From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V3 #153 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, June 3 2003 Volume 03 : Number 153 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] RE WFC [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] RE WFC [IfeRae@aol.com] Re: [chakram-refugees] Re: Xena's Braging rights [IfeRae@aol.com] [chakram-refugees] ROC in Parade ["Cheryl Ande" ] [chakram-refugees] Many Happy Returns ["Cheryl Ande" ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Many Happy Returns [cjlnh@webtv.net (Cheryl LaScol] [chakram-refugees] Message from Renee ["Creation (Sharon Delaney)" Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] RE WFC On Monday 02 Jun 2003 9:15 am, Cheryl Ande wrote: > I just remembered something Katherine Fulgate mentioned at the convention. > It seemed that ROC was also concerbned about Gabby destroying the world and > asked Katherine if Gabby was killing everyone in the world. I gather the > answer was no - Gabby was just resetting the timeline. Though, resetting the timeline doubtless caused many people suddenly to die. I guess for many others, the opposite would have happened. I suppose I could argue it was a net loss, because alternate-timeline Caesar appeared (up until that point) to have been a much more enlightened ruler than the 'regular' one.... but it's not really a proposition I'd care to rely on. ;) > I guess this made > ROC feel better but I don't think altrenative Gabby cared. All she knew > was the world was wrong and she was going to fix it or destro it. I think > Gabby always had the makings of a fanatic and think at this point that > kicked in. > > CherylA As Callisto said, 'Interesting' ;) 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, 2 Jun 2003 17:51:01 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] RE WFC In a message dated 6/1/03 4:08:07 PM Central Daylight Time, cande@sunlink.net writes: << I think Gabby always had the makings of a fanatic and think at this point that kicked in. >> LOL! I just thought of an ironic twist to her play in WFC. Xena was willing to die for love, whereas Gabs became willing to kill. (Like you, I don't think she was making fine distinctions between restoring timelines and simply blowing everything to smithereens. I doubt she knew exactly what the outcome would be.) - -- 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, 2 Jun 2003 17:51:03 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Re: Xena's Braging rights In a message dated 6/1/03 3:56:10 PM Central Daylight Time, cande@sunlink.net writes: << OK I still don't get this argument that Xena was braging. >> I thought you were agreeing with Circuitous KT -- that xena *was* bragging! <> Yes! My point exactly! Well, one of 'em. I tried a bunch, which You Know Who completely ignored. << Now is she saying she is better than Macon well yes. She is better than Macon. Everyone on that ship was better than Macon. >> Here's where I differ slightly. To me, this is an interpretation the viewer might add to the mix, which doesn't necessarily reflect Xena's attitude. I'm not sure she got into weighing the degree of people's "betterness" in deciding whether to rescue them. Each person on the ship had a secret or a past/current blotch on her/his character. It's dicey to me determining who was "better." However, the others ended up acting "better" than might've been expected -- Autolycus included -- except for X&G, whom we did expect to behave honorably. Autolycus' refusal of the jewels from the merchant at the end could've been interpreted as, "I'm too good to take anything from hard-hearted scum like you." The merchant could've said,"Keep the jewels. You're not good enough to give me anything, even if it's mine anyway." But everyone had learned a lesson about honesty, misjudging others and/or pulling together. The merchant and Autolycus subsume their personal greed to the greater good. Wifey admits she's with child. The young boy overcomes his guilt and fear to help others swim to safety. Even Macon reluctantly pulls his weight, once he realizes Xena's plan might actually work. Macon's failure is in not learning a thing from this experience. Indeed, he seemed incapable of growing beyond where he was, at least in this instance. We can argue the complexities all day of whether that made everyone else better than him. But I think it's safe to compare him to himself and conclude he was not a better person than when he got on the ship. One of my primary arguments is that Xena compares herself to herself -- to her own standards, goals and self-defined role. Yes, she incorporates what she's learned through Lao Ma or Gabrielle, but it is her own will that determines this. She is not a puppet that needs someone else to voice her self-concept. To me, she's saying she expects "nothing less" from herself, regardless of what others may do or expect of themselves