When Fates Collide Part 1
Whew! Here we go! I apologize if this commentary isn't totally coherent...I'm going to do my best, but I came away with a lot of unanswered questions and a few answered ones. The overrriding theme of this episode however, is one of the main reasons I watch Xena...and it makes up for all the questions that this episode creates.
The episode starts out with Xena's crucifixion from Destiny. What is it with Send in the Clones and this one that TPTB feel the need to show us the most painful moments from the show's history? It's got something to do with the presence of Alti, I guess, and these clips certainly serve to stir up a mixed bag of emotions in me, rather effectively. Anyway, just as Xena cries out from having her legs broken, a familiar male voice says, "Stop, back it up." We watch the footage run backward in triple time until we're in Xena's cabin on her ship, and watching her seduction of Caesar. The voice watches up through the kiss, then calls out to stop again, approving much more of this footage.
It is Ceasar himself, as we soon learn, and he is standing in front of the "loom of time", holding one of the strands.
He ponders over how one strand can change all of history. We see the three Fates standing quietly in a corner...all
chained up with no where to go. Caesar muses "Had I not betrayed Xena I'd be ruling Rome today. Instead I get stabbed
in my back by my good friend Brutus while Xena gets to ride off into the sunset with her girlfriend. Hardly a fitting end to
Julius Caesar." I'd like to read as much into this as possible, hoping that's how the series will end if Caesar's plan doesn'
t work, but that's wishful thinking. With this single utterence, I learned a lot about what was to come. Caesar's motives for altering history had nothing to do with his love for Xena...instead it had to do with his dream of fulfilling his destiny with Xena at his side, robbing her of her greatest love. Apparently, he realized that as long as Xena wasn't with him, she would find a way to destroy him.
The Fates tell him he cannot change his destiny. But Caesar walks toward them, holding one of the strands from the golden loom. Instead of a spinning wheel with strands that look like yarn as seen in previous episodes, the loom is now a intricate pattern of golden strands. As Caesar walks, the strand he holds slides out of the loom. He wants to tell the Fates about his destiny. He tells them that since Hades is dead, underworld security is "rather lax." That's why he can get a hold of this strand which he calls "this defining Xena moment." He holds it up and peers at it as if it is a piece of film, saying "mysterious...romantic...good lighting." He takes a pair of scissors and snips the strand in two, then takes the first part of it and turns his back to the Fates, as he places it in the loom. He's still wearing the white robe he wore when he was assassinated, the blood marks clearly evident. The Fates get all tense as he moves, telling him what he is doing will change all history, not just his destiny. He turns back and smiles at them as the strand winds itself through the loom. "Oh, I'm counting on it," he tells them with confidence.
Suddenly we're in Rome, and Ceasar is wearing royal robes, telling his men the grain must be allocated so the people can eat. Into the scene walks Brutus, played by David Franklin, who was my favorite of all the Brutus's. Brutus and Caesar step aside, and Brutus tells Caesar the Chinese emissaries have arrived. Forgive me, but since when was the word "Chinese" used on Xena? First it was the "Elijans" popping out of nowhere, now it's the term "Chinese". Oh well, Julius is pleased with this, as he wants to make a peace treaty with Lao Mau. Yes, apparently she is still very much alive in this world, and apparently ruling Chin. Brutus is pleased too, and warmly accepts Caesar's thanks and embrace of friendship. Behind Brutus's back, we see Caesar say "my good friend", his voice sounding sincere, but his eyes saying something else. As they separate, a call is sounded out, "Open the gates!" and the twosome turn to see who's entering.
This person sure knows how to make an entrance! As the gates are open, a single black horse stands tall, the rider on it even taller. It's a female, dressed all in black, with a gladiator helmet masking all her features save her eyes. She sits for a moment, as Caesar's men draw their swords and take defensive positions, then gallops into the courtyard with a battlecry. She does some trick riding...must be part Indian, and takes out the soldiers with kicks to the head. Then she draws her trusty...bow and arrow, and fires a shot at Caesar. Brutus is looking rather nervous during all this, but Caesar just smiles as the arrow narrowly misses his head and implants itself into the wall behind him.
