Todd Jensen writes...

I've enjoyed your use of discarded elements for the "behind-the-scenes" parts of "Gargoyles" in the comic book (such as Constance and Staghart's nicknames, or the Canmores' pursuit of Demona to the Parisian catacombs after Charles Canmore's death). But they give me one misgiving. Now I wonder - if we get more "Gargoyles" graphic novels, what horrible fate you might have in store for Owen?

(That's a rhetorical question, I hasten to add.)

Lyana writes...

Does Owen need sleep

Anna McNarin writes...

Unfortunately, I no longer remember what my first reaction to Gargoyles was as I was eleven when the show aired, I just know what I saw stuck with me. In the back of my mind the memory of being enthralled by the characters and stories always hovered with one thought, "that was an amazing show." I do, however, recall my reactions to watching the volume one DVD oh so many quick years later. Needless to say, a spell had been cast and my love for the tale was born anew.

Having been blessed with a decent memory, there weren't any new big surprises for me as an adult, and so I felt drawn towards watching character relationships more than the action. Two characters in particular caught my interest: David Xanatos and Owen Burnett. Being a lover of duality in life, these two business men stirred my imagination and had me laughing in what was probably a very Puck-like manner.

To the average Joe on their streets, Xanatos is a charismatic -I swear I can hear Jonathan Frakes smiling-, eccentric man with just enough brains to know what to do with his money. His assistant, Owen, is the opposite, so stoic in nature some might see it as borderline masochistic, despite no doubt equaling his employer in brains, and perhaps money. There were times Xanatos treated Owen with such disregard, it was a wonder the blond man stayed on with a man, who for all appearances, viewed the worth of his life as being only as valuable as he was useful. It's that last line that never fails to put a smile on my face, because with the knowledge that Owen is the Puck the meaning twists.

Puck is an actor, arguably the best ever born, so I went through and watched Owen not just being Owen, but as Puck playing Owen. Once I did that I realized that even if the pact between them didn't exist, and given Xanatos knew Owen was born fey, Puck would probably stay on for the simple reason he and David are part of one of the biggest pranks in history. Their interactions, comments, even the extent to which Puck stays in character, it reads as one gigantic private joke on the world. After reading through some of the archives, I also had the startling notion that any person Owen were to become involved with more than likely would not know of the true nature of his soul since trapped as human he would be breaking character if he told. The "prank" continues, and Puck goes down in unwritten history as the greatest actor to live. His magic and form were suppressed, his personality wasn't, yet he keeps to his character. And to all those who would think he would go mad spending the rest of his life locked behind a mask, I don't believe so, not one bit, not when breaking character is more maddening a thought than living with it. The proof is in the scene Oberon proclaimed his sentence upon his servant, Puck swallowed his tongue the second Owen appeared. If begging for his magic were more important than his reputation as an actor he wouldn't have let transforming into Owen stop his lament. Besides, he still has his dreams, in sleep he can be as he wishes.

I have to agree, too, that the idea of Puck being Oberon's boy is absurd. Perhaps the reason so many see a resemblance is similar to how some cannot tell different people of the same nationality apart. I will grant that Oberon appears to view Puck as a child who doesn't know what is best for him and that can be seen as paternal nature, but there was never a doubt that theirs is that of master and servant. My sympathies lie with Oberon, though, for as a personal servant Puck was privy to the intimate on goings of Oberon's life as Owen is to David. To personally go and fetch your own servant, then to hear him choose another over you; I would surmise Oberon came as close to feeling like he'd lost his best friend as he ever could. Sad as I am to say it, I see Puck dying as Owen. If the great ones burn brightly to die young, Oberon's Children will never forget their Lord's pale trickster, and I venture the wisdom Hudson shares in "The Price" struck not David, but Owen.

Pardoning the lengthy analysis, I did have a few questions floating through my brain. They're lovely, potentially silly little ones those of us who love to read into everything ask. If any of it is a repeat, I'm truly sorry, I haven't made it much beyond the Owen Puck archives, the FAQ, and a few random links.

1. In your mind, do Puck and Owen share the same eyes, or at the very least eye color? Animation and comics have their faults and reasons, I'm curious to how you see it.

2. Throwing out a rough guess that there is about six inches height difference between Owen and Puck, would he have even noticed the difference it makes when standing, or being prone to floating at all heights, not have noticed at all?

3. You've previously stated that if Owen dies as the result of external forces, i.e. car crash, he gets shot, then he's dead, no coming back, good-bye. Makes perfect sense. Then there is his pact to serve Xanatos, which if I understand, counts for the whole of Xanatos' life. Also makes sense. I cannot seem to correlate the two, as Owen dying first would breach the terms. Is this a loophole in their contract?

