[6.7/10] I’m conflicted about this one. On the one hand, I like that the show’s done something else with the Illuminati, since that’s a loose thread that hasn’t really been tied up or addressed since Bluestone’s big episode. The episode’s commitment to non-violence and appealing to Goliath’s good nature as a way to solve problems is also quite noble. And this one picks up on continuity, between the Illuminati having a bizarre obstacle course house and mysterious but malevolent intentions.
At the same time though, the pacing and structure are really strange. Motivations aren't clear until late in the episode, and as odd as it is to hear coming from me, I could have done with a little more clear exposition as to just what the Illuminati wanted out of all of this. There’s that awkward scene with them in the council chamber or whatever, but even with that stilted explanatory dialogue, their goals remained somewhat opaque.
It was also...unpleasant to say the least to watch an Illuminati Mengele performing cruel experiments on our heroes for so long. It got pretty intense there, in a way which served the episode’s purpose, but also felt like too much at times. Goliath’s brainwashing was low-key upsetting. And hey, it’s supposed to be! But it went to lengths that felt out of step with the tone of the show. Also, do you think they said the name Egon Pax enough in this one? Geeze.
Plus look, this is a fantastical show to begin with, but there was some dopey stuff here. Goliath’s brainwashing chip shorting out when he recovers his senses felt really convenient. I get the need to save money, but they absolutely reused the footage of Brooklyn scratching at a steel door and saying “it’s two feet thick!” from the prior episode. And it’s also kind of dumb that Goliath flails his Ghandi-like peacenik at the rest of the clan which...knocks them out for a while? I guess? Plus, while I like that Xanatos’s involvement in the Illuminati came back in a natural way, another “Deus Ex Xanatos” solution to the Gargoyles’ problems makes me concerned about it being too easy an answer.
Overall, delving back into the Illuminati material was a plus, as was Goliath taking Pax’s name-destined message of peace to heart. But there was a lot of janky stuff in this one that held it back.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-09-10T21:41:12Z
[6.7/10] I’m conflicted about this one. On the one hand, I like that the show’s done something else with the Illuminati, since that’s a loose thread that hasn’t really been tied up or addressed since Bluestone’s big episode. The episode’s commitment to non-violence and appealing to Goliath’s good nature as a way to solve problems is also quite noble. And this one picks up on continuity, between the Illuminati having a bizarre obstacle course house and mysterious but malevolent intentions.
At the same time though, the pacing and structure are really strange. Motivations aren't clear until late in the episode, and as odd as it is to hear coming from me, I could have done with a little more clear exposition as to just what the Illuminati wanted out of all of this. There’s that awkward scene with them in the council chamber or whatever, but even with that stilted explanatory dialogue, their goals remained somewhat opaque.
It was also...unpleasant to say the least to watch an Illuminati Mengele performing cruel experiments on our heroes for so long. It got pretty intense there, in a way which served the episode’s purpose, but also felt like too much at times. Goliath’s brainwashing was low-key upsetting. And hey, it’s supposed to be! But it went to lengths that felt out of step with the tone of the show. Also, do you think they said the name Egon Pax enough in this one? Geeze.
Plus look, this is a fantastical show to begin with, but there was some dopey stuff here. Goliath’s brainwashing chip shorting out when he recovers his senses felt really convenient. I get the need to save money, but they absolutely reused the footage of Brooklyn scratching at a steel door and saying “it’s two feet thick!” from the prior episode. And it’s also kind of dumb that Goliath flails his Ghandi-like peacenik at the rest of the clan which...knocks them out for a while? I guess? Plus, while I like that Xanatos’s involvement in the Illuminati came back in a natural way, another “Deus Ex Xanatos” solution to the Gargoyles’ problems makes me concerned about it being too easy an answer.
Overall, delving back into the Illuminati material was a plus, as was Goliath taking Pax’s name-destined message of peace to heart. But there was a lot of janky stuff in this one that held it back.