Yuku free message boards

I'm back to add more to this thread. I plan on adding a review at least once a week or so, and will be more consistent at updating as I've fallen behind on watching an ep every couple of days or every week. The episodes are getting more intense and dark, which means more analysis. I've had fun going through these--I hope everyone reading is enjoying them, too! Feel free to add feedback if you want.

Gabrielle's Hope
(screencaps courtesy of Miroir daArc)

As if the events of Gabrielle's life couldn't get any more tragic.

First and foremost, it's heartbreaking to watch Gabrielle being put through this hell and torture. As the star of the show, I would have thought Xena would be put in this position of having to bear a child of an evil force/god/whathaveyou and that it would be Gabrielle who is there to help her through it. To have this reversed and placed onto innocent, sweet, young Gabrielle is truly saddening and horrifying, but oh so deliciously exciting as well. Talk about pushing the drama to the limit...

Gabrielle's nightmares are very scary. An angelic scene, the kind of life that I believe Gabrielle has always felt like she'd like to live in, shattered by her haunting thoughts of killing that woman in the temple. She does feel that she had complete intention to kill this woman--it hadn't just been an accident or a reaction. That Gabrielle feels she wanted to kill her I think is what horrifies her most.

Xena comforting Gabrielle is so reflective of the bond that they have. I really do love the hurt/comfort scenes. She holds Gabrielle close, stroking her hair. It's so protective. I just can't help feeling sad for what Gabrielle is going through, how she believes she's being punished for killing someone. She's not the first to have ever killed but she reveres life so much, so deeply, that this has really cut her soul. It agonizes Xena to watch Gabrielle like this, too. For the first time, she can't help Gabrielle; all she can do is offer comfort.

Interesting how Xena reacts to the memories of her first kill. Her head shake to relieve her mind of those memories is very telling--I would really love to see how Xena had reacted to her first kill all those years ago. I imagine that she'd killed in the heat of battle and because of the threat of Cortese, had really no time to stop and consider and think about what she had done or how she felt about it. It could have contributed to her rather easy outlook on killing in general, all because that one kill she didn't let affect her because she had a job to do--it hardened her right from the very beginning. What if she buried that feeling deep inside her and that's why it's so difficult for her to face now, after years of killing many people?

The Banshees are interesting people/creatures. For some reason, they remind me of something I'd see in a video game. Their fast movements, the way you can't hit them but they can hit you is really interesting. And their piercing screech is deafening as well. The fact that they want to protect and worship Gabrielle is chilling, specifically because they have this interest in her. They don't seem nice.

Gabrielle eating a lot of "weird things" I guess is an example of the extreme tastes that you can have while you're pregnant. Except her taste for blood and raw organs is rather disgusting, but also almost a light moment in an episode full of dark. Having her pig out on these strange foods coupled with the fact that the villagers just happen to want to have her killed right then and there for being a "witch" as they claim definitely tells you something is up. So do these villagers just happen to watch her every move and everything she does points to her being in some way evil?

So how is it that these people find out about Gabrielle's condition and think she's either carrying the child of the light or the dark?

Gabrielle's completely horrified and shocked by the thought of carrying a child, given all she's been through already. Her terrified and stunned look as these Banshees tend to her and protect her.... Poor Gabrielle.

Does Gabrielle really believe that she was going to be the savior of the world and stop all the violence? Where did that come from? She's never spoken about this before now (except in Callisto when she mentions that hatred can only stop through love) but when did Gabrielle think she was going to be the poster girl of goodness, that it was all going to rest on her shoulders?

I respect that she feels she has a duty to people to make life a better place but I think she's being way too hard on herself, too, thinking that she was going to be the one to change the world. That's a bit egotistical--I've not seen that from her until now.

The connections to Christianity are scary and unsettling, with the birth happening in a "manger" and the child being born of a non-mortal father. The fact that it grows so rapidly though seems to point to it being evil, at least in my thoughts, and the birth scene with Gabrielle screaming and holding her belly as the monster inside of her grows so rapidly, while the animals all around act frightened and the sky turns dark and stormy--is down right horrifying. The making's of a horror movie. The complete opposite of the story of the Nativity.

It's surprising once the baby is born that the sky clears and everything becomes light and good, and the baby looks like any other baby (I think shocking Xena as much as it shocks Gabrielle--they were probably expecting something....worse).

The actions that follow are some of the most intense in the entire series so far. One, it's hard for me to see Gabrielle clinging to this child so much after it's rather clear it was created as a result of whatever happened up there on that altar in the temple of Dahak in the last episode. So many signs point to that, being a daughter of Dahak, even the fact that the Banshees love it and want to worship it. They're not nice creatures, so that must mean that the baby isn't "nice" either.

Yet after the horror and trauma that Gabrielle goes through, she does a complete 180 and wants to save the child. Okay, I understand that she's having that sudden motherly instinct upon seeing the child in her arms. But this baby is still completely unnatural. And it's worrisome, which Xena believes herself.

I also understand why Gabrielle named the child Hope but I'm still very unsure about why Gabrielle feels that this is a "hope" for her--after everything she went through, she had to have seen that something was wrong. It actually makes me think that if this child is evil/of Dahak, then what if it's more than a purely motherly instinct on Gabrielle's part to want to save this child? What if, to ensure that the child survives, Dahak has some kind of control over her reaction--or makes the bond between mother and child much, much stronger so that Gabrielle would do whatever she had to keep it alive? It's interesting to think about.

