Gargoyle clan
Encyclopedia
In the fictional universe
of Disney
's animated television series, Gargoyles
, a gargoyle clan is the traditional family unit used by the gargoyle species. Several Gargoyles Listed on this page never appear in the Television series. All profiles on this page are written with the SLG Gargoyles Comics consider canonical.
The creator of the series, Greg Weisman
, has stated that he considers gargoyles to be naturally attuned to the planet's rhythms. As such, female gargoyles will become fertile on the autumnal equinox every twentieth year, and will lay a single egg on the following spring equinox. All of the eggs will be stored together in the clan's rookery, and the communal hatching occurs ten years later.
which is the focus of the series, several other clans were introduced during the second season of the show. In the show's continuity, gargoyles had once been an abundant species that had dwindled due to the rather antagonistic co-existence with humanity. Only a few clans survive today, each for different reasons.
Each clan has different physiological and cultural differences based upon where in the world were they are located. Despite this, they all share the same attributes: they go into stone sleep during the day, all are fierce and formidable fighters, and they all have a specific area, persons, or concept that they protect. Series creator Greg Weisman
has also indicated that despite looking very different, all gargoyles are members of one species, and do not necessarily have all the biological features one would assume from their appearance (for example, though Leo resembles a lion, he is not a mammal, nor is any other gargoyle).
s of the series. They managed to survive through to the modern time with the aid of a magic spell that froze them in stone for a thousand years. Originally members of the Wyvern Clan in Scotland, they now live in New York City
. They were once part of a sub-species of Scottish Gargoyles that were all but wiped out long ago by the Hunters
.
The addition of Angela, Katana, Fu-Dog, Nashville, Egwardo (who will hatch in 1998) Coldstone and Coldfire has brought the clan's number up to thirteen, as well as diversifying the clan (Angela from Avalon, Katana from Feudal Japan, Nashville who is a mix between Scottish & Japanese and Fu-Dog from China).
Much like the Manhattan Clan
around which the show revolves, the Avalon Clan is an offshoot of a gargoyle clan from Wyvern Castle in Scotland
. When the majority of the clan was destroyed by Vikings, the 36 gargoyle eggs in the rookery were taken away by four humans - Princess Katharine, the Magus, and the peasant woman Mary and her son Tom. The eggs remained protected by these humans and brought to Avalon (only Mary remained behind), where they remained and grew to adulthood. They were raised by the humans that had protected them as eggs, and were largely untouched by the outside world. Angela later stated that she had "fifteen rookery sisters" on Avalon, and Greg Weisman has stated there were three gargoyle beasts in the clan, meaning that the remaining seventeen gargoyles were male.
The Avalon Clan was introduced to the show when Tom (now the elderly Guardian of the Eggs) arrived in Manhattan searching for Goliath
, to see if he had been woken from his stone slumber. Goliath, along with the human Elisa Maza
and the gargoyle beast Bronx, traveled to Avalon and helped save the clan from attack by the Archmage.
Unlike traditional gargoyle clans, the Avalon Clan was raised by humans. Series creator Greg Weisman
has indicated that because of this, the gargoyles on Avalon tend to have a more "human" nature than most of their species; perhaps most notable is the fact that each member was given a name at birth (such as Angela or Gabriel) rather than the usual gargoyle tradition. Similarly, Angela developed a human-like expectation of being acknowledged by Goliath as a daughter, which he was initially uncomfortable with on cultural grounds.
. Unlike other clans, they appear very much like anthropomorphised
animals with wings. In the show, only three members of the clan were introduced, running a magic shop in the Soho
area of London
for income, but the actual population of the clan is 196. They manage to fool customers into believing that their bizarre appearances are costumes. Other members of the clan do live on an estate outside the city called Knight's Spur. Although The clan is easily the most prosperous one known in terms of population, it is very much aware of the danger of overcrowding their secure area. To control that problem, stringent precautions are taken to control their population growth with a resulting total number of eggs at present being 25.
, the griffin
-like gargoyle called Griff disappeared during The Blitz
and was presumed dead. In fact, he had been transported to the future by Goliath
, using the time-traveling Phoenix Gate. Once in his old home again he was reunited with his friends Leo and Una, and encouraged them to once again take up defending the city.
Griff later encountered the wayward and awakened King Arthur Pendragon in Westminster Abbey
(the king had broken in to hold vigil there, and Griff assumed he was a vandal before learning the truth). He and the Manhattan clan helped Arthur fight off Macbeth
and retrieve the sword Excalibur
from New York City
, and was later dubbed as the first of Arthur's new knights. He later accompanied Arthur on his quest to find Merlin
.
