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scifi_rewatchThis is the second episode to put a spin on Hebrew scripture, though due to the negative connotations of the Abraham/Isaac (or Anteus/Ikus, if you will) story makes them separate this story from Jewish/Christian/Muslim faith. During the course of the episode, Anteus struggles with this decree, coming to many of the conclusions that Jews grapple with when we read the Akeda story, but in Xenaverse, the parameters of this horrible sacrifice turn out to be much different. I won’t spoil any more above except to say that this is the first time that Karl Urban appears on “Xena”! Expect to see more of him in much more prominent roles. :P
We spin over forests and trees before arriving at a farm. A young boy argues with his mother about being sent away—he’s desperate but she’s insistent; he has to go. She bottles up some food for him and then tells him to hide until it’s safe before shutting the door fearfully.
Elswhere, we come across Xena and Gabrielle’s clothes hanging from branches by a lake; the ladies are talking suggestively off camera. What the… “You’ve been wanting to do this for ages,” a water-bound but naked Xena tells a similar Gabrielle…she dives under water, Xena starts sighing contentedly, and…hello porno??? But nope—Gabs resurfaces holding up a fish! Damn! I mean, shew. :P The girls don’t have much time to gloat—or do anything else—as sudden commotion hits and they hide underwater. The boy from earlier runs and falls, and Xena pulls him in with them. But he surfaces for lack of air as another boy approaches, who then drags him out. As the boy protests Xena emerges with a “didn’t your mother ever teach you, it’s rude to stare?” :P She punches the older guy and darts out to quickly put on her undergarments. As more goons regroup, she attacks them with Gab’s fish. :P Classic. Gabrielle herself puts on her clothes, hides the boy and then joins the fight. The boys, of course, are getting beaten before Karl Urban, in his first “Xena” role, steps up. He tells Xeen and Gabs to back off as this doesn’t concern them. Xena introduces herself and she’s making it her business, seeing as the young boy is outnumbered by several older ones. The boy pleads not to be taken away; looks like the girls won this round. Karl Urban’s character threatens that this isn’t over, but he and his goons leave for now. As they do, the young boy explains what’s up—his own father is taking him to be sacrificed! :-O
The threesome walk as the boy, Icus, sings his father’s praises. It looks bad, but he’s a good man! The thuggish leader, aka Karl Urban, is his brother, Maell. Maell and his men are strong in their faith, Icus explains. They helped teach dear dad new farming techniques that yielded more crops. So I guess they kinda owe this god. Mom, meanwhile, is conflicted, so Xena and Gab promise to sort this whole thing out. The warrior princess, meanwhile, has found a cave where she and her army camped a few years ago while passing through. Icus and Gabrielle can stay there now. Xena rides through flowers to reach the farm.
Dear old dad, named Anteus, is getting a report from Maell. Maell is willing to fight to the death with his men to get Icus back, which hurts Anteus even more. So much violence! They are supposed to be following a new path of peace. Maell is into more aggressive religious practice—even that which kills children? Xena asks from behind. Maell goes to attack her, but Anteus stops him—barely. Xena notes the old man’s frailty. Anteus pleads that Icus must understand that he doesn’t want to kill him—he’s just been commanded by God! Which god? Xena asks. Ares, Zeus? Both sound like strong possibilities. :P Maell calls him “the Supreme Deity”, who only speaks to Anteus. “I thought Ares was cold,” Xena remarks (you have no idea. His episode is coming up! :P /spoilers). Why does your god want to kill an innocent boy? Our god isn’t accountable to non-believers, scoffs Maell. Very well, Xena says; she’s keeping Icus until this god has a change of heart. Anteus orders Maell to let her go in peace.
Maell wastes no time disregarding Anteus’s words; he rounds up his men and spins the tale about how Daddy is ailing, unable to see the threat of Xena, and this “freak of nature” and her “scrawny little companion” are holding my poor brother captive! Abomination! Maell leads his men away to the rallying cry “Xena must die!” Not much peace in his religion!