or her, and despite the absence of rewards someone else might perceive. It's completely up to others if they want to see that as some kind of judgment about someone other than herself. If they do, I guess they can perceive it as bragging. But that may have nothing to do with Xena's intent. - -- 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, 2 Jun 2003 19:38:29 -0400 From: "Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] ROC in Parade There's a nice little srticle about Ren being in a firemen's parade on MaryD's site. She met up with a few Xenites along the way and had a very nice chat with them. Seems like she is going to be making an independent movie - a dark comedy. I hope she has better luck with this one. She is also planning to direct a film based on book one of these days. I hope everything works out for her. Her family is doing well and from the pictures I've seen she looks great. 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: Mon, 2 Jun 2003 19:19:34 -0400 From: "Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] Many Happy Returns Many Happy Returns This is the second to last of the Xena episodes and it is delightful comedy. It reminds me very much of a second season comedy - it is light and silly but imbued with good humor. LL and Roc seem to be having a great time and it shows in their portrayal of Xena and Gabrielle. I don't thing since A Day In A Life have we really seen these two characters so carefree and happy. Gabrielle has her joy of living back and Xena is playful. Guest stars Alexandra Tydings and Katie Stuart as the virgin sacrifice are outstanding. It was written by Liz Friedman and Vanessa Place who obviously are in a much happy frame of mind than with their previous offering THAB. The story opens as Gabrielle begs the taciturn warrior princess to tell what her birthday present is. She is the picture of an anxious toddler. Xena however stands firm no present until tradition is satisfied. Gabrielle is unhappy - unfortunately the tradition, which was undoubtedly started by Xena, is that Gabby be subjected to Xena pranks. She begs that the tradition be ignored this year and Xena agrees but Gabby doesn't see the crossed fingers behind Xena's back. Suddenly Xena sees something in the distance she grabs her anachronistic spyglass and looks through the wrong end. Gabby ever the helpful know-it-all snatches it from Xena and looks through the correct eyepiece. She sees nothing but the audience does - Gabby has a big black ring around her eye making her look a lot like that dog in the Our Gang comedies. The war of the pranks has been declared. Suddenly Xena does hear trouble in the distance. On a seaside cliff a group of zealots are praying for deliverance from Ferragus, a warlord. To ensure their prayers are answered they are about tip a virgin sacrifice off the cliff. Xena and Gabrielle arrive and announce there will be no virgin sacrifices today. A fight ensures. Xena and Gabrielle are mopping the cliff with zealots when suddenly the virgin is tipped over the cliff. Luckily for all Xena has the helmet of Hermes (she was to deliver it some king) suddenly she dives off the cliff after the young girl. She puts on the helmet and Xena, like Lucy in the Simpsons, can fly. She catches the girl and flies off with her. Xena makes a perfect two-point landing. The girl, Genia, is ecstatic and throws herself on Xena's bosom. Xena tells the girl her bosoms are spoken for but she was glad to help out. The girl wants to worship this new goddess. The girl is stunned that she is not dead. No the proud Xena says she is very much alive. The virgin sacrifice is really peeved - Xena has ruined her perfectly good sacrifice. Gabrielle arrives as Genia is venting her spleen but the girl is distracted by Gabrielle's eye make up. Xena tries to silence the girl by saying that the ring is just an embarrassing birthmark and not to mention it. Genia however will not be silenced and Gabrielle finds out what has happened. She is unhappy does a few of her Joxer moves on Xena but Xena catches Gabrielle's fist before it can connect with her nose. Genia though a bit taken aback by the byplay between the two odd women however still is in a sacrifice mode. She will sacrifice herself by holding her breath. Gabrielle gives the girl a strange look and pulls Xena aside for a chat. Gabrielle, still nursing her bruised fist, says they have to do something about Genia. Xena says that perhaps its time to introduce Genia to a real god and perhaps disillusion her a bit about the gods. So they decide to visit Aphrodite. Xena steps over the now unconscious Genia and tells her stop fooling around - they got places to go. The rescue of the virgin has caused havoc among the zealots. The rescue also concerns some one else. A young warlord has watched the whole fight is off t report. In a hidden warlord lair is a very rambunctious warlord