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scifi_rewatchSeason one goes out on an interesting bang. There isn’t a whole lot of cohesiveness to the storyline yet, beyond Xena and Gabrielle going on episodic adventures. But this episode does bring back Ephiny, the Amazon warrior (plus likely the largest cast of extras so far.) It also takes us out of Xena’s personal redemption arc, focusing instead on broader issues like science over superstition (also personal responsibility over waiting for someone else) and the gristly cost of warfare.
There are lessons to be learned, largely the ones Xena and Gabrielle teach others. We have a redux of the Gab boytoy theme—crap, I thought we’d left that behind us! :P It feels a little more one-sided this time as Gabs is focused on other things. And we have our obligatory introduction of a real-life figure into the “Xenaverse”: more on that under the cut! Finally, we have a switcheroo with our girls about who is in mortal danger, gulp. The outcome is pretty predictable, but it does lead to some excellent acting, which showcases just how far their relationship has come.
Men run and fight in a wooded area, lots of mayhem. When it’s clear, Xena and Gabrielle emerge from behind a tree. They’re on their way to Athens, and this is the shortest, if bloodiest, route. Xena explains the conflict to her companion—it’s a civil war; “Ares’ favorite kind,” which will determine control over this forest, which is basically an ancient Greek highway. They’re interrupted in their talk by some moaning coming from an area covered with thrush. Xena and Gabrielle pull it aside and discover Ephiny from “Hooves and Harlots!” She has a nasty gash on her head—and she’s highly pregnant! She and her husband, the centaur Phantes, her sworn enemy whom she grew to love last time, were on their way to Athens for the birth when they walked into this. Phantes died protecting his wife and unborn child. :/ Guess that actor’s a one-time guest star. Gabrielle tends to her sister Amazon’s wound, binding it with cloth while prattling on about the senselessness of war and suffering of innocents. Xena has a determined look in her eye…oh no, Gabs, retract, retract! She says she’s going to find a safe place for Ephiny to have her baby…and then she’s gonna stop this war. Dun dun duuuuuuun.
Xena sneaks through some woods and finds a Mitoan general, Marmax, talking strategy with his soldiers. As soon as they break, some hapless Thessalean steps into the general’s path! Marmax rears on his horse and goes after him. Xena runs and chakrams Marmax in the shoulder, jolting him off his horse. The Thessalean soldier shares a brief look of gratitude with her before running off. Xena stands over the body of the general, raises her sword…and strikes?? The angle is secretive but it sure looks like Xena chose a side!
But no—later Xena leads her ladies and the general to a stocky temple. Marmax is protesting the whole way—this is a Thessalean healing temple! They’ll kill someone of his rank! Xena takes off his decorative helmet; just another foot soldier now. She tells the guard that they have a wounded soldier and a pregnant woman, and are granted passage inside. Marmax is immediately herded away to some forgotten corner where Mitoan wounded are kept; the soldiers immediately recognize him as their general. So much for secrecy. :P Marmax at least shushes them.
The ladies, meanwhile, look over the scene of the wounded groaning under big deity statues. A priest is heard begging entreaties of Aesclepius, the god of healing. Xena and Gabs find a place for Ephiny to sit down; she’s physically and mentally exhausted. The girls try to talk her through it, why she has a reason to go on (her baby, mostly) even when Phantes is gone. Gabs reminds her that they’re sisters through the Amazons; she has the rite of caste and is technically ruler, though she hasn’t been back to the tribe since she got it. But at least for now Gabs can be a support.
Xena surveys the rest of the scene, where a young acolyte is attempting to move a heavily-wounded man to the altar. The warrior princess immediately goes type A: stop that! The acolyte introduces himself as Hippocrates—told ya we’d get a baby-faced real guy! :P He explains how he’s working under Galen’s orders and Xena moves up to the elderly priest and prayer-giver. Xena has some cynical words about the gods: they don’t care whether you live or die. :-O Galen sputters and calls Xena a harlot as she suggests a little forcefully that he spend more time with his patients and less with the statues.
They’re interrupted by the arrival of a soldier carrying his friend over his back—he can’t breathe! Galen dismisses him—he’s Mitoan—but Xena takes charge. Bring him here! She forces Marmax, who’s likely not used to this but doesn’t want one of his soldiers to die, to help. He has an arrow sticking out of his neck. :/ She starts ordering folks to get her supplies while Galen yells at her in the background. He’s eventually ok with her apostasy since she’s operating on a Mitoan, heh. The operation is tense and bloody concluding with Xena’s version of an ancient tracheotomy. Awesome. Meanwhile, instead of yanno, HELPING, (ok, they help a little) Hippocrates and his pal, Democritus stay on the sidelines and gush over Xena and Gabrielle, respectively. Hey, can’t blame them. :P Galen is unimpressed with his acolytes and their interest in this “antiquated” form of healing.
