Elisa Maza

Elisa Maza

Elisa Maza is the Manhattan Clan's closest human friend - and to Goliath, more than a friend.

History

Elisa was born in 1968, the eldest child of Peter and Diane Maza. After majoring in Psychology at Columbia[1], she followed family tradition by entering the NYPD, and by 1994, had already become a Detective Second Class in the 23rd Precinct.

Elisa first met the gargoyles while investigating the mysterious disturbances at the Eyrie Building, caused by the first clash between Goliath’s clan and the Xanatos Goon Squad. She was originally frightened enough by Goliath and Bronx to fall off the battlements of Castle Wyvern, but Goliath saved her life and in that way, helped to convince her that the gargoyles were not evil monsters. She quickly came to learn their true nature and befriend them, saving Goliath from the Xanatos Goon Squad in Central Park (he was not actually in danger from them, but neither she nor Goliath knew that), and warning him about Xanatos' true nature in time for Goliath to save the other gargoyles from the Steel Clan. From then on, Elisa was the clan's closest human friend. ("Awakening")

When it became too dangerous for the gargoyles to continue living in the castle, Elisa managed to persuade them (although not without some difficulty) to relocate to the Clock Tower, where they would be safer and where she could check up on them regularly. ("Enter Macbeth") She even purchased a television set for them. Later on, her police work helped inspire Goliath to give his clan a new purpose: protecting the inhabitants of New York from harm. ("Reawakening")

While befriending the gargoyles was in many ways a wonderful thing for Elisa, giving her some loyal new friends, it also has had its drawbacks. Soon after she first met the clan, Broadway accidentally shot her with her own gun, and she only barely survived the surgery that followed. ("Deadly Force") Also, Xanatos lured her younger brother Derek into his service and then had Sevarius mutate him, transforming him into Talon. ("Her Brother's Keeper", "Metamorphosis") Demona has also resented Elisa's close friendship with the gargoyles and particularly Goliath, and attempted more than once to kill her. Elisa has sometimes wondered about the possibilities of a normal life without the gargoyles, particularly because of her very problematical feelings towards Goliath (see below), but in the end, she always loyally comes through for them.

Elisa also does like, in a way, being the gargoyles' closest human friend; she values this so much, in fact, that for a long while, she kept her friendship with the clan a secret, not just for their safety, but also so that she could feel a sense of uniqueness about her ties with them. Eventually, however, she let her partner, Matt Bluestone, and her family into the secret. ("Revelations", "Mark of the Panther", "Cloud Fathers")

The real problem that Elisa has to face in her friendship with the gargoyles is her feelings towards Goliath. Even during their first adventure together in Central Park, they began to be drawn towards each other, though it took a long while for them to realize it. The time when Puck temporarily turned Elisa into a gargoyle undoubtedly helped, for it brought the feelings Goliath didn't know he had for her to the surface ("The Mirror"). But when Elisa did realize how she felt about Goliath, it troubled her. Being in love with a gargoyle has raised some serious issues for her, issues that she does not wish to confront. So she carefully held back from discussing it with Goliath, for a long while. But their feelings with each other could not be forever held off.

Alongside being a close friend to the gargoyles, Elisa is also a highly able police detective. Her particular nemesis in her workday life is mob boss Tony Dracon, whose organized crime rackets she often is kept busy thwarting. Sometimes Elisa goes undercover for her work, such as when she posed as a crooked cop in order to gain Dracon's trust so that he would incriminate himself during his protection racket scheme. Sometimes Elisa goes undercover as "Salli". She used the alias to penetrate Tomas Brod's gang so as to bust his gang as well as Dracon's simutaneously ("Protection", "Turf"). The gargoyles (particularly Goliath and Broadway) have helped her out on her cases on a few occasions, such as when Broadway eagerly joined her during the "Silver Falcon" case. ("The Silver Falcon")