Gabrielle and Icus are hiding in the cave, where the bard is having no luck keeping the young boy entertained with a story, which slowly becomes more ridiculous as Gab tries to prompt Icus into a reaction. :P But there’s none to be had; Icus is distracted by why his father would do this. Gabs urges him to wait for Xena’s return with answers; for now, she’s famished! Icus offers to share his mother’s food—actually, he offers it all to Gabs as he’s not hungry but she’s salivating over the nutbread. Gabs eagerly dives in.
Icus’s mother, meanwhile, has turned apostate; she’s at Hestia’s old temple, begging for guidance. Xena appears from behind, as she often does, and tells her that Icus is safe. She guessed the grieving woman’s location as Hestia is patron of families. Xena wants to know how her husband could believe in a god who calls for child murder. The Supreme Deity wasn’t always like that, mom explains. Two months ago he even told Anteus to make Icus ruler of the people—strange enough since Maell is older, but even stranger given this new command. Hmmm. Anteus has grown more secretive of late, too. Xena promises to talk to him…didn’t she just try that? Meanwhile, mommy offers up more nutbread for Xeen to take to Icus—Maell baked it especially for his bro! He also makes it for his father, too. Curioser and curioser. But Xena sees something more ominous; she leaves mom in mid-sentence, goes dashing back to the cave and finds Gabrielle, out cold in the dirt! :-O Dum dum duuuuum!
Xena rushes to Gabrielle’s side and is thankfully able to rouse her….in a manner of speaking. :P Gabs is drugged and obviously out of it, which is golden territory for Renee. :P “By the gods…you are beautiful!” she declares, staring up with rapture from the ground. Uh huh. Xeen slowly gets her up and thinking about Icus. Where is he? “I lost Icus!” Gabrielle sobs, but Xena is willing to forgive her, given her state. She assumes that Icus went to get help and Gab confirms that the boy didn’t eat any of the nutbread, at least. The warrior princess is off to look for him, and Gabrielle literally rallies her, uh, troops. :P Xena convinces her and “the others” to stay, and Gabs latches onto the idea that they have to work on “their song.” “Just between you and me, the altos are a little flat,” Gabs mutters in Xena’sear. Stay here until I come back, is that clear? Xena asks forcefully. “Uh, no. You’re a little fuzzy around the edges. So you keep trying—you’ll get there!” Renee is golden, the end. :P
Back at the farm, Icus encourages his mother to hurry up because Gabs was obviously very sick. Mommy looks through her herbs, and implores Icus to gather some from the garden. But when he doesn’t come back mom goes out—the goons have him! Mom tries to interfere but the goons easily ward her off. Icus implores them to leave her alone; he’ll go willingly. They keep a guard back to watch her and take the boy away!
Xena races after the goons and into a spiky fence trap that they’ve set, but all she has to do is flip over from Argo’s back and run on foot. :P Easy peasy. From inside the cave, Gabrielle enthusiastically directs cathedral-like music from her invisible choir. The mother cowers behind the well and tries to take him down when his back is turned but is unsuccessful. He has her by the throat but Xena, from behind, knocks him out with one of her pinches. Mom fills Xena in on what’s happened. They’re taking him to the mountain (the “Xenaverse” version of Mount Moriah,) where Anteus is waiting by the altar.
The warrior princess is able to track them, walking on an overhead ledge. She throws something to distract them, then lassos Icus and extracts him “Mission Impossible” style while their heads are turned. Pandemonium ensues, and the men run at sudden thunder (“great percussion!” Gabs says from the cave. :P) Anteus prays on the mountain. He’s tried to follow God always—use my life as you will! But please, don’t take Icus! A booming voice answers: “How dare you deny me anything? Either sacrifice Icus before the next sun, or I will turn my face from you and your people—forever.” Icus and Xena hear this as well. They rush to the mountain and find Anteus splayed out on the altar.
