From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V3 #94 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 Monday, April 7 2003 Volume 03 : Number 094 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] Gina Torres on Angel [KLOSSNER9@aol.com] [chakram-refugees] <> ["Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] <> Path Of Vengeance This isn't a bad episode. It has some good action sequences and a very good performance by Kevin Smith. It's main problems lay in a plot that is contrived and the character of Varia. Varia is now queen of the Amazons and has called together the various queens of the different tribes from around the world: Siberia, Africa, Britain and one who looks like a South Pacific islander for some odd reason. The various queens seem uncertain about joining with Varia but word soon reaches the council that Roman troops are in the Amazon lands. Varia leads the Amazons into the field to fight the invading Romans. The problem the Romans aren't invaders but have been sent to protect Eve. Eve has returned to the Amazons as a peace envoy for Rome. Eve says that the Romans have made a terrible mistake in following her and she is right. Varia arrives with her troops. She doesn't demand and explanation for Rome's presence on Amazon lands nor does she demand their withdrawal, she just attacks. She defeats the Romans, captures Eve, and orders the captured Romans killed. Eve begs for the lives of the soldiers telling her they were on a peaceful mission. Varia will not listen to her old enemy and orders Cyane of the Siberian Amazons to kill the Romans. Cyane will not do this and Varia's own Amazons slaughter the helpless soldiers In a village Xena and Gabrielle are discussing the fact that Eve has convinced the new Roman emperor to withdraw his troops from Greece. They are interrupted when a survivor of the Amazon massacre stumbles into town. He informs them that peaceful Roman troops have been attacked by hundreds of Amazons. Xena says the there aren't that many Amazons in the area but the soldiers says that is no longer the truth. He then says they have captured Eli's messenger and seem to hate her. Uh oh Xena is off to rescue her disaster prone daughter once more. Xena and Gabrielle now reach the battlefield. They are shocked to see that the defenseless troops have been executed. Cyane also confronts them. Cyane has been ordered not to let any one into Amazon territory. She is about to disobey Varia because she respects Xena and Gabrielle and because she has serious doubts about Varia's warlike policies. In the Amazon village Varia has put Eve on trial for her crimes against the Amazon's when she was Livia. Six years ago Livia attacked the Amazons. Livia quickly defeated the Amazons and enslaved them. During the battle Varia was knocked out but regained consciousness after the battle. She was able to sneak up on Livia but hesitated in striking her down. Livia got the drop on her but just as she was about to kill Varia, Varia's little sister took the blow meant for her. In a wonderful piece of camera work we see Livia's killing blow reflected in Varia's eye. Varia then says that Livia took the amazons away and this resulted in the decline of the great warrior tribe. Now here is my first problem with the episode. We are continually told that the Amazons are great and fierce warriors that are now in decline because of Livia's raid. Now granted Livia was prodigy as a warrior, she was only about 19 when this battle took place, but the fierce Amazons seemed pretty easy to defeat. Livia rides into the village unchallenged. She defeats the legendary warriors in hardly any time at all. The only scouts the Amazons seemed to have been Varia and her young sister therefore tribal security was the hands of children. I think Varia is giving Livia way too much credit for the Amazon decline. Eve however is racked with guilt and doesn't defend herself. When Xena and Gabrielle interrupt the trial Eve can only look at her mother and admit her guilt. The council has heard enough and is ready to pass judgment. Gabrielle however demands that Eve must have some kind of defense. The council seems disinclined to agree but once again Cyane speaks up. She says the Amazons owe Xena a chance to defend her daughter and the council agrees. Varia is displeased. Eve has violated Marga's decree banning her from the Amazons land and she wants her executed. The council however disagrees and Varia leaves. As Varia leaves Xena notices her sword. It is the same sword that Ares gave Livia. Ares is now Varia's mentor. Leaving Gabrielle with the council Xena confronts Varia. Varia admits that Ares is now her patron. He will now lead the Amazons to glory and they will regain their rightful place. Xena says Ares is only using the Amazons - he doesn't care about their future; he only wants them in a war. Varia is leading the Amazons into disastrous war with Rome. Varia, of course, doesn't listen. Back at the trial Xena now questions her daughter. She wants to know why Eve decided to attack the Amazons. Eve says her reasons are not important; she is guilty. Xena knows there is more that Eve isn't telling and it involves Ares. She urges Eve to tell the truth because Ares is now trying to seduce the Amazon nation. Eve finally admits that while she was involved in wars in various parts of the empire she was uninterested in the Amazons. They had nothing she wanted but Ares came to her and convinced her that there would be glory in defeating the mighty and powerful Amazons. Varia is stunned. Ares was behind the destruction of the Amazons. Varia storms out of the council and demands to see Ares. Ares appears and isn't happy at being summoned by Varia. Varia tells him what Livia said. Ares is all innocence. Yes he urged Livia to attack but it was a plan on his part to rally the Amazons. Artemis was content to let the Amazon's linger but he wanted them strong and proud. He figured that hate would unit them again. Livia went just too far. Yes he urged her to sell the slaves to Gurkhan but he knew he wouldn't buy the spirited Amazons. Ares was just too shocked for words when Livia pitched the Amazon slaves overboard. Varia is devastated - she planned to rescue her enslaved sister and now she knows they are dead. Ares part in the slaughter is promptly forgotten as Varia's hatred for Eve is enflamed again. In the council room the queens are deliberating Eve's fate. Xena cannot stay but Gabrielle can since she is a queen. Gabrielle says she will try to persuade the queens to let Eve go. Here is my second problem with the episode. Gabrielle is supposed to plead Eve's case but she hardly says a word in council. Now I know Gabby is no longer the gabby bard but neither is she taciturn - there should have been at least