The Last of the Centaurs Part 2
I kind of shook my head a bit at the next scene. The chase is on, with
Belach holding on to the saddlehorn for dear life (his hands are still
tied). Xena's horse jumps a fallen tree, as does Belach's and Xena shouls
back at him, "Keep up, Belach!" as if he had a choice. The guards are
closing in, but Xena reaches up above and grabs on to a tree back, pulling
it way back before releasing it. Belach ducks just in time and the branch
takes out a couple of guards behind him. "Nice day for it!" Xena calls.
At least, I think that's what she says...It could have been, "Nice dig for
it." There are still two guards following them, so Xena plays Tarzan and
grabs a vine as she rides under it. Her horse stops, as does Belach's,
whose rider stares in amazement as Xena swings out on the vine, knocks the
remaining two guards from their horses, and on the return swing does one of
those gravity defying somersaults to land on the horse behind Belach. She
grabs him by the throat, and takes control of the horse, as they gallop off
again.
After the commercials, and the saddest preview in the history of the show
(I'll elaborate later), Xena and Belach finally screech to a stop. Xena
tells Belach to "get off" then shoves him off the horse. She tells him she
supposes she doesn't have to tell him her name. "Xena," he confirms. "I
realized who you were the moment I heard you say those words. (Uh, yeah,
that's why she spoke them). I've always wanted to meet you again." "I'll
bet you did," Xena retorts, shoving him along. Belach tells her he should
thank her for stealing her father, or he would be following in his father's
muddy footprints. Xena replies, "You think you're so very different to
him?" What she meant was "You think you're so very different FROM him?"
Anyway, Belach tells her he's nothing like his father. Xena agrees.
"You're father would never stoop to do what you did. He was better than
that!" Borias is furious now. "Better? Are we remembering the same man?
Are we remembering the day you took him from us?" The camera focuses on
the Warrior Princess' blue eyes as the flashback begins. A woman, Natasha,
is calling for Belach. She is wearing orange robes and a purple hat, but
her hair is dark and her eyes are bright blue. She doesn't look like Xena,
but the coloring of her features are similar. She finds Belach, still
under the cloth hiding, and asks him why he's there. He just looks toward
the tent, and Natasha takes his hand, as she approaches it. Inside, Xena
and Borias are still playing stick pony, heh heh, both fully clothed.
Natasha gets an eyeful, and turns, but not before Xena and Borias see her.
Borias pushes Xena from his lap, and gets up to leave as Evil Xena smiles
knowingly.
Straightening his clothes, Borias calls after Natasha. She whirls on him,
demanding to know what he can say to her and his son. She has a similar
accent to Borias. Borias reaches to touch Belach, but Natasha slaps his
hand away. "Or that whore!" Natasha hisses, seeing Xena who has just
stepped from the tent and is casually putting on her hat. "You must
choose, Borias!" Borias bellows back, "If you were more of a woman, I
wouldn't have to choose!" She spits at him, actually rasperries him, but I
guess it serves the point. Xena meanwhile, has climbed on a horse, and is
ambling toward them. Borias takes her offered hand, and hops on the horse
behind her. As they start to leave, Belach breaks free from his mother and
calls out, "Papa!" Xena stops the horse, and Borias turns to somberly look
at his son. He rips a necklace from his throat, and throws it to Belach
who catches it, before Xena urges the horse to ride off. Borias looks
back, but only for a second. The camera focuses on the young boy's sad
face and it fades into the tragic face of the adult Belach. He tells Xena
after Borias was gone, he and his mother fell into servitude and were
starved and beaten. They heard about his exploits, "cutting across the
East with that woman...with you." He shows her the necklace he's wearing.
It's all he has left of his father. Xena is astounded. "You kept it?" She
reaches out to touch it, but he jerks it away, telling her it's only to
remind him of the scum Borias was and how far Belach had come. Xena's
tired of this, and angrily slaps him to move him onward.
