Legacy

Legacy

Written by Melissa Good
Directed by Chris Martin-Jones

Episode synopsis:

Segment one:

Xena and Gabrielle are lost in a sandstorm. After finding shelter in an oasis, they hear the sounds of a nearby fight. They quickly arrive to help a group of locals who are defending themselves from nomads. During the battle, Gabrielle takes a moment to stop herself from delivering a killing blow. After the fight, the locals accuse Xena of being an imposter. When Xena proves herself with a chakram demonstration, the locals bow down to her.

Segment two:

While being presented gifts, Xena and Gabrielle are asked to join the nomads in their battle against the Romans. They believe that the legends of Xena and Gabrielle will have a unifying effect on the various nomadic tribes. Visitng another tribe, they successfully orchestrate a union. Gabrielle befriends the leader's son and promises to teach him her defensive fighting. Dressed as a roman noblewoman and slave, Xena and Gabrielle learn that three legions are poised to attack the nomads. On their way back to their army, they become lost in a sandstorm. Gabrielle kills a shadowy figure sneaking up on Xena; it is the nomadic leader's son, and his 'weapon' was merely a scroll.

Segment three:

Xena returns the body to camp and explains that Romans killed the boy. Xena returns to Gabrielle and explains that she couldn't tell the truth; if the nomads find out Gabrielle is the murderer, they will kill her. The nomads arrive with a Roman they have captured, and whom they plan to torture and kill for the murder. Unable to let that happen, Gabrielle confesses.

Segment four:

Gabrielle is shackled and kept next to the body. After being hit and cursed by the father, Gabrielle tortures herself over her moral decay. At dawn the nomads bury her in the sand up to her neck. Xena goes to the romans, once again disguised as a noblewoman, and tells them where to find the nomads.

Segment five:

The execution is stopped by Xena and the nearby presence of Romans. Xena and Gabrielle help the nomands plan a defense. As a sandstorm strikes the Roman legions, the nomads and Xena leap out of the ground and strike in the confusion. Gabrielle at one point saves the life of the desert boy's father. Eventually the nomads win the day, and Gabrielle is forgiven.

Disclaimer: Despite severe air turbulence, no sand fleas were harmed during the production of this motion picture, although some experienced periodic bouts of motion sickness.

Moments Of Subtext:

• Xena and Gabrielle indulge in a little nude bathing while they are visiting the oasis.
• Xena and Gabrielle try to hide their disgust with the offer to sleep with a couple of the men in the nomadic tribe. (Okay, okay, the men were revolting but you all know if I didn't mention this I'd get a ton of emails!)
• Xena sees the desert boy washing Gabrielle's feet and gives them a disgusted look, then stands and grabs her weapons as if in warning.*
• Gabrielle is so overwhelemed with emotion when she sees Xena in danger that she overreacts and ends up killing an innocent.
• Xena is desperate to keep Gabrielle from killing herself/being executed. She pleads with Gabrielle not to tell the nomads: "Please! I beg you, please!" There is an amazing amount of emotion in this plea as I don't recall ever hearing Xena beg before.
• Xena bonds with Gabrielle over her death wish: "I felt that way once. I thought there was nothing left to live for; I was tired and hurting and I just wanted it to end."
  "What changed it for you?"
  "You did."
• "You saved me today, Xena, against the greater good. Why? Isn't that what we've been fighting for?"
  "Gabrielle, in everyone's life there's something that goes beyond the greater good. It's what you are in my life."

Commentary:

Right on! This is what it's all about to me. Gabrielle and Xena were the most boring couple when they were equals, almost mirror images of each other. That's one of the reasons Season Five sucked so much. Most people have described their relationship in that season as "business partners." This episode is a return to themes brought up in Season Four, themes I really loved. Last week I talked about the conflict Gabrielle should be having with her new found violence, and here it is. Thank you Melissa Good!

This is one of the few things that I am proud of in Xena. Or at least I was proud of it until the theme disappeared for over a year. You have what is on the surface a show about scantily clad women running around defending the weak with occasional strays into sophomoric humor. Not much to look at is it? As far as I can tell the appeal of the show has been with a relationship between the main characters that they are too cowardly to clarify, and a theme that is somewhat subversive: this show about violence can be really uncomfortable with that violence. Xena is trying to make up for her past. Gabrielle is trying to not become Xena. Main antagonists are those who promote violence (Ares, warlords). This is what redeems the show in my eyes from being another run of the mill action show. I mean, do we really watch it because it is Walker Texas Ranger meets Baywatch? I hope not.

One of the other things I liked in this episode was that it was rich with history. I believe that shows like the X-Files and Buffy The Vampire Slayer are successful not just because they are well written, but also because they reward long time fans with a progressive complexity. All episodes seem to build up from previous ones. This is why if you watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer you see the "Previously on Buffy The Vampire Slayer" montage which sometimes goes back four seasons! Yet the way the show is written, you are not required to see previous episodes to enjoy the current one. Xena has focused more on the stand alone episodes. They don't really mention or build up from previous episodes the way these other series do. This one, however, does reference back to several other ones. Gabrielle has a nice montage while she waits to be executed. Though the one odd thing that annoyed me is a montage should not include scenes that already happened in tonight's episode! We just saw it; we haven't forgotten what occured a few minutes ago! And of course (and I hope this continues) this episode has the return of Gabrielle's staff!

Let's all agree that I don't live in the desert. I never have lived in the desert. I have never even been to the desert. But I have a big problem with the nomads being able to predict a sandstorm by the position of the sun in the sky. Um, hello? This just can't be right. Sandstorms cannot possibly occur everyday, everywhere in the desert, whenever it's 4 o'clock.

*Thanks to Kat for the sharp eyes!