Which episode SHOULD have ended the series?

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invisiblebyday@reddit

Um, Many Happy Returns is the final episode of the series. Don't try and tell me otherwise. Please don't tell me otherwise.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, I definitely agree Many Happy Returns would be a great episode. As a finale to end the series, which the Ring Trilogy would be my version of finale to end the series.

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invisiblebyday@reddit

Meant to say the Valkyrie trilogy would have been a legit way to end the series. Must have thought of it soon as I saw the word "trilogy."

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Tricky_Direction_897@reddit

I would do Soul Possession, then When Fates Collide, and end on Many Happy Returns. I’d even be ok with AFID 1&2 slipping in between SP and WFC!

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

That is a good order to watch it in, but I would ended with the Ring Trilogy as my finale episode.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Ok, but where should the kiss be? In AFIN it seems to be the culmination of their time together.........at last...........

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Tricky_Direction_897@reddit

I’m a X/A shopper, so I’m not too fussed about the kiss either way 🙃

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

In that case I'm surprised yo didn't want the finale to be Old Ares Has a Farm - which was full of possibilities! Imagine the three of them settling down together..........

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Tricky_Direction_897@reddit

One of my all time favorite episodes! But I would have wanted the final ep to be a more classic Xena ep!

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Yes, it probably did deserve to be the end of her search for redemption. But they should have let Gabrielle resurrect her.

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I liked that trilogy. So rather than flying into the sunset as in MHR, they fly off to reinstate Grinhilda and all is forgiven. Except you really need You Are There to follow so that both Ares and Aphrodite are reinstated too.

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TicketTop4718@reddit

It was the same kind of deal as AFIN, Xena going off to right a past wrong, knowing she'll probably die, but the trilogy has a happy ending instead.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I agree, the Ring Trilogy is more of a happy story and ending. Unlike AFIN was an horrible story and a sad ending, with Xena dies in a terrible way and Gabrielle left alone in the end.

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LV_Hansen-HNG@reddit

You Are There could work as a finale right after the Ring Trilogy.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes! I definitely would want the Ring Trilogy as finale episodes to end the series.

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TicketTop4718@reddit

It should have ended with them reunited and flying off on the magic horse together

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yeah, it could.

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LV_Hansen-HNG@reddit

That is great choice of episodes to end the series, I love that trilogy episode as it got great storyline and romance in it.

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Agent8699@reddit

A different episode - a brand new one.

Or When Fates Collide - expanded to be a two parter.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

If I could write a new story for the finale, I would have Xena and Gabrielle go their separate in the end.

With Gabrielle goes and becomes the Amazon Queen, fulfilling her duties of the leader of the tribe and helps to run it.

While Xena could go off and search Eve and started a mother and daughter relationship, if the series have to end. That’s how I would’ve ended the show for the finale, without for her needed to die in the end.

I would agree with When Fates Collide as a finale to end series, if it was a 2 parter episodes and it ends with Xena is brought back to life or is alive.

But I would have to go with the Ring Trilogy as my finale episode with You Are There would make a good finale episode to the series.

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Automatic-Adeptness4@reddit

Motherhood.

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LV_Hansen-HNG@reddit

Mother is an interesting choice for a finale to end the series, even though it’s not an season six episode as I would be glad to end with Motherhood as a finale.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Any reason why? I'd never have thought of this episode as a series finale.

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Automatic-Adeptness4@reddit

It was the culmination of the Greek Gods storyline. The entire reason for the show / universe with Hercules. Plus what a way to end the show with the final two lines being: “looks like you got your daughter back” “NO, we got OUR daughter back” it just felt perfect. Season 6 just showed us what we already knew would eventually happen but didn’t want to see (amazons and centaurs dying off, all of Xena and Gabbys family dead)

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I don’t mind sharing a bit more of the Amazon, while I yes don’t really care for the Centaurs too.

But I definitely didn’t like Xena and Gabrielle their parents were dead in the same season and not that long apart, after Xena’s mom was burnt to death and Gabrielle’s was beheaded by Gurkhan as sad and cruel to end both of their parents.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Season 6 had some horrific episodes, that's for sure.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Good point. I'd forgotten the whole final scene.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I would be ok with Motherhood as a finale, considering what season 6 was like and finale ended badly.

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LV_Hansen-HNG@reddit

I guess any of the episodes can be ending finale of the last season, just as long a erase the two last episode they call as a finale written by Rob.

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FirebirdWriter@reddit

I would want a new ending. Something that cuts off the bad ending and shows a rebirth for them. Maybe travel but peace

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

If could write a new episode and ending, I would have Xena and Gabrielle go their separate way in the end.

