The next few episodes are what I would consider pivotal in the run of the series, along with being extremely well acted. I wouldn’t rank them among my favorites though, as the angst level in them is just a bit much for me.
Xena, Gabrielle, Virgil, and Joxer are walking in the beginning of the episode. Joxer judges by the hoof prints that they are following the path of men, probably on horses. Xena is being agreeable, “Good eye, Joxer.” Virgil says they’ll find Eve. Xena suddenly wants to call her Livia. Joxer asks in his dumb way, “With a mother like you, how bad can she be?” Xena looks off screen. That wasn’t a very tactful question. It’s ironic that Eve is going after Eli’s followers. Eve: Callisto…she did some good work…but I’m not Callisto. Xena says out loud, “My daughter did this.” Gods, that has to be hard for her to deal with! Eve puts up a sign that reads “Rome needs no mother.” Gabs takes Xena’s arm, trying to help, and Xena jerks it away. Poor Xena. A woman asks if she’s Xena and Xena kneels before her. “That’s right.” The woman then spits a big dollop of saliva at her. Eve told the woman to ask Xena…to ask her mother. Xena just listens to all this with BIG tears rolling down her cheeks. It ain’t spit rolling down. Ares is there suddenly. Xena doesn’t mince words, “She’s my daughter, you sick bastard.” Ares still wants a kid with her. Xena doesn’t…”I’d rather go to Hell.” This really makes Ares mad. “Damn it…I’m not asking you…I’m telling you! You give me what I want or I will bring down all of Olympus on her head!” Ares grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her, but she barely responds. She tells Ares, “The thought of being with you…or having your child…that sickens me.” And you can tell she really means what she says. Ares kinds sneaks up on Eve, and she swings her sword. “whoa…down girl…we’ve got some business.” Eve retorts, “Take your business to my mother, your long lost love. We’ve got nothing.” Could she be jealous? Ares encourages Eve to get even. Livia’s all for it. Ares tells Eve that she has to kill Xena. Ares goes back to his the gods will kill each other because of Eve theory. Xena, “All right, Boys, that’s enough arts and crafts for today.” Eve knows just who to go after…Joxer. And Xena calls her Eve. Xena throws crucifixion nails at Eve…who deflects them. Eve throws a knife. Xena catches it…right beside her ear again. They go at it hard with swords. Ares shows up on a roof to cheer. And then he says, “Don’t listen to her, Livia…She’s just jealous of your strength.” So Ares wants Xena to kill Eve to get her back. Where did Eve’s sword go during the fight? One second she has it, the next second, she doesn’t. Eve gets Xena down, but can’t really strike the blow. Then, Xena kicks her off, and when a villager is going to kill Eve, Xena chakrams the knife from his hand. Xena looks so sincere, almost Leah like with her big round eyes. Eve yells for her archers. To which Xena yells, “Get down!” I always have to add “Stay funky” in my mind. Eve rides off from the scene…and Ares shows up to taunt Xena. “How does it feel, Xena, knowing the person you love despises you? Trying to reach her, but knowing in the end it will either be her or you.” Eve is throwing another tantrum. Gabs tells Xena that she was getting through to Eve. Xena says they’re going to run out of time though. Gabs wants to know if Xena could kill Eve. Xena answers, “If I had to.” The scary thing is…I believe her. Poor Joxer; he feels the need to come clean with Virgil. He says no one wanted him in their army. Virgil is too cool. “Wow…sounds like you and Xena had some real adventures together, Dad.” “We sure did, Son…” Joxer says gratefully. “We sure did.” Xena takes off on Argo in the middle of the night. Gabrielle then takes off, not letting Xena know. Her reasons were noble, but it turns out to be a mistake. Gabs certainly had some jewels just walking into the camp. Eve doesn’t seem surprised. “Auntie Gabrielle” (She says “ontie”) “Welcome.” Gabrielle tells Eve that Xena risked her life. “Does that mean anything to you?” Eve counters with, “It means that’s she as stupid as she is sentimental.” Now THAT sounds like Callisto. So Joxer goes after Gabrielle, and Virgil goes after Xena. If they had reversed that, Joxer might have survived. I know others will disagree, but it’s Gabrielle’s fault Joxer was killed under these circumstances. He never would have gone into Livia’s camp, if he hadn’t been trying to rescue her. Livia is going to take her revenge on the Champion of Eli’s people. Eve backhands Gabs, and she just takes it with a challenging look. Great job on the makeup for Ted Raimi! They even made his hands look old. Argo II and Xena lead Virgil the whole way. Xena arrives mowing down bad guys right and left. “Oh good…Mom’s here” Eve intones, sounding once again, much like Callisto. Joxer quips, “About time.” Couldn’t Xena have thrown her chakram a lot sooner. There are tons of panty shots in this episode, just for the record. Joxer went to save Gabs, and Eve stabbed him. Virgil sounds so young…”Can you help him?” Joxer did