The horse locks its forelegs and the rider somersalts over its head to land at the bottorm of the steps Caesar is standing on.
I'm sure you know by now, it's Xena, and it's kind of cool to see a quill of arrows on her shoulder, rather than a sword. I'm
not sure what the reason for the weapon change is, but it doesn't matter. She walks up the stairs and as she approaches
Caesar, removes her helmet (absolutely the best one I've seen her in) to reveal the haughty warrior princess attitude. I really like the duds she's sporting, long tight black pants, and a black tunic decorated in golden medallions. She walks closer to Caesar, then purrs, "My emperor." He smiles back, "My empress." She breaks into the big grin, but there's something almost sinister in what is usually a very beautiful expression. She chuckles, almost giggles, as we fade to opening credits.
I noticed this Xena has longer hair as the next scene opens and Xena and Caesar are walking through a palace, their
arms interlocked. Caesar tells her he's arranged for some entertainment for her return. "A new wrestle (sic) from Thrace?"
she asks, but he tells her no, it's a playwright from Athens. He thought she'd appreciate someone from her own culture.
Xena laughs, "More drivel from old men with tricky names...that was very thoughtful of you." Her delivery is sarcastic, light,
and adorable. One thing that is quite obvious is this is NOT Evil Xena, the Xena of the past that we've seen so often. The
episode never touches on why she is the way she is, but I guess since the first crucifixion hasn't happened in THIS world, Xena
stayed on her path to protect her homeland, not become a killing machine. That's my theory, anyway. She's in character fo
r ambitious Xena before she became Evil Xena...now I'm confusing myself.
Brutus enters with two men from Chin, who Caesar refers to as "honored emissaries." Xena smiles pleasantly at them, then tells Caesar the senate is voting on acquiring new weaponry for "her" men, and she feels she should be there. Caesar excuses her, and Xena bows to the emisarries before she exits. They return the bow, and Brutus watches all of this, rather startled. The emissary on ehe right of the screen looks uncannily like Daniel Sing, the actor who portrayed Ming T'ien, but his name wasn't in the credits. He even talks like Ming T'ien. Caesar conveniently asks Brutus to accompany Xena, and once he and the emissaries alone, Caesar exchanges bows with the servants, and wants to know what they've brought him from Lao Mau. Emissary #1 presents a scroll, "directly from Lao Mau's hand". Caesar takes about two seconds, and accepts Lao Mau's offer of peace, telling the men her reputation for fairness is well deserved. He bids the men to accept his offer of hospitiality for the evening. The two men bow, pleased, but it's fleeting as they're grasped by the back of the neck. "May I introduce Alti?" Caesar sneers as the two men are lifted by their heads in either of her hands.
Alti looks good in Roman finery, a cheetah fur draping her upper half. She smiles at her two parcels as Caesar finishes the insidious introduction, "The high priestess of Rome." The pleasure is all Alti's as she uses her mind tricks to make the emissaries see visions of torture and brandings, explosions and mayhem. Their feet are dangling from the floor, blood seeping out of their mouths and ears, and then the struggle is over as they both die and are thrown to either side.
"A lifetime of pain in one exquisite moment," she chuckles, moving to Caesar so she can stroke his face. Caesar tells her Xena was right, Alti is ambitious. Alti just stares menacingly off-camera as the scene fades.
Now we're in a playhouse. Xena and Caesar are in a balcony, watching the action on the stage. Xena has her hair up, decked in gold jewelry, and is looking extremely beautiful. She seems to be drinking in every word of the play, leaning forward in her seat, while Caesar looks bored, stifling a yawn. Alti is watching from the floor, looking slightly more interested than Caesar. It is the end of the play, and the young lovers on stage are speaking of being together for eternity as their love is strong enough to transcend all. As the play ends, Xena claps enthusiastically, beaming at Caesar, who is clapping as well. Alti obviously doesn't feel the need to applaud.
Xena is descreetly wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, but looks up when the actor playing the lover stands forward to introduce the writer of the play... which is entitled "Fallen Angel." What a stroke of brilliance to give the play such a familiar name!! "Gabrielle, the visionary voice of Athens." Xena is on her feet applauding immediately, but Caesar is slower to rise, his gaze switching between Xena and Gabs. This is obviously not something he had planned on, and he's looking for recognition between the twosome.
