Any Xena:WP fans on the boards?

JanewayRulz! · May 23, 2011

Episode 126 season 6 # 14 "Path of VENGEANCE"

ACT III: scene 1:

(Back in the cavern with the council of Amazon Queens)
Kanae: (Sums up)"The verdict is guilty"
Xena: "Eve." (She turns and runs OUT of the cavern, away from Eve and Gabrielle)

Scene 2... (Xena runs out of the cavern into the village, with Gabrielle on her tail)
Gabrielle: "Xena-- Xena, I had no choice."
Xena: (As she continues to walk away, she throws her hands up in the air after hearing the unthinkable from her "best" friend) "Ah-h-h-h-h-- "
Gabrielle: (Takes hold of Xena's left arm to slow her down long enough to listen.) "I had to vote with them. If they had kicked me off the council, they would have found Eve guilty anyway. It's the only thing I could do to save her."
Xena: (Turns briefly to question this bizarre logic) "By condemning her to death?"
Gabrielle: (Grabs Xena's arm again, as she tries to walk away) "No... Xena, this way, I have a voice."
Xena: (Angry gutteral noises.)
Gabrielle: "I can plead Eve's case when they go to sentence her, and I can try to wake up the Amazons to Ares' ways"
Xena: [Interrupts and pulls her arm from Gabrielle's now two handed grasp] "I just can't talk to you right now." (And she runs out of the village, away from "Queen" Gabrielle.)
Gabrielle: (Shouting impotently at the back of the fleeing friend) "Xena!"

Scene 3, Xena is running through an open field, calling her nemesis out!

Xena: "Ares! Ares! Come out!"
Ares' Voice: "Xena-- "
Xena: (Didn't she just risk everything to get his godhood BACK for him last time?) "Ares, why are you doing this to me?!"
Ares' Voice: "Xena... tell me, Xena, have you heard the story of the scorpion and the swan?"
Xena: (Shouting to the sky, as impotently as Gabrielle shouted after her just moments ago) "You haven't even got the guts to face me."

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Ares' Voice: "See, the scorpion needs to get across the river and he asks the swan for a ride. And the swan figures `It's not much of a risk. The scorpion wouldn't sting the creature who's carrying him over the raging river.'"
Xena: (Still trying to provoke him into appearing to her) "My daughter's about to die because of you, and you're feeding me fairy tales?"
Ares voice: (He speaks from the heavens as the Warrior Princess twists and turns, trying to figure out where he is...) "Bear with me... it's worth the wait. So, about halfway across, the scorpion stings the swan... and as they're both being swept to their death the swan asks the scorpion, `I was helping you. Why did you sting me?' And the scorpion answers... "

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Xena: (She answers for him, sadly. Her eyes are closed and she senses more than the war god's voice.) "`It's what I do.'"
Ares: (He's now standing behind her, his hand caressing as her midriff glows red and her eyes are now just half closed) "Yeah it's what I do. See, I lost a lot of worshippers when I became mortal, and I need something major on my scorecard."

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Xena: "Like the biggest war in centuries."
Ares: (I think the Trojans would have an argument about this claim!) "No.. in history. Those crazy Amazons... the ruthless Romans... both of them worshipping me for success in battle, oh, what a blast. I'm the god of war and that's what I do."
Xena: (The midriff glows no longer as the Warrior Mom reasserts herself and she steps away.) "You're a son of a bitch. You think I'm gonna let you kill my daughter..."
Ares: "She wasn't invited to the party. She got involved of her own free will."

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Xena: "I may no longer be able to kill gods, Ares, but I'm not gonna let this happen without a fight."
Ares: (He smiles.) "I believe you."

Its what he does!

Scene 4: Back in the cavern, to hear the sentence pass.

Varia: "The council is finished. Now I decide the sentence. As queen of the Amazon nation in the name of our god, Ares I sentence Livia of Rome... "
(Xena has entered just in time to hear the sentence)
Gabrielle: "Wait." (She stands and faces Varia)
Cyane: "Varia is the queen, Gabrielle. She decides the sentence."
Gabrielle: "I use my rite to challenge." (She grabs the staff of office from Varia, and breaks it over her knee.) "You are not queen, Varia until you defeat me."

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Varia: (Snears at her challenger) "You had a better chance of saving her with words, Gabrielle."

[Now... just in case you don't think this is just the Perfect Storm to destroy Xena's world... let us stop right here to recall the end "The God You Know"...

Eve: (Leans into Xena as her Mother's left arm encloses her) "Are you sorry, Mother? To lose your greatest gift? The ability to kill gods?"
Xena: "Nah, it'll just make life spicier. Besides..." (And she puts her right arm around Gabrielle) "I've still got my two greatest gifts and I've got no intention of losing either of them."

Eve is about to be executed, Gabrielle is about to fight and possibly die in order to prevent that execution.

Yep... those two greatest gifts in Xena's life are about to be snuffed out in one fell swoop.

Or should we say... one fell "whoosh"? ]

Scene 5 Gabby has just come out of the cavern in her fighting togs. She's wrapping cloth around her knuckles in a primitive boxing glove. Her feet are similarily wrapped. Xena stops her.

See... SHE sees a Perfect Storm when its on the horizon! Do you think she's kicking herself yet, for running away from Gabrielle 3 scenes ago? Did THAT refusal to listen, push her friend into this desperate action?

Xena: (Trying to find the easy way out.) "Gabrielle, look... I don't want you to do this. Let me fight Varia."
Gabrielle: (Looks at her clueless friend.) "Xena, it doesn't work that way. I challenged Varia. It's my fight. Promise me that you won't interfere. If I am queen, I can pardon Eve and uphold the Amazon law." (The princess is not pleased...and Gabrielle can see it.) "You know it's the right thing to do. Promise me."
Xena: "All right." (Does she agree because she's already hurt Gabrielle more today than Varia ever could? Or because...)

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Gabrielle walks into the center of the Amazon tribe, to face Varia. It was sweet the way Eve reached out to touch her as she walked by. Warriors around the fight zone suddenly move their staffs horizontally, creating a chest high boundary between the crowd and the fighters.

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The fight begins, a combination of bareknuckle brawling and kick boxing. (In the dvd interviews, the first draft had this be a "hot oil wrestling match. sheeezzzz.)

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There's a fair amount of flipping and body slamming too, and Gabrielle actually gets the upper hand in the middle of the fight.

(I bet Varia is wondering who's cheering for Gabrielle in the crowd, since its obviously NOT Eve or Xena, both who are at ring side.)

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Gabby even tries to reason with Varia when she has her down in an arm hold... but THAT sure as heck doesn't work.

Finally Varia gets the upper hand and beats the tar out of her fellow queen.

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Gabrielle is thrown backwards, and her back is caught by the ring of warrior staffs as Xena looks impotently down at her friend,

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until those same warriors push Gabby forward and she falls into the center of the ring. Xena can stand by no longer, and she rushes into the ring to pick her friend up in her arms.

Xena: (Bloodied, and not responding, the WP simply moans...) "Oh, Gabrielle."

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ACT ENDS:

Technobuilder · May 23, 2011

I used to watch both Hercules & Xena.

They really were something different and unique by the end of their respective runs.

Tongue-in-Cheek, but not afraid to be dramatic and emotional.

Character Focused, yet always trying to present a cohesive plot arc.

Not sure there's still anything like it on TV, except for maybe Burn Notice.

I just decided to watch Path of Vengeance because of your postings.