With Gabrielle go Amazon and become the queen and lead the group and help them rebuild their society, while Xena could go on her solid journey to find her daughter Eve and help her redemption and her identity.

While they still think of each other in their separate lives as Xena, promised to visit Gabrielle in the Amazon as soon as she find Eve.

That I would have ended series and Xena didn’t have to die.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

That would have been SO much better..........sort of like, IMO, "OMG what MORE do these wretched humans want for me, no wonder I killed so many when I was evil. So I made a mistake? I feel for a silly little girl who must have known what would happen if I took her ashes back to her hometown and man, what a bitch she was to have put me into that position in the first place! OK I'll kill this soul-taker or whatever he is and free the 40,000 souls, even though they were idiots who should have simply left their homes and jumped into the water around them when their village was on fire, (couldn't they see I was grieving?) but there's no way I'm gonna stay in their stupid company. I've had enough of this shit. I've done my bit, and even more. The only thing I'm interested in now is settling down with my gf, that irritating little blond.........and maybe travelling the world.........."

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FunCase8801@reddit

Anything but AFIN. Perhaps a different episode all together. Hated that finale and I always will

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Absolutely, yes. Anything but AFIN, your not one hated AFIN as a finale for season 6.

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FunCase8801@reddit

Ugh. The worst!

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Absolutely the worst episode to end the series.

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NiceRefrigerator4079@reddit

When Fates Collide definitely. This is point of entire show.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, or Many Happy Returns should be the finale to end the series.

While I would choose to have the Ring Trilogy, as my finale ending to end the series in my order of the season 6.

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NoReach1699@reddit

Although I love AFIN, i'm trying yo think of another episode that would work as finale for me. Noone of the mentioned really works for me. WFC is AMAZING but i don't know if works as a finale cause... It's not them? I dunno... I think the only other episode that gives me series finales vibes is Ides of march... But I really love season 6. Dunno. Maybe Helicon for me? It keeps Gabrielle growth in center and it has the "passing of the torch" vibe of AFIN. Just ranting, lol.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Helicon and Last of the Centaurs should never have happened - I really hated how they decimated the Amazons and the centaurs (not that I was ever a Centaur fan, really, but they were supposed to be noble fighters and they got killed so easily?) Besides Helicon was really a Gabrielle episode, not a Xena one, so not really suitable to end the series with. I will admit that, at least in AFIN, they seemed to give both our girls plenty of airtime each. I just didn't like the story or the conclusion.

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NoReach1699@reddit

Helicon is one of my favorite episodes of the whole show

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I love the To Helicon and Back as well, a good Gabrielle episode.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

I hated it, because it was all so pointless, all that death.

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Latte-Catte@reddit

I think Many Happy Returns, where Xena and Gabby flew off into the sunset arm in arm after a love poem confession was the ideal ending. In my headcanon, I'd like to watch both When Fates Collide, and Many Happy Returns after Friends in Needs. But maybe an episode before the two where Gabrielle successfully revive Xena.

As for any of the modern episodes. I feel like even if you sat down and watch them in order, they still wouldn't make any sense. You can even exclude them (except Xena Scrolls) and nothing in the series would change haha. The reincarnation concept would've been introduced by seaosn 4 anyway.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I would have love Many Happy Returns as the finale episode as well, but I would also would have the Ring Trilogy as the finale to end the series.

If the ending could have been rewritten, I would have both of them go their separate ways. With Gabrielle go to become an Amazon Queen and fill her duty become their leader, while Xena could go on a journey to search for her daughter Eve and have a bonds mother and daughter relationship.

Something that Xena was robbed to have during the 25 jump skip.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Permanently going their separate ways wouldn't have done it for me. Perhaps a version of Kindred Spirits, where Gabrielle stays with the Amazons as their Queen (changing all those ridiculous traditions) but at the same time allows Xena to go off "to work" so to speak, now and then, returning to their village like partners where one of them works away for a while but always comes home, like work two weeks, come home for two weeks.

Your idea about giving Xena the opportunity to find Eve and develop a relationship with her is interesting but ultimately wouldn't work, unless Eve gave up the whole religious thing, because Xena doesn't believe in that any more having dealt with the foibles of Archangel Michael - whose characterisation was enough for me NOT to support that version of his religion as well.

What if we give Eve a child, but because she wants to continue her missionary ways, she gives the child to Xena and Gabrielle to raise in the village? That at least gives both Xena and Gabrielle the chance to be proper parents without any 25 year time jumps!

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Not permanent, more like temporary.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

When I wrote this comment, I hadn't seen all the comments and scenarios you'd exchanged further down in the post with EBJ1990......

