Nothing makes me happier than Charmed.
Charmed is a favorite show of mine. The original. Not the horrible one the CW came up with.
It’s the only show that I’ve watched the series finale over and over because it was so good. Not sad and tragic or unfitting. This show makes me happy.
And I choose to bring it up, because some of my favorite episodes involve the Angel of Death.
This episode of Xena reminded me of Charmed. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Which I’m certain sounds odd since this episode involves death of all things. But it’s the truth.
Let me explain.
One of my favorite pieces of this episode was fighting Death is useless and not to mention a bad idea.
In Charmed the concept is similar. Fighting Death usually means you wind up dead yourself or making things worse.
Xena does what Charmed did and explains Death’s purpose and importance.
Death comes for us all.
Death isn’t the enemy either.
It doesn’t decide who goes when or how, it just is. And what I love is the comforting idea that someone walks you to the other side – whatever that may be. To ease the transition. They are there to escort you.
They didn’t kill you or decide your fate.
You did. In your life.
Every choice, every step, and every second of your life was yours to live as you saw fit.
Death just is.
And sometimes, Death is a gift.
For those suffering.
In 2022, I lost my grandmother to covid. She held on five days longer than they expected, but was in pain the whole time. It was a relief when the doctor said she passed. She was no longer suffering in terrible pain, gasping for breath. She was free.
Yes, I am without her and it hurts. But it hurt to watch her suffer too.
Death is a gift.
See Buffy season five.
I loved this concept of this episode so much.
I also loved that it followed an episode where people died from paper cuts and now couldn’t die from gaping wounds. The writers were like, let’s go in the opposite direction now! Where no one can die!
Overall, the lesson or theme of the episode is a favorite concept for me. When well done, it’s terribly moving, in all the best ways.
Death comes for us all, best make sure we enjoy the time we have.
Okay, now for the gay bit.
And by that, I mean we have another bland love interest who quickly dies. Either the love interest around here suffer deadly consequences or they have their own show and can’t be together.
Huh, seems to be a trend here.
Almost like they don’t want to keep the males around?
To be fair, he’s the least bland one we’ve had.
He’s not an idiot who wanted to summon the Titans like the stories about them hating humans weren’t a warning label.
He’s sweet and kind. He has something in common with Gabrielle which at least gives them something to talk about, making their scenes less boring.
Not to mention, his willingness to follow Gabrielle while she storms a castle to deliver a message I was already sure Xena knew. Like Gabrielle, come one, Xena is not stupid. I’m fairly certain she knows she shouldn’t touch Death.
Which she does.
Meaning Gabrielle risked her neck for nothing.
But this guy did follow her without a second thought, so points for that.
Also points for managing to get on Xena’s good side. After all, she was bent on setting Death free and admitted his death made it harder on her. Even Xena admitted he was a good guy.
Clearly, Gabrielle’s taste in men is improving.
Although, I suggest a tall dark Warrior Princess, but that’s just me.
Gabrielle is also so far gone in her baby crush on Xena that charing head first into the castle filled with clever traps doesn’t bother her. Nor the men who can’t be killed. Just must save Xena.
With single minded focus like that…
Anyway, the scene that really got me was when the guy was escortd away by death.
Gabrielle starts to cry and Xena comes forward to offer her silent stoic presence as comfort. The bard turns and cries into her shoulder startling Xena.
I’ll be the first to admit, I watched that scene more than once.
I wanted to really let that moment sink in.
In the last episode we had Gabrielle and Xena hug for the first time. Then here we have a whole new sort of contact between them.
Comfort.
Gabrielle turns to Xena for a source of comfort. Which makes total sense and is not really up for much interpretation given that I don’t think Gabrielle has noticed her attraction for a physical, romantic attraction. Right now she views Xena as someone who understands her and is a friend.
I’m not sure she even knows it’s possible to crush on a woman yet.
There’s little happening underneath this moment for Gabrielle beyond grief and wanting comfort from her friend.
On the flip side, there’s Xena.
Xena is older. More experienced. And I’m fairly certain that includes women and sex.
To me, this moment read so much differently for a woman who is fully aware of the world around her and herself.
It read like that oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Moment in fanfic.
Where Xena has just realized exactly what Gabrielle means to her and now must deal with this.
Oh crap, I fell for her. Or at least, oh crap, there’s something here.
Maybe she hasn’t noticed the scope of her feeling. Maybe we’re not there yet. But we’re definitely at a moment of realization for Xena.
Whose crush just hugged her, and she has no idea what to do with herself.
Yep, I cannot wait to see how that unfolds for them.
Baby Bi Gabrielle is very adorable.
And Seasoned Bi Xena’s panic was relatable and hilarious to me.
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