4. Common sense, and how into character Puck gets says they wouldn't be, despite Fox and Alex proving otherwise, but any children he were to sire as Owen would be fully human wouldn't they? Or because his magic has been locked away as opposed to removed, would it be passed on like a recessive gene?

5. Speaking of suppression, as a fey caught in a mortal shell, if someone or something were to remove the inherent magic within him, would Owen die? I would think so, but you may see it differently.

Anyway, thank you -and whoever else happens upon this- for taking the time to read it. May the plot bunnies bless you. :)

M. writes...

Related to "Future Tense":
When/How did Puck find out about Goliath having the Phoenix Gate. I don't recall Puck ever knowing this before.

Grey Wolf writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,

This is Grey Wolf, I was that shy 14 year-old at the 11th Gathering. Unlike a lot of people, I’m not a whole lot LESS shy online. Sorry. But I do tend to express myself a bit better in writing than actual speech.
I got the news that this very well might be the last Gathering of the Gargoyles, and while I’m bummed, this did give me the push I needed to write this comment/question/appeal. Here goes…

Gargoyles really struck a cord with me. I realize you get that quite often, but that’s because it’s true. I was (okay, maybe still am) a bit of an outsider-looking-in with a feverish love for stories. Having Aspergers Syndrome (a mild Autism Spectrum Disorder), watching cartoons gave me a better understanding of body language and facial expressions which are generally exaggerated for TV. I got into Gargoyles long after its original run, but between DVDs and bouts of insomnia, I grew to love it.
Plot is an important part of storytelling, ‘cause without plot, there’s no story. But more important than a good plot, are good characters. Thanks for not making me settle for one or the other : ) Obviously, the Manhattan Clan holds a special place in my heart. Hudson’s slow adjustment to 20th century life mirrored my own reluctance for change. Broadway’s optimism had to have touched even the hardest cynic. Brooklyn’s lust for adventure and ambition hit the romantic explorer within me. Goliath’s somewhat solemn demeanor and true desire for what’s best for the clan made him somewhat of an idealistic leader to me. Bronx, a character in his own right, was a reminder that our ‘primitive’ selves, full of loyalty and courage, should not be buried too deep. Lexington’s cautious curiosity was so like my own desire to interact with a world that, at the same time, was so intimidating to me. Elisa’s idealism for as a police officer and acceptance of the gargoyles made for a great hero figure for a young girl to follow. Angela’s inability to understand just WHY everyone can’t (won’t?) get along was something I shared (share).
I could go ahead and list every character from the show, but that would more or less be stalling, because I have two specific characters in mind for this post: Puck and Oberon. Yeah, I know, they’re not actual gargoyles AND they’re also Shakespearian characters--- yet, I wouldn’t love them so much (maybe not have learned of them at all) if it weren’t for Gargoyles and your characterization of them.
Puck had a sense of humor, something I had to LEARN. He was childish, antagonistic, playful, and FUN. I can only wish I had the same wit and carefree state of mind. Granted, I’m a bit more mature than he is (thank God), but still; Puck’s pretty darn awesome.
Oberon scared the frig out of me at first. Something with THAT much power and THAT much ego went against everything I ever learned about the balance between power and responsibility. But deep down, he’s not such a bad guy; just… sort of a baby (oooh, don’t tell him I said that!). His hissy fits would have been comical if they weren’t so dangerous, and didn’t have such dire consequences. In my meekness, maybe I envied his self-confidence.
I can forgive them their moral lapses on the basis that they seem…. adolescent, almost? (Like I should talk…) It seems the not-so-nice things they do are more out of impulse than malice. Intent means SOMETHING, right?
Okay, now to my point. Obie and Puck seemed pretty tight in a Midsummer Night’s Dream, and even after the DEBACLE The Gathering Parts I and II, you’ve hinted to the idea that they still care for each other.
Alright, I’m a softie. Puck’s banishment at the hands of someone he loved (you have to feel some affection for the person you serve to be a good servant, right?) was absolutely heart wrenching! Okay, I felt a little bad for Oberon, too. He felt betrayed, and frankly, banishing his servant is gonna come back to bite him in the rear sooner or later. I cried, and MAN was I ticked it wasn’t resolved (even addressed!) before the series was canceled. If ever I wanted a particular story finished, that would be it. It’s literally been nagging me for over three years now, at LEAST. (Yay OCD...)

I asked you at the Gathering in Pigeon Forge whether Oberon would ever forgive Puck or not. I remember you smiled and said that “Ever is a really long time”, but that he hadn’t by 2198, and I’d have to wait and see.
I’m willing to wait and see, but the comic being canceled, and the idea that this could be the last Gathering of the Gargoyles has kinda disheartened me. Not that I’m going to give up on hoping; nobody can get rid of me THAT easily.
The question I’m going to ask you is: Will Puck and Oberon EVER be friends again?
I can wait ‘till the Gathering in August, if you like. I can even wait longer than that for an answer, say 2015, but I really am hoping for an answer. In fact, I’d like to hear/read/watch the story; but I realize I’ll have SERIOUS wait for THAT.
So, is it okay if I ask you at the Gathering?

