I pictured Xena as listening to Gabrielle work on stories or maybe in a tavern or two, but not really seeing herself as the hero or being particularly interested in revisiting what she did as part of her "job." Sort of like a plumber thinking, "Yeah, I kept that house from flooding. It's what I do. Who cares what type of pipe, wrench or bolt I used?"

The poignant part for me was that in the "end," Xena was giving value to her bard's stories about who she was, had accomplished and their journey together -- not what she herself or anybody else thought. It was like acknowledging she accepted Gabrielle's version, even though it painted a "good" Xena the WP never really saw. Gabrielle always wanted Xena to love and forgive herself. It must have been very gratifying to Gabrielle when she said, "You would've liked them" and Xena responds, "I know" -- an answer from the heart, if not the brain.