From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V2 #67 Reply-To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sender: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk chakram-refugees-digest Tuesday, March 12 2002 Volume 02 : Number 067 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [Mark & Denise [KTL ] [none] ["Cheryl Ande" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:13:51 +1300 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] On Monday 11 March 2002 07:12, Xwpacolyte@aol.com wrote: > Spoiler space for and > > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > 0 > > In a message dated Sat, 9 Mar 2002 15:44:50 -0500, "Cheryl Ande" > writes: > > << I don't know if there is a rational reason. Personally I think Ares > was playing the odds. He knows Xena and Athena and he was aware neither > one was going to give in. They would battle it out until one or the other > was dead. So he had a choice when Eve died he could have done nothing and > Athena would have killed Xena. If Athena won she would have been his major > rival for power (both are war gods) so he would have been locked in > perpetual power struggle. If Xena won he would be top dog because he really > didn't pose a threat to Eve - - remember he didn't want to kill Eve. The > problem of course is that Eve was > now dead so he took a chance. Restore Eve and Gabrielle he would lose his > godhood but he would still be alive and Xena would be in his debt. You > never can tell he might be able to get his godhood back and when he did no > Athena to challenge him. A caculated risk. Also I think he did this out > his love for Xena and I think also liked and respected Gabrielle. So he > was in a win win position here. >> > > > You know, I didn't think about it at the time but I believe there's a big > ole YAXI here. Didn't Ares just waive his hand in and > resurrect 3 villagers who had been dead several days? But to bring back > Eve & Gabrielle, who were barely dead, he had to give up his godhood? Was > there some explanation for this that I missed? > > XWPacolyte > Cupid and Psyche... Antony and Cleopatra... Xena and Gabrielle. Two possibilities: 1. In The Reckoning, he killed the three villagers himself in the first place. Maybe that makes it easier for him to resuscitate them. 2. In Motherhood, he was tied up with the chains of Hephaestus, which severly inhibit any god's powers - quite possibly including his 'reviving-the-dead' powers. Actually, he gave up his immortality IIRC, not his godhood - I'm not sure if there's a significant difference in practice. Thelonius ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:04:06 +1300 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] On Monday 11 March 2002 00:53, Sojourner wrote: ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and ****Spoilers, and (snips) > > > > > > > >But why did he save Gabs? Just altruism or because he knew Xena > > > > would be less than happy if he didn't? I guess it cost him nothing > > > > extra. > > > > > > > >Thelonius > > > > > > Okay - he's Xena's father and would be lover > > > >Oops yes, I forgot, he's also possibly her father. Not that he'd be > > about to admit that to Athena or in front of Xena. That would be a very > > good motive for saving her, wouldn't it. > > > > > (don't pull a face like that, it's Greek) > > > >I wasn't pulling no faces.... like you say, it's Greek. > > Oh no! You mean your face is like that all the time??? No, only when I'm happy. Reminds me of one of those BBC radio shows of the sixties - a take-off of James Bond - Voiceover: We were shown into the presence of the evil Doctor Nothing... 1st voice: "Eeeeyuck! He has no nose and his face is covered in long hair" 2nd voice: "He's standing with his back to us, you idiot!" > >They did that sort of thing all the time in some circles IIRC. > > Now, Thelonius, IIRC means If I Recall Correctly? Yes? How old are you > anyway?? Old enough to remember '60's BBC radio shows, obviously.... ;-) > > > and .... here's my NEW theory ..... he has a thing for Gabrielle! > > > > > > Sojourner > > > >Aaaaargh!!!! NOW I'm pulling faces. > >(5 minutes of obligatory noises of disgust emanate from Thelonius's > > hutch). > > > >(Noises die down...). > > > >Hmmm... well, he _did_ consider Gabby as a potential henchman > > (henchwoman? henchperson? ouch!) in Succession, I suppose. So > > obviously he wasn't completely blind to her - umm, assets. > > > >Thelonius > > CONSIDERABLE assets. And there is the whole Hope thing - he... um what was > Xena's phrase ... damn ... he and Hope screwed like weasels? rabbits? > vermin? Whoops (or should I say whoosh!) it was Callisto > > X: "Let me guess-- things didn't work