The Ring Part 1
Hmmm....I'm calmed down a wee bit since I first watched this one this morning. I don't
take To Be Continued's well, especially when they are this intriguing. From the previews, and
from the shots that were missing in the episode up till the last couple of minutes, I knew
several things were not going to be resolved before the end of this episode.
Unfortunately, I was right.
But I WILL survive the week, only because I've got to see how this thing turns out! Advance
press on these episodes hinted this trilogy might be rather weak in the world of Xena. Boy, is
THAT ever wrong. This mixture of Norse Gods and Xena and Gabs is turning out to be one
of the most intense, exciting forays ever!
Before I start, I need to make a comment on The Rheingold. Something was nagging at me
about Lucy's portrayal of EX (Evil Xena of the past), compared to past season's episodes, and
while watching the aforementoned episode again last night, I figured out what it was. It's the
voice. I noticed in fifth season, Lucy's voice had changed dramatically from earlier seasons. It
became quieter, more hoarse, and it became harder to hear her. I know Lucy has said in
interviews that playing Xena has ripped her vocal cords to shreds, and know she doesn't have
any control over it, so this is NOT a complaint, just an observation. EX has the same vocal
qualities as present day Xena, and despite the amazing facial expressions and body
movements, the EX in the Norse Trilogy is different from other portrayals in the voice.
Okay, on with the commentary. The episodes starts with some well-compiled clips of last
week. Like we needed reminding, right? I was sitting there thinking, "You just cut a minute out
of this week by showing clips of last week". I'm pretty greedy with my Xena time. The first
shot after that is Gabrielle, Brunhilda, and Beowulf moving through the forest, searching for
Xena. You do remember that Xena is lost, don't you? She was dragged away by
Grindel...remember? Okay, now that we're on the same page, the first bits of dialogue are
pretty remarkable. Beowulf: "We're deep in Grendel territory." Brunhilda: "The chances of
finding her are getting less and less." (Shouldn't that be fewer and fewer?) Gabs: "Then we
pick up the pace." Brunhilda: "What I'm trying to say is, don't get your hopes up, Gabrielle."
Gabrielle: "I'm not relying on hope, Xena's tough to kill." Gabrielle gives a small smile as she
delivers the first part of that line. Not relying on hope? Hmmm....I always find it ironic when
"hope" is spoken by Gabs or Xena. The remarkable thing about this trio is watching Gabs lead
the way. Beowulf and Brun are following HER and she has taken command, much like Xena
would if she were there. The bard has grown... Beowulf finds some of Xena's blood on a tree
and says somberly..."This is is where it ended." Gabs checks it out and declares "This is where
she got away...not long ago..." Her voice is sure of itself...she simply knows. She looks on the
ground and finds one of Xena's gauntlets. Let's see, Gabs has Xena's breast armor and a
gauntlet...Xena's gonna be naked before long!
But I digress, as usual. Beowulf says, "Gabrielle, are you being totally honest with yourself? I
mean all of the evidence points to the fact that Xena-" Gabrielle cuts him off with an emphatic,
"She got away! She waited for her chance and she escaped." "Where are her tracks?" Brun
asks. "Xena is alive," Gabs says, more definite than ever, "If we split up, we can cover more
ground." At this point, I realize, and I like to think Gabs does too, the fact that Brun and Beo
are both acting as if they don't want Xena to be found. Somehow their expressions are more of
displeasure at Gabs proclamations, instead of doubt as I would have expected. Y'know,
looking at Beowulf with that dumb helmet with the nose guard, it's a wonder this guy isn't
cross-eyed when he takes the helmet off! That thing would drive me to distraction!
Gabrielle is unwavering. That unbreakable bond between her and Xena is stronger than ever!
