The Cage

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"The Cage" is the thirty-second televised episode of the series Gargoyles, and the nineteenth episode of Season 2. It originally aired on November 16, 1995.

Summary

Main Plot

David Xanatos begins to lose control of the Mutates who are living at the Eyrie Building with him when Talon finds out from Elisa, and later for himself, that Anton Sevarius had faked his death. Goliath, out of fear that Talon would kill Sevarius before he could make a cure, but more concerned about Elisa's emotional turmoil over the whole ordeal, kidnaps Sevarius at Gen-U-Tech labs. Goliath brings Sevarius to the abandoned underground Cyberbiotics facility and threatens to hold him captive until he creates a cure for the mutates. Talon, under the false impression that Goliath and Sevarius are in cahoots, storms the lab with the other mutates, and comes close to killing Sevarius along with Goliath until Xanatos arrives just in time to save the geneticist. Talon finally learns the truth about Xanatos, and he and the other mutates stay in the facility and create the Labyrinth.

Subplots

Elisa's family is worried about Derek, who's gone missing, and Elisa is unsure how to handle the situation. She learns from Goliath that the mutates have been residing with Xanatos, so she has Goliath take her to the Eyrie Building. Talon greets them with an attack, since he partially blames Goliath for his predicament since the gargoyle supposedly killed Sevarius, obliterating any chance for a cure. Xanatos succeeds for a while in keeping Talon in line by reinforcing that delusion.

Xanatos is under the impression that Talon has captured Sevarius and asks him to release the doctor. There's some confusion until Owen receives the surveillance footage of Goliath abducting Sevarius. Xanatos uses the footage to continue to manipulate Talon into believing that Goliath and Sevarius are working together. Owen deduces Goliath's location at the lab, and Talon races there, letting his anger overcome reason. Elisa sees the same surveillance tape at Gen-U-Tech and is shocked, but makes the same conclusion as to where Goliath is.

Maggie reluctantly leads Fang and Claw to the Clock Tower, and they take down Hudson and Bronx. Talon sent them there to confront Goliath, who was still at the Cyberbiotics lab. The tables are turned on the mutates when the Trio arrive back from a concert. They immobilize Fang and Claw, while Brooklyn tries to convince Maggie of Xanatos's treachery, but Maggie is in denial because she believes Xanatos will cure her. Brooklyn gives up and releases the mutates.

Elisa arrives at the lab before the others, and talks Goliath into releasing Sevarius in the same moment that Sevarius has supposedly completed the antidote. Talon bursts in and overpowers Goliath while Sevarius uses the antidote as a bargaining chip for his life. Maggie wants the antidote, but Sevarius makes a suspicious comment that leads Elisa and Talon to believe that the "antidote" might actually be poison. Maggie tries to take the substance anyway, but Talon stops her, admitting that he can't get through his ordeal without her.

Goliath offers to let the mutates join the clan, citing that Elisa is already a part of it, but Talon politely declines. Elisa finally tells her family about what happened to Derek, and they see him for the first time since his transformation and accept him.

The Story

Previously on Gargoyles

Act One

A winged figure flies in the night over SoHo, coming to a landing on the balcony of Elisa's Loft. Inside, Elisa Maza is serving Chicken Molé to her mother, father, and her sister Beth (who is visiting from college). Beth reminds them of when Derek used to call dibs on the pot and Elisa is crestfallen which causes Beth to apologize. Peter asks again if Elisa has heard anything from Derek, but Elisa says no. She attempts to assure her father that Derek will check in when he's ready. But Peter will only give it one more week before he files a missing persons' report. As Elisa tries to talk Peter out of doing that, Beth gasps at the sight of a winged silhouette in the window which quickly vanishes before anyone else can spot it. Elisa downplays it, and Peter cracks a joke which changes the subject.

Elisa rendezvous with Goliath later at the Clock Tower, distraught at continuing her lie by omission to her family about Derek but unable to figure out how to tell them that he's been transformed by David Xanatos into a bat-winged mutate named Talon. She then tells Goliath to be more careful since Beth spotted him tonight outside her window, but Goliath explains that he wasn't at her window. Elisa then figures it was one of the others, but Hudson and Bronx are watching television while the Trio are at the concert in Central Park. When Elisa suggests that it was Derek, Goliath becomes the one crestfallen and confesses his own lie by omission. He tells her that Talon and the other Mutates have returned to Xanatos and that he's seen them flying to and from the Eyrie Building. When Elisa asks why he didn't tell her, Goliath rationalizes that there was nothing either of them could do, and he had hoped to spare her this pain. Elisa, however, refuses to accept this and is determined to get her brother away from Xanatos and demands to go see him now.

