+Wintermute01001-Xanatos has honor and dignity. He can accept without hesitation when he has lost. He didn't blame Owen for beating him. Owen, due to his. . .um. . .contract with Xanatos would ask if Xanatos required him to hold back. And Xanatos would tell him no. You come at me with everything you got as a human and don't hold back at all. If Xanatos lost at a test of strength, he considered his fault. He was losing his edge and needed to sharpen his skills if Owen could even beat him in a one on one karate match. Xanatos respected Owen for being able to beat him. He just recognized that he needed to get better, stronger, sharper. Losing is humiliating, but he can recognize when he does lose so he doesn't make the same mistakes. And Owen genuinely respects that from Xanatos. It was part of the reason he wholeheartedly agreed to serve under Xanatos.
@@feraflauna3238 Plus, would you want to work under a man who does not tolerate failure or one who does to a degree? Xanatos, for lack of a better word, tries to find success in his failures and build from them rather than repeatedly defeat himself because he was too damn stubborn to admit he's lost.
@@tcrpgfan Xanatos is a rare villain where he does tolerate failure to that certain degree. Where he doesn't casually dispose of those who serve under him if they wind up "failing" him. When Owen turns into stone due to Demona's spell when. . .we. . .ugh. . .know he can work around that, Xanatos could've considered that a "failure" on Owen's part. Owen vowed to forever serve him and he can't exactly serve him when turned into stone. But Xanatos also acknowledges that he did give OWEN the order to forever serve him. So it's not exactly Owen's fault for taking that order to the letter. Xanatos is the one individual Owen truly, legitimately, and completely respects. No one else, no human, gargoyle, not even Oberon and Titania or any of Oberon's children can claim that. Owen has defied the orders for others or weaseled his way out of what they asked of him. But not Xanatos. And that comes from a place of deep, geniune respect. And unlike Oberon, who is an immortal man child who constantly throws a tantrum whenever he doesn't get his way, Xanatos doesn't do that. He learns from his mistakes and accepts defeat. He tolerates certain failure if those who serve under him are still loyal and willing to do better. Xanatos doesn't believe in disposing anyone casually. Even when Owen suggested that they simply kill the gargoyles while they sleep during the day, Xanatos was reluctant to do so because he considered it a "waste" and not very "sporting." He doesn't the gargoyles that way not because he can't, but because it's too easy. He looks for things that are more difficult. Challenging. He also truly believes the gargoyles are far more useful alive than dead.
@@feraflauna3238 Well, yeah, that's why he works as a villain. He knows that good help is more useful to him if they're alive. On top of that, he's principled and is a man of standards. As you said, he views killing the Gargoyles during the day as not very 'sporting'. And going hand-in-hand with that. It's very possible that he's thought about what would happen after he achieves his main goal of immortality and gives him even more reason to not want to kill the Gargoyles like that. Where's the fun in killing off the entertainment?
@@tcrpgfan Really hits home that he has the name of a trope; Xanatos Gambit. A Xanatos Gambit is a plan for which all foreseeable outcomes benefit the creator - including ones that superficially appear to be failure.
When I was young, I admired Goliath for his strength and leadership, and later for his cunning. Now, I admire Hudson for his wisdom and advice, and his desire to sit by the fire with a good book.. Never forgot about thia show, it's always going to be golden in my book.
It's kind of hilarious that Xanatos probably had the best outlook in life out of the whole cast. Every time he lost, he found something to make it worthwhile, "Sure, I couldn't get this cool thing, but I found this other really cool thing in the process, so I think it was worth the loss." You could legit toss this guy down a flight of stairs, and he'd be happy to learn that the stairs can't kill him.
"Stairs didn't kill me this time, Owen. But what of next time? What if Fox or Alex come down these stairs? No, the thing I found... enlightening about this is the slight threat they pose and to my family. Owen! I want escalators, ones with rubberized tops that can reduce impact and increase friction to prevent injuries. And get a red carpet. I would like to roll it out for the Gargoyles when they arrive and do their 'hero' thing."
That's one of my favorite things about Xanatos too! He's actually really resourceful and treats each situation as something to learn from. It's kinda inspiring how failure and/or mistakes don't equate to defeat in his mind, it's a valuable experience to learn from like any other. ^^
@@Scarshadow666 The thing I think that drives this is his pragmatism and his need to possess what he desires without relenting unless it proves itself to be a hazard to those important to him. If he lacked the desire, the will to act on acquiring it, or being a realist, he would collapse on himself one way or another and either be childish or a robot. Instead they have these traits working in tandem that make him feel real despite being obviously fictional. He has these character traits to where he reconciles the contradictory element by removing the unnecessary components. Won't stop until he gets what he wants? Well its not practical to be obsessive so lets just make it a game. I didn't get exactly what I wanted? Well then miscalculations were made and should be avoided while any potential gains are given purpose to hasten recovery. And this is just how he operates mentally while scheming. He is also very charming, fun, coy, and fiercely intelligent. The latter of which ties in very well since he is David fighting Goliath and David won not with brute force but with the intelligence to use a sling for distance while being able to harm Goliath. And they twist things to make Goliath the underdog because in a modern world, brute force is nowhere near as valued or respected so Goliath is the underdog in his new environment. Its like they were given a writing prompt they didn't know they craved, to take this and turn it into something better than what the premise on paper has any right to be and Xanatos was just perfect. He didnt even come off as a bad guy, he was more like that guy who does bad things and is an antagonist, but hes a loving husband and father who respects his enemies and is a good sport for the most part when other villains would be livid.
they named a trope after that "the Xanatos Gambit"; when the creator of the gambit takes EVERY outcomes in consideration and no matter the outcome, even if it looks bad for the Gambit's creator on the outside, the creator still would end up with an outcome that favors him or at least does not put him in a position of weakness.
Agreed, Xanatos is by far the most excellent well written villain in any animated series. Most villians these days are not as nearly well written as Xanatos. The only one that came close was of course, Lex Luthor. The rest are bleh.
In general, I agree with the opinion of Avasarala from the Expanse that the only reason Corporations are believed to be more powerful than governments are because politicians allow them to maintain such an illusion. But I have to make an exception for this particular economic empire. Simply because David Xanatos sits at it's head. Cunning, brilliant, wealthy, knowledgeable, and in the prime of life. His empire will easily shape the course of history.
A quote that comes from a company who has that exact reputation. Disney has accumulated such wealth that it basically has every media outlet in its pocket.
@@extraspooky819 Unfortunately, Disney is also corrupt as hell. I worked for them for one summer and would never do so again. They make millions, maybe even billions yet barely pay their employees enough to live off it.
True enough, but often this is the fault of the writers. They need an excuse for the hero and villain to clash so they fall back on revenge. Xanatos is one of the rare recurring nemeses who isn't motivated by vengeance.
The thing I always found interesting about Xanatos is that the protagonists clearly hated him, whereas he seemed to actually like and admire the heroes. He considered Goliath the greatest warrior alive. He never wanted to kill the Gargoyles, rather have them as allies. Xanatos respected and admired them- as much as a man like him could. It was a compelling dynamic.
He didn't wish the Gargoyles harm because he didn't fear his enemies. He believed he was above them and that as long as he stayed sharp, they couldn't hurt him. Also, he knew that even enemies could be useful down the road so why waste potential assets? He was a confident man who's confidence was justified, for the most part.
@@JonathanRodd That's correct. The question here over why Xanatos doesn't simply kill the gargoyles while they sleep during the day, well, it's not because he can't. The prospect is brought to his attention several times. It's because it's too easy and Xanatos doesn't like things that are simply handed to him. He also doesn't view killing his enemies that easy is very "sporting." If he defeats the gargoyles, he wants to do it where it is a true test of strength and skill. Killing them while they sleep is not a true test of strength and skill. He also believes that they are far more useful to him alive than dead, and even if they left his castle/mansion, there can be ways they can still be proven "useful." Indeed, with Thailog, he was definitely correct. When Xanatos tells Goliath the first time they meet that Xanatos greatly respects and admires him, he is geniune about that. He truly does. In a way, he wishes all the heroes would eventually come around to his side of things. Even Eliza. Eliza even is someone he greatly admires and respects. He probably respected her once he met her when she wasn't going to be bought off or told the official story about an electrical malfunction. In fact, he told her mostly the truth-that he was warding off a rival corporation's invasion. It's true that Eliza really couldn't do anything about it because Xanatos probably has quite a bit of the police on his payroll but Xanatos clearly respected her so much that he told her the truth. He respected Eliza so much that he got Fox to tell her mostly the truth when Eliza was prying about Derek. Fox: He TOLD me to tell you. Fox was very arrogant and smirking over how far ahead Xanatos was with his plans for Derek, but Xanatos probably didn't feel that way himself to an extent. I admire that you are even close to figuring it out and I'll give you a chance to. He probably knew Eliza was going to record Fox saying that and bring the recording to Derek's attention. And if Derek had walked away from Xanatos, he would've respected that, and accelerated his plans. reverence
@@feraflauna3238 technically he didn't tell Elisa the truth when he told her about repelling the invasion from the rival company. That whole invasion was staged by Xanatos in order to convince the gargoyles that Cyberbiotics stole tech from him and to get them to "retrieve" it. In actuality Cyberbiotics had done nothing wrong and it was the gargoyles who committed the crime.
Xanathos is a businessman, and his view of the world are terribly scary because how real they are. As a cartoon vilain, he his suave, brilliant, and plot centred, his harm touch only a few In real life .........
Yeah. He had a Scottish Castle disassembled, brought to New York and then rebuilt on top of a skyscraper, (so that now it's above the clouds) and he's not bothered by the cost of it at all. The guy's got more money than God. Failing that, he *always* has a backup plan. The one time he knew he was outclassed, (in "The Gathering") he still manages to win, though admittedly it wasn't because of any trick of his, or the Gargoyles, but because he was able to stall Oberon long enough for Fox to tap into her powers. Just the fact he was able to seriously delay Oberon (arguably *THE* most powerful character in the series) even injuring him, shows how well prepared Mr. X really is.
One of the really interesting things about David Xanatos is that the VA doesn't sound like a typical villain. No super-fancy vocabulary, no posh accent nor hard accent, no snarling, no smarminess, no ultra-baritone, none of that. He sounds like an everyday guy, with just a pleasant twist of everyday overconfidence.
+maltheopia Probably because it's Jonathan "Riker" Frakes. Talking. No attempt to be a villain, no attempt to be evil or sterotypically "bad". Just being himself.
It's a pitty Jonathan Frakes never really went on with voice acting jobs. His Xanatos is really on point, extremely charismatic and dangerous. He would have had his shot at so many comic books series as villains or even as a hero.
I loved Jonathan Frakes as Xanathos. Other Star Trek actors were also on Gargoyles: Marina Sirtis as Demona, Brent Spiner as Puck, and Kate Mulgrew as a rather demented queen. :)
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._
I find it rather interesting that such a smart man like Xanatos wouldn't have realized the *deterministic* implications of what he did and said. 😕 He just had realized that time in the Gargoyles Universe is in fact deterministic which means there's *NO free will* whatsoever and yet even after the episode the guy STILL kept going around acting as if he had ANY control of his future. 🤔🤨 I guess you could say that was a plothole from the writers's part.
