From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V3 #176 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, June 26 2003 Volume 03 : Number 176 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] Friend In Need Part 1 [IfeRae@aol.com] [chakram-refugees] OS: Matrix Reloaded ["Jackie M. Young" ] Re: [chakram-refugees] watching Xener [KTL ] Re: [chakram-refugees] watching Xener [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Friend In Need Part 1 [cr ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 02:03:53 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Friend In Need Part 1 In a message dated 6/25/2003 10:26:25 PM Central Daylight Time, cande@sunlink.net writes: > > Last week I couldn't get started on FIN and this week all I did was watch > FIN.>> And we are ever so grateful. :-) >>> By now alarms bells should be going > off - any time the hero says I'm ready to settle down or some such sentiment > you can bet your boots things are going to go sour. >> LOL! Thanks for the tip! > The monk then tells the tale of how he has > met Akemi in a teahouse on a dark and stormy night. >> Sounds like Halloween! > > Xena must go to Japa. Gabrielle is once again confronted by another mystery > from Xena's past. She has obviously by now grown so accustomed by these > sudden developments that she is no longer startled or even put out by them. > When Xena asks if she will go with her she says, "Where you go I am at your > side." Xena is also no longer surprised at Gabrielle's fidelity and says, > "I > knew you would say that." >> Ah, I hadn't thought about the poignancy of this before. Finally they don't have gods and evil children coming between them, but then Xena's past rears its ugly head again. I guess that was to be expected too. > As usual it all began 36 years ago.>> Don't you just love how much Xena crammed into those 10 winters? Our girl was certainly an overachiever. > The girl is not offended by this rudeness but greets Xena as a hero. She > says > that Xena will soon love her. As Xena scoffs she also says that Xena is > afraid of nothing but her master is afraid of everything. >> When I first heard this, I wondered if Gabs' scrolls had made it to Japa. > He doesn't listen and soon he has > Xena's pinch on him and she is slaughtering his guards. As the lord lies > dying, Akemi watches with fascination as her master lies dying and Xena > kills > all comers. >> Ooo, I'd forgotten that too -- how Akemi learned within a few minutes the one skill she could use for her true purposes. > When finally her master dies she asks Xena to take her > with her and teach her everything she knows. >> I can't wait to see if you discuss the parallels with Gabs. > > On the boat to Japa, Akemi calmly sits on the deck working on a poem. She > meets Borias's eyes and you see that Borias has some inkling that all is not > quite right with Akemi. He goes to Xena and asks if she is sure there is a > ransom waiting for them. Xena is dreaming of as alliance with Akemi's > powerful father, and she arrogantly assures him that Akemi would not lie to > her teacher. >> Boy, you sure are catching a lot of things that didn't hit home with me, even tho I've watched the various versions of AFIN countless times. So Borias questioned the ransome thing, eh? > Back on the boat Gabrielle says the Akemi must have loved Xena very much to > give such a beautiful poem. This statement shows Gabrielle's maturity. In > The Debt she was jealous of Lo Mao but here Gabrielle has sympathy for the > girl who seemed to love the wild younger Xena. Perhaps Gabrielle also sees > a > bit of herself in Akemi - the bard who wants the warrior to teach her > everything she knows. >> Excellent point. > << Akemi says she wants to visit her dead grandfather. Xena wants her > money and she is certain a dead grandfather won't have it. As Xena rages, > Akemi calmly kneels before the family shrine and bears her neck to Xena's > blade. The warrior is stopped dead in mid-tirade at Akemi's submission to > her. Akemi calls upon her grandfather and announces his judgment; Xena is a > wise and appropriate teacher (granddad has an odd criteria for teachers). >> Here I wondered if maybe grandpa's ghost had given Akemi her prior knowledge about Xena. > Xena however gets some bad news - her sword isn't good enough. Xena is > insulted - her sword has been a great widow-maker. Well here it won't do > she > needs a katana. While Xena is thinking over this announcement, Akemi > cleverly > adds that in Japa foreigners and women aren't allowed to own katana's. As > RT > points out in his commentary - Akemi knows Xena's weak point -her