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City of Stone, Part II
Synopsis | Review by Juan F. Lara | Review by Todd Jensen
Overview
by Guandalug la'Fay
- The clan learns about the effects of the spell, and about the spell itself
- Demona goes on to destroy statues of "stoned" humans
- Back in 1032 AD, we learn that the Weird Sisters tried to form an alliance between Demona and MacBeth
- Xanatos, knowing that he cannot stop Demona on his own, offers Goliath an alliance, which is reluctantly accepted
Synopsis
by Niki Boultinghouse
Act I
In Xanatos' helicopter, Xanatos struggles with the controls. With Fox turned to stone in the pilot seat, he has to land the chopper himself, from his seat. He successfully lands, and says "Any landing you can walk away from." He assures himself that Fox is not chipped, then climbs out and looks around. Apparently he is genuinely surprised that all the people are stone. He remarks to himself that he needs to have a little talk with Demona, and also that he will have no luck getting a cab. He gets a gun from the chopper and head toward the Pack Media Studios.
At the Clocktower, the gargoyles study the statue of Elisa, wondering who brought it to them. Brooklyn notes how it doesn't look exactly like her, unaware that it is her. However, since no one else knows where they are, they surmise that it was Elisa herself who had given it to them. When they find that she is no where to be found, Goliath suggest they go out to search, and when asked for what, he replies that he does not know. He orders Broadway and Bronx to stay and watch over the statue while the others go out.
As they head toward Jeffery Robbins' house, Brooklyn notes how quiet it is below. They land at Robbins' house and summon him to the door. The blind man comes outside to talk with them and confesses how relieved he is that they stopped by. Concerned because he could not reach anyone by phone, and because of the odd silence, he says he is very jumpy. Brooklyn quickly asks how long ago the silence had started. Robbins remarks to Hudson how impatient Brooklyn is; Hudson says that it is the curse of youth and asks if Robbins has noticed anything unusual. Robbins' says that it got silent around sunset, and remembers an odd broadcast on the T.V. throughout the day. He takes the gargoyles inside to see the T.V., and at the sight of Demona Goliath tells Lex to turn down the sound. Robbins explains that it has been on all day on every channel. Goliath says that they must leave. Robbins, sensing the trouble asks Hudson what is wrong, and that he knows they are not telling him everything. Hudson tells him that what is going on is the last thing he would think and to stay inside, for it is going to be a bad night.
Searching the city, Goliath remarks that he hadn't known Demona had such powers, and Brooklyn says he wouldn't put anything past her. Lex asks Hudson why Robbins had not been affected and he explains how to be touched by the magic, one must see AND hear the incantation. Robbins, as any blind or deaf person, was immune. Goliath splits them up, taking Brooklyn with himself and telling Hudson and Lex to stop by and tell Broadway and Bronx to search as well. Lex is concerned about Elisa, but Goliath tells him that Demona does not know where she is, and she will be safe. As they split up, Brooklyn asks how they will be able to find Demona, and Goliath says "I'm afraid that will be all too easy."
Somewhere below, Demona is on a rampage. She ruthlessly destroys any human statue she somes upon. In a mad craze she jokes with herself until she notices the time, and she goes on to meet Xanatos at the studio in case he tries to shut down the broadcast.
From an aircraft, a man wearing the mask of the Hunter, presumably MacBeth, tracks the origin of the broadcast to the Pack Media Studios.
Act II
The masked man in the present fades into the Hunter of the past. 1032 AD, Scotland. The Hunter is battling Demona. She mocks him in his weak humanity, but must leave at the rise of the sun. She warns that they will finish another night, and he mutters to himself that not of he finds her during the day.
At castle Moray, MacBeth asks Gruoch's father how he could wed his daughter to Gillecomgain. Bodhe replies because he chose him, and MacBeth retorts "Then Gruoch and I will quit this castle!". Bodhe reasons with him, reminding him that Duncan, his cousin and king, ordered the wedding, and to defy that would be treason. Macbeth threatens once again to take her and the kingdom as his own, but Bodhe pleads with him, telling him that there is no safe to hide, and "if you cannot think of yourself, at least think of my daughter."
On a hilltop near the castle, MacBeth meets Gruoch. Sensing his misery, she asks what is wrong. MacBeth tells her that he has time to reflect, and that she must do as her father bids and marry Gillecomgain. Worried, she asks him to say he is jesting, and reminds him that they swore to face whatever future they may encounter together. He turns and coldly says "You're not worth the trouble." taken aback, but loyal, she says "As you wish" and leaves. MacBeth has to stop himself from going after her, and endures his own misery alone.