out with Hope quite the way you > expected." > Cal: "No, actually-- the sight of her and Ares rolling around like weasels > made me sick." > > Sacrifice 2. > > Sojourner I know it only too well - and it's on TV4 on Wednesday night (Happy happy..... ) I guess Ares did have a thing for mother-daughter relationships.... ;-) T ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:17:05 +1300 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] On Monday 11 March 2002 07:47, Sojourner wrote: > At 13:12 10/03/2002 -0500, Xwpacolyte@aol.com wrote: > >Spoiler space for and > > > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > >0 > > > >In a message dated Sat, 9 Mar 2002 15:44:50 -0500, "Cheryl Ande" > > writes: > > > ><< I don't know if there is a rational reason. Personally I think Ares > > was playing the odds. He knows Xena and Athena and he was aware neither > > one was going to give in. They would battle it out until one or the > > other was dead. So he had a choice when Eve died he could have done > > nothing and Athena would have killed Xena. If Athena won she would have > > been his major rival for power (both are war gods) so he would have been > > locked in perpetual power struggle. If Xena won he would be top dog > > because he really didn't pose a threat to Eve - - remember he didn't want > > to kill Eve. The problem of course is that Eve was > >now dead so he took a chance. Restore Eve and Gabrielle he would lose his > >godhood but he would still be alive and Xena would be in his debt. You > > never can tell he might be able to get his godhood back and when he did > > no Athena to challenge him. A caculated risk. Also I think he did this > > out his love for Xena and I think also liked and respected Gabrielle. So > > he was in a win win position here. >> > > > > > >You know, I didn't think about it at the time but I believe there's a big > > ole YAXI here. Didn't Ares just waive his hand in and > > resurrect 3 villagers who had been dead several days? But to bring back > > Eve & Gabrielle, who were barely dead, he had to give up his godhood? > > Was there some explanation for this that I missed? > > > >XWPacolyte > >Cupid and Psyche... Antony and Cleopatra... Xena and Gabrielle. > > He has to have Athena's blessing to heal or raise from the dead (according > to Motherhood) - I guess he didn't want to ask this time around! > > Sojourner ... and of course, he has to have Athena's blessing (why didn't I think of that? I hate it when that happens) Thelonius ... kicking himself ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:52:53 +1300 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> On Monday 11 March 2002 14:17, Cheryl Ande wrote: > # > # > # > # > # > # > > Well I though it was going to be The Price but the next episode was > Ulysses. An episode that many a Xenite hates. > I could never figure quite why. I know Uselysses was a charisma-free zone but all that does (for me) is make the episode uninteresting. Not sure why anyone should *hate* it. T ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:47:54 -0600 From: Mark & Denise Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> Cheryl Ande wrote: > @ > @ > @ > > @ > @ > @ > > Well I finally caught up. Blind Faith is one of my favorite episodes. It has > nice message, it's funny, good guest stars and a nice dollop of subtext. The > episode is really two separate stories Xena is blinded and needs to be lead > to a kidnapped Gabrielle by a young thug, Palemon, who wants to fight her > Meanwhile Gabrielle is being forced to marry a king whom she never met and is > being reluctantly groomed for queenhood by a disgruntle courtier. I too thought this was a really great ep -- funny... there doesn't to seem to be very many that I don't like!! > First off I really like Xena's relationship with Palemon. Xena takes a really > liking to the young thug probably seeing something of herself in him. She > recognizes that he is on the cusp of being what he just now pretends to be - a > ruthless killer. At this point he is not that man - he doesn't kill her when > he has a couple of chances but if he ever does kill he will become that > killer. During their time together Xena demonstrates how much she regrets > her past shows him that she has changed. She no longer is selfish she has > friend that she is willing to sacrifice for and she is willing to trust him > when she has no reason to. Slowly Palemon begins to respect Xena and like her > - together the form a partnership and he learns the value of doing good. I > love the part when he dashes in as Xena saves Gabrielle from the fire and > learns that perhaps there is more to Xena's relationship with Gabby then just > friendship - there's