Gabrielle comes out on stage, her hair very long and well-coiffed, dressed like a goddess in a flowing light-colored gown.
Xena throws a rose to her, and others throw flowers on stage as Gabs graciously smiles and bows. She picks up a bouquet,
then gestures towards the royal balcony with another bow. As she rises, her smiles falters as she locks eyes with the empress who is also no longer smiling. This moment absolutely gave me goosebumps, even as the smile returns and Gabs turns to look in another direction. Xena just continues to stare, her eyebrow rising slightly.
Now it's the cast party, or the Roman equivalent, and Caesar is staring from across the room at Xena and Gabs. Xena is telling Gabs, "I found your play very moving." Alti appears like the devil on Caesar's shoulder and whispers in Julius's ear, "What do you suppose the empress and the writer are discussing? Horse riding...sword play?" Caesar starts to answer her, but Brutus cuts in, telling Caesar he needs to speak with him immediately. Caesar tells him it's a bad time, but Brutus brings up the emissaries, and Caesar agrees, leaving Alti to eavesdrop.
Xena is asking Gabs what inspires her. Gabs tells her the words come from somewhere else, "I just write them down." She'd rather talk about Xena, referring to how "all of Rome talks about you...the country thrives...the people adore you." Somehow, Xena doesn't look comfortable with that, even as Gabs is telling her the army would follow her through the gates of Hades. Xena takes a drink and replies, "Well, everything has its price, Gabrielle." The name flows from her lips as if she's been friends with this woman for a very long time, but it's obvious though they feel comfortable with each other, they've never met before this. Xena notices Caesar and Brutus whispering along an outside wall. Julius has confirmed he had the emissaries killed, and Brutus warns him Lao Mau will send assassins. Caesar doesn't seem to have a problem with this.
Meanwhile Xena is discussing the third act of the play with Gabbers; she's asking about the hero throwing himself over a cliff with no fear of dying, all for the love of his woman. Does Gabrielle believe that kind of love really exists? Another stroke of genius on Katherine Fugate, the writer's part for this one. How did the third act (or season if you will) of Xena end? With Gabrielle throwing herself off a cliff to save Xena from dying for killing Hope. Caesar is walking toward them slowly as Gabrielle and Xena stare into each other's eyes, and Gabrielle replies with a soft smile, "It's what we all dream about, isn't it? For someone that looks so deeply into our soul that they find something worth dying for." Why does Gabbers look so much younger with long hair? Xena is still staring, obviously searching for a response, then notices Caesar at her side. He tells Gabs her play was "riveting." "Well-done...thank you," he adds as she lowers her eyes toward him. Then he turns to Xena, telling her the army is expecting them first thing in the morning. Xena nods and smiles warmly at the playwright. "Thank you, Gabrielle, for honoring Rome with your play...Good night." Gabs's eyes follow Xena as the couple walks off, Caesar asking Xena if she enjoyed the evening. The music is sad, bittersweet, and Gabs sad expression is run in slow motion, which is effective here.
Next scene is in the bed chamber, with Xena unplaiting her hair, her back to Casear. He has changed clothes, and wants to know what Xena and the playwright were discussing. "Her life...she interests me..." she replies. Caesar runs his hands up and down her hips, then leans in to kiss an exposed shoulder. "It's been a long time," he whispers. Xena smirks and pats his hand, "It's been a long day," she tells him. There is nothing friendly about it at all. She is suprised though, when he turns away, wanting to know where he's going. Since he's not needed here (translation...not getting any tonight), there's a matter he has to discuss with Brutus.
