Season 1: #18 "The Prodigal"
When used as a noun, as in this instance, I suspect many of us familiar with the story of "The Prodigal Son" define the word thusly...
1: one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly ...
...certainly neither terms which we usually associate with Gabrielle, unless we are talking about giving her heart away.
In a sense, I guess, that is what she has done these last (?) 6-9 months. She has lavishly given her life to following Xena, and foolishly ignored her family/sister back at home. Then one day, one simple ordinary day in the life of following a Warrior Princess, you nearly get yourself killed, and your friend killed, and you wonder... is THIS what I should be doing, how I should be living my life?
The first time I watched this, I rolled my eyes at the thought of another Xena lite ep, one designed to rest the overly burdened star, and I "tolerated" it.
This time, when I watched it, it was with the eyes that have seen all 6 seasons, and what I saw was vastly different.
I saw DOUBT in the eyes of Gabrielle, not simply doubt in her ability to stand up to ruffians on the road, but doubt about where/how she should live her life. I saw her run home to the "little sister" that was no longer so little, and saw the pride in her eyes as her sister stepped up to the tasks Gabrielle had set for her.
And I saw DOUBT in the eyes of Xena, as she watched Gabrielle divide their provisions between them, and turn to walk away. No handshake or thanks for the memories. No hug goodbye and by the way thanks for saving my life yet again. No kiss of farewell like Gabrielle gave Iolaus, whom she knew only for two days. And NO reassurance that she'd ever come back.
The thing that killed me in that teaser... the TWO things that killed me... was when Gabby told Xena
Gabrielle: “I can’t endanger you. Don’t you see that? I’m just a
liability.”
Xena: “It’s a risk I think I can take.”
Gabrielle: “But I can’t.”
Xena: “I can’t help you with this. You’re gonna have to figure it
out yourself.”
Gabrielle: “I know.”
Xena: “Where will you go?”
Gabrielle: “The only place I know-- home. Things are simpler there.
My sister, Lila’s there-- I-- I can talk to her about this.”
Xena: “What, you can’t talk to me?”
Gabrielle: “Of course I can. I just-- Sometimes, you-- you need your
family to help solve things. I’m sorry.”
With those few words, Xena realized how powerless she's become in this relationship. She can't help Gabrielle. Gabrielle is turning to another to help her understand what she should do next in her life. She's turning to someone who holds a more prominent place in Gabrielle's young heart... her family.
What happens next truly slays me. The romantic that worships the ground that Xena walks on, turns and leaves, without a wave or backwards glance, while Xena THE WARRIOR PRINCESS stands there, hand up... to say goodbye?don't go? good knowing you?
With the eyes of someone who's seen all 6 seasons, it seems that at that moment Xena started to realize how entrenched this bard has become in her life.
Well, THAT was just the teaser!
The rest of the story was pretty good, but mainly served to hold up the tent while I was waiting for the final act resolution. The scenes between Lila and Gabby are my favs for 2 reasons ...
1) especially as the slight amount of jealousy we saw in Xena's reaction to Gabby's leaving ( “What, you can’t talk to me?”)was mirrored in Lila's reaction to Gabrielle's triumphant return.
Lila: “Damon and his men have been hitting us for food and
supplies every few months since you left. They use us while his
men attack other villages. I don’t suppose you’ve brought the
woman wonder with you.”
Or later, tired of HEARING about the " woman wonder ", Lila explodes...
Lila: “Well, if Xena’s so perfect, I’m surprised that you can
stand to be around simple people like us-- You know, your
family.”
and
2) because we see that common sense and the gift of heartfelt speech making
were not given to Gabrielle alone.
Lila: “But, we have a warrior. Gabrielle can lead us.”
Pharis: “Gabrielle?”
Gabrielle: “Me?”
Lila: “Who better than a student of Xena’s? Everybody, please
stop! Listen to me! I’m no hero, believe me. But, the way I
see it, we have two choices: We either take a stand and
possibly die. Or, we surrender, and die for sure. It’s time to
stop talking and start fighting! Isn’t that right, Gabrielle?
Isn’t that what Xena taught you?”
and later... after the dust has settled...
Lila: “A dinar for your thoughts?”
Gabrielle: “Don’t waste your money.”
Lila: “Then I’ll tell you. You love this village. Love your
family, your friends. But you have to leave, and you don’t know
how to tell us.”
