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Gargoyles: City Of Stone, Part Three
Reviewed: 09/02/2013
Sadism: The Demona Macbeth Story, Part Trois!
So now we continue the tragic and vicious cycle of violence as it's King Duncan's turn with the hunters' mask against Demona and Macbeth who is wondering what to do now that he trust with Duncan is wearing thin. Plus; we find out how David Xanatos is going to fix the problem that was started by him and Demona. So; let's rant on shall we...?!
This episode is written and edited by Michael Reaves. Teleplay is done by Brynne Stephens and Lydia C. Marano. Animation is done by Koko Entertainment Limited.
Opening Moment #1: Full one minute recap of City of Stone Part Two. Including MacBeth's pink cross!
We begin this one back at the clock tower as the sun begins to rise and we head inside as Eliza simply turns to flesh without any crumbling whatsoever. She is yelling at someone to turn the television off; but there is no one in the building. She looks around wondering why it was two seconds after sunset that the sun has risen. So we head back to Pack Media Studios and discover the gargoyles turning to stone; but Owen Burnett lives again with a phone line that has been cut. How did he get out of his binds to call Xanatos at the end? I mean; Demona had him tied up to a chair. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~! Owen of course is calling and then notices Xanatos and hangs up. So we exchange notes on the situation as Owen suggests the Grimourm; but David is against it because he has no experience in magic and mixing magic is too dangerous. Owen asks about a science cure instead as David asks about the exact translation of Demona's spell. Owen claims that those who hear and see this shalt turn to stone at night (another half truth from Demona I see) and only revive when the sky is set ablaze. David sees this as a plan as they only have 12 hours until sunset. So we head into the streets as everyone is watching television; only it's Travis Marshall on the television cutting his promo about wondering what the hell happened here. On second thought; seeing and hearing Demona chanting is much more compelling television than Travis Marshall. Travis is talking in a sea of people until a brown haired lady with a red dress runs in to inform us that she saw everything and thus wasn't turned to stone. See; she NEVER watches television and Travis ignores her. Oh sure Travis; you think she looks like a realistic version of Helen Lovejoy; or Maude Flanders or something. We then see Macbeth (speaking of people who were immune to the Break spell) in his computer room watching Travis make an ass out of himself with woo before turning it off. He talks about hundreds of years of pursuing Demona and how it slipped from his grasp which indicates that he somehow did not die. This is so El Captain like that it isn't funny. He slams his fists on the console in disgust and we HIT THE FLASHBACK~!
So we head to some mountain side about 20 years AFTER the last flashback to Scotland in 1040 AD. We see two boys who look like the children version of Macbeth and Duncan as they are running together in perfect harmony together while MacBeth and King Duncan follow as Duncan has grown the full beard; has the blue cape on with a silver amulet holding it and a tiara like crown on his head. Macbeth is still the same old Macbeth and hasn't aged a bit since we last saw him. He is certainly not seeing Larson & Gary's ancestors that much I am certain. We discover that the Duncan look-a-like is Prince Canmore (J.D. Daniels again) and Macbeth's son is Luach (probably J.D. Daniels if he did in fact speak in this episode; he will speak in a future one though); as Duncan is concerned about being around these dangerous mountain sides. Macbeth tells him not to worry since Luach knows these hills better than Castle Moray. Duncan is not amused by Macbeth as while the kids are close; the adults are not. Then we get a spot where somehow Duncan breaks through the ground which is right in the middle of the pathway on the near shot; but on the side on the far shot. It took three episodes before Koko screwed up a spot; which is leagues ahead of Sae Rom and Wang Films; so there you go. So Macbeth grabs him and pulls him up which is enough for Duncan to dispel all doubts about his loyalty to the crown. So then they advance forward and Macbeth is shocked to see that there is a cave of gargoyles in stone statue form. Macbeth then sees Demona as Duncan lifts a huge rock to imply that he was going to smash the gargoyle statue; but Macbeth blocks the way. Macbeth pleas for mercy because there was a time when gargoyles and humans fought side by side and there is a similar history between them. Duncan puts the rock down and agrees to spare them; but hopes that he doesn't regret their counsel so to speak. So we head outside as Duncan calls for Canmore and the four humans leave for the meadow as the fog is coming in like crazy; and then we see the Weird Sisters acting like stereotypical witches with a cauldron of something and they stir it.
