A classic episode from start to finish!
I was shocked when Callisto killed the boy...Wow! Now, that's cold! To my knowledge, there have only been two episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess which haven't had either Xena or Gabrielle in the teaser. This is one of them. Return of Callisto is the other. I dunno why, but Xena looked kind of awkward sitting by herself in the tavern. It wasn't hard to figure out Joxer's personality after about thirty seconds of screen time. But it's hard for me to believe the guy who played Maelus is the same guy who played Mac in Send in the Clones. I like Xena's line to Joxer, "If you like the sight of blood so much, just keep talking." I really like Xena's reaction when Callisto catches the chakram. She sits there calmly, blinking sweat out of her eyes, trying to figure out how this woman was able to do it. But the truly important thing here is...Callisto CAUGHT the chakram! How was she able to do that? Xena takes a cut from Callisto...guess where...yep...on the upper arm. Exactly how many episodes did this happen in? The jousting scene is terrific to watch! The neck muscles on both Lucy and Hudson are incredible! Xena's reaction to the name "Cirra" is immediate...she loses her concentration, which I'm sure is exactly what Callisto wanted. How does Xena know to look toward Gabrielle, just as she's getting in trouble? Is it a sixth sense? The fight continues, but after Xena is done questioning Theodorus, she and Gabrielle just walk off. Why doesn't Xena ever want apologies from someone? She always cuts people off when they try to apologize. Callisto humors herself with Joxer a lot longer than Xena did. I wonder why she had so much patience for him? Don't you think someone would have noticed that this Xena (Callisto) had blonde hair and brown eyes? Wasn't the Warrior Princess famous for her black hair and blue eyes? I'm not saying everyone would know this, but surely a few people would have questioned it! Callisto kisses the chakram...that's symbolic in a weird, twisted sort of way. Later on in the series, Gabrielle will do the same thing. During the first part of the campfire scene, Lucy's accent slips, and suddenly, Xena looks more like Lucy than Xena. It's particularly noticeable when she says, "It was just another village to conquer...nothing out of the ordinary." It's kind of odd that she smiles as she talks about Cirra...I know they're bittersweet tears, but it's an unexpected way of playing the scene. But even through the smile, there are the tears rolling down her cheeks... Xena carries so much guilt and regret! To me, that's the main theme of the series...the guilts Xena carries and the way Gabrielle helps her overcome them. It's important to note the three most important people in Xena's life...Cyrene...Hercules...and Gabrielle. By the episode Remember Nothing, it has been whittled down to Cyrene and Gabrielle. Nice touch the way Xena is trying to just look at the fire, but Gabs makes her face her. Obviously, the campfire scene is one of the VERY best. Xena hugs the side of Gabs' head affectionately, but when Gabbers tries to wipe her tears away, she pulls her head back. It's amazing Gabrielle held out as long as she did without crying. It wasn't until she made Xena promise a second time that she began to cry. Great laugh on both of the girls' parts. All that nervous energy and pent up emotion suddenly had to be released. I always giggle at Joxer's line..."You made me mad now, Little Girl." Joxer is a human arsenal of weapons, all of them broken by Gabs. Xena was just a wee bit obvious in her robe, with the sword sticking up behind her back. Callisto was a lot harder to spot. Watch Xena chase Callisto out of the temple...She doesn't look terribly graceful. Either Callisto's horse is facing the wrong direction when she gets on it, or the camera shot the next scene backward. Callisto's horse is facing back toward Xena in the first shot, but by the time Callisto is on it, it's facing the other direction. When Xena jumps on Argo, she has her sword. Seconds later...it's gone! By the time they hit the beach, it's back again. Xena's almost gentle when she finally catches up with Callisto. She handles her like one would handle a small child. Xena's saddlehorn has caught my attention many times before, but something in the camera angle when Callisto is on Argo, makes this shot exceptionally vulgar looking. Callisto needs to work on her spit...not vey impressive...I'd give it a 1.5. Why, oh why, does Xena listen to Callisto? I know she's struggling with the weight of her guilt, but