Also: I miss Kevin Smith, as Ares, he was fantastic. Always sad we never got to see more of him later on. Imagine him on Battlestar: Galactica or in Supernatural. It would of been great.

saturn5 · May 23, 2011

In regard to your question I think there was momentary disappointment, I think we were hoping that they'd settle the big question in the last few eps but we were all laughing so hard it was hard to be angry.

I loved Xena but Hercules never did it for me and I don't think it really evolved much over the years as Xena did.

As for Path of Vengence it's good but I think we've been here before, certainly not one for Ares lovers as he hasn't been changed by his mortal experience. I remember Adrienne Wilkinson saying at a convention that it was great fun to play Livia again after being pushed around as Eve for so long. You wonder if Ares directing her towards the Amazons is somehow an act of vengence/jealousy against Gabby? And what did Artemis think?

JanewayRulz! · May 24, 2011

Technobuilder said:
I used to watch both Hercules & Xena.

They really were something different and unique by the end of their respective runs.

Tongue-in-Cheek, but not afraid to be dramatic and emotional.

Character Focused, yet always trying to present a cohesive plot arc.

Not sure there's still anything like it on TV, except for maybe Burn Notice.

I just decided to watch Path of Vengeance because of your postings.

Also: I miss Kevin Smith, as Ares, he was fantastic. Always sad we never got to see more of him later on. Imagine him on Battlestar: Galactica or in Supernatural. It would of been great.

Kevin was an amazing presence in this show, and it pleases me whenever you hear the actors or the producers praise him so highly. :bolian:

Hope your "Path of Vengeance" rewatch went well yesterday!

JanewayRulz! · May 24, 2011

saturn5 said:
In regard to your question I think there was momentary disappointment, I think we were hoping that they'd settle the big question in the last few eps but we were all laughing so hard it was hard to be angry.

I loved Xena but Hercules never did it for me and I don't think it really evolved much over the years as Xena did.

As for Path of Vengence it's good but I think we've been here before, certainly not one for Ares lovers as he hasn't been changed by his mortal experience.

I remember Adrienne Wilkinson saying at a convention that it was great fun to play Livia again after being pushed around as Eve for so long.

You wonder if Ares directing her towards the Amazons is somehow an act of vengence/jealousy against Gabby?

And what did Artemis think?

You know, "You are There" would not have been NEAR as FUNNY if they had answered the question! I'm glad, for that reason alone, that they didn't. :guffaw:

As for Ares being changed... he's been THE GOD OF WAR
for how many millenia? 18 months as a mortal probably wasn't even long enough to get his attention.

Adrianne really did get into Livia, didn't she! I liked her comments at where she felt Eve was, at the end of PoV. but will get to that soon enough. :vulcan:

Ares going after the Amazons because of gabby?

Interesting concept, but I doubt it. He went there because... "its what he does". :devil:

As for Artemis? I don't think she can "complain", since he was going after the Amazons with his new puppet, Livia. Now, if she were still alive in this time period, and he was going after VARIA... THEN she would have taken righteous exception to his games and called him on it.

Unfortunately for Varia... Artemis is dead.

"Fortunately" for Eve... Artemis is dead.

Thanks Xena... for all that "you do".

:techman:

JanewayRulz! · May 24, 2011

Episode 126 season 6 # 14 "Path of VENGEANCE"

ACT IV:

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Xena is kneeling in the center of the fight ring, cradling Gabrielle's bloodied body (BODY... not corpse!!!) as Eve is pulled roughly away from them by Varia and led away through two lines of Amazon warriors who will eventually follow.

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Eve: "No!"

I wondered about that plea... "No!" This is the woman who wanted to pay the ultimate price for her sins, and now that she has the chance she's afraid?

Then I realized something (it came to me in the penultimate scene of the ep). She wasn't afraid to go to her death, she was afraid to leave Gabrielle before she knew if she was okay.

You and I know she's NOT okay, because Xena just looks desperately over her shoulder at Eve, but hasn't left Gabrielle's side.

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Xena: (With great tenderness, she wipes the blood from her friends's beaten face.) "... oh... Gabrielle... "
Gabrielle: (Her eyes flutter open and she realizes the crowd is gone and Xena is holding her. There's no sign of Eve. She knows she failed.) "Xena... I'm sorry."

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Xena: (Says the woman who always has a plan, whether she's under Baby Bliss's spell, the Furies' influence, or cursed by an Ancient Mariner.) "No, no, I'm sorry. Gabrielle, you did all that you could to save Eve. Now, I have to do what I have to do."
Gabrielle: (Knows when to stop fighting with a Warrior Mom!) "Go. It's OK."

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Xena jumps up and chases after the Amazons who have taken Eve to her execution. Along the way, she senses a certain manipulative god of war is hanging about, and calls him out once more. What follows isn't just foreshadowing for this ep's resolution... it foreshadows the finale itself.

Xena: (She's running through a field, when she suddenly stps and looks about) "Ares, come out, I can smell you!"
Ares: (He appears before her and lifts an arm to check his level of Warrior Sweat before he "reaches out " to her) "I'm just here to give a little moral support."

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Xena: (She continues to run forward as he backpeddles before her) "No, you're here to gloat. Now, that you you got your godhood back, you got everything you've always wanted, haven't you?"
Ares: "Well, not exactly everything, but hey... `Que sera.' And come on! I'm not begrudging you what you want. Go in and grab your kid. I won't get in the way. In fact, I'm kind of looking forward to see you take on a few dozen Amazons. Way-hay!"
Xena: (She runs by him and yells over her shoulder) "Yeah, that'd be a nice warm-up for the main event, huh?"
Ares: "Hey, can I help it if I've played this like the malevolent genius I am? Remember what the scorpion said."

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Xena: (Ignoring his attempts to engage her, she simply reminds him as she runs on...) "Ares... the scorpion drowned."

The Amazon Queen, Varia, has pulled Eve to a set of bubbling "paint pots/sulfur springs", and they are NOT the kind you soak in for your complexion.

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Eve is still in the wrist shackles, but before she can say anything to plead her case, we hear a cry and look up to see that Warrior Princess we know and love, vault into the fray. She stands between Varia/Eve and the overheated acid pools.

Varia: "I don't wanna fight you, Xena."
Xena: (Lucy Lawless pulls off "disdane" soooo well!) "You got that right."

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Varia: (Pulls her sword, as Xena does the same) "I followed all the Amazon laws. I'm doing this for my sisters."

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Mawu-Ke: (Saber rattling, as IF that would frighten our "lady".) "You defy her, you defy the whole Amazon nation."
Xena: (So says the Warrior Psychiatrist and expert witness on guilt and what it drives us to do!) "She's not doing this for the Amazon nation. She's doing it out of guilt." (Turns to Varia) "You couldn't bring yourself to kill Livia when it really mattered and you've been carrying that around ever since."
Varia: "You know what? I didn't kill my sisters. She did."

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Xena: "But you could have saved them. You couldn't bring yourself to kill for them and now it's too late. You blame yourself."

The truth hurts, and now so will Varia if Xena gives her half a chance. I think this fight is one of the best they've done on XWP. It was on three levels, over acid pots, flipping, kicking, throwing each other. It had fighting staves, it had swords, it had Xena nearly falling into the acid, and hanging upside down as she turtles under the walkway Varia controlled.

But the best thing, the very best is just WATCHING Xena's face as she goads and intimidates her opponent, despite seemingly similar ability.

