation that the kids do get it on occasion. Particularly in an ep as complicated as this one.

Intro Findlaech, Gruoch, Bodhe and young Macbeth. I like how quickly they are all characterized in that scene. F is loyal. B is equivocal at best. Bodhe is already thinking about how to marry G off to advantage. "What about Macbeth? Is he a match for the lass?" Yeah, sure he's talking about chess. I came to have a great deal of contempt for the character of Bodhe. (Too be fair, I have no idea what the historical Bodhe's character was like.) And yet, almost simultaneously, I became fond of him too. He was SO human. SO flawed. SO afraid of the world. And yet SO desperate to tread water in it.

We also establish the "SIGIL OF MORAY" which will become an important prop throughout.

I like that little blushing moment of G & Mac's. But mostly, I like it because of B & F's reactions. Bodhe is suddenly nervous that Gruoch might, shall we say, lose something with Macbeth prematurely. Though he pushed them together, he now rushes to separate them. But it's too late. The connection has already been made. F just laughs.

Now... Enter the HUNTER. The Hunter got a sort of Steve Canyon intro. That is, he's been talked about by various people for the last few minutes, though we haven't gotten a look at him. (This was the technique used when Steve Canyon was first introduced in the comic strips.) Now he shows up, and I trust he isn't disappointing. Benny immediately says: "THat's the one that got scratched." Sharp boy. (Keep in mind, that we haven't yet seen the adult Gille, so we haven't seen his scarred face yet.)

I love this sequence. It's a great fight, full of great little touches, flourishes, etc. Great storyboarding work here.

Again, characters are revealed in a nutshell. Gruoch's already loyal. Bodhe's revealed to be a coward. Even when his daughter rushes downstairs, he stays above.

Findlaech dies. It's a classic Disney fall-to-one's-death death. But there is a difference. F is the good guy. Usually, that's done with the villain. Was anyone shocked?

I love how at this point, Macbeth is nothing but an annoyance to both Demona and the Hunter. I also love how complex Demona is. Under it all, she's really something of a romantic. She rescues the young lovers. Then can't believe she did it. She's trying to will herself to be cold. So that she won't feel anything. But it isn't natural. She's not a cold woman, though her plans often are. It's that divide that's generally gonna screw her up everytime.

When the Hunter first enters on Prince Duncan, we were supposed to (BRIEFLY) think he was there to attack the Prince as well. But I don't think that comes off even slightly.

And o.k., yes, Gillecomgain has a face to match the Hunter's mask. It's worse than Clark Kent and those glasses. Does Scotland really not know it's him? Believe it or not, that never even occured to me initially. (Yes, I'm a dope.) Now, I'll chalk it up to the notion that everyone figures he's TOO obvious a suspect. You can almost here the water cooler talk:

MacMorris: "Hey, MacTavish, have you ever noticed that that Gillecomgain guy has scars across his face just like the red marks on the Hunter's mask?"
MacTavish: "What are you saying, MacMorris? That Gillecomgain is so stupid, he'd wear a mask and then put his scars ON the mask? Not much of a disguise. Know what I think. I think the Hunter is trying to throw suspicion onto old Gilley."
MacMorris: "Oh, give me a break."
MacTavish: "Hey, pal, it worked with you."

I made a real effort to just have the Weird Sisters EVERYWHERE.

Back to the present. Someone dons a Hunter's Mask. How many knew it was Macbeth right away? I figured at the time that regular viewers would figure that out pretty darn quick. That didn't bother me. For them, I figured the mystery would be "WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD MACBETH DON A HUNTER'S MASK, WHEN THE HUNTER KILLED HIS FATHER?" I thought that mystery was at least as intriguing. Do you guys agree or disagree?

I also liked the variation on the mask. No eyes. Nothing. Modern technology.

Fox. Fox presented an interesting dilemma. What was Xanatos' attitude toward her in this? We already know he loves her. But he doesn't include her in the immortality thing with Demona. Why? Demona won't allow it? Or he thinks Demona won't? Or he doesn't fully trust D and won't risk Fox until he knows the set-up works?

And then he finds out that she did watch the broadcast. He had told her not to, but she did. He doesn't fill her in. (Not that there's much time.) Is he prepared to let her lose a minute from her life (as he believes has happened)? How would he have felt if Demona wasn't lying about that? At the end of her life, would an immortal Xanatos be desperate to give her that one minute back? Of course, given Fox's heritage, which I didn't know yet, it's possible, she'll outlive him by quite a bit. Course, anything's possible.

How's the cliff-hanger? We haven't seen the city yet, but we do get to see Owen, Fox and Elisa all turned to stone. We're so used to the Gargoyles in stone, but not humans. I thought it was sort of chilling. The more chilling, because we know from earlier in this very episode, what can happen when living beings are turned to stone. (The Wyvern Massacre.) Now we've seen this four-parter a bunch of times and we're used to it. But I'm curious as to how you all felt the first time you saw Part One.

Another interesting aspect, is that 3/4 of the threat is to characters that we consider to be villains. Or more than 3/4. In the past, young Macbeth has lost his father and is clearly at risk. And Demona is being hunted. In the present, Fox and Owen are stone. And Xanatos and Fox appear to be falling to their deaths. Sure, the clincher is Elisa. But I think it's a tribute to how well-rounded are villains are that we care what's going to happen to them. Can you imagine most cartoons making the death of the villains a cliff-hanger? People would simply cheer.

One little flaw: Elisa's facing the wrong way. It was easier to board that way, I'm sure. But I can't figure out why she would have been standing and facing that direction at sundown.

Comments welcome, as usual...


Bookmark Link

Waffle writes...

I know that iron is the only thing that can kill the Children of Oberon, but is it the only thing that can harm them? For instance, if you set one of them on fire (I have no idea why you would, but this is a hypothetical question), would he be hurt or would he walk away completely undamaged?

Greg responds...

Depends on their form at the time.

And healing anything but a wound from iron is relatively easy.

Response recorded on January 02, 2001

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who were Anubius's parents?

Greg responds...

dunno...

Response recorded on December 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Does the Scroll of Thoth have anything to do with the Book of Thoth that appeared in Egyptian legend?

Greg responds...

dunno...

Response recorded on December 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Since most gods of myth are Oberon's Children then what are angels? Are they also Children of Oberon?

Greg responds...

Most things are case by case.

Response recorded on December 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

Does Avalon have any connection to the third race (a magic link or something) or did they just clame it as there own.

Greg responds...

They're related.

Response recorded on December 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Was Anubis always so commited to his policies and careful with his powers as he is now?
2) If not, did he start to be so before or after he was worshipped as a god?

Greg responds...

1. Far as I know.

2. See above.

Response recorded on December 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Considering how arrogant Oberon can be, how does he like having to announc ehimself as ruler of the Third Race?

Greg responds...

You mean as opposed to first or second?

Cuz he doesn't refer to them that way. He calls them the Children of Oberon.

Response recorded on December 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

warrioress writes...

Someone wrote: How does Demona feel about Oberon?

You answered: I'm not sure she's aware of him.

You mean you're not sure if Demona is aware Oberon exsists? How could she not? She knows Puck exsists, and she had her thugs in "The Mirror" use the password "Oberon sent me". Or did you mean she was aware of the Shakespearian Oberon, but not the real one?

Hope I didn't sound too confusing.... :-)

Greg responds...

She's clearly aware of the legend of Oberon. I just don't see any evidence that she's ever met him to her knowledge.

Response recorded on December 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Your stuff on the Earth's biorhythms sounds vaguely like Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis..especially the part about Gargoyles being more in tune with it.

1) Were the Lost Race even more in tune?
2) Is there any specific reasons that make humans less in tune than gargoyles?
3) What about fae?

Greg responds...

I don't know who Lovelock is.

1. I'm not answering this.

2. They make too much noise. They adapt their environment instead of adapting to it.

3. The fae are attuned to Earth's magic.

Response recorded on December 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Sapphire writes...

I have some questions to ask you about the fay?

1)Have any fay ever converted to human religions?

2)In the future will any fay convert to human religions?

Greg responds...

1. Ever? Sure.

2. Ever? Sure.

Response recorded on November 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Sapphire writes...

i recall seeing that Oberon has fangs I was wondering is sharp teeth a natural trait for the fay I mean do all the fay have fangs?

Greg responds...

We all have fangs. Oberon's may be a bit more pronounced. Otherwise, I'll leave it to you to judge whether all fey look one way or another. You have plenty of examples to compare him with. Weird Sisters, Titania, Nought, Puck, Raven, etc.

Response recorded on November 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Did any of the Third Race that we know directly from the series (i.e., the ones that Goliath and Co. met on the Avalon World Tour) support Queen Mab in her war with Oberon, or were they all on Oberon's side? (I personally suspect the latter, since I doubt that Oberon would be permitting any Mab-loyalists to roam about on the same level of freedom as the rest of the Third Race, but I thought that I should ask you about it anyway).

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on November 14, 2000

Bookmark Link

Oberon writes...

1 do the wyrd (or wierd) sisters have emotions.
2 do they have thoughts independent from one another.
3 do they still have planns for demona and macbeth.
4 if so is it a new plan or something they intended all along.
5 what did the wyrd sisters do during the Oberon-Mab war.
6 do the wyrd sisters long-term planns go over even oberon's head.

Greg responds...

1. Yes.

2. Independent is putting it too strongly, but they have aspects that are slightly different.

3. Yes.

4. Yes.

5. They sided with Oberon. I won't say more than that.

6. It's got nothing to do with Oberon, really.

Response recorded on November 13, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Can Puck also be summoned by Oberon's Mirror?
2) Was Titania's Mirror meant to be used to summon Puck only, or could it summon any fae if you knew how?
3) If so to the former, what makes Puck connected to the Mirror?

Greg responds...

1. In theory.
2. It's something of a generic portal.
3. See 2.

Response recorded on November 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did you ever have any plans to fit in parts of traditional faerie folklore like the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Wild Hunt, and the Tuatha de Danaan into the Gargoyles universe?

Greg responds...

Everything eventually.

Response recorded on November 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Do the fae require any atmospheric gases to breathe at all?

Greg responds...

They do if they want to breathe atmospheric gases.

Response recorded on November 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Do the New Olympians know about Oberon?
2) Do they know the Greek gods were really fae?
3) Did any fae visit New Olympus after Oberon banished them from Avalon?

Greg responds...

1. Maybe.

2. Maybe.

3. Probably.

Response recorded on November 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

(The Guppi) writes...

01) In one of your MIRROR memos, you mentioned that the character design for the Weird Sisters' "true" forms should include earpoints. (I don't recall seeing them portrayed with such, but that doesn't mean much.) I know you really hate making quantifications, but... what level of pointiness had you in mind? Would they be giving Puck a run for their money?
_
02) Nearly all of the humanoid CoO appear to have pointed ears. ('Nearly', because one can't be too sure about that Nought fellow...) -a- Why? -b- And is this purely cosmetic, or does it have some practical basis?

Greg responds...

1. Whatever final models appeared on screen is exactly what we finally decided on, old memos not-withstanding.

2. It just tends to set them off as non-human, and also feels traditionally fae for some reason, Mr. Spock not-withstanding.

Response recorded on November 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Were Baal, Astarte, and other Sumerian and Middle Eastern gods who were in conflict with Judaism fae?

Greg responds...

Some.

Response recorded on November 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Any other ideas on which gods and entities did not survive Ragnarok?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on November 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Beside Gargoyles and Timedancer, would Mab appear in any of the other series? If so, which ones?

Greg responds...

No current plans for her in the others.

Response recorded on November 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

What made Oberon decide on a thousand years for the fae to be banished from Avalon?

Greg responds...

1001.

Response recorded on November 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

jack writes...

hi greg

who are oberon and titana two kids? (I mean their names)

Greg responds...

Not telling.

Response recorded on November 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Have you ever read Katharine Briggs's "An Encyclopedia of Fairies"? It's a very good dictionary of faerie-folk and faerie elements in legend (don't worry; it all deals with the fay as portrayed in primary sources), containing entries on practically every aspect of them. In particular, it's got entries on many of the familiar fay in the series (Oberon, Titania, Puck, the Banshee, the Lady of the Lake, Odin), ones that you planned to get into the series (Queen Mab and Morgan le Fay), and related elements (Cuchulain, iron, bells, time in Fairyland, A Midsummer Night's Dream), etc.

Greg responds...

No, but it sounds great. Something for my birthday list. Thanks.

Response recorded on November 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are the Weird Sisters connected to fate just as Anubis is connected to death?

Greg responds...

Sure. And more.

Response recorded on November 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Marduk writes...

Is Oberon taking precautions to make sure that his children don't overthrow him?

Greg responds...

No. I doubt it occurs to him.

Response recorded on November 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Marduk writes...

You said at the time of the Journey, Oberon and Titinia had two children. I always assumed they were twins and were born after the gathering, but after checking the archives I didn't see anything to back that up so... 1) are the two children twins? 2) can Fey/fae/whateveryoucallthem have twins?(this may have been answered before) 3) were the children born after the gathering? 4) will you tell us their names?

Greg responds...

I never said they were twins. And they were definitely born before the Gathering.

1. No.

2. Sure.

3. No.

4. Not right now.

Response recorded on November 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

1a) Would there be any point in the future when the practice of mortal magic becomes more common than it is at the time of "The Journey"?

b) If so, roughly how long would it take for such a revival to come to pass? (decades, years, centuries?)

2a) Why is it so dangerous to mix fae and mortal magic? Energy is energy, right? And both fae and mortal magic are presumably of earthly origin. So what makes them so incompatible? b) What are the actual consequences of mixing the two?

3) The Archmage was able to bring the Grimorum to Avalon by "bending the rules", and so bypassed Oberon's Law. But in the end, he was still using the Eye to control the Grimorum, and hence, was "mixing magics". Why didn't this have any (visible) consequences?

4a) You've mentioned "ghost magic" before. Would it fall under the "mortal magic" category, or is it a completely different form of magic? b) If it's different, is it safe to mix with mortal or fae magic?

5) Which is the Megalith Dance powered by--fae or mortal magic?

6a) Do any New Olympians possess (or are capable of practicing) "fae" magic? b) Do any New Olympians practice "mortal" magic?

Greg responds...

1a. Maybe a tiny bit -- but not until WAY beyond 2198.

b. Centuries.

2a. Different frequencies maybe. Feedback. I don't know exactly. Just is.

b. BOOM. Usually. Or some other backfiring.

3. The Eye is a bit more flexible. It WANTS to "help".

4a. Another category, I think, maybe, sorta.

b. Not recommended, but less dangerous.

5. Not telling its origin right now.

6a. Maybe, but it's more internalized as "powers" generally.

b. Maybe, but not many. They're a technology driven society.

Response recorded on October 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

jack writes...

hi greg,

I'm ask this question becaues I little confisson

is all the gods in mythology are oberon's childen?
or can you make me list of oberons's childen of that you know of?
thank you

Greg responds...

Got to watch out for confission.

I'm not making any lists, but many 'gods' were children.

Response recorded on October 20, 2000

Bookmark Link

Sapphire writes...

In the episode the Gathering part one I saw a Pegasus as one of Oberon's children lining up to greet Oberon. I was wondering can that Pegasus talk?

Greg responds...

Not in that form.

Response recorded on October 20, 2000

Bookmark Link

puck40 writes...

Oberons Laws.
Some people get confused with how you have them restricted and stuff. So in the proper yes/no type questions and such.

1. Are the Fae physically or metaphysically... magically<?> unable to perform magic that goes against Oberons edicts?
2. Do the Fae follow it purely because they y'know, fear the big guy?
3. If they are magically restricted, how much of a strain does that put on Oberon himself?

ugh, class. later! <runs off>

Greg responds...

1. Yes. Unless they can find a loophole.

2. Yes. Unless they think they can get away with it.

3. None, anymore. It's a done deal.

Response recorded on October 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Adam Z. writes...

If all the Gargoyles have to do to defeat Oberon is ring a bell, then why didn't they simply do so during the Gathering. And why didn't Puck know that was his weakness.

Greg responds...

My guess is that (a) forging an iron bell is a bit harder than you think. And (b) Puck can't handle that bell or whip one up magically. And (c) I wouldn't be surprised if Oberon has a contingency for that now.

Response recorded on October 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

In "The Gathering Part One", when the Weird Sisters report to Oberon that Puck hasn't returned to Avalon for the Gathering, they speak his (Puck's) name in a very unfriendly and bitter way. Do the Sisters have some sort of strong grudge against Puck?

Greg responds...

Yes and no.

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) How do Death-gods in general feel about non-fae immortality? Do they generally view it as cheating or in a generally negative way?
2) How does Anubis personally view immortality?

Greg responds...

1. Every Death-Figure is unique. I can't give generic responses.

2. I don't think he believes in it. Everyone's alive until he or she dies. Anubis has seen nothing to indicate that everything doesn't eventually die. The fact that Macbeth and Demona (assuming he knew about them) live still, doesn't prove they won't die.

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Could you give the name any of the fae who were worshipped and actually believed they were gods?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

A more careful rephrase of the earlier question, which got a rather good smart-ass answer:

Just what is it that makes Oberon and Mab so powerful magically? Is it acquired power? Is it luck? Does it come just from being the ruler of Avalon? Does it come from, for lack of a better word, genetics?

Greg responds...

A lot of it is "genetics". A lot is WILL. A lot is about natural magical loci. Some is acquired. And you could call it all luck on at least some level.

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Is it possible for the Children of Oberon archive file to be split into smaller subcategories? For example, you go into Children of Oberon, you get all the historical, nature-of and other in general stuff about the species there, but you can also click on a little list of subgroups on individual fae, like Oberon, Mab, Titania, Anansi, etc.

Greg responds...

Not the way things are currently constructed. I could from this point on, start new archives that are more specific, I suppose. One for Mab, one for Oberon, one for Titania, etc. But I don't feel a real need for it.

Why do you ask?

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Who ruled before Mab?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure there was a "before Mab".

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Does Mab have any redeeming qualities?

Greg responds...

Sure. Fresh breath.

Response recorded on October 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A question about "Ill Met By Moonlight". At the end of this episode, Oberon appoints the Avalon clan his "honor guard". Is this going to turn out to be a largely ceremonial function with little real work? I can't help but suspect this, in view of the fact that anything capable of seriously threatening Oberon, a fellow capable of swelling up to giant size, animating stone figures, and ordering the earth to swallow up intruders, (and I will confess that the only thing that I can think of in the Gargoyles Universe that could really endanger him at present is Queen Mab) would be able to easily wipe out a whole clan of gargoyles without much effort. (I do have the suspicion that Oberon's appointing the gargoyles to that position was more a matter of "practical politics" - giving them a definite role in Avalonian society - than a matter of "providing for defense", myself).

Greg responds...

Generally, an "honor guard" is by definition ceremonial. If not literal definition, then certainly by common practice.

So I agree. But it doesn't hurt to have loyal warriors handy the next time someone shows up with an iron bell.

Response recorded on September 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Ok, I'm bored, and since I won't enter the contest, it leaves me with little else to do but ask questions. So....

1a) Did Mab have any followers in her battle with Oberon? b) If so, were any of them imprisoned along with her? c) Is there anyone presently guarding her prison? d) Can anyone besides Oberon free Mab from wherever she's being imprisoned?

2) Was it Oberon himself who originally decided to battle Mab, or did he need convincing?

3) You said that Ragnarok happened in the Gargoyles Universe. a) How about the battle between the "Greek gods" and their predecessors, the "Titans"? b) Were either of these battles associated with the one between Oberon and Mab?

Greg responds...

1a. Yes.

b. Maybe.

c. Sorta.

d. Possibly.

2. Not telling.

3a. Yes.

b. Not telling.

Response recorded on September 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kelly L Creighton / Kya White Sapphire writes...

re: wyrd sisters
i saw a shirt that i SO wana get entitled "The Maiden, The Mother, The Crone" with three women (hence the title) in front of a moon.... AHHH I WANT IT! its *so* the wyrd sisters. *cries* *is broke*
image: http://www.pyramidcollection.com/catalog.cfm

Greg responds...

Yeah, we consciously chose not to take that approach. Largely because that version of the characters was extremely prominent in SANDMAN at that time.

Response recorded on September 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

Wing writes...

Can fae have anemia?

Greg responds...

Yeah, but it means something different to them.

It's more metaphorical.

Response recorded on September 25, 2000

Bookmark Link

Wing writes...

Knowing you are an English type teacher (as opposed to Science and what not), is it safe to assume you are familiar with the concept of the HERO'S JOURNEY? (a journey of self-discovery?)

It can be said that Titania went on the HERO'S JOURNEY. She took a trip and came back all the better (simplified). Too, it can be said, that Oberon ordered all fae to complete a HERO'S JOURNEY of sorts. (Loving the capital thing by the way) Oberon himself I belive went briefly on a journey, but only kinda (assumed from previous answers).
My q is, will Oberon ever go on a HERO'S JOURNEY and have a coming of age? Has this already happened, more subtly? Will his character continue to develope?

Greg responds...

I like to think all of my characters continue to develop. (And yes, I'm familiar with the Hero's Journey concept.)

Response recorded on September 25, 2000

Bookmark Link

DrFaust writes...

Is Peter Maza the first human with whom Coyote has had a "connection"?

Greg responds...

No.

Response recorded on September 25, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

When did Oberon pass his non-intervention edict? And in particular, was it extant during Arthur's original time period in the 5th century? (To be even more particular, was it extant at the time that Morgana got placed in the cradle in exchange for Gorlois and Igraine's biological daughter?)

Greg responds...

Not saying.

Response recorded on September 25, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kayless writes...

Hey there, Greg. Since my last questions seemed to have been devoured by the Internet Goblin, I'll repost them, rather than trying to ask you directly using 'The Force'. ;)
1. When asked about Mab not long ago you wrote: 'She's MAD, I tell you, MAD, MAD! BWAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAAAA'. Putting all jesting aside, is she insane?
2. If the answer to #1 is yes, was she this way prior to her incarceration/banishment or as a result of it?
3. Do the Fae in general feel that Oberon was justified in overthrowing her? Or are there holdout followers of the former ruler? Old school Mabites. =)
4. How can Oberon be so petulant and conceited? Despite all the centuries he's been around he still hasn't learned how to act like an adult. It's highly ironic that he banished the Fae from Avalon to teach them humility when he has so little himself (not exactly a model of introspection is he?). Not to mention that his son Merlin is renowned for his wisdom and for mentoring the noble Arthur. Yet Oberon himself seems devoid of all leadership qualities. He forbids his people from directly interfering with mortal affairs then blatantly breaks his own edict when he tries to kidnap Alexander. How can he be the ruler of an entire species and be blissfully ignorant to the fact that no one is above the law, especially the ruler? Sorry, that was more of an opinionated comment rather than a question.
5. Merlin is Half-Fae. So does he use human magic, Fae magic, or a combination of both? I am assuming that he was the one who enchanted the iron suits of armor guarding the sleeping Arthur. Such a feet of conjuration seems very difficult for someone who uses just Fae or human magic, but if Merlin used both then I can see how it's feasible. However, wouldn't that be mixing magics? And isn't that inherently dangerous?
(Listen to me! Talking about magic being feasible! This reminds me of all the discussions I've had with other Trekkers about why/how modern Klingons possess ridged heads and Original Series Klingons don't. Obsession on minutia: the hallmark of the fan. You can quote me on that).

Greg responds...

1 & 2. I never said she WENT insane, which I think is what your question implies. She is what she is. Mad, I tellyou, Mad, Mad!!

3. In general, a sigh of relief was breathed. But nothing's ever unanimous.

4. I know a lot of adults who behave MUCH worse than Oberon with a hell of a lot less justification for their arrogance. Don't you?

Everything's relative. Oberon is hardly devoid of leadership qualities. You don't like him so you're not paying close attention. He's the one that banished his arrogant race and caused many if not all of them to learn something about mortals. The old Titania in particular made Oberon seem like Mr. Maturity. Admittedly, she changed and he didn't. But she wouldn't have changed if HE hadn't forced her to learn certain lessons. He's also the guy who created the non-interference law. He didn't have to do that. He wanted to.

You accuse him of blatantly breaking it, but how human of you. He didn't feel he was breaking the law at all. As the ultimate Supreme Court Judge in this matter, he "ruled" that Fox was human, but that Alex was not. Taking Alex would therefore not be breaking his law.

Look at Elian Gonzales. Literally millions of well-meaning people disagreed on how to handle that. Some thought he should go back to his father in Cuba. Others believed he should stay with relatives in the U.S. Oberon acted as a judge in (what he honestly believed would be) the best long-term interests of the child. You and I may disagree, but we're clearly as biased as he is. And when another viable option was presented to him, he relented. A truly immature un-leaderlike guy would NEVER have relented. It's not like he was defeated. It's not like Fox's one surprising powerblast represented any real threat to him.

Try to stand in his shoes for a minute. You see a child, who runs the risk of being crippled if he stays with his real parents. On the other hand, there's a grandmother (who happens to be your wife) who can raise the boy to be happy and healthy on the paradise of Avalon. Who's to say Oberon was really wrong? [O.K. I think he was wrong. On the other hand, I think Elian's relatives were wrong to keep him from his father. And I'm sure to this day, they sincerely believe they were right.] My point is that people of good intentions sometimes disagree. So when you judge Oberon so harshly, who exactly is being immature?

5. Both, but never at the same time or on the same thing.

As for Klingons, I always had this theory that Q altered the entire Klingon race without telling anyone as an experiment. That the Klingons weren't this race of honor until Q messed with them, changing even their memories, history and religion. I think someday, he might offer them the chance to change back.

Response recorded on September 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

KW Keller writes...

Wierd Sisters Question:

1. Previously, you mentioned that there was a connection between the Wierd sisters and the Norns (which would make sense, since Wyrd is derived from Urd, the Norn of the past). Are the Wierd Sisters and the Norns the same?

2. If yes, which Wierd Sister represents Urd/Urdr/Wurd (past), which is Verdandi (present), and which is Skuld (future)?

Greg responds...

It's not that simple.

Response recorded on September 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Concerning the Weird Sisters...

1. Are they 'biologically' sisters? By which I mean - did they have the same parents? Or is it just a designation that kind of describes the relationship that they have between them?

2. Are they triplets, or is one of them older than the other?

3. Do they do *everything* together? :-)

4. And (just in case the above question wasn't already obvious Christine Morgan material :-) has any of them ever had a boyfriend/mate/spouse/etc ?

5. (Getting back to the PG stuff) Have you decided who are their parents?

Greg responds...

1. They're sisters.

2. They're triplets. One is older. One is younger. But not necessarily the same one all the time.

3. Pretty much everything and then some. Plus they also do nothing together.

4. "All things are true."

5. Sorta.

Response recorded on September 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Ed writes...

In the Mab/Oberon war, surely whoever was on Avalon would have something of a disadvantage in terms of preparation time. I mean, any enemy that invaded would have twenty-four times the length of the time to prepare. Would this have been important in the war?

Greg responds...

Not if they're both on Avalon. Or both not.

Response recorded on September 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Matthew writes...

What would have happened to Puck if he broke the rules and simply taken the Pheonix Gate?

Greg responds...

He couldn't. It's not just a rule. It's Oberon's Law.

Response recorded on September 16, 2000

Bookmark Link

OnyxStar writes...

This is kind of off-topic, but I learned something interesting in Chemistry class yesterday that I thought might be worth sharing, especially since there have been some questions about Children of Oberon and resistance to Oberon.
It seems that the word "iron" comes from Greek (or was it Latin?) meaning "metal from heaven," because iron is often found in great quantities in meteors. As the fae were generally seen as an abomination from a religious viewpoint, such metal from heaven was a way to hurt them.
Just a general observation I thought might be interesting. Especially if "maza" does indeed mean iron. Hmm...

Greg responds...

Thanks. Interesting...

Response recorded on September 16, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

*Sigh*

Don't get me wrong, I like Oberon, hell, he's one of my favorite characters, right up there with Puck, Titania, and Xanatos.

I, and most of the people I hang around with, have a tendancy to torture/ridicule/act like we don't like the charcters we love.

For instance, Nabiki GMYW is a close friend of mine, and I happen to know that Puck is one of, if not her favorite character. However, in her fan fics she makes his life a living hell.

Just because Oberon has bad fahion sence and is an insentsitive imature jerk doesn't mean he hasn't lived for an extreamly long time. he's wise, he learns from his own mistakes (hasn't visted the Xanatos's now, has he?) and he can most likely learn from the mistakes of others as well.

He also has to have some sort of soft spot deep under that thick blue hide of his, or at least something aproching decentcy. He simply doesn't have the air time nor the reason to show it.

*Shrugs*

But that's just the way I feel.

Anyways, on to the questions.

Does Iron occure naturaly on Avalon?

Except to the fey is it a poison to the things that live there?

And does the fact that iron is bad for the fey have anything, anything at all to do with the fact that it is the last thing a sun produces before it dies and goes nova/turns into a nutron star?

-Nemi, who salutes Gore Because she knows she would have a hard time picking out what's a legimit question and what's an Idea masqurading as a question

Greg responds...

No.

Depends what you're talking about.

Hmmm... Maybe.

By the way, I think your analysis of Oberon's kinda cool.

Response recorded on September 14, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Does Nimue know who her mortal parents were? (Yeah, yeah, we've all guessed it was Nimue :-)

Does Morgana know that she's not the biological child of her parents?
Which Oberati did the exchange? And for what reason?

Greg responds...

I don't want to answer this now.

Response recorded on September 14, 2000

Bookmark Link

Matthew Smith writes...

