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Gargoyles: Avalon Part Two

Reviewed: 09/29/2012

The New Angel Of The Night Arises!


So we finally made it to Avalon and a bunch of gargoyles are about to meet Goliath for the first time in many years as they have hatched. In this part; we are going to find out why the Archmage is still alive and introduce the new gargoyle lead babyface to the Manhattan clan as well. So; let's rant on shall we?!

This episode is written by Lydia C. Marano and story edited by Brynne Stephens. Animation is done by Koko Entertainment with additional services done by Anima Sam Won Company Limited.


Opening Moment #1: Complete recap of part one and a bit of the flashback of the Archmage being so stupid with the earth spike in "The Long Way To Morning" as he WARNERS himself.

We begin this one with a far shot of the beach and the cliff containing the encampment as there is a cauldron of fire and a bunch of ruins. We go back to the shot in which three gargoyles which one is female, one is male and one is like Bronx advancing forward. The green gargoyle male takes the green dog like gargoyles and both he and the female gargoyle swoop down to the beach and Bronx and the green Bronx gargoyle dog bond together for a while. The female gargoyle finally goes over and she has black hair and has the same pigment color as Goliath and wears the exact same clothes as Demona. She is giddy about seeing Goliath and states that it's a dream come true. I should also note that Tom apologizes for calling them eggs. So we make small talk and Tom finally gives the female gargoyle a name which is Angela (no relation with Angela from Fish Hooks; at least I hope not). Goliath is stunned about Tom giving them names and as usual; it's because they need to tell each other apart. I'm still wondering how Goliath got his name and who gave it; but the green male gargoyle states that they need to head to the castle now as Angela addresses him as Gabriel. So Angela is voiced by Brigitte Bako and according to Wikipedia (DANGER! DANGER!): Bako was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Jewish parents.[1] She trained with the Grand Ballets du Canada and acted with the Canadian National Shakespeare Company. She has starred in Hollywood productions, numerous Canadian-made movies, and films made in Canada by American producers. Bako's first major break was in Martin Scorsese’s New York Stories. She co-starred with David Duchovny and Billy Wirth in Red Shoe Diaries; Benjamin Bratt and Michael Keaton in One Good Cop; and Ralph Fiennes in Strange Days. Saint Monica was featured at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival, and Bako received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Bako also received a Genie Award nomination for Best Actress in 1993.

She starred in I Love a Man in Uniform, her first collaboration with Canadian producer Robert Lantos. In addition to having the starring role, Bako makes her writing and executive producing debut in G-Spot. She currently maintains homes in New York and Los Angeles. Bako worked with David Duchovny again in a 2007 episode of the Showtime series Californication (Episode 9, "Filthy Lucre," as a Porsche saleswoman). She voiced Angela in Gargoyles and Monique Dupre in Godzilla: The Series. She began her career in 1989 as Young Woman in New York Stories. Gargoyles is her DTVA debut and only appearance. G-Spot as Gigi is her most recent credit (she also wrote 24 episodes, and produced 16 episodes). She has 37 acting credits, one writing credit and two producer credits (David & Goliath short which is kind of ironic actually) as her most recent credit. Gabriel is voiced by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and according to Wikipedia (DANGER! DANGER!): In 2003 Ruben Santiago-Hudson was the reader in Volume 13 of the HBO film Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives. The series was narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. He wrote Lackawanna Blues, an autobiographical play in which he portrayed himself and some twenty different characters from his past, which was produced in New York. He adapted it for a highly acclaimed, award-winning 2005 HBO film, in which the parts would be played by different people, that won him the Humanitas Prize and earned Emmy and Writers Guild of America Award nominations. Santiago-Hudson appeared on Broadway in Jelly's Last Jam and received the 1996 Tony for August Wilson's Seven Guitars. Santiago-Hudson's screen credits include Coming to America and Domestic Disturbance. On television he has appeared on the daytime dramas Another World and All My Children.