Griff was voiced by Neil Dickson
.
and a unicorn
respectively (see the Lion and the Unicorn
), run the magic shop that provides income for the clan. Una, voiced by Sarah Douglas
, is also the leader of the clan, and a powerful magic user. She shares a number of features with Demona
, particularly in her tendency to "rewrite" history to eliminate her own culpability, though she is diverted from Demona's path by the end of the episode and spared her lonely fate. Leo is her mate, voiced by Gregg Berger
, although it is suggested on the show that Una was romantically involved with Griff before his disappearance.
The two of them had refused to join Griff when he went out to fight in the Battle of Britain
and they were devastated when he did not return. They funded a memorial statue of Griff and Goliath
, as in a predestination paradox
Goliath had appeared at the shop before the battle and left with Griff. Believing that both had died, Leo and Una became cynical and insular, no longer protecting the people around them. When Goliath arrived in the modern day (before he had traveled back in time), they blamed him for Griff's disappearance though he did not yet know them. They managed to forgive Goliath when he brought Griff forward in time (thus causing the disappearance in the first place) and reunited the trio.
.
, is introduced in the Slave Labor Graphics
series in issue #7 who meet the Manhattan gargoyles Hudson and Lexington while they are on a mission in London. There is some suggestion for now that he is homosexual and forming a mutual bond with Lexington, who is slowly realizing he is of the same sexual orientation. Greg Weisman mentioned that he would have cast Alan Cumming
for the voice of the character.
sow, is a good friend to Staghart, although it is hinted that she is well aware of his sexual orientation which precludes being his mate. She is also very aggressive in battle and disdains weapons in battle in favor of her own abilities. Coco is loosely based on Greg Weisman's
original concept for Broadway. According to a post on Ask Greg (from Greg Weisman), Constance is Una's Second In Command. Greg Weisman vaguely considered Zoë Wanamaker
as the voice for the character.
. Unlike most other clans, the Ishimura gargoyles co-exist peacefully with humans. Their ancestors fought many battles alongside humansamurai
before settling in Ishimura. They live by the code of bushido
, which they teach to humans. But by the late 20th century, they had run out of students. While they protect the village and its human residents during the night, a group of humans protects the clan's home during the day - to honor this association, gargoyles from this clan enter stone sleep facing inwards from their battlements, to their human protectorate, whereas gargoyles like Goliath
traditionally face outwards to face potential threats.
The leader of the clan is Kai (voiced by Clyde Kusatsu
), and his second was Yama (voiced by Bruce Locke
). Yama was known to have a mate called Sora (voiced by Haunani Minn). He betrayed the clan by aligning himself with a human named Taro, a former student of theirs who wanted to capture and imprison the clan in a Gargoyle-themed amusement park and then reveal them to the public. He tricked them into thinking their protectorate wanted them gone and he helped them escape so they could teach children. Unfortunately, the "children" were actually reporters Taro had invited. Yama realized the error of his ways and, along with his clanmates and Goliath, helped defeat Taro. They soon fled just as the media arrived. The Ishimura Clan then decided to teach bushido once again.
Yama was banished as a result of his actions in Bushido and has to determine when he regains his honor. Robyn Canmore
, Dingo and Matrix arrive in Tokyo to recruit him. Robyn mentions the chance for him to find Redemption, as well as threatening to reveal his clan to the world. He reluctantly joins, but doesn't approve of being blackmailed and the idea of working with a gargoyle hunter. Yama also doesn't like the idea of Fang joining (as he made a joke at the expense of a suicide).
Sometime during the Feudal era of Japan, a time traveling Brooklyn would arrive because of The Phoenix that came from the Phoenix Gate. He meets his future mate Katana. Though it is unknown if she joins him at first by choice or by accident.
of Guatemala
. This clan possessed four amulets, powered by a larger Sun Amulet, forged by their previous human protectorate the Mayans
that allowed the wearers to stay awake during the daytime for 24 hour protection. Shortly before their appearance on the show, the clan was attacked by poachers, and all but the four gargoyles wearing the amulets (who were out at the time of the attack) were killed (the clan's eggs were also spared) and the Sun Amulet was stolen. The amulet later sat in the American Museum of Natural History
in New York and was almost destroyed by Hyena who was to destroy it in a coordinated attack with Jackal in Guatemala. Broadway and Lexington from the Manhattan Clan
foiled that attempt and now hold the Sun Amulet.
The four members of the clan are:
After their encounter with Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela, Jade and Turquesa went to Avalon, to plant and raise several valuable plants and herbs threatened by the development of the rainforest. Had the series continued, Zafiro would have traveled to Manhattan to recover the Sun Amulet.
