Continuing my focus on Gabrielle ....

THE PRODIGAL (E18) -- Part 2

Gabs persists in looking for solutions, taking Lila along to hunt clues Xena taught her about ambushes, tracking and such.  Lila doesn't initially appreciate this sisterly time together.  "Tell me, Gab, is there anything Xena doesn't know, or should we build her a temple right now?"  She accuses Gabrielle of choosing the WP over her, professing, "I don't blame you.  Next to Xena, I must seem pretty dull.  I don't even know what a 'coverage tree' is."  A dumb-founded Gabs says, "I thought you were happy I was getting out to see the world."  Lila admits she was, until she realized it meant leaving her, not visiting or writing like "you forgot I existed."  Gabs insists she never forgot, that nobody could replace her as sister, that their connection is something "you either have or you don't.  Xena can't teach me that.  I already have it."  Moreover, "In fact, you're the reason I came home -- for good."  Hmm, not entirely accurate maybe, but makes Lila feel better.

Gabs knows from experience when and how to soothe her green tagalong's concerns about solo rescuing the kidnapped Meleager:  "The important thing is to safeguard the village, right?  The people would panic if they knew Meleager was missing.  You have to stay and make sure they don't find out.  Will you do that?"  (Sound familiar?)  Back at the village, Lila now intently notes what Gabs says and does to deal creatively with makeshift defenders and weapons, throwing herself into following her sister's instructions.  Gabs in turn acknowledges, "I watched you yesterday.... I saw a competent, caring woman.  You weren't the little girl you were when I left here."  

When Gabs encourages a sobered Meleager, "Look, the town needs a warrior," he likewise encourages her with, "The town has a warrior."  He disappears, indeed creating a panicked Pharis, who urges surrendering because "Meleager's the key to our whole defense.  Without a warrior, we're dead."  Mouse-turned-temporary-sidekick Lila staunchly declares, "But, we have a warrior.  Gabrielle can lead us," to the surprise of Pharis, Gabs and those discounting Gabs as an "outsider."  Undeterred, Lila orders everyone to shut up and presents a rousing pep talk about "who better than a student of Xena's? ...  I'm no hero, believe me.  But, the way I see it, we have two choices:  We either take a stand and possibly die.  Or, we surrender, and die for sure.  It's time to stop talking and start fighting!  Isn't that right, Gabrielle?  Isn't that what Xena taught you?"  She proudly concludes, "This is Gabrielle -- my sister!  This is her village!  And if you people were smart, you'd realize that Xena has taught her more about the warrior arts than you'll ever know about anything!"  You go, girl!

The villagers effectively employ Gabs' phase 1 defense strategies.  With "act don't react" reminder from Gabs, a rejuvenated Meleager returns to ensure victory.  Gabs has gotten to share with Lila what she learned from the WP about "when to fight, when to talk," "how to know the difference between a friend and an enemy," "what it means to have a best friend."  Gabs leaves and reunites with the WP, re-encountering and staff vaulting the bandits' cart that started everything.  She agrees with Xena, "That was gutsy, huh?  I didn't freeze."  For me, the real closer was her parting chat with Lila, who hands Gabs her carry bag, essentially giving her blessing for her sister's departure.  "It doesn't take an oracle to realize that you belong out there in the world with Xena, helping to change people's lives for the better -- like you did here" -- with and including her younger sister.

Continuing my focus on Gabrielle ....

THE PRODIGAL (E18) -- Part 1

Sorry, but I have a long-time nit to get out of the way first.  Gabs recognizes the danger from the bandits' cart and drops down like she should.  Xena secondarily sees the problem and pulls Gabs up.  THEN Gabs freezes, forcing Xena to trip her back to the ground.  Mind you, I love the WP, but to me, she's who erred, possibly making Gabs' question herself for no reason I can see. Xena consoles her with "maybe you're burnt out.  It happens," advising, "Act don't react.  Go with your gut."  Hellooo.  That's exactly what she did!  I accept TPTB needed an excuse for Gabs to lose confidence and go home, but that was a particularly pitiful head scratcher.  Still, I buy Gabs' truly fearing any bad judgement may get Xena killed, now that both of them expect the bard to pull her weight in fights.  I see her thinking more as a warrior in that moment -- a "liability" in that context -- more worried about her partner's physical survival than Xena's feelings or willingness to take that risk.  

