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Xena must enlist the aid of her worst enemy Callisto to defeat an even greater enemy, the renegade Amazon Velasca, who after being defeated by Xena has become a god after eating ambrosia. Velasca wants vengeance against Gabrielle who in her mind stole her rightful spot as Amazon Queen. As the episode opens Velasca is laying waste to the Amazon camp and Xena takes Gabrielle to find Callisto, who has been granted immortality by Hera, but was imprisoned by Hercules. A quick battle ensues between Xena and Callisto that ends when Xena makes Callisto an offer she can't refuse. If she helps her, Xena says Callisto can have the remaining ambrosia and become a god herself. Callisto is giddy at that prospect. But Gabrielle is somewhat reluctant to join in, since it was Callisto that murdered her husband. She agrees to help and the three women band together against the powerful Velasca. After a first encounter Callisto double-crosses Xena and tries to team up with Velasca but that doesn't work out, and she is forced back into an alliance with Xena. Eventually Xena comes up with a clever idea of getting the two women on a bridge hovering above an ocean of lava, where they end up falling into, battling each other for eternity. This was a strong episode and one of my 10 personal favorites. The story of having Xena team up with her worst enemy Callisto was a brilliant idea. All four women were good in this one from Lucy Lawless stoic Xena, to the shaken Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) to the evil Velasca (Melinda Clarke) and to the delightfully demented Callisto (Hudson Leick in a role no one else can play). This outing was exceptional from start to finish with several high flying fight scenes. There really was no time for levity in this one, but leave it to Callisto to throw in a sarcastic jab every now and then. A Necessary Evil is top notch entertainment all the way.
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