Amac Productions

Everything goes horribly wrong in this episode.

Autolycus is undercover trying to steal diamonds. Expect Gabrielle messes that up, by accident.

Gabrielle never got dinner for her and Xena.

Gabrielle is kidnapped. Again.

Xena struggles to find an answer to save all of them.

Gabrielle thought Autolycus was in danger and wanted to help, only for her to find herself in trouble instead.

Autolycus has an existential crisis.

A guy realizes people aren’t all bad, even if they’ve done something horrible.

However, some people are as horrible as they seem regardless as he runs out of air and attempts to drown someone else to save himself.

A volcano erupts and thus a tsunami hits and capsizes the boat, injuring several people, and killing others. Leaving a several who are still alive, trapped within a capsized boat desperate for a way out while they run out of air.

Lovely.

I think the only thing that goes right in this episode is the end when they all manage to escape and maybe we finally convince Autolycus that he’s a good guy. And Xena discovers something interesting about herself.

Overall, I love this episode.

It’s got a lot of heart. It’s confined, meaning the actors actually have to act in order to make the episode work on so many fronts.

Everyone is given something to sink their teeth into throughout the episode as several issues overlap with each other. People are given natural responses to being trapped, feeling like they might die.

I really enjoy the very basic episode where we’re in one place and forced to deal with things.

Lucy and Renee nail it as always. With Bruce Campbell added in, only making every moment better.

While still sprinkling in the usual humor the show gives us, while still dealing with a very serious and tense situation.

Let’s start with my favorite parts, shall we?

The ship capsizes and Xena wakes only to discover she has no clue where Gabrielle is. Screaming and shouting for her as she searches the remainder of the ship for her. Yelling at Autolycus to help her.

Which is another favorite piece, when she demands he get out of his cuffs, and he just slips them off. Fine. I already escaped them anyway. I was just pretending. Then again, when the guy refuses to hand over the key. Autolycus is like, screw it, I don’t need keys.

Autolycus helps. Worrying about Gabrielle once they find her because he doesn’t know where the blood is coming from.

Although, the good news it’s not coming from Gabrielle.

Throughout, the episode Xena lives in a constant state of worry over Gabrielle.

For the first time, I think ever, Xena looks truly worried about Gabrielle when she doesn’t really need to. I mean, once she’s found, Gabrielle is able to up and move around. Help as needed and is generally fine.

However, there are so many moments when Xena seeks her out. Across the ship. Turns to her. Just looking worried. It reaches her eyes and her entire demeanor.

Like there’s this thought in my head that if they were in such dire straits and still trying to figure out how to get out of here without dying, she would be holding Gabrielle much like she was at the end of the episode.

Even when Gabrielle’s life is threatened, there’s a slight crack in her usual armor as she maneuvers her way out of it.

She’s more worried than I’ve ever seen her before.

Which I love.

This is definitely one of those things I expected from these writers and actors post rift. That this would change how they see each other going forward. They’ve seen the worst, sure. But they’ve decided that no matter what they’ll choose each other. They’ve been through the worst and nothing is going to tear them apart. Except maybe death.

Even then, I wouldn’t be so sure.

In this episode, it’s on full display. Despite Gabrielle able to move around and take care of herself. Proven when Xena offers her a distraction, she’s able to free herself from the hold. Gabrielle stands her ground against the others.

Even negotiating a problem that Xena had no real knowledge of in the sunken ship.

Xena still worries over her in a way that’s akin to An Army of One.

They’re bonded closer than they ever have been. The thought of losing Gabrielle after how far they’ve come must be completely unbearable for Xena to be practically wearing her heart on her sleeve throughout the episode.

As for the next truly favorite moment, my girlfriend actually pointed this thought out to me, and I loved it. It’s fits so well.

Xena gets into a fight underwater over the air skin. She wins but returns to save the man’s life regardless. When he asks why she did this, she simply replies. “From you? Nothing. From me? Nothing less.”

It’s an utterly true statement. Very Xena.

However, my girlfriend pointed out that Xena didn’t have to save him. If he drowned trying to kill Xena or that she put her own need for oxygen above the man’s life, no one would blame her. Not even Gabrielle.

There was no one around to contest whatever Xena said if she let him die to save herself.

Yet she saved him anyway.