At the end of "Mark Of The Panther" was that little spider scurrying away Anansi making an unnoticible escape, or was it just any other spider?

Greg responds...

Anansi.

Response recorded on September 13, 2000

Bookmark Link

Demona Taina writes...

Oops! I spelled Antarctica wrong. My bad. :) [kicks evil typo]

And, well, while I'm at it, let me ask you this. Could Oberon ever punish somebody if he had a very good reason?

If the person he wishes to punish is mortal, can he punish him? Or does his law prevent him from messing with the lives of mortals?

Thank you for your time. :)

Greg responds...

If he can come up with an excuse to bend his law he can do it.

Response recorded on September 13, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

How did the Banshee get around Oberon's non-intervention edict when she kidnapped Goliath, Elisa, and Angela, and took them to Cairn na Culainn for interrogation?

Greg responds...

Her excuse was she thought they were agents of Oberon. The scent of Avalon was upon them, so she thought she wasn't interfering with mortals. Just with Oberon. Of course, she did this at her own peril. But there was nothing magical preventing her from doing it.

Response recorded on September 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

To Duncan Devlin who said: "I don't quite understand the response. From my experience, not ALL things are true."

Let me just paraphrase a sentence of Terry Pratchett: "All things are true, for a given value of 'true' "

Greg responds...

Yeah. Exactly.

By the way, thanks for reading the questions. It's very refreshing.

Who's Terry Pratchett?

Response recorded on September 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Sixshot writes...

How does Hydras, Dragons, Harpies, Cerberus and all other mythological animals/creatures fit in the three races?

Greg responds...

Some may have been Children of Oberon (or Mab). Others may have been New Olympians or the like. That is half-breeds. Some may have been exagerations of something else all together.

Response recorded on September 06, 2000

Bookmark Link

Emmlei writes...

In response to LSZ's many posts: i think what she wants to know is what some of the Faes' personify. Like how the Greek Olympians each personified (though how well is up for grabs) various attributes or crafts; Athena personified wisdom and defensive warfare, Ares war, Appollo truth and the arts. In the Garg's universe, Anubis clearly personifies death.
LSZ, you can correct me if i'm wrong, but i think that's what she means.

Greg responds...

I thought that too at first, but then some of LSZ's questions didn't seem to fit that idea. Anyway, I'm not going to run down a list of every mythological being and list "affiliations" or "connections" or whatever it is we're talking about. Use common sense and do a bit of research and nine times out of ten, you'll get the answer without me.

Response recorded on September 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Ok, first of all; most of the Gargoyles villains can be counted as amorals(like Xanatos), grays(Macbeth), insane-sufferers(Demona), and genuinely evil/malicious and remorseless folks like Proteus and perhaps Jackal and Hyena.

All of them can be, to some extent, perhaps with the exception of Macbeth, considered evil or selfishly uncaring. Still, Oberon cannot be considered evil; he is horribly arrogant, but he has his own sense of nobility.

But is Mab evil? Is she Chaos in the dark trickster manner of Raven and presumably Loki? Is she just a more petty version of Oberon? Is she genuinely malicious and nasty ala Hakon and Proteus? Is she gray-but-still-dark like Duval?

So what is Mab?

1) What is her moral worth in comparison to Oberon?
2) What is she compared to the other Gargoyles villain-types?

Greg responds...

She's MAD, I tell you, MAD, MAD! BWAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAAAA

1. LSZ, haven't you learned by now that I REFUSE to QUANTIFY stuff for you?
2. See above.

Response recorded on September 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Did Oberon have any help in defeating Mab?
2) Did Oberon use trickery?

Greg responds...

1. Yes.

2. Some.

Response recorded on September 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Hmm. Ok, good answer to the iron question, I'll admit. Still, is there any Fae Science in a Gargoyle-Science-esque answer on why iron harms the fae?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure I understand the question.

You looking for chemical reactions?

Response recorded on September 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

If the humans of (time of Future Gargoyle series) know 'a lot' about the origins of the New Olympians, do they know that the fae are real?

Greg responds...

Largely, no.

But again, I'd prefer if everyone held off asking anymore questions about what WAS Gargoyles 2158 until I make the announcement regarding it's revamping. Watch for it at this site.

Response recorded on September 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

I thought that I'd give my own comments here on the Weird Sisters as portrayed in "City of Stone" and "Avalon".

My own reason for being bothered by the change in the Sisters' portrayal between these two stories wasn't based on the fact that in "Avalon" they were working for the Archmage. What bothered me rather was the apparent change in their moral character. In "City of Stone", they talk about how revenge is wrong and every life is precious. In "Avalon", they're vengeful and consider the lives of mortals meaningless, and display this attitude even before they meet the Archmage, when they try to turn the humans into owls. They underwent what looked almost like a 180 degree turn around that I found difficult to comprehend.

The best that I could come up with as an explanation was that in "City of Stone", they didn't want Macbeth and Demona to kill each other since they needed them for the assault on Avalon, and were just doing the usual "villain speaking of virtue to achieve his or her own goals" (kind of like Shakespeare's Iago telling Othello to beware of jealousy even while secretly and deliberately sowing the seeds of jealousy in him). But while I could accept that with the simple overall statements, I found it hard to apply that to the questions that they were putting to Macbeth and Demona at the end of "City of Stone Part Four". The insight that they showed in the lives of Demona and Macbeth in speaking those questions seems to me something that one just can't fake, that would be beyond the abilities of mere clever hypocrites. That's the big reason why I have a problem with reconciling the Sisters' behavior in the different episodes.

Greg responds...

Sure, but as I've said before, there are wheels within wheels, particularly with the Sisters who represent a lot of triple goddesses and have different aspects.

Remember: All things are true.

They are hypocrites.

But it's also not that simple.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A question about Odin's quest to regain his eye in "Eye of the Storm"? Wouldn't this be, technically, a reneging on his deal with Mimir? After all, Odin did voluntarily surrender the eye for a drink from Mimir's well, so that would mean that it was no longer his property, that he had signed it away. (Of course, Mimir probably is no longer in a position to protest this, given that you've indicated in the past here that his beheading by the Vanir took place in the Gargoyles Universe, but I can't help wondering about this issue anyway).

Greg responds...

Mimir's long gone. Think of it as salvage. With Odin having a better claim than most, wouldn't you say?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Alex "Cyclonus" Bishansky writes...

You mentioned that Oberon's power class is Power, and Anubus and the Banshee are connected to Death and Mab Power and Chaos.

Are there any other classes that Fay are connected to that you can state.

Greg responds...

Oh, is that what all that "connectivity" stuff was that LSZ was talking about?

But I can't believe I said "Oberon's power class is Power." Power class is power. That sounds like gibberish to me.

Anyway, I have no desire to go through a list of all the Children that we know and "Classify" them. Most of them are fairly clear anyway.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Do immortality spells ala Demona and Macbeth's work on other fae?
2) How do the Death-gods in general view immortality?
3) How does Anubis in particular view immortality?

Greg responds...

1. Huh?
2. I don't know how to answer this question.
3. In what sense?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Why haven't any fae ever gone to space before? Don't they have curiousity about what's out there?

Greg responds...

Why haven't you gone? Aren't you curious?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) What happens when one Death-god is destroyed?
2) You said the spell in GRIEF put Death itself into stasis; did this apply only to Earth or to the entire universe?
3) Since you said that if all the Death-gods were destroyed, something or other will arise to take their place..this seems to imply that the Death-gods are very neccessary to the running of the universe..well, at least Earth's area. So what were things like BEFORE the fae evolved? What entity or entities had a connection to the process of Death then? Was the act of dying any different pre-fae?

Greg responds...

1. Depends.
2. Earth.
3. Not substantially.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vasy writes...

1.What did titania whisper into fox's ear at he end of the gathering part2
2.who rules after oberon
3. is fox the next queen of avalon
4. does titania know who the ruler of avalon will be after oberon's demise.
5. when does titania die.
6. how does titania die
7. does alexander, xanatos's child, ever become ruler of avalon.
8.odin is king of the gods in norse myth, and oberon is king in hte scottish/irish myth...so why does oberon ruler over odin?
9.how did oberon dfeat mab
10. why did oberon battle mab
11. who is merlin's mother, i know she is human, but who she
12. did merlin's mom know she had a son to oberon, or didn't oberon tell her
13. does foxes, dad...i say foxes dad because i dont know how to spell his name, well does he know that foxes mom is titania?
14. when oberon made everyone sleep in gathering part 1 and 2, why is foxes dad and vogel not asleep? was this titania's doing

Greg responds...

1. Do you think they'll be wondering about this in Ask Greg four years from now?
2. Who says there is an after?
3. Who says there is a next?
4. Who says there's a demise?
5. Who says she does?
6. See 5.
7. No.
8. You're premise is incorrect. Oberon is not king of the gods in Scotish/Irish myth. He's king of the fair folk. There's a difference.
9. That's an epic story.
10. That's part of the above mentioned epic story.
11. A welsh noblewoman.
12. Huh?
13. Yes. Which doesn't mean he's dealt with it.
14. No. Renard and Vogel put an energy field around the bridge of Fortress-II similar to the field that surrounded the Eyrie.

You know it occurs to me that these questions covered multiple unrelated topics. That's a no-no. Next time I'll get tough on you.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vasy writes...

1.What is the total plan of the wierd sisters for macbeth and demona?

2. Does titania know what the wierd sisters do?

Greg responds...

1. Please don't ask questions that would require novel-length responses. This isn't the format for that.

2. What do you mean?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vasy writes...

The fae weren't exisiting during the dinosaurs
1. when did they start to exist
2.how did they come to exist

Greg responds...

1. Upon Earth's creation -- to answer your question literally.

2. How does anything?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vasy writes...

1. if a human killed oberon, does he become ruler of the third race
2. who kills oberon
3. how does oberon die

Greg responds...

1. No.
2. What do you mean?
3. Who says he does?

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Haplo FD writes...

1. I know this queston has been touched upon before but I was wondering how was it that the ringing of an iron bell could bring Oberon to his knees and almost kill him (even after he had been given back his full powers) and yet the iron harpoon in the chest couldn't hack it?
2. Also, near the end of that episode, Oberon was severely drained of his power (with the old man visage), but then for no apparent reason returns to his normal self. What happened which enabled him to return to his usual self?

Thanks. I appreciate any answers given.

Greg responds...

1. One attacked his corporeal form. Which was injured, but he was given TIME (while Puck droned on) to recover. The bell made a more direct attack to his nervous system. Preventing him from recovering, had they kept ringing it. You'll notice that once they stopped ringing it, he recovered very quickly. Whereas once he removed the harpoon, it still took minutes for him to regain his normal form.
2. He had time and the power to heal.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Why changelings? I mean: why would fay exchange their children for human ones? I am not sure it was ever that clear in the real myths but what's the reason in the Gargoyles universe?

Greg responds...

Everything is case-by case. There isn't one answer.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

After reading LSZ's comments on the use of Norse mythology in "Gargoyles" (particularly with Odin) and your responses to them, I thought that I'd weigh in with my own thoughts on Odin as portrayed in the Gargoyles Universe.

As something of a Norse mythology buff (and, like you, I very much enjoyed the d'Aulaire book which was my big introduction to the Norse myths), I enjoyed Odin's showing up in "Gargoyles". The one detail that bothered me in "Eye of the Storm", though, I confess, was when both Odin and Goliath in his "Eye of Odin" form were wearing horned helmets. This was because I'd read that the Vikings never actually wore those kinds of helmets, and, even more significantly, Hakon and his Vikings in "Awakening" weren't portrayed as wearing horned helmets but the sort of outfits that Vikings wore in actual history. So I felt a bit disturbed by the horned helmets in "Eye of the Storm", on the grounds of "They know better, because of how they drew Hakon and his followers."

Admittedly, since Odin and the "Odinized" Goliath weren't human flesh-and-blood Norsemen like Hakon, but fantasy beings, maybe the horned helmet concept does work for them, in that their appearance would be reflecting the popular imagination view of Vikings.

Greg responds...

Well, I suppose you're right. But maybe that's where the popular concept of horned helmets camed from. Not from the actual vikings, but from the Norse "gods" themselves. Or, heck, maybe from horned Gargoyles, for that matter.

I also won't deny that our Odin was uncomfortably Kirbyesque. Don't get me wrong, I like the design, and I wouldn't change it now. But I wish we had done something a little more original. I guess I didn't mind so much because he spent half his time as a Polar Bear or as an Old Man with that cool cloak.

Response recorded on August 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Entity writes...

Hi Greg,

A belated personal reaction to THE MIRROR. In the past, you've seemed curious as to how things came off to us. Did we get the implication here, or did we correctly interpret there. Well, here's something that really threw me initially. When Goliath describes the Third Race, he uses a lot of different nouns and adjectives. At first, I thought this new "Third Race" was going to be a contrived method of stuffing all other creatures of myth and fantasy into the series, in addition to the gargoyles, without having to give each one a unique background and history. In this way, you could bring in a unicorn, a minatour, an elf or an ogre, and you wouldn't have to justify them existing as individual species like the gargs, because they're conveniently blanket-labelled as the "Third Race." In short, I thought Goliath was describing a people more akin to the New Olympians, a collective, rather than a coherent species. Elisa's response was most responsible for cementing my conclusion, when she said, "Shapeshifters, elves, fairies, you mean they're real?" It sounds a lot like Elisa's interpretation of Goliath's speech was the same as mine.

As you could imagine, I felt quite betrayed and outraged. To forge such a unique, well-shaped universe and then just lazilly toss in everything else as if you said, "Well, on second thought..."

This wasn't the case, and the Third Race wound up being a wonderful addition to the series. But it took me a while to realize that. :)

Greg responds...

On the other hand, it kinda was the case... We just executed it better than you thought we would.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Do the smith-gods of various pantheons possess the iron-resistance?

Greg responds...

I don't think so. (It's not like a super-power, o.k.?)

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Does Oberon's father share his iron-resistance?

Greg responds...

I don't know much about dear old dad yet.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did any of the fae who got worshipped actually believe they were gods?

Greg responds...

Probably.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Are there any faelike beings out there in space then, if such evolution on other worlds is possible?
2) Are any evolutionary processes to start such beings beginning or halfway through or in the final stages off-Earth?
3) Are any of the three races in the Space-Spawn War on similar evolutionary lines to the fae?

Greg responds...

1. Technically, fae are earth natives. I'm not ruling out the possibility of fae-like beings in space. Anymore than I'm ruling out the possibility of humanoids in space. But you get the idea...

2. See 1.

3. No.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

As a comment to one of LSZ's posts> I'm not that certain that Ra would be the leader of the Egyptian pantheon - I think that in the myths the leadership seems to have passed from Ra to Osiris and finally to Horus the Younger when Osiris was murdered...

Greg responds...

I'm not gonna comment on that now.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Who's the fae nearest in power to Titania, not counting fae more powerful than she is in raw force(Oberon, Mab)?

Greg responds...

I'm not big at quantifying things. (Haven't you and I established that in the past?)

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Are the fae leaders of the pantheons(Odin, Ra, Zeus) etc always the most powerful of that group?

Greg responds...

Generally.

Yea! I got one!

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did Ragnarok occur or was even part of the Oberon-Mab war?

Greg responds...

Is this one question or two?

I apologize, LSZ, but you have a real knack for asking questions that I just don't get.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

I think this was also lost in the queue, so

1) What would happen to Oberon when Mab returns?
2) Would Mab be around by 2158?
3) What would happen to Mab by 2158?
4) At what level of maturity would Oberon and Titania's children be by 2158?

Greg responds...

1. He will not go quietly.

2. Can't say.

3. Can't say.

4. Can't say.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Just what is it that makes Mab and Oberon so powerful?

Greg responds...

Magic.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Are any fae connected to bacteria or any other micro-organisms?

Greg responds...

asdfjkl;

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Were the heads of various pantheons(Odin, Ra, etc) also connected to the ruling class?
2) What were Thor and Loki connected to?
3) What connection is there between Titania and the Titans?

Greg responds...

Somebody stop this person, please...

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

another silly question, but..are any fae connected to iron?

Greg responds...

They don't much care for iron.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

This is probably a silly question, but are there any single entities in the universe more powerful than Mab?

Greg responds...

Probably. No matter how big you are there's always someone bigger.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Are any fae connected to gravity?
2) To science?
3) To one race or type of human or gargoyle?

Greg responds...

1. What does that mean?

2. Huh?

3. O.K. I didn't get this question four posts ago.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

KW Keller writes...

Oberon's Children questions (maybe):

1. Are beings such as gnomes, leprechauns, brownies, etc. fay? If so, why is there such a difference in power between them and someone like Odin?

2. Are djinn/jinn/genies (or however one prefers to spell it) members of the third race?

3. We know there have been human/fay hybrids produced in the Gargoyles Universe, but have any gargoyle/fay hybrids ever been produced?

Greg responds...

1. Why does Tiger Woods play golf better than the rest of the planet?
2. Sure.
3. Maybe.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Abigail Thorne writes...

During the World Tour, Goliath and Co. ran into many members of the Third Race and screwed up their plans. Did Oberon find about about that? I was just trying to figure out if he'd find it amusing or if he'd be irritated. From his point of view, the gargoyles had already invaded his island--now these four puny mortals were besting his powerful children? I don't think he'd take that lightly, but maybe I'm wrong. What do you think?

Greg responds...

I don't think anyone went into very specific details. Kinda embarrassing, and runs the risk that Oberon might say: "Were you breaking my non-interference edict?"

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Is it possible for a fae to have a connection to a single or at least a type of species?
2) If so, is Anansi connected to spiders?
3) Raven ravens?
4) Coyote coyotes?
5) Finally, is it possible and are there any fae that are connected to gargoyles or humans as a species?

Greg responds...

ugh

But wait! This sounds like it makes sense.

1. I'm not sure I get it but i think the answer is yes.

2. Yes, obviously.

3. YES!

4. YES!

5. That isn't the idea. Spiders are Anansi's familiars. You don't usually recruit familiars from sentient species. Those are called apprentices or flunkies.

There! Did I break the codeword?!

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

What connections are the most common among the fae?

Greg responds...

Back with those 'connections'.

Did I use this word in some context, cuz I don't have a clue what you mean.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Are any of the fae 'gods' we've seen so far like Anubis or Odin older than Oberon?

Greg responds...

Maybe.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) How old is Mab?
2) How old was Mab when Oberon was born?
3) How old is Oberon?
4) Titania?

Greg responds...

1. Old.

2. Old.

3. Old.

4. Old.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

What was Puck's position during the Mab-Oberon war, if he was even around at the time?

Greg responds...

Working for Oberon.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) If a fae's true form-appearance is determined by the true forms of its parents, is their connection also determined or influenced by the connection of its parents?
2) What is Oberon and Titania's two kids' connections?

Greg responds...

Still don't see what you're getting at here.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Must all fae have a connection?

Greg responds...

Still not getting "connection".

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Does Anansi possess any connections besides trickster?
2) Raven?
3) Coyote?
4) Does Anubis have any connection besides death?
5) Is it common for Death-gods to be connected solely to Death?
6) Does Merlin have any connection?

Greg responds...

Oh, I get it. (Maybe.)

1. He's part of an African pantheon.

2. Ditto for North America.

3. Ditto for Southwestern America.

4. Egyptian.

5. No, I guess, I don't get what you mean.

6. To Arthur? To Oberon? I don't get it.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) What was Oberon's father's connection, if Mab's was power/chaos?
2) Does the power-ruling-class connection of the Oberon-Titania type refer solely to the fae ruling class, or ruling classes in general?
3) Does Alex have any kind of connection?
4) Do any other fae besides Oberon, Titania and Mab have the ruling class connection?
5) Can Mab be considered a trickster with the chaos connection?
6) Do any fae have a connection to off-planet things?
Further questions to stop this from becoming a marathon..

Greg responds...

Connection? How are you defining that?

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Sixshot writes...

Hi mr. Weisman

In Mark of The Panther, Goliath killed "Anansi". He used a spear, but was it in iron? If not, how could a spear make him disappear like that?

Greg responds...

It wasn't iron. So Anansi wasn't killed. But it still hurt, so he reverted to a small spider to escape.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Laura aka 'ad astra' Ackerman writes...

I love this asking questions off of answers to my own questions! By the time you read this it will have been a while since you answered what I apologized being "an amorphous blob of a question" on Fox, her potential fae abilities and concrete lack thereof, as well as Titania's intentions. I now apologize for this being only a little less of a blob; I separated paragraphs- (randomly, but I did it).

I did not truly express myself well so you could not fully answer that question- (you did cover most of it). The main thing that has been bothering me, and which prompted me to assess the situation as I had, was that thought that Titania would intentionally put herself through the pain of having a child that will live, grow old and die in a fraction of her own lifespan. I realize that even Titania cannot foresee and account every happening, but I figure that she can handle birth control if she wanted to. [Given the cross species thing, I assumed she had to work at the non-compatibility problem. Different species should be nearly automatic birth control for the most part.] Basically, I assume she intended to have Fox- or at least a halfling child. [A correct assumption?]

You answered me on July 19 saying there was no exterior block on Fox practicing fae magic- only the atrophying of unused talents. The implication of The Gathering seemed to be that that bolt at Oberon was Fox's first act of magic. The thing I am curious about is whether or not Titania tried to make Fox a magical being as a child, or even as a baby, or, at any rate before issues of atrophy could come up. I assumed she would have tried, if for no other reason than giving Fox access to a lifespan of a short lived Oberati instead of a long lived human. [I really can't understand people willingly putting themselves through the pain of losing a child when there is any viable alternative.] Continuing with what were probably faulty assumptions I deduced that Titania must have tried in a direct fashion to get Fox used to magic until Fox was old enough to talk about it credibly (4 or 5?). After that point, through the events of the Gathering, I assumed she tried less direct methods- perhaps even things that would be dangerous for a child had her mother not been there to step in to save her. Fox of course would have generally found her own way out of dangerous situations using her mind and body and circumventing the whole experiment. This all seemed a rather logical set of deductions except for figuring out why a child version of Fox could not do magic. From there I hypothesized some sort of exterior block, which you said does not exist.

So…
Did Titania conceive Fox intentionally?
Did Titania desire to have a child that was human or halfling in point of view and ability?
[Oddly enough it seems to me Fox has a rather Fae POV despite her lack of magic]
Did Titania try to train Fox in fae magic as a small child?
If so, why didn't I work at the time?
Did Titania try indirect methods throughout the rest of Fox's life?
Now that Fox has touched on her fae potential- should she desire and be able to reclaim that 'muscle' and strengthen it, in effect become more a halfling than a human, could her life expectancy jump from what I would guess to be low hundreds to several hundred?

You wrote in your answer:
"Titania/Anastasia may have made some mistakes, may not have thought things out in advance. May have had one or more changes of heart."

I am beginning to getting a bit of a picture of Titania like the cat I once saw described in a birthday card- the sort of animal that can perch on your Tv, fall off with an ungraceful plop and then jump up with an "I meant to do that" look and walk proudly and disdainfully away. Perhaps all that wonderful manipulation I give her credit for is actually (in part) post facto saving face on an incredibly skill level.

Greg responds...

I definitely think she wanted Fox. I think she loved Halcyon. And they wanted to have a child together. I think having that child was a huge part of her maturation process. (This is also all tied in with the two children she's had with Oberon. A not so happy story for another day.) The issue of Fox being a halfling was automatic. She couldn't have a child with Halcyon and NOT have it be a halfling. (You can't leave love out of the equation.)

At first, I don't think Titania DID try to train Fox in magic. Because, and this is key, she was working very hard to live as ANASTASIA. (Think Bewitched, I guess.) Again, there was love for her rational, scientist, industrialist man in there. But also it was a period of emotional growth for her. So she didn't want to mess with Fox's head. And she didn't realize it would cause problems later.

Later, yes, she tried many indirect methods. Including Matrix. No dice. So maybe, she had to try something a touch more desperate.

As to your last question, only time will tell.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did gargoyles ever worship fae as gods?

Greg responds...

Not really.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jeff N. writes...

Hey there Mr. Weisman,

In an answer to an earlier question about the origins of the New Olympians, you said that the first New Olympians were the result of various fae-mortal unions, and I was just wondering if, in the Gargoyles Universe, all of the original 12 Olympians from Greek mythology would be classified as full-fledged members of the Third Race (i.e. Oberon's Children)?

Thank you and good luck on resurrecting Gargoyles.

Greg responds...

Not necessarily.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Do fae grow weaker magically as they grow older?
2) Is there any limit to how powerful a fae can grow unaided by any magical artefacts?
3) How seriously can fae be hurt by human magic?
4) If gargoyles could develop their own sorcery, would the magic they utilise be identical to human magic?
5) Did the Zeroth/Lost Race use magic?
6) Do the New Olympians use magic these days?

Greg responds...

1. Generally, no.

2. Probably.

3. Seriously.

4. Identical? Garg sorcery + human sorcery = mortal sorcery.

5. Zeroth? Who's that?

6. Rarely.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

How does Demona feel about Oberon?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure she's aware of him.

Response recorded on August 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

Laura 'ad astra' Ackerman writes...

In answer to a series of question I asked about Oberon and Titania's children (together and otherwise) and the events of Midsummer Night's Dream you mentioned "the pedophile theory" and said, "(platonic or otherwise) [it] still may fit the play best. Haven't worked out whether it applies to the Garg Universe." I must admit to ignorance, what theory?

Strangely enough I never really enjoyed reading Midsummer. Usually I like reading Shakespeare as much as watching, but I just couldn't get into it when last I tried. As a result I can't stand by my inability if seeing anything fitting that description in the play. In seeing the play the boy barely did anything but be handed around and look cute, but performances are already interpretations with choices. Are you saying there is a theory that Oberon wanted the kid for reasons other than being annoyed Titania was ignoring him, or that Titania was interested in the kid in ways other than adopting a dead friend's (or was it worshiper?- I don't remember well enough) child. I don't remember having that sort of theory come up outside of Hamlet. {In Hamlet I can see that there might be elements, but usually find it overplayed. Then again, I am a prude and often wear rose tinted glasses.}

I had also commented on Oberon's amusement at discovering Fox's existence. I would have expected him to be jealous, and wondered if he was exhibiting some maturity in recognition of his own track record. You said that Oberon wouldn't have been jealous because he was divorced from Titania at the time. Since when has Oberon been strictly logical or mature? Until that moment I wouldn't have put it past him to begrudge the fact that the woman he divorced had remarried and had a child with someone else despite any children he had hanging about. When we first meet Oberon, the way he responded to Titania's offer of remarriage seemed to me as if he had been quite anxious for that to happen. It almost seemed to me he had offered before and been turned down. I don't mean that he went begging her, just that he had made gestures of reconciliation and she turned him down in no uncertain terms making clear she was his subject, not love. Mostly it signaled to me that the big blue jerk had some genuine feelings for Titania, and was emotionally invested in her being his wife again. Was my reading completely off? And why was Oberon so amused?

Greg responds...

Pedophilia in Hamlet? Never heard that one. Oedipus complexes I've heard about. Though personally, I think that's rubbish.

The pedophilia thing in Midsummers involves Oberon's potential interest in the changeling. I'm not advocating that theory, though it's easily present should a director chose to play things that way.

Meanwhile, I think Oberon does love Titania. So you weren't off there. But I think he was genuinely amused. I just don't think that Oberon and Titania share the same mores that the rest of us have been socialized with. Besides, I liked shocking you with the unexpected response that still feels right.

Response recorded on August 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Who was the centaur guy we saw in the gathering part 1?

Greg responds...

I don't remember off the top of my head.

Response recorded on August 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

DrFaust writes...

Where is Mab imprisoned?

Did you ever mentally cast a particular actor in Mab's role? And if so, who?

Greg responds...

Can't tell.

No. Not yet.

Response recorded on August 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Could a fae as powerful as Oberon or Mab transform a gargoyl or human into a fae weaker than them?

Greg responds...

Why would they want to do this?

Response recorded on August 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) How did Oberon succeed in defeating Mab if she was stronger than he was?
2) Why didn't Mab approve of Titania?
3) Just how was Mab trouble? Trouble for whom, specifically?
4) Does Oberon feel any regret about overthrowing his mother?

Greg responds...

1. How does any underdog ever win?

2. It's complicated.

3. Trouble for just about everyone, actually.

4. None.

Response recorded on August 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

April writes...

Does Fox love her mother Titani?

Greg responds...

She loves Anastasia. Titania will take some getting used to.

Response recorded on August 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Siren writes...

A little question from The Gathering eps
With Boudicca (sp?) and the Oberon thing...
Is she just very obidiant or did he place a spell on her?

Greg responds...

She's obedient to those she trusts.

Response recorded on August 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Scott Iskow writes...

On Fae Magic:

1) It's been a while since I've seen "Mark of the Panther," so I'm a little unclear on how Anansi "spins his wishes." Can you describe the process, please?

2) Did Oberon remove Puck's magic, or was it merely suppressed? If removed, where did all the energy go? Did Oberon absorb it into himself, or did he do the fae equivalent of throwing it into the garbage?

3) On a similar note to 2, how much energy does it take to strip another fae of magic? My guess would be some amount equal to the magic being removed, but I'm not well versed in cartoon magic. (I can't even rhyme well.)

Greg responds...

1. In a web...

2. Suppressed.

3. A lot i guess, but strictly speaking it would probably kill the guy.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Wing writes...

Salutations!
Here's a question guised in the form of a question for you.
If Oberati can chose their form at will, why was Anansi so massive, huge, and ungainly?

