From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V3 #13 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, January 14 2003 Volume 03 : Number 013 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] <> ["Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] <> # # # # Heart Of Darkness For me this is one of the most enjoyable episodes of the series. It is sexy, sardonic, and has a cynical edge that I love. It is also very funny (I laugh every time I see Gabby conk Eve on the head or smack Xena in the head with her coat). The story picks up where the Haunting of Amphipolis leaves off. Hell is streaming out the portal in Xena's backyard and Michael and his sidekick are worried. Xena doesn't seem to be in any hurry to take over her new gig as head demon and earth is becoming hell. Michael however has bigger worries - Xena as head devil is not very appealing since the last time she was in hell she nearly defeated heaven. What should the head archangel do? The answer pops up in the form of Lucifer, an angel that possesses the stupidity of the truly vain. Lucifer volunteers to go to earth to send Xena to hell hoping to attain his promotion of Seraphim. Michael, who knows a patsy when he sees one, gives his permission. Michael just might get what he really needs - a king of hell who is not a warrior princess. On earth Eve is worried, a terrible evil is brewing at the portal. Gabby realistically suggests stepping away from the hell mouth but Eve will not be mollified. Indeed things do get worse when Lucifer announces to the two women that he is here to cast Xena into Hell. In the inn's courtyard an oddly unconcerned Xena is braiding Argo's mane, when Eve and Gabby rush in to announce the next crisis in their lives. A bored Xena says, "let me guess it's huge and potentially devastating". When Lucifer flies in, Xena is happy to see that it is indeed "huge and potentially devastating". Lucifer announces that he is sending Xena to hell, and Xena cheerfully begins to battle him. Although Lucifer gets a few good shots in much to Xena's annoyance, he is rapidly defeated. As Xena is about to dispatch the angel, Eve begs for his life - it really isn't good to kill angles. Xena mulls this over and decides things were just a bit boring and Lucifer, or Lucy, or Big L, might just liven things up. So she invites Lucifer in for a drink. Eve is disturbed by Xena's behavior and sure enough there is a growing black spot in her heart. When Gabrielle asks what that was Eve solemnly declares that an evil is growing in her mother's heart. Gabrielle seems a bit non-plussed by Eve's mournful announcement. In the tavern Xena is preparing a picnic basket while Eve and Gabrielle try to impress on her the urgency of the situation. Xena may not be willing to go to Hell but Hell is apparently coming to get her. Xena is not planning on going to Hell in fact she has just found the guy to take her place - Lucifer. While Gabrielle seems to be intrigued by Xena's plan, Eve is horrified at Xena's plan to corrupt an angel. Xena, however, sees Lucifer as someone who is already showing signs of rot - she's just going to expose it to the light. At the bar Lucifer seems intrigued by the mortal world and when Xena invites him out for picnic, he jauntily accepts. The picnic is perhaps more than Lucifer expected. Besieged by flying insects and a bit uncomfortable in his dress Lucifer gets the full force of Xena's personality. Xena by turns coy and brazen begins her seduction of Lucifer. She already knows that Lucifer has abundant pride but soon she learns he envies Michael's position in heaven. As they trade barbs and quips Lucifer learns that Xena understands the relationship between power and the spirit - they both know the spirit is where real power lies. Lucifer however also yearns for the flesh - he accepts Xena's offer of wine and seems intrigued by Xena coy propositions. She strokes his ego with flattery and stokes his discontent by saying he should have been promoted long ago and ponders why simple pleasures are denied angels. In the beautiful garden Xena is beginning to discover Lucifer's dark side - his pride and his envy and latent lust for things of the flesh . During the picnic in the beautiful garden a scorpion suddenly appears which Xena neatly dispatches. Lucifer is impressed by the speed of Xena's hands and she replies that with the same hands she can give Lucifer