M.I.A.
Directed by: Kazuo Terada
Story edited by: Gary Sperling
Written by: Robert Cohen
Summary
Tidbits
The notion of Goliath taking part in the Battle of Britain was a very early idea in Gargoyles (once it was redesigned as a serious adventure series rather than a comedy). Originally, the plan was for Goliath to be awake during the thousand years when the rest of his clan was in stone sleep, remaining in Castle Wyvern and guarding them for most of that time - but when the Second World War erupts, Goliath, realizing the gravity of the situation, fights alongside the RAF to prevent the Germans from conquering Britain and endangering Castle Wyvern and its sleeping gargoyles. When this notion of how Goliath spent the thousand years between 994 and 1994 was dropped, Greg Weisman still felt enamored enough of the notion of Goliath participating in the Battle of Britain that he looked for another way to allow for his presence there, and found it in the Phoenix Gate.
One of the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain sequence (identified in the dialogue) is Douglas Bader, an actual historical figure who took part in the defense of London during the Blitz, and whom Greg Weisman had even met as a boy. (Bader is another human in the series who, after the initial astonishment at seeing gargoyles has worn off, readily accepts them, leading to a particularly great scene where he saves Goliath and Griff from a German bomber and then exchanges a thumbs-up with Griff.) The animators erred, however, in having him fly a Spitfire in this scene (he actually flew a Hurricane during the Battle of Britain).
The notion of Leo, Una, and Griff looking like a winged lion, unicorn, and griffon respectively came from English gargoyle sculptures with similar appearances.
According to Greg, the bulk of the London clan (there's more of them, of course, than just Leo, Una, and Griff) lives on a country estate just outside London. Una serves as its leader; her second-in-command stays on the estate to look after things there.
Links
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