Greg responds...

He ate a lot and gloried in it, I guess. And changing may not be as easy as you make it sound.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Faieq Ali writes...

1)If The Children of Oberon are creatures of pure magic, then why did Anansi need the panther Queen and the people of Karadigi to hunt for him?
2)Do the Children need to eat food?

Greg responds...

1. Magic has it's limits.

2. Yes, depending on their chosen form. But they also need to feed on energy.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Matthais writes...

Hello! First of all, I thought I should say that I really love Gargoyles, I write role playing games and a lot of Fae concepts comes from the show. So, without further ado:

At the end of "Ill Met By Moonlight", Oberon says something like "From now on you and your clan shall be imune to all our powers" to Goliath. You have mentioned before that Oberon uses the royal "we", or "us", or "our", but says "I" if it would be confusing otherwise. This is certainly a confusing instance. I hope by "our" powers he dosn't mean the powers of all Fae? I couldn't remember if any of the clan are affected by Fae powers after Ill Met. (Unless "Future Tense" was after it?)

Greg responds...

Just his. And of course he "bends" THAT rule all the time too.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Duncan Devlin writes...

Hi Greg. I posted a question in March that I guess was a little confusing. I asked about Annubis being in line at the Gathering. Since he was presented as the Grim Reaper (essentially) and the only being to represent a "taker of souls" in the Gargoyles universe, I found it a little odd that he be taken from his duties to attend The Gathering. Since the Amir returned control to Annubis, I assume he did not take his place. The Gathering seemed to have an indeterminate length of time (Puck seemed way too concerned for just a hiatus), so the world would be without death. Who takes care of the duties of death while he is at The Gathering.

I don't want to go any furthur, because there will be an idea imbedded in the question.

I apologize for calling Nought a "dube", I was a typo I didn't pick up on until mid-May. I intended to say "dude".

Greg responds...

Where Anubis is has little to do with how he functions. He doesn't have to be present at every deathbed.

Response recorded on August 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ (repost by Aris) writes...

Why I didn't like Odin's portrayal so much and Odin in general.

First of all, Odin was supposed to be the wisest of the gods, who sacrificed his very eye for wisdom and had to hang from a tree nine days dead, really dead, gone-to-Helheim-dead to gain even more wisdom of rune-making knowledge. He also interacted with humans frequently in the myths, and not always as a god-to-lesser-beings attitude. Odin in Gargoyles seemed kinda..dumb. His comment to Goliath about not being used to dealing with mortals seemed out-of-character. The mythological Odin seemed the type of person to try more subtle methods to gain the Eye. And also:

1) Where were Odin's ravens at the time?
2) Why has Sleipnir so few legs? He should have eight.
3) Where's Odin's magic spear Gungnir?

Greg responds...

Well, know one said that he'd been interacting with humans recently. He seemed somewhat hermetic to me.

1. In Miami.

2. I've answered this before. I know he should have had eight. He had eight in the script. The real reason he didn't in the show was because it was felt that the animators couldn't handle it and it would look horrible. The in-Universe reason is that Sleipnir is also a shape-shifter and can have as many legs as he wants to at any given time. He was in a four leg mood right then.

3. In Barbados.

(Sorry, Odin didn't please you. But I don't think our interpretations are mutually exclusive. I certainly don't disagree with yours, nor do I find it inconsistent with ours. I certainly don't think he was dumb. Just rusty. In any case, he achieved his ends.)

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Fenrir (repost by Aris) writes...

Norse myth again:

Hope this doesn't count as an idea but..this is just a comment I want to make because it seems that ths is commonly forgotten by most people who want to do stories about the Norse gods and just concentrate on the 'heroic Aesir/Vanir' or 'malicious Loki/Frost Giants', and seem to forget about other major figures who just don't talk much like Hel.

So my comment is:
Fenrir can talk. There's a precedent. In the story about him and Tyr, it is said he cheerfully agrees to being bound with chains, which may or may not mean he can talk. But when the gods bring him the magic ribbon Glaupnir, he is suspicious and challenges them, and states that as a test of good faith, someone must put his hand in Fenrir's mouth. So Fenrir _can_ talk.

Greg responds...

Uh, who said he couldn't?

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ (repost by Aris) writes...

Norse myth:
1) Jormungandr was the Midgard/World Serpent, the monstrous brother of Fenrir and Hel, and like them, another bastard child of Loki and the Frost-Giantess Angrboda(anguish boding). Odin cast him into the sea not long after he was born, but there he grew to immense proportions until he encircled the entire world(which the Norse thought shaped like a disc with a huge ocean circling the sides), and had to hold his tail in his mouth. Jormungandr was also(this is from memory, may be wrong) the arch-monster-enemy(the way Fenrir is Odin's) of Thor, due to an event that occured before Ragnarok; Thor used Mjolnir as a fishing hook while fishing in a boat and caught Jormy, bashed him on the head with the hammer once or twice, but the Serpent got away, being the earliest recorded story of the Big One..

2) Jormungandr was huge, serpentine, extremely formidable in the water, and equipped with poisonous breath/bite.

3) Until Ragnarok, Jormungandr cannot heave his immense body unto the land. At Ragnarok, when the stars start falling from the sky and the huge earthquakes start, the land heaves and manages to lift Jormungandr onto the shore. He will then slither all his way to Vigrid, the battlefield. At Vigrid, his breath will poison the air, being responsible for the death of many. Thor will engage him in a long long battle, and not too long after Odin gets eaten, finally slay Jormungand. Thor will then walk nine steps away, and fall down dead, too heavily injured in the battle to survive. So it'll appear Jormungandr would be dead..but if Odin can survive Ragnarok, why can't Jorm?

2) How many tricksters do you need? Loki's got other aspects besides tricktser-he's also a fire-god and shapeshifter of great power and skill.

And an actual question:
3) How did Odin survive Ragnarok?

Next Norse myth thing in seperate post, unsure if that counts as seperate topic.

Greg responds...

1. Was that a question? I'm familiar with the Midgard Serpent from my D'Aulaire's NORSE GODS & GIANTS book. (One of my favorite books ever.) I figure, he's mostly dead. But I'll admit, my thoughts on Ragnarok in the Garg Universe are fairly sketchy. I have a few concrete ideas, but I don't have all the choreography nailed down.

2. Loki's cool. But he gets used A LOT. I'm not ruling him out -- and certainly not in flashback -- but I don't feel a pressing need to include him in the present. But you never know...

3. Not telling now.

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris (repost by Aris) writes...

Do the Weird Sisters feel anything like affection or responsibility towards Demona and Macbeth? In 'City of Stone' they did seem to feel these thing ("We've written their story. They are our children") but in the following episode we just saw them use Demona and Macbeth for their own purposes...

Greg responds...

The Sisters have many aspects. At least one cares.

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris (repost by Aris) writes...

This comes with some delay but better late than never... Concerning Morrigan (to give credit where due) Todd had already guessed that in the Gargoyles Universe she may have been Banshee... I had my doubts, in part because I hadn't guessed that the 'love' part in their love/hate relationship went back to their earlier life...

Anyway... So, the Morrigan of legends is an amalgation of Banshee and the Weird sisters... interesting and ofcourse quite fitting. (I also wonder if the idea of the Weird Sisters in love with anyone could ever pass S&P - it would seem a bit like a group orgy or something... :-)

I was intrigued (and quite pleased) when I found out that you had further plans for Banshee as Molly - the episode had left me rather unsatisfied, Rory transforming into Cuchullain and attacking/killing the Banshee as if Molly had meant nothing to him... it felt kind of a letdown (especially since I quite liked Molly while the Banshee seemed two-dimensional). So I'm glad this is not the end of their relationship, even though I agree with you that it would be difficult to near-impossible to focus a whole series on the two of them.

Hmm... here are a couple of questions. Does Rory know that the Banshee is still out there or does he think that he has killed her? And that 'transformation' into Cuchullain... would you have it happen again, or even on a regular base? (I rather disliked the transformation - I didn't much like Cuchullain's form...) And how does Rory feel now about Molly/Banshee/Crom Cruach?

Thanks btw, for the compliment on my usage of English... However the specific post concerning the Morrigan was in great part a copy-and-paste job from a mythological website... :-)

Greg responds...

I think to the extent that Rory is only just starting to remember his past life, he probably realizes taht Cuchullain has "killed" her before and will probably have to "kill" her again. He doesn't expect Molly to reenter his life though. That should come as a surprise.

Some transformation will be part of the equation. But I too wasn't satisfied with what we had. For starters, it seemed to much like Marvel's Thor to me. And I wasn't wild about the Cuchullain model either. It was servicable, and we were on deadline. But I'd like to come up with something stronger. Something that mixes Rory and Cuchullain more. Something that better integrates the Spear of Light. I have some ideas about it, if I ever get the chance to revisit.

As for Rory's current feelings, I think he largely felt betrayed by Molly. Felt she had been using him, felt she never had any real feelings for him. I think she thinks that he's right about that. But "going undercover" as Banshee did gets complicated. Nothing's as cut and dry as either of them think.

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Just why does the sound of iron harm fae? It isn't as if iron radiates 'iron waves' like uranium and radioactivity..

Greg responds...

Sez you.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Does Mab share the resistance to iron that Oberon possesses?

Greg responds...

Semi-resistance? Probably.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did any fae ever travel to space at any period in history? Are they even capable of doing so?

Greg responds...

Not yet. At least not that I know of.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

I'm pretty sure this question was lost in the queue, and I've searched it twice, so I'll ask it again:

Did any magical faelike beings evolve on other planets, or is the whole magic-incubation thing limited to Earth?

Greg responds...

'Spossible.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

How would powdered iron dust affect a fae if you sprinkle some on one? What would it do-poison, scorch, bring on a rash, make them itch...

Greg responds...

Maybe all of the above. Maybe something worse.

Response recorded on July 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

I'm not certain as to whether this question has been asked here or not (it certainly hasn't been answered yet), but - do the fay have any sort of afterlife as humans and gargoyles do, or do they just stop existing when they die?

Greg responds...

BEN SAYS: bbnmm,. lkpooyyy

GREG SAYS: Anything's possible.

And I love Benny.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

Apologies for misspellings!

dose to does and such.

This all has to do with Fey and history.

Howmany generations of Fey have their been?

Have the fey ever been primitive? As in the way humans were sevral millenia ago?

Greg responds...

1. I've never counted.

2. Not in that way exactly. Not like their were cave-fey.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

Stupid pointless Titania questions that got deleted this time:

Does she wear shoes? (Yes I know, Oberon wears enough for both of them and then some)

Has she always worn what she does and some variation, or pregathering did she wear something less--revealing?

Is there a point to her wearing so little?

Greg responds...

1. When she feels like it.

2. Her wardrobe is as extensive as her imagination. But she favors the outfit you saw.

3. She's got it. She flaunts it.

Response recorded on July 28, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

Here's some stupid questions with no point that also got deleted, they all have to do with Oberon's looks and fashion sence, which in a sence is the same thing for a fey:

Why does Oberon wear those thigh high boots?

Why does Oberon have a broken nose? There are a few theroies going round about this one, which I can't post for fear of getting this deleted.

Is it just mean or is he, Oberon, wearing shorts?

an' I think that's it

Greg responds...

1. He thinks he looks good in them. Also they're comfortable.

2. He doesn't.

3. He's not wearing shorts.

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Did Ragnarok occur before Oberon overthrew Mab, or after, or during the Oberon-Mab war?

Greg responds...

Not telling right now.

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Which of the Death-gods has the greatest connection to Death? You have implied earlier that some have less and more than other Death-gods, like Banshee compared to Anubis..

Greg responds...

Tough to top Anubis. But I don't pretend to have thought out every pantheon's death god at this point. Gotta leave some stuff for when the stories are written.

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) You said earlier that Oberon has siblings; how many?
2) Of what gender are they?
3) Do Titania or Puck have siblings?

Greg responds...

1. Did I say that?

2. What are my choices?

3. Both of them or either?

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

Isaac Kelley writes...

Alright, in Hunters Moon, my personal favorite episode, Demona almost unleashed a magical disease that would have killed all sentience. Gargoyles would be immune to it's effects thanks to the Praying Gargoyle.
Now we all know Goliath smashed the statue and saved the world. But what if this was not the case...
1. All humans would have died. Macbeth is obviously human. Would this not have qualified as death at Demona's hands, thus killing Demona (oops)?
2. If not, would she fall prey to it when she turned into human form? How would this work?
3. Would this spread to Avalon and/or the isle of the New Olympians?
4. How would it affect... Oberon's Children?
5. ...New Olympians?
6. ...Gargoyle clones?
7. Any other effects?

Thanks for your time. Love your rambles, by the way, look forward to next season's rambles.

Greg responds...

More hypothetical questions... YAY!

1. I've answered this many times before. Try looking through the Demona or Macbeth archives. Briefly, it would depend on Demona's intent.

2. I'm sure she thought she was safe.

3. No reason why it wouldn't spread to New Olympus. No reason why it would spread to Avalon.

4. Potentially not at all.

5. Kill most of them probably.

6. Not at all.

7. Anyone who asks hypothetical questions based on untread pathes would die. :)

Response recorded on July 27, 2000

Bookmark Link

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

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Were the fae around during the time of the dinosaurs?

Greg responds...

No.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen (repost by Aris) writes...

How did Odin get around Oberon's non-intervention law when he kidnapped Elisa?

Greg responds...

He felt the Eye rightly belonged to him. The mortals were interfering with HIS property.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Lexy (repost by Aris) writes...

Nope..still not done yet..

Ok, I put this in a separate post _just_ in case.

1) Could you tell us what the episode, "Ransom" would have been like if you had had more control over it?

I put this in a separate post cuz..as you may notice you have answered this one from me before. I admit that. Its just that when you did it was awful vague. I was just wondering if right now you could tell us something more besides, "It was pretty much the same plot except the kidnappers were from Avalon." Ok they were from Avalon?

2) Would we have seen these characters in any episodes after Ransom?

We never saw Puck in TGC. But im SURE Alex getting kidnapped would have warrented a Puck episode;)

3) Would Puck have been the first one to know and not his parents?

Everyone got together trying to figure out how to go about getting Alex back

4) In the ep you had planned, would it have been more of a Puck/Lex teamup?

5) Where would've the mystery characters from Avalon taken our lil prince?

U know..Q's like that?

Pulezz?;)

Greg responds...

1. Is that quotation an actual quotation or a paraphrase? I can't imagine that's what I wrote. It certainly was never going to be the same plot. It was a Tricksters story. Initially it was to include Owen/Puck, Raven, Anansi and Coyote. Plus Lex and the Family Xanatos. I think as time has gone on, I would have dropped Anansi and Coyote from this one. Focused more on Raven as the Trickster/Villain. Saved the multi-Trickster episode for another story.

2. In that season or ever?

3. Uh, I don't pretend to have every little detail worked out. I never actually wrote the story, I simply proposed it. They took a kernel of it and turned it into Ransom.

4. Probably.

5. Don't know.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Chapter XVIII: "The Mirror"

Story Editor: Brynne Chandler Reaves
Writer: Lydia C. Marano

Arguably the best single episode of the series. The animation is fluid, dynamic and very strong. The writing is sharp, even quite funny over and over. And yet, dramatically the story is still potent. It really advances the Goliath & Elisa romance arc. Changes Demona permanently. And introduces Puck -- and by extension, the entire third race: The Children of Oberon. All in a mere 22 minutes.

It's also very gratifying for me. A bit of a vindication. As you may have seen from the memos I wrote to Brynne & Lydia, there was some considerable resistance to the notion that none of the characters would notice their own personal change from one species to another. Most of my collaborators thought the idea was way too complicated to pull off. I argued that it might seem complex, but in fact it would play cleaner on screen -- and funnier and more directly to theme. In my mind, another title for this episode could have been -- had we already not been using it for our Werefox episode -- "Eye of the Beholder", because all the transformed characters really noticed was when someone else was "OTHER". Being a monster or being "normal" was based on their point of view, not any objective look in the mirror. [As it is, the title is the kind I like. Simple, objective and yet metaphoric. At one point, it was titled: "Mirror, Mirror". But we simplified it even more.]

But anyway, when the human Brooklyn, Lex and Broadway are confronted by "Gargoyles", the scene is an intentional mirror of the scene from AWAKENING, PART ONE where Brooklyn says, "If they think we're beasts and monsters..." Again, this is playing with the idea of "beasts and monsters" being merely in the eye of the beholder. The species have reversed, but the situation is exactly the same simply because the Trio remain in the minority. I suppose that's one thing that X-Men's mutants have in common with the Gargs. Both are a metaphor for being part of a minority. Feared almost automatically.

On the other hand, when Elisa is transformed, she believes that Goliath & Co. have been transformed into something like her. I think her immediate reaction is very telling about how she ALREADY felt about Goliath at that point. She's thrilled. She throws her arms about him. Now they're the same species. There's no impediment to their love. What's interesting is that if you stopped and asked Elisa under normal circumstances whether she would wish for Goliath to be transformed into a human, the answer would most certainly be "No." She knows that being a Gargoyle is fundamental to who he is. You can't change that without changing him -- and yet in that instant, in that unguarded moment, her desire to be with him overwhelms that rational knowledge. She's just happy.

At the museum, Elisa looks at herself in the mirror. She then moves, but the reflection holds. That was the idea of one of our board artists. A little clue that the mirror is magic. (It's not an animation error.)

Family Reactions #1

During that museum chase, my wife wanted to know why no alarms were going off. I figure Demona or the thieves just shut them off.

Erin didn't realize that that was Elisa dressed as a security guard at first. We were trying to withhold that information for a bit.

"Titania's Mirror", "The Children of Oberon", "Oberon sent me." We were laying groundwork to expand the entire series' base. But I don't know if back then I knew that much about what if anything I had planned specifically for Titania & Oberon.

Anymore than I knew then what I'd do with the "Dracula's Daughter" reference. But we try not to waste anything.

Coming up with that "Children of Oberon" name was a struggle. And so many people have asked me since whether or not Oberon is literally everyone's father, I almost regret landing on that choice. Our thought process is largely present in the episode when Goliath et al, go through various noms: Fair Folk, Dark Elves, Changelings, Shape-Shifters. Of course, at the time we were misusing the term Changeling. I think that was Odo's influence frankly, but I should have known better. I suggested "The Oberati". But the Reaves didn't care for that. I think they thought it sounded too much like an Italian sports car.

I do love the moment when Brooklyn cites Shakespeare's play as a sort of reference work on the Children. I hope we sent a few people to the library with that line. Did we?

I also love Hudson's line in response to Elisa's question: Are they real?

Hudson: "As real as I am, if the stories be true." It's full of delicious dramatic irony. If you can suspend belief on a bunch of gargoyles, then this shouldn't be a problem for you. I love things that work on multiple levels.

I also love Hudson's "Be careful what you wish for" line.

We were trying to show a bit here how Demona had managed to operate in the modern world up to this point. One of the thieves has clearly worked for Demona before without ever having laid eyes on her. Of course, showing Demona's M.O. here, was like giving it a swan song. Because after this episode, though she clearly doesn't realize it yet, her life is going to get MUCH easier. Being a human during the day is a great boon to all her scheming. I'm very curious about everyone's reaction to that? Shock? Amusement? I also tried to work very hard so that in that last two minutes of epilogue, everyone would get that she only was human during the day. I was very afraid that the audience would think she was permanently transformed into a human. Was anyone confused? Or was anyone surprised that Puck's revenge/gift STUCK? We wouldn't really explore the change until HIGH NOON. Had you forgotten about it by then?

Family Reactions #2
As Demona's casting the spell that will summon Puck. (Which I always thought was very cool, with the feather and all.)
Benny: "That's a magic mirror. Is Demona going in there?"
Erin: "Puck's gonna come out."

As I've mentioned before, during the writing of this story we figured out that Owen was Puck. So to play fair we dropped a hint here. Demona (who knows) says to Puck: "You serve the human. You can serve me." Puck changes the subject, replying "Humans [note the plural] have a sense of humor, you have none." This was done intentionally to distract the audience away from the hint we had just dropped. But obviously, in hindsight, it's a clear reference to Owen serving Xanatos. Anyone get it right off the bat? Anyone even take note of the line the first time? Originally, the line read, "You serve him, now you can serve me." With the "him" referring to Xanatos. But our S&P executive was afraid the "him" could be taken to mean Satan. I know that seems silly now. But keep in mind, we were very paranoid back then about the show being attacked for promoting devil worship. So we made the change.

Sensitive Broadway: "Maybe even love." It's a nice moment. Wistful.

Puck reminds Demona that the mirror isn't "Aladdin's lamp". At the time, the Aladdin series was still in production at Disney. So that's a bit of an in-joke.

And how about that: Demona is still carrying a torch for Goliath. On some level, she wants him more than almost anything. Yet she continually allows her hatred to get in the way. And the irony is, that at this point, pre-Vows it isn't yet too late for them. But her actions further serve to cement the Goliath/Elisa relationship. More now than ever before.

Puck/Brent Spiner is just fantastic. I love that "charming personality" line. And "You don't know what you're asking, believe me." And "I'll do EXACTLY as you asked." And "My mistake." And "A very long nap." He's just so rich.

Plus the boarding and animation on Puck is just great. As is the sound work that accompanies him zipping around.

I always wanted Puck to be the one character who could break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience. Every time he appeared, we'd put a line or two in the script that was addressed to the audience. And every time, Frank or Dennis Woodyard would cut it out of the board. They didn't like breaking the fourth wall. (A lot of guys don't. I tried to do that with Max on Max Steel, but Richard Raynis and Jeff Kline wouldn't allow that either.) Oh, well....

Puck also establishes that Oberon's Children generally use rhyming spells instead of Latin or Hebrew or whatever. (Thus making life slightly -- but ONLY slightly -- easier on me and the writers.) But Puck isn't too formal: "Human's love a battle hearty, so does Puck, come on, let's Party!" Fun. (And I like Brooklyn's line, "Party's over." too.)

Family Reactions #3
When Elisa's transformed into a gargoyle.

Erin: "She looks cute." [I very much agree. Though I always wonder where her red jacket goes.]

Ben then asked why she was transformed.

Beth explained that Demona didn't want Elisa to be human anymore.

Erin then corrects my wife and explains that Puck is tricking Demona.

KIDS GET IT! Adults need to pay closer attention!

Goliath suddenly has lust in his heart:
G: "I never realized when you were human just how beautiful you were."
E (with a smile): "You mean you thought I was ugly?"
G: "Uh... careful! Updraft!!"
Man, that guy is smooth.

Anyway, that's one of my all-time favorite exchanges. I think it reveals so much. Somewhere underneath, Goliath has been attracted to who Elisa IS deep-down -- at least since AWAKENING, PART THREE. But he never thought of her as a potential love interest. He wasn't brought up liberally enough to think that way. After all, she has no wings, no tail. And those human shaped feet!

But suddenly, she's revealed as a FEMALE. Now, even when she goes back to being human, his perspective is permanently altered. Hers, however, is not. She's already consciously had those thoughts. Consciously rejected them. So at the end of the episode, he wants to discuss these (for him) new feelings -- but she does not. And the sun helps shut him up.
G: "That's not what I meant."
E: "But that's the way it is."
Another of my all-time favorite exchanges. (I'm really partial to things involving the G/E relationship. I know, I know, I'm a romantic sap.]

I also like the ongoing confusion. Elisa: "Everyone in Manhattan has been turned into... HUMANS!" Goliath: "No, no, no, no, no." And when the Gargoyles are changed into humans, Brooklyn is so sure that they've always been humans, it's funny. Like that moment in CITY OF STONE, when he's convinced that the "statue of Elisa" is a bad likeness of her: "They got the nose wrong."

FYI, there was an honest attempt, within the logical parameters of what our gargs looked like, to make their human versions resemble the actors who played them. Thus Goliath has darker skin than the others, because Keith David is African-American. (Though otherwise Goliath really looks like Conan to me.) The bald Lex has brown hair and the bald Broadway has blond like Thom Adcox and Bill Fagerbakke respectively. Brooklyn resembles Jeff Bennett but with Brooklyn's white hair instead of Jeff's blond. And Hudson looks like Ed Asner with a beard. More or less. Thom Adcox is the one who most looked like the human version of his character.

Cool little touches:

Demona nudges an unconscious Puck with her tail.

She continues to call Hudson, "Old Soldier". Her tenth century "name" for him.

Her line about the "gift of being a gargoyle". I love that superior attitude.

Lexington's "Fun, but weird" line.

Hudson wrapping the sheet over the mirror.

Elisa and Demona have a brief "cat-fight" as Gargoyles. Not quite as diverting as the one they'll have as humans in High Noon. But it was nice to put them on equal physical footing for a change. Let them have it out.

Demona mentions that Puck isn't too tired to make himself "invisible to the crowd". This was us trying to plug a hole in our story. We felt it would undercut the mob's reactions to our newly human heroes if they had the same reaction to seeing Puck. And yet Puck clearly looks more human than Gargoyle. More "other". So we slid that line in to avoid the whole problem.

FAMILY REACTION #4

Beth laughed at Hudson's very Scots reading of "No doubt about it." Which is pronounced more like: "No doot aboot it."

More sappy stuff (which I love):

Goliath's line: "I'll always be there to catch you."

Elisa completely forgetting her fear of flying in order to save the MAN she loves.

That brief moment when both Elisa and Goliath are humans at the same time.

Hudson's wistful line about seeing the sun, just once.

Although it had little to do with the metaphor, we couldn't really resist the notion of showing Bronx transformed into a dog. We picked the biggest dog we could think of, a Wolfhound type, though a bulldog might have been more reminiscent.

In the script, Demona smashes the mirror upon seeing her human reflection in the glass. But somehow the scene never got animated. So we added the sound of the mirror being smashed to the exterior shot at the end. This was important in order to give the story full closure. The initial point of the episode was to prevent Demona from getting Titania's Mirror. Structurally, therefore, I couldn't allow her to keep it.

But no fear, later we introduced Oberon's Mirror (clearly part of a matching set) in THE GATHERING, PART ONE.

I wonder what all those Manhattanites thought when suddenly they realized they were all barefoot.


Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

If each fae has a certain connection to some aspect through their magic, like Anubis to Death, do:

1) Do Halflings also have such a connection?
2) Is it possible for a fae to change their connection?
3) What is Oberon's particular connection?
4) Mab's?
5) Puck's
6) Titania's?

Greg responds...

1. That's less likely.
2. Why would they want to?
3. Power. The ruling class.
4. The same. But also Chaos.
5. He's a Trickster. It's its own category.
6. See Oberon.

Response recorded on July 24, 2000

Bookmark Link

Laura aka 'ad astra' writes...

Sorry to leave this as an amorphous blob of a question, but it is really one complex question on Fox: You have said that she is human [life expectancy, magical ability, etc] because she was raised that way. But Titania in The Gathering said she tried to get Fox's magic to surface many times. It almost seemed as if there was some sort of block on that magic surfacing. Is there a block, be it exterior to Fox, or from within her own subconscious? (if so, is it interior or exterior?) Granted Titania's efforts were probably not that straightforward, [I would assume the events of the Gathering were such a test, perhaps Walkabout.] wouldn't the earliest attempts, the ones when Fox was a child, have been more straight forward, and only when they failed, and Fox was old enough to do that endearing thing little children do (repeat what they oughtn't at inopportune moments) that they became hidden? I can see Titania wanting to raise a child that would appear to everyone as fully human even if it meant the child itself not knowing for a while, but did Titania want to raise a truly fully mortal child? It seems hard to believe that Titania would want to put herself through having a child only to have it age and die in a blink of her life span. Since you have said much depends on her POV, should Fox change her perception of herself could she tap into substantial fey magic, life expectancy? Do you see that happening?

Greg responds...

Uh... What was the question?

I'm not sure that Fox won't have a slightly longer life expectancy. But I wouldn't use the term "block" at all. There's no block. Her natural abilities have simply not been nurtured. Think of it as a muscle that has atrophied. Titania/Anastasia may have made some mistakes, may not have thought things out in advance. May have had one or more changes of heart. Where things go from here depends on a number of factors -- and in any case is a story for another day.

Or was that what you were asking?

Response recorded on July 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Laura aka 'ad astra' writes...

A while back I came up with an assessment of fey power that ran like this: Oberon has more raw power than Titania- but Titania is more powerful. To explain: If a being wanted to light a room he or she could use magic to form a ball of bright light and in doing so he (this is my Oberon model) has to expend the energy to keep it going, concentrate on its heat and brightness, distance from ceiling, from heads, and other logistical matters. Another might simply use her magic to flip the switch and let the light-bulb handle the rest- the Titania model. For simple things it doesn't tax the magical reserves of the being- but for more impressive things it adds up. For instance- should Oberon want to create a massive storm he has to do so by the sheer force of his will. Should Titania desire the same thing, she could fall back on her extensive scientific knowledge and simply play with a few wind patterns. The resulting storm is the same, but the energy expended to create it is much different. Titania has been studying science for quite some time, I tend to doubt Oberon is a model student. Am I right, even in part?

Slightly connected- You were asked who would succeed Oberon should he die and you answered Titania. Is this because she is the next most powerful, she has some lineage claim, or, would be the most likely to have bumped him off? [What are her thoughts of her once and again hubby?]