, once run by Cyberbiotics, now home to many transient humans, as well as two groups who are firm allies of the Manhattan Clan: The Mutates and the Clones.
and Thailog, the five clones are true biological gargoyles, with simple minds, who are genetically identical to the Manhattan clan
. Talon gave them sanctuary in the Labyrinth. They were artificially aged, which altered their colorations (in general, their colours are photo-negatives of their originals). They were named after places in Los Angeles, in parody of the Manhattan Clan who are named after places in New York City. In the non-canonical season 3, the clones had a genetic defect that eventually "killed" them by permanently freezing them in stone hibernation. This defect also had happened to Thailog as well.
These four clans, together with the clans detailed in the animated series, make up the entire remaining gargoyle population on earth. Series creator Greg Weisman
once estimated that the total population worldwide is only about 400.
Further, Greg Weisman has stated that more clans would have been created in the future had he had a chance to continue the series. These clans include:
In addition, other clans are shown to have existed in the past, which were wiped out by humans. In the multi-part "City of Stone," for example, Demona is shown to have led a clan of gargoyles several years after the destruction of the Wyvern clan, which Weisman indicates was created from remnants of several other destroyed Scottish clans. These gargoyles were later killed by the first and second Hunters
. He once indicated that one of those clans was a "colony" created when the Wyvern clan was too large (though he admits to making that up to explain why a certain gargoyle model was used for a member of the original Wyvern and of Demona's clan).
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
of Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
's animated television series, Gargoyles
Gargoyles (TV series)
Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
, a gargoyle clan is the traditional family unit used by the gargoyle species. Several Gargoyles Listed on this page never appear in the Television series. All profiles on this page are written with the SLG Gargoyles Comics consider canonical.
Biology
Members of the clan are not necessarily related biologically (bloodlines are shown to mean little to most gargoyles during the course of the series). Nevertheless, the gargoyles in a clan will consider themselves members of a single extended family, often referring to others of their generation as "Rookery Brothers" or "Rookery Sisters". This reflects the fact that gargoyles are hatched from eggs, which are stored communally in a rookery. As such, parents are never certain which of the hatchlings is their biological offspring. Rather, hatchlings are "children of the entire clan".The creator of the series, Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
, has stated that he considers gargoyles to be naturally attuned to the planet's rhythms. As such, female gargoyles will become fertile on the autumnal equinox every twentieth year, and will lay a single egg on the following spring equinox. All of the eggs will be stored together in the clan's rookery, and the communal hatching occurs ten years later.
Known clans
Besides the Manhattan ClanManhattan Clan
The Manhattan Clan are the fictional protagonists of the animated Disney series Gargoyles. They are six gargoyles , the last survivors of a Scottish Gargoyle clan who are frozen in stone in the year 994 AD only to be reawakened in 1994 in Manhattan...
which is the focus of the series, several other clans were introduced during the second season of the show. In the show's continuity, gargoyles had once been an abundant species that had dwindled due to the rather antagonistic co-existence with humanity. Only a few clans survive today, each for different reasons.
Each clan has different physiological and cultural differences based upon where in the world were they are located. Despite this, they all share the same attributes: they go into stone sleep during the day, all are fierce and formidable fighters, and they all have a specific area, persons, or concept that they protect. Series creator Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
has also indicated that despite looking very different, all gargoyles are members of one species, and do not necessarily have all the biological features one would assume from their appearance (for example, though Leo resembles a lion, he is not a mammal, nor is any other gargoyle).
Manhattan Clan
The six gargoyle warriors comprising the Manhattan Clan are the protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the series. They managed to survive through to the modern time with the aid of a magic spell that froze them in stone for a thousand years. Originally members of the Wyvern Clan in Scotland, they now live in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. They were once part of a sub-species of Scottish Gargoyles that were all but wiped out long ago by the Hunters
Hunter (Gargoyles)
In the Walt Disney animated television series Gargoyles, several of the show's antagonists, as legacy villains have used the name and identity of the Hunter. Traditionally, the Hunter persona was used specifically for the purpose of destroying members of the gargoyle species, such as the show's...
.
The addition of Angela, Katana, Fu-Dog, Nashville, Egwardo (who will hatch in 1998) Coldstone and Coldfire has brought the clan's number up to thirteen, as well as diversifying the clan (Angela from Avalon, Katana from Feudal Japan, Nashville who is a mix between Scottish & Japanese and Fu-Dog from China).