pride. No > one is going to tell the Warrior Princess she can't have anything she wants > and she now wants the katana. >> Yes, for a seemingly innocent girl, Akemi sure knew how to push Xena's buttons. > << She > fights the various assistants and gets her famous scare on her chest (I > always > thought the scar was real but Lucy says that this was the payoff for > faithfully pasting it on for 6 years - so I don't know what the status of > the > scar actually is). >> I believe she was joking, as I read back awhile ago that it was the result of a childhood bee sting. I'm sure someone will clear this up for us. > Akemi says that Xena is a great warrior but knows nothing of love. Xena > saved > her life and there is no greater gift of love than that. As Xena ponders > these words, Akemi asks for another gift - teach her the pinch that killed > her > master. Xena says it is a sacred trust but she will teach it to her. >> Yeah, that "sacred trust" thing surprised me. As I recall, Xena threatened M'Lila in order for learn the pinch. Maybe they later entwined little fingers and promised to share it only with someone reeely speshul? > Gabrielle looks over the side and follows, however you the > impression she is wondering why Xena just didn't commandeer a row boat. >> Xena? Row when she can swim so much faster? Nah. Gabs was just wondering if it was worth getting her cute outfit wet. > > In the forest an unseen force moves through the woods. Akemi sits in the > teahouse composing her poems. The monstrous Lord of the Darklands bursts > into > the room and confronts his daughter, Akemi. He tells her he knows she has > stolen his katana and has sent for Xena. Akemi is frightened and knows that > Mioky her fellow geisha has betrayed her. Her father however is not angry > instead he says his general will take the warrior's head and she will join > his > whores in the teahouse. >. Okay, this was a new bit in the DVD. Frankly, I was glad it got cut, as I thought it was much more dramatic having their relationship revealed later on. > > The two women swim to the dock and Haguchi is in flames. They emerge > dripping > and Xena surveys the town and sees a huge water tower just the thing to put > out the fires. Now I don't know if Xena, as Lucy said, is just out of ideas > or decides to finally let Gabrielle show what she has learned but she asks > Gabrielle what she would do. >> This is one of those places where I wondered if Xena had a premonition that she might not survive this mission, so was giving herself and Gabs a chance to see what Gabs would do on her own. > << Gabrielle begins to turn the wheel to > bring the water up and as the pressure builds Xena opens the valves with her > word and water sprays over the town. >> Don't you just love how Xena stands there patiently, waiting for Gabs to get the water going the "normal" way, then ends up whacking the thing with her sword, per usual? > salutes Xena and says they will meet again. >> Now, if I recall correctly, there was more dialogue between him and Xena than in the aired version. I found this helpful, as I got a better feel for his true stature and regard for Xena as a worthy opponent. <<> I like the way Gabrielle reacts to her daring do - part terror and > astonishment that she can do this. I also love Xena's reaction to > Gabrielle's > solution - Xena is just having a great time - swinging through the air; > mortifying the enemy below her. You have a feeling that after it is over > she > regrets that she hasn't given Gabby more opportunities to plan their > missions > - the girl sure knows how to show a warrior a good time.>> LOL! Yes, I felt that too. Another poignant moment in retrospect. > Xena is devastated by the news of what she has done. This is Cirra again > only > the tragedy is a thousand times greater. Gabrielle says it was just a > horrible accident. Xena however will not allow Gabrielle to make excuses > for > her. She will make things right. She will save Haguchi from the Dark Lord > this time and free the 40,000. >> I was reminded of Gabrielle's killing of Meridian, which of course she never wanted to happen. I always liked that both women refused to shy away from their complicity in events they never intended. > > The next day Xena and Gabrielle are on the battlements of the city. Xena > asks > Gabrielle what she hears. She says she may hear a wagon passing. Xena > tells > her to listen not to just the sounds but what is behind the sounds. > Gabrielle > listens again and is apparently taken aback at what she hears; a great army > is > in the forest. She asks Xena how many men are out there and Xena says three > armies. A stunned Gabrielle goes to warn the others.