She's taken him to the pit. Once again, I am struck by memories of the
Holocaust, of Allied soldiers forcing German citizens to look at the
horrific desecration in the concentration camps. "Lord Belach," she
growls, forcing him to his knees. "So fine, so cultured. Look at how far
you've come. To wipe out an entire race. You're right...you are nothing
like your father." Once again, he tells her he did what he had to do. He
tries to get up, but Xena grabs him by the throat, telling him to look
again. The expression on her face is not present day Xena, it's Evil Xena
of the past...it floored me! "You look again and tell me you feel
nothing," she hisses as he struggles to break free. "Your daughter saw
this. Who would she think is more civilized...you or Borias?" Belach asks
why she doesn't just kill him. She says she might yet, but he doesn't
think so. He looks too much like his father. "You had a son with him,
didn't you, Xena? Would it be too much like slitting his throat?" Talk
about your low blows! Xena's voice is beginning to break, as all kinds of
emotions kick in. "No," she tells him. "I just wanted you to know who
Borias really was." She shoves him back down. "Stay a while amongst the
dead. Tell them how far you've really come. What a fine lord you are!"
She whistles and the horse they were riding approaches immediately. It's a
black warhorse, not Argo II, but it seems to know Xena quite well. Even as
Xena is riding off though, leaving Belach to stare into the pit, some of
his men approach. They ask for permission to go after her, but he just
continues to stare at the dead centaurs before him.
Finally, after all these tense and extremely well-acted scenes, we see
Gabs, Ephiny, Xenan, and Nikka again. Nikka is having pains, and can't
continue travelling anymore. The logical suggestion would be for her to ride on Xenan's back, but I guess that's
out of the question. Gabs says they need to find her shelter, and
magically, a cabin appears not far from them. It sure looks like Old Ares'
farm...before the restoration project...to me. As they enter, Xenan is put
on guard duty by Belach as Gabs follows Ephiny's direction as to where to
let Nikka lay down. Gabrielle begins to help Nikka slow her breathing
down. Xenan sees the guards appraoching, and even as Nikka is crying out
for him, he gets the guards attention, and takes off running, leading them
away from the cabin. Two of the guards don't follow, knowing if they get
Nikka, they'll get the ransom.
Inside the cabin, Gabbers is trying to calm Nikka who wants to push. Gabs
looks to Ephiny who tells her she can't push yet, and Gabs echoes it to
Nikka. Gabs works on getting Nikka to breathe slowly again. I wonder if
Renee knew she was pregnant at this point? If she did, she had to really
be enjoying this scene! A male voice is heard outside, and I guess, Gabs
was concentrating on Nikka, because Ephiny has to warn her there's someone
there. Gabs picks up a sai as the guards enter the cabin.
For two guards who were pretty smart about going after the girl, they sure
got dumb as they entered the cabin. It wasn't that big, but they didn't
spot Gabs and Nikka for a while. "They're not here," one of them says, but
Nikka, who has been trying to stifle the pain, lets out a gasp. "Yes, they
are," the other one says.
Cue Xena, who bursts through the door and takes out the guards with exactly
one punch, one kick, and one shove. Funny, she was able to spot Gabs and
Nikka immediately, and in an instant, slips back into Dr. Xena mode. She
asks how close Nikka is and Gabs replies, "Very." Xena smiles at Nikka and
tells her they're going to take very good care of her. Nikka smiles back,
relieved. Xena takes out her chakram and whispers to Gabs that she's going
to make an incision. She wants the chakram to be as clean as possible.
What happened to the boot dagger or the breast dagger? Wouldn't that have
made a better scalpel? Oh well, Gabs wants to know why they're being
hunted. "Did you stop Belach?" Xena looks disconcerted as she rips some
strips of cloth, but she tells Gabs she took Belach to the centaur camp to
show him what he'd done. Gabbers asks if she got through to him, and Xena's
uncomfortable expression answers that question. Our peace-loving bard, who
has changed a lot, then asks,"Xena, why didn't you kill him?" "Gabrielle,
I couldn't. He is Borias's son..and her father!" Xena admits. Gabs is
seeing the situation from a different way. Belach has slaughtered the
centaurs and won't stop until he's killed Xenan. The second she says
"Xenan" Nikka begins to cry out for him...wanting him near her. Gabs asks
if Xena saw Xenan and she tells her no, then forcing a smile to her face,
tells Nikka she's going to take away the pain now. "You're going to be just
fine."