Avalon Clan
The Avalon Clan is a clan that resides on the mythical Isle of Avalon, where an hour spent on the island equates to a day in the "real" world. This means that for the island's inhabitants, that while a thousand years passed since their arrival on the island, the inhabitants have only experienced just over forty-one years. Unusually among many clans in the Gargoyles universe, the clan includes three human members who protected the clan while still unhatched.Much like the Manhattan Clan
Manhattan Clan
The Manhattan Clan are the fictional protagonists of the animated Disney series Gargoyles. They are six gargoyles , the last survivors of a Scottish Gargoyle clan who are frozen in stone in the year 994 AD only to be reawakened in 1994 in Manhattan...
around which the show revolves, the Avalon Clan is an offshoot of a gargoyle clan from Wyvern Castle in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. When the majority of the clan was destroyed by Vikings, the 36 gargoyle eggs in the rookery were taken away by four humans - Princess Katharine, the Magus, and the peasant woman Mary and her son Tom. The eggs remained protected by these humans and brought to Avalon (only Mary remained behind), where they remained and grew to adulthood. They were raised by the humans that had protected them as eggs, and were largely untouched by the outside world. Angela later stated that she had "fifteen rookery sisters" on Avalon, and Greg Weisman has stated there were three gargoyle beasts in the clan, meaning that the remaining seventeen gargoyles were male.
The Avalon Clan was introduced to the show when Tom (now the elderly Guardian of the Eggs) arrived in Manhattan searching for Goliath
Goliath (Gargoyles)
Goliath is a fictional character, and lead protagonist, in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Keith David.-Overview:The Gargoyles concept began as a comedy series in the style of The Gummi Bears, although set in the modern day...
, to see if he had been woken from his stone slumber. Goliath, along with the human Elisa Maza
Elisa Maza
Elisa Maza is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Salli Richardson. She is the main human character of the series, the steadfast ally of the Manhattan Clan of gargoyles...
and the gargoyle beast Bronx, traveled to Avalon and helped save the clan from attack by the Archmage.
Unlike traditional gargoyle clans, the Avalon Clan was raised by humans. Series creator Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
has indicated that because of this, the gargoyles on Avalon tend to have a more "human" nature than most of their species; perhaps most notable is the fact that each member was given a name at birth (such as Angela or Gabriel) rather than the usual gargoyle tradition. Similarly, Angela developed a human-like expectation of being acknowledged by Goliath as a daughter, which he was initially uncomfortable with on cultural grounds.
Human clan members
- Princess Katharine, voiced by Kath SoucieKath SoucieKatherine Elaine Soucie is an American voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Kath Soucie, Katherine Soucie, Kath Souci, Kath E...
, is the granddaughter of Malcolm I of ScotlandMalcolm I of ScotlandMáel Coluim mac Domnaill was king of Scots , becoming king when his cousin Causantín mac Áeda abdicated to become a monk...
through his fictional third son, Prince Malcolm and a fictional NormanNormansThe Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
, Princess Elena. Upon her father's death, she became the lordLordLord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
of Castle Wyvern during the 990s. She was at first prejudiced against the clan, thanks in part to her father using them as bogeymenBogeymanA bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour...
to make her behave, and also due to the advice of the Magus and general prejudices of the time. After GoliathGoliath (Gargoyles)Goliath is a fictional character, and lead protagonist, in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Keith David.-Overview:The Gargoyles concept began as a comedy series in the style of The Gummi Bears, although set in the modern day...
saved her from Hakon and learned the rest of the gargoyle clan had been destroyed, she vowed to protect the clans' unhatched eggs. Fleeing the now abandoned Wyvern, Katharine, the Magus and Tom traveled to the castle home of her uncle, King Kenneth IIKenneth II of ScotlandCináed mac Maíl Coluim was King of Scots...
, who welcomed them and the eggs with open arms. Unfortunately, this arrival place them into the midst of a political struggle, as a devious lord of Kenneth's court ConstantineConstantine III of ScotlandConstantine, son of Cuilén , known in most modern regnal lists as Constantine III, was king of Scots from 995 to 997...
assassinated the king and usurped his throne. He had then planned to cement his claim by marrying Katharine. If she refused, he intended to destroy the eggs. Katharine and the Avalon clan, with the help of a local princess Finella, escaped Constantine and fled to Avalon, their last area of sanctuary. The eggs hatched and she raised them on Avalon as her own children. During her time on Avalon, she fell in love with Tom, the Guardian of the Eggs.
