Macbeth (Gargoyles)
Encyclopedia
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
(in this case he is based on the eponymous protagonist from Macbeth
), though in fact his back-story is closer to the historical story of Macbeth of Scotland
.
at the center of the series and that he is somehow connected to one of the show's other main antagonists, Demona
. However, his full backstory, and his connection to Shakespeare or to the historical king of Scotland was not made clear until part way through the second season, in the "City of Stone" four-part episode.
He was depicted as a somewhat aged but physically robust Scottish man, wealthy (though not to the same extent as David Xanatos
), always sporting a form of chin curtain beard with no moustache, and having an interest in literature (notably the King Arthur
stories). He used several pseudonyms during the series, most prominently going by the name of Lennox Macduff. He was also immortal, having survived through to the 20th century due to a spell cast by the Weird Sisters
(in fact, three children of Oberon), that linked him eternally to Demona
.
Though he bore no particular malice towards the Manhattan Clan
, he was a deadly rival to Demona
. To that end, he once attempted to kidnap the clan in hopes to draw out Demona, not knowing that they were her enemies as well. As the series progressed and his tragic history became clear, Macbeth himself became a more sympathetic character. In a late episode of the series, called The Journey, Macbeth (as Lennox Macduff) appeared on television in order to defend the Gargoyles to the public once they had been revealed.
. His earliest chronological appearance in the series occurs in 1020. He and his father resided in Castle Moray when they were attacked by a masked assassin
known to then only as "the Hunter
". Finláech was killed but Macbeth was saved by the intervention of another sworn enemy of the Hunter: Demona
.
Demona was leader at the time to remnants of Gargoyle clans from across the British Isles
who were hunted mercilessly by the assassin. The Weird Sisters had visited and informed her of the location of her enemy. Demona arrived at the castle just in time to save young Macbeth and his cousin Gruoch
. The "Hunter" escaped while she was thus distracted.
The episode revealed the Hunter to be an identity used by Gillecomgain in the employ of young Prince Duncan
. Duncan had ordered the assassination in the process of removing other likely heirs to the throne of Scotland to secure his own succession. He promised Gillecomgain to secure the Stewardship of Moray for him.
His next chronological appearance finds an adult Macbeth in 1032. Macbeth was by now in love with Gruoch but her father Bodhe had decided to instead marry her to Gillecomgain. He was outraged but could do little to prevent this marriage. Meanwhile Prince Duncan had become the designated heir to the throne and was father to newborn Prince Canmore
.
Duncan had realized that Macbeth was growing restless and ordered Gillecomgain to assassinate him. Gillecomgain however refused. If Macbeth shared the fate of his father, people would start questioning the two mysterious deaths and his possible involvement in them. He was not about to risk the Stewardship of Moray for his former employer and current ally.
A vengeful Duncan changed his plans. He approached Macbeth with information that the Hunter and Gillecomgain are the same person. He thus secured a confrontation between the two men and hoped that both would die. Macbeth and Demona confronted Gillecomgain at the same time. The battle resulted in Macbeth killing his rival and saving the life of Demona. Demona declared that he had repaid his debt and fled away. Macbeth inherited the Stewardship of Moray and married Gruoch. Meanwhile Duncan put on the mask of the "Hunter" and assumed the identity for himself.
was born to Gruoch while Duncan succeeded to the throne in 1034. The next events depicted occur in 1040.
Duncan, Macbeth, Canmore
and Lulach were out hiking when they encountered the sleeping stone forms of several gargoyles during the day. Duncan suggested taking advantage and destroying them but Macbeth pled for their fate and that his King and cousin spare them. The four then encountered the Weird Sisters who hailed both men as a "King and father of the King hereafter". Macbeth assured Duncan that he neither knew the women nor what they meant.
On the other hand Duncan was convinced that Macbeth conspired against him and that the gargoyles were part of his plot. Duncan soon returned at the gargoyle lair with his guards. All but four were destroyed before the night came and they returned to life. Meanwhile Macbeth feared for his safety and that of his family. He met the grieving Demona on a bog
and pled for her help. But his former ally was now very old and infirm.