Xena hits the right pressure points, and Nikka stills immediately. Gabs
has...err...wiped the chakram with a cloth (yeah, that's real sterile), and
hands it back to Xena. Gabs talks the young mother through it, "Stay with
us, you're doing so well," but looks like she's getting quite nauseas as
Xena goes to work. Xena looks joyous as the baby arrives, and she slowly
hands the crying baby to Nikka. Gabs sickened expression changes to
happiness, and Ephiny begins to cry as they see the baby. It is a very
cute baby. Gabrielle says "I'll get her stitches," as Xena's name is
called from outside. Xena walks out, chakram (not a drop of blood on it)
in hand, to find Belach, with a group of at least a dozen men around him.
He tells her he wants an even trade. He'll hand over the centaur for his
daughter. Xena can see Xenan has been captured, and is being held with
ropes around his neck.
Commercials over, Xena starts to approach as Ephiny materializes nearby.
Belach orders Xena not to take another step, saying if she'll hand over
Nikka, he'll spare Xenan. Xena has a better idea. "Give me the centaur
and I'll spare you." Belach cries out, then yells, "Kill him!" But Xena
handily chakrams the ropes binding Xenan. Belach changes tactics, "Attack
her!" he actually yells, and the fight is on. It's weird, Belach is
obviously no fighter at all. I guess all his time was spent building up
his estate and losing his father's accent (his is much less pronounced),
rather than using a sword.
Xena uses some nifty flips and staff work as she pummels the guards.
Belach finally gets his nerve and goes after Xenan, who has procurred a
sword from one of the guards and they duel for a while. Finally, Belach
draws a knife, and tries to press it to Xenan's throat. I was surprised
Xena would break the centaur's concentration but she calls out his name,
and tells him to get Nikka and the baby to safety, while she holds the
others off. I guess that restores his strength somehow, because Xenan
breaks free to do her bidding. Meanwhile, more guards appear, and go
aftter Xena.
Xenan enters the cabin, and gazes in bemusement at his newborn son.
Meanwhile, Xena is being surrounded by a whole bunch of men, with their
spears all trained on her...again. Ephiny disappears from outside and
appears to Gabs inside the cabin, telling her Xena needs help. Gabs tells
Xenan to get the mother and child out of there, and then heads outside.
She watches as Xena assesses the situation, times it perfectly, and does
one of her helicopter whirls as all the men jab with their spears. She
chuckles gleefully as they all stare at her, lands on their crossed spears,
and then uses them to catapult herself out of their range. Gabs jumps into
the foray, and the fight is back on, with Xena using some new and different
flips.
Meanwhile, back in the cabin, Nikka is upset that Xena and her father could
kill each other. Xenan is trying to convince her to leave, but Nikka
doesn't see a future for their son if they leave.
Outside, Gabrielle moves to Xena's side saying, "You do what you have to
do, Xena." "We'll see," she replies before pushing six of Belach's men
back with her staff at the same time.
Men with crossbows appear behind Belach, and he orders for them to fire.
Xena grabs a conveniently placed shield from the ground, and hurls herself
in a VERTICAL helicopter twirl, toward Belach as the arrows from the
crossbows hit the shield. She lands right in front of Belach, who is
holding his own crossbow. Nikka and Xenan exit the cabin, and Nikka calls
out for them to "Stop it." Ephiny is there too. Belach cries out for
Nikka to come to him, but she refuses. Xena is standing behind Belach, her
sword ready to strike at any time. Nikka declares she loves Xenan, but
Belach pleads with her that she doesn't know what love is. The
peace-loving Gabrielle says, "You have to do it, Xena," and Xena takes a
step forward, but doesn't raise her sword. Belach turns and points the
crossbow at Xena as she vows, "I will kill you, Belach." He turns back
toward Nikka and Xenan, saying, "I'm prepared to die for my child."