pleasure and power. Lucifer is like the beautiful garden of the picnic - handsome but with a dark scorpion in his soul - Lucifer wants everything and Xena knows it. Meanwhile Eve is having a tough time in Amphipolis. Her preaching of love has been rejected and a near riot has broken out. She and Gabrielle are then summoned by a young lady who tells them that Virgil is at the armory looking for them. As they approach a crowd they see a man being beaten. Gabby assumes it's Virgil (I don't why - there was nothing about Virgil which would indicate that he couldn't take care of himself in a fight, perhaps she's confused him with his father) but is shocked to discover that the bully beating the boy is Virgil. She is in for a bigger surprise when Virgil makes a brazen pass at her and announces he was going to help Xena rule the world with Gabby at his side. Eve is now really worried - Hell's darkness is infecting everyone around her. Xena now has Lucifer in her bedroom (she obvious has taken over the Conqueror suit at the inn). As Xena undresses she tells Lucifer they have a lot in common. Lucifer scoffs they have nothing in common -she is "lying woman, with savage tendencies, and a blond girlfriend" while he is a "calibrate angel devoted to his god". Now it's Xena's turn to scoff - "they are both sinners on the wrong path." Lucifer is not impressed until Xena emerges dressed in a red velvet gown (Xena always chooses red for her seductions) now he is sure he is going to get a lesson in sensual pleasures. Indeed he is - Xena tosses him on his back and starts the most sensual of pleasures - Egyptian message (it's done with something that looks like a darning egg). As Lucifer melts under Xena's message she tries to win Lucifer to her side. When Lucifer reaches for a dagger, Xena quickly disarms. Lucifer asks why doesn't she just kill him, Xena says the greatest sin is "wasted potential." She then offers him everything. Lucifer says everything is a big word and though he is not ready to commit to Xena he is intrigued and goes off to ponder his options. Eve has gone to a temple to ask for Eli's help in her struggle against the growing darkness. Lucifer overhears her and holdsher prayer with contempt. Eve says Lucifer should start praying for help because he needs. Lucifer dismisses her advice - he can handle Xena. Thus Lucifer commits his third sin - - he has shown pride, envy, even gluttony (as an angel he doesn't need sustenance yet he took the wine), and now sloth. Sloth in this case is his unwillingness to take the effort to ask for spiritual help. Eve and Lucifer are interrupted by the arrival of the townspeople. The townspeople are obvious about to have an orgy. Xena is carried in on a litter dressed in the latest dominatrix fashion, followed by a very happy Gabrielle who is also dressed to the nines. Xena is planning a farewell bash for Lucifer but Eve will have done of this. Much to Xena's displeasure Eve says she will stay and fight against the evil about her. Her tirade is stopped when Gabby bops her on the head with the Eli fish symbol, as Gabby says, "nobody likes a party booper". The orgy gets under way. Gabrielle and Virgil have hooked up; although she resists his efforts to her get "drunk and loose", she soon is doing her darnedest to get Virgil "loose". As Lucifer watches Gabrielle's foreplay with Virgil, Xena says he seems to enjoy watching. Lucifer says that's what angels do - they watch. So Xena decides to give Lucifer something to watch. She rises from her litter and seductively goes to the dance floor. She imperially summons Gabrielle to her, as if in a trance Gabby joins her and they begin to dance. Soon Virgil joins them and Lucifer, a bit drunk, has had enough of watching and joins the threesome. As Gabby and Virgil go off, he and Xena dance. Lucifer is captivated as they fall to Xena's litter, he pledges her his body and soul. As those around them wraith in ecstasy (including Gabby and Virgil) they kiss. The party is abruptly interrupted when Michael and Raphael arrive. Lucifer's soul belongs to god and it isn't his to give away. Michael isn't happy with Xena either. He denounces the filth he sees around him. Although this has been interpreted by some as Michael's denunciation of Xena's seductive dance with Gabby, I think Michael is actually denouncing the general promiscuity he sees. If we accept that X & G have been a couple for a long