nice touch of embarrassment when realizes he has > intruded. So now Palimon has learned that being good may mean that he will > find love and friendship and his reformation in the end is believable. Whew... you certainly covered most of what I liked about the interaction between those two! I had a little different take on her impression of him. Rather than thinking he was like she started out being, I kind of got the impression she though of him as a 'wannabe' and more a worshiper of her reputation. That is what she seemed to be trying to harp on him about the most -- that she had changed and was not like that any more. I have to admit thought that I did enjoy the relish with with he told her of her exploits > Meanwhile our subplot is very funny. Gabrielle is about to be married off to > a king. She doesn't know why but the evil minister is bound and determined to > do it. So poor Gabrielle undergoes a make-over must endure a scathing > commentary form on her unsuitability from her peasant breading, washerwoman > hands to her "husky" bearing (should we read "butch" here). Her indignance coupled with her, "Ohh, FOOD!" cracked me up! > Anyway a great episode. > > Subtext moments: > Xena and Gabrielle's reunion with Palimon's obvious embarrassment. > > Xena looking at Gabrielle as her sight is restored and saying : "A sight for > sore eyes". > > Gabrielle explaining to Vadilius that she can't marry the king because she > loves someone else - yes I know she probably referring to Perdicus but we take > our subtext moments where we find them. I took it that she was meaning Xena and Vadilius knew just what she meant! ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 19:51:08 EST From: KLOSSNER9@aol.com Subject: [chakram-refugees] K.Smith Vty obit Variety (March 4, 2002, p. 62) finally ran their obituary for Kevin Smith. Variety is the magazine of record for show business in the U.S. and this will be the obit scholars will be most likely to find when they look for information on Smith. Kevin Smith, actor In an ironic twist of fate, it was a blow to the head that prompted Kevin Smith to become an actor -- and it was head injuries that took his life Feb. 9 at age 38. Hunky Kiwi actor, best known for his TV portrayal of Ares in both "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Young Hercules," died after he fell from a prop tower on a set in Shijiazhuang, China, where he had just finished filming "Warriors of Virtue II." Speculation is that, while wating for a ride, he climbed up the castle-like structure but lost his balance. He was found semiconscious at the stone base of the tower and taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Beijing, where he went into a coma and never regained consciousness. Auckland, New Zealand, native spent many years in the rural town of Timaru, played in rock bands and had a passion for rugby. In 1987, he sustained a concussion while playing college rugby and was sidelined for three weeks. During that time, his wife and childhood sweetheart, Suzanne, saw an ad for a casting call and encouraged him to audition. He landed a role in "Are You Lonesome Tonight," a musical tribute to Elvis Presley. It was there that Smith began his professional acting career. He subsequently appeared in such Kiwi films as "Lawless: Beyond Justice," "Happy Birthday 2 You" and "Channeling Baby." He was slated to begin work this month in Hawaii on the Bruce Willis film "Man of War." Besides his wife, he is survived by three young children. - -- John Hobbs There is a small color head shot of KS, out of costume. Hobbs is probably a New Zealand stringer for Variety. Usually Variety's obit page has several little-known people, but this time they have only four, all well-known. Besides KS, they have Chuck Jones, John Thaw and Spike Milligan. Boeotian ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 16:40:58 -0900 (AKST) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] > > > Spoilers, > > > > > > Spoilers, > > > > > > Spoilers, > > > > > > Spoilers, > > > > > > Spoilers, > > > > > > Spoilers, ADDED FATES, LOOKING DEATH IN THE EYE, FURIES, MATERNAL INSTINCT, AMPHIPOLIS UNDER SEIGE, COMING HOME, SEEDS OF FAITH > > > > > > Weehaaa. Oh, I haven't looked at these episodes from Season 5 for a > > > long time. Too painful, back then. But you know, they are still some > > > of the most beautiful and powerful of Xena's episodes. To Kevin Smith, > > > who again played the ultimate badguy. Still have no rational reason why > > > at the end he saved Gabrielle and especially Eve. Snipt! > > > >That is a weak point, I think. OK, the official reason (I think) is that he > >saved Eve to save Xena, even though that meant Xena could kill