A Friend in Need part I

A Friend In Need part I

Teleplay by R.J. Stewart
Story by Rob Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Directed by Rob Tapert

Episode synopsis:

A monk arrives in Xena and Gabrielle's campsite, claiming he is a messenger from Akemi, a ghost from Xena's past. He tells his story of taking shelter in a teahouse with a brother monk, where three ghosts who are controlled by Yodoshi, Lord of the Darkland, tried to seduce them. His brother monk, once seduced, was absorbed into Yodoshi. The monk was able to escape with the help of Akemi's ghost who charged him with finding Xena in order to destroy this evil, giving him a sacred katana to pass along to Xena.

While travelling to Japan Xena tells Gabrielle of meeting Akemi, many years ago, when she was in the land of Chin with Borias. She heard of a land further to the east, and reclaimed Akemi from her abducter in order to ransom her back to her rich and powerful father. Akemi, however looks upon Xena as a teacher, with eyes full of worship. Arriving in Japan, Akemi, still professing her love of Xena, offers to lead her to her father's fortress. She instead brings Xena to her grandparent's home, so that she can pray to their spirits. Xena, furious at being deceived, almost cuts her head off, but instead Ameki goads her into visiting the local armory and stealing a sacred katana. Later that night, in a bonding moment, Xena teaches Ameki how to do the pinch. Arriving at her father's fortress the next day, Xena and Akemi surprise her father. As Xena fights off his guards, Akemi puts the pinch on her father, Yodoshi, and kills him for murdering her mother, siblings, and grandparents. She then runs herself through and asks Xena to honor her by cutting off her head with the sacred katana.

In the present Xena and Gabrielle arrive at the japanese town of Higuchi, which has been sieged by the armies of Yodoshi. Xena and Gabrielle use the water tower to put out the fires that threaten to consume the town, and the invading army retreats. Xena and Gabrielle are proclaimed heroes until confronted by Ghost Killer, who reveals that the armies attacking the town are the 40,000 souls under the power of Yodoshi, thanks to Xena. When Akemi killed Yodoshi, his soul was too evil even to be accepted into the afterlife. Xena brought Akemi's ashes to the family temple in Higuchi, but was attacked by the townsfolk for dishonoring their graveyard with the ashes of a woman who had commited patricide. Xena, fighting back, started a fire that swept through the town killing 40,000 people. Those souls were then consumed by Yodoshi on their way to the afterlife. Xena vows to Ghostkiller to do anything she can to help undo this torment she was unaware she had caused. Ghost Killer says he has the power to kill Yodoshi, but he is unable to get close enough because he is mortal. Only another ghost can kill Yodoshi.

Xena and Gabrielle share a loving moment before tomorrow's battle against three armies. Xena, who has been very supportive of Gabrielle throughout the episode, letting her take the lead and commenting on her solutions to problems, teaches Gabrielle the pinch so that she will now know everything that Xena knows. She then sends Gabrielle off to a far part of the battlefield before walking off, alone.

To be continued.

Xena and Gabrielle's Flying Circus & Amateur Fire Brigade will be arriving in your town soon.

Moments Of Subtext:

• Akemi tells her captor: "You won't kill me; Xena won't let you, because in her heart she knows that she will soon love me."
• Borias comments on the adulation pouring out of Akemi: "She worships her teacher."
• Commenting on a love poem Akemi gave to Xena, Gabrielle says: "So beautiful. To have written something like that she must have loved you very much."
  "The truth is, Gabrielle, she broke my heart."
• Akemi, with Xena, writes a poem in the snow: "In a flurry of snow, two breaths become one and disappear into each other."
• Listening to the sounds around her, Xena says to Akemi: "Your heart is beating harder than normal."
  "You're a master of war, yet you know no words to speak of love. And then you go and save my life. There's no greater gift of love a teacher can give a student than that."
• Akemi's last words before Xena beheads her are "Time and love, they go on."
• Xena has Gabrielle put the pinch on her, and as blood trickles out of her nose she says: "Gabrielle, if I only had 30 seconds to live, this is how I'd want to live them; looking into your eyes. Always remember: I love you."

Commentary:

Here we go...the begining of the end. It's hard to find a lot to say about this episode. I love the subtext between Xena and Akemi, especially because when it's over, you realize that Akemi was the one in control the entire time and manipulated Xena to perform what she needed to do. This may be the first time Xena has been the one manipulated (that I can think of.) But because a mojority of the episode takes place in the past, there is not much on Xena and Gabrielle's relationship other than a brilliant and emotional scene between the two of them when Xena finally shows her the pinch and declares her love for her. Everyone is right, there has been very little subtext this season, it has all been maintext. Also, Xena's relationship with Gabrielle in this episode is very "I'm grooming you to be the next me." This leads me to believe that Xena will die in the finale, but that's just a guess.

I also love the nod to the Evil Dead movies with the first person perspective of Yoshido rushing towards the tea house. Thanks guys!

Because of Lucy Lawless' performance, because of the nurturing relationship she suddenly has with Gabrielle, there is this whole quietly sad tone to the episode, which I find wholly appropriate. Maybe it's not even there, maybe it is me projecting onto it, but it is working for me. I am looking forward to next week's episode.