Gabs goes on to perform well in two more new roles, one being the spark -- like Xena -- to convince her kinfolk not to bow down to warlords.  But the other stood out more to me, as the role she abandoned when she hot-footed it away from Poteidaia -- being a big sister.  She becomes Lila's Xena.  We watch Lila mature under her tutelage, to the point where the younger sibling becomes a fierce defender for the older one and finally achieves the respectful relationship between them that she needed.

Gabrielle's reception at her unexpected return home is about as cold as Xena's was in SOTP.  Lila greets her sister with resentment and obvious jealousy of Xena.  She informs Gabs that Damon's gang has "been hitting us for food and supplies every few months since you left.... I don't suppose you've brought the woman wonder with you."  Villager-in-charge Pharis argues, "Who cares?  We don't need Xena to save us.  We've hired a warrior of our own -- Meleager the Mighty."  

Though Gabs doesn't see herself as "the one" or immediately take charge, in battle mode she thinks and behaves much like the WP.  She's neither charitable about Meleager's flaws nor particularly understanding of Lila's snarkiness.  She scoffs at Lila's urging her to do something about the drunken, seemingly undependable savior the town hired.  "Xena would never act like this.  It shows a total lack of respect -- not just for us, but himself.  And one thing a fighter can't afford to lose is self-respect."  Lila counters, "Well, if Xena's so perfect, I'm surprised you can stand to be around simple people like us -- You know, your family."  Gabs, getting a clue about the source of Lila's negativity, suggests they talk.  "Talk?  We haven't talked for months.  Why start now?"  Lila later directs another snide remark to Gabrielle about  getting a meat skewer.  "It's not much of a weapon, but at least I can rely on it."  Ouch.

Gabs doesn't allow emotions to distract from the impending confrontation with warlords.  She remains thick-skinned to barbs from Lila, villagers scornful of her abilities and even Meleager.  "What do you know," he questions during her hard-nosed assessment of him as a "worthless drunk" who's lost his nerve.  "A farm girl like you?  How could you begin to understand the kind of work I do or how I live my life?"  He lists all the gore and dangers, including, "when you might freeze."  Unimpressed, Gabs discounts him as useless and suggests getting the villagers to band together.  Lila still thinks, "Without a warrior, no one's got the nerve."  

(Concluded in Part 2)

Continuing my focus on Gabrielle ....

MORTAL BELOVED (E16)

So ... in the beginning (okay, for decades) I focused on Xena -- her action, adventures, quest.  I frankly paid scant attention to her various dalliances.  Now that I'm following Gabs, I'm more alert to relationships.  For one, I've really noticed how much S1 so far has dabbled in showing our girls as "traditional" in hobnobbing with redshirts, yet doomed to fail.  "See, we would/could be your typical girl next door, except for bad luck."  And it's not just Gabs.  She learns that, like herself, her fiercely independent mentor was betrothed when young; at Princess Diana's nuptials, sees what Xena might look like in a wedding gown;  glimpses the WP's nostalgic glance at the "wife with children" tableau she's leaving behind in CHARIOTS; learns the WP had history with both Herc and Iolaus;  messes around a little with one of Xena's exes (Petracles) and now meets another in the briefly resurrected Marcus.  In this ep, the villain specializes in chopping up brides-to-be.  "You aren't about to be married, are you?" he hopefully asks when he encounters Gabs.  (Yes, I'm aware cultural "norms" influenced the boy-meets-girl scenarios, but was surprised by the pattern of XWP's subtle sabotage.)

