From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V2 #358 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, December 31 2002 Volume 02 : Number 358 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) [Ife] Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) [cr] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [KTL ] Re: [chakram-refugees] < [KTL ] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [KTL ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) [If] [chakram-refugees] <> ["Cheryl Ande" ] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [IfeRae@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 01:42:43 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) In a message dated 12/29/2002 6:43:39 PM Central Standard Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: > was taking your statement maybe too literally, you said the chacky caused a > > 'chain reaction' i.e. nuclear (in the normal usage of the term), I don't > think it was nuclear simply because nuclear explosions don't happen that way. > > IMO a fuel-air explosion is much more credible.>> Yes, I meant "chain reaction" in the layperson's sense -- one thing led to another. > > > But, Xena has defeated a few archers in the past - by catching arrows, > > > > e.g. > > > > > Motherhood. She's never been shown to have successfully handled > > > showers > > > > of > > > > > arrows from massed archers.>> LOL! At first I thought your sentence ended with "showers." I pictured Gabs as having problems with showers (e.g, when blood came down on her in the haunted in, when Xena stole her sports bra), but wondered what you meant about Xena. Anyway, I see we're still on arrow showers. Well, at least you are. >>Without even trying to > > rationalize the details, I believe that whatever Xena did that day was > > sufficient to keep Higuchi safe until she could deal with Yodoshi. Why? > > Because she was Xena. > > I'll go along with that.>> Riiiiight. > > I *don't* think Xena, even with her fighting abilities, could ever defeat ( > or > even survive) against large numbers of archers. I do think, that's a > situation she would not let herself get caught in, because, as you say, she' > s > Xena.>> Then who the heck was that in AFIN getting caught up in and surviving millions (no, I don't mean that literally) of archers?! A Xena clone? You mean *your* Xena, not the one we saw on TV? >> (Hmmm, now that I think of it, there is the > > precedent of Xena *repelling* flying projectiles with her force-field in > > "Purity" and freezing them before flight in "Back in the Bottle.") > > > > However, TPTB didn't expect us to believe she'd catch (or repel or freeze) > > all those arrows in AFIN. Yes, she caught what arrows she could, but the > > horror on her face said she knew that was hopeless. > > Yes, that sequence really made me feel 'ouch!' And not many things on > screen do that.>> Yes, which is why I figured they weren't going to pull the repelling/freezing type escape out of the hat this time. > > > So, she found another > > way to prevail -- she brought the fight to them, up close and personal. > > My impression was, they brought the fight to her - that is, after the > archers > had done their work, they closed in on her. Certainly, at close quarters, > she did better, for obvious reasons. >> Remember she hobbles toward that overturned wagon, then later says something like, "All right, you asked for it" and heads for them to start slashing. I won't quibble about whether she came at them first, or they closed in on her first. > > Unless, of course, > > you insist there's something uniquely illogical/unprecedented about her > > defeating armies with tons of archers vs. armies with gods, mystical > > powers, magic weapons, gun powder and such at their disposal. If so, good > > on ya, and I agree to disagree. :-) > > > > -- Ife > > All those are illogical, I guess, but not unprecedented in XWP. > Grrrrr. They were the first time they happened. Saidly, AFIN was a bit different, in that whatever she did differently then was the last thing she ever did -- unless maybe we get a TV movie some day. - -- 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: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:20:12 +1300 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) On Monday 30 December 2002 19:42, IfeRae@aol.com wrote: > > > > But, Xena has defeated a few archers in the past - by catching > > > > arrows, > > > > > > e.g. > > > > > > > Motherhood. She's never been shown to have successfully handled > > > > showers > > > > > > of > > > > > > > arrows from massed archers.>> > > LOL! At first I thought your sentence ended with "showers." I pictured > Gabs as having problems with showers (e.g, when blood came down on her in > the haunted in, when Xena stole her sports bra), but wondered what you > meant about Xena. Anyway, I see we're still on arrow showers. Well, at > least you are. That was several posts back! But, Xena always did have trouble with arrows - right as far back as Chariots of War, IIRC. > >>Without even trying to > >> > > > rationalize the details, I believe that whatever Xena did that day was > > > sufficient to keep Higuchi safe until she could deal with Yodoshi. > > > Why? Because she was Xena. > > > > I'll go along with that.