Todd Jensen writes...

I've been hesitant about asking this question for a while, in case it turned out to be an idea in disguise, but:

In "A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time", when Goliath shouts to Owen "Take us to them [Xanatos, Broadway, and Hudson]!", Owen replies, with a sly smile on his face, "You should know that I can't do that."

Now, Owen/Puck's contract with Xanatos prevents him from using his abilities as Puck in his Owen-role, only permitting him to use his mundane skills. Was his line a subtle foreshadowing-reference to that? He'd certainly be debarred from transporting Goliath, Brooklyn, and Lexington to wherever Xanatos, Broadway, and Hudson were in the magical sense (even though Goliath obviously didn't have that in mind when he made the demand), by the deal he'd made. And it would certainly fit that smile of his, the kind of smile that suggests he knew something that Goliath didn't, and that he knew Goliath didn't know.

Thorgrimur writes...

I would like to ask a few questions about Preston Vogel. For some reason, I actually like him more than Owen.
1. Does Puck have any liking for Vogel?. Did he create the Owen persona more to honour or mock Vogel?
2. How did Vogel and Owen get along when they were both working at Cyberbiotics?
3. Did Vogel get to keep the fee he was paid by Fox for sabotaging the Cybots in "Outfoxed"?
4. (This has been asked before, but not properly answered). In the Silver Falcon story memo, there is a line refering to "Vogel's murder" (the exact line was: "Vogel's murder in the other premise, was never gonna fly". What was that about?

James writes...

Mr. Weisman,

I just bought Season Two: Volume One on DVD, and while I was watching "City of Stone," I thought about something regarding Owen and Puck. If Owen were to be destroyed while he was in his stone state, what would happen to Puck? It seems that the only magic Puck can do in his Owen state is the ability to switch back to his Puck state. If so, then would Puck be destroyed too if Owen was destroyed since he would have no way to protect himself, or would Puck just reform somehow like the Banshee and Anansi do later in the show?

Thanks in advance for any response. I love the show, and I am awaiting Clan-Building: Volume Two.

Bazell writes...

For that matter, what was Owen/Puck doing when Demona summoned him? Doing a task for Xanatos? Making a sandwich?

Matt writes...

What was Owen/Puck doing when Demona summoned him in "The Mirror"? Did he just up and dissapear or something? Did anyone witness this?

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'.

OTHELLO writes...

In the "City of Stone" Part 1. How does Demona restrain Owen into a chair when shes speaking the "Stone By Night" spell?

Matthew writes...

I hope this question hasn't been asked before. I looked over the archives, but there are a lot archives and I may have missed it. Is Owen vulnerable to iron? I know in his Puck form he is, but as Owen he's basically human.

Kevin Shane writes...

Did Xanatos share Owen's identity as Puck with Fox? I assume he did, but would there be a reason not to?

Wesley Nichols writes...

I once heard/ read that when the Midsummer Nights Dream was performed during William Shakespears time, Puck was usually portrayed by a child (can't remember where I heard this, but I believe it was an english teacher in high school). Did you ever consider giving puck the appearance of a child?

Matt writes...

1. In what spinoffs would we see Banshee and Rory Dugan?

2. Why is the Banshee's voice more painful and even lethal to humans while gargoyles seem to be less affected by it (though still painful)?

3. In your timeline you've indicated that Banshee informed Puck of the coming Gathering. How did Banshee discover that the Gathering was soon at hand?

4. What is the Banshee's relationship with Puck? Why did she inform him of the Gathering?

5. While the Banshee has Oberon's metal plate over her mouth, can she still transform into Molly or Cromm-Cruach? If so, does the plate remain in place or is that strictly a feature of her Banshee form?

Thanks Greg!

Anonymous writes...

I'm new to all this just reading through Ask Greg, While I was wandering around something caught my attend whih was in VII. Family Xanatos & Owen/Puck question 8. Does Owen have a love life? If so, do we know his romantic interest? And Your respond, Yes he does, but we do not know who she is, but however she is human. Now here is my question, is it only owen who loves her, or does puck also care for this woman?

Thank you for your time

Gipdac writes...

