Dangerous Prey
Dangerous Prey is a good episode in my humble opinion. It's the kind of episode that keeps
building and building, and some of the camera angles are dizzying. There is little time for
character development, but those of you who liked the character of Varia, as I did, will more
than likely continue to like her after this episode. Gabrielle is in it very little, which is
understandable considering her counterpart was busy telling everyone what to do, but there is
some nice relationship building between Varia and Xena. Now...on to the details...
Our episode begins with someone on the run, obviously scared half out of her wits. After a
couple camera shots, I recognized her as Marga, the Amazon Queen we were introduced to in
Coming Home. She is being pursued by a very menacing pair of black boots. Oh yeah, there
are legs and feet in those boots, but that's all we see at this point. She dips behind a tree to
take a breather, but when she takes another step, her foot snares something that causes an
arrrow to come flying after her. She ducks down to avoid it, and her hand gets caught in a
claw trap, the kind we used to use to catch possums in back home. Yeah, I'm a farmgirl at
heart. We used to use those traps and I never saw one that wasn't old and rusty. Interesting
that the one that Marga was snared in was rusty too. Marga struggles to free herself from the
trap as Black Boots (sounds like a pirate) approaches and stop in front of her. Marga doesn't
even bother to look up until her hand is free. Black Boots taunts her, "Oh, and you Amazons
have such a reputation." Marga has stood by now, and she gives him a pretty vicious kick,
then hightails it away from him.
Black Boots has his own version of a chakram type weapon, shaped like a triangle. He flings it
after Marga. Something didn't look right in this shot, so I watched it in slo mo, and Marga
actually grabs the back of her left thigh and hobbles before the weapon hits her. She must be
part of the Psychic Friend's Network! Anyway, the weapon boomerangs back into Black
Boots' hand.
Hey, Black Boots has blonde hair! And a face!! Not a particularly attractive one, but a face
none-the-less. Marga is desperately trying to crawl away, but Black Boots gets in front of her,
and cups her head. Marga is ready to give in, obviously, screaming for him to just kill her if
he's going to do it. But he strokes her head and tells her she has to deliver a message for him.
The scene fades and here comes Xena and Gabrielle riding into the picture. Xena is on Argo
II, and Gabrielle is on a white horse...I guess she gave up on the apaloosa she was riding last
week. There's some sort of Amazon sign (an axe?) mounted on a tree, and after dismounting,
Xena and Gabs look around. "Where are they?" Gabs asks, and Xena responds, "They're
watching us." Then in a louder voice, she proclaims, "We come alone, and in peace!" (I
giggled at that line, I'm sorry, but I'm in one of those kinds of moods! Be warned!)
A lone figure steps forward, and Gabrielle sees it's Varia. She doesn't look too happy. "What
are you doing here, Xena?" she wants to know, but Gabs says in her non-threatening, let's be
friends way that Marga invited them there. They are approached from behind by the rest of
the Amazons and turn to face them. Selah (should I remember her? She doesn't really look
familiar) offers a more friendly look, and clasps foreharms with Gabbers, then Xena. Xena
wants to know what's going on, and Selah tells them that one of the Amazons went missing in
the sacred canyon, and everytime they sent someone to look for her, they went missing too. I
don't normally say "went missing", but that's the way Selah put it, and I kinda like it! Marga
went alone to find out what was going on and hasn't returned.
Xena tells Selah that maybe she and Gabrielle can help and Varia interjects that they don't
want Xena's help. "It's an Amazon problem." Apparently, Miss Headstrong wants to be the
one to find Marga, but Selah reminds her that Marga ordered no one should come after her.
Xena reinforces it, "Rushing blindly into the hands of whatever's out there isn't going to help
Marga." "Neither is standing here talking about it," Varia counters. Xena ain't giving up..."Let
me go, Varia." But Varia won't hear of it, telling her again it's an Amazon problem and Xena
should stay out of it. She walks off into the woods. Xena turns to the others and tells them that
she'll get Varia.
