Kindred Spirits

Kindred Spirits

Written by George Strayton & Tom O'Neill
Directed by Josh Becker

Episode synopsis:
Segment one: As Gabrielle and Xena discuss the possibility of settling down in the Amazon village, Joxer is brought to Gabrielle for punishment because he peeped on bathing Amazons.
Segment two: In order to toy with Joxer, Xena and Gabrielle pretend to not know him and have him placed in stocks. The next day Joxer is brought before Gabrielle for the traditional Amazon punishment, losing an eye.
Segment three: The Amazon Rhea has her eye on Joxer because she wants a baby, while the Amazon Eris is interested in being Xena's new sidekick. Cyane, meanwhile, is frustrated with Gabrielle's approach to leadership because she wants to do it herself. Gabrielle and Xena go their seperate ways when Gabrielle discovers that Xena is not really interested in settling down.
Segment four: Gabrielle asks Joxer to pledge allegiance to her, for if he does she can pardon him as a first offender. Before his pardon can take place, Rhea frees Joxer so that she can mate with him. But they are found by Cyane and Joxer now must be punished for a more serious crime; he must fight to the death with the queen.
Segment five: Xena reads Gabrielle's scrolls as she packs and decides to stay with her after all. She even agrees to fight Joxer for her, as her champion. This is done in a wrestling ring, where she does, in fact, kill Joxer. After he is pronounced dead, she brings him back to life. All of this is an example of how the old laws are to be disobeyed when they are too extreme. Now that they have loosened Cyane up, Gabrielle, Xena, and Joxer take off leaving her in charge.

Disclaimer: Many Cinnamon Swirls lost their lives during the making of Gabrielle's Headdress.

Moments Of Subtext:

• Eris says to Rhea and Cyane: "If you ask me, Gabrielle's the lucky one, having Xena for a best friend."Xena and Gabrielle discuss their future: "Gabrielle, are you saying that you want to stay here and be queen?"
  "Only if you and Eve would stay."
• Gabrielle later adds: "It makes sense, Xena. We've never really had our own home, so I see this place as our domestic bliss."
• Imagining their home together, Gabrielle says: "If we put a porch just around the side, we could lay out there with Eve."
• Rhea bemoans her lifestyle to Eve: "You know, if I had a daughter, I'd love her just as much as your mommy loves you. Of course, first, I've got to get close to a man, which isn't easy when you're an Amazon."
• In the sauna, the Amazons talk about sex. "Well, I'm a virgin and I'm gonna stay that way forever," boasts Eris.
  "Forever's a long time," comments Gabrielle, exchanging a look with Xena.
• Gabrielle continues: "Xena has studied the subject more than I have, but I think she's trying to say that some people are better lovers than others." Gabrielle and Xena share a smile.
• Xena and Gabrielle have a conversation about what Xena could do while Gabrielle is off queening. During this, they sound very much like a married couple. They even finish with Gabrielle commenting, "You could clean up."
• Gabrielle is dozing on her throne. When she is suddenly woken up, she murmers, still half asleep, "Not tonight!"
• The Amazon tradition of stripping their queen and covering her with mud (not letting her cover herself!) sounds a little suspicious to me. "You must show the glory of your form to sister moon so that she will smile on you!"
  "Right..." says Gabrielle, maybe not buying it either, for she says it in what I would call a Dr. Evil way: "You can keep your money If I can just have the wee baby!" "Riiigghht..."
• Eris is desperate to become Xena's new companion, especially when Xena and Gabrielle are "broken up." "Who knows what will develop?" she asks Xena.
• Reading one of Gabrielle's scrolls, Xena becomes all thoughtful when she reads Gabrielle description of a "friendship as immortal as the gods."
• Cyane encounters Rhea kissing Joxer. "It's called kissing, wanna try it?" asks Rhea.
• Xena, Eve, and Gabrielle all lie together at the end of the episode.

Commentary:
What, I say, what is wrong with the writers this season? Do they eat brain tumors for breakfast? First of all, just about everything in this episode contradicts what happened in the last episode. "Lifeblood" was about the rebirth of the Amazon nation as a more compassionate people. This episode is about Gabrielle's resolution to continue following the old ways, even though she is in charge and can let Joxer go whenever she wants. Because of her, Joxer is in risk of getting an eye gouged out, and in fact DIES in this episode. Isn't this taking things a bit far? Also, I do not know where they dug up some of these "actresses" from, but I guarantee this was their first acting job. Then, later in the episode when Xena is musing over the advantages of staying, she points out that Eve would be safe from the greek gods. Er, why? Callisto had no problem entering an Amazon village. Ares has hung out in the domain of a different god of war. And speaking of inconsistencies, Xena and Gabrielle break up?! What?! How can something like that add any thension whatsoever to an episode? Nobody is gonna buy it, it's just too absurd! Especially over such a stupid thing. Xena and Gabrielle have no communication in this episode. Now the ending: if you haven't seen this episode yet, don't bother. If you must, I beg of you, shut it off before you get to the fight scene. If, like me, you have seen it, I don't think there is much hope for us. As I get extra money, I will put it aside for the development of some sort of rehabilitation center. I will keep you posted on how that is coming along. At this wonderful spa, I promise that you will be able to watch "One Against An Army" all day, every day.