The two protagonists of the drama were facing an impossible situation and at that point a deus ex machina
was introduced in the form of the Weird Sisters. The Weird Sisters offered the two a pact bonding them to each other in exchange for a chance at survival and revenge against their common enemy. The two of them were desperate enough to agree without much questioning. Macbeth aged within moments to a still firm but seemingly middle-aged whilst Demona was restored to her youth. Both could feel the pain of each other when in close proximity and were made effectively immortal, neither able to truly die unless killed by the hand of the other, which would end them both. Before leaving, the Weird Sisters let Macbeth know that Duncan was the one who arranged his father's murder.
A reinforced Macbeth led his forces against Duncan and killed his cousin in battle. Elevating himself to the throne with Gruoch as his Queen consort
and Demona as his chief advisor, giving her the name "Demona" because her fighting made him think of a demon, Macbeth felt secure enough to allow young Canmore to live. But exiled the boy to the Kingdom of England
with his meager possessions. Among them, however, was the mask of the "Hunter
", which the boy stole from an unknowing Demona, who had claimed the mask as a trophy. Canmore swore to avenge his father as the third man to assume the identity.
However his father-in-law Bodhe was convinced that the English cared little for who held the throne of Scotland but were more interested in "purifying" Great Britain from the last gargoyles known to survive in it. Bodhe suggested that if Macbeth removed the gargoyles himself, the English would abandon Canmore to his fate and return to England. Macbeth doubted it, but when his son expressed outrage at the idea, MacBeth told him that a good king must consider all his options before making his decision. This conversation was unfortunately overheard by Demona who concluded that Macbeth had already decided to betray her. Macbeth however, as he would later tell Demona, had no intentions of betraying her or his oath to protect her clan.
Demona abandoned Macbeth and allied herself to Canmore. As all of Macbeth's plans for the defense of his castle were centered around the aid of the gargoyles, his forces proved unable to beat Canmore's armies back. Macbeth managed to escape the burning castle with Gruoch, but was found and confronted by both Canmore and Demona. While Demona accused Macbeth of betraying her and her people, Canmore took the opportunity to stab Macbeth from behind. Immediately both Macbeth and Demona fell to the ground, apparently dead. Canmore concluded that the rumors of Macbeth's magical link to the gargoyle were true and that when one of them died, both died. He had already secretly killed the remaining gargoyles serving under Demona, and with Macbeth dead and the forces of Lulach, Macbeth's son approaching, Canmore left the two for dead and departed the battlefield.
The body of Macbeth was approached by Lulach who took the crown and placed it on his own head. He then left the scene to prepare the coming battle against Canmore. Gruoch then arrived to grieve over her dead husband and King. But at that moment Demona and then Macbeth rose again. Canmore had failed to understand the mechanics of the spell binding them together. When one of them lived, both lived, and thus they would live eternally bound forever until one perished at the hands of the other.
Macbeth wanted to return to battle and defend Scotland. But Gruoch convinced him that even his loyal forces would fear a man who returned from death. He had to vanish from Scotland and allow Lulach to continue the battle for him. Macbeth reluctantly agreed and left Scotland and Gruoch.
in France. His resources also allowed him a private army (though he usually preferred to handle jobs alone; two of his henchmen would later leave him and join the Quarrymen) and a large arsenal of technology and advanced weaponry, such as his signature lighting gun. Issues of the SLG comic, penned by series creator Greg Weisman, reveal that MacBeth was involved in the 1950 theft of the Stone of Destiny, but little is confirmed beyond this.
Despite losing both his father and his son to Hunters (Finláech to Gillecomgain and Lulach to Canmore), MacBeth himself donned the Hunter's mask to track Demona, determined to take revenge for her betrayal, and possibly because killing her was the only way to end his long, lonely existence. He is hinted to have had several encounters with Demona over the course of the nine centuries but the circumstances are not known.
He first appeared in the series as a man willing to remove the Manhattan Clan
from Castle Wyvern, as a favor to David Xanatos
. In fact, his aim was to use the clan as hostages to lure Demona in. Goliath
informed him of his mistake, that Demona was their enemy too.
MacBeth fought the Gargoyles over the Scrolls of Merlin, which he thought contained information on magic spells used by the legendary wizard. However, he was shocked to find they were merely journals and had no value as magical talsimans. He let the Manhattan Clan take the Scrolls back.