time then Michael knew of their relationship when they were in heaven and he certainly had no problem with either of them, making them archangels. He seems more upset by the lust he sees as demonstrated by Virgil and Gabrielle and they are certainly embarrassed by Michael's words. They are not however too embarrassed not to leap to Xena's defense but Michael disarms them. More angels arrive Xena easily fights them off. She taunts Michael with his angels' incompetence. He then zaps her to the hell mouth. Armed with two swords Xena battles the two angels but things don't look good. Suddenly Lucifer arrives. He joins Michael against Xena but Xena is not through with Lucifer yet. She pulls out all stops, with tears in her eyes she tells Lucifer that once she was heaven's hero but look how they treated her now implying that Lucifer will be treated the same way. Why should Lucifer defend heaven when it denies him the simplest of pleasures when she can give him power and all the pleasures of earth and hell? Lucifer suddenly joins Xena and turns on Michael. A very pleased Michael now leaves Lucifer to his fate. Xena and Lucifer are now alone and they kiss passionately but not for long. Xena's long leather coat, which she had shed on the dance floor, comes sailing in and hits her on the head. As she turns there's an irate Gabrielle waiting for her. Xena leaves to talk to her angry partner. Gabrielle wants to know what's going on - Xena was supposed to throw him in the pit. Well Xena says he just wasn't ready but Gabby says no ones ready to go to hell and with saucy grin she adds, "that's the point". Anyway things are getting out of hand with Xena and Lucifer, Xena counters that she and Virgil were really getting hot - "the dark side is seductive." A grinning Gabrielle agrees. Xena now enthusiastically describes her plans for her rule with Lucifer (has Xena lost it?). Lucifer and Virgil arrive to begin their partnership with Xena but Eve interrupts. She will fight Xena and tries to cast out Xena's dark side but is knocked on her butt by the evil force. Xena is finally exasperated by her daughter and leaves wondering where she has gone wrong with her daughter. As Lucifer and Xena retire to her rooms, Lucifer is ready to consummate their relationship. Xena however is angry; she has decided Eve has to go. Lucifer is a bit surprised but what better way to show heaven his commitment to Xena than to kill their messenger. Lucifer agrees and off they go to hunt Eve. Eve pursued by her mother and Lucifer takes refuge in Eli's temple. There she encounters Virgil who says prayers won't help her - he will have his revenge for his father's murder. Eve agrees prayer won't help, she need a sword instead. Suddenly Gabrielle appears - she won't let Eve throw away her principles but Eve says she must throw Xena into Hell to save the world. She pleads with Gabrielle to help her. Gabrielle agrees but as Eve passes her, Gabrielle suddenly grabs her and yells for Xena. Eve has been betrayed and she faces her irate mother. Xena taunts her - her little pacifist wants the swords - how hypocritical - has she learned nothing from her mother. Eve says - yep she has learned a lot. She punches Virgil in the nose and tosses Gabby aside. She leaps to the alter - looking at her mother she tells her exactly what she has learned "the heart may lie but the sword never does" (apparently there is a darkness growing in Eve's heart also) Lucifer fights her and soon has her at his mercy. As he is about to kill her Xena stops him. The honor of killing Eve doesn't go to him but to Gabrielle. She has been her partner for years and they have gone through so much together while Lucifer is so easily corrupted and quick to change sides. Lucifer is incensed - she tricked him. Xena coldly informs him what did he expect - he tried to kill her. Lucifer says she will eternally feel his Wrath. "WRATH" - Xena says he has won the seven deadly sin lottery - sin while natural in man is monstrous in an angel. Lucifer now turns into a demon and the battle is on. He is further enraged when Xena says that he has probably been set up by Michael for this very purpose and then she kicks Lucifer into his new kingdom. The spell is broken. Eve says she should have had faith in her mother, but Xena says that Eve had every reason to doubt her. Xena had faith that love would save them. Xena then gives Gabrielle and Virgil a bit of