Difference between revisions of "The Hound of Ulster"

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(Act One: One act down. I'll get back to it when I'm able.)
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===Act One===
 
===Act One===
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Sirens blare at sunset over a stone-lined canal near a small town. Two young [[human]]s, a man and a woman, leap over the canal wall and give each other a thumbs up just as a police car drives by. Out of breath, the young woman hoots in excitement. "Told ya they'd never catch us!" she says to her friend before admitting that it was close. She holds a new leather jacket. The young woman, [[Molly]], tears off the sales tag and tosses it aside before donning her new prize. The young man dismisses the police as inept and wonders why she even continues to steal since it is so easy to get away. She tells him that it beats sitting with the young man's father watching TV and being lectured to. The young man has had enough of his father's nagging. He's told he lacks motivation, but wonders aloud what there is to be motivated for. He's done with school and does not know a trade. And there are no jobs available anyway. His father has been on the dole for ten years, but he is supposed to be different. The young woman scoffs at all of this. She tells her friend, [[Rory Dugan|Rory]], that there is nothing in [[Ireland]] for them. Perhaps they should leave. [[United States of America|America]] maybe. Rory shrugs this off. He has no savings for such a move. It's hopeless. Molly sighs. It's getting dark. "I should go." she tells him, but she'll meet him in the woods the next night. She tells him to get home. They hug and she kisses his cheek, then kids him with warnings of running into the "great beast in the dark". Rory isn't amused. He dismisses this tale of the legendary [[Hound of Ulster]] and tells Molly that she's been listening to his father. He has no time for "fairy tales". Molly climbs back over the canal, waves to Rory and departs. He turns and heads home. "The Hound of Ulster? Sure. And dwarves made me shoes..." He continues walking through a dark, misty field and suddenly hears a strange howling. Alarmed, he looks around and is terrified to see a glowing vision of a giant, monstrous worm! Rory recoils and covers his eyes. When he opens them, the vision is gone and he stands alone again in the field. Not far away, Molly is walking down a road. She too hears the strange howling and quickly leaps back over the canal wall, running towards Rory. Rory turns and runs back towards Molly as well.
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Not far away, the source of the howling is revealed. It is [[Bronx]] standing atop a hillock, howling into the night. He has arrived with [[Elisa]], [[Angela]], and [[Goliath]] aboard their [[skiff]]. Elisa jokes the scenery and the howling is very atmospheric. "I don't know whether to expect vampires or Sherlock Holmes," she quips. Angela wonders where [[Avalon]]'s [[magic]] has sent them this time. Elisa tells her they've been sent somewhere "cold and wet that smells like the bottom of a garbage can." Goliath sniffs and notes that the odor is from a peat bog. Could they perhaps be in [[Scotland]] again? Suddenly an eerie, feminine voice can be heard singing. Elisa doesn't think this is Scotland. The sound of the singing voice begins causing the travelers pain and they cover their ears and start to move away. The pain intensifies and Elisa and Bronx fall to the ground, unable to go any farther. Goliath and Angela turn back to pick up their companions. They climb a small hill and, still carrying the others, glide off into the night. They can;t seem to escape the singing though. Angela can't fly straight. She drops Bronx before falling herself. Goliath, carrying Elisa, growls in pain and frustration and also falls through the treetops. The four travelers have landed in a swampy bog. The singing stops, but they are suddenly aware that they are still in danger as they begin to sink into the muddy peat. Angela watches Bronx sink below the surface in terror and turns to Goliath, calling for his help. Goliath moves towards her, but is too late. She's gone. He turns back just in time to watch Elisa follow the others and then he too is submerged with a final desperate yell. The bog is still and quiet. Then, near the edge of the bog, Bronx suddenly pulls himself free and climbs on to solid ground. Muddy and exhausted, he shakes off the peat and lays on the ground briefly before a strange light appears over the bog. Bronx growls at a womanly form as it rises and sings an eerie note before disappearing. Bronx sniffs the ground where the strange figure stood and growls.
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It is morning in the home of [[Mr. Dugan]]. He is watching TV as Rory, his son, arrives home. He remarks that Rory was out late and wonders, sarcastically, if he was looking for new job. Rory ignores this and asks if his father heard anything like a howling or crying sound the night before out in the field. He reminds his father that he sued to tell him stories of something that howls like that when there is trouble. Mr. Dugan, suddenly serious, wonders if he means the Great Beast. The Hound of Ulster. He shuts off the TV and muses that hearing its howl warns of danger and seeing it... He stops himself. Dismissing the idea. That's just a story. It was probably the guard's sirens that Rory heard. Apparently, they were trying to catch some thieves, but failed. Rory mocks the police and Mr. Dugan is angered. How can his son make fun when he has done nothing lately. He needs to make something of himself. Rory responds angrily, "You can't make something from nothing, dad, there's no point in trying! There's nothing to try for." Rory's father refuses to hear this. Rory, after all, comes from a good and old family. The blood of heroes is in his veins! Rory scoffs this off. there are no heroes anymore, only villains. And the villains have them all beat. He storms out of the house. Mr. Dugan shakes his head. Rory has always given up too easily.
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Meanwhile, Goliath and Angela are [[stone sleep|frozen in stone]] in a strange cave while Elisa sleeps nearby. All are covered in mud, but otherwise seem unharmed. Elisa awakes and sees her companions shortly before their stone skin cracks and they awaken, casting aside the muddy shards with roars. Goliath spots Elisa and asks if she is alright. She replies that she is, aside from needing a hot bath, she asks about them and they too are fine. Angela finds that strange since the last thing she remembers is sinking to the bottom of a bog. Suddenly noting the [[gargoyle beast|beast]]'s absence, Goliath asks where Bronx is. Elisa has no idea. She woke up and was only with the two [[gargoyle]]s. And she has no idea how they all got there. Goliath looks around and slams against the stone walls to no avail. He punches and pushes against the wall and remarks that "a whole [[clan]] of gargoyles could not batter down these walls!" Angela asks what do they do then. Goliath tells her they will wait. Someone went to the trouble of putting them there and they will surely return at some point.
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Rory walks into a forest and calls for his friend Molly. No sign of her. He continues deeper into the woods. Hearing growling and rustling in the brush he stops and calls again for his friend. He's in no mood for her games. Nothing. Suddenly, a stick snaps sharply. Rory is frightened, but peers through a bush while telling Molly that she nearly gave him a heart attack, but she is not there. From behind him, Bronx approaches. Rory turns, terrified. He can't believe it. He is seeing the Hound of Ulster! He turns and flees and Bronx pursues him through the forest. Rory continues to run away from the barking beast and looks back. He does not see the chasm before him and runs right into it, falling to the bottom. Bronx come to the edge and looks down on the unconscious young man. He howls into the night.
  