Athena.... > >it's very indirect. Did he have any other options at that moment? He > >could have zapped Athena with a lightning bolt... umm no, he was still > >tangled up in the chains of Hephaestus, which neutralised that. So I guess > >his only possible option _was_ to revive Eve and give Xena her powers back. > >It was a straight choice between Athena and Xena and he chose Xena. > > > >I think the logic is stronger than appears at first sight. > > > >But why did he save Gabs? Just altruism or because he knew Xena would be > >less than happy if he didn't? I guess it cost him nothing extra. > > > >Thelonius I think it's exactly what the writers and actors were telling us from the middle of season five on. That Ares did love Xena with a deep, true and abiding love. Xena touched him so deeply that she even penetrated a god's indifference to humans. Generally the Greek gods only noticed hotties. They'd come down and screw them and that was about it. Love for humans or even for fellow gods didn't seem to be part of their make-up for most of them. There was no appreciation of, seeking for nor attention paid to a human's soul or integrity or honor. Just their physical beauty was all most gods seemed to be interested in. (In mythology also, not just in XWP) And I would say this was definitely what kept Ares' interest at first--Xena's incredible physical beauty. But he had actually started screwing with her life when she was a child. While we're not totally sure from the Furies if he fathered Xena or not, we are sure that he did or said something to Atrius that night that made him come home and want to kill Xena. He may have just told him he, Ares was actually Xena's father. It may have been true or not. He may have told him that Xena would be a far superior warrior than her father ever could be. That may have enraged Atrius enough to kill her so she couldn't best him. (Wasn't he drunk when he came home that night?) Or he may have told him about Xena's future and Atrius may have been trying to save the world from the Destroyer of Nations. (Gods, I LOVE this show that makes us think so much. And that doesn't hand us all the answers on a platter.) At any rate, Ares insinuated himself into Xena's life early on. And then nurtured her in her early days, leading her to descend deeper and deeper into hate, vengeance and depravity. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he personally sent Cortez to Amphipolis. Or Caesar to that beach. But as she resisted his call, as she broke away from him, as she moved back to her humanity on a long and pain-filled path, her soul and heart began to intrigue him. She turned her back on power, on HUGE power. She resisted his sensuality, his virtually irresistibly seductive pull, the one that made so many others seek him out, run up to him screaming, "Me, me, take me, take ME Ares--I'll work for you, I'll be your puppet--Let ME worship you and bring you the honor you deserve!" He was willing to meet Xena halfway, he was knocking at HER door--and she turned and walked away. (But she did look back. And sashayed her hips a little as she walked away, I bet. Grin) He was probably livid that it was a connection with Hercules that got her started on her journey back to her humanity. I would imagine that he had also probably seen lots of love expressed and declared between humans but probably very few loves like Xena's for Gabrielle. And like Gabrielle began to show towards Xena post season four. When she finally stopped bugging her and feeling superior towards her because she was at heart nothing but a dirty warrior, one who "smiled" when she hit people. Ah, those incredible character changes of season six... Xena loved Gabreille for what she was, Gabrielle loved Xena despite what she was. Until she realized in Chakram that the dark part of Xena was imutably part of her soul and without it she just wasn't Xena. There are two great totally unselfish acts of love in XWP. One is when Xena forgives Gabrielle for her part in the death of Xena's child. And the other is when Ares saves not only the ones Xena loved more than him, but as he also surely knows, the ones she will prefer to be with over being with him. As he says in Ares Farm, he HAD to save Eve or his beloved Xena would die. He claims Gabrielle is "just an afterthought". No way. He saved her because he knew Xena loved her. And he loved Xena enough to give her back the gift of Gabrielle. He was just hosing the little blond kid. He also shows his love in Looking Death in the Eye, when he carries Gabrielle's body to the ice cave also. One would expect a heartless, manipulating, selfish, cold bastard to just leave the annoying blond on the beach to become carrion. But