of all the people to listen to! Would Xena really have let Callisto go? Was her guilt weighing that heavily? Xena barely reacts to Callisto going after her family...her reputation...but when she gets to her horse...oh my!! In the jail....there is Xena listening again. The guilt is obviously what makes her let her guard down. "As a villain, you were awesome. As a hero...you are a sentimental fool." That's where you're wrong, Callisto! Earlier, when Gabs was beating up on Joxer, she kept ordering him to stay down, just as she did with Tara. I think Tara was a better fighter. Does Joxer really come from a long line of warlords? Hard to imagine! Here's another Xena question I'm dying to have answered, but probably never will. Why in the world didn't the jailer let Xena out of the cell? He was right there, and Callisto threw the keys down...what happened to him? The first time I saw this one, I thought of Gabs's being tied up and suspended as being a Batman and Robin cliffhanger. "Do her," Callisto orders Joxer, in regards to Gabrielle. I beg your pardon? Callisto gives great instructions as to how to cut a throat. She'd make a great swimming instructor! Check out the way Gabs is suspended...she's basically being held up by her chest. It looks painful! I'm sorry, but the look Gabs gives when Joxer is supposed to be terrified, but it just looks...dorky. Where do all the big bones come that decorate Callisto's lair? Woolly mammoths? Xena's eyes follow every action as Callisto directs it, and the camera follows her eyes following...you get the idea...it's kind of weird. I must say I love Hudson's big brown eyes. Loved the twirling ladders too! How did Xena send two ladders from the same side and they meet in the middle? I know, I know...I'm not supposed to ask those kinds of questions! Xena's got on black undies again...under her leathers...and in the Greater Good when she was running around in her shift, they were white. They've got to be a one piece unit! Callisto talks a WHOLE lot more than Xena does. The physics with the whole ladder scene are SO impossible...but it's still very enjoyable to watch. What ladder was Xena hanging on to when she caught Callisto? It was vertical...but seemingly attached to nothing. Why didn't Callisto let go after Xena caught her? She could have flipped, landed on her head, and gotten her suicide that way. Uh...do you think Callisto will be back? Heh heh. All in all, a very exciting, memorable episode...one of the best! Here's what Gary had to say: This last episode of Season One is one of the best ever. We see Xena's nemesis,who is a recurring character for the next few years,and also we meet the bumbling Joxer,who is a warrior want-to-be and is totally inept in his attempts to capture the petite Gabby for Callisto. The story opens up with a raid on a village. The camera work is some of the best in all 6 years of the program,and we catch a quick glimpse of Callisto in the background,and also with her fighting the villagers. She wants to tell the lone surviving woman that she (Cal) is really Xena,and wants the woman to spread the word,blackening Xena's reputation before killing her in combat. In a tavern,there is a man named Meilus,who Xena gives her drink to. He says his son was murdered,and when he learns that Xena is sitting with him,he thinks it is the pretend-Xena,and he attacks her. As usual,Xena pounds him,and he says to go ahead and murder him too. She and Gabby vow to find out the truth. The girls arrive at another village under attack and Xena does some fancy fighting,and when she throws her Chakram,Callisto catches it,looking thru it as in a window. Xena looks at her not with hate but with intense curiosity. We have not see anyone else catch the weapon before. Callisto tells Xena that she is as good in battle as Xena is,since Xena made her the way she is. The women fight with swords and then staffs,and Cal tells Xena about Cirra,her village destroyed and burned to the ground by Xena and her men years ago. Cal escapes with the Chakram,and Xena catches Theodorus,who is Cal's right-hand man. He was there so Xena could put the pinch on him so he could tell Xena what Cal wanted to do and why. Theo goes back to Cal's fort,which is made up of mostly logs and huge bones,with a whole lot of ladders against the structure. You can see in the background a statue from A Fistful of Dinars. She knows what Xena says in advance,and then Joxer arrives. He had stowed away in a wagon that the thugs stole. He refers to Cal as Warrior Queen,and wants to join her army. Earlier,when he first met Xena and Gabby,he