His work in primetime series have included The Cosby Mysteries, New York Undercover, NYPD Blue, Touched by an Angel, The West Wing, Third Watch, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and five episodes of Law & Order (which coincidentally stars Lackawanna Blues star S. Epatha Merkerson), among others. He portrayed American Chemist Percy Lavon Julian in the PBS NOVA documentary Forgotten Genius. He starred as New York City Police Captain Roy Montgomery in the ABC series Castle until his character's death occurred in the third season finale. Penny Johnson Jerald replaces Santiago-Hudson as Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates in Castle 's fourth and fifth season. In 2007 he starred in a Public Broadcasting Service Nova documentary about the life of Percy Lavon Julian. In 2013, he won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director,[5] an Obie Award for Direction,[6][7] and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play for his work in the Off-Broadway production of The Piano Lesson.[8] He started his career as a Street Hustler in Coming To America in 1988. Gargoyles is his DTVA debut and his only appearance. Low Winter Sun as Lt. George Torrance is his most recent credit. He has 51 acting credits and seven Self credits to his resume. He also wrote and produced Lackawanna Blues the television movie and future television series. He also performed Piano Man in Castle. So yes folks; Angela's story begins in earnest as she will part of the main gargoyle team when this is over; and no, she looks nothing like Demona, let alone is like Demona. Then out from the sands comes the Archmage acting like a sand golem. Okay; that is the first neat thing Archmage has done in the series. Sadly; his sand attacks are still lame; and yet Goliath and the babyface still have to sell it like it's a deadly attack or something. So Tom and Eliza run in with swords and guns and Eliza shoots three bullets at the sand golem; but he's all sand and not dead (Toon Disney cut this one out) and the bullet holes are filled. Everyone except Tom gets tied up by sand tentacles which looks mighty silly given that the sand is dry. Tom slashes one in half; still no go.

Archmage proclaims that they should have prepared for death instead of seeking for help. He's insulted they would think otherwise as Goliath goes into white eyes mode and breaks the binds of sand as he pounces on one of the sand golems and mauls it to death. Gabriel and Angela get sand maidened along with Tom as Bronx and his mate who is known as Boudicca (also voiced by Frank Welker) break free from the sand tentacles and we get lots of mauling as Eliza is freed by Goliath somewhere in this along with Tom, Angela and Gabriel. So Archmage's sand golems get whittled down to nothing and then combine together to make one big ass sand golem (with some good beach sand effects in one of the shots which stuns Goliath) as he blows them off for beating up a beach. I love real comments that aren't supposed to be real comments. He tells them that they should prepare for dawn which is when you die. Then he turns into stone and explodes; spitting sand into their faces. HAHA! That was whacky and whacky is what this show needs and this was done right. Sadly; Mr. Carter wasn't done right. Tom states that they should head to the castle before the air they breathe fights them and orders Angela to take the front. Angela goes first as everyone else follows. Eliza whispers to Goliath that Angela looks like Demona. She looks NOTHING like Demona Eliza. I shouldn't be surprised you have trouble ID'ing faces since you claimed to see a man dressed in black in Leader of THE PACK~! Goliath states that the gargoyle sibling all belong as a clan and that ends the conversation for now as we get a long sequence of them walking to a castle (Gabriel and Angela are flying) as we see the castle in a really nice area of Avalon which has a bridge in the middle. We see various gargoyles on the ramparts as one of the gargoyles (a red hawk like one) with an arm in a sling selling a broken arm. We head inside the castle as there are bed slabs set in the middle of the room and about half of the gargoyles lying there are seriously injured and knocked out and even a few under the sheets are apparently dead. Well; this series does have the highest bodycount in DTVA; so this doesn't surprise me.

We see a really old Princess Katherine (she is at least five years older than Hulk Hogan which Vinny claimed was at least 95 years old) and Magus (who is sporting a SWANK white beard and mustache; and appears to be 50 years younger than Katherine) tending to the injured as Katherine turns around and notices Tom right away. They embrace and then Katherine notices Goliath and looks surprisely fit for someone who is at least 75 years old. Goliath thanks her for protecting the eggs and fighting the good fight as Angela explains that they were not ready to fight and didn't even think of homing their skills. That's really stupid. So we exchange notes on the situation as we discover that one of the green horned female gargoyles is alive and groaning. So Magus explains that the Archmage has returned and he's wearing the Eye of Odin on hid forehead as Goliath notices laser burn marks on the injured gargoyle in which they don't show any. BS&P RULEZ~ you know! We discover that they were caused by two of Archmage's allies; which one of them is Goliath's former second in command. Goliath realizes that one of them is Demona. The second one has a gray beard which Eliza claims is Macbeth; but Macbeth and Demona are supposed to hate each other despite the fact that Eliza has already seen them together working together in High Noon. Tom assures us that they are working together as Goliath deduces that the Weird Sisters have been making them work together under their control from the start. Oh; and they also stole the Eye of Odin, The Phoenix Gate and the Grimonium to enhance it's magic and to wrap through space and time with a mere thought. Let's just say Magus now regrets giving the spell book to Mary and Finella and be done with it. So we also find out that Avalon is deserted; save for some sleeping king who is somewhere on the island. So we scene change to a garden like paradise as Demona and Macbeth are loading their weapons while the Weird Sister look into some pool. We see TWO Archmages with two sets of Eyes of Odin and two Phoenix Gates. WHAT?!