>> > > Riiiiight. > > > I *don't* think Xena, even with her fighting abilities, could ever > > defeat ( or > > even survive) against large numbers of archers. I do think, that's a > > situation she would not let herself get caught in, because, as you say, > > she's Xena.>> > > Then who the heck was that in AFIN getting caught up in and > surviving millions (no, I don't mean that literally) of archers?! A Xena > clone? You mean *your* Xena, not the one we saw on TV? Well, no, she didn't survive them. She didn't *expect* to survive them, she expected to get killed. If she hadn't been slowed up by being riddled with arrows, Dogface would *never* have managed to kill her. If Xena had really wanted to survive that days' doings, then she would not have let herself get caught that way and used for target practice, IMO. She would have found a way to avoid it. > >> (Hmmm, now that I think of it, there is the > >> > > > precedent of Xena *repelling* flying projectiles with her force-field > > > in "Purity" and freezing them before flight in "Back in the Bottle.") > > > > > > However, TPTB didn't expect us to believe she'd catch (or repel or > > > freeze) > > > all those arrows in AFIN. Yes, she caught what arrows she could, but > > > the horror on her face said she knew that was hopeless. > > > > Yes, that sequence really made me feel 'ouch!' And not many things on > > screen do that.>> > > Yes, which is why I figured they weren't going to pull the > repelling/freezing type escape out of the hat this time. Yes, at some point it dawned on me that she wasn't going to get out of this lot. I think when the arrows started hitting her, actually. > > > So, she found another > > > way to prevail -- she brought the fight to them, up close and > > > personal. > > > > My impression was, they brought the fight to her - that is, after the > > archers > > had done their work, they closed in on her. Certainly, at close > > quarters, > > > she did better, for obvious reasons. >> > > Remember she hobbles toward that overturned wagon, then later says > something like, "All right, you asked for it" and heads for them to start > slashing. I won't quibble about whether she came at them first, or they > closed in on her first. Bit of both. They had certainly closed in on her, from when they first started shooting, but then again she did go on the attack. I think most of those she attacked were not archers, but infantrymen, btw. > > > Unless, of course, > > > you insist there's something uniquely illogical/unprecedented about > > > her defeating armies with tons of archers vs. armies with gods, > > > mystical powers, magic weapons, gun powder and such at their disposal. > > > If so, good on ya, and I agree to disagree. :-) > > > > > > -- Ife > > > > All those are illogical, I guess, but not unprecedented in XWP. > > Grrrrr. They were the first time they happened. Saidly, AFIN was a bit > different, in that whatever she did differently then was the last thing she > ever did -- unless maybe we get a TV movie some day. > > -- Ife Why the 'grrrr' ? I thought I was agreeing with you. Or a least, not disagrrrreeing. ;) 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: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 09:38:20 -0900 (AKST) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> > > > @ > > > @ > > > @ > > > @ > > > @ > > > @ > > > @ > > > > > > > (Note: Been There, Done That has one of my absolute favorite sub-text > > lines. I about died laughing when the young guy in the loft looks down > > and addresses Xena as, "Sweet equestrian." > > Umm, no, I took it that he said 'Sweet Equestria', Yes he does say "Equestra" which I assumed to be the > god of horses or horsey things. > Now why would he be naming Xena as the god of horses or horsey things? Nope, he's complimenting her on her riding skills. And I don't think it was Argo she was riding around that stable. Poor Gabrielle got ridden right into the ground, smooshed right to the bottom of the hay stack. No wonder she wasn't ready to shine so early the next morning... KT > 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: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 10:07:17 -0900 (AKST) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] < On Fri, 27 Dec 2002, H.J.J. Hewitt wrote: > >EXCEPT for areas of high wind--doors were almost always > >away from that direction (which of course, worldwide, is generally east or > >west--the flows just go that way, due to the shape of our world.) > > Uh-uh! Rather, due to the direction of rotation. Let's say both, shall we? (And ignore the effect of large land masses.) Because seriously, I don't think a cube would generate that classic picture in every geography book of wind patterns on the globe--that one where you see the "direction