Amac Productions

Okay, okay, okay!

I’ve missed a few weeks of reviews! My apologies, I was hit by a car, and several months of healing later, I’m here again!

Alright, I have no idea where I left off in my last review, but I watched the next episode of Xena, the Black Wolf.

Despite this being a stellar and wacky episode, I was super sad to find that Xena and Gabrielle are once again spending so much screen time apart.

Boo.

Alas, the episode does find some solid footing.

Gabrielle appearing in the middle of the episode, paying for Argo’s new shoes, feed, and discovering Xena’s been locked up. Only to then go on a comical bout, trying to get herself arrested.

I was cracking up the entire time.

Especially when they arrested Salmoneus instead of her.

“I threw it.” “Yeah right.”

Why would she lie mister guard?

Who in their right mind would want to get locked up in the dungeon?

Oh, Xena and Gabrielle. My mistake. Right.

Then Gabrielle thanking the guard she pied in the face for ‘walking her all the way down’ like he was some kind of gentleman?

What even is this show? Seriously?

Every time I tune in, there’s more silliness to be found.

Or weird lines from Gabrielle in particular. In fact, I’m tossing this in with the line about her breasts, “Tall, beautiful.”

Beautiful?

Why is that the adjective you choose Gabrielle? Why? Huh? Why?

Why is beauty what comes to mind?

I mean, I know why it comes to my mind, but I’m attracted to women, and no longer denying it so…

Yeah.

Everything about Salmoneus cracked me up.

“It ruins the line of the assemble.” Along with the hand gestures.

His terror as he claims he’s not friends with Xena. His little incredulous questioning when Xena said Gabrielle was her friend.

I rewatched those scenes several times because I couldn’t stop laughing.

Even as he and Gabrielle were setting the scene to trick the spy. Their entire conversation was pure gold. I loved it.

Also, who is Salmoneus?

He’s introduced as though the audience should know him. Did I miss something?

Honestly, the hilarity of the episode makes up for the lack of Gabrielle and Xena screentime.

Stay away from the pointy ends also sounded like advice Xena would give Gabrielle. I think you’ve been spending a lot of time with her. Keep it up!

I could talk about it all day if you let me.

But I want to move over to the heart of the episode – Flora.

Now, for as much as I love this show it’s not overly complex. Which is pretty perfect, because it allows the show to get out of it’s own way, and explore interesting themes.

I knew Flora was the Black Wolf.

Hiding her identity wasn’t the point.

The point was her relationship to Xena and how it’s affected her entire life.

I loved the whole having faith in oneself belief Xena pushed.

Because it only shows how much Xena has changed.

Xena is absolute and insistent throughout her relationship with Flora that you can’t wait for a hero. You must depend on yourself. No one is coming to save you.

Yet, isn’t that opposite of how Xena treats Gabrielle?

And truth be told, I don’t see much difference between Gabrielle and Flora fundamentally.

They are both good, caring people, willing to do whatever it takes to protect their loved ones, and village. At their core, they’re very similar.

Yet, Xena doesn’t treat them the same way.

Sure, she helps Gabrielle stand on her own two feet.

But she never pulls the rug out from under her. Not like Flora.

She let Flora fall over and over to teach her something.

With Gabrielle, she holds her hand every step of the way. In the dream world. She told Gabrielle to hold until she gets there.

She tells Flora, no one is coming to save her.

She tells Gabrielle, she’ll protect her.

Why?

What’s the difference?

Gabrielle.

I don’t know if Xena’s noticed how differently she treats Gabrielle.

Like the moment Gabrielle tells Salmoneus he should have kept his hands off her tomatoes.

Friend or not, he was going to die for it based on the look on Xena’s face. She’s ready to tear him apart.

She’s not so quick to tear other slights against other people. Just Gabrielle.

Even now, as early as this in the series, clearly there’s some connection between them.

For neither treats anyone, like they treat each other.

I can’t wait to get back into reviewing this weekly! Every Thursday at 10:13AM eastern standard time!

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