Sins of the Past

Subtext:

• Xena abandons her attempt at a peaceful lifestyle when she sees that Gabrielle and a group of women from Poteidaia are being attacked by Draco's men.
  • Xena only interferes when Gabrielle herself is threatened with a whipping.
  • Xena keeps glancing over her shoulder at the women while she is fighting the barbarians.
  • Xena is distracted helping Gabrielle, getting her clobbered from behind. (pointed out to me by sammm. Thanks!)
• Gabrielle has an instant bond with Xena and begs to be taken with her.
  • Villagers of Poteidaia ask Xena to leave, Gabrielle is the only one who defends her.
  • Gabrielle's betrothed, Perdicus, asks her to come along; Gabrielle blows him off so she can talk to Xena.
  • Gabrielle tells Xena: "You've got to take me with you...you can't leave me here."
• Xena asks Draco to spare Poteidaia.
  • Draco asks Xena "You care for that village?" looks at her face, and then an understanding overcomes him.
  • Draco, acting on his new "understanding" says: "Join with me. We'd make an invincible team." "I can't do that," responds Xena. "What does that mean?" he retorts.
• Gabrielle runs from her family, town, and betrothed to follow Xena.
  • She tells her sister, Lila, "You know I'm different from everyone else in this town." "I know you're crazy." "Call it what you like."
  • She reveals that she does not love Perdicus.
• To escape from a cyclops, Gabrielle says she can get close enough to Xena to kill her.
  • "She'd never let a man get close enough to do her. ...A young, innocent looking girl like me; I'll catch her totally off guard."
• After saving Xena from an angry mob, Gabrielle begs to get up on to Argo with her.
  • "I can probably get up there behind you. ...I came all this way to see you."
  • As soon as she is on the horse, Gabrielle snuggles up to Xena's back.
• Xena bears her heart to her dead brother, and Gabrielle overhears.
  • "It's hard to be alone," says Xena. Gabrielle enters the doorway. "You're not alone." Xena smiles.
• After the big fight scene, Xena leaves her village. Gabrielle enters her campsite later that night.
  • She tells Xena "I'm not the little girl my parents wanted me to be. You wouldn't understand." "It's not easy proving you're a different person," responds Xena. They exchange a significant look. "You can sleep over there," says Xena, throwing a blanket to the other side of the fire. They look at each other and laugh.
  • The next morning Xena tells Gabrielle, "You know where I'm headed there will be trouble." "I know." "Then why would you want to go into that with me?" "That's what friends do. They stand by each other when there's trouble." "All right...friend."

Notes:
A lot of subtext friendly websites that i have visited have criticized Gabrielle for not having a clue about Xena's love for her. All i have to say to them is: Watch THIS episode. This is where the relationship is begun, and it is Gabrielle who is the pursuer, Xena the pursued. There is some initial attraction or interest between the two immediately on sight, shown during the opening fight sequence. But Xena is not ready or willing to act on her impulses. Gabrielle is. She begs to follow Xena. She could not be more interested in Xena, less interested in her home life, or her fiancee. She is overwhelmed by the newness of her emotions, the exciting opportunities they present. Xena, the more experienced lesbian, has been burned a few times, is not looking for a relationship, but Gabrielle's enthusiasm triggers something in her. She leaves Poteidaia, but goes right to Draco and asks him not to torment that village any linger. Draco, who knows Xena well, sees in her that there is a reason...a person that means something to Xena. Meanwhile, Gabrielle leaves her old life to journey with Xena, whether Xena wants her to or not. It is not until the scene in her brother's crypt that Xena is willing to explore the relationship that might blossom between Gabrielle and herself. In the penultimate scene, Gabrielle wanders into Xena's campsite to throw herself at Xena. They quickly find that they are on the same wavelength and consummate the relationship that night. (Hence the laughter when Xena tells Gabrielle to sleep on the other side of the fire--not gonna happen.) The next morning, Xena just needs to know one thing: was this just a fling? or is this the begining of a relationship. Gabrielle quickly reassures her.
This is a very clever story because it is simultaneously balancing two different storylines: The hardened, introverted woman who needs to realign her sense of who she is; who is unwilling to let anyone get close to her. And the budding woman who is exploring her new found sexuality and is excited by the opportunities that are before her.
Two interesting things to note in this episode: Xena calls Argo "boy." And her neck pinch lasts 20 seconds, and leaves the victim numb and apparently paralyzed for a few minutes.