Forgiven

Why do both Tara episodes start out with a view of a raging sun?

Forgiven starts out showing footage from the Gauntlet. When we see all the horrors of the world in chaos, part of it is a repeat.

Was there really an urn of Apollo?

Those bad guys are either very brazen or very stupid robbing a temple!

The urn is the equivalent of being baptized. The water washes away the sins and lets a person start again.

Xena takes an awfully long time to swallow whatever it is she's drinking.

Gabrielle did her best to ignore Tara, but finally couldn't any longer.

Gabs has become a skilled fighter, so the only explanation I can give for Tara whipping up on her was the early chair strike, which must have hurt her.

The fight is a true catfight. You can hear the meowing sound in the background!

It's a very vicious fight, as well. Gabs gets some shots in, but Tara gets most of them including a chunk out of Gabs' ear, a la Mike Tyson.

Xena seems to be quite amused by Tara.

Xena: "Blondie, here…I mean Gabrielle is my partner." Love that!

When Xena said if Tara tried that again, she'd get a real beating, who'd be giving it out? Her or Gabrielle?

I don't blame Gabrielle for being mad, but Tara WAS very young.

Tara plays hard on Xena's conscience in the tavern, but Xena leaves her anyway.

I find it hysterical that Gabrielle wants Xena to chakram Tara!

Xena finds it funny too.

Xena's words of wisdom, "If you want to do good, do it. Then you'll be good." How I wish that were true!

Xena delivers an understatement with, "You made a real bad start with my friend."

Xena is kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. She obviously wants to try to help Tara, but Gabrielle doesn't seem to want the same.

I love the way Xena has to cut off Tara nervously, as Tara delivers her insincere apology for whipping Gabrielle's butt.

LOVE this exchange:
Xena (reluctantly): She reminds me a little bit of me.
Gabrielle (disgusted): Oh no, I knew you were evil, but you were obnoxious too?
Xena: When I was young, before my village was attacked, I used to hang (only Lucy says 'han') with the young bucks in Amphipolis. I was pretty wild. If somebody maybe had given me a little guidance, I might have been better equipped for what laid ahead.

Xena has to do some serious negotiations to get Gabbers to agree to let Tara stay with them.

Xena promises, "If she gives you any more guff, I will straighten her out." "Guff" is a rather uncommon word.

Xena even puts an arm around her as she tries to convince her.

When Gabrielle finally relents, Xena almost bows in her gratitude.

Xena is WAY too easy on Tara.

She gets all feral though, when she thinks Tara has blown her cover.

She turns Tara's guilt trip around efficiently, and uses it against Gabs, who cannot resist.

I really like the way their discussion is handled. Gabrielle and Xena are able to calmly discuss what's on their minds.

Gabs says, "Okay, I get what you're saying. "I'm being too hard on her." Xena replies with, "Well, she did try to bite off your ear."

That line coaxes smiles out of both of them.

Xena is kind of teary eyed though. This means a lot to her.

Gabs tells her it went a long way with her when Xena told her she believed in her.

Xena gives the exact same line to Gabs, twice in a row. 'Thanks."

Why is Tara so bent on pissing off Gabrielle? If she were smart, she'd want to buddy up with the bard.

"I sleep next to Xena." Oh no, there's going to be another fight!

Tara's answer is infuriating. "I don't know what to tell you…first come…first serve."

Where did Xena find eye makeup? It's rather noticeable on her during the campfire scene.

"You are what you do…you can recreate yourself every second." More wise words from Xena…I wish she would follow them.

Xena's unbelievably patient and understanding with Tara by the campfire.

Xena, please, for me…comb your hair.

Love Gabrielle's "She knows I'm not perfect, but she loves me anyway."

Those scratches and that ear make Gabrielle look younger…more vulnerable.

When Tara took off running, Gabrielle should have stayed put. That would have shown her!

Why such an elaborate death trap? Stupid!

I do love Xena's reaction at seeing Gabs and Tara though!

Why is there a close-up on Xena tying the rope off one-handed? That sort of stuff bothers me.

Xena: "Oh boy"…as she is trying to deal with her anger,

Xena's response when Gabrielle wants to speak to her is amusing too.

"I'm gonna kill her. I'm gonna rip out her throat, and I'm gonna eat her eyeballs." Such violence from Gabrielle!

I like her concluding, "I can't work like this!"

Xena has had her fill…she makes Tara stand up, then sit down against. Somehow, I don't think she intended on doing that.

Tara isn't the brightest candle in the world, "I don't know what that means, but you'd better take it back right now!"

I can't help but cheer for Gabrielle when she beats up on Tara!

She has a great delivery on "I don't want to hurt you anymore!" It's obvious she doesn't, but she won't back down.

Renee has broad shoulders.

