Any Xena:WP fans on the boards?

Perfect.

If you pull that off, you MUST take pictures and post them. I bet Xena's armor and Gabrielle's outfit wouldn't be that hard to find or make, but Joxer's goofy helmet and armor would be a challenge.

 

^ Not really. As mentioned on the show, Joxer's armor is just a pasta strainer. Should be pretty easy to find in a thrift store.

 

Realizing that my Xena watching was compressed into 4 weeks, I was always struck by the length and breadth of her "travel". I decided she was the "Prince Valiant" of her day, since his Sunday comic travels are at least as extensive if not more so.

Given the amount of time Xena spent in China during her Borias days, her experiences with Lao Ma, and her return to China during season 3's "The Debt"eps and season 5's "Purity" and "Back in the Bottle" eps... it was "okay" with me to discover Xena still has other mysteries for me to learn. Discovering Xena's travels went as far east as Japan was "kewl", in my thinking. She out traveled even the "famed" Marco Polo, which is "only right".

I assumed the Japan trip happened after her encounter with Lao Ma, making Xena more vulnerable to Akemi's adoration. It also makes sense when you think of how she overreacted to Borias' protestations of love. Xena didn't want anyone else to love her, after what Akemi put her through!

"Xena:Warrior Princess" was a special series that ended three times.... once with "Many Happy Returns" with Xena giving Gabby the love poem, once with "Soul Possessions" where future Xena and Gabby finally get into the right bodies and defeat Ares once again, and once with "Friend in Need", where Xena exorcises demons she didn't even know she had attached to her soul.

Expelliramos! (sp?)

You must be very brave... "early years" Gabrielle probably comes with jealous Xena who will beat the tar out of you, and later years Gabrielle will just beat the tar out of you on her own.

Oh, right, thats the idea!

Dressing up as Joxster.... now its a secure man who will be seen in public wearing a vegetable strainer on his chest.

 

WOW, I had no idea it was a pasta strainer. They hid it well .

 

Now what makes you think my fantasy Xena wouldn't be into it too?

 

Speaking of "dressing as Joxster", I note a "lot" of Xena costumes are avail at amazon.com, but NOT ONE Joxster!

I am so surprised.

I'm making my way through various eps again, to get a second look and several things have struck me. One, that "The Debts" occured right after Gabrielle went through her ordeal with the pregnancy and the "murder" of her child (not). It must have really stung Gabby to not only have Xena throw her over for this other woman, but to do it right after Gabby supposedly made such a sacrifice for Xena.



It also struck me, that after going "through" their ordeal in China, where Xena had to basically sit in the watery prison and learn to become one with Lao Ma's teachings ...

LM: "Fill yourself with desire and see only illusion. Empty
yourself of desire and understand the great mystery of things."

LM: "The entire world is driven by a will-- blind and ruthless. In order to transcend the limitations of that world, you need to stop willing-- stop desiring-- stop hating."




LM: "Heaven endures-- and the Earth lasts a long time, because they do not live for themselves. Therefore, she would live a long time-- should live for others-- serve others."

X: "Serve Ming. I'd rather die."
LM: "You've been a dead woman for a long time now, Xena. I'm offering you the chance to live."


LM: "To conquer others is to have power; to conquer yourself is to know the way."

After going to China out of a sense of love and duty to Lao Ma... that these two would so quickly forget everything that they meant to each other, and allow themselves to be manipulated by outside events (Hope) and suffer the consequences of same.


There are certain lines that just stand out in Neon for me, when I watch this show.

Last night, rewatching "Maternal Instincts" I just shivered when Gabrielle tried to connect with Xena over Solon's death, and Xena just looked at her and said... “No. Don’t you even speak his name.”

[COLOR=rgb(129, 0, 129)] [/COLOR]

[COLOR=rgb(129, 0, 129)] [/COLOR]

I have to admit, I really liked "The Bitter Suite"... even more when I realized that Xena was speaking equally to Solon as she was to Gabrielle when she sang...

Yes, I lied.
Thought I could protect you from the truth.
Deliver you from evil,
Spare your innocence and youth.
That I could simply will it
Was the real untruth.

I was wrong.
I wore a mask to cover my deceit.
But underneath it all
I couldn't keep away my doubt.
Now I'm left without a mask
And one question left to ask. I'm sorry, please help me, forgive me.
Don't hate me, don't leave me, forgive me.
Forgive me my debt as only you could.
Forgive me the hate; replace evil with good.


