High Noon

"High Noon" is the twenty-sixth televised episode of the series Gargoyles, and the thirteenth episode of Season 2. It originally aired on September 25, 1995.

• Produced by: Frank Paur, Greg Weisman
• Written by: Lydia C. Marano
• Story edited by: Brynne Chandler Reaves
• Directed by: Dennis Woodyard
• Animation by: Walt Disney Animation Japan
• Backgrounds by: Walt Disney Animation Japan
• Additional Production Facilities: Nakamura Production, Studio Robin, Light Foot, Studio Cats, Takahashi Production, Jade Animation Productions

The Story

Act One

"Desdemona" waits atop the castle inside the cyberspace of Coldstone's mind. "Othello" glides to a landing on the tower. "Desdemona" remarks that he has returned quickly and asks what he has brought her. He gives her a bouquet of heather and says that hills beyond are covered with blooming heather. "Desdemona" is pleased and takes the heather from him, remarking that she'd thought the season for heather had passed. She takes a deep smell of the flowers and realizes that the flowers have no scent. Like everything in cyberspace, it is not real. "Othello" comforts her, saying that it is true that the world they live in has no substance, but it also has nothing that can separate them. "Desdeomna" smiles at her mate and admits that that alone makes it beautiful. He calls her beautiful as well as the two embrace. Suddenly, "Iago" dives towards the couple, snarling. "Othello" angrily asks why "Iago" won't leave them in peace. "Desdeomna" calms him and says to let him be, as "Iago" no longer has the power to come between them. "Iago" glides off past a cybernetic moon.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Lexington is using his computer (hooked up to Coldstone) in the Clock Tower as Goliath looks on. Nearby, Hudson and Broadway are reading a newspaper together, practicing their new skills in literacy. They make their way through an article about Rosaria Sanchez and Peter Choy saving a five year old from the lake in Central Park. As Broadway struggles with a word, Elisa arrives and finishes the sentence for him: the teenagers saved the child because it was the "right thing to do." Broadway asks how she knew what they said and Elisa says she wasn't there, but that choosing to save the child took courage and that always feels right. Broadway takes some books from her and says she must make those courageous acts all the time. She claims that she is no hero and is just doing her job, which thankfully, is over for the night. She is tired and all she wants to do is "hit the sack". Hudson is confused by this phrase and asks that that means, Brooklyn, who was also reading newspapers nearby, explains that she is just tired and wants to sleep. "Then why didn't she say so?" asks Hudson, to Brooklyn's silent amusement towards the elder gargoyle. Elisa tells Lexington that she brought him more books on computer viruses and asks if he's making any progress with reviving Coldstone. Lex thinks that he is. He's discovered nothing is broken, but nothing is working either. The virus that attacked Coldstone wiped his programming clean; it's a blank slate and even the virus is gone. Goliath reminds him that the three souls that inhabit the Coldstone body were put there by magic, not programming. Lex knows they must be in there somewhere and thinks he can revive Coldstone if he devises a simple operating program. Elisa says she knows he'll figure it out, but she needs to get some sleep and waves goodbye to the Clan. Goliath notes that it is time for them to sleep as well. The gargoyles make their way outside and strike poses as the sun rises and they turn to stone.

Far below, Elisa exits the building with Officer Morgan; she's clearly exhausted. Morgan sympathizes and can relate. Elisa advises him to go home and get some rest and begins to depart herself. Just then, a woman in a police uniform passes them with a handcuffed man wearing a hat in tow. Elisa does a double take at the woman (and the woman glances at her as well). Elisa, puzzled, asks Morgan if he knows the woman. He doesn't and figures her to be just a rookie since otherwise she'd know better than to handcuff a guy that big with his hands in front of him. Elisa sighs and says she should tell her. Morgan reminds her to go home afterwards. Elisa pursues the mysterious pair, but they increase their pace through the hallways and stairs of the building. Elisa runs to follow and seems to lose them. She is struck by the weirdness of the incident and then notices the door to the broom closet is ajar - the broom closet that is the access point for the gargoyles' home. Deeply concerned, she enters, spots the discarded hat and handcuffs on the ground, and makes her way up the ladder, gun drawn. As she reaches the top of the ladder, the mysterious woman kicks the gun out of her hand. The man, now revealed to be Macbeth restrains Elisa. Struggling, Elisa remarks that he and his "little friend" won't get away with this. He says nothing and throws her against a stone wall. She falls to the floor unconscious. Macbeth and the woman smile. "Sweet dreams, detective," quips Macbeth.