@@javiervasquez8995 Well it depends on how you look at free will. Does knowing future events really nullify free will? Does knowing the future yet still making the same choices free will. Either you see fate as an absolute script you must follow, or live with the choices you made as weaving your own fate. A pawn of fate, or a pawn to yourself.
@@javiervasquez8995 That or he just doesn't worry about it. Even if free will doesn't exist, We are still who we are. Even then, because he knew how to make himself a self made man, he's probably had years to accept it.
"Pay a man enough and he will walk barefoot through hell." That line and it's delivery was so powerful I remembered it my whole life despite being a child who didn't really understand what it meant at the time, and it's basically just an throw away line that underlines his character. This show was fantastic.
Even better? That line was what convinced Jonathan Frakes to take the role. That one line was enough to prove to him that this wasn’t going to be like any of the usual series Disney was producing at the time.
@@simontchangIt's interesting that Gargoyles got away with saying Hell, and yet Batman: The Animated Series couldn't, the only thing was said is "what the devil?"
“MacBeth and Demona are immortal. Has it brought them happiness?” Considering the conversation that lead up to this, Hudson has a major point. Xanatos wants immortality but doesn’t know how painful it can truly be.
Well its seems that he considered it and judged that death and old age are worse, besides I think immortality is like a life, it is what you make it, neither good nor bad.
To be fair MacBeth and Demona despise each other, where as David wanted to share immortality with Fox, his wife. There are some that do believe that eternal life is more bearable with someone you love at your side.
David Xanatos, one of Disney's slickest villains. He never loses and has the greatest voices in Disney history. Plus he is the first Disney TV villain to say hell.
I think his father is also very awesome, especially in the scene where he threw a penny at David as his wedding day gift, "An U.S. penny, worthless now, but who knows, it might worth a fortune in the future. This is my present to you, since it seems to be the only thing you care about." And the part after Eye of Odin event, Owen was calling David heroic, he replied, "A minor setback, I assure you."
This is why I love Xanatos. He's brilliant and doesn't berate those under him for failing instead he takes what he learned from his defeat and does better next time. He considers every bit of progress a victory and one he will press next time.
Walter D Wormack If you're referring to Trump I'm just as worried as you. Xanatos is a fictional villain. Trump is a nightmare and Clinton ain't much better.
Also, unlike other villains with a femme fatale who is infatuated with him.He reciprocates her feelings, marries her, and has a kid with her. He is a solid guy.
@@lykano Guest stars who also had roles (bit or main) in Star Trek include Paul Winfield, Clancy Brown, John Rhys-Davies, Matt Frewer, Kate Mulgrew, Avery Brooks, Nichelle Nichols, W. Morgan Shepard, David Warner, LeVar Burton, Colm Meaney, James Saito, Salli Richardson and others. Hell, it might be easier to list actors who AREN'T connected to Star Trek.
Owen: "Would you rather I pretend to lose? Xanatos: "I'd fire you, if you did." That line right there is badass. He doesn't want an easy victory to satisfy him.
Xanatos was so far ahead of his time as a villain. He never really saw any loss as a loss, just a setback. The conference and control he exuded was not just bravado either, he really did plan that far ahead and think of all the angles. And while he was a villain he never really felt like a true villain. He was motivated and self serving but never really evil. And a few specifics. When he did the "It's Alive!" call and pointed out he always wanted to say that. That was a very common trope in cartoons at that time but since nothing else about Xanatos was cartoonish it made it that much better. And how he pointed out his first try at clichéd villainy made the scene that much better since he was acknowledging how ridiculous what he was doing was. And I was worried you would leave out the scene you saved for the end. How he recognizes that Goliath is the greatest warrior alive. A creature of myth forged in the dark ages when might made right. And he was able to take pride in even being able to survive the encounter.
I have always loved the scene with Elisa and Fox while she is in prison. "You haven't got a clue. You're so far behind him, its pathetic. He told me to tell you."
I hate it when arrogant women gush about their love interests. Makes them just seem like suck-ups or fangirls. Honestly, "the most brilliant man on the face of the Earth"? Can Fox be anymore of a projecting fangirl?
It ended about season 3 or 4 when demona finally gave up and the gargoyles became friends with xanatos again. Everything after that was Disney not letting it end on a highpoint
The best part is that the premise of the video is right. For all their intelligence, scheming, money, and power, villains like Lex are terrible mastermind villains. They make plans and rely on those plans to succeed; failure isn't an option for them. Xanatos makes plans, yet even in failure, his position only improves. If he traded places with his DC counterpart, he would play Superman, the Justice League, and any of the other villains for chumps.
It helps that David has his ego in check. Sure he's a cocky guy oozing with confidence, but he never lets ego get in the way of a learning experience or the big picture. He's always interested in bettering himself and if the quickest way there is to fail again and again--so be it.
Absolutely. Look at his reaction to Owen beating him in a karate match. He doesn't throw a fit or fire the guy. His only reaction is concern that he's not as good as he was before.
finris1 it's true to a point but if you watch episode Eye of the beholder in season 2 of Gargoyles the halloween episode you'll see that Xanatos actually failed and acknowledge his failure there was no advantage because Lisa and Goliath turned Xanatos down regardless of his original Plan C that failed when he attempted Plan D Goliath and Lisa showed up to tell him in his face they won't be used as pawns again! And then Goliath and Lisa left Xanatos home gliding away into the skies! Then after sometime after in this episode Lisa and Goliath were about to stroll down the park of NEW YORK in this Halloween special episode! Then Goliath started having second thoughts he felt guilty and Goliath allowed his better moral judgement to feel empathy for Xanatos's problem! And so Goliath and Lisa were about to head back to Xanatos but Xanatos shows up in moments behind them with a tracker he was contemplating if Goliath would then appear to help sooner or later! That wasn't a plan or an intention that was Xanatos in the concept of desperation because his goal was needing their help without their of knowing what they were going to do to help save FOX! But because Goliath and Lisa caught Xanatos off guard and forced Xanatos to tell the truth, Xanatos failure to control them without asking for their help was out of Xanatos hands! I'm just proud of Goliath and Lisa in this episode finally having the one up on Xanatos to his face when they outted him in that moment for that episode! It's pretty good and these executive producers and writers for this show clearly gave the audience good visuals of concepts of people holding power over others and losing that power through the concepts of humanity and desperation! It's almost like the SHOW CALLED POWER when you watch GARGOYLES i have to finish washing Gargoyles and power these shows are very GOOD!! take care
finris1 honestly I never like Lex Luthor. All that money and power and we wastes it on trying to one up and/or kill Superman. He has a inferiority complex that just makes him look like a big mouth loser with lots of money.
For me, Xanatos' greatest achievement is pulling off the ponytail hairstyle. The only men I've seen wearing one were either hipsters or greasy nerds. It takes balls to run a company, plan around saturday cartoon heroes and fight off other villains wearing both a ponytail and a goatee.
I know he's a villain but I got to admit David Xanatos is everything I wanted to be. Tall, Hansom, Intelligent, Powerful and perhaps one of the youngest Billionaire Industrialists in the world.
Brilliantly written character , he is a antihero as he enjoys good and evil equally and hence life is playground for him . Never seen xanatos losing it be it success or defeat.
What makes Xanatos the perfect Villain, is not that he is evil, sadistic or cruel, he's none of that, he just is a man who would do anything to get what he wants. He goes with pure logic and he has no ideology, just desires. He might face his ennemies in one episode and join them in the very next one, the end justifies the mean. I love how unpredictable he is.
YES!!! the anti-mustache twirler. He's a guy with goals, and motives, and actual REASONS for doing stuff. He seems unpredictable, but that's only because you don't know everything about what he's doing. If you knew his plan it would probably make sense.
"You know the answer to that Owen: Pay a man enough, and he'll walk barefoot into Hell." Nearly 30 years later, that line is still one of the best of an animated series, ever.
Joy Boy I’ve noticed about him as intelligent, patient, and forward thinking as he is when it’s necessary he can be a pretty tough guy when things have to get physical. When Goliath holds him up to drop him he isn’t scared at all. He actually fights with the Gargoyles directly(in armor), and is actually not a sore loser when he loses he didn’t throw a tantrum
I am sick and tired of all the people who say that David Xanatos is based on Tony Stark. Yes, they’re both billionaires with facial hair, but that’s where the similarity ends. And don’t bring up that Xanatos has armor, it doesn’t even appear in half the episodes he appears in, and it certainly isn’t used in the same way.Xanatos and Stark don’t even fall under the same archetype! Tony’s archetype is the inventor, or the tinkerer. Xanatos’ archetype is the trickster… it’s even pointed out in the show at one point. If Xanatos is the evil version of a hero, it's Odysseus. Not Tony Stark. Not to mention the piles and piles of other differences. Xanatos is pragmatic, Stark is self-destructive. Xanatos is a happily married family man, Stark is a womanizer.Xanatos and Stark resemble each other at only the most superficial of levels; but really have nothing in common. You may as well say that Bruce Wayne and Norman Osborn are practically the same since they’re both rich guys who throw razor-bats around.
I can see the similarity, both rich and an inventor, and got a mech suit. One major difference that sets them apart though is that Xanatos has class, Stark doesn't. Now I'm not talking about wearing expensive suits or have taste in fine wine, but Xanatos's openness to accept defeat and challenges equally, Tony Stark by comparison has too much ego to enjoy losing. Tony Stark also handles morality like a teenager as in, "I do it because I want to, and because I can." David Xanatos, on the other hand, is, "You don't like it? Ok." Stark challenges morality like Don Quixote and the windmill, while Xanatos simply disregards it.
I always admired how Xanatos completely negated Goliaths Strength. Goliath expressed his frustration perfectly when he said "Xanatos forced us from our home, drove us into hiding. This is his century, his world. We are outcasts , strangers in a strange land...If only i could make him feel what him feeling now"
butcher bane Agreed. If I were Xanatos and Goliath did as so walk towards me I’d piss myself to the point I wouldn’t be able to piss for the rest of my life.
xanatos is awesome but lets talk about his man, owen. a lot of villains dream of having someone like him working for him: intellegent to a fault, rational, logical, loyal beyond measure and can hold his own in a fight. and if you know more about who owen really is, then you know that xanatos chose having owen serve him for life than immortality.
+maxacorn-Actually, that wasn't the condition. Owen offered to grant him one wish without any conditions, or a lifetime of human servitude. Xanatos could've wished for anything he wanted, even if it was one wish. It was a one wish with no conditions or strings attached. A lot of people would've taken the offer for the one wish. But Xanatos figured he could find another one to live forever if he looked hard enough. That secret could be his, and he didn't want it simply handed to him either on a silver plate. But the offer of someone so willing to grant a lifetime of devoted servitude, not only was that too good to pass up, but Xanatos respected that offer. That Owen came to him with that offer and actually meant it. So Xanatos rejected the wish to instead have a servant, an ally. And as he grudgingly admits much later on, a truly good friend. It's better to have that in a lifetime than to spend an immortal lifetime alone.
-Rich and smart enough to make even Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne jealous -Comes up with long convoluted plans that somehow works out in the end -Able to go toe-to-toe with Goliath and the other Gargoyles on a daily basis -whenever does get defeated, he accepts it with grace and dignity -One of the few cartoon Disney characters who can swear -Voiced by Jonathan Frakes Is it a good thing or a bad thing that there aren't more villains like David Xanatos?