Dahak is very mysterious. We don't know much about him/it/this force. Who knows what he's really capable of but I'm convinced that this child is of Dahak. I don't see any other explanation. Whether the child was destined to be evil, though... That's something else to think about.

For once, the two of them are separated and on opposite sides, leading them in completely different directions, holding completely different values. It strengthens the drama but also begins to tear down that bond between them.

I won't say either of them are right in their choices. Gabrielle wants to protect her child and even as it grows unnaturally fast and is accused of killing a soldier that protects it (though the actual killing isn't witnessed) she still believes in it's complete innocence and that it can be good with her love. She's reacting on instinct very much, I think, but she's also being blind and naive to even the possibility of being evil and killing that man.

Just as Xena is being blind and naive to the possibility that it might not have been evil.

I don't think anything justifies her wanting to kill this child. If anything, the least she could do is step back and understand that Gabrielle can't kill this child because she has a bond with it--just as Xena had a bond with Solan after he was born. She should understand where Gabrielle is coming from because she's been there, yet Xena--what makes her so dangerous--is that she believes in the power of her convictions, and she'll do anything to follow them. In these intense times, it leaves her and Gabrielle truly at odds.

If Xena believes in the evil of this child so much then I think they should have kept it, watch as it grows and see if it displays any patterns that could point to its evilness. It wouldn't be as dramatic but at least it would let them work together, Gabrielle would give Xena her chance to prove her point, and Xena wouldn't go all half-cocked trying to kill Gabrielle's daughter.

It's no wonder that Gabrielle runs away. Desperate to escape Xena's hate, I get that she feels her only choice is to flee since Xena won't listen to anything that she says. It's hard to watch them break up like this, and I feel more for Gabrielle here than I do for Xena. Until Xena gets to the cliff as Gabrielle climbs it and starts shouting about the facts of this child's existence and that "you talk about ending the cycle of violence and hatred. By protecting that thing, you're only ensuring the victory of that cycle." As much as Xena shouldn't be coming to conclusions before she knows absolute proof, if she is true--then what she says is also true.

She's not trying to be the bad guy here but it's necessary.

Her harsh treatment of Gabrielle when she thinks that the "baby" is in the cave shows a lot about Xena's character. In her times of darkness and focus, when lives are on the line, or in this case the fate of the world, she loses her compassion and must go in for the kill. The way she throws Gabrielle aside--and then the hurt look on Gabrielle's face when Xena realizes Gabrielle is telling the truth that she really did throw her daughter over the cliff--cuts deep.

But I can't feel for Gabrielle too much because she at this point has now committed the first real crime against their friendship--she's lied to Xena about saving the baby. She believes that she's right and lets the baby live, floating down a stream.

Everything has changed for them now. Gabrielle's seen Xena's determination and hatred, and her inability to listen to reason when she feels she's absolutely right about something. Xena's seen Gabrielle's determination to stick by her values even if it could be the end of the world (though no one really knows for sure), but what she doesn't see from Gabrielle is what's most shocking and unexpected. I'd never have thought that Gabrielle could keep such a secret from Xena--and it's going to haunt her, I'm sure, in her dreams at night.

The days of the easily solved stories are gone. The characters are developing stronger and more predominant with each episode, and the show is getting darker every time.

Fabulous episode. All around.

Something else I love that really does a good job of breaking up the tense moments is when Xena finds the "sword in the stone" and pulls it out like it were a knife through butter, inspects it (awesome sword!) and then puts it back like what she had done was nothing special. Then all the other knights have to check it out and try and figure out how she was able to do that. Ha.

The Debt II
(screencaps courtesy of Miroir dArc)

Gabrielle's whole plan to go to Chin was to stop Xena from doing something that, in Gabrielle's mind, would have changed everything for Xena. What she didn't plan on was Xena getting thrown in the dungeon.

It's hard to hear Xena deny her friendship with Gabrielle, saying that she's not betrayed by a friend when she's thrown into the dungeon with that horrible contraption around her neck. Gabrielle stopping Xena from killing Ming Tien hurts Xena deeply, I think because Xena believes that she would have stayed back and let Xena make her choice. I don't know if I'd call it betrayal, though. I'm not sure. Gabrielle did what she thought was right, just as Xena was doing what she thought was right. (very similar to the situation with Hope, actually. But here, Gabrielle's choices could cost their friendship and Xena's life).

I wonder how Gabrielle has come to be so familiar with Ming Tien. Surely, her just arriving there and telling him that Xena is coming there to kill him would not have allowed Gabrielle to become such an honored guest, would it?

And all this time, she's never realized he is a heartless monster. The revelation of that is disheartening, when she talks with him about Xena, and he says that she can never change, that murder is more natural to her than love--and that he does not resent the things that Xena taught to him when he had been captured by her; that her evil ways--cold and controlling--taught him how to rule.

I think it's at this very moment Gabrielle realizes she's made a huge mistake, and Xena had been right all along to kill this man. Instead, she made the decision to betray her friend (whether she thought of it as betrayal or not) to save a man who isn't worth saving. That deep.

Love the scene in the flashback when Xena and Lao Ma are facing off to take on a bottle with their minds, and Lao Ma shatters it.