Sigh. And to think after all that touchyfeely exposition between these two, the very next ep... "One Against an Army" would ramp the emotion up another 20 notches.

G: "Help me."
X: "Hey. Hey. I'm here."
G: "Xena."
X: "Yes?"
G: "You've got to take me with you-- teach me everything you know. You can't leave me here in Poteidaia. I wanna go with you. I've studied the stars-- spoken with philosophers-- and I have the gift of prophecy. I can be very valuable to you. Take me with you. I want so much to be like you."
X: "And I want to be like you."

---

X: "You always said that I was the brave one. Look at you now. If this is to be our destiny, let's see it out together. Even in death, Gabrielle-- I will never leave you."

---

X: "But you're my source, Gabrielle. When I reach down inside myself and do things that I'm not capable of, it's because of you. Don't you know that by now? Let's just see this one through together, all right?"

That last line makes me go directly to season 6's "When Fates Collide" and the Empress is speaking with the Playwright for the first time."

X: "In the third act, you had your hero throw himself over the cliff with no fear of dying-- all for her. Do you really believe that kind of love exists?"
G: "That's what we all dream about, isn't it? Someone who
looks so deeply into our soul that-- they'd find something worth dying for."

Little did the author know.....

 

Sooooo... your fantasy Xena is actually Meg?



Sadly, there aren't a "lot" of good Meg vids on Youtube...




However, this one might amuse....(especially like the last line..."She's planning my DOOM, I know it!"



Had fun revisiting part of season 4 today... the whole trip to India with a side stop in "Paradise".

I really liked the Yin & Yang motifs through "Paradise Found", especially since it paralleled our two women so well. Xena being "evil" with a touch of "good" during her formative years, and Gabby being Good with a touch of evil. (Hey, don't forget, Gabby has killed by now) Loved the bed with the motif, and the women dressed all white/all black. And of course, loved the end, when Gabrielle admits that she always looked at Xena's dark side as a disease, but without it, Gabby would have ended up a blue statue and Xena would have joined Lt Gar's roving band of mad men.

Of course, I loved India since it saw the return of Alti, the Shamanesse we love to hate.

Also loved the idea of these two souls reconnecting through the years, or as the producer said when he quoted "The Muppet Movie" (Glad I'm not the only one who does that) "there isn't a word for old friends who've just met." Xena as the ancient "Mother of Peace" and Gabrielle as the hot young Warrior Sultan... who'd a thunk it? I have to admit, I don't think the painting scene would have been quite as sensual if the Sultan and Mother were depicted instead of our 2 Greeks.

(There are at least 2 versions of this song on the xena playlists, but this is the best IMHO)




Sigh.

Poor old arthritic peace loving Xena before the battle.

Xena:"Here, You're the hero."

Gabrielle: "Xena, the 'Mother of Peace' would have been a Goddess to me."



You know, Xena had a lot of close calls in India.... she nearly offed herself with her own Chakram while fighting Alti, and she got her arms cut off when fighting Indrajit. Man, that HAD to hurt!

I did like the arc they had this season, where both women are trying to find their "way", and how Xena thought Gabrielle's "choice" at the end of the final India ep; "The Way" meant they should no longer travel together.

(Xena has just watched Gabrielle walk down to the river and toss her fighting staff away into the water.)
Xena: "So, it's the way of love for you, huh?"
Gabrielle: "Yeah. Yours is the way of the warrior. I think I've always known that."
Xena: "And I've always known that it was wrong for you. I'm sorry I took you so far from your truth."
Gabrielle: "Don't be sorry. Xena-- do you think I could have understood the power of selfless love-- if it weren't for our friendship?"
Xena: "Still, I think maybe you should travel with Eli for a while."
Gabrielle: "No. You and I stay together."
Xena: "Gabrielle, we're headed in opposite directions in life."
Gabrielle: "All rivers run to the sea. We'll end up in the same place; I'm sure of it...... Thank you."
Xena: "For what?"
Gabrielle: "For not mentioning dams."
Xena: "You're welcome."


Eventually they'll discover what Xena said in "Family Affair" was true for both of them.

