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The Phoenix Gate

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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

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Todd Jensen writes...

A couple of questions about the point during "The Mirror" when Puck had temporarily turned all the humans in the city into gargoyles.

1. What happened to those humans entering and leaving Manhattan during the time that the spell was in effect?

2. What effect did the spell have on live broadcasts from New York going out to other parts of the U.S. or the world during that time? As in, did people watching such broadcasts away from New York suddenly see the humans in those broadcasts change into gargoyles, or did the spell somehow prevent this?

Greg responds...

1. They automatically changed when entering and leaving the island. Because of the way the change was perceived, no one noticed.

2. Outsiders could have seen changes. But, hell, it's tv.

Response recorded on June 14, 2000

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Todd Jensen 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?

Greg responds...

Fairie magic doesn't "conduct" through iron.

But mostly it was the traditional legend thing.

Response recorded on April 23, 2000

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WereFox writes...

Greg, you mentioned that earth is the well spring or source of power for the third race. They would need to find an alternative power source were they to leave it. What about existing spells?. If Macbeth or Demona ever left Earth in the coming centuries, would the various spells on them still be in effect. Is leaving earth essentailly pulling the plug on the power source that maintains their link of immortality or Demona's transformation.

Greg responds...

Well-spring and power source are two different things, of course. The fact that they can use the magic in the earth as a power source, doesn't mean it is their SOLE power source.

And human/gargoyle (i.e. mortal) sorcery is a whole different animal.

Response recorded on March 22, 2000

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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

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Scott Iskow writes...

On the subject of magical artifacts:

1) Demona was taking quite a risk in depending solely on the Praying Gargoyle to protect her kind from the fulfillment spell. My question: Did she have a backup plan in case it didn't work?

2) Is there a way (in the Gargoyles Univserse, of course) to determine the authenticity of a magical artifact before it needs to be used?

Greg responds...

1. Obviously not.

2. Sometimes.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

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E.J. Kalafarski writes...

Hi Greg. Did you walk into the World Tour with the intention that Goliath would loose all the items the Gargoyles had been safeguarding? I mean, by the time the travelers got home, Goliath had lost the Grimorum (destroyed), the Eye of Odin (recovered by Odin), and the Phoenix Gate (lost in time). I realize the Gargoyles picked up the Guatemalan Medallion along the way, but was the concept of Goliath returning home with none of these items a conscious decision on your part, or just the way things worked out? Thanks.

Greg responds...

Yes. Conscious. That's why I had him guarantee that no one would ever use those items again. Arrogance, even heroic arrogance, deserves comeuppance. And I liked the irony that it was Goliath himself who first used the Gate and the Eye. No one takes either item from him. He chooses to use them.

Response recorded on March 21, 2000

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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

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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

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Todd Jensen writes...

You asked in a recent rambling about our responses to a number of the "permanent changes" in the course of the series. In the case of the ones that you cited, I can't really recall now how I responded to them at the time (for example, in the case of "Enter Macbeth", my attention was more grabbed by Macbeth's entrance into the series - particularly on account of his name, since that's always been one of my favorite Shakespeare plays - than by the gargoyles' forced relocation - and I was even more delighted in later episodes when we found out more about him and that he was *the* Macbeth).

However, I do recall two "changes" (if relatively small ones) that did startle me. The first was Owen's hand getting turned permanently to stone at the end of "The Price". The second was the destruction of the Grimorum Arcanorum in "Avalon", which particularly raised my eyebrows since that book had been around since the beginning of the series, so that I was astonished to see it go. (I might add that, from my subjective view-point, the end of the Grimorum came, in a sense, not so much when it self-destructed in "Avalon Part Three" as when the Archmage devoured it in "Avalon Part Two").

But when I did look back on them in retrospect, I found that I very much appreciated the changes. It was one of those things that gave "Gargoyles" a special feeling about it that I've so rarely seen in television animation. More like a televised novel, almost.

Greg responds...