@@kevlonk doubtful the problem with most versions of Lex's is his ego, he think everyone in world is like himself and he envious of those with more power than him. Thus he ego is incapable of acknowledging how dangerous an adversary Xanatos is which only makes Xanatos a greater danger to most Lex's. This is also why most versions of Lex hate, fear and envy Superman. He thinks like himself Superman is just putting on a fake face for public while secretly plotting to conquer the world just like Lex. Yet Xanatos understand Goliath's emotional and psychological needs and wants better than Goliath himself most of the times, all while admiring Goliath without fear or envy. Heck Xanatos has stood in front of a very angry Goliath multiple times without his powered armour and calmly held his ground while staying as cool as ice and just talk him down. This is impressive because unlike Superman, Goliath doesn't have problem with killing in the heat of battle or with vengeance, thus an angry Goliath is a real threat while an angry Superman in most versions isn't. Of course most version of Lex believes this is because Superman doesn't want to ruin his benevolent image rather actually morality. Most versions of Lex in my opinion are just a scientist version of Damona. Damona wants to be leader of all Gargoyles and wipe out humanity, while Lex wants to rule (whether openly or secretively, legally or illegally) and be worshipped by Humanity and destroy anything that's threat to his plans, world view and/or ego. They're both are vengeful and petty. They never accept responsibility for there action because it's always someone else fault... Damona = Humanity... Lex = Superman. Lex is the smarter scientist and better inventor but Xanatos is the better planner and most versions of Lex would be helpless against Xanatos plans. Plus according to 'The Word of God' Greg Weisman Xanatos doesn't want to rule the world, he likes the current world's system just the way it is and just doesn't see the profit in conquering the world. This is why the Young Justices version for Lex is the best version of Lex, because Young Justice Greg Weisman show. I feel like Young Justice took Xanatos best elements as planner and leader then shared them among the Lights leadership, thus it would take all of Light to beat Xanatos and that because most of the Lights leadership have superpower to even out Xanatos amazing planning skills like how Goliath's superhuman abilities help him fight Xanatos on a more even playing field. Of course this just may opinion.
I'm not really too familiar with Xanatos but I came across this video and his mannerism aren't ostentatious and his speech isn't exaggerated. Honestly I could see him in a Martin Scorsese film.
He has similarities. Billionaire, genius intelligence, exosuits and robotics. If compared to a known superhero/villain, I'd say more like Lex Luthor. But I agree that he is his own character. And his motives are less more intricate. He always has a bigger plan.
TPDManiacXC626 Xanatos would probably school Bruce Wayne completely. Batman has never shown to be that capable with business and has lost his company in the comics, Xanatos meanwhile always manages to come on top even when he loses. The only times he truly lost were when he acted like a straight cliché villain and against Thailog which was like a better and more evil version of him.
TPDManiacXC626 Xanatos would probably really get under Bruce Wayne's (Batman's) skin by pointing out that by dressing up in bat-themed BDSM gear and punching criminals personally he's actually doing the city a lot less good than swallowing his pride and just using his position as captain of industry to build up the city and hire/train a small squadron of heroes to take out the bigger threats. Ironically, Xanatos probably would be the last person to expose Batman's secret identity, because he's one of the few supervillains where Bruce Wayne is more of a threat to him than Batman.
maltheopia Hmm, true. But I was thinking more along the lines of witty banter between them of how things are going between Wayne and Xanatos Enterprises. Needless to say, Batman has faced numerous opponents that are five to ten times stronger than David here and proved masterminds like Ra's al Ghul and Hugo Strange wrong when they say they've already won.
TPDManiacXC626 Aye, but that's the rub. If Batman wanted to take on Xanatos Enterprises, he couldn't half-ass it. When Batman stops Ghul or Strange or other masterminds, he dismantles their big scheme and they go away for awhile or forever. Xanatos does not really do big schemes (because those are the ones that bite him in the ass) but a lot of minor ones that add up over time. Batman would have to fight Xanatos every step of the way. And quite frankly, while I think that he has the potential of doing it, I've always felt that Batman sees his wealth and WayneCorp as a means to an end rather than something worthwhile in of itself. For example, in Batman Beyond there was no reason for Bruce Wayne to give up on crimefighting in abstract even if he got too old to work as a vigilante -- but as we can see, he barely managed to work up the interest to hold onto WayneCorp and Powers came close to muscling him out. If Batman could manage to swallow his pride and delegate crimefighting to his understudies or other superheroes and take Xanatos (and Luthor) on as a badass captain of industry, I think he could win a fight against him. But it's just not in Batman's nature to do that.
Xanatos will hands down be one of the best villains in animation. His charisma intricate planning and yet seemingly human and self aware nature makes him such a compelling villain. Edit: thanks for the heart Greg
Xanatos is one of those guys who even though he's a villain, you can't help but like and respect him. The dude sounded so slick when he spoke. I don't remember him ever losing his cool. He was always a glass half full kind of guy when it came to setbacks, he frowned upon revenge, and he had standards. Plus, when Goliath held him over the ledge, he showed real guts by practically daring him to drop him. Xanatos wasn't your stereotypical bad guy, which set him apart from others. They don't make villains like him nowadays.
this show is full of star trek people not only jonathan frakes demona-marina sirtis puck-brent spiner coldsteel-michael dorn and its full of shakespearan references
Elise: Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield She played Fenna/Nidell in Deep Space Nine. The episode is season 2 episode 9, "Second Sight". Thanks for pointing out all of the voice actors! I thought they sounded familiar, but brushed it off. My sister was excited to hear this. She loved Gargoyles as a kid and absolutely loves Star Trek (all of them, but TNG the most).
Add in Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Tony Todd, JG Hertzler, and a ton of other Star Trek alums...it was a reunion show from beginning to end.
One of my favorite things about Gargoyles is that even most of the heroes and characters who have spent time being good struggled with revenge (Goliath, Brooklyn, Broadway, Lexington, Elisa, Demona, Macbeth, Magus, the Captain of the Guard, Talon, Taurus and many others), but the main antagonist didn't! It correctly shows that even many good people feel vengeful and that Xanatos is extremely cool!
The guy is so badass that he got rich from exploiting a time paradox. let me repeat that, HE GOT RICH BY EXPLOITING A TIME PARADOX! While I don't think he could beat Dr. Doom, I still say he could be one hell of a match for him.
It's telling that Lex Luthor in Young Justice owes far more to Xanatos than he does to most incarnations of Superman's archnemesis. Actually, the Light in general owe their methodology to Xanatos, and they're a far more entertaining take on the Secret Society of Super-Villains for it.
He was not really a true villain either. An very good antagonist, but not really a asshole. He works for himself but not against the world. There are other villain in this universe who wants more than Xanatos.
You remind me of the ST: TOS episode, "Space Seed". reading your description of Xanatos, reminds me of Kirk, Scott, and McCoy, expressing a "sneaking admiration", for 'Khan Noonien Singh'. Spock is totally astounded, that his 'shipmates', can be so 'accepting', of Someone so ruthlessly evil.
We live in a world filled with villains both real and fictional who have committed genocide as well as mass rape and child rape/killing compared to that someone like Xanatos is easy to see as 'not that bad' because we see worse all the time and we don't really care as long as it's not us being stepped on.
+Corentin Deredec-I'd argue there are no true "villains" in Gargoyles although you can argue Demona definitely is given she is sadistic and genocidal. While Thailog has no heart and compassion for anyone and considers everyone expendable to his aims, he also was born and raised that way to where he never got a chance to understand how to live anyway else. Even Oberon, who is a gigantic a-butt, let's be real, you can argue is not entirely a villain either. He has no interest in ruling the world, he already rules the realm of the Fey. He has a certain respect and consideration for humans where he wanted to instill that with the rest of the Fey. He tends to hold his word as vow. It's just that if anyone dares to get in his way and defy his rule as the rightful, true Ruler of All, he will not consider anything out of bounds. When he wanted to Alexander, to him, it was going to happen, whether or not Fox and Xanatos agreed to it. Either bow in servitude or be obliterated from existence. He is more of a capricious "god" largely unconcerned with the lives and souls of mortals but still acknowledging their right to live all the same as long as they agree who is in charge. As long as you do everything he wants and stay out of his way, you tend to be pretty good.
David Xanatos is the perfect villain. Unlike so many other villains (save the Nolanverse version of Ra's al Ghul) you don't immediately suspect him. It also helps that his voice actor is famous for playing Starfleet boyscout William Riker in TNG. It's so deliciously well done and I don't think anyone can replicate such perfection.
2:41 to this day I'm surprised goliath was able to lift Xanatos even with the added weight of his massive titanum balls, still one of the most badass moments I've seen from a villain.
Gargoyles is basically a reunion of star trek: David Xanatos: voiced by Riker Demona: voiced by Diana Troy Puck: voiced by Data Coldstone: voiced by Worf Titania: voiced by Janeway
What I love most of Xanatos is how unique he still is: 1. He admires the heroes, even when their fighting each other. 2. He always has backup plans. 3. His plots tend to actually work 4. He treats his staff and family well(for the most part). 5. He turns good own his own because he saw it was the best course of action, instead of some protagonist forcing their own views on him.
"Pay a man enough, and he'll walk barefoot into Hell." I really disliked that line as a kid, until my Uncle asked me something along the lines of "If your only option to feed your family was to work for someone horrible, at a job you don't like, would you do it?" He and my parents seemed very proud when I finally answered him, some time later, after thinking about things. My answer was, roughly "Of course! I love my family and they make me happy, so, it's fine." I think this show was ahead of its time, and/or really deep.. Probably both. Definitely both!
Best thing about xanatos is when ever he looses he always keeps it cool and looks at the brighter things and treats it as some kind of win. He is awesome :)
He's the best kind of villain. He understands and respects his enemies, but never lets that stop him from seeking more power and trying to achieve his goals. It allows the viewer to have a certain respect for the antagonist and makes him a far more dynamic and interesting character. It works well because the heroes never fully understand his goals or his schemes. He's always two steps ahead and a mystery. Like he said "you're taking this far too personally." All the "evil" is just business, he doesn't really care one way or another what happens to them, he only ever cares what he can get out of it.
What made Xanatos so good as a villain is that he was pragmatic. He only thought ahead. He never sought revenge. Irritated by failures? Yes. Grudges? Kinda.
He did not become "any kind of good guy." Season three doesn't count. And while he does welcome the gargoyles back into the castle at the end of season two, he's still an amoral schemer in the comics, even with them there. But he wanted them there back in season one... so, he got what he wanted to begin with. Villain wins. ;)
God damn, this show was ahead of it's time in storytelling, animation, voice acting, and so much more. it wasn't always perfect, like occasionally animation was handled by different studios given some of the episodes, you can tell when it isnt the usual guys, but it's still amazing, and this show has, quite rightly, held it's fan base all this time. And it's something i will show my kids someday.