Gabrielle: "It's over-- or is it? Xena? Do you ever? Do you get the feeling that sometimes-- nothing is really over? You know, it just-- keeps coming back around, but it's-- it's wearing a different face. It's-- it's the same underneath. Do you know what I mean?"
Xena: "Sure. I was trapped in a cycle of violence and hatred. And no matter how I tried to break free, something always pulled me back-- until you."
Gabrielle: "Xena-- "
Xena: "No, it's true. You talk about trying to find your way, but to me, you are my way."
Gabrielle: "How can I be your way, when I-- I'm lost, myself?"
Xena: "I'm searching for answers, too. But how we look for them doesn't matter-- as long as we look for them together-- you and me."

Yes, season 4 had some "not so great" eps ("The play's the thing" comes immediately to mind), but these and others make it a stand out. Look at "Crusader", aka "When Joan of Arc goes wrong", and its sequel "The Convert". We see the "searching" Gabrielle AND the "guilty" Xena initially fall for Najara's line of bull... and then we see Xena literally fall under the zealot's brutal attack, saved only by the love of her friend.


Najara: "In the name of the light! I smite the darkness!"
Gabrielle: "What?! No-o-o-o-o! You'll have to kill us both."
Najara: "You don't understand, Gabrielle-- that darkness inside her will destroy you one day."
Gabrielle: "Put the sword down. Najara-- you and I-- we'll walk out of here together."
Najara: "You're just saying that to protect her."
Gabrielle: "Xena's dark side frightens me. I need to move on, but I could never live with someone who killed her. There would be no going back from that."

Xena was so much quicker than I at understanding Najara's motivation when she came "to" after that beating. Then again, I didn't carry that particular "millstone" around my neck that Xena did for 4 years.


Xena [Sighs]: "Some water. (Pulls a molar out of her mouth) I hate that. I got my butt whipped, didn't I?"
Boy: "Uh-huh."
Xena: "Well, it serves me right for trusting someone who talks about being _good_ all the time. You know what? She's a tough girl-- but she's got a weakness. It's the same one I've got."



Half a season later, Najara thankfully returned. It was nice seeing the "villian" as being Xena's competitor not just in physicality, strength, tactics, but as a competitor for the thing Xena seems to value most... Gabrielle.


Najara: "You're awfully quiet, Xena. But then, you never were one to waste words."
Xena: "Nothing's changed."
Najara: "Including me-- is that it? You're wrong."
Xena: "New outfit-- new religion-- same old wacko underneath."
Najara: "Yet you claim to have changed. Why can't I? After all, we both had the same inspiration-- Gabrielle."
Xena: "Ih."
Najara: "But unlike you, I've changed my whole life for her. You've just changed sides."
Xena: "You hurt Gabrielle, and I will change you in ways that are anything _but_ peaceful."
Najara: "You forget-- hurting Gabrielle is _your_ job. Or have those visions gone away? You know, the visions of your death _and_ hers? I wanna share a life of peace with Gabrielle. You wanna share a violent death. You tell _me_ who's the villain here-- me or you."

And later, Najara becomes an oracle, telling Gabrielle what will happen "soon" in "Ides of March"... if only Gabs would listen.


Gabrielle: "Najara-- I think what you're doing is wonderful-- giving up fighting, working through peace-- and starting a hospice would be good for you. But it's not for me. My place is with Xena."
Najara: "I know-- and it always will be-- until her continuing violence -- finally makes her do something even _you_ can't
excuse."
Gabrielle: "That's not going to happen."
Najara: "It has to. And then you will have to choose-- not between me and Xena-- but between Xena-- and your own soul."




Gabrielle, you chose wisely.

 

There's no "T" in "Joxer"

 

No "s" either! I blame my error on Lucy's accent!

Now, to make it up to Joxer....

serious...





sweet....





Funny.... the girl all the bad guys want...



VERY funny!



I was surfing for Xena related info today, and found a 5 year old "article" that people may find interesting...

http://www.cathyyoung.net/features/whatweowexena.html

This is from 8/2010, and I thought the interviewer was a little ballsy to admit he hadn't seen any of the shows before coming to see the actress. Hopefully he's rectified that oversight by now.

His "con" report...

http://billmadison.blogspot.com/2010/08/xena-philia-with-renee-oconnor-and-her.html

His Interview... geez, Renee is a beautiful woman.

http://billmadison.blogspot.com/2010/09/interview-renee-oconnor.html

I also found a great quote site, but alas it only contains season 1-3.

http://designingweb.net/jobrown/xena.html

Although its not my "fav" quote, it really does set the tone for these two women....