Thanks. That was the goal. I figure, hey, S**T HAPPENS. And some things you can't take back. Yeah, sure, I wasn't gonna leave all the gargoyles as humans for all the eps after "The Mirror"; after all, the show wasn't called "HUMANS". And of course, even the loss of the castle wasn't permanent, as Goliath predicted.

But some things can't be changed. Demona can't take back the massacre. History is immutable. And the Magus... well, he's gone. That's life. And death. And everything in between.

As for the two specifics you mentioned...

I wanted to get a rise out of all of you with Owen's hand. It was designed to shock. It was also a bit of a clue. And it flat-out amused the hell outta me.

As for the Grimorum, it honestly felt played out to me. (How many stolen spells could we pull out of our collective hat?) But I wanted to give it a memorable exit. I thought having it swallowed whole by the Archmage was pretty cool.

Hmmm, "HUMANS"... Maybe there's a spin-off idea there...

Response recorded on March 17, 2000

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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

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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

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Aaron writes...

Greg, thanks for taking these questions. I'm sure you've answered this before, but I can't find any mention of it in the archives.

You've stated that female gargoyles have a worldwide 20-year fertility cycle.

1. Does Demona conform to this cycle, or does her being forever 70(35) short-circuit that?

2. The last question applied for about nine hundred years. But now, what effect do Demona's daily transformations have on her reproductive cycle? I remember a question about this, but I think all you said was that Puck didn't design the spell with pregnancy in mind.

3. When Demona changes to a human, is it simply an exterior, cosmetic change, or does she become fully human internally? I'm betting the former, since she doesn't seem to have a belly button in human form, but that could be either an animation glitch or simply a detail too small to pick up.

4. If she does make a full change, does she have a human reproductive system, and all the monthly fun that comes with it?

Thanks again.

Greg responds...

1. Yes. She does. After all, until Puck, she conformed to the day/night cycle. But that doesn't mean she HAS to mate.

2. No. But as I said, I think the magic would compensate for a pregnancy... ON THE HUGE ASSUMPTION that she ever gets pregnant.

3. Fully human.

4. Yes, during the day.

Response recorded on March 09, 2000

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Bud-Clare writes...

What is the Stone of Destiny? Until now, I never gave it any thought, dismissing it as just another magical artifact... except no other magical object shown on Gargoyles had the ability to talk. What makes it so special?

Greg responds...

Frank Welker.

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

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Bud-Clare writes...

Why did the Eye of Odin only transform Fox at night?

Greg responds...

Who said it did?

Response recorded on March 03, 2000

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Aris Katsaris writes...

In "Hunter's Moon" one of the requirement for Demona's spell to work was that it should be cast in "holy ground". For that reason she uses an abandoned church... The question I'm going to ask is a bit vague, but hopefully you'll understand it: what does this place's "holiness" as pertaining to the spell, derive from? Is it something all places of worship would have, even "pagan" ones? Does it derive from people considering it 'holy' or is an objective "gift" (so to speak) from the deity in question and thus unrelated to belief?

It's almost certainly something which you couldn't answer within the series (I think), but perhaps you could answer it here... :-)

Greg responds...

I want to posit that some ground just is holy. Or perhaps more clinically, these locations act as a nexus of mystic energy. The fact that churches temples, etc. are often built on such spots is no coincidence. There may be a guiding force. A sense that this is a place of prayer. Of connection to God, or the Great Spirit or the Earth or WHATEVER.

Anyway, that's how I see the Gargoyles' Universe working.

Response recorded on February 25, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

You've stated that gargoyles, in your vision at least, came about naturally in the way that all other living things did, and were not creations of faerie or human magic. I certainly feel that that's the most probable explanation for them. But something that I would like to raise is this - in the Gargoyles Universe, would it even be possible to create a genuinely sentient race using magic?

