Past Imperfect

• Xena is going off to warn the town Actus of an impending attack. "No sense in us both going. Stay here, catch up on some rest."
  • They are both stowing away their blankets and such. Why does Gabrielle now need to catch up on some rest?
• In the past, Evil Xena walks into her tent and immediately her servant grrl, Satrina, comes scampering to give her a back rub. Now, what kind of hetero warrior princess would have a servant grrl? I'm thinking that Xena began something with Alti, and now has a preference for servant grrls.
• Back in the present, while Xena is breaking down the dam with some engineers, Pasicus watches her and says "She's amazing!" Gabrielle gives him a very weird look.
• In the past again, Borias sneaks into Xena's tent while she's drugged and giving birth. "Before Alti, before all this, we had love Xena."
  • Ha! So after Alti IS when Xena went for girl/girl action alone.
• Some subtext in the scene of Xena giving birth, with only Satrina in attendance.
• The show ends in another 'campfire scene.' This means it's confessional time for one of our heroines, this time Xena, and Gabrielle does her usual thing: looking sympathetic and concerned, stroking Xena's arm and hair, putting her head on Xena's shoulder in a half hug. Then, of course, the scene fades to a moon and finally the credits. Why the fade? BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SHOW WHAT CAME NEXT, SILLY!!!!

Notes:
Most of this episode centers not on surviving the seige, but on Gabrielle's safety. This need of Xena's to do Whatever it takes to guarantee Gabrielle's safety is, of course, Subtext!
Sorry folks, but if this is some attempt to make some new super-villain ala Callisto, it blew! Satrina just didn't do it for me.