Gabrielle: “It’s not just that. Oh, Lila, I wanna be a part of your
life. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t think of you, and, I-- I
missed you terribly.”
Lila: “You’re dreams are elsewhere. Gabrielle, you are
destined for great things. Your heart belongs on the road-- not
here in this little village. If you stay here, your life will
never be complete. Live life, Gabrielle. Don’t let it pass you
by.”
Gabrielle: “I thought I was the only oracle in the family.”
Lila: “It doesn’t take an oracle to realize that you belong out
there in the world with Xena, helping to change people’s lives
for the better-- like you did here.”
Gabrielle: “You knew all along, didn’t you?”
Lila: “Yep. You’re my sister, and I love you more than
anything. Don’t forget to visit us, OK?”
When I started watching this show tonight, I thought that the second definition of "prodigal"...
2: one who has returned after an absence
...was referring to Gabrielle's return to Potadiea. But now I'm not so sure. I suspect that it really means Gabrielle's return to Xena.
Gabrielle: “Xena! When did you get here?”
Xena: “In time to see you vault that cart-- Gutsy move.”
Gabrielle: “That was gutsy, huh? I didn’t freeze.”
Xena: “No, you didn’t. Did you find the answers you were looking
for?”
Gabrielle: “Yeah, yeah, I did. You know, it’s kind of funny, don’t you
think, that we should just run into each other, I mean, here?”
Xena: “Not really-- I was on my way to Potadeia just to see how
things were going.”
Gabrielle: “Really? So you like that move, huh?”
Xena: “Yeah, it was all right.”
Gabrielle: “All right?! Well, I could teach it to ya.”
Now, just one question.
Is there ANYONE out there who thinks Xena just hung around waiting for Gabrielle to return... or do you think Gabby had a guardian angel shadow her to Potadiea and back?
When used as a noun, as in this instance, I suspect many of us familiar with the story of "The Prodigal Son" define the word thusly...
1: one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly ...
...certainly neither terms which we usually associate with Gabrielle, unless we are talking about giving her heart away.
In a sense, I guess, that is what she has done these last (?) 6-9 months. She has lavishly given her life to following Xena, and foolishly ignored her family/sister back at home. Then one day, one simple ordinary day in the life of following a Warrior Princess, you nearly get yourself killed, and your friend killed, and you wonder... is THIS what I should be doing, how I should be living my life?
The first time I watched this, I rolled my eyes at the thought of another Xena lite ep, one designed to rest the overly burdened star, and I "tolerated" it.
This time, when I watched it, it was with the eyes that have seen all 6 seasons, and what I saw was vastly different.
I saw DOUBT in the eyes of Gabrielle, not simply doubt in her ability to stand up to ruffians on the road, but doubt about where/how she should live her life. I saw her run home to the "little sister" that was no longer so little, and saw the pride in her eyes as her sister stepped up to the tasks Gabrielle had set for her.
And I saw DOUBT in the eyes of Xena, as she watched Gabrielle divide their provisions between them, and turn to walk away. No handshake or thanks for the memories. No hug goodbye and by the way thanks for saving my life yet again. No kiss of farewell like Gabrielle gave Iolaus, whom she knew only for two days. And NO reassurance that she'd ever come back.
The thing that killed me in that teaser... the TWO things that killed me... was when Gabby told Xena
Gabrielle: “I can’t endanger you. Don’t you see that? I’m just a
liability.”
Xena: “It’s a risk I think I can take.”
Gabrielle: “But I can’t.”
Xena: “I can’t help you with this. You’re gonna have to figure it
out yourself.”
Gabrielle: “I know.”
Xena: “Where will you go?”
Gabrielle: “The only place I know-- home. Things are simpler there.
My sister, Lila’s there-- I-- I can talk to her about this.”
Xena: “What, you can’t talk to me?”
Gabrielle: “Of course I can. I just-- Sometimes, you-- you need your
family to help solve things. I’m sorry.”
With those few words, Xena realized how powerless she's become in this relationship. She can't help Gabrielle. Gabrielle is turning to another to help her understand what she should do next in her life. She's turning to someone who holds a more prominent place in Gabrielle's young heart... her family.
What happens next truly slays me. The romantic that worships the ground that Xena walks on, turns and leaves, without a wave or backwards glance, while Xena THE WARRIOR PRINCESS stands there, hand up... to say goodbye?don't go? good knowing you?
