From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V2 #324 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 Thursday, November 28 2002 Volume 02 : Number 324 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [cr ] [chakram-refugees] <> [] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [IfeRae@aol.com] RE: [chakram-refugees] <> ["Lee Daley" Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> On Wednesday 27 November 2002 13:20, Lee Daley wrote: > Well this episode still has some power to raise discussion left in it. > > I have to agree with some comments, it was a very bad Xena episode, but a > so-so Herc episode. And that Herc-ish cast to S5 was one of the reasons > O&K were vilified. There was a feeling that they brought too much Herc > with them. I think you're getting God Fearing Child and Married With Fishsticks mixed up? Or am I getting mixed up? It's just that I've never seen MWF described as a 'Herc' episode, the only Herc connection would be Aphrodite and Discord, and we've already seen them both on XWP anyway. > It was silly and tasteless (then again I've often been accused of being > silly and tasteless), but it had a lot of Renee-time, that's good enough > for me, I'd crawl over a mile of broken glass to listen to her read the > telephone book. OK, now that's MWF you're referring to. cr ========================================================= 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: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 10:21:00 -0500 From: Subject: [chakram-refugees] <> # # # # # This is another episode that was generally dismissed by Xena fans. Indeed it was probably created to make an inexpensive episode, and give LL and ROC some downtime. It however isn't all bad and is enjoyable. It also gives viewers a glimpse of the Amazon High pilot. The plot is very simple. Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve travel to the northern Amazon so that Gabrielle can give Eve her right of caste. At the village they discover that the village has successfully defended itself against nomads but suffered losses among them Amarice (another regular bits the dust) and Yakut. The tribe is bent on revenge but Yakut from the spirit world is determined to stop the cycle of violence and revenge. To do this she enlists Xena's help to reveal the true history of the Amazons. The Amazon's have been following a false tradition. In the coronation of Gabrielle (ROC does a very good drug hazed dance here, the history of the Amazon's is shown from the point of view of Samsarah, a legendary warrior who was obsessed by vengeance and blood lust. This ethic is so ingrained in the culture that babies are initiated into the tribe with blood sacrifices and baptism by blood. Yakut wants to stop this and through Xena she shows the tribe their missing history. Cyane the great Atma from the future taught the tribe about forgiveness and compassion for their enemy. The tribe now turns from revenge and new baptism for Eve is conceived. The child is now baptized with water which symbolizes life and hope. The episode is narrated by Gabrielle and ends with her declaring that the "innocence of a child and the wisdom of Xena" has saved the Amazons. As I said there are some good parts here. I liked seeing the Amazon High parts but since I saw the original pilot I was very aware of how much of the story was missing so I was left a bit dissatisfied. Baby Eve illustrates the W. C, Fields admonition sharing scenes with babies and dogs - Eve steals one scene out from under Xena and Gabrielle as she plays with Gabby's sai (it's funny to watch the grown-ups studiously ignoring Eve as she plays with a deadly weapon). Gabfans can enjoy Gabby's dance in the moonlight. The biggest drawback of the episode is that it is basically a throw away episode (it never was even shown as a rerun). At the same time it introduces some important themes: Gabrielle is now a queen of the northern Amazons, Eve is an Amazon (something that should have been referred to in season 6, and the fact the Xena realizes the need for her child to a stable structure to her life. It is also hard to follow if you don't really pay attention to the episode - the Amazon High clips aren't really explained too well in context of this episode. As a history major I however liked the theme that history is often distorted to support our own view point. The cult of Samsarah was able to suppress the true history of Cyane and thus alter Amazon culture. The revelation of the true history and it acceptance as the truth changes the culture again. We often see how the perception of history affects modern life. In the Muslim world now it is the perception among some that a return a very strict, and xenophobic interpretation of Islam that rejects modernity will lead once again to Islamic greatness ignoring the fact that the golden age of Islam embraced modernity, diversity and generally was tolerant of other peoples and religions. In the US the influx of Mexican immigrants is often viewed as an alien influence and we forget that huge areas of the US was settled and owned by Mexico. History or our perception of history bends and shapes our culture and destiny more than we are aware of and it is a shame that it is often viewed as an irrelevancy. CherylA ========================================================= 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: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 16:28:54 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> In a message dated 11/27/02 9:21:55 AM Central Standard Time, cande@sunlink.net writes: << Baby Eve illustrates the W. C, Fields admonition sharing scenes with babies and dogs - Eve steals one scene out from under Xena and Gabrielle as she plays with Gabby's sai (it's funny to watch the grown-ups studiously ignoring Eve as she plays with a deadly weapon). >> What was especially ironic to me was how fitting it was that Eve was playing with the sai. First, there was the Amazons' emphasis on blood (spilling it, dunking babies in it). Second, there was finding out later on just how much Eve's fondness for weapons would grow. Third, there was how babies naturally get interested in whatever is around them, whether you intend that or not. In this case, it was the weapons of someone who hated to use them, but nevertheless carried them close enough where the baby could play with them. Later on, I was reminded of the times Xena fought with Eve on her back and was horrified to see that blood had gotten on the baby. Anyway, it was like that baby in "Life Blood" knew exactly how to "be" baby Eve. - -- Ife ========================================================= 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: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 18:20:19 -0500 From: "Lee Daley" Subject: RE: [chakram-refugees] <> > -----Original Message----- > From: cr [mailto:cr@orcon.net.nz] > Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 1:19 AM > To: Lee Daley; chakram-refugees@smoe.org > Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> > > > On Wednesday 27 November 2002 13:20, Lee Daley wrote: > > Well this episode still has some power to raise discussion left in it. > > > > I have to agree with some comments, it was a very bad Xena > episode, but a > > so-so Herc episode. And that Herc-ish cast to S5 was one of the reasons > > O&K were vilified. There was a feeling that they brought too much Herc > > with them. > > I think you're getting God Fearing Child and Married With > Fishsticks mixed up? > Or am I getting mixed up? Remember the Herc episode(s) with the octopus. Herc had a lot of silly stories, I think O&K brought that with them > > It's just that I've never seen MWF described as a 'Herc' episode, > the only > Herc connection would be Aphrodite and Discord, and we've already > seen them > both on XWP anyway. See above > > > > It was silly and tasteless (then again I've often been accused of being > > silly and tasteless), but it had a lot of Renee-time, that's good enough > > for me, I'd crawl over a mile of broken glass to listen to her read the > > telephone book. > > OK, now that's MWF you're referring to. > > cr LeeD Warrior Jester ========================================================= 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 #324 **************************************