Lao Ma's power fascinates Xena. She likes power and I think being able to control things with your mind is giving more power to the person wielding it. Xena wants that power and when she tries to "attack the bottle with her mind" as Lao Ma puts it, it's hilarious. Xena is trying too hard, but that's all she really knows. She can't will it--but will is the only thing that allows Xena to function--her will to survive, her will to beat all that has harmed her, inside and out. When she wants something bad enough, she tries hard to get it--or take it by force--and I think Lao Ma's serenity in her way, in her being, is too difficult for Xena to grasp or understand.

But I do like how Xena has a rather calm personality around Lao Ma. Because Lao Ma shows her compassion and kindness. She's willing to listen to Lao Ma's teachings, something she'd never do with Borias or anyone else who would try to have her learn something for her own good. I think that's what really sets apart this relationship--there is that mentor mentality and Xena's willing to listen even if she does not understand. She's not as wild when she's in Lao Ma's home.

The backdrop that they are standing against is gorgeous, though. The set is fantastic. The scene of them standing against the glow of the sun in the background makes the scene look just like a painting.

Lao Ma also speaks of love when she tells Xena that she needs to serve someone who hates her. She and Xena haven't known each other for that long, how could there be love between them? Respect, I get. Compassion and understanding, I get. But the way Xena talks about how she'd be willing to serve Lao Ma if that's what Lao Ma wanted...makes me wonder how Xena has changed, at least it seems, due to Lao Ma's influence, and that deep down, Xena takes kindness very seriously. She's touched by it more than she'd admit. If that means love for her, I can see why she'd feel so strongly at repaying her debt to this woman in the present.

There are a lot of revelations about Lao Ma that I didn't expect. She's ruling for her husband because he's in a coma (is it really possible for her to keep him in this coma-like state? How does he eat?) and she's ruling in his name, making him well-loved because he was a tyrant. Xena can't understand why she does not want any credit for what she does. Lao Ma is rather selfless in that way, something that I don't think Xena would ever be able to be. And it's surprising to find that Ming Tien is actually Lao Ma's son. The same Ming Tien that had his mother killed in a brutal death when he became a ruler.

Gabrielle's smack to Xena's face.... I get that Gabrielle's frustrated with Xena, that she won't tell Ming Tien that she's sorry so she can be set free. She's too proud for that, and extremely hurt by what she views as a betrayal by Gabrielle.

Gabrielle's desperate to save Xena from being executed, and is also probably hating herself, deep down, for being the one to put Xena in this position.

The tear that falls from Xena's eye as Gabrielle stands above her, trying to make her promise never to return again is so cold and filled with pain. Xena's been sliced just as much as if it were by a sword, and by her best friend. The second time Gabrielle has hurt Xena, though at least the first time, Xena doesn't have any clue about it.

I think Xena has a very vulnerable spot when it comes to Gabrielle. She's always expected that she'd be there, that she'd be supportive. When she's against her, and worse, when she turns her back on her, that cuts deep for Xena. Though it's hard to understand, I get why she didn't call Gabrielle friend anymore. It's like breaking some kind of rule between them. The hurt between them is so dramatic.

The drama of it all makes their reconciliation in the dungeon all the more special and is definitely the most tear-worthy scene in the series so far. So much raw emotion, so much pain, so many open wounds. Gabrielle's sorry for what she did, and all Xena can do is ask for one moment of kindness that breaks the walls between them: asking Gabrielle to scratch her nose. Who would have thought something so simple would have turned into something so intimate and so full of emotion and forgiveness. Just the act of it all means the world to them both. And they're back together, because of it.

A beautiful, beautiful scene so full of deep emotion. This is the heart of what Xena and Gabrielle are all about, what's so strong in their relationship. Love that just radiates.

I am glad that it's dealt with how Xena's legs were healed after being crippled by being broken. The magical abilities that Lao Ma possess are extraordinary, though, not being a big fan of martial arts movies and style all that much, I'm not too fond of them floating around in the air like they're flying. That's just not natural. Can Lao Ma's powers really give her the ability to fly? I get that it's meant to represent the serenity between them, the love and the joy, but it really doesn't offer that much to the scene and I'm still not sure why it's in there. She did just heal her legs, that would have been enough. The flowing fabric and the lighting in the scene is breathtaking, though. Its very well filmed.

I also don't really like all the make-up that Xena wears in Lao Ma's palace--just not used to seeing Xena like that.

Oh, and a very interesting thing to notice that I forgot to mention before: in Lao Ma's palace, the doorway has the distinct shape of the chakram. Very, very curious. Did the chakram originate in Chin then, I wonder? Lao Ma also calls Xena her "Warrior Princess" and that those are her plans for her--to rule Chin with Lao Ma, while Lao Ma does the peaceful stuff and Xena is the warrior. I wonder just what that would have been like if Lao Ma's dreams had been realized. Would it have saved the kingdom? Or tore it apart?

It's interesting that Xena admits that everything would have changed for her at that moment if only she had allowed Lao Ma's ways into her heart, fully. But when Borias shows up, she's right back into the anger and hatred. Borias betrayed her (Xena seems to be getting that a lot) and she wants him killed. Even Lao Ma has to use force to break them apart (that silent power that she has is strong and very cool). And even when Xena tries to kill Ming Tien, after killing his father, knowing that the death of him would mean that she and Lao Ma could rule Chin in peace, Lao Ma is forced to go against Xena to protect her son. A son that will one day kill her.

