The Debt Part 1

This one was an instant top ten favorite with me. The Rift is in full swing, and at the same time, this episode shows a lot about Xena's past. Let me just get it out of the way now…I love Evil Xena!

Xena wakes up and immediately reaches for Gabs bedroll, waking up when the bard isn't there.

Xena looks a little…different during both parts of this episode. I'm not sure what it is, but it may be that in the modern day scenes, her hair looks thinner than usual. That could be intentional…to make a better contrast with Evil Xena.

I like the following exchange:
Gabrielle: Thank you.
Xena: For what?
G: You stuck by me through everything.
X: Likewise I'm sure. (That always sounds awkward to me, and it makes Gabs giggle, but she continues.)
G: I hope I never disappoint you, Xena.
X: Impossible!
G: I've learned that anything is possible.

Gabs tells Xena there's someone in the bushes. Does she really think Xena isn't aware of that?

Those guys that attack are pretty good…some impressive moves.

But I love Xena's Indiana Jones move to chakram the showoff with two swords.

The guy has been training his whole life for this kind of battle, and Xena ends it with her chakram in two seconds.

As she walks away from the baddies, she kicks one back into the ground with an "Eat dirt". Reminds me of Batman's "Eat floor; high fiber" in Batman Returns.

Xena can't help her friend, but she gets the message that the Green Dragon must be made small. She tells Gabbers she's going on a long journey, toward the land of the rising sun. It will take many days.

Gabs response? "You're going on a long trip? What about we?"

In the store, Gabs may be missing some subtly in Xena's claim to kill the Green Dragon. Subtlety?

Gabs proves once again that she is the shopper of the family. The merchant lowers from 20 to 15 dinars, and Gabs shoots in with, "Give him 12…It's more than it's worth."

Xena's "Thanks, Gabrielle" in response to that always strikes me as odd.

I guess it does the same to Gabs. "You're welcome…I'm glad I could help you get a deal on the things you need to commit a murder."

Uh…Gabs…do you want to say that a little bit louder? I don't think the merchant heard you!

I understand why Xena was so wonky after Caesar's betrayal and the breaking of her legs. But why did she feel the need to go after the entire human race?

I love the battle across the desert! Very well shot and well choreographed!

Other than for the dramatic effect, why does Xena have her face covered during the battle?

Love Evil Xena's grammar. She wants the bodies, "Yeah, these ones and the ones back on the battlefield."

Xena gives Borias the full-blown smile when he gives her the bodies, but the smile fades eerily as he rides off.

Xena has her own version of the Great Wall of Chin. Scary!!

Xena gets a "kill em all" in. The head of the man Borias spared is impaled on a pole she thrusts into the ground.

Evil Xena is full of nervous energy. It even gets to Borias who orders for her to sit down.

She does, but then just drums her hands on the table. She fidgets her way through a good bit of this episode.

Xena seems taken by Ming T'ien immediately. Wonder why?

What's up with Ming T'su listening to Xena over Borias? Shouldn't he feel that women are subservient?

A lot of the time, especially in that coin hat, Lucy's Evil Xena resembles Kirstie Alley.

Xena does a nice fountain imitation!

Her delivery of "When Ming sent his soldiers after us, we chopped 'em up pretty good" is a bit over the top.

Borias and Xena spar and argue a lot, but there is a lot of lust going on between them. A good knock down drag out must be their idea of foreplay.

Evil Xena seems to be such a happy person. She is constantly using that open-mouthed grin and throaty chuckle, especially with Borias.

"Kill em all" was Xena's answer to everything in those days.

If the tale was about love, whose love did it involve? Xena claimed she never loved Borias.

Uh…Xena and Borias were uh…doing it on horseback. Very creative! I would make a comment about Argo's saddle horn, but that would be crass.

Why does Evil Xena let Borias push her around so much? No one else could get by with that!

He even pushes her out of bed…errr…off the horse.