"Your father was the same," Xena tells him. Belach glares at her, "When
was my father ever-" "Our baby!" Xena interjects angrily. Her voice evens
a bit. "Your brother. You spent your life trying to be the opposite to
your father. (Xena sure has a problem using the word "to" in this one!)
What you don't know is that when he grew away from me, he grew into a
better man." The scene gives way to a flashback from Past Imperfect, where
Xena orders Dagnine in all his coifed glory to kill Kaleiapas. As Borias
defends the centaurs, Xena's present day face is superimposed over the
shots, explaining that she broke the treaty with the centaurs, while Borias
tried to keep his word. The scene changes to the night of Solan's birth,
as Xena tells Belach Borias never forgave himself for letting her seduce
him away from his family, "He didn't want to lose another son." We see
Borias murdered again, and even as Satrina is pushing Xena to leave, we see
the last thing Borias ever saw was his son.
Back to the present day. Xena tells Belach, "Borias died trying to change
what he'd become. That was the real story of your father. How will your
story end, Belach?" Belach struggles with his emotions, tears filling his
eyes, as more of his guards approach toward Nikka and Xenan. Xena isn't
done talking though. Still behind Belach, she continues, "It's up to you
now, Belach. Do you want your daughter to hate you, the same way that you
hated your father? The killing can end here, Belach." Belach is still
staring at Nikka, but finally takes a step forward. "No!" he
declares..."This is over." Nikka starts to cry as Belach says, "She
belongs with him." He moves forward to take her hand, asking her for
forgiveness. He takes the necklace off, and tries to hand it to her. He
wants her to give it to her son when he is old enough, she should give it
to him and tell him- but Nikka cuts him off, saying Belach will give it to
him. She tells him they have given the child a name...Borias. Tears flow
anew as Borias smiles at his daughter, and Gabs and Xena exchange their own
smiles.
The group moves to an open field. Belach tells Nikka that "This is your
mother's land". They'll be able to live their in peace. Ephiny asks
Gabrielle if she can use her body to appear to her son. She can be in Gabs
body for just a few moments if Gabs will clear her mind. Gabs moves to
stand beside Xenan who is holding Baby Borias. The camera moves to Xenan
and when it moves back, it's Ephiny appearing to her son. Xenan beams as
Ephiny says she's been trying to talk to him, but now she doesn't know what
to say. As Xenan repiles, "You don't have to say anything," the camera
focuses on Xena's happy face. I guess we can assume she can see Ephiny
too. Ephiny takes the baby's hand, and begins to sing the Amazon lullaby.
Xena reaches out to Belach, gripping his arm, then putting a hand on his
chest as he covers her hand. They smile warmly at each other, and she
slowly walks away. Ephiny doesn't sing the last line of the song, which
has stilled the baby. She tells Xenan she has to leave now. She tells
Xenan she will always be there. The camera pans to him, as he says, "I
have a feeling I'll know when you are," and when the camera moves back,
it's Gabrielle again. She takes Xenan's hand, and says sadly, "We'll miss
her."
Now it's just Xena and Gabrielle, walking through that same field again.
Gabs tells Xena she's glad she didn't kill Belach. Xena grins, "Oh, NOW
you're glad." Gabs gives a look like "okay, okay...I was wrong," but tries
again, "You know, different roads lead to the same place." "Very wise,"
Xena replies. Then with a twinkle in her eye, she replies, "Only on your
road...they'd be dead." Score one for the Warrior Princess! Heh heh.
Gabbers realizes she's being teased and wrinkles her nose. "Right," then
proceeds with, "I can be wise sometimes." "Yeah right," Xena chimes in,
still amused. "I can, really," Gabs says, looking at Xena. "Yeah..." Xena
replies, then realizing Gabs isn't convinced, she adds...."I'm agreeing
with you." Gabs looks reassured and looks ahead of her. Xena slips an arm
around her shoulder and adds with a very warm smile, "As always." It's one
of the best endings I've seen in a long time.