Cut to Marga, who is almost done for...she staggers, then falls to her feet. Xena spots her, and
goes to her. Marga starts to moan, and Xena shushes her telling her not to talk. How rude,
during Marga's big death scene! But Marga has to talk, telling Xena that Varia will try to
avenge her. "If she does, (gasp), the Amazons are lost." Bad edit here, in the long shot, Xena
has two hands on Marga's face, in the close up, it's only one. (sorry, I notice things like that.)
Marga wants Xena to promise to protect Varia. Xena promises immediately. Marga continues,
"Teach her to be a true warrior (gasp), like you are. The fate of the Amazons (gasp) is in your
hands." Marga rips a necklace from her throat and places it in Xena's hand. For a brief second,
I thought Marga was giving her rite of caste to Xena, but Xena takes the necklace too quickly.
I don't think Xena would want the rite of caste from anyone. Varia has spotted them during
the last couple of lines of Marga's speech, and as Marga dies, she rushes to her to comfort her.
Xena spots the triangle-shaped damage that Black Boots did to her, then looking at Marga's
line, sees writing carved into her skin. Ouch! What a way to deliver a message! Xena reads it,
"This is the best that the Amazon nation has to offer." Xena ponders it. "It's a challenge to all
comers." (Yes, if you're wondering, I giggled again!)
The first commercials are over, and Marga is being carried off by some of the Amazons, while
Varia looks on in pain. Xena gives her autopsy report. "It was all internal damage; it's pressure
points, Gabrielle. Marga was meant to crawl back to camp before she died." "Why would
someone do that?" Gabrielle asks. Even I knew it was to deliver the message, but Gabbers
must have other duties on her mind! Xena looks around eerily...she'll be doing that a lot in this
episode. Most of the time she acts as if her skin's crawling. I keep expecting Ares to pop into
the picture, but I guess he's still shoveling..well, you know. Xena notices Varia is gone. She
tells Gabs to try to keep everyone in the camp until she can find out what's going on. Xena
takes off, and that's the last we're going to see of Gabrielle for a very long time.
Varia is running through the woods, and then draws her sword a few steps before she's caught
in a snare, and is hauled upside down, hanging from a tree. A group of men, all dressed in
black leather, approach her. A clean cut, fairly good-looking guy speaks to the others..."Prince
Morloch will be pleased; looks like she'll give a good chase." Varia reaches out and scratches
the side of his face. He doesn't seem phased, but when he ventures a few steps closer to him,
Varia gets in a few punches. He pulls back, and tells the others to get her down. Interesting
technique these guys have. They have these long sticks with u shaped pieces of metal at the
end. The ends of the u's have barbs in them. Apparently, they are going to get her down by
thrusting the weapons at her. Dunno, but that's what they try. Sounds like a cue for a chakram
to me, and sure enough, it whirls into the picture until all the men are left holding are short
sticks. All the men except for Mr. Clean Cut rush Xena, and the fight is on. This isn't much of
a fight though. as Xena quickly procurs a couple of their sticks and pretty well pommels the
men. Clean Cut watches, musing, "Prince Morloch has to hear about this one." Xena is very
casual during the skirmish...so casual indeed that she stares over into the brush where CC is
watching, and holds eye contact with him for several seconds as she continues to deal death
blows to the men she is fighting. Nice touch!!!
One of the men trips a line and is suspended upside down next to Varia. Clean Cut runs off,
and so do the other men. Varia tells Xena to get her down, and Xena chakrams the ropes
holding her. Varia bounds to her feet, and heads toward the inverted bad guy, but Xena stops
her by putting her hands on Varia's impetuous shoulders. She tells Varia not to hurt him, but to
just watch him. "I need some information from him." Xena watches Clean Cut ride off on a
horse, and turns back to the captured bad guy. She turns him around, telling Varia they can at
least find out where he's headed. The guy has some very unattractive white goo pouring out of
his mouth, and Xena spots a vial in his hand. "I told you to watch him!" she growls at Varia.
Now I like Varia...I really do...but her headstrong attitude in the first part of this episode made
me wonder if I had been wrong about her. "What must we worry about?" she asks Xena.