"Run to your master…Puppy…" Xena says after Borias takes off. She smiles when she says it, but the smile fades to more of a look of concern.

Didn't Niklio heal Xena's legs? Did her fight in his cabin permanently damage them?

Borias a very handsome guy!

I can't help but love Xena's snort at Lao Ma's comment that Borias was an honorable man.

They say Xena's a "dangerous woman". There's an understatement!

Xena is so stubborn. The head bow she gives Lao Ma is barely perceptible, but Lao Ma is watching Borias anyway.

For some reason, Xena's smoking opium always surprises me. She doesn't seem to be the opium type.

All that smoke would make my eyes water, but Xena doesn't even blink.

What's up with Borias flirting so heavily with Lao Ma? Did he like her, or was he just trying to make Xena jealous?

Great exchange here…

Xena: That's my piece of meat you're reaching for.
Lao Ma: You're wrong…I don't eat meat.

A lot has been made of Lao Ma's line, insinuating she's a lesbian and therefore wouldn't touch "meat". Borias doesn't seem to react as though he's been put out, but the line makes sense.

Lao Ma just oozes charm. I can see why Evil Xena was worried she'd civilize Borias.

But I don't care what Xena told Gabrielle; there was jealousy in her eye as well.

Consider Xena's statement, "I liked him wild…like I was. An animal living from one moment to the next." Boy, has she changed!

Wow! Lao Ma has some awesome moves!

And Evil Xena is just too dumb to give up. She is determined to get her warrior butt kicked.

Lao Ma tells Borias an alliance wouldn't be appropriate, seemingly because of Xena.

So why does she whisper in Xena's ear?

Borias has finally had enough, telling Xena he'd kill her on sight if she reenters his camp.

But Xena goes from looking scared at that to looking quite pissed off.

How did Xena remember "Fill yourself with desire, and see only an illusion. Empty yourself of desire, and understand the great mystery of fate"? That's a mouthful!

So what happens if you just let yourself be half full of desire?

Xena seems a little cranky as she tells Gabs the story.

But it's obviously because she's ashamed and embarrassed by her past actions.

All right, here's the million dollar question, and remember, you don't have any lifelines left. Why in Tartarus would Ming T'ien go off with Xena? I know she terrified him, and any other kid in the world would have taken off running in the other direction. It's like the boogieman asking you to go into the closet with him.

25 horses and 50 bags of gold…wow!

"And that's not an offer…it's a statement of fact." That line gets a lot of mileage…Ming T'sin, Xena, and Borias all use it.

Borias betrayed Xena…plain as day.

And then he punched her in the face after rubbing it in.

All throughout this episode, Xena has been telling Gabs she shouldn't accompany her to Chin. Finally, Gabs says, "I can't go with you." Duh! Wasn't that what Xena had been saying all along?

I like their winter coats! Does the weather get colder, the further east they go?

When Gabs asks Xena if she really owes someone so much, Xena's "yes" is so sincere, but also very full of regret.

Would one have to take a boat to China? Couldn't Xena have just traveled across Asia? Is a boat faster?

Evil Xena is being very, VERY quiet inside the cage. She's not moving or anything…just taking everything in.

I would assume Ming T'sin knows Lao Ma is Ming T'ien's mother. Were he and Lao Ma a couple at one time?

I feel sorry for Lao Ma when the snotty little brat throws her gift down!

Xena is terrified of those dogs! Can't blame her for that though…they looked and sounded mean!

Lucy does a convincing job as a cripple.

Lao Ma looks much, much younger without her hat. She looks close to Xena's age.

Lao Ma has the same effect on the dog that Xena did in A Cradle of Hope.

Can Ming T'su just walk into Lao Ma's bathroom unannounced?

The breath of life that Lao Ma gives Xena is rather remarkable. Xena's hand and moving mouth make it look a lot like a kiss.

"My lord…I would never hide what is yours"' Lao Ma is a clever one!