die a hero’s death. It’s so tragic. “I’m a little cold, but it doesn’t hurt anymore.” Xena says “Virgil, you should be with Meg. This isn’t your fight.” He responds with, “Look, you have my respect because you had his. But don’t tell me this isn’t my fight. Not now.” Gabrielle puts an arm on him, and when he takes off, she follows him. Xena stays behind and looks…almost disgusted it seems. Virgil goes to beat up on a tree and cry. Did he get that advice from Gabrielle? Ares comes back to taunt Xena…again! Xena has tears in her eyes this time. “Joxer’s dead because the thought of me makes you sick,” he says. “But if I sicken your soul,” he continues, stopping Livia will kill it. “I never thought it would be my friend,”Xena says, mourning for Joxer. Gabrielles tells Xena it wasn’t her fault. She’s right, you know. Gabrielle tells Xena she had to try to save Eve. “That’s cold comfort for Virgil and Meg,” she retorts. “How many more innocents will die before I end this?” Gabrielle then tells her she went to Livia. She calls her Livia. Xena says, “You called her Livia.” Gabs replies with, “That’s who she is. Eve is dead. She’s not your daughter anymore, Xena. She’s Rome’s.” Xena goes off for a walk to music from The Way. She kneels on a hill and sticks her sword in the ground. She prays to Eli, which is really the wrong person, but understandable under the circumstances. She doesn’t know any better. She tells Eli she’s having trouble understanding him. “Show me another way.” Tears are streaming down her cheeks. “Where is your infinite love?” she wants to know. The look on her face is of disappointment and anger. Outside the temple, as well as inside, are fish pictures. Of course, that symbolizes Jesus Christ. It wasn’t too hard to guess who the priests were. Xena: No, I’m done talking, Livia. This ends here, Livia. Xena’s there to avenge Eve. Livia says, “Time to put you out of my misery.” Another line from Callisto. Xena: Give it your best shot. And mother and daughter are at it again. Xena throws the chakram. Eve deflects it and it comes down in two pieces in her hand. Ares witnesses it. “Oh yeah…who’s my girl? Who’s my girl? You are!” Augusts sends troops to side with Xena, so he’s still a friend. Xena and Eve do one of those swings by each other in the air. Virgil is doing some serious killing. Xena holds her chakram to Eve’s neck. But she just can’t do it. And Eve presses the advantage. “Eli saved my daughter,” Xena says. “I couldn’t. I love you.” As Eve gets ready to strike the blow, a white gauzy light comes over them. Lucy looks very much like she did in Fallen Angel under the white light. Very, very nice. First Eve sees her conception (strange as that sounds), then her birth, then Xena’s first talking to her, then the breastfeeding, then a clip from Lifeblood, then the night scene from Eternal Bonds, then Cyrene and Xena, and finally, outrunning the tornado. Someone in all that had an effect on her. I’ve heard complaints that wasn’t possible, but I think it was God’s influence that did it. Xena’s crying, yet again. “Livia…”And Eve is near crying…”What have I done?” Virgil is covered in blood after the fight. He sees Xena holding Eve’s wrist, and goes after her. Xena saves her yet again. Virgil is covered in blood, sweat, and tears, literally. Xena runs into the street after Livia again. Gabrielle: Xena, what happened?And now it’s time to see how Gary felt about this one::
Xena, Gabby, Virgil, and Joxer are
walking their horses as we see that Livia has a company of Roman troops loyal
to her. Xena now calls her Livia, but Gabby believes the woman can become Eve
again.
Livia is destroying a village, just
as mommy has done countless times. There are people being slaughtered and
crucified. Plus, almost everything is on fire. She will kill Eli’s sheep, the
peace-lovers. She now has blood on her sword as well as on herself. She cuts of
a guy’s head in rage. She was told by this guy that Callisto was endured.
Livia says Callisto did some good
work, but I’M NOT CALLISTO!” Well,
yes she is.
Xena sees the aftermath of the raid
and says “my daughter did this.” Virgil sees some of his friends dead. They are
in Rome’s area, so I guess he knows a lot of people. An old woman hears Xena’s
name and calls her over, only to spit in her face. Why? Livia says to “ask my
mother, Xena.”
Ares shows up and says Livia racked
up the body count “like you did.” Again, he offers this tiresome deal with
Xena. Xena says she’d rather go to hell. Ares says all Olympia will be against her unless she gives him a
child. She tells him that the idea of being with him and having a child with
him SICKENS her.
At Livia’s camp, Ares shows up. She
tries to kill him but it is business as usual. Ares says he is over Xena…the
kiss was a test. He offers Livia a chance to get even. He wants her to kill all
of Eli’s sheep. Then Ares will help Livia become the Empress of Rome as he had
planned. He said since Eve was born, nothing has happened to the gods (except
for Hercules killing
Zeus). The power Eve has is the
gods’ own fear. Ares says kill Xena and reclaim her destiny.
As Xena and Gabby talk, Xena says
Eve found her character in Xena. Gabby still thinks Eve can be saved. In a
nearby village, the Romans set up crosses and attack the villagers. Xena
attacks with the Chakram, cutting the weapons. Virgil and Gabby fight well and
the Romans sort of stand around as did the temple armies in Eternal Bonds.
Livia sees Xena and holds a dagger to Joxer’s throat. Xena throws nails at
Livia, who knocks them away. Xena really tried to kill her. Livia throws the
dagger at Xena, and Ares, watching the fight, loves it.
Xena says the destiny is to find a
way beyond the killing. Livia is tough, and Xena isn’t fighting as hard as she
can because she doesn’t want to kill Livia, despite the fact she just threw
nails at her. Now Livia holds a knife at Xena’s throat, but Xena kicks
Livia away as a guy jumps down from a wall and tries to cut Livia’s throat. The
Chakram knocks the knife away as
Livia calls for her archers to
shoot. Livia escapes in the firefight.
Ares asks Xena how is feels to know
that the one you love despises you. It is like Ares loving Xena and being
hated.
In camp, Eve again smashes a lot of
stuff. Ares arrives and Livia asks why he should save her. Ares says it is
because of his love and mercy, but Livia doubts it.
Virgil says Ostia is where Eli’s
biggest temple is. Xena decides to go there, thinking it is where Livia will
attack. NOTE: Why does a mortal like Eli have a temple, normally only for gods?
Xena and Gabby talk. Xena says if
Livia cannot be changed, Xena will kill her. Note: Didn’t Xena call Najara a
lot of dirty names for saying and doing the SAME THING? This is rank
hypocrisy…shouldn’t Xena take her to a court, as she had said to Najara?
Joxer explains that he’s not a
great warrior and tells the truth about himself and Xena. Virgil says that
Joxer and Xena had some great adventures, and leaves it at that.
Xena leaves at night…the plan is in
play. Gabby wakes Virgil and says she will go to stop Xena from killing Eve.
Xena would never forgive herself is she killed her own daughter. Gabby should
know, with her killing of Hope. Gabby is captured by Livia, who calls her
“Auntie Gabrielle.” Livia mocks Gabby, saying “talk to me, convince me to give
her a chance and make things
all better. Xena is stupid and
sentimental.”
Joxer wants to leave and save
Gabby. He sends Virgil to get Xena (wherever she is) and bring her back. Note:
Joxer is leaving, so where is Virgil to bring Xena?
Daylight at the Roman camp: Joxer
hides in the bushes and counts twenty Romans…pretty good odds, he thinks. He
next spots Gabby and Livia. He throws a pebble at a guard, attracting him to
the bush, and hits his helmet with a stick. These helmets must be pretty weak.
The guy is out cold and Joxer puts on his armor as a disguise.
Livia punches Gabby and ties her up
for execution. Xena and Virgil ride to the camp. As Xena rides into camp, Livia
is about to stab Gabby with a dagger. Joxer runs to stop her, blocking Xena’s
aim for the Chakram. He runs into the dagger as Livia pushes it in the rest of
the way. It reminded me of Joxer’s “first kill” in Convert. Livia had just said
“mom’s here.”
The big fight scene happens with
Virgil and Xena killing a lot of the guards. Xena releases Gabby and they all
watch Joxer die. Gabby asks “what were you doing?” And Joxer replied he didn’t
want to disappoint her. He dies right after that. Why didn’t Xena Chakram Livia
at once when she was in camp? Virgil will take Joxer home later but wants to
kill Livia now. He asks who will follow Eli now?
Ares appears to Xena and says
Virgil should not hate Livia….he should hate Xena, and that Joxer is dead
because the thought of me made you sick. Xena says she spared Eve, so now Joxer
is dead. Gabby gives up on Livia and says Livia just does not care. She is not
Xena’s daughter…she’s ROME’S.
In a good scene, Xena goes alone to
a hillside and asks Eli what should be done. Her sword is stuck into the
ground, and she is near a gnarled tree. She cannot understand his message and
does not want to kill Eve. She wants him to show her another way.
Livia and her troops are on the
march to the temple. They go in to see the “people” praying. Livia says the
sheep are all here and Eli won’t save them. Xena throws back her hood and says she will now kill Livia. She
says Eve is dead and she will avenge her. Livia and Xena now fight in a long
duel. Ares watches with glee.
Livia catches the split Chakram and
attacks Xena with both parts. They both do the Flip and are on a ledge. The
rest of the “sheep” are fighters lent to Xena. Livia swings on drapes with Xena
on another, each slashing at each other. Each has half the Chakram. Livia lands
on a table with Xena poised to kill her. Livia kicks Xena over and holds her
the same way. Xena says she loves her, and a light enters the temple. It is
Eli’s light and she can now see her past, with herself as a baby, and with
Callisto putting her own spirit into the pregnant Xena.
Livia asks “what have I done?” and
stops fighting. Virgil attacks Eve, but Xena stops him. Eve runs out alone.
Xena tells Gabby that Livia now calls
herself Eve.
End of Part 2.