Goliath the Gargoyle was the leader of a clan of gargoyles that lived 1000 years ago in and on a cliff-side castle in Scotland. Today, he leads his five gargoyle companions in their mutual attempt to adapt to, survive in and protect the often-hostile environment of 1994 Manhattan.
Not counting the 1000 year sleep, Goliath is about fifty plus years old, which makes him the human equivalent of a guy in his mid-to-late twenties.
Goliath is very big, very strong and surprisingly fast. He's over seven feet tall and weighs over 300 pounds. Like all gargoyles, he turns to stone each day, only to awaken revitalized each night. He uses his claws to climb and fight; his wings to glide or as a cloak. His visage in battle, with glowing eyes and sharp teeth, is terrible to behold. He is a mighty warrior. Even his tail is a weapon.
But Goliath is also a thinker. Maybe not a fast thinker, but a determined one. He is neither in awe nor disdainful of the modern world, but is constantly reconsidering aspects of it and deciding for himself whether they are of value.
He is at heart an optimist. He believes that some day, humans and gargoyles will truly learn to work together as they once did. Goliath knows from personal experience that bringing back the golden age will not be easy. Ignorance and Prejudice will always exist. He has largely come to terms with the great tragedy in his life (the massacre of his clan). He will never forget, and there is an emptiness inside him where his old life used to be. But he is determined not to live in the past.
He is neither shallow nor complicated. He understands that the world is not a black and white place, but his values are straightforward and his own needs are simple. He believes in family, community, the desire to live in peace. He is not one to start a fight and never quick to enter one. But he is highly protective by instinct. in battle, he is defensive by ancient training, though now he is learning that sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
Of all the Gargoyles he's the one who's most likely to stand erect, particularly when he's dealing with a human like Elisa. When he's talking to the other gargoyles, he's more likely to crouch, as they do.
He is very loyal to his friends, but capable of great compassion to all.
He's a fairly self-aware individual. He knows that to a modern eye, he looks like a monster, and it doesn't bother him... too much. He has a sense of humor. He can see life's little ironies, its occasional big jokes and the preposterousness of an eight-foot tall medieval monster trying to squeeze into the modern world. He's not above laughing long and loud... even at himself.
He's stoic, but not incapable of being moved by the simplest act of kindness or the tiniest scrap of beauty.
He can read and write and loves to learn new things.
And he even has a few flaws. With enough provocation, he can get very, very angry. He's not always patient with people, and rarely if ever with things. He can be moody sometimes, and if he starts thinking about the massacre, he can fall into deep despair. At his loneliest, he's prone to send his friends away. He rarely asks for help, even when he truly needs it. He is direct in words and actions, sometimes to a fault. And he is prey to his surroundings: when on the ground or in an enclosed space, his flaws may be exaggerated; when high above the ground and in the open air, his better nature shines.
Basically, he's an all-around great guy. A noble savage. A hero.