Just to add a comment- It seems to me Oberon is a big jerk, but one with potential. While he does go around trying to kill the gargoyles in Ill Met, once defeated he actually takes it quite well, and even comes up with the only graceful, even noble, solution to the mess. Likewise his punishment of the Banshee is quite poetic, and in some ways not extreme. Here and there there are hints to something worthwhile in him, (I particularly remember his insistence Titania have the right to come and go as she please). I get the impression that if he were only slightly less powerful and had to rely on his other attributes and not brute force he would be quite an amazing being and ruler. It also seems to me the only reason Titania might want to remarry him. She was clearly manipulating him, and it did not even seem much of a challenge, but if she were truly interested in how much he had matured, and how much more he might do so, it would explain a lot. Again, am I close to the truth?

Thanks

Greg responds...

You're not far from the truth, but I don't think you're giving Oberon enough credit. There was a time when he was the MOST mature of his race. The most progressive. The most merciful. The most tolerant. Etc. In some ways his banishment of the Children worked too well. Many of them, Titania in particular, grew, changed. He largely didn't. But he's not an idiot. He's in fact quite intelligent. And quite loving in his way. Quite charismatic. Titania loves him. Truly loves him. She may think she can aide in his growth, but he's the only "man" she could find that truly challenges her. Everyone else seems quite limited by comparison.

And although he may seem arrogant or act "like a jerk", you need to remember that that arrogance isn't without foundation. And relatively speaking, I don't think he's a jerk at all. He's flawed. And a flawed creature of that much power is a threat. But Titania has her flaws too. She isn't exactly little miss goody-two-shoes with magic. I think they were made for each other.

And I certainly didn't mean to imply that she would bump him off. Simply, in the hypothetical case that he did die, that she as queen, is next in line to the throne.

Response recorded on July 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Laura aka 'ad astra' writes...

This is a litle long, but it is all on one topic-

You said Fox has Half Siblings, step siblings and Foster sibs, in fact that two of them are (where?) children of Oberon and Titania [very cool]. I see people have already jumped on the foster sibs part in reference to Midsummer. I am not sure if this has been explicitly mentioned in this way so here goes-

1.Did the events of the play (in a broad way) actually happen?

2.With or without the donkey part?

3. If so did that have anything to do with the straw that broke Oberon's back?

Reads more..
4. Are you saying that the child in Midsummer might have been Oberon's?!?!?

5.Are you implying that Titania took in many, or at least some of Oberon's illegitimate offspring as foster kids?

6 Oberon doesn't seem at all bent out of shape at the idea of Titania having had kids with someone other than himself, actually rather amused-
a. was that a rare case of Oberon being mature enough to realize he was living in a glass house?
b. was he amused because Titania had not been so happy with his other children?
c. or do Oberati have very low expectations of fidelity?

7. When asked about Titania and Oberon's son and daughter you said they were new but did not seem all too sure about it. Have we met them in some shape or form seemingly totally unconnected?

8.You also said they were mythic - were they related to their parents in legend, or is that only discovered in Gargoyle's universe?

Sorry this is so long

Greg responds...

1. Broadly, yes.

2. Bottom is in there. But I won't say how.

3. Everything's connected ultimately.

4. Might. That's my new Shakespeare Theory, or one of them anyway. (I think the pedophile theory (platonic or otherwise) still may fit the play best. Haven't worked out whether it applies to the Garg Universe.

5. Not necessarily.

6. a. Not really.
b. No.
c. Probably. But fidelity wasn't an issue. Titania & Oberon were divorced when Titania married Renard and had Fox.

7. No. Not to my knowledge. (I thought I was sure.) I know who they are, but they did not appear in the first 66 episodes.

8. It's complicated. Both.

Response recorded on July 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Another "Mirror" Memo...

Though I think it's one of our most rewarding episodes, it was a tough one to make come together. So after I received the first draft script on "The Mirror", I sent a second memo to Brynne. Here it is, UNEDITED:

WEISMAN 11-13-94

Notes on "The Mirror" Script...

O.k. The problems here seems to be mostly my fault. I haven't been able to make clear to you guys how I want our characters to react when they've been changed. It's been clear in my head. And for me the logic flows backwards from a scene I want to see where an average-human-pedestrian-who-has-been-turned-into-a-gargoyle sees one of our transformed-into-human-heroes and screams: "Look at that monster!! It's like some kind of horrible... HUMAN!!" The key is that the bystander actually uses the word "HUMAN", and that he says it with the same kind of fear and revulsion that we would normally hear (in a more typical episode) being used for the word "GARGOYLE".

In order to get both the revulsion into the word "Human" and a strongly negative reaction to our heroes' new human appearance, the bystander needs to believe that being a gargoyle is the way it's supposed to be. Therefore when the bystander's appearance was changed his mind-set must have been changed as well.

Working backwards from that goal, how would our main characters react to being changed?

THEIR MINDSET WOULD CHANGE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THEIR APPEARANCE:
Elisa is the first to be transformed. Thus, ELISA'S REACTION to being changed into A GARGOYLE is the surprising statement:

"Goliath, You've been changed into a gargoyle!"

Reasoning: Goliath &co. were always "the other" to Elisa. But when she was transformed, her mindset changed with her appearance. So she now believes that being a gargoyle is normal. Since, Goliath &co. now look "normal" to her, she figures that they must have been magically changed from being "the other" into being "normal"--i.e. they have been transformed into gargoyles.

[I realize this seems byzantine, but ultimately it'll be the most straightforward reaction on screen, short of having everyone entirely self-aware from the moment they change, (which just isn't as much fun to me). See how it plays out in beat #11. (Also #9, 13, 14 and 21.) If you're still not clear, please don't hesitate to call me.]

TENSION
Despite absurdist moments in this story, we must keep the tension and suspense running high, throughout.
--Don't reveal Elisa's presence at the museum until last possible second. Same with Goliath.
--Don't let Gargoyle's lose track of their objective for more than a line of dialogue here or there.
--Don't let the battle meander from place to place. Keep battle and chase scenes focused and specific.

WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WISHING FOR:
DEMONA'S WISHES
1. Get rid of humans, particularly Elisa.
2. Get rid of Goliath and Co.
3. Stop turning to stone during the day.

GOLIATH & ELISA'S WISH - To be together. (Elisa is slightly more self-aware than Goliath, but neither should specifically wish in dialogue to become the race of the other. It's too on the head.)

TRIO'S WISH - To assimilate.

CLARITY IN SCRIPT
O.K. TO USE: ELISA/GARGOYLE
HUMAN/"GARGOYLES"
GOLIATH/HUMAN
HUDSON/HUMAN
BROOKLYN/HUMAN
BROADWAY/HUMAN
LEXINGTON/HUMAN
OUR HEROES

DON'T USE: HUMAN/GARGOYLES
GARGOYLES/HUMANS
TRIO/HUMANS
Even for me, these were too confusing.

In group scenes, LIST ALL CHARACTERS IF NECESSARY.

BEAT SHEET
ACT ONE
1. Museum.
--Establish two security guards - but don't reveal that one of them is Elisa (or that Goliath is there).
--Demona breaks in and takes out the first guard.
--Second guard turns out to be Elisa, ready and waiting w/Goliath.
--Establish how much Demona hates humans in general, and Elisa specifically.
--Demona never gets as far as laser-grid around mirror.

2. Chase.
--Demona Escapes.
--And while Goliath and Elisa are chasing her...
Maybe inter-cut w/...

3. Museum.
--Thieves get past laser-grid to steal mirror.

4. Ext. Demona's house.
--The two thieves deliver mirror.

5. Int. Demona's house.
--Demona summons Puck.

6. Clock tower.
--Elisa arrives. They were duped. Mirror was stolen.
--Elisa's: So how bad is this? What can D do with that mirror?
--No one knows for sure, but it leads to the discussion of Oberon's Children.
--Refer here to Midsummer Night's Dream.
--Scotsmen called them "Fair Folk".
--Vikings called them "Dark Elves".
--Shape-shifters.
--Trio: Imagine what it would be like to shape-change. Fit in anywhere.
--Hint subtly at Elisa and Goliath's desires.

7. Demona's house.
--Make sure we know Puck's name here.
--Our Demona and Puck wish scene.
--Puck uses a rhyming spell.
--Puck's arms are pinned by chains, so magic energy comes out of his eyes.

8. Clock Tower.
--Elisa: All we can do is wait til Demona makes her move.
--Elisa transforms into a gargoyle.

ACT TWO
9. Clock Tower.
--Everyone including Bronx is pretty stunned by Elisa's change.
--She seems happy though.
-- Elisa: "This is wonderful. Goliath, you've been transformed into a gargoyle!"
--Goliath: "What?!"

10. Demona's House.
--Puck tells her the deed is done.
--Demona wants to escalate. Every human in Manhattan.
--Puck again stresses difficulty of "big wishes".
--Demona yanks chain: "Answer truthfully. Can it be done?"
--Puck: Yes, but not from here.

11. Clock Tower.
--Bronx sniffs at Elisa.
--Goliath: "We've always been gargoyles. You're the one who's been changed."
--Elisa: "I've always been a gargoyle. I think I'd know it if I wasn't."
--Goliath: "How did we first meet?"
--Elisa: "I fell off a skyscraper; you glided down and caught me."
--Goliath: "If you always had wings, why would you need me to catch you."
--Elisa: "I can't glide with these."
--Goliath: "Yes, you can."
--AND OFF THEY GO.
--Hudson and Trio stare at each other for a beat and then follow.
--Bronx is left behind.

12. WORLD TRADE CENTER
--Puck and Demona materialize w/mirror.
--P: This is gonna take a while.
--He begins visually gathering magical energy. Just a little at first.

13. Flight over the city.
--Goliath NEVER LETS GO OF HER HAND, even after it's clear that she's gliding under her own "power", because she's afraid. She doesn't want to lose that contact.
--Goliath can't help staring at her: "I never realized when you were human just how beautiful you are."
--Elisa: "You mean you used to think I was ugly?"
--He doesn't have a good answer to this.
--Fortunately for him, she segues to: "This is so confusing. Have I always been able to glide like this?"
--[She's still hasn't quite grasped the situation.]
--Goliath: "No. No. Try to understand. You've been changed into a gargoyle. Follow me, I'll show you."
--They glides in low over the streets. Elisa sees the humans and freaks!! (Her freaking needs to be ambiguous. Goliath thinks she understands now. She doesn't really.)
--Goliath: "Maybe we should land somewhere and talk."

14. Rooftop.
--Goliath, Elisa, Hudson and Trio come in for a landing.
--(Establish clothes line. Someone has left their laundry, including bedsheets, to dry in the warm night air.)
--Elisa: "Did you see? Everyone in Manhattan's been turned into a HUMAN?!!!"
--G: "...no, no, no..."
--HUDSON: "LOOK!"
--He points at light show that seems to be gathering around one of the towers of the WTC.

15. World Trade Center.
--BIG LIGHT SHOW as Puck glows with magical energy.
--P: "This is really going to wear me out."
--D: "Quit complaining and do it already."
--Puck casts rhyming spell.
--Magical energy shoots from entire body to hit mirror.
--Spell reflects off mirror and hits giant hyperbolic sattelite dish. --Sattelite dish fires magic off across the whole city.
--Puck collapses.

16. Rooftop.
--Goliath & Co. have seen light show from WTC, (but not result).
--Goliath &Co. leave Elisa on the roof and head toward WTC.
--Elisa's not happy about it, but they don't give her a choice.
--And she's still phobic about flying alone, so she can't follow.

17. WTC
--Now that the light show has subsided, Demona wants to see her "empty city", but Puck is out of it.
--Goliath and co. attack. She's forced to flee with Puck, but without mirror.
--(Somewhere in here, Demona has to mention Puck's name.)
--To save herself, she tosses it. Hudson saves it.
--Goliath and Trio pursue Demona.

18. Downtown streets/subway/ whatever
--Even though she's being chased and is hampered by the unconscious Puck, Demona still comes in for a landing to see the results of her wish.
--She's furious as she sees the human/"gargoyles" going about their business.
--Use this chase (and this scene) to reveal the extent and absurdity of the change that hasn't really changed anything but the appearance of the people. Take us down into the subway, maybe.
--Demona ultimately uses the situation to get lost in a crowd.
--For the pursuers, Goliath and trio, it's like finding a needle in a haystack.
--Throughout scene, Trio may get wistful and a little distracted about being able to fit in.
--There are female "Gargoyles" walking by, catching trio's eyes.
--They have to remind themselves that this is wrong. And they're not entirely convinced that it is.
--But other "gargoyles" still shy away from trio because of how they are dressed. (Or how little they are dressed.)
--At any rate, the trio don't totally lose track of their objective: Demona.
--But Demona's gone.
--Goliath: Let's go get Elisa and plan our next move.

19. A deserted alley.
--Demona confronts a very worn-out Puck.
--D: I wanted you to destroy the humans, not give them the gift of being a gargoyle!!
--D: "Change the gargoyles back to humans."
--Puck: "O.K., o.k., give me a chance to catch my breath."
--He leans to look at his reflection in the side-view mirror of a car.
--The image in the mirror wavers.

20. Rooftop.
--Goliath, Hudson, Trio and Elisa confer.
--They have the mirror.
--That was definitely one of Oberon's Children with Demona.
--Demona called him Puck.
--Elisa: In Shakespeare, Puck was a harmless trickster.
--Goliath: What's happened below isn't harmless. Come, we must continue to search for Demona and Puck.
--Elisa: "I'll never get the hang of leaping off rooftops."
--Goliath: "I will always be there to catch you."
--She hesitates. He takes off to set an example.
--A bolt of Magic shoots out of the mirror catching Goliath, Hudson and the trio.
--Goliath changes to human and falls.

ACT THREE
21. Rooftop.
--Elisa dives and catches Goliath. Overcoming her fear without thinking about it.
--Meanwhile, Hudson grabs a sheet off the clothesline and covers the mirror: "Don't want anything else jumping out at us from this thing!"
--Goliath doesn't understand why he fell.
--Suddenly he stares at her: "Elisa...You've changed back to normal!!"
--E: No. I haven't changed. You have. You're a human. You fell because, you don't have wings.
--Brooklyn: "We've always been humans."
--Hudson: "And we've never needed wings to glide before."
--Lex (the engineer of the group): "Wait a minute, we must have used wings. How else could we do it?"
--Goliath, sinking in: "Elisa's right. We're supposed to be gargoyles. And we're not. Everyone else should be human. But thanks to Demona and Puck, they're not."

22. Alley & Street.
--Puck is very weary.
--Demona asks if it's done.
--Puck says yes.
--Demona and Puck cautiously exit alley.
--Obviously, all the humans are still "Gargoyles".
--Demona turns on Puck. I told you to turn the gargoyles to humans.
--Puck: "Oh, you meant these gargoyles! I thought you meant Goliath and the gang. My mistake. Sorry."
--Demona: "You turned Goliath into a human?!!"
--She's ready to murdilate Puck. She pulls the chain tighter, crushing him.
--Puck: "Hey, hey, hey, You're missing the big picture, here. This is your big chance to get rid of Goliath. Now, while he's weak as any human."
--She stops, smiles.
--Dissolve.

23. Rockefeller Center. Some time later.
--Bronx runs into shot. [He has not been transformed yet.]
--A human/ "gargoyle" pedestrian bends over to pet the nice doggie and then runs away screaming when he sees the doggie's masters.
--Our "human" heroes now fully clothed (and looking cool) walk with determination right up to the center of Rockefeller Center. Hudson still has the mirror, covered in the bed sheet.
--(Elisa is not in sight.)
--Everywhere, pedestrian/"gargoyles" run screaming: "Ahhh, humans!! Run!!" "Oh, they're so ugly." "Keep away, you...you monster human, you."
--Hudson to Goliath: Are you sure this is a good idea?
--G: Demona must have done all this for a purpose. What else could it be except to leave us vulnerable to her attack. So we'll let her come to us, but we'll pick the place of battle. Here on the ground and in the open where her wings won't help her much.
--They take their stand. Not all the pedestrians have run. Some stop and stare, but they all keep their distance from these human monsters.
--Goliath instructs Hudson to unwrap the mirror.
--The instant he does, Puck and Demona fly out of it.
--BATTLE ROYALE (Needs real choreography.)
--Demona's armed with her plasma rifle.
--Gargoyle's are armed with medieval weapons.
--Battle is largely land bound.
--Puck's having a good time and helps Demona.
--His stunts can be darkly funny, i.e. they can be absurd, as long as they increase the danger to our heroes.
--Puck turns Bronx into a Russian Wolf-hound, just for fun.
--Some brave bystanders see Demona being attacked by all these monsters and run in to help.
--Trio are forced to battle them.
--These human/ "gargoyles" don't know their own strength, so fighting them isn't easy.
--Obviously at some crucial moment, Elisa (their secret weapon) flies in and takes on D.
--Demona should not instantly recognize Elisa.
--But when Demona does, she goes nuts. Elisa's presence (both the fact that she is alive and a gargoyle) is a double-edged sword. The best (psychological) weapon the good guys have, it throws Demona into a rage, which makes her doubly dangerous, but careless.
--Goliath and Elisa stand together to defeat D.
--Trio take on and scare off the "gargoyle" good samaritans.
--With Bronx's help, Hudson bags Puck with metal-mesh trashcan.

24. WTC
--Goliath promises to free Puck if he changes things back to normal.
--Puck complies. He'll start with the biggest job -- getting all the humans back to normal. (Fortunately, changing something back to its normal state is easier for him than the reverse.)
--Using rhyming spell, mirror and sattelite dish, Puck lets the magic fly.
--Elisa is human again.
--Puck needs a moment to recover.
--Elisa and Goliath have a brief moment.
--Elisa (self-depricating): "Well, I guess I'm back to my old ugly human self."
--G: "Never, to these eyes. But I'm curious. Am I handsome to you like this?"
--E: "You've always been handsome to me."
--PUCK: "Allright, enough of the mushy stuff!"
--He zaps Goliath, Hud, Bronx and Trio back into Gargoyles. (Note: he doesn't need the mirror, since they're all standing right in front of him.)
--Goliath frees Puck.
--Puck takes off with Demona through Mirror, taking mirror with.

25. Demona's house.
--Puck's grateful for a good time, enjoyed by all.
--He'll grant Demona her original wish: She won't turn to stone during the day.
--She's suspicious, for obvious reasons.
--He must SPELL OUT that she will still be her normal GARGOYLE self at night. But during the day, she won't have to sleep as stone.
--One last little rhyme spell.
--And he disappears through mirror.

26. Clock Tower.
--Final scene with Bronx, Hud, Trio, Goliath and Elisa. (This was really nice, as written.)

27. Demona's House.
--The sun is rising.
--We can only see Demona in sillouette.
--Until she turns to look at herself in the mirror.
--Which she smashes.

PAGE NOTES
(The script I received had some odd page numbering. The title page was numbered as page one, some pages were skipped and had no numbers, and the last page was numbered 33. So I just renumbered it from the first page of script on through the last [39]. The following notes therefore refer to my numbers. Call me if you have any questions.)

P.2
If Demona never gets the opportunity to destroy or turn off the laser-grid around the mirror, than we can leave it for the thieves to deal with and ditch all this dialogue and action revolving around alarms. Demona's meant to be a diversion.

Please don't refer to the Security Guard as Sarge or Old Soldier. I know it's just character stuff, but we don't have the space to give it context. It winds up confusing us as to who the guard really is.

Remember: Male gargoyle eyes glow white. Only female gargoyle eyes glow red.

Throughout script we use both "rooklings" and "hatchlings". I prefer "hatchlings". That way audience members who have missed the one or two references to the rookery, will still understand.

P.5
Goliath's getting wounded is problematic. We don't deal with it in the story. It's quickly forgotten. We don't want to play fast and loose with something like that.

P.9
Don't forget to give us some description of Puck. (He definitely should have pointed ears, for example. I added pointed ears to the description of the Weird Sisters in their true form.)

P.10
I don't know that we want to refer to all of Oberon's Children as "real mean". Seems blatantly racist.

When Demona summoned Puck earlier, she did it in Latin. So please make sure we name him here in this scene.

P.12
DEMONA
If you cannot rid me of all humans,
then at least rid me of that human --
Elisa Maza!

We need the double entendre of Demona asking Puck to get rid of that
human-Elisa. ("Oh," Puck weasles to himself, "get rid of the human-Elisa. Make her a gargoyle-Elisa instead.")

P.21
Our Gargoyles shouldn't notice that anything has changed among the pedestrians below, until they get close enough to see. (From a practical standpoint, the idea of each person suddenly taking up more room, might be tough to get across in animation.)

Let's show at least one of the Human/"Gargoyles" looking at his or her reflection (in a store window or something) and preening. Totally unaware of the change.

Goliath says, "What sorcery is this?" twice in the episode. Let's skip both. He said this exact line in "Awakening".

P.23
Keep focus and imperative of THIS story. No one has time to stop for hot dogs or to deal with vandals. (So skip both incidents.)

P.25
Puck doesn't have to pretend that he did "exactly" as Demona commanded. He can have more attitude. "Hey, close enough." or "If you're going to split hairs..."

Again, let's not make Hudson an expert on Puck as an individual. We don't need him to identify Puck from tapestries. (And I doubt if his education has progressed to the point where he's read Shakespeare.) Plus, I'm not sure we have to label Puck as the "worst" of Oberon's children, either.

P.34
Gargoyles including Elisa/gargoyle CANNOT hover.

Also don't forget...
--Cast List.
--Latin version of Demona's spell from Grimorum. (It doesn't have to rhyme.)
--Rhyming spell in English for what Puck does to everyone. (Needs to be vague enough so that Demona isn't immediately tipped off.) Doesn't need to be same spell each time.
--Somewhere in here, we need to justify why none of the human/"gargoyle" crowd reacts to Puck. Do they see him as a gargoyle, ala the Weird Sisters? Or is he invisible to them? Or can we get away with them just walking by and ignoring him?
--Make sure final page count will be within our page range (pp. 35-39) after Denise has conformed it.

THANKS. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS.


Bookmark Link

"THE MIRROR" Outline memo...

Next up for my Ramblings is "The Mirror". What follows is the UNEDITED memo I sent to story editor Brynne Chandler Reaves regarding the first draft outline for that episode.

This is one I had very specific ideas on, so I may have been even tougher than usual. Oh, well...

WEISMAN 10-30-94

Notes on "The Mirror" Outline...
Brynne, I hope you consider this flattering: I'm gonna be very tough on you here, because I think you can handle it. It's not just because of this outline, but because in general, I want you to be handing me cleaner, more finished pieces. Although the story is full of great ideas, there are logical and structural problems here that need fixing. As I've discussed, I want to be less "hands-on" so that the schedule keeps flowing and we all stay sane, but that means I need you to catch much more of this sort of thing before I ever see it.

One particular concern of mine (and not so incidentally of Gary Krisel's) is padded first acts, where nothing of substance happens until the cliffhanger. Each story dictates its own structure, so I don't want to make any hard and fast rules, but this is one thing you should be thinking about on every episode you edit or write. We can have a prologue scene or two. But we don't want to turn the whole first act into a prologue to events that only begin seconds before the commercial break.

Scene One is a nice prologue. So is Two, if it's brief. Three, Four and Five are padding. Six is good prologue, but by this time it feels like padding. Seven is problematic from a character/logic standpoint. Finally, we get going at Eight.

And opening acts aside, we need to beware of scenes that serve no function in the structure of the story. A real good character moment is worth a detour on occasion. But our stories have to be coming out of character anyway, so nine times out of ten, the detour shouldn't be necessary.

Ever since "Reawakening" we've tried to make the Gargoyles much more pro-active. But even by first season "survival-mode" standards they seem downright slow to act here. In scene Three, they suspect magical bad news is on the way. In scene Six, they confirm Demona's involvement. Yet in scene Ten, they go to the play in the park like nothing was wrong. Worse, in scene Sixteen, when the humans are transformed, the younger gargoyles actually think that the transformation is part of the play? They're more sophisticated than that. And instead of reacting like it's a problem, they just want "contact with their kind". I wouldn't mind a wistful line that summoned up their feelings about how this reminds them of their old lives when there were many gargoyles and/or that it's nice to be able to walk out in the open without everyone running away screaming, but they have to realize that this transformation is bad news. Then in scene TWENTY-TWO (that's the beginning of ACT THREE and a full fourteen scenes after Goliath battled Demona in the museum) they "are certain now that Demona is behind this". Who did they think was behind it for the last act and a half? This is a good sign that we're either short on structure, heavy on padding or both.

THEME
We must have a clear theme that involves at least one of the "good" gargoyles in every episode. We shouldn't have to dig deep for it. It's what focuses the events that dictate our structure. Today's theme is "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." It applies to Demona, obviously. But it applies to subconscious desires on the part of Goliath. And wistful, but conscious desires on the part of Elisa. And even (to a small extent) the desire of our young trio to assimilate. Emphasize the theme as much as possible.

GARGOYLES AND MAGIC
Please remember that the gargoyles are largely ignorant of the workings of magic. They have an advantage over humans in that they know magic exists. That's about it. Demona and Macbeth have had centuries to study it. Guys like the Magus and the Archmage dedicated their lives to studying it. Brooklyn, on the other hand, is no expert. I doubt he can even read Latin. And the GRIMORUM is not a textbook that would provide easy answers even if he could read it. It is, in essence, a cookbook. If a recipe is torn out, there's no way to infer very much about it from the remaining pages. Remember, the Magus had the sleep spell he used on the gargoyles, and even with that and all his training, he couldn't wake them up without the specific page that held the counterspell. HOW could Brooklyn find a list (scene 5) that matches Demona's list? WHY would the Grimorum list the items for one specific spell twice? HOW could he know the name (Scene Eight) of the entity being summoned?

Could the Grimorum tell them that Puck's spells must be reversed before dawn? Or how Puck frees himself? Unlikely. (Would Julia Child's cookbook feature recipes by the Frugal Gourmet?) But (if we assume Goliath reads Latin, and could make heads or tails of the Grimorum, without having to sit down and spend an entire week reading the thing cover-to-cover to find a helpful passage in a book which, as you noted, has no index) -- it is possible. We always skate by a few things in every script. But the more we have to skate, the thinner the ice in general. Something that normally would fit neatly beneath our audiences suspension of disbelief, becomes one more contrivance in a story that's got a few too many.

DEMONA'S MOTIVATIONS
First off, she's not looking for an equal partner or ally. She's made that clear enough. That's exactly her problem with Xanatos. He always wants to know what's in it for him. He can't be easily controlled. He's fine if they have a mutual interest (resurrecting Goliath or Coldstone), fine if she can con him into helping her (as she does in "City of Stone"), but the latter isn't easy. Otherwise, they can't work together. They're goals are too diverse.

As for Macbeth, don't even bring him up. This story airs before CITY OF STONE. She hasn't seen Macbeth for decades probably. And it's been centuries since they worked together on anything.

None of this changes the story, but it's important to get her mind-set clear. She isn't summoning Puck as an ally. But as a slave.

And what does she want her slave to do? Basically, this episode is going to underline Demona's truly short-term thinking. She knows she wants humanity eradicated. But not what she'd do if she ever accomplished that goal. She's closed her heart to anything that doesn't serve her immediate short-term plans. (She's really, really screwed up.) At one point, Puck should offer her Goliath. He can make Goliath love her again. But she's so distracted by her hatred for Elisa in particular and humans in general, that she can't keep a positive thought in her head. Her monolithic and myopic fanaticism allow Puck to make a primate out of her, literally and figuratively.

PUCK
First big note from Adrienne and ME: we cannot play this character like he's a demon. His summoning in particular came off as very satanic. Let's try to make it more fanciful and magical. One thing that would help avoid this problem, is to be clear about what Puck is. If we aren't clear, people might think demon or devil. If we are clear, they'll believe us. We've got to establish, not only Puck, but his entire magical race. They are the third sentient group that once populated our planet in addition to humans and gargoyles. We need a name for this race that we can be comfortable with. (We can say at some point that the Scots called them the Fair Folk; the Vikings called them Dark Elves. But neither name is great. There must be something that could work for us. "The Oberati" perhaps, after their king?)

Then we need to set some rules and limits. Particularly given what we know about the Weird Sisters (and about Puck's secret identity). Obviously, not all of these rules need to be spelled out in this script. But let's make sure we know them. Let's begin by saying that the Oberati can all shape-shift. But when they morph into a form, they're stuck with that form's limitations. No magic happening if they pose as human.

In their true forms, they have a lot of magic power, but a rule against the direct use of it in the world of man (witness the Weird Sisters more indirect manipulations). Maybe this is a command from Oberon which they are afraid, but not unable, to break.

An obvious exception to the rule occurs when they are enslaved by someone else who commands them to use their magic. They are off the hook responsibility-wise, so they can go to town. Thus, most cultures have wish-granting legends about Leprechauns or Djinn or whatever.

Conveniently, the Oberati are creatures of pure magical energy. When they cast a spell, the spell doesn't have the limitations imposed on the studied magic of human or gargoyle sorcerers. The subjects of their spells don't have to see and hear them to be affected. It's a more fluid, less structured form of magic. Magic to the Archmage is an art, craft or science to master. Magic to Puck is as natural (or super-natural) as breathing.

But even Puck must have his limits. Even magical energy should be finite. We MUST establish this fact, at least. If Demona asks to get rid of all the humans on the planet, Puck will have to admit that it's too much for him. Would she settle for all the humans on the island?

Did the Gargoyles meet or hear of Puck specifically, back in the tenth century? I doubt it. They lived fairly isolated lives out at Wyvern. And Puck didn't get famous until Shakespeare made him famous quite a few centuries later. Maybe they've heard stories about the Fair Folk, but again, let's resist the temptation to make Goliath or Brooklyn or Hudson experts on the subject. They seem pretty perplexed by the Weird Sisters in "City of Stone". That should define their reaction to Puck, whom they're meeting here prior to that story.