Xena: "All right, the rules of survival: #1. If you can run, run. #2. If you can't run, surrender, then run. #3. If you're outnumbered, let them fight each other while you run. #4..."
Gabrielle: "Wait...more running?"
Xena: "No, four is where you talk your way out of it, and I know you can do that."

-- Xena and Gabrielle in "Dreamworker"

I can't make this "all" about Joxer and Gabrielle... can I?

This made me cry like Gabrielle... Xena & Solon (Her son).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FotuFXk_PTY

Xena and Cyrene... (her Mom)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoaaV0YN_VU

Hey Mom...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKWkugRYwMo&feature=related

Xena & Eve (Her daughter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J7UNSygE98

Its so interesting, when you look back over the series, at the breadth of family that we see associated with this woman. We see her estranged and reunited with her Mother, then we see her "taken away" from that Mother and reunited yet again after death.

We see the same with her son...

As for her daughter, we see her taken away for 25 years (and BSG thought they were unusual when they jumped 2 years) and see how that daughter became Xena's worst nightmare...

As for her father... well, we know what happened to him, don't we Cyrene. Talk about Greek tragedy!

But lets move onto Greek comedy. Or, at least Southern Greek comedy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARmX_PVfZv4

And this final vid is in reference to something Gabby asked Xena when she found out Xena was pregnant.

"When did we last see Hercules?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGkHDp3l6z8

 

Rewatched season 2's "Remember Nothing", when the Fates give Xena a chance to relive her life. This time she didn't fight Cortese, and her brother didn't die... but her Mother did.

Xena stood over her Mother's grave and gave this speech which tugged at my heart strings...

“Mother-- I never meant for this to happen. I just wanted
that boy’s life back. And now, I’ve got another chance at life,
too. So, I’m gonna take it. The hardest thing is losing you
and Gabrielle. But it makes it easier just knowing that in this
life, I never shamed you. And Gabrielle never-- left her
family, and I never led Lyceus to die in battle. And I know
that’s what you would have wanted. It’s like Xena, Warrior
Princess, never existed. But the world’s a better place without
her.”

Like Jimmy Stewart in "Its a Wonderful Life", Xena is taught that the world wasn't necessarily a better place without the Warrior Princess...

In the dungeon, the peaceful Xena is talking to the enslaved Gabrielle...

Xena: “Gabrielle? If it wasn’t for me, none of this would have
happened.”
Gabrielle: “You’re right. If it wasn’t for you-- I would never have
known how it felt to be free again. I don’t know whether to
thank you or to hate you.”
Xena: “Hate me?”
Gabrielle: “At least, before, I’d forgotten what a real life was. You
showed me all of that. You gave me hope. You made me think
that maybe it wasn’t too late for me. But now--”
Xena:“I’m sorry.”
Gabrielle: “I reminded you of your friend.”
Xena: “No, you are my friend.”

What struck me the most, is that Xena realized she couldn't have it both ways, she couldn't have her friend's innocence and her brother's life, when she saw Gabrielle kill the Warlord with such glee.

And the ending was fantastic.... Xena couldn't save her brother, but she stopped herself from killing someone else's brother....

Gabrielle: “He dropped something. It’s a Virillus token. (Xena snakes her arm around Gabrielle's back to hug her.) Huh! What’s this for?”
Xena: “Just for being you.”
Gabrielle: “Uh-huh. Are you OK?”
Xena: “Mmm.”
Gabrielle: “You don’t seem yourself.”
Xena: “No, you’re wrong-- I’m more myself than ever.


All we needed, was a bell at the end, reassuring us that Lyceus had been given his wings.

 

Hmmmm.

Today I went "all the way back" to season 1... "The Sins of the Past", Xena's premiere episode, and "Chariots of War". I like that despite Xena's redemption by Hercules in the "Unchained Heart", she has a long way to go to redeem her reputation in these first eps. You know its going to be a lon uphill battle, when even your Mother is ashamed of you and distrusts your motives.

My only "complaint" about "Sins of the Past" is that we don't hear the plea that Lucy Lawless said in a commentary was what Gabrielle said to Xena when they first met. You know, the one that was supposedly "repeated" in season 3's "One against an Army".

