Finella

Finella

Finella was a young noblewoman at Kenneth II’s court in 995.

History

Kenneth fell in love with her in his old age, but she did not return his love, having given her heart to Constantine. Constantine pretended to return her love for his own purposes, but she did not realize this at the time. He duped her into arranging a secret meeting with Kenneth in the drying-house, to tell him that she wished to marry Constantine instead; this gave Constantine the opportunity to murder Kenneth and seize the throne.

After his coronation, Constantine declared that he would marry Princess Katharine, to strengthen his claim to the Scottish crown. Realizing now how she had been used by him, and furious at her betrayal, Finella helped Princess Katharine and the eggs escape from Constantine’s court, in order to get revenge on her false lover. At the watery gate to Avalon, the Magus entrusted her and Mary with the Grimorum Arcanorum, to keep it out of Constantine’s reach.

Finella and Mary were pursued by Constantine’s soldiers upon their return to Scotland for the next two years, until in 997, Brooklyn met them on his first Timedancer adventure and helped protect them. The Phoenix Gate at last appeared and spirited all three of them away to the United States in the 1970’s. Here, they eventually helped set up the alliance between Xanatos and Demona; presumably, Finella and Mary gave the Grimorum to Xanatos as well. Their fates are unknown beyond this point.

Real World History

Finella appears in the traditional Scottish chronicles, in connection with Kenneth II’s murder in 995, although we do not know if she was an actual historical figure or a creation of legend-makers. Her own role in the murder in the semi-historical accounts is somewhat different than that ascribed to her in "Gargoyles"; here, she is portrayed as the vengeful mother of a man whom Kenneth had earlier slain, who willingly participates in the setting-up of his murder.

Production Background

Voice Actor: Sheena Easton