of wind" arrows flowing in a circle above and below the equator. If the world were a cube (HEY--speaking of the world as a cube, one of my favorite jokes is, "Columbus had four ships--the Nina, The Pinta and the Santa Maria, and the one that went over the edge), then the forces of the wind wouldn't "wrap" around the corners--I bet they'd just zoom off into space. And each face would have wind ripping across it one way, not in circular patterns. But, what the hell do I know--I'm an anthropologist, Jim, not an astro-physicist. Or a weather woman. > > >And... [knowing,] in the far north, where building a > >home on the south side of a hill is valuable in getting as much heat and > >light in winter as one can. It makes a perceptible difference in > >temperature over the course of the season to be on the south side. (Or in > >the far south, on the north side.) > > Yeah, like the early Scots settlers in N.Z.'s South Island I was told of > who had at first continued their Northern Hemisphere custom of building > against a hillside facing \south/... brrrrr! > LOL! I wonder how long it took them to realize that the land wasn't REALY that gloomy and dark--thay they just were on the wrong side of the hill. See--they just ASSUMED the sun would ride to the south all day. Actually, many "superstitions" come from very valid and rational decisions that are now followed blindly without thinking about just why they were put into place. > >Cultures made much more fuss about East > >and West--burials and orientation of doors were more about either facing > >towards or away from the sun's rising and setting than about almost > >anything else. > ... > >So knowing how to use and work with the natural elements of your > >landscape was very imporant, more important in the old days, before > >air conditioning and central heating made some of this stuff kind of moot > >points. And before the Christian religion took over and banished all those > >Sun worshipping/following pagan beliefs. > > Naaaaah! Not banished, any more than seasonal festivals and such like, > just renamed/'baptized'. Well, that's true. I remember reading that in what is now called Mexico and Southern California, Native Americans would bury some of their spiritually powerful artifacts inside or underneath the altars in the newly constructed Catholic churches--so they were actually treating THEM with reverence and respect while they were outwardly lipping along at the Latin and paying attention to the new service. Burials still often had special orientation (to > face Jerusalem, perhaps, or to be ready to jump up on Judgement Day), and > in particular... check out the consistency of orientation of medieval > cathedrals! > Oh very good--I hadn't realized Cathedrals were oriented East/West also. The sun as "god", with attention being paid to her/his daily birth/death is just deeply DEEPLY rooted in our psyches. > (I just \love/ picking the rare nits in KT's pontifications ;-) > > > TEXena > Hey--of COURSE I pontificate--I was raised Catholic. 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, 30 Dec 2002 10:43:55 -0900 (AKST) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> > > > Yeah, Friend in Need. One thing not even Xena could defeat was > > > archers. > > > > I beg to disagree. She defeated all but their general, whom she probably > > could've put down too, but he made her desired trip to ghost land certain > > and quick. > > > > -- Ife She needed to die that day. That's the only reason she did. Gabrielle says something along the lines of "Why did you let them kill you?" Exactly. Xena LET them kill her--but she sure brought a lot of them down with her... > > I'll disagree right back. The archers got her i.e. they scored a > considerable number of hits, and if they hadn't stopped (presumably because > the 'infantry' were too close to her) I think they could probably have killed > her with arrow fire alone. And Xena never got close enough to damage the > archers. There were arrows flying at her in Eternal bonds too. And pikes, and swords, probably a few helmets, etc. But that day she needed to get away. So she did. > > The point is, that Xena could defeat any number of people hand-to-hand, but a > hundred archers (or a thousand) could launch arrows at her simultaneously - > not even Xena could do anything about that. > > cr Oh ye of little imagination... 