But more importantly, more telling, is her face when the end "is near".

She has grabbed Varia by the head and flung her "back" where they started, near where Eve stands shackled. Its also near where Varia and Xena lost their swords at the start of the fight.

Xena: (The Warrior Princess looks down at the Amazon Queen on her backside, her hand inching towards the nearby sword) "Varia, if you follow Ares now, you'll become worse than Livia ever was. You'll become everything you hate."

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(Xena sees the malevolence in the face as the Queen's hand continues to reach for the sword, and she knows what must be done.)

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Xena: "You don't believe me... you already have."

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Xena: (SHE sheaths HER sword!) "You want vengeance, Varia... you can start with me."
Varia: [The Amazon Queen cries out as she grabs up her sword, and executes a Varia flip" over the Warrior Princess, throwing her to the ground.]

Watch the background carefully. The shackled Eve starts forward towards her Mother kneeling before Varia... then stops. Is she remembering yet again, what she herself told Nigel? "If my mother is doing "x", you can bet she has a pretty damn good reason!"

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Varia smiles as she raises her sword hand high, her enemy kneeling at her feet, her sword in its scabbard.

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Varia has everything she could desire... well, almost everything. Que sera. She doesn't have her baby sister... you know, the baby sister that died protecting her from an evil warlord. A baby sister that looked up into Livia's eyes ready to die for Varia, much the way this Mother is looking up into Varia's eyes, as she's ready to die for her daughter.

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And with that realization, the woman who would be "Livia 2.0" stepped back from the brink, and fell to her knees and cried. Xena, still kneeling herself, reaches out to touch her shoulder, then stands and draws her sword. Turning back to her daughter, she swings the sword down and breaks the shackles binding Eve. The messenger of peace runs forward, not into her Mother's arms, but to the pitiful soul crying on the ground before her, and envelopes her as tenderly as Xena did Gabrielle in the fight ring.

Turning to face the assembled Amazon Queens and Warriors above her, Xena stretches her sword backward to point to their devastated Queen.

Xena: "This is the pain that awaits you if you follow Ares' path."
Varia: (Looks up from Eve's embrace, one, I should add, she is currently returning) "Amazons Xena's our friend. We have to talk." (And she stands with Eve's help, and walks alone up to her fellow Amazons and leads them back to the village.)

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Ares: [Appears on one of the partial bridges over the acid pools, and starts to clap] "You had this planned all along." [Laughs as Xena simply smiles] "You...are so good."

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Xena: (Finale foreshadow alert!) "It's what I do."

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Ares: "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

He twinkles away, and Xena finally gets to do what she's wanted all day. Comfort her daughter, and vice a versa.

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Meanwhile, back at the Amazon Queen council, there is still some unfinished business to be concluded.

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Varia: "This woman has pleaded guilty to her crimes. Even she admits she can never do enough good to erase the evil that she has done, and yet, she's willing to keep trying. As queen of the Amazon nation, I hereby sentence Livia, killer of the Amazons, to death... " (Xena actually looks WORRIED here...) "...so that Eve, the messenger of peace, may live."

Cyane: (To Eve) "You are free to go."

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(And what I found amazing, was that although Eve goes first to her Mother to touch her... she goes to Gabrielle to embrace her. Its a reminder to us all that she hasn't forgotten the lengths to which Gabrielle was willing to go, to save her today.)
Xena: "Thank you, Varia."
Varia: (Looks up the the woman who finally kept her promise to Queen Marga) "You were ready to let me kill you, just so that I could see I was headed down the wrong path."
Xena: "I knew the truth was inside you. You just needed the chance to decide what was right."
Varia: "Thank you." (And yet another Amazon Queen succumbs to the mystery of a Warrior Princess and receives a final hug in return.)

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As Varia walks back to stand with her fellow Queens, they give our trio the Amazon salute.

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One that Xena and Gabrielle give back, before they lead Eve out of the cavern, one final time.

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Our trio are walking out into the sunshine, in the center of the Amazon village.

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Xena: "They've forgiven you, Eve. Maybe you should think about forgiving yourself."
Eve: "Have you? Forgiven yourself, Mother?"

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(That apple knows a lot about the tree she fell from!)
Xena: "Ah-h-h-h-- good point."

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Eve: (Time to deliver earth shattering news) "I know what I have to do. I've decided to go east, to Ch'in and the land of Indus. Eli's message will be heard."
Xena: "Now?"

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Eve: (At least she shows the good sense to look somewhat abashed.) "Yeah."
Xena: "You mean now?"
(Xena is still trying to process this news, as Eve turns to Gabrielle)
Eve: "Thank you for saving my mother..." (For people who wondered what the answer was at the end of "You are There...) "...for bringing her such happiness. I'm forever in your debt."

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Gabrielle: "Eve-- "
Eve: "Gabrielle-- " (Reaches for the woman who helped deliver her on the day of her birth, who died with Xena to save her from the gods, who fought with Livia to save her from herself, who fought with Varia to save her from her Amazon kinswomen.)
Gabrielle: (Gabrielle is happy to find someone who hugs as much as she does!) "You don't owe me anything."

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Eve: (Turns to Xena one final time) "And thank you for giving me life so many times. I love you." (She dives into a heartfelt clinch with the woman who loved her enough to die for her, over and over again.)

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Xena: (The hug is prolonged) "I love you, too."

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(Finally she steps back and looks from Eve to Gabrielle...)
Xena: "Um-m...why don't we walk with you a ways?"
Gabrielle: "Yeah."
Eve: "No. I need to do this on my own. Goodbye."

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(And the overhead crane shot pulls back as we see Eve walk out of their lives for the last time, although they didn't know it. Xena looks after her daughter as Gabrielle reaches up to lay a hand on her shoulder. Finally the warrior MOM can't fight the urge for one last piece of advice.)

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Xena: "Stay outta trouble."
(Then she simply drops her head in her hand. We know she's crying. Any Mom would.)

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Xena/Eve: You'll be in my heart"

Good bye, Eve.

May good weather and welcoming strangers beset you on your journey.

JanewayRulz! · May 24, 2011

Just a personal guess as to why Renee (and yes, I'm pretty sure it's Renee, and not "Gabrielle") is smiling and raising her left arm in a :wtf:

gesture after Lucy's last line when "Xena" is all verklempt at the end of this ep.

During the dvd interviews, Adrienne discusses how the actresses were unhappy with the ending as written, and had thrown out various options.

Lucy had finally said... "Lets just do it, I'll come up with something that "feels" right at the moment." And as Adrienne walks out of frame, she hears Lucy call out.. "Stay outta trouble."

My take on Renee's reaction was... "That's what you came up with?" :lol:

Adrienne also said that at the time, they didn't know this was her last ep. Initially she was to be in the final eps, but as they kept getting rewritten, her part was ultimately deemed unnecesary.

The actress agreed with the decision, saying she felt this ep closed the door on Eve in the best possible way. Eve had finally accepted herself for what she was and although she did leave to continue her search, at least now in her heart Eve knew "what" she was searching for and that made all the difference.

I have to agree with the fact that "this" was a good way to end. As important as Eve is to Xena's life, she would (forgive me Xena) just have been a distraction in the remaining few eps of "the series", especially when you consider all the loose ends that TPTB have to start tying up.

Consider... why are ancient times so different from ours?

Sure... XENA killed most of the Olympian gods, so mankind moved on.

But what about the monsters, the centuars, the AMAZONS... why aren't they around anymore?

Hmmmm.

:vulcan:

Do you think we may soon find out?

saturn5 · May 24, 2011

I think a LOT of people who should have been in the final ep weren't but more on that later. As for there's no more magic, remember Herc and co are still about. I think that humanity gradually overcame the supernatural (fire, TV, opposable thumbs, being really sneaky) just as the one God wished us to

JanewayRulz! · May 25, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Fan made promo:

Okay Ladies and Gentlemen, its time for another plug for the dvd commentaries. Buy/rent/netflix to your hearts content, but get the one with the commentary track. its great loads of fun to hear Michael Hurst (Iolaus) discuss this... his last directorial turn on XWP with Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor and Rob Tapert. (Its not alphabetical, its the positions they were on the couch, honest!)

The first thing they mentioned in the teaser... is that this is the most violent ep Xena has ever done. This is where Hurst noted the makeup dept just gave him his "own" bottle of blood so he could add it where ever he wanted, in quantities he desired.

The second thing, was, as Tapert likes to call it, Xena isn't allowed to play "Amazon games".

(A blatant shout out to the animated "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" TV show so many of us grew up on... Rudolph, you see, wasn't allowed to play "reindeer" games.)

TEASER BEGINS:

Varia: (She has locked wrists with Queen Gabrielle and is smiling) "To a strong Amazon nation."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_001cd.htm

Gabrielle: (She too is smiling, although we can all see the cut she still sports over her left eye from "last week's" adventures) "To a strong Amazon nation."
Varia: (Wrists still locked, she smiles even broader) "How's the eye?"
Gabrielle: (Smiles back, just as widely) "How's the hand?"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_002cd.htm

Varia: (She looks confused for a second) "Fine. Why?"
Gabrielle: (Wrists still locked gabby at least has won the sarcastic olympics) "I thought maybe you sprained it on my face."
[Chuckling ripples throughout the courtyard]

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Varia: (Turns to the Warrior Princess standing on the periphery) "Xena [Chuckles again] hope you don't mind if we borrow her for a while, but, um the ceremony is... "

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Xena: (She's been down this exclusive route befiore, and bows to the Queens) "Amazon only-- (She almost seems to sigh) like the other ones. Yeah, that's OK. I, um I'd rather sleep rough out in the forest [Xena's chuckling... I guess she remembers Gabrielle's coronation when they danced/howled at the moon all night. Somethings the dance challenged Xena could do without.] Well... have a good time at the party." (LOVED this line and the look between them) "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." (IS THERE anything Xena HASN'T done???)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_012cd.htm

So off Xena goes, to spend the day/night in the forest, and to leave the Amazons to their sacred/secret rites. Lucky for them, this day will be "blessed" with a total eclipse of the sun, which brings the coronation of the new Queen of ALL Amazons to a spooky level despite being in the middle of the day.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_013cd.htm

Using traditions handed down from "Amazon High" and "Kindred Spirits", we see the priestesses approach Varia and cut her left arm with a serious blade.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_020cd.htm

She takes her right hand and wipes it through the blood, then raises it up high for all her sisters sitting on the ground around her, to see.

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http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_023cd.htm

I suspect she's affirming her promise to fight and die for the Amazon nation, and her sisters heartily approve.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_022cd.htm

What's neat about this, is as they are whooping it up and dancing about Varia... Xena is off at her campsite roasting a fowl and toasting the women she refuses to become a part of...

Xena: "To a strong Amazon nation."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_014cd.htm

Amazon's Voice: "Hail Varia! The new queen of the Amazons!"

Xena may not be "an Amazon", but she IS Gabrielle's soulmate (despite us not hearing the word spoken for the last few eps). And like she did in the land of Ch'in so long ago, she suddenly realizes there is something dreadfully wrong, and jumps up to run back to the village.

Amazing insight, when you consider the women IN the village still haven't realized that they have become surrounded by an army of men with faces psinted ghostly white, and covered in dark clothes.

Suddenly, a fight erupts! Gabrielle's poor face meets up with yet another fist, and she goes down... but NOT for the count!

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_031cd.htm

Suddenly weapons are found and women everywhere are slashing and hitting to save their lives, including our Queens... Varia, Gabrielle, Cyane, and Gwyn Teir.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_032cd.htm

The army's leader rides up, wearing a true mask of his own... and the FIRST thing he locks eyes upon is a WARRIOR PRINCESS who's about to slit the throat of one of his men. She SMILES at him, as she does it... just to add insult to injury! He tries to take his mace to her, but she's quick and unleashes her Chakram (have you noticed, it doesn't split in two anymore?) which slices through the handle of the mace and then goes spinning up a tower to take out another man fighting an Amazon lookout.

The leader wasn't pleased.

Bellerophon: "Death to the Amazons!"

Unlike season 4's "A Good Day"... this time the two friends find each other in the midst of battle, and take up position guarding one another's back.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_040rcd.htm

They did a good job laying waste to the field... but they didn't save Queen Varia as she was knocked out by their opponent and carried off to places unknown.

Amazon's Voice: "Varia! They got Varia!"
Gwyn-Teir: [Yells as she drives her two axes into the chest of her opponent]
Bellerophon: "Retreat! Let them come to us!" (And he gallops away, with an unconscious Varia over his saddle)
Cyane: "They've kidnapped our queen."

As the two friends look about the village, they realize the proud Amazon nation is now down to less than half strength, as scores of dead greet their eyes.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_044cd.htm

TEASER ENDS:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/alarson17/xena/xena-615-thab.jpg

Gabrielle at War:

JanewayRulz! · May 26, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Gabrielle & Varia:

ACT I:

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_057cd.htm

Xena: (Picks up the mace she caused their leader to "drop") "It's from Helicon."
Gabrielle: "That's the fortress on the coast."
Mawu-Ka: (The African Queen states their mission succintly) "Our best warriors will leave immediately to rescue her."
Cyane: (So says the Northern Queen) "We need a commander who's familiar with the terrain of Greece."
Gabrielle: "It should be Xena."
Gwyn -Teir: "No. The Amazon nation can only go to war under an Amazon Queen."
Xena: "That means you, Gabrielle."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_060cd.htm

The commanders are all crouched around a map(?) /drawing in the dirt (?) as Gabrielle details their battleplan while warriors collect the dead behind them.

Gabrielle: "The fortress is on an outcrop. The mountain pass is the best route to attack from."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_065cd.htm

Xena: "Therefore, it's the best-defended."
Gabrielle: "Exactly." (She looks at the other Queens) "We attack by water."
Xena: "Good call."
Gabrielle: (She looks up to the WP hovering over her left shoulder) "Good teacher." (I think the line the kids would use here is... "Geez... get a room, ladies!")
Xena: (Xena stands up and walks away from the huddle, as she expounds on her part in the battleplan) "All right, so tonight I'll sneak through the pass, knock off the leader, and try to create a diversion, while you and the other Amazons come off the water and take 'em from behind."
Gabrielle: "Xena, are you sure about going after their leader on your own?"