a worried look - - my interpretation - Xena's wondering if there was more to Gabby and Virgil's attraction than a temporary aberration. Virgil is chagrined and thanks Xena for keeping him from making the mistake of his life (hum did he means sleeping with a good friend or sleeping with a good friend who has a girlfriend with savage tendencies). As Virgil and Eve go off to clean up after the fight and orgy, Xena and Gabrielle are left alone. Gabrielle seems a bit smug at having a bit of an upper hand over Xena - she says she thought Lucifer and Xena were getting pretty cozy there. Xena says no - she just thought of Gabrielle when she though she was losing control and she just brought her home. Gabrielle is pleased by the answer but teases her that Xena could be just a bit more emotional about it. This was a wonderful episode. Some people complained that they didn't like Xena again using her body to accomplish her goals. Well actually Xena didn't have much choice. She couldn't fight her way out her predicament - she had to think her way out. When Michael dropped Lucifer into her lap, seduction became a very viable option. An option that may not have been very noble but one that certainly appealed to the growing darkness in Xena's heart. Certainly Mr. Mendoza did a wonderful job as Lucifer. Her was able to combine some very interesting qualities as the doomed angel. His Lucifer certainly was vain and arrogant but he also had an air of naive gullibility about him. Lucifer was never a match for Xena but he was so smug he never noticed that he was being played. It was also fascinating watching both Xena and Gabrielle play with the men in their life. If you notice both women were in charge in their romances. Certainly Xena never let Lucifer have the upper hand but neither did Gabrielle. Gabrielle rebuffs every one of Virgil's advances but when she knew Lucifer was watching it was she who took charge of the romantic play. It is also interesting to note we never saw Gabby kiss Virgil - she nipped, licked, and nibbled but never kissed Virgil. I wonder if she too was just playing a game - letting Lucifer be the voyeur to her tryst with Virgil in order to help in Xena's seduction. This is not to say Gabby didn't enjoy herself - she certainly seemed to enjoy her walk on the wild side but I think that's all it was for her. Mark Beasley direction was very good. He kept a very light hand here. He was able to keep a good balance between the humor and the more erotic aspects of the episode so that the episode neither became a parody nor smut. I also like how he direct Adrienne in this episode and how he paired ROC with her. Every time Eve made one her mournful pronouncement, she did it with a blank stare and a monotone which would always cause Gabby to stare up at her in open mouth astonishment. Then of course Eve is so annoyingly good that it is a guilty pleasure to watch most of the characters clobber her clobber her. Also it was fun to watch Gabrielle take certain liberties with Xena. I love the scene where Gabrielle smacks Xena with the coat and Xena's reaction. There is such an air of intimacy about it - Gabrielle has clearly said that Xena is crossing a line with Lucifer and Xena good-naturally accepts Gabby's warning. Finally we have the seven deadly sins and this how I interrupted them in this episode: 1.. Pride - Lucifer shows pride when he is certain that he can handle Xena despite knowing her reputation 2.. Envy - Lucifer states that he envies Michael's position and wants his position 3.. Gluttony _ I think the fact that Lucifer eats and drinks is the gluttony. Gluttony is defined as taking more than you need for sustenance - Lucifer doesn't need the food or wine but takes it any way. 4.. Greed - Lucifer wants earthly power that is greed. 5.. Lust - Lucifer wants Xena obviously. 6.. Sloth - toughie but when I looked up sloth one of the definitions is the unwillingness to work on your spiritual growth. Certainly Lucifer statement to Eve that he doesn't need prayer would qualify. Also he seems pretty easily distracted from his main job of forcing Xena into Hell - he goes off to a picnic and her bedroom without much thought of his mission. 7.. Wrath - he was pretty wrathful when he discovers Xena has used him. Next week Xena and Gabrielle join a harem. 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. 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