This episode starts out with a bang…a shipwreck. Xena and Gabrielle are screaming for each other, and Gabs ends up with Xena's sword.
After being rescued, Gabs sounds so sad…"Where's my friend?" Cecrops was extremely charismatic, as evident in his comment, "I'm not opposed to a bit of color." "Cecrops" is a very odd name. I need to check out the origins of it. He tells Gabs,"Xena is the lucky one, even if she drowned." If the bard wasn't frightened already, she's sure to be now! Xena looks just plain bored with all the pirates surrounding her. How did Xena know Gabrielle was on the ship? Who was Mordechai, and why did he set a price on Xena's head? Cecrops is a funny guy; "I've decided to make you the new cook; I see you have experience with food." Ash settles someone's stomach? Blech! It would have the opposite effect on me! Mordechai wants Xena alive…hmmm…. How did the pirates manage NOT to step on Xena when she was hiding under the grass beneath their big feet? I always get a rush seeing Xena fighting on shore…I can definitely identify with Gabs in this one. Cecrops needs some serious repairs done on his sails. Xena skips the chakram, just like a stone. Cool! And those are some mighty strong arrows to support her as she climbs up the tree! I know it's utterly impossible, but I always get a bit of a thrill out of that incredible jump. Gabrielle's look of joy makes it even better. Either Xena shrank and inch or two, or Gabbers has grown. When they hug, there is only a slight difference in their heights. That was some very tender expressions the two of them shared! Gabrielle gets a new look of confidence when Xena is around. I love it when Xena shows the cure for seasickness to Gabbers. Gabrielle's using it immediately to curtail Alteck is hysterical! And personally, I think Xena kind of enjoyed jabbing Gabs' wrist. I can't quite make what Cecrops thinks of Xena. He respects her, but acts as if he doesn't like her much. "We have a warrior philosopher on board, a regular Sintares." Nice tie in with first season! Xena was able to get to the heart of the matter…Terai…quickly enough. Cecrops-"Faith has killed more people than war." What a strong statement! And kind of frightening too! By the way, what was the point of bringing up the bust that spoke in the moonlight? I didn't hear it utter a thing! Xena won't eat squid…and looks vaguely disgusted by the whole idea of it. I do believe watching Gabs eat that squid is worse than seeing her kiss the dirt! The things they make Renee put in her mouth! I love Gabs' immediate reaction when Hassim tells her she's condemned to braid the rope forever! He's a very likeable guy. Once again, Poseidon is a pretty impressive effect. Xena plays a little "psych" with him. She won't leave the ship without Gabbers, and when Poseidon agrees, she says they aren't leaving anyway. Why couldn't Xena risk the side effects of the seasickness cure on Ulysses' boat? What was the difference? Xena urges Cecrops to "break the cycle." That's something she talks about a lot during the course of the series. When Poseidon is throwing his fit, Xena calls Gabs to her side, and almost squishes her in the process. It was very sad to see Hassim die…he was a good guy. Xena says Cecrops' name just as Poseidon finishes speaking. Great timing…or was she listening in? She should have overheard what Poseidon said about her. Dialysis? One-eyed Pelican? I know that's not the names of the crew, but that's the way Cecrops seemed to pronounce them! When Xena climbs up the sail, Gabrielle yells for her to "Hold on!" I'll bet Xena never would have come up with that on her own!! I get kind of bored with this episode. The answer to Cecrops' riddle always seemed too obvious to me. Xena and Gabs walk with their arms around each other for a while on the beach, then Xena drops hers. Gabrielle doesn't. Xena was taken aback by Cecrops' hug, but finally managed to hug back. Xena's eyes always look bluer when her hair is wet. That is probably the most important thing I learned from this episode. Hee hee. I love the way Cyclops kisses two fingers and touches Gabs' face. He must have been a boy scout. And that's Lost Mariner.Here's what Gary has to say:
This episode was enjoyable with its relatively simple plot lines,and with the good photography and music. The story is told on three levels,I believe,with the focus mostly on Gabby. First,it opens up with a shipwreck. We cannot see them,but Xena and Gabby are on board ship,which is being dashed to pieces on a reef. Xena shouts for Gabby to take the sword and cut the rope. Next,we see Gabby floating in the water,hanging onto the sword,while draped across a floating piece of debris. There is another in the water,a sailor,almost unconscious,too. Xena is not there. Enter Cecrops: This sea captain takes the two survivors aboard,almost unwillingly,and saves their lives. There is a catch,however:Since he and his ship are cursed by Poseidon,nobody can ever leave the ship without dying. The young man realizes who Cecrops is,and dives overboard. He is engulfed with a green light in the water,and is killed horribly. The look on Gabby's face shows the pain she feels at his death,even tho she didn't know him. Cecrops then leaves the area as the sharks eat the body. Meanwhile,he asks Gabby if she was on the pirate ship or the merchant ship.It does not matter to him,since Gabby will be there until her natural death. On shore,Xena is running away from a band of pirates. The leader wants Xena to join him in pursuit of Cecrops' treasure. This treasure is from Cecrops raiding ships for three centuries(he is also immortal because of Athena). Xena refuses,and she leads them on an overly-long land chase. They also want her for a bounty a warlord has placed on her. After many fights,they start to try to kill her instead of capture her. She does a final flip to get away,and in the middle of the leap,her sword is seen in its scabbard,even tho it is really on board ship with Gabby. Gabby believes Xena to be alive and sees Xena ashore. Xena climbs a tree and as she is being shot at,does a series of wild twists and parallel-bar moves,and sends herself thru the air to Cecrops' ship,which looks to be at least two hundred yards away. This is one of the most outrageous stunts I have ever seen,and is repeated later,to a lesser degree,in TSUNAMI. Once aboard,she realizes what the curse is about,and tries to figure out a way to break the curse.Meanwhile,she gives orders to the crew as if it were her own ship. Cecrops,telling Xena and Gabby at different times,is cursed because long ago,Athens was going to have a patron god,either Athena or Poseidon. The people wanted Athena,and Cecrops delivered the message. Poseidon cursed him with endless wandering ,but Athena gave him immortality. Love is supposed to redeem him in the end...he just has to find it. Gabby's story is centered around her well-known seasickness. Xena shows her pressure points on her wrist so that the sickness will go away. We see Gabby eating raw squid...it sure looked like the real thing...pretty sick. She also dodges an old guy,Altrick,who keeps sniffing her hair and offers her squid and ashes(for seasickness). This is an amusing diversion in the show. There is one other character,a man who was once a pirate,who tells Gabby he wants to go home to his daughter. He kids around with Gabby and is loyal to Cecrops. Poseidon surfaces and wants Xena and Gabby to leave the ship...safely. Xena refuses. We later know that he fears that Xena would figure out how to break the curse and tell Cecrops. He is ticked off at Xena,and wants revenge. He tells Cecrops later that he will end the curse in exchange for Xena.Cecrops ultimately refuses. Xena tells Cecrops to turn east to the whirlpool,where it all began. We do not ever know why she thinks a whirlpool can end the curse,but Cecrops does it anyway... Meanwhile,the pirates are more convinced than ever that Xena knows something and they plan to follow to get the treasure. A weird thing happens. A huge wave flips the ship over,probably sent by Poseidon. It loosens cargo,and the old guy dies trying to save Cecrops. He had forgotten that Cecrops was immortal. Why the wave? Poseidon knows Cecrops is immortal,and he also wants Xena alive. They come to the whirlpool,and the pirates try to cut across the edge to catch Cecrops.