The way he stares into Goliath’s eyes, as he’s being held by him over a cliff! The fact that Xanatos did so without fear, is amazing! 🤩 He certainly made Gaston look like a cowardly chump 😏
@HisShadow In addition to what GregXB3 said, Xanatos was never truly evil like a villain in a kid's show. He didn't do evil things for evil's sake, or revenge. He wound up doing selfish, harmful and sometimes cruel acts because he wanted things, but he wasn't cruel too often and peppered his villainy with better acts such as ceasefires, saving fox and team-ups (before the non-canon Goliath Chronicles). Someone who was forgiven too easily was Vegeta from Dragon Ball [Z].
4:48 I just realized Xanatos anticipated the event of Gargoyles getting haunted by offering Goliath the protection. The end of Season 2 clearly showed that and represented the Xanatos Gambit. So Xanatos ultimately won the game.
+Lone Wolf-Disney truly ruined and slaughtered the original plans for what Weisman intended for season three. According to what I know, what Weisman has said about it, and the hard to track down comics that should be considered more of the true season three, Xanatos would be far more reformed. A kinder, much more compassionate and human individual. At the same time, he still wouldn't be entirely a good guy either. He would still often be very manipulative and coldly calculating. More of a true antihero at the time but someone who was a true ally and friend to the gargoyles this time.
It's terrifying how much of a genius he is. 1. Melded ancient magic and present day (for that era) tech on several occasions. 2. Played police, Gargoyles, and other magical figures for fools. 3. Never officially lost a fight. 4. Completed a convoluted time loop that led him to where he is in his present. 5. Has a magical, nigh-unstoppable imp for a personal assistant and babysitter. Finally 6. Got his happily ever after by the end of the series without any real consequences.
I don't think I've heard anybody say or comment this before, so I will. Anybody notice how xanatos is essentially Tony Stark if he was a villain? -Same playboy attitude and personality -Ingenuity and and intelligence to create a flying hard-suit. -Created own team of super humans -Both Billionaires -Same Haircut and beard! (Crept for the ponytail he had awhile) -Hell, he even ended up becoming a full on hero after season 2! David Xanatos is Tony Stark :)
You must not have looked very hard because a lot of people have made this same, mistaken assumption. First and foremost, Xanatos never became a hero of any kind after the second season. In the comic continuation by Greg Weisman, Xanatos is still the charming, manipulative trickster we've always known. Second, Xanatos and Stark aren't even the same archetype. Xanatos is a human trickster, Stark is not. If Xanatos is based on any heroic character, it's Odysseus. Odysseus is a tricky fellow, who’ll use nearly any means to justify his end. He’s pragmatic but also curious. (See how he deals with the Sirens.) Immortality appeals to him. But family is ultimately more important. He’s also smart as hell. Handsome, strong. A fierce warrior who uses force as a last resort. Sounds fairly Xanatosian to me. What do you think?
+GregXB3 I have always considered Xanatos to be greedy over evil. He had no qualms about stealing one minute of life from everyone but as soon as the entire city was at risk he tried to stop it.
tehshingen He had no qualms about kidnapping innocent people, paying Sevarius to experiment on and mutate them. That's pretty evil. And Sevarius was following Xanatos's orders, he did it with glee and was a willing participant, but that was all Xanatos.
that's how Xanatos got rich. by going back in time. and with an old coin. the coin was worthless now in 975 ad but by 1975 the coin will be worth about 20 grand.
"Would you rather I pretend to lose?"
"I'd fire you if you did."
Even when he loses, David Xanatos is a badass.
+Wintermute01001-Xanatos has honor and dignity. He can accept without hesitation when he has lost. He didn't blame Owen for beating him. Owen, due to his. . .um. . .contract with Xanatos would ask if Xanatos required him to hold back. And Xanatos would tell him no. You come at me with everything you got as a human and don't hold back at all. If Xanatos lost at a test of strength, he considered his fault. He was losing his edge and needed to sharpen his skills if Owen could even beat him in a one on one karate match.
Xanatos respected Owen for being able to beat him. He just recognized that he needed to get better, stronger, sharper. Losing is humiliating, but he can recognize when he does lose so he doesn't make the same mistakes. And Owen genuinely respects that from Xanatos. It was part of the reason he wholeheartedly agreed to serve under Xanatos.
@@feraflauna3238 Plus, would you want to work under a man who does not tolerate failure or one who does to a degree? Xanatos, for lack of a better word, tries to find success in his failures and build from them rather than repeatedly defeat himself because he was too damn stubborn to admit he's lost.
@@tcrpgfan Xanatos is a rare villain where he does tolerate failure to that certain degree. Where he doesn't casually dispose of those who serve under him if they wind up "failing" him. When Owen turns into stone due to Demona's spell when. . .we. . .ugh. . .know he can work around that, Xanatos could've considered that a "failure" on Owen's part. Owen vowed to forever serve him and he can't exactly serve him when turned into stone. But Xanatos also acknowledges that he did give OWEN the order to forever serve him. So it's not exactly Owen's fault for taking that order to the letter. Xanatos is the one individual Owen truly, legitimately, and completely respects. No one else, no human, gargoyle, not even Oberon and Titania or any of Oberon's children can claim that. Owen has defied the orders for others or weaseled his way out of what they asked of him. But not Xanatos. And that comes from a place of deep, geniune respect. And unlike Oberon, who is an immortal man child who constantly throws a tantrum whenever he doesn't get his way, Xanatos doesn't do that. He learns from his mistakes and accepts defeat. He tolerates certain failure if those who serve under him are still loyal and willing to do better. Xanatos doesn't believe in disposing anyone casually. Even when Owen suggested that they simply kill the gargoyles while they sleep during the day, Xanatos was reluctant to do so because he considered it a "waste" and not very "sporting." He doesn't the gargoyles that way not because he can't, but because it's too easy. He looks for things that are more difficult. Challenging. He also truly believes the gargoyles are far more useful alive than dead.
@@feraflauna3238 Well, yeah, that's why he works as a villain. He knows that good help is more useful to him if they're alive. On top of that, he's principled and is a man of standards. As you said, he views killing the Gargoyles during the day as not very 'sporting'. And going hand-in-hand with that. It's very possible that he's thought about what would happen after he achieves his main goal of immortality and gives him even more reason to not want to kill the Gargoyles like that. Where's the fun in killing off the entertainment?
@@tcrpgfan Really hits home that he has the name of a trope; Xanatos Gambit. A Xanatos Gambit is a plan for which all foreseeable outcomes benefit the creator - including ones that superficially appear to be failure.
"Only YOU would regard love as a weakness."
Goliath doesn't get many zingers against Xanatos, but when he does they hit home.
He took it to heart. His love for his wife and son became a strength for him when battling Oberon.
When I was young, I admired Goliath for his strength and leadership, and later for his cunning.
Now, I admire Hudson for his wisdom and advice, and his desire to sit by the fire with a good book..
Never forgot about thia show, it's always going to be golden in my book.
The thing to note is that Xanatos sees love as a weakness and loves her anyways, THAT is what Goliath missed.
Weakness and strength are often two sides of the sake coin, and refusing to recognize your weaknesses is itself a greater weakness.
"Revenge is a sucker's game."
When your antagonist says this line, it means they're one of the smart ones.
If only Demona would learn that. Lol
@@marcosspinetti7996Exactly
He accomplished what he set out to do in that particular case
Xanatos is so badass, he can say Hell on a Disney show.
When it comes to villains, Xanatos is our "number one"
they let him say hell and yet they wont let deadpool cuss
so it ok if it disney made villan to say cuss words
but it not ok to deadpool to cuss wtf.
He even has a TV trope named after him: Xanatos’ Gambit
Hell yeah.
If he can cuss how come they don’t let Deadpool cuss!
It's kind of hilarious that Xanatos probably had the best outlook in life out of the whole cast. Every time he lost, he found something to make it worthwhile, "Sure, I couldn't get this cool thing, but I found this other really cool thing in the process, so I think it was worth the loss."
You could legit toss this guy down a flight of stairs, and he'd be happy to learn that the stairs can't kill him.
"Stairs didn't kill me this time, Owen. But what of next time? What if Fox or Alex come down these stairs? No, the thing I found... enlightening about this is the slight threat they pose and to my family. Owen! I want escalators, ones with rubberized tops that can reduce impact and increase friction to prevent injuries. And get a red carpet. I would like to roll it out for the Gargoyles when they arrive and do their 'hero' thing."
That's one of my favorite things about Xanatos too! He's actually really resourceful and treats each situation as something to learn from. It's kinda inspiring how failure and/or mistakes don't equate to defeat in his mind, it's a valuable experience to learn from like any other. ^^
@@Scarshadow666 The thing I think that drives this is his pragmatism and his need to possess what he desires without relenting unless it proves itself to be a hazard to those important to him.
If he lacked the desire, the will to act on acquiring it, or being a realist, he would collapse on himself one way or another and either be childish or a robot. Instead they have these traits working in tandem that make him feel real despite being obviously fictional. He has these character traits to where he reconciles the contradictory element by removing the unnecessary components. Won't stop until he gets what he wants? Well its not practical to be obsessive so lets just make it a game. I didn't get exactly what I wanted? Well then miscalculations were made and should be avoided while any potential gains are given purpose to hasten recovery.
And this is just how he operates mentally while scheming. He is also very charming, fun, coy, and fiercely intelligent. The latter of which ties in very well since he is David fighting Goliath and David won not with brute force but with the intelligence to use a sling for distance while being able to harm Goliath. And they twist things to make Goliath the underdog because in a modern world, brute force is nowhere near as valued or respected so Goliath is the underdog in his new environment.
Its like they were given a writing prompt they didn't know they craved, to take this and turn it into something better than what the premise on paper has any right to be and Xanatos was just perfect. He didnt even come off as a bad guy, he was more like that guy who does bad things and is an antagonist, but hes a loving husband and father who respects his enemies and is a good sport for the most part when other villains would be livid.
they named a trope after that "the Xanatos Gambit"; when the creator of the gambit takes EVERY outcomes in consideration and no matter the outcome, even if it looks bad for the Gambit's creator on the outside, the creator still would end up with an outcome that favors him or at least does not put him in a position of weakness.
The pollyanna of villains
"Why were you shooting at us?"
"Do I really need an excuse to have a good time in my home."
That's the most American statement I've read today
Gargoyles was ahead of its time. The villains alone were so well written and unique.
Well written, yes.
Unique, not if you read a lot of Shakespeare.
Doesn't make it any less amazing.
Macbeth alone was enough to take on the Gargoyles. And his back story.....great!
Agreed, Xanatos is by far the most excellent well written villain in any animated series. Most villians these days are not as nearly well written as Xanatos. The only one that came close was of course, Lex Luthor. The rest are bleh.
Well 0:00 probably not locale-wise given context...
If only The Last Jedi was written by these writers.
"Detective, I am the owner of a multinational corporation, which is bigger than many countries you can name" - badass
+Vector Vent Damn he's rich
In general, I agree with the opinion of Avasarala from the Expanse that the only reason Corporations are believed to be more powerful than governments are because politicians allow them to maintain such an illusion. But I have to make an exception for this particular economic empire. Simply because David Xanatos sits at it's head. Cunning, brilliant, wealthy, knowledgeable, and in the prime of life. His empire will easily shape the course of history.
A quote that comes from a company who has that exact reputation. Disney has accumulated such wealth that it basically has every media outlet in its pocket.
"I'm also a genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist."