Seeing "Reckoning" when Demona was explaining to Angela how she survived over a thousand years made me think, how much does anyone really know about her immortality; for example during "City of Stone" she lied to Xanatos about it, so…
1. How much of Demona's true story (about MacBeth, her immortality, the Weird Sisters, her clan after Wyvern, the Hunter(s), etc.) does Angela really know?
2. How much does Thailog know about Demona's true story?
3. How much does Xanatos know about Demona's true story?
4. How much does Puck/Owen know about Demona's true story?
5. How much do Goliath and the rest of the Manhattan clan know about Demona's true story?

Beatrice writes...

I've heard you hate what if questions, but I have a question that's been rattling in my head...

Puck's spell has her turn human in day and gargoyle at night. So my question is if she were to have another child, would it be affected by the spell? And if not is it because Puck's spell directed at her?

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?

Anonymous writes...

How can Owen/Puck have a relationship when he can't age?

Mera writes...

Hi, Greg.

I’m compelled to tell you that I have never been interested in comics much less read them until Gargoyles and BUFFY/ANGEL (they are the only ones I read and I have every issue). I had a dream once about you and Joss Whedon collaborating in something but I woke up before I saw what it was. Therefore, please keep up the amazing work in bringing out the comics (or show if the stars align) and maybe, who knows, one day I can see both your names on something I’m reading/watching. My selfish fantasies have come true before.

Here’s the question. Even though I adore all the characters Gargoyles had brought to life for me, I, as everyone have a soft one for one or two particular characters. Depending on how you look at it. Will Owen (or Puck) ever get his own storyline or particular focus? Not asking about romance, unless there is one! Won’t say no about it. But he is a very interesting character and I hope for us to see more of him and his sharp witty one-liners.

Thanks.

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!

TiniTinyTony writes...

In "Double Jeopardy", Owen has been quoted in saying that Thailog is smarter than Xanatos. In your opinion,
a) does this statement remain to be a true from your point of view?
b) Is a character's intelligence something you consciously think about when writing his/her dialogue? For example, have you ever written dialogue for a character and said to yourself, "This doesn't sound like something this character would say!"?
c) Who is THE smartest character in the Gargoyle Universe, right now in 1996? Does any one particular character stand out in your mind?

The Barracuda writes...

Just to clear something up, are David Xanatos and Owen Burnett's private offices actually in the castle, or below in the Eyrie building? Both offices have a very modern construction motif, and the massive window that frames the wall behind Xanatos' desk doesn't appear anywhere on the castle's exterior (unless I missed it). Plus, the hallway that appears behind the double doors of his office also appears very modern. Thanks.

Lucy_Lopez writes...

How old is Owen? Also as he ages does Puck age?

Anonymous writes...

Hiya Greg. Just curious - what are your thoughts, if any, on Puck's sexual orientation? Not that I expect a straight answer...so to speak! ;) Thanks for your time!

Linda Rose writes...

Q1.) Since Owen was absent during Cloud Fathers. Have you any thoughts on how you think Puck/Owen would have reacted to Xanatos's intent on capturing Coyote? (Considering how the Puck initially seemed to take been captured himself by Demona. Is that why he was left out of the episode?)

Q2a.) Why did not the Puck include Owen the illusion in Future Tense?
Q2b.) Have you any thoughts on how Puck would he have explained Owen's absence if Goliath had asked what became of him?

Q3.) I noticed the Egyptian slave manacles on the Pucks arms.
Was this meant to represent the fact that Oberon treats Puck more like a slave than a servant or did they just look cool in the drawings?

Q4.) It's been mentioned that Puck resets Owens age to the point of His and Xanatos's original 'Lifetime of loyal Owen service deal' agreement every time he transforms back and forth, from Puck to return to Owen.
But if Alex where to die and consequently Owen could never again become the Puck, would this result in Owen growing old and the Puck/Owen dying?
(Baring any intervention that is.)

Q5.) Did Puck/Owen's 'Lifetime of loyal Owen service, with no interference from the Puck Deal' come before or after Xanatos's and Demona's introduction meeting and resulting alliance?

Q6.) If 'before' was the answer to the question above… You have stated and it is hinted in the show that Demona knew Owen was Puck and when asked how, you stated that Puck/Owen introduced her and Xanatos.
But for Demona to know this wouldn't it have meant that Puck had revealed his true identity to Demona?
Wouldn't this be breaking the 'no interference from the Puck' in the terms of the 'Lifetime of loyal Owen service deal' he made with Xanatos?
Or the no meddling rules of lord Oberon?

Thank You in Advance. :)

dph writes...

I have a few questions about the Puck/Owen duality or rather who knows about it.

1. Outside of Goliath's clan living in Manhattan, David Xanatos, Fox, and Alex, how many others know about that duality?

2. Does Thailog know about that duality?

DarkFaye writes...

Is it just me or are there eire simularities between charecters of Gargoyles and charecters of different shows?
Ex:
Oberon/Inu no Taisho(Inu Yasha's father)
Owen/Cedric(W.I.T.C.H)(Owen just has shorter hair though)
And Puck/Yue(Card Captor Sakura)
It's really quite freaky.