Huh? I'm not exactly a warrior, but I could see where the true danger was. Xena isn't too
happy with Varia's demeanor either, and hisses, "These men have a leader, and they are more
afraid of facing him than they are of death. What does that tell you?" Varia's response
infuriates Xena (and me) even more, "All I need to know is where to find him." Xena draws
her sword savagely, and for a moment there, I thought she was going to trim a few inches off
Varia. But instead she strikes the ground, and springs another of those vicious claw traps.
"There's a whole lot of things you need to know," Xena tells her. "The entire canyon is rigged
like a hunting ground. There are traps everywhere!" Gee, I'm beginning to think Varia has a
deathwish. She responds that "a few little snares isn't going to stop me from fighting Marga's
killer." Xena tries a different tactic. "I promised Marga that I would protect you." Varia doesn't
want her protection...what a suprise! Xena isn't one to give up easily though, as we all know.
She strikes the ground again, and a chain flies up into her hands. She calls Varia's name, and
as Varia turns, Xena tosses the chain toward her and a metal collar snaps around her neck. I
guess it was another trap Morloch had set, but I'm not sure how it was supposed to work.
Varia is the one pissed off now. "Are you crazy?" Xena tells her that if she wants to find
Marga's killer, she is going to have to obey Xena. "And until you do...you're on a leash." She
smiles just a bit. "Come on!" she tells her as she hauls her off screen. I have to laugh...the way
Varia has been acting, she deserves this! It hearkens to my demented mind all kinds of fan
fiction scenarios!
Now we get to see how clever Black Boots...errrr...Prince Morloch is. He is back in his tent,
and has blindfolded himself. Three of his men are in front of him, and are trying to attack him.
Morloch counteracts their every move and keeps them defending themselves. After a few
minutes of this, he whirls and throws the triangle, implanting it in a beam right beside Clean
Cut, who has just entered the tent. "Don't you knock, Raczar?" Ahh...now I have names for
both of them! Raczar doesn't seem to affected by this action, and smiles confidently. He tells
Morloch he has fresh sport for him..."An Amazon...one-of-a-kind."
Cut to Xena leading a protesting Varia through the forest. Varia is getting a little spiteful,
jerking at the collar and demanding Xena get this thing off her. Xena is much calmer, saying
evenly, "Believe me, this chain is the best friend you've got right now." Varia gives a mighty
tug on the chain, and Xena whirls, her patience quickly thinning again. Varia starts in, "I lost
my queen, most of my tribe is gone, and you won't let me loose so I can stop the man who is
killing them?" Xena responds,"If you don't stop acting like a child, and start trusting me to help
you, this man will hunt your people to extinction." Varia starts fighting dirty now. "You'd know
about that," she sneers, "you wiped out a tribe of my sisters all by yourself." She steels herself,
then offers a strong punch to Xena's jaw.
Now, let me interject here. I thought Varia's beef with Xena was the fact that Xena was Livia's
mother. I know they weren't the best of friends in Coming Home, but Marga and the rest of
the Amazons seemed happy that Xena and Gabrielle were there to help, at least in the
beginning. I don't remember anyone having any problem with Xena or Gabrielle, it was Livia
aka. Eve that had them all riled up. Maybe Varia has been doing some reading on Xena since
their last encounter.
Okay, back to the show, Xena barely flinches from the punch, and takes a few long seconds to
bite down her instinct to string up Varia by her ears. You can see the battle within her not to
kick Varia's butt, and the fear flickers in Varia's eyes. But Xena just whispers, "I'm gonna let
that one go." Varia still hasn't learned. "I hate you!" Xena looks up with that eerie
skin-crawling gaze, her anger in check now, and tells Varia, "Yeah, well, it won't be the last
time you say that." She urges Varia forward, with a pleasant "Come on".