>> Another example of Xena prepping Gabrielle in ways we seldom saw, though it was suggested (e.g., Gabs knowing how to estimate the number of soldiers in OAAA by the number of campfires.) > > Harukata now joins Xena. He is still wary of her but he is won over by > Xena's > sincere grief over what happened so many years ago. Xena wonders why he as > the ghost killer hasn't been able to kill Yodoshi. Harukata says he has > that > power but as a mortal he can't get to him. Only a ghost can trap Yodoshi. > Xena now understands what she has to do to make thinks right. >> Yes, someone recently commented on how Lucy communicates this with a subtle look and nod. > > It is dawn and Xena now dressed in minimal Japanese armor (actually a samari > bikini) is contemplating her own death. She believes this will be her final > battle. Gabrielle comes to fetch her and is surprised to see that Xena is > not > ready. Xena takes Gabrielle by the hands and draws her down on the floor. > Kneeling before Gabrielle she Gabby's hands and puts them on her neck and > begins to show her the pinch. >> I still get goosebumps everytime I see that scene. > In the fog-enshrouded forest, Xena sends Gabrielle and her troops off to > confront some archers she says are in another part of the forest. Gabrielle > goes off in one direction and Xena in another. Xena now alone buries her > armor like she did years ago in a forest outside of Potedeia; after this day > she won 't need them. >> That scene also still gets to me. I'd wondered if RT pictured something like that way back in the beginning, but I didn't get that feeling from the commentary. > Also now is a good time to say farewell to one the Xenaverse's most > interesting characters Young Xena. > > This character has always been a remarkable creation. With the story of her > relation with Akemi we see why the character did the things she did after > Chin. >> We do? You do love challenges, don't you? Okay, I'm game. Xena meets Akemi after her encounter with La Mao. Xena is still very > > much a barbarian - violent, crude and with an adolescent egotism. Xena has > begun to see herself as a just a tad better than Borias. When she meets > Akemi > the girl's adoration and praise stokes Xena's feelings of superiority. Xena > however being so self-centered never wonders why Akemi should admire her - > se > just takes it as her due. Akemi is perhaps the first person that seems to > admire Xena as a person - not as a warrior, or as someone to mold, or even > someone to sleep with. Akemi apparently loves Xena for her stillness and > her > connection to the universe. Akemi actually courts her with gifts (the > katana) > and love poems and holds out the promise of wealth and power. Xena finally > trusts some one again and shares with her the secret that another trusted > friend gave her. >> Okay, I can see that. Then it is all shatters - Akemi perhaps does love Xena but > she too has > used the young woman. She needed Xena to get her to her father > and uses Xena sacred trust for murder. Then finally Xena must do the most > horrible thing of all kill the girl she has come to love. In the end she > has > a final failure when she can't even bring the ashes to the shrine. Xena has > found out a terrible thing - love makes you vulnerable and can cause great > pain. It is no wonder that the Xena that we meet afterwards in AITST, Past > Imperfect, and The Ring rejects love and uses it only to manipulate. Xena > has > learned from Akemi that love should be feared but also that it is powerful > weapon. Xena now begins to reject love and see it as only fit for fools. >> Bravo! I bet RT wishes he'd had you with him to 'splain this to everybody (including Lucy). I like it better than Caesar's betrayal being what turned her heart to stone. > > Another remarkable character her is Akemi. This is a remarkable girl. >> You give a wonderful synopsis of this, but frankly I think a lot of the credit goes to that young actress. Without her excellent performance, I'm not sure I would've given much credence to this last-minute rabbit in the hat. For me, she raised the character above what would have otherwise been a plot device unworthy of the series finale. > < years ago. That scene is scary because of its surreal quality. Xena, with > her short hair, grotesque make-up and gangly appearance, is an unsettling > sight. I remember I actually gasped when I first saw her. >> Yes, I thought this was a tour de force, in terms of the multi-dimensional performances required of Lucy -- as Reformed Xena, first content, then on what seemed a fairly typical mission and finally resolved to sacrificing herself; the bitterly rash and then devestated Young Xena; and Ghost Xena, whom I won't say anything about yet, since you're making us wait for Part 2. Grrrr. > Well that's it for now. I'll let you digest this much for now. I now can > go > watch FIN again - just call me obsessed.