My own feeling is that it isn't, based on what I saw in the series. Oberon, one of the most powerful magic-users in the Gargoyles Universe, animates a number of statues in "The Gathering Part Two" to aid him against Goliath and his clan, but the statues remained made out of stone rather than becoming flesh and blood, and showed no sign of true sentience in battling the clan, no more so than - say - the Steel Clan. The same thing was the case with Raven's "totem beasts" in "Heritage", who, when animated by him, remained made out of wood and also behaved more like automatons than like truly alive and intelligent beings. And in "Golem", the Golem that was created by Rabbi Loew likewise didn't come across to me as truly sentient, but just a walking clay statue - it never even spoke except when Renard was possessing it. (The Golem did show some dim signs of genuine awareness, but not on the level of a gargoyle, certainly).

So, what I'm basically asking here is - aside from your belief that gargoyles were not created by magic - would it even be possible in the Gargoyles Universe to magically create a truly sentient being or race? Or is such a thing beyond the capabilities of any being other than God?

Greg responds...

I think it would be basically impossible to create sentience from scratch. Which doesn't mean that someone like the Golem or Matrix might not evolve into true sentience. (Neither is there yet, in my opinion.)

Response recorded on February 23, 2000

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E.J. Kalafarski writes...

Just out of curiosity, did the Cauldron of Life transform Owen's arm in actual stone, or into the organic stone-like substance that Gargoyles become during the day?

Greg responds...

Stone.

Response recorded on February 20, 2000

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Alan "Ordell" Coleman writes...

Does the Third Race see human science as a type of magic?

Greg responds...

I guess. Isn't it?

Response recorded on February 14, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

A thought about the Magus's death in "Avalon Part Three". He drained himself in that episode tapping into Avalon's magic to battle the Weird Sisters. What occurred to me recently is that this was a case of a human wizard tapping into a source of faerie magic. So - was this one reason why the Magus died? The danger of mixing magics which Xanatos mentioned in "City of Stone"?

Greg responds...

Less that, than the fact that he was an old man channelling powerful forces, and using his own lifeforce to do it.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

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NZ Fan of Gargoyles writes...

Hi Mr Weisman.
First off, thanks for such a great show. I'm writing fan fiction at the moment, and am writing an Elisa and Goliath one. If I recall correctly you had something about them having children, or having to adopt one. I have a question about it, I hope you can answer for me.

1. If it were possible for them to have a child, either naturally, by magic or science. How long would Elisa be pregnant?

2. Anything else about the whole pregnancy thing you'd care to add.

Thanx for your time.

Greg responds...

1. This is hypothetical on top of hypothetical, but I'd tend to think that Elisa would be pregnant nine months unless there was some scientific or magical explanation why not.

2. No.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

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Anonymous writes...

Hey Greg, keep up the good work if ya can!

1) If the Gargoyle eggs were put under the spell, could/would they have stayed as eggs and hatch in the 1990's?

2) If a Gargoyle were to die in his sleep (You said this was rare,) would his rock body just crumble, or stay as a statue and not awaken?

3) if hudson holds his sword, while turning to stone, will it turn to ston or not? (I am wondering this about anything they might hold)

I can't wait to see the movie/ and re runs, plus the movie 2! (the live action one, I think!)

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. Which spell? The Magus? I'm not sure how you tell an egg to sleep. And that's all it was, a sleep spell.

2. Stay as a statue, but it would no longer renew and would tend to crumble over time and weather -- assuming it was left alone. Not a safe assumption, by the way.

3. I've answered this before. It has to do with whether or not Hudson's mindset at the moment of sleep is that his sword is part of his uniform or something separate.

Response recorded on February 09, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Another "Hunter's Moon" question; what was the original function of the Fulfillment Spell? It was in existence by 1495, and I seriously doubt that anybody living in the Renaissance or before, including the wizard who created that spell, could have foreseen the creation of industrial-strength detergents and genetically-engineered carrier viruses.

Greg responds...

It was designed to fulfill the caster's desires. It was quite multi-purpose. But it was of limited power and scope.