Bazell writes...

Did Fox know about Owen/Puck before The Gathering. Though she is suprised by the revelation of her mother's identity? She just doesn't appear startled by the existence of purly magical beings (though, she was preoccupied by worry for her child).

patrick writes...

a follow up on my other question, are there plans for puck in the comic? if so are there plans for oberon and titania as well (besides the queen mab thing).

patrick writes...

were their plans to use the character puck in more episodes, and if there were proposed plans can you explain them?

Cookingace writes...

Who is/are responsible for the meals of Family Xanatos?
do they have an exclusive family chef or
Xanatos and Owen are already is since both of them know how to cook?
i wonder whether Fox can cook or not..can she??

Anonymous writes...

I know that when Puck takes on a role he tries to completely become that character, but when he's Owen does he also think to himself in his Owen persona at all times? Once he stops being able to change back, it seems like he would at least want to think like he normally would (since he so loves to have fun and play tricks on people, while Owen does not). Just something that I started wondering after a while.

Titanium Dragon writes...

I have a question about the episode "The Mirror". In it, Demona has Puck in chains (presumaly iron ones, given the nature of the fey). The thing about that episode was that it always felt to me like Puck wasn't really her captive at all, and was really just playing with her and using her as an excuse to do mischief. Was this intentional, or am I reading it wrong?

Grey Wolf writes...

Will there eventually be a happy ending for Puck? I won't ask for details. Where season two left off, he seemed to be in a bit of a 'tough time'. (Although, not as much as some characters) But you know what they say, it has to hurt if it is to heal.

Anonymous writes...

I've got to say, Puck is one of my favorite characters (which is funny, because most of my favorite characters aren't the favorites of other people). Maybe it's because he reminds me of my cat, but it's probebly because he has something I've never been very good at getting: a decent sense of humor. Oberon on the other hand..... It took me a while to warm up to him. I like him now though. Because I'm a person who has been taught humility since the age of seven, I think he's waaaaaay too proud. My mom thinks he's a bit of a baby, but she's amused by it. Maybe as a phycologist, she sees something I don't. The following observations and questions are about the two afore mentioned members of the Third Race. I guess they count as one topic....

I was suprised by Oberon's harsh punishment for Puck in 'The Gathering' (expecialy since HE was the one at fault), but I guess his banishment from Avalon could have been a 'So There' kind of thing. In my mom's oppinion (She's a fan too, by the way) Oberon was like 'Oh, it's BORING, is it? I guess you won't mind never coming back then....' and Puck was like 'Well, actually, I was just sort of..... whining.' Later, I thought I hit the moral of the story and told my mom (who was surprised I hadn't gotten it earlier). Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Mom! I think I got the moral of the story!
Mom: Hm?
Me: Your pride doesn't just hurt you; it hurts the people around you!
Mom: ..... Duh.
Yeah... now for some real questions.

1. You said Oberon probebly still cares for Puck. What about Puck still caring for Oberon? After a punishment like that, (which I figure was done more for Oberon's pride than anything else) I might be a little bitter.
2. If this wasn't fair, why didn't Titania say something? Is she still upset about the donkey thing? I can't say I blame her, but we're talking about a way extream punishment here!
3. Will this state of tension be adressed in future stories?

Battle Beast writes...

Posession>

<<FINALLY...
We wanted that giant pocket watch (or whatever) that Puck pulls out at the end to be a MICKEY MOUSE WATCH... but Disney would just not allow it. They were afraid it would come off as product placement in a kid's show or something.>>

...Because Puck is a mickey Mouse kinda guy???

Zeki writes...

When Owen is assissting Xanatos in his less-than-nice plots, does Owen's 'inner Puck' ever feel remorse for it? Does he have any ... I suppose I would call it 'moral disagreements' with what Xanatos does? Trickster or not, Puck doesn't strike me as the type that would get off on ruining people's lives. Can he feel guilt? Or are Oberon's Children above that sort of weakness?

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?

Idril writes...

hi! I have a question about puck. is he consusly controling owen? like he made himself be owen but deep inside owen is puck actuly thinking puck thoughts but acting like owen. like xanatose has his exosceletin and he wears it, he looks like a robot but he controls it, the exoskeleten dosn't control himself. I mean puck and owen aren't two peaple it's just pucks secret identety sort of. is that right?

The Masked Retriever writes...

My Puck/Owen Ramble:

I didn't see it coming, okay? Maybe I'm thick or something but I did not have the -slightest- clue that Owen was really the Puck. Did. Not. See it. I was blown away, to put it mildly. I fell out of my chair and frothed for a bit. Having managed to see these episodes in order, I'd seen all of Owen's episodes and Puck's and still didn't see it coming. Later, when I re-watched City of Stone, I fell over again: YOU KNEW ALL ALONG!! HINTS!!! EVERYWHERE!!! AGhthth!