Xena arrived just in time, or so it appeared. In reality, was she watching the fight?

She never looks at Gabrielle in anger. She shows surprise, then a smile at Tara's badness, then looks chagrined at Gabs, then surprised again that Tara is still freaked out.

She's unusually comforting and tender with Tara.

There is some really beautiful countryside in this one.

When Tara said she knew her mom was good, Xena and Gabs share a great eye lock.

Later, Tara says, "You guys are such a bunch of suckers…I've done some really bad things!"

But Xena's response is perfect. "If you wanna compare bad deeds, I'll bury ya!"

Since when did two qualify as a "bunch" anyway?

I like Xena's line to Gabrielle, "What do you think I am…a prophet or somethin?"

Xena denies it, but the second Gabs back is turned, she smiles.

I love Xena's aggravated, "For what?" She is trying to sound so innocent!

Good "tough love" crack…and accurate too.

Gabrielle's Charades performance is…animated!

Xena seems amused by it, until she has to guess.

Now she's getting bored…"Yeah, yeah we do."

She is absolutely clueless.

I love her "We don't know." Is that sign language?

Then the exasperated hands up in the air.

And even her freak out over the birth of Athena.

They need pillows when they go to bed. I get a stiff neck just looking at them!

Tara calls out, "Good night, Argo", and gets an answering whinny.

Xena is the one who sleeps standing up. Shouldn't she notice when Tara takes off in the middle of the night?

When they're checking out the fort…check it out…Xena's breastplate is unfastened on her left side!

Tara seems to be too young for kissing that guy.

Why did the trader's leave their horses so far away from the fort?

The way Xena keeps watching Tara while they're searching for the urn, it's obvious she expects Tara to bolt at any time.

She certainly doesn't seem surprised.

"You may be right, Gabrielle. Maybe you can't save everyone." Did Xena really expect Tara to fail her; after all they'd been through? It would have been an interesting twist if she had!

"Hello, Handsome." Hee hee!

Tara would pick the wrong room to run into! She runs straight into the room full of bad guys and Salecian traders.

Great dive for the urn by Gabrielle!

The urn gets the same treatment as the baby in Cradle of Hope. It's not nearly as effective here.

Xena uses five kicks in a row during the fight…and each one of them is a different style.

Tara is a victim of vicious mood swings.

Xena and Gabs don't mind being called "suckers". They just smile at each other. "Suckers?" Where did that come from?

Gabs and Tara look so young and innocent when they're being forgiven.

Xena's look at the end is enigmatic. She almost looks offended, and certainly looks shocked.

It's ironic that she doesn't want to be forgiven. I guess she figures that would be too easy a way out for her.

It's a great silhouette of her in the final scene!

I've heard a lot of people madmouth this episode, but I rather like it. Not only does it give us a glimpse into Xena's past, brief though it may be, but it also shows how warm and caring Xena and Gabrielle's relationship has become.

Let's see what Gary had to say:


This episode starts off with a brief history of the Urn of Apollo,which is revered by the people in the area where this story takes place. At the temple,the Red Valley Gang steals the Urn,and will sell it to the highest bidder. The priest convinces Xena to try to get it back. He says the Urn gives a strength,but Xena says that it comes from within. Gabby,however,understands how the people can believe in it.

Xena leaves the tavern to get Argo. Now,Tara makes her appearance. She is a young,tough dark-haired girl,and flings water and gruel onto Gabby,trying to provoke a fight. She breaks a stool over Gabby's back,and the fight starts. Gabby,stunned from the blow,is an easy target for Tara,and she is bitten on the ear,has her hair pulled,and has her face scratched in four places. Gabby gets in one punch before Xena breaks up the fight. Tara announces she wants Xena to dump "Blondie" and make herself Xena's new partner.

Xena won't hear of it,and Tara plays on Xena's guilt,saying that someone gave Xena a chance to turn her life around. Tara sure had a strange way of making herself a nice girl by attacking a stranger and breaking up a friendship.

Tara says she knows where the gang is,and wants to prove herself to Xena. Xena says no,and leaves with a bleeding Gabby. Tara follows,and Gabby says that they are being stalked by Tara. Xena gives the thug-ette a chance to be good and allows her to show them where the gang is. Gabby asks why can't they just follow the tracks like they always do.

Note: Since we know later that Tara is in on the theft,why bring Xena into the plot? Xena is more powerful than any posse would be in finding the Urn. There are some nice outdoor shots,and despite Gabby's wounds,her hair looks great. I still miss her halter top and skirt,as well as her staff.

Xena to Tara:"Do good and you'll be good."

Gabby hears that Xena was like Tara years ago. Gabby:"I knew you were evil,but obnoxious,too?"

