Amac Productions

I really wish that I had recorded my reaction and my girlfriend’s reaction to me for all of you to see.

Essentially, it was me flipping the eff out the entire episode and her laughing at me. But the part that I felt was most memorable was the moment I figured out that it wasn’t really Gabrielle. That it was Hope – pretending to be Gabrielle.

I paused the episode and promptly got out of my chair and freaked the eff out for a while. Like a while.

I dead on the floor.

I freaked out. I hated it.

I wanted desperately to be wrong.

But I knew I was not.

Because everything about her was wrong. Their reunion felt a little weird. More subdued that I expected it to be. Her face turning away from the horror in the woods of the man and his dog being killed. Gabrielle has totally seen worse.

Her family saying she wasn’t fine after everything she’d been through. Which – I mean – sure but it’s not like it’s going to stop Gabrielle. Season three put her through the wringer but she and Xena came out stronger than ever before. She’s fine.

Her entire demeanor and actions throughout Xena’s first fight with the pointy monster.

She actively didn’t help.

Like at all. She stood there. Stepped to the side. Let Xena get hit. Avoided any sort of help. She didn’t speak. She didn’t do anything to help Xena in any form.

It was so weird!

So off.

Even in the early episodes without any training or knowledge or any sense of reason, Gabrielle was throwing herself into danger to help Xena as often as possible. So it felt nothing like Gabrielle at all.

The way she carried herself. Her voice.

Like she was trying too hard to be lighter than it actually is. Her hair is tucked behind her shoulders. She walks like she has a stick along her back. Renee did such an excellent job conveying the little subtleties to tip you off that something was wrong.

I literally got to the end of that fight, and I just knew that my suspicions were true. I suspected. There was something just not right about her. I just knew it.

And I lost my ever loving mind over it.

My girlfriend thought this was the funniest thing in the entire world.

I literally left my office as I was freaking out because I just could not contain myself.

I was so hoping that we were rid of Hope. Once and for all. Like it was a lava pit. No one should have come back from that and yet here they both are. Apparently, alive and well.

Dear ole’ dad saved Hope.

And Gabrielle is turning into Xena level difficulties to kill. Apparently.

But yes. I completely lost my mind.

I was annoyed. Angry. Frustrated.

And completely irritated that there was a possibility we were about to make it to the end of another episode without Gabrielle.

I promised my girlfriend that if that happened, I would lose my shit for a second time in complete agony. Because seriously??!!

However, I was thankfully saved from a second mind loss when Gabrielle mysteriously appeared in the same place that everyone else was. The logistics of that makes my head spin and my girlfriend and I debated that for a while watching this episode.

Regardless, Xena and Gabrielle were reunited.

Quite amazingly.

I really love that both Renee and Lucy managed to make such stark reunions that illustrate the difference between Hope and Gabrielle so well. I loved it so much. So much.

Because the original reunion was good. It was enough to keep the charade up a bit longer. To convince me for a few minutes.

But the actual reunion was exactly what I thought it should be.

Filled with tears and hugs.

Kisses off screen.

I replayed it like four times with my girlfriend to ensure we both heard Xena say ‘sweetheart’ to Gabrielle. Absolutely amazing detail. Just soft enough that you could mishear it if you wanted to. If you want to ignore the implications of the word. The kisses on Gabrielle’s hands that Xena did. Gently lowering her to the rock to talk.

How soft and sweet they were with each other.

They were just so soft and caring and in love with each other in that moment. Gentle and kind. Soft and sweet.

Reassuring and kind. Everything that this relationship is, pushing the absolute boundaries of what they could or could not show on screen in the 90s. Doing it masterfully. With both actresses doing an excellent job of portraying the utter relief they feel being back together again.

It was absolutely incredible.

So amazing.

I loved this moment so much.

I loved how they interacted for the rest of the episode.

Because there was a disconnect between Hope and Xena that you could chalk up to the separation. To the near-death experience Gabrielle had. That the most recent events might have caused it.

Except we should know better.

Know that everything they went through in season three forged them into something stronger. Something that not even death can break anymore.

So we should know better.

Which is exactly what we see when they are truly reunited with each other. They’re connected easily in every moment. Whether they’re together or not. Completely aligned in their goals.

Able to work easily together without even speaking to one another. Able to just move together without needing words. To work together as smoothly as always. Even better.

I really loved that detail.

How Hope doesn’t quite connect and fit. With Renee and Lucy portraying those little details perfectly to give us everything we need to know. Then slipping back into the deep bond you’re able to feel between these two characters in every moment without speaking. Without preparing.

The moment that Gabrielle comes in and finds Xena losing and she’s able to pivot and trick the monster. To work with Xena without words to fix things.

And also prove a point that I made earlier.

That Gabrielle is unable to sit idle when Xena is in danger. She would do anything for her. And vice versa.

Oh, and please for the love of everything please let this be the last time we have to deal with Hope and Dahak and this foul creature who I actually kind of felt bad for. This childlike creature was just caught in the middle of this war. Trying to eat. It’s a kid. I blame the parents.

The absent father and the evil mother.

Which also leads me to Hope. I love that she really wants to be loved by her mother. Wants to understand why she appears to love Xena more than she loves her daughter. While also not understanding that her literal nature is the problem. That she wants to follow in her father’s footsteps.

Like, hey, you want mom? You got to reannounce dear old dad.

Yeesh.

Did not like her using Gabrielle’s family as a shield.

Oh, and Lila, what the eff? Xena just risked her ass trying to save your life and you really think she stopped in the middle of her day to just beat the shit out of Gabrielle for no reason? Really? Really? Really?

The parents? I kind of get.

Also, Mr. Gabrielle’s father using the word ‘seduce’ when it comes to Xena and Gabrielle felt a lot on the nose. Love that the sensors were like that’s a totally normal use of that word and couldn’t possibly mean anything else. Very straight. Very normal.

Oh, and I thought it was funny that they loved Joxer but hated Xena.

Hilarious.

Overall, this was a great episode even though it made me have a meltdown in the middle of it. Seriously, it was great. I wish I recorded it so you could have seen me just absolutely lose my mind. Crazy. Crazy.

But the reunion was amazing and I’m glad we no longer have to suffer without Gabrielle. That Hope is finally gone. Along with her evil child.

Oh, and one more thing, I loved the conversation they had at the end of the episode. That neither of them really knows where they’re going in life. They’re both searching for themselves and their paths and their understanding of their lives. Their purposes in life. But they come to the conclusion that while they’re following each other and the other is confused, it doesn’t really matter. The only thing that matters – is that they do it together.

They walk this life together.

They can figure out the rest.

They can work out the rest. Those things can be solved. Everything else pales in comparison as long as they do it together.

Their cuddle. It was all perfect. I loved it. All of it. Very nicely done and I’m excited to see what the rest of the season holds for us!

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

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