You've got to take me with you-- teach me everything you know. You can't leave me here in Poteidaia. I wanna go with you. I've studied the stars-- spoken with philosophers-- and I have the gift of prophecy. I can be very valuable to you. Take me with you. I want so much to be like you."

Otherwise, I really liked the ep, and liked the way they recalled little things in later eps like in season 2's "Remember Nothing" when Xena is staring at Lyceus' face and he asks if its dirty. In the premiere, when she visited Lyceus' grave she blew the dirt from the head of his sarcophagus and teased his memory about never being able to keep his face clean.

I also marveled at the gumption, that's all I can call it, of Gabrielle to strike off for places unknown. Out witting a cyclops, tricking a peddler out of a ride just to follow Xena, someone she met just once. Especially since the young lady couldn't even beat up her "younger sister" in a fair fight.

After viewing the entire run, I also marvel at how the first two eps show Xena quite interested in the opposite sex, first with Draco the warlord, and then Darius the man of peace. Heck even shy retiring Gabrielle outwits a drunk by throwing herself into the arms of a junior warlord (her "tree in the forest") and in the process nearly falls head over heels for him.

Fav line from episode 2?

Oh, there are sooo many in this one exchange alone....

(Gabrielle is on Xena's galloping horse, unable to slow him/unable to control him. Xena is coming along side in a speeding chariot.)
Xena: “Hold on! I’m coming! Jump!”
Gabrielle: “Are you crazy?!”
Xena: “Jump!”
Gabrielle: “If I die, I’ll never talk to you again!”
Xena: “Jump, Gabrielle-- come on! Jump! (Gabrielle jumps/falls from the horse onto Xena's chariot)
Xena: You call that a jump?!”
Gabrielle: “No, it was a frantic leap! Best I could do!”
Xena: “Hold the reins. (She stops to look for her weapon) I’ve lost my chakram!”
Gabrielle: “Is that supposed to be funny?!”


But I'll go with Xena's exasperated comment to Gabrielle as she recognized the driver of the chariot chasing them...

Xena: “Don’t tell me that’s him.” (Gabrielle's "tree in the forest" aka soulmate.)
Gabrielle: “Afraid so.”
Xena: “Remind me to talk to you sometime about your taste in men.”

Hmmmm. Xena, you should talk!

 

Episode 3....

Fav Lines?

(Gabrielle just attacked a stump with Xena's sword, and got it stuck.)

Xena: “Are you finished with my sword?”
Gabrielle: “Don’t do that!”
Xena: “This is not a plaything.”
Gabrielle: “I said I’d get some wood. I didn’t say _how_ I was going to
get it.”
Xena: “You’re lucky the tree was unarmed. You could’ve been hurt.”

This is the ep that the great "rules of survival" came from... you know...


Xena: "#1. If you can run, run. #2. If you can't run, surrender, then run. #3. If you're outnumbered, let them fight each other while you run. #4..."
Gabrielle: "Wait...more running?"
Xena: "No, four is where you talk your way out of it, and I know you can do that."

A few moments later...

Bad guy: “Sweetie--”
Xena: “Trouble.”
Bad guy: “Easy pickings.”
Gabrielle: “Is this the ‘run’ part?”
Xena: “Not yet, but just be ready.”

I had forgotten not only where these rules came from when I posted it, but how well it dovetailed into the story so that Gabrielle was able to protect herself/her soul by following her mentor's message. I also liked how important it was to Xena to keep her "squire" (that's all I can think of in these early eps, when I watch Gab's walk next to the horse as Xena is riding.) from losing her "blood innocence". In other words, to avoid taking a life.

Of course, it takes half the ep for Gabby to learn the truth behind these lessons. That's why she foolishly buys (and hides) a breast dagger between her "assets".

Gabrielle: “Did you get your sharpening stone?”
Xena: “No. What’s the matter with you?”
Gabrielle: “What do you mean?”
Xena: “I don’t know. You just seem-- bigger.” (Gabs is standing with her chest thrust forward quite prominently)
Gabrielle: “Oh! Hmm! No, I’m not. It’s just this mountain air. I
feel motivated.”
Xena: “You didn’t find a sorcerer to enhance your motives, did
you?”
Gabrielle: “No. Would you get over it? Ooh-- Ah! (the breast dagger falls out of its hiding place, since Gabby's assets aren't quite up to "specs")Wow! Look at you
look at that? I wonder what else is in these clothes? They’re
hand-me-downs, you know? I know-- wisdom before weapons.”
Xena: “I’ll keep this for the time being.” (Xena picks up the dagger and places it under her armor/between her breasts.)
Gabrielle: “Hah! It’s not like your breasts aren’t dangerous enough. (Xena looks about, steely warrior gaze coming to the fore) That was a joke You can laugh. (Gabs realizes somethings not right as the villagers all run into hiding.) What’s going on?”
Xena: “Get on the horse.”