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Um, ok.

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

To be honest I'm one of the few who accepts FIN as a final episode. I'm grateful for the amazing scenes they gave Gabrielle in that story and the path they set for her to be a warrior in her own way.

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NoReach1699@reddit

I'm keeping AFIN too. Amazing finale all around.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

AFIN wasn’t an amazing finale.

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NoReach1699@reddit

It was for me

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Fair enough.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

I'm a sucker for happy endings though, and that wasn't a happy ending for me, despite Gabrielle's growth and acceptance, it seems, of Xena's mantle.

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EBJ1990@reddit

I also am a sucker for happy endings, so I really want Many Happy Returns to be the finale.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, I too would love Xena and Gabrielle had a happy ending at the end of the series.

But I didn’t mind Xena dies in the end of the show, I just wish it was done better and written handled well.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Indeed, we just needed it handled well.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, Xena death should have been done and handled better.

Also I would rather have Xena and Gabrielle go their separate ways with Gabrielle became the Amazon Queen, while Xena go and tried to search for Eve and try to have a mother and daughter relationship.

To end the series like that as well, if they didn’t want it to be similar. To Hercules and Iolaus ending, them retired in the end of their series.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Yeah I like the idea of them being semi-retired but still in each others' lives (it would be odd if they just didn't ever want to see each other again). It would be good for Gabby to have stability with her Amazons and have time with her sister and niece while I agree that Xena can be with Eve.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, a sort of retirement for both of them. As Gabrielle could fulfil her duty as the Amazon queen, while Xena journey of redemption that she could help with Eve.

With her and probably help her daughter find her true identity or something, while Xena and Gabrielle can still see each other while they’re on their separate life or duty.

Without Xena needed died at the end of her series.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Exactly! Being in each other’s lives while still doing their own thing would be great. There’s no need for Xena to die in such an awful way.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yes, they can still be in each other life’s and can still see each other anytime they want. If the showrunner didn’t want it, be too the same like Hercules and Iolaus in their show.

While I think Gabrielle becoming an Amazon Queen, would make much more and better sense for her to use warrior skills. Then her becoming Xena replacement in the end of the finale.

Meanwhile, Xena could go on her solo journey. To find her daughter Eve and have mother and daughter bonds relationship. Something I think both probably wanted, but was stolen from both of them to have.

Without Xena needed to die in the end, as her journey could do continue and helping her daughter with her redemption or something.

While Gabrielle fulfil her just as the Amazon Queen helping with their society, while she still could spend time with her sister and niece while Gabrielle is an Amazon leader.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Yeah they could certainly end up like Iolaus/Herc. And yes Xena going off with Eve for a bit while Gabby finally settling as an Amazon queen would be fun. Though I wish the whole 25 years didn't need to happen, I liked Ephiny and the first Amazon group we meet.

If we didn't do the time jump we can see Gabby with our first group of Amazons and we can also see her spend time with her sister and se her get married/have children.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Definitely, I didn’t have a problem with the jump skip. But if the jump skip didn’t happen, Xena would still raise Eve from a baby and watch her grow.

While both of their parents would still be alive, while would love to see Gabrielle have a child of her own.

Whether with or without a husband as I would prefer, if she just had a kid with someone as she doesn’t need to be married to have a child.

While Gabrielle is an Amazon Queen and still visit and spend time with her family.

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EBJ1990@reddit

I think without the time jump Xena would definitely appreciate being able to raise Eve by herself and not have to give her up like Solan.

With Gabby I think she would want to be married if she was going to have children (that just seems her personality). I really liked Iolaus with her. (And justice for Talus)

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Xena would certainly raised Eve, she promised to do with her. Something that she never got to do Solan.

While Gabrielle could definitely have a child of her own somewhere along the line, she could get married and have kids that way.

But again I would prefer, she just have a kid with somebody and raise her child in the Amazon. If it’s a girl or it her child could live with her family if it’s a boy.

While I personally don’t see that, Gabrielle needs to be married to have a child. While I don’t see her married or ship her with Iolaus, I guess it would be interesting to see Iolaus could fathered her a child.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Yes they would both obviously want to be involved with their children they had especially after Solan/Hope. They had some bad luck. I think Iolaus would be a good father and husband personally.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Both definitely wanted to be involved both in their first child’s life, after Gabrielle had Hope and it led to Solan demise really mess both of them up.

Yes, Iolaus would be a great father to Gabrielle kid. If somehow they end up see each other again and had one, if she couldn’t be with Xena as I still think that. Gabrielle still can have a child without, being to married to have one.

