Vows is the eighth episode of the second season of Gargoyles
Summary
The episode begins with Goliath battling Xanatos atop the Golden Cup Bakery Building. Xanatos eventually stops the fight and asks Goliath to be the best man in his marriage to Fox. Goliath is reluctant, but after being told that Demona will be the maid of honor and reminiscing about Prince Malcolm and Princess Elena's wedding ceremony, when he and Demona split a talisman as a token of their love, decides to attend despite Elisa's warnings.
Shortly before the wedding, Xanatos's father Petros Xanatos arrives in the Eyrie Building, disapproving of David's wealth. Petros reveals that David started his fortune with a valuable, medieval coin sent to him twenty years earlier by an anonymous stranger, and expresses his belief that David did not earn his wealth. David tells Petros that he'll one day prove to him that he is a self-made man.
Goliath arrives and Fox and David are wed by Judge Ian Roebling. Goliath, carrying his piece of the talisman he and Demona had split centuries earlier, goes to talk with Demona. After combinging her piece of the talisman with Goliath's, Demona reveals that the talisman is the Phoenix Gate, a magical tool used to travel through time and that Goliath had been set up to bring his piece of it. Demona uses the gate to travel back in time, with Goliath, David, Fox and Petros following her.
The five arrive in 975, but Demona immediately uses the gate to go forward in time. David, Fox and Petros help a Norman Ambassador escorting Princess Elena to her wedding to Prince Malcolm defeat a group of attacking bandits. The Ambassador recognizes David as a fellow member of the Illuminati and escorts them to their destination; Castle Wyvern. After hearing about David's part in rescuing Elena, Prince Malcolm rewards David with several coins that David then gives to the Norman Ambassador. David instructs the Ambassador to send the coin to young David Xanatos in the year 1975 and then send him instuctions as to how to set this up twenty years later, thus proving to Petros that he is indeed a self-made man.
It is revealed that the bandits who attacked Princess Elena were hired by the Archmage, who is planning to steal her wedding gift to Malcolm; the 975 Phoenix Gate; hoping that with it along with the Grimorum Arcanorum and the Eye of Odin he will achieve ultimate power. He sends his apprentice; the 975 Demona; to steal it from Elena.
Goliath meets up with the 975 Hudson and explains to him that he is a time traveller. "Hudson" agrees to help Goliath remain unnoticed by his younger self.
After the 975 Demona steals the Phoenix Gate, the present day Demona reappears and tries to convince her younger self not to give the Phoenix Gate to the Archmage and instead use it to prevent the impending Wyvern Massacre, which she shows her by travelling to 994. Goliath follows them and battles the present day Demona. The 975 Demona, disgusted with her older self, assists Goliath and together they defeat the present day Demona. Goliath tells the younger Demona not to attempt to change history and keep her vows. Goliath, the older Demona, David, Fox and Petros travel back to 1995. The Archmage, spotting the flames from the Phoenix Gate, is convinced that the younger Demona had lost the gate and threatens to tell Prince Malcolm that she had stolen it, until the 975 Hudson arries and points out she had been stealing it for someone. The Archmage instead decides to blame the theft on David, Fox and Petros. While Prince Malcolm and Princess Elena are wed, the young Demona splits the Phoenix Gate and gives it to the young Goliath.
Goliath, the older Demona, David, Fox and Petros reappear in 1995 seconds after they left. The older Demona is completely unaffected by Goliath's speech to her a thousand years earlier and Goliath leaves, remarking: "More's the pity.". Petros, still unsatisfied by David's lifestyle, gives David one American penny as a wedding gift, stating David cares about nothing else.
Back at the clock tower, the saddened Goliath thinks back to the days he and Demona loved each other.
Notes
- Xanatos and Fox marry, following their engagement in the previous episode.
- It's also revealed she legally changed her name to Fox. Her real name would later be revealed in Outfoxed.
- This episode reveals the beginning of Goliath's pet name for Demona, from when they were still mates.