"Nothing is as soft as water, yet who can withstand the raging flood." How could Xena have heard those words being underwater and under such duress.

Xena is very uncomfortable being bathed by Lao Ma. She's enjoying it, but keeps looking back to see what Lao Ma is up to.

And the same with the hair combing. She looks like she wants to just up and bolt at any time.

Xena looks pretty good in her Chin garb. A little severe, but still beautiful.

When Xena does the mud stuff, wow!

Lucy gets to play Apocalypse Now!

How can she propel herself out of the water like she does?

And why does she feel the need to do this nude?

The shot by the window is terrific! One second, there is no one there, and then after a flash of lightning, she's suddenly standing there.

Xena is stunned speechless, and I must say I can understand why. How did Gabs get there? Of course, we learn how later this season.

Gabs is already feeling guilty, but Xena is playing Miss Stoic. The look she's giving Gabrielle is incredible, pain, mistrust, anger. It's a terrific cliffhanger for one of the most powerful episodes ever.

Can't wait to find out what happens in part 2!

Here are Gary's thoughts:


This is the follow-up after Gabby's giving birth to Hope. She is up in the middle of the night just thinking,and Xena awakens to see her just standing in the woods. Xena then senses someone in the woods...Gabby noticed it before. Gabby says that she hoped she would never disappoint Xena,who says it could never happen. Gabby says that you never know.This sets up the betrayal.

There is a big fight scene where Ninja-like guys almost fly thru the air and attack Xena. Gabby stays with a wounded messenger who is there to tell Xena something important. We never know how he is able to find her from such a long distance from Chin.

The fight lasts a while,and Xena is faced with a guy who is twirling two swords(as in A Solstice Carol). She takes care of him with the Chakram,just like Indiana Jones does to the swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Xena also kicks a guy when he's down.

The dying messenger says that the Green Dragon has grown too large and must be made small again. This message is from Lao Ma,a woman Xena knew years ago in Chin.

Xena tells Gabby that she must go to Chin to kill someone,as payment to a debt. Gabby does not want Xena to "murder" anyone. She does not understand the seriousness of it yet.

Gabby is a good bargainer when the girls are getting supplies for the trip. She still tries to convince Xena to tell her the whole story. The rest of this episode goes back and forth with the present and past. We now see yet another backstory of the Evil Xena,continuing from when she has a new purpose in life...death...from when she dealt with Caesar in Destiny.

There is a battle on horseback with Borias and his gang,killing off some soldiers who escaped a big battle. Xena is a warrior,too,and kills a surrendering man. The last man is saved by Borias,who says that nobody will be left to terrify if she keeps killing unnecessarily. She agrees to just take the dead bodies...she cuts off their heads and puts them on stakes to scare the other side along the Great Wall.

Borias,ever the alliance-maker,wants to make an alliance between himself and Ming,then make a better one with Lao. He will play both ends against the middle.

"Kill 'em all!" is Xena's solution for everything.

Xena and Borias meet Ming T'su,a warlord/king who wants half of the spoils. Xena,a woman,is not tolerated in this bargain,and she ends up calling him a pig,insulting him and ruining the deal. Borias is really ticked off at this.He said he could have later made a better deal with Lao. Xena had growled at Ming's son,and even spit water at him.

There is a good scene with Xena and Gabby riding double on Argo thru the woods,accompanied with some wistful music.

Later,we see Xena and Borias making out on horseback...it is a bit graphic,and he tosses her off the horse when a messenger arrives. He is to meet Lao Ma,who is there in her sick husband's place to form an alliance.

Lao Ma says Borias is a man of honor...Borias says he will negotiate with honor and fairness. We'll see...

As Borias and Lao Ma talk and nearly make out in the tent at suppertime,Xena smokes what appears to be opium. She throws a dagger near Lao Ma,feeling a bit jealous,and says "That's my piece of meat you're reaching for." Xena later tells Gabby she was not really jealous,but didn't want Borias to be tamed down by Lao Ma...she liked him wild like herself and admitted they were using each other.