Now we are certainly in the Macbeth play now since they do the promo "Double, double, toil and trouble" stuff; which was iconic in Williams' play Macbeth. In fact Williams' plays are a much bigger deal in Gargoyles than in all of the DTVA shows. Ducktales did a parody of those plays in one episode; but it was a mashing of plays. This one is a direct homage to it and nearly half of the episodes are directly from those plays. Now; I haven't read these plays in a long time; so I'm not the expert in these plays to begin with, but I do pick up stuff from time to time. You can tell the homage I have for them when I refer to someone's group of friends as their "train" since that is straight out of Julius Cesar. So the Weird Sister basically cut a promo that both Duncan and Macbeth will become king which surprises Macbeth because in Macbeth's mind; Prince Canmore will be the future king of Scotland. Seline or Phoebe (I'm not even going to try figuring out who is who here) blows him off for lecturing them about fate and then the fogs overlays them and the WS disappear. Macbeth waves off the three bedlam's promos and Duncan strongly agrees and calls this as no consequence to him and then we fade to black at 6:30. So we return as Duncan return with two knights and a Ducktales Golden Sun's foot shot on the ground as they go into the cave just before the sun is about to set as we have three knights (wearing similar armor and carrying swords, spears and a spike mace; one is blond haired and one is wearing a helmet) and Duncan walking into the cave and they start smashing gargoyle statues for fun as Duncan puts on Gill's mask because he has more bravado than Gill; if that is humanly possible. So the sun sets just as Duncan is about to kill Demona; and Demona lives again looking like an old woman with a lot of white hair. So we get a short fight with Demona threatening to make the cave their tomb; but she loses again and bails out of the cave with three other gargoyles; including Second. Meaning only two gargoyles were smashed to bits. Second was liking the hunting ground there; but Demona proclaims that they are still the prey. Geez; I wonder why?!
Demona proclaims that if she was young again, she would give the humans justification to run from her; and then decides that she is going to find the Weird Sisters for assistance. Geez; I wonder what the solution is going to be? So we head to Castle Moray as Macbeth is tending to the fire in the fireplace and Bodhe comes in with the full gray look as he tells Macbeth that Duncan's army has turned on him much to the shock of Macbeth because Macbeth even saved his life. Bodhe wonders if Duncan is afraid of Macbeth as Macbeth wants to fight Duncan; but Bodhe tells him to be reasonable because Castle Moray is no match for Duncan's forces; and if they surrender, Luach and Gruoch would probably be spared as they arrive to put food on the table. Macbeth comes over and embraces Gruoch and then Luach. And Macbeth tells Luach to mind his mother and ends with the always whisper which Disney did not cut in this version; but they cut it from Kit Cloudkicker version in Plunder and Lightning Part Four. Macbeth's isn't as powerful as Kit's; but it still shows how inexcusable that mute was. Maybe it was an audio mistake after all. For Disney's sake; it better be. So he hugs Gruoch as Gruoch asks what is going on; and Macbeth can only say it's nothing important and the journey will be short as he leaves. Luach embraces with his mother as we jump cut to the castle gates and see Macbeth on horseback leaving Castle Moray while Gruoch and Luach watch on with concern on their kissers. So we gallop into the foggy meadow as Macbeth stops and dismounts from the horse. He looks around and notices the white haired Demona hiding behind the tree right away. Demona is about to leave; but Macbeth wants help from her; but Demona proclaims that she hasn't crushed him because he helped her before. Macbeth wants help from her; but Demona has problems with THE HUNTER OF DOOM (King Duncan now; in case you haven't seen the storyline unfold). Macbeth offers to help Demona and her clan defeat the hunter in exchange for Demona helping him to defeat King Duncan and defend Castle Moray. Which is basically the same thing natch.
Demona accuses him of singing an old song of trust and then we get more windbags! Because that is what this episode needs...and here comes the Weird Sisters again asking if they have a bargain and Demona blows it off. Macbeth is willing to give anything to save his family; while Demona wants her youth restored so she can live again to protect her clan. The Weird Sisters take the bargain as whole so they form a circle around Demona and Macbeth and they go back to back. We circle as the WS chant this spell of a pact: "By their acceptance are they consigned, unto each other's fate resigned. Forever and eternal bound, and each the other's pain resound!" This spell basically restores Demona back to her young self; while Macbeth is now looking like a nobleman version of himself in the present time. The other pain resound line is clearly meaning that they will sell each other's pain at the same time. Then Seline (the black haired one which I mistaken as Luna. Phoebe is the blond haired one; so Luna is the white haired one) gives Macbeth a shadow sphere like ball and exposes King Duncan as the one who ordered Gill to murder Lord Findla which shocks Macbeth. So we head to the encampment as we see a soldier sharpening his sword with a rock and then we head into the main tent as Macbeth and Bodhe and opening a map; but we don't read anything into it; other than they are ready to fight. Luach and Gruoch come in as Gruoch asks if he has made a bad bargain. Macbeth is certain that he hasn't as we hear a growl and in comes Demona looking determined. Gruoch and Luach look a bit frightened but nothing comes out of it. Macbeth tells Bodhe to get Luach and Gruoch out of harm's way and he and Macbeth embrace each other while Demona looks on and we fade to black with the music on. I almost thought this was the commercial break; but....