Xena and Icus rush up to daddy; Xeen explains that he might be passed out due to stress. She tries to get him up to go home. But she heard the voice, right? Anteus asks. “Unlike you, I don’t believe everything I hear,” Xena responds. Good line! In an amusing comparison, Gabs leaves the cave based on something one of the invisible choir members tells her. :P
Warrior Princess and entourage stops to rest. Xena explains she doesn’t think much of a god who calls for child sacrifice—but she’s not sure that’s what’s happening anyway. Intriguing! Anteus’s mind is hazy, but has he stopped to think why this is happening? Every moment, Anteus responds. He goes through a litany of why his god may have commanded this, but Xena cuts to the fact that he’s the leader; he can stop it. “You’re asking me to deny my God,” Anteus says. “I’m asking you to spare your son!” Xena counters. “And teach him what? That faith is just for those times when it’s convenient to believe?” Damn. Maybe these are Jews after all, with this line of questioning. :P I’ll stop you, Xena warns. “God help me, deep down inside, part of me hopes you succeed,” Anteus responds.
The family reunites at the farm where Xena explains to Mom that Dad is drugged. Before they can get further there’s an angry knock on the door, then Gabs snarls about looking for Xena. Xeen drags her in. The rock said to find her friend, Gabs explains. His voice was a little gravelley. :P Xena uses this as an example—nutbread=hearing voices. (Though technically, Xena/Icus heard the god voice, too…) Icus, by the window, sees Maell and the goons returning, and he stomps out to the garden. When Xena confronts him he admits he’s angry at her—apparently he’s on board with sacrifice now, it being God’s command and all, but she’s stopping them! Xena turns to go inside—and finds Maell with a blade to Gabby’s throat. Xena calls him out on poisoning his father and trying to kill his brother. As Maell threatens murder, Icus begs him to stop. Maell says he will as long as they… “cooperate.” Which in this case means being thrown down a deceptively huge well! Xena is able to grab onto the bucket rope, and Gabs grabs onto her, but they are effectively trapped!
Gab, at least, sobers up by the ordeal, and the fact that the wooden bar, to which they’re attached, is slowly starting to break! The bucket drops down into the ridiculously deep depths of the well, and then Xena tells Gabs to climb up her body. When the bard is situated, the warrior princess basically wears her as a backpack as she shimmies her way up the rope. Icus, meanwhile, is leading his dad painstakingly towards the altar. Sonny boy wants confirmation that his death is part of God’s plan…right? They’re doing the right thing here? He helps his father up, who is appearing more and more frail. They travel a little while before Anteus tells him to stop—he can’t do this; it’s too hard! But they’re cowered by more sudden thunder—and a break-away shot to a bong and chains?? What’s that about?? With the threat of God’s wrath, they keep going. Anteus assures Icus that heaven must be glorious. Meanwhile, Xena keeps up her painstaking climb…almost there…the bar breaks! :-O Of course, a few seconds later Xena pulls herself out. And Gabs completely climbs over her to touch the ground first. :P From there, they run!
Anteus prays at the altar while Icus brings him the knife. Thunder sounds—but it’s not real! We see now that it is Maell banging away on his bong! From the middle of the mountain Xena detects where the sound is coming from. Maell uses ye ancient loudspeaker to speak “God’s command”: “I am your one true God. Yet you love Icus more. You always have.” His voice cracks—sounds more like therapy than anything. Then again I’d be resentful if my younger sibling were to usurp my position. So is every other older brother of a Jewish patriarch, actually. :P But Xena, as usual, appears behind him and tells him he must command Anteus to stop this. In response, Maell booms “Kill him!” He throws the loudspeaker into some bushes, which Xena commands Gabs to grab. Too late! Maell crows. Anteus kisses Icus on the head, atop the altar, while ominous music plays. Xena crosses the conveniently rickety rope bridge to Maell. Maell seems to believe that Icus’s death really is the will of God, even though he more or less admits that Xena is correct when she says he drugged Anteus to make him believe in his voice. He starts to cut the ropes with his sword! Anteus and Gabrielle are still moving slow at their tasks. Maell seems like he’s waiting for her to fall, as she wibbles on the final rope under her feet, but then he ultimately cuts it. Xena bounces on the rope as his stroke falls, causing Maell to lose his balance. She flips over to the other side –now Maell is hanging onto the rope! Xena reaches out her hand, but apparently Maell decides to go out extremist; he grins, calls this God’s will and falls backwards into the chasm below. …kinda makes it sound like he wasn’t just an jealous opportunist, but a true believer in his insane vision. Or maybe just insane. :P
Of course, we still have Anteus with his blade poised over Icus! Xena runs to the mountain, throwing her chakram when she’s close enough, Gabrielle fumbles for the loudspeaker…and then a booming voice cries: “Hold, Anteus! Let your son live. Your faith is enough.” The chakram misses them and Xena re-catches it. Triumphant music plays as dad throws away his knife and gathers Icus into his arms.