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, 30 Dec 2002 16:12:49 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Revisiting <> (was <>) In a message dated 12/30/02 1:46:48 AM Central Standard Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: << > > All those are illogical, I guess, but not unprecedented in XWP. > > Grrrrr. They were the first time they happened. Saidly, AFIN was a bit > different, in that whatever she did differently then was the last thing she > ever did -- unless maybe we get a TV movie some day. > > -- Ife Why the 'grrrr' ? I thought I was agreeing with you. Or a least, not disagrrrreeing. ;) >> The "grrrr" was for "but not unprecedented." I interpreted that as "you may be right about all the other situations you mention, but not the one we're currently debating." How 'bout we leave it at our form of agrrrement? Unless you want to discuss what constitutes a "precedent"? - -- Ife (thinking we must sound like two lawyers negotiating a contract) - -- 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: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 18:26:12 -0500 From: "Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] <> This is a fun episode - a nice lighthearted opening for the last season. This episode is most notable for the fact that Rob Tapert hired a well-known fan fiction author, Melissa Good to write the script. Good is a subtext writer in her fan stories but here she concentrated on Ares and his two-fold struggle - the first with the messy business of mortality and the Furies who are firmly lodged in his head. The plot of this story is fairly simple. Xena has been summoned to Amazon land by Ares. Accompanied by Gabrielle and Eve, she finds the land has been devastated by war. The trio stumbles upon the Amazons losing a battle with Ares's troops, they jump into the fray and soon the army runs away. Margo and her second in command Varia tell Xena that Ares is for some unknown reason attacking the Amazon nation. Xena decides to go check out Ares' s army while Gabrielle stays behind to find out more about the war. Eve meanwhile has a curious Varia on her trail as the Amazon tries to figure out where she has seen Eve before. In Ares camp the War God has been told by his captain that he could not take the Amazon village. He was defeating the Amazons when dozens of Amazons (Xena, Gabby and Eve) relieved the Amazons. Ares is not pleased so he socks the captain but Ares is even more displeased when he finds out it hurts to punch some one. Back at his tent Ares is bedeviled by a pesky fly. Just as he is about to throw his back out chasing the insect, Xena arrives and saves him from the fly. Ares is embarrassed by his inability to even hurt a fly and the fact that Xena is laughing at him. Ares however gets down to business - he has had a dream where Artemis has told him that the Amazons have ambrosia. He wants it - he hates being mortal. Xena now suddenly says all this is his own fault - - he just had to do a good deed and lose his godhood. Ares says if Xena gets the ambrosia he won't fight the Amazons. Xena is appalled - not fight the Amazons why ever not - give her the army and she'll crush the tribe. Ares is suspicious but Xena says she is sick of the greater good. Ares is happy : Xena is back to her old self. She sitting on the arm of his chair and is just ready to kiss him things turn sour . A ticked off Gabrielle enters demandining to know what is going here. Res now regreats saving Gabrielle but this isn't the bard he remembers. Gabrielle says that is ready to join in the war against the Amzazons. Ares is stunned what happen to peaceful Gabby - Gabby says she has learned that warriors rule the world. Gabby now settles herself on Ares knee and with Xena on his other knee, visions of war, ambrosia and a threesome dance in his head. Back at the Amazon camp Varia just can't place where she has seen Eve. Eve is evasive. Varia complements her on her fighting abilities and says she must have been some warrior. Eve says she is not a warrior she was just helping out. Varia doesn't believe her but Eve warns her off. Gabrielle also has a talk with Margo and asks why she thinks Ares is attacking her. Margo says she has no idea they have nothing he could want Back at Ares tent, Ares has managed to finally kill a fly, with a very large knife (of course the fly is really big too). Suddenly Eve slithers into view and demands why he hasn't asked her to lead his army. Ares asks what happened to her new path and she says it was too boring and she would do better job than Xena. Suddenly Xena and Gabrielle appear and tell Eve to back off. As all three women hang on Ares they say the Amazon's will never give up the ambrosia without a fight and they are ready to fight with Ares. Xena then suggested that once they get the ambrosia they split it four ways. "Nasty" says a gleeful Ares and off he goes. As he leaves, Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve turn into the Furies. Alecto is even more estatic than usual - they will use Ares to kill Xena and maybe even Ares will die and then they will both avenge the Olympians and rule the world . Outside Ares is followed by the Furies in their guise of Xena and company (there is some great byplay here watch as ROC gives a little snappy salute to Ares army as AW pats one of the soldiers on the head). Ares now is met by his armour maker. He is very proud of the new armour he has made for his boss. Ares however is being taunted by Fury Xena and Gabby about how bad it looks that the God of War needs armour. As a very confused armour maker watches Ares has very animated conversation the invisible Furies. Some funny lines here; Ares to Fury Xena: "What do you think of the armour?" Confused soldier : "I try not to think!" Ares to Gabrielle Xena after she says why would the God of War need armour: "You've got a point there." Soldier looking with concern at the armour: "I thought I filed all the points off." Ares now is back in his tent when the real Xena and Gabrielle show up. They demand to know what he is doing. Ares confused says just what they want him to do make war on the Amazons. Gabrielle says he can't do that. Ares lunges for her saying she was hot for it just a little while ago. A concerned and confused Xena tries to confront him but Ares says that he loves her but she is driving him crazy. He then rushes from the tent but not before warning Gabrielle not to touch him. As a confused Gabrielle examines the offending hand she pronounces Ares nuts but Xena says he has some help pushing him that way - the Furies have possessed him As Ares gets ready to lead his troops into battle the real Xena tries to tell him what is happening. The Furies however also appear to urge him on to battle. A very confused Ares now has two sets of X & Gs trying to order him around. Finally the Fury Xena wins the war of wills and Ares sets off to do battle. Xena and Gabrielle now decide to head off Ares army. They are on a mountaintop and Ares's army is at a mountain pass. Xena decides that the ever popular rockslid would be useful now, so she flings her charkram and sure enough it causes and enormous rock slide. As the chakram wings back to Xena , Gabrielle ducks in a very concerned manner and seems to give Xena a look that says "I wish you would be more careful I'm just getting over a massive head injury caused by that thing." Back at the Amazon camp things aren't going so well for Eve. After bonding with Varia over war wounds Eve agrees to teach the Amazon some battle moves. Out on the practice field Eve is showing Varia one of her flips when Varia suddenly remembers who Eve is. When Xena Gabrielle arrive back at the village the Amazon's the Amazons are up to something - Xena asks a passing Amazon what's going on but gets no answer. Gabrielle speculates that they are working themselves up for the battle. What they find is Eve in a kind of stock being dragged around by the Amazons. Xena is furious but Varai tells them that Eve once attacked the village, killing many warriors and carriing others off to slavery. Xena says that was unforgiveable but the Amazons have more important issues to deal with. The Amazons now, of course decide to turn against Xena but Gabrielle intervenes and says she will challenge Margo if they don't let Eve go for now. Margo agrees and Eve is taken to a hut and tied up. In the hut Xena asks why Eve didn't tell her about the Amazons. Eve says she was too ashamed but Xena says she can forgive her and that it is hard to ask forgiveness. Then Xena turns to Gabrielle and asks Gabrielle to forgive her for hitting her with the chakram. Gabrielle says she was attacking Eve and she understands why Xena did what she did - she has already forgiven her and she should now forgive herself. I thought this scene was bit awkward and a little out of place. According to Missy Good it was written on the set because Lucy wanted to address this issue. I guess it wasn't a bad idea to at least mention Gabrielle's chak attack , although I think they could have worked it in better. They could have chosen the couple of times Gabby flinched when the chakram wizzed by her head to perhaps bring up the issue. . Meanwhile back at the rock slid, Ares and his army are clearing the rocks. Alecto shows up and turns into Xena. Fury Xena now taunts Ares - he isn't man enough to do the job of defeating the Amazons. Ares in enraged and begins to swing his sword and furiously shout at the invisible Fury as his astonished men look on. Lucy is a terrific mimic in this scene and does a great job of taking on Alecto's mannerisms and facial expressions. The Amazons now decide to now meet Ares army. Xena pleads with them to let her handle Ares - that he is mad and the Amazons are no match for his army. The Amazons, of course, don't listen and off they go. Ares and his army are unimpressed with the Amazons - when they say they will fight to the death Ares asks what will he do for the rest of the afternoon. As Ares is about raise his sword in rides Xena. She now taunts Ares - she will fight him. Ares has had enough of all his Xenas and he takes her on. They take their fighting stance and Xena knocks him on his butt. Ares is furious and he is further enraged when Xena points out to his men that he is bleeding and Gods don't bleed. Xena then takes off on her horse with Ares chasing after her on his horse. Ares men , deserted by their commander, are run off by the Amazons. Ares chases Xena up a mountain to a frozen lake. There he confronts Xena. Ares is in sorry state he challenges Xena to a fight. Xena tossed her chakram at him and it spins off . Once again they pair off like boxes and trade blows. Xena knocks his down and Ares is bleeding like a suck