Morloch is back at his tent boasting to Raczar. He has killed every kind of creature alive, and it
never offered much of a fight. He had heard of the fierce, cunning Amazon warriors, but even
they have disappointed him. "It feels like a camping trip." Raczar has found someone who is
different though. "She has the speed of lightning...she has the strength of many men...she
thinks three three steps..." she's more powerful than a locomotive...able to leap tall
whoops...got carried away there! "Only three?" Morloch asks, but Raczar assures him she's a
worthy oppnonent. "Well then," Morloch says slowly, (I swear I thought he was going to say,
"Let the hunt begin, but naahh), "You'd better prepare the men. This afternoon I hunt."
Storm clouds are moving in (there's been a lot of rain this season!), and Xena and Varia enter
some old stone fortress of some kind. I don't know why it's there, but it is. Xena releases
Varia's chain, and as Varia struggles with the collar, she tells the Warrior Princess she heard
Marga tell Xena the fate of the Amazons were in Xena's hands. "You think you're replacing
her? You're wrong!" Xena releases the collar, telling Varia that's not what Marga went; her job
is to teach Varia to be a warrior. But Xena can't do that if Varia won't let her. The second
Varia is released, she makes another wrong decision. She strikes at Xena with the chain.
Xena's response is great...she just holds her hands out like in a "knew it was coming, bring it
on" stance. Varia offers a series of kicks, which Xena easily dodges. "Anger makes you
vulnerable, Varia". Varia returns with, "It's making me do what I should have done the
moment you stepped into the Amazon village." Xena's response is a slowly raised
eyebrow...she's as restrained as I've seen her! Varia attacks again, but Xena sidesteps most of
it, warning again she needs to control her anger. Another attack, and Xena is fighting a little
viciously now, apparently not-too-impressed with Varia's skills. "This is the way you're going
to save the Amazons, huh?" She heaves Varia into a stone column and Varia stops for a
minute. Xena offers a hand. "Come on, the lesson's over." I thought it was weird that Xena
offered her left hand, but then I knew why. "You haven't beaten me," Varia exclaims taking
the hand, but Xena jerks her behind her back, and proceeds to block punches and offer a few
of her own with her right hand, while still hanging onto the squirming Amazon. She tries to flip
Varia to the ground, but Varia has a few maneuvers of her own, and after a couple of
cartwheel like flips, begins to press an advantage, pushing Xena up a ramp towards I don't
know what. Xena literally puts on the brakes, you can see the smoke from the bottom of her
boots, and tells Varia once again that she needs Xena's help to avenge Marga's death. But
Varia tells her trusting outsiders does nothing but get them killed. Boy, and I thought Xena was
stubborn!
Varia tries to strike again, and as Xena ducks, is propelled by the force of her own body (okay,
just go with this), onto the floor which gives way to a bottomless chasm.( I know, I know, just
go with it!). She is hanging by her fingertips, and Xena leans in, demanding that she take her
hand. "Never!" Varia exclaims, even as her grip is slipping. I can't help but wonder if Xena is
tempted just for a second to let her go, but she picks up the chain that Varia was wearing
earlier and throws it down to Varia (only after "lassoing" it a couple of times). Varia's grip
slips, but she grabs the chain just before we fade out to commercial.
We see the chain toss again, and Varia has a hold of it. Xena hauls her up, and I absolutely,
without a doubt, knew what Varia was going to say, "You saved me." Methinks she's finally
catching on! But Xena is a little cranky now. "For the last time...I'm not going to waste energy
protecting someone with a death wish." I guess Varia feels she's pushed Xena too far (finally!)
"I thought you made a pledge to Marga," she says. "Because she saw something in you," Xena
answers, shaking her head as if she thought Marga must have been crazy. "Look, if you don't
want my help, that's your choice. But just know that your sisters will live or die with what you
do." Nice guilt trip, Xena!! Xena stalks off, leaving Varia to stare after her, apparently
contemplating if she's gone too far. She calls after Xena, who pauses, then turns with a look
on her face that says she's bored by all this. But Varia is sincere now, telling her she knows
Xena can teach her a lot , and that she helped her sister Amazons. "I shouldn't have said what I did
about you." Xena won't let her off the hook, telling Varia she almost died in the precipice
because she wouldn't admit defeat. She has to learn when the fight is over. Varia starts in with
a "Yeah, but you..." then fades off, apparently reconsidering her situation. "I'll work on it," she
vows. Xena gets an ever-so-slight victorious glint in her eye. "Good." But I had to laugh at the
next part, as Varia moves to walk by Xena she kind of bumps shoulders with her, roughly, just
as she did in Coming Home when Xena threatened her over Eve. The look on Xena's face is
classic! An amused, "I knew she wouldn't give in that easily, but she's getting better" shake of
the head look. Very subtle and very, very funny!