Response recorded on February 03, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Something that I've recently been wondering about Demona's genocide attempt in "Hunter's Moon". The plague that she used the Fulfillment Spell and Sevarius's carrier virus to create would have wiped out all of humanity if released, and the entire gargoyle race as well were it not for the protection of the Praying Gargoyle. Since humans and gargoyles are clearly not very closely related from a biological standpoint, a plague capable of wiping out both species must be very far-reaching in its range. So, if Demona had released her plague, would other species (say, most mammals) have been killed by it as well? Or did it only work on sentient species?

Greg responds...

I think it was limited to sentience. How that would have effected chimpanzees, gargoyle beasts, dolphins, whales, etc. I'm not sure. Hard to say what a combination of science and sorcery would consider sentient. But I think rats, cats, dogs etc. were safe.

Response recorded on February 03, 2000

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Aris Katsaris writes...

About garg clothing turning to stone you've given the explanation about the Magus of Rome casting a spell causing that to the whole gargoyle race...

1) Would that mean that he was a wizard of tremendous power (since he was able to cast a spell on a whole species) or did he simply have access to a spell or trinket of tremendous power? (the same way Demona had access to the praying gargoyle for example - the power that protected all the gargoyle race not being hers)

2) I know that the reason for this explanation was so as to explain the real-life standards & practices need of not having the gargoyles fly around naked, but still: did you ever plan to make an ep concerning the casting of this spell? Or would it be rather difficult to even approach the subject of gargoyle nudity? :)

Greg responds...

1. I don't pretend to have worked out the details of it.

2. If I had gotten to do TimeDancer, I would have made a sincere attempt to try and do a light-hearted episode that covered this. Don't know whether it would have made it past Standards & Practices, but I would have given it a shot.

Response recorded on February 02, 2000

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Catwoman writes...

I have looked in all the archives and I don't think anyone has asked this(even though many have discussed some things about it), but since a is Gargoyle at night and human by day, does that mean that she could not have any offspring because of the constant switching?

Greg responds...

I assume you're talking about Demona.

And I never said she couldn't have offspring because of Puck's spell. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've said that Puck's spell could compensate for a pregnancy.

Response recorded on February 02, 2000

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shogun raptor writes...

Greg, I was the one who asked about the Demona/macbeth link carrying over to delilah, namely because if Delilah was created from half of Demona's DNA, would the link be part of her DNA or would it be connected to her in another way, like through her soul?

Greg responds...

I don't see any connection existing there.

Response recorded on January 24, 2000

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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

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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

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E.J. Kalafarski writes...

Hi Greg, just one question that I've wondered about ever since I saw "Temptation." At the end, Elisa tells Goliath to act for the rest of his life as if he were not under a spell, the key word being 'a' as opposed to 'the spell' or 'this spell.'

Did you mean for this to be taken as though he could never be put under a spell again, and if so, to what extent? Puck was seen messing with Goliath's mind in "Future Tense." Did you ever plan on this one plot point being brought up again?

Greg responds...

It wasn't meant to be generic. It refered to the spell in question.

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

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Aris Katsaris writes...

So... is there faster-than-light travel or faster-than-light communications in the Gargoyles Universe? :-)

Greg responds...

Again, the phrasing of the question makes it difficult to answer.

If you're asking me whether a species exists anywhere in the Gargoyles Universe that can get from point A to point B faster than light could conventionally travel the distance between those points, then the answer is yes.

For example... ever hear of the Phoenix Gate?

Response recorded on January 07, 2000

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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

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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

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nautilus writes...

Hi Greg,
The big event here on next wednsday (11.08.1999), made me wonder:
Will Gargoyles break out of their stone shell during a full solar eclipse? (My bet would be 'No', but you're the boss ; )
That actually gives me another question: What makes the Gargoyles turn to stone? It isn't the rays of the sun, and I guess it won't be something magical, because it affects a complete race. (And they use magic to prevent them turning to stone)

I hope you find the time to answer.
Thanks a lot in advance.

Greg responds...