Borias seals the deal and leaves Lao Ma. Xena comes back to kill her. Lao Ma stops two thrown daggers with a hairbrush,and uses a strange force thru her hand to push Xena away thru the air,like a force-field. Xena ends up outside the tent on the ground. Borias arrives and Lao Ma says the deal is off. Borias tells Xena to get out of the camp by morning or he will kill her.

Xena goes into business for herself by kidnapping Ming's son. She uses the Pinch on one man just to see him die. She takes Ming T'ien as a hostage and wants 50 bags of gold and 50 horses as ransom. She tells Borias this and will cut him in for ten percent.

Xena plays tic-tac-toe as she waits..."Xena wins again."

Ming arrives and Xena tells him where his son is. Borias then has Xena clubbed from behind...he made a deal with Ming to give Xena to him for the prey in a hunt. Borias will get the loot. He then punches Xena in the face,saying she will die.

There is a phrase used by Ming,Borias,and Xena..."it is not an offer...it is a statement of fact."

Meanwhile,Xena and Gabby are at the docks where Xena will leave for Chin. Gabby asks her if she will give up everything they had as friends for the last two years for this woman(Lao Ma)...Xena says yes,and leaves Gabby.

Next,we see Xena in a cage being brought to where the hunt will take place. Ming meets Lao Ma and she does not think it sporting to chase a half-starved cripple,but Ming says it will be entertaining. He tells his son that Xena is his enemy. Lao Ma had made the kid a gift,which he throws away...it is a needlepoint of a green dragon,the nickname the kid has from Ming. We now know who Xena has to kill.

The chase scene was good,with men on horseback and dogs after Xena. She hobbles and cries out a little in trying to escape. She falls at the feet of Lao Ma,who takes her to her house. Ming arrives and searches the place for Xena,who is hiding underwater as Lao Ma pretends to be washing her own hair. Xena is almost out of breath,and Lao Ma breathes air into her lungs and saves her as Ming leaves.Lao Ma said "I would never hide what is yours"...Xena isn't his,Lao Ma thinks.

Lao Ma said that Xena was capable of greatness,and washes her hair and dresses her in some nice silk clothes. Xena acts as if she never had kindness before,and looks perplexed and untrusting.

Flash-forward...Xena smears herself with mud and has a dagger in her mouth. She comes out of the water in darkness,and it reminded me of the Horde guy slowly coming out of the water in The Price.

She does an impossible jump out of the water and leaps up to the top of the castle wall. She sneaks into the castle amid a bad storm. The flashes of lightning were good,hiding and revealing her as she advanced to the bedchamber of Ming T'ien.There are spinning bird cages amid the flashes of lightning.

She crawls catlike with the dagger in her mouth and arrives at the bed,where she sees movement under the blanket. She raises the dagger,and with perfect timing,Gabby pulls the blanket away,stunning Xena. She tells Xena she couldn't let Xena kill. She did it to save her life,Gabby says. The Green Dragon enters the room and takes the dagger from Xena's hand,and has her locked up.

This ends Part 1.

Note: with Xena's reflexes,she could have killed The guy with the dagger or put the Pinch on him before anyone could stop her...it was a suicide mission,I believe and she would not have lost a thing by at least trying.


Here's what Andrew thought:


Xena receives a cryptic message and heads for the Kingdom of Ch'in to kill the "Green Dragon", as a series of flashbacks reveals more of her dark past.

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XENA AND GABRIELLE

As the episodes continually jump back and forth between time periods, I'll be dealing with "present day" events first, followed by flashbacks.

Gabrielle is clearly still thinking about Hope in the opening scene, and there's a neat little subtext moment as Xena reaches out in her sleep, expecting to find Gabby beside her. Gabrielle's statement that anything is possible refers to her deception of Xena over Hope's fate in the previous episode.