Anyhow; both Archmages are sitting at a second pool with the second Archmage lounging on it's side. We talk a bit about doing something and then one of them stands up and uses the Phoenix Gate on it's chest and it disappears much to the surprise of the lounging Archmage; so I assume he is the real one since the other one has said that he's seen him doing something. So we see him reappear in a cave and hiding behind the rocks as we replay the flashback from "A Long Road To Morning"; more to the point, the fight between the Archmage and Goliath, Demona and Hudson. We hear Frchmage taking throughout this claiming that Archmage has a temper and lacks control as the only difference in this fight is that they downplayed Hudson's eye injury and they showed the Frchmage looking on when Demona jumps over the abyss while Goliath gets up. So we see Archmage grab the stone spike and WARNER himself into the abyss below. Frchmage has no time for this silliness and disappears in the Phoenix Gate and then reappears on a ledge about a thousand feet below and uses the tractor beam spell to pull the Archmage onto the ledge. Archmage wimpers and Frchmage blows him off for having no dignity. Frchmage grabs Archmage and uses the Phoenix Gate again to scene change to them hovering about ten feet above the ocean which Archmage panics like mad. Frchmage calls for a vessel and a small boat using the same design as the one Tom is using rises from the ocean and somehow drains itself. Both heels plop onto the boat as Archmage is still upset about this; so Frchmage threatens to return him back to the abyss and that is enough for Archmage to beg off. HA! Frchmage asks what he wants as Archmage proclaims that he wants the spell book back from the filthy beast Goliath. Frchmage proclaims that it is part of history and therefore must run it's course in the time stream. Ooooookkkkaaaayyyy.

Frchmage asks about Archmage's goals and Archmage wants the ultimate power and revenge. Frchmage proclaims that he'll need allies, resources and a base of operations; and he has an answer to those because we replay the entire sequence with Magus, Tom, Mary, Finella, Katherine and the gargoyle eggs against the Weird Sisters. Well; sort of. They cut all of Mary's dialogue and reanimated sequences so that they were from Archmage's point of view instead of from Magus' point of view. Archmage notices Magus has grown up which Frchmage points out that they are in 995. Archmage thinks they are after the book; but Frchmage blows him off as Magus gives the book to Finella and Finella's ship sails off as we have a logic break because they used Katherine's design instead of Mary's. DUMB! And it's useless because Mary is voiced by the same voice actress as Katherine ANYWAY. Frchmage proclaims that they are about to make some powerful allies because they cannot get the spell book now since it must play out in the annals of history which pisses Archmage off. So they teleport onto the ship and Frchmage uses the spell called Revert and the Weird Sister Owls return to being just the Weird Sisters. WHAT?! So they killed off the spell chanting in Latin angle?! Dammit guys; that was the one cool thing Archmage had when he was useless. The Weird Sisters proclaim that Oberon will not be pleased that they got defeated so easily by a mere Magus; however, Frchmage wants to offer them a pact. The Weird Sisters are against such an offer from humans; so Frchmage makes it worth their wile by offering to have them get revenge on the mortals who defeated them. The Weird Sisters decide to listen to this offer as Frchmage tells them to wait 25 years and then they can form the alliance to kill all their enemies. The Weird Sisters agree because 25 years is nothing to an immortal. Frchmage uses the Phoenix Gate and he and Frchmage disappear to end the segment 13 minutes in. Yeap; more stupid flashbacks just to set up the third part of this story arc.