@@extraspooky819 Unfortunately, Disney is also corrupt as hell. I worked for them for one summer and would never do so again. They make millions, maybe even billions yet barely pay their employees enough to live off it.
"Revenge is a sucker's game."
I wish more villains had it figured out.
Villains and a few heroes.
Tell that to Lex Luthor
@@aarontopa9458 Hell, Luthor isn't even motivated by revenge. Just childish envy
"What's with you and revenge?"
- The Sandman
True enough, but often this is the fault of the writers. They need an excuse for the hero and villain to clash so they fall back on revenge. Xanatos is one of the rare recurring nemeses who isn't motivated by vengeance.
The thing I always found interesting about Xanatos is that the protagonists clearly hated him, whereas he seemed to actually like and admire the heroes.
He considered Goliath the greatest warrior alive. He never wanted to kill the Gargoyles, rather have them as allies. Xanatos respected and admired them- as much as a man like him could. It was a compelling dynamic.
He didn't wish the Gargoyles harm because he didn't fear his enemies. He believed he was above them and that as long as he stayed sharp, they couldn't hurt him. Also, he knew that even enemies could be useful down the road so why waste potential assets? He was a confident man who's confidence was justified, for the most part.
@@JonathanRodd That's correct. The question here over why Xanatos doesn't simply kill the gargoyles while they sleep during the day, well, it's not because he can't. The prospect is brought to his attention several times. It's because it's too easy and Xanatos doesn't like things that are simply handed to him. He also doesn't view killing his enemies that easy is very "sporting." If he defeats the gargoyles, he wants to do it where it is a true test of strength and skill. Killing them while they sleep is not a true test of strength and skill. He also believes that they are far more useful to him alive than dead, and even if they left his castle/mansion, there can be ways they can still be proven "useful." Indeed, with Thailog, he was definitely correct.
When Xanatos tells Goliath the first time they meet that Xanatos greatly respects and admires him, he is geniune about that. He truly does. In a way, he wishes all the heroes would eventually come around to his side of things. Even Eliza. Eliza even is someone he greatly admires and respects. He probably respected her once he met her when she wasn't going to be bought off or told the official story about an electrical malfunction. In fact, he told her mostly the truth-that he was warding off a rival corporation's invasion.
It's true that Eliza really couldn't do anything about it because Xanatos probably has quite a bit of the police on his payroll but Xanatos clearly respected her so much that he told her the truth. He respected Eliza so much that he got Fox to tell her mostly the truth when Eliza was prying about Derek. Fox: He TOLD me to tell you. Fox was very arrogant and smirking over how far ahead Xanatos was with his plans for Derek, but Xanatos probably didn't feel that way himself to an extent. I admire that you are even close to figuring it out and I'll give you a chance to. He probably knew Eliza was going to record Fox saying that and bring the recording to Derek's attention. And if Derek had walked away from Xanatos, he would've respected that, and accelerated his plans.
reverence
@@feraflauna3238 technically he didn't tell Elisa the truth when he told her about repelling the invasion from the rival company. That whole invasion was staged by Xanatos in order to convince the gargoyles that Cyberbiotics stole tech from him and to get them to "retrieve" it. In actuality Cyberbiotics had done nothing wrong and it was the gargoyles who committed the crime.
Xanathos is a businessman, and his view of the world are terribly scary because how real they are.
As a cartoon vilain, he his suave, brilliant, and plot centred, his harm touch only a few
In real life .........
True
"It's my first real stab at cliched villainy. How am I doing?"
God, I love Xanatos' dialogue.
Me to Xanatos: You’re really bad at this!!
I mean, the dude put a Scottish Castle on top of a skyscraper...nuff said
Perfect point.
Yeah. He had a Scottish Castle disassembled, brought to New York and then rebuilt on top of a skyscraper, (so that now it's above the clouds) and he's not bothered by the cost of it at all.
The guy's got more money than God. Failing that, he *always* has a backup plan.
The one time he knew he was outclassed, (in "The Gathering") he still manages to win, though admittedly it wasn't because of any trick of his, or the Gargoyles, but because he was able to stall Oberon long enough for Fox to tap into her powers.
Just the fact he was able to seriously delay Oberon (arguably *THE* most powerful character in the series) even injuring him, shows how well prepared Mr. X really is.
Tony Stark did the same to the MetLife building, but not a castle. Stark Tower, and later on Avengers Tower
Sounds like a cross between New York and Edinburgh
@@NicholasGeschke The only person to ever beat Xanatos unambiguously was Thailog, a gargoyle created to be his equal.
One of the really interesting things about David Xanatos is that the VA doesn't sound like a typical villain. No super-fancy vocabulary, no posh accent nor hard accent, no snarling, no smarminess, no ultra-baritone, none of that. He sounds like an everyday guy, with just a pleasant twist of everyday overconfidence.
What does VA mean?
+Machabe Leloka Voice Actor.
+maltheopia Probably because it's Jonathan "Riker" Frakes. Talking. No attempt to be a villain, no attempt to be evil or sterotypically "bad". Just being himself.
He seems more like a anti villain he's on dark side but charming and willing to sacrifice for his family and very resourceful yet bad and cool.
+maltheopia The voice actor is Jonathon Frankes, Riker from Star Trek TNG.
David Xanatos, embodiment of the phrase:"Screw the rules, I have money!!"
*****
Nah, he's more, Screw the rules, I produce the official handbook!
***** that too. Also he doesn't play children's card games. Also, Kaiba literally changed the rules once, so he's clearly more apt to say my version.
Embodiment of Affable Evilness and Pragmatic Villainy
Dragonlover553 Xanatos and Kaiba fanfics I see in the future.
@@christopheradams5607 well now I have to go see if there are any...that would be awesome
"It's alive! Alive! I've always wanted to say that". For some reason having a geek moment just makes Xanatos even more awesome.
+kriitikko it makes him human. Which makes him greater since he makes it seem so easy for him to win in the end
That and "It's my first real attempt at cliched villainy. How am I doing?"
It was as if he purposely made that lab to mimic the Frankenstein cliche just so he can say the quote lol
A good meme.
@@LordZontar "It's my first real stab at cliche villainy. How am I doing so far?"
It's a pitty Jonathan Frakes never really went on with voice acting jobs. His Xanatos is really on point, extremely charismatic and dangerous. He would have had his shot at so many comic books series as villains or even as a hero.
I'd love to see him as lex luthor
To play the devils advocate, there's not much Mr Frakes could of done instead go down. To most, Xanatos is kinda the absolute peak
I loved Jonathan Frakes as Xanathos.
Other Star Trek actors were also on Gargoyles: Marina Sirtis as Demona, Brent Spiner as Puck, and Kate Mulgrew as a rather demented queen. :)
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._
A rare example of time travel done exactly right.
@@WhiteScorpio2 Predestination Paradox is usually the only way to do time travel plots without causing narrative headaches.
I find it rather interesting that such a smart man like Xanatos wouldn't have realized the *deterministic* implications of what he did and said. 😕 He just had realized that time in the Gargoyles Universe is in fact deterministic which means there's *NO free will* whatsoever and yet even after the episode the guy STILL kept going around acting as if he had ANY control of his future. 🤔🤨 I guess you could say that was a plothole from the writers's part.
@@javiervasquez8995 Well it depends on how you look at free will. Does knowing future events really nullify free will? Does knowing the future yet still making the same choices free will. Either you see fate as an absolute script you must follow, or live with the choices you made as weaving your own fate. A pawn of fate, or a pawn to yourself.
@@javiervasquez8995 That or he just doesn't worry about it. Even if free will doesn't exist, We are still who we are.
Even then, because he knew how to make himself a self made man, he's probably had years to accept it.
"Without the Gargoyles, what are you?"
Xanatos, "Philanthropist, multibillionaire playboy."
Yes! I always thought Xanatos was like an evil version of Tony Stark.
Beckii Cine
Except he and Stark have zilch in common. Xanatos is more like an evil version of Odysseus.
GregXB3 Would you say he's similar to Watchmen's Ozymandias? Except that he's more confident than Ozy in what he does.
Faust Alexander
Not really. Ozy's intelligence may as well be a super power. Xanatos is a badass normal.
Also, unlike Ozymandias, Xanatos isn't a psychopath taking advice from a sociopath.
"Pay a man enough and he will walk barefoot through hell." That line and it's delivery was so powerful I remembered it my whole life despite being a child who didn't really understand what it meant at the time, and it's basically just an throw away line that underlines his character. This show was fantastic.
Even better? That line was what convinced Jonathan Frakes to take the role. That one line was enough to prove to him that this wasn’t going to be like any of the usual series Disney was producing at the time.
It still shocks me they got that line into a Disney-produced weekday-afternoon TV series.
@@simontchang You think that's bad? Wait until you see what Broadway does with Elisa's gun..
@@simontchangIt's interesting that Gargoyles got away with saying Hell, and yet Batman: The Animated Series couldn't, the only thing was said is "what the devil?"
@@simontchang The joke is that Xanatos paid the censors to let him say it.
“MacBeth and Demona are immortal. Has it brought them happiness?” Considering the conversation that lead up to this, Hudson has a major point. Xanatos wants immortality but doesn’t know how painful it can truly be.
Well its seems that he considered it and judged that death and old age are worse, besides I think immortality is like a life, it is what you make it, neither good nor bad.
@belisarian6429 You wouldn't want to be immortal, if somehow you end in black hole.
@@Ktulm Depends on the immortality. Ageless immortality would be amazing.
To be fair MacBeth and Demona despise each other, where as David wanted to share immortality with Fox, his wife. There are some that do believe that eternal life is more bearable with someone you love at your side.
David Xanatos, one of Disney's slickest villains. He never loses and has the greatest voices in Disney history. Plus he is the first Disney TV villain to say hell.
Rainbow Dash Frollo lost.
Mark Kendziuk It won't, they cover movies not tv shows.
Mark Kendziuk No.
Mark Kendziuk True but Gargoyles is TV and those cartoons were shown in theaters.
Mark Kendziuk But i would be cool to see them fight alongside Sora. But who would be the boss? Xanatos even though he would lose he still wins.
"That was the icing, your the cake." Well that one is going into the play book.
*you're.
I think his father is also very awesome, especially in the scene where he threw a penny at David as his wedding day gift, "An U.S. penny, worthless now, but who knows, it might worth a fortune in the future. This is my present to you, since it seems to be the only thing you care about."
And the part after Eye of Odin event, Owen was calling David heroic, he replied, "A minor setback, I assure you."
One of the few times someone actually managed to get under his skin.
This is why I love Xanatos. He's brilliant and doesn't berate those under him for failing instead he takes what he learned from his defeat and does better next time. He considers every bit of progress a victory and one he will press next time.
Attitudes like yours, are why there's a real Platinum 'Turd', making and alarmingly serious bid to be the 'next' C-in-C.
Walter D Wormack If you're referring to Trump I'm just as worried as you. Xanatos is a fictional villain. Trump is a nightmare and Clinton ain't much better.
@@Webshooters1 This comment hasn't aged well
Also, unlike other villains with a femme fatale who is infatuated with him.He reciprocates her feelings, marries her, and has a kid with her. He is a solid guy.
Who the hell even _mentioned_ Trump?!
I wish Jonathan Frakes did more voice acting. He has such a sexy, charismatic voice.