A line of bad guys are moving through the woods, and Xena drops on the last one, her warrior
thighs wrapped around his ears (okay now, i know what that sounds like, but I'm just
describing the action here!) She clamps a hand to his face and he drops like she just put the
pinch on him. I guess he was carrying a small barrel, because there's one there now. Varia
pulls the plug, takes a whiff, and offers Xena a smell. Whatever it is, it's highly flammable.
Xena is hogtying the bad guy, who looks very familiar. If I'm not mistaken, he's been captured
by the Warrior Pincess before. Varia wants to know what they can learn from the man, when
his mouth is gagged. Xena's response? "Exactly who is hunting Amazons out of season."
They suspend the bad guy from a tree, then conceal themselves several feet away on a small
hill, watching the action. A group of Morloch's men (and these guys are not the brightest guys
in the world) are trying to figure out how to get him down. Varia asks Xena about one of the
men, but Xena says he's not the leader. Varia asks about another one, and Xena tells her
"Couldn't hunt butterflies." Varia is frustrated, "Why won't he show himself?" but Xena
admonishes for her to have patience. She knows the leader will show himself when the time is
right. She begins that spooky "something is out there" look, subtly looking around, as she
knows they're being watched. Varia is unaware.
Sure enough, Morloch is watching Xena and Varia from a distance, and he tells Raczar that he
was right, she was a special one. Raczar can't figure out why Xena doesn't strike, but Morloch
knows she's after him. Varia realizes Xena is sensing something, and Xena tells her this is
when she gets to do exactly what Xena tells her to do. Thank the gods Varia has finally gotten
some common sense to her. "Just give me the word." Xena stands and so does Varia. "Get
ready to take your clothes off," Xena tells her. Uh huh...sounds like excellent strategy to me.
More fan fiction, anyone? Morloch continues to watch Xena as she talks to Varia, but we can't
hear what's being said. Raczar points out the chakram, "It flies as if has a mind of its own."
Morloch says he'll add it to his collection.
Xena and Varia walk off screen, and a second later, Xena comes back alone. Raczar wonders
where the other one went, but Morloch doesn't care. He wants to know where the weapon is
on Xena..."something's not right." When Xena stood, she had her right side to Morloch. The
chakram was there. When she came back, her left side was to Morloch. I don't see how he
could have seen the chakram anyway.
Okay, I admit it...I was fooled. I kept expecting Varia to walk up to Morloch naked, but the
second an Amazon stepped from behind a tree, I realized it wasn't Xena that had returned to
the original spot. I realized it was Varia in Xena's clothing, because Xena is now dressed as
Varia. And what an Amazon Xena makes! Something about Xena in a loincloth... okay, you
get the picture. Nevermind the fact that they changed clothes in less than ten seconds, Xena
demonstrated that ability last week, and apparently she did the old Cyane switch-a-roo on
Varia.
Amazon Xena chakrams a guy in the back, apparently thinking that's who they were after, but
when she turns him over, the look on her face says she knows this isn't the leader. A few feet
away Morloch applauds. "Bravo!" he taunts. "Come on in!" And he disappears inside a cave.
Xena isn't amused.
Xena's Amazon appearance was all too brief, because she puts on her leathers again. Varia
wants to go in the cave with her, but Xena tells her they have an agreement and should stay
here...outside the cave. Varia gives an exasperated eye roll, but behaves.
Xena enters the cave searching for Morloch. I like the dialogue in this scene. They are playing
cat and mouse to the nth degree.
Morloch: If I had known how much fun you Amazons would be, I'd have come to
this country years ago.
