With Demona’s help, Macbeth is pushing the English from Scotland. But an overheard word can change the fate of nations. Again Demona is the betrayer. The Hunter returns to finally claim his victims. Death will have to wait a few centuries for them, though.
In the present, Macbeth confronts Demona in the Eyrie Building. He’s tired, and he’s not going to take any more of Demona’s schemes. Lives hang in the balance, depending on what the apathetic former king does next.
Check out City of Stone part 3 Episode Review if you’re lost.
Spoilers are in the 20/20 moments. Info from Ask Greg is in the According to Greg bits.
Season 2, Episode 12: City of Stone, part 4
Reason(s) for existence: To continue the histories of Demona and Macbeth. To show that Xanatos can play the hero well when he wants to. To introduce a truce between Xanatos and Goliath to prove they can work together. To pit Demona and Macbeth against each other. To reveal more about the Weird Sisters’ plot. To explore the theme of vengeance and its horrible consequences. To explain how Demona and Macbeth are immortal. (Here we go again.)
Main antagonist(s): Demona, The Hunter
Time(s): November 12th-13th, 1995; 1057AD
Location(s): New York City, New York; Castle Moray, unnamed locations in Scotland
Reunion
We don’t waste any time, picking up where we left off, with Demona raising her mace over Elisa and, more importantly, Owen.
Lassie Bronx barrels in, pinning her against the computer desk. Using her Nice Voice, she calms the garg dog. He’s sophisticated, but he doesn’t understand everything people say, as evidenced by him backing down even though she explains what she’ll do instead of crushing Elisa: Change the timers on the gas packs to explode 10 minutes early. This will catch the gargoyles and Team Xanatos in the fire but not produce enough fire to break the spell. Then she’ll use her laser to kill Bronx, Owen, and “especially her.”
Since only the Steel Clan has exploding packs, I’m assuming she’s relying on the burning gas to kill the gargoyles. When I first watched as a kid, I thought everybody’s packs would explode, which made no sense to me. The exploding robots themselves might even kill a gargoyle or two.
Her lust for vengeance and obsession with destroying humanity truly knows no bounds. She’s written off the whole clan, because they don’t share her hatred. As far as we know, Goliath’s clan and Demona are the last of the gargoyle species. Xanatos said as much, and if anybody would know, he would. Then again, he’s not exactly a reliable narrator. So, are there more? If there aren’t, then Demona is wiping out the last of her kind aside from herself. Yes, the species would die out anyway since the clan is all male, unless she took…other steps. However, now she’s actively killing them. Her obsession will destroy humans and gargoyles from the earth. Then who is she going to rule?
20/20 moment: Demona doesn’t say anything about the many other gargoyle clans around the world, but this situation makes me wonder if she knows about them. If she does, then it makes sense that she’s fine with killing Goliath’s clan. However, if she does not know about it… Maybe she has a magical solution? Or maybe she’s just that mad with vengeance and hatred.
Then who should appear but Macbeth, using the same secret passage Demona used. Okay, how does he know about it?! He’s never been in Wyvern, other than when he came to kidnap the gargoyles. Also, how does Demona know Xanatos is ignorant of the passage? You gotta wonder too where all Xanatos’s beloved cameras went? How did Demona not trigger an alarm somewhere?
Anyway, Macbeth the Finder of Secret Passages is wearing the Hunter’s mask. He’s come to finish what he started at PMS. What with “the inhabitants of the city frozen in stone, it wasn’t hard to spot all those robots and gargoyles taking off from the world’s tallest building.” Makes me wonder how everybody missed that in Awakening.
He’s not here to save the clan or Xanatos, though. He’s here to kill Demona. “I want it over between us.”
Semi-Side Note: After 900 years of animosity between Macbeth and Demona, Demona kept her name. I’m rather surprised she stuck with the whole name idea in the first place. It’s a human concept. Why use something from a culture/species you hate? But I think she’s been heavily influenced by the humans. Also, she sees the benefit in a name. When humans back then heard the name Demona, they feared and respected her. It’s got a lot more power than “that blue female gargoyle that Macbeth made his adviser.” Rolls off the tongue better too.
I’m also surprised she kept it as Demona. People who get divorced usually change their names back to what they were before the disaster of marriage. She and Macbeth share a bond that’s far deeper than marriage. Every time she thinks, says, writes, or hears her name, she must remember Macbeth. Is it perhaps a goad for her, egging on her hatred of traitorous humans? (Even though she was the traitor.) Or is it like the name Yankee? The Brits meant it as a slur, but we American’s adopted it and have made it a name that invokes pride in us. Along that line, does the name Demona remind her that she easily took advantage of and outmaneuvered him?
Whatever the case, it’s a good, strong name. I can’t think of her being named anything else.
1057 AD
There’s a big battle scene. Armies are attacking each other, and the gargoyles are right in there. The Hunter and Demona struggle. Wait, the Hunter’s back? It must be Canmore. Oh, this must be what Demona meant when she said, “How many times must I destroy you?” when she first saw Macbeth in the Hunter’s mask. She meant the Hunter, not Mac.
They fail to kill each other. Shocking.
Side note: Even a small force of gargoyles can change the course of a battle, as we’ve seen. This makes me wonder why the humans haven’t gone to more lengths to enslave or co-opt the gargoyles as beasts of war, so to speak.
Demona flies back to report to Macbeth. They haven’t won, but they’re close! They’ll drive the English and the Hunter out of Scotland. She’s so excited and optimistic she actually lifts Macbeth up and spins him around. He’s less enthusiastic. It seems he has something on his mind. He excuses himself.
What’s bothering him was and is Bodhe. The annoying former ginger is whining for Macbeth to ditch the gargoyles. Apparently the English are only here to wipe them out, since they believe the Hunter’s tales of their “evil.” Um…I don’t think they’re only after the gargoyles. I think they’re more interested in taking over Scotland. It’s a bit more motivating than eliminating the last of a species.