one scene where she brings up some kind of argument on Eve's behalf instead of the half-hearted effort we see here. If Gabrielle can talk her way into Caligula's court she should be able to at least hold forth in an Amazon council. Instead we have a half-hearted argument that Ares is the true guilty one. The queens are unimpressed and Gabrielle never points out Ares devastating seductive charm or the dangers he poses to the nation. The council now calls Eve in for judgment. All the queens rise, except Gabrielle, and declare Eve guilty. The decision must be unanimous. Gabrielle finally declares Eve guilty. Xena is stunned her friend has declared her daughter guilty. An irate Xena storms from the council room with Gabrielle hot on her heels. Gabrielle tries to explain that if she didn't go along with the council she wouldn't be able to be heard when the sentencing came along. Xena isn't buying that argument - she'll handle things her way. In a field an irate Xena calls on Ares. After all she has done for him how could he do this to her. Ares answers with the fable of the swan and the scorpion. The scorpion cannot change his nature even if he dies for it. Ares is the god of war and he needs war. The crazy Amazons and the ruthless Romans will give him the greatest war in history. More importantly both sides will pray to him for victory. Eve just got in the way. In the council room Varia is preparing to sentence Eve. Gabrielle wants to argue for banishment but Varia cuts her off. She is queen she gets to sentence Eve. Gabrielle says she ain't queen yet and challenges Varia. She takes Varia's spear and breaks it over her knee ( according to AW, ROC had lot of trouble breaking that spear). Gabrielle now prepares for her fight with Varia (Gabby gets another new costume). Xena tries to stop her friend. A bit chagrined at the danger Gabrielle has put herself for her daughter; Xena offers to fight in her place. Gabrielle says she can't. She is the challenger and she must fight this battle. She makes Xena promise not to interfere. In the ring, Varia and Gabrielle face off in a basic kicking boxing match. To make a long story short Gabrielle gets whipped. Now again I have a problem here. Gabrielle has been in any number of brawls and fights: she killed a whole slew of Romans in the gabspaz, fought her way through the fifth season, been an archangel who fought demon Xena. Now suddenly she can't hold her own against Varia. Why? I assume we are suppose to believe that Ares' training has made Varia a super warrior. Perhaps Gabrielle's heart isn't in the fight. A fact supported by sudden decision to now become loquacious and talk sense to Varia in the middle of a punch up. It still smacks of a contrivance. Gabrielle loses simply so that Xena can save the day. Gabrielle is now beaten and bloody. Eve is lead away to a place of execution. Xena rushes to Gabrielle's aide. Gabrielle says "Xena go beat the crap out of that ungrateful and gullible little bitch" - uh no she doesn't but I wish she had. Xena goes off to save Eve. Ares pops up again and he is giddy with excitement. Xena is about to take on dozens of Amazons, if gods of wars did happy dances Ares would be dancing his little heart out. Xena is not in the mood to deal with Ares. Ares reminds Xena of the scorpion but she reminds him that the scorpion drowned. At the execution site that appears to be an acid pit, Varia is about to kill Eve. Xena challenges Eve. She accuses Varia of acting not to fulfill Amazon law but out of guilt. Years ago she could have saved the Amazons and her sister but she couldn't kill Livia. Now she will kill Eve but it is too late. She will only be playing into Ares hands and the death of the emperor's envoy will bring disaster to the nation. Varia instead of listening fights Xena. It is a pretty good fight. Varia and Xena fight above the acid pits and Varia fights well nearly getting the best of Xena a number of times. Finally Xena fights Varia to a draw but she won't kill Varia. Instead she sheathes her sword. She will make Varia choose her path now. Varia using Livia's move tosses Xena to the ground and is about to kill the unarmed warrior when she realizes what is about to happen. She is about to become like Livia - killing the defenseless for the glory of Ares. She drops her sword, and Xena releases Eve who comforts the now guilt ridden Varia. Xena pointing to the grieving women tells the Amazon queens that this is the price of following Ares. The Amazons leave but just as Xena and Eve are to follow Ares appears. Ares says Xena had everything planned but he's not upset. Yes he lost the Amazons but he is still a god. I guess Ares knows another war is always around the next corner. Back at the Amazon council room, a chasten Varia declares Livia dead so that Eve, the messenger of peace, may live. Outside the Amazon hut Eve announces that she is off to Chin and Indus. Xena is upset that her daughter is leaving but Eve insists on going off on her own. Xena is resigned but as Eve strikes out Xena calls out after her wayward daughter "And stay out of trouble." According to AW this was a Lucy ad lib. This anecdote was in response to a question I asked about how she would have changed Eve's character. She answered that she would have made her smarter. She said Eve was always getting herself in to trouble. She and Lucy were talking about that before this shot. So when Eve wandered off Lucy just shouted after her to "stay out of trouble." AW said that just broke up the crew and in fact you can she ROC making a bit of a hand jester as if she is surprised at the line. Not a bad episode. I liked the fights. The main problem with this episode is the character of Varia. She just doesn't strike me as queen material. She seems to follow any one who will give her the time of day and she shows no real judgment. In Dangerous Prey she rejects Xena's sound advice until she is forced to see her wisdom. Then she idolizes Xena. Suddenly she forgets everything Xena taught her and she takes up with Ares. Now I assume Ares hasn't been a god again for very long so his seduction of Varia must have been done in record time. Varia apparently will follow anyone with a good line. She followed Marga, Xena, Ares, and finally Xena again. At the same time she stubbornly refuses to follow good advise unless it is beaten into her. A combination of gullibility and arrogant stupidity are bad traits for a leader. Next week the Amazons once again have trouble guarding their perimeters and lose a queen. Unfortunately Xena and Gabrielle lead the Amazons in a rescue attempt with a battle plan drawn up by Rumesfeld. 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. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V3 #94 *************************************