Xena: I'm not an Amazon.
M: But you're so tall.
X: It's the boots.
M: I don't usually do this, (I thought he was going to ask for her phone number),
but I'd like to know your name before I kill you.
X: You first.
M: I'm Prince Chesnik Vladicar Morloch of Upper Haristan. (totally phonetic
there...I have NO clue what he said.)
X: Ah...Xena of Amphipolis...Warrior Princess....Warrior Mom. (love the delivery
on that... and it makes me think of those darn Doctor Mom commercials...but Xena
ain't through! Morloch throws the triangle which Xena dodges and then finishes her
sentence) ,,,who conquers Prince Chesty Forelock of Upper Whatever-stan. (Her
lack of respect for this idiot is hilarious!)
M (whispering): Ah impressive...very impressive. Varia is getting impatient outside the cave. She straps the keg to her back, draws her sword,
and enters the cavern. Hmmm...does that remind anyone else of a certain bard?
Xena is slowly honing in on Morloch, and speaks again, telling him the Amazons he killed were
good friends of hers. Morloch tells her that he isn't a killer, the gods made some people poets
and some seers, and they made him a hunter. Xena draws her chakram and reminds him a
hunter hunts animals, not people. Morloch throws his triangle of doom again. Xena dodges it
and sends a ricocheting chakram throw of her own. Xena spots Varia again, and while focusing
her attention on getting her safe, Morloch triangles her again, and this time hits his mark. Any
guesses where he hits her? You got it, upper right arm! Xena takes off after Varia, but
Morloch gets there first, and has her in his slimy clutches. He tells her she isn't worth adding to
his collection before he knocks her out. He has his sword raised to deliver the killing blow as
Xena turns the corner and sees him, her mouth gaping and her eyes wide open in shock. The
music builds to an exciting climax, and just as the shot fades to commercial, if you look
carefully, you can see Lucy's eyes relax at the exact time as the final note. I'm sure it was just
coincidence, but it amused me!
I am not even going to comment on the previews for next week at this point...nuff said.
Xena screams Varia's name, and I guess she wasn't really knocked out, just stunned, because
she leaps to her feet as Xena throws the chakram. Xena quickly turns Morloch's long sword
into a short sword, which he stares at in amazement. Varia runs to Xena's side, and Xena says,
"Go, Varia, go!" to which the young Amazon wisely takes off running, Xena following shortly
after her. Morloch smiles after them.
"Varia" Xena hisses, I'm sure getting ready to jump all over her for disobeying, but Varia says,
"I just wanted to see the Master in action." They take off again. Raczar and the rest of the
men are in the cave, and Morloch tells them to kill the girl, but leave Xena to him. They split
up. Raczar spots Varia who ducks and dodges the arrows shot at her. The bad guys round a
corner, and there is a boot in front of the barrel. I'm not a chemistry major, so somebody will
have to explain the next part to me. One of the bad guys picks up the boot, and there's a little
green flame coming out of the keg. The next thing I knew, Razcar yelled "Run!" and there was
a huge explosion. Can't figure out how that little trick worked.
Xena and Varia are outside the cave unscathed. "Why did we have to use my boots?" Varia,
the barefoot one, asks. "Because Amazons have tougher feet!" Xena grins back at her. There's
another explosion from the cave and Varia asks the master if she thinks Morloch is dead, to
which Xena responds, "Nah...this guy's not easy to kill." Varia gets a conspiratorial look on her
face as she says, "Neither are we." Xena drawls, "You know what, Varia? I'm tired of being
the prey...maybe it's time we hunted him. Come on."
Sure enough, Morloch is alive and well in the cave, muttering "Well done." Back at his tent, he
tells Raczar that Xena is the kind of prey he always wanted...anticipating his moves, creating
situations. "You think you've got her and (insert explosion sound here)..." Razcar isn't as
comfortable with the situation. They're down to four men. He wants to give up but Morloch
says this is the hunt he's wanted his whole life. Her skills almost match his. Yeah, right.
Dangerous Prey Part 2
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