Later, Xena gives orders about rearranging the wounded by injury. She then goes through, checking people out and stopping at a man who needs stitches. Hippocrates and Democritus eagerly clamor in behind her; they want to watch her work. Help others, she instructs the gawking lads, but when they bend over the man behind her she says it’s too late for him. They’ll have to choose who to save. That’s a tall order for Hippocrates…he sounds like a sensitive guy. Xena directs him towards a woman with a broken leg, giving him her sword to use as a brace.
Still in delegation mode, Xena asks Gabs to change Marmax’s bandages. The two of them get to talking as she works—like how Gabs is primarily a bard. Tell me a story, Marmax suggests. So Gabrielle does…about a king/warrior/hunger guy, Libarius, who was turned into a deer when he angered the goddess Artemis. Marmax interjects with how awful it would be for a hunter to be trapped like that. Gabs, of course, isn’t done yet—Libarius learns to love the peaceful ways of the deer, Artemis takes pity on him and turns him back, and he’s a better king for the experience. Marmax poo-poos this: it’s a nice story, but it has nothing to do with reality. “Life is only what you make of it,” Gab says sagely before leaving him. I sense foreshadowing! :P
Now Xena and Gabrielle are alternating between two patients. The warrior princess is able to inflate a guy’s lung with a pig’s bladder and reed. She then stitches up a neck wound…I think Gabs is mainly cleaning. Galen is back, now pissed about Mitoans on their altars and the “murder” of brave soldiers. He has two guards with him—drag her out or kill her! Xena reaches for her sword…but it’s gone, since it was used earlier as a brace. Crap. Well, not really. :P She just kicks them aside; she’s got no time to fight! She’s head doctor here! And Gab interrupts with a new wounded man. She works on him herself, taking orders from Xena to stop the bleeding, and attempting to help him breathe. The warrior princess argues some with Galen (while she’s working, of course,) about how he doesn’t really heal—he just waits for some god to do it. But meanwhile, Gab’s patient is dying. She desperately tries to use the gall bladder thing…nothing. Xena tells her she has to let it go; Gabs looks devastated. Can’t heal THAT, can you? Galen gloats. Xena is somber. No, she can’t.
She can, however, comfort Gabs separately and remind her that death is part of healing. She urges Gab back to the floor and Gabs agrees. Marmax comes up behind Xena, berating her for bringing such a lovely girl into a warzone. Again, Xena can argue while she checks patients. Marmax grows increasingly agitated, trailing behind her and making his case about why the Mitoans are the good guys, fighting for their freedom, for innocents like Gabrielle. What about the Thessalean innocent? Xeen points out. Marmax is so blinded by his cause that he can’t see what he’s doing. Xena brings up a destroyed Thessalean village she and Gabs captured—standing, wide-eyed, to talk to him directly as he downplays the killing of innocents because it was a weapons storage. Women and children are Xena’s sensitive point, after all. And this talk suddenly ties in quite harrowingly to military conflicts still going on today.
A subdued Gabrielle relieves a man’s pain while Democritus fanboys her—it’s not just her physical actions, “you gave him a sense of peace.” Gabs still isn’t in the mood to see her strengths, but she thanks him quietly. Later, while walking among the wounded, a young man pleads for her to get someone to save his son, who is still out in the battlefield. Gabs, of course, only hesitates for a moment before saying she’ll go. Time to redeem herself! Democritus tries to stop her, but our bard’s mind is set.
Xena is busy stopping Galen from uselessly beseeching Aesclepius’s help. The man’s leg is sickly—will have to be amputated! :-O Galen and the patient are both appalled, but when it comes down to this or death, the patient ultimately gives the ok. Xena calls Marmax over but he’s hesitant again: “That is a Thessalean,” he says coldly. Xena threatens him with bodily harm, though I suppose that would ultimately equal more work for her. :P Luckily, Marmax gets over his snit. Xena puts a pinch on him that works as anesthesia—she should do that more often! Marmax has to restrain the man because he’ll still fight what’s happening, out of shock more than anything. Xena amputates the leg in a clean, swift (and unseen) stroke while the man screams. Tough job.
