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Mary Mack writes...

Okay, so we all know that garg eggs are laid in even-decade-8 years (948, 1988, etc.) and hatch in odd-decade-8 years (998, 1958, etc.), and we all know that gargoyles age at about half the human rate, so that a 42-year-old garg is old enough to go to bars, but! what I want to know is at what approximate (human equivalent) level of development gargs hatch? The females lactate, so I'd guess most hatchlings don't start with teeth, but at a ten-year incubation period, it seems likely that garg hatchlings are more developed than human newborns. How much more, if any?
(By the way, this is my first post, and I read the whole Archive first. Aren't you proud of me? ;P)

Greg responds...

I'm so proud. They hatch at what I'd describe as just post infant. They are strong enough to hold their own heads errect. But not much more advanced than that.

Response recorded on August 19, 2000

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Anonymous writes...

Hi Greg.

Despite the fact that I'm hopelessly behind in my planned attempt to respond to all you episode rambles, I'm gonna take some time out to ask you a few questions I've been thinking about. This set is about gargoyle-beasts.

1. Would the Manhattan clan refer to Bronx as a "gargoyle-beast", a "gargoyle", or something else entirely. In other words, do they use a different name for Bronx's species than their own?

2. We know that Bronx is at least as smart as a very intelligent dog, possibly smarter. He's at least capable of thoughts such as "That is a big dangerous monster. I should most likely attack it." ("The Hound of Ulster") and "That is a robot. I may therefore maul its face, though this may not be permissible on a human being." ("Leader of the Pack") Something along those lines, though maybe not with such flowery language. Anyways, about how smart IS Bronx, or the average gargoyle-beast? Are the beasts in fact as intelligent as regular gargoyles, but simply unable to speak? As smart as chimpanzees? Not nearly as smart as I seem to think they are?

3. The other gargoyles in the Manhattan clan seem to realize that Bronx has a fair degree of intelligence. Lexington and Brooklyn tell him to "go get help" rather than "go find Goliath" or even "go back to the castle and bark". (Okay, so he did end up running down the street and causing havoc. But he understood.) Goliath tells him to "help Angela", not "move the roccks off of Angela".
How much does the clan think Bronx understands. Just commands like these? Or does Hudson think he understands every word he says when he talks to him?

Greg responds...

1. Generally, no. Which doesn't mean they aren't aware of the distinction. They do call him a beast on occasion.

2. They're pretty darn smart. They understand something like "FIND GOLIATH!" But they couldn't understand. "Hide in the dark for five minutes and then FIND GOLIATH!" The first part of that sentence would be gibberish to them. And they'd immediately take off in search of Goliath.

3. Simple commands only. Find. Help. Protect. Etc.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

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Vashkoda writes...

Hi Greg. I don't mean to be annoying, but with all the studying I've been doing for my Boards exam, biology has sort of taken over my life. I know that stone hibernation is unknown in the rest of the animal kingdom, but gargoyles still have to obey fundamental biological laws, on which my questions are based:

1a) When gargoyles turn into the stone-like substance, does this include all of different cell types in their body (muscles, nerves, blood, bone)? 1b) I've seen their hair and nails transform as well. How do you explain this, as these cells are already "dead", and shouldn't respond to any signal made by the body? 2a) What happens to the water inside gargoyle's cells when they turn to the stone-like substance? 2b) What happens to the water in the gargoyle's blood when they turn to the stone-like substance? 2c) If the blood or nerves have solidified into the stone-like substance, how is the gargoyle "biological clock" able to send signals to the rest of the body that tell it when to transform? 3) Are cells that have turned into this stone-like substance active in any way? Please explain this in terms of how: a) gargoyles supposedly don't age when they sleep b) gargoyles can still dream when they sleep c) gargoyles can convert sunlight into a storable form of energy when they sleep d) gargoyles can heal wounds while they sleep. 4) If you said there is no water in the blood and tissues, there can be no diffusion of vital ions and molecules into and out of cells. How then are they able carry out the processes mentioned in question 3? 5) Gargoyles are obviously frozen and cannot move their lungs to breathe when they sleep. Therefore, where do they get the gases needed to feed the cells that are working so hard to store solar energy while they sleep? 6) Are you still certain that gargoyles turning to "stone" is a process done naturally and without magic (except their clothes and personal items)? =)

Greg responds...