- The Magus, voiced by Jeff Bennett, is the court magician of Castle Wyvern and eventually Princess Katharine's top advisor. It was the grief stricken Magus that cast the spell that imprisoned Goliath's clan in stone believing that the Gargoyles were responsible for Katharine's supposed death. Feeling shamed for his actions, he froze Goliath at his request and felt compelled to protect the rookery eggs. He used his magic to guide Princess Katharine and the eggs to Avalon, giving up his spellbook for the chance to join them. Though he loved Princess Katharine greatly, he felt that he had little to offer her without his magic, and watched sadly as the love between Katharine and Tom grew stronger. In the episode "Avalon", the Magus gave his life while fighting the Weird Sisters, and was interred in King Arthur's Hollow Hill.
- Tom the Guardian is a peasant boy at Castle Wyvern and the only human friend to the Gargoyles at the time, Tom also accompanied Princess Katharine and the gargoyle eggs to Avalon; he took on the role of Guardian, protecting the eggs and training them when they hatched (despite having little to no formal training himself). Tom visited the outside world once every hundred years or so in order to see whether Goliath and his clan had yet woken, and thus it was that he brought Goliath, Bronx and Elisa MazaElisa MazaElisa Maza is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Salli Richardson. She is the main human character of the series, the steadfast ally of the Manhattan Clan of gargoyles...
to Avalon. He wears medieval armor modeled after Goliath (minus the wings), in a style similar to David XanatosDavid XanatosDavid Xanatos is one of the primary characters of the animated series Gargoyles. In the series, he is the founder, owner and CEO of Xanatos Enterprises and a member of the Illuminati...
and his Steel Clan robots. He was voiced by J.D. Daniels as a boy and Gerrit GrahamGerrit GrahamGerrit Graham is an American actor and songwriter. He's appeared in such films as Used Cars, TerrorVision, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and Greetings, where he worked with Brian DePalma for the first time...
as an adult.
Gargoyle clan members
- Gabriel, named from the archangelArchangelAn archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
GabrielGabrielIn Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
, he is the leader of the Avalon Clan (though he gives deference to Katharine, the Magus and Tom as his Rookery Parents). Biologically, he is the son of the gargoyles now called Coldstone and Coldfire. He was voiced by Ruben Santiago-HudsonRuben Santiago-HudsonRuben Santiago-Hudson is an American actor and playwright, who has won national awards for his work in both areas. In November 2011 he will appear on Broadway in Lydia Diamond's play .-Early life:...
.
- Ophelia, named for the character in the ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
play HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, is Gabriel's mate (and, since Angela joined the ranks of the Manhattan ClanManhattan ClanThe Manhattan Clan are the fictional protagonists of the animated Disney series Gargoyles. They are six gargoyles , the last survivors of a Scottish Gargoyle clan who are frozen in stone in the year 994 AD only to be reawakened in 1994 in Manhattan...
, also his second-in-command). She was voiced by Kath SoucieKath SoucieKatherine Elaine Soucie is an American voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Kath Soucie, Katherine Soucie, Kath Souci, Kath E...
. The character was named after the Shakespearian character by the series writers, but internal to the story her birth on Avalon predates the play.
- Angela, Gabriel's original second, left the island along with Goliath, Elisa and Bronx to see the world and eventually joined the Manhattan Clan. See Angela for more information.
- Boudicca is a Gargoyle beast and a skilled tracker, and the planned mate of Bronx. She was used by Oberon to track down Puck in "The Gathering Part 1". She was named after Boudicca, the historical Queen of the IceniIceniThe Iceni or Eceni were a British tribe who inhabited an area of East Anglia corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD...
.
London Clan
The London Clan resemble creatures of heraldryHeraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
. Unlike other clans, they appear very much like anthropomorphised
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
animals with wings. In the show, only three members of the clan were introduced, running a magic shop in the Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
area of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for income, but the actual population of the clan is 196. They manage to fool customers into believing that their bizarre appearances are costumes. Other members of the clan do live on an estate outside the city called Knight's Spur. Although The clan is easily the most prosperous one known in terms of population, it is very much aware of the danger of overcrowding their secure area. To control that problem, stringent precautions are taken to control their population growth with a resulting total number of eggs at present being 25.
Griff
A warrior during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
-like gargoyle called Griff disappeared during The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
and was presumed dead. In fact, he had been transported to the future by Goliath
Goliath (Gargoyles)
Goliath is a fictional character, and lead protagonist, in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Keith David.-Overview:The Gargoyles concept began as a comedy series in the style of The Gummi Bears, although set in the modern day...
, using the time-traveling Phoenix Gate. Once in his old home again he was reunited with his friends Leo and Una, and encouraged them to once again take up defending the city.