Later, the three surviving family members wave, smiling, at Xena, Gabrielle and Argo at a sort of annoyingly tidy wrap-up to the episode; guess they were running out of minutes. :P But really? No goodbyes in person? No grief for Maell, cos no matter how evil (or maybe just sick) he was, he’s still family? *sigh* Anywho. Gabrielle is still cranky and headachey, and the girls chuckle over the one god theory…to be fair, although they’ve touched upon ancient Hebrews a few episodes back, they never did talk about the monotheism involved, so I guess this is their first. :P Xena compliments Gab’s God impersonation voice, but Gabs stops her and says what do you mean? I never got the loudspeaker; I thought it was you! They both heard the voice…and they stare up at the sky to deep, ethereal music.
The disclaimer of this episode is No unrelenting or severely punishing deities were harmed dueing the production of this motion picture. I gotta admit…it makes me eye-rolly. I mean, I know there’s some literal interpretations of biblical stories that sound harsh, but—I guess this is where my cultural biases stand in the way of my enjoyment of the show.
You gotta admit—parts of it were pretty hokey. The fact that Maell could make his bong heard boomingly across the mountains? Must have been some pretty strong drugs. :P All the rickety rope bridges Xena has to cross? I guess that’s just far for the course on this show. At the same time, I enjoyed the complications in Anteus’s ruminations on faith, as little as they were explored. Also the ramifications of fraternal rivalry, though basically that was unexplored, too. Finally, Gabrielle was just awesome this ep. :P And I’m looking forward to Karl Urban’s next role. :D Welcome to the show, future big shot! :P
___
We spin over forests and trees before arriving at a farm. A young boy argues with his mother about being sent away—he’s desperate but she’s insistent; he has to go. She bottles up some food for him and then tells him to hide until it’s safe before shutting the door fearfully.
Elswhere, we come across Xena and Gabrielle’s clothes hanging from branches by a lake; the ladies are talking suggestively off camera. What the… “You’ve been wanting to do this for ages,” a water-bound but naked Xena tells a similar Gabrielle…she dives under water, Xena starts sighing contentedly, and…hello porno??? But nope—Gabs resurfaces holding up a fish! Damn! I mean, shew. :P The girls don’t have much time to gloat—or do anything else—as sudden commotion hits and they hide underwater. The boy from earlier runs and falls, and Xena pulls him in with them. But he surfaces for lack of air as another boy approaches, who then drags him out. As the boy protests Xena emerges with a “didn’t your mother ever teach you, it’s rude to stare?” :P She punches the older guy and darts out to quickly put on her undergarments. As more goons regroup, she attacks them with Gab’s fish. :P Classic. Gabrielle herself puts on her clothes, hides the boy and then joins the fight. The boys, of course, are getting beaten before Karl Urban, in his first “Xena” role, steps up. He tells Xeen and Gabs to back off as this doesn’t concern them. Xena introduces herself and she’s making it her business, seeing as the young boy is outnumbered by several older ones. The boy pleads not to be taken away; looks like the girls won this round. Karl Urban’s character threatens that this isn’t over, but he and his goons leave for now. As they do, the young boy explains what’s up—his own father is taking him to be sacrificed! :-O
The threesome walk as the boy, Icus, sings his father’s praises. It looks bad, but he’s a good man! The thuggish leader, aka Karl Urban, is his brother, Maell. Maell and his men are strong in their faith, Icus explains. They helped teach dear dad new farming techniques that yielded more crops. So I guess they kinda owe this god. Mom, meanwhile, is conflicted, so Xena and Gab promise to sort this whole thing out. The warrior princess, meanwhile, has found a cave where she and her army camped a few years ago while passing through. Icus and Gabrielle can stay there now. Xena rides through flowers to reach the farm.