Xena watches him leave, then goes out on the balcony to stare at the night sky. Directly across from her is another balcony, and guess who should choose this moment to walk out, but the young playwright herself, now dressed in blue and clutching the front of her gown. Xena looks surprised, then retreats to the shadows. It's very odd...I don't know why she's playing peek-a-boo, because she slowly steps forward again, staring plaintively at Gabs as their eyes meet. Gabrielle bows slightly, looking embarrassed, and retreats back into her apartment as a voice sounds behind Xena. It is Alti, who tells Xena she had a very interesting vision tonight about her and the writer. Xena gives an evil smile, and sounds very much like her usual self, when she states, "You take liberties, Alt...The high priestess has no business in my bed chamber." Alti is nonplussed, reminding her it's Caesar's bed chamber too. Alti smiles pleasantly and tells Xena, "I saw the way you looked at her tonight during the play." Xena has the stoic mask firmly in place as Alti continues,"Wouldn't Caesar give anything to have you look at him that way?" Uh huh...read into that what you will. Xena's tired of this, demanding to know what Alti wants. Alti tells her she's in the way. It's time she did something about that.
Alti strikes first, and the fight is on. Xena gets some good shots in, but eventually Alti grabs her by the throat, telling Xena she can see into her soul. Xena struggles for breath, her eyes wide in pain and fear as Alti hisses about having the ability to show Xena where she has been and where she is going. The flashbacks start...Xena's back being broken in Ides of March, her arms being amputated in The Way, her being struck down in the Roman arena in When In Rome...Cut back to Alti asking Xena if she can feel the pain and terror in her soul...It's obvious Xena can as the clips continue, Xena quivering without her arms in The Way, her face as she's trapped under the ice in Coming Home, her lifeless body in the casket in The Quest. Alti is still talking..."Know this, Xena...Caesar, Rome, all of it...will be mine!" Blood trickles out of Xena's mouth as she still struggles for air as the scene fades to commercial.
Finally Alti lets go of Xena's throat, and the high priestess is grabbed by Brutus as Caesar, who is also there, asks Xena if she's all right. Xena stands beside him, and as Caesar turns on Alti. he asks if there's a single reason he shouldn't kill her right now. Xena intererrupts, already looking much recovered, "Yes...because I want to do it...in the forum, before the public." Caesar likes that, and tells Brutus to have Alti interrogated in case there are others. And make sure to warn the guards about her powers. Yeah, like that will do a whole lot of good.
As Brutus does his bidding, Caesar pulls Xena to him for a hug. Gabrielle slowly walks on to the balcony again, and this time, her eyes temporarily lock with Caesar (gee, there's a lot of eye-locking in this one, isn't there?). Once again, Gabrielle looks away, and Caesar loses interest in the bard, as Xena pulls from him and walks back inside the bed chamber.
The next day, Caesar is sitting in his...office....(did they have offices then?), and Xena approaches, pausing to watch Brutus and some men leave. She asks Caesar where Brutus and his Royal Guard are headed. Caesar tries to be casual as he tells Xena they are going to arrest the playwright, as Alti has confessed she is in on the assassination plot. He has been writing, but he glances up at Xena..."Hope you weren't too fond of her." Xena gives a little smile and shake of her head, but as he leans back over the desk, her expression fades to tell a different story.
I'm not sure if Alti's visit to Xena was a plot she had hatched up beforehand with Caesar to get rid of the bard. He may have simply used the situation to his advantage, as we gradually learn Alti wasn't aware at first she was in another timeline.
Gabrielle is protesting her arrest, declaring she hasn't committed any crimes. She is being escorted to the dungeon. A guard slowly turns and faces the camera, and by the gods, it's Joxer! I let out a sigh of relief...I cannot believe how much I have missed Ted Raimi! This Joxer has a scar on his right cheek, but his character...well...I'll leave that until a little later. He follows the group of soldiers, a few paces behind.
Gabrielle has been placed in a garment exactly like the ones she and Xena were crucified in. She is sitting on a bench, tears on her cheeks as once again, her golden fleece is being shorn. What's that, three haircuts for the bard this season? This one is the most painful of all though, as the barber guard is being none-too-gentle with her. Gabrielle looks devastated, but suffers through in silence.