Why does Puck help Goliath turn stuff back to normal at the end? Well, for this episode's purposes, it'll probably work that Goliath holds the chain and issues a command. But Demona held the chain, and Puck always found a way to circumvent her commands. So why doesn't he do the same to Goliath? Two reasons, probably. First, it further annoys Demona, who he's peeved at for enslaving him in the first place. Second, once Puck is free, he can return to his secret identity, where he's been having such a good time. He wants things back to normal himself. Still in future appearances, we need to be sure that Puck doesn't turn into a personification of Deus ex machina.

Use it sparingly, but it's o.k. with me if Puck breaks the third wall and addresses the audience on occasion.

Finally, Puck's name. The Disney execs are of two minds on this. Bruce prefers Goodfellow. His main concern is the constant policing we'd have to do to make sure Puck doesn't ever come out Fuck. Ellen feels that Goodfellow has more association with Satan than Puck does and that Puck is safer on that level. I'm really torn. I tend to agree that Puck is a slightly more recognizable Shakespearean reference than Goodfellow, and thus stonger and safer. I also think the name suits the character. On the other hand, I think Goodfellow is an effectively ironic name for a character who is, for all intents and purposes, a villain. Part of me really wants to use both. Could the spell that enslaves Puck to Demona have something to do with her knowing his true name, Robin Goodfellow? Adrienne, I think, is on the fence with me. But I'm not sure. We should probably discuss this one last time before you go to script.

THE MIRROR
Think of the Wicked Queen's Magic Mirror times ten. It is a window, a doorway, a Peeping Tom.

HUMANS AS "GARGOYLES"
As we discussed, I don't think the humans notice they've been transformed. Some of the ridiculous fun of this episode should be to see them, walking around, going about their normal business, briefcases and subway tokens in hand, with no indication that anything is different. If they looked in a mirror, they'd preen as usual. They wouldn't freak out or recognize the change.

Although they have wings, I don't think it occurs to any of them to start gliding around the city. And if they see (the soon-to-be more self-aware) Elisa flying, it would be shocking: "Look, Mommy, that lady is flying!!" It's not that they'd see her suddenly as a gargoyle. (It'd be like seeing Superman. A normal enough looking person. He just happens to be leaping tall buildings with a single bound, which is, of course, unusual enough.)

When Goliath and clan walk among them as gargoyles, I don't think they see them as unusual. For once, looking like a gargoyle is normal. Like Halloween, in "Eye of the Beholder", it's another rare moment for our guys when they can be out in the open. (This may have been what you had in mind in scene 18. I wasn't clear.)

However, when Goliath and company enter their midst as "Humans", it should scare them. Once again, ugliness is in the eye of the beholder, and the "human" Goliath is still the monster. We should not skip this beat (as you planned to in scene 24). We should play it. It can be bitter, poignant and, yes, funny. (Appealing to Puck's dark sense of humor (and mine too, for that matter).)

ELISA AS A "GARGOYLE"
Like the other transformed humans, Elisa doesn't immediately realize she's been transformed. And looking in the mirror won't clue her in either. (And in any case, Elisa isn't the type to faint dead away.) In fact, she might turn to Goliath and suddenly ask, "Could you remind me why you guys are hiding up here in the clock tower?" Suddenly, they don't look so strange to her. Goliath is going to have to sit her down and talk her through the differences between humans and gargoyles. Her realization should play like a fog lifting.

And we probably should play out Goliath and Elisa both as gargoyles for an act. Maybe he teaches her how to fly. Maybe they're just about to get close enough to do the gargoyle equivalent of an embrace, when he's transformed to human. Get it so that we can all almost taste it. Then yank it away. (I know, I'm a cruel bastard.)

I also want to contrast Goliath's reaction to "gargoyle" Elisa with Elisa's reaction to "human" Goliath. He may say, "Elisa, I never realized how beautiful you are," because he always liked her for her inner beauty but, frankly, never found her physically attractive (no wings, no tail--shudder). And he's always made that mental distinction between the surface and what lies beneath.

Elisa never did. She recognized his inner beauty in episode three or four and ALWAYS thought he was handsome. Even before this episode, I think she's thought about the two of them and come to the inescapable conclusion that romance is impractical. Better keep it platonic. I think he's had those feelings, but has never connected to them mentally. (Look, no matter what the species, or how evolved the individual, he's still a guy. And guys are fundamentally stupid about this stuff.) Until this episode, it never crossed his mind that Elisa could replace Demona in his heart. The fact is she already has. But he never thought about it before now.

OUR GARGOYLES AS "HUMANS"
To be consistent, they shouldn't recognize the change until Elisa points it out to them. Maybe they were about to leap from the clock tower, and Elisa has to stop them and say: "Look, guys, you don't have wings anymore!"

But let's keep in mind that these guys are still heroes. NO WAY are they going to agree to step back because a gargoyle Demona is too tough for them now. Did Elisa ever step back when she was human? For that matter, there have been plenty of humans willing to go toe-to-toe with the gargoyles. Certainly Goliath is as brave as Macbeth or Wolf or Commando #3.

Also, I got confused in scene 29. Goliath has been transformed to human. That means human proportions. Sure, he'd be a big guy, but not as big as he was as a gargoyle. I don't know why armor would fit, say Broadway, and not him.

TONE
In contrast to our typical episodes, I think this one can have a more absurdist tone. Puck should both further the tone with his actions and undercut it with wry asides. Plus there'll be romantic stuff, also undercut, this time by Goliath's reaction to Elisa and the genuine frustration that comes from the situation's mutability.

GOLIATH BLAMES XANATOS...
For everything, it seems. In "Lighthouse" and to a lesser extent in "Leader", we've played the beat of Goliath mistakenly going to the castle to confront Xanatos for something that the latter had nothing to do with. I think by now, Goliath has learned his lesson. Particularly since the going's on here smack much more of Demona or Macbeth than Xanatos.

DEMONA'S HOME BASE
Let's get a clear sense of what this place is like. Particularly, how it is distinct from Macbeth's mansion: we've played his place like Wayne Manor. Dracon has the penthouse at the Park Manor Hotel. And Xanatos has this incredibly cool castle-on-a-skyscraper H.Q. Demona's home needs to be different from all of these and special in its own right. Also give us an at least approximate idea of where this thing is located. Gramercy Park, maybe?

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
This was a great way to ground our Puck in Shakespeare, as opposed to Satan. No doubt about it. And no fault of yours, but I want to save this setting for a story that Michael and I have discussed involving Macbeth and an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Plus, in this story, I want to play with Manhattan life going on, business as usual, despite the fact that everyone's been turned into a gargoyle. We can't do that if we limit ourselves to the Park and the closed Museum. I want to get this story out in the open. Have the "gargoyle" humans reacting in panic to the "human" Goliath and clan, the way they'd normally react to them as gargoyles. That's an opportunity we won't get in another story. We must take advantage of it. But having taken the story out of the park, we should work other Midsummer references into the script. Name the mirror after Oberon or Titania, perhaps.

BEAT SHEET
ACT ONE
1. A warm Midsummer's Night. Demona arrives at the museum with grand theft in mind. She's come to steal the Mirror of Oberon (or whatever we ultimately call it) which has just arrived from Ireland (or Italy or wherever). The first museum security guard is no problem. But the second security guard turns out to be Elisa -- undercover, prepared and not without back-up, i.e. Goliath. They suspected that the mirror would be a prize too tempting for Demona to resist. Demona seems particularly furious over Goliath's continued "partnership" with Elisa. SHE HATES HUMANS AND SHE REALLY HATES ELISA!! (Demona knows how Goliath feels about Elisa, even if the big lug hasn't admitted it to himself yet.)

2. Anyway, we get a big action sequence in the museum which leads to a chase outside. Demona gets away from them, but without the mirror. And because our heroes are so thoroughly engaged in these activities...

3. ...They are absent when two high-tech but very human cat burglars show up at the museum, seconds later, to crate up and steal the mirror. (The real security guard is still unconscious and thus unable to do anything about them.)

4. The two thieves arrive at Demona's townhouse (or whatever) with the crated mirror. Otherwise, the scene plays pretty much as you had it with the delivery men.

5. Inside her home, Demona wraps thick iron chains across the glass of the stolen Mirror. She summons Puck. He comes flying out through the glass and thus winds up wrapped in the iron chains. He spends almost the entire episode with the chains pinning his arms across his chest.

6. Back at the clock tower, Goliath and Elisa are feeling like grade-A dorks. Elisa's just back from investigating the museum crime scene. It's now clear that Demona's job was to take out security and, if necessary, act as a diversion for the real thieves. Now the big questions are, what can she do with this mirror and how bad is this going to get? Perhaps this is a place to discuss the Oberati. Hudson tells what little he knows about them.

7. Our Demona and Puck scene. If he ever wants his freedom he must serve her. He tries to discourage her: he'd make a lousy servant. She doesn't buy that. Puck works for "him". He can work for her, etc. (That whole exchange.) O.K., okay, what does she want? Freedom from her one great vulnerability -- turning to stone during the day. What good is that, he wonders. You think you're gonna be able to walk down 5th Avenue in broad daylight? I can if you obliterate all humans, everywhere. What am I, the Genie of the lamp? There are limits, kiddo. C'mon, what do you really want? She pauses, and an image appears in the mirror. It is Goliath (in the clock tower, but we're tight on him, so we aren't tipping the location). Puck: "How quaint, after all these centuries, you're still carrying a torch. Well, if that's what you want, I can make him love you again. Although it will be really hard, because you're not exactly Miss Lovable." And then, in the mirror, Elisa steps into the shot, and puts a hand on Goliath's shoulder. Demona goes ballistic. She knows her heart's true desire. Get rid of the human -- Elisa Maza. Puck: "That I can do." He fires a magical bolt into the mirror at the image of Elisa.

8. Back at the tower, Elisa has a hand on Goliath's shoulder, reassuring him that they'll stop Demona's scheme, whatever it is. Suddenly, she is surrounded by a magical energy that rips her away from Goliath. The gargoyles try to help her, but they can't get close. We should think for a moment that this is the end of Rico... uh, Elisa. And then there is a blinding flash of light that whites out the whole screen. Followed by pitch black darkness. Elisa is still there. We see her silhouette as our eyes adjust and the light returns slowly to normal. She says she's o.k. And then she steps into the light. Transformed into a gargoyle version of herself.

END OF ACT ONE

Now I have to apologize. I know I promised you this for Monday. It's two a.m. Sunday and this is as far as I got. There's a reason (an excuse). Monday is Corporate Seminar. And my last act as an executive (before becoming a full-time producer on Tuesday) is to pitch all our new development to Michael Eisner and Rich Frank. This is a twice yearly event that requires a lot of preparation, and I just ran out of time to get these notes done. Normally, I'd pull an all-nighter, but I need some sleep to face these guys tomorrow.

You gotta admit, that was a pretty good excuse.

So I have to leave this to you. You're mission, if you chose to accept it, (AND YOU REALLY HAVE NO CHOICE IF YOU EVER WANT TO GET TO SCRIPT) is to write up a quick beat outline of acts two and three for me based on the sketchy notes below. It doesn't have to be long. Two to four pages is fine. The amount of detail that I gave you for Act One is all I'm looking for.

Act Two should have Goliath filling Elisa in about the change she's undergone. Maybe take her flying. Maybe this is where we get the line about him never realizing how beautiful she was.

Demona should be temporarily fooled into thinking Elisa's dead, and flushed with success, she asks Puck to rid all of Manhattan of its humans. Bing, bang, boom. Everyone's a gargoyle. People on the subway in from Queens, change into gargoyles as soon as the E-train hits the first Manhattan stop. "Gargoyles" on the way home to Jersey change back to human as they cross the bridge in their cars. NO ONE NOTICES AT ALL.

But Demona doesn't know any of this yet. She wants a tour of what she expects to be an empty city. Puck is secretly eager to see his handiwork, so they step into the mirror, which transports them to the heart of the city. Times Square, maybe? 5th Avenue?

Meanwhile, Hudson, Goliath, Elisa and the trio are all hunting for Demona. They quickly notice the change in the populace. (Maybe the shock of this wide-spread change interrupts what might have been the only chance Elisa and Goliath had for a same-species clinch.) They all know it's bad news, but the trio can't help enjoying the ability to walk among gargoyles again. Even if they are gargoyles in business suits: New Yorkers who still won't give them the time of day. Still, would it be so bad if this didn't get fixed? Yeah. Probably.

When Demona figures out she's been duped, she demands that the gargoyles be changed back to humans. Bing Bang Boom. Goliath, Hudson and the Trio are human. (I'm torn about Bronx. I guess the big dog is o.k. It just seems outside the terms of Demona's request, even by Puck's loose standards.)

Was Goliath flying at the time or is this another interrupted clinch between him and Elisa?

Act Three opens with Elisa saving Goliath from plummeting to his death perhaps. Then she has to make him understand that he has been transformed as well.

We wind up with a very public battle featuring Elisa and our Newly Human heroes against Demona and Puck. It's complicated by the fact that the general populace (who are all now Gargoyles) perceive the human Goliath, Hudson and Trio (and Bronx?) as monsters attacking what to them seems to be a very normal-looking Demona.

Still in the end, good triumphs. Puck makes everything right at Goliath's command, (but let's make it clear that at least in part, he's doing this to spite Demona and/or to suit his own agenda). Elisa is changed to human, before Goliath is changed back, and we have another near-clinch, that Puck interrupts with good-humored spite by changing Goliath back into a gargoyle.

Goliath frees Puck and he vanishes with Demona, rescuing her from Goliath.

Turns out Puck had more fun than he thought he would so he feels like he owes Demona a favor. He'll give her her original wish. No turning to stone during the day. (BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT PAINFULLY CLEAR THAT SHE WILL STILL BE HER NORMAL GARGOYLE SELF AT NIGHT.) He takes his leave via the mirror.

Cut back to Elisa and Goliath for emotional wrap up. Just before the sunrise which, as usual, separates them.

And back to Demona. Silhouetted against the rising sun. It's up, and she's not stone. Puck kept his word, she can't believe it. Then she sees her human self in the mirror, which she smashes, yelling NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! And fade to black.


Bookmark Link

Adsobot writes...

Is Titania supposed to be the real power of the fae throne? Oberon's virtually a fool, and Titania's silver tongue and clever manipulations always make him do what she wants and everything ends with her succeeding. Is she really more powerful?

Greg responds...

Oberon's hardly a fool. He's just arrogant as hell. And, yes, Titania uses that to manipulate him. But he still rules. And there's more to him than you think. After all, why else would she be with him?

Response recorded on July 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

My iron question, posted again because of the crash.

The obvious reason for why Oberon's Children are vulnerable to iron is: a) they need some sort of kryptonite to keep them from getting out of control, and b) it's an element that comes from legend. But did you ever work out an "internal rationale" for why cold iron has the effect on them that it does?

Greg responds...

I can't remember my answer.

Hmmmm...

a and b are certainly true. But I think that iron ore may be something solid and ancient that pre-dates their evolution.

But honestly, I think it's more a and b.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Caitlin writes...

Who are the Children of Mab (as opposed to the Children of Oberon)?

Greg responds...

Before Oberon deposed Mab, the fae collectively went by the name Children of Mab. After Oberon took over, he changed the name.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Faieq Ali writes...

What type of effects would smoking have on a fay?( I don't see Oberon or Puck as the type to smoke.)But what if another fay smoked?

Greg responds...

Smoking's bad for you.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Faieq Ali writes...

In the Gargoyles Universe is fate a person (a fay) or an element like time?

In M.I.A Goliath says to Griff "Fate is conspiring against us." and "Maybe fate can somehow be... aaah..."*pushes Griff away* "cheated."
"Time is a river correcting it's course." Is fate also an invisible element like time correcting peoples lives and stories? Or is it one of Oberon's children, a trickster maybe?

Greg responds...

Fate isn't a person. (I'm not sure what you mean by "element".) But that doesn't mean that there aren't fae connected to fate the way Anubis for example is connected to Death.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Do the fae have any kind of afterlife or souls? Traditional folklore says no, but it seems rather unfair to have them souless compared to the other two races..

Greg responds...

They have the potential.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Do you have to be a fay in order to be a trickster? I'm asking this because Xanatos is 100 % human, and he's definitely a trickster-figure just as surely as are Puck, Raven, Anansi, and Coyote, at least IMHO.

Greg responds...

Technically, yes. But anyone with the soul of a con artist, the hands of a pickpocket and a decent sense of humor can be a trickster.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Considering the amount of iron in rocks/soil, would being underground have any significant effect on a fae's magic?

Greg responds...

Not much.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

I just want to check on this; if Demona had succeeded in her plague, we already know it would not have affected Gargoyles, wiped out humans, done serious damage to the New Olympians, and possibly sentient animals as well as Nokkar might have been unknown factors..but the thing is, would the fae have been affected at all by the plague, being creatures of pure magic?

Greg responds...

Possibly. Of course, most were safely isolated on Avalon at the time.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

1) Did the struggle for power between Oberon and Mab get recorded however dimly in any myths or legends? Since fae seem to be remembered in stories pretty well, being worshipped as gods and so on..
2) Did the struggle cause any great devestation to Avalon or the Earth?
3) Did it occur before Nokkar arrived?
4) How long did it take Oberon to win?

Greg responds...

1. Probably.
2. Probably.
3. Haven't thought that one through. Hmmmm.
4. The length of the conflict.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Just why did Oberon choose to start the Gathering?

Greg responds...

He planned it 1001 years ago. He was just fulfilling his own command.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Is Queen Mab subject to Oberon's non-intervention law?

Greg responds...

Queen Mab is currently subject to a life sentence. Everything else is moot unless -- or until -- she gets out.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

About what time did Oberon and Titania get married? Was Shakespeare corect about them being a wedded couple during the time of Theseus?

Greg responds...

Ask me again some other time, I'm currently in a re-think on Midsummer. I'm not sure how it's gonna come out.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Just why did Oberon overthrow Mab?

Greg responds...

She was trouble.

Also she didn't approve of Titania.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Abigail Thorne writes...

How did Goliath and the others learn that Demona and Macbeth can only be killed if one kills the other? Demona told Brooklyn in "Temptation" how she had been dealing with humans for hundreds of years, and Macbeth told Goliath in "Enter Macbeth" how he had named Demona, which she herself said in "Awakening Part 5" happened long ago. So I get how they could figure out both were immortal, but how exactly did they figure out the terms of the spell?

And another thing--if they knew that only Macbeth could kill Demona and vice versa, how come they thought Macbeth died in the crash in "The Price" and Demona died in the fire in "The Reckoning'?

Greg responds...

From the Weird Sisters, after they were captured -- but before they were released -- in "Avalon, Part Three".

"The Price" took place before "Avalon". And they never said she was dead in "The Reckoning". Goliath simply acknowledged that he wasn't sure. I mean how many questions have I had to answer here about the rules of the whole Macbeth/Demona thing. If you all have some doubts about how that spell works, don't you think Goliath and Angela might also.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jarrod writes...

I was watching Gargoyles today mainly the "Cities of Stone" episodes. I noticed when demona was casting her spell she said to Owen when he was in a frozen state "You are the tricky one so we will make sure you stay put". Which makes me wonder, did Demona know that Owen was Puck? And if she knew that Owen is Puck, how long has she known that?

Greg responds...

Yes, she knows. She's known since before the rest of the clan was awakened.

There's a similar clue in "The Mirror", when Demona says to Puck, "You serve the human [i.e. Xanatos], you can serve me now." (Or something like that.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Hmm, now that I think of it, I'm not even certain if 'revelatory' is a real word...

Anyway on the Theseus business, something a bit less... deep: In "A Midsummer's Night Dream" it is said that Titania had an... affair (ahem) with Theseus - would you say that's true in the Gargoyles Universe?

Greg responds...

Probably.

Response recorded on July 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

galvatron writes...

Is the reason that Alexander is considered a Children of Oberon while Merlin is considered a halfling because Alexander is basically more powerful than Merlin?

Greg responds...

Who made those assumptions?

Merlin's technically a halfling because Oberon is his father but his mother is human.

Fox is also theoretically a halfling. Her mother is Titania. Her father is the human Halcyon Renard.

Alexander is technically a quarterling, I guess. He's fully human on his father's side and half human on his mother's side.

Response recorded on July 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

WereFox writes...

Hi Greg

Once agian I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to satisfy our enquiring minds.

Here we go. What does love mean to Titania? I'll ellaborate on what bothers me about her. We have seen in countless episodes how our villains' best and worst laid plans have gone awry because of certain factors were byond the control of the planners. Chances were taken, disaster was courted, and the scheme falls apart. With all this in mind let's consider Titania's actions.

In I'll Met by Moonlight", Titania exposes Obereon's weakness to Iron Bells to Tom and the Princess. She must have had some insite into their characters and was reasonably sure that they wouldn't kill Oberon. Still despite her fantastic judge of character, she is taking an enourmous chance here with people she hardly knows. What if Tom had to kill Oberon in self defence? Certainly she didn't want this.

Then there is The Gathering. Titania manipulates Oberon into a conflict with Xanatos that jeopardized the lives of two people she cares about. Renard might have died when Fortress 2 crashed. By the time Oberon reaches Fox and Alexander, he is clearly beside himself with anger and frustration. Who are these pitiful mortals to stand in the way of what he wants? A calm Oberon might not have taken Fox up on her "Over my dead body" vow, for fear of alienating Titania. Yet Oberon is hardly rational at this point. Again, these circumstances are beyond Titania's control. Sure things worked out for the best, but things could have just as easily goe the other way. What was she thinking in goading Oberon into this situation?

Finally, what of the many people who died in hospitals or in car accidents, when Oberon puts the entire city to sleep. Do they mean anything to her?

I congratulate you in creating so complex a character. I realize that on first viewing it might seem like Titania is on Fox's side, but as with all complex characters, the only side she is truly own is her own. Still if Titania truly cares for Oberon, Fox , her ex-husband Renard, then why does she envolve them in schemes that are so hazardous?

Greg responds...

You're assuming -- because she needed none -- that she had no contingencies planned. That's not a safe assumption. Plus, as far as "The Gathering" is concerned, you're taking her word for it that she had it all planned to go this way from moment one. She PROBABLY did. But that's not a completely foregone conclusion either.

Finally, I think that Titania is still a character in mid-evolution. You've never met the tenth century Titania. But keep in mind that in those days, she was LESS mature than Oberon, less responsible, less loving. She's grown A LOT. But let's not confuse a LOT with ALL THE WAY.

Response recorded on July 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

Hi! I'm back! Anyways, these questions are going to be on the apearences of The Lord and Lady of Avalon.

1. What's up with Oberon's broken nose? Can't he change it, or what? (I've heard a couple of theroies on this, but i want to hear it from the source.)

2. Why does Titana wear, forgive me, something so skimpy? She seems to have more self respect than that.

3. what's up with Oberon's cheek bones/ultra chiseled features? You could get a paper cut on them!

4. Did Titana always these sorts of cloaths, or is this a new thing for the Gathering?

5. Speaking of cloaths, What's up with Oberon's thigh high boots?

6. Did Titana inherit her coloration from her family or did she decide on it?

7. Is Oberon wearing shorts and thigh high boots or boots and pants that are tucked into the boots, or something completely difrent?

8. what is Titana wearing on her feet? I never got to see, even though Oberon has enough footwear for all of Avalon.

9. Did Oberon inherit his coloration from his family, or did he just decide to be blue?

--Nemi

P.S.

I Like Anubis too.

Greg responds...

1. Oberon has a broken nose? Don't think so.

2. She's got it. She flaunts it. She's not short on self-respect.

3. I don't know how to answer this. But I don't think Oberon would appreciate these personal observations.

4. It's her style.

5. Again, how do you expect me to respond? It's a style.

6. Both.

7. He's not wearing short pants.

8. Geez. What are you wearing right now? Anyway, I seem to recall she was wearing boots.

9. Both.

You like Anubis TOO? Wow, does that mean you like Oberon & Titania? Cuz I sense a lot of hostility towards 'em.

Response recorded on July 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

A Fan writes...

I'd appreciate your thoughts on the accuracy of my hypothesis. I know you are likely to be cryptic, so I promise to be only somewhat annoyed it you are, although I'd prefer if you weren't.

About time travel, why is the Phoenix Gate the only time travel device out there? Or is it?

It is likely the only magical way, because if not, why would Oberon want it so badly? Unless it is like a washing machine. You can wash it by hand but you'd rather use a machine.

You've established that the past cannot be changed, and that Xanatos's current position in society is solely because of his little trip to the past.

Establishing that the Phoenix Gate is gone, except for its little TimeDancing trip, does that mean that time travel in the gargoyles universe is now totally impossible?

the final question would have to be, since you don't believe in a changable past, does the Gargoyles universe contain parallel time tracks, entire other universes with a different version of events.

Finally, I apologize if I missed previous answers to these questions. I have been reading the archive since it started, but my memory is a little bad at times.

Greg responds...

1. I didn't say that the Gate is the only device out there. Depending on your point of view, one could say the Grimorum acted as a one-way time travel device for Goliath et al. And for the Coldtrio as well.

2. Who said Oberon wanted it so badly? Puck thought it would make a good bribe. Who knows if he was even right?

3. I wouldn't say "solely" but sure, what's your point?

4. Not necessarily. But I'd never make it easy. (And calling TimeDancer a "little...trip" is the understatement of the day, at least.

5. Ehhh.... Those things tend to be abused whenever they're introduced. Look at the X-Men. That book became unreadable to me eventually. As I've said before, I'm open to thinking about parallel universe/tracks etc. But I tend to think I'll end up saying no.

6. S'O.K.

Response recorded on July 05, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

How many children has Oberon had with immortal and mortal females? If you can't tell us the specific number then is it more than a 100 or less than a 100?

Greg responds...

less

Response recorded on July 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

In your opinion, is much of Merlin's status as "the greatest wizard of all time" thanks (from the perspective of the Gargoyles Universe) to his being a biological son of Oberon's? Given how much magic Oberon must have in him, it does seem logical that an offspring of his, even a halfling, would have more magic to inherit than a halfling child of any other fay, or a fully-human wizard.

Greg responds...

Merlin was certainly born with a lot of magical potential. But potential can be squandered. (Just look at my life over the last four years.) Merlin worked to become a great wizard.

Response recorded on June 30, 2000

Bookmark Link

Duncan Devlin writes...

First off, great show, always worth saying. I would like to thank for Oberon, who led to a five page description that got me an A for seventh grade English, Titania, whose description got me and A for eighth grade English, and Macbeth, a text whose knowledge got me an A in ninth grade English (although these grades did not come from spelling.)

On my seventh or eight watchings of "Ill Met by Moonlight" and "The Gathering", my rather large screensavers, I noticed a few things and came up with some stuff.

1) Anubis appeared to be one of the people in line at the Gathering, this seems a little odd. Who takes care while he is away?

2) Who, if anybody, is the dube with the hat that kisses Oberon's hand before the Banshee gets dropped?

3) Oberon refers to himself as "we" in some cases and "I" and other cases, what is up with that?

(I did not see these in the archives, if any are there, sorry)

Thanks

Greg responds...

1. Takes care of what? Away from where?

2. That "dube" is Nought.

3. Artistic license. I generally liked for him to use the royal we. But occasionally having him say "we" was very confusing, because it gave the impression he was talking about the group at hand. So occasionally, we cheated and used "I". Fortunately, Terrance Mann, who voiced Oberon could make the lowliest I still sound like the royal we. Which is probably why you didn't notice it until your seventh viewing.

Response recorded on June 29, 2000

Bookmark Link

A Fan writes...

I'm curious exactly how magic casting works. It seems to be established that humans and gargoyles need a magic object and/or a magic spell to do magic.

But Oberon's Children seem to not have to use spells. Although Puck seems to. How do you explain that?

Greg responds...

How do you want me to explain it?

How about in writing?

Look, Fae magic and Mortal Sorcery are two different things. With Mortals, most of the magic comes from without. With Fae, most of it comes from within. Fae are made of magic.

After that clear distinction, the specifics depend on control, style, training, power, i.e. lots of factors. Anansi spins his spells. Puck rhymes his. Oberon is so powerful he just has to speak his will. But rhyming helps, so he does that too sometimes. Most Fae rhyme, but there are plenty of exceptions.

Mortals need something to gather and focus energy. A place, a talisman, a spell.

I'm not exactly sure if that answers your question. If you need more specifics, post again.

Response recorded on June 29, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kayless writes...

Hey Greg, I have some religious questions for you.

1. Since you are seemingly very well versed in religious doctrine, I'm curious as to how you feel about the Judeo/Christian scriptures that prohibit wizardry. Deuteronomy 18:9-18:12 (Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord) makes it quite clear that God brooks no wizards in his fold. Is there a conflict for you since so much of the myth Gargoyles is based on revolves around magic?

2. What about the uncanny resemblance between gargoyles and demons? Why do the two look so much alike? Did dybbuks manifest themselves in the form of gargoyles in order to sow discord with humanity, hence the current demonic stereotype and poor human/garg relations?

3. How do the Fae feel about the whole God business? They seem a rather worldly lot, though some might be old enough to remember biblical events.

4. Why is Percy still using the grail? The Holy Grail is a sacred artifact, not your run-of-the-mill magical maguffin. Why would it continue to grant its power to Duval, who has since proved unworthy? I know you said it was costing him a high physical price but I find it odd that it should be giving him any kind of benefits at all (Anybody see what happened to the bad guy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?).