As I've said before, Gargoyles operate on an internal biological clock that is in tune with the rising and setting of the sun.

That would suggest that an eclipse would have ZERO effect on them. But I must admit I've been toying with an eclipse story for some time. I haven't quite cracked it. But someday...

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

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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

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David G. writes...

And now for something almost completely different: (a) Was the Cauldron of Life inspired by the Celtic legend of the Cauldron of Bran (which could restore the dead to life)? (b) Would the Cauldron of Life have worked if the user had been completely submerged in/drenched with the waters (thus making the fact Xanatos melted it down for scrap rather ironic)?

Greg responds...

a. It was inspired by multiple Celtic Cauldron legends. You'd have to ask Michael Reaves whether he had a specific one in mind.

b. It would have worked. It would have turned the whole body to stone.

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

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Siren writes...

I keep thinking of more things...
On Garg evolution...I think the most likely would evolve from dinosaurs.Birds also evolved too, from what I believe. They just took 2 different ends of the spectrum. Birds becoming smaller and more lightweight, gaining feathers and loosing scales. Gargs get are smaller dinosaurs, just not as small as birds. They are built with more muscle and kept
the pteridacyl wings ('scuse my spelling). Brooklyn is obviously evolved from one of them thingies I can't spell. Plus you have the South American Clan, they deffinetly look reptilian. And Ophelia, she looks much like a triceratops and any other horned/crested dino (which I absolutly love on her!!!!)
But also into consideration, the Britian Clan...Where did they come from? Are they too evolved
from dinosaurs???? Doubtful. They are set so far apart from the others, more mammilian. Are they
more evolved mammals? Is Griff just an evolved eagle that looks like a griffon or an evolved griffon? Is Leo an evolved Lion?
And is that Una's real horn or jewlry? Is she an evolved horse or unicorn?
Which brings something else to mind about gargoyles...How do their babies eat? Are gargoyles
mammals? I would deffinetly say, warm blooded. And they do seem very mammilian. So does that
mean, that if Demona had the chance to raise Angela, she'd be fed on breastmilk? If so, how did
Cathryn, Magus, Tom, and his mother feed 36 hatchlings?

Greg responds...

Uh. It would have helped if you had numbered your questions....

In my head, Gargoyles are a separate classification which (in the past) I've nicknamed "Gargates". Both Gargoyles and Gargoyle Beasts evolved from this grouping, just as Primates include both humans and various apes. The Gargate-ancestor species go back to the time of the dinosaurs, so to answer your first set of questions, I'd have to ask you how you are defining the word "Dinosaur"? Colloquially, i.e. to include all species that existed during what we popularly think of as the age of dinosaurs, or are you using the term in a scientific sense, which would leave out a number of species that we generally think of as dinosaurs?

As for the various clans, appearances are superficial and can be deceiving. Leo has much more in common biologically with Goliath than he does with a Lion. Zafiro has much more in common with Griff, Leo, Una and Goliath, etc. then he does with a snake. All are Gargates. None are Mammals or Reptiles or Marsupials or Birds, though they may share a few characteristics with one or more of those groups. They are, I believe, warm-blooded, for example.

Una's horn is her horn. It's not jewelry. Though it was decorated.

Garg babies generally would drink milk from clan-mother breasts.

And yes, that did present Tom, Katharine and the Magus with a problem. Fortunately, they were on Avalon. And Avalon provided. Some trial and error was probably involved, but a replacement for breast milk was found...

Response recorded on December 30, 1999

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~Vic writes...

Dear Greg,

Just a few quick questions.

1a. Is the Magus really ka-put?

1b.Is there a reason he happend to die on the sleeping kings alter?

2. Is the ArchMage also forever out of the picture?

3. What's your opinion on "Adult" Fan Art and Fan Fics? Yay or Nay?

Greg responds...

1. Yes.

1b. It seemed poetic.

2. Yep. At least moving forward. Flashback stories are always possible.

3. Separate topics require separate posts.

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

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Entity writes...