wanted to join Xena,but was refused. Cal says that if he brings in Gabby as a prisoner,she will let him be in her army. Meilus knows now that Xena was not the murderer of his son,and apologizes,but Xena rebuffs him. He wants to kill Cal,and Xena allows him to tag along. The great campfire scene with Xena and Gabby,with Meilus in the background,is one of the best ever. Xena tells Gabby about her men torching Cirra....maybe it was an accident---she does not know,but the people all died except for a very few survivors. This reminds me of Friend in Need where the same thing happens. Evidentally Xena does not need to stay dead for killing Greeks....only Japanese,even tho it was an accident.Gabby tells Xena never to give in to hate and not to become a monster....Xena agrees.Watch out for Bitter Suite! An amusing thread in this episode is Joxer trying three times to capture Gabby. She does not speak until the end of the first attack,since she trounced him soundly with her staff,breaking his crossbow,and knocking his sword and dagger away.He also gets pounded,and she tells him to stay down.Her cute expression,even under attack,is priceless. Cal plans to kill the Oracle at Delphi with Xena's Chakram,so Xena goes to the temple and deflects the thrown Chakram with her dagger. Cal is the only one at this point who can catch and throw the weapon correctly...we see it twice. Cal escapes the temple and Xena chases her on horseback. Xena does the usual jump,and knocks Cal to the sand,and ties her up. Cal tells Xena why she hates her so much,and that her own death is meaningless,because living without her family is terrible. Xena feels guilty and says she does not sleep well,which Cal thinks is funny. Xena asks what Cal would do if she was free,and Cal says honestly that she would kill everything dear to Xena,her family,friends,Gabby,her reputation,and even her horse. She calls herself the monster with integrity that Xena created. Gabby says not to let her go because her soul is eaten away with hate and cannot be changed as Xena was. Cal is put into a jail cell and taunts Xena,who knows that she herself was never tried for crimes,and that the mob will try to kill Cal. How many will Xena kill to save Cal for a trial? A torch is thrown into the cell,starting the hay on fire,so Xena wants to let Cal out.Cal does not want to go and thinks it fitting and ironic that she will die like her family did. She turns the tables on Xena and Xena is locked in the cell.She escapes with her patented high-jump thru the roof and goes outside. Cal escaped,and grabbed Gabby as a hostage.Cal had done three cat-hisses during the show which showed her quirkiness. Xena follows Cal to the fort. Meanwhile,Gabby is a prisoner hanging from a rope and Cal wants Joxer to kill Gabby to prove himself,but he cannot. He then is tied up with Gabby,and Xena arrives. Cal has Gabby hoisted up into the air again,and the fall would kill her. Xena and Cal start the famous ladder-fight,which was well-done in every aspect. The photography was excellent,and we could see Gabby hanging from all kinds of camera angles,and the high and low angles were superb. Cal and Xena fight,and time is precious. The rope is on fire and Gabby will fall soon. After some fancy fighting by both women,Xena kicks three ladders together to form a see-saw,and gets the ladder under Gabby. Cal jumps on the ladder and says she wishes that Xena won,but then gets over it. Xena throws the Chakram again,and the rope holding Gabby breaks.Gabby falls and lands on the ladder which Cal was just on. Xena had jumped up and tossed Cal into the air. Cal grabs the rope that is left and hangs on. Theo takes the fire away,but Cal wants to die,so tells him to let it burn. The rope breaks,and Cal falls,only to be caught by Xena at the last second. Cal hangs on,a few feet from the ground. Gabby says it was good of Xena to save Cal and her men,and Cal looks as if she will be back to cause trouble,as we will see later. Note: Cal is the one who hit Xena with the poison dart in Greater Good so that she could wreak havoc under Xena's name. If Cal wanted to die,why didn't she just let go of the rope when it was at the top? Maybe by being alive,at the last instant she could have thought that she had a second chance. The scenes with Gabby and Joxer were great,and it gives us the way things will be in the whole series between them. Hudson Leick,Callisto,is the finest villainess I have ever seen,even better than Alti. Her odd faces and screams are just perfect,and she is a good opponent for Xena.Besides being beautiful,she is brave and resourseful,even tho she is a bit insane,but that was because of her family and village being destroyed. This is in my top five of favorite episodes. And here are Andrew's thougts: The identity of Xena's mysterious assailant in THE GREATER GOOD is revealed as the Warrior Princess comes face to face with her craziest, sexiest and most implacable foe for the first (but far from last) time. Oh, yes... Joxer shows up, too. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * XENA AND GABRIELLE A nice touch in the tavern - after Xena deals with Melas, Gabrielle can be seen in the background keeping the doorway covered in case he has accomplices. Later, when Xena leaves Melas tied to a tree, Gabby is thoughtful enough to put a rolled-up cloth behind his head. She again guards Xena's back while her friend interrogates Theodorus. There's a full moon as Xena, Gabrielle and Melas make camp. Have you noticed it's nearly always a full moon in this show? I think I've worked out why Xena's so cranky - she has PMT in almost every episode! Hey, can you come up with a better explanation? Joking apart, this is a moving scene. Xena is obviously haunted by the destruction of Cirra, later admitting to Callisto that she doesn't sleep well at night. She also says that losing her mother, Hercules or Gabrielle might turn her back into a vengeful monster. This makes Gabrielle one of the three most important people in her life. Gabby won't rest until she makes Xena promise not to go off the rails if anything happens to her. She also stresses the importance of overcoming the cycle of hatred with love. I like the way Xena pulls away when Gabrielle tries to wipe away her tears - the Warrior Princess seems embarrassed to have been seen crying. Gabrielle quickly realises that Joxer is no threat - she's seen enough real warriors to know that he's incompetent, and even tries to suggest another line of work for him. Her kidnapping by Callisto does rather reduce her to the role of plot device, i.e. someone for Xena to rescue. Hardly surprising when you consider R. J. Stewart wrote the episode. He never really understood Gabrielle the way Steven L. Sears did. Xena actually makes a big mistake in not letting Callisto die. She knows that Callisto wants to either destroy her or die trying. In saving her, Xena just gives Callisto one more reason to hate her - imagine how it must feel to owe your life to the person you hate most in all the world! Xena's soft-heartedness in this episode would later result in the death of Perdicas, almost turning Gabrielle into another Callisto. Since Hope killed Solan with Callisto's aid (and at her instigation), it could also be argued that Xena's decision to spare her enemy ultimately led to the Season 3 Rift. GENERAL OBSERVATIONSIn the opening scene the villagers, as usual, are putting up a good fight against Callisto's men. Xenaverse peasants are a tough bunch! We know this is going to an episode with a difference when the young boy is run down by Callisto's horse - not your usual fare in this series. Okay, on to the main reason for watching this episode - the villain! The term "mad, bad and dangerous to know" suits Callisto perfectly. She also brings a whole new meaning to the term "drop dead gorgeous", with a killer smile and cheekbones to die for. Casting a brown-eyed woman as a psychopathic killer was an inspired touch, as brown eyes tend to be associated with gentleness. Not only is Callisto an amazing fighter (even able to catch and use Xena's chakram), she's also intelligent, a careful planner, and quickly establishes herself as "Queen of the one-liners". Just a few gems from this episode: "Trying? I think we're succeeding." "You want it? Come and get it." "The right thing to do... that's what they think!" When I heard that last line I just KNEW she'd be back - you can't keep a bad girl down! Part of Callisto's appeal as a villain is that she's an oddly sympathetic character. It's worth noting that even those who survived Xena's depredations as a warlord (Callisto, Ming T'ien, Thalassa) seem to have been left emotionally crippled. Callisto's smart, and she knows where to hit Xena - right in the guilt complex. She really twists the knife in their conversations and always seems to be one step ahead. Look at how she arranges for Theodorus to "betray" her plan to kill the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi - she wants Xena to find her so they can settle things once and for all. She also correctly guesses that the mob will torch the jail, and slips out of her manacles in preparation for her escape when Xena tries