5. Last one. Is the Judeo/Christian God the supreme ruler of the Gargoyle universe? Given the plethora of Gods and Goddess on the show, I'm just wondering what your views on this are (I prefer to think that He's the one in charge, but I had to ask).

Thanks for your time, as always. Now I must return to the Vole Wars…

Greg responds...

1. I'm clearly less "versed" than you seem to think. I won't comment on your citation in a vacuum. And I don't have a bible here in the office to check the context.

When you ask if I'm conflicted, I'm not clear on your question. Are you looking for my opinion on the bible? Personally, I think the bible is an astounding piece of literature with much to teach us. But I see the hands of man all over that book. And although it might lose me some fans, I cannot believe that God authored it. Inspired it maybe, but authored it, no. At any rate, I think many things in the bible are subject to interpretation. Often multiple interpretations.

2. Where do you get the idea that there is ANY resemblance between gargoyles and demons? From Medieval painters? Look, we haven't seen any demons in the series. We haven't seen any demons in the gargoyles universe. No angels either. I'm not saying whether they exist or not. But you're question assumes facts not in evidence.

3. The whole God with a capital G business? Like humans, every Child of Oberon is different. I try not to make monolithic generalizations.

4. Assumes facts not in evidence. A. Who says he's still using the grail? I said he still had it. B. And in any case, your question asked "Why". Why wouldn't he if he could? C. Who said the grail can "grant" power? D. If it can, who said it is? E. Who said Duval has proven unworthy?

And I certainly refuse to use "Last Crusade" as an authority.

I will say that the Grail is part of the reason that Percival and Blanchefleur are still alive. And that a price for that has been paid. But don't oversimplify.

5. As you may know, I'm Jewish. Most of my fellow Jews would not consider me to be religious, though that's something I might argue with. Personally, I believe in God with a captial G. Whether that means he's the Judeo/Christian God seems like a parochial question to me. Almost an elitist question. I also believe that God is REAL BIG on free will. His miracles are many but subtle, and all come with a free scientific explanation -- because if he simply manifested like George Burns on trial, then where's the free will? So why should things be any easier in the Gargoyles Universe. The Gargs believe in a God that is the sum total of all things. They are monotheists and animists all at once. I don't think that's inconsistent with Judeo/Christian beliefs, but I also don't think you're going to see any purely objective evidence on the show, ever. Take to the Gargoyles Universe what you will. And it should, if I'm doing this right, give you something back -- whatever you do, or don't, believe in.

Look, I know it seems like I'm blowing off your questions. I'm not. But try reading them with a fresh eye. They're almost impossible TO answer in a straightforward manner, because they are extremely complex, and yet they take for granted so many things as fact that have not been established either in the cannon or here at ASK GREG. These are all interesting topics and I encourage you to pursue them. But break your questions down. It'll help you avoid making assumptions.

By the way, what's a Vole?

Response recorded on June 29, 2000

Bookmark Link

Wing writes...

Fae/Oberati have complete control over their appearance, but do they have this as newborns?
If not what would a newborn fae look like?
Not wishing to give any ideas or anything, but I've heard legends, ya know...

Greg responds...

A cross between whatever his or her parents truly look like.

Response recorded on June 28, 2000

Bookmark Link

Lexy writes...

Hello again Greg:)

You know how in Cloud Fathers we see Coyote? ,the 3rd Race dude I mean. Well I know for that perticular episode he assumed the form of Peter Maza. He needed to for motivational purposes. But then later on we see him again in The Gathering Part 1 and he _still_ looks like that. I guess you could just say, "Hey, so the guy likes the look. Problem with that?", and that does work. But I was just wondering ..

1) What does his real form look like?
IE: Puck when hes NOT playing the role of Owen.

2) Has he taken a liking to that form and uses it more often then not?

3) In the episode you just kinda take it for granted that our trickster is appearing as young Peter. I mean..it had to be so for the episode. But behind all that had Coyote actually been watching and or aware of the Maza's before hand? Peter's mom and dad and such? Or did he just need that painting to be intact and quickly just assumed Peters' old form? Was he trying to remind Peter of his heritage?? Or was it just cuz??

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. Kinda coyote-esque.

2. He's currently fond of Peter Maza's "Native American James Dean" look.

3. It's all in there.

Response recorded on June 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Philosopher writes...

Couple of question's about the fairfolk:
1)Are they supposed to be spirits?
2)If the answerer to number 1 is yes, how can they die? Spirits can't be killed even with cold iron.
3)Was Annibus actually Death incarnate or was he just playing the part, like most of the pagen "gods"?

Greg responds...

1. How are you defining spirits? As another word for fae or as ghosts? They aren't ghosts.

2. Refer to question 1.

3. Again, you're not defining your terms well, or at any rate, your questions make assumptions not in evidence. The answer is both. Or neither. Or either. Or something else again, depending on how you define these things.

Response recorded on June 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Anonymous writes...

Are there other sentient races living on the Earth besides fay,halflings,humans and gargoyles?

If so could you name them.?

Greg responds...

Well, Nokkar.

And the New Olympians (though they're a spin-off race of the fae).

Otherwise, no.

Response recorded on June 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A question here about Owen/Puck. In the original legends about Puck, under his "Robin Goodfellow" alias, he's portrayed as a sort of household spirit, helping to look after the home in which he dwells and assisting the humans who live there in the upkeep of their home. Now, it's recently occurred to me that Owen's duties to the Xanatos household could indeed be viewed as almost a mundane equivalent to those of Robin Goodfellow, the way that he similarly looks after Xanatos's home and keeps it running well. Which consequently makes the fact that Owen and Puck are really the same all the more appropriate.

Is this something that you've noticed before, that Owen serves as almost the "mundane equivalent" to a household spirit for Xanatos?

Greg responds...

GREG SAYS:
No. Not really, because, obviously, I'm more familiar with Shakespeare's Robin "Puck" Goodfellow, then the one you refer to.

BENNY SAYS:
I want to say that Mama likes Bigtime and Iggy and I like them, but I shoo them. And I'm sorry about that.

Response recorded on June 25, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Hmm... more of a comment here. In 'City of Stone' we saw the Weird Sisters take different attires depending on the date - in modern times they wore modern clothes, in medieval times they wore medieval ones...

I rather liked that. A bit like Gaiman's Endless I'd like to see the outside appearance of supernatural entities move with the times. (one of the reasons I especially liked Coyote's modernity - Coyote's quite possibly my favourite fay with Odin coming in second...)

But from the very next episode where the Sisters appeared, their clothing went medieval throughout, whether in Avalon or in the outside world... And well, even though it was such a small detail I found that rather disappointing...

Comments on why this was done?

Greg responds...

Basically, we paid more attention to it in CITY OF STONE, because it was more of a plot point, plus we were trying to define them and their abilities a bit. After that, we figured they had a preferred appearance, which they would alter as needed. (Thus they appear as three Desdemona's in "High Noon".) We didn't see them "in public" after that, so they maintained their preferred appearance. But had we seen them wandering the streets, you would have seen them in modern dress. And their age and species would have again depended on who was looking at them.

Still, I understand your disappointment. For starters, shouldn't Goliath have still seen them as little girls? Either that just got by me, or else I took so much crap for how quote-unquote-confusing the Sisters were in "City" that I just gave in out of exhaustion. I honestly don't remember which was the case.

Response recorded on June 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Chris writes...

A couple of questions

1)How powerful could Alexander become with Puck training him? Could he become as powerful as Puck?

2)Would Alex be a bit of a trickster himself since Puck is the person training him?

Thanks, and once again congrats on such a great cartoon!

Greg responds...

1. Probably not if we're talking pure power. Alexander's only a quarter fae. But Puck isn't Alex's only teacher. Take a quarter of Titania's power, and give it the kind of focus that comes with being a Xanatos or a Renard. What da ya think ya get?

2. Sure. But again, not just because of Puck. Don't forget that Alex's parents are a fox and a coyote at heart.

Response recorded on June 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Do any fae have a higher resistance to iron than others? Because when thinking of all the smith-gods of mythology like Hephaistos, it seems odd that they could be harmed by iron..

Greg responds...

I think some do. For example, Oberon was able to recover from being hit with Petros' iron harpoon. (That, I believe, was a flaw that we barely get away with because, well, Oberon is Oberon.) I think a lesser fae would have died. And I think Oberon came closer than he'd ever admit.

Response recorded on June 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Michael Norton writes...

Greg,

In a recent response you said "It was one of the reasons that I made Oberon & Titania's skin Blue and Green. I didn't want to imply that white "godlings" ruled the others."

I think that is very cool. But did you consider making the human guises that Oberon and Titania chose more ethnically ambiguous instead of "white"?

Greg responds...

Not with Titania, since she was Fox's mother.

With Oberon, I could have. Probably should have. Didn't. The decisions were months apart, and I guess I lost track.

I did try to make the human Goliath in "The Mirror" appear with more ethnically African. I'm not sure if that was clear, since his hair looked more European (to match Goliath's hair). But I did this to increase the connection between human Goliath and Elisa. And between human Goliath and Keith David.

And that might be why Oberon wound up Caucasian. Not a great excuse. But subconsciously, we may all have been influence by the fact that Terrance Mann, the voice of Oberon was/is Caucasian.

Response recorded on June 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kalafarski writes...

You've said many times that you plan to introduce every myth and legend into Gargoyles, or least as many as possible. If and when the show returns (in the same format and present-day time period as the original show), would it take another story arc such as the World Tour to come closer to accomplishing this? I mean, traveling around the world does make it a little more convenient to introduce new characters and situations than hanging around in Manhatten. If the answer to that question is yes, then can you describe what this story arc would be like? Thanks.

Greg responds...

Everything in its time. TIMEDANCER would have been a great outlet for exploring more myths. But we'd have covered more in the main series eventually. Starting, probably, with Mab.

Response recorded on June 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Ok, I'll ask this again: Can a fae change a human or a gargoyle into an actual in-reality fae with all fae powers and weaknesses and so on, as big a species change as gargoyle-to-human?

Greg responds...

Erin says: I think you got a point there. I think you are right.

Benny says: I love this candy. [He's eating PEZ.]

Greg says: No. Where would the energy come from unless the fae were permanently relinquishing all his powers.

Response recorded on June 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Is there any connection between the Coyote Diamond and Coyote the Kachina Trickster?

Greg responds...

Greg says: <heh, heh, heh>

Erin says: I think they are connected. And you've got a very good point there.

Response recorded on June 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Man Mountain writes...

Heya Greg, here is another question for you. We know there are the 3 races: Gargoyles, Humans, and Fae. We know Gargoyles and Humans can't mate without help and we know Humans and Fae can mate pretty easily. So the obvious question is, can Gargoyles mate with Fae and has that happened in your opinion? I can't even imagine the possibilities of such offspring that would create. At least from a human perspective, Fae/Human offspring is relatively easy to imagine: Normal Humans with a little something different (flaming hair, magic ability, whatever). But a Gargoyle and a Fae... would it work the same way? Mostly Gargoyle with a little something extra? Just wondering, thanks!

Greg responds...

Erin says: I like your question. And it's a good one too. Faes could connect to Gargoyles. And I think you have got something.

Benny, my three year old son, just came home. He says: I want to say that I love you, Daddy.

Greg says: I have great kids. I love them both. Meanwhile, I see no reason why gargs and Fae couldn't have babies together. For that matter, if a Fae was so inclined I see no reason why fae and termites couldn't have babies together.

Response recorded on June 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

JEB writes...

Was the inclusion of the Scroll of Thoth in "Grief" a references to the Conan stories/Cthulhu Mythos?

Greg responds...

Not that I know of. Thoth is an Egyptian diety. We were doing an ep set in Egypt.

Response recorded on June 14, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd JensenAnonymous writes...

In the Gargoyles Universe, the fay are vulnerable to cold iron. Now, the obvious reasons for this are: a) they needed some sort of "kryptonite" to keep them from unbalancing things, and b) it's a traditional part of faerie mythology (and I'd read about that problem of theirs with cold iron long before "Gargoyles" came out, and even used it in an Arthurian fantasy novel that I'm still writing). But, did you ever develop a "within-the-story" rationale for why iron has such a drastic effect upon Oberon's Children?Odin got swallowed by the fenrir wolf in Ragnarvak. Can you tell us how he survived?

Greg responds...

dial-72.max1.ken.cyberlynk.netNot right now.

Response recorded on June 13, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You've indicated that many of the Greek gods (though not all of them) were "New Olympians" - well, before they became *New* Olympians. Now, the Greek gods were particularly noted for their humanlike appearance, especially in contrast with such cases as the animal-headed gods of ancient Egypt (such as Anubis) or the multi-armed gods of India. They all looked like normal humans (if better-looking, with the exception of Hephaestus), and were depicted thus in classical art.

The New Olympians, on the other hand, nearly all seem to have a not-fully-human appearance, fitting more into the category of the animal/human hybrids such as minotaurs, centaurs, sphinxes, echidnae, and other such beings of the Greek myths. The only one of them that looked human all the way was Proteus in his regular form. So, were the Greek gods of Olympus less anthropomorphic in the Gargoyles Universe than the artistic depictions of them by Phidias and the rest claim? Or are there more "human-appearing" New Olympians out there that we didn't get to see during the episode? (Given that the New Olympians only showed up in one episode of the series, that does seem quite possible, I'll admit; there wouldn't have been that much time to introduce them).

Greg responds...

Jove is very humanesque. And aside from the flaming 'do, so is Helios. And except for the wings, so is Boreas. It's a pretty big mix.

But also, I never said ALL of the Greek gods were pre-New New Olympians. Some of them were Children of Mab.

Response recorded on April 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

You'd said that Oberon does have siblings... A brother, a sister or both? And would he/she/they be characters from mythology or original characters?

Btw, do you plan to add any member of the third race which hasn't be seen in Mythology/Shakespeare/literature, but who is fully your own creation?

Greg responds...

I'm certainly not beyond creating original characters. But that would be a second choice. If the goal is to include all that's out there, I've still got a lot of "characters" to cover before I need to start adding my own.

Response recorded on March 26, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You recently said that you believed that most of the events in Norse mythology took place before Oberon passed his non-intervention edict. Actually, I can't help wondering myself, as something of a Norse mythology buff, how much difference that the edict would have made where the traditional events in the Aesir's lives were concerned, since most of the stories about them don't portray them as interacting with mortals, but rather with their traditional frost giant enemies (especially in the case of Thor) and the frost giants' monster-allies such as the Fenris-wolf and the Midgard Serpent. Odin's the only one of the Norse gods who really struck me as much of a "meddler" in mortal affairs (as in his deciding which side would win a battle, and often having the better warriors lose so that they would go to Valhalla and he could have them in his army come Ragnarok). So would Oberon's Law have really put that much of a cramp in the Aesir's legendary deeds?

Greg responds...

Maybe not. As usual, I'd have to take things case-by-case.

Response recorded on March 22, 2000

Bookmark Link

WereFoX writes...

Greg, did Oberon erase every obvious trace of his presence in New York during the Gathering. I imagine he would show up on a few video surviellance cameras or in real time photos from overhead satellites.

Greg responds...

No. I doubt he bothered.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Donald writes...

In "Ill Met By Moonlight" Oberon mentioned that he too spent the millennium with the mortals. Since I'm sure a question about what he did would be one of those "novel length responses", was anything he did significant with regard to the master plan (i.e. something we would have seen eventually)?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Ya MotHer writes...

Whats the deal with the aging thingy for children of oberon, like gargoyles, it takes them twice as long than a human or something like that. so like how many years would it take for oberons children to grow up to be like a teanager maybe?

Greg responds...

Since they have complete control over their appearance, discussing their "age" is rather moot.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Is there 'prophecy' in the Gargoyles universe? So far all the pieces of prophecy we've seen are either related to time-travel (Archmage, etc), or are ambiguous in nature (Weird Sisters in 'City of Stone', Puck in 'Future Tense').

Were the Weird Sisters (for example) making a true prophecy concerning Macbeth and Duncan, or simply saying something and then manipulating events so that it took place?

And was Puck aware that parts of his 'dream' would indeed take place (other than Alex's name ofcourse which he could have been informed of as Owen)?

Greg responds...

Uh...

Paragraph one, I don't understand.

Paragraph two, both.

Paragraph three, both.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Guardian writes...

If you had enough episodes, would you have eventually have written in The Jewish-Christian God? If so, how would you have explained how Annibus was lord of the dead. (He would be a false god, according to Christians and Jews)

Greg responds...

I honestly don't know. But keep in mind, Anubis never claimed to be a god.

And I'd tend to leave the big G above the fray. He works in mysterious ways after all.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Michael Norton writes...

Is there any logical reason that Owen did not include a giant iron bell in the castle defenses? I know this would have ruined the drama of the battle. But it is hard to accept the fact that it never occured to any of the defenders during the battle with Oberon.

Greg responds...

I'm not sure that the bell solution is that obvious to Owen. I think it was very clever of Titania to come up with something that generally a fae would have little interest in exploring.

And where would Goliath and Angela found a big iron bell?

Response recorded on March 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Michael Norton writes...

In Walkabout, would Titania have revealed herself and magically intervened if Goliath and Dingo had failed to reason with Matrix?

Greg responds...

What could Titania have done against Matrix?

Response recorded on March 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

I started to wonder about the 'Future Tense' episode...

1. What would have happened if Goliath had indeed given Puck the gate? After all he was dreaming the whole thing - would the real-life gate have just disappeared and been taken by Puck or something? Goliath waking up and finding it missing?

2. That thing about Puck not being able to take the gate, he having to be given it - is that again a law of Oberon's or something inherent in the nature of the Gate and/or fae?

3. And if the former, why when in other cases the fae could use just any flimsy excuse to bend Oberon's law, this one was so strictly interpreted that even 'Here you have it, take the gate' wasn't sufficient for Puck to take it?

Greg responds...

1. Goliath would have physically taken the Gate from his pouch, held it out and let go. Puck would appear to take it. All very real. But it didn't happen.

2. It's a law, but I don't know if it's Oberon's law.

3. I'm not sure that their excuses were that flimsy. We always made an effort to bend the laws with a real rationale.

Response recorded on March 19, 2000

Bookmark Link

Ambrosia writes...

I was thinking about the Weird Sisters- I know artistic lisence is used all the time with characters, so I was wondering about these Three... In City of Stone, they come off as gentle guiders in Demona's life and remind Goliath of his own ideals... but in Avalon, they are nearly as bad as Demona in their thirst for vengeance. Though not nearly as violent, they make a pact with a sorceror (something they initially swore they wouldn't do) only in order to have revenge against the Magus and the others. This sounds a little contradictory of their characters. What I was wondering is: which is their real personality? Are they more like the Fates of Greek mythology who spin, measure and cut the thread of mortals' lives, or was their power exaggerated by human myth and, in fact, they're only typical, magical beings like Puck or Odin are? I suppose I'm asking how much power they really have...
I also wanted to say how much I love the show and hope that it'll come back some day... in any form. With the maddening popularity of shows like Mutant Turtles, it's refreshing to have an intelligent series like gargoyles to obsess over!

Greg responds...

The Sisters are complex and have many aspects, not all of which have been revealed or conflated yet.

They're not quite as powerful (and/or powerless) as the mythological fates, but they have that aspect.

There was obvioulsy an ulterior motive to their actions in CITY OF STONE. But there may have also been an ulterior motive to their actions in AVALON as well.

Response recorded on March 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A fresh effort to do the eight Arthurian survivors correctly.

1. King Arthur
2. Merlin
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. Sir Percival
5. Blanchfleur
6. Morgan le Fay
7. Nimue
8. The Green Knight (the one whom Gawain had that encounter with)

Greg responds...

Eight points.

Thank you. Come again.

No, wait! Eight points. Eight out of eight. FINALLY, A WINNER! And Todd, I have to admit, I'm kinda glad it's you, since you've been the most dedicated to exploring the Arthurian angle here in ASK GREG.

As to the speculation of how they survived, well, I was gonna make another contest out of it, but I realized it would violate my NO IDEAS policy, so...

1. King Arthur Pendragon. Slept under a spell in the Hollow Hill.

2. Merlin. Son of Oberon by a mortal woman. Imprisoned in the Crystal Cave.

3. The Lady of the Lake. One of the Oberati.

4. Sir Percival. The Fisher King. Mr. Duval. Founder of the Illuminati. Spends a lot of time in Castle Carbonek, a sort of mini-traveling-Avalon, where time passes differently. Also uses the Holy Grail to maintain his youth, though at a very real physical cost, due to his, shall we say, sins.

5. Lady Blanchefleur. Percival's wife. Queen of Castle Carbonek. She lives there and uses the Grail. The only cost being her estrangement from Percival.

6. Morgana le Fay. A changling in the old-fashioned sense.

7. Nimue. A sorceress with connections to Merlin, the Oberati and Morgana. (Think about it.)

8. The Green Knight. An Oberati.

Anyway, the above revelations are a gift I'm giving all of you on Todd's behalf. Thank him. Todd, to claim your prize, have Gore or DemonaCrzy forward your e-mail address to me.

Response recorded on March 18, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

<Stares> There's quite a little more than the usual kind of questioning over here, isn't there? More of a discussion. Interesting... But rather than the 'shake up' commentary most are talking about, let me add my opinion on something different that was mentioned by Todd -- namely about Oberon (a fay) ruling over gods such as Odin.

On the whole I'd say that I have no problem with it - on the other hand I would have a bit of a problem if a god from a specific pantheon were to rule over all others - it might almost seem to imply that the specific pantheon and culture was more important than that of others. (I'd find it far more difficult to accept a universe where Zeus was superior to Odin for example...) Oberon and Titania from their beginnings in Shakespeare seemed more universal characters than any single mythological one; they were characters seemingly from Britain (Robin Goodfellow for example...) passing through Greece and discussing about events of India...

Greg responds...

I agree. It was one of the reasons that I made Oberon & Titania's skin Blue and Green. I didn't want to imply that white "godlings" ruled the others.

Response recorded on March 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Vashkoda writes...

Hi Greg! Ditto what Jenna just said. I'm going to try to insert a question in here, tho'. Did the third race create Avalon, or did Avalon create the third race? If this question is hard to answer, could you tell me which appeared first? Thanks!

Greg responds...

It's not quite that cut and dry... One didn't create the other.

Response recorded on March 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

One thing that I'm going to confess here, and it's that I'm still feeling somewhat taken aback at the discovery that the mythological gods in the Gargoyles Universe are subject to Oberon, a "mere" faerie king (though don't tell him that I called him that :) In traditional legend, Oberon wasn't a divinity, so seeing him have authority over gods like Odin feels a little strange to me still. It's like seeing an earl giving orders to a king. I know that in the Gargoyles Universe, Oberon does outrank the gods of mythology and that they were really "just" powerful faerie-folk, but it does feel a little odd to me all the same.

Greg responds...

That is... an absolutely SHOCKING confession.

Or not.

Look, I knew it was going to be controversial (relatively speaking). Frank Paur wasn't particularly comfortable with the idea, but I'm a fast talker.

The main motivation was that I wanted the Garg Universe to have a certain cohesion. I wanted it to be rich and expansive, but not completely arbitrary. So after a bit of tease and mystery, we reveal a feudal system.

And Oberon's lack of shall we say, press, didn't bother me. He was the big man behind the scenes. And although he's not exactly Mr. Maturity, I don't think that bothered him.

And of course, he did have at least one spectacular press agent. Guy named Will.

Response recorded on March 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jackal's Love writes...

In Grief, the Emir used a spell (the Scroll of Thoth) to become the Avatar (eventually). Since Anubis is a Child of Oberon, are there any spells out there that could turn someone into an avatar for Oberon, Puck, Titania, or any of the other Children? Or, is it possible for someone to force one of the Children to do what Anubis did?
Thanks for your time.

Greg responds...

Sure, it's possible.

Response recorded on March 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Ambrosia writes...

Hi, Greg!
I was wondering what Oberon did with himself during the thousand-year-long banishment? He obviously wasn't on Avalon because that's where Katherine, Tom, Magus and the eggs were... but he also seemed *completely* naive of the modern world- like when Xanatos or Elisa pulled their respective guns on him- he acted like he'd never seen such things before. Not to mention his comment in The Gathering, "Interesting what these mortals can acheive with their 'science'."

Greg responds...

I think there's a big difference between his reaction to Elisa's gun and Xanatos'. With Elisa, he was reacting to the iron content in the weapon. With Xanatos, he was curious about its futuristic look and nature.

Likewise, I don't think Oberon had had much exposure to force fields. Have you?

I think Oberon was out and about all those years. He knew the modern world. But not everything about it.

Response recorded on March 13, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Have Oberon and Titania ever been worshipped as gods, the same way other members of their race have? Shakespeare implies that Titania atleast was worshipped in India (not to mention that her name seems to imply that she was also worshipped in Ancient Greece and considered a Titan)...

Greg responds...

Yeah, probably. But I haven't worked out their entire (very long) bios. Just pieces here and there.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Have the fay/gods sought and supported their worship from human, or is it something that just happened, but they never really cared about?

My guess is that it's different from case to case: if so, how about the gods we've seen in the series: Odin, Anubis, Banshee (I believe that Banshee was never "worshipped" exactly under that name, but her alternate form as Cromm Cruach (sp?) was; and -if Todd's correct in his guide- its worship was considered dangerous)

Greg responds...

Case to case, definitely.

And Aris, I apologize, but it's late at night, and I just don't have the energy to run it down for each of those characters right now. Ask me again about them individually and I'll give it a shot.

Sorry.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jessica Brimer (shadowrider@blomand.net) writes...

Hi, I'm back with yet another Puck question, sorry I didn't get it in my early post.

1) In "The Gathering" Oberon seemed very upset that Puck didn't come, and even went so far as to go look for him himself instead of sending the Weird Sisters. Is there a reason for this? And would that reason be why he recieved such a harsh punishment?

2) I guess the first question really led to this one, are Titania and/or Oberon, Puck's parents?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. Puck was Oberon's personal man-servant. Oberon considered Puck's disobedience a very personal betrayal.

2. No.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jessica Brimer (shadowrider@blomand.net) writes...

Hi, this is the first time I've asked a question, so ignore me if I seem to babble a bit.
I'm a big Puck/Owen fan so my questions have to do with him.

1)Seeing as you really never got the chance to use the Puck/Owen thing much, I was wondering if you would have used this angle more later? (Did that make sense?)

2) In the "The Mirror", Demona mentioned that Puck had served the human (I think that was it), now he would serve her. Is this maybe a reference to Puck serving Shakespear?
(I only say Shakespear because thatr's the work he first appeared in right?)

3) I've long believed that Puck and Owen are one in the same. Owen being the tricksters more serious side. However I have also talked to people who thought Puck was a seperate personality from Owen's own and vice versa. Which is true?

4) In "The Gathering" Oberon didn't seem to know Puck was Owen. Is that an indication that Puck had made his "mask" so well even Oberon himself couldn't see through it?

All for now and it's been nice ummm...typing to you?

Greg responds...

1. Yes and yes.

2. No. Xanatos.

3. Both.

4. I suppose. But Oberon wasn't focusing either.

Nice typing back...

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Llewwellyn Gaelfire writes...

Hi Greg

1. Would Oberon's Mirror work for doing the same sorts of magicks as Titania's (specifically the spell Demona used in "The Mirror" to summon Puck)?

2. If yes, then why did not Oberon simply yank Puck back through his mirror in "The Gathering pt1" instead of going after him?

thanks

Greg responds...

1. Yep.

2. Oberon does what he wants.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Heather N. Allen writes...

Okay, these questions sorta ended up essay form. I hope I didn't make things TOO complicated. (But they're all on one topic: 'The Gathering' episodes.)

*1* In The Gathering, Puck mentions he noticed Titania in human form and thought it looked like fun. Therefore, he created Owen. Obviously he knew about her, but did she know about him? I mean, he didn't reveal himself to anyone but Xanatos. And after being brought to see grandbaby Alex by Owen himself, when Puck is noticeably missing from Avalon, wouldn't she have known right where to look for him if she knew his human guise?

If she DIDN'T know, like didn't sense or anything (the way Oberon senses her once in the Eyrie Building) then that means she didn't reveal herself to Puck. Then how'd HE know ANASTASIA was TITANIA in the first place, if he couldn't sense it?

Did that come anywhere near making sense?

I'm adding this on as an afterthought sparked by Robby in the CR--perhaps it helps out the confusing mess I posted above:

*2* a) What if Titania DID know Puck was Owen, and kept it to herself (seeing that she'd had in mind it was likely the Xanatos family would get to keep Alex anyway). Was this what was mentioned in the infamous 'thing whispered into Fox's ear that made her smile'?

*2* b) If not, what WAS whispered by Titania into Fox's ear that made her smile? {Are you tired of this one yet? Hopefully not as much as the 'Which Weird Sister is which' questions ^_^}

~H\A~

Greg responds...

All right for starters, the GATHERING info Puck gives assumes that he was watching Titania. Followed her at some point and saw her transformation to Anastasia. Then secretly observed Anastasia to find out what the fascination was.

Theoretically, Titania did NOT know. Owen certainly doesn't think she knows. So the question really is, do you believe Titania's implied statement that everything in GATHERING PART TWO went as she planned. That's hardly possible if she didn't know that Puck was available to act as a tutor that Fox and David would implicitly trust. So the question is, who do you believe?

As to the whisper... Well, I won't say what she said, but certainly it was nothing as Prosaic as "Listen, Janine, this all worked because I already knew that Puck was Owen."