In MB, Gabs seems to be taking a little break from her previous insta development as the WP's staff-wielding partner.   We begin with a young woman warning of her "horrible" encounter with a ghost.  Xena of course declares, "I'll go take a look."  She instructs Gabs, "You stay here."  Gabs uncharacteristically responds, "No problem.  It's all right."  She's less accepting when she finds out the apparition, Marcus, needs Xena to visit the Underworld via a very deep lake.  Gabs reasonably cautions, "You shouldn't be doing this," citing air supply and such.  Xena shrugs it off with the logic that she'll make it there whether she survives or not, that "the man I love has asked for my help to save good souls.  I have to try."  Gabs relents and watches Xena dive in -- fearing, as in PROMETHEUS, it may be a suicide mission.

The bard bloodies the villain's nose in her  brief action moment.  This actually highlighted even more the significance in her still, quiet vigilance camped out at the lake, waiting for Xena's return, uncertain -- as she is about the WP -- what mysteries, dangers or trials may lay beneath the surface.  Someone who exhibits the loyalty, commitment and patience, no matter what, that most folks would cherish in their lives.  (Reminded me of Xena plunging into the unknown to rescue Gabs in E2 DREAMWORKER, after traveling together only about a month, according to AuntyEm's timeline.)  

Xena indeed emerges successful, though at a price -- Marcus is dead again but in the Elysian Fields rather than Tartarus.  Gabs hugs her, optimistically predicting, "You'll be together again one day" (assuming the WP somehow earns redemption).  Xena tearfully pounds her heart, declaring "We'll never be apart.  He's in here forever."  You may recall she did something similar at his funeral, when she called him "my friend."  That took me back to the last word spoken in the premier ep -- "friend," which Gabs here personifies as the highest, most all-encompassing form of love underlying XWP.

Continuing my focus on Gabrielle ....

ROYAL COUPLE OF THEIVES (E17)

Not much to report.  Our bard continues her mini-vacation in this third-in-a-row Gabs-lite ep.  Her main assistance before the mission is helping choose wardrobes for Xena and Autolycus, plus using her knowledge of current events to provide for Auto a fairly detailed background on the dangerous man he'll be impersonating -- Lord Sinteres.   She then discretely disappears during the mission, apparently for a clandestine "don't need to know" role.  As events almost conclude, she's indeed a mystery figure, literally shrouded, dropped into the scene by Lord Sinteres.  We have to assume she got to the island by stowing away on the host's boat, securing another ride, maybe being a really strong swimmer.  

Unfortunately, she's slipped back into bad habits during her extra down time, like getting caught (twice) and painful introduction to Sinteres' pressure points (an upgrade from the customary knife at throat, which, yes, she also endures).   The characteristically verbose bard explains why she wasn't wherever she was supposed to be, carrying out whatever she was supposed to be doing, because of some unexpected wrinkle in her secret marching orders thusly:   "Xena, I'm sorry.  I had to do something."  😂  

Perhaps sensing Gabs isn't up to par (compounded by a bad headache from Sinteres' jabs), Xena goes into remedial mode.  "Arkel said that he was going to round up the villagers.  We need to know where he's taking 'em.  Gabrielle, follow them and mark the trail."  G:  "What about the two of you?"  X:  "Don't worry about us; just be careful."

Gabs gets captured too, but the markers she left must've worked.  Xena finds the cave with the bad guys and captives, engages in a finger-jab duel with Senteres.  We hear, but don't see, Gabs cheering, evidently having gone incognito again until after the WP wins.  Reappearing, she yells her customary "Everybody out!" and does a bit of butt-kicking. 

Lackluster participation notwithstanding, the wily bard does manage one memorable feat -- pilfering an expensive ring from the King of Thieves himself!  Rain-on-parade Xena reminds her the sacred tablets they saved commanded, "Thou shalt not steal."  Unfazed, like maybe she's getting her groove back, Gabs promises to return it, "as soon as I find the owner," who just happens to be an unspecified princess Auto pilfered it from.  Methinks she's been saving her energies because she's heard the next ep is Gabs heavy.