As to the stone fist, I'd read it like this: Owen didn't know -what- the cauldron would do, but figured if it was something really bad, he could always get a new hand, given some time. His faith in Xanatos' technology was quite high, and there was ample evidence that Xanatos was developing loyalty-like emotions of his own. (I say loyalty-like because frankly Xanatos is one scary bugger, even post-Gathering.) As for Xanatos, I (wrongly, it turned out) read him as really feeling something there, some shock, some dismay and even sympathy, BUT knowing that the worst thing he could express was sympathy. It's not the Xanatos way to cry over spilled milk, or even a few gallons of spilled blood. You arch an eyebrow, make a mental note, and go on. To me at least, he did Owen a great service by reacting in the most Xanatos way possible, and in fact anything else would have been an insult to what I thought at the time was a huge (but on some level, justified as it IS freaking immortality) sacrifice.

(That last bit works really well even if you know about Puck, but it's far less dramatically heavy and more of a sublimely funny moment the two friends share. To translate the lines into Dude-where's-my-car-ese: "Hey, check it. Human form, human effects." "Huh huh. Awesome." The pair are actually -both- parodying themselves here, Owen being subserviant to the point of near-insanity, and Xanatos blowing it off. I like to think that here Xanatos is kind of thinking to himself "boy, I'm kind of a jerk, aren't I" but having more fun playing the part than any sort of remorse-like emotions.

If I somehow haven't said it enough, holy crap Gargoyles is the awesomeness, I've bought two copies each of the two DVD sets out, and I am obsessed with Xanatos' scary hotness. I have a LiveJournal icon of him from "The Edge" with the words "OMG XANATOS!" blinking underneath it. A toast to the prettiest, scariest, yummiest villain of all time.

Rhea writes...

'The Mirror' is one of my favorites eps. But one thing bothered me about it when I first found out about Owen being Puck.
Did Puck transform Xanatos into a gargoyle with the rest of the city? Or did his terms/agreement with Xanatos prevent him from doing so?

PJ writes...

I've always noticed that Puck has somewhat of an effeminate 'vibe' about him. So I was wondering; is Puck in fact gay/bisexual, or just a bit camp?

Regards,
PJ

Rhea writes...

I have many questions about Owen/Puck.
1) What exactly were the terms Owen/Puck made with Xanatos?
2) Why did Xanatos chose Owen over a chance for immorlity?
3) What does the Xanatos family (even a future Alex) see Owen as? Buisness partner? Friend?
I mean Xanatos saves Owen from braking in 'City of Stone' so he must like him some what. It's not in Xanatos character to just save someone, they must mean something to him, right?
4) How do the gargoyles, Elisa, and Matt see Owen? Do they think he's like Xanatos, or just a man who helps Xanatos out on the sidelines?
5) Does Oberon care for Puck? He seemed upset about punishing Puck in 'The Gathering'.
6) And am I right in thinking that Owen and Fox's mother knew who each other were before 'The Gathering'? If so why didn't Titinia tell Oberon about Puck/Owen?

DPH writes...

How exactly did you come to realize that Puck and Owen were the same person?

Was it because you looking at who Puck had served and needed somebody?

Ceres writes...

Ok, so I've been checking this place on and off for the last 7 years and only now have I bothered to ask a question. I figured that somebody would've asked it a lot earlier (I searched the archive plenty of times), so I guess it'll fall on my humble shoulders.

Are you ready? *drumroll*

What did Titania whisper to Fox in the end of the Garthering?

*rimshot!* Okay, okay, lame joke! For real this time!

1) When Puck decided to create Owen after seeing Vogel, how fast did that happen? I mean, did he met Vogel a Monday and by Friday Owen was already sending in his resume? Or did he wait a bit, do some type of research to sound more convincing? Did he even NEED to do research? Which brings me to another question...

2) Did Owen... or Puck, for that matter... ever went to college or its 16th century equivalent? I mean, 1000 years is a lot of time to horse around. Did he ever sign up in a comminuty college in a fit of boredom or something? I'm asking because it seems to me the Renard position required a lot of schooling. Puck is great con artist, but can you really bluff you way through a lab/a corporation for years and years? Seems you can't keep it up forever.

Yes, this is what has been nagging me for years until I finally cracked. Yay me, I guess.

Gipdac writes...