>> *Us* call *you* obsessed? I think not. - -- 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, 25 Jun 2003 20:53:00 -1000 (HST) From: "Jackie M. Young" Subject: [chakram-refugees] OS: Matrix Reloaded OK, I _know_ I'm the epitome of "behindness", but I just saw Matrix Reloaded this past weekend, and I know Sarah previously mentioned that GTorres (Nebula, Cleo) has an *extremely* small role in it along with her now-hubby Lawrence Fishburne, and Nathaniel Lees (Niklios, Dreamweaver, et al) also has a very small role in it as well, but I was also well-satisfied and bemused that many of the fight moves were reminiscent of XWP. ;) As Sarah mentioned, Neo at one point fights with sais, but he also does the "XWP sweep" (horizontal swing with both legs in air) with both hands holding onto a utility pole (as in Sins of the Past), and in the mass-Smith fight scene where all the clones jump on top of him, he, in XWP fashion, throws them all off of him and continues to fight them off (forgot which eps that occurs in, but as I recall there was more than one). ;=) The martial arts scenes were *very* well-choreographed, and definitely were influenced by the HK martial arts flicks, as was XWP. ;=) _And_ some of the humor was also in wry, XWP taste: when Neo answers the door in the first scene and has to fight off the agents who counter his every move, he is cooly miffed and remarks, "Oh, you're some upgrades" or something like that, which is the sort of remark X would make in the middle of a fight. ;) All in all, I guess you could say I was "tickled", even though the film was much darker than XWP ever was. ;) Just MO, ;) - --Jackie ****************************************************** * Proud to have the same birthday as Lucy Lawless! * * * * "I think New Zealand geographically comes from * * ... Hawai'i." --Lucy Lawless, Late Show, 4/9/96 * * * * "Feel the fear and do it anyway." --Lucy Lawless, * * Evening Post, 7/4/98 * * * * JACKIE YOUNG, JYOUNG@LAVA.NET * * * ****************************************************** ========================================================= 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, 25 Jun 2003 23:25:31 -0800 (AKDT) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] watching Xener > > Then the next thing I knew, a half an hour had flown by and the episode was > > over already! And I had once again been totally caught up by Lucy as Xena > > and somehow once again forgot all the cheese, all the sleaze, all the plot > > holes and dropped explanations and how much I don't care for the T&A Action > > Adventure genre. l I got > > caught up by the humor and wild antics of Here She Comes Miss Amphipolis > > [Big indrawn breath.] From THAT night on, I was doomed.) > > > > And apparently, I shall stay doomed for the rest of my natural borned life. > > How kewl is that? > > > > KT > > Very cool. > > Miss Amphipolis. An *excellent* ep to have got hooked by. I'd be jealous > but I think I can claim 'Destiny'. Or Royal Couple of Thieves, one or the > other. ;) Well, I was "not watching" Xena again and suddenly heard Salmonious announce that the contest winner would become "Miss Known World". And that line just SLAYED me!~ I looked up at the screen laughing and that was the end of getting my homework done that night. Watching Lucy in the dance rehearsal scene, showing Xena getting all exasperated by the clumsiness of the girls as they trip, crash and bang into each other was hilarious. I especially liked how she kind of hits the center of the stage and then gives an impatient smirk and just raises her arms for a second with a kind of contemptuous "big effen deal" swing. I laughed out loud at the scene where the attendant asks them what Xena's talent was--loved the horrified and stunned looks X&G exchanged. And boy, one scene led to another and suddenly I'd watched my first whole Xena ep! And I decided to watch the show when it was on earlier in the week at 10pm instead of 1 am. And the next ep was Destiny. By the ep after that, the Quest, as I sat down to watch it, I suddenly decided I should tape it. I fumbled out an old tape that was lying around (these were in the days before I had six packs of tapes all over the house just waiting for Xena eps to be laid down on them) and so the Quest was my first "keeper". I still have that tape--banged