Because it must have been a task. She’s literally leaning on Gabrielle for the entire last scene. Being held upright by another person and the one she fought is still sitting on the ground. Clearly, it was a hard-won battle with a lack of oxygen.

Yet she saved him.

My girlfriend pointed out that this might be the first time Xena has saved someone because it’s what she expects from herself. Not because of anything else. Not because she’s promised the world she’s changed or she’s trying to change someone’s mind of her by proving she’d do the right thing now.

There was no one around to impress.

Most importantly, Gabrielle.

I pointed out alongside this, that there’s no reason for Xena to fear losing Gabrielle to her darkness anymore. Gabrielle has seen the worst of the other woman. Face to face. Nearly being chucked off a cliff would do that. Everything they’ve been through thus far in this season. All the pain and darkness and agony they’ve faced, Gabrielle still chooses Xena.

In the face of all that, she’s still choosing to love her. To stand by her.

If she left the man to die, Gabrielle would still be there. There’s no fear of losing her over this anymore.

She’s not on a pedestal anymore that Gabrielle has in her mind. She knows who Xena is. Inside and out. Not the version she’s got in her head. She no longer has to worry about losing her over it.

She’d still be there. Still love her.

Thus, Xena chooses the right thing, for the sake of the right thing. For herself, and the person she wants to be. Not the person anyone else sees her as. Not to keep the image in Gabrielle’s head. For whom she has decided to be.

I really loved that.

What do you guys think? Fair assessment?

Oh, and couple that with the end and the symbolism that is Gabrielle literally holding Xena upright at the end. Because even though she’s doing the right thing because she wants to, she still needs help. Support. Someone to lean on. And that person is Gabrielle.

Has been and always will be.

I loved Gabrielle looking for Xena as well.

There’s just no getting between them. Not sure why anyone tries anymore.

Next up, I love when Xena lands on the ship to get Gabrielle and she’s not sure who she’s supposed to be angry at. Just standing there pointing her sword at people.

Is it you?

Am I mad at you?

No, it’s not Gabrielle. Even if she was wrong, I am here to defend her right to be wrong. Thus, you are wrong, no matter what happened.

That is how that entire scene felt to me.

Then there’s Autolycus!

He feels guilty for getting them involved in this. But truthfully, he didn’t really do anything. Gabrielle thought he was in trouble and went to help. Autolycus told her to leave.

I mean, short of him saying he’s choosing to be there, I’m good, you can go. Which he didn’t exactly have a chance to voice properly.

It’s not his fault they ended up on the ship.

He believes he’s a bad guy. But we know he’s not. If he were, neither Xena nor Gabrielle would have been concerned about you when they saw you. Xena wouldn’t have asked for your help to search for the person most important to her.

Sure, you like money and stealing things, but you never choose to hurt people. And you’ve done the right thing more times than not whenever you’ve turned up. Not a bad guy. Nope.

You even let Xena borrow your body.

I think you’re good, dude. Don’t sweat it.

He proves this once again at the end when he hands back a priceless piece of jewelry. Simply because it’s right.

Love it. Always a good time when Autolycus shows up. Please come back again soon. Thank you!

The kid in the background who randomly gets upset and loses his shit in the middle of a crisis was totally valid. I’d have a crash out too.

However, the moron who tried to kill Xena and was bitter about this the entire time. Not to mention was an idiot the entire time. Giving everyone shit and not offering anything besides bonehead comments to help with the situation, probably deserved the punishment he was supposed to be getting.

While also not deserving of Xena’s help.

Yet she gave it, because it has nothing to do with him. Only herself.

The only thing about this episode that I found most unbelievable was the rich dude learning a life lesson and choosing to be a better person.

Capsized ship with survivors underway, using wine skins to trap air, and get to the surface? Sure.

Xena doing crazy leaps? Why not?

Literally anything else in the episode. You betcha.

That? Nope.

I just watched the new Fantastic Four movie. Same thing, completely unbelievable that the world came to a reasonable conclusion. Not possible. I’ve seen it.

I’d sooner believe that people could jump like Xena.

Nope.

Wild and moving episode. I loved it. Let’s see what’s in store for the rest of the season! Shall we?

Thanks for reading! Hit that support button for me!

Spread the love and read on!