because he loved Xena so much and because he knows it's what she would have wanted, even though she's dead, he hauls the bard's butt to the cave also. Now that's true love. Ares was as transformed by love as Xena was. The big difference between them was that Xena was restored to being a loving human being. Ares had to create love in his god's heart. And he did. Gabrielle acknowledges this in Amphipolis Under seige. They have the following exchange after Xena tells Ares she'll have sex with him if he helps her save Eve's life. Gabrielle continues to bait the trap. She calls upon Ares and in a bit of reverse psychology pretends she wants to talk him out of having sex with Xena. (Though she certainly doesn't want that to happen I'm sure, I feel this conversation is also a ploy to sink the hook even deeper into Ares.) G: "If you accept-- you will destroy Xena. You will turn her into exactly what she used to be, a vicious killer." (Now WHY Gab thinks this, I don't know. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me--unless she figures that he's so good he'll turn Xena back. Perhaps she's remembering the golden glow she felt from Ares' touch in Seeds of Faith. Or perhaps some dialogue was just cut somewhere--probably to make room for a fight.) A: "Yeah, well...*I* kinda liked that Xena." G: "Did you? Then why are you so obsessed with who she is now? Tell me you don't feel anything for the real Xena-- the good Xena. Ares, if you make her do this, she will never love you." Listen to how powerful that is--not that she'll hold what they will do against him or that her heart won't be in it, it will just be a completion of a deal for her, no, Gabrielle says, "She will never love you." Because she knows that that's what Ares wants--that his love for Xena be reciprocated by hers for him. But he ignores that statement and goes off to couch the girl. I'm sure HE thinks he's good enough to "turn 'er". But in some ways Xena certainly did love Ares. His sacrifices to save her loved ones, to help her in her battles make her grateful to him, make him dear to her in ways she doesn't always want to admit to. But as she acknowledges in Coming Home. "Ares, you ALWAYS got to me." KT ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 22:51:13 -0500 From: "Cheryl Ande" Subject: [none] # # # # # # # # The Price is the best stand alone episodes in the series. Great direction by Oley Sasson, a wonderfully written script, a great rift on the dehumanizing effects of war and a terrific acting job by Lucy Lawless. This episode is I think foremost a wonderful character study of Xena under stress. As we all know this episode deals with the Horde a mysterious and savage tribe of warriors who once butchered Xena's troops. Xena now encounters them again. Out of the blue they interrupt a relaxing fishing trip with Gabrielle. Xena when confronted by these warriors does the unexpected she grabs Gabrielle and she runs for her life. She doesn't fight them - she flees. She grabs a canoe and paddles like hell. Gabrielle is clearly terrified at this unexpected turn of events and we see Xena, though seemingly stoic, has real fear in her eyes. It is how she deals with this that becomes the crux of the story. As we said Xena's first instinct is to flee these warriors. As she confesses to Gabrielle she doesn't understand these men. She doesn't know what they want or why they fight - all she know is that they are incredibly savage and she can't fight them. This must be a terrible blow to Xena's warrior pride - she can't fight, and flight is the only possibility . Soon that seems impossible too. But salvation is at hand in the form of a beleaguered and demoralized band of Athenian soldiers. Cut off and surround these men have given up but when Xena sees them she is heartened. Now she has something to do besides running. She knows what to with an army the only trouble is the good Xena has never commanded an army before. So Xena resurrects the dark Xena and goes to work. She bullies the soldiers into resuming their neglected duty, her reputations buoys them, and in an over the top "kill'em all" speech she gives these defeated soldiers hope that they can prevail. In a brilliantly executed ambush she leads the soldiers to a victory and as they chant "Xena" she actually preens - she is once more proud of herself - all is right in her world- except for one thing - in the corner of her eye she sees a very disapproving Gabrielle. Xena the warrior is now in conflict with Gabrielle. Xena has made some very harsh decisions as commander. With limited food and water she has decided that only the fighting men should have them - the seriously wounded will not. Gabrielle is appalled at the decision. Xena