 
===Act Two===
 
===Act Two===

Revision as of 16:49, 8 December 2024

HoundofUlster.JPG

"The Hound of Ulster" is the forty-fifth televised episode of the series Gargoyles, and the thirty-second episode of Season 2. It originally aired on February 6, 1996.

Summary

Main Plot

The Banshee captures Goliath, Elisa, and Angela in Ireland and traps them in Cairn na Chullain in order to try and get information about the Gathering out of them. Bronx joins forces with Rory Dugan, who is actually the reincarnated form of Cu Chullain, to save them. Rory's friend Molly tries to stop them, revealing herself to be the Banshee in disguise, and that she has been working to prevent Rory from recognizing his true heritage. Rory finds out the truth about himself and Molly, and together he and Bronx defeat the Banshee and free the others, and Ireland reclaims its hero.

Subplots

Banshee reveals that Oberon will soon begin the Gathering, and that all Oberon's Children are required to return home to Avalon. She doesn't want to go, and believes the travelers have come to collect her for Oberon.

Before realizing his true heritage as Cu Chullain, Rory feels he is stuck in Ireland with no job or money. His father is disappointed in his son's lack of motivation, but is on the dole himself.

The Story

Previously on Gargoyles

Act One

Sirens blare at sunset over a stone-lined canal near a small town. Two young humans, a man and a woman, leap over the canal wall and give each other a thumbs up just as a police car drives by. Out of breath, the young woman hoots in excitement. "Told ya they'd never catch us!" she says to her friend before admitting that it was close. She holds a new leather jacket. The young woman, Molly, tears off the sales tag and tosses it aside before donning her new prize. The young man dismisses the police as inept and wonders why she even continues to steal since it is so easy to get away. She tells him that it beats sitting with the young man's father watching TV and being lectured to. The young man has had enough of his father's nagging. He's told he lacks motivation, but wonders aloud what there is to be motivated for. He's done with school and does not know a trade. And there are no jobs available anyway. His father has been on the dole for ten years, but he is supposed to be different. The young woman scoffs at all of this. She tells her friend, Rory, that there is nothing in Ireland for them. Perhaps they should leave. America maybe. Rory shrugs this off. He has no savings for such a move. It's hopeless. Molly sighs. It's getting dark. "I should go." she tells him, but she'll meet him in the woods the next night. She tells him to get home. They hug and she kisses his cheek, then kids him with warnings of running into the "great beast in the dark". Rory isn't amused. He dismisses this tale of the legendary Hound of Ulster and tells Molly that she's been listening to his father. He has no time for "fairy tales". Molly climbs back over the canal, waves to Rory and departs. He turns and heads home. "The Hound of Ulster? Sure. And dwarves made me shoes..." He continues walking through a dark, misty field and suddenly hears a strange howling. Alarmed, he looks around and is terrified to see a glowing vision of a giant, monstrous worm! Rory recoils and covers his eyes. When he opens them, the vision is gone and he stands alone again in the field. Not far away, Molly is walking down a road. She too hears the strange howling and quickly leaps back over the canal wall, running towards Rory. Rory turns and runs back towards Molly as well.