The scene switches to the fort at Helicon, and we still hear Xena's voice as the camera tracks in on an unsteady Varia, standing before the Helicon Commander.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_067cd.htm

Xena's Voice: "I can handle him. Let's hope Varia can."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_069cd.htm

Bellerophon: "So, the great Varia. I'm guessing this is not how you planned on spending your first day, as queen of the Amazons."
Varia: "In the name of all the Amazons, I demand that..." (He grabs her chin in a vice grip, and she stops talking immediately!) "uh!"
Bellerphon: "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh...you are in no position to demandanything."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_071cd.htm

Varia: "What kind of madman are you? You invite the wrath of the Amazon nation on your head by kidnapping me?"
Bellerphon: "Actually, I had intended just to kill you, but plans change." (Like when he saw XENA join the party!)
Varia: "Whoever you are, whatever your grudge is against me, my sisters won't stand for this. They'll come after you."
Bellerphon: (Smiles) "I know."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_079cd.htm

The next scene has no dialogue. We see Gabrielle and the rest of the Amazon Queens standing before the burning pyre of bodies. So many bodies that they are piled one on top of the other in multiple levels. Xena stands silently next to Gabrielle, then turns to leave. As she does, she stretches out and simply touches Gabrielle's arms, and Gabrielle makes an attempt to do the same before Xena walks to Argo and mounts to ride away. As the camera pulls away in another overhead crane shot, we see the other three Queens still alive, and the remaining warriors gathered around the pyre. There numbers are significanltly reduced compared to just before the eclipse.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_082cd.htm

The next thing we see, is the boat bringing the reamining Amazons to Helicon. Don't know where they got it, don't know who's piloting it, don't understand why Gabrielle isn't throwing up her lunch, don't really care, either. Cuz I know what happens next will be tres kewl.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_083cd.htm

Gabrielle is passing among her women, keeping their moral up.

Gabrielle: "Not long now. Are you all right?"
Amazons: [Gasp alarmingly when the boat rocks]
Gabrielle's Voice: "Stay there."
(I've decided this is my favorite queen, after Gabby, of course!)
Cyane: (The Northern Queen says to the Celtic one) "Lend me some coins?"
Gwyn-Teir: (Clueless Celt) "What for? We don't even use the same money."
Cyana: "I know, but knowing my luck, if I owe you money, I'll survive."
Gwyn-Teir: [Laughs at her fellow queen]
Cyane: "No, I'm-I'm serious." (And she is!)
Gabrielle: (Finds a "warrior" huddling against the mast) "Are you OK?"
Tyro: "Mm-hm-m. Yeah. Mm. Some warrior, huh? I'm worse than Joxer facing the Dryads." (I guess those Xena scrolls really DID get around in the 30 years since they were first written!)
Gabrielle: (Yes Xena, our little girl HAS grown up. sniff, sniff.) "Everybody's afraid. Some people are just better at hiding it. You'll do fine."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_087cd.htm

He's lighting candles in his castle, when suddenly from the shadows comes a visage both beautiful and horrifying at the same time.
Xena: "Hello."
(And before he can react, she's thrown a punch which sends him down the long room, and he ends up on his backside, smiling up at her.)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_097cd.htm

Bellerophon: "Xena. I was surprised to see you at the Amazon camp."
Xena: "Likewise." (She rolls her eyes, as if asking for an introdcution)
Bellerophon: "Oh, I'm sorry. Bellerophon."
Xena: (In such a sweet genteel voice, you almost miss what she's actually saying to him.) "It's not nice to meet you, Bellerophon."
(A fight ensues, and eventually we see him punch Xena hard enough to send her flying down the wall and into a large stone pillar. As she rests against it, she looks up to wonder.)
Xena: "I've been hit like that before... but never by a mortal."
Bellerophon: "I was born of Artemis, the greatest of all the Olympians."
Xena: "That's why you hate the Amazons."
Bellerophon: "She watched over them, taught them everything they needed to survive, yet they abandoned her."
Xena: "That was not the Amazons' fault."
Bellerophon: "No. It was yours."
Xena: "You're a good enough fighter, so what? Does that make you a god?"
Bellerphon: "Oh, what does it matter, Xena? Everyone knows you've lost the power to kill gods." (And then somehow he gets her in a neck lock, with his dagger uncomfortably close to her throat) "You murdered my mother. Now you're gonna pay. Guards! First you, then every one of those bitches, until there's not a single Amazon left to draw a breath, starting with those fools bobbing out there in the water."

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Meanwhile, back in that boat bobbing in the water, Gabrielle is giving final instructions.

Gabrielle: "When we hit the shore, disembark in silence. The element of surprise is our greatest weapon."

High above, in the castle, a demigod holds a Warrior Princess captive in a neck lock, knife at her throat as he gives the order he relishes the most.

Bellerophon: "Fire the catapults!"
Soldier's Voice: "Fire!"
Xena: "No-o-o-o-o-o!"

Xena's eyes light up and with a strength that belies her mortal (?) state, she breaks free of the neck lock, head butts Bellerophon and takes off down the great hall until she throws herself out the window that overlooks the sea. In the process, she straight arms a guard at the window, taking him with her.

The catapult's deadly cargo of greek fire is about to rain down on the unsuspecting rescuers.
Tyro's Voice: "What's that noise?"
Gabrielle: "Get down!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_104cd.htm

ACT ENDS:

Bellerophon:
(Not a fan of the music, but I have to replace the Bellerphon vid.)

The director, Michael Hurst, told Craig to play Bellerophon like "Hamlet". Rob Tapert credits Hurst with elevating this episode about the script. As he explained, "this was, as written a very tough episode for Gabrielle..." but with a tweak here and there the characters were all given a nobility that Tapert thought we otherwise would have missed.

If so, thank-you, Mr Hurst!

As for the myth of Bellerophon... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellerophon, if he was a demigod or god, it was from the neck of Medusa, sired by Posiedon. A commentator at whoosh pointed out that it was doubtful that he was born of the virgin goddess Artemis. Then again, WHO KNOWS with these Olympian gods/goddesses?

timothy · May 26, 2011

I all ways wondered how gabrielle died we know how xena dies but not gabrielle I wonder why? all so favorite episode the land of illusia the first musical season 4 right?

JanewayRulz! · May 26, 2011

Hate the music, it ends too abruptly, but has some nice clips from act I: Bellerophon & Varia in the castle, and Bellerophon and Xena in the castle.

These next two are dailies from when the Amazons come ashore.

and part 2 of the dailies.

Michael Hurst laughed about the number of times he had them "charge"... and how one stunt woman kept getting the arrow and falling perfectly in take after take after take. Lucy later laughed at how difficult it was to "run" out of the waist deep water in her boots. "Like running in waders" IIRC. Hurst laughed that they had been shooting "all day" and were tired, and so when "Lucy" showed up to do her 2 scenes they were ecstatic, because it meant their day was almost over.

So the modern crew was as happy as the Ancient Amazons to see "Xena" arrive.

JanewayRulz! · May 27, 2011

I'm away on "vacation" and am having "keyboard issues," so the recaps are on hold.

"apologies" as Lucretia would say.

JanewayRulz! · May 27, 2011

Timothy wrote:

I all ways wondered how gabrielle died we know how xena dies but not gabrielle I wonder why? all so favorite episode the land of illusia the first musical season 4 right?
__________________
currently reading star trek:Typhon pact: zero sum game
currently watching xena warrior princess season 1 on dvd
WRESTLING MATTERS PEOPLE
R.I.P Randy Savage aka macho man

(Keyboard is working better, but other computer issues have surfaced so will keep this "short".)

Sorry for missing your post last night, Tim.

I think the reason we don't know "how" gabrielle died, was because it was "immaterial". Gabrielle, the purer soul, didn't need to expunge the deaths of thousands from her psyche or her soul, so the "drama" in her death is the same as everyother "normal" mortal.