Oh, very powerful scene when Xena is brought to the executioner, and Gabrielle watches, fearful. The way she is able to harness Lao Ma's power during the rising music, and all her concentration and focus is on releasing herself from her bonds.... A riveting scene. She's able to bring down the entire palace, and put Ming Tien in his place.

I wonder about the final gift that Ming Tien gives her, from Lao Ma. He's a heartless monster, knowing full well that Lao Ma was his mother when he had her executed--when he killed her himself. And the hair pin was the last thing she'd said to give to Xena. Why Ming Tien kept it all those years, I don't know--maybe there was something of honor in him to keep a promise after all. But the look Xena gets in her eyes when she stares at the hairpin isn't expected. So many emotions: hate, surprise, resolution.

With everyone saved, Gabrielle comes to Xena and they plan on keeping Lao Ma's book as a memory. I think Gabrielle is relieved that Ming Tien wasn't killed and they exchange the first real "I love yous" between them which is nice to hear, especially after what they've gone through. They've come a long way in their relationship and their friendship.

I did not expect to see Ming Tien killed in the end. Didn't expect it at all. Just like Gabrielle, Xena's now committed that one crime against their friendship: she's told a lie. Intense.

At first, I don't think she was going to kill him. After she destroyed his palace, I think she was going to let him live. Once she finds out that he killed his own mother--a woman that she respected greatly--that changes everything. I don't think she could let it go. She had to follow through with her promise to Lao Ma, especially now that her son had killed him. But I don't think she should have lied to Gabrielle about it.

Gabrielle knew what kind of tyrant Ming Tien was now. It's not like it was before, when she had no clue and had no real understanding of the situation. I don't think she would have condemned Xena if she had killed him. Keeping that secret from Gabrielle is a worse decision.

Their friendship is being broken down by lies and secrets. A friendship that has been built so strongly in the last two seasons is now being tested. It's both saddening and thrilling to see how strong they will be through it.

Oh yeah.

The Quill Is Mightier...
(screencaps courtesy of Angel Bacchae)

I'm kind of surprised to see another comedy again. Three comedies back to back? And two of them have very little Xena. Hmm. Maybe they thought it would be best to have several comedies in a row to break up the intensity that was in the episodes before and the intensity that will come in the following episodes?

Either way, I love this episode! Simply one of the best of season 3. There have been a lot of great ones in season 3, however, so it's really hard to judge. But the concept of this episode is so totally cool. Love the "writing come to life" aspect. And yay, both Ares AND Aphrodite are in this one. Could it get any better than this?

The opening is great. Aphrodite's temple is getting totally trashed due to Xena. Ancient graffiti. Though Ares really isn't all that right--I highly doubt people are going to start associating "love" with Xena. She may be a great hero but she and Aphrodite are nothing alike. I think these kids that have come to disgrace the temple of Aphrodite did so because they wanted a temple for Xena and Aphrodite's was the most convenient to use?

So these boys are probably the first of Xena's "real" fans, I'm guessing. Except for Minya, of course, whom I'd say is Xena's ultimate fan.

Ares is so hilarious here! Not seen him in a comedy before and it's actually kind of refreshing, that you can plant the God of War, of all people, into a comedy and still make it work with who he is. Though Ares always has had (at least in season 3) a wit and sense of humor about him, so placing him in a comedy, if done right, isn't all that far-fetched. And his "buzzer" noise when he tells Aphrodite she's wrong gets me laughing every time!

Gabrielle's at the campsite opening a new scroll. I love how much of a bard she is, how she loves her writing right down to the paper it's written on. Such an artist in that way. And Xena's reaction "smells like musty old leather to me" in response to Gabrielle fawning over how it sounds when she first opens it (so poetic she can be) is so classic Xena.

Gabrielle writes a lot of stories about her friend and their adventures. From The Xena Scrolls, we're to assume that all the episodes are basically based off of Gabrielle's scrolls, which I think is an awesome concept to deal with. Yet here, Xena is tired of her writing about their adventures all the time and wants Gabrielle to try something new, like fiction. Gabrielle's still in the habit, though, and has to use Xena as her main character. "Make someone else the hero for a change" Xena tells her.

And so who does she make the hero? Herself of course. Writing about her abilities to defeat the bad guys in battle, with the skill and ability that Xena has. It's a very telling moment that she wants to be just like Xena, or wishes that she were.

Aphrodite puts a spell on the scroll and Gabrielle finds the next morning that everything comes to life exactly as she had written it. I particularly love her abs of steel that repel the blade of the sword. Her abs are pretty much perfect even without the scroll and I love Joxer's comment "You got armor under there?"

It's a surprise to find that the scroll takes everything that's written literally, right down to how Joxer ends up there: "awoke with a jerk". Even after learning this, Joxer doesn't understand how he ended up there and I guess that's to his benefit--ignorance is bliss, sometimes, after all.

So Ares wanted to get Aphrodite to distract Gabrielle just so he could have his army attack some village and not have Xena interfering. Perfect example of what the God of War does best. I love that he threatens his general to attack the village because Ares is sure that Xena will not turn up, yet his general is more scared of Xena than he is of what Ares might do if he doesn't attack the village. Kinda sets the God of War down a notch or two, yeah? Not as scary as he thinks he is if his men are more afraid of facing Xena than they are of facing an angry God of War!