called Ferragus. The young man is his son and he reports that a dark haired lady warrior rescued the sacrifice. Farragus is shocked into vulgarity - it seems he has met Xena before and it was not a happy time. He wants to know what happened the boy says Xena leaped of the cliff to save the girl and was able to fly because of the helmet. Ferragus wants that helmet and off they go to get it. At a waterfall the tree women decide to make camp. Xena tosses Genia her bedroll and in the time it takes to roll out her blankets, Xena and Gabrielle have made camp, started a fire, brushed down Argo and are ready for some skinny-dipping. The two naked ladies leap into the water and start playing. They call to Genia to join them but the girl is too shy - nope she'll stay on the shore and watch the bushes (wink, wink). That evening the trio feasted on fishes. Genia ate a lot of fish and now is remorseful since she ate god's creatures and will sleep on the cold ground as a penance. Gabby is unimpressed since she it left cleaning the greasy frying pan but tosses the girl a blanket. That night Genia is tucked up in her bedroll and Xena and Gabby in their bedroll. Gabby is having trouble sleeping. It seems Xena's cold, slimy feet are tickling Gabb.... slimy feet!? Gabby leaps from her bead roll as an eel slithers from under her covers. Gabrielle beats Xena with her blanket in outrage as Xena tries not to laugh hysterically. Gabby plots revenge. That morning Genia awakens to find Gabby innocently tending to the campfire. Xena is bathing in the lake (Xena is really a clean for someone living in the woods). Gabby warns the girl not to disturb Xena during her morning bath. Xena gets out of the lake but her clothes are missing. Gabby helpfully points them out behind a large rock. Xena suspiciously pulls them out and a large tub of fish guts falls on her heads. Gabby has had her revenge but was it a good idea. Genia having only known Xena for a day looks as if she knows this wasn't a good idea. Gabrielle a little stunned by her success tries to talk her way out of the impending doom she faces. Xena can catch arrows why not fish guts and anyway they are even now - right? Gabby is very unsettled when the answer is a resounding no. Xena cleans up and they are off to see Aphrodite. At the temple Genia revently kneels down to pray as her new friends smirk at the virgin's innocence. Xena calls for Aphrodite and she appears with two hunky guys messaging various body parts. Genia is stunned by the fact Aphrodite is suppose to be an evil myth and Aphrodite is equally stunned at the mere sight of a virgin. Aphrodite soon gets over her amazement and wishes Gabrielle a happy birthday. She tells the goddess they are on their way to Thebes. Aphrodite is thrilled - they are going to the Sappho concert. Xena tries to hush the goddess before she lets her surprise gift out of the bag but it is too late and Gabrielle is ecstatic at being able to see favorite poet. The four women now decide to travel together. In clearing the troupe stops for water. Gabrielle expecting dastardly revenge will not take the water Xena offers so she gives it to Genia. Much to Gabrielle thirsty disappointment the water skin is fine. Aphrodite is having her own problems with Genia. The girl refuses to be impressed with the goddess. Aphrodite makes flowers appear and even conjures up a duplicate of the helmets fancy bag. Nope nothing - Genia will remain an "unfaithful". Gabrielle by now is beside herself with worry she tells Dite that Xena is plotting her doom. Dite looks forward to an afternoon with an unbelieving virgin and a nervous bard. They arrive in Thebes. In the city the zealots are looking for their lost virgin. The warlord's son is following the virgin and developing a serious crush on the girl. Xena and Gabby are to see Sappho. Aphrodite and Genia are off to see the sights. Later that day they meet in a tavern. Xena didn't set her sundial right and Gabby missed the Sappho concert - she the picture of despair. Xena gives her comforting pat and is off to find food ( that always makes the bard happy). She leaves the bag with Gabby who wonders why she didn't take the bag and helmet with her. Dite says that Xena switched bag and she has the helmet. Gabby is suspicious. She pokes the bag as if contains nothing less than an exploding asp. Xena comes back with food, Dite and the girl are off to the powder room and Gabby is looking smug. Suddenly Ferragus burst into the tavern. Xena says howdy. Ferragus is proud remembers him but she just read his belt buckle. Gabby is clutching the helmet's bag to her bosom and is looking very worries. A wild brawl breaks out. Dite blinks herself and Genia out of the tavern. Gabrielle is protecting the bag with all her skills but it keeps flying out of hands. Xena is wiping the floor with the warlord and henchmen. Gabby is chasing the slippery bag when suddenly