Xena, on the other hand, had HUGE issues to deal with on a karmic scale, and her death WAS important.

Thankfully it wasn't "meaningless" like Tasha Yar's in season 1's TNG, or anticlimatic like my dear Admiral Kirk's in "TNG: Generations".

Your fav episode IS one of the very "great" eps of all "Xena times"... It was season 3, "The Bitter Suite" and it helped bring an end to the rift that developed between our two "friends" that year.

This next vid ISN'T from that musical ep, but I offer it in payment for accidently "ignoring" you last night.

JanewayRulz! · May 28, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Act II: (Don't know how far I can go... computer still wonky)

When last we saw Xena, she was diving OUT of a perfectly good window, into the sea a 100 feet below to rescue a certain Amazon Queen of her acquantaince.

Oh, and by the way, she TOOK OUT one of Bellerophon's soldier's in the process, JUST because she could!

Atta girl, Xena!

There's a problem with diving from such a great height... one tends to get "knocked out" when one hits the water!

The act opens with Xena floating face down, unmoving. Luckily for us, (and her) she comes to quickly and sees the burning wreckage of the Amazon ship in the distance.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_107cd.htm

Xena: "Gabrielle." (She prays aloud, then gets down to business. Swimming OUT to the wreckage)

Gabrielle, in the meantime, is doing what all GREAT Amazon Queens do... especially ones trained by Warrior Princesses. She's NOT waiting for someone to rescue HER!

(The Amazons are treading water, far off shore.)
Queen Cyane: "We can't stay here much longer!"
Queen Gwin-Teir: "What'll we do, Gabrielle?!
Queen Gabrielle: "Stay calm! We're taking the gates!" (I thought she said beach, but who knows? I defer to Whoosh.org)
Bame: "But they've got catapults!"
Gabrielle: "We're taking the gates! Go!"

(As the day dawns, the Amazons finally have regrouped on the beach, then they start charging across the beach towards the castle high on the bluff. If you have ever wondered about the term "cannon fodder" or "catapault fodder"... just watch the helicon dailies.)

Gabrielle: "Run!"
Bame: "Ah-h!"

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Amazons' Voices: "Gabrielle! We've gotta move!" "Where is she?!"
Cyane: (The Northern Queen sees the Amazon who was "frightened" on the boat, trying to help a greviously wounded comrade. She runs to her and pulls her away from the wounded and towards where Gabrielle is taking cover) "Tyro! Come on!"
Amazon: (A healthy Amazon tries to pull a wounded one up...) "Come on! Get up! We gotta get out...." (Only to take two arrows in her midriff. She falls dead as her wounded friend mourns)
Tyro: "This is gonna be our graveyard!"
Gabrielle: "We are not dying here!" (Gabby no longer looks pristine/perfect. She's dishelved, and dirty, laying in the wet sand with her troops beside her)
Soldier's Voice: ( from the castle, to his archers) "Fire!"
Gabrielle: "There's cover if we make the sand dunes. We need a diversion to draw out their fire."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_118cd.htm

An Amazon's Voice: "Incoming!"
Gabrielle's Voice: "Trudis, can you do it?"
Trudis: "I'll go." (Perfect Kiwi accent... and the spirit of ANZAC)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_119cd.htm

Gabrielle: "For us." (Unlike Deanna in TNG's holodeck, Gabrielle knows exactly what she needs the first time, and what the consequences of this request will be.)
Trudis: "I'll do it." (Atta girl. Trudis!)
Tyro: (Looks to her Queen in shock) "She's never gonna make it."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_120cd.htm

Gabrielle: "We don't have any other choice."

(Carrying the spirit of her Amazon nation with her, Trudis jumps up and runs forward, drawing the fire of the catapaults on the fortress walls. They find their willing target, and while the "gun crews" try to recycle and rearm, Queen Gabrielle jumps up.)
Gabrielle: "Now! Go! Go! Move! Run! Don't stop! Move! Move! Go! Go!"
Amazon: (Wounded on the beach, still clutching the hand of the Amazon who died trying to save her)"Help! Don't leave us!"

(As the Amazons hit the sand, searching for cover, Queen Cyane and Queen Gabrielle take stock.)

Gabrielle: "Come on! Get down! Stay low! Get down!"
Cyane: (She sits up and looks back to the sea where they had started, and sees an amazing sight!) "Someone's coming out of the water!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_126cd.htm

Amazons: "Huh?"
(Gabrielle's head pops up and she looks at the beach and the figure fighting to RUN out of the surf. I can't tell from her face, if she knows who it is, or who she HOPES it might be, but the catapault team has zero'ed in on the heroine and are lobbing their balls of greek fire at her with slightly less than perfect aim. By the time she's half way up the beach, the chakram on her hip would give her identity away, but I'm sure it didn't take Gabrielle THAT long to identify her!)
Xena: "Gabrielle! Gabrielle!" (She falls down on the beach next to Gabrielle. Now, to be FAIR, she has jumped out of a window, fallen 100 feet to the sea, gotten knocked out, nearly drowned, SWAM out to the wreckage, discovered NO sign of Gabrielle, swam BACK to the shore and ran through the onslaught of ancient artillary, all while STILL wearing her knee high boots!)
Gabrielle: "Xena, what happened?"
(Before our heroine can answer, a very frightened, very angry Amazon interferes)
Bame: "Why didn't you do something?! Why didn't you stop them?! They've got catapaults! We are going to die. We are all going to die!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_129cd.htm

Xena: (At least Xena didn't do the cliche "slap across the face" on the hysterical Amazon) "You listen to me. Yes, they've got catapaults, and yes, we are going to die, if you don't pull yourself together! Ya hear me? All of you, keep calm!" (To the Amazon who dared interrupt her tete e tete with Gabrielle) "Get back. Get back."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_131cd.htm

(act will continue after our thunderstorm.)

JanewayRulz! · May 28, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Act II: continued.
(Lost the darn continuation this am... will try again.)

Recap: Half the Amazons died in their village when Bellerophon attacked and kidnapped Varia.

Xena tried to take out Bellerophon, but was "captured" as his men began to reign greek fire down on the remaining Amazons bobbing in the water on their boat.

Xena broke free from Bellerophon's grasp, and took a header out of the window, into the sea far below before swimming towards the burning wreckage of the ship.

The Amazons have hit the beach, and are being killed right and left by archers on the parapets, and by the catapault crews. Gabrielle has led her women to a place of relative safety, and has just watched Xena rise from the sea like the true "Lady of the Lake", and run to her side.

Meanwhile... back in the castle, Bellerophon continues to play his mind games with the Queen of the Amazons.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_135cd.htm

Bellerophon: "You Amazons deserted Artemis when she needed your worship the most. For that, I will kill each and every one of you."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_136cd.htm

(While back on the beach, the tete e tete goes on...)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_139cd.htm

Xena: "They're being led by Bellerophon. That's the son of Artemis. Do you understand?"
Gabrielle: "He's gonna destroy us."
Amazons: [Yell]
Gabrielle: (She's not frightened, she's humble... there's a difference) "Xena, you should take command. Take it."
Xena: "The Amazons aren't going to listen to me, Gabrielle. You're it. You're it."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_142cd.htm

(And the game continues...)

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Bellerophon: "But, maybe we can come to some kind of understanding."