Ephiny is starting to go through labor pains! Marmax is on hand. He tries to calm her by talking about her past…she’s an Amazon, she and her husband were traveling to Athens to give birth because it’s “more tolerant.” Nevermind, Ephiny says when Marmax is confused. And a stony-faced Ephiny lets Marmax know Phantes was killed by Mitoans. Marmax feels guilt, but as usual tries to justify it. Things get a little heated, but we’re fighting for our freedom here. They exchange victimization stories: “My whole family was thrown to a pack of starving wolves for not bowing to their gods.” “My husband was ripped apart by Mitoan hunting dogs while your men watched and laughed.” Whoa. Talk about becoming what you despise! Of course even more moving than victim stories is when Ephiny lets Marmax know that Phantes was once her sworn enemy. But she learned forgiveness. “I just hope my child grows up to live in a world free of your blind hatred.” …no comment there. :P Though Ephiny’s my girl—we can be militant moderates together. You despise me, Marmax guesses. No, enlightened Ephiny says. But he needs to see the bigger picture. And she needs to go back to being in labor!
Gabrielle is back…on a stretcher! She’s seriously wounded, and Xena goes immediately to her side. She continues to direct medical traffic while she and others assess Gabrielle. The man who attacked Gabs is also brought in…alive from her defensive maneuver because she purposely chose not to kill him. Galen and Marmax go WTF and Xena responds “Gabrielle lives by her own code. That code doesn’t involve killing.” Democritus now starts up the argument with the general since it was a Mitoan. Those folks just attack anyone, don’t they? Gabrielle, meanwhile, with blood splattered across her head, is awake enough to croak for Ephiny. Xena yells, and in-remission Ephiny comes over to take Gabby’s hand. Gabrielle tries to give Ephiny her rite of caste, but Ephiny refuses. She explains to Democritus that Gabs is giving it up because she thinks she’s about to die. :/ Is she about to die? Xena is stone-faced as she works.
More news from outside—Mitoans are bringing the battle close! Galen claims they wouldn’t dare desecrate his temple—others aren’t so sure. Hippocrates says he’ll take the walking wounded out, but maybe it’s Democritus since he’s the one who does it. The two lads look so similar to me. :”> It’s nighttime and he tries to calm a woman with a wounded arm; just follow the others. A sudden arrow hits him in the chest! :-O Galen cradles him from behind, pleading for help. He hyperventilates for a few moments with his acolyte on his altar, and then, finally turns to Xena for help. They set him up on a cot next to Gabrielle’s; Democritus protests that Xeen should be helping her. “I’ve done all I can for her,” Xena says stoically, stitching Dem and glancing at a passed out friend. “It’s up to her from now on.” The path between life and death is always more spiritual where our girls are concerned. Dem passes out from his own pain and Hippocrates is now adept enough to care for him. Xena moves to Gabrielle, speaking softly. Shoulda listened to her and taken the southern route, lol. Marmax comes in from behind and they briefly touch on how everyone makes mistakes. Sudden boom and dust from ceiling…the Mitoans don’t have catapults so the temple must now be caught in the crossfire. Marmax and Xena realize that the Thessaleans might soon be crushed for good. Meanwhile, anyone who’s able has got to get out NOW. Xena will stay with the patients who can’t be moved. Marmax will guarantee safe passage for the rest… RIIIIGHT? The general hesitates, then agrees. She tells him to stay with Ephiny…I guess thinking she can make it out, but the baby is also coming NOW. A desperate Marmax calls for Xena!
So as other s run for the exit, Marmax has to play midwife, lol. Which actually, all joking aside, is pretty awesome! Amidst encouraging her to push, Marmax let sit be known that he knows daddy and baby are centaurs. “You gotta problem with that?” a very aggravated Ephiny posits. Nope—he admires the centaurs. Maybe Marmax is a good guy underneath it all. But he’s sort of reached the end of his know-how with midwifery. He needs Xena…her excuse for knowing most of her medical stuff is battlefield injuries, but maybe she helped with the lady-folk at home? :P Anywho, she knows what to do—ancient C-section! Difficult for humans to birth centaurs apparently. Apparently the pinch won’t work in this case, so Xena gets a candle and some ethereal music and tells Ephiny to focus on her baby, family, friends, even Phantes…just relax and feel no pain. Hippocrates is back with supplies and gives a 411 about him not leaving without Xeen, the Mitoans not leaving without Marmax and Galen being too stumped to do anything. :P He’s watching over Dem. The menfolk situate around Ephiny while Xena gives C-section instructions. Apparently this scene was actually filmed, but the censors got it and just showed us a whirlwind of terse faces. :P Danielle Cormack, aka Ephiny, also allegedly said this was the her most embarrassing moment as an actor, heh. Hopefully she’s good with the edits. :P And meanwhile…here’s some furry legs and hooves, attached to a son! The music goes from tense to triumphant as the baby cries. We get a brief moment of mother and son’s heads next to each other on the pillow, aaaw.