So that's pretty well it...it occurs to me that even though the ghost of
Ephiny is running around the entire episode, Xena is facing a different
ghost...the ghost of her past with Borias and what she can do to preserve
it in the present. This episode is gripping from start to finish, with
fantastic acting all the way around. I know I've already commented on
that, but I came away from this one with that impression first and
foremost. This one was definitely a winner!
The disclaimer was "The centaur population was severely harmed during the
making of this motion picture." No kidding, in one season we've seen the
centaurs and the Amazon nations knocked down to just a handful.
As for the previews for next week...there are a few clips shown from the
episode, but no dialogue. Instead there is the ominous "Five Episodes to
Go" plastered all over the screen, while the announcer tells feels the need
to inform us the countdown has begun...to Xena's last battleground. I'm
not even going to think about that...particularly that last part which is
not resting well with me. This was too good an episode!
As always, all comments, questions, and criticisms are most welcome.
And as for Gary's thoughts on Last of the Centaurs...
This episode opens with the same flute music as Gabby played in the opening
of The Prodigal. Three Centaurs are walking thru the woods when they are
attacked by thugs firing arrows and who then charge them with spears and
swords.
Since they were outnumbered,why stand and fight when they could run away to
fight another day?Two die and the third,who is Xenan,Ephiny's son,escapes.
Meanwhile,at the bazaar,Gabby and Xena are shopping,and Gab tries on yet
another hat...this must be the season for hats for her.Gab hears a voice
thinking it is Xena,but it is the voice of Ephiny's ghost. She appears to
Gab saying that she believes her son is in danger.How? Just because there is
a guy running around loudly proclaiming a bounty for a Centaur
whose picture looks exactly like Xenan?
Anyway,Xena shows up and cannot see Ephiny....only Gab can.Xena explains
that Gab can see her because she is an Amazon,and is bonded thru Terea's
rite of caste.
Wait a minute...Xena is not an Amazon,but could see the young shamaness she
gave her power to in Lifeblood...that dead Amazon appeared to Xena to tell
her to get the token from the past to stop the Amazon-Nomad wars.
Oh,well...rules change.
The bad guy is Borias' son,Balack,who I am going to call Borias
Junior(BJ).He looks just like his dad...same voice,too.He hates Xenan and
says it is because the Centaur stole his daughter...she's not at the
palace,so without any ransom demand,he can think of the unthinkable...she
was taken away and raped and/or killed.He wants Xenan,but also wants to kill
ALL Centaurs.
He also hates Borias for leaving him and his mom and running off with Xena
in yet ANOTHER backstory prior to Chin.He tells Xena when he meets her,that
he does not want to be like Borias at all.
Xena promises she will find the girl,Nikka.She feels she owes BJ. for
breaking up his birth family.
Gab and Ephiny sing the Amazon lulaby...a cute song,and Gab's voice was
pretty good in this one.Xenan then believes his mom's ghost is there.
Next is a woods scene with a very pregnant Nikka,who has Xenan with her.
The girl has birth pains already.Xena feels Nikka's stomach and says "it's a
boy"...well,no kidding,Xena.When have we ever seen a GIRL Centaur? Of course
it is a boy...the males mate with human females,as has been discussed in
Doctor in the House.
Later,they see the ruined Centaur village. Ephiny,who is in most
scenes,doesn't have much to say...she says the place is a wreck....well,nice
observation....burned huts and a pile of bodies in a pit.Ephiny sees the pit
of dead Centaurs,and Xenan really is broken up by it.Xena swears that
justice will be done.
Xena says she wants to talk to BJ to end the killing.She thinks if he knows
Nikka is pregnant he will be a nice guy to the Centaurs.
Before this,Xena goes back to the palace to try to talk him out of killing.
He then tells Xena about his dad leaving and leaving him and his mom as
slaves by the betrayed army...lives badly...were beaten and starved. His mom
died.
Backstory:we see Xena seduce Borias when his wife is outside the tent. BJ
sees them on the rugs and Xena wraps him up and dumps him outside
saying,"never step between two people and their passion."
Note:this season has almost all the Amazons and Centaurs wiped out.