Some time later, Macbeth in his aircraft ascends and moves away from the clocktower. Behind him, the mysterious woman lets down her hair, revealing herself to be Demona in her human form. Demona is furious that Macbeth stopped her from killing Elisa and the gargoyles when they had the chance. Macbeth notes that the sleeping gargoyles and Elisa were helpless and there is no honor in killing them like that. Demona scoffs at his "stupid code of honor". Macbeth tells her to stop complaining. Their stolen cargo is safe and no one spotted them leaving. She needs to lighten up.

That evening, back at the clock tower, Elisa awakes. Looking at her watch she realizes she was unconscious for most of the day. She quickly rushes outside and is relieved to discover that all the gargoyles are present and accounted for. She briefly considers what else Macbeth and his partner in crime might've been after and remembers Coldstone. Sure enough, Coldstone is gone. Elisa is bewildered. How'd they get Coldstone out? Even in New York, people would notice if they just walked him out the door. She decides to quit talking to herself and wait for the clan to awaken.

Meanwhile, at Macbeth's Mansion, Macbeth and Demona, now in their normal attire, wait for the sun to set as well. Coldstone stands comatose nearby. Macbeth is annoyed. He doesn't understand why they are waiting for sunset and claims that Demona is still thinking like a gargoyle. Demona claims that she is a gargoyle, though her human form is useful at times. She explains that they are waiting to put a disk into Coldstone to awaken him because he doesn't know Macbeth and wouldn't recognize Demona in human form. They wait. Soon, the sun sets. Demona painfully transforms back into her gargoyle self. Nearby, Macbeth feels the pain of the transformation fully due to their magical link. He asks if it is supposed to hurt that much since the daily transformation is supposed to be a gift from Puck. Demona tells him that Puck's gifts always come with a price, but she's just glad that Macbeth gets to suffer as well. Macbeth, annoyed, tells her to get on with the plan. Demona inserts the disk into Coldstone's chest.

In cyberspace, a huge portal opens. "Othello" and "Desdemona" are intrigued. What is this portal and where does it lead? Before they have more time to consider it, "Iago" dives past them and enters the portal. "Desdemona" is alarmed and asks if they should follow. "Othello", glad their evil brother is gone, says that nothing matters except that they are together.

The Coldstone body wakes up and instantly recognizes Demona. "Iago" is in control of the Coldstone shell and greets his sister. Demona asks how he feels. "Iago" smiles and answers, "Vengeful..."

Act Two

The Manhattan Clan discusses the situation back at the clock tower. Elisa has filled the gargoyles in and they are full of questions. Goliath wonders how Macbeth escaped the Weird Sisters, while Broadway wants to know how Macbeth knew where to find them. Brooklyn asks Elisa if she recognized the woman. Elisa admits she seemed familiar, but can't identify her. Lexington, looking at his books and computer, wonders why Coldstone would be stolen. Goliath doesn't know, but he refuses to leave his brother in the hands of Macbeth. Hudson agrees. The clan prepares to depart for Macbeth's Mansion. Elisa is torn. She wants to go with the clan, but her shift starts soon. Goliath reassures her that the six gargoyles can handle Macbeth. Besides, she has a whole city to protect. Elisa agrees, but warns them to be careful and demands a full report later. She heads to work, glad she got a long nap. Meanwhile, the gargoyles depart the clock tower.

Shortly thereafter, the clan is walking through the halls of Macbeth's Mansion. Broadway comments to Lex that he has gotten very good at bypassing alarms. Lexington can't take credit, saying it was too easy. Hudson comments that it's also too quiet. Macbeth must be expecting them. Goliath makes a plan to flush him out. He divides the clan into pairs. Brooklyn and Bronx are sent down one hallway. Broadway and Hudson are sent to check out the second floor. Lexington, still with Goliath, spots a working surveillance camera and remarks that Macbeth must know the clan is in his house. He and Goliath decide to find the control room. Once there, they burst in ready for battle, but find the room empty. Goliath turns to leave, but Lex stops him. They can use the cameras for their benefit instead. He accesses the controls and flips through different video feeds until he comes to one showing a revived Coldstone chained to the floor of a dungeon. Lexington remarks on how easy it was and Goliath agrees. It was all too easy, but they have no choice but to play along. Lex warns that Macbeth has gotten Coldstone operational again, but there is no way of knowing which personality is in control... and one of them hates Goliath. Goliath punches through the controls and says that he'll just have to be very careful.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn and Bronx investigate a large foyer area. Moonlight coming through a stained glass window illuminates the quiet castle. Brooklyn remarks that it is a bit spooky. Bronx growls and runs to a door, sniffing and clawing at it. Brooklyn opens the door and has to hold Bronx back. The beast clearly is alerted to something. Brooklyn finds a light switch and turns it on. It's just a closet. He turns off the light and prepares to leave, but Bronx is still on high alert. Suddenly, a secret door lifts, revealing Demona! She leaps over a barking Bronx and tackles Brooklyn through some furniture and onto the floor. She throws the young gargoyle into a fireplace. Bronx attempts to leap at Demona but she dodges him and the beast slams into a recovering Brooklyn instead. Demona grins and moves in.