Then the rest of the story catches up. Gabrielle gasps painfully from her cot. As Xena leaves, the Mitoan soldiers make a bid for Marmax—let’s leave and win this war! Marmax refuses—this war is over, he says. :-O The soldiers protest; obviously Xena has him under her thumb. But a calm-sounding Marmax says he’s more in control than ever and he’s ready to negotiate. “We’ve become everything we despised. And I’m going to put a stop to this madness.” …Can we have more of him in real life??? He tells his stumped soldiers (they’re winning, after all,) to stop fighting, retreat, and send a messenger to the Thessaleans. Luckily the bonds of power hold so the soldiers ultimately do as asked.
Gabrielle, still unconscious, thrashes violently on her cot. Xena tries to restrain her but admits she doesn’t know what’s happening. Finally, Gabs lets out a throaty sound and goes completely limp. :/ With no movement, Hippocrates pronounces her dead. Xena is far from rady to accept this—she starts shaking Gabs, and slapping her face, cradling her head and begging her to breathe. Nothing happens. Her usual crowd of onlookers is quiet and resigned, allowing Xena’s feverish voice to take center stage. She gives Gabs CPR…still nothing. The music is sad. Hippocrates says she’s in a better place and Xena roughly pushes him aside. Prove him wrong, Gabs, wake up and fight! “You’ve never run from anything in your whole life,” Xena gasps desperately. Marmax tries his luck now—let her pass peacefully. What would you know about peace? Xena snarls. “You’ve killed so many.” “So have you,” Marmax points out, maybe as a reminder of how common death can be, what Xeen told Gabs herself earlier. Xena refuses, however; she goes back to CPR, and gasping herself, and crying “wake up!” Pounds chest. “Wake up!” And finally…Gabs does! :-O Music is triumphant as life returns. Galen falls to his feet beside them—Xena is Aesclepius returned to Earth! Xena, still reeling and teary from the day, scoffs that one off. She puts the miracle on Gabby’s shoulders. /feklempt
Later, Marmax finally leaves to start his negotiations. But first he must say his goodbyes to Xena…and vicariously with Gabrielle: “tell [her] that I did find that peace within me and I plan to share it.” Xena also confirms that it was her, of course, who wounded him in the first place. She attempts to apologize but Marmax poo-poos it: “I have had worse wounds, but never one that has taught me so much.” Marmax is on his way to a career in philosophy! I like him.
And Hippocrates is on his way to a career in medicine! :P He tells Xena he’s writing down what she’s taught him, how he wants it to be preserved, maybe he’ll start to teach…maybe he’ll make his students take an oath! OK, show, we get it. :P
Democritus, healed on his own cot, wakes Gabrielle and urges her to look at Ephiny playing with her little centaur baby. Gabs smiles…Dem knows the way into her heart. :P “I’m an aunt,” Gabby muses as Galen tends to Dem.
Finally, Xena and Gabrielle are about to leave the temple. Gabs is unsweaty, healthy-looking and carrying her staff. She thanks Xeen for saving her life but again, the warrior princess puts that on the bard’s shoulders. She obviously went deep inside herself and then chose to heal, as has happened a few times already. Gabs points out that they still have wars to stop, despots to foil and all that coming up in later seasons. :P Their adventures will continue! They hold hands as they walk away from the temple…Gabs, of course, has a story from the other side, beautiful pastures, lost relatives…sheesh, why’d you come back? ;D I kid, of course.
The disclaimer is: Being that war is hell, lots of people were harmed during the production of this motion picture. (But since television is a dramatic medium of make believe, all casualties removed their prosthetic make-up and went home unscathed.) Looks like the show tried to have its cake and eat it, too. :P
So yeah. Gabrielle’s first near-death! The fact that she came back at all is a little convenient (on a show where Xena out-fights and out-smarts almost everyone. :P) A nice consolation is how enriched the series is by Gab’s presence—her miraculous recovery serves the greater good in the fact that she’s a character who will continue to grow and change and foster that in others. (Already, Xena has allowed herself to get emotionally invested.) Also, for the cynics, seems like the boy she went out to find remained lost in the war. :/ With him and Phantes, war still has its price.