Down the stairs toward the prison comes a flash of thighs attached to a royally garbed Xena. Joxer is at her heels, telling her its' a great honor. She once did a favor for him. Xena seems distracted but responds, "Oh, I did?" Joxer confims telling her his youngest daughter was very ill and Xena allowed him to take the girl to her own physician. "You saved her life, you know?" He opens Gabrielle's cell, but Xena hesitates and tells Joxer, "I'm pleased," her voice breaking. She enters the cell and barks at the barber guard, "Leave us!", then turning her head to Joxer says in a much more gentle voice, "you too." Joxer pulls the door shut, telling her he can't leave the prisoner unguarded. He then walks away, leaving them in privacy.
Gabrielle stands, and says, "Empress," but doesn't lower her eyes this time. Xena says Caesar has called her an assassin, and wants to know if it's true. Gabrielle tells her, "I've never harmed anyone in my life...But why should you believe me instead of your husband?" As Gabs slowly sits back down, Xena says with much conviction, "I believe you." Gabs obviously wants to know why, and Xena tells her, "You think that love is worth dying for. " She moves to sit beside Gabs adding, "That's not exactly the path of an assassin." Gabbers breaks into an incredulous smile, and then hears a sound off-stage. "They're building crosses." Xena hears it too. "Yes...you can't have a crucifixion without crosses." She drops her head as if she can't believe she just said that. She asks Gabs why Caesar would want her dead. "I don't know," Gabs repilies, "I'm a playwright...I live on a vineyard by the sea...I have a simple life." Wow...that statement really made my head gears turn. Is that how Gabrielle would have turned out if she hadn't teamed up with Xena? She asks Xena what possible threat she could be to Caesar and Xena replies she doesn't know. But she intends to find out. She calls to the guards and looks back at Gabs one more time before leaving the cell.
Joxer is the one who unlocked the cell, and Xena tells him to go with her. They approach Alti's cell now. Xena tells Joxer to unlock it. Joxer starts to protest, "But Caesar said," "To enrage the empress until she beats the tar out of you?" Xena finishes, sounding very much like our Xena with Joxer. This Joxer has good sense. "No, must have missed that; I'll open the door." He does so, and Xena tells Joxer to get out
as she enters the cell. Joxer locks the door behind him.
Xena tells Alti she implicated the playwright as an assassin. Alti chuckles, "The playwright? Are you kidding me?" Xena isn't looking amused. Alti asks what Xena wants. Xena wants "Your hands on me." Whoa...my thoughts went a little bonkers there, but Xena continues, "like they were last night. You gave me insight and knowledge. These are things I value greatly." "And why would I do that?" Alti wants to know, as she stands. Xena gives her the Warrior Princess sneer..."Then rot," she snarls and turns away. Alti stops her though. She carresses Xena's face and offers a bargain. "Free me and I'll show you things." Xena reminds to keep in mind what her "husband" will do to Alti if she harms Xena. "Your husband?" Alti echoes, as she puts her hand to Xena's throat again.
It doesn't seem as physically painful to Xena this time, but the clips certainly are. There are shots from Caesar in his glory
, the kiss from the beach in Destiny, then a night time scene in Caesar's bed chamber where Alti is astride his hips, making
love with him as Xena looks on in shock. The pain starts back in then, as Caesar gives the infamous, "Break her legs", and
Xena relives the pain. Then it's Alti in Adventures in the Sin Trade, demanding to know who the blonde woman is. We see
shots of
Gabrielle, from One Against an Army, The Abyss, and shots of the crucifixion scene from Ides of March with Caesar intoning,
"You can't have a crucifixion without crosses, Brutus." No wonder Xena was so horrified by her own words earlier! The clips
continue, the shot from the beginning of the episode with Caesar holding up the "defining Xena moment," shots from the
prison in Ides of March, another bed chamber writhing, and finally Xena being raised on the cross in Ides. Alti finally
releases Xena from her grip, and Xena drops to the floor. She's on her feet quickly though, and clutches at the cell's
bars for support.
Alti seems as shook up as Xena. "Those images," the high priestess muses, "they're not from this life...there's something...more." "Yes, much more," Xena agrees, still gasping with her back to Alti. But Alti tells Xena that Xena is part of the bargain now. Xena listens and tells her the hammering has stopped, and Joxer appears outside the cell again, telling Xena they've taken the playwright.