- The episode reveals Xanatos's history. specifically his family, his origins, and how he got started in business.
- Goliath still has feelings for Demona.
- Time is shown to be immutable.
Trivia
- Coldstone's inanimate body makes a brief cameo in the storage room when Goliath is fetching the Phoenix Gate.
- Early airings include an animation error where Goliath's flashback at the end of the episode shows him and Demona in the clock tower instead of Castle Wyvern.
- Hudson does not have his Eye scar when Goliath returns to the Clocktower.
- On "Previously on Gargoyles" features Xanatos and scenes from Awakening Part 1 and Eye of the Beholder.
References
Memorable Quotes
- [Flashback to Castle Wyvern at Wyvern Hill, years before the Magus cast the curse]
- Tenth Century Demona: [after giving Goliath half the Phoenix Gate] Take this as token of my love. Cherish it always, as I cherish my half. Upon this I pledge my heart to you forever.
- Tenth Century Goliath: I accept your token my... Angel of the Night. And vow that you and I are one... now and forever.
- Goliath: Demona...
- Demona: I'm only attending this farce because Xanatos insisted. And I need to keep him as an ally. I neither know nor care why you're here.
- Goliath: This is not the first wedding ritual we've attended together. Don't you remember?
- Demona: I'm not interested in reminscing!
- Petros Xanatos: Why do you need all this?.
- David Xanatos: Oh, reason, not the need, father. I wanted it, so I took it.
- David Xanatos: It's so unlike you to attack first. I simply invited you here to talk.
- Goliath: Our past encounters have not inspired me to trust you.
- Hudson: Only you can decide what you will do lad.
- Elisa Maza: It's crazy to even *consider* going!
- Goliath: You're right.
- Petro Xanatos: Don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.
- David Xanatos: Fox and I make our own luck.
- Owen Burnett: Will Goliath actually be here?
- David Xanatos: Oh he'll be here. I bet my future on it.
- David Xanatos: [after Demona and Goliath leave the ceremony, Xanatos chases after them] Now the fun begins.
- Petros Xanatos: This is your wedding! Have you no respect for anything?
- David Xanatos: Sorry, pop. I'm in a bit of a hurry.
- Petros Xanatos: Unacceptable!
- [In the past Goliath speaks with the past version of Hudson]
- Goliath: So you see, Hud -... Uh I mean my mentor. Uh. I'm not a creature of sorcery. I'm a visitor... from the future.
- Tenth Century Hudson: And I suppose you glided back in time on the wind.
- [In the past Goliath speaks with the past version of Demona]
- Tenth Century Demona: What am I to do?
- Goliath: Do nothing.
- Tenth Century Demona: Nothing?
- Goliath: Do not worry. Do not wait or look for this catastrophe. Live in the moment. Attend the petty angers and jealousies that fill your heart. Fortify yourself with love and trust. And you need not fear this future. But most of all fulfill the vows of love you make for they can surely save you.
- Tenth Century Demona: I shall! You have my oath.
- Goliath: [picking up the older version of Demona] I had hers once too.
- Goliath: If I didn't fear the damage you would do to the time stream, I'd *gladly* leave you here.
- David Xanatos: But you won't, because you didn't. Time travel's funny that way.
- Demona: Get away from me, you sentimental fool. You may have prevented me from altering the past, but you failed too. You see I have clear memories of your little inspirational about keeping my vows of love. I *never* forgot it. Obviously history is immutable.
- Goliath: More is the pity.
- [In the past Demona is conversing with her past self]
- Modern Demona: [Referring to Young Goliath who's wounded] Believe me I know exactly how you feel. But you cannot trust him. He's weak. He cares more for the humans than for our clan. The greatest favor you can do him would be to put him out of our misery forever! You must know I'm right. Can't you see I'm right? I am what you will become!
- Tenth Century Demona: I will never be like you!
- Modern Demona: I do not wish to hurt you.
- Tenth Century Demona: And I do not wish to be you!
Cast
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Main Cast |
Recurring Cast
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