I should also mention that Galen was a real-life physician as well—lived several centuries after Hippocrates but yanno, “Xenaverse.” :P Democritus was a philosopher; according to the Xena wiki, Gabs will mention him in season three! Next season I might try to put in more historical notes. Adds to the geeky wonder of the show. :D
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There are lessons to be learned, largely the ones Xena and Gabrielle teach others. We have a redux of the Gab boytoy theme—crap, I thought we’d left that behind us! :P It feels a little more one-sided this time as Gabs is focused on other things. And we have our obligatory introduction of a real-life figure into the “Xenaverse”: more on that under the cut! Finally, we have a switcheroo with our girls about who is in mortal danger, gulp. The outcome is pretty predictable, but it does lead to some excellent acting, which showcases just how far their relationship has come.
Men run and fight in a wooded area, lots of mayhem. When it’s clear, Xena and Gabrielle emerge from behind a tree. They’re on their way to Athens, and this is the shortest, if bloodiest, route. Xena explains the conflict to her companion—it’s a civil war; “Ares’ favorite kind,” which will determine control over this forest, which is basically an ancient Greek highway. They’re interrupted in their talk by some moaning coming from an area covered with thrush. Xena and Gabrielle pull it aside and discover Ephiny from “Hooves and Harlots!” She has a nasty gash on her head—and she’s highly pregnant! She and her husband, the centaur Phantes, her sworn enemy whom she grew to love last time, were on their way to Athens for the birth when they walked into this. Phantes died protecting his wife and unborn child. :/ Guess that actor’s a one-time guest star. Gabrielle tends to her sister Amazon’s wound, binding it with cloth while prattling on about the senselessness of war and suffering of innocents. Xena has a determined look in her eye…oh no, Gabs, retract, retract! She says she’s going to find a safe place for Ephiny to have her baby…and then she’s gonna stop this war. Dun dun duuuuuuun.
Xena sneaks through some woods and finds a Mitoan general, Marmax, talking strategy with his soldiers. As soon as they break, some hapless Thessalean steps into the general’s path! Marmax rears on his horse and goes after him. Xena runs and chakrams Marmax in the shoulder, jolting him off his horse. The Thessalean soldier shares a brief look of gratitude with her before running off. Xena stands over the body of the general, raises her sword…and strikes?? The angle is secretive but it sure looks like Xena chose a side!
But no—later Xena leads her ladies and the general to a stocky temple. Marmax is protesting the whole way—this is a Thessalean healing temple! They’ll kill someone of his rank! Xena takes off his decorative helmet; just another foot soldier now. She tells the guard that they have a wounded soldier and a pregnant woman, and are granted passage inside. Marmax is immediately herded away to some forgotten corner where Mitoan wounded are kept; the soldiers immediately recognize him as their general. So much for secrecy. :P Marmax at least shushes them.
The ladies, meanwhile, look over the scene of the wounded groaning under big deity statues. A priest is heard begging entreaties of Aesclepius, the god of healing. Xena and Gabs find a place for Ephiny to sit down; she’s physically and mentally exhausted. The girls try to talk her through it, why she has a reason to go on (her baby, mostly) even when Phantes is gone. Gabs reminds her that they’re sisters through the Amazons; she has the rite of caste and is technically ruler, though she hasn’t been back to the tribe since she got it. But at least for now Gabs can be a support.
Xena surveys the rest of the scene, where a young acolyte is attempting to move a heavily-wounded man to the altar. The warrior princess immediately goes type A: stop that! The acolyte introduces himself as Hippocrates—told ya we’d get a baby-faced real guy! :P He explains how he’s working under Galen’s orders and Xena moves up to the elderly priest and prayer-giver. Xena has some cynical words about the gods: they don’t care whether you live or die. :-O Galen sputters and calls Xena a harlot as she suggests a little forcefully that he spend more time with his patients and less with the statues.
They’re interrupted by the arrival of a soldier carrying his friend over his back—he can’t breathe! Galen dismisses him—he’s Mitoan—but Xena takes charge. Bring him here! She forces Marmax, who’s likely not used to this but doesn’t want one of his soldiers to die, to help. He has an arrow sticking out of his neck. :/ She starts ordering folks to get her supplies while Galen yells at her in the background. He’s eventually ok with her apostasy since she’s operating on a Mitoan, heh. The operation is tense and bloody concluding with Xena’s version of an ancient tracheotomy. Awesome. Meanwhile, instead of yanno, HELPING, (ok, they help a little) Hippocrates and his pal, Democritus stay on the sidelines and gush over Xena and Gabrielle, respectively. Hey, can’t blame them. :P Galen is unimpressed with his acolytes and their interest in this “antiquated” form of healing.
