Grab your pitchforks and torches, because it’s time to jump back into the monster action! We’ll learn more about Coldstone, as well as the other antagonists. Goliath and the clan reach a turning point in their lives as they find their purpose.
This is the last episode of season 1, which means it has to wrap up the season in a satisfying way. As you watch this ep and read the review, imagine what it would be like if we never saw another Gargoyles ep. Imagine if there was only one season. It’s okay if you need a drink afterward.
What Sorcery Is This!
According to Greg: He and the other writers made season 1 before they knew if the series would have another season. They had to complete the 13-ep lineup before even one ep went on air. Given the uncertainty of the show’s renewal, Greg made an episode that recalls the first episodes, Awakening 1-5, and titled this one Reawakening. It puts the protagonists and antagonists in positions that are satisfying to the audience and that we viewers can live with if another season didn’t happen.
Colstone stares at his wrist laser. “What sorcery is this?” This is a popular gargoyle line, one I love to use. It’s ironic coming from him, as he is alive due to sorcery.
The Trio is in a movie theater – right in the seats this time – watching Bambi, which now has…explosions? Outside, they find Goliath fighting the creature. Just another day in the Garg-verse NYC.
They put their Frisbee golf skills to use by throwing hubcaps at Coldstone.
Coldstone labels them all traitors. The understanding of betrayal is strong in this one.
Monster Makers
What are the proud creators of Coldstone doing during all this? They’re watching it all through the camera feed from Colstone’s robotic right eye.
“It seems our boy is having trouble making friends,” Xanatos remarks.
Xanatos is taking this all in stride, as if watching a fight through the eyes of a corpse you reanimated with science and sorcery is right up there with brewing coffee on the Activities of Daily Living list. Inside, he’s got to be doing his triumph jump like in Awakening part 2 when the clan first exploded from their stone sleep. He must feel proud of the accomplishment, too.
20/20 moment: Xanatos also has Thailog in the works at this point. If this and the Thailog Project had worked, he’d have two powerful gargoyles at his disposal. They’d both be custom creatures, brought into the world through bizarre methods. One will be 100% science derived, the other a combo of science and sorcery. I’m pretty sure Xanatos wouldn’t feel comfortable about Coldstone if at least some science didn’t go into the revivification.
Talk about a power trip, too! With both Coldstone and Thailog, Xanatos is responsible for giving two beings life. They are constructed rather than born, however, so there’s not really a father theme, even though the writers tried to push one with Thailog in Double Jeopardy.
Demona isn’t in this to check off another item on the List of Things Thought Impossible. She’s rationalized the aversion she should feel at piecing together a clan member and bringing him back to life. Her needs are more important than his peace. She no doubt believes she’s doing him a favor by resurrecting him. Now he can be part of the clan again and fight the good fight. Never mind that means turning on his old clanmates. The clan turned on her first, in her opinion, so all’s fair in love and war.
Side note: What is the afterlife for gargoyles? Greg has always been extremely vague. We know there is some existence after death, but not exactly what.
You also have to consider the psychological shock for Goliath. Here is his family member who was very, very dead 1000 years ago, fighting against the clan. Stephen King tapped this primordial fear with in Pet Sematary: your loved ones came back, but in a hideous way, one that’s dangerous to you and that takes them away from their rest. This is the same fear that made every culture have a vampire or ghoul myth.
Meanwhile, Goliath demands to know why Coldstone is attacking them.
He was betrayed.
They were all betrayed!
Too true, says Demona as she lands three seconds later. Xanatos (in exo-armor) and a Steel Clan robot set down beside her on a building.
Now Goliath knows who fed Coldstone lies. Goliath roars that he lived for his clan.
Demona has the perfect line: “And they died for you! Smashed to dust by the humans you trusted!”
Now half the city is watching. Lucky we didn’t have smartphone cameras back then! This would be all over YouTube. Officer Morgan comments there’s nothing they can do unless they have a nuke.
Demona tells Goliath that she has made her own clan. Ah, the irony. This is Demona’s clan: one’s a robot, one’s a human and fellow antagonist, and one’s a revived cyborg corpse. And you thought your family was dysfunctional!