They split up, and the camera follows Gabs, who is still holding the gauntlet. She hides behind
a tree, hearing a rumbling noise in the distance. Peering ahead, she whispers, "Xena?" A hand
suddenly wraps around her mouth , and pulls her more directly behind the tree! Ahhh! No, it's
just Xena...looking a little bloody, and shall we say peeved? Gabs glances over at who grabbed
her, realizes who it is, and even as relief pours over her, Xena is pointing to where the
rumbling is. We get a lovely profile of Grindel, obviously searching for his lost prey. Grindel
hears Beowulf shout, and moves out of sight, and it's time for a tight embrace. "Don't ever
leave me again," Gabs tells Xena, and Xena just hangs on tight with her eyes squeezed tight.
Hmmm...that's a lot of tights! After they release, Gabs realizes Xena's pretty beat up...there's
some nasty looking gore on that right thigh of hers, and settles her down at the base of a tree
to patch her up. Xena, of course, says she's all right "Don't fuss", and Gabs hands her the
gauntlet with a little sigh of relief. About this time, Brun and Beo run up. Now, I'm not a
genius or anything, but as the two approach, they are shouting, "Gabrielle!", and I could swear
Xena's eyes fly right past Beowulf and she's immediately sizing up who the other blonde chick
is. You'll see why in a minute.
Brun asks if Gabrielle is okay. Excuse me? Gabbers is sitting there totally spotless next to a
woman covered in blood, and she wants to know how Gabs is? Uh huh. I think I know where
we're headed! Brun finally realizes it's Xena sitting there. Beowulf and Xena are old chums
now. Beoulf: "Clean yourself up; You look awful." Xena replies "Thanks," with one of those
quirky Xena grins. Beowulf takes off to check up on Grendel, and Brun starts in on her
"waited my entire life to meet you" spiel. Xena's response, "If I had known I had a fan
coming, I would have combed my hair." Hee hee! She gives another one of those ironic grins,
only this time to Gabs who smiles at her in turn. This turns into a full fledged grin from Xena.
I like this episode already! Brunhilda keeps gushing about how legendary Xena is, and Xena
tells her she didn't think she'd be too popular around here. Brunhilda confides, "Weaklings
don't like you, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you and your philosophy." She wants
to be like just like Xena. Xena's attention is distracted as Gabs is tying the bandage on her
thigh with a non-too-gentle manner. Hmmm....is the bard interested in Xena's response? Xena
tells Brun her life is devoted to "life, love, and peace." Brun wants to know what happened to
change her. The music swells and Xena looks at Gabs with yet a different smile...dare I say
this one is more intimate? "Lots of reasons," she whispers, as Gabbers returns the smile in
kind. Brun eyes the both of them with the same expression Xena uses at the end of Heart of
Darkness with Virgil and Gabrielle. You may think I'm overanalyzing here, but I'm not. I felt
this the first time I watched it. There is so much tension there, it's thicker than the mist
surrounding them.
Beowulf returns and says Grendel seems to be gone, but Xena tells him, "She's out there
somewhere." No one else on screen seemed to catch that, but a light bulb went off in my head
immediately. "She?" If you read my commentary last week, you know I don't remember
anything about the Beowulf legend, but I immediately had this figured out. If the following
statement makes you say, "Well, duh," to me...you won't hurt my feelings. I now realized
Grendel was actually Grinhilda. Okay say it...duh! At least I'm smarter than Gabs, Brun, and
Beo. They haven't caught on at this point!
Gabs wants to get Xena out of there, but Xena says she has and Grendel have a "date with
destiny." Brunhilda says Grendel heard them searching for Gabs, doubled back and has their
escape cut off. "That's right," Xena tells her, and Brun looks proud of herself for being clever
in front of Xena. I'm beginning to really NOT like her. Xena tells Brun and Beo that they
should go. She tells Gabs she knows better than to try to talk her out of leaving. Hee hee!