Funniest visual joke?

The blind mystic is trying to convince Xena its impossible for her to rescue Gabrielle, "It will take you months..." The mystic has Xena by the shoulders, and starts feeling the muscles in her upper arms, then corrects himself. "days... to fight your way in."

I am really enjoying the relationship that has already formed between these two women during their first 3 shows...

Gabby is sleeping, and she meets the real Xena traveling the dreamscape to rescue her.

Xena: “Wait-- I don’t know if you’re real or not.”
Gabrielle: “You don’t know if I’m real? This is my dream. I’m the only one who is real.”
Xena:“Tell me something about you I don’t know.”
Gabrielle: “How’s that going to prove anything?”
Xena: “Morpheus can guess anything I know. Tell me something about you, I don’t know.”
Gabrielle:" “Very well. All right. N-- nobody but my mother knows this. I had six toes on my right foot when I was born. (Xena looks down at Gabs feet) Don’t look! It’s gone now!”
Xena: “It must be you. Yeah, it must be you. Morpheus would have used something vaguely familiar to me. My Dreamscape Passage andyour dream must be overlapping.”
Gabrielle: (Gabs fingers at the ethereal purple gown Xena is wearing)“Nice outfit.”



And in the end... when Xena FINALLY shows up to save the day...

Gabrielle: “Xena! (Gabs throws her sword at Xena) Catch! I knew you’d come! Well, I thought you would. I almost gave up on you.”
Manus: “You have no idea what kind of enemy you’ve made.Morpheus will not be denied. You think he’s just going to let you walk out of here?” (Gabby punches Manus in the face)
Gabrielle: “Punching’s all right?”
Xena: “I’m impressed.”



Despite the fun, this ep was filled with philosophy which belies the breast plated armor, short skirts and sword play that many of us thought the show was limited to.

 

So, you really like the show, then?

 

Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far. Its a mild diversion while I'm waiting to see Mulgrew's Cleopatra this weekend.



Yes, I really do like the show, and I have a fellow poster on the Voy board to thank for opening my eyes to it. Now, I'm trying to entice you old fans to the fore to chat it up, or sway others to give it a go.

Rewatched "Cradle of Hope" tonight , with Pandora's grandaughter carrying her family's shame, and Xena (Of COURSE!) making everything alright in the end. Loved the insight into Xena's own sentimentality when she asked the King to name the baby Gabriel... which was what Gabrielle wanted to name him. (When Gabs exclaimed, "Can we keep him?" I half expected Xena to say, "He's not a stray puppy!" )

I shudder everytime Lucy does that trick with the "breathing fire" gag. They use body doubles for everything to "protect the star" and then they put her in harms way with a flammable substance. Maybe Xena's producers should have called up Pepsi and asked how much they had to pay Michael Jackson when their fire stunt went horribly wrong. I was very happy to hear on one of the commentaries that at the end of the series TPTB started using CGI to simulate the trick.

For people who just want to laugh.




For people who just want to laugh out loud!



For people who just like these two friends...

(deleted vid replaced with...)

 

(PS: "Antony & Cleopatra" was great, although I "may" be a little biased! )

Ahhhh, "The Path Not taken" is next. Still season 1.

Second time through, I can see how fans (and Renee O'connor) rankled under the naivete of Gabrielle and how she was so often the cause of her own problems.

No matter.



I KNOW things will get better.

This early in the series, its nice to find that "someone" was Xena's friend before Gabrielle, and I mean that in a variety of ways. Xena and Marcus really did seem to have chemistry, didn't they?




(Can't wait till he reappears.)



Loved the way Xena played Msenteus (sp?) in various scenes, esp in the grotto.

And last but not least, I really like that funeral dirge that made its first appearence in this ep.



Great voice, Lucy.

 

Xena, season 1, "The Reckoning"...