And my goodness, does Ares look sexy standing there addressing his general. Not sure how fond I am of the cheek-length sideburns, though. But that long, curly hair is getting longer with each episode.

I think it's rather funny that Gabrielle, the great bard, has difficulty writing simple details. The problem is that the scroll takes everything literally, and Gabrielle--being a bard who prides herself on writing eloquently--likes to use flowery and descriptive writing. So she ends up writing that drinks are on the house and the drinks--literary--start pouring from the ceiling.

Her frustrated state is amusing and I get the feeling that she not only is annoyed by the thought that her writing isn't "good enough" but that she also doesn't like being told what to do when it comes to her craft. She seems rather against the idea of editing her work as Joxer suggests in order to write something that will work out better than what she has done.

And since Xena is gone, she has no one to turn to for help or guidance. She's wrote Xena fishing and for the life of her, she can't write her returning. (why doesn't she just write "Xena returned from fishing and met up with Gabrielle?" Or something? In the terms of this episode, I think being really eloquent only makes things worse--just have to say it exactly how it is)

The best part of this episode is when Gabrielle tries to do something really good for the world (a dream of hers) by writing "war lost all its power". And for the second time, Ares finds himself completely and utterly mortal. (by now, she should realize that maybe she should stop writing on this scroll altogether).

His "what have you done to me?" as he tries to use his powers is just too fun, and then things get even more messed up when Gabrielle writes that the power that enchanted the scroll loses its power and Aphrodite comes falling out of the sky, tumbling down on top of Ares.

This is the first time we see a bit of the brother/sister dynamic between Ares and Aphrodite. And it's quite interesting, how the two of them can seem rather close given that their lots in life are so completely opposite (love and war). They compliment each other in that way, and maybe because the two opposing forces are so different, it brings them together and allows them to have that bond. I think it's cool, both in the literal and in the metaphorical sense.

I love how they argue, how Ares teases her. Ares isn't all that dark as he'd like to think he is sometimes.

Ares definitely has Xena on his mind quite a lot--and we know just what he likes about her--as when they try to bring Xena back by describing her, all he wants to do is mention the leather. (ah, don't we all?)

It probably would be a good idea to mention the chakram, though. I'm sure it would have solved the problem and brought Xena back.

And Minya! They forget that Minya owns Xena's "original" whip now (I believe Xena has since gotten another identical whip, as seen in Lost Mariner). So does Minya just appears out of nowhere?

Ares can be such a show-off! Though, actually, I think he just likes the attention. He's so proud and mighty when Minya notices him, and he's got to show his good side, too. Aphrodite is happy to display who she is though I think being mortal makes her a little more self-conscious than she would be normally. And poor Joxer--he's all ready to be appreciated and Minya doesn't have a clue who he is.

Okay, I love that Joxer is so nervous when wanting to talk to Aphrodite about all things love. Gabrielle's on his mind a lot more now and he wants to impress her, make her like him (which is sweet). What I don't understand is how he could be so stupid as to use the enchanted scroll to write a love poem to Gabrielle (of which he screws up royally). He really doesn't look very bright when he does this and I would have liked to see him not make that mistake. It's the only scroll that's lying on the table, I don't see how he could have thought it wasn't the enchanted one.

Oh well, the resulting Three Naked Gabrielle's are simply priceless! Such classic campyness for this show! Including the gogo song in the background--that's just not ancient Greek at all.

I'm still unsure what exactly the poem said that conjured up these naked Gabrielle's. Joxer's embarrassed by it (as he should be), Gabrielle's shocked and Ares....I'm thinking Ares is looking just a bit too turned on, which is interesting. Is it just because he's a man and likes to ogle at women when given the chance? Or does he like the thought of looking at a naked Gabrielle especially when the three of them leave to head to the caves (getting very crowded there by now!) and their naked bodies are in full view. The look on his face there is so hot, and so delicious. He's a bit enamored.

I think being mortal is hardest on Aphrodite. She just looks so distraught when she realizes she can't be as beautiful (or doesn't know how to be as beautiful) as when she was a goddess. She's lost and helpless with it all, and I think they made her look dirtier than normal to prove a point of how different she is from her godly state (in reality, there's no way she'd get that dirty in only a day).

But it is a nice change to see her dealing with mortality, as her brother dealt with it in Ten Little Warlords. He dealt with it as a warrior--dealing with the threat of being killed, or injured, fighting and the like. That's what he's affected most by. So naturally, when Aphrodite becomes mortal, she's most affected by the lack of hygiene and hair care and generally anything that she used to do to make herself beautiful.

It's so sweet when Joxer is willing to give up his scabbard--a very precious possession he has that was given to him by his father--just so he can buy a necklace for Gabrielle as a sorry for the three naked Gabrielles. I think that's incredibly sweet and I'd like to hope Gabrielle takes it to heart just how much she means to him.

Some very interesting moments between Ares and Gabrielle in this episode. They spark my interest and make me kind of like the possibility of a pairing between them.