At the castle, Gillecomgain and Gruoch are introduced to the people in the court. The Wierd Sisters note the happy beginning the wedding represents, for everyone but MacBeth. Later the first son of Duncan is announced, and at the celebration of the future king, MacBeth leaves in misery. Duncan notices and grins miscieviously to himself.
In another room and fearing MacBeth, Duncan tells the Hunter, Gillecomgain, to arrange an 'accident' for MacBeth. Gillecomgain refuses, concerned about the suspicion it would arouse about his father's death, which was ordered by Duncan himself. Duncan angers ands tells Gillecomgain not defy him. Undaunted, Gillecomgain turns the tables, telling Duncan that perhaps HE should not defy HIM. Later that evening, Duncan calls MacBeth in and tells him that Gillecomgain is the Hunter, his father's murderer. Pretending concern that openly attacking Gillecomgain will lead to war between Moray and Scotland, he plays on MacBeth, letting him take the responsibility for getting rid of the Hunter. MacBeth follows right along, saying "Leave him to me!"
In Demona's lair, the Wierd Sisters again try to convince Demona to ally with MacBeth to destroy the Hunter. Still denying her own responsibility, she declines, saying she will never ally with a human again. The sisters tell her "... when allied you can win, but seprately..." but Demona cuts them off, "I make no promises."
At Castle Moray, Gillecomgain approaches Gruoch outside on the balcony. She turns coldly from him. He sighs and tells her it is cold and to go in and tend the fire. She leaves the rose MacBeth gave her and Gillecomgain picks it up. He smells it, then throws it down and steps on it. MacBeth, seeing this, comes out and challenges Gillecomgain. In the fight, Gillecomgain loses his sword. The princess comes out at that moment and before MacBeth can stop him, Gillecomgain takes her hostage. MacBeth lays down his sword in surrender, and Gillecomgain puts on the scarred mask. Demona who was watching from the shadows chides his choice to let her see him put on the mask and attacks him. Gillecomgain throws Gruoch to Demona, who pushes her to the side and nearly over the side of the castle. MacBeth reaches out desperately to grab her.
Act III
MacBeth manages to pull her back to safety. Demona pushes the Hunter against the side, and takes off his mask. She see's the scars on his face that she put there long ago. He recalls the event to her and asks if she remembers. "No" she replies bluntly. He pulls her over the edge and they both start to fall. Macbeth reaches out and grasps her hand at the last second. Gillecomgain hangs on to her legs, but not for long. She hits him with her tail and he plummets down to his death, just as MacBeth's father had many years ago. Demona thanks MacBeth, who says he owed it to her. "Good" she says, "Then we're even". She then glides off, away from the humans.
Gruoch's father presents "the high steward of Moray and his new Bride, Lord and Lady MacBeth" to the people. Duncan watches bitterly from a window above with his son in his arms. "There will always be a hunter" he tells the child, who is taken by a maid, one of the Wierd Sisters. He puts on the scarred mask, "and there will always be the hunted." The three sisters look at each other, then at the child.
Back in New York, Goliath and Brooklyn land on a street that Demona has already passed through. Brooklyn looks around and says somberly "It's like the massacre at Castle Wyvern." Goliath questions whether Demona has learned anything all the years she has been alive, especially that 'all life is precious'. He notices three small statues in a doorway. He recognizes them as the sisters who warned him earlier. Brooklyn worries that one of the statues might be Elisa. "No!" Goliath shouts, and then calmly but angrily, "We will put an end to her evil, once and for all!" One of the three statues speaks, saying that yes, Demona must be stopped, but that for Goliath to remember his own words, that all life is precious. They warn him not to become what he is fighting, that vengence begets nothing but a vicious cycle of further violence. Awed, Brooklyn comes up to them and curiously taps the first small statue. She crumbles at the touch, the other two following her to the ground as a pile of dust. Goliath turns and leaves, Brooklyn slowly following, still looking at the statues.