pig. He is offended and hurt saying that Xena is mean and he is going to open her up show the world her meanness. Xena is just a bit stunned by his boyish outrage but soon the two are standing toe to toe trading blows. It is almost a draw when Xena says the Ares maybe mortal but will never be a man. Ares enraged knocks Xena into the frozen lake and taunts Xena as she drowns beneath the ice. The Furies now leave Ares to celebrate but their joy is literally cut short when the chakram appears and lops off their heads. The now sane Ares is now horrified at what he has done. He carries the dead Xena on shore and weeps in grief over his actions. Suddenly Gabrielle and Eve appear carrying fur robes. Ares tells Gabrielle that he has killed Xena. No says Gabrielle Xena has drowned in cold water but her organs are still alive. Gabby gives some mouth to mouth and Xena revives - Xena has cheated death for the fourth time, I think. As Xena revives her flying chakram returns and once again Gabby flinches as Xena catches it just inches from her head. Later that day a bruised and battered Ares sits on a hill side. Up comes an equally bruised and battered Xena. The study each other with affection and when she kisses him Ares gives a bemuses ow. He says mortality is hard and it hurts and Xena can only agree. Ares however says that maybe it will give him something he never experienced as a god. "What," asks Xena. "Her", he says. No says Xena - yes he has always gotten to her but he is just no good for her. Ares asks if there is one chance in a thousand that they will be together. Xena answers more like a billion to one chance. Well says Ares there's hope then. With an affectionate grin Xena leaves him. Ares stands and tries to vanish but of course he can't. Ruefully he turns to walk down the hill saying " I've got to stop trying that. I'm going rupture myself." This is a very good episode but it is one that really must be watched - a synopsis even really long one doesn't do it justice. Much of the enjoyment comes from Kevin Smith's wonderful performance. He is funny as the poor mad Ares trying to deal with the demons in his head - he is full of wisecracks and non-sequitors. Both LL , ROC, and Aw have a good time as the Furies - they seem to enjoy their flirtation with Ares. The direction was especially good - before it is revealed that Ares is mad the camera work is just enough off that you feel something is wrong. KS is shot in very tight close-ups so that KS extreme facial expressions are exaggerated. I also loved the fight between Xena and Ares - it was great choice to have those two just have old fashion fist fight - it wasn't a man and woman fighting - it was two equals slugging it out. Finally I think this the first episode you see that Xena has real affection for Ares. These two have done always been involved in a sexual dance bordering on lust and hate but now the two have a friendship. I like the mortal Ares - there is a vulnerability and humor that the war god never had. Notes: Margo is wearing Gabrielle's antlers from Kindred Spirits. So I'm not sure which Amazons theses are. Northern Amazons or Greek Amazons This episode introduces Varia. Tisiana Joleson certainly looks the part of an Amazon. She also bears enough of a resemblance to LL that I wonder if she was ever considered for the role of Eve. CherylA In A hurry because I keep losing my server! ========================================================= 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, 30 Dec 2002 18:50:44 EST From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> In a message dated 12/30/02 5:25:39 PM Central Standard Time, cande@sunlink.net writes: << I like the mortal Ares - there is a vulnerability and humor that the war god never had.>> Hmmm, I always saw the vulnerability where Xena was concerned, but he didn't like revealing it, as he does in CH. The humor was there in the past too, but more biting and dark. In CH, it is more affectionate and self-effacing. But, yeah, I liked the Ares portrayed here. << Notes: Margo is wearing Gabrielle's antlers from Kindred Spirits. So I'm not sure which Amazons theses are. Northern Amazons or Greek Amazons>> Or Greek Amazons with re-cycled props? << This episode introduces Varia. Tisiana Joleson certainly looks the part of an Amazon. She also bears enough of a resemblance to LL that I wonder if she was ever considered for the role of Eve. >> Yes, I always wished she could've been Xena's daughter -- without the "messenger of piece" bit, of course. I imagined Xena leaving the baby with the Amazons, but without saying who the mother was. Anyway, I loved how much Varia was like Xena. She was better payback for Xena's youthful rebellion, than Livia/Eve, whom I just couldn't ever quite believe. The Varia character is one of the few new aspects that made me think there might be enough blood for another season. - -- 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. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V2 #358 **************************************