MacBeth crossed paths with Demona again in the middle of her scheme to turn all of New York's inhabitants into stone. As the two confronted each other, the Weird Sisters appeared, taking control of both of them as part of a wider scheme by the villainous Archmage of Castle Wyvern to take over Avalon
, the mystical island. When the Archmage's plans were foiled, Macbeth and Demona were set loose with no memory of their actions.
In Paris, they would both nearly fall victim to plotting by Thailog. Using Demona as a willing "partner", he had Demona, in her human form, romance Macbeth, eventually convincing him to marry her. Demona thought the plan would then be for her and Thailog to reveal their true colors, imprison Macbeth, and take his fortune. In fact, Thailog's true plan called for Demona and Macbeth to kill each other, thus leaving both their fortunes in Thailog's talons. Fortunately for them, however, the plot was foiled by the timely appearance of Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela, who had been sent to Paris from Avalon.
Macbeth would eventually make his way back to Manhattan, where he would enact a ritual to bring powerful magic to himself. Unexpectedly, the spell summoned the legendary King Arthur
and the English gargoyle Griff. Upon discovering that Arthur was trying to find the legendary sword Excalibur
, Macbeth challenged the king for the sword, as the prophecy regarding to mentioned a "timeless king," a title which could easy fit him as well as Arthur. MacBeth appeared to win and claimed the sword, but it turned out to be a decoy. Arthur found the true Excalibur, and Macbeth conceded that Arthur was the more worthy king. The pair reconciled and Arthur offered MacBeth a position as his knight. MacBeth declined the offer, doubting his ability to serve another after so long as his own man, but promised his assistance if the King ever needed him.
Most recently, Macbeth has found a new position in life as a professor of history at New York University
. He appears on television to defend the Gargoyles against the propaganda of the Quarrymen
. According to #2 of the bi monthly comics, Macbeth (under the alias of Lennox Macduff) is author of a book titled Gargoyles In Celtic Legend.
Aside from the first 2 issues in the adaptation of "The Journey," Macbeth appears in issue #7 of SLG's Gargoyles. Macbeth approaches the Manhattan Clan for help guarding the return of the Stone of Destiny to Scotland; Lexington and Hudson accompany him. Unfortunately, the mission becomes more difficult when the three encounter King Arthur and members of the London Clan. Fortunately, both sides quickly realize their interests are parallel and the meeting proves most pleasant as they immediately decide to cooperate.
.
Even though Macbeth appears to be middle aged, having sacrificed his youth to restore Demona's as part of the pact he'd made, he is an exceptional athlete in peak physical condition. He is also an extremely formidable combatant, both armed and unarmed. Even though he has no superhuman physical abilities, Macbeth's skill and physical conditioning allows him to hold his own against much stronger opponents such as Demona, Goliath, or any of the other Gargoyles he has encountered. Due to his extended lifespan and the vast fortune he has amassed over the centuries, Macbeth has become well versed in sorcery and various areas of science and technology as well.
. According to Weisman, he would be active again in 2199. No further details have been made available.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Disney 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...
, voiced by John Rhys-Davies. Macbeth is one of several characters in the show based on characters from plays by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William 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"...
(in this case he is based on the eponymous protagonist from Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
), though in fact his back-story is closer to the historical story of Macbeth of Scotland
Macbeth of Scotland
Mac Bethad mac Findlaích was King of the Scots from 1040 until his death...
.
Description
Macbeth was introduced as a villain in the first season of the show, in the episode Enter Macbeth, and it was soon made clear that he knows much about the fictional gargoyle speciesGargoyle clan
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...
at the center of the series and that he is somehow connected to one of the show's other main antagonists, 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...
. However, his full backstory, and his connection to Shakespeare or to the historical king of Scotland was not made clear until part way through the second season, in the "City of Stone" four-part episode.
He was depicted as a somewhat aged but physically robust Scottish man, wealthy (though not to the same extent as David Xanatos
David Xanatos
David 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...
), always sporting a form of chin curtain beard with no moustache, and having an interest in literature (notably the King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
stories). He used several pseudonyms during the series, most prominently going by the name of Lennox Macduff. He was also immortal, having survived through to the 20th century due to a spell cast by the Weird Sisters
Three Witches
The Three Witches or Weird Sisters are characters in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth . Their origin lies in Holinshed's Chronicles , a history of England, Scotland and Ireland...