After the commercial break; we head to a plains with lots of haystacks AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) as the fire gate appears and out comes Frchmage and Archmage. Archmage is stupid enough to ask where and not when which earns a blow off from Frchmage. I wish the continuity checker would keep up because they reanimate the flashback from City of Stone where Demona and her allies are stealing sacks from a windmill tower. Archmage blows off Demona because she betrayed him even though Demona was the one who stole the Phoenix Gate for HIM! There's projection and then there is PROJECTION~! Frchmage claims that she is cannon fodder for the fight because she is a strong warrior. The animation really sucks here as there is no resemble of continuity here. So we cut to Castle Moray as because Macbeth and Findlaech which Macbeth gets knocked down during the sword fight. Archmage is not amused by this as they look on from the ramparts while Frchmage turns around and suddenly; the Weird Sisters appear (it's 1020 AD by the way) out of nowhere as Frchmage does a neat hologram spell to show Demona and Macbeth; which the continuity is shot because the two are in their stock character designs rather than their younger designers which would make this make sense. The Weird Sister proclaim that Oberon forbids them to directly influence time and space. Frchmage proclaims that they can bend those rules like a subtle heel and Phoebe claims that this is true as Frchmage tells them to return with the items with Macbeth and Demon in 975 years; which Archmage looks shocked and confused. As usual. The Weird Sisters disappear as Frchmage use the Phoenix Gate and they warp back to onto the Weird Sister's guard boat which the subtitle claims that it's yesterday. Frchmage asks what Archmage would like to do now and Archmage claims that he never thought this through. Yip! He's still useless. He then stammers a bit and decides to conquer Scotland. THAT WAS WEAK! THAT WAS WEAK! Millions of people would like to conquer Scotland.......'s golf courses. AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Frchmage laughs it off and tells him that with his power; he can conquer the world. However; he needs a base of operations and tells Archmage to ponder this over. Archmage proclaims that he will choose Avalon which Frchmage praises him for actually getting something right. That's a back handed praise if I ever saw one. Frchmage points out that the place is deserted with the exception of three humans and 36 gargoyles; which Archmage proclaims that they all must die. Frchmage proclaims that this is correct; but he'll need to do this all proper as the Weird Sisters appear literally out of nowhere with the Eye of Odin, The Phoenix Gate and the Grimonium; along with Demona and Macbeth in white eyes zombie mode which makes them look really classy and cool. Frchmage orders the Weird Sisters to give him the Eye of Odin which they do give to him (I should note that one of the Weird Sisters actually points out that he already had those items already; but Frchmage points out that they are not for him; but for the guy who will become him. This is really whacky.) in which Frchmage shoves the palm of his hand right into Archmage's forehead; creating thunder sparks and a purple skull cap. Archmage places the Eye of Odin on his forehead and we get sparks flying and Archmage being forced down to his knees. Frchmage proclaims that he is gotten power; but has no control over it. Frchmage orders the Weird Sisters to give him the Grimonium (apparently; Macbeth and Demona have left for a smoke break during this entire sequence); which the Weird Sisters refuse because Oberon has forbid magic on the island; except for Avalon's own. Archmage grabs the book and throws a hissy fit asking if he should eat the book. Frchmage proclaims that Archmage is catching on as Archmage is stunned about doing this. Archmage then eats the book; swallowing it whole as it is covered in a blue aura. That looked great as Archmage states that the laws cannot be broken; but they can be bent which is basically a crowbar analogy. So Frchmage orders them to give him the Phoenix Gate as the Weird Sister warn him about the sleeping king.

Archmage is surprised because he thought it was only a legend. The Weird Sisters point out that this is all true as he is sleeping in a hollow hill. Frchmage proclaims that once they take the entire island; they will make sure the sleeping king never wakes up. Wait; that isn't very smart. If I were the Archamge; I would sneak in and kill the sleeping king first because he has the greatest amount of power and thus is the biggest threat to your plans of conquest; and then take over the island and kill everyone. That's an easy win. Even with power and knowledge; the Archmage is still useless when it comes to street smarts. Oh; hello Demona and Macbeth, didn't see you there until now as the Weird Sisters give Archmage the Phoenix Gate and then disappear in green wavy smoke with Demona and Macbeth. Frchmage ends his speech saying that this is all going according to his plan as always it will. Cue evil laugh of doom which is okay and then warp out with the Phoenix Gate in flames to end the segment almost eighteen minutes in. Yeah; they committed an entire flashback to the Archmage for this episode too. And the reanimating sucks here because they are using a different ink and paint studio. Still better than the clip episode in Teddy Ruxpin though; so the continuity wasn't all that bad.

After the commercial break; we head back to Avalon castle as it's six hours ago. It is closing in on night fall as we see Katherine and Magus inside the castle ground walking to the table with bowls of fruit and a tea pot. We see Tom at the table with small goblets smiling as the night rises and all the gargoyle statues live again! And then we go straight to hell as the walls crumble and the Weird Sister kick ass with their yellow hand beams of death as various gargoyles try to run in; but they get zapped as the green horned female gargoyle you saw lying on the bed groaning earlier get nailed. Man; that was weak as she is goes in and out of selling the injuries when one of the gargoyles helps her over to where Tom is when he motions to have the injured hover around him. Then the Weird Sisters disappear and in comes Macbeth and Demona with laser weapons (of course) and we get more shooting and bad selling of pain from the gargoyles. This is not BS&P doing; this is not knowing how to sell injuries properly from the writers in charge of this episode. Then they disappear and both Archmages appear out of nowhere and demonstrate their powers and nail some more gargoyles. It ends with both of them disappearing and then we look into the sky and we see Archmage's head telling them that this is a demonstration of their power and they have until tomorrow to make their peace; because at sunrise, he will destroy them. After all the death references in this episode; he cannot say kill here? His face disappears as everyone is shocked and appalled. So we head back to the paradise pools as we pan over and Archmage is blowing off Frchmage for stopping the squash match. And yes; this is the exact same place they were at the beginning of the sequence to bring back the Archmage by the way. Frchmage tells them to have patience because he wants to kill them at sunrise and therefore only have to deal with three puny humans. It's really three puny humans and a human with a gun that is supposed to be as powerful as magic (which the Frchmage himself pointed out. Frchmage equals future Archmage in case anyone is wondering); but still. Frchmage also wants Goliath to be on the island as well because he want his revenge to be complete as a result. Ummm; what about Hudson? He's still alive and kicking...