That's who voiced Xanatos? Wow he did a brilliant job😃
Will riker is zanathos, data is Owen ando puck, demona is drama Troy, and coldstone is Worf, almost allá the startrek crew in this series..
I knew the voice was one I heard B4 but couldn’t place it.
@@lykano Guest stars who also had roles (bit or main) in Star Trek include
Paul Winfield, Clancy Brown, John Rhys-Davies, Matt Frewer, Kate Mulgrew, Avery Brooks, Nichelle Nichols, W. Morgan Shepard, David Warner, LeVar Burton, Colm Meaney, James Saito, Salli Richardson and others.
Hell, it might be easier to list actors who AREN'T connected to Star Trek.
Nichelle Nichols and Marina Sirtis were in there too. Star Trek reunited!
Owen: "Would you rather I pretend to lose?
Xanatos: "I'd fire you, if you did."
That line right there is badass. He doesn't want an easy victory to satisfy him.
Much like a Sith he wants to be pushed.
@@bryanprime3438 There are no more Sith, Disney killed them all.
Xanatos was so far ahead of his time as a villain. He never really saw any loss as a loss, just a setback. The conference and control he exuded was not just bravado either, he really did plan that far ahead and think of all the angles. And while he was a villain he never really felt like a true villain. He was motivated and self serving but never really evil.
And a few specifics. When he did the "It's Alive!" call and pointed out he always wanted to say that. That was a very common trope in cartoons at that time but since nothing else about Xanatos was cartoonish it made it that much better. And how he pointed out his first try at clichéd villainy made the scene that much better since he was acknowledging how ridiculous what he was doing was.
And I was worried you would leave out the scene you saved for the end. How he recognizes that Goliath is the greatest warrior alive. A creature of myth forged in the dark ages when might made right. And he was able to take pride in even being able to survive the encounter.
I have always loved the scene with Elisa and Fox while she is in prison. "You haven't got a clue. You're so far behind him, its pathetic. He told me to tell you."
I hate it when arrogant women gush about their love interests. Makes them just seem like suck-ups or fangirls. Honestly, "the most brilliant man on the face of the Earth"? Can Fox be anymore of a projecting fangirl?
Unfortunately, she's actually right. Xanatos is one of those villains who is very, very rarely truly defeated, because even when he loses, he wins.
it felt like an episode of POWER when that came out of Fox's lips!
I don't know, Fox is pretty brilliant herself. They have shown her to be a good manipulator. She is just recognizing Xanatos' brilliance as well
@@EmptyMan000 It's called "love". Shes' in love with him and it's good because feeling is mutual.
Jesus! hearing all these lines after all these years... This really was an adult's show... FROM DISNEY! Wow. I am impressed.
That's what made it so damn great.
It ended about season 3 or 4 when demona finally gave up and the gargoyles became friends with xanatos again.
Everything after that was Disney not letting it end on a highpoint
@Winnie- season 3 is when Disney completely took the reins and it shows. Ugh
Heh...and the "gotchas" in casting
These days, all cartoons are dumbed down for kids. It is sickening.
The best part is that the premise of the video is right. For all their intelligence, scheming, money, and power, villains like Lex are terrible mastermind villains. They make plans and rely on those plans to succeed; failure isn't an option for them. Xanatos makes plans, yet even in failure, his position only improves. If he traded places with his DC counterpart, he would play Superman, the Justice League, and any of the other villains for chumps.
It helps that David has his ego in check. Sure he's a cocky guy oozing with confidence, but he never lets ego get in the way of a learning experience or the big picture. He's always interested in bettering himself and if the quickest way there is to fail again and again--so be it.
Absolutely. Look at his reaction to Owen beating him in a karate match. He doesn't throw a fit or fire the guy. His only reaction is concern that he's not as good as he was before.
finris1 it's true to a point but if you watch episode Eye of the beholder in season 2 of Gargoyles the halloween episode you'll see that Xanatos actually failed and acknowledge his failure there was no advantage because Lisa and Goliath turned Xanatos down regardless of his original Plan C that failed when he attempted Plan D Goliath and Lisa showed up to tell him in his face they won't be used as pawns again!
And then Goliath and Lisa left Xanatos home gliding away into the skies!
Then after sometime after in this episode Lisa and Goliath were about to stroll down the park of NEW YORK in this Halloween special episode!
Then Goliath started having second thoughts he felt guilty and Goliath allowed his better moral judgement to feel empathy for Xanatos's problem! And so Goliath and Lisa were about to head back to Xanatos but Xanatos shows up in moments behind them with a tracker he was contemplating if Goliath would then appear to help sooner or later!
That wasn't a plan or an intention that was Xanatos in the concept of desperation because his goal was needing their help without their of knowing what they were going to do to help save FOX! But because Goliath and Lisa caught Xanatos off guard and forced Xanatos to tell the truth, Xanatos failure to control them without asking for their help was out of Xanatos hands! I'm just proud of Goliath and Lisa in this episode finally having the one up on Xanatos to his face when they outted him in that moment for that episode! It's pretty good and these executive producers and writers for this show clearly gave the audience good visuals of concepts of people holding power over others and losing that power through the concepts of humanity and desperation! It's almost like the SHOW CALLED POWER when you watch GARGOYLES i have to finish washing Gargoyles and power these shows are very GOOD!! take care
finris1 honestly I never like Lex Luthor. All that money and power and we wastes it on trying to one up and/or kill Superman. He has a inferiority complex that just makes him look like a big mouth loser with lots of money.
Hes the only man that regards love as a weakness.
For me, Xanatos' greatest achievement is pulling off the ponytail hairstyle. The only men I've seen wearing one were either hipsters or greasy nerds. It takes balls to run a company, plan around saturday cartoon heroes and fight off other villains wearing both a ponytail and a goatee.
Ponytail/mullet.
It was the 90s
lmao I was thinking if Xanatos was poor fat and lived with his mom he would be a total neckbeard
Big Boss or rather Venom Snake pulls it off
You know now that you mention it Xanatos is most likely the reason I started growing my hair out and wearing it in a pony tail
I know he's a villain but I got to admit David Xanatos is everything I wanted to be. Tall, Hansom, Intelligent, Powerful and perhaps one of the youngest Billionaire Industrialists in the world.
He’s got everything but immortality
Rght! As a child, I never ever really disliked him. I always saw him as appealing.
specterman2000 Talk about a guy who would reform later on.
specterman2000 I never really saw him as a villain but more of an anti hero
specterman2000 Lex Luthor's opposite in some way
God, the worst villain. No matter how many times you beat him, he'll always make you feel like an idiot for winning. 2good
Brilliantly written character , he is a antihero as he enjoys good and evil equally and hence life is playground for him . Never seen xanatos losing it be it success or defeat.
Only time he'd ever lose his cool was when his family was threatened.
What makes Xanatos the perfect Villain, is not that he is evil, sadistic or cruel, he's none of that, he just is a man who would do anything to get what he wants. He goes with pure logic and he has no ideology, just desires. He might face his ennemies in one episode and join them in the very next one, the end justifies the mean. I love how unpredictable he is.
YES!!! the anti-mustache twirler. He's a guy with goals, and motives, and actual REASONS for doing stuff.
He seems unpredictable, but that's only because you don't know everything about what he's doing. If you knew his plan it would probably make sense.
Those is why is respect him.
"You know the answer to that Owen: Pay a man enough, and he'll walk barefoot into Hell."
Nearly 30 years later, that line is still one of the best of an animated series, ever.
Of course he is, one of the most badass characters in cartoons/fiction imo.
Joy Boy I’ve noticed about him as intelligent, patient, and forward thinking as he is when it’s necessary he can be a pretty tough guy when things have to get physical. When Goliath holds him up to drop him he isn’t scared at all. He actually fights with the Gargoyles directly(in armor), and is actually not a sore loser when he loses he didn’t throw a tantrum
vegheta…………..mike drop
David Xanatos = Evil Tony Stark. They're practically the same setup.
I am sick and tired of all the people who say that David Xanatos is based on Tony Stark. Yes, they’re both billionaires with facial hair, but that’s where the similarity ends. And don’t bring up that Xanatos has armor, it doesn’t even appear in half the episodes he appears in, and it certainly isn’t used in the same way.Xanatos and Stark don’t even fall under the same archetype! Tony’s archetype is the inventor, or the tinkerer. Xanatos’ archetype is the trickster… it’s even pointed out in the show at one point. If Xanatos is the evil version of a hero, it's Odysseus. Not Tony Stark.
Not to mention the piles and piles of other differences. Xanatos is pragmatic, Stark is self-destructive. Xanatos is a happily married family man, Stark is a womanizer.Xanatos and Stark resemble each other at only the most superficial of levels; but really have nothing in common. You may as well say that Bruce Wayne and Norman Osborn are practically the same since they’re both rich guys who throw razor-bats around.
I can see the similarity, both rich and an inventor, and got a mech suit.
One major difference that sets them apart though is that Xanatos has class, Stark doesn't. Now I'm not talking about wearing expensive suits or have taste in fine wine, but Xanatos's openness to accept defeat and challenges equally, Tony Stark by comparison has too much ego to enjoy losing.
Tony Stark also handles morality like a teenager as in, "I do it because I want to, and because I can." David Xanatos, on the other hand, is, "You don't like it? Ok." Stark challenges morality like Don Quixote and the windmill, while Xanatos simply disregards it.
you forgot that they both plan for and defeat supernatural beings far beyond their own abilities
Xanatos isn't an alcoholic. Isn't a womanizer. Is happily married, has a kid, is a family man...
GregXB3 you already said that
I always admired how Xanatos completely negated Goliaths Strength. Goliath expressed his frustration perfectly when he said "Xanatos forced us from our home, drove us into hiding. This is his century, his world. We are outcasts , strangers in a strange land...If only i could make him feel what him feeling now"
butcher bane Agreed. If I were Xanatos and Goliath did as so walk towards me I’d piss myself to the point I wouldn’t be able to piss for the rest of my life.
It's David and Goliath.
@@Janoha17 son of a......
Great twist there
@@Janoha17 How the Hell did i not pick that ????
@@butcherbane3517 How often do you read the Bible?
Xanatos is so badass he is the namer of two pages on TV tropes
I know one is called Xanatos’ Gambit. What’s the other one?
@@stephenking5852 Xanatos Speed Chess
he invented the Xanatos Gambit
And the Xanatos Speed Chess.
David Xanatos: the kind of guy when, even at his lowest or is surrounded by weird magical stuff, can still come away thinking "I can work with this".
"...until the skies burn."
"WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SET THE SKY ON FIRE, THEN."
That's a bad ass line
The madlad set off a fuel air explosive over New York hahaha
"Screw the curses, I have money."
"Revenge is a suckers game." Probably the smartest thing a cartoon villain has ever said.
xanatos is awesome but lets talk about his man, owen. a lot of villains dream of having someone like him working for him: intellegent to a fault, rational, logical, loyal beyond measure and can hold his own in a fight.
and if you know more about who owen really is, then you know that xanatos chose having owen serve him for life than immortality.
There are a dozen ways to live forever, but good help is hard to come by.