Goliath and Elisa soon alight on Castle Wyvern's battlements, but Talon was waiting and orders Fang and Claw to attack. Goliath manages to break free of their grip before he is attacked by Talon. Elisa draws her gun trying to end the fight, but Talon blasts Goliath in the chest with a blast of electrical energy. Elisa rushes to Goliath's side as Talon demands she step away from him, determined to take his vengeance by destroying his perceived enemy. But at this point, Maggie the Cat intervenes asking if Talon plans to attack his own sister, reminding him that she hates all the fighting. Xanatos then steps out of the castle assuring Talon that the violence isn't necessary and that Goliath and Elisa are always welcome here; they're not the enemy. Elisa cuts in shouting that Xanatos is the actual enemy. Maggie, however, still believes Xanatos to be their only chance to be human again. Elisa again attempts to convince the Mutates that Xanatos is the cause of their problems, not the cure. But Talon will hear none of it – as far as he's concerned, Goliath and Anton Sevarius caused this. Further, with Sevarius dead, there is no chance of them becoming human ever again. Elisa is surprised to hear this; Sevarius isn't dead and nobody died that night. Talon insists that he saw Sevarius die, but Elisa explains that when Xanatos is involved, what you see isn't always the truth. But Talon digs in . . . as far as he's concerned, Goliath has his sister snowed and that the gargoyle needs her to be protected from Talon's vengeance. At this point, Goliath gives up on the conversation and prepares to leave with Elisa, while Talon taunts the gargoyle that Elisa won't be there to protect him forever, and that he's coming for him. As his sister and the gargoyle leave, Maggie asks what if Sevarius is alive? Talon, angry and vengeful, promises her that if Sevarius is alive, he won't be for long.

As Talon departs the castle, Xanatos visits Owen Burnett in his office, ordering him to "tell Sevarius to disappear for a little while". But Owen's warning won't arrive in time: Sevarius has already departed Gen-U-Tech Headquarters, waving at a security guard and approaching his car. But before he can get in, a winged figure dives down and grabs the doctor midflight, whisking him away leaving behind only the good doctor's briefcase. Moments later, Elisa Maza pulls up in her car, asking to see Sevarius, but is told by the security guard that she just missed him. As it starts to rain, Elisa gazes at a rooftop spotting a winged-silhouette. She's happy to see Goliath, her guardian angel. When the guard asks what she just said, she just asks to take a look around and the guard admits her in. She quickly finds the abandoned briefcase.

Deep beneath the streets of Manhattan, someone has forced their way into Cyberbiotics' abandoned research facility and imprisoned Sevarius in a cage. Sevarius shouts that what his captor demands of him is impossible, but the one that's keeping him prisoner merely growls. Sevarius continues to shout that he won't do it.

As the rain clears, Owen approaches Xanatos in the library and tells him that Dr. Sevarius is unreachable. Xanatos assumes that Talon must have got to him first. While out on the battlements, Claw, Fang, and Maggie are trying to enjoy their dinner, but Fang chooses to make jokes at the expense of Claw's silence. Maggie reminds him that Claw hasn't spoken since his transformation, but Fang brushes it off as just a joke. Talon arrives and fills them all in that Sevarius's death scene being an act, and that he must have had help to pull it off. Fang asks who he figures and Talon accuses Goliath as the gargoyle was the one to kick him into the eel tank. Maggie doubts it and recalls when the gargoyles tried to help her. When she mentions that they took her to their home, Talon demands to know more.

Maggie lands on the balcony of the Clock Tower and is greeted by Hudson, who shares that he had wondered what became of her. But the trap is sprung as Claw and Fang fly in and subdue Hudson and Bronx. Maggie looks on in horror and apologizes.