Xena meanwhile reads BJ the riot act,and says the "passion" reference
again...now he knows it is Xena from long ago.We then see the entire scene
again of Xena carrying him out and saying the same thing...a waste of film
time.
Now the guards show up and the fight begins. They get Xena surrounded as she
is a hub in a wheel,surrounded by spears.Some of these spears are
rubber...you can see the "points" wavering.
Why wait around...why not just stab her?Xena slugs BJ,ties him up as the
guards stand aroud and watch,tosses him out the window,with the camera on
the saddlehorn,but he hits the seat. Xena then jumps out onto another horse
and leads BJ away.
Note:We see from other shows that the Centaurs were never beaten by a tough
warrior like Xena and her armies,but these inept guards who can't take on
one girl are able to wipe out these tough Centaurs. Even in Doctor in the
House,the captured general tells Ephiny that Centaurs are strong and great
fighters.Not this time.
Xena takes BJ to the death pit and keeps making him look at the bodies...a
long scene,and the point was made,but I feel that it didn't work,because
Xena has killed far more people that anyone else alive...remember she turned
an army to stone in Back in the Bottle?
Moving on,BJ still doesn't care and wants to kill Xenan. Xena leaves him for
his men to find.His men get him,but do not untie him at once...I think that
was dumb.BJ keeps yelling "kill" a lot after that.
The group walks thru the woods and fields,with Nikka getting weaker and near
the birth. Why didn't somebody put her on Xenan's back for a ride? Why not
make a travois or even take turns carrying the poor girl?
Gab,in one of her few lines,says,"We have to get her to shelter"...sees an
abandoned shack at that exact moment..."Down there!".Gee,what timing.
Once there,the army approaches,and Xenan runs out,leading them away.All
follow except for two guys who go to the shack...the only two with brains.
Xena shows up and knocks them out.
The birth scene was not as well done as when it was Ephiny's turn in
Doctor...House. This time,instead of using a small knife,Xena uses her
Chakram...for small detailed work,I guess.Also,it was over way too
quickly,and Xena didn't use the candle as a trance-inducer as on Ephiny.
Ephiny says that "somebody's here" meaning an ARMY.What a sense for the
obvious.Xena finishes the delivery...a boy...surprise-surprise,and goes out
to fight the army. Everyone else stays inside.
Note:the army does not split up...they all attack Xena in waves,and nobody
goes to the shack while she is busy fighting.Finally,Ephiny tells Gab to go
out and help Xena,which she does.
The guards who killed a lot of Centaurs cannot get Xena and Gab.Wave after
wave of reinforcements arrive.Finally,Xena decides she has to kill BJ. He
has a crossbow pointed at her,and she says she is going to kill
him.Nikka,meanwhile,all stitched up and no place to go,emerges from the
shack telling Daddy to stop. She says she loves Xenan,and here is your
grandson,named Borias.
Xena,who is now walking towards BJ,had the crossbow pointed at her again,a
few feet away...he cannot miss. She then tells him the backstory of the
death of Borias and birth of Solon...this finally gets to him,and all is
forgiven.We see a lot of clips fron Past Imperfect here.
Xena asks him if he wanted his daughter to hate him as he hated his dad?
No way,he says,and lets them go.He lets them go to her mother's land.Her mom
died giving birth to her.
Ephiny then asks Gab if she can go into her body for a few minutes to appear
to Xenan...sure,says Gab,and Ephiny says she will always be there for him
and his family.This scene was not done as well as in the Quest as when Xena
was in Auto's body and kissed Gabby.
Something bothered me: Xena and BJ exchange smiles and tender touches at the
end...awwwwww.After this guy committed genocide,he is let off the hook. Even
Xenan does not appear to hold a grudge.
The show should be re-named "The Second-to-Last Of the Centaurs."
I feel that the quick kiss-up at the end didn't seem believable,and the
Ephiny being there stuff didn't work either. She could have just appeared in
the beginning to ask Xena's help,and let it go at that.A waste of a good
actress.
I give this episode a "C".
Any comments?
The Last of the Centaurs Part 1
Home