Griff later encountered the wayward and awakened King Arthur Pendragon in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
(the king had broken in to hold vigil there, and Griff assumed he was a vandal before learning the truth). He and the Manhattan clan helped Arthur fight off Macbeth
Macbeth (Gargoyles)
Macbeth is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by John Rhys-Davies. Macbeth is one of several characters in the show based on characters from plays by William Shakespeare , though in fact his back-story is closer to the historical story of Macbeth of...
and retrieve the sword Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was later dubbed as the first of Arthur's new knights. He later accompanied Arthur on his quest to find Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
.
Griff was voiced by Neil Dickson
Neil Dickson
Neil Dickson is an English actor, who has worked extensively in both American and British film and television.At the age of five, Dickson contracted polio, but he was fortunate enough to make a complete recovery a year later. He attended Worksop College in Nottinghamshire playing Coriolanus in the...
.
Leo and Una
Leo and Una, who resemble a lionLion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
and a unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
respectively (see the Lion and the Unicorn
The Lion and the Unicorn
The Lion and the Unicorn are symbols of the United Kingdom. They are, properly speaking, heraldic supporters appearing in the full Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The lion stands for England and the unicorn for Scotland...
), run the magic shop that provides income for the clan. Una, voiced by Sarah Douglas
Sarah Douglas
Sarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies , and for her role as Pamela Lynch in the 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest .-Early life:Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the...
, is also the leader of the clan, and a powerful magic user. She shares a number of features with Demona
Demona
Demona is a fictional character in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Marina Sirtis. One of the primary antagonists in the series, Demona was once Goliath's lover and part of their castle's Wyvern Clan of gargoyles...
, particularly in her tendency to "rewrite" history to eliminate her own culpability, though she is diverted from Demona's path by the end of the episode and spared her lonely fate. Leo is her mate, voiced by Gregg Berger
Gregg Berger
Greggory "Gregg" Berger is an American voice actor, who is known for his longtime role as Odie the dog from the Garfield franchise...
, although it is suggested on the show that Una was romantically involved with Griff before his disappearance.
The two of them had refused to join Griff when he went out to fight in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and they were devastated when he did not return. They funded a memorial statue of Griff and Goliath
Goliath (Gargoyles)
Goliath is a fictional character, and lead protagonist, in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Keith David.-Overview:The Gargoyles concept began as a comedy series in the style of The Gummi Bears, although set in the modern day...
, as in a predestination paradox
Predestination paradox
A predestination paradox is a paradox of time travel that is often used as a convention in science fiction. It exists when a time traveller is caught in a loop of events that "predestines" or "predates" them to travel back in time...
Goliath had appeared at the shop before the battle and left with Griff. Believing that both had died, Leo and Una became cynical and insular, no longer protecting the people around them. When Goliath arrived in the modern day (before he had traveled back in time), they blamed him for Griff's disappearance though he did not yet know them. They managed to forgive Goliath when he brought Griff forward in time (thus causing the disappearance in the first place) and reunited the trio.
Lunette
Their daughter Lunette (relation was specified by Greg Weisman in Ask Greg) was shown in Gargoyles #8. She was a winged unicornWinged unicorn
A winged unicorn is a merger of the concept of pegasus and unicorn...
.
Staghart
Staghart (or "Amp" to his friends), who resembles a handsome stagSTAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
, is introduced in the Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics is an independent American comic book publisher, well-known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics.-Company history:...
series in issue #7 who meet the Manhattan gargoyles Hudson and Lexington while they are on a mission in London. There is some suggestion for now that he is homosexual and forming a mutual bond with Lexington, who is slowly realizing he is of the same sexual orientation. Greg Weisman mentioned that he would have cast Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, singer, writer, director, producer and author. His roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, Mr. Elton in Emma, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
for the voice of the character.
Constance
Constance (or "Coco" to her friends), who resembles a stocky warthogWarthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
sow, is a good friend to Staghart, although it is hinted that she is well aware of his sexual orientation which precludes being his mate. She is also very aggressive in battle and disdains weapons in battle in favor of her own abilities. Coco is loosely based on Greg Weisman's
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
original concept for Broadway. According to a post on Ask Greg (from Greg Weisman), Constance is Una's Second In Command. Greg Weisman vaguely considered Zoë Wanamaker
Zoe Wanamaker
Zoë Wanamaker, CBE is an American-British actress. She has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company; in films, including the Harry Potter series; and in a number of television productions, including a long-time role as Susan Harper in the sitcom My Family.-Early life and family:Wanamaker was...
as the voice for the character.