Later, Xena gives orders about rearranging the wounded by injury. She then goes through, checking people out and stopping at a man who needs stitches. Hippocrates and Democritus eagerly clamor in behind her; they want to watch her work. Help others, she instructs the gawking lads, but when they bend over the man behind her she says it’s too late for him. They’ll have to choose who to save. That’s a tall order for Hippocrates…he sounds like a sensitive guy. Xena directs him towards a woman with a broken leg, giving him her sword to use as a brace.
Still in delegation mode, Xena asks Gabs to change Marmax’s bandages. The two of them get to talking as she works—like how Gabs is primarily a bard. Tell me a story, Marmax suggests. So Gabrielle does…about a king/warrior/hunger guy, Libarius, who was turned into a deer when he angered the goddess Artemis. Marmax interjects with how awful it would be for a hunter to be trapped like that. Gabs, of course, isn’t done yet—Libarius learns to love the peaceful ways of the deer, Artemis takes pity on him and turns him back, and he’s a better king for the experience. Marmax poo-poos this: it’s a nice story, but it has nothing to do with reality. “Life is only what you make of it,” Gab says sagely before leaving him. I sense foreshadowing! :P
Now Xena and Gabrielle are alternating between two patients. The warrior princess is able to inflate a guy’s lung with a pig’s bladder and reed. She then stitches up a neck wound…I think Gabs is mainly cleaning. Galen is back, now pissed about Mitoans on their altars and the “murder” of brave soldiers. He has two guards with him—drag her out or kill her! Xena reaches for her sword…but it’s gone, since it was used earlier as a brace. Crap. Well, not really. :P She just kicks them aside; she’s got no time to fight! She’s head doctor here! And Gab interrupts with a new wounded man. She works on him herself, taking orders from Xena to stop the bleeding, and attempting to help him breathe. The warrior princess argues some with Galen (while she’s working, of course,) about how he doesn’t really heal—he just waits for some god to do it. But meanwhile, Gab’s patient is dying. She desperately tries to use the gall bladder thing…nothing. Xena tells her she has to let it go; Gabs looks devastated. Can’t heal THAT, can you? Galen gloats. Xena is somber. No, she can’t.
She can, however, comfort Gabs separately and remind her that death is part of healing. She urges Gab back to the floor and Gabs agrees. Marmax comes up behind Xena, berating her for bringing such a lovely girl into a warzone. Again, Xena can argue while she checks patients. Marmax grows increasingly agitated, trailing behind her and making his case about why the Mitoans are the good guys, fighting for their freedom, for innocents like Gabrielle. What about the Thessalean innocent? Xeen points out. Marmax is so blinded by his cause that he can’t see what he’s doing. Xena brings up a destroyed Thessalean village she and Gabs captured—standing, wide-eyed, to talk to him directly as he downplays the killing of innocents because it was a weapons storage. Women and children are Xena’s sensitive point, after all. And this talk suddenly ties in quite harrowingly to military conflicts still going on today.
A subdued Gabrielle relieves a man’s pain while Democritus fanboys her—it’s not just her physical actions, “you gave him a sense of peace.” Gabs still isn’t in the mood to see her strengths, but she thanks him quietly. Later, while walking among the wounded, a young man pleads for her to get someone to save his son, who is still out in the battlefield. Gabs, of course, only hesitates for a moment before saying she’ll go. Time to redeem herself! Democritus tries to stop her, but our bard’s mind is set.
Xena is busy stopping Galen from uselessly beseeching Aesclepius’s help. The man’s leg is sickly—will have to be amputated! :-O Galen and the patient are both appalled, but when it comes down to this or death, the patient ultimately gives the ok. Xena calls Marmax over but he’s hesitant again: “That is a Thessalean,” he says coldly. Xena threatens him with bodily harm, though I suppose that would ultimately equal more work for her. :P Luckily, Marmax gets over his snit. Xena puts a pinch on him that works as anesthesia—she should do that more often! Marmax has to restrain the man because he’ll still fight what’s happening, out of shock more than anything. Xena amputates the leg in a clean, swift (and unseen) stroke while the man screams. Tough job.