Xena jumps to a HUGE conclusion when she hears Lao Ma's message. She immediately assumes that "The Green Dragon has become too large, and must be made small" means she has to kill him. As Part 2 reveals, this is not what Lao Ma means at all. Xena shuts Gabrielle out from the start, refusing to explain anything clearly and telling her "You will never understand." Could she BE any more patronizing? Even Gabby bridles at this attitude.

Gabrielle is understandably appalled by Xena's willingness to just drop everything and go halfway around the world to commit a cold-blooded murder. She nevertheless travels to the coast with Xena, as her friend tells her of past events.

Gabby's parting words to Xena are "You owe someone so much that you would just throw away these last few years", to which Xena replies "Yes". It's clear that they both mean Xena's reversion to being a murderer. This is borne out by the Warrior Princess's memories, in which she is torn between hatred (RETURN OF CALLISTO, TIES THAT BIND and THE PRICE)and love as personified by Gabrielle (IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?, THE PRICE and CALLISTO). She eventually decides to go through with the killing, placing her love for Lao Ma (who failed to reform her) above that for Gabrielle (who has kept her on the right path for more than two years). This is totally out of character, and greatly reduces my respect for Xena.

Gabrielle, however, has reached Ch'in ahead of Xena and warned the "Green Dragon" (Ming T'ien) of her plans. Her abhorrence of murder has overcome her love for Xena, another worrying development.

Now for the flashbacks to Xena's past.

There's no trace in this episode of Xena's supposed military genius. Her only tactic is terror. She's just an opportunistic thug, vicious, greedy and not too smart. She wants instant results and, unlike Borias, fails to see the "big picture". Her kidnapping of Ming T'ien actually unites the states of Ming and Lao, jeopardising all of Borias' carefully laid plans. No wonder that he betrays her to Ming Tzu - she's nothing more than a liability.

There's some very real chemistry between Xena and Lao Ma after the latter rescues her, and a major subtext moment with the underwater "kiss of life". I have to say the severe hairstyle and makeup don't suit Xena, but the lilac robe is simply stunning - I still don't know why they insisted on putting her in red in later episodes!

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

There's a little nod to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as Xena casually chakrams the last ninja. (Remember Indiana Jones shooting the sword-wielding Arab?)

Xena and Gabrielle travel through some impressive scenery, and it's nice to see them wrapped up against the cold!

Lao Ma's skills are impressive, and will be familiar to anyone who watches such films as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". More of her abilities will be revealed in the following episode.

The production values in this story are amazing. The sets and costumes are wonderful, and show just what can be achieved on a relatively limited budget.

Ming T'ien appears to be loosely based on China's First Emperor, Ch'in Shih Huang Ti, who became King of Ch'in as a boy and later unified China under his rule. His name is borrowed from Huang Ti's trusted general, Meng T'ien, who supervised the construction of the first Great Wall of China.

FAMILIAR FACES

Marton Csokas (Khrafstar in THE DELIVERER) is almost unrecognisable here as Borias, apparently a leader of the Hsiung-Nu (Hun) confederation, which menaced China's borders for many years.

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

There are two outstanding original pieces in this episode. The first is heard as Xena and Borias pursue Ming Tzu's defeated troops, and puts me in mind of "Conan the Barbarian" in its style. The second is played over the scenes in Lao Ma's bathroom, including the "kiss of life". The vocals are just beautiful.

LITTLE PROBLEMS

Gabrielle tells Xena "You've stuck by me through everything." So trying to butcher Gabby's daughter in the previous episode counts as sticking by her, does it?

How does the messenger know where to find Xena? It's not like she stays in one place for long. How come he, and nearly all the other Chinese seen in this story, can speak Greek?

Why is Lao Ma writing to Xena? Has she heard of Xena's reformation? If so, how? Has Xena been corresponding with her behind Gabrielle's back? Why is the message so cryptic? Why does the pre-opening credits segment pose so many unanswered questions?

Ninjas are Japanese, not Chinese.