Ishimura Clan
Ishimura Clan are the gargoyle residents of a small village in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Unlike most other clans, the Ishimura gargoyles co-exist peacefully with humans. Their ancestors fought many battles alongside humansamurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
before settling in Ishimura. They live by the code of bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
, which they teach to humans. But by the late 20th century, they had run out of students. While they protect the village and its human residents during the night, a group of humans protects the clan's home during the day - to honor this association, gargoyles from this clan enter stone sleep facing inwards from their battlements, to their human protectorate, whereas gargoyles like Goliath
Goliath (Gargoyles)
Goliath is a fictional character, and lead protagonist, in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Keith David.-Overview:The Gargoyles concept began as a comedy series in the style of The Gummi Bears, although set in the modern day...
traditionally face outwards to face potential threats.
The leader of the clan is Kai (voiced by Clyde Kusatsu
Clyde Kusatsu
Clyde Kusatsu is a U.S. actor.Kusatsu was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended ʻIolani School. Kusatsu began acting in Honolulu summer stock, and after studying theatre at Northwestern University, started to make his mark on the small screen in the mid-1970s...
), and his second was Yama (voiced by Bruce Locke
Bruce Locke
Bruce Asato Locke is an American actor born and raised in Oregon. Locke is not a martial artist and yet is known for some of the action characters he has portrayed.He played tennis in college and was nationally ranked...
). Yama was known to have a mate called Sora (voiced by Haunani Minn). He betrayed the clan by aligning himself with a human named Taro, a former student of theirs who wanted to capture and imprison the clan in a Gargoyle-themed amusement park and then reveal them to the public. He tricked them into thinking their protectorate wanted them gone and he helped them escape so they could teach children. Unfortunately, the "children" were actually reporters Taro had invited. Yama realized the error of his ways and, along with his clanmates and Goliath, helped defeat Taro. They soon fled just as the media arrived. The Ishimura Clan then decided to teach bushido once again.
Yama was banished as a result of his actions in Bushido and has to determine when he regains his honor. Robyn Canmore
Hunter (Gargoyles)
In the Walt Disney animated television series Gargoyles, several of the show's antagonists, as legacy villains have used the name and identity of the Hunter. Traditionally, the Hunter persona was used specifically for the purpose of destroying members of the gargoyle species, such as the show's...
, Dingo and Matrix arrive in Tokyo to recruit him. Robyn mentions the chance for him to find Redemption, as well as threatening to reveal his clan to the world. He reluctantly joins, but doesn't approve of being blackmailed and the idea of working with a gargoyle hunter. Yama also doesn't like the idea of Fang joining (as he made a joke at the expense of a suicide).
Sometime during the Feudal era of Japan, a time traveling Brooklyn would arrive because of The Phoenix that came from the Phoenix Gate. He meets his future mate Katana. Though it is unknown if she joins him at first by choice or by accident.
Guatemala Clan
The Guatemala Clan are the protectors of the rainforestRainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. This clan possessed four amulets, powered by a larger Sun Amulet, forged by their previous human protectorate the Mayans
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
that allowed the wearers to stay awake during the daytime for 24 hour protection. Shortly before their appearance on the show, the clan was attacked by poachers, and all but the four gargoyles wearing the amulets (who were out at the time of the attack) were killed (the clan's eggs were also spared) and the Sun Amulet was stolen. The amulet later sat in the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in New York and was almost destroyed by Hyena who was to destroy it in a coordinated attack with Jackal in Guatemala. Broadway and Lexington from the Manhattan Clan
Manhattan Clan
The Manhattan Clan are the fictional protagonists of the animated Disney series Gargoyles. They are six gargoyles , the last survivors of a Scottish Gargoyle clan who are frozen in stone in the year 994 AD only to be reawakened in 1994 in Manhattan...
foiled that attempt and now hold the Sun Amulet.
The four members of the clan are:
- Zafiro - the red-skinned male leader, voiced by Hector ElizondoHector ElizondoHéctor Elizondo is an American actor. Elizondo's first major role was that of "God" in the play Steambath, for which he won an Obie Award...
, wore the sapphireSapphireSapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
amulet. Unlike other gargoyles, Zafiro resembled a winged snake (a possible inspiration for QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
myths in the universe of the show) or nāgaNagaNaga or NAGA may refer to:* Nāga, a group of serpent deities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.-People:* Nayan / Nayar/Nair people of Kerala Society* Naga people, a diverse ethnic identity in Northeast India...
, with a snake-like face and tail instead of legs. - Obsidiana - Zafiro's mate, voiced by Elisa Pensler Gabrielli, wore the obsidianObsidianObsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock.It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth...
amulet, and an expert herbalistHerbalistAn herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
. - Jade - , voiced by Jesse CortiJesse CortiJesse Corti is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Lefou in the 1991 Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast. He has appeared on several popular TV shows such as 24, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, West Wing, Judging Amy, Law & Order and many more...