Ephiny is starting to go through labor pains! Marmax is on hand. He tries to calm her by talking about her past…she’s an Amazon, she and her husband were traveling to Athens to give birth because it’s “more tolerant.” Nevermind, Ephiny says when Marmax is confused. And a stony-faced Ephiny lets Marmax know Phantes was killed by Mitoans. Marmax feels guilt, but as usual tries to justify it. Things get a little heated, but we’re fighting for our freedom here. They exchange victimization stories: “My whole family was thrown to a pack of starving wolves for not bowing to their gods.” “My husband was ripped apart by Mitoan hunting dogs while your men watched and laughed.” Whoa. Talk about becoming what you despise! Of course even more moving than victim stories is when Ephiny lets Marmax know that Phantes was once her sworn enemy. But she learned forgiveness. “I just hope my child grows up to live in a world free of your blind hatred.” …no comment there. :P Though Ephiny’s my girl—we can be militant moderates together. You despise me, Marmax guesses. No, enlightened Ephiny says. But he needs to see the bigger picture. And she needs to go back to being in labor!
Gabrielle is back…on a stretcher! She’s seriously wounded, and Xena goes immediately to her side. She continues to direct medical traffic while she and others assess Gabrielle. The man who attacked Gabs is also brought in…alive from her defensive maneuver because she purposely chose not to kill him. Galen and Marmax go WTF and Xena responds “Gabrielle lives by her own code. That code doesn’t involve killing.” Democritus now starts up the argument with the general since it was a Mitoan. Those folks just attack anyone, don’t they? Gabrielle, meanwhile, with blood splattered across her head, is awake enough to croak for Ephiny. Xena yells, and in-remission Ephiny comes over to take Gabby’s hand. Gabrielle tries to give Ephiny her rite of caste, but Ephiny refuses. She explains to Democritus that Gabs is giving it up because she thinks she’s about to die. :/ Is she about to die? Xena is stone-faced as she works.
More news from outside—Mitoans are bringing the battle close! Galen claims they wouldn’t dare desecrate his temple—others aren’t so sure. Hippocrates says he’ll take the walking wounded out, but maybe it’s Democritus since he’s the one who does it. The two lads look so similar to me. :”> It’s nighttime and he tries to calm a woman with a wounded arm; just follow the others. A sudden arrow hits him in the chest! :-O Galen cradles him from behind, pleading for help. He hyperventilates for a few moments with his acolyte on his altar, and then, finally turns to Xena for help. They set him up on a cot next to Gabrielle’s; Democritus protests that Xeen should be helping her. “I’ve done all I can for her,” Xena says stoically, stitching Dem and glancing at a passed out friend. “It’s up to her from now on.” The path between life and death is always more spiritual where our girls are concerned. Dem passes out from his own pain and Hippocrates is now adept enough to care for him. Xena moves to Gabrielle, speaking softly. Shoulda listened to her and taken the southern route, lol. Marmax comes in from behind and they briefly touch on how everyone makes mistakes. Sudden boom and dust from ceiling…the Mitoans don’t have catapults so the temple must now be caught in the crossfire. Marmax and Xena realize that the Thessaleans might soon be crushed for good. Meanwhile, anyone who’s able has got to get out NOW. Xena will stay with the patients who can’t be moved. Marmax will guarantee safe passage for the rest… RIIIIGHT? The general hesitates, then agrees. She tells him to stay with Ephiny…I guess thinking she can make it out, but the baby is also coming NOW. A desperate Marmax calls for Xena!
So as other s run for the exit, Marmax has to play midwife, lol. Which actually, all joking aside, is pretty awesome! Amidst encouraging her to push, Marmax let sit be known that he knows daddy and baby are centaurs. “You gotta problem with that?” a very aggravated Ephiny posits. Nope—he admires the centaurs. Maybe Marmax is a good guy underneath it all. But he’s sort of reached the end of his know-how with midwifery. He needs Xena…her excuse for knowing most of her medical stuff is battlefield injuries, but maybe she helped with the lady-folk at home? :P Anywho, she knows what to do—ancient C-section! Difficult for humans to birth centaurs apparently. Apparently the pinch won’t work in this case, so Xena gets a candle and some ethereal music and tells Ephiny to focus on her baby, family, friends, even Phantes…just relax and feel no pain. Hippocrates is back with supplies and gives a 411 about him not leaving without Xeen, the Mitoans not leaving without Marmax and Galen being too stumped to do anything. :P He’s watching over Dem. The menfolk situate around Ephiny while Xena gives C-section instructions. Apparently this scene was actually filmed, but the censors got it and just showed us a whirlwind of terse faces. :P Danielle Cormack, aka Ephiny, also allegedly said this was the her most embarrassing moment as an actor, heh. Hopefully she’s good with the edits. :P And meanwhile…here’s some furry legs and hooves, attached to a son! The music goes from tense to triumphant as the baby cries. We get a brief moment of mother and son’s heads next to each other on the pillow, aaaw.