We return with the BIG FIGHT SCENE OF DEATH as Macbeth is on horseback and it starts well for the babyfaces; but they get backed up by the reinforcements. Then in the skies comes a silly logic break as Demona and the gargoyles swoop down. Why is this a logic break? Well; if you recall that a number of gargoyles were smashed earlier in the episode. Well; both gargoyles that were smashed arrive here in tip top physical shape and all of the rest of them are young as Demona in spite of the fact that Demona was the only one who was granted youth. To be fair; the WS spell could have applied to all of the dead and living clan; so it's not so much of a logic break as it is just silly. The gargoyles knock all the heels off their horses as Macbeth advances up the hill as we see on the top of the hill; King Duncan (helmet and sword) with his aide which has full brown beard/mustache on full blast. Aide jumps down and manages to knock Macbeth off his horse and to the ground. Macbeth gets up as somehow Duncan has walked down the hill behind him. They circle around as Demona gets in between Macbeth and Duncan; but Macbeth wants Duncan's ass...and Duncan himself. Demona's second joins in to have fun with the heels as Macbeth proclaims during this fight that Demona fights like a demon. Remember that for later on. So Duncan calls him out on this fight as Macbeth claims that he was loyal to him and that he was betrayed. Duncan calls him out on his projection and we have a **** 1/2 sword fight as they somehow get near to the cliff and Macbeth is knocked on his ass as Duncan calls him an unsurper and raises his blade.
So Macbeth takes the sphere Seline gave to him and throws it in front of Duncan who slashes it in half. And then in one of the most gruesome moments in DTVA history that makes even the death of Nogood in Double'O'Duck look like a bridal shower; thunder bolts surround him and he is set on fire from the inside and then his entire body goes into flames and he jumps over the cliff to his death although he was dead right from the moment he was shooting fire from his eyes. HOLY F***IN CRAP! There's your 22 minutes right there folks! Gillcomegain, Hakon and Captain got off real easy in this show. Demona goes over to the helmet and notices the hunter's mask and grabs it. Macbeth proclaims that the battle is officially over between them and Bodhe yells that the night is won and that ends the segment almost 17 minutes in. Wow; this episode is also going extremely fast; maybe I should start having "more talk, less rock" for this show, because this is only the 7th paragraph of this rant and we are almost 17 minutes into this thing. What an amazing ending to Duncan's reign as King huh?! I would never wish that kind of death on my worst enemy; that was painful.
After the commercial break; we return to the encampment as everyone cheers for Macbeth as Bodhe grabs Canmore and forces him down to bow to his king. Canmore is pissed off because if Duncan is dead; then Canmore would become the king of Scotland which is exactly what Macbeth agreed upon when the Weird Sisters showed up the first time in this episode. Lovely! Bodhe goes over to Macbeth and wants him to kill Canmore; but Macbeth refuses to have anymore blood on his hands and tells Canmore that his life is spared; and he's banished to England which makes Canmore so angry that he manages to grab a knife from some solider and he rushes Demona; but Demona stops him at the past and throws him aside; telling him not to throw his life away. Canmore manages to grab the mask from Duncan's helmet (out of nowhere of course) before he is dragged away from the camp by two soldiers and Canmore's head turns to Macbeth and he has that look that there is going to be impending doom. So we head back to Castle Moray inside the throne room as Macbeth is officially crowned king of Scotland as he kneels in front of the Destiny Stone and he proclaims that he will be a benevolent king and serve Scotland and it's servants well. He is wearing the same outfit as his wedding day; only it has red crosses on the shoulder blades; indicating a Koko coloring mistake. I don't care because this is still great as he sits on the throne and Macbeth tells Demona that her clan will be respected which Demona claims that she wants them to fear her. Macbeth proclaims that this will happen too; and officially names him Demona; which Demona loves the sound of this. You know; this is almost like Kit and Baloo in TaleSpin. Almost. So Macbeth officially declares Demona as his second in command and primary adviser as the fools and food all get in; and the closing shot of the flashback is the Weird Sisters pouring out wine.
