Amac Productions

I’m sure there’s a bit of… something happening here because this is a product of the 90s.

But honestly, overall, this episode is really good if you don’t focus too hard on who the Horde might represent. Because it does have a pretty good message regardless who you believe the Horde to be based on.

Reckless, mindless, murder, and eradication are not the answers.

At our core, we all have something in common with each other.

Maybe the Horde is fighting for survival. We don’t know what happened before Xena and Gabrielle arrived, making them think, like the Athenian Army and Xena that they were no good either. That they needed to be stopped before they were all killed.

I mean, based on what happened, they wouldn’t have been wrong either.

Unlike the last episode, this episode sinks it’s teeth into the material it’s given. It’s not superficial.

There’s so much happening.

There’s prejudice and how we view things we don’t understand.

There’s Xena’s darkness.

Gabrielle bearing witness to Xena’s true dark side. Something she hasn’t encountered on this level before.

I love the prejudice as Gabrielle tries to understand the Horde while Xena and everyone else refuses. She wants to know why.

To understand.

And she finds they are not different from us. They have their own rules and codes and society they follow. It’s different from theirs, but does it make it wrong? Does it mean they don’t deserve to live?

We don’t know that the army hadn’t done something awful before they arrived and this was merely retaliation.

Because here’s the thing, no one is the good guy here.

In war, no one is right or wrong. It’s all wrong.

Killing other living beings should never be the answer. Wars have never truly solved anything.

There’s a winner, they write the history books, but they so often leave out all the scars and carnage that’s caused by the war. All the scars that will last throughout the years. Echoing long after all the people who decided to fight are long gone.

Gabrielle wanting to communicate and learn to understand them is the only way.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the Star Wars prequels, “This war represents a failure to listen.” Padme Amidala said that about The Clone Wars, but I think it holds true for all wars.

How many of them could have been stopped if we’d chosen to argue the problems in a room? Had an arbitrator instead? People compromising and understanding that they needed to give to get.

Maybe the world would be a better place.

Maybe Xena is right.

Even 30 years later, we still haven’t gotten the message that we should listen to people like Gabrielle more often. I agree with Xena, I hope there are more Gabrielle’s in the world. I think we need them.

And it’ll be the best way to resolve our problems.

Instead of fights to the death.

That leave more bloodshed and destruction than anything good.

Aside from the wonderful commentary on the world, we have an internal struggle as well.

Xena’s.

In season one, Xena was so determined to be good there was never really a chance for her to be truly tempted.

Not really.

She was so focused on not returning to who she used to be, she was on the lookout for things that might send her backsliding. But now, we’re in season two. She’s relaxed her grip on herself. She’s not looking over her shoulder as much anymore for the old Xena.

She thinks she’s got this on lock.

That she can let the evil Xena out and still manage to retain herself later.

Except, that’s not really true. Is it?

Xena slowly slips back into her old ways. Cruel, unyielding, and relentless in her pursuit. Whatever that may be.

She forces men to stand duty. Takes control easily. Fixes moral. And starts breaking through the defenses to get help. All while being cruel and cold as she makes any able man stand at the wall to help them.

Diverts resources and help from the hospital.

Which is in direct contrast to last season.

In the season one finale, Xena found herself in the middle of a war, determined to see it end. She recruited whoever she needed to, to help the wounded. She treated everyone regardless of who they were and encouraged others to stop believing in sides.

Here, Xena actively forces sides. Ignores the hospital and sees the world as an us vs them situation. She cares little for the wounded and her only interest in stopping the war is in winning it, by slaughtering the other side.

Wildly different sides of Xena here.

Also for Gabrielle, who was uncertain last season of how to stop a war, and how to choose who might live or die.

Instead, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. Determined to keep as many alive as possible, but accepting some may be beyond saving. She fights for their supplies, going against Xena. She’s covered in blood and taking on the role Xena had in the previous season.

She rallies them to help her and gets to work and thinks only of trying to stop the war.

Which leads to the third issue of the episode, Gabrielle is faced with a truly darker Xena that a smack on the head isn’t enough to jar her loose. In fact, she actively says she’d give up her better self to save them.

Something Gabrielle refuses.

And both of them wish to die as they are.

Xena as a warrior.

Gabrielle as a kind person.

She shows care and kindness to the Horde, making Xena see there’s more to them than the mindless violence she believed they were only capable of making.

And Gabrielle is forced to reckon with this side of Xena and dislikes it.

She watches on in disgust as Xena enjoys the cheers after killing a retreating man. She calls her on it and says there was no reason for it.

And while Xena’s explanation could work, we see her enjoying the praise and the fight differently than ever before. She relishes in the bloodshed where as last year, she hated the sight of it all. Considering it pointless and awful.

Something Gabrielle tries to remind her of.

It doesn’t work until Gabrielle forces her hand by sneaking out to be who she is. A kind person who doesn’t care about anything beyond a person in need. She feeds the dying men water, triggering a truce.

Xena, so close to losing Gabrielle snaps out of it and realizes she’d lose herself completely again if she kept going like this. And Gabrielle too. Because Gabrielle would never put up with her like that.

Immediately, in the wake of Gabrielle risking her own life to prove a point, Xena centers herself.

She sends supplies and the injured men back to the hospital. She sends a message to the Horde and joins Gabrielle in the hospital to help.

Together they stitch up a man and clean his wounds while Gabrielle looks on in… love.

I have no other description for that look. Because I’ve seen it, on my own face when looking at my girlfriend doing something adorable or wonderful or cute. It’s almost like they’re in love.

Oh wait, it’s not almost like.

They are!

And apparently, they haven’t told each other because I’m not sure why else Xena would hesitate in saying it to Gabrielle.

Overall, I loved this episode sooooo much! It was so well done and a wonderful exploration of the characters. Nothing is better than to be focus heavy on Xena and Gabrielle.

And not have the men fall in love with them. I actually enjoyed the army leaders in this episode. They quickly understood that working with Xena was their best chance. And apparently left to their own devices they are morons.

Like you know, not listening about what direction to run in.

Regardless, an amazing episode! Onto the next! Thanks for reading! Please hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss a Xena review!

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