Before Macbeth can lay out his faithfulness to the gargoyles, his son Luach barges into the discussion. He is loyal to the gargoyles and demands to know how Macbeth can stand to listen to the nonsense about betraying the gargoyles.
Macbeth takes this time, sadly, to try to teach Luach to be more circumspect. He should have just agreed with him, since he believes the same thing.
Outside, Demona is eavesdropping. As Macbeth’s adviser, she should be in there. She knows this. Evidently she’s been in many other meetings. The fact that she wasn’t invited rankles. It also makes her suspicious. She’s been betrayed by humans many a time – or so she thinks, even though she was the betrayer – so she’s not disposed to trust, even though she and Mac have been allies for 37 years.
Demona leaves before she can hear whatever Macbeth says after Luach leaves.
According to Greg: Macbeth laid it on the line for Bodhe, telling him the gargoyles were loyal, and he’ll be loyal to them.
Well, this isn’t going to be good.
Run From Your Problems
Later, another battle rages. The English are attacking Castle Moray. One of the men escapes to tell Macbeth that the gargoyles have deserted. They’re outnumbered 5:1. What did I say? Now Demona’s the betrayer again.
The English break through and begin an assault on the castle itself. The fighting is fierce.
Macbeth goes to save Gruoch, who’s trapped in a fiery bedroom.
The castle is falling. The English break through, as the defender are really bad shots with boulders and arrows. I’m still not sure how a small clan of gargoyles was supposed to fend off an army.
She advises him to flee to fight another day. He does, taking her to the same hill where long ago he told her to marry Gillecomgain. They’re on the ropes, but he’s ready to come back swinging.
Ah, but who should meet him? The Hunter, who removes the hood to reveal Canmore, son of Duncan. Not surprising. Macbeth is at a loss for who the guy is. This enrages Canmore. It does echo Demona’s meeting of Gillecomgain when he asks if she remembers her handiwork and she says no.
Big Head starts in on how evil Macbeth is and how Mac murdered Duncan. Last I checked, Duncan was fighting in a battle against Macbeth. That’s fair.
Macbeth warns him to stay in his lane. Years ago, Mac offered mercy, and he’ll do it again if Canmore will stand down. Duncan was evil and got what he deserved.
Canmore’s not alone, though. Demona reveals herself.
She’s betraying Macbeth before he can betray her. Mac is stunned. “We’ve been allies for 37 years!” Yeah, well, all good things…
While they’re arguing, Canmore shows that he’s more sensible than all the villains we’ve seen in these flashback series so far. He up and shanks Macbeth with a sword. It’s straight-up murder. To his semi-surprise, Demona also collapses. This is a gift! He was going to have to get rid of Demona anyway. She betrayed Macbeth, and it was only a matter of time before she betrayed Canmore too. He’s already wiped out the rest of her clan. Whoa, this guy takes no prisoners! This is basically how Owen would be if left to his own devices and pitted against the gargoyles.
They say every villain is the hero of his own story. Canmore is no different. He’s saving the country from the evil gargoyles. He’s avenging the death of his father. And he’s gaining power for himself.
When Canmore sees both Macbeth and Demona fall, he says it’s true what “they say”: they were linked by sorcery. When one dies, both die. Someone must have seen them share their pain, or perhaps someone who knew both Demona and Macbeth before the bargain and then saw them afterward jumped to a correct conclusion. However the rumor started, it no doubt did damaged to the king’s credibility. It was probably a point of argument at the ale houses: he’s linked by sorcerer to the demon! No, he’s not, don’t be daft. Still, people had to wonder why he was suddenly double his age…and why he never got any older. He’s looked the same, and so has she, for 37 years. That’s more than the usual lifespan of people back then.
Canmore spares Gruoch and leaves, since Luach has come with reinforcements.
Halftime!
It’s not often you get to see a character’s life and death from the get-go. It’s almost never you get to hear it from them! I love stories about immortals, and this one is no less appealing. The things Demona and Macbeth must have seen and done in 1000 years is staggering. Think of how much a person could learn, and how their understanding of the world would change. They’re either going to be very mature, or…very skewed. We have both sides of the spectrum in Macbeth and Demona. He’s mature to the point of wanting to die. She is obsessed with revenge, a desire that’s grown exponentially over the years. I think it all depends on what “lens” you see the world through. How you are now will only become more ingrained in you – unless you take steps to change. This may be good or bad.
After 1000ish years of watching life and death on earth, it’s no wonder Macbeth is done with it. How tiring to see people make the mistakes over…and over…and over again. You see the futility of life “under the sun.”
Stay tuned for the conclusion of the 4-parter on Friday! Will Macbeth kill Demona and find peace himself? Will Xanatos and the gargoyles break the spell? You can guess the answers pretty easily, but the question is, how will they pull off the wrap-up?
Thoughts? Comment!
Demona is far from the most stable and rational of people. Does she believe in gargoyle prosperity? She thinks she does. But it’s all about her vengeance and not facing up to her culpability.
As for why she kept the name, maybe because she just likes it. There might be a deeper reason, but maybe a cigar is just a cigar.
Topical that I was accused of hating Demona by an anon on Tumblr the other day.
I wonder how many people would be all that stable after going through what she went through and living for 1000 years? Macbeth is pretty stolid, but then again, he is suicidal, so…maybe not. If anything, she shows exactly what happens to people when they lie to themselves about themselves, or at least refuse to face up to their deeds and character.
Heh, maybe!
That’s anons for ya. I thought it was understood by pretty much anybody who’s even vaguely familiar with you that you’re a Demona fan of epic proportions. Yeesh.