My only nitpick... Xena's hairdo after she punches poor Gabrielle in the jail looks like Charo's. And that's not good.

Okay... now onto the good stuff.

ARES!



Loved the fact that not only is this the first time we see him, its the first time Xena "sees" him.

Enjoyed the way she studies him as they have each encounter, and how the way she reacts to him each time changes.

I also like the way he not only goads her with stories of her past glories and violent triumphs, he TELLS us how she can summon forth "that super mortal strength" of hers to break chains and escape her foes which she then promptly does... and then we see how in her blood lust she can't tell the difference between friend and foe.

Poor Gabrielle. She's lucky she wasn't killed.

Poor Xena, she's not only lucky Gabrielle didn't die... she's lucky Gabrielle even came back.



I like the fact that not only does Gabrielle gain insight into Xena... but that Xena gains insight into herself.

"Once again, you could have escaped if you chose. We do not understand you." says the magistrate.

"I realized that it doesn't matter whether I killed your friends or not. I've done a lot worse in my time... AND I guess I'm capable of it again. You saw what I did to my best friend."

Sometimes its the little things that strike me when I watch the episodes.

Tonight it was Gabrielle not only conquering her fear of the rampaging Xena, but conquering her fear of the tall and distrustful Argo. Twice this day she mounted Argo with Xena's help/encouragement, but in the end she climbed up on the horse alone, to rescue her friend.

When was the last time we saw her do that?




And finally, I like how the two friends found a way to come together in the end.

I just wish Gabby was smart enough NOT to punch a "brick wall!"

 

Taking a little break to surf youtube.... and found a few versions of the warrior princess intro...

If there was a season 7, this might have been the intro... (Love the red dress in the Roman chair)



An intro for the finale... "Friend In Need".

[vid deleted]

Two intros for "Gabrielle: Warrior Princess"... first the "serious" one...

[vid deleted]

and then, the "NOT" so serious one....

[vid deleted]

How about... "Callisto: Warrior Queen"????




Nothing to do with intros... just a great vid about the two costars..."Total Eclipse of the Heart"...



Oh, and another video about that "other" couple in the series.



Good golly! This is the Xena/Gabrielle version!

 

Season 1: "The Titans", AKA When will Gabrielle ever learn?

Fav line?

There are several. The teaser is a good place to start.

Xena: “Don’t be sorry, Gabrielle-- just improve."

Or in act 1... when the Titan says to Xena...

Crias: “We honor all friends of the virgin goddess.”

Gabby responds...

Gabrielle: “You know-- I’d-- I’d rather you not tell everybody I’m a
virgin-- it’s kind of personal-- You know what I mean.

Watching the commentaries on season 2 helps me to understand Gabrielle more. Lucy was complaining about how difficult it was to watch Gabrielle and Perdicus kissing on their wedding night, because she couldn't take watching "teenagers" kiss.

My problem is that I know "Renee" the actress is only a few years younger than Lucy, but Gabrielle the character is supposedly 8-10 years younger than Xena. Which means she's not only ignorant of many things, she's just plain immature. Xena won't let the kid have a breast dagger, so who in their right mind would give her three Titans to supervise?

As much as I fault Gabrielle for letting the vicarious power of the Titans go to her head, I have to admit Xena certainly should have done better when supervising the kid. Did she forget, like I did, that for all her loquaciousness she's still just a kid?

Next fav line? When the Titans wise up about Gabrielle, and try to go "up" against Xena...

Hyperion: (he blows Gabrielle over with just a breath.) “She’s NOT a goddess! How could I blow a goddess down? She’s a mere mortal. And she was giving orders to
Titans-- lords of the Earth. We’re gonna take all the food in this village. And nobody better get in our way. And you (points to Gabrielle) --come with us.”

Xena: “No, she’s not going anywhere.”

Hyperion: “Who-- are you?”

Xena: “Let’s just say, I’m the sacred one’s protector.”

Hyperion: “Protector? You’re-- gonna protect her-- from us?”

Xena: “If I have to.”

Hyperion: [Laughs]


You gotta love a mentor that refuses to desert you in your hour of need, even when you keep making mistakes.

"Don't apologize, Gabrielle, just improve!

I like how despite all Xena's done and continues to do, the villagers keep distrusting her and keep trying to betray her to the Titans. And despite all the mistakes THEY keep making, Xena keeps coming back, keeps giving them a second chance.