up old cassette sporting a dirty, ripped label with "The Quest" written in black Magic Marker pen over the name of whatever had been on that tape before I grabbed it. I just can't bring myself to throw it out...sniff. > > How d'ya like Xena as a blonde? I thought she made a very handsome one, > myself. > > cr > Nope, nope, nope. It's the black, black hair and the blue, blue eyes that steals my heart every time. I actually didn't fully realize this until one day I was wondering what it was about Lawless that made her so mesmerizing to me. And I suddenly became aware that that look has always attracted me. I had an ephiphany--that my honey also had black, black hair and blue blue eyes. And then I had a second epiphany--my MOTHER had black, black hair and blue, blue eyes. This was a truly horrifying realization--I married a guy just like the girl that married dear old dad... HOWEVER, I know that I got online shortly after Ms. Amphip. Because one of the first posts I ever read mentioned that if you slo-moed the scene where Xena twirls around on stage, you could see just about all of Lucy's butt. This quickly became a fairly long thread trying to decide was she 1. Not wearing any underwear? or 2. Wearing a thong? I figured that Gabrielle had probably given her a wedgie just before she went out on stage, but I was too shy to post then. 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: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 23:59:50 -0800 (AKDT) From: KTL Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] watching Xener > KTL wrote: > And apparently, I shall stay doomed for the rest of my natural borned life. > How kewl is that? >> > > Only for the rest of your natural borned life, KT? Why I'm planning on > carrying this obsession on over into my next life too!! But won't those VCR tapes melt in hell? > > XWPacolyte > Cupid and Psyche... Antony and Cleopatra... Xena and Gabrielle. > Snort---that last one should read Xena and "THE WORLD"! KT wink ========================================================= 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: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 22:37:08 +1200 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] watching Xener On Thursday 26 June 2003 19:25, KTL wrote: > > Well, I was "not watching" Xena again and suddenly heard Salmonious > announce that the contest winner would become "Miss Known World". And that > line just SLAYED me!~ I looked up at the screen laughing and that > was the end of getting my homework done that night. So, you were first attracted by *Salmoneus*? That's new ;) > Watching Lucy in the dance rehearsal scene, showing Xena getting all > exasperated by the clumsiness of the girls as they trip, crash and bang > into each other was hilarious. I especially liked how she kind of hits > the center of the stage and then gives an impatient smirk and just raises > her arms for a second with a kind of contemptuous "big effen deal" swing. Kinda perfunctory. And hilarious. > And I decided to watch the show when it was on earlier in the week at 10pm > instead of 1 am. And the next ep was Destiny. By the ep after that, the > Quest, as I sat down to watch it, I suddenly decided I should tape it. I > fumbled out an old tape that was lying around (these were in the days > before I had six packs of tapes all over the house just waiting for Xena > eps to be laid down on them) and so the Quest was my first "keeper". I > still have that tape--banged up old cassette sporting a dirty, ripped > label with "The Quest" written in black Magic Marker pen over > the name of whatever had been on that tape before I grabbed it. I just > can't bring myself to throw it out...sniff. ROTFL.. I hate to think how many Xena tapes I've got - originals, backups, backups of backups.... > HOWEVER, I know that I got online shortly after Ms. Amphip. Because one > of the first posts I ever read mentioned that if you slo-moed the scene > where Xena twirls around on stage, you could see just about all of Lucy's > butt. This quickly became a fairly long thread trying to decide was she 1. > Not wearing any underwear? or 2. Wearing a thong? I figured that Gabrielle > had probably given her a wedgie just before she went out on stage, but I > was too shy to post then. > > KT Oh dear. The fascination with Xena's underwear strikes again. I have it on good authority (i.e. I just guessed) that in Greek times they wore *no* underwear. (That oughta be good for a feverish fantasy or two :) However, I *can* confirm that in Bitter Suite, Xena was wearing black knickers. I discovered this by accident while trying to pinpoint