(in fact, three children of Oberon), that linked him eternally to 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...
.
Though he bore no particular malice towards 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...
, he was a deadly rival to 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...
. To that end, he once attempted to kidnap the clan in hopes to draw out Demona, not knowing that they were her enemies as well. As the series progressed and his tragic history became clear, Macbeth himself became a more sympathetic character. In a late episode of the series, called The Journey, Macbeth (as Lennox Macduff) appeared on television in order to defend the Gargoyles to the public once they had been revealed.
Character Biography
Macbeth was reportedly born in 1005 to Finláech, High Steward of MorayFindláech of Moray
Findláech of Moray was the King or Mormaer of Moray, ruling from some point before 1014 until his death in 1020....
. His earliest chronological appearance in the series occurs in 1020. He and his father resided in Castle Moray when they were attacked by a masked assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
known to then only as "the Hunter
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...
". Finláech was killed but Macbeth was saved by the intervention of another sworn enemy of the Hunter: 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...
.
Demona was leader at the time to remnants of Gargoyle clans from across the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
who were hunted mercilessly by the assassin. The Weird Sisters had visited and informed her of the location of her enemy. Demona arrived at the castle just in time to save young Macbeth and his cousin Gruoch
Gruoch of Scotland
Gruoch ingen Boite was the daughter of Boite mac Cináeda son of Cináed III. She is most famous for being the wife and queen of Mac Bethad mac Findlaích . The dates of her life are not certainly known....
. The "Hunter" escaped while she was thus distracted.
The episode revealed the Hunter to be an identity used by Gillecomgain in the employ of young Prince Duncan
Duncan I of Scotland
Donnchad mac Crínáin was king of Scotland from 1034 to 1040...
. Duncan had ordered the assassination in the process of removing other likely heirs to the throne of Scotland to secure his own succession. He promised Gillecomgain to secure the Stewardship of Moray for him.
His next chronological appearance finds an adult Macbeth in 1032. Macbeth was by now in love with Gruoch but her father Bodhe had decided to instead marry her to Gillecomgain. He was outraged but could do little to prevent this marriage. Meanwhile Prince Duncan had become the designated heir to the throne and was father to newborn Prince Canmore
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
.
Duncan had realized that Macbeth was growing restless and ordered Gillecomgain to assassinate him. Gillecomgain however refused. If Macbeth shared the fate of his father, people would start questioning the two mysterious deaths and his possible involvement in them. He was not about to risk the Stewardship of Moray for his former employer and current ally.
A vengeful Duncan changed his plans. He approached Macbeth with information that the Hunter and Gillecomgain are the same person. He thus secured a confrontation between the two men and hoped that both would die. Macbeth and Demona confronted Gillecomgain at the same time. The battle resulted in Macbeth killing his rival and saving the life of Demona. Demona declared that he had repaid his debt and fled away. Macbeth inherited the Stewardship of Moray and married Gruoch. Meanwhile Duncan put on the mask of the "Hunter" and assumed the identity for himself.
Steward of Moray
The series leaves the following eight years unrecorded. Meanwhile LulachLulach of Scotland
Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin was King of Scots between 15 August 1057 and 17 March 1058.He appears to have been a weak king, as his nicknames suggest...
was born to Gruoch while Duncan succeeded to the throne in 1034. The next events depicted occur in 1040.
Duncan, Macbeth, Canmore
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
and Lulach were out hiking when they encountered the sleeping stone forms of several gargoyles during the day. Duncan suggested taking advantage and destroying them but Macbeth pled for their fate and that his King and cousin spare them. The four then encountered the Weird Sisters who hailed both men as a "King and father of the King hereafter". Macbeth assured Duncan that he neither knew the women nor what they meant.
On the other hand Duncan was convinced that Macbeth conspired against him and that the gargoyles were part of his plot. Duncan soon returned at the gargoyle lair with his guards. All but four were destroyed before the night came and they returned to life. Meanwhile Macbeth feared for his safety and that of his family. He met the grieving Demona on a bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
and pled for her help. But his former ally was now very old and infirm.
