Amac Productions

Well, that was an episode!

“Does a Amazon Queen beat a Warrior Princess??”

“Do you really want to find out?”

I’m certain the entire audience wants them to find out. I’m curious, I’ll admit. Damn.

That was a line.

The Ephiany and Gabrielle are cracking jokes but no one laughs. Gabrielle is technically the queen, but Epihany keeps the seat warm.

Which is ideal since Gabrielle only wanted to be there because she lost Xena. Xena is back and that means we’re back to our regularly scheduled shenanigans.

Of course those don’t come without issues.

Like say, Vaseline returning.

How in the world did she survive that drop??

I mean, Xena took a hard smack to the head and died. But you’re telling me that being impaled and falling a story after getting her ass kicked is not enough to kill this woman????

Whyyyy?

Just die and leave everyone alone.

But no.

Not only does she not die, she has managed to get her grubby hands on ambrosia.

Which she eats.

Also, I do have to appreciate her level of drama.

She walked and stumbled injured and hurt on pure rage just to eat that in front of the Amazons, Gabrielle, and Xena. Tall about pity.

I’m here for my. I love it.

However, that level of pity costs Vaseline.

Instead of becoming more and more powerful as she arrived, she leveled up while attacking them. Giving them a chance to dump her in a pit or drop rocks on her head.

I love that a literal god could be stopped by some falling rocks.

This show is like nothing else.

Now, all of this is interesting but what makes the episode sing is how shaken Gabrielle is. She’s never been outright hated and hunted as she mentions in episode before. This is new for her.

It happens to Xena.

Not to her.

She’s the annoying ball of sunshine following Xena around. Ergo, most people dismiss her or pay her no mind. Or she’s too kind for them to hate. Or in some people’s cases, they’re too consumed with Xena to notice her.

But Vaseline is angry with Gabrielle.

Gabrielle denied her.

Humiliated her.

Whether those are true or not, they’re true to Vaseline and she wants to make Gabrielle suffer.

I love their final showdown when she says she actually respects Gabrielle. Almost too much to kill her.

Gabrielle responding to ‘go with it’ cracked me up so much.

Yes, follow that thought. Not the murdery one. 

It presents something new to Gabrielle.

All actions have consequences.

Good or bad.

And this time, it almost appeared Xena might not be able to save her. And this would be undoing of her own making. Not mere collateral damage from Xena’s life.

Facing your own mistakes is often harder than someone else’s.

But there’s also the question: Did Gabrielle do anything wrong?

Gabrielle was well within her right to claim the throne.

Maybe she could have been less haughty about it.

But to each their own.

Unfortunately, Gabrielle doesn’t have a lot of time to truly ponder her actions from the previous episode as Xena had a solution for their problems – Callisto.

Which Gabrielle rightfully questions Xena’s sanity on the matter.

I mean, Xena come on, was there really no one else in the entire world you could call? You pick your mortal enemy.

One who is not so mortal and is hellbent on getting ambrosia to become more powerful.

Also Callisto is immortal now because of shenanigans on Hercules. Don’t ask. I don’t know. I’m not going to find out. I’m going to accept it as a thing that happened and move on with my day. Thank you.

But he dumped her in a hole.

So problem solved.

Except Xena fetches her. Offering her a chance at ambrosia.

Callisto betrays them.

Not surprising at all.

Not even to Xena who quickly turns things back on Callisto.

And two things are happening here.

Xena is playing all the sides. She’s working Callisto for what she needs her for. Someone to weaken and take brunt of the attacks from Vadeline without dying or killing many people.

But she’s playing Vaseline as well. Making her hate Callisto. Ensuring she follows her.

Unlike Vaseline, Callisto knows she’s being played. She knows that Xena must have something up her sleeve. She wouldn’t offer a chance at the ambrosia if she didn’t have a plan.

So she’s trying to undo ravel it while moving forward with her own plans. Basically to ruin Xena’s day or life any way she can.

Xena doesn’t mind.

She masterfully plays the two sides.

Until they’re so consumed with each other and their goals, they don’t notice that Xena has walked them both into a trap.

Dropping not one, but both into the lava put. Trapping them.

It’s entirely too fun to watch Xena as she confidently plans this out while pretending she has no further plans. Which I appreciate Callisto doesn’t buy.

And it’s why Callisto is the more impressive and terrifying villain. U

Unlike Vaseline.

Even with God powers, she could take on Xena.

She fell for being slowed down.

She couldn’t see a potential ally in front of her.

Got stuck beneath rocks.

She was arrogant and smug and thought enough power would be the answer.

Callisto knows better.

She knew Xena was plotting against her.

She knew her shot would be limited. She knew she couldn’t set out of line at certain times.

Callisto and Xena were playing chess.

While Vaseline thought she was playing chess and lost before she even started.

I love Xena.

I also love that Xena will do anything for Gabrielle. Even work with someone she hates.

Risk her life over and over.

Reveal her sins to the world. Regardless of what happens to her if it means protecting Gabrielle.

Everything about this episode was intriguing and interesting. I loved it so much.

Overall, a great episode with a lot of character beats.

Thanks for reading!!

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