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kar -kwannon@yahoo.com writes...

When Xanatos loses his "guinea pig" aka Hudson in "The Price" why would he allow Owen to test the Cauldron of life for him? Since Owen is Puck, and Puck being a Fey is naturally immortal what does this accomplish? If it worked Owen would be no different or did Owen set out to prove that it did NOT work?

Greg responds...

Owen is human. He can turn back into Puck. But that's his only magical ability. It was a legitimate test. Besides, what did X have to lose?

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Dear Greg, some questions on the Third Race:

1) Of the fae we have actually seen so far on the show, did any appear in their true form?

2) Do they even HAVE a true form?

3) Why do Anansi and Anubis choose the form of a spider and a jackal-headed man as theri favoured appearances? Yes, I know it's because of the mythological background..but why do they like it?

4) How would a nuclear missile affect a fae? Could it do considerable damage?

Greg responds...

1. How would we know?

2. Sure. Uh... Define true...

3. Maybe those are their true forms and they're partial. Actually, I had planned (in THE GATHERING, PART ONE) to show Anansi in a more humanoid form. But we just didn't have the time to design it.

4. Sure.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

What's the general feeling among the Avalon Gargoyles concerning Oberon and his children's coming to the island? I'd expect there'd be quite a bit of resentment, especially given Magus' death at the hands of the Sisters...

Greg responds...

I think that there's much uneasyness both ways. But I also think the Children like having a few mortals around. And the clan may simply be glad that they have both a roll (i.e. honor guard, i.e. protection) and the support of Oberon.

I tried, in that little scene in GATHERING PART ONE between Oberon and Katharine to indicate that a pleasant detante had been reached.

Response recorded on March 11, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

This is a rather confusing question - even I am not certain I completely understand it... It has to do a bit with characterisation as it applies to the Puck/Owen situation. Obviously Owen is the most serious of the two (understatement of the year :-) But usually when people talk about what another is and feels like, they don't mean only what he *acts* like. So is Owen *really* any different personality-wise to Puck, does Puck's (or any fay's) disguise really influence something more fundamental than their form, influence their thought-processes? Or is Owen's personality nothing more than a role to Puck, (like that of an actor) even if an important one?

In a nutshell, can the Children of Oberon pretty much change their *personalities* as well to some extent when they take different forms, especially as important alter egos as those of Anastasia and Owen?

Greg responds...

FORM is a HUGE influence, I believe. So yes, Puck and Owen are very different. Underneath it all, sure they're the same lovable rogue, don't you agree? But there are fundamental differences. Or else the Puck is a poor showman. When Puck takes on a roll, he lives it. And Owen is his best roll yet.

Now, having said that, generalizing what the Puck can do to the rest of the Children is not wise.

Anastasia had a major influence on Titania, but I think they are more alike than not. Much more alike than Puck and the Owen.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Bud-Clare writes...

You once mentioned that Fox "has half-siblings foster-siblings and step-siblings on her mother's side." Her half- and step-siblings are easy enough, but who are her foster-siblings?

Greg responds...

Well, there's always that Indian Boy from Midsummers for starters.

Gotta be a lot of what we used to call "Changelings" that Titania's taken in over the years.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

Una and Griff, as we know, look very much like a unicorn and a griffon. In your opinion, are there actual unicorns and griffons out there in the Gargoyles Universe, or were the legends about them founded on sightings of London gargoyles of that sort?

Greg responds...

Probably the latter, unless some fae were goofin' on folk.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

You mentioned in your post on Sleipnir this evening (January 12) that it's possible that New Olympus might be filled with all manner of "bizarre beasts" that were the offspring of Oberon's Children by animals. Would these include, not only the half-human/half-animal beings that we actually saw in that episode (such as minotaurs and centaurs) but also the fully-animal creatures of Greek mythology (e.g., Cerberus, the Chimera, the Hydra, the Nemean Lion, etc.)? I'd been wondering for some time now about their role in the Gargoyles Universe.

Greg responds...

I won't be specific about any of these, but yes, the idea is possible.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Tana writes...

Arthurian Survivors:

1. Arthur Pendragon
2. Lady of the Lake
3. Merlin
4. Nimue
5. Galahad
6. Percival
7. Morgana le Fae
8. Lord Oberon

Reason for #8 Um, can we say Loop hole? You said yourself that Oberon is Merlin's father, therefore he's from the Arthurian period. And we can clearly see he's still alive. :)

And YES, I'm a goober.

Greg responds...

Six points. (See my previous answers and forty lashes for you, since you didn't check the archives which long ago ruled out Oberon, Puck, Titania and Mab as contest-answer survivors.)

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Tana writes...

Arthurian Survivors:

1. Arthur Pendragon
2. Lady of the Lake
3. Merlin
4. Nimue
5. Galahad
6. Percival
7. Morgana le Fae
8. Queen Maeb

Reason for #8 well, Maeb did figure into some of the Arthurian legends...even in the NBC miniseries "Merlin." And you've talked about possible inclusion of her in the series, that Oberon merely imprissoned her...She's still alive.

Greg responds...

Well, as I mentioned once before, I wasn't counting Mab as particularly Arthurian. Frankly, before the "Merlin" mini-series, I had never encountered that character in an Arthurian context. So yes, Mab survives. But she doesn't count in my book. By the same token, Merlin's father could be considered an "Arthurian Character" and thus Oberon could be considered a survivor too. But that's not the kind of thing I had in mind for the contest.

Having said all that, you scored six.

Thank you. Come again.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Alex Destine writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman,
While searching the archives I found interesting that you would rather accept Thor as dead, but my concern mainly goes toward the character of Loki.
1) Was he in your plans for future Gargoyles stories?
2) Would someone like Loki view Puck as an enemy or an ally in his endless mischive?
Thanks for your time.

Greg responds...

1. I just answered this. (Didn't you look at the questions already posted, before you posted this?)

2. I had a TRICKSTER story planned to feature Anansi, Puck, Raven, Coyote, Alex and Lex. Somehow GOLIATH CHRONICLES turned this into the "Ransom" episode. (Don't ask me how.) Anyway, we'd have seen that Tricksters all have their own POVs. Sometimes their interests converge; sometimes they compete.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Oberon questions:
1) Was Oberon's overthrowing Mab a simple usurp or skirmish, or a war?
2) Not sure if this counts as a seperate topic, but..who would automatically succeed Oberon if he died? I can understand that naturally they'll be lots of fighting and power struggles, but in theory, who would succeed him?

Greg responds...

1. Very war.

2. Titania.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Death-Gods again:

1) Who is the most powerful of the Death-gods, not in rank, but sheer raw power.
2) I can understand that Anubis has no longing for power, and wouldn't overthrow anybody..but wouldn't it be possible for a death-god with more ambition than he to overthrow Oberon? Having the power of Death seems pretty nasty.
3) Why would Thoth create a scroll to make anyone the avatar of someone as powerful as Anubis?

Greg responds...

1. What is power to death? (That's not a smart-ass response. My point is the question is unanswerable. It's moot.)

2. Don't underestimate the big O. He beat Mab.

3. Why would we create the Atomic Bomb? It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

LSZ writes...

Hi Greg, first I'd like to say I was always pleased greatly with the portrayal of Anubis, but Odin left just a leetle to be desired. However, some questions on the Norse myths in teh Gargoyles Universe:

1) So Thor is most likely dead. What about Loki?
2) If Ragnarok has come and gone, does this mean Jormungandr and Fenrir are dead too?
3) Hel-is this Death-goddess still (haha) alive?
4) When did Ragnarok occur?

Greg responds...

1. Haven't decided. Probably dead though. I've already got four tricksters, how many do I need?

2. Fenrir? Probably, but you never know. Jormungandr I don't recall. Who's that?

3. Probably alive, yes.

4. Ago.

Sorry, you didn't like Odin. How come?

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

This question's also a Norse mythology one. In the cosmology of the Gargoyles Universe, where do you see Asgard fitting in, since the Aesir are part of it? Do you see it as on Avalon, or as a "home away from Avalon" for Odin and the other Norse gods?

Greg responds...

Home away from home.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Kenneth Chisholm writes...

In the beginning of the Gathering Part 1, we see a caped figure just leaving Oberon's throne after paying his respects. I noted he looks a lot like DC Comic's Phantom Stranger I was wondering, is the resemblence was deliberate?

Greg responds...

I doubt it. But I didn't design Nought's look. Actually, the character Frank and I discussed wasn't supposed to have a head. Just a hat -- floating an appropriate distance above Nought's collar.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

The Gatekeeper writes...

Hi Greg,
If you were to compair drivers licence birthdates, who would be older, Xanatos or Owen? I say drivers licence because if you consider Owen's age as being based on Puck, then he would be several thousand years older, but if you consider Owen's age as his creation date, then he would be at least 15 years younger.
A related question, did Puck match Vogels physical age with Owen as well?

Greg responds...

As to your last question, yes, I would think that initially Puck tried to get as close to Preston as possible without going over, i.e. without making it SO freaky that everyone took DISTURBING notice.

I'd say Owen's driver's license probably lists him as a few years younger than David. But their pretty close.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Greg Bishansky writes...

Which of the seven series was Queen Mab supposed to appear in?

Greg responds...

Gargoyles. Maybe TimeDancer, though I had no specific plans for that. Possibly Pendragon too.

But mostly Gargoyles.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Hi, Greg. As you asked I'm posting here some stuff about the triple-goddess Morrigan. Almost all of what I quote comes from Encyclopedia Mythica: http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/

The Morrigan is a celtic war-goddess of revenge, night, magic, prophecy and fertility. Her name translates as either "Great Queen" or "Phantom Queen," and both epithets are entirely appropriate for her. The Morrigan appears as both a single goddess and a trio of goddesses. The other deities who form the trio are Badb ("Crow"), and either Macha (also connotes "Crow") or Nemain ("Frenzy"). The Morrigan frequently appears in the ornithological guise of a hooded crow. She is one of the Tuatha De Danann ("Tribe of the goddess Danu") and she helped defeat the Firbolg at the First Battle of Mag Tuireadh and the Fomorians at the Second Battle of Mag Tuireadh.

She also one of the main enemies of Cuchullain, with whom she had a love-hate relationship:

She appeared to the hero and offered her love to him. When he failed to recognize her and rejected her, she told him hat she would hinder him when he was in battle. When Cu Chulainn was eventually killed, she settled on his shoulder in the form of a crow.

She appeared to him on at least four occasions and each time he failed to recognize her.

1.When she appeared to him and declared her love for him.
2.After he had wounded her, she appeared to him as an old hag and he offered his blessings to her, which caused her to be healed.
3.On his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared that she was washing the clothes and arms of Cu Chulainn, who would soon be dead.
4.When he was forced by three hags (the Morrigan in her triple aspect) to break a taboo of eating dogflesh.

Btw, I had said that I couldn't see any difference between the personalities of the Weird Sister - but I forgot to mention that I haven't heard their *original* voices, only translated ones... So if it was something subtle (as I have been convinced it was), it would have been most probably lost in translation...

Greg responds...

I'm sorry you haven't seen or heard the originals. My guess is a lot is lost in the translation... but even more in the acting nuances that Jamie Thomason got out of our cast. (Could you get a hold of tapes through the comment room? Certainly, your English is good enough to understand. At any rate, your ability to write in English as a second language is very VERY impressive to me.)

As to the Morrigan. Reread the above. Who does that sound like to you?

SPOILER WARNING

Why Molly/Banshee of course. Legends merge obviously, but it proved I was on the right track. I had further plans for Cu Chullain & Banshee and for Molly & Rory as a couple. (Think Moonlighting.) I even had a notion of a spin-off featuring them, but it didn't seem viable. I never mentioned it to anyone before this. (It helped that I think Sheena and Scott did such a great job in those roles.)

Response recorded on February 24, 2000

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

In your opinion, what's Titania's attitude towards Merlin? (I hope for Merlin's sake that it's nothing along the lines of Hera's attitude towards Zeus's illegitimate offspring such as Heracles).

Greg responds...

Her attitude when?

Response recorded on February 24, 2000

Bookmark Link

fido writes...

Does Puck wear socks?

Greg responds...

Sometimes.

Response recorded on February 23, 2000

Bookmark Link

Arthur Pendragon ( in webchat ) writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman:
I've enjoyed Gargoyles since the first time I saw it, you did an impresive work whith the story, the plots and subplots interact in a way that every animation ( or not ) series will want. Good Job! ^_^
Well..., I've been reading the "Ask Greg" Archive ( I'm in it, I didn't have much time lately ), and you said that Merlin appeared in "The Gathering". It was recently showed in TV and I looked for him...
Maybe the first person we see that's talking whith Oberon in hte Castle of Avalon could be Merlin, one man whith black beard that just finishes talking whith Oberon and gets out of scene... It's him?
By the way, here in Spain they have only showed the first and second seasons, so I couldn't see TGC ^_^U , I wanted at least see the chapter you did in the 3rd season -_-U
Another cuestion: When Puck worked for Renard and Foxy's mother, what was his phisical apearance? was he like Owen? or he was totally diferent? Vogel started working for Renard before or after Puck's leaving from Cyberbiotics?
All for now

Read you soon! ^_^

If anybody wants to share mail whith me JUNCOR@teleline.es is my adress ^_^.

Greg responds...

No. I'm quite sure I never said that Merlin appeared in "The Gathering." You must have misread it.

Puck worked for Renard as Owen, as established in both "The Gathering, Part Two" and "Outfoxed". Vogel was already employed by Renard, when Owen joined the Cyberbiotics payroll.

And again, though I encourage gargoyles fans to correspond with each other, I'm quite sure that a chat or comment room would be a better place to find an e-pal.

Response recorded on February 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Oberons Child writes...

Hi Greg,
It's good to see that you're answering questions again - just take your time, you'll get through them! I have a question I would like to ask of you, It probably seems stupid, but...

In the episode 'Mark of the panther' (I think that's the name) , when Fara Maku transforms, his Necklace is not 'absorbed' by the magic spell. Was this just to distinguish the two were-panthers, or was there another reason?
See, told ya it was stupid!
Anyway, thanks.

P.S. Am I the only Irish gargoyles fan? If not please mail me at oberons.child@oceanfree.net . I'm dying to meet other fans! Thanks again for your time. Oh, and Have a happy X-Mas!!!!

Greg responds...

I hope there are other Irish fans, but I don't think posting here is the best way to meet them. Try a chat or comment room.

As to your question, I think you need to look at it like Hudson's sword. If the jewelry is regarded mentally as something other than clothing, then it probably doesn't change with the spin of Anansi's spell. Anansi might just like decorative things.

Response recorded on February 21, 2000

Bookmark Link

Leong writes...

We've seen that a fae can change a human into a gargoyle, or vice versa..but could a fae change a mortal into one of the Third Race?

Greg responds...

In appearance or reality?

Response recorded on February 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Lilith writes...

Hey, me again. I didn't think this question tied in with my previous question, so I'm doing the seperate post thing. Happy that someone's playing by the rules? So, here it is:
Would you consider the races mentioned in Tolkien's books (hobbits, dwarves, elves, etc) part of Oberon's Children? Or are they another race entirely?

Greg responds...

I don't think Hobbits are public domain, so they wouldn't have appeared at all.

Elves, as the show states, are clearly a subset and/or a pseudonym for Oberon's children.

Dwarves? I don't know. I suppose some of Oberon's children might pass as dwarves. And there are of course human dwarves, but I don't see them as a separate race.

Who are the etc. that you're referring to?

Response recorded on February 17, 2000

Bookmark Link

Cassandra writes...

Have Oberon and Titania had any children together? I do remember that when Oberon called the rest of the Third Race "his children", he was speaking as a king over his subjects. And if they did, did we see them as characters?

Greg responds...

We have not yet met Oberon and Titania's two children, at least not the two they had together.

Response recorded on February 14, 2000

Bookmark Link

Leong writes...

How much more powerful than Oberin is Mab? Slightly more? Twice as powerful? Or some other quantity?

Greg responds...

I'm not going to quantify that. It's not like they sit around benchpressing by magic to measure this with precision. Suffice to say, she's more powerful in some ways. Less in others.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

In how much detail have you plotted the lifes of Macbeth and Demona in the years between 1057 and 1994? Do you know only some tidbits of their lifes (as for example the one you mentioned that Macbeth knew Shakespeare) or have you plotted them and their movements to some greater extent?

Did Macbeth and Demona meet any time between 1057 and 1995? Or was 'City of Stone' their first meeting after so many centuries? Did they meet the Weird Sisters again?

Greg responds...

The Weird Sisters were watching them, but I think largely with maybe a couple of exceptions, they stayed out of sight.

Macbeth and Demona definitely had a handful of encounters over the centuries.

As for what I've plotted, well, as you said, I have a few tidbits and a sense of the sweep. But, no, I don't have a detailed account in my head of what happened to each character.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Nemi writes...

We all know that Demona hates humans, she sees them as being basicly lower on the food chain to Gargoyles...So what is her attitude towards the Fey?

Greg responds...

Less overtly hostile. But she doesn't much care for them.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Is there a special story behind the flute of Puck that was seen in "Gathering, Part I"? Or the harp seen in "Lighthouse in the Sea of Time"? Were you planning to do stories on either or both of the two?

Greg responds...

I had planned on using the flute in THE GATHERING, PART TWO -- and it's probably a mistake that I didn't. I wanted Puck to use it to temporarily subdue Oberon, but it got away from me somehow.

But yes, the flute definitely interested me, and I would have done something with it eventually.

The harp, I hadn't given any real thought to. But it could probably come into play down the road in Pendragon.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

Bookmark Link

Blashyrk writes...

In an episode we see Goliath battling Odin, the Norse God. Later in the gathering story line, we see Odin as a Child of Oberon.Does this mean that in the Gargoyles universe, the Gods of the ancient Norse religion are children of Oberon? If so they really messed up on the whole not interfering on human affairs thing, I mean look whats happeneing in Norway now because of belief in Odin.

Greg responds...

What's happening in Norway now because of belief in Odin? You mean right now?

Anyway, yes, Odin and the Asgardians are all of the Children. (Though, of course, they're not literally Oberon's sons and daughters.) As for the Non-interference edict, I think most of Asgardian mythology took place before the edict.

Response recorded on February 03, 2000

Bookmark Link

Excelsior writes...

In "The Price," after Hudson escapes Xanatos's dungeon, Xanatos bitterly comments that he now has no one to test the Cauldron of Life's magic on. Ever the good servant, Owen volunteers and sticks his hand into the cauldron without a second thought.

Now, I know Xanatos isn't the most practical being on Earth, but couldn't he have just dipped one of his little lab animals into the brew, or even one of his lower-level lackeys?

Greg responds...

Owen didn't give him the chance. I think Owen was feeling a little jealous of Xanatos' praise of the Macbeth robot. He dived right in, so to speak.

Of course, both men knew that "Owen" really had nothing to lose by dipping his hand. That's why both had such mild reactions to Owen's hand turning into stone.

Response recorded on February 02, 2000

Bookmark Link

Siren writes...

The Magus and Puck look very similar...are the related is is that pure coincidence?

Greg responds...

I don't think they look very similar.

Response recorded on January 31, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jim writes...

Hello Greg, can you tell me the names of the three 'weird sisters'?

Thanks for your time in advance.

Greg responds...

Again?

Phoebe, Seline, Luna.

Response recorded on January 31, 2000

Bookmark Link

MtMagus writes...

In Norse mythology, Odin traded his eye (as well as a number of other nasty things that happened to him) for knowledge of the Universe which partly came in the form of 2 ravens known as "Thought" and "Memory". The fact that Odin is allowed to recover the eye and the notable absence of the Ravens in his first appearance suggests that he has lost the knowledge that he traded for. If this is true, what happened to the knowledge he received?

Greg responds...

I wouldn't read the myth that way. I don't ever recall the Ravens as being part of the bargain. It seems to me they were his familiars already. Odin was a knowledge junky. He gained a ton of info by sitting atop his perch in Yggdrasil. That led him to Mimir the wise frost giant, who agreed to trade Odin's eye for a drink from his Well of Knowledge. (Am I getting this right? Someone backstop me.)

Anyway, it seems to me that the eye got away from Mimir (Hard to hold onto something after you've been beheaded.) Which means it is fair game for anyone to salvage, whether Xanatos, Fox, the Archmage, Goliath or Odin himself.

Don't read too much into the absense of the Ravens. As always, the list of what we didn't have time to include could fill a set of encyclopedias.

Response recorded on January 31, 2000

Bookmark Link

Siren writes...

Resubmission:
If the show continued, would you might have introduced other mythology characters, such as Pegasus, unicorns, dragons (besides the stone one), etc. If so, would they be considered New Olympians or Fay? And would they speak?

Greg responds...

Everything we did would be decided on a case-by-case basis. There's no way to answer this blanketly.

Response recorded on January 31, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

In the original Irish myths the Banshee's voice was used to foretell rather than cause deaths. I think that would normally make her in your universe one of the fays with magical talents connected to death - a minor death goddess perhaps.

In the episode 'The Hound of Ulster' though, her voice carries a different meaning (as a bringer of death rather than as a foretelling of it) which would not make her necessarily have a greater connection with death than any other fay. However she managed to recognize which one among millions of people was the reincarnation of Cuchullain. Is that a special talent of hers (signifying perhaps that she is indeed a minor death-goddess) or is that a skill that every fay has? Your take on this?

Greg responds...

In my head, the Banshee's cry is a foreteller -- but for GARGOYLES purposes, it was an easy extrapolation to make it a weapon (and general magical tool) as well. We also wanted to get that Barghest notion of the Great Beast's howl, being a similar foreteller and so we simplified things a bit. (Hopefully not too much.)

The notion of the Banshee as a minor death goddess seems accurate to me. But it doesn't put her on Anubis' level. Lots of Children have the ability to bring death.

As for recognizing Rory, well, I think that has less to do with her connection to death than on their personal history. Recognizing him was something she'd go out of her way to do, because he posed a threat to her. (And for other reasons, that she's not even aware of yet.)

Response recorded on January 24, 2000

Bookmark Link

E.J. Kalafarski writes...

Hey Greg, just one question that's been bugging me. Did Puck in any way influence Xanatos's decision to hire Fox as the leader of The Pack? If not, then it's a pretty incredible coincidence that a fey and the daughter of a fey just so happened to come under the employment of the same mortal man. I mean, according to Oberon's law, there shouldn't be too many fae wandering around in Manhatten in the first place, right? I'm assuming something (or someone) led Xanatos to hire (and marry) Fox, which caused Oberon (who was only trying to bring Alexander to Avalon) to run into Puck. If this question has already been answered, I ask you to forgive me :-)

Greg responds...

No, you've got it backwards, sort of. But it's not a coincidence at all, if you've seen "The Gathering, Part Two".

Puck became Owen because he spotted Titania posing as Anastasia. And he went to work for Xanatos because David and Fox interested him. They were already something of a couple before the Pack was formed. (Or at any rate, before "Thrill of the Hunt".)

Response recorded on January 24, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Judging from Sleipnir, as well as the brief appearance of a Pegasus-type animal in 'The Gathering I" and ofcourse from one's of various mythologies... is there a species of non-sentient "fay beasts"? Or is Sleipnir, Pegasus, Fenrir and so on all sentient fays which simply choose animal forms as their 'favourite' ones?

Greg responds...

There may be fauna on Avalon. And the magic of the place may have had some small effect on them. Like sorcerous radiation.

But fauna would not have attended the Gathering. So any seeming beast you saw there, like Anansi for example, is one of the Children in a form of his or her choosing. (If you see a polar bear walking around the palace, the odds are it's Odin.)

Now Slepnir is another story. If the legends are true, then Slepnir's mother was the trickster Loki, and his father was an actual horse. Making Slepnir half-horse and half-fey. (Which might serve to explain his modern transition from eight legs to four.) I haven't decided 100% if that's the route I'm taking in the Gargoyles universe, but the notion is appealing.

And it would suggest that New Olympus is filled with all sorts of bizarre beasts who are the descendents of various unions between the fey and so-called lower animals.

Response recorded on January 12, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Okay, I'm not certain if this question has any meaning where immortal shapeshifters are concerned but here goes:

How many years between a fay's birth and his/her adulthood?

Greg responds...

Depends.

Response recorded on January 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Natalie Ani Nicolian writes...

Hi there, Greg! I have to take ONE little sentence to say, thanks for creating the show - and for not making me feel like a weirdo in fifth and sixth grade (to the present) for drawing strange, winged creatures and dark, shadowy figures patroling the night skies :) I hope you liked the picture I sent with Noel for you ^-^ Here's my lil' questions that have been BURNING me :)

1) When someone snatches Titania's mirror, and speaks the incantaion that Demona did in "The Mirror", is Puck REQUIRED to appear?

2) If so, supposing someone managed to snatch the Mirror from it's present place in Avalon, and spoke the incantation, would Puck have to appear, with the Spell Oberon cast upon him in effect?

3) In "The Reckoning", when Angela asked Goliath if Demona was dead, did he forget about the whole, Demona can't die unless MacBeth kills her and vice-versa? Or did he genuinely not know if she could survive that bad of an accident?

4) If Gargoyles get their strength to glide from the rays of the sun when they sleep, how can the Guatamalan Gargoyles glide if durring the day they don't sleep and harvest energy?

5) Is it true that if Gargoyles are even chipped durring their daily stone hibernation, they can't wake up?

Thanks for listening to my questions, I hope I'm not being a pain in the butt! ^-^

Greg responds...

1. If they do it right, with all the bells and whistles, so to speak. Of course, Titania's Mirror was destroyed by Demona. But Oberon still has his mirror.

2. Yes, I think so. Particularly if Puck wanted to go.

3 - 5. I'm sorry, but questions on separate topics must be posted separately.

But you're not a pain in the butt.

Response recorded on January 10, 2000

Bookmark Link

Zeliard writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman! The questions are who's what.

1.Is Natsilane a Halfling or a Fay?

2.Is Rory a Halfling or a Fay?

Thanx in advance!

Greg responds...

1. Natsilane is human. Though he's inherited a position (and tools) of power.
2. Rory is also human, though he is a reincarnated soul.

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jackson writes...

This one came up in the CR today. You've mentioned that their was a "Ragnarok" in the Gargoyles Universe, but we know for a fact that Odin survived it. But he has been the only Asgardian truly noted on the series. So since I remeber reading in the archives that you didn't feel like posting an entire list of Asgardian survivors, how about just Thor? Does Thor still exist, or was he killed in the aforementioned "Ragnarok" or sometime after it?

Greg responds...

I'm leaning toward Thor being dead.

I'd have to come up with a damn good Thor story-idea before I'd want to compete in any way with Marvel's Thor. (A favorite of mine from my youth.) Hell, even Stargate SG-1 uses Thor. He's just been so done.

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

Leong writes...

1) Is Anubis the chief Death God or something?
2) What would happen if all the Death Gods were destroyed somehow?
3) Is Osiris also a Death God, or just the Judge of the Dead, since traditionally Anubis is below him.
4) Are all of the Death Gods as careful with their powers as Anubis? In general anyway

Greg responds...

1. "Chief"? No. I guess not.
2. Destroyed? That would release a lot of energy. My guess is someone or something would rise and take their place.
3. Osiris is a Death God. But he's a johnny-come-lately to that role. Anubis is more a part of the fabric of death. Less concerned with "Who's in charge". Osiris brought rank to the table and became the boss. Anubis, I believe is non-plussed about serving, leading, whatever. (I like Anubis.)
4. No.

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

Jeff Lenihan writes...

Mr. Weisman,
In "Grief," Anubis states that that which is dead and gone cannot be brought back. Why, then, was Demona able to bring the spirit of Coldstone (and those of Coldfire and Coldsteel) back from the dead? Was Anubis trying to say that he is under some sort of magical restriction similar to Oberon's law of non-interferece that prevents him from bringing back the dead, or something else entirely?

P.S. I wanted to thank you for answering my question regarding Hudson's feelings about Goliath and Elisa. Just to clarify, I didn't mean to imply that Hudson wasn't open-minded. I just remembered that you had stated a long time ago (I think in your rambling about gargs and sex) that you saw Hudson as being the one who would still hold on to the tradition of only taking one mate.

Greg responds...

Anubis had a very strict policy. And he had the integrity to stick to it.

(And thanks for the clarification on Hudson. I just wish you had posted the Hudson P.S. seperately. I'd like to have on-going dialogue as part of ASK GREG. But when you attach a piece of an unrelated discussion to a question on a different topic, it makes archiving all this stuff a disaster.)

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

lisa writes...

1.did macbeth or demona ever meet the wierd sisters after 1057?

Greg responds...

The Sisters were watching them. I doubt that Macbeth or Demona would get to see them unless seeing them served the Sisters' purposes.

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Does Mab have a 'favourite' form the same way every other fay we've seen does? If so, is that form humanlike (such as Puck, Oberon, Titania, Odin, etc) or something else (like Anansi?)

Greg responds...

All right, let's keep in mind that I'm no artist and that animation is a collaborative medium. I'd be a fool to write myself into a corner before seeing what someone like Greg Guler, for example, might come up with for the character. So don't hold me to anything...

But having said that, I see the multi-formed Mab favoring a basic visual theme and appearing more times than not in a single form. I see that form being basically humanoid -- though maybe with four arms instead of two. And I'm toying with the idea that she favors being three inches tall.

Something about someone who is MORE powerful than Oberon favoring a form that tiny appeals to me.

Is that a big enough hint?

Response recorded on January 06, 2000

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

What would Titania's response be to Renard's death?