Why doesn't Gabrielle help Xena fight the ninjas? She's learned enough field medicine to know the messenger is too far gone for her to save.

Why does Xena describe her legs as "shattered"? Couldn't Niklio repair the damage done in her fight with the Romans in DESTINY, or didn't she hang around long enough for him to try? Why did she head east, instead of going after Caesar? You have to give Callisto credit, everything she did had a purpose. She killed women and children to discredit Xena. She attempted to hurt her by targeting those she loved (Gabrielle in CALLISTO, Gabby again via Perdicas in RETURN OF CALLISTO, Cyrene in INTIMATE STRANGER and Solan in MATERNAL INSTINCTS). There was a method in her madness. Xena's violence, on the other hand, was as random as it was gratuitous. She killed and tortured purely for pleasure. I can't help feeling that deep down she was much more evil than Callisto, and with less cause.

The flashbacks seem to be set at the end of the "Warring States Period" of Chinese history (mid to late third century BC), yet the Great Wall did not exist in the form shown until the early seventeenth century AD. Lao Ma's husband, Lao Tzu, died in 520 BC, long before the time in which this episode is set. The Ming Dynasty didn't rise to power until the fourteenth century AD. The only states of note in the third century BC were Ch'in, Chao, Ch'u and Ch'i. Ch'in conquered the others in turn, achieving complete dominance of China in 221 BC.

The horseback sex scene is completely unnecessary.

How does Xena get into Ming Tzu's palace to kidnap Ming T'ien with such ease?

Why does it apparently take Xena several days to get only halfway through a story that could be told in no more than an hour? Of course, if Gabrielle had known all the facts, she might not have betrayed Xena. She may even have persuaded her to find out what Lao Ma actually meant when she said the "Green Dragon" must be made small.

Just where does Xena take ship for Ch'in? It can't be in the Mediterranean, as that would mean sailing right around Africa (remember, there was no Suez canal in those days!). They must be somewhere on the coast of the Persian Gulf, but even so Xena faces a journey of several months. Travelling overland would be much quicker. Genghis Khan's messengers could ride from Poland to the Great Khan's palace in a matter of weeks.

Aren't Ming Tzu's people helpful? Xena's naked when she's in the cage, put for the hunt they give her clothes and a staff to lean on!

Who does Ming Tzu think he is, just barging into Lao Ma's bathroom like that? He's on Lao land, and such a lack of respect could provoke a major diplomatic incident. Come to think of it, why didn't Lao Ma's guards try to stop him?

Xena's leap from water to wall is just impossible. She doesn't even crouch prior to takeoff, and the water drag would have been too much for her to achieve any real height. Give us spectacular stunts, by all means, but let's keep them at least marginally plausible, OK?

Xena has never been in the Imperial Palace, so how does she know where Ming T'ien's bedroom is? How does Gabrielle know that Xena will be coming that very night, and if she doesn't know, what the heck is she doing in his bed?

Ming T'ien stands smirking in front of Xena for several seconds while she still has the knife in her hand, yet she makes no attempt to kill him.

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This could have been a wonderful story, and I must admit it's visually stunning. The plot, however, has more holes than a Swiss cheese. Rob Tapert and R. J. Stewart were clearly so involved in telling a "big story" that they grew careless with the little details that make such a story convincing. Xena's arrogance is still out of character for her at this time, but will grow more common as time goes on. Gabrielle's betrayal of Xena, on the other hand, seems rather extreme even for one who reveres life. This is, of course, a contrivance to further the Rift Arc, and another example of characters beings sacrificed for the sake of the plot.

The flashbacks to Xena's past begin the process of deconstructing the Warrior Princess. She's no longer a defender who lost her way and became a conqueror, but a psychopathic murderer, kidnapper and child abuser. Was it really necessary to go into such graphic detail of her crimes? Earlier episodes had made it clear she used to be evil. We didn't need it spelling out in four feet high letters.

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