Xena's finally learning! But B & B should live to fight another day. It's her battle. " It's our
battle," Gabs corrects. "I won't leave Gabrielle," Brunhilda declares. Xena's look directed at
her is one of total shock and amazement. Can't blame her. Gabs gives Brun a small smile,
looking very pleased. Uh oh. Then comes the kicker..."Neither will I," Beowulf states. Xena's
stare registers even more shock and amazement. Can't blame her again! She studies back and
forth between Beowulf and Brunhilda, not looking at Gabrielle once. She's wondering what
game is afoot. Exactly what happened during this search for her? I mean, it's obvious it didn't
take long for Gabs to find her, so how in the world did Beowulf become so enraptured with
Gabs in that short of time? I think it's intriguing that Xena doesn't look at Gabs, who is looking
a little surprised, during this exchange. Maybe she knows Gabs is just as shocked. "Well, I
guess we're in this together then," Xena states. They hear Grendel making some noise off
camera, and Xena leads the way. Then cut to the opening credits. Whew! All this from the
teaser!!
They're walking through the woods, following the creature. When they find Grendel's lair,
Gabs questions if Xena is sure about this, but, this is Xena, so, of course, she is! The music in
this episode rocks! Beowulf wants to know what the plan is as they walk through the lair,
which is actually an extensive cavern. Xena wants to lure Grendel in there and have the others
bring the mountain down on her head. Gabs finally catches on..."Her? What is this Grendel?"
Xena: "A mistake, I made a very long time ago." Guess what, time for flashbacks!
For the third time we watch EX make the ring, which now in my mind looks like a cherry
lifesaver in its molten state. No wonder I've been craving them all week! But now we see the
rest of the scene. Grinhilda watches the ring cool, then shoots an arrow which takes the ring
from EX's hand and delivers it into her own. EX and Grin have a verbal battle. "I've thrashed
you before, Grinhilda, I can do it again!" We learn more about the power of the ring. We
know if one forsakes love, they can use the power of the ring. We learned that last week. If
one puts on the ring without forsaking love, it destroys what they value most. Grin tells her
now, that before the destruction kicks in, the wearer gets a surge of Godlike power. Riiight.
EX wants to know if Grin will take the chance to she'll have time to kill her before that
destruction kicks in. Grinhilda is going to take the chance. EX destroyed the honor of the
Valkyris. "Let's see if you took notes," EX snarls, kickinng up her sword into her hand.
Something else strikes me as different about EX from earlier versions of her. She makes the
same noises in battle as fifth and sixth season, which are different from earlier versions. Guess
it's the voice thing again!
EX and Grinhilda are dueling it out. It's an impressive battle, and at one point, Grin knocks
Xena on her warrior butt. EX comes up for more and is knocked down again. As she's snarling
and recovering, Grin's time ran out, and she transforms. "It's a whole new you, Grinhilda," EX
quips. A lightbulb just went off again. Since this is a spoiler, I'll go ahead and say, I knew
immediately this wasn't the same creature we saw in profile in the woods. There were some
major differences in the head area. EX uses her sword to pick up Grinhildas lost necklace from
the floor and sounds victorious as she tells Grendel, " Now we see what you value the most
Grinhilda...what you hold dearest in your heart...your humanity...your beauty!" She takes a
mighty chop with her sword, and takes off Grendel's ring finger. She picks up the ring and
gives me the finger! Nahh...she's just putting the ring on her middle finger. She puts on the ring
and gets that look on her face like Bacchae Gabs just bit her on the neck again. Good thing EX
had forsaken love!
Cut to the present and a Xena who doesn't look too proud of herself. Beo and Brun are
shocked that the monster is Grinhilda. (Who named this creature, anyway?) Brun wants to
know why she didn't just kill her, obviously she doesn't really know EX's torturous ways.
"Killing her would have been kind compared to what I had in mind for her," Xena replies.
Flashback again, and a voice over as Xena tells about locking her in the cage using chains she
stole from Odin and Grin's necklace. The cage is actually the caverns they are in now, a mine.
EX wanted Grin to suffer with her own ugliness forever. The scene fades back to the present.
"I knew the power of the ring would be useless to her unless..." Xena's voice tapers off and
Gabs finishes it, "she learns to forsake love." "That's right," Xena tells her. "Thirty-five years
of imprisonment is enough to drive the love out of anyone's heart." Twenty-five years under
ice didn't seem to hurt her and Gabbers any, but I'm digressing. So I'll digress a little more.