Act Two

Sevarius glares at his captor behind bars, stunned that they plan to keep him as long as necessary. He tries to explain that it could take years to develop a cure and he figures that he can't be held captive forever. His captor growls and clenches a fist. But Sevarius is convinced that he can't even begin to start without his briefcase, since all of his notes are in it. He is met with only more growls and, seemingly defeated, he says he will "make the attempt". At the Clock Tower, Maggie again apologizes to Hudson and Bronx, now bound in chains – she never wanted this. Hudson asks why they're here at all, and Fang tells him that Talon wants a few words with Goliath. Hudsons scoffs, they're in for a long wait as Goliath said he'd be gone for a few nights. Fang angrily grabs Hudson's chains saying he'll just have to clear his social calendar – the Mutates aren't going anywhere. 

Inside Xanatos's office, Owen pulls up security footage that the last person to see Sevarius was a security guard who reported that Detective Maza showed up looking for the doctor minutes after he logged out, and that all that was found was a briefcase. Xanatos is sure that Talon has the geneticist hidden somewhere, trying to force a cure out of him. But Owen's investigation shows there is no sign of any unauthorized activity at any lab that Talon might have access to. The doors burst open and Talon storms in, accusing Xanatos of lying to him about Sevarius's death. But Xanatos keeps his cool and "admits" that he was fooled as well. He tells Talon that Sevarius and Goliath worked together to fake the death scene. His biases confirmed, Talon feels vindicated, but asks why the subterfuge. Xanatos tells him that Goliath wanted the doctor to "create more creatures like himself". When Talon asks how long Xanatos knew, Xanatos assures him that he had been pressuring Sevarius to design a cure and that what he created that first night was just a placebo. When Talon asks why he wasn't told, Xanatos smoothly says he didn't want to get his hopes up. Xanatos still doesn't, because he believes Sevarius was on the verge of a true cure. However, Talon is stunned to hear Xanatos urge him to release Sevarius to his custody . . . if it's not already too late.

Brooklyn, Lexington, and Broadway arrive on the Clock Tower still excited by the concert they had just attended. They call out to Hudson (who tries to warn them) as they are attacked by Claw and Fang. Claw attacks Broadway while Fang mockingly knocks Lex aside and assaults Brooklyn. But Brooklyn takes to the air as Fang gives chase. Fang fires blast after blast telling Brooklyn to come back and fight like a man, but Brooklyn turns the tables as he reminds the mutate that he's not a man, but a gargoyle. Lexington comes to as Broadway defeats Claw and helps his rookery brother restrain the mutate. With the two mutates defeated, Brooklyn calls out to Hudson and Bronx. Hudson, managing to free himself by this point, steps out with Maggie . . . sharing that it was she who set the trap.

Claw comes to as Bronx angrily roars at him. Maggie, seated in Hudson's recliner, listens as Brooklyn tries to assure her that they're not her enemies. Maggie, however, is convinced that Goliath and Sevarius planned it all together. Brooklyn, still nursing a crush on her, reminds her that they were there to save her, not hurt her. If Sevarius has a partner than it must be Xanatos. But Maggie doesn't want to hear it. Xanatos is their only chance for a cure, if Brooklyn is willing to lie about Xanatos than he'd lie about anything. Brooklyn sighs; he realizes he needs to prove he's trustworthy. He releases the three Mutates telling them to return to Xanatos if that's what they want, but warns them not to turn their backs on him. As they depart, Hudson asks if Brooklyn is sure he's done the right thing. Brooklyn is sure: Xanatos cannot keep up the pretense forever. Sooner or later the Mutates will find out what he's really like. 

Back at Gen-U-Tech, Elisa and the security guard are reviewing the security tapes with Elisa hoping, out loud, that Derek hasn't done anything stupid. They pull up the footage of Sevarius being abducted. The guard is shocked at what he sees. As is Elisa.

Down in the underground lab, Sevarius is mixing test tubes not sure if this concoction will work, as he's not used to working in such primitive conditions. Goliath steps out of the shadows ordering him to get back to work before conditions really do get primitive.