With the eyes of someone who's seen all 6 seasons, it seems that at that moment Xena started to realize how entrenched this bard has become in her life.
Well, THAT was just the teaser!
The rest of the story was pretty good, but mainly served to hold up the tent while I was waiting for the final act resolution. The scenes between Lila and Gabby are my favs for 2 reasons ...
1) especially as the slight amount of jealousy we saw in Xena's reaction to Gabby's leaving ( “What, you can’t talk to me?”)was mirrored in Lila's reaction to Gabrielle's triumphant return.
Lila: “Damon and his men have been hitting us for food and
supplies every few months since you left. They use us while his
men attack other villages. I don’t suppose you’ve brought the
woman wonder with you.”
Or later, tired of HEARING about the " woman wonder ", Lila explodes...
Lila: “Well, if Xena’s so perfect, I’m surprised that you can
stand to be around simple people like us-- You know, your
family.”
and
2) because we see that common sense and the gift of heartfelt speech making
were not given to Gabrielle alone.
Lila: “But, we have a warrior. Gabrielle can lead us.”
Pharis: “Gabrielle?”
Gabrielle: “Me?”
Lila: “Who better than a student of Xena’s? Everybody, please
stop! Listen to me! I’m no hero, believe me. But, the way I
see it, we have two choices: We either take a stand and
possibly die. Or, we surrender, and die for sure. It’s time to
stop talking and start fighting! Isn’t that right, Gabrielle?
Isn’t that what Xena taught you?”
and later... after the dust has settled...
Lila: “A dinar for your thoughts?”
Gabrielle: “Don’t waste your money.”
Lila: “Then I’ll tell you. You love this village. Love your
family, your friends. But you have to leave, and you don’t know
how to tell us.”
Gabrielle: “It’s not just that. Oh, Lila, I wanna be a part of your
life. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t think of you, and, I-- I
missed you terribly.”
Lila: “You’re dreams are elsewhere. Gabrielle, you are
destined for great things. Your heart belongs on the road-- not
here in this little village. If you stay here, your life will
never be complete. Live life, Gabrielle. Don’t let it pass you
by.”
Gabrielle: “I thought I was the only oracle in the family.”
Lila: “It doesn’t take an oracle to realize that you belong out
there in the world with Xena, helping to change people’s lives
for the better-- like you did here.”
Gabrielle: “You knew all along, didn’t you?”
Lila: “Yep. You’re my sister, and I love you more than
anything. Don’t forget to visit us, OK?”
When I started watching this show tonight, I thought that the second definition of "prodigal"...
2: one who has returned after an absence
...was referring to Gabrielle's return to Potadiea. But now I'm not so sure. I suspect that it really means Gabrielle's return to Xena.
Gabrielle: “Xena! When did you get here?”
Xena: “In time to see you vault that cart-- Gutsy move.”
Gabrielle: “That was gutsy, huh? I didn’t freeze.”
Xena: “No, you didn’t. Did you find the answers you were looking
for?”
Gabrielle: “Yeah, yeah, I did. You know, it’s kind of funny, don’t you
think, that we should just run into each other, I mean, here?”
Xena: “Not really-- I was on my way to Potadeia just to see how
things were going.”
Gabrielle: “Really? So you like that move, huh?”
Xena: “Yeah, it was all right.”
Gabrielle: “All right?! Well, I could teach it to ya.”
Now, just one question.
Is there ANYONE out there who thinks Xena just hung around waiting for Gabrielle to return... or do you think Gabby had a guardian angel shadow her to Potadiea and back?
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rolling in the aisles, "I CAN'T believe they did, said, showed that" 
moments, favorite lines/times that I just don't know where to begin.
and others (usually featuring Captain Kathryn Janeway herself) that I simply 
. Anytime she takes over the helm of Voyager qualifies for a "love it" example, like in Season 4's "Scientific Method" or "Year of Hell". An "Adore" example also occurs in "Year of Hell", when Voyager is being assailed again by the enemy with unstoppable temporal phase shifting torpedos. Janeway calls for 4 of her last 11 torpedos be armed... (Just past the half way mark of this vid)
and as she stands up and stalks toward the helm, staring at the viewscreen and the image of her enemy, she orders the torpedos be deployed like mines. 
will be "Julius Caeser" for the next 5 seasons. (not to mention Cupid 
)
in this ep, to try and keep the two women apart.