The two protagonists of the drama were facing an impossible situation and at that point a deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
was introduced in the form of the Weird Sisters. The Weird Sisters offered the two a pact bonding them to each other in exchange for a chance at survival and revenge against their common enemy. The two of them were desperate enough to agree without much questioning. Macbeth aged within moments to a still firm but seemingly middle-aged whilst Demona was restored to her youth. Both could feel the pain of each other when in close proximity and were made effectively immortal, neither able to truly die unless killed by the hand of the other, which would end them both. Before leaving, the Weird Sisters let Macbeth know that Duncan was the one who arranged his father's murder.
A reinforced Macbeth led his forces against Duncan and killed his cousin in battle. Elevating himself to the throne with Gruoch as his Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
and Demona as his chief advisor, giving her the name "Demona" because her fighting made him think of a demon, Macbeth felt secure enough to allow young Canmore to live. But exiled the boy to the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
with his meager possessions. Among them, however, was the mask of the "Hunter
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...
", which the boy stole from an unknowing Demona, who had claimed the mask as a trophy. Canmore swore to avenge his father as the third man to assume the identity.
King of Scotland
Macbeth reigned in the Kingdom of Scotland for seventeen years that were not depicted in the series. But the "Hunter" returned to his life in 1057. Canmore invaded Scotland with the aid of English forces. His initial attacks were held off by the allied human and gargoyle armies of Macbeth and Demona.However his father-in-law Bodhe was convinced that the English cared little for who held the throne of Scotland but were more interested in "purifying" Great Britain from the last gargoyles known to survive in it. Bodhe suggested that if Macbeth removed the gargoyles himself, the English would abandon Canmore to his fate and return to England. Macbeth doubted it, but when his son expressed outrage at the idea, MacBeth told him that a good king must consider all his options before making his decision. This conversation was unfortunately overheard by Demona who concluded that Macbeth had already decided to betray her. Macbeth however, as he would later tell Demona, had no intentions of betraying her or his oath to protect her clan.
Demona abandoned Macbeth and allied herself to Canmore. As all of Macbeth's plans for the defense of his castle were centered around the aid of the gargoyles, his forces proved unable to beat Canmore's armies back. Macbeth managed to escape the burning castle with Gruoch, but was found and confronted by both Canmore and Demona. While Demona accused Macbeth of betraying her and her people, Canmore took the opportunity to stab Macbeth from behind. Immediately both Macbeth and Demona fell to the ground, apparently dead. Canmore concluded that the rumors of Macbeth's magical link to the gargoyle were true and that when one of them died, both died. He had already secretly killed the remaining gargoyles serving under Demona, and with Macbeth dead and the forces of Lulach, Macbeth's son approaching, Canmore left the two for dead and departed the battlefield.
The body of Macbeth was approached by Lulach who took the crown and placed it on his own head. He then left the scene to prepare the coming battle against Canmore. Gruoch then arrived to grieve over her dead husband and King. But at that moment Demona and then Macbeth rose again. Canmore had failed to understand the mechanics of the spell binding them together. When one of them lived, both lived, and thus they would live eternally bound forever until one perished at the hands of the other.
Macbeth wanted to return to battle and defend Scotland. But Gruoch convinced him that even his loyal forces would fear a man who returned from death. He had to vanish from Scotland and allow Lulach to continue the battle for him. Macbeth reluctantly agreed and left Scotland and Gruoch.
Present day
His activities until 1994 are not known, though he had amassed a huge fortune and built several bases of operation, including a castle in New York, a residence in London and a ChateauChâteau
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
in France. His resources also allowed him a private army (though he usually preferred to handle jobs alone; two of his henchmen would later leave him and join the Quarrymen) and a large arsenal of technology and advanced weaponry, such as his signature lighting gun. Issues of the SLG comic, penned by series creator Greg Weisman, reveal that MacBeth was involved in the 1950 theft of the Stone of Destiny, but little is confirmed beyond this.
Despite losing both his father and his son to Hunters (Finláech to Gillecomgain and Lulach to Canmore), MacBeth himself donned the Hunter's mask to track Demona, determined to take revenge for her betrayal, and possibly because killing her was the only way to end his long, lonely existence. He is hinted to have had several encounters with Demona over the course of the nine centuries but the circumstances are not known.