Man: “You betrayed someone who saved our children. And now you
wanna bring us further disgrace by turning two more innocent
people over to the Titans.”
Blue Woman: “The Titans are indestructible. We have to get in
good with them. Now, we’ve already given them the Warrior
Woman. If we bring them these two, they might take mercy on
us.”
Xena: “Wrong.”
Gabrielle: “Xena!”
Man: “She’s back!”
Phyleus(Gabby's boytoy/monk): “She got away!”
Gabrielle: “After you’ve been around her for a while, you come to
expect these things.”

I love that line!

The problem is that Gabrielle is just as dense as the villagers that keep trying to turn Xena over to the bad guys, and even though she of all people should know better, she's still too immature to accept the realities of life.

#1 Xena usually knows what she's talking about
#2 Xena is usually looking out for our best interests, even if she's not always so good at communicating same.

Its early morning and Xena is waking her crew to go after the Titans. She finds Gabrielle in bed with Phyleus the young monk. (Both fully clothed)

Xena: “Hey-- come on. You ready?”
Phyleus: “Is it time?”
Xena: “Yeah.” (Phyleus walks away leaving Gabs to confront Xena)
Gabrielle: “What’s the matter?”
Xena: “Nothing, I just--”
Gabrielle: “Thought I did something without thinking?”
Xena: “Well, if you did, it’s none of my business.”
Gabrielle: “Yeah, that’s right, it isn’t!”
Xena: “Look, if this is about what I said before, I was tired.”
Gabrielle: “You think I’m just a kid.”
Xena: “No I don’t. I just don’t have time to convince you right
now. We’ve got work to do.”

Xena, take it from me... whenever you say something like... "I don't have time to convince you"... either take the time or tie the teenager up!

One of the things I like about this show is that you really see growth on the part of both characters. Gabrielle, for all her youth and naivete will mature. She refuses to let go of her trusting nature, she refuses to let go of her ability to love "strangers", but she does learn caution. Xena, for her part, learns to temper discipline and instruction with patience and love.

Speaking of love, I love the end, as the two prepare to leave the temple.

Gabrielle: “Are you ready?”
Xena: “Will be, as soon as you answer one question.”
Gabrielle: “What’s that?”
Xena: “Why did you risk your life by going into that cavern
alone?”
Gabrielle: “I wanted to make up for what I did, so that you wouldn’t
hate me.”
Xena: “For your information, I could never hate you. Your heart’s
always in the right place.”
Gabrielle: “Even when I tried to rule the world with the Titans?”
Xena: “Everybody makes mistakes.”
Gabrielle: “Well, what about when I got myself kidnapped so I could
stop a war.”
Xena: “Hey, that took a lot of guts on your part.”
Gabrielle: “What about when I, I got your horse’s reins tangled?”
Xena: “Look-- the point is, we’re friends. And, we shouldn’t let
things like that come between us.
Come on.
(As they leave the temple Xena adds)
Gabrielle?”
Gabrielle: “Yeah?”
Xena: “Don’t you ever touch my horse again.”
Gabrielle: “Right.”

 

Actually think Xena is my favourite show.

Lucy and Rene have an obvious chemistry (just see them together at cons or doing commentaries) which adds a bit extra to the show.

Then to be blessed with the likes of Raimi, Urban, and of course Campbell in supporting roles.

Xena is a warrior first and foremost, she fights only when she must, but let's face it can't hide the exhilaration of combat. That's when she's in her element.

Gabrielle on the other hand evolves over the 6 seasons. And seeing the young bard's often traumatic journey, where she tries to get Xena to teach her to kill Callisto, her encounter with Dahak, Hope and her final adventure with her soulmate can be heartrending - even for an old cynic like me!

I also just finished a re-watch of Hercules having FINALLY got the series off ebay from Germany, also a good show a bit lighter than Xena though. And what's with the 8 episode final season?

Still, even with being cancelled they were able to do a conclusion. How many shows get that?

 

That book wouldn't happen to be 'Battle On'? If so it's winging it's way from Australia to me.

It's a shame publishers didn't continue the fiction line, from the fanfic out there, there seems a still interested market, though there's a LOT of subtext stuff out there!

I was working on a fic of my own based on Gabby after FIN when she strikes out on her own (partly because most people who write stuff based then completely throw away Xena's redemption by having her come back), but it's grown into a bit of a monster!