the location of the Amazon Village in the New Zealand countryside - as Xena vaults onto her horse with Gabrielle in tow, there is a brief view of the New Zealand scenery in the distance, and quite by accident, since Xena's horse is at that moment pointing towards the distant scenery, and hence so is Xena, there is a perfect shot of Xena's own scenery for about two frames, one of which I fortuitously captured on JPG. The definition, however, is not good enough to tell whether they're leather or frilly ;) cr ... it wasn't really Xena though. Just her riding double. ========================================================= 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: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 22:05:57 +1200 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Friend In Need Part 1 On Thursday 26 June 2003 18:03, IfeRae@aol.com wrote: > > >>> By now alarms bells should be going > > off - any time the hero says I'm ready to settle down or some such > > sentiment you can bet your boots things are going to go sour. >> > > LOL! Thanks for the tip! [OT reference - ] Now why does that remind me of 'Farscape' :) > > The girl is not offended by this rudeness but greets Xena as a hero. She > > says > > that Xena will soon love her. As Xena scoffs she also says that Xena is > > afraid of nothing but her master is afraid of everything. >> > > When I first heard this, I wondered if Gabs' scrolls had made it to Japa. Huh? This was long before Xena met Gabs, remember..... > > On the boat to Japa, Akemi calmly sits on the deck working on a poem. > > She meets Borias's eyes and you see that Borias has some inkling that all > > is not quite right with Akemi. He goes to Xena and asks if she is sure > > there is a ransom waiting for them. Xena is dreaming of as alliance with > > Akemi's powerful father, and she arrogantly assures him that Akemi would > > not lie to her teacher. >> > > Boy, you sure are catching a lot of things that didn't hit home with me, > even tho I've watched the various versions of AFIN countless times. So > Borias questioned the ransome thing, eh? Oh yes. You're obviously not paying attention. You are sentenced to watch FIN *again*. :) > > Back on the boat Gabrielle says the Akemi must have loved Xena very much > > to give such a beautiful poem. This statement shows Gabrielle's > > maturity. In The Debt she was jealous of Lo Mao but here Gabrielle has > > sympathy for the girl who seemed to love the wild younger Xena. Perhaps > > Gabrielle also sees a > > bit of herself in Akemi - the bard who wants the warrior to teach her > > everything she knows. >> > > Excellent point. Well, I think, in The Debt or its surrounding episodes, Gabby was on some sort of control-freak crusade to remake Xena in her own image. To force her own moral world-view on Xena. I found it... irritating. :) It wasn't so much Lao Ma that Gabs was jealous of, as the fact that Xena might actually have ideas of her own. IMO. By FIN, Gabby was a bit more battered and realistic. Oh yeah, and Xena wasn't going off to specifically kill somebody.... but anyway, after Gurkhan and Helicon and a few other eps, Gabby was, as I said, a bit more realistic. > > > << Akemi says she wants to visit her dead grandfather. Xena wants her > > money and she is certain a dead grandfather won't have it. As Xena > > rages, Akemi calmly kneels before the family shrine and bears her neck to > > Xena's blade. The warrior is stopped dead in mid-tirade at Akemi's > > submission to her. Akemi calls upon her grandfather and announces his > > judgment; Xena is a wise and appropriate teacher (granddad has an odd > > criteria for teachers). >> > > Here I wondered if maybe grandpa's ghost had given Akemi her prior > knowledge about Xena. Good point. It would certainly explain why Akemi was expecting to see Xena at Kao's castle. > > Akemi says that Xena is a great warrior but knows nothing of love. Xena > > saved > > her life and there is no greater gift of love than that. As Xena ponders > > these words, Akemi asks for another gift - teach her the pinch that > > killed her > > master. Xena says it is a sacred trust but she will teach it to her. >> > > Yeah, that "sacred trust" thing surprised me. As I recall, Xena threatened > M'Lila in order for learn the pinch. Maybe they later entwined little > fingers and promised to share it only with someone reeely speshul? Errrm, M'Lila died protecting Xena. I should think that would make *anything* M'Lila taught Xena, rather sacred in Xena's eyes. > > Gabrielle looks over the side and follows, however you the > > impression she is wondering why Xena just didn't commandeer