Season 5, episode 9
CAST
Production:
In a village in Africa, followers of a great teacher are trying to convert the townsfolk. They talk about freedom from the gods. A squabble begins, but Xena and Gabrielle intervene to stop it. Gabrielle thinks that she is about to be attacked from behind and a great fight ensues. When it's over, they realize that the man only had a hanky. Xena gets mad at Gabrielle for being too quick to fight. Ares arrives. He notices Xena is pregnant, and says if he had known she was looking for a Daddy he would have been happy to do the job. Xena says, Yeah, well Gabrielle is the father. Ares says he would have paid to see that. Gabrielle blushes. But his real business is that Xena should stay out of his battle with Eli. Xena realizes that Ares is frightened of Eli. Ares threatens Xena and the baby.
Xena and Gabrielle escort the followers of Eli. Gabrielle defends her fighting, Xena is worried that she is too quick to fight. Gabrielle reminds her that is wasn't so long ago that she would have been the one to pull Xena out of the fight. They arrive at a village where Eli is preaching. Love can't exist without loss yada yada. A spy of Ares runs away to report to him. Eli and Gabrielle talk. Gabrielle is questioning her path. Heart says Eli is right, head says that sometimes you have to fight. Ares appears and threatens Eli.
Xena is watching Ares army approach in the desert. Callisto appears. Xena still doesn't like her very much. Callisto tells her that she understands that Xena cannot accept her. Callisto only asks Xena not interfere with Eli's mission, that he has a destiny he must fulfill. She leaves, and the bad guys attack Xena, who of course defeats them and gets info from one of them with a neck pinch.
Eli is praying, asking if there is another way. He likes the realm he is in, and does not want to die. Callisto appears. She tells him that the kingdom of heaven is beautiful. She tells him that the only way that he can help people is by dying now. He cries but accepts it.
Xena and Gabrielle rejoin in the market, just as Eli shows up. Xena tries to talk Eli into running away before the army gets there. He refuses. Xena tells Gabrielle to stay and defend Eli while she goes to the north bridge to fight off the army. Eli goes back to preaching, but Ares appears, and argues with him. Gabrielle tries to stop Eli from confronting Ares, but he insists. Xena is at the bridge dispatching baddies. Eli begs Gabrielle to have faith in him. Eli tells Gab that he has never asked anything of her until now. And all he is asking is that she let his destiny be fulfilled. Gabrielle steps back away from Eli, accepting his destiny, and Ares kills him. Gabrielle holds Eli's body and screams.
Xena returns to the market to find Eli dead and Gabrielle upset. Xena says not to feel bad, "You defended him, didn't you? Didn't you?" Gabrielle goes ballistic, "Don't you dare blame me," she shouts three times, then walks away, saying, "So Ares is right then? The world is shaped by warriors?"
Gabrielle is in the desert beating up on a tree with her sais. Ares appears, she tries to kill him. She is wracked with guilt over her own lack of action. He consoles her, then shows her what the power of a god feels like. With it, she could change the world. "That's what you want, isn't it?" he says. Ares takes back the power and leaves.
Eli's funeral is taking place. Xena sings while Gabrielle watches from a ways away, then turns to leave. Callisto appears to Xena. They talk and Xena asks her to show her where the the dagger of Helios is. The dagger can kill a god. Gabrielle talks to Eli's ashes. She says that she is standing with Ares for the greater good, and asks Eli to have faith in her now. Callisto takes Xena to the dagger, and Xena turns really mean here. Xena grabs the dagger and stroms out. Ares is in the market talking to the people, trying to convince them they will die if they follow Eli's way. They remain true to Eli, so Ares is about to hurt them when Gabrielle intervenes. She and Ares fight. Gabrielle gets a few shots in, but it doesn't take long for Ares to dominate. Just as he is about to behead her, the chakram slices his sword, and Xena shows up. She manages to get the dagger to his throat, but a reflection of Eli in the dagger reminds her that she will be undoing all his good. She throws the dagger down and starts to walk away, but Ares picks it up and starts to kill her. She reminds him that by doing so, he will make a martyr of her, and strengthen Eli even more. Ares yields and disappears.
Xena and Gabrielle have two very heartfelt hugs. Xena apologizes for blaming Gabrielle, and Gabrielle says no, that she was blaming herself. Eli and Callisto appear as angels. Eli says "Your enduring faith in each other is the greatest miracle". Callisto says her time has come to be reborn on earth, and the child who will bear her soul has been ordained. It will be Xena's child. Xena and Callisto agree that this is the perfect way to make up for ruining each other's lives. Callisto enters Xena's belly. Gabrielle and Xena look at each other.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Next episode, Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire
Previous episode, Little Problems
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