1a. They all turn into an organic monochrome stone-esque substance, but that doesn't mean it's all a single substance. Maybe there are differentiations. I don't know. But none that you'd notice with the naked eye.

1b. Maybe their hair and nails do.

2a, b, c. Don't know. Hey, I've got an idea! Instead of using your bio-knowledge to nit-pick, why not use it to come up with an explanation!! (I know that sounds snide, but I'm serious.)

3. Probably.

a, b, c, d. Don't know. (As you can tell, I'm NOT studying for my boards.)

4. Huh?

5. Got me.

6. YES. Look, Vashkoda, this post is INCREDIBLY ANNOYING, despite the fact that you claimed you didn't want it to be. It's also BEYOND arrogant. I admit I know next to nothing about biology, but do you really think that you or even modern science is currently aware of EVERY POSSIBLE PERMUTATION that evolutionary paths COULD have taken? Look at all the miracles in nature which we take for granted because we're used to the idea. Chameleons. Electric eels. The EYE. (These just off the top of my head.) You will say, "Yeah, Greg, but those conform to the fundamental biological laws." To which I respond, that the fundamental biological laws have been written and rewritten to include this stuff. And they're constantly being rewritten again, almost every day. Cuz almost everyday, I see an article in the L.A. Times about some knew startling discovery about dinosaurs or deep-deep sea life or whatever. So don't tell me that the Gargs don't fit "fundamental biological laws". Aside from the fact that they are fictional, my response is that science hasn't caught up to them yet. Didn't have a reason to or an awareness to even try until after "HUNTER'S MOON, PART THREE". And even then, they haven't had a lot to work with.

I've said it before. Gargoyles are a species native to this world. The basic processes they go through are organic and natural and have nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with magic. Unless by magic, you mean the miracle that life exists at all.

Sorry, for the rant, but it felt like you were writing JUST to try to push me in a corner and make me admit a "mistake".

I apologize if your motives were pure.

Response recorded on August 18, 2000

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Todd Jensen (repost by Aris) writes...

In your opinion, in the Gargoyles Universe, can artificial intelligences such as the Matrix and Talos develop emotions (love, hatred, fear, etc.)? Or are their thought processes ones of pure logic?

Greg responds...

At the moment or ever?

Response recorded on August 02, 2000

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Aris Katsaris (repost by Aris) writes...

And now a question for those of us with dirty minds... <evil laughter> :-)

Where the heck does Zafiro keep his genitalia? I mean the guy's *very* anatomically different, compared to the other gargoyles... Is he like dolphins or something where the genitalia are tucked inside the body unless when aroused?

Greg responds...

Uh, sure.

Response recorded on August 01, 2000

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Entity writes...

Hello,

This is in response to your 'Leader of the Pack' memo. I noticed that the writer must have had a scene where the gargs' stone shards dissolve, because in the memo you mend it. However, I think that there may have been something there.

Don't misinterpret me. You know your series better than anyone else, yet it seems like a dissolving method would've been a good way to tie up the plot hole of what happens to all those stone shards.

What if the stone simply went into "hyper-rusting," where it loses cohesion over the course of the next few hours and eventually crumbles to dust, and is then swept away by the wind? Since the gargs usually perch on high places, the winds would even help in the break-down process. If not wind, then rain would accomplish the same thing.

This wouldn't conflict with "The Price" because Hudson uses a fresh stone shard. It hasn't had time to breakdown. And as for "Hunter's Moon," well, there are always inconsistencies in nature. It was just the little shard that could.

