Amac Productions

Like everyone in the episode, I am losing my mind.

WHERE IS GABRIELLE????!!

We have now made it two episodes into the season, and we still do not have Gabrielle. Apparently, we have her in the future dying with Xena while being nailed to a cross from the looks of it. Which – you know – is just never a good freaking sign.

Especially not in an episode where Rome and Caeser are mentioned.

We also see Gabrielle’s face used by Alti. Her screaming about who the blonde is sort of makes me chuckle. Like you need to tell me who this blonde woman is that is so important to you that I may use her against you.

Whoops, that backfired.

Because the moment you brought up Gabrielle dying with Xena in the future, it makes her even more happy. Guess what? She thought she was dead! So, to find out she’s dying in Xena’s future is actually sort of good news in a really twisted way.

It’s still bad.

They’re still dying at some point.

Although Xena might be thrilled because at least this time they’ll be dying together which means Xena won’t have to be alive and without Gabrielle. Slowly losing her marbles.

Like in this episode where everyone constantly seems tripped out on acid. LSD or some other drug.

Everyone was high in this episode. Maybe even the writers. Who knows?

Not me.

Meanwhile, we get more flashbacks to a Xena I’d like to punch in the face. These flashbacks give us so much insight into Xena as well. Since we learn why she’s so averse to becoming or being treated like an Amazon in any way. She’s brutally caused the end of them by killing all their leaders.

And giving Alti their souls for her power. Leaving them trapped in the Land of the Dead.

Not that she knew that at the time, though I doubt she would have cared if she had. Since it appeared that she and Cyan became pretty friendly at one point and she still killed her.

Leaving her body and the others just in the trees like some sort of sick warning.

A tale she tells to the living Amazons right now and then kills them to borrow their spirits for a bit.

Which is just sort of hilarious to me. I did a really bad thing a while back. I basically am the reason that the Amazons are nearly extinct. I feel really bad about it. But like not enough to not do it again.

That’s the vibe at first glance.

Like cool, I’ve brought you here to die with the rest of them.

Nope. She just needed their spirits, and we didn’t have time to do the whole kill an animal, dance for a while, take some more drugs until you pass out. We just had to cut to the chase, and Xena didn’t have time to explain this. Apparently.

A very touching moment, that’s quickly jarred into Xena seemingly just murdering all the Amazons again.

In regard to the flashbacks, I would also like to know why Borias puts up with Xena at all.

I mean, I get that she’s currently carrying their child, so he’s forced to deal with her for a while. At least, if he wants to be in his son’s life. Which he appears to want. Since he angrily declared to Alti before that they would name him.

Which they won’t.

Because guess what? Alti cursed Solan.

Bitch.

I am not happy with you lady.

I’m not happy with Hope for killing him, but it appears you seemingly made it impossible for Xena to save him at all.

However, before that. Was he really in love with her? Because it appears they can’t stand each other like 90% of the time. And Borias appears mostly irritated that Xena will never stick to his plan. Ever.

Which nope. She does not. She wants all out violence. No peace. Nothing.

I also think in my review last week or somewhere – that Solan would be something that would bring Xena’s goodness out. And even though she does not end up raising him or being his mother, he still has an effect on her life. She stops her siege against the centaurs and gives Solan up so he could be safe and be a child. Away from violence and hatred. Things she didn’t want him to learn.

Apparently, Alti inferred what I knew.

That given the right surroundings, Xena would lose her lust for blood.

And I think losing Borias really helped as well. Even though it does suck that he died. He enables her bad behavior. Even as much as he appears to be trying to temper it, there are never any real consequences for Xena with Borias. He’s still there. He clears up the mess with Cyan.

Ally himself with them. Allowing Xena to get even closer. Learn more before killing them.

She still did it. Regardless of Borias. And the fact that even though she’s proved untrustworthy time and time again with him, he continues to think this time will be different. They are most certainly better off without each other. And despite the story given to Solan, his father is not a good man either.

He’s still waging war and killing people.

He just has limits.

Thus, in the present, Xena fixes her mistake and helps the Amazons move onto Eternity with their new holy word ‘love.’ Which feels on the nose in the best way.

Since the original word was courage, I believe, and Cyan asked what’s stronger than that. Love seems perfectly fitting.

Along with everything that Xena has learned from her time with Gabrielle. That breaking the cycle of violence and hatred can only be done through love. Which oddly fits in with something my therapist was telling me about called ‘Love and Kindness’ a DBT skill where you’re not just neutral or indifferent to someone you don’t like – you actively wish them well.

I don’t think Xena is wishing Alti well at this point, but she is for Amazons she once hurt. The people she was wanted to suffer.

And I think that’s awesome because that’s freaking hard.

Choosing to love instead of hate is sort of a theme for Xena at this point.

Overall, I think this was a great episode.

Alti is an awesome villain even though she spends most of her screentime creeping me out. The scene of her and Cyan fighting spiritually was somehow terrifying and utterly laughable.

How many takes did it take for that scene to exist?

I would have been laughing my head off, especially if I was in Lucy Lawless’ place just watching these two.

On the other hand, despite Alti being an incredible villain I am super happy she freaking died because she was annoying as hell. And creepy. Did I mention creepy?

Everything about her felt like I needed a restraining order and a shower. Yuck.

Especially her screaming about Gabrielle. I was like, keep away from the precious. It’s bad enough that you’re all over Xena in the flashbacks. Yuck.

I am also super sad that Cyan is dead. I hope we get to see her again despite the death.

Oh no, that means we could see Alti too. Double edged sword.

Gah.

Supernatural shows with magic and mayhem, people don’t always stay dead.

See Gabrielle! Who hopefully will return (please) in the next episode. I cannot take anymore episodes without her. I need her back on my screen and so does Xena who is slowly going mad without her.

She was super gleeful over the fact that she saw Gabrielle dying.

I don’t think she’s slept in the two episodes we’ve seen her. So she probably needs some soup, a nap, and snuggles from Gabrielle once we find her. Which I also have so many questions about.

And despite all this, I’m still fairly certain we’ll have Gabrielle back regardless, my girlfriend is continually trying to convince me that Gabrielle is dead. For real. I don’t buy it.

Because while Alti does appear to be a semi unreliable source she also appears to be a valid source of information as well. Which should make no sense, but does to me.

Since Alti does appear capable of predicting the future. She predicted Xena being the ‘Destroyer of Nations’ whatever the heck that means. Accurately predicted that neither her nor Borias would name Solan. And her curse came true. Technically, everything she said happened.

Including the young girl taking her power.

Sure, none of them ended up how you’d expect it to.

I’m pretty sure Xena thought the kid might kill her one day and take over her army. Yet it is nothing like what came to pass. So while it’s a little unreliable in terms of getting there or things not being what they seem – it does appear that Alti is telling the truth about her predictions.

So we’ll have to see.

Also, Xena did have real effects just like the ones last episode from the fights of her past only from the future this time. Suggesting that there is truth to what Alti was showing her.

Which all leads me to, Gabrielle cannot possibly be dead for good or gone for good. And I would like her back now please.

Not just as a voice or creepy spider that Alti is using. Gabrielle, live and in the flesh. Thank you.

Onto the next episode!

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