Demona wants Coldstone to kill the troublesome Goliath and his clan. Who restrains her? Xanatos. “Let’s not be hasty,” he says. “I want them alive.” It would be a waste to kill the gargoyles. It’s much more fun to pester, manipulate, and generally toy with the gargoyles. I think Xanatos would be pretty disappointed if Goliath died. David is one of the very few antagonists in any series who has a legitimate reason for not killing the protags every time he has the upper hand.
Coldstone wonders what the point of surviving “like this,” referring to his physical state, is. Survival is all Demona cares about. To live is the meaning of life in her book. No purpose greater than existence is needed.
Goliath tries to talk Coldstone down, noting how few gargoyles remain. What seems to make the most impact is Goliath calling him “my brother.”
Coldstone is shaping up to be a fascinating character. He is able to think about deep concepts like the meaning of life. He knows that surviving and living are not synonymous. And…he wants to belong.
By this time the news crews have arrived. Goliath thinks quickly and wisely, suggesting they move the fight elsewhere. He knows Xanatos doesn’t want to see any more damage done to “his [David’s] city.” By the way, Goliath knows David can see and hear via the robots. Pretty smart for a gargoyle who just woke up a few months ago after a 1000-year sleep.
Demona wants this done here and now, but Xanatos agrees to change venues.
According to Greg: Goliath was using some flattery to move the fight, and that’s partly why Xanatos agreed. I go with the theory that yes, Xanatos considers NYC his city. Just as Bruce Wayne owns a vast amount of Gotham, it’s safe to assume David has vast holdings in the city. He lives here and does care if the place goes up in flames. Damage here is bad for business. Again, this differs from other antagonists or villains who don’t care how much havoc they wreak in their own backyard.
I also doubt Xanatos wants this all over the 9pm news.
They fly off, while Elisa promises to bring help. Who, the Avengers?
Side note: Did no one hear Xanatos’s voice or hear Goliath yelling Xanatos’s name? Did no one wonder about the reappearance of the gargoyle robots that we last saw causing trouble less than a month ago in The Edge?
Despite their best efforts, some shaky footage does manage to make the news. Hudson is faithfully watching TV, so he receives the Gargoyle Distress Signal. Ah, but if he leaves, who will guard the remote?
Burn Your Bridges
The party moves to the George Washington Bridge, which is closed for construction. Convenient.
Demona and Xanatos use the element of surprise by arriving fashionably late. Demona has her beloved laser rifle.
The fight pairings: Goliath vs Coldstone! Xanatos vs Broadway! Demona vs Brooklyn! Steel Clan robot vs Lexington! Let’s get ready to ruuuuumblllllle!
Brooklyn grabs Demona, making them both bounce off the bridge support and crash into the asphalt.
Lexington tricks the robot into running into the bridge.
Xanatos shoots the bridge cables, which whip back to wrap around Broadway. That is amazing timing if I ever saw any!
As Xanatos swoops in, laser up, Lex dives to nail him in the back. Xanatos is mainly concerned about preserving Goliath, but he wants the entire clan alive if possible.
It’s a mute point now, though, because Xanatos plows into scaffolding. The crash damages the armor and forces David to make the big reveal. He yanks his helmet off in front of a stunned Brooklyn and Lexington.
The clan hasn’t laid eyes on Xanatos face to face since mid January. That meeting did not go well. This meeting isn’t going any better.
You can see in the gargoyles’ faces that they’re shocked and a bit intimidated. They remember how the red robot fought in The Edge. There’s also a psychological blow here. Xanatos has armor that can fly, shoot lasers, and give him super strength? Nuts.
Before Xanatos and the boys can get farther with their confrontation, Goliath and Coldstone take a tumble off the top of the bridge and into the icy river. They sink, Goliath losing consciousness. Hudson’s voice echoes, talking about breathing the air.
Coldstone watches Goliath sink below him. Then, the “abomination” reaches out and grabs Goliath. Coldstone’s jetpack is still working, and it carries them back to the bridge. What sorcery is this!
Brooklyn and Lex rush over to Goliath’s side. Saving Goliath has earned Coldstone a place among them.