Last week, the operative word was "friend." This week it seems to be "love". Can't wait to see
what next week's is!
The writing and directing credits are just now coming up, and I'm exhausted! They hear the
creature approaches, and Xena asks, "Are you ready for this?" It's a rhetorical question, and
the plan is put into place as Xena finds Grendel and begins to taunt her. "Come and get some!"
Xena is so wickedly funny when she's taunting someone to chase her! "You know you want it!
You remember me, don't you? Come on!" We see that she's luring the creature under an
overhang where the other three wait, to create a cavein, I'd assume. Brun looks like she wants
to jump down, but Gabs tells her "We wait for Xena's signal." Why did I just get an image of Brunhilda as
Tara from "Forgiven"? I realized the creature was not really Grendel, once again, but the one
we saw in profile from before. Xena doesn't realize it yet, though.
The next part made me laugh out loud. Hard. Xena's having trouble positioning the creature
just right, it must smell the others, and keeps looking up. She tells them "Stay here" and takes
off at a run. She temporarily gets the creature to follow her, but loses it, and suddenly, at her
heels are the other three. "I thought I told you not to come in here," she says in her cranky
Xena voice. "I never listen" Gabrielle answers smugly. Heh heh! And here I was, giving credit
to Xena for realizing that earlier on! I loved that part!
The creature attacks, and it's another long battle. Everyone is knocked down repeatedly, but
they don't give up. Xena hears the sounds of rocks beginning to fall, and tells Beowulf to get
the others to the other side. A beam cracks and the rocks start to fall, sealing off Xena and
Grendel on the inside. Here's an interesting exchange...
Beowulf: Gabrielle, are you hurt?
Brunhilda (to Gabs): Are you all right?
Gabrielle: Xena? Xena!!
Hmmm??? What's wrong with that picture?
Gabs and the others stare at the rock wall, then begin to dig through it. Xena takes on the
creature face to face in a very vicious fight. That creature doesn't like her! It's favorite method
of attack seems to be picking Xena up by the face and slamming her into rock walls! Gabs has
a big enough hole in the wall, and squirms through it, screaming her own personal
warcry..."XEENNAA!!" Brun is yelling, "Gabrielle, wait, wait, wait!" but Gabs keeps going.
She picks up Xena's chakram off the floor and gasps "Xena," then takes off at a dead run. In
the last two episodes, Gabs has spent an awful lot of time picking up Xena's discarded items
from the floor. Guess we know who does the housecleaning! The Gab fans are going to love
this next part! The creature has pinned Xena's arms to her body and picked her up by them.
Gabrielle flies into the picture and launches herself onto the creature from behind, and stabs it
repeatedly with the chakram! Whoo hoo! Points for Gabs! The creature finally releases Xena
and manages to throw Gabs from its back, and the chakram soars through the air. Xena grabs
it and takes over the killing, finishing off the creature with the chakram. Xena gets a lightbulb
of her own, and realizes the creature can't be Grinhilda as Beowulf and Brunhilda approach.
She gives one of those hand to face gestures to Gabs then picks up the ring. Gabbers knows
something's still not right. "What's going on?" Xena says, "Let's get out of here."
Outside the mine, Gabs wants to know what the problem is and Xena explains this creature
she just killed wasn't missing a finger. Funny, I knew it wasn't Grinhilda cause the hair style
was different, but whatever works. Xena hears Grendel off in the distance, and says they need
to get the ring back to the Rhein maidens. During this they are being watched by a raven.
Hmmm....I would swear this was the same shot used in the Abyss when the bird told the pig
people where Virgil was! The raven flies to Valhala and Odin. Guess he's still around.
Here comes a fun part of the episode. I'm a very active viewer, and I do believe I began doing
the leg kicks Xena demonstrated so wonderfully in Been There, Done That during this part...