Not far away, the source of the howling is revealed. It is Bronx standing atop a hillock, howling into the night. He has arrived with Elisa, Angela, and Goliath aboard their skiff. Elisa jokes the scenery and the howling is very atmospheric. "I don't know whether to expect vampires or Sherlock Holmes," she quips. Angela wonders where Avalon's magic has sent them this time. Elisa tells her they've been sent somewhere "cold and wet that smells like the bottom of a garbage can." Goliath sniffs and notes that the odor is from a peat bog. Could they perhaps be in Scotland again? Suddenly an eerie, feminine voice can be heard singing. Elisa doesn't think this is Scotland. The sound of the singing voice begins causing the travelers pain and they cover their ears and start to move away. The pain intensifies and Elisa and Bronx fall to the ground, unable to go any farther. Goliath and Angela turn back to pick up their companions. They climb a small hill and, still carrying the others, glide off into the night. They can;t seem to escape the singing though. Angela can't fly straight. She drops Bronx before falling herself. Goliath, carrying Elisa, growls in pain and frustration and also falls through the treetops. The four travelers have landed in a swampy bog. The singing stops, but they are suddenly aware that they are still in danger as they begin to sink into the muddy peat. Angela watches Bronx sink below the surface in terror and turns to Goliath, calling for his help. Goliath moves towards her, but is too late. She's gone. He turns back just in time to watch Elisa follow the others and then he too is submerged with a final desperate yell. The bog is still and quiet. Then, near the edge of the bog, Bronx suddenly pulls himself free and climbs on to solid ground. Muddy and exhausted, he shakes off the peat and lays on the ground briefly before a strange light appears over the bog. Bronx growls at a womanly form as it rises and sings an eerie note before disappearing. Bronx sniffs the ground where the strange figure stood and growls.

It is morning in the home of Mr. Dugan. He is watching TV as Rory, his son, arrives home. He remarks that Rory was out late and wonders, sarcastically, if he was looking for new job. Rory ignores this and asks if his father heard anything like a howling or crying sound the night before out in the field. He reminds his father that he sued to tell him stories of something that howls like that when there is trouble. Mr. Dugan, suddenly serious, wonders if he means the Great Beast. The Hound of Ulster. He shuts off the TV and muses that hearing its howl warns of danger and seeing it... He stops himself. Dismissing the idea. That's just a story. It was probably the guard's sirens that Rory heard. Apparently, they were trying to catch some thieves, but failed. Rory mocks the police and Mr. Dugan is angered. How can his son make fun when he has done nothing lately. He needs to make something of himself. Rory responds angrily, "You can't make something from nothing, dad, there's no point in trying! There's nothing to try for." Rory's father refuses to hear this. Rory, after all, comes from a good and old family. The blood of heroes is in his veins! Rory scoffs this off. there are no heroes anymore, only villains. And the villains have them all beat. He storms out of the house. Mr. Dugan shakes his head. Rory has always given up too easily.

Meanwhile, Goliath and Angela are frozen in stone in a strange cave while Elisa sleeps nearby. All are covered in mud, but otherwise seem unharmed. Elisa awakes and sees her companions shortly before their stone skin cracks and they awaken, casting aside the muddy shards with roars. Goliath spots Elisa and asks if she is alright. She replies that she is, aside from needing a hot bath, she asks about them and they too are fine. Angela finds that strange since the last thing she remembers is sinking to the bottom of a bog. Suddenly noting the beast's absence, Goliath asks where Bronx is. Elisa has no idea. She woke up and was only with the two gargoyles. And she has no idea how they all got there. Goliath looks around and slams against the stone walls to no avail. He punches and pushes against the wall and remarks that "a whole clan of gargoyles could not batter down these walls!" Angela asks what do they do then. Goliath tells her they will wait. Someone went to the trouble of putting them there and they will surely return at some point.

Rory walks into a forest and calls for his friend Molly. No sign of her. He continues deeper into the woods. Hearing growling and rustling in the brush he stops and calls again for his friend. He's in no mood for her games. Nothing. Suddenly, a stick snaps sharply. Rory is frightened, but peers through a bush while telling Molly that she nearly gave him a heart attack, but she is not there. From behind him, Bronx approaches. Rory turns, terrified. He can't believe it. He is seeing the Hound of Ulster! He turns and flees and Bronx pursues him through the forest. Rory continues to run away from the barking beast and looks back. He does not see the chasm before him and runs right into it, falling to the bottom. Bronx come to the edge and looks down on the unconscious young man. He howls into the night.