Dear old dad, named Anteus, is getting a report from Maell. Maell is willing to fight to the death with his men to get Icus back, which hurts Anteus even more. So much violence! They are supposed to be following a new path of peace. Maell is into more aggressive religious practice—even that which kills children? Xena asks from behind. Maell goes to attack her, but Anteus stops him—barely. Xena notes the old man’s frailty. Anteus pleads that Icus must understand that he doesn’t want to kill him—he’s just been commanded by God! Which god? Xena asks. Ares, Zeus? Both sound like strong possibilities. :P Maell calls him “the Supreme Deity”, who only speaks to Anteus. “I thought Ares was cold,” Xena remarks (you have no idea. His episode is coming up! :P /spoilers). Why does your god want to kill an innocent boy? Our god isn’t accountable to non-believers, scoffs Maell. Very well, Xena says; she’s keeping Icus until this god has a change of heart. Anteus orders Maell to let her go in peace.
Maell wastes no time disregarding Anteus’s words; he rounds up his men and spins the tale about how Daddy is ailing, unable to see the threat of Xena, and this “freak of nature” and her “scrawny little companion” are holding my poor brother captive! Abomination! Maell leads his men away to the rallying cry “Xena must die!” Not much peace in his religion!
Gabrielle and Icus are hiding in the cave, where the bard is having no luck keeping the young boy entertained with a story, which slowly becomes more ridiculous as Gab tries to prompt Icus into a reaction. :P But there’s none to be had; Icus is distracted by why his father would do this. Gabs urges him to wait for Xena’s return with answers; for now, she’s famished! Icus offers to share his mother’s food—actually, he offers it all to Gabs as he’s not hungry but she’s salivating over the nutbread. Gabs eagerly dives in.
Icus’s mother, meanwhile, has turned apostate; she’s at Hestia’s old temple, begging for guidance. Xena appears from behind, as she often does, and tells her that Icus is safe. She guessed the grieving woman’s location as Hestia is patron of families. Xena wants to know how her husband could believe in a god who calls for child murder. The Supreme Deity wasn’t always like that, mom explains. Two months ago he even told Anteus to make Icus ruler of the people—strange enough since Maell is older, but even stranger given this new command. Hmmm. Anteus has grown more secretive of late, too. Xena promises to talk to him…didn’t she just try that? Meanwhile, mommy offers up more nutbread for Xeen to take to Icus—Maell baked it especially for his bro! He also makes it for his father, too. Curioser and curioser. But Xena sees something more ominous; she leaves mom in mid-sentence, goes dashing back to the cave and finds Gabrielle, out cold in the dirt! :-O Dum dum duuuuum!
Xena rushes to Gabrielle’s side and is thankfully able to rouse her….in a manner of speaking. :P Gabs is drugged and obviously out of it, which is golden territory for Renee. :P “By the gods…you are beautiful!” she declares, staring up with rapture from the ground. Uh huh. Xeen slowly gets her up and thinking about Icus. Where is he? “I lost Icus!” Gabrielle sobs, but Xena is willing to forgive her, given her state. She assumes that Icus went to get help and Gab confirms that the boy didn’t eat any of the nutbread, at least. The warrior princess is off to look for him, and Gabrielle literally rallies her, uh, troops. :P Xena convinces her and “the others” to stay, and Gabs latches onto the idea that they have to work on “their song.” “Just between you and me, the altos are a little flat,” Gabs mutters in Xena’sear. Stay here until I come back, is that clear? Xena asks forcefully. “Uh, no. You’re a little fuzzy around the edges. So you keep trying—you’ll get there!” Renee is golden, the end. :P
Back at the farm, Icus encourages his mother to hurry up because Gabs was obviously very sick. Mommy looks through her herbs, and implores Icus to gather some from the garden. But when he doesn’t come back mom goes out—the goons have him! Mom tries to interfere but the goons easily ward her off. Icus implores them to leave her alone; he’ll go willingly. They keep a guard back to watch her and take the boy away!