So we return to reality (no, not really) as we return to the clock tower and then pan down to the police station as there is panic and chaos inside the police station. A brown haired man in a trench coat is panicking about losing a day in something as the Weird Sisters are now dressed up like police officers. So we head inside Maria Chavez's office (Some claimed that the girl in the red dress at the beginning of the episode was the same one in the diamond exchange building in Her Brothers' Keeper; but Greg has denied that) as Maria states that the FCC has traced the broadcast to Pack Media Studios and has no leads; but a few conflicts. Geez; I wonder why the FCC is doing nothing about it? Maybe it's because there are no acts of violence, sex and language on television that night? Maybe that they are in the PTC's dirty old hands? Matt and Maria ask Eliza for leads and she has none to spare. So we head back to Castle Wyvern and inside the office as David is welding back his Steel Clan Goliath look-a-like robots with him dressed up as Red Goliath. Owen is warning David that it's almost sunset and then we see on the monitor that Eliza Maza is in the elevator which David calls charming. So the elevator opens and Eliza comes in and blames David for all this as usual. Owen gets in the way and they are about to have a wicked fight which would be awesome to see; but the sun sets completely and they turn to stone again. Dammit! David proclaims that this is one way to settle an argument. Yeah; the worse way to do it sir! So David continues welding the Steel Clan of doom as we head outside to see the babyface gargoyles arrive (along with Bronx) and land on the castle grounds and then we head into the office as Goliath notices the robots and demands answers; along with Eliza being here with Owen. David claims that Owen has this effect on people. I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments.
So David explains that they will use the Goliath look-a-like robot to release a harmless hyperbolic gas into the earth's atmosphere and they do it for 25 minutes which is how much time they have to get out of the area. Then the robots will explode (David claims that losing the robots will be a small price to pay) and ignite the gas which will cause the sky to be set ablaze which should reverse the spell. Bronx seems more interested in murdering David Xanatos' private property with his claws as Brooklyn tries to calm Bronx down and it seems to work for the moment. Goliath looks at Eliza and Owen and proclaims that this has to work and they all go outside as we get a long sequence of the Steel Clan robots of doom opening their wings and rocketing up into the sky. David joins them and then the gargoyles minus Bronx swoop off the ramparts and fly into the skies as they spray the skies with the white mist like gas as it engulfs the screen and then we return to inside David's office as we cut to a shot of the left side of the green tapestry (the same one Bronx tried to rip apart in the previous scene) and out steps Demona with her spiked mace. Oh; she is going to stoop to that low isn't she?! She goes over to the computer as it's still on and proclaims that this will be easy to spoil his plans. However; instead of smashing the computer with the mace; she goes over to the Owen/Eliza fighting statue proclaiming that she is going to correct her mistake of not killing Eliza long ago. Well; I guess she did figure Eliza was alive in Reawakening, but whatever. She goes into red eyes mode and she brings the spike mace up and we freeze the screen and you know the next episode is the last one in the story arc because it sezs: To Be Concluded. That ends part three at 20:30 approx. Now we are really starting to get nasty and epic in this one. Other than one logic break with the gargoyles; this was perfect. **** 3/4 (95%).
THE REVIEW LINE
I am so feeling this episode now that everything is perfectly in place. It helps that the source material is so strong and having great writing around it so that Demona could be placed in without any logic breaks or silly spots that make perfect sense. Duncan's death sequence is a thing of beauty and makes Nogood's death in Ducktales look weak in comparison. Gillcomegain got off real easy; as did Hakon and Captain compared to Duncan when he slashed Seline's sphere and got his insides set on fire! Incredible! And we also finally set up Demona's name and the "friendship" with Macbeth; along with how Demona lasted. The only thing that bothered me was when some of the gargoyles were with Demona and a few of them were smashed by Duncan before the WS spell; but then suddenly return for no reason whatsoever. And Koko screwed the spot where Macbeth helped Duncan up from the mountain side and it dispelled all questions of Macbeth's loyalty to Duncan. Overall; a really awesome part and we finally get to the best part of the series as Macbeth and Demona fight one more time in the city while Goliath and David spray the city with white mist; all while Demona is about to kill Eliza and Owen. How will this all end? Stay tuned and so....
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you all next time.