A terrified Gabrielle is hauled outside the prison, calling out "No please!" a couple of times, but stopping as she is laid out on the cross. I tell you, I will never get used to these brutal scenes. The camera hovers above Gabrielle's sickened face as the episode fades to black and later, previews that look like it's going to be a much happier episode next week.
But I digress...Caesar walks outside and barely masks his pleasure as he watches the piece of wood being laid on Gabs's hand
and the spike held in place. The hammer slowly rises, and I was really waiting for a chakram blow at any moment, but we
never see the chakram in this episode which leads me to believe Xena didn't receive it until after her complete transformation
to Evil Xena. Digression aside, Xena suddenly steps outside and proclaims "Stop!" which the guard with the hammer does.
Xena stalks up to Caesar, telling him she knows the truth. "I know who I was...I know who you were." Caesar tries to laugh it
off, "What on earth are you talking about?" "Crucifiying me on the beach was drastic...I must have been your worst nightmare,"
Xena replies. Caesar doesn't like this taking place in public and urges her to walk back inside with him, admitting he's had
"better experiences with women." Xena is no longer calm, declaring he betrayed her. Caesar says he had regretted doing
that, and wanted to give them a second chance. Xena tells him she knows he tampered with the loom of the Fates.
Caesar puts his hands to her face, then her shoulders as he tells her their army is preparing to conquer the kingdom of Lao
Mau, the richest provinces of Chin. They will become the emperor and empress not just of Rome, but of the entire world.
Xena reacts with her eyes to his announcement about killing Lao Mau, but listens as he rants about "their" destiny. She
glances again at Gabrielle, then tells Caesar it can still happen. If he will set Gabs free, "I will be your empress and we
can conquer the world! But if you kill her, I will dedicate this life to changing things back to the way we were. And I can do it.
..because as we both know I have many skills." After I laughed heartily at that closing shot, I started thinking. Was Xena
telling the truth? Was she really willing to go along with Caesar's plans for their destiny as long as he saved Gabrielle?
Nothing in her delivery indicated she wasn't telling the truth. Hmmm...
Caesar stares at her haughtily for a couple seconds, then wilts. "Release the prisoner!" he orders. Xena rushes from him calling
out Gabs's name and shoves a couple of guards aside, barking for them to get their filthy hands off Gabrielle. She helps Gabs
to her feet, asking her if she's all right, but Gabs won't look her in the eye. She says, "Thank you for saving my life, Empress.
I'm in your debt." in a tone that suddenly made me realize that although Xena now remembers her other life,
Gabrielle still doesn't. Xena gently touches Gabs's face, raising it to look into her eyes. "I'm not your empress,"
she husks, and removes her cloak to wrap it around Gabrielle's shoulders. Xena's outfit underneath is reminescent of her halter top in The God You Know...apparently, Empress Xena and Charioteer Sabah shop at the same place! Xena smiles a soft smile, and tells Gabrielle, "I'm your friend." Gabrielle glances at her, but just can't continue the eye contact. Xena calls for someone to bring Gabs a horse. Gabs is crying now (as was I) as Xena tells her to return to her vineyard by the sea. She hugs Gabrielle and whispers for her to be happy and "write down all those great plays you've got inside you." With one final sad look, Xena turns to walk away.
Suddenly, Gabrielle calls out, "Xena...Xena!" Great job by Renee here...I didn't realize she must have been using a different tone of voice earlier in this episode because when she calls Xena's name, I now realized she sounded like OUR Gabrielle. Xena notices it too, and stops, her back still to the bard. "When I thought I was going to die, it all became so clear," she tells Xena. "I was empty, despite my success...I write about love, but I never felt it before..." Her voice trails off as Xena turns and approaches her. Xena reaches up and wipes a tear from Gabrielle's cheek, telling her Rome isn't safe for her...she needs to leave. The pain in her eyes is heart wrenching. Gabs is staring into those eyes as she whispers, "I will never forget you." Xena gives her a half-smile, and then urges her to leave, which Gabrielle does. Xena watches her for a second, then locks gazes with Caesar, who has been watching all this from a distance. She glances back towards Gabs one last time, then walks toward Caesar.
When Fates Collide Part 2
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