it falls into Ferragus's lap. He runs off with it. Xena has been given a bottle of beer by her last victim and as she drinks Gabby says Ferragus has the helmet. Xena is unconcerned; she swapped bags with Aphrodite, and it's safe. No says the anguished bard she swapped them back. Xena does a great spit take and once again pays the price of not letting Gabrielle in on the plan. In the street X & G catch up with Genia and Dite. There has big change since they were gone. Genia now convinced Dite is a real goddess now has become the goddesses little doppelganger right down to the pink slippers and tropical drink. Xena is exasperated - Genia has to stop trying to find a god to tell her what to do - she should become her own person. However there isn't much time to build Genia's self-image, Xena and Gabby have a helmet to rescue. Dite and Genia are left alone. Genia no longer wants to be a sacrifice she also doesn't want to be a virgin either. Since she is going to worship the goddess of love she logically says she should know love. Dite agrees and spies the warlords kid lurking behind a stall. She casts a love spell on the two kids and poof they are ready to marry. Dite is very proud of herself. In the warlord's cave Xena and Gabrielle are watching Ferragus fly around his lair with the helmet. Xena's about to bring him down when the cave bell rings. Gabrielle is surprised that warlords get company and she is even more surprised when Genia and the warlord boy arrive. Aphrodite then pops in to watch her handiwork and realizes she might have made a small error. She tells Xena she'll take that spell off but Xena doesn't want to shock Genia, she has more complicated plan in mind. Meanwhile Ferragus has gotten over the shock of his son's hasty engagement and is ready to welcome his son's fianci into the lair (you know Ferragius has pretty good family values for a demented warlord). As Ferragus is getting use to having a new daughter, his in laws arrive, Anthrax and Spetunia. Xena and Dite are disguised as Genia's parents. Xena as Anthrax the very soul of the hardy father of the bride and Dite as Spetunia just wants the wedding to go well. To that end who should arrive but Gabrielle as Bell of Bell's Bridal Barn the ultimate southern wedding consultant (I also kind of hope that Bell was based on someone who might have showed up at ROC's wedding). Bell has come armed with swatches and sees harem pants in Ferragus's future. Anthrax sends his daughter off with mom and he adjourns to have a conjugal talk with his daughter. Dite takes off the spell. Back at the cave Bell is convincing Ferragus he has the shoulders to carry off her wedding creation. She however can't get the helmet off him. Xena helps out. She would like to see his scars. He shows her his missing spleen; Anthrax is not impressed who needs a spleen. The cut by a short sword isn't as good as a cut by long sword. In frustration takes off his helmet and puts it in its bag before showing Anthrax his would that Xena gave him. Xena wants to see that - she doesn't remember it. Dite switches bags and gives the bag to Genia whom she sends back to the village and right into the arms of the zealots. Anthrax now makes his excuses and leaves Ferragus and so does Bell. In the grove Xena back in her regular outfit but still in her mustache asks Dite where Genia is. She says she sent to the village to shop. Xena is frantic. How could Dite leave the girl alone when the zealots are after her? Dite is now frantic and back to the village they go. All they find is Genia's little pink shoe. Dite is nearly in tears - she got her new acolyte killed. No Xena says there is a zealot temple in town she is probably there. Xena and Gabrielle will rescue her - again. Dite offers to help with a spell but Xena hastily declines the offer. Dite looks so disappointed that Xena gives an assignment. Back at Ferragus's lair the warlord has discovered that his helmet is gone. However the leader of the zealot's arrive. He will give Ferragus the helmet if he protects the sacrifice from Xena's interference. At the temple Genia is all bundled up - I assume no one wants Ferragus to know his future daughter-in-law is about to be a virgin sacrifice. Genia is but on an alter which has board with knives suspended above it. The rope that holds the board up is set on fire. Xena now arrives but she is met by the flying Ferragus. Gabby comes in and she fights the zealots. The rope burns. Up in the unfinished second floor of the temple Xena is fighting Feraggus using ladders to move around the scaffolding. Finally she is able to get the helmet and she tosses it to Gabby who runs off with it followed by the zealot leader. Xena leaps from the scaffolding just in time to catch the roe that has burned through and saves Genia. Suddenly up on the second floor Gabby is being held at knife point (this hasn't happened for awhile but ROC hasn't