Narrator: One minute ago...

So we repeat the footage from the first minute of the paradise pool spot where the heels were lounging and preparing for war and it still looks gorgeous. Frchmage disappears using the Phoenix Gate as before and it ends with a closeup of the Archmage proclaiming that he is glad he is gone. So we head to right now inside the medic room as Angela is sitting on one of the wooden slab beds and everyone has disappeared. Yes; this is exactly like Fish Talent Show from Fish Hooks. Tom finishes his story and is glad to see that Avalon drops them in their laps. That's pretty disturbing. So we discover that they have three hours left to fend for themselves before sunrise; and they don't have much time left. Goliath and Eliza have an embrace and claim that they can handle Demona and Macbeth with ease; but without magic, the Archmage will be difficult and asks for Magus' help. Magus sulks down because without the Grimonium; he's useless and Katherine gets in his face and blows him off for thinking like that. Goliath takes a look at the map of the island and proclaims that they need to get the Eye of Odin and the Phoenix Gate away from Archmage to greatly reduce his power. However; a frontal assault is useless, so he'll go to stealth but doesn't have any experience trying a surgical strike; so Angela and Gabriel offer to help. Bronx and Bou want to join in; but Goliath needs as few bodies as possible; so Angel, Gabriel and Goliath will go for the strike while the rest tend to the wounded. Goliath then tells Eliza to come up with a backup plan in case this fails badly before turning around and leaving the medic room with Angela and Gabriel. Eliza feels bad; but then turns to Tom and asks him about the sleeping king and we segue back to the paradise pools of doom as all the heel look in the water and see the reflection of Goliath and Angela walking into the pool as Gabriel apparently is no longer important anymore to the writers. Archmage proclaims that the fun begins for real; cue evil laugh of doom which is getting better. This ends part two at 21:14 approx. This was pretty good for the most part and it did have a really good fight at the beginning; but the introduction of Angela and Gabriel seem to be lacking here. Also; trying to reanimate scenes for the Archmage flashbacks was asking for trouble; but it was done a lot better than most attempts at said flashbacks. Overall; a fine episode. **** (80%).


THE REVIEW LINE

Damn; I was hoping for fighting and all I got was more and more flashbacks. I don't get the two Archmages gimmick; unless they are going for the Cell finish from Dragon Ball Z, because otherwise this drove me nuts. Most of the storyline was perfectly fine; but I didn't like the fight with the Archmage and the Avaloners simply because the selling of injuries appears to be off and on; making the scene in the medic room look completely out of place and devoid of logic since many of the gargoyles weren't hurt all that badly during the actual fight. The first fight with the Archmage was delightfully whacky and worth seeing alone in this episode and they did it from the start so you didn't have to wait longer than needed. Otherwise; this was mostly Archmages flashbacks just to set up his existence for part three which was whacky in itself; but it least makes sense from a contextual standpoint. The reanimated scenes from Archmage's point of view weren't very good; but the shot continuity wasn't nearly as awful as Teddy Ruxpin's can be. Other than that; the animation was fine and the story was really good. Still; it lacks energy and I'm getting tired of flashback after flashback. While we do watch cartoons for storyline; jackhammering the point home just dulls the epicness of the storyline and I feel it everytime I watch this. I'm almost ready to make like Damon and watch funny animals with giant rainbows now because as solid as the story is and some of the fighting is cute; I am caring less and less about it. They are trying to get the story over; instead of the characters over which is a bad idea when you are trying to drive character based plots. Overall; a really good episode, but it felt like I was watching Archmage's story which I don't care about because I don't like Archmage to begin with. I want to see him redeem himself and kick ass; and maybe this will happen in Part Three, but it better be worth it, or else. One final thought before I go: If you are going to introduce a new lead babyface; it would be a great idea to make that babyface the focal point of the episode; instead of being just there to meet and greet like they have done with Angela. I'm just saying writers! So....

Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you all next time.


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