Upstairs, Hudson and Broadway enter a large library. Broadway is awed at the number of books. Suddenly, a lightning blast hits a nearby chair. Macbeth is perched above them on a rolling ladder and mocks that he knows how to read all of the books. He kicks away from the wall, rolling towards a bookcase that moves to reveal a hidden door. Hudson, seeing Macbeth's escape plan, points for Broadway to follow on a second rolling ladder while the elder gargoyle runs to the spiral staircase. Macbeth reaches the end of the shelf with Broadway in close pursuit. He looks to see Hudson coming towards him from the stairs and glances back just in time for Broadway's ladder to collide with him, sending them both falling. Broadway lands on a chair, cushioning his fall a bit, but Macbeth hits the floor hard and reacts in pain.

On the floor below, Demona reacts to Macbeth's pain giving Brooklyn a chance to tackle her to the ground. She kicks him off of her, but is slammed back to the ground by Bronx. Brooklyn commends Bronx for apprehending Demona.

Elsewhere, Lex and Goliath descend a stone staircase into the dungeon. There they find Coldstone as they saw him on the control room screen. Coldstone warns the two gargoyles not to come any closer since it is a trap. "Not anymore!" announces Broadway as he and Hudson enter the room carrying a seemingly unconscious Macbeth. Hudson jokes that they found Macbeth catching up on his reading. Coldstone is not calmed and warns that Demona is still out there. Lexington thinks that something must be wrong with Coldstone's circuits as Demona and Macbeth would never work together. Just then, Brooklyn and Bronx arrive and throw Demona to the ground. "Guess again..." Goliath suspects that the two villains must've both escaped the Weird Sisters together. Broadway asks why they'd team up since they hate each other. Hudson remarks that "Maybe misery loves company". Regardless, Lex advises freeing Coldstone. Goliath wonders if it is safe, but Lex points out that Coldstone didn't have to warn them about Demona and suspects that the right personality is in control. Goliath breaks the chains, freeing his brother. Coldstone thanks the clan, then moves to Macbeth and Demona, ready to deal with them. Broadway asks what Coldstone plans to do with the two of them. Coldstone says "Just this..." He fires his rockets, lifting Macbeth and Demona off the ground. "Now..." he says. The two villains open their eyes, revealing their unconsciousness to be a ruse. The Clan is shocked, but has little time to react. Macbeth pulls out a remote control and presses the button; the floor electrifies, shocking the whole clan and sending them to the floor while Macbeth and Demona pump their fists in glee.

In cyberspace, the maniacal laugh of Coldstone rings out and "Othello" and "Desdemona" react in horror.

Act Three

"Desdemona" and "Othello" stand atop the tower in cyberspace looking into the portal. The female gargoyle tells her mate that their "soul mate" is up to no good. "Othello" pushes off the responsibility to someone else. They've earned their peace. "Desdemona" looks back at the portal, unsure.