+maxacorn-Actually, that wasn't the condition. Owen offered to grant him one wish without any conditions, or a lifetime of human servitude. Xanatos could've wished for anything he wanted, even if it was one wish. It was a one wish with no conditions or strings attached. A lot of people would've taken the offer for the one wish.
But Xanatos figured he could find another one to live forever if he looked hard enough. That secret could be his, and he didn't want it simply handed to him either on a silver plate. But the offer of someone so willing to grant a lifetime of devoted servitude, not only was that too good to pass up, but Xanatos respected that offer. That Owen came to him with that offer and actually meant it.
So Xanatos rejected the wish to instead have a servant, an ally. And as he grudgingly admits much later on, a truly good friend. It's better to have that in a lifetime than to spend an immortal lifetime alone.
Wow, the animation is way better than I remembered for a 90s show.
And the video is in 480p!
imagine a remaster verion done up in 1080 id buy that in a heartbeat
The animators should learn the examples from this. This show is epic.
@@Sourman1545 Classics need no remasters. Original colours and shades are best.
@@slaiyfershin you can re master and keep origional colors, just take the origional footage and clean it up a bit
-Rich and smart enough to make even Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne jealous
-Comes up with long convoluted plans that somehow works out in the end
-Able to go toe-to-toe with Goliath and the other Gargoyles on a daily basis
-whenever does get defeated, he accepts it with grace and dignity
-One of the few cartoon Disney characters who can swear
-Voiced by Jonathan Frakes
Is it a good thing or a bad thing that there aren't more villains like David Xanatos?
Good because it makes you appreciate the greatness of their uniqueness.
Bad because villians need to be interesting and unique to the story.
What joeglo said, both.
I doubt Bruce Wayne would get jealous. Tony though? Maybe
Lex Luthor would see Xanatos as a worthy adversary
@@kevlonk doubtful the problem with most versions of Lex's is his ego, he think everyone in world is like himself and he envious of those with more power than him. Thus he ego is incapable of acknowledging how dangerous an adversary Xanatos is which only makes Xanatos a greater danger to most Lex's.
This is also why most versions of Lex hate, fear and envy Superman. He thinks like himself Superman is just putting on a fake face for public while secretly plotting to conquer the world just like Lex. Yet Xanatos understand Goliath's emotional and psychological needs and wants better than Goliath himself most of the times, all while admiring Goliath without fear or envy. Heck Xanatos has stood in front of a very angry Goliath multiple times without his powered armour and calmly held his ground while staying as cool as ice and just talk him down. This is impressive because unlike Superman, Goliath doesn't have problem with killing in the heat of battle or with vengeance, thus an angry Goliath is a real threat while an angry Superman in most versions isn't. Of course most version of Lex believes this is because Superman doesn't want to ruin his benevolent image rather actually morality.
Most versions of Lex in my opinion are just a scientist version of Damona. Damona wants to be leader of all Gargoyles and wipe out humanity, while Lex wants to rule (whether openly or secretively, legally or illegally) and be worshipped by Humanity and destroy anything that's threat to his plans, world view and/or ego. They're both are vengeful and petty. They never accept responsibility for there action because it's always someone else fault... Damona = Humanity... Lex = Superman.
Lex is the smarter scientist and better inventor but Xanatos is the better planner and most versions of Lex would be helpless against Xanatos plans.
Plus according to 'The Word of God' Greg Weisman Xanatos doesn't want to rule the world, he likes the current world's system just the way it is and just doesn't see the profit in conquering the world.
This is why the Young Justices version for Lex is the best version of Lex, because Young Justice Greg Weisman show.
I feel like Young Justice took Xanatos best elements as planner and leader then shared them among the Lights leadership, thus it would take all of Light to beat Xanatos and that because most of the Lights leadership have superpower to even out Xanatos amazing planning skills like how Goliath's superhuman abilities help him fight Xanatos on a more even playing field.
Of course this just may opinion.
Here's the proof: the best villains hold no animosity towards anyone.
by far the only villain I have seen, who is also a good father
John Dana
Gul Dukat loved his daughter, but he wasn’t a good father.
Merkku
David Xanatos is three-dimensional like that.
Dr. Sivana. He has four children though, so he probably has more experience under his belt.
Bowser
Black Manta
“Do you want vengeance, or a Solution.”
Only the best villains use a line like that.
Funny, he strikes me more as a middle-man between Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne.
+DanMartinParanormal Funny, he strikes me as his own character.
I'm not really too familiar with Xanatos but I came across this video and his mannerism aren't ostentatious and his speech isn't exaggerated. Honestly I could see him in a Martin Scorsese film.
+DanMartinParanormal Well he doesn't strike as Peter Parker that's for sure.
He has similarities. Billionaire, genius intelligence, exosuits and robotics. If compared to a known superhero/villain, I'd say more like Lex Luthor. But I agree that he is his own character. And his motives are less more intricate. He always has a bigger plan.
In one continuity he's part of Rich Boys with Toys along with Bruce and Tony
I wonder how a conversation between David Xanatos and Bruce Wayne would go at a company bachelor party?
TPDManiacXC626 Xanatos would probably school Bruce Wayne completely. Batman has never shown to be that capable with business and has lost his company in the comics, Xanatos meanwhile always manages to come on top even when he loses. The only times he truly lost were when he acted like a straight cliché villain and against Thailog which was like a better and more evil version of him.
TPDManiacXC626 Xanatos would probably really get under Bruce Wayne's (Batman's) skin by pointing out that by dressing up in bat-themed BDSM gear and punching criminals personally he's actually doing the city a lot less good than swallowing his pride and just using his position as captain of industry to build up the city and hire/train a small squadron of heroes to take out the bigger threats.
Ironically, Xanatos probably would be the last person to expose Batman's secret identity, because he's one of the few supervillains where Bruce Wayne is more of a threat to him than Batman.
maltheopia Hmm, true. But I was thinking more along the lines of witty banter between them of how things are going between Wayne and Xanatos Enterprises.
Needless to say, Batman has faced numerous opponents that are five to ten times stronger than David here and proved masterminds like Ra's al Ghul and Hugo Strange wrong when they say they've already won.
TPDManiacXC626 Aye, but that's the rub. If Batman wanted to take on Xanatos Enterprises, he couldn't half-ass it. When Batman stops Ghul or Strange or other masterminds, he dismantles their big scheme and they go away for awhile or forever. Xanatos does not really do big schemes (because those are the ones that bite him in the ass) but a lot of minor ones that add up over time.
Batman would have to fight Xanatos every step of the way. And quite frankly, while I think that he has the potential of doing it, I've always felt that Batman sees his wealth and WayneCorp as a means to an end rather than something worthwhile in of itself. For example, in Batman Beyond there was no reason for Bruce Wayne to give up on crimefighting in abstract even if he got too old to work as a vigilante -- but as we can see, he barely managed to work up the interest to hold onto WayneCorp and Powers came close to muscling him out.
If Batman could manage to swallow his pride and delegate crimefighting to his understudies or other superheroes and take Xanatos (and Luthor) on as a badass captain of industry, I think he could win a fight against him. But it's just not in Batman's nature to do that.
TPDManiacXC626
Xanatos would tear him apart, verbally and intellectually. Hell, he could tear apart all of Gotham's criminals.
“So who won?”
“That was merely the icing, _you’re the cake.”_
Damn, Xanatos was (and still is)the smoothest-talking character in all of animation! 😏😏😏
Tyler Klause ... sorry maybe it’s the lack of caffeine but I need to ask: who’s KF?
Xanatos will hands down be one of the best villains in animation. His charisma intricate planning and yet seemingly human and self aware nature makes him such a compelling villain. Edit: thanks for the heart Greg
Xanatos is one of those guys who even though he's a villain, you can't help but like and respect him. The dude sounded so slick when he spoke. I don't remember him ever losing his cool. He was always a glass half full kind of guy when it came to setbacks, he frowned upon revenge, and he had standards. Plus, when Goliath held him over the ledge, he showed real guts by practically daring him to drop him. Xanatos wasn't your stereotypical bad guy, which set him apart from others. They don't make villains like him nowadays.
0:41-0:45 Did they just say Hell in a Disney Cartoon? I forgot how badass this show was.
Yes...Disney broke that rule several times.
Thunder-Wing175 Yeah, but rarely in there TV shows.
They did, but talking about the place rather than using it in the "what the hell" context.
I don't think saying a simple word really matters. The thing that matters is the characters and story is good. Who cares if they say words like that.
Haman Karn The network censors. :D
6 years after this was posted almost.
Never take this down.
4 years after this and its still going strong
this show is full of star trek people
not only jonathan frakes
demona-marina sirtis
puck-brent spiner
coldsteel-michael dorn
and its full of shakespearan references
Too bad Patrick Stewart didn’t voice act on Gargoyles. That would’ve been so awesome.
Elise: Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield
She played Fenna/Nidell in Deep Space Nine. The episode is season 2 episode 9, "Second Sight".
Thanks for pointing out all of the voice actors! I thought they sounded familiar, but brushed it off. My sister was excited to hear this. She loved Gargoyles as a kid and absolutely loves Star Trek (all of them, but TNG the most).
Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) was the voice of Titania and Lavar Burton was the voice of Anansi the spider.
Patrick Stewart was going to play Macbeth but had to decline the role because of conflicting schedules.
Add in Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Tony Todd, JG Hertzler, and a ton of other Star Trek alums...it was a reunion show from beginning to end.
David VS Goliath. I JUST get it guys, DAVID AND GOLIATH.
Thats brilliant.
One of my favorite things about Gargoyles is that even most of the heroes and characters who have spent time being good struggled with revenge (Goliath, Brooklyn, Broadway, Lexington, Elisa, Demona, Macbeth, Magus, the Captain of the Guard, Talon, Taurus and many others), but the main antagonist didn't! It correctly shows that even many good people feel vengeful and that Xanatos is extremely cool!
The real main antagonists are revenge, anger, fear. But Demona comes second (4th). Xanatos is more like antihero.
Exactly right
The guy is so badass that he got rich from exploiting a time paradox. let me repeat that, HE GOT RICH BY EXPLOITING A TIME PARADOX! While I don't think he could beat Dr. Doom, I still say he could be one hell of a match for him.
It's telling that Lex Luthor in Young Justice owes far more to Xanatos than he does to most incarnations of Superman's archnemesis. Actually, the Light in general owe their methodology to Xanatos, and they're a far more entertaining take on the Secret Society of Super-Villains for it.
True but they’ll never top Xantos’s brilliance, even if they were written by the same person
@@BlueBlazeKing Agreed, but they're still the best take on the Legion of Doom/Secret Society of Super-Villains concept.
@@reyonXIII Oh yeah like the whole injustice league ploy was brilliant
they are both written by greg wiseman so it makes sense.
He was not really a true villain either. An very good antagonist, but not really a asshole. He works for himself but not against the world. There are other villain in this universe who wants more than Xanatos.
You remind me of the ST: TOS episode, "Space Seed". reading your description of Xanatos, reminds me of Kirk, Scott, and McCoy, expressing a "sneaking admiration", for 'Khan Noonien Singh'. Spock is totally astounded, that his 'shipmates', can be so 'accepting', of Someone so ruthlessly evil.
^^
We live in a world filled with villains both real and fictional who have committed genocide as well as mass rape and child rape/killing compared to that someone like Xanatos is easy to see as 'not that bad' because we see worse all the time and we don't really care as long as it's not us being stepped on.
