When Fates Collide

When Fates Collide

Written by Katherine Fugate
Directed by John Fawcett

Episode synopsis:

Segment one:

Caesar has escaped from Hell and chained up the Fates. He alters the tapestry of life so that he did not crucify Xena shortly after meeting her. Reality rearranges itself to accomodate this. Caesar is now still Emperor of Rome, and Xena is his Empress.

Segment two:

Alti is in this reality too. She is the high priestess of Rome. The three of them attend a play put on by Gabrielle, where Xena is overwhelmed by her instant connection with this playwright. Caesar becomes jealous, and Alti uses this opportunity to attack Xena with the idea of becoming the new empress.

Segment three:

Brutus saves Xena and Alti is jailed. Caesar arrests Gabrielle claiming that Alti named her as a co-conspirator. Xena makes her way to Gabrielle's cell where they tenderly share their feelings for each other. Xena agrees to free Alti in exchange for more visions of her future, which reveal the truth that this is not the intended reality. Gabrielle is brought out to be crucified.

Segment four:

Xena stops the crucifixtion by promising to cooperate with Caesar if he spares Gabrielle's life. He agrees and she is set free. He later, however, dispatches Alti to kill her. Xena interrupts that assassination and fights off Alti but roman troops arrive and subdue her.

Segment five:

Xena is crucified by Caesar, who is killed by Alti. Gabrielle, in her grief over losing Xena, goes to the temple of the Fates and finds them chained up and the loom in chaos. She destroys the tapestry, reinstating the proper reality.

Moments Of Subtext:

• Caesar complains about his fate: "I get stabbed in the back by my good friend Brutus while Xena gets to ride off into the sunset with her girlfriend."
• After the play, Xena throws a rose to Gabrielle, and they make eye contact. Each clearly feels a connection to the other.
• Caesar is clearly jealous of the connection Xena and Gabrielle seem to share.
• "Do you really believe that kind of love exists?" asks Xena.
  "It's what we all dream about, isn't it? Someone looks so deeply into our soul that they find something worth dying for." Gabrielle responds. They spend a beat looking into each other's eyes.
• When Xena and Caesar leave the post-play party, Gabrielle watches them leave in slow motion, obviously full of emotion.
• In their bed chamber Xena admits to an interest in Gabrielle, then refuses to sleep with Caesar.
• Xena watches Gabrielle from her balcony across the courtyard.
• Alti confronts Xnea: "I saw the way you looked at her tonight during the play. Wouldn't Caesar give anything to have you look at him that way?"
• "I'm not your empress; I'm your friend" says Xena as she gets Gabrielle off of the cross.
• "Xena, when I thought I was going to die, it all became so clear. My life is empty despite my success. I write about love but I've never felt it before." Gabrielle confesses to Xena before leaving Rome.
  "Rome is not safe for you. Leave now."
  "I will never forget you."
• "Xena, when I'm with you, this emptiness that I've felt my entire life is gone," Gabrielle tells Xena.
• "I can't let you die," Gabrielle tells Xena.
  "Some things are worth dying for; isn't that what your play was about? Being prepared to sacrifice all for love?"
  "For love."
• "I'll love you forever" Xena tells Gabrielle.
• Gabrielle confronts the Fates in her grief: "Your loom destroyed what was meant to be," she says before destoying reality.
• "I love you Gabrielle," says Xena as she is crucified.

Commentary:

Wow.

Wow.

A good episode, and it's is all about maintext! This episode is purely here to show that Xena and Gabrielle are meant to be, that their love crosses realities, and that nothing can stand in its way. Nearly every scene of this episode is there to talk about the love felt between these two characters. It is also an interesting episode because it steps into another reality, and it is always interesting to play "What might have been."

This episode also has what I think is on of the best endings I have seen in a Xena episode. You come back from commercial to find Xena being crucified, Alti stabbing Caesar while having sex with him, Gabrielle confronting the Fates in comfortless grief as she decides to destroy reality rather than live without Xena. Very powerful stuff.

Highly recommended.