to rescue her. The final fight on the ladders is terrific. Both women defy the laws of physics at times, but who cares when it's this much fun? Callisto is really agile, avoiding several of Xena's blows. Her first somersault over Xena's head really catches the Warrior Princess by surprise. This episode also introduces the most controversial character in the Xenaverse, Joxer the Mighty. I have to say I'm not a great fan of his, nor am I an out-and-out Joxerphobe. He has his uses as comic relief, but for the most part (as I said in my review of ALTARED STATES) Xena and Gabrielle don't need any help in that department. In several episodes of Season 2 Joxer actually plays an important role but, rather like Gabrielle, he tends to be misused from Season 3 onwards. He's also overused in Season 5, which is more than can be said for Gabby! Sorry, sorry, I'm off on one of my "peeve trips" again... Anyway, at least in this episode Joxer balks at the idea of killing Gabrielle in cold blood, although this could be simple squeamishness on his part. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. He also coins the term "Warrior Queen" to flatter Callisto, and he's the first person to call Gabby an "irritating little blonde". This is rather like Callisto calling her crazy or Aphrodite calling her vain, so maybe I won't give him the benefit of the doubt after all! Theodorus is my kind of henchman, tough, brave and loyal. He wants to save Callisto when she's hanging from the burning rope, but obeys her order not to. By the way, in following Callisto's instructions Theodorus actually endures Xena's "pinch" for over a minute - like I said, he's tough! MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS"The Wrath of Callisto" is heard in its spine-chilling entirety for the first time. Apart from occasional snatches, this music is reserved exclusively for episodes featuring the Warrior Queen. The discordant vocals really evoke Callisto's maddening rage and hatred for Xena. "Fight on the Ladders" is another great piece, used in numerous episodes as late as Season 6. FAMILIAR FACES Ian Hughes (Melas) played Diomedes in THE BLACK WOLF. LITTLE PROBLEMSWhen Xena and Gabrielle reach the second village attacked by Callisto the inhabitants are once again putting up stiff resistance, yet Callisto's men have crucified some. These guys actually took the time to knock together some crosses and put those people up there IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE? Enjoying your work is one thing, but they really need to get their priorities straight! Where did Callisto learn to fight like that? She wasn't trained by Ares, whom she doesn't actually meet until INTIMATE STRANGER, yet she's very nearly a match for Xena and can even catch and use the chakram. Oddly enough, Xena doesn't seem surprised when that happens. In their first fight, Callisto clearly cuts Xena on the right arm, yet when Xena turns Argo around the cut is on her left arm! When Callisto tries to escape after failing to kill the Oracle, watch closely as Xena gallops under an archway - her sword is missing from its scabbard. It's there in the previous shot, and it's back in the next. There isn't much straw on the floor of Callisto's cell, and the walls are made of stone. Even if Xena had left her in there she wouldn't have suffered more than first-degree burns to her legs. Also, where does the prison warder go? Xena grabs his keys to free Callisto, but he isn't around to let her out after Callisto escapes. There's no way Xena could carry out that somersault manoeuvre in the time it takes Gabrielle to fall after the rope is cut. Let's say Gabby's 40 feet up. From that height it should take her around three seconds to hit the ground. I've timed this scene and she takes 11 seconds to drop about 10 feet! Admittedly some of the action's in slow motion, but even so... Come to think of it, when Callisto is left hanging, why doesn't she just let go of the rope instead of waiting for it to burn through? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This is another all-time Top 10 episode, due mainly to the villain of the piece. Apparently Hudson Leick lied to get the part (she said she could ride a horse when she couldn't), which just goes to prove honesty isn't always the best policy! From her very first scene she makes the role of "Psycho Barbie" her own. Sure, Callisto's a sadistic, homicidal maniac. She's also smart, sassy, sexy and a great fighter - a kind of dark reflection of Xena - and certainly ranks among the greatest villains in TV history. Two thumbs way, WAY up!!!