I like how they get rather buddy-buddy in the forest, Ares complimenting Gabrielle on how she has learned a lot from Xena, then the two of them exchanging their appreciation for Xena and her ability to get out of tough situations (even when those situations were created by Ares). It's interesting how they can let go of the past, in that way, and just talk about her achievements like it's something amazing, something that doesn't have anything to do with them. Ares was the bad guy in those instances, but they talk about it like it was just a bad mix up, nothing to get angry over. I like how they're so easily able to talk about them without a fight. Maybe it's just because it's a comedy here, but maybe it's because there is something else there, too.

I can see them bonding over their appreciation for Xena. That's what they have in common, after all, and it's just nice to see some of that develop here. A nice moment to this great comedy.

But oh so fun to see them nervous and uncomfortable when they realize how "close" they were getting. Maybe it's not a good idea to let your guard down, after all--feelings might develop that aren't wanted.

It's good to see that Gabrielle finally found a way to bring Xena back on her own (yes, she's saved the day herself) after the crazy time of everyone in the cave--the naked Gabrielle's, the barbarians, that crazy king, the peddler, and Minya chasing behind them all, running through the forest and Ares' commander believing that to be the "sign" to attack that Ares was going to send.

I also find it fun to see Ares as such a wimp when it comes to being mortal. Minya goes after those men like there's no tomorrow and Ares is so serious about it: "I'm mortal. I might be killed." and Minya just rolls her eyes and runs off muttering, "Gods...". Hilarious!

One very interesting moment when Xena first shows up is that Ares and Xena don't even acknowledge each other (well, Xena doesn't really). Though, Ares compliments Gabrielle on how she should have written, to return Xena to them "How about--Xena rejoins the woman who brought her to a new life."

Ares may be the God of War and all but I'm getting the feeling he's really starting to see why Xena is with Gabrielle, and what that friendship has meant to Xena. I've not seen him acknowledge the friendship between them before in such a positive tone. He's always been annoyed by Gabrielle (calling her an irritating blonde in The Xena Scrolls and Ties That Bind, I believe). But he's now starting to see that part of what draws Xena and Gabrielle together. He may not "like" it (as I'm sure he still wants his warrior on his side and all that) but he does notice it. I think that's really interesting in terms of his character development.

Ah, the fish fight. Boy, does Xena come back with a lot of fish! I hope she ends up selling them in town or something--there's no way she and Gabrielle and Joxer would be able to eat all of that!

I like that Gabrielle is forced to write exactly what she sees with no embellishing whatsoever. (or else, if she had wrote "Xena burst onto the scene in a blaze of glory" they would find her in pieces, or ash--one of the two) Telling it like you see is the only way the spell is going to be broken. And what a fight scene it is, too--one for the Xena history books. Fighting with fish, and eels and squid. Using a squid like a chakram. Ares' men really aren't much of a threat--they are very comical--and Xena just gets so much joy out of kicking all of their butts.

When the spell is finally lifted, Aphrodite (of course) has to use her restored powers on Joxer and Minya, making them get all lovey-dovey until Minya pushes him away after Aphrodite leaves. And I love Ares zapping his own soldier in the end, with such joy and glee in his eyes--"run maggot!" Even Gabrielle is amused by it. The nose flick is unexpected (it actually looks like they're going in for a kiss) but I think it's also very telling as to just what Ares sees in Gabrielle at this moment. He does see her as annoying but I get this rather strange vibe off of them like that of a friend or at least a sibling. Hmm...

Minya's account of Ares just as he walks off and disappears, laughing, is totally spot on, and one of my favorite lines: "I expected more from the God of War. I mean, without his powers, he's just another man-- just another-- big old-- leather-clad-- well-muscled-- gorgeous, hunk 'a-- bad-boy-- man."

The ending is also very clever, with Gabrielle writing the last bit to the scroll to finish it off and as she does so (even being cut off mid-sentence in her talking) the scene fades to black. Perfect!

Maternal Instincts
(screencaps courtesy of Angel Bacchae and Miroir dArc)

Xena and Gabrielle's return to centaur lands to visit because of a peace treaty (between centaurs and humans) brings in Solan again for the first time since Orphan of War--and what a sweetie he is. I just love Xena's son and it's too bad that we haven't seen more of him.

He's grown up quite a bit since then. I love that Xena knows exactly how long it has been since she saw him last--"1 year, 2 months and 12 days, but who's counting?" and it's the one time she's ever kept track of time. I've always had the feeling that she's an "in the moment" kind of person, takes life as it comes and doesn't think about much else beyond that. So it's nice seeing her counting down the days until she can see her son again even though Solan still does not know that she's actually his mother and not just some friend of the centaurs.

The way she greets him is so representative of a way a mother could greet a son after a long time apart but coming from Xena it's particularly adorable probably because you think of her as this tough warrior and when she shows those moments of caring and silliness you realize she's not as hard all the way through as she sometimes appears. That she can open up to him, tease him is sweet.

When she stands next to him after complimenting him on his tracking (which he does very well, hardly even noticed him sneaking around), I really do get the feeling that she's proud of him, that he's growing up to be a wonderful man with her strength even without her day to day influence. I think that makes her love him even more and perhaps she sees herself in him, the innocence she once had coupled with that inner strength. He's a light for her, I'm sure (and the fact that he has blond hair I think is a bit of a metaphor to his "goodness".)

It's really too bad that this joviality and good-natured fun can't last forever.