Brun: She really is giving up the power of the ring. She is not the Xena of the
legends.
Gabs: She fights for good now.
Brun: I don't know...I mean, in battle she's everything I imagined she'd be, yes...
Gabs: There's more to being a warrior than the skill.
At this point, Xena was about five strides ahead of the talking twosome, but now she stops to
fiddle with the bandage on her thigh. I think her ears are burning!
Gabs: There's fighting for what you believe in, the people that you love.
Brun: You know, before I met you I never thought of a warrior as having any love
but the love of battle...
Watch Xena's disgusted eye roll at this line! Hee hee.
Gabs gives Brun a sweet smile. But I can't help thinking Gabs is still naive at this point, and is
just being her usual optimistic self. Xena the cynic, on the other hand...
Xena: I'm going to tend to this...Brunhilda, could you scout up ahead, see what's
over that ridge?
Uh huh, methinks the warrior princess has ulterior motives!
Brunhilda gives Gabs another smile, and with a slight nod, moves on.
Xena: Thank you.
Xena watches her go with an odd expression, and delivers the line of the episode, at least for
me. It's all in the delivery! (Someday I'm going to right an article about great Xena quotes that
shouldn't work, but do, and that will be the title..."It's all in the delivery.")
Xena: I don't like her.
My leg kicking went into overdrive at that point!!
Gabs is taken aback by this (the "I don't like her" line, not my leg kicking!), and wants to
know why Xena feels that way. Xena says Brun isn't who she says she is. Gabrielle thinks
Brun is searching, but Xena tells her that Brun is exactly like the way she used to be. Beowulf
watches this with interest.
Brun has moved up ahead and who should appear before her, but a raven? Who should appear
behind her, but Odin himself! There are even a few Valkyris along for the ride! Seems
Brunhilda is working for him, but now Odin is angry with Brun. Brun was supposed to let
Xena get the ring, then attack her in her weakened state and take it. Brun says there were
complications. Here's the exact line, folks, directly from Odin's mouth, "Complications? My
ravens...they tell me you've fallen in love with her partner. Is it possible you thought that
killing Xena would kill any chance you had with Gabrielle?" Take it for what it's worth, but I'd
say that is NOT subtext.
Brun mutters, "Bunch of stool pigeons" then tries to tell Odin, it was all an act. He ain't
buying. He shuts her up and tells the Valkyris they need to go after Xena's weakness...her
partner, Gabrielle. Check out the Valkyris that the camera keeps focusing on. This chick has
obviously watched The Debt a lot. She's been working on her Evil Xena sneer. Kinda looks
like Xena with blonde hair and brown eyes too. She wants to know what happens if they grab
Gabs and Xena won't trade the ring for her. "Oh, she'll trade," Odin assures her. He moves in
toward Brun, who's looking very uncomforable, "or Gabrielle will be killed." The Valkyris take
off.
Cut back to Xena, Gabs, and Beo. "What's keeping Brunhilda?" Beowulf asks. "Something's
goin' on", Xena, master of understatement, growls, and here come the Valkyris. "That one, get
the blonde!" says the Xena wannabe Valkyris, and the fight is on! Xena and Beowulf take on
the thugs, while Gabbers kind of hangs on in the background. Hmmm...she must be waiting on
a knight in shining armor! Well, she got the next best thing...Brunhilda comes galloping on the
scene and in one fell swoop, snatches Gabrielle on the horse and takes off to the sky! Aha!
Brun is a Valkyris! I suspected as much! We hear Gabrielle's warcry as she gains altitude and
then Xena's answering call, "Gabrielle!" as we fade to commercial.
The previews for next week show in this segment, but I'm not going to tell about them quite
yet...gotta get through to the twists in this one first!