Xena races after the goons and into a spiky fence trap that they’ve set, but all she has to do is flip over from Argo’s back and run on foot. :P Easy peasy. From inside the cave, Gabrielle enthusiastically directs cathedral-like music from her invisible choir. The mother cowers behind the well and tries to take him down when his back is turned but is unsuccessful. He has her by the throat but Xena, from behind, knocks him out with one of her pinches. Mom fills Xena in on what’s happened. They’re taking him to the mountain (the “Xenaverse” version of Mount Moriah,) where Anteus is waiting by the altar.
The warrior princess is able to track them, walking on an overhead ledge. She throws something to distract them, then lassos Icus and extracts him “Mission Impossible” style while their heads are turned. Pandemonium ensues, and the men run at sudden thunder (“great percussion!” Gabs says from the cave. :P) Anteus prays on the mountain. He’s tried to follow God always—use my life as you will! But please, don’t take Icus! A booming voice answers: “How dare you deny me anything? Either sacrifice Icus before the next sun, or I will turn my face from you and your people—forever.” Icus and Xena hear this as well. They rush to the mountain and find Anteus splayed out on the altar.
Xena and Icus rush up to daddy; Xeen explains that he might be passed out due to stress. She tries to get him up to go home. But she heard the voice, right? Anteus asks. “Unlike you, I don’t believe everything I hear,” Xena responds. Good line! In an amusing comparison, Gabs leaves the cave based on something one of the invisible choir members tells her. :P
Warrior Princess and entourage stops to rest. Xena explains she doesn’t think much of a god who calls for child sacrifice—but she’s not sure that’s what’s happening anyway. Intriguing! Anteus’s mind is hazy, but has he stopped to think why this is happening? Every moment, Anteus responds. He goes through a litany of why his god may have commanded this, but Xena cuts to the fact that he’s the leader; he can stop it. “You’re asking me to deny my God,” Anteus says. “I’m asking you to spare your son!” Xena counters. “And teach him what? That faith is just for those times when it’s convenient to believe?” Damn. Maybe these are Jews after all, with this line of questioning. :P I’ll stop you, Xena warns. “God help me, deep down inside, part of me hopes you succeed,” Anteus responds.
The family reunites at the farm where Xena explains to Mom that Dad is drugged. Before they can get further there’s an angry knock on the door, then Gabs snarls about looking for Xena. Xeen drags her in. The rock said to find her friend, Gabs explains. His voice was a little gravelley. :P Xena uses this as an example—nutbread=hearing voices. (Though technically, Xena/Icus heard the god voice, too…) Icus, by the window, sees Maell and the goons returning, and he stomps out to the garden. When Xena confronts him he admits he’s angry at her—apparently he’s on board with sacrifice now, it being God’s command and all, but she’s stopping them! Xena turns to go inside—and finds Maell with a blade to Gabby’s throat. Xena calls him out on poisoning his father and trying to kill his brother. As Maell threatens murder, Icus begs him to stop. Maell says he will as long as they… “cooperate.” Which in this case means being thrown down a deceptively huge well! Xena is able to grab onto the bucket rope, and Gabs grabs onto her, but they are effectively trapped!