The darkness in this episode is so cold and so hard. There are layers there, with Gabrielle feeling the distance and sadness when watching Xena and Solan together because she's thinking back to her own child, the one she will never raise and will never see again. It still tears her up inside and I think that makes it even harder because the one person whom she'd normally goes to for comfort cannot know what she is feeling because it will only bring back the bad blood between them. That and the fact that she's still hiding this secret from Xena that Hope really was alive when they last saw her.

It's nice to see Ephiny again, and little Xenan isn't so little anymore. He's a cute little centaur kid. Ephiny's the only one that Gabrielle finds she can connect with, open up about having a child and losing it. She stretches the truth, of course, but the pain is very real and it's nice to see her confiding in Ephiny about this.

It is nice to finally hear about Boadicea, though, and that despite Xena abandoning her on the battlefield, she did win against Caesar.

It doesn't make sense that Callisto would be trapped at the bottom of a ravine. She was, after all, stuck in the middle of a lava pit at the end of A Necessary Evil--so how is it that she's able to escape from a random ravine?

Well, it's nice to see her back. Her glee at her return--now a full goddess born of fire--is pretty awesome indeed and I love her comment "A child--I always wanted a child." Did she, really? A child to mold into what she wants? Or does she simply like the idea of taking a child for her own because it reminds her of the innocence that she once had, the innocence that Xena took from her all those years ago? As if having a child of her own (even if it isn't of her blood) would give her back that innocence. She'd probably twist it into what she wanted, though, and it'd no longer be "innocent". Callisto's mind is a twisted one; it's hard to figure out what she'd be thinking.

From the very start, that girl Phayla is trouble. She looks like a rather rag-tag young girl. Her hair is the rattiest little nest of hair I've ever seen--the costume department must have had fun teasing it to make it look so messy.

So she's supposed to be this little girl from the centaur village, with no parents and a bit of a rapscallion. And Gabrielle has an obviously instant connection with her. It's quite interesting to watch--she's all defensive at first, and then is sorry to have threatened the little girl that entered her hut. That wooden lamb later tips her off to everything, though, and she realizes that this little girl is Hope.

I think a lot of emotions flood back for her when she realizes this. That Hope is alive, that their is a chance for them as mother and daughter--and that this little girl is not evil as Xena had feared. She doesn't appear to be the best little girl in the world, rather rough around the edges, but she doesn't appear as an evil thing.

It really is too bad that Xena is proven right. That Gabrielle's love and her belief that her daughter really could be good is nothing but a...for lack of a better word...a hope.

The moment that little girl so easily cons Gabrielle into believing her innocence and that she's just a pawn in Callisto's plans, that she knows all along--from the very moment she meets Gabrielle--that she's her mother, and then goes to Callisto (whom she had released) talking to her so casually about killing all the children so that her father Dahak can rule supreme just sends chills through your body.

I don't think this child could ever be good. She's Dahak's alone and always will be. Maybe Gabrielle's influence could have changed her but given how fast it took her to grow up, how hateful she became in only a few months, at least, and that whether or not she had "parents" to take care of her, I think she's pretty much a goner in terms her ability to be good right from the very beginning.

I think Callisto really feeds on this, too. I think she loves that a little girl like her can be so vicious, so focused. And of course, I believe that Callisto sees an opportunity in her alliances with Dahak--makes her feel important and special that she can side with such an evil and mysterious god. She'd probably rather be on his side than anyone else's.

And of course, her motives are always so guided by what pain she can bring to Xena. Finding out that Xena has a son is just the icing on the cake of the ways Callisto dreams of hurting Xena.

Her face-off with Xena in the forest is pretty cool--the way the flames just appear out of nowhere, and also in general how fire has become a part of her being since Xena burned her home and her family. I guess when you're a mortal who becomes a god, you get the chance to create whatever identity you want. Valasca became chaos but Callisto's so much more than that. She becomes what she became because of Xena--that damaged soul, touched by fire in more ways than one. The one thing that did her so much torment in the past and essentially made her who she is today is what she's chosen as her symbol: fire. I think that's really ironic and cool.

Also very clever ploy of Xena to lead her on thinking that Solan is with her when actually it's Gabrielle.

Callisto only wants Xena to suffer and she gets great joy out of it, along with having some great lines: "It's mine turn to host the cookout!"

I like Xena's concern for her son once Kaliapus is killed. And even before then, when Solan doesn't understand why he has to run and hide like all the other kids. Their relationship is really interesting to watch, how she just has this complete protectiveness toward him and he trusts her as a friend.

Once Kaliapus is killed by Hope, I think there's so much raw emotion between Solan and Xena, and Solan feels such a desperate need to be with her. He feels a pull between them. It's that instinct, I think--unspoken--that just draws him to her as if you can tell without speaking that she's his mother. His pleading to let her take him along with her on the road because she's the only one that he wants to be with just tears me up inside. It's so sad and he's so vulnerable. Even Xena has a hard time saying no to him and eventually agrees to take him along.

This is one of the most powerful scenes in the episode. And I don't know what it is but Xena looks incredibly beautiful during it, like her eyes just speak volumes about what she's really feeling. Why doesn't she just tell him that she's his mother? Now that Kaliapus is gone, Solan really does have no one even if there are those in the village who are willing to take him in. The guilt about why she didn't raise him is not going to keep them apart if he knew the truth and I know she wants to protect him but it's time that she let him know the truth, to understand why he has this pull toward her and understand who he is.