1. Before “The Gathering” did Fox know Puck and Owen were one in the same?
2. When did Vogel start working for Renard?
3a. When did Owen start working for the Renards? 3b. When did Owen start working for Xanatos?
4a. Before “The Gathering” did Titania know Puck and Owen were one in the same? 4b. If the answer is yes, then when did she find out? 4c. How did she find out?
5. Had Vogel and Owen met before Alexander’s birth during “The Gathering”?

Fluffy writes...

Refering to the choice Xanatose made with Owen.
Just how did Owen show himself as puck to Xanatose with out brakeing Oberon's law?

Puckluver writes...

Hey Greg! Can you tell me if the new Gargoyles season actually comes up, will Owen/Puck find his love match then, or will it be later?

Vinnie writes...

What are the limits on the binding spell that Oberon put on Puck? From a certain perspective Puck would be protecting Alex by using his magic on Xanatos' enemies. A premptive attack by Puck would spare Alex much trauma, so protecting Alex's emotional state in this way would be as important as protecting his phyiscal state in the result of a direct attack on his person.

Lawrence Matheson writes...

How could Puck reveal himself to Xanitos? Woldn't that be INterviening in Human affairs?P.S any fans of the show who thinks they can answer this question can write to me at opinionsrgood@hotmail.com

Question writes...

Is the Puck of Team Atlantis the same Puck of the gargoyles world just in a different shape or is this a totally different character with a different backstory? Would he be a member of the third race? If he is not then what is his backstory?

On the premeise of Team Atlantis are all the phenomenon(Loch Ness Monster, Puck, Terracotta Soldiers) the team encounters caused by the crystals?

Akia writes...

Hi!

I´m a big Owen/Puck fan!
And I asked myself (and now you;))what would be the charakter of his girlfriend? He has two(maybe thousand?)personalitys. But what is it he likes at other peoples personalitys?

Valaine Fea writes...

Hello!
I´m from Austria and a big Gargoyles fan!:)
Thanks for the show!
Now my question:
2198
Will Owen look like the Owen we know? Or older?
You said he has a love life. In 1996 or in 2198(between?)?

Please excuse me if I said something grammatically wrong. I`m not very good in english;)

Greetings from Vienna,
Valaine

Annie Onimous writes...

Was up!
At the end of the episode "the mirror", before Puck got all ticked and did the whole human by day thing, did he seem to sort of loosen up to Demona a bit to you? I thought he started to kinda like her near the end. What do you think greg?

Todd Jensen writes...

In "City of Stone Part Three", Owen suggests to Xanatos that they look through the Grimorum Arcanorum for a way of reversing Demona's spell upon the city. This didn't seem too odd to me at the time, but after I found out that Owen was really Puck in "The Gathering", I started puzzling over it a little. After all, it seems more than likely that Puck, an inherently magical being, would already be aware of the fact that the spells in the Grimorum could only be used by experienced sorcerers, which Xanatos didn't have on hand, without Xanatos needing to tell him that. So I find that a bit puzzling - unless Puck didn't know as much about the "rules" governing human magic as he did about Oberati magic.

Rob writes...

The Mirror is one of my favorite episodes... what would Puck have said to the audience if the lines were left in the script?? thanks a lot

Roberta Bonaime writes...

I noticed in one of your answers to the question "Is Puck the biological son of Oberon" you stated that not only is that incorrect, but you also did not understand why we could think that. I think I have an answer to that. One they look incrediably simaliar, hair color, and facial features wise. Two, in several legands (I really do my homework.) Puck was the biological son of Oberon, and a mortal woman. three, when oberon banished Puck, there was a fleeting moment of sadness present on Oberons face. (Though, that might suggest that Obie was on Titania's plot. Mabye not though.)
Just thought you like to know.

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.

Not Telling writes...

In the epasode "The Edge" owen's eyes are brown,but thay are blue in the other epasodes,was it an error?

Katie Bidwell writes...

Okay, enough! :) I've just got to know...Who are Puck's parents then?

Katie Bidwell writes...

Puck looks too much like Oberon to not be his child, is it possible Puck is related to Oberon if not his biological son?

Ricardo from Portugal writes...

Can Puck predict the future?:

In "Future Tense" there were many facts that Owen couldn't possibly know by himself, like Demona's future affection towards Angela; the making of more clones (The Reckoning) in the reference of the Clone Wars; the destruction of the Clock Tower (The Hunter's Moon, part II); and Xanatos' son being named Alexander (although Xanatos and Fox could have chosen that name before "Future Tense"...

Ricardo from Portugal writes...

Hey! I was wondering why did Puck had black eyes in "The Mirror" and latter in "Future Tense" and the other two episodes where he appears he has blue eyes?

A) It was because in "The Mirror" you hadn't decided yet that all Oberon's Childrens would have blue eyes(including Oberon and Titania themselves)?

B)And why do they all have blue eyes? Does it have any kind of meaning?