At Pack Media Studios, Demona arrives and attempts to crush Owen. Xanatos speaks up, telling her to move away from him. He destroys the controls, saying he is 'cancelling' her show. "I think not!" she growls and attacks him. Xanatos throws her off, and into Owen. Seeing his friend fall, Xanatos leaps underneath him to keep him from being smashed. Just as Xanatos stands Owen back up, Demona rams into him. She picks him up, but is interrupted by the masked man. She tosses Xanatos aside and turns to the Hunter. "How many times must I destroy you?" she cries out. He shocks her with his gun, but is apparently affected by it as though he had been shocked. "So, it's you" Demona says and turns and climbs to the roof. The Hunter fires a cuff that catches her ankle as she tries to leap away. he tries to pull her down, but she instead comes down and knocks him over. She land and slices the wire attached to the cuff, and again tries to escape. The Hunter jumps off the building onto Demona, who maneuvers close to a wall to knock him off. She succeeds, but he grabs the excess wire hanging from her foot. She swerves down and throws him against another wall, hitting his head. She herself turns over in pain for moment, but then glides away to her freedom, the man falling onto a balcony patio. He says she will not get away so easily and summons his aircraft. Demona looks back, and wonders how he found her.
Brooklyn and Goliath enter the studio and find Xanatos working at a control board. Xanatos tells Goliath that he is too late, that Demona had already left, chasing the Hunter. Goliath tensely asks Xanatos if he was part of Demona's plot. He admits to helping her, but only because he thought she might deliver her promise. Goliath advances toward Xanatos. "I should make you pay for all the lost lives!" he fires at him. Xanatos, unafraid, asks Goliath if he wants revenge, or a solution. He tells Goliath that the situation is much bigger than either of them can handle, and that they will have to work together. Though untrusting, he is between a rock and a hard place. Goliath agrees and he and Xanatos shake to a truce.
Review
by Juan F. Lara
This part was weaker than the first part, but still not bad.
I had more questions about the spell scheme. I wondered why the Gargoyles didn't notice that many other statues out in the New York streets, but I figured that they were too high up in the air to see them. Also, Robbins couldn't possibly be the only blind person in the tri-state area. :-) Speaking of which, what about deaf people? Additionally, I was confused by how long you had to see the broadcast for it to work. I guessed that you had to watch and hear one full incantation. But what about people who don't watch TV and who only might've glanced at the broadcast in a store window? I would've liked to have seen a couple of unaffected humans wandering about the streets.
I did like that they had car crashes, though. I thought that the creators would ignore that detail.
I'm sure that the Gargoyles suspect the Weird Sisters to be faeries by now. The sisters had another surreal scene, this time as stone statues.
Demona never seemed so frightening as when she was destroying those human statues. But then the episode contrasted that scene with the scene of MacBeth chasing after her, with Demona now on the defensive. I thought that illustrated the ambiguities about Demona.
Yet another significant character meets doom by falling from a great height. This is getting monotonous. :-) And nobody noticed the similarities between Gillecomgain's scars and the Hunter emblem? But these are only nits for me, as I still found the MacBeth story very enjoyable.
Looking forward to Parts 3 and 4.
Quotes
Hunter: Look closely, creature. 'Tis your handiwork. Done when I was but a
lad. Remember?!
Demona: ...No.
Hunter: You...
Commentary/Review
by Todd Jensen
The impact of Demona's spell now makes itself felt upon New York, as almost every human in the city (with only a few exceptions - among them Xanatos, Macbeth, and Jeffrey Robbins) has been turned to stone. Demona can now roam the streets, gleefully shattering one petrified human after another (even, in one especially unsettling moment, shooting the arms off a woman while leaving the rest of her intact), in what Brooklyn unnervedly recognizes as the Wyvern Massacre with the racial roles reversed. Even Xanatos, usually so calm and composed, is shocked at the sight before him.
Goliath is alarmed as well, as he discovers what had taken place, and is even faced with the possibility that Demona could include Elisa among her victims. For the first time in the series, he seems ready to actually kill Demona - though he is quickly warned against it by the Weird Sisters (in another memorably creepy scene, they deliver their message to him in a petrified version of their child-forms, and crumble into rubble when Goliath and Brooklyn get a closer look at them).
Returning to the 11th century, we see Demona and Macbeth's backstory continue to unfold, as Gillecomgain now marries Gruoch and Macbeth reluctantly yields to it (his pain at losing her being effectively portrayed). But now Duncan and Gillecomgain's alliance falls apart and Duncan decides to rid himself of his former partner and Macbeth simultaneously by playing the two off each other. (The dynasty for his renewed action against Macbeth is the birth of his son Canmore; now he has a future dynasty to ensure.) Through the Weird Sisters' manipulation, Demona also arrives at Castle Moray that night to turn the confrontation into a three-way battle, bringing about Gillecomgain's death. (Perhaps the greatest moment of all during this scene comes about when Gillecomgain angrily reminds Demona of how she had scarred his face when he was a boy - and then discovers, to his further outrage, that she doesn't even remember the incident!) Demona and Macbeth are now a step closer towards becoming allies - though she still won't commit herself to it yet, and even seems glad that, with the Hunter dead and Macbeth having repaid her for saving his life twelve years before, she won't need to interact with him any further. But as Duncan sourly observes Macbeth and Gruoch's wedding, we learn that the Hunters did not end with Gillecomgain....