I wonder what it would have been like if he'd traveled on the road with her and Gabrielle for a time. How I would have liked to see that happen.

Why does everything have to fall apart?

Once Gabrielle believes that Phayla is Hope, she's determined to protect her from Callisto just like all the other kids. And at this point, we as the audience know that Hope is truly evil. I don't think there's any other belief other than Hope killed Kaliapus. She's working with Dahak--that's clear. It's hard watching Gabrielle feel so much love for this child, feel responsible for her and believing that she is completely innocent when we know it's not true.

It's much more than Gabrielle being naive at this point. I think she mainly just doesn't want to believe the worst.

All it does is bring her into one major confrontation with Xena. It's scary to watch them yelling at each other with such anger and determination, Gabrielle so completely defensive about Hope and blaming Xena for always hating her from the moment she's born. And Xena so completely stuck in her ways of believing that the child is complete evil and nothing more. Of course, we now know Xena is right.

I don't blame Gabrielle for the way she acts but I think she should wake up and look at some of the facts. She doesn't know specifically that Hope is evil--she's not seen it--but I think at this point, after what happened in Gabrielle's Hope with that knight, that she needs to stop and think about the possibilities that Xena could be right. Her stubbornness (and Xena's good at being stubborn, too) is only going to hurt them all.

I'm so sorry that it does hurt them in a way that is so tragic and heart-wrenching.

There is nothing that I have seen in this series thus far that is more gut-wrenching, more painful, and more worthy of wishing it had never happened than hearing and watching Xena wail over the body of her dead son.

Seriously. Was it completely necessary to kill him off? It's so hard, and so mean toward Xena that it completely breaks her up inside. I don't have children but her screams cut so deep for me. They are so sad, and I hurt for Xena just as Xena hurts for her son.

And still, he never did know that she was his mother. I think that's one of the hardest things about all of this. He never knew. And now he never will.

The events that follow are filled with so much rage. Xena is completely dead inside at this point she doesn't even want to talk to Gabrielle about it, or even see Gabrielle for that matter. Gabrielle's guilt I would say is pretty strong--I'm sure she feels horribly bad about sending Hope to the same hut that Solan was hiding in, and it led to Solan's death. We may have never seen Hope kill Solan but I have no doubt in my mind that it was her. She's so cold and calculating that I know it was her.

It makes sense that Xena takes all of her anger out on Callisto. And even though Callisto is a god and cannot be harmed, I like that Xena still takes the opportunity to have the villagers shoot her with arrows and she ends up looking like a walking pin-cushion. The way she takes the arrows and then has them propelled from her body right into the bodies of the people who had fired them is an extremely cool scene, and Xena stands watching it all so cold and so frozen in her anger and pain.

Their final fight leaves Callisto once against trapped under a pile of rocks (in this instance, an entire cave collapses on top of her).

And I think it's interesting that Callisto finally realizes that even after killing Xena inside by having her son killed did not make her feel better (even though her grin when she heard Xena wailing brought her momentary joy and even a kind of ecstasy). I think Callisto is searching for something that she will never get back as long as she continues to go about it in the ways that she has. She wants to feel better about herself and so she goes and kills Xena's loved one, and all she feels afterwards is an emptiness. I get the feeling that Callisto has continued to grow higher and higher, from mortal, to immortal, to god, just because she can and because she feels that each new place in the world will make her feel better about herself. But it never will, and it doesn't, it seems. The higher she gets I think the more empty and disconnected she becomes.

Does Gabrielle really want to kill herself? I'm glad she finally realizes what Hope is and, though it's a bit late, it's good that she kills her. It tears Gabrielle up inside, though, so much so that momentarily she intends on taking her own life as well. The horror of what has happened with Solan and everything has brought her suicidal thoughts and, for Gabrielle, that's very unnerving to watch. She's not one to give up--in some ways, she's stronger like that than Xena is. But the guilt of all that she has caused, Solan's death and the possible forever breakup between her and Xena has driven her to this point. Until the final moment when she stops herself and figures it isn't worth it.

That look Xena gives her from the bushes, though, is so hard and cold, and such a contrast to Gabrielle's look that is filled with so much guilt. The tension between them is different than it has ever been for them and it will take a lot of work to make it right again.

The final scene is another tear-worthy moment. Xena and Gabrielle truly are on opposite sides now. Watching their children burn in the funeral fires, all Gabrielle wants is Xena's forgiveness, wants to talk and work out their problems and say she's sorry. But Xena can't accept it. Can't give to Gabrielle what Gabrielle needs most: forgiveness. I think that's where the turning point happens for both of them, and why it makes it so hard to watch.

Here they are, the two of them, whom have lost a lot and when there was a problem they always used to come out on top of it, together. But together is the one place that they cannot find comfort in any longer. Xena doesn't even want to speak to Gabrielle anymore. Gabrielle inadvertently caused the death of her son--her betrayal of Xena by the lie she told cost Solan's life-- and I think that's one thing that will not easily be forgotten. All Gabrielle can do is walk away.

Xena's tears for her son are so emotionally raw but even then, she doesn't let them break her and she seems almost numb to the pain like she doesn't want to let herself feel it. Her hatred and anger keep her going above everything else.

This is the lowest point we've ever found them in. For the first time, she and Gabrielle walk away on separate paths and you wonder how things could ever be okay again.