I would realy like to get an answer to my question, besause this is the forth time that I post one and all the others got lost with no answer...

Scott M. writes...

Is Puck unable to undo the spell that turned Owen's arm to stone, or does Puck choose not to reverse it because it would be "breaking the character" of Owen?

Anonymous writes...

I thought Oberon stated that Puck could use his magic to teach Alex or protect Alex. Since Alex was captured in 2198, couldn't Puck use his magic to save him?

Babs writes...

Ok im not gonna ask to many questions, I know your probably going crazy from all the other questions that everyone else is asking. I was reading through the archive and FAQ's to hunt to see if what I was going to ask was already answered and over 2-3 hours later when I lost all felling in my butt(shut up ;p) and my eyes about to pop out; to my dismay I didnt find the answers, unless my dumbass just didnt see them which that is probably more likley. We'll here they are
1) hmm how can I put this (no not a sex question) I was wondering what the Gargoyles skin is?... uh ours is flesh , lizards are scales, bears are fur. Now some Gargoyles you can tell what thier skin is just by looking at them, so I guess this is leaning more towards the Scotish Clan. Depending on what breed of animal they are the skin would be more harder to puncher.
2)Darn forget what episode , We'll it's the one when Owen stuck his hand in the pot of life and it turned into stone, I took notice in the rest of the shows his hand pretty much stayed in the same postition, but when watching "Broadway goes to Hollywood" he was holding a book with that hand. So my question is can he move that hand as if it wasn't stone or was that just a glitch in that episode ?
3)Regarding to question #2. When Owen turns into Puck his hand is not stone anymore, since they are 2 different people im guessing that when he's Owen he has a different body and Puck the same , but they still do share the same body, is that Pucks magic changing his hand to flesh for teaching shake ?, you can just say , sure whatever you think for this one. I don't quite know what I just asked either.

I'm one of those people that analyze everything kinda goes with the territory with having a slight case of O.C.D, ya notice things that no one else does, but kinda miss the things that are right in the open.
Danke for taking the time to answer my questions.
Gargoyles Forever !

Orianna, the elven mage writes...

Alright, this may seem a bit strange to ask, but I'm working on a fan fiction that included Puck.
I need to know all I can about him.
So will you please help me out on this.
Bassically I need to know about his history and if he has a girlfriend or not.
Thanks for your help.

Sha'Lane aka divesangel writes...

Okay here it goes. First of all I'd like to say great job!! I love the way you've done things. BRAVO!! I especially love how you took some of Shakespeare's plays, plots, and characters and put them in the show. Pure briliants!! Anywho, before I get carried away, I actually have a lot of questions, some I'm sure you've probably answered, so I'll put it in one question statement and you answer or reply as you please or rather take it as you will. I was wondering what you could tell me about Puck w/o giving away to much info. We know very little about him. Thanks for your time.

Anonymous writes...

the magus kinda looks like puck,is it weird?

Gesamtschule/Felix writes...

Who is puck? What kind of craeture is he?

jamie writes...

what are the roles of puck and oberon in a midsummers night dream

Zarok writes...

Hi Greg
I have a few questions regarding gargoyles 2198…

1) You once said that CGI would be ideal for 2198, care to elaborate. Do you feel that certain visual aspects would be best represent in GCI or do you figure people will naturally equate aliens and such with CGI.
2) A lot of the plot lines in 2198 seems to depend on the viewer being familiar with the original Gargoyles series and would be near incomprehensible to a new viewer. I mean how would you explain stuff like the Owen/Puck and Alexander IV relationship without regurgitating a complex and confusing back-story. (I know it doesn't seem confusing when you actually watch the show but it's not the sort of thing you can relate in a few minutes of exposition). So have you given any thought on how you would bring a new viewer up to speed?

The Soulider writes...

In "The Mirror," why did Elisa get her shoes back and none of the other humans-turned-gargoyles get theirs back when the were changed back into humans? And where *did* Elisa'a Jacket go?

AngelOfTheNight writes...

Concerning Puck and Demona, In "the Mirror" Demona tells Puck, "You've served the human, now you can serve me", As well as in "City of Stone" she calls Owen "the tricky one".
The rest of us didn't know Owen's true identity until the end of "The Gathering". So my question is, just how and for how long does Demona know Owen is Puck? Sorry if this has already been asked, didnt see it anywhere in the archives. P.S. I was glad to hear that you and yours were safe after the WTC tragedy.

The Fan from Portugal writes...

Hey, I have a question about the relationship between Demona and Owen: If she knew he was the Puck all the time, how come did she never confront him after "The Mirror" episode? In "City of Stone, part 1" she said to Owen 'You are the tricky one', I presume she meant as Puck, but at the time we don't know that. Why did she never made a comment about that? or even a glance?