Amac Productions

I’m very late with these! I’m sorry!

But just know, I’m hearing all about from my girlfriend about how this is late, and she’s annoyed. I apologize to everyone.

Anyway, onto the episode itself!

This is gay.

The entire episode. Start to finish.

And I know I said before I wasn’t going to shout that anymore, because clearly it’s a thing everyone has fully intended it to be. But like… this episode takes it to a new level.

There’s boob grabbing.

They take a bath together.

Gabrielle is indicated to be Xena’s in the same way the goat lady’s boyfriend is hers.

‘She likes what I do.’

‘She likes what I do.’

‘She likes what I do.’

Just let that sentence roll around in your brain for a while. Even without context… I have no words.

Like how would you take that without context?

With context, I know exactly how it should be taken. Romantically.

Sexually.

Coupley.

Because Gabrielle was being questioned by the guy Howie about whether or not Xena wants to settle down. Have a family with someone, someday. Gabrielle just says no. She likes what Gabrielle has to offer.

Not her life as it is.

Not that she hasn’t met the right guy and maybe it could be someone one day. Not you. But someone.

Just darts around and insists she’s enough.

Why?

Why are you enough?

Who could watch this episode and think anything other than a well written romance is taking place?

Because it is.

They play games. They tease each other.

Like chucking a fish at one another’s face. Annoying each other by not quite playing when it comes to games. Kicking each other.

The level of comfort in this episode is unreal!

How casual they are with each other.

Grabbing shoulders. Sitting so close they’re sharing space that they do need to. Gabrielle casually explaining that ‘another one’ has fallen for her. Their shameless flirting as they sit together after the fishing scene.

As Gabrielle points out that if Xena were to stop bathing, she’d leave her.

Xena’s teasing like she doesn’t quite believe her, but it’s cute that she thinks she could ever leave her side.

At least willingly.

Walking on the trail together.

‘Gets my juices going.’

Also, if literally anyone else interrupted a ‘pinch interrogation’ they’d get the pinch themselves. But no, not Gabrielle.

No one else can touch her Chakram, let alone use it to cut a fish up.

Who else could kick the Warrior Princess in the ass and get away with it?

Scream at her about using her scrolls as toilet paper.

Trade her whip.

There is literally no one else in Xena’s life that could get away with one of any of these things. Let alone the entire list. Nor be so comfy in Xena’s presence and her place in her life to dare to defy her at varying turns.

To question the flying parchment, but trust she’ll have it figured out. Somehow.

The entire episode felt like two people in a new relationship, but they’re also friends. Have been for a while. Living and traveling together as they work out this new facet of their relationship.

Overall, the episode is everything that makes this series great.

The focus relies heavily on Gabrielle and Xena’s relationship to carry the episode without anything else to distract us. The amount of other characters involved are minimal. The threat is mostly unseen the entire episode.

Xena and Gabrielle take the focus.

Their relationship on center stage.

As they navigate two difficulties.

Friendship and a burgeoning romance.

Because they still know each other really well regardless of their romance. They’ve seen each other at their worst and their best. All the first and second and third date things are beyond out of the way. They’re already living together, essentially.

There’s little privacy.

Add a romance in and the line of privacy blurs further.

Pushing them closer.

Pushing their relationship to new things.

Like bathing together.

Sleeping in the same bed roll.

But, at the end of the day, they’re still them.

Gabrielle is still learning to defend herself and Xena is teaching her. They still annoy each other like no one else, causing water fights. Teasing.

Silliness.

And it’s a nice moment to see.

To see how much they just care for each other. Life and death moments are easy to show affection in, because everything is heightened. The threat of death looms. But here, in the quiet moments?

Laying in bed together?

Bathing together?

Sitting around waiting for the bad guy?

Training together? Walking together?

Those boring moments, that are never boring because you’re with your person is everything here.

They never care what they’re doing. They’re together. They’re annoying each other, but there’s no one else they’d rather be annoyed by.

And there’s options. Clearly, everyone is interested in Xena here. But she still only wants Gabrielle.

She’s never bothered by the puppy eyes and the constant following like Gabrielle used to do when it’s Gabrielle. Anyone else? She’s annoyed and irritated. Trying to push them off.

I also love the growth of Gabrielle here as well.

Gabrielle was like them. Doing anything for Xena to stay in her good graces and following her like a puppy.

Except time has passed.

Xena isn’t perfect or some story. Now, to Gabrielle she’s a real person.

One who bothers her by destroying frying pans and using scrolls as toilet paper.

Ultimately, things have changed between them, but also nothing has as well. I love that.

I also want to point out that Gabrielle is sort of right and wrong at the end of the episode. I don’t think that Xena purposefully let Gabrielle hit her. But I also think that Gabrielle is the only one Xena lets her guard down with. Maybe not all the way, but most of it.

And I don’t think she was expecting that hit at all.

Anyone else? She would have been ready.

But Gabrielle?

She rests. She relaxes. Because Gabrielle is no threat to her. Not really. She might be playfully attacking her, but there’s no harm behind it. Just practice.

Nothing to fear.

And I love that detail as well.

Overall, one of my favorite episodes!

And lastly, I love Lucy Lawless’ facial expressions. They’re so much fun. Whether she’s teasing Gabrielle or pretending to be innocent. It’s simply wonderful!

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