Xena sees the camp,and Tara wants to go with her,but is told to stay with Gabby. She disobeys...she wants to see the Pinch in action. Xena tells her to go back to camp...it is surprising that the thugs can't hear her so close to their camp.

After Tara lures a guy to the woods,Xena puts the Pinch on him and learns where the Urn is to be taken. Tara:"Knock them out,but no smacking them after."

Xena seems to ignore Gabby's good advice about the treacherous Tara. She is overly-forgiving of Tara,and tries to placate Xena,too,since they are friends. She tells Xena that everyone cannot be saved,and some people are a lost cause.

Gabby:"It's easier to believe in yourself after someone else believes in you first."

The camp: Tara provokes Gabby by tossing the staff in the fire and stealing Gabby's place next to Xena. Xena stops another fight.Gabby shows irritation by drumming her fingers on her shoulder as she tries to go to sleep. That one scene was good,because it was done without words and conveyed her frustration with the whole scenario.

Tara wants to know how she can be good. Xena:"You are what you do...you can recreate yourself every second of your life."

Is Tara being converted at this point? She still knows where the Urn is and her boyfriend and her had plans.

There is a good scene at some rocks where Xena and the girls talk about the plans. Gabby says that"She knows I'm not perfect-she loves me anyway. That is what friendship is about." Xena leaves and Tara scoffs at the rules Xena set down and runs to the thugs' camp. Without smoke,how does she know where it is?

Gabby runs after her and as they crawl to the Urn,they are captured. Tara kicked Gabby in the face as Gabby tried to grab her leg to prevent Tara from going any closer.

Xena arrives to see Tara and Gabby buried up to their necks with a burning rope holding two axes that will fall and hit the girls in their faces. Why would the thugs go to this amount of preparation to murder them? Her boyfriend had to be there,too,and leaves her. He was not in the camp where Xena put the Pinch on the first guy.

Xena stops the rack with the axes from hiting them,saying,"This had better be good."

She digs them out and as they brush off the dirt,Gabby says,"she almost got us killed...I can't work like this."

Xena tells Tara off again,and rides off. Tara attacks Gabby with a club,and after a few minutes,Gabby beats Tara to a pulp with the staff. Good payback for the sucker-punch Tara gave her at the tavern.

Xena and Gabby dress Tara's wounds. Tara tells of the death of her mother and of her father beating her up a lot. Tara then scorns the girls,and says she is really bad. Xena:"If you want to compare bad deeds,I'll bury 'ya
."Gabby:"My anger towards that little kid never gave her a chance."

Note:Tara is not a little kid and could have killed Gabby twice. Xena describes Tara's pounding by Gabby as tough love.

Another campfire scene: Gabby invents Charades.Gabby is really cute and amusing,and Tara likes the game. Xena is bored and says she just doesn't get it."It's too hard." What about the Warrior Princess' many skills?

They seem to all get along now. Tara says goodnight to everyone,including Argo. I was reminded of the goodnights on the old show,The Waltons. I expected Tara to say "goodnight,John-boy."

Tara sneaks out of the camp to meet boyfriend Micah. Xena never hears her slip away...unusual for Xena who always is able to do this. How does Tara know he will be there?

What was Tara's purpose of bringing Xena and Gabby to the castle unless to steal back the Urn? It looked as if she and Micah would sell it themselves and leave.Tara was not converted from the start...her plan to help Xena came after she had made up her mind to steal the Urn with the gang...she was an accomplice after the fact.

Amazing that Xena didn't hear him in the woods...we never see that in other eps.

At the castle: The girls wait as Xena leaves Argo with them. She is to sneak in and open the gate for the girls. Xena must cover open ground without being seen in broad daylight... better to try this at night.

As they wait,Gabby tells Tara that there are people who need to forgive themselves before they can move on in life. Tara wanted to know if it was the Urn itself or the belief in the Urn that worked.

When they are all inside,Xena kicks in the door,gives a yell,and knocks out the guards. Nobody in the next room seems to be able to hear. They search for the Urn,and Tara finds it and runs.Xena agrees that some people cannot be saved.

Micah sees her and demands it. Tara wants to take it back to the temple. He now wants to kill her as he planned all along. Xena and Gabby enter the room,and the big fight starts. Gabby is great with the staff,and the Urn is tossed back and forth in the air as the baby was in Cradle of Hope.Xena never draws her sword.

As usual,the girls win,and leave with the Urn.Before that,Xena tells Tara to get Argo,who was in the woods,and meet them at the gate. Why do that,since they have to all go back the same way and get Argo along the way?

The ending was good. Gabby and Tara are forgiven by the priest,and Tara and Gabby see that Xena will not come into the temple. Tara asks,"Doesn't Xena want to be forgiven?"

I guess not...Xena walks off into a huge sun...a really great scene,with the expression of regret for her past misdeeds.

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