Macbeth



Macbeth is an anti-hero in Gargoyles. A Scottish king who, along with Demona, made a pact with the Weird Sisters for immortality, he has since grown tired of being unable to die and wishes to kill Demona, which would break the pact. He dragged Goliath and his clan into the conflict bewteen them and becomes an enemy to the clan as well, but later becomes a tenuous ally.

History
Macbeth was reportedly born in 1005 to Finláech, High Steward of Moray. His earliest chronological appearance in the series occurs in 1020. He and his father resided in Castle Moray when they were attacked by a masked assassin known to then only as "The Hunter." Finláech was killed but Macbeth was saved by the intervention of another sworn enemy of the Hunter: Demona.

Demona was leader at the time to remnants of gargoyle clans from across the British Isles who were hunted mercilessly by the assassin. The Weird Sisters had visited and informed her of the location of her enemy. Demona arrived at the castle just in time to save young Macbeth and his cousin Gruoch. The "Hunter" escaped while she was thus distracted.

The episode revealed the Hunter to be an identity used by Gillecomgain in the employ of young Prince Duncan. Duncan had ordered the assassination in the process of removing other likely heirs to the throne of Scotland to secure his own succession. He promised Gillecomgain to secure the Stewardship of Moray for him.

His next chronological appearance finds an adult Macbeth in 1032. Macbeth was by now in love with Gruoch but her father Bodhe had decided to instead marry her to Gillecomgain. He was outraged but could do little to prevent this marriage. Meanwhile Prince Duncan had become the designated heir to the throne and was father to newborn Prince Canmore.

Duncan had realized that Macbeth was growing restless and ordered Gillecomgain to assassinate him. Gillecomgain however refused. If Macbeth shared the fate of his father, people would start questioning the two mysterious deaths and his possible involvement in them. He was not about to risk the Stewardship of Moray for his former employer and current ally.

A vengeful Duncan changed his plans. He approached Macbeth with information that the Hunter and Gillecomgain are the same person. He thus secured a confrontation between the two men and hoped that both would die. Macbeth and Demona confronted Gillecomgain at the same time. The battle resulted in Macbeth killing his rival and saving the life of Demona. Demona declared that he had repaid his debt and fled away. Macbeth inherited the Stewardship of Moray and married Gruoch. Meanwhile Duncan put on the mask of the "Hunter" and assumed the identity for himself.