Elisa Maza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elisa Maza
Gargoyles character
First appearance	Gargoyles 1x01 "Awakening Part 1"
Last appearance	Gargoyles #12 "Phoenix"
Created by	Greg Weisman
Voiced by	Salli Richardson
Information
Aliases	Salli (undercover name)
Gender	Female
Occupation	Police detective
Title	Detective 2nd Grade
Family	Peter Maza (father) Diane Maza (mother) Derek Maza / Talon (brother) Beth Maza (sister)
Nationality	American of Nigerian American and Indigenous American descent

Elisa Maza is a main human character from the Disney animated TV show Gargoyles. She is voiced by American actress Salli Richardson. In the show, Elisa is an NYPD detective. She becomes a loyal friend and helper to the main group of gargoyles, known as the Manhattan Clan.

Elisa has a very special bond with Goliath, who is the leader of the gargoyles. Their friendship and feelings for each other grew stronger over time. Elisa also helps the gargoyles understand the modern world. She often helps them make smart decisions and calms them down when they are upset.

Creating Elisa Maza

When the show Gargoyles was being planned, the creators wanted a strong female human character. She was designed to be a possible love interest and equal partner for Goliath. Elisa often wears a dark red jacket, a black T-shirt, and jeans.

Elisa was first designed as a Hispanic woman named Chavez. But when Salli Richardson was chosen to voice Elisa, her background was changed to match the actress. Elisa became half-African American and half-Native American. This change helped the show explore ideas about people being unfair to others who are different. Her last name was changed to Maza, which is a Sioux word meaning "iron". This name suited her strong personality.

Elisa's Personality

Elisa has a mixed background. Her mother's family is Nigerian American, and her father's family is Native American. She is tall and athletic. Elisa is also very smart and quick-thinking. She can stand up to almost anyone, but she can sometimes act without thinking.

One time, Elisa showed how quick she was. Broadway, a gargoyle, was fighting and turned to stone in mid-air as the sun rose. Elisa had only seconds to save him. She shot a crane's cable, making its cargo of rugs fall. This created a soft landing for Broadway. Goliath later praised her for this amazing rescue.

Elisa is open-minded and sees the good in others. This is why she accepted the gargoyles so quickly. She is also practical and a bit skeptical. Even with all the strange things she sees, she needs to see proof before believing something. She is kind and strong-willed. Like the gargoyles, she often puts others' needs before her own.

However, Elisa also has some weaknesses. She can be stubborn. Sometimes, she kept the gargoyles' secret from her friends and family. She also tried to ignore her true feelings for Goliath for a long time. This caused sadness for both of them. But in the end, she always does the right thing.

Elisa's Story and Relationships

Elisa is a detective in the NYPD. She first met the gargoyles while looking into strange events at the castle of David Xanatos. Goliath saved her when she fell from the castle walls. They quickly formed a bond, both wanting to "protect and serve." Their feelings for each other grew over time. This made Elisa an enemy of Demona, Goliath's former mate. Demona first met Elisa when Elisa stopped her from hurting Goliath.

Elisa saw herself as the protector of the gargoyles. But she was also careful about sharing their secret. She convinced the clan to move from Xanatos's home to a clock tower above her police station. She helped them feel at home, bringing them food and even a TV. Because Elisa was a detective, the Manhattan Clan realized their new purpose. They decided to protect the people of Manhattan.

Elisa is closest to Goliath. Their relationship, despite being different species, was a key part of the show. Hudson, an older gargoyle, noticed their bond early on. For a long time, only Demona seemed to notice the unspoken feelings between Elisa and Goliath. Demona's jealousy made her focus on Elisa.

A big moment happened in the episode "The Mirror." A magic spell briefly turned Elisa into a gargoyle. Elisa, who now understood her feelings for Goliath, saw this as a way to be closer to him. Goliath also briefly turned human later in the episode. This helped him finally understand his romantic feelings for Elisa. He even said, "I never realized before how beautiful you are." At the end of the episode, they both knew how the other felt. But Elisa cut Goliath off before the sun rose, saying, "...that's the way it is."

Later, Elisa started dating her new police partner, Jason Conover. She did not know he was a Hunter. Goliath felt sad and jealous, but he tried not to show it. Elisa eventually ended the relationship because "There's someone... who comes first." At the end of the "Hunter's Moon" episodes, Elisa and Goliath finally told each other how they felt. They shared their first kiss.

Elisa affects every gargoyle in the Manhattan Clan. She helped Goliath's mentor choose his own name, Hudson, after the river. The other gargoyles then chose their own names too. Elisa also supported Lexington's interest in technology. She gave him many gadgets to work with. She even impressed Brooklyn, who was slow to trust humans.

Elisa became very good friends with Broadway. Broadway would often visit Elisa's apartment without warning. He was very interested in her police work, like in detective movies. He sometimes joined her as her "partner" without telling her first. Broadway's relationship with Elisa was central to the episode "Deadly Force." This episode taught about gun safety. Broadway found Elisa's gun and accidentally shot her, almost killing her. Broadway felt very guilty after this. He decided never to use firearms again. Elisa also became much more careful with her gun.

Demona holds the most anger for Elisa among all humans. This is because of Elisa's place in Goliath's life. Many of Demona's plans include getting rid of Elisa. Despite Demona's greater strength, Elisa always stands up to her. She bravely protects her gargoyle friends. Later, Elisa met and befriended Goliath's daughter, Angela. Angela was happy to have another woman to talk to in the mostly male clan. Elisa often gave Angela advice and cared for her like the rest of the clan. They became very close when Elisa saved Angela's life.

Elisa grew up in a family with different backgrounds. This may have made her more open-minded when she befriended the gargoyles. It also helped her relationship with Goliath. Elisa is the oldest of three children. Her father, Peter Maza, was a retired NYPD sergeant of American Indian background. Her mother, Diane, is an African-American anthropologist from Nigeria. Elisa's siblings are her brother Derek (also known as Talon) and her sister Beth.

Elisa's family became more important as the show went on. Elisa and Derek both became police officers like their father. Beth followed her mother's path, becoming an anthropologist. She focused on her father's Native American heritage. Beth goes to college in Flagstaff, Arizona. Diane spent time in Nigeria to learn about her roots.

Elisa's relationship with her brother Derek became difficult. Derek left the police force to work for David Xanatos. He refused to believe Elisa's warnings about Xanatos. Xanatos tricked Derek, and he was mutated into a winged panther-like human. This made Elisa very upset. But by the end of the episode "The Cage," Elisa and her family accepted Derek's new form as Talon. He also started a relationship with Maggie Reed, who was also mutated.

Elisa's relationship with her mother, Diane, was a bit tense at first. Elisa was annoyed by her mother's questions about her travels. But Elisa learned to appreciate her mother more after seeing how Angela wanted Goliath to show the same care. After meeting Goliath, Diane approved of his and the other gargoyles' presence in Elisa's life. She accepted that Elisa could live her own life.

The episode "Cloud Fathers" explored Peter Maza's background. It showed that he and his father took part in a Kachina ritual. This ritual had Hopi or Zuni traditions. A magical being named Coyote appeared to Peter in his youth. This background may have made Peter more open to a relationship with Diane. This connection helps link Elisa even more closely to her father. Peter's background influenced his choice of wife, just as Elisa's background influenced her relationship with Goliath.

Images for kids

• 

  Elisa Maza