Burbank

Burbank

Burbank is the clone of Hudson.

History

The plan to create Burbank and the other Clones was orchestrated by Thailog. Demona supported the idea and together they used Doctor Sevarius's skills and the resources of Nightstone Unlimited to implement the plan.

On July 17th, 1996 while Hudson was guarding Demona in her cell in the Labyrinth, Demona released a robotic mosquito that obtained DNA samples from Hudson and then flew back to Nightstone Unlimited Headquarters. There, Sevarius retrieved the sample and used it to begin the process of creating Burbank. The cloning process was very similar to Thailog's creation. Sevarius accelerated Burbank's aging until he was at the equivalent maturity of a forty-something gargoyle (or a twenty-something human) and Thailog conducted a subliminal education program instructing Burbank with only very basic speech abilities and one overriding command: "Obey Thailog". [1] By October, Burbank was released from his cloning tube and soon after was revealed to the Manhattan Clan at Coney Island. With the other Clones he fought against the Clan but was ultimately defeated. With Thailog presumed dead, Burbank and the other Clones seemed lost, but fortunately Talon, who was also present for the battle, offered to take them back to the Labyrinth and have them join his "clan". More than that, he offered to teach them verbs and to think for themselves. The Clones then began to live at the Labyrinth. ("The Reckoning")

Less than a month later, on Halloween 1996, Thailog arrived at the Labyrinth to "reclaim [his] property". Though Talon and Maggie had made some efforts to teach the Clones to have free will, they quickly adjusted to the notion that Thailog was alive and, without signs of reservation, followed his orders and left the Labyrinth with him. ("Masque") From there, Burbank and the others accompanied Thailog to the Eyrie Building where a battle with the Manhattan Clan soon erupted. Burbank followed Thailog's orders and spent most of the battle fighting with Broadway, but in the end, he chose to go with Delilah, Malibu and Hollywood back to the Labyrinth remarking, "Labyrinth good." ("Bash")

Characteristics

Burbank looks much like Hudson, but the artificial aging has changed his coloration. [2] He has yellow skin, blackish wings, black hair, red eyes, black teeth, and a white mouth. Even though Burbank was aged to the equivalent of a forty-something gargoyle, his body is nearly identical to Hudson's current shape. The art work depicting Hudson forging an alliance with Prince Malcolm in 971, shows that Hudson was much thinner when he was younger.

Burbank is the only one of the younger clones to wear full armor and pants, and the only clone to use a weapon (a mace). Why exactly he dresses this way is unknown, but possibly Thailog wanted him to look as much like Hudson as possible, perhaps to make him more disconcerting. This could also be why Burbank sports a beard, though he is just as young as the other Clones.

Timeline

1996. Demona allows herself to be captured by Goliath, Angela, and Brooklyn in order to implement her plan with Thailog. ("The Reckoning")

July 15. Demona is imprisoned in the Labyrinth next to a cell by Fang. ("The Reckoning")

July 17. Hudson is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples his DNA. [3]

August 18. Sevarius completes his part in Thailog's project. Thailog begins programming the clones. ("The Reckoning")

October 12. Goliath goes to the Labyrinth to guard the prisoners when Thailog arrives and busts out Demona and Fang. They lure Talon and the Manhattan Clan to a fun house at Coney Island, where the gargoyles first encounter their full-grown clones: Burbank, Malibu, Brentwood, and Hollywood. ("The Reckoning")

October 13. The gargoyles are defeated by their clones and held prisoner. When Demona doesn't allow Thailog to kill Angela, he reveals the clone hybrid he made in secret, Delilah, from the combined DNA of Demona and Elisa. Enraged, Demona releases the clan and Talon and a battle breaks out. The clones and Fang are beaten, and when it appears that Thailog has been killed in a fire, Talon offers to let the clones join his clan in the labyrinth, creating the Labyrinth Clan. ("The Reckoning")

November 1. A fight breaks out between the Manhattan clan and the clones. During the battle, Thailog collects blood samples from the eight members of the clan. Delilah arrives, effectively ending the battle, and she rejects Thailog. Malibu, Hollywood, and Burbank return with her to the Labyrinth, but Brentwood elects to stay with Thailog. Thailog gives the blood samples to Sevarius. ("Bash")

Tidbits

Burbank was named by Demona after a city in Los Angeles to make fun of the, in her opinion, ridiculous name of Hudson. [4]

Appearances

• "The Reckoning" (First Appearance)
• "Invitation Only" (No Lines)
• "Masque"
• "Bash"
• "Reunion" (Indirect Reference Only)
• "The Rock" (No Lines)
• "A Little Crazy" (No Lines)
• "Miracle Child" (No Lines)
• "New Rules" (No Lines)

Production Background

Voice Actor: Ed Asner

Greg Weisman wrote on Ask Greg that he "cheated" when it came to Burbank's name, believing that he should have been named after a Los Angeles-area river such as Santa Ana. [5]