In modern-day New York, Demona and the new Hunter (who, judging from his attire, is clearly Macbeth in disguise) clash, revealing one of the details of their link for the first time; when one is injured, both feel the pain. Xanatos desperately attempts to break Demona's spell, but discovers that even shutting down her equipment is not enough. Something more will be needed.
The episode ends as Goliath and Xanatos prepare to join forces to undo Demona's curse, and I find this scene another example of how "Gargoyles" could, once again, defy the conventions of animated adventure stories. Team-ups between the hero and villain of an animated action series are nothing new, but Goliath and Xanatos's truce avoided the familiar pattern. The usual formula was: the hero sees the common danger first and urges the villain to join forces with him, but only with great difficulty, as the villain is reluctant to help him; the hero has to come up with the plan, while the villain has to be constantly nudged into cooperating; the villain winds up double-crossing the hero anyway (sometimes even being more ready to help out the common foe just to get rid of the hero, even if it jeopardizes his own goals). By contrast, it is Xanatos who recognizes the need to work together first, in his usual practical fashion, while Goliath is initially more ready to tear Xanatos apart for helping Demona endanger (and even snuff out) so many human lives; he calms the angry gargoyle down by pointing out to him, "Do you want vengeance or a solution?", a question which helps put things in perspective for Goliath. And, as we shall see, Xanatos will indeed make lifting Demona's spell his top priority, without betraying the gargoyles again - though that is a story for Parts Three and Four....
Tidbits
Jeffrey Robbins reappears (as someone whom the gargoyles can get information from, thanks to his blindness), as does his dog Gilly; Hudson is clearly glad to visit him again. (Jeffrey would also make a return appearance in "The Dying of the Light", an episode of the infamous "Goliath Chronicles" - though his role there would provide one of the too-few better moments of that series as he assists Hudson against the Quarrymen and even reveals how he'd figured out that his friend was a gargoyle.)
In one of the most notorious boners of the series, Demona includes among her victims during her "smashing spree" two stone humans who bear an uncanny resemblance to Brendan and Margot - even though the yuppie couple will appear in many more episodes after "City of Stone". This might count as the one occasion where the reuse of familiar characters for incidental scenes turned out to be a bad idea; Greg has been grilled over this incident several times by fans since then. (His "defense" is that Demona had most likely shattered two humans who looked similar to Brendan and Margot.)
Gruoch is briefly referred to by Bodhe during her wedding to Macbeth as "Lady Macbeth", the only time that she bears that name during "Gargoyles". Certainly she is a far cry from the Lady Macbeth of Shakespeare (a role which Demona would be better-suited for - and does indeed fill, in a sense, in "Sanctuary").
Canmore, Duncan's son (introduced here as a baby), was named Malcolm in actual history (and in Shakespeare's play); "Canmore" was only a nickname, being Gaelic for "big-head". The script deliberately called him Canmore throughout in order to distinguish him from Prince Malcolm.
Brooklyn still displays some of his vengeful attitude towards Demona from "Temptation".
In actual history, Bodhe and Gruoch were descended from Kenneth III (997-1005), whom Duncan's grandfather, Malcolm II (1005-1034), the "Maol Chalvim" of "Avalon Part One" betrayed and overthrew. Since they would thereby have had a better technical claim to the Scottish throne than Duncan (or Macbeth) did, this sheds an interesting light on why Duncan opposed Macbeth and Gruoch's marriage - and why he would be all the more eager to get rid of Gillecomgain after his marriage to Gruoch, once Gillecomgain became too defiant of Duncan.
Hudson reveals that in order for you to be affected by magic, you must both see and hear the spellcaster - which is why Jeffrey Robbins was not impacted by Demona's spell. (Presumably, any deaf people in Manhattan as well as blind people were thereby spared, although we met no examples of the former in the episode.) Since both Puck and Oberon were able to enchant the entire population of Manhattan without being seen and heard by them (in "The Mirror" and "The Gathering Part One" respectively), evidently this rule only applies to human magic.