Elisa's greatest adventure came when Tom the Guardian came to Manhattan in late 1995 to seek Goliath's aid against the Archmage on Avalon. Elisa tagged along with them, (and Bronx), more out of curiosity than anything, unaware of the odyssey she would be embarking on for the next several months ("Avalon" Part One). Elisa was essential in helping the Avalon Clan during their battle with the Argchmage. It was Elisa who suggested they awaken King Arthur and recruit him to their cause. She then proceeded to do so with the Magus's help, and with Arthur at the helm, the battle was won. ("Avalon" Part Two, "Avalon" Part Three)

Elisa, Goliath, and Bronx left Avalon with Angela to embark on the Avalon World Tour. Elisa protected her friends when they were stone during the day. There were a few instances during the tour that held personal interest for Elisa. She helped convince Natsilane to take on his responsibilites as chieftan of Queen Florence Island and to battle Raven ("Heritage). In Nigeria she made peace with her mother and finally introduced her gargoyle friends to her ("Mark of the Panther"). When she was kidnapped by Odin in Norway, Goliath donned the Eye of Odin in order to rescue her ("Eye of the Storm").

During one of her most unfavorable adventures, arriving at New Olympus, Elisa was imprisoned by the New Olympians, who blamed humans for their exile and hadn't seen one in over 10,000 years. When the evil shapeshifter Proteus, posing as Goliath, escaped with Elisa, she risked her freedom in order to stop him from blowing up the island. Many New Olympians had a changed perspective of humans after this ("The New Olympians"). She took a stand against Goliath during their stop in Guatemala, protesting the Mayan Clan's method of scaring the farmers from being able to cut down trees to feed their families. Though she was also understanding of the gargoyles' plight, and made the suggestion to transplant some samples on Avalon. ("The Green"). She saved the lives of her companions when they were captured by Nokkar the alien, even though she had temporary amnesia and didn't know who to trust, her instinctual bond to her friends won out. ("Sentinel"). Though Elisa enjoyed some of her World Tour adventures, she was very glad when she finally arrived home. ("The Gathering" Part One)

When the Canmores came to New York, Jason Canmore took on the guise of a rookie policeman, Jason Conover, and became paired with Elisa. Elisa was soon drawn to him, in a very problematic fashion; she was attracted to Jason, and yet, she had strong feelings for Goliath as well, though feelings that she felt she could never acknowledge. She discovered in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of the clock tower, however, about Jason's true nature as the Hunter, which shook her severely. Elisa did all that she could to dissuade Goliath and Jason from their feud with each other, but to no avail, and during one of her attempts, was accidentally knocked off the top of the dam where Goliath was battling the Canmores. Jason saved her life, however, and together they managed to persuade Goliath at Saint Damien's Cathedral to call off the feud with the Canmores, thwarting Demona's "Operation Clean Slate" instead. Afterwards, when she was reunited with the clan at Castle Wyvern, Elisa finally admitted to Goliath her feelings for him, and even kissed him for the first time. ("Hunter's Moon")

In the immediate aftermath of the gargoyles' revelation to the world, Goliath visited Elisa to seek comfort from her. Both were attacked by a vengeful John Castaway and almost killed in a confrontation at the damaged Clock Tower, but rescued by Vinnie's intervention ("Nightwatch", "The Journey").

The following day, upon being asked out on a date by Morgan, and visiting Jason in the hospital, the latter wanting her to be happy, Elisa knowing she'd eventually want a normal life with children and that Goliath could never give this to her, broke up with him. She encouraged him to court Delilah while she accepted Morgan's invitation and brought him to the masque at the Eyrie Building, only for her to realise she made a mistake, but still not ready to face Goliath. Upon seeing Goliath lying at near death at the hands of Thailog, Elisa told him that she loved him. ("Invitation Only", "Masque", "Bash")

Future

Eventually, they will have a commitment ceremony of some sort (probably by 1999[2]). Further on down the road, they will eventually raise a child together, most likely an adopted child. Greg Weisman confirmed at the 2004 Gathering that it is from this adopted child that Nicholas Natsilane Maza will be descended. By 2198, Elisa will be dead, but of what cause is unknown. Upon her death, the Manhattan Clan will give her a Wind Ceremony as a member of the Clan[3].

Characteristics

Elisa is of mixed heritage, African American on her mother's side, and Native American (mostly, but not exclusively, Hopi) on her father's side, though she's a born and bred New Yorker. She is tall and athletic as well as quick witted, and she can hold her own against almost any adversary, though she is often impulsive.