Gab, at least, sobers up by the ordeal, and the fact that the wooden bar, to which they’re attached, is slowly starting to break! The bucket drops down into the ridiculously deep depths of the well, and then Xena tells Gabs to climb up her body. When the bard is situated, the warrior princess basically wears her as a backpack as she shimmies her way up the rope. Icus, meanwhile, is leading his dad painstakingly towards the altar. Sonny boy wants confirmation that his death is part of God’s plan…right? They’re doing the right thing here? He helps his father up, who is appearing more and more frail. They travel a little while before Anteus tells him to stop—he can’t do this; it’s too hard! But they’re cowered by more sudden thunder—and a break-away shot to a bong and chains?? What’s that about?? With the threat of God’s wrath, they keep going. Anteus assures Icus that heaven must be glorious. Meanwhile, Xena keeps up her painstaking climb…almost there…the bar breaks! :-O Of course, a few seconds later Xena pulls herself out. And Gabs completely climbs over her to touch the ground first. :P From there, they run!
Anteus prays at the altar while Icus brings him the knife. Thunder sounds—but it’s not real! We see now that it is Maell banging away on his bong! From the middle of the mountain Xena detects where the sound is coming from. Maell uses ye ancient loudspeaker to speak “God’s command”: “I am your one true God. Yet you love Icus more. You always have.” His voice cracks—sounds more like therapy than anything. Then again I’d be resentful if my younger sibling were to usurp my position. So is every other older brother of a Jewish patriarch, actually. :P But Xena, as usual, appears behind him and tells him he must command Anteus to stop this. In response, Maell booms “Kill him!” He throws the loudspeaker into some bushes, which Xena commands Gabs to grab. Too late! Maell crows. Anteus kisses Icus on the head, atop the altar, while ominous music plays. Xena crosses the conveniently rickety rope bridge to Maell. Maell seems to believe that Icus’s death really is the will of God, even though he more or less admits that Xena is correct when she says he drugged Anteus to make him believe in his voice. He starts to cut the ropes with his sword! Anteus and Gabrielle are still moving slow at their tasks. Maell seems like he’s waiting for her to fall, as she wibbles on the final rope under her feet, but then he ultimately cuts it. Xena bounces on the rope as his stroke falls, causing Maell to lose his balance. She flips over to the other side –now Maell is hanging onto the rope! Xena reaches out her hand, but apparently Maell decides to go out extremist; he grins, calls this God’s will and falls backwards into the chasm below. …kinda makes it sound like he wasn’t just an jealous opportunist, but a true believer in his insane vision. Or maybe just insane. :P
Of course, we still have Anteus with his blade poised over Icus! Xena runs to the mountain, throwing her chakram when she’s close enough, Gabrielle fumbles for the loudspeaker…and then a booming voice cries: “Hold, Anteus! Let your son live. Your faith is enough.” The chakram misses them and Xena re-catches it. Triumphant music plays as dad throws away his knife and gathers Icus into his arms.
Later, the three surviving family members wave, smiling, at Xena, Gabrielle and Argo at a sort of annoyingly tidy wrap-up to the episode; guess they were running out of minutes. :P But really? No goodbyes in person? No grief for Maell, cos no matter how evil (or maybe just sick) he was, he’s still family? *sigh* Anywho. Gabrielle is still cranky and headachey, and the girls chuckle over the one god theory…to be fair, although they’ve touched upon ancient Hebrews a few episodes back, they never did talk about the monotheism involved, so I guess this is their first. :P Xena compliments Gab’s God impersonation voice, but Gabs stops her and says what do you mean? I never got the loudspeaker; I thought it was you! They both heard the voice…and they stare up at the sky to deep, ethereal music.
The disclaimer of this episode is No unrelenting or severely punishing deities were harmed dueing the production of this motion picture. I gotta admit…it makes me eye-rolly. I mean, I know there’s some literal interpretations of biblical stories that sound harsh, but—I guess this is where my cultural biases stand in the way of my enjoyment of the show.
You gotta admit—parts of it were pretty hokey. The fact that Maell could make his bong heard boomingly across the mountains? Must have been some pretty strong drugs. :P All the rickety rope bridges Xena has to cross? I guess that’s just far for the course on this show. At the same time, I enjoyed the complications in Anteus’s ruminations on faith, as little as they were explored. Also the ramifications of fraternal rivalry, though basically that was unexplored, too. Finally, Gabrielle was just awesome this ep. :P And I’m looking forward to Karl Urban’s next role. :D Welcome to the show, future big shot! :P
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