In the "Avalon" trilogy, the Archmage's arsenal consisted of himself, the Weird Sisters, Demona and Macbeth. Why did he feel the need to have Demona and Macbeth? I know he said they were canon fodder, but why did he even need canon fodder? Couldn't the Weird Sisters have just waved their hands and eradicated every single gargoyle and human on Avalon? Why did he build his assault around those two? For all the trouble that the Weird Sisters went through in obtaining them, it just doesn't seem that they were worth it. How the Archmage told the Sisters to "guide their paths", you would've thought that they were instramental in some way to his plans; that he specifically needed those two. But what's so special about them?

Greg responds...

Good question.

The answer requires looking at the situation on (at least) two levels.

Level One. Taken at face value, he did need cannon fodder. The Sisters had to be very careful how they operated, in order not to break Oberon's Law. And the Archmage had a few personal vendettas he wanted to deal with. So he needed Demona and Macbeth to handle some of the more mundane work of eradicating the enemy.

Level Two. Who said any of this was the Archmage's plan? Well, he did. But he was an arrogant bastard. So do you trust him? Where did he get the plan? By observing his future self carry it out. Where did his future self get the plan? By observing HIS future self carry it out. Maybe there's something larger going on here...

Ya think?

Response recorded on December 29, 1999

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Warlock writes...

what are all the spells that they mentioned on the show and if you can tell me most important of all the phoenix gate spell

Greg responds...

Do your own research, pal.

Sorry, I don't have that information at hand, and I'm not likely to go through all my scripts to check.

From memory, I believe the Phoenix Gate spell was...

"Deslegrate muri tempe et intervalia!"

But I wouldn't swear to it.

Response recorded on August 31, 1999

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Sean Regan writes...

My sister and I have taped most of the episodes from the original series and we watch them daily. We came to the episode named "The Green" where Goliath and company reach the Guatemala clan. Now in that episode, the Guatemala clan never turn to stone. So I was wondering how they could still be living if the Gargoyles get their energy from the sun's ray's in the day? Thanks for your time.

Greg responds...

Clearly, the magic of the pendants compensates in some way.

Response recorded on August 31, 1999

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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

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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

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Todd Jensen writes...

Earlier remarks of yours about "Pendragon" implied that when Arthur and Griff finally did find Merlin, he'd join up with them as some sort of regular. Did you have any plans to keep Merlin's magic from making things too easy for Arthur and Griff in that case - i.e., making sure that Merlin wouldn't become a "deus ex machina" - or in this case, a "magus ex machina". We are talking about a wizard whose very name has become a synonym for "magic", after all. (I won't ask about the details of those plans; I'm just curious as to whether you'd found a way to address the problem).

Greg responds...

As with most things, I'd deal with them on a case-by-case basis. But I also had a few ideas about how I'd play my version of the character (and his 20th/21st century persona) that would have made life a bit more interesting.

I hate Deus ex Machina. I wouldn't have made you suffer through it either.

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

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Llewwellyn Gaelfire writes...

Hi Greg!

I've got a question about the nature of magic in the Gargoyle's universe. Basically, is using magic something anyone can learn to do, or must one first have a natural ability for it? For example, if Elisa studied magic, would she be able to cast spells on a level with Demona, or would she never get the knack of it (assuming she has no "natural" ability)?

Greg responds...

I would think that a certain natural aptitude would help. Almost anyone can learn to play the piano with enough study and practice, but how many will become virtuosos?

Response recorded on August 21, 1999

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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

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Airwalker writes...

Since Wyvern's magic was strong enough to keep Hakon and The Captain on the earth plane for a thousand years, what effect might Avalon's stronger magic have on the Magus and the Archmage?

Greg responds...

Oooooh, cool question.

But sorry. They're dead.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

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J.F.K writes...

In Gargoyles, how did humans learn to use magic
in the first place?

Greg responds...

In real life, how did humans learn to use fire?

Trial and error, I'd guess.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

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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

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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


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