Act Three

Talon promises Xanatos that not only does he not have Sevarius, he hasn't even seen him. Xanatos asks how Talon knew he was alive. Talon explains that he arrived at Gen-U-Tech right after Elisa. He heard her ask to see Sevarius and the guard said that she just missed him – you can't just miss someone who's been dead for weeks. Owen turns to the computer, finding the surveillance tapes showing Goliath gliding off with Sevarius. Xanatos smirks; it seems the gargoyle and the doctor are still working together. Talon, again, feels vindicated and asks where they went. Xanatos also wonders if there's a chance of tracking them. But Owen reminds Xanatos that's not necessary – there's only one abandoned laboratory Goliath both knows about and could gain access to: Cyberbiotics' old underground research facility. Before Xanatos can speak, Talon is out the door. Xanatos is more than happy to let Talon lead the charge. Fang, Claw, and Maggie return to the castle, landing on the main tower as Talon storms out and takes to the air without a word. Fang asks where he's off to, Maggie isn't sure but sees that Talon is mad. They follow.

Down in the laboratory, Sevarius continues his work with Goliath standing behind him, watching every move he makes. Elisa soon arrives, an unreadable expression on her face. Goliath asks how she found him. When Elisa found out that he had taken Sevarius she knew he'd need a place for him to work and where else would he go? Before Goliath continues their conversation, he growls at Sevarius to keep working. But Elisa doesn't approve of any of this; what was he thinking by kidnapping this man? Goliath rationalizes his actions by saying that Elisa was in so much pain, he couldn't stand by and do nothing. Further, he also feared what would happen if Talon got to Sevarius first, doubting the doctor would have survived long enough to provide a cure. But Elisa knows that they won't get a cure this way, either. How would they know it was safe? Who would they test it on? Elisa assures Goliath that she knows his heart was in the right place, but, even if it worked, the ends can't justify the means as that is precisely how Xanatos behaves. Goliath gives in; he knows she's right and says he'll release Sevarius. But Sevarius announces he may have made a breakthrough.

The doors burst open and Talon explodes into the laboratory, enraged at the sight before him. He knew Goliath and Sevarius were in it together, but he cannot believe his sister is helping them. Elisa tries to calm her brother, but he's now completely unrestrained and attacks the gargoyle. Sevarius attempts to escape with his vial, but is captured by the other three Mutates. Talon orders Claw to restrain Elisa while he deals with Goliath. With the gargoyle down and out, Talon is prepared to kill both him and Sevarius. But Elisa and Maggie both plead with him not to go through with it. Sevarius is also convinced that Talon won't act and shows them the vial, telling them all it's the antidote. Right now there's only enough for one but he can make more – enough for each of them. All he wants in return is his freedom. Talon and Fang, however, are long past caring about the antidote and all Talon wants is to see the good doctor pay for his crimes. Maggie, however, asks if his vengeance is more important than their humanity. Sympathetic, Talon allows Maggie to have vial, but Sevarius cluches the vial to his chest. Why give it to her, when Talon deserves it more? Fang grabs the vial from the doctor asking why he would even care who takes it, giving it to Maggie. Elisa agrees, realizing something: why should Sevarius care who takes it first if he plans to make enough for everyone? Talon is then convinced that the vial must really be poison and Sevarius just wants him gone. But Maggie believes it's a cure – wants it to be a cure – needs it to be a cure. Sevarius promises that it is and that they must trust him.

But Xanatos, in his armor, and flanked by four of the Steel Clan have arrived. He blasts Fang in the chest and unmasks. As usual, Sevarius has overplayed his hand. Talon finally puts two-and-two together and realizes he's been duped. Goliath wasn't Sevarius's partner; it had been Xanatos all along. Again, he's enraged. He trusted Xanatos. Xanatos turned him into a monster and he defended him. Xanatos fires another warning shot. Calm as ever, Xanatos apologizes how things turned out – he would have preferred that Talon remained in the dark, but he can't let the mutate damage the doctor. His mind represents infinite possibilities. Coldly, Xanatos reminds Talon that Sevarius is the scientist and the mutate is just the experiment. Goliath begins to come to and Xanatos says hello to the gargoyle, having not noticed him there. As Xanatos and his robots depart, Sevarius taunts the Mutates by telling them that vial could be poison, but then again, there's only one way to find out.

Their enemies and manipulators departed, Talon is ashamed of his actions and tries to apologize to his sister, who forgives him. But Maggie is still desperate for the vial to be a cure. She figures that Sevarius must be just trying to scare them and she prepares to drink its contents. But Talon talks her down; they can't know it's a cure and the risk is too great. But Maggie's suffering comes to a boil, "Any risk is better than living as a monster," she laments. Talon takes her into his arms reminding her that he's also a monster. Maggie counters that Derek is stronger than her and that she can't live this way. Talon admits he couldn't either, not without her. They're not strong alone, they're strong together. Maggie puts down the vial and asks what they're going to do now. 