At the clock tower, dawn approaches. Elisa paces back and forth, concerned. The gargoyles left no note or word of any kind. Elisa doesn't know what to do if they don't return by sunrise. She yawns, exhausted again. She needs sleep but can't leave without knowing the clan is safe. Suddenly a gargoyle glides in for a landing. For a moment, Elisa thinks it is Goliath, but it is instead Demona. Elisa is shocked, but soon recovers. She asks Demona if she intends to spend the day at the clock tower as the sun is about to come up. Demona laughs, "Is it really?" The sun rises and Demona, painfully, transforms into a human. Elisa gasps, then quickly realizes that if Demona is human, then she is subject to human laws. She pulls her gun and begins to arrest Demona. The gargoyle-turned-human, while showing off her body, laughs Elisa off. If Elisa wants to see her "precious Goliath" again, she needs Demona to talk. Elisa demands to know where he is. Demona tells her that she wants to show Goliath what humans are really like. She will bring the Clan to Belvedere Castle at high noon. She offers Elisa a choice. Show up and fail to save the gargoyles, and indeed, sacrifice her own life or don't show at all and reveal to Goliath what human loyalty is really worth. Either way, Demona wins. Demona leaves the building, hails a cab, and departs. Elisa begins to follow, then realizes she already knows where Demona is headed. Morgan approaches Elisa, concerned. He asks if she is getting any sleep. Elisa admits that she barely has had any rest in the last 40 hours. Morgan points out that her shift is over so she should head home and get some rest. Elisa wishes she could go to sleep and wake up to a world without monsters, good or bad, just normal life. Normal life is something Morgan wishes for as well. It would be nice for a while, Elisa muses, but "they" need her. Morgan, misinterpreting, asks her isn't that why she became a cop in the first place. Elisa, reinvigorated, agrees and thanks Morgan for his help.

High noon in Central Park. Macbeth, Demona, and Coldstone wait at Belvedere Castle. The gargoyles, chained up, are sleeping as stone. Coldstone remarks that he never dreamed that he'd see the sun and wonders why he too wasn't stone. Demona tells him that it is because he is no longer a gargoyle; day or night, he is Coldstone. Brendan Quarters and Margot Yale stroll blissfully past them and Coldstone asks why no one is able to see them. Macbeth shrugs off the question.

In cyberspace, "Desdemona" questions her mate. Doing nothing is not the Gargoyle Way. "Othello" tells her that they are not gargoyles, just shadows. Suddenly he turns back to see three versions of his mate, one with gold hair, one with white hair, and one with black hair. The three "gargoyles" tell him that "Even shadows must be true to their shade."

Elisa arrives at Belvedere Castle, determined and angry. She stalks past the villains and checks on Goliath. Demona tells Elisa that she is brave but stupid, and aims her weapon at the detective. Elisa tells Demona that she came unarmed. "That was your first mistake, and your last." She prepares to fire, but Macbeth stops her. Seeing that the fight is not even, he suggests facing Elisa in hand-to-hand combat. Demona is not afraid and throws down her weapon. She mockingly tells Elisa that Goliath can't save her now. Elisa points out that she is here to save him and the two human women begin to fight. Elisa easily tosses Demona aside, taunting that Demona fights like a rookie. The fight continues with the two women struggling on the ground. Macbeth and Coldstone watch leeringly.

Meanwhile, the three visages of "Desdemona" in cyberspace continue to try to persuade "Othello" into action. Yes, their world is a paradise, but he is living a lie if they do not stop their evil brother. He admits that they speak truth. The three female gargoyles merge back into the one true "Desdemona" and she asks if they are taking up the cause. He agrees. It is the Gargoyle Way! They enter the portal together.

Suddenly, Coldstone, having been under the control of "Iago", yells that he is besieged and falls to the ground holding his head as electricity sparks around him. Inside the portal, "Desdemona" and "Othello" battle their brother. He is quickly taken down. "Desdemona" holds "Iago" and urges her mate to take control of Coldstone and fix the damage their brother has done. Macbeth asks Coldstone, if he is all right. "Othello" now controls the Coldstone body and accesses his memory banks. Seeing all that has transpired he attacks Macbeth, throwing the human to the ground and blasting the lightning gun from his hand. Seeing that Coldstone has changed sides, Macbeth calls for his aircraft to extract them. Demona, still fighting Elisa, looks up at this development and Elisa takes the chance to kick her away. The airship arrives and Macbeth calls for Demona. The two villains narrowly escape. Coldstone prepares to pursue, but Elisa, out of breath, stops him. She needs his help freeing the gargoyles. And besides, hasn't there been enough fighting for one day? Coldstone uses his laser canon to break all the gargoyles' chains, then prepares to leave. Elisa tries to stop him and tells him that Goliath and the others will want to see him. Coldstone tells her no. The battle inside him rages on and no living gargoyles are safe from Coldstone until that battle is decided. He tells her to tell Goliath that he will return one day if he can and departs. Elisa slumps to the ground beside Goliath, exhausted. A jogger comes by and asks where all these statues came from. Elisa tells him not to ask, she's just taking a nap.

Back at Macbeth's Mansion, Demona is berating Macbeth for causing their loss since he insisted they do it his way. Macbeth tells her that destroying Elisa and the gargoyles and keeping Coldstone was never their primary objective. Demona questions this. Macbeth reveals that the true targets were the three magical talimans on the table beside them: the Grimorum Arcanorum, the Phoenix Gate, and the Eye of Odin. They were stolen from the clock tower when the duo kidnapped Coldstone as a diversion. With all that occurred, it'll be weeks before Goliath even realizes they are gone. Demona remembers that she used a spell from the Grimorum to hide their presence at the clock tower and Central Park, but can't remember why they even stole the items or how they knew they were at the clock tower. Macbeth suddenly questions why the two of them are even working together. Angrily, they prepare to attack each other but are frozen as the Weird Sisters arrive just in time. They had placed a spell on the two and it was just about to wear off. "You can only compel someone to act against their nature for so long." They wonder if it was wise to release Coldstone. They could've found a way to place a spell on him too. Luna tells her sisters that they do not need Coldstone and that the talismans will do nicely in the coming battle. The Weird Sisters take the items and magically disappear with Macbeth and Demona. Macbeth's Mansion stands empty and silent.

First Appearance

Location

• Belvedere Castle

Continuity

This is another good episode for "bit-characters". Not only does Officer Morgan play a major role here, but Brendan, Margot, and the Jogger all show up among the passers-by at Belvedere Castle.

Elisa Maza (and through her the gargoyles) learns that Demona now turns into a human during the day, rather than turning to stone (an ability she has had since "The Mirror"). Elisa is able to recognize the human Demona later, in the episode "Sanctuary".

Broadway and Hudson continue to practice their reading skills. The decided to learn to read in "A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time". The newspaper article they read covers the rescue of a five year old from the lake in Central Park by Rosaria Sanchez and Peter Choy.

Macbeth and Demona are still under the control of the Weird Sisters, following the events of "City of Stone" Part Four. They will remain dominated until "Avalon" Part Three.

Three talismans that the Manhattan Clan had been protecting at the Clock Tower are stolen in this episode by Macbeth and Demona, so that the Weird Sisters can give them to the Archmage (in "Avalon" Part Two). The Grimorum Arcanorum had been there since "Enter Macbeth", the Eye of Odin since "Eye of the Beholder", and the Phoenix Gate had been there since "Vows".

Coldstone is reactivated in this episode. He had been dormant since "Legion". Coldstone next appears in "Possession", although his next chronological appearance is depicted in "Reunion".

Tidbits

Macbeth inaccurately describes Puck as a "changeling". His use of the word implies that it is being used to mean "shape-shifter"; in fact, a changeling, in fairy mythology, was a substitute baby left behind by the faerie-folk whenever they stole a human infant from its cradle, sometimes a fairy baby, more often a very old fairy pretending to be a baby. There is no hint in the series that Puck ever had such an experience.

When Lexington is typing in passwords in an effort to reactivate Coldstone, among the words that he tries are "Othello", "Desdemona", "Iago", and "Weisman".

Demona's eyes glow red even while she is in human form (at the moment when she angrily confronts Macbeth at the end of the episode, just before the Weird Sisters step in). Evidently Puck's transformation spell has not completely removed her gargoyle qualities during the daytime.

After Demona turns human in front of Elisa, she strikes the same pose Elisa did in "The Mirror" when posing as a guard for Titania's Mirror at the museum. Ironically, the reflection of this pose stayed in the mirror after Elisa moved and Puck's "gift" for Demona was the last thing he did when she summoned him from it and the last thing before she smashed it.

The title of this episode and its theme of responsibility in the face of frightening odds comes from the 1952 film, High Noon. [1]

Coldstone and Macbeth's exchange of "Well, this is diverting . . . "/"You have no idea." would later reappear in the sixth issue of Greg Weisman's Marvel series, Starbrand & Nightmask.

Toon Disney/Disney XD Edits

After Elisa is captured by Macbeth and a human Demona, she is thrown against a wall, knocking her out. This is cut. Instead we see Macbeth throwing her but we don't see her impact with the wall. It cuts right to where she has already landed on the floor and gone unconscious.

DVD Release

• Gargoyles: Season Two, Volume One

Links

• Background Memo
• Greg's Ramble
• Extensive Synopsis and Review

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