tells her there are no good choices in war just lesser degrees of evil - if they don't win the war they will all die anyway. Gabrielle, however, cannot accept this - if you lose your humanity the you have lost the war in her eyes. Xena however sees no choice - she is in a death struggle with the Horde and Gabrielle's advice to stop fighting is absurd in Xena's eyes. She can't stop fighting - she can't negotiate with the Horde they are not human. The rift deepens between the two women as Xena bonds more and more with the troops who by now idealize her. When Gabrielle interferes with Xena's interrogation of a Horde prisoner, Xena rounds on her telling not to challenge her authority in front of "her" troops. Gabrielle is at a loss - where did her Xena go. Xena is blunt - the good Xena is gone and the old Xena is back. For Xena the good Xena can't help them she has no faith in "goodness" to get them out of this predicament. I think she actually sees the good Xena as weak - the who one ran like a rabbit, the one who couldn't protect Gabrielle or herself. The old Xena will save them all and if she has to distance herself from Gabrielle in order to save her friend, she will. Gabrielle, on the other hand, is not so willing to accept Xena's view point. I don't think she blames Xena - she understands that war itself is to blame. It is war that made the Horde savage and Xena a stranger. By chance Gabrielle discovers what the word "kaltaka" means. This word is spoken by the dying Horde outside the fort's wall - the soldiers believe that this their war-god, that they even cry out to him in death. Gabrielle now learns that it is only the word for water. The Horde are not are just men crying out for comfort as they die. Gabrielle now chooses her path - she will treat the Horde as men deserving of compassion. She takes her water bag slips out and comforts the dying warriors. Xena is frantic when she learns this - the one she wants to protect most will certainly be killed by her inhuman enemy. As she prepares to rescue Gabrielle, she is startled to see that the Horde don't attack Gabrielle instead the see this as a truce and being to retrieve their wounded. Xena suddenly sees the Horde differently - they have a code of conduct not unlike her own. Gabrielle has stopped the fighting for a brief moment - enough time for Xena to formulate a new plan. A plan that will not be war of annihilation. She now realizes that Gabrielle has changed the situation. She sends food to the wounded and reconciles with Gabrielle. It is a wonderful scene - the stoic warrior trying to tell her friend that she loves her and stumbling over the word love - as I understand it that was Lucy's reading - and it was perfect. Xena who had just given Gabrielle such a hard time and who is so afraid of being vulnerable would have a hard time confessing such a tender emotion. Xena now challenges the Horde leader to single combat, defeats him and he is killed by his own warriors and then the Horde leaves as mysteriously as they came. When this episode first aired there was a lot of discussion as to who was right - Xena or Gabrielle. Was Xena the war-monger or was Gabrielle a flower child? I don't think this episode was meant to answer that question. They are both right and wrong. Xena was right - you have to defend yourself when attacked you can't simply not fight or your enemy will kill you. After all when Xena and Gabrielle ran from the Horde they were still trying to kill them. Gabrielle also made a very valid point. When she said to stop fighting I don't think she meant to simply lay down your arms and give up. I think what she meant was you have to stop the war mind set and see your enemy not as simply the enemy. You have to see how he is similar to you so you can find a way out of the situation that will allow you both a way out without destroying each other. Perhaps what Xena and Gabrielle both did made the Horde also change their tactics. Did Xena's ability to defeat the Horde in the ambush and the change in the Athenian army's conduct convince the Horde that victory would be more difficult than they thought? Did Gabrielle's act of compassion make the Horde see their enemy as some one they trust to fight in an honorable duel? In the end no one became a pacifist - it ended violently with the Horde leader dead but a lot of Athenian soldiers and Horde warriors went home alive which probably wouldn't happened if both sides hadn't have rethought their assumptions about the other side. Perhaps that is the best you can hope for in war - that you get home alive. CherylA When this episode first aired ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V2 #67 *************************************