a row boat. > > >> > > Xena? Row when she can swim so much faster? Nah. Gabs was just wondering > if it was worth getting her cute outfit wet. ROTFL! More practically, a boat would have been more conspicuous than a couple of swimmers in the water. > > In the forest an unseen force moves through the woods. Akemi sits in the > > teahouse composing her poems. The monstrous Lord of the Darklands bursts > > into > > the room and confronts his daughter, Akemi. He tells her he knows she > > has stolen his katana and has sent for Xena. Akemi is frightened and > > knows that Mioky her fellow geisha has betrayed her. Her father however > > is not angry instead he says his general will take the warrior's head and > > she will join his > > whores in the teahouse. >. > > Okay, this was a new bit in the DVD. Frankly, I was glad it got cut, as I > thought it was much more dramatic having their relationship revealed later > on. Hmmmm. Of course, by the time I saw the DVD, I *knew* what their relationship was, so this point didn't occur to me. I thought it really gave an additional insight into their relationship. That Akemi might be Yodoshi's captive, but she was an extremely unwilling one, even to the point of defying him openly. It also helped clarify that the attack on Higuchi was at Yodoshi's instigation, and that was why Akemi had finally sent for Xena. > > << Gabrielle begins to turn the wheel to > > > > bring the water up and as the pressure builds Xena opens the valves with > > her word and water sprays over the town. >> > > Don't you just love how Xena stands there patiently, waiting for Gabs to > get the water going the "normal" way, then ends up whacking the thing with > her sword, per usual? Yes! Gotta love it :) remind me never to let Xena drive my car.... > > > > salutes Xena and says they will meet again. >> > > Now, if I recall correctly, there was more dialogue between him and Xena > than in the aired version. I found this helpful, as I got a better feel > for his true stature and regard for Xena as a worthy opponent. I don't think that dialogue happened at all in the aired version. So we didn't get to hear Morimoto's bizarre accent until he met Gabs when she went to rescue Xena's body, IIRC. I don't think he spoke more than a word or two during the battle. > > Xena is devastated by the news of what she has done. This is Cirra again > > only > > the tragedy is a thousand times greater. Gabrielle says it was just a > > horrible accident. Xena however will not allow Gabrielle to make excuses > > for > > her. She will make things right. She will save Haguchi from the Dark > > Lord this time and free the 40,000. >> > > I was reminded of Gabrielle's killing of Meridian, which of course she > never wanted to happen. I always liked that both women refused to shy away > from their complicity in events they never intended. > > > The next day Xena and Gabrielle are on the battlements of the city. Xena > > asks > > Gabrielle what she hears. She says she may hear a wagon passing. Xena > > tells > > her to listen not to just the sounds but what is behind the sounds. > > Gabrielle > > listens again and is apparently taken aback at what she hears; a great > > army is > > in the forest. She asks Xena how many men are out there and Xena says > > three armies. A stunned Gabrielle goes to warn the others.>> > > Another example of Xena prepping Gabrielle in ways we seldom saw, though it > was suggested (e.g., Gabs knowing how to estimate the number of soldiers in > OAAA by the number of campfires.) ... and I confess to an error. (Might as well take this chance to confess). I thought - and have publicly stated - that whole exchange in OAAA was a 'tribute' to Butch Cassidy, i.e. 'How many are there out there?' 'Yadda yadda so many....' 'For a moment there I thought we were in trouble'. I just watched Butch Cassidy and in fact the lines were something like: "Did you see LaForge out there?" (LaForge being the most deadly lawman hunting them) "Nope" "Good, for a moment there I thought we were in trouble". So, the last line only was the 'tribute'. Just wanted to get that on the record. ;) > > Harukata now joins Xena. He is still wary of her but he is won over by > > Xena's > > sincere grief over what happened so many years ago. Xena wonders why he > > as the ghost killer hasn't been able to kill Yodoshi. Harukata says he > > has that > > power but as a mortal he can't get to him. Only a ghost can trap > > Yodoshi. Xena now understands what she has to do to make thinks right. >> > > Yes, someone recently commented on how Lucy communicates this with a subtle > look and nod. Yes, very telling. > > In