A stand-out moment of her quick thinking occured when Broadway turned to stone when caught in midair at sunrise while fighting the robot double of Macbeth. With only a few seconds to save Broadway and obviously unable to catch him herself without being crushed, Elisa fired at the cable of a nearby crane to make it spill its cargo of crated rugs in order to create a soft landing for the gargoyle. The following night, Goliath praised her as a miracle for accomplishing such an astounding feat to save Broadway. ("The Price")

Elisa doesn't take anything at face value, and accepts the beauty within, which is one reason she accepted the gargoyles as quickly as she did. She's down to earth and skeptical of certain things before she sees them with her own eyes, despite all the strange happenings that have occured in her life. She's kind-hearted and strong-willed and, like the gargoyles, tends to put the needs of others before herself.

However, Elisa does have her flaws as well. She's stubborn, and has acted selfishly when it came to telling trusted friends and family members about the gargoyles, wanting to keep them to herself. She tried for a long time to ignore her true feelings for Goliath, which caused heartbreak for both of them. Nevertheless, she always does the right thing in the end.

Elisa lives with her pet cat Cagney in a top level apartment in SoHo with a balcony and a large window providing easy access for the garogyles when they visit. She drives a classic red Ford Fairlane. Though she doesn't live with them, she is considered a member of the Manhattan Clan, both by herself and by the gargoyles.

Appearances

"Awakening Part One" (First Appearance) "Awakening Part Two" "Awakening Part Three" "Awakening Part Four" "Awakening Part Five" "The Thrill of the Hunt" "Temptation" "Deadly Force" "Enter Macbeth" "The Edge" "Long Way to Morning" "Her Brother's Keeper" "Reawakening" "Leader of the Pack" "Metamorphosis" "Legion" "A Lighthouse In the Sea of Time" "The Mirror" "The Silver Falcon" "Eye of the Beholder" "Vows" "City of Stone Part One" "City of Stone Part Two" (No Lines) "City of Stone Part Three"

"City of Stone Part Four" "High Noon" "Outfoxed" "Revelations" "Double Jeopardy" "Upgrade" "Protection" "The Cage" "The Price" "Avalon Part One" "Avalon Part Two" "Avalon Part Three" "Shadows of the Past" "Heritage" "Kingdom" (Mentioned Only) "Monsters" "Golem" "Sanctuary" "M.I.A." "Grief" "The Hound of Ulster" "Walkabout" "Mark of the Panther"

"Pendragon" (Mentioned Only) "Eye of the Storm" "The New Olympians" "The Green" "Sentinel" "Bushido" "Cloud Fathers" "Ill Met By Moonlight" "Future Tense" "The Gathering Part One" "Turf" "The Reckoning" "Hunter's Moon Part One" "Hunter's Moon Part Two" "Hunter's Moon Part Three" "Nightwatch" "The Journey" "Invitation Only" "Masque" "Bash" "Reunion" "The Rock"

Behind the Scenes

Voice Actor: Salli Richardson

Elisa's African American/Native American heritage is based on Salli Richardson's own background. Elisa's appearance was also partially drawn from Ms. Richardson.

Elisa went through various name changes in the early development of the show, and many of these names were later given to secondary characters. Her original name was "Morgan Reed" (which inspired the last name of Maggie Reed and the double name of Officer Morgan Morgan), after architect Julia Morgan.[4] Her forename was changed to "Elisa" for aesthetic reasons, and her surname changed to "Chavez" (later given to Maria Chavez, captain of Elisa's precinct), then "Bluestone" (given to Matt Bluestone, Elisa's partner) and then "Maza".[5]

Elisa and her earlier incarnations also had a number of different professions, including schoolteacher, firefighter, museum curator, inventor, and archaeologist. For a while she was the former partner of Xavier (the early incarnation of Xanatos), a mother, and a descendent of the Scottish Princess who became Princess Katharine.[6]

See also

• Elisa Maza at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
• Elisa Maza at Wikiality, the Truthiness Encyclopedia