Then the rest of the story catches up. Gabrielle gasps painfully from her cot. As Xena leaves, the Mitoan soldiers make a bid for Marmax—let’s leave and win this war! Marmax refuses—this war is over, he says. :-O The soldiers protest; obviously Xena has him under her thumb. But a calm-sounding Marmax says he’s more in control than ever and he’s ready to negotiate. “We’ve become everything we despised. And I’m going to put a stop to this madness.” …Can we have more of him in real life??? He tells his stumped soldiers (they’re winning, after all,) to stop fighting, retreat, and send a messenger to the Thessaleans. Luckily the bonds of power hold so the soldiers ultimately do as asked.
Gabrielle, still unconscious, thrashes violently on her cot. Xena tries to restrain her but admits she doesn’t know what’s happening. Finally, Gabs lets out a throaty sound and goes completely limp. :/ With no movement, Hippocrates pronounces her dead. Xena is far from rady to accept this—she starts shaking Gabs, and slapping her face, cradling her head and begging her to breathe. Nothing happens. Her usual crowd of onlookers is quiet and resigned, allowing Xena’s feverish voice to take center stage. She gives Gabs CPR…still nothing. The music is sad. Hippocrates says she’s in a better place and Xena roughly pushes him aside. Prove him wrong, Gabs, wake up and fight! “You’ve never run from anything in your whole life,” Xena gasps desperately. Marmax tries his luck now—let her pass peacefully. What would you know about peace? Xena snarls. “You’ve killed so many.” “So have you,” Marmax points out, maybe as a reminder of how common death can be, what Xeen told Gabs herself earlier. Xena refuses, however; she goes back to CPR, and gasping herself, and crying “wake up!” Pounds chest. “Wake up!” And finally…Gabs does! :-O Music is triumphant as life returns. Galen falls to his feet beside them—Xena is Aesclepius returned to Earth! Xena, still reeling and teary from the day, scoffs that one off. She puts the miracle on Gabby’s shoulders. /feklempt
Later, Marmax finally leaves to start his negotiations. But first he must say his goodbyes to Xena…and vicariously with Gabrielle: “tell [her] that I did find that peace within me and I plan to share it.” Xena also confirms that it was her, of course, who wounded him in the first place. She attempts to apologize but Marmax poo-poos it: “I have had worse wounds, but never one that has taught me so much.” Marmax is on his way to a career in philosophy! I like him.
And Hippocrates is on his way to a career in medicine! :P He tells Xena he’s writing down what she’s taught him, how he wants it to be preserved, maybe he’ll start to teach…maybe he’ll make his students take an oath! OK, show, we get it. :P
Democritus, healed on his own cot, wakes Gabrielle and urges her to look at Ephiny playing with her little centaur baby. Gabs smiles…Dem knows the way into her heart. :P “I’m an aunt,” Gabby muses as Galen tends to Dem.
Finally, Xena and Gabrielle are about to leave the temple. Gabs is unsweaty, healthy-looking and carrying her staff. She thanks Xeen for saving her life but again, the warrior princess puts that on the bard’s shoulders. She obviously went deep inside herself and then chose to heal, as has happened a few times already. Gabs points out that they still have wars to stop, despots to foil and all that coming up in later seasons. :P Their adventures will continue! They hold hands as they walk away from the temple…Gabs, of course, has a story from the other side, beautiful pastures, lost relatives…sheesh, why’d you come back? ;D I kid, of course.
The disclaimer is: Being that war is hell, lots of people were harmed during the production of this motion picture. (But since television is a dramatic medium of make believe, all casualties removed their prosthetic make-up and went home unscathed.) Looks like the show tried to have its cake and eat it, too. :P
So yeah. Gabrielle’s first near-death! The fact that she came back at all is a little convenient (on a show where Xena out-fights and out-smarts almost everyone. :P) A nice consolation is how enriched the series is by Gab’s presence—her miraculous recovery serves the greater good in the fact that she’s a character who will continue to grow and change and foster that in others. (Already, Xena has allowed herself to get emotionally invested.) Also, for the cynics, seems like the boy she went out to find remained lost in the war. :/ With him and Phantes, war still has its price.
I should also mention that Galen was a real-life physician as well—lived several centuries after Hippocrates but yanno, “Xenaverse.” :P Democritus was a philosopher; according to the Xena wiki, Gabs will mention him in season three! Next season I might try to put in more historical notes. Adds to the geeky wonder of the show. :D
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