In the thirty-eighth episode of the second season of Gargoyles, Elisa and Goliath disagree over how to solve a problem a previously-unknown clan of gargoyles is dealing with. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Gargoyles.Â
Upon reflection, I sort of get Elisa’s stance here. For what it’s worth, I think it’s great that the show wanted to give us an episode where Goliath and Elisa disagree on methods. It’s not something we’ve seen before! The reason I felt like this episode pulled me out of the story was because Elisa invoked being a cop in a strange context. I’ve tried to keep my own feelings on the police in America out of this because Gargoyles would be a lot less fun if I didn’t. I compartmentalize because I have to. Elisa is, in many respects, the quintessential “good” cop that we see in fictional narratives, but the show only explores that in relation to what she does with the gargoyles. Like, I’m not expecting this show to suddenly reflect deeply on all the terrible things the NYPD has done and pit Elisa against her coworkers.
So it felt a little strange to me that Elisa, who has been consistently willing to break the rules when she felt the rules did not match up with reality, would suddenly invoke the rule of law in this specific conflict. Look, I was utterly thrilled with the introduction of the Guatemalan gargoyles. FOUR NEW GARGOYLES WHO ALSO DESERVE A SPIN-OFF, CAN WE JUST SPIN-OFF THIS ENTIRE FUCKING SHOW, THANKS. Minus that dastardly pan flute (must all shows ever use it, is it a contractual thing, WHY DOES IT KEEP APPEARING EVERYWHERE), this was a fantastic chance for the show to demonstrate how gargoyles in other parts of the world would have different priorities. In the jungles of Guatemala, Jade, Turquesa, Obsidiana, and Zafiro all defend the forest, not people. Actually, they’re defending their home from deforestation! IT’S SUCH A GOOD IDEA. Thus, their tactics and their philosophies are slightly different than what other clans are used to.
It’s something Goliath intrinsically gets, but Elisa struggles with. Here, she believes there’s a different solution: going after whomever is legally responsible for the project in the first place. In this case, that’s Cyberbiotics, though it’s interesting that we never find out why Halcyon Renard would want to have a project located in Guatemala. (It’s kind of suggested that Preston Vogel made the decision on his own, since there’s that line about Renard being too sick to handle the day-to-day operations of the company.) So, Elisa’s plan was to avoid the loggers/workers and just go after Cyberbiotics…
…which still doesn’t solve the immediate threat: the destruction of the trees in the forest. Again: if Elisa was always a law-abiding citizen who refused to break the rules, then I would completely understand this conflict. But that doesn’t seem like the same character I’ve gotten to know over the last fifty episodes! It’s unfortunate only because this is otherwise such a strong episode. Plus, Elisa very quickly comes around to the realization that there ARE urgent things she needs to take care of RIGHT AWAY in this situation rather than focusing on some larger picture. And that message is done well within “The Green,” so it’s easier for me to get past that distracting moment.
CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MORE OF THESE CHARACTERS. How does this show consistently introduce new ones that are dynamic and interesting and entertaining???? At this point, I’ve met like twenty new characters in three episodes and THEY WERE ALL GREAT. Can we at least find out what happens when Turquesa and Jade make it to Avalon? I imagine that our team will have to go back to Avalon before they head home to Manhattan. UGH, I WANT SO MANY THINGS.
The video for “The Green” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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