Goliath, back on his feet, invites the Mutates to return with him to the Clock Tower and join his clan. Talon is stunned that Goliath would accept him after how he's treated the gargoyle. But Goliath says that Elisa is already part of his clan, making all of them family. Talon is grateful but turns him down as he gathers around the other Mutates. Turns out, he now has his own clan and his own family.

Later on, Elisa escorts her parents and her sister into the laboratory, reminding them that even though he's changed on the outside, he's still Derek on the inside. Talon nervously approaches his family who are shocked at the sight of him. But they get over their initial shock and embrace him as Talon introduces them to Maggie. Goliath smiles as he watches the reunion from behind a curtain.

Featured Characters and First Appearances

Gargoyles Humans Others


Objects Miscellaneous


Quotes

  • "Where Xanatos is involved, what you see isn't always the truth."
"Same song, same tune. Goliath has you snowed. He and Sevarius are both to blame, and he needs you to protect him from me!" - Elisa and Talon
  • "So Claw, how do you like the chow? What's the matter? Cat got your tongue!?" - Fang
  • "Goliath said he'd be gone for a few nights."
"Sure he did. Guess I'll just have to clear my social calendar!" - Hudson and Fang
  • "Maggie, you know I wanted to be...your friend." - Brooklyn
  • "I don't know if this will work. I'm not used to working in such primitive conditions."
"Just get back to work, before conditions really do get primitive." - Sevarius and Goliath
  • "I really dislike working with someone hanging over my shoulder." - Sevarius
  • "Goliath, you've kidnapped this man! What were you thinking?"
"You were in so much pain, I couldn't stand by and do nothing!" - Elisa and Goliath
  • "Even if it works, the ends can't justify the means! That's the way Xanatos behaves, not you." - Elisa
  • "Please, Derek. Is your vengeance more important than our humanity?" - Maggie
  • "We'd all be happier if you remained in the dark, but I can't let you damage Anton. He's a bit of a bother, but his mind represents infinite possibilities. He's the scientist. You're just the experiment." - Xanatos
  • "Oh, hello Goliath. Didn't even notice you there." - Xanatos
  • "I can't live this way!"
"I couldn't either, not without you. Maggie, we're not strong alone, we're strong together." - Maggie and Talon
  • "You-you would accept us? After how I've treated you?"
"Elisa is already part of our clan. That makes you all...family."
"Thank you, Goliath. But it seems I have my own clan, and my own family." - Talon and Goliath

Continuity

Vinnie appears as the Gen-U-Tech security guard (with the full consequences of his being the one on duty during Goliath's kidnapping of Sevarius surfacing in "Vendettas").

The Mutates appear for the first time since "Metamorphosis". In this episode they discover that Sevarius has survived (following his "death scene" in "Metamorphosis") and that Xanatos has been lying to them about searching for a cure. They move into the Labyrinth, forming the Labyrinth Clan. They next appear in "Kingdom".

Beth Maza appears on screen for the first time. She next appears along with Peter Maza in "Cloud Fathers".

Tidbits

Talon, Maggie, and Fang assume new character designs here which the production team liked better than the "Metamorphosis" ones (the in-story justification used was that they hadn't finished mutating by the end of "Metamorphosis"). Talon's new design was briefly seen in "Upgrade" when Coyote was offering genetic engineering to the pack, which suggests that he was using footage from sometime after "Metamorphosis".

Maggie's nickname, "Maggie the Cat", is a reference to Tennessee Williams's 1955 play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Two flashback scenes were used from "Metamorphosis" to bring the story up to full length: Goliath's 'killing' Sevarius, and Maggie waking up to find herself at the Clock Tower.

When Goliath and Elisa arrive at the castle and Talon tells Fang and Claw to attack, Claw's fur color matches Fang's.

When Brooklyn lets the mutates go after the fight at the Clock Tower, Maggie and Claw are seen holding Talon rather than Fang before leaving.

Dr. Sevarius carries (and drops) a briefcase on which his name is misspelled "Servarius".

DVD Release

See Also


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