Xanatos stands apart, watching with intensity and fascination. Seems he’s studying the behavior of the clan.
20/20 moment: in Hunter’s Moon, Xanatos will see Coldstone’s rescue and raise him by rescuing the whole clan. Perhaps it was this moment that helped him see putting them in his debt would gain their allegiance.
Demona is sick of this nonsense. Coldstone needs to get his game on and kill Goliath. This isn’t how it works. This isn’t how any of this works. She gave Coldstone new life, a clan, and here he is betraying her. He’s no better than Goliath! If Coldstone wants to join Team Loser, fine. Demona will do what most other villains won’t: just shoot her enemies.
Coldstone throws himself in front of the laser. He plummets over the edge and into the water. Goliath dives in. Welp, now they’re in the water again. Good thing cold doesn’t bother our purple chickadee.
Xanatos steps up again, shooting the rifle out of her hand with his gauntlet laser before she can finish the clan off. He wants them alive. He doesn’t get farther before Coldstone interposes. He asks what the good of surviving is without purpose. Demona doesn’t need a real reason. Survival is enough.
I wonder, what does she intend to do after she kills all the humans? If gargoyles protect, it seems they require not only something to protect, but something to protect their territory and people from.
The cavalry, in traditional form, arrives late. It’s Elisa, Hudson, and Bronx. Wow, you’re really bringing in the heavy artillery!
Xanatos turns to find Bronx lunging at him. The beast pins him on his back.
20/20 moment: In Leader of the Pack, Bronx will chew off Coyote’s face when the robot is in the exact position Xanatos is here. Bronx knows not to turn humans into chew toys.
Elisa draws her weapon and starts running her mouth. “It’s over, Xanatos!”
Come on, girl. He just saved their butts from Demona. Before the dog-goyle tackled him, he was probably formulating his Xanatos Tag Ending. This is too little, too late if you wanted to help the clan.
Also, do you think he’s really worried about your gun? He’s in full armor, meaning only a head shot will affect him. I highly doubt Elisa is capable of shooting him in the head when he’s no threat, lying on his back with Bronx on top of his chest. If she did, it would be career suicide for her. You can also bet Owen would see her behind bars if it took his last breath. Or failing that, he might just have her killed. Without David to rein Owen in, the security chief is ruthlessly efficient in reaching his goals.
“I don’t think so.” Xanatos guns his jetpack, clearing him of Bronx. Then he grabs Demona and makes good his escape. Why he didn’t do this earlier when Bronx was on him, I don’t know. Perhaps he just wanted an excuse to watch the goings on a bit longer.
Protectors of the Isle
Goliath comes up empty clawed. The clan explains to Elisa that Coldstone was a brother.
The clan climbs to the top of the bridge. What do they protect, they wonder. Hudson, not the grandest thinker, asserts they protect the clock tower. He’s missing the fact that it’s above a cop shop and so needs little protecting. Goliath is the visionary. He announces their purpose: they protect Manhattan and all who live there.
20/20 moment: All who live there? Yes. This will include House Xanatos during The Gathering.
Elisa wonders if there’s anything Goliath needs.
“A detective.” His answer is a callback to Awakening part 3 when he first meets her and she explains what a detective is.
Final Thoughts
Heck of a season ender!
How will what Demona has done, i.e. bringing back a long-dead member of the clan, affect Goliath’s view of her? Brooklyn hates her already for her betrayal in Temptation. But perhaps Goliath still harbored hope for her. People don’t look kindly on necromancers. Gargoyles don’t look kindly on sorcerers to begin with. She’s both. At this point, Goliath likely thinks Demona is beyond all help, lost in the land of crazy.
Coldstone is on the bottom of the river. Will Xanatos fish him out? It’s a lot of tech to let lie. You’d think he’d also be interested in the scientific value of a creature that sorcery’s reanimated. We’ll see, I guess.
Is Colstone dead again?
What about Demona? What’s her next move? She’s tried manipulation, sorcery, and now necromancy.
What did you think of the ep? Did you expect to see Coldstone again? In what way? Comment!