(Incidentally, it DID seem as if "The Price" was out-of-order. Not because of any detail or clue, but just the feel. It didn't seem to fit as the last ep before "Avalon." Moreover, if it aired AFTER the World Tour, as I presume it should have, that really would've helped with that section of the series - it was a bit thin ep-wise. And of course there's the way Xanatos' quest for immortality is confronted and pulled into question, and then shown progressing normally later on in the World Tour. Still, the episode is one of the best, no matter where it was positioned.)

Greg responds...

"The Price" wasn't THAT far out of order. It was definitely designed to air before "Avalon" and the World Tour. It originally aired even earlier. So that a couple episodes where Owen's hand was still flesh aired AFTER "The Price." But since Owen's hand was stone during "Kingdom", it's obvious that "The Price" wasn't meant to come after that. And therefore couldn't have taken place anytime after "Avalon". And your point about Xanatos' quest completely escapes me.

As for your dissolving shard theory, I never said that the shards were impervious to wind and weather. I just said they don't instantaneously start to dissolve. And they don't. Not in my Gargoyles Universe.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

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Charles writes...

Hi

Sorry if this was asked already, but I was wondering why Lexington's wing structure was so unique when compared to all the gargoyles we've seen, ie: the webbing between his arms and legs rather than wings coming out of his back?

Thanks for a wonderful show. Good luck getting it back in the public eye in some form or another.

Greg responds...

Lex's wings are unique relative to his clan mates who survived. They're not common, but as we meet more gargs, I'm sure we'll see more with that kind of structure.

We've seen four structures:

Goliath, Hudson and Broadway have one kind.

Demona, Brooklyn and Angela have another.

Lex has a third.

Desdemona had a fourth.

Oh, and Griff, Leo, Zafiro and Una had a fifth.

Response recorded on July 29, 2000

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Tk writes...

One last one for today promise!
Does Goliath ever stand up straight his legs are always bent at the knees always . How come? Thank alot Bye

Greg responds...

He stands pretty darn straight in my opinion. But garg legs are more like haunches. His knees do not extend fully.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

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Mycalia writes...

Here's an iffy question for ya..do a gargoyle's eyes glow when he/she is..um..aroused?

Greg responds...

It would depend on how much adrenaline was surging...

Response recorded on July 26, 2000

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Skylar writes...

Some questions about garg-beasts:

1. I was looking at some screenshots of Bronx and wasn´t able to find anyone where you can see his pupils.
So are Bronx´s eyes allways glowing? Can´t they stop?

2. This question might seem stupid, but: Are gargoylebeasts furry? (Sometimes I think they have hair, sometimes they don´t. - The stomach seems to be furry, but I´m not shure.)

3. If they are furry (or some of them), are also gargoylebeasts able, that have longer hair (like the different hair length of different dog races, for example), maybe that long, that they have to be trimed regulary so that it doesn´t reach the ground? (It´s not an idea, just a question. I was just wondering about in this moment.)

4. More a comment than a question: When once one person asked, if there are any cat-like or just dog-like gargoylebeasts, I think he meant more the looking than the behavior *g*

5. Are any gargoylebeasts out there that have wings, or aren´t they able to?

6. Is it right, that the word "gargoylebeast" or something like that never was used during the hole TV-Show? If so, can it be, that gargoyles never use this word and that they doesn´t even know the word, cause they never needed it, cause they call all gargoyles just "gargoyles" and talk of/with the gargoylebeasts using their name (- In case it´s a gargoylebeast that has a name..)

Greg responds...

1. No. They just glow more or less fiercely depending on his mood.

2. Generally, no. But some may have some fur or hair, just as regular gargs do.

3. I doubt it.

4. Does Bronx really look like any dog you know or does his behavior make him seem more dog-like?

5. No. They evolved without.

6. I don't recall whether or not we used that phrase. We certainly used the word "beast". In "HOUND OF ULSTER" at least.

Response recorded on July 26, 2000


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