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Meleager the Mighty has returned to… be executed?

What the…?

Also, I just want to mention it, because it’s bothering me, but the math isn’t mathing to make the episode murder occur in the right time. Because Xena said that Gabrielle was at the Bard Academy when it happened.

But!!!!

Gabrielle hadn’t met Meleager yet.

So it would make perfect sense that he wasn’t sober yet.

He hadn’t met the person who helped him make that choice.

I’m just saying. Because it was bothering me.

Anyway!

About the episode! I loved this episode!

‘A Day in the Life’ put these two at odds over small day to day moments. Things that come up because you live together or travel together.

This episode puts a big obstacle in their way.

Meleager.

Xena’s never met him.

Gabrielle returned home without her last season and met Meleager. All she knows either the judge and warrior by is their reputations. Though she gets an earful from Gabrielle about Meleager.

Except here’s the thing, I’m not sure how much Xena believes her.

Gabrielle says it herself in the episode when Xena mentions how much she’s going on and on about him. Making him sound other worldly impressive. She claims that Xena should hear how she talks about Xena.

Which I’m pretty sure is nothing like Xena sees herself.

That Gabrielle is exaggerating.

As Xena herself puts it, putting them on pedestals. With nowhere for them to go, but fall.

I think Xena was taking everything Gabrielle said with a grain of salt until she met the man face to face. To form her own opinion.

Of course, the circumstances she walks into are less than ideal.

Side note, real quick, how is that witness testimony compelling? Someone stumbles out in the dark with a bloody sword?

You didn’t see the fight. What if the other guy attacked him first and he merely defended himself? You literally saw nothing!

Of course, the judge is corrupt.

The writing was sort of on the wall after taking that testimony as ‘compelling.’ Please.

Back to Gabrielle and Xena.

These two come into conflict over how to deal with the situation they find themselves in. Made worse by the fact that Meleager is knowingly lying about some things. Meaning that Xena’s sees the lies for lies and nothing else.

But Gabrielle knows Meleager and assumes he has a reason. The same way she would for Xena.

They butt heads over this.

Each deciding to deal with it their own way.

Xena continues investigating because I’m sure she sees the whole thing as fishy. So she’s searching for the truth or something to prove to Gabrielle that Meleager isn’t telling her the truth.

Only for Gabrielle to release Meleager and start a whole bunch of new problems.

Xena chucking herself into the mob for Gabrielle was awesome. Along with promising to bring Meleager back in exchange for Gabrielle’s freedom and safety.

I love that.

Because I’m a hundred percent certain she’d lock Meleager up and throw away the key herself if it meant keeping Gabrielle safe. Even if Gabrielle was angry with her. As far as Xena is concerned the fact that she’d be alive is more than enough for her.

Regardless of the anger directed at her.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle seems to know this and is touched but also wants to protect Meleager. So she begs Xena to just leave. They were never her before, they don’t have to come back.

But Xena won’t risk Gabrielle’s safety.

Even if they ran.

There’s no guarantee they’ll never have to come back here. There’s no guarantee that Xena will be here to protect her.

She won’t risk it.

So she purses Meleager.

And I love that Xena just rolls her eyes and avoids confronting Gabrielle as much as possible. Because she understands that Gabrielle believes in Meleager and there’s no talking her out of this belief.

Instead, she resorts to reasoning with Meleager.

Knowing that he cares for Gabrielle.

Something he proves by offering himself back up to be taken back so Gabrielle doesn’t pay. And by promising all of his worldly possession to her.

I loved that moment.

Very sweet.

I love that Xena encourages them to talk given there may not be many hours left.

That Gabrielle doesn’t deserve that guilt.

And to allow Meleager his chance to apologize and say his goodbyes.

I also love that she dismisses the idea that they were pit against each other. As far as Xena is concerned, I don’t think she saw it that way. She saw her friends fighting and tried to stop the worst outcome no matter what. Knowing that the end of the day, she’d have time and Xena to work it out with.

Or that Xena would forgive her.

Just as she always has.

Huh.

I wonder how far that forgiveness goes.

There must be a limit.

Either way, Xena dismisses it.

They carry on to discover that Xena is actually the one who killed the guy in defense of someone else. Also to find out that the judge is corrupt. He loves having his power over the town and apparently deciding who lives and dies.

Jerk.

Xena saves Meleager although she had no time to warn Gabrielle of her plan.

Leads to a terribly wonderful moment when Xena calls Gabrielle’s name and she tells her warrior friend that she’s too late. Only for Meleager to answer. And him to let her out of the cell and for Gabrielle to throw her arms around them both. Holding them tightly.

As Xena attempts to look annoyed by this affection.

Kind of like my cat.

Annoyed, but loving it all the same.

Then Meleager chops the noose down and things resume their normalcy. I hope we see Meleager again!

This was a lovely episode.

Pitting Xena and Gabrielle’s ideals against each other.

Xena who sees the worst in people.

And Gabrielle who sees the best.

Ultimately, they’re both proven right and wrong. Which is exactly how the world is. Nothing is that black and white. It’s all shades of gray.

Overall, a solid episode! Onto the next!

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