The 10 Best Episodes of Disney's GARGOYLES
Disney’s classic 1994 animated series Gargoyles quickly became a fan-favorite show for its unique blend of cool action, engaging drama, and an interesting mythology. The show follows a group of ancient gargoyles who are brought to life in modern-day New York City, where they must navigate the challenges of living in a world that is vastly different from the one they were once a part of.
With over 70 episodes to choose from, it’s really not that easy to narrow it down to the ten best, but I was feeling up for the challenge! Here are, what I think, are the ten episodes of Disney’s Gargoyles that are absolutely essential viewing if you’re looking to rewatch certain episodes.
Awakening: Part 1 - Season 1 Episode 1– This is the pilot episode of the series, and it does an excellent job of setting the stage for the rest of the show. We are introduced to the gargoyles, and we get to see them in their natural habitat as they defend their castle from invading Vikings.
Goliath and his clan of gargoyles defend a medieval castle in 994 A.D Scotland; Goliath is tricked by the humans and discovers his entire clan has been destroyed.
Awakening: Part 2 - Season 1 Episode 2 – In this episode, we see the gargoyles make their way to New York City, where they must learn to adapt to a world that is vastly different from the one they once knew.
The remaining gargoyles are cursed to sleep for 1000 years; David Xanatos buys the castle, moves the castle to New York City, the gargoyles are awakened and the castle is attacked.
Deadly Force - Season 1 Episode 8 - This was a very interesting and powerful episode as it focused on the danger of firearms. Broadway ends up stumbling upon Eliza’s police firearm and accidentally shoots her with it.
A mobster hijacks a shipment of laser weapons, and Broadway accidentally shoots Elisa; Goliath and Broadway find the missing weapons and destroy them.
The Edge - Season 1 Episode 10 – In this episode, the gargoyles must team up to protect Manhattan from Xanatos, who suits up in some crazy technologically advanced gargoyle armor.
Xanatos wears an armoured gargoyle suit and wreaks havoc against the people of Manhattan; the public believes that the robots are causing trouble and that the real gargoyles are a myth.
The Mirror - Season 2 Episode 5 – In this episode, a fairy-trickster named Punk granted Demona several wishes including “getting rid of all the humans” in Manhattan by turning them into gargoyles.
Using Titania's mirror, Demona summons Puck to do her magical bidding, forcing him to eradicate all the world's humans. Humans are turned into gargoyles and gargoyles are turned into humans!
City of Stone: Part 1 - Season 2 Episode 9 – In this multi-part episode, we see the gargoyles come face to face with the evil Demona, who has the ability to turn people to stone.
Using Titania's mirror, Demona summons Puck to do her magical bidding, forcing him to eradicate all the world's humans. Humans are turned into gargoyles and gargoyles are turned into humans!
Avalon: Part 1 – Season 2 Episode 21 - In this two-part episode, the gargoyles are taken to the mythical island of Avalon, where they must team up with a new Gargoyle clan and encounter a new villain known as The Mage.
A mysterious man in armour arrives in Manhattan, searching for Goliath. Tom, from Castle Wyvern, known as the Guardian, seeks Goliath's help in defending the castle and gargoyle eggs.
Shadows of the Past - Season 2 Episode 24 – In this intense episode, Goliath is haunted by two souls that had died centuries before, and in their state of purgatory, they are filled with rage and hatred over their thousand-year entrapment. When they encounter Goliath, they attempted to drive him to suicide.
Avalon deposits Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx in the waters below Wyvern Hill. During a storm, they take shelter in Archmage's secret cave where Goliath starts to hear voices. The group discovers two souls that haunt the place.
Future Tense – Season 2 Episode 43 - When Goliath and the others finally reached Manhattan after their world tour, they were shocked to discover that 40 years passed and it was a bleak wasteland. Demona has joined the clan, and is married to Brooklyn, Hudson is dead, Broadway is blinded, and Lexington had become a cyborg.
Puck creates the illusion of a Xanatos-controlled Manhattan to get the Phoenix Gate; Goliath sends the Phoenix Gate unguided through time, where it will be lost forever.
The Gathering: Part 1 - Season 2 Episode 44 – Every magical being the gargoyles encountered on their journey was ‘a child of Oberon’. When Oberon returned to Avalon for the Gathering, and discovered it is infested with gargoyles, he wanted to destroy them.
Xanatos must prevent Oberon from taking his newborn baby, Alexander, to Avalon; the gargoyles and Elisa are finally reunited with Hudson, Brooklyn, Broadway and Lexington.
Disney’s Gargoyles is an incredible animated show and there are so many episodes to enjoy. These are just ten of my favorites, but what are some of your favorite episodes!?