He first appeared in the series as a man willing to remove 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...
from Castle Wyvern, as a favor to David Xanatos
David Xanatos
David 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...
. In fact, his aim was to use the clan as hostages to lure Demona in. 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...
informed him of his mistake, that Demona was their enemy too.
MacBeth fought the Gargoyles over the Scrolls of Merlin, which he thought contained information on magic spells used by the legendary wizard. However, he was shocked to find they were merely journals and had no value as magical talsimans. He let the Manhattan Clan take the Scrolls back.
MacBeth crossed paths with Demona again in the middle of her scheme to turn all of New York's inhabitants into stone. As the two confronted each other, the Weird Sisters appeared, taking control of both of them as part of a wider scheme by the villainous Archmage of Castle Wyvern to take over Avalon
Avalon
Avalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 pseudohistorical account Historia Regum Britanniae as the place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and later where Arthur was...
, the mystical island. When the Archmage's plans were foiled, Macbeth and Demona were set loose with no memory of their actions.
In Paris, they would both nearly fall victim to plotting by Thailog. Using Demona as a willing "partner", he had Demona, in her human form, romance Macbeth, eventually convincing him to marry her. Demona thought the plan would then be for her and Thailog to reveal their true colors, imprison Macbeth, and take his fortune. In fact, Thailog's true plan called for Demona and Macbeth to kill each other, thus leaving both their fortunes in Thailog's talons. Fortunately for them, however, the plot was foiled by the timely appearance of Goliath, Elisa, Bronx, and Angela, who had been sent to Paris from Avalon.
Macbeth would eventually make his way back to Manhattan, where he would enact a ritual to bring powerful magic to himself. Unexpectedly, the spell summoned the legendary King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and the English gargoyle Griff. Upon discovering that Arthur was trying to find the legendary 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...
, Macbeth challenged the king for the sword, as the prophecy regarding to mentioned a "timeless king," a title which could easy fit him as well as Arthur. MacBeth appeared to win and claimed the sword, but it turned out to be a decoy. Arthur found the true Excalibur, and Macbeth conceded that Arthur was the more worthy king. The pair reconciled and Arthur offered MacBeth a position as his knight. MacBeth declined the offer, doubting his ability to serve another after so long as his own man, but promised his assistance if the King ever needed him.
Most recently, Macbeth has found a new position in life as a professor of history at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He appears on television to defend the Gargoyles against the propaganda of the Quarrymen
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...
. According to #2 of the bi monthly comics, Macbeth (under the alias of Lennox Macduff) is author of a book titled Gargoyles In Celtic Legend.
Aside from the first 2 issues in the adaptation of "The Journey," Macbeth appears in issue #7 of SLG's Gargoyles. Macbeth approaches the Manhattan Clan for help guarding the return of the Stone of Destiny to Scotland; Lexington and Hudson accompany him. Unfortunately, the mission becomes more difficult when the three encounter King Arthur and members of the London Clan. Fortunately, both sides quickly realize their interests are parallel and the meeting proves most pleasant as they immediately decide to cooperate.
Powers and abilities
Macbeth's only superhuman ability is the gift, or in his case curse, of immortality placed upon him by the Weird Sisters. As a result, Macbeth is immune to any further aging, disease, and cannot be killed through conventional means. The only way Macbeth can die is if he is killed by Demona - or if he himself kills Demona, as a simultaneous act by both of them - thereby making him and Demona linked in a manner of yin and yangYin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
.
Even though Macbeth appears to be middle aged, having sacrificed his youth to restore Demona's as part of the pact he'd made, he is an exceptional athlete in peak physical condition. He is also an extremely formidable combatant, both armed and unarmed. Even though he has no superhuman physical abilities, Macbeth's skill and physical conditioning allows him to hold his own against much stronger opponents such as Demona, Goliath, or any of the other Gargoyles he has encountered. Due to his extended lifespan and the vast fortune he has amassed over the centuries, Macbeth has become well versed in sorcery and various areas of science and technology as well.
2198
In the unmade spinoff, Gargoyles 2198, Macbeth upon the start of the series would have the status of a hermitHermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
. According to Weisman, he would be active again in 2199. No further details have been made available.