The Pack example Wolf, Hyena, Jackal.
Fox married him and reformed and Dingo reformed.
Dracon only cares about his business as a Mob Boss.
+Corentin Deredec-I'd argue there are no true "villains" in Gargoyles although you can argue Demona definitely is given she is sadistic and genocidal. While Thailog has no heart and compassion for anyone and considers everyone expendable to his aims, he also was born and raised that way to where he never got a chance to understand how to live anyway else.
Even Oberon, who is a gigantic a-butt, let's be real, you can argue is not entirely a villain either. He has no interest in ruling the world, he already rules the realm of the Fey. He has a certain respect and consideration for humans where he wanted to instill that with the rest of the Fey. He tends to hold his word as vow.
It's just that if anyone dares to get in his way and defy his rule as the rightful, true Ruler of All, he will not consider anything out of bounds. When he wanted to Alexander, to him, it was going to happen, whether or not Fox and Xanatos agreed to it. Either bow in servitude or be obliterated from existence. He is more of a capricious "god" largely unconcerned with the lives and souls of mortals but still acknowledging their right to live all the same as long as they agree who is in charge. As long as you do everything he wants and stay out of his way, you tend to be pretty good.
Thumbs up if you had the Xanatos action figure.
That was badass.
"Nothing scares me, because nothing is beyond my ability to change." - David Xanatos
David Xanatos is the perfect villain. Unlike so many other villains (save the Nolanverse version of Ra's al Ghul) you don't immediately suspect him. It also helps that his voice actor is famous for playing Starfleet boyscout William Riker in TNG. It's so deliciously well done and I don't think anyone can replicate such perfection.
He makes Seto kaiba look like an amateur
as expected of a character that coined a tv tropes with his own name.
+cyberwolfy37 I just looked into that after seeing this comment, needless to say I got such a laugh out of "The Xanatos Gambit".
TheChildofAuraReborn the best kind of plan is the one that lead only to victory no matter what the other side do.
cyberwolfy37 Main outcome of every choice made: I WIN.
Two of them, actually. Also see: Xanatos Speed Chess.
Compucles that one could be renamed Xehanort Speed Chess
2:41 to this day I'm surprised goliath was able to lift Xanatos even with the added weight of his massive titanum balls, still one of the most badass moments I've seen from a villain.
Who else noticed this?
Xanatos’ first name is David, and Goliath is his rival. So basically it’s David and Goliath. I love the subtle reference
Isn't the guy that voiced Xanatos the same guy who played Riker on Star Trek TNG?
Xanatos looks just like Jonathan Frakes as well!
Gargoyles is basically a reunion of star trek:
David Xanatos: voiced by Riker
Demona: voiced by Diana Troy
Puck: voiced by Data
Coldstone: voiced by Worf
Titania: voiced by Janeway
David Xanatos: The reincarnation of Sun Tzu.
more like the result of having Sun Tzu and Machiavelli as tutors
What I love most of Xanatos is how unique he still is:
1. He admires the heroes, even when their fighting each other.
2. He always has backup plans.
3. His plots tend to actually work
4. He treats his staff and family well(for the most part).
5. He turns good own his own because he saw it was the best course of action, instead of some protagonist forcing their own views on him.
He didn't turn good. He's still very much the same man from Season 2. Season 3 outside of "The Gathering" is non-canon to the series.
Here's an idea for a match up: Tony Stark vs David Xanatos. Hell, Disney owns both this series and Marvel Comics. They should totally make it happen.
I'd pay good money to see that.
Missionary of the Adeptas Sororitas Both Xanatos Enterprises and Stark Tower are in Manhattan...Allllllll of the money ever
The funny part is, that it was Marvel who bought Gargoyles from Disney and nothing good came out of it.
Lunarch Sounds "You have your name on the side? Oh, that's just so cute. Mine reaches above the cloud layer. And has a whole castle at the top."
QuB4ll not enough publicity, and it was just comics lots of people don't realize much idea's actualy originate from them
"Pay a man enough, and he'll walk barefoot into Hell." I really disliked that line as a kid, until my Uncle asked me something along the lines of "If your only option to feed your family was to work for someone horrible, at a job you don't like, would you do it?"
He and my parents seemed very proud when I finally answered him, some time later, after thinking about things. My answer was, roughly "Of course! I love my family and they make me happy, so, it's fine."
I think this show was ahead of its time, and/or really deep.. Probably both. Definitely both!
Best thing about xanatos is when ever he looses he always keeps it cool and looks at the brighter things and treats it as some kind of win. He is awesome :)
There is a reason the Xanatos Gambit was named after him. Only once did he actually lose, and it was against his equal in intellect and ruthlessness.
I'm still dying to see a Kingdom Hearts game where the Gargoyles are featured and have their own home world to visit.
Their original time or New York?
@@LunarSault23 Why have one, when you can have both? :3
Of course he's a badass. His last job was cruising around the galaxy on the goddamned Enterprise. XD
David Xanatos... there is probably one of THE BEST and most complicated villains (if you can call him that) in television history.
He's the best kind of villain. He understands and respects his enemies, but never lets that stop him from seeking more power and trying to achieve his goals. It allows the viewer to have a certain respect for the antagonist and makes him a far more dynamic and interesting character. It works well because the heroes never fully understand his goals or his schemes. He's always two steps ahead and a mystery. Like he said "you're taking this far too personally."
All the "evil" is just business, he doesn't really care one way or another what happens to them, he only ever cares what he can get out of it.
What made Xanatos so good as a villain is that he was pragmatic. He only thought ahead. He never sought revenge.
Irritated by failures? Yes. Grudges? Kinda.
And every outcome of every plan still benefited him in some way. Even if he lost.
He did not become "any kind of good guy." Season three doesn't count. And while he does welcome the gargoyles back into the castle at the end of season two, he's still an amoral schemer in the comics, even with them there. But he wanted them there back in season one... so, he got what he wanted to begin with. Villain wins. ;)
An animated character so badass that he got two badass tropes named after him and his shenanigans: Xanatos Gambit, and Xanatos Speed Chess.
God damn, this show was ahead of it's time in storytelling, animation, voice acting, and so much more. it wasn't always perfect, like occasionally animation was handled by different studios given some of the episodes, you can tell when it isnt the usual guys, but it's still amazing, and this show has, quite rightly, held it's fan base all this time. And it's something i will show my kids someday.
I actually asked Jonathan frakes about his role on gargoyles. And I quote "Gargoyles was too smart for TV"
And he's right.
The way he stares into Goliath’s eyes, as he’s being held by him over a cliff! The fact that Xanatos did so without fear, is amazing! 🤩 He certainly made Gaston look like a cowardly chump 😏
@HisShadow In addition to what GregXB3 said, Xanatos was never truly evil like a villain in a kid's show. He didn't do evil things for evil's sake, or revenge. He wound up doing selfish, harmful and sometimes cruel acts because he wanted things, but he wasn't cruel too often and peppered his villainy with better acts such as ceasefires, saving fox and team-ups (before the non-canon Goliath Chronicles).
Someone who was forgiven too easily was Vegeta from Dragon Ball [Z].
The detective is TOTALLY Carmen Sandiego… I just noticed this after all of these years, haha. She is totally...
Carmen Sandiego was a World Class Thief though.
Talking about the way she looks.
I think that jacket is more Misato Katsuragi than Carmen.
Xanatos is like a Bruce Wayne adopted and raised by the Luthor family
What?
Ironic how Norman Osborn himself is very Xanatos-like in Spectacular. Less ironic when you consider that Greg Weisman was involved in both shows.
Lex Luthor from Young Justice is also very much Xanatos. He even gave the "Revenge is a sucker's game" speech to Roy in season 2.
4:48 I just realized Xanatos anticipated the event of Gargoyles getting haunted by offering Goliath the protection. The end of Season 2 clearly showed that and represented the Xanatos Gambit. So Xanatos ultimately won the game.
Wasn't it Greg wisemans plan all along to being xanatos in as a good guy in season three but then have a twist? But Disney ruined it?
+Lone Wolf-Disney truly ruined and slaughtered the original plans for what Weisman intended for season three. According to what I know, what Weisman has said about it, and the hard to track down comics that should be considered more of the true season three, Xanatos would be far more reformed. A kinder, much more compassionate and human individual. At the same time, he still wouldn't be entirely a good guy either. He would still often be very manipulative and coldly calculating. More of a true antihero at the time but someone who was a true ally and friend to the gargoyles this time.
Xanatos is the man everyone wants to be. At the end of the day, he’s wealthy, powerful, capable, and he has the love of his life and an adorable son.
Didnt liked him as a Boy, but love him now^^
"Do I really need an excuse to have a good time in my own home?"
Cracks me up every time.
It's terrifying how much of a genius he is.
1. Melded ancient magic and present day (for that era) tech on several occasions.
2. Played police, Gargoyles, and other magical figures for fools.
3. Never officially lost a fight.
4. Completed a convoluted time loop that led him to where he is in his present.
5. Has a magical, nigh-unstoppable imp for a personal assistant and babysitter.
Finally
6. Got his happily ever after by the end of the series without any real consequences.
Xanatos makes Tony Stark look like a chump by comparison.
I don't think I've heard anybody say or comment this before, so I will.
Anybody notice how xanatos is essentially Tony Stark if he was a villain?
-Same playboy attitude and personality
-Ingenuity and and intelligence to create a flying hard-suit.
-Created own team of super humans
-Both Billionaires
-Same Haircut and beard! (Crept for the ponytail he had awhile)
-Hell, he even ended up becoming a full on hero after season 2!
David Xanatos is Tony Stark :)
You must not have looked very hard because a lot of people have made this same, mistaken assumption. First and foremost, Xanatos never became a hero of any kind after the second season. In the comic continuation by Greg Weisman, Xanatos is still the charming, manipulative trickster we've always known.
Second, Xanatos and Stark aren't even the same archetype. Xanatos is a human trickster, Stark is not. If Xanatos is based on any heroic character, it's Odysseus. Odysseus is a tricky fellow, who’ll use nearly any means to justify his end. He’s pragmatic but also curious. (See how he deals with the Sirens.) Immortality appeals to him. But family is ultimately more important. He’s also smart as hell. Handsome, strong. A fierce warrior who uses force as a last resort. Sounds fairly Xanatosian to me. What do you think?
+GregXB3 I have always considered Xanatos to be greedy over evil. He had no qualms about stealing one minute of life from everyone but as soon as the entire city was at risk he tried to stop it.
tehshingen
He had no qualms about kidnapping innocent people, paying Sevarius to experiment on and mutate them. That's pretty evil. And Sevarius was following Xanatos's orders, he did it with glee and was a willing participant, but that was all Xanatos.
a.j. m
Actually, I always thought of Xanatos as Tony Stark’s more pragmatic cousin.
that's how Xanatos got rich. by going back in time. and with an old coin. the coin was worthless now in 975 ad but by 1975 the coin will be worth about 20 grand.
Fricking! _"Pay a man enough and it'll walk barefoot into hell"_ We dont have lines like that anymore but it's so true!
I love how suave Goliath is. Keith David delivered those lines so fluently it was just amazing. “Only you would regard love as a weakness“