the fog-enshrouded forest, Xena sends Gabrielle and her troops off to > > > > confront some archers she says are in another part of the forest. > > Gabrielle goes off in one direction and Xena in another. Xena now alone > > buries her armor like she did years ago in a forest outside of Potedeia; > > after this day she won 't need them. >> > > That scene also still gets to me. I'd wondered if RT pictured something > like that way back in the beginning, but I didn't get that feeling from the > commentary. You mean, back in Sins of the Past? I very much doubt it. Six years ago, the ending of the series would only be a vague concept. Certainly, I think in FIN, RT was looking back at some of the elements from earlier eps. > > Also now is a good time to say farewell to one the Xenaverse's most > > interesting characters Young Xena. > > > > This character has always been a remarkable creation. With the story of > > her relation with Akemi we see why the character did the things she did > > after Chin. >> > > We do? You do love challenges, don't you? Okay, I'm game. Well, *I* believed Cande's thesis. I'm just too easy ;) > Then it is all shatters - Akemi perhaps does love Xena but > she too has > > > used the young woman. She needed Xena to get her to her father > > and uses Xena sacred trust for murder. Then finally Xena must do the > > most horrible thing of all kill the girl she has come to love. In the > > end she has > > a final failure when she can't even bring the ashes to the shrine. Xena > > has found out a terrible thing - love makes you vulnerable and can cause > > great pain. It is no wonder that the Xena that we meet afterwards in > > AITST, Past Imperfect, and The Ring rejects love and uses it only to > > manipulate. Xena has > > learned from Akemi that love should be feared but also that it is > > powerful weapon. Xena now begins to reject love and see it as only fit > > for fools. >> > > Bravo! I bet RT wishes he'd had you with him to 'splain this to everybody > (including Lucy). I like it better than Caesar's betrayal being what > turned her heart to stone. Hmmm. Caesar's betrayal was certainly shattering to Xena's world. Up till that point, I think she'd always won. Now, with Caesar, she's been fooled, she's lost all her power, M'Lila with whom there may (or may not) have been a lot of 'subtext' but either way I'm sure Xena was very fond of her - M'Lila saves Xena's life on the beach, gets her to Nicklio, saves Xena's life again in the hut and dies while doing so.... that is surely shattering enough. And then, with Akemi, Xena fails again. > > Another remarkable character her is Akemi. This is a remarkable girl. >> > > You give a wonderful synopsis of this, but frankly I think a lot of the > credit goes to that young actress. Without her excellent performance, I'm > not sure I would've given much credence to this last-minute rabbit in the > hat. For me, she raised the character above what would have otherwise been > a plot device unworthy of the series finale. Well, of course, a character is only as good as the actor/actress who plays them. Would anyone give a fig about Ares or find Xena's obsession with him nearly so compelling or believable if he'd been played by - ummm - the guy who played Ulysses? Yes, I think much of the credit for Akemi being such a compelling character does go to Michelle Ang, *but* she had to have the material to work with. Akemi shows remarkable courage (IMO), and Michelle 'sells' that really well. And it *needed* to be done that well, to account for the fact that Xena fell for Akemi so hard, and to make Akemi worth it (in *my* view, at least). > > < > years ago. That scene is scary because of its surreal quality. Xena, > > with her short hair, grotesque make-up and gangly appearance, is an > > unsettling sight. I remember I actually gasped when I first saw her. >> > > Yes, I thought this was a tour de force, in terms of the multi-dimensional > performances required of Lucy -- as Reformed Xena, first content, then on > what seemed a fairly typical mission and finally resolved to sacrificing > herself; the bitterly rash and then devestated Young Xena; and Ghost Xena, > whom I won't say anything about yet, since you're making us wait for Part > 2. Grrrr. Just as well... otherwise I'd be up typing till past midnight..... > > Well that's it for now. I'll let you digest this much for now. I now > > can > > > > go > > watch FIN again - just call me obsessed.>> > > *Us* call *you* obsessed? I think not. > > -- Ife Pot... kettle... black... :) 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. 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