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Bame: (Kneeling to the far right of Xena, the "irritating" Amazon makes a discovery)"They've stopped. Let's get out of here!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_150cd.htm

Xena: "Stay put."
Tyro: (Crouching between Gabrielle and Xena, the firghtened warrior asks her Queen...) "Shouldn't we make a run for it?"
Gabrielle: "That's what they expect."
(Bame has had enough, and jumps up to charge up the hillock providing their cover)
Tyro: "Ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ame!"
(She jumps up to stop Bame, but Xena and Gabrielle bring her down first.)
Bame: (Braggadocia does not become her)"Come on"
(As she crests the top of the hillock, a flurry of arrows pierce her torso, and she spins backward and falls back down the slope. To add insult to grievous injury, the catapault team fires with pinpoint accuracy and incinerates the poor Amazon as Tyro cries under her Queen's protection.)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_151cd.htm

Tyro: "No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o! No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!"
Xena: "Gabrielle-- I've got an idea."
(Soldier on the parapet: "Ready the catapult!")
Xena: "It won't buy us much time, only seconds, but it's the only chance we've got."

(Xena runs up the hillock and lets her mighty chakram fly over the vast expanse between her and the castle. Just as the fire team lets loose the lever to launch its greek fire payload, the chakram arrives and bursts the payload in place. Burning fire cascades down the catapault and over the men manning the weapon.)
Gabrielle: (To her people huddled behind her.) "Come on."
(Xena turns to the Amazons down the hill and urges them forward.)

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Xena: "Go-o-o-o-o-o-o!"

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Gabrielle: (Half carrying a wounded warrior, the Queen exhorts her people) "Run fast! Move! Go! Go!"

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Xena: "Ru-u-u-u-u-un!"
(Another catapault is firing upon them, and as it explodes it takes down an Amazon Queen. Xena sees it and runs to her aid)
Xena: "Gwyn-Teir! No-o-o-o-o-o! Gwyn-Teir."
(The Warrior Princess hefts the wounded Queen onto her shoulders and runs after the rest of the tribe. As she lays her to rest at the foot of the sand dune, Gabrielle comes to their side. This is a good time to mention that I THINK we have already seen the African Queen , Mawu Ke , die on the beach in the first Amazon charge, taken out by the catapult.)
Gabrielle: "Gwyn-Teir."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_159cd.htm

Xena: [Whispers] "No."
Gabrielle: "At least we're out of the line of fire."
Cyane: (From high on the crest of the sand dune, comes an unexpected cry) "Varia!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_160cd.htm

Tyro: (With Xena and Gabrielle, at the base of the dune) "Wh-why aren't... aren't they firing?"
(Gabrielle and Xena run up the face of the dune, to crouch next to Queen Cyane, and watch as a blindfolded woman struggles to walk across the expanse towards their position.)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_163cd.htm

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_164cd.htm

Act II continues...

JanewayRulz! · May 28, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Act II: concludes

Varia: (Slakes her thirst as she tells her fellow commanders what has happened) "Bellerophon said a queen should die with her tribe."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_166cd.htm

Gabrielle: (She doesn't care about the reason, she's just happy she doesn't have to be "Boss" anymore!) "It's good to have you back, Varia. The troops are waiting for their orders."
Varia: (And the words you thought you'd NEVER hear Varia say...) "We'll wait for nightfall. Then we'll retreat."
Gabrielle: (She's flummoxed!) "Retreat?"
Varia: "I have got to get my troops home to safety."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_171cd.htm

Gabrielle: "Varia, Bellerophon will come after us. He will not rest until the entire Amazon race is annihilated."
Xena: (She may not smell a rat, but she's DEFINATELY suspicious!) "We have to stop him, Varia."
Varia: "How?"
Xena: "If we go by water, we can take up a flanking position on the other side of the fortress."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_174cd.htm

Gabrielle: "I think the wounded will be better off here."
Xena: "They'll be completely defenseless against Bellerophon's men, Gabrielle."
Varia: "I am not leaving any of my soldiers."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_172cd.htm

Gabrielle: "Xena, carrying the wounded will slow us down. More of us will be injured or die." (Then she stops... and thinks as she looks at Xena...

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_180cd.htm

...What would she do, if Xena was one of the wounded?)
Gabrielle: "You're right. I'll tell the others."

And as she walks away, I just don't like the look Varia gives her.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_181cd.htm

The Amazons begin to gather wood to make rafts.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_185cd.htm

On the crest of the sand dune lay two Amazon Queens, scoping out the territory between them and the castle on the hill.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_186cd.htm

Varia: "I was blindfolded, but there was definitely a track they brought me down on. And if I came down... "
Gabrielle: (Oh trusting soul, who forgot the main tenent her mentor drilled into her these last 6 years. ALWAYS tell me FIRST if you are going to do something dangerous!) "... then we can go up."
Varia: (Looks sidelong at her fellow Queen) "Then we won't have to go through the water."
Gabrielle: [Sighs, as she DOESN'T want to take her people through the shark filled waters once again]
Varia: "We'll need a volunteer to find the path."
Gabrielle: (Tired of asking and watching her people die, she makes the supreme sacrifice) "I'll go."

(Meanwhile, back at the foot of the sand dunes, a warrior princess is hard at work...)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_189cd.htm

Xena: (She's just finished making a raft for the wounded to travel on, when she realizes someone is missing. ) "Gabrielle?"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_190cd.htm

As Xena goes off her search for Gabrielle, we see our Queen running half scrunched through the expanse between the crest of the dune and the castle.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_191cd.htm

What's more frightening... is we see VARIA standing on the crest of the dune, with her bow cocked, and an arrow ready to fly... AT Gabrielle!

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_193cd.htm

(As Lucy Lawless said in the commentary track... HEY! At least she feels bad about it! She's crying!)

ACT II ENDS!!!!

JanewayRulz! · May 29, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Act III:

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_193cd.htm

When last we saw Gabrielle, she was running across the wide expanse of beach to the castle on the bluff. Varia, her fellow Queen, was on the crest of the sand dune, with an arrow cocked, ready to let it fly AT her fellow Queen.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_193cd.htm

The video is edited crazily, with scenes mixed from throughout the ep... the pertinent part under discussion begine at 1:24

Suddenly, from nowhere appears a very angry Warrior Princess, stepping in FRONT of the arrow and grabbing it before it can escape the bow.

Turning to her friend making a suicidal run across the expanse, she shouts out one name.

Xena: "Gabrielle!"

A name in a tone that this queen has long learned to obey. Gabrielle turns, sees Varia kneeling with the bow raised, sees Xena standing holding the arrow in place, and then turns back to see a payload from a catapault flying through the air in her direction.