, wore the jadeJadeJade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
amulet, and closely resembled Goliath in general appearance. - Turquesa - voiced by Marabina Jaimes, wore the turquoiseTurquoiseTurquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula CuAl648·4. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue...
amulet.
After their encounter with Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela, Jade and Turquesa went to Avalon, to plant and raise several valuable plants and herbs threatened by the development of the rainforest. Had the series continued, Zafiro would have traveled to Manhattan to recover the Sun Amulet.
Labyrinth Clan
Residing in an underground research facility beneath the streets of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, once run by Cyberbiotics, now home to many transient humans, as well as two groups who are firm allies of the Manhattan Clan: The Mutates and the Clones.
Mutates
Humans, spliced with animal genes by Anton Sevarius to resemble gargoyles. They have cat-like bodies, bat wings, and can discharge electrical pulses like electric eels.Clones
Created by Anton Sevarius, with funding from DemonaDemona
Demona is a fictional character in the animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Marina Sirtis. One of the primary antagonists in the series, Demona was once Goliath's lover and part of their castle's Wyvern Clan of gargoyles...
and Thailog, the five clones are true biological gargoyles, with simple minds, who are genetically identical to the Manhattan clan
Manhattan Clan
The Manhattan Clan are the fictional protagonists of the animated Disney series Gargoyles. They are six gargoyles , the last survivors of a Scottish Gargoyle clan who are frozen in stone in the year 994 AD only to be reawakened in 1994 in Manhattan...
. Talon gave them sanctuary in the Labyrinth. They were artificially aged, which altered their colorations (in general, their colours are photo-negatives of their originals). They were named after places in Los Angeles, in parody of the Manhattan Clan who are named after places in New York City. In the non-canonical season 3, the clones had a genetic defect that eventually "killed" them by permanently freezing them in stone hibernation. This defect also had happened to Thailog as well.
- Malibu - Clone of Brooklyn.
- Brentwood - Clone of Lexington. Brentwood is no longer a member of the Labyrinth Clan, having left it to join Thailog as of "Bash"
- Hollywood - Clone of Broadway.
- Burbank - Clone of Hudson.
- Delilah - A hybrid of Demona and Elisa's DNA. Secretly cloned by Thailog to be his perfect servile mate.
Unknown clans
As well as these clans, four clans have been mentioned by the show's creators, though they were never seen during the series. These clans are:- New Olympus Clan, who live on Mount Thanatos on the hidden island of New Olympus. An isolationist clan.
- Loch Ness Clan, from Loch NessLoch NessLoch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie"...
in Scotland. The only semi-aquatic clan remaining, they protect the Loch Ness MonsterLoch Ness MonsterThe Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
species. They do not appear in the cartoon when Goliath and company go to the Loch Ness. - Xanadu Clan, from XanaduXanadu-Description of Xanadu by Toghon Temur :The lament of Toghon Temur Khan , concerning the loss of Daidu and Heibun Shanduu in 1368, is recorded in many Mongolian historical chronicles...
in China. They protect the waning gargoyle beast population. Brooklyn's companion gargoyle beast Fu-Dog originated from this clan (though the time he visited China wasn't specified). - Korean Clan, from Pukhan, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. They protect their concept of justice.
These four clans, together with the clans detailed in the animated series, make up the entire remaining gargoyle population on earth. Series creator Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
once estimated that the total population worldwide is only about 400.
Further, Greg Weisman has stated that more clans would have been created in the future had he had a chance to continue the series. These clans include:
- New Wyvern Clan, formed on the former location of Wyvern Castle in ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- Camelot Clan, residing on the continent of Antarctica, in the location of New Camelot
- Liberty Clan, founded on an island off the west coast of CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Notre Dame Clan, in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France (a version of this clan appeared as a "Gargoyles" spoof in a Weisman-penned issue of Captain AtomCaptain AtomCaptain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
)
In addition, other clans are shown to have existed in the past, which were wiped out by humans. In the multi-part "City of Stone," for example, Demona is shown to have led a clan of gargoyles several years after the destruction of the Wyvern clan, which Weisman indicates was created from remnants of several other destroyed Scottish clans. These gargoyles were later killed by the first and second Hunters
Hunter (Gargoyles)
In the Walt Disney animated television series Gargoyles, several of the show's antagonists, as legacy villains have used the name and identity of the Hunter. Traditionally, the Hunter persona was used specifically for the purpose of destroying members of the gargoyle species, such as the show's...
. He once indicated that one of those clans was a "colony" created when the Wyvern clan was too large (though he admits to making that up to explain why a certain gargoyle model was used for a member of the original Wyvern and of Demona's clan).