forgotten how to act with a knife at her throat) by the zealot leader. He takes the helmet and announces that know that he has the helmet his next tribe will worship him. He puts the helmet on and leaps from the ledge and goes splat on the floor. Gabby has switched helmets with Aphrodite. All's well. Genia tells warlord boy they will always be friends but she off to make her convent into a refuge for the poor. She thanks Xena and Gabrielle for showing her that she doesn't need a god to make her someone. That evening Xena and Gabrielle sit a cliff beside the sea. Gabrielle has once again missed the Sappho concert but she is not too upset. She does wonder how her fish gut bucket could have caught Xena. She however has figured out that Xena was caught on purpose so that Gabrielle would drive herself nuts worrying about Xena's revenge. Xena then gives Gabby some wine. It's in a dribble cup and the triumphant Xena says now they are even. Gabby laughs but when Xena tells her to close her eye she is suspicious. She however finally does and Xena gives her a scroll. It's poem that Sappho has written just for her. Gabby reads the lovely poem and is touched and the two hug. Xena then puts the helmet on and off they fly into the sunset. As is aid this is one of my favorite comedies. I love Xena as Anthrax with her mustache, goatee and big belly. ROC was just as good as Bell and as the suspicious Gabrielle awaiting her doom at Xena's hands. The final scene of the episode is also one of my favorites. The composition is just great. Xena is sitting on a rock that is just a bit too small and she looks every inch the big lug of a warrior. Then she gives Gabby the mushy love poem and she is at once embarrassed and proud of her gift. It is lovely moment. Katie Stuart is very good as Genia - she was spunky and sweet without over playing the role. It's had to imagine that the actress was only about 17 when she played the role because she gave such a nicely nuance performance. Alex Tydings was again wonderful as the love goddess with the heart of gold. Hori Ahipene was a bit over the top but I didn't seem to mind it as much this time around. I guess he has grown on me. Finally it's an episode like this makes me sniffle when I think Xena is dead. Everyone is so happy and that's what makes me nostalgic I guess. My rational mind says - Xena's mom and dad are raising three kids and Gabby's mom is riding around on a fire truck in California but irrational mind just gets all emotional. Next week another comedy - if that's what Soul Possession is. Let's see if I can conjure a better review for this episode than the first time I saw it. Actually Soul Possession is really upsetting - coming back as Harry and Mattie is a fate worse than death 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: Mon, 2 Jun 2003 20:14:02 -0400 (EDT) From: cjlnh@webtv.net (Cheryl LaScola) Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Many Happy Returns Agreeing with Cheryl Ande, MHR is one of my favorites too. You can feel the chemistry between X&G (LL & ROC). I remember thinking when it first aired that this 42 minute episode is why I came back week after week. At that time I also remember dredding each new ep, because we were so close to the end of the series. The last 5, 4, 3 etc. as they were advertised. But MHR brought levity and a warmth that just made you wish it would never end.... Sadly, Xena is no more and despite the fan base's wishes, it seems unlikely we will see LL and ROC on screen together again. Not wanting to be pessimistic, but it has been 2 1/2 years since they worked together and they are on separate paths now. Their priorities are different and life will take them to new places. But I suspect, like us, LL and ROC will always feel connected to Xena and look fondly on what was a very special time in their lives. I guess we'll just have to look forward to the coffee talk sessions.....hopefully there will be more of them.... cheryl (j) ========================================================= 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, 2 Jun 2003 17:17:14 -0700 From: "Creation (Sharon Delaney)" Subject: [chakram-refugees] Message from Renee Thanks to all the fans that came out on Saturday to support myself and the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. And thanks also to the people who have been sending money to support their charity work. The guys at the Burn Foundation were happily overwhelmed with the response. I had such a blast being a firewoman leading a pack of 25 fire trucks for the day throughout Los Angeles. It's a little bit different sitting with the real heros. A humbling experience. I'm hoping to do more work for them in the future. Renee Sharon Official Xena Fan Club ========================================================= 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 #153 **************************************