Act Two

Act Three

Featured Characters

Gargoyles Humans Oberon's Children Others


Places Miscellaneous


Quotes

  • "I don't think we're in Scotland, or Kansas either." - Elisa
  • "So you're the terrible hound. Ugly as the back of a bus you are." - Rory
  • "Skills may rust indeed, but true friendship stays bright." - Cu Chullain
  • "But more than enough to deal with a noisy young hero, and his little dog too!" - Crom-Cruach
  • "Bronx has a right to feel proud of himself. It's not every day that a land gets one of its old heroes back. And a land with a hero soon finds other deeds for him to do." - Goliath

Continuity

Banshee is introduced in this episode, and mentions both Oberon (who will appear in "Ill Met By Moonlight") and the Gathering. Banshee reappears in "The Gathering" Part One.

Cu Chullain is also introduced in this episode. He will next appear (in flashback, courtesy of Shahrizad) in "Rock and Roll".

Tidbits

A working title for this episode was "A Bronx Tail", a title later on used for an episode of The Goliath Chronicles.

"The Hound of Ulster" includes several hommages to the film The Wizard of Oz. When the travelers arrive in Ireland, Elisa says "I don't think we're in Scotland, or Kansas, either." When the Banshee faces Cu Chullain and Bronx in her Crom-Cruach form, she describes it as "more than enough to deal with a noisy young hero, and his little dog, too". It should also be noted that the little dog in the film is Toto. Toto is Dorothy's pet cairn terrier in The Wizard of Oz. This Scottish breed was named for its use in digging and hunting for prey among cairns (manmade stone structures such as Cairn na Culainn). The fact that Bronx is a dog-like beast of Scottish descent and is attacking a foe that is hiding in a cairn while being referenced to Toto is an incredible coincidence. While one can debate whether Bronx is indeed the Hound of Ulster reborn, perhaps the question should be asked if he is the reincarnation of Toto as well.

Greg Weisman briefly considered the possibility of a spin-off about Rory Dugan and Molly, though evidently so briefly that it never even made the list of projected spin-offs in his Master Plan document. He recently revealed its working title: Heroes of Ulster.

The episode strongly suggests that gargoyle beasts are the original for the "black dogs" of British and Irish folklore. The accounts of these creatures vary from one region of the British Isles to the next, but are generally portrayed as great doglike animals, usually seen at night, formidable and fearsome to behold, but often (though not always) protective beings - a description that certainly applies to gargoyle beasts. On a related matter, Greg at first thought of entitling the episode "The Barghest"; "barghest" being a name for one variety of "black dog", though found in the folklore of Yorkshire rather than Ireland (which makes it just as well that he later dropped it).

"The Hound of Ulster" takes some liberties with Irish legend in its interpretation of Cu Chullain and the Banshee. Not only is the account of Cu Chullain defeating the Banshee an invention of the series, but so is the notion of his being allied to a "great hound", whether a gargoyle beast or otherwise. In the actual Cu Chullain legend, the "Hound of Ulster" was Cu Chullain himself, who had, as a boy, slain the great guard-dog of Culainn the Smith in self-defense and afterwards, to appease the angry Culainn, offered to take over the dog's duties (hence his name, "Cu Chullain" or "the Hound of Culainn"). Also, the Banshee is portrayed as a malevolent faerie whose wailing causes death; in the original Irish folk-tales, banshees are death-omens whose cries foretell death, but do not actually cause it.

The Banshee's monstrous form, Crom-Cruach the Death-Worm, also stems from Irish legend, if with some liberties taken from the original. Crom-Cruach was one of the ancient gods of Ireland, a particularly fearsome and malevolent figure who was finally overthrown by St. Patrick. (His name, incidentally, was taken up by Robert E. Howard in his Conan stories, making Crom the god worshipped by Conan's people, the Cimmerians.) The notion of Crom-Cruach being equated with the Banshee and looking something like a cross between a great serpent and an overgrown insect larva is the invention of Gargoyles again, however.

Rory/Cu Chullain bears a striking resemblance to the Marvel Comics take on Thor. In Marvel Comics, a lame doctor named Donald Blake, visiting Norway, discovers a cane in a hidden cave which turns out to be Thor's hammer Mjolnir in disguise and transforms Donald Blake into Thor when he picks it up (it turns out much later on that Blake actually was Thor all along, temporarily banished to Earth and imprisoned in a human body by Odin to teach him humility). The similarity is unmistakable; in each case, a modern-day person discovers an old stick or cane underground which turns out to be the disguised weapon of a "real" mythical hero or god ("real" in the sense of existing in actual legends rather than being an invention of the writer), which transforms him into that same hero or god. Greg has openly regretted this similarity, and hopes to, if he ever produces further stories about Rory, tone down his resemblance to Thor/Donald Blake in them. [1][2]

DVD Release

Links

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