Beowulf calls after Gabbers too, but they still have a fight on their hands. Threre is some
ferocious action in this one! Xena yells to Beowulf, "See if you can find out where she's
headed" and continues kicking butt. Beowulf takes off, and Odin appears. He tells the Valkyris
to leave. "Thirty five years," he tells Xena. "You're amazing, Xena. For a mortal." Odin wants
to trade the ring for Gabbers, but now Xena's the one who ain't buying. She saw the Valkyris
when Brun snatched Gabs and they were just as surprised as she was. "She's acting alone."
But now Odin tells her that Grinhilda was withchild when Xena caged her, and Xena has killed
her son. Now, we know where the other creature came from. Xena is affected by this,
obviously, but she says she has to take the ring back to the Rhein maidens. It takes a moment
for her to realize that Odin wants the ring for himself. Of course, he wants ultimate power.
"Have you forsaken love?" she asks. "After you, it wasn't very hard," he answers. Heh heh.
(That was me, not Xena or Odin.) Xena tells him she won't give him the ring and Odin says
she leaves him no choice. He knows her ability to forsake love is long gone. Odin tells her he'll
give Grinhilda her regards and disappears. Beo show up and says Brun has taken Gabs to the
Eastern bog. "Take me there," Xena demands, and off they go.
Meanwhile, Brun lands her horse and tosses Gabs to the ground. Check this out:
G: What are you doing?
B: Odin and the others were going to kill you for the ring.
G: We left Xena to fight them all.
B: Is Xena all you think about? (Obviously, they don't have TV reception in
Valhala or Brun never would have asked!)
G: Xena is my family! She's the most important thing in my life!
B: Gabrielle, listen to me. I bring to Valhala the bravest warriors slain in
battle...heroes. But your heart has more truth and courage than any that I've seen.
The beauty inside you burns like a star, Gabrielle, I was supposed to betray you
and Xena, but I couldn't...not now...you've changed me.
Gabrielle is staring at her, her mouth open. I don't think she's so naive anymore!
B: You've open my eyes and you've changed me the way you changed Xena.
I could tell by the look in her eye what Gabs was going to say next.
G: I don't know what to say.
G: I'm sorry.
The scene briefly cuts to Odin appearing before Grendel and telling her that Xena killed her
son. At this point, who cares about that?
Back to Gabs and Brun...
G: Xena and I have a connection. It's stronger than either one of us. We're
soulmates!
B: My love is strong. I can feel it!
G: I'm trying to tell you that Xena and I are meant to be together. We didn't...we
didn't make it that way...it just is!
Brun is absorbing this as we hear Xena's desperate cry off screen, "Gabrielle!!!" Gabrielle
gives her answering warcry with a look of relief. Brun draws her sword.
B: I can see your heart lies with Xena. (It's about time!) But I'll prove to you which
one of us deserves your love.
Brun takes off toward the call, Gabrielle following her.
Xena and Beo are looking for Gabbers. Xena asks Beo if he knows his way around here, and
Beo says he never had any reason to travel through this foul pit. Then he declares, once again
to Xena's consternation and amazement, "For Gabrielle, I'd go through the fires of Hell."
I've got to interject here with a few thoughts. The disclaimer for this episode is "Gabrielle's
popluarity soared in the making of this motion picture", and that's an understatement. I can see
why Brunhilda has fallen for her. She's been hanging with her by the campfire, seeing the kind
of dedication and yes, love, Gabrielle is capable of, and wants it for herself instead of Xena. I
really think Brunhilda isn't aware how much she is like Evil Xena. Xena noticed it quickly
enough though.
As for Beowulf, it really surprised me when he began making his feelings known about Gabs. I
mean, he had only seen her for oh...about two minutes, and he was already determined to
protect her at all costs. What's Xena? Chopped liver? I can't help but wonder if deep inside
Xena, she might be thinking the same thing. His attitude toward her is almost like an attitude
you'd have with a close drinking buddy. He respects her, but treats her more like a guy than a
woman. I'm beginning to think there's some connection between Beowulf and Brunhilda that
will be revealed next week. Hearing Beowulf chime in after Brunhilda makes me think he may
want Gabs, just so Brun (and possibly Xena), can't have her.
The Ring Part 2
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