Gabrielle doesn't have to ask twice... she turns and RUNS back towards Xena as the fireballs land behind her. She executes quite the running somersault as a ball of greek fire erupts [minute 1:50] behind her (one which Lucy highly complimented her costar on the commentary track)

Once back to the saftey of the dune, the three women make it back down the face to its base where they are somewhat protected and where Gabrielle can have it OUT with the Amazon "queen". (1:11 and 1:30)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_201cd.htm

Gabrielle: "You... "
Xena's Voice: (Isn't it strange to see XENA have to pull GABRIELLE back from the brink?) "Gabrielle-- "

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_202cd.htm

Gabrielle: "You tried to kill me!"
Xena: (This would be so egotistical... if it wasn't true.) "Let me handle this. Bellerophon promised to spare you all if Varia killed Gabrielle." (She turns from the remaining amazons to look at their guilty queen) "Well, that's it, isn't it? Your tribe for my suffering? (Again... an interesting comment if they are JUST "Best friends forever") "He wouldn't have made good on his promise, Varia."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_205cd.htm

Varia: (To Xena) "He swore on Artemis' grave." (To Gabrielle, who simply raises her arms in disgust. minute 1:06) I'm so... sorry."
Gabrielle: "The Amazons are a sisterhood, Varia. You broke those sacred bonds."
Tyro: (She starts to pull her sword) "She's a traitor to the tribe."
Cyane: (She also pulls her sword, duisgusted at her fellow queen) "Such treason should be punished by death!"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_207cd.htm

Gabrielle: [Interrupts] "I will not have that kind of justice! But she's not coming with us. I can't worry about the enemy and you."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_210cd.htm

Varia: [Sniffs] "As an Amazon queen, I give you my word, I will not harm you."
Xena: (The only NONAmazon present puts in her opinion) "We can't leave her here, Gabrielle."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_211cd.htm

Gabrielle: "I'll take your word, Varia but you are no longer queen." (And with that Queen Gabrielle pulls from Varia's neck to neclace of her office. And NO ONE disputes her right to do so, not even Varia.)

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_213cd.htm

The scene switches to a tracking shot of Gabrielle walking up the face of the sand dune.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_217cd.htm

Soon we see where she's heading. Xena is sitting alone, high on the dune.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_220cd.htm

Its time for one of those great X:WP tete e tete's.

Gabrielle: "You're thinking of giving yourself up to Bellerophon, aren't you?"
Xena: (So says the killer of Artemis)"It would settle things."
Gabrielle: (When did out "little girl" get so wise?) "Only for a moment. Then he would turn around and come after us again."
Xena: (I guess it comes from associating with the right people.) "That's the thing about vengeance, you're never really satisfied." (She turns to face Gabrielle) " You did the right thing about Varia. She doesn't deserve to be condemned."
Gabrielle: (Our Queen has finally cooled down enough to see the whole picture) "She was desperate to save her tribe. I know that."
Xena: "It made her do something she never thought she'd do, just like you're going to have to rally your troops to fight again, maybe die, Gabrielle."
Gabrielle: "If that's what I have to do. Why are you looking at me like that?"

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_226cd.htm

Xena: "Just doesn't seem like the Gabrielle I know."
Gabrielle: "It's not me, Xena, but it is the queen of the Amazons. That's who I am, whether I like it or not."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_228cd.htm

ACT III Continues:

Hey, did I post the portuguese trailer yet?

JanewayRulz! · May 30, 2011

Episode 127: season 6 #15 "To Helicon and Back"

Act III: concludes

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_229cd.htm

The sun is setting, and the Amazons put Xena's plan into action, which means they are returning to the sea from which they escaped umpteen hours ago.

As we watch them quietly swimming through the sea, we see the raft Xena made was for Queen Gwyn-Teir. I assumed she was alive... but we soon see that isn't the case.

Tyro: (Swimming ahead, she spies the enemy) "A shark! I saw a shark!"
Cyane: (The Northern Queen isn't used to swimming with such predatores) "Something brushed my leg! Something big!"
Xena: (Hanging onto the raft with the dead/dying Celtic Queen, the WP keeps her head) "Keep still, everyone! They're drawn to movement."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_232cd.htm

(What she neglects to tell her fellow swimmers, many of whom are wounded, is they are attracted to BLOOD as well. Gabrielle looks about her fellow sisters, and makes yet another choice. She goes up to the raft, and rolls Queen Gwyn-Teir's body off. The Queen is now face down, and not choking, so I assume she's dead.)
Gabrielle: (Whispers to her fellow Queen)"Travel safely, Sister." ( She then pushes her forward before her people, until we see the Celt's body dragged down by the shark.She turns quickly to Xena for reassurance) "Was that honorable? I don't think so."

(On the commentary track, director Michael Hurst got a "?hiss?" from his two stars when he mentioned how he loved the "emotional co-dependency" they had with each other at this next part of the scene)

Xena: (Puts her hand up to comfort the Amazon Queen and asks a simple question.) "Would you have given yourself for her? You sent her spirit in peace, Gabrielle. Forward. Come on."

When next we see our warriors, its day once again and they are on dry land, on the other side of the fortress. Gabrielle is giving her "rally the troops" talk. Producer Rob Tapert warned us in the commentary at the start of this ep that "as written" it was a difficult story for Gabrielle's character. He noted Hurst and others tweaked it to take some of the blood lust off Gabrielle. This speech that she's about to give was rewritten significantly AND frequently, to give it a LESS George Patton feel and a MORE Gabrielle vibe. I think they did a Pretty good job. As did Renee in her quiet, understated delivery.

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http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_234cd.htm

Gabrielle: "Queen Mawu-Ka, Queen Gwyn-Teir, your friend Bame, their blood... on the shores of this land.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_235cd.htm

Our sisters have died, but death is not an end to their spirits. Death, it's a pathway to an afterlife.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_238cd.htm

And when it is my time to join them. I want to know that I can grasp them by the hands,

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_239cd.htm

I can look them all in the eyes, and tell them that their blood was not shed without purpose, that we finished the job that they began.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_242cd.htm

More of us may die today, but the Amazon nation... it will live on...forever.

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_246cd.htm

That is the duty that we carry, and the everlasting honor that we will hold."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_249cd.htm

What a great way to end the Act, with the disgraced queen kneeling while Queen Gabrielle calls them all to task.

ACT III ENDS

Now, as you have guessed from these reviews over the last 8 months, I LIKE that "emotional codependency" our two stars have developed on this show... and we are about to see it in spades! On the commentary track, Hurst mentioned that this scene is the only time in HTLJ and XWP that he shot two camera closeups simultaneously due to them running out of time. So what we see on Lucy is her concurrent reaction to Renee's peformance. The two women loved the way it turned out, as did their director & producer. You MUST rent/buy/netflix to SEE what I'm talking about!

ACT IV begins:

(Gabrielle stands alone, off to the side of her remaining tribeswomen.)
Xena: (Walks up to her friend) "You OK?"
Gabrielle: (Looking over her weapon, trying to stay dispassionate) "Yeah, yeah, I did what I had to do. I rallied the troops."

http://mikes-images.com/eps/thab/pages/thab_mq_255cd.htm

Xena: (The FRIEND can't help but see past the QUEEN's facade.) "Gabrielle, I can see that you're in pain...."
Gabrielle: (Turns quickly to beg the Warrior Princess to cease and desist!) "Xena, don't... don't say that. (As she switches to her normal voice, we see the pain play out over BOTH faces) Don't try to make me feel better about this. Half of my tribe lies dead on the beach. Now, I have to be as cold... and ruthless as I can be. I'll do whatever I have to to keep these women alive."

http://miroirdarc.com/xwp/s6/thab/tcS6_THAB_356.jpg

Xena: "Let's end this now, then. You know what you have to do."

I can't find the screencap to prove it, but once again the scene ends with us looking at the disgraced Varia, overhearing her counterpart's pledge.

Actually, I found a video with it... 3:08

ACT IV Continues....

JanewayRulz! · May 30, 2011

An aside... I found a "deleted scene" that was supposed to come just before Gabrielle's exhortation to the troops.

Here's what's NOT in the episode.

Any Xena:WP fans on the boards?

Vice Admiral

Rear Admiral

Fleet Captain

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Fleet Captain

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Rear Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

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