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StyraxCarillon@reddit

I hated that ending so much! Hercules and his buddy get to walk off into the sunset together. Xena gets her headless, arrow ridden corpse hung up like an animal.

There were so few shows with fearless women as leads, and that's how they chose to end her series. Hated it!!

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EBJ1990@reddit

It's awful

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

Yeah, I agree. Hercules get a happy ending with his best mate Iolaus and retired.

While Xena doesn’t and she get a horrible disgusting death in her, while she leave poor Gabrielle behind and make her go on journey alone without her soulmate.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Of the ones I suggested in the initial post, MHR is the only episode of the four that I didn't think really needed anything more added to it to make it better.

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EBJ1990@reddit

Honestly I just love happy episodes and I love Aphrodite so a combination of that would be great.

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rkmmc1@reddit

Agreed! I loved the character growth, the solidifying of their relationship, pretty much all of it except the perma-death. I like my heroes riding off in the sunset.

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FirebirdWriter@reddit

In any new ending I want that growth to stay. For both of them. I just don't agree that Xena should have died so others can still be dead but not damned. It just doesn't make sense. So as an adult I appreciate FIN up to the "oh right I am so terrible and killed all these people." Guilt doesn't make that true or I am a monster for petting my neighbor's cat as a kid with permission (my parents said no). If she hadn't been defending herself after taking so much crap? I might have been able to accept that because she does a lot of bad things but she was already in literal heaven.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I don’t have a problem of Xena dies in the end of the series, I just wish it was done and handled written properly. As I think Rob done a terrible job on her, death scene and the way that she had to die.

Also would rather have Xena and Gabrielle go to separate ways with Gabrielle became the Amazon Queen, while Xena could go and search for Eve and have a bonds relationship with her as a Mother and Daughter.

How I probably would write the last two episode and Xena didn’t have to die.

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

Well I do agree it is an unsatisfying resolution for Xena and a poorly thought out one. I was never a fan of having another flashback in the final episode.

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Nicoler37@reddit

What is the weird way the director wanted when fates collide to be acted?

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

The way the director asked Renee and Lucy to deliver those first few lines with the deeper, emotionless-type voices in that scene, after that loom/universe has been destroyed and Gabrielle's standing there in the forest alone, looking around and Xena rides up. It' s not the natural way they talked. Even Renee commented on it somewhere (an article perhaps?)

At least after Xena pulled Gabrielle up on Argo II, they seemed to go back to their normal talking voices when Gabrielle asked Xena if she really liked the play and Gabby responds everyone's a critic.

What would have cemented that episode for me would have been if Xena then turned around and kissed Gabrielle (proper romantic kiss on the lips) and said something like "I should have done that a long time ago" - because they both remembered their other timeline and what had happened in this timeline. Then Gabrielle snuggled up to her back and they rode off together for future adventures. That would have probably have been too similar to how Hercules ended I guess.

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Nicoler37@reddit

I’d pick your version — makes the most sense!

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

YAY! Let's re-write Xena........ 😊

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XyberVoXXX@reddit

... Yea... when Hercules turned to Iolaus and finally made out with him... the Journey was so worth it.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

You must have been watching the X-rated porn version!!!

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XyberVoXXX@reddit

Oh, yep, that's what it was.

Jerkules: The Legendary Handy

I gotta start wearing my glasses more.

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sjcs1@reddit

ides of march (not sorry)

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NoReach1699@reddit

I can accept that as a series finale too

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

No a world without some of the stories in seasons 5 and 6 (and no Battling Bard Gabrielle) would be difficult for me.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Especially Gabby with the short hair, sais and even more revealing outfit showing off her abs etc.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Wow! Both of them dead. Interesting. I know Season 5 wasn't the most popular but I thought there were some good episodes in Season 6. There were some bad episodes in that season as well...........

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HausCat4@reddit

I would have loved WFC to be the series ending, but would have loved it to be a two or three parter. I feel like there could’ve been so much more story to tell in that universe. Then have Xena and Gabrielle knowingly look at one another (instead of the weird clipped dialogue) and ride off into the sunset.

I would absolutely love if Katherine Fugate wrote a little something for the fans in the WFC universe. Especially since she is a big Xena fan.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

If WFC were a parter episodes, I definitely would agree to have that. As the finale to end the series.

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Latte-Catte@reddit

100% agree on making When Fate Collide a 3-parter like the Ring trilogy. Alti and Caesar wasn't given enough screentime to develop as the villains, and it seems like in the end the motivation behind why Caesar killed Xena choosing Alti doesn't make sense. I mean, he went against the gods to reset time for this opportunity. Is he really gonna give it all up for a Gabrielle showing up? I mean, Caesar could've just killed her in secret. