[7.7/10] I like Goliath getting his It’s a Wonderful Life episode! (Or, more likely, Gargoyles being inspired by “Perchance to Dream” from Batman: The Animated Series.) A look at what the world would be like if he were a human rather than a gargoyle makes for a neat thought experiment, not to mention a reminder to Goliath of what he means not just to his friends, but to the world.
I’ll confess that I’m a sucker for these sorts of stories. There’s just something about alternate universe and “For Want of a Nail” tales that grab my attention. I think you can see why here. Positing that without Goliath’s influence -- Xanatos would never have reformed, Elisa might have unturned into a gargoyle hunter, the rest of his clan would perish, and all other manner of other horribles might come to pass -- drives home how fragile a balance there is in the world of Gargoyles.
Granted, it shortchanges some of the other characters and their influences and temperaments. But at the same time, it works as a tale of warning, of how bad things might have gotten but for Goliath’s integrity. Seeing that world is a thrill but also full of sorrow.
I’m also a sucker for “This isn’t my life” stories. The disorientation of Goliath waking up in a human body, learning he’s married to Elisa with two kids, is palpable. The sense of things not being right, his known past conflicting with what everyone else believes of him, makes you feel the same. His efforts to prove he is who he said he was and find his former friends makes him feel relatable in an incredible situation, and the show plays both his joys in this life but his pathos in the one he lost to the hilt.
Last but not least, I like the reveal -- that it was Titania who did all of this. Just when Goliath questions whether the humans will ever accept him and his kind, wondering if he’s done any good, Titania shows him the grim future that would take hold without his actions, in a bid to inspire him to continue protecting the city and, most importantly to her, her daughter and grandson. The motivations make sense, and it’s a neat backbone for the story.
Overall, this is easily my favorite episode of season 3 -- a character story with a strong concept behind it and a true-to-life (if heightened) reaction from all the players involved.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-09-09T18:16:17Z
[7.7/10] I like Goliath getting his It’s a Wonderful Life episode! (Or, more likely, Gargoyles being inspired by “Perchance to Dream” from Batman: The Animated Series.) A look at what the world would be like if he were a human rather than a gargoyle makes for a neat thought experiment, not to mention a reminder to Goliath of what he means not just to his friends, but to the world.
I’ll confess that I’m a sucker for these sorts of stories. There’s just something about alternate universe and “For Want of a Nail” tales that grab my attention. I think you can see why here. Positing that without Goliath’s influence -- Xanatos would never have reformed, Elisa might have unturned into a gargoyle hunter, the rest of his clan would perish, and all other manner of other horribles might come to pass -- drives home how fragile a balance there is in the world of Gargoyles.
Granted, it shortchanges some of the other characters and their influences and temperaments. But at the same time, it works as a tale of warning, of how bad things might have gotten but for Goliath’s integrity. Seeing that world is a thrill but also full of sorrow.
I’m also a sucker for “This isn’t my life” stories. The disorientation of Goliath waking up in a human body, learning he’s married to Elisa with two kids, is palpable. The sense of things not being right, his known past conflicting with what everyone else believes of him, makes you feel the same. His efforts to prove he is who he said he was and find his former friends makes him feel relatable in an incredible situation, and the show plays both his joys in this life but his pathos in the one he lost to the hilt.
Last but not least, I like the reveal -- that it was Titania who did all of this. Just when Goliath questions whether the humans will ever accept him and his kind, wondering if he’s done any good, Titania shows him the grim future that would take hold without his actions, in a bid to inspire him to continue protecting the city and, most importantly to her, her daughter and grandson. The motivations make sense, and it’s a neat backbone for the story.
Overall, this is easily my favorite episode of season 3 -- a character story with a strong concept behind it and a true-to-life (if heightened) reaction from all the players involved.