Greg responds...

Sadness. Peace.

She'd have been with him, as Anastasia, at the end, along with Fox, Alexander, Vogel and Goliath. I had a story planned for the third season.

Maybe someday...

Response recorded on January 06, 2000

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

Once you stated that as late as 2158 Puck would still be around and stuck as Owen in the mortal world. You also stated that the way Owen avoids the effects of aging is that he basically resets himself whenever he transforms from Puck to Owen. If he is stuck as Owen in 2158, then how does he avoid aging?

Greg responds...

He's stuck starting in 2158. Stuck for a very specific reason. So starting in 2158 he does begin aging normally. Unless the situation changes...

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

In HERITAGE, when Raven in Gargoyle form first introduced himself to Goliath and Angela he had five fingers. Later when he again appeared as Gargoyle, he had four fingers. Was this an animation error or was it done on purpose as a sort of hint to Raven's true identity?

Greg responds...

Uh....

A hint. Yeah. That's the ticket.

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A couple of questions about Oberon and Titania's children that you mentioned here a while ago.

1. Are they Third Race members that we've already met, or brand-new characters? (I suspect the latter myself, but I want to make certain).

2. If the latter, would they be traditional figures of legend or literature like their mom and dad (and Grandma Mab, for that matter), or people whom you'd made up?

Greg responds...

1. Brand new, as far as I know.

2. Mostly the former.

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

In the archive when asked if the Fey are still on Avalon with Oberon in 2158, you answered "Largely." Besides Owen/Puck, how many other Fey do you figure would be off of Avalon in that time? One? Five? Too many to count?

Greg responds...

Too many to count on one hand. But not a lot.

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

At the end of THE GATHERING 2, did Oberon restore Fortress 2 to the air and fix up Central Park so there was no evidence of any battle, or did he leave it in place?

If it wasn't moved, then how did Renard explain why it crashed again? And if people think that yet another flying fortress crashed, why would they be willing to allow it to go up a third time?

Greg responds...

Do you really think Oberon would have bothered?

And who said it went up a third time?

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Durax writes...

You've mentioned in the past that Elisa and some others might wear Odin's Eye. Odin has his eye back however. How does he lose it again?

Greg responds...

When did I mention that?

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

1. What would you say is the Fey Population of Avalon in present times?

2. Would the Fey population of Avalon have grown by 2158?

Greg responds...

<Wooh> Airwalker. You sure went to town with the questions on August 7th.

1. I don't know.

2. I guess.

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Are the Weird Sisters the origin of all the "three-sisters" myths around the world? For example are they the origin for the Fates, the Furies, the Norns, the Morrigan, the Graeae and so on? Or were there other triple deities around as well?

Greg responds...

I hate to give an absolutist answer, but I wasn't planning any other triple sister acts. I had larger plans for the Weird Sisters, that would have included (at minimum) the Fates, Furies and Norns. (I have to plead ignorance re: the Morrigan. Do me a favor, Aris, and post something here about them.)

But it's the Graeae that give me pause. They seem so distinct from the others. Might be New Olympian Territory.

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

You had mentioned once that Phoebe was the kind one, Selene the harsher one, and Luna the mystical one.

Problem is I didn't see any difference among their personalities. Were you just joking, or did you indeed have plans to differentiate them in this manner?

Greg responds...

I feel I did differentiate them in this manner. I suppose I might have failed, but I don't think so. Listen to their voices, their attitudes.

And if that doesn't work <sigh> than Phoebe has blonde hair, Seline black, Luna silver.

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

So, (a silly question) who would have won, Odin or the Banshee, if Oberon hadn't stopped the fight? :)

Greg responds...

I'd have to lay odds on Odin, but the Banshee might have gotten lucky.

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

When did you decide that deities like Odin and Anubis were part of the same race with the 'elves'? Was it part of the original conception of the series or a later thought?

(Btw, I agree with it. In various mythologies the distinction between elves and gods is almost non-existent, so it's very reasonable.)

Greg responds...

Thanks for the support. But the question is harder to answer, because it was gradual. Keep in mind the whole concept of the Third Race (introduced with Puck in THE MIRROR) was a late addition to the concept. I think we came up with it halfway through the writing of the first season.

Including the other gods came during the writing of the second season. I definitely knew I was headed that way. But I do remember Frank and Dennis being surprised when the script for "The Gathering, Part One" included Odin, Anubis and Coyote at Avalon. By then, I was certain that was the correct way to go. But I guess I had forgotten to tell anyone.

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Asked about whether halflings like Fox, Alex and Merlin age slower, you responded "It depends." On what does it depend?

Greg responds...

On how human they live and believe their lives to be. On training. On appearance. On luck.

Response recorded on October 20, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Did Titania really love Renard, or was he just a game? Around what time did she leave him? And was it before or after he became ill and paralyzed?

Greg responds...

Titania did love him when she married him and for years after. In a way, she probably still loves him. But he was too rigid, too mortal to hold her interests for too long. And I imagine they divorced before he became ill. He didn't blame her departure on his illness, but on his integrity.

Response recorded on October 20, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Some time ago in the S8 room, you had of an idea you'd suddenly got, that the Indian changeling boy Titania and Oberon were fighting over in Midsummer's Night Dream, could actually have been Oberon's son.

If you ever get a chance of doing Gargoyles again, is it reasonable to assume that this idea could enter the story?

Greg responds...

Probably. I'd have to focus on the effect it would have on the larger all-ready planned story, but I think I could make it fit. And one of the fun things about Gargoyles was that new ideas always seemed to glide into place nicely after a bit of brainwork.

So, tentatively, yes.

Response recorded on October 20, 1999

Bookmark Link

Bud-Clare writes...

Do Oberon's Children reproduce in roughly the same way humans do, or in some other terribly interesting way? Um, maybe I should clarify that a bit. For instance, do they have to carry their unborn children for some length of time?

Greg responds...

Depends what form they're in.

Response recorded on October 20, 1999

Bookmark Link

Bud-Clare writes...

Are Puck's parents anyone we would have heard of (i.e. characters from mythology, legends, literature, etc...), or people you made up yourself?

Greg responds...

Not ready to tell right now. Sorry.

Response recorded on October 11, 1999

Bookmark Link

Ceira writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,

This may sound like a stupid question to you, but I figured that if anyone could answer my question, it'd be you. A friend of mine and I are kinda having and arguement about eyes. Mainly Puck and Demona's. She says Puck's are blue and Demona's gray. I say Puck's are grey and Demona's black. What color are Puck's and Demona's eyes?

Sincerely,
Ceira

Greg responds...

Ceira, for once I'm not trying to give a smart-ass response. Here's the thing. I don't remember and I'm color-blind. So even if I pulled out the videos and looked, the odds are about fifty-fifty as to whether I'd be able to tell.

Sorry.

Response recorded on October 11, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

Does it haunt Goliath that he could kill Lexington so easily for being a traitor in FUTURE TENSE when he couldn't do the same to Demona in a similier situation?

(I know that he knows now that it was all just a Puck created illusion that he disposed of, but at the time he really thought it was Lexington.)

Greg responds...

I'm not sure he was conscious of a desire or intent to kill. (Which is not the same as denying he had one.) Technically, I think we're talking voluntary manslaughter.

But to answer your question, I think that Goliath -- being a straightforward guy, with enough real tragedy on his plate -- would not be too inclined to dwell on actions that he was driven to by a fantasy world perversly designed to drive him to absolute despair.

Response recorded on September 21, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

I once asked "Now that Renard knows the truth about Anastasia, has it changed anything in terms of his feelings for her" to which you replied "What exactly does he know?"

So he doesn't know that Anastasia is Titania? Why not? I mean, why would Xanatos and Fox keep him in the dark about that if they already informed him about Oberon?

Wasn't he curious as to why Oberon was after Alex?

Greg responds...

This question gave me a headache. It's full of assumptions. I didn't say he didn't know that Anastasia is Titania. But is that the same thing as your initial question?

Precision. Precision. Precision.

But cutting through my obfuscation, I think that Renard will go to his grave loving Anastasia. Titania means nothing to him. That doesn't mean he doesn't know.

Response recorded on September 05, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

I have to admit I have not understood the death-god thing and the events of 'Grief' in their entirety.

1. While Anubis was captured, was noone able to die in the whole world, or only around Egypt?
2. If the former, how come, since there are other death-gods than Anubis? Were they also powerless while Anubis was captive?
3. If Anubis had remained captive, or even more so if Jackal had remained his avatar, how would the other death-gods have reacted to the situation?

Greg responds...

1. Whole world.

2. Powerless, no. But the spell put DEATH itself in stasis. Leading to...

3. I think you would have seen something cataclysmic from the other Death-Gods. Can you picture Odin, for example, just sitting back?

Thank God, Avalon sent our four heroes to Giza.

Response recorded on August 24, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

A short question once again on the topic of the New Olympians... You said that they are the offspring of humans and members of the Third race - but the other such halflings we've seen (Fox, Alex and almost certainly Merlin) are human-looking. Am I correct in assuming that the appearance of each of the original non-human looking NOs was such because of their fay parent's appearance (at the time of the conception)?

Greg responds...

Yeah, either that, or you had some of the children mating with some non-sentients.

Hey, it happens...

Response recorded on August 24, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Has the norse mythological Ragnarok occurred in the Gargoyles Universe? That Odin is still around would make one think that it hasn't, but one can never be sure that the rumours of his death weren't an exaggeration... (sorry for the cliche!) If it has occurred which other norse deities, supposedly dead, could still be around?

Greg responds...

A Ragnarok occurred. But not necessarily THE Ragnarok.

And you didn't really think I'd publish a list of surviving Asgardians did you?

And no, we're not starting another contest... YET.

Response recorded on August 23, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

There has been a thought concerning the character you named "Naught" that this is actually a pun on your behalf (Since Naught means nothing) and that you meant you didn't actually have plans concerning him. I'm asking you just to be sure: Did you have plans for "Naught" or was he supposed to be just a random fay with no real importance?

And was his strange clothing (modern suit, very old fashioned cape) deliberate?

Greg responds...

All things are true.

Response recorded on August 23, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

It has been noticed by the residents of the S8 comment room that the gender of Ariel in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' only appears as 'he' in a stage direction and is not referred at all within the main text itself. When you included Ariel, what would his/her gender be?

For that matter, may we assume that Shakespeare was inaccurate in portraying Prospero as abandoning his magic?

Greg responds...

Ariel's gender... Don't feel like revealing that now. Sorry.

Shakespeare wasn't wrong. But Prospero found reason to start again.

Response recorded on August 23, 1999

Bookmark Link

Tas Burrfoot writes...

1. I'm a bit confused about the Gathering. It seems to me that Oberon just wants to see his children after 1001 years of exile. So how long do they all stay there? What do they do (activites to keep them occupied, I mean)? How do they live together? I'm sure there are others like Banshee and Odin who fight constantly. How does Oberon maintain order between all these powerful fey?

1a. Which brings me to my next question: Do fey need sleep? Or food, for that matter?

2. Did the fey all make their home on Avalon before their exile? (that is, did they make their homes in the real world after or before the exile?)

2a. Will the fey go back to their homes in the real world after the Gathering? I find it hard to believe that all of these magical beings would stay on one relatively small island.

Thanks for answering all our questions,

Tas Burrfoot

Greg responds...

1. How long? Until Oberon decides to restore freedom of movement.

What do they do? I'm sure there's a lot of gaming of all kinds. Contests, competitions: athletic, mental, magical, etc. A lot of parties. Much fornication.

I'm sure there's a lot of fighting, both organized and otherwise, but Oberon has the Sisters to help him maintain order. Plus Titania, himself and quite a few other policing agents.

1a. Sleep & dreams -- yes. But not as much as you or I.

Food -- Well, every living thing needs fuel of some kind.

2. Many maintained multiple residences.

2a. Avalon is as big as it needs to be, I think. But I think that there would be a lot more back and forth if Oberon weren't insisting on banishments and Gatherings.

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

Bookmark Link

Jenna writes...

Hello there, Greg--was wondering two things.

First-- How did the Childern of Oberon come into existance?

Second--Why did Golith tell Elisa that Thailog was his son in the ep "Double Jeapordy". Did he do it out of concern for him or guilt?

Greg responds...

1. Incubated magic. Evolution. God. CHOOSE YOUR POISON.

Sorry, as per the new rules, you'll have to resubmit question #2. I hope you do. (Though if you watch the episode again, you won't need to.)

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

What would Oberon and Titania's son and daughter (thanks for providing that tidbit by the way!) feel about their half-siblings, Fox and Merlin? Indifference, annoyance, affection?

Greg responds...

Aris, I luv ya guy, but you ask HUGE questions as if they can be answered with a single word like "Indifference".

How does A relate to B?

How does A relate to Fox?

How does A relate to Merlin?

How does B relate to Fox?

How does B relate to Merlin?

And that assumes that A & B even know about Fox and Merlin. That A & B are even among the living?

When questions are that huge, I tend to give no useful information at all.

Maybe you've noticed.

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

I was wondering about the fey's gender. Is it something that (like gargoyles and humans) they are born with, or is it completely optional and subject to their wishes and transformations?

Even if they are born with a specific gender, couldn't they shapeshift into a human or gargoyle of the opposite sex? Would they still have reproductive abilities?

Greg responds...

I'm a big fan of gender, so since this is my universe, I'm gonna say that yes, they are born with it.

But of course, they can shapeshift into either sex. And once transformed they can do what they do.

Witness the legend of the male Norse Trickster Loki -- Mother of Slepnir.

Response recorded on August 21, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

1. Which is the oldest of the three races in your mind?
2. In HERITAGE, when Raven in Gargoyle form first introduced himself to Goliath and Angela had five fingers. Later when he again appeared as Gargoyle, he had four fingers. Was this an animation error or was it done on purpose as a sort of hint to Raven's true identity?
3. Who designed the Golem? In all the legends I read of the Maharal's (Rabbi Loew) Golem, he was a huge giant but of Manlike proportions, not like he was in the episode, but more like a taller version of Bane from BATMAN & ROBIN.

Greg responds...

1. Probably the Gargoyles. I know that comes as a surprise. The obvious answer is the Children, but I have this notion that the magic that birthed them needed a longer gestation time.

The Gargoyles, on the other hand, strike me as very symbiotic with the planet. The first sentient race Earth gave birth to. (Well, the second technically, but we're only counting the three that are still hanging in.) In many ways, tragically, their time has clearly passed. Humanity is ascendant. But Gargoyles aren't dead yet. And ironically, though it was largely humans who wiped out their race, it is also humans who will help to save them in the future. Though many will be dragged kicking and screaming toward that destiny.

Response recorded on August 21, 1999

Bookmark Link

Airwalker writes...

You said that Magic is part of the Earth, that Fey evolved from Earth's natural magic. So is this magic confined to Earth or is it Universal?

Would a Fey's power function off of Planet Earth?

Greg responds...

I suppose it's universal, but powersources aren't always compatible.

Magic is magic, but just as an example, it took the Magus a lifetime to learn how to tap into Avalon's magic, and that despite his training in human sorcery.

Puck in space, a prospect I wouldn't hold my breath for by the way, would have a similar problem adjusting to a new powersource.

Response recorded on August 20, 1999

Bookmark Link

Nick "Elessar" Oder writes...

Actually getting to communicate with THE Greg Weisman, should I be in reverental awe or just hop-up-and-down giddy? Maybe both at the same time. Anyway, here goes my long-winded questions...

This may take a while, but yes, it does actually get to a question :)

While watching Gargoyles, I can't help but get shivers down my spine and goosebumps whenever someone starts chanting in Latin. Whether it's the actual chanting in Latin, the creepy music, or the animation, I don't know. Though I tend to think it's the Latin, because it's how I noticed the difference between the two types of magic in Gargoyles. When watching the Magus cast the spell of sleep on the gargoyles, or Goliath throwing the Phoenix Gate into the void, I always get goosebumps. On the otherhand, when Oberon, Titania, or Puck use magic, there was no tingly feeling, and that's when I finally noticed.

Humans and gargoyles (hencefore refered to as mortals, even though some aren't) always chant in Latin while using magic. Members of the Third Race (henceforth refered to as Fay) speak in plain english, although it's usually in the form rhyme/short poem.

Though there were exceptions, which all proved dangerous, sometimes fatal, as Xanatos said "I'm told mixing magics is dangerous anyway."

Now I start making assumptions, generally intelligent ones though.

First off that all mortal magic is in Latin, while Fay is in English or whatever other language they prefer at the time, or subliminal, not requiring speech.

I can think of three instances of a mortal using fay magic, and perhaps one of a fay using mortal magic, and one of a fay realizing not to get involved with mortal magic.

Let's start with the mortals. In Grief, the Emir uses the Scroll of Thoth to summon Anubis, of the Fay. I will now be brash enough to assume that the Scroll is of Fay origin, since:

a) It was powerful enought to summon Anubis, a Fay (though Demona summone Puck with a Latin spell that I assume was of mortal origin)

b) It was spoken in english, like other Fay magic.

c) If Anubis is Fay, it stands to reason that all the other Egyptian gods were also and since it's the Scroll of Thoth, an Egyptian god, it must be Fay in origin.

And in the end the Emir presumably dies, the usual fee for mixing magics.

Second scenario. In the Avalon Trilogy the Magus casts two spells, both in english, whereas he previously used Latin. Which brings me to my next assumption, "When in Avalon, do as the Avalonians do," or that you can't even use mortal magic on Avalon, it has to be Fay in nature.

And the Magus also paid the price for magic mixing.

Part Three. All the uses of the Eye of Odin were pretty ugly, Fox almost died, Goliath went nuts, and the Archmage died since without it's assumed Fay (it's Odin's eye, he's a Fay, it's Fay) power, he couldn't contain the mortal-magic Grimorum.

Are we seeing a pattern here or what?

Ok, I lied, one more mortal use that could have been dangerous. Fara Maku and Tea being were-panthers. Um, that's just plain dangerous. :)

The fay perhaps using mortal magic. While I don't know if the Cauldron of Life is of fay or mortal origin, it was dangerous to Owen (fay in human form) and would have been dangerous/fatal to both Xanatos and Hudson. Which leads me to believe the Cualdron is of Fay origin, Xanatos probably wanted to see if this mixing was indeed dangerous. And even though it was a Fay trying out Fay magic, it did alter Puck's human form, but his natural form is still fine.

And Owen/Puck was smart enough not to try reversing Demona's spell in City of Stone, since he knew she used mortal magic. Which re-enforces the belief that the Cauldron is of Fay origin, otherwise I doubt Owen would have gone ahead with dunking his hand. Even though it was a Fay using Fay magic, his human form still got chumped. I suppose this was a learning experience for the Puck, don't use Fay magic in mortal form.

1) So the question is: Are my assumptions correct? Please correct me if I've goofed anywhere, I'd love to know the real answers if I'm wrong.

2) The Emir used the Scroll of Thoth to summon Anubis and used the Papyrus of Thoth to become a vessel. Are they two different things or one thing refered to by two names.

3) Even though the Phoenix Gate is of Avalon origin, it's used by a Latin incantation. Ermmm, why? Wouldn't this be mixing magic?

4) Why did Elisa hand Tom her gun in Ill Met?

4a) How did Tom know how to hold it?

4b) Why did she call it a revolver in Sentinel? Semi-autos have a very hard time revolving. :)

4c) Speaking of that, is it full auto, or just semi?

5) Where does Xanatos aquire all his cool stuff? The Cauldron of Life, the Star of Arabia, the Coyote Diamond, the Eye of Odin, the Grimorum Arcinorum, etc... I know where he got the diamond, but why would anyone be selling the other stuff?

Well that's it for now, my brain's starting to go numb. Thanks for taking the time to read these.

Greg responds...

1. Some of your assumptions are correct. Some aren't completely correct, but most are close enough.

Latin isn't the only language of magic. Hebrew works as well, we know. And they can't be the only ones. In theory, English could work, but it would take more than a literal translation to imbue modern English with the correct magical cadences.

The Cauldron, being iron, isn't Fay magic.

And Owen wasn't really at liberty to reverse Demona's spell or even to reverse the whole stone hand thing. He was bound by his pact with Xanatos.

2. The latter.

3. It clearly is. Don't you consider the Gate fairly dangerous?

As per our new rules, I invite you to resubmit your remaining questions as multiple separate posts.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

Bookmark Link

Robin Wynn writes...

Hello, and thanks in advance Mr. Weisman,

1) Would Alex have be an only child, or would Xanatos and Fox had another child?

2) Xanatos and Fox are a reasonably young couple. Would they have remained together the entire time? I ask this somewhat based on the Eye of the Beholder in which we "learned" a little about Fox's true character. There seemed to be a bit about her that Xanatos didn't know, things she was holding back (I never understood the whole "self-loathing" thing), would this have gotten in the way of their relationship later on?

3) Would Alex have been immortal like Oberon's children? If not, would he have lived longer than normal humans or anything like that?

4) Would we have ever met any of Xanatos's other relatives? We've met his father, his mother's dead, and you've already stated he is an only child, but what about Uncles, Aunts, cousins, etc? If so, who? How would they be related to him?

4) What about Fox? Is she an only child? (I assume the answer is yes, but thought I'd ask anyway)

5) a. In the Future Tense spinoff, who, of the characters we already know, would have been on the bad-guys side?
b. Who'dve been on the good guys side?

Well, that's all i can think of now, (gosh, i used to have a whole bunch of em, but as soon as I get on to ask questions i always forget em....)

Thanks for your time!

Greg responds...

1. Only child. Definitely.

2. I think, to their mutual surprise, they would have been a Til-Death-Do-We-Part kind of couple.

3. Yes.

4. I didn't have any plans for other Xanatypes.

4. (The second question four.) Yes, Fox is an only child, though she has half-siblings foster-siblings and step-siblings on her mother's side.

As per our new rules, I invite you to resubmit your remaining questions as multiple separate posts.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

Bookmark Link

Greg "Xanatos" Bishansky writes...

Hi Greg. It was great meeting you again in Dallas. Great seeing Thom too.

On to the questions.

1. I was asking you about Queen Mab's form at the G99, but you never got to answer my question because we were interupted. So, what did you mean by "Mab human? That is too laugh."?

2. How does Demona get along with Samson and the rest of the cast in Gargoyles 2158?

3. What is it like for you to have so many people worshiping the ground you walk on?

4. Is the Space Spawn really the name of their race?

5. What is Jove's rank (or job) in New Olympus society.

6. At the Gathering you showed the Dark Ages pitch showing that Iago would've been allied with the Archmage. We know that Demona was his apprentace, but what does Iago have to offer him?

My Guess as to the Eight Arthurian Survivors

1. Arthur
2. Merlin
3. Lady of the Lake
4. Percival
5. Morgana la Fay
6. Nimue
7. Igraine
8. Guinevere

Greg responds...

Hey Greg, it was great to see you too.

1. Mab's not human. She's fae. In fact she's uber-fae.

As per our new rules, I invite you to resubmit your remaining questions as multiple separate posts.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A few more questions that I forgot to ask.

1. How did Oberon get around his non-intervention edict when he put everybody in Manhattan to sleep in "The Gathering"? I'd have thought that that definitely counted as interfering in the lives of mortals.

2. You said once that there were so few gargoyles left that there was a big question over whether they could survive. In your opinion, has Demona ever considered this? Has it ever occurred to her that even if she did succeed in wiping out humanity, it might come too late to save her species from extinction? I don't know that that would really make all that much difference to her, mind, since I have the feeling that her genocidal attempts are based more on revenge and an effort to avoid facing her own responsibility for the Wyvern Massacre, but I'd still be interested to know the answer to this one.

3. Does Thailog have an Oedipus complex? I mean, he tries to kill his "father" (Goliath - and also Xanatos and Sevarius), and his two choices of mate are first Demona, then a combined clone of Demona and Elisa.

4. I read once about a race of beings in Japanese legend called tengu, who had wings and sometimes taught humans bushido. Was this a partial inspiration for the Ishimura clan?

Greg responds...

1. Not from Oberon's point of view. If they're asleep, then they won't witness the battle and his gigantic form won't be part of their consciousness. He won't have interfered. When you think of it that way, it kinda makes sense.

As per the new rules, I invite you to resubmit the rest of your questions as multiple separate posts. I hope you do.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

Bookmark Link

Todd Jensen writes...

A few more questions I forgot to ask last time.

1. Some months ago, I saw a television documentary on gargoyles (the real-world architectural kind) and it said that there were more gargoyles per square foot in New York City than anywhere else in the United States (or something along those lines). Was this a factor in choosing New York as the main setting for the series, or just a coincidence? (I do know that I sat up and took notice at that particular comment when I heard it!)

2. Most of the mythological beings in "Gargoyles" were portrayed as being "Oberon's Children", i.e., members of the Third Race. However, the beings from Greek mythology were portrayed as being from a separate race, if of partly faerie origins: the New Olympians? Just out of curiosity, why did the production team take a different angle for the Greek mythology beings than the ones from Norse, Egyptian, Native American, etc. myth and legend?

3. I read somewhere that Eric Lewald was on the production team for the "X-Men" series on FOX before he worked on "The Goliath Chronicles". Do you think that this could have been a factor in why The Goliath Chronicles took a different angle on gargoyle-human relations (as in, it being taken for granted that the humans would know that the gargoyles were sentient beings); that is, that Eric was seeing "Gargoyles" in an "X-Men"-related light?

4. You've told us a bit about gargoyle religious beliefs; do the Third Race have any form of religion?

Greg responds...

1. I was aware that NYC had a ton of gargoyles. (I lived there for two plus years in my DC Comics days.) But I didn't have the stats. So I guess the answer is both.

2. We did and didn't, just for starters. What was revealed was not comprehensive, as I think I've mentioned. But the main behind-the-scenes reason was that we had this ready-made show NEW OLYMPIANS that I wanted to try and get on the air via a "back-door pilot" on Gargoyles. Didn't happen, but I'm glad we tried, and I felt the concept fit rather nicely into the Gargs Universe.

3. I haven't seen Eric in years, but he and his wife Julia Roberts Lewald are good people, who I like a lot. (I attended their wedding.) They're good writers too. And no, that doesn't mean I like what was done on Goliath Chronicles, but I don't think I COULD have liked anything that anyone else did. Anyway, any further speculation on my part is, I believe, inappropriate.

4. Plenty.


Bookmark Link

Aris Katsaris writes...

Nice to have this place back up... Well here are my questions...

1. The Arthurian survivors' list (by the way I assume that fays like Oberon which are known from other stories aren't included in the seven survivors list though they were alive back then): 1. Arthur 2.Merlin 3. Lady of the Lake 4. Duval 5. The Green Knight 6. Blanchfleur 7. Morgana
2. We know about human and gargoyle attitudes towards parentage; but what's the attitude of fays concerning it? Do they raise their children collectively like the Gargoyles do? Or is it a more human-like system? Or something else entirely?

3. How long since Oberon overthrew his mother?

4. How did his father feel about it? (about the whole overthrowing business I mean)
5. I was intrigued by the maiden-mother(or atleast adult)-crone appearances of the Weird Sisters. So:
5a. Was this an intentional reference to similar maiden-mother-crone trinities in various mythologies?
5b. Did they have a particular reason for their form and apparent age in each scene? Or was it just what felt cooler to the writer?
6. Have you decided what it was that made Anubis (a normal fay originally I'd guess) be connected to death? Will you tell us anything about it?
7. Do halflings like Merlin, Fox and Alex age slower?
8. What made Oberon create the non-intervention law?
9. Would the mutates' mutation also affect their children?
10. If the Talos we saw in 'New Olympians' is the same robot, built time and again since ancient times... who had the technology back then (somewhere between 1400-1200 BC I'd guess) to build the original?
11. Angela in 'Grief' implied that Sphinxes could have been gargoyles. From New Olympians it seems that sphinxes were New Olympians. So... what were they, Gargoyles or NOs?
12. Is there faster-than-light travel in the Gargoyles Universe? Faster-than-light communications? If yes, why is Nokkar so isolated and uninformed about outside happenings?
13. How long has Nokkar been on Earth anyway?
14. Do Oberon and Titania have any children? (With each other I mean)

Greg responds...

1. Try again with eight on a separate post. See the new contest rules.
2. Every fay is different. The only custom (other than fealty to or rebellion from one's lord or lords) is no custom.
3. Saying when would reveal too much. Just saying that reveals too much.
4. Father's a whole 'nother story.
5a. Yes.
5b. It had more to do with the person being spoken to. What they expected to see. But it wasn't random.
6. Fay are tied to the pure magic of Earth. Individual fay have different "connections ", just as individual humans have different talents, etc. Anubis and other "death gods" come by it naturally.
7. Depends.
8. Relative maturity.
9. Not answering that now.
10. Well, the original was fairly primitive. I think Daedelus had a hand in it. Maybe Hephaistos too. Or a cyclops.
11. Some gargoyles may have been mistaken for sphinxes and vice versa.
12. This is so complicated. See, the problem with asking eight hundred questions in one post, is that I get exhausted and tend to just give short answers (or non-answers) to everything. Like here for example.
13. A long time, ya whipper-snapper. (Didn't I just do that joke.)
14. Titania has (as of "The Journey") given birth to two children by Oberon. Two. One male. One female. (After all the abbreviated stuff above I thought you deserved one good juicy tidbit. Hope that qualifies.)


Bookmark Link

Lady Shadow writes...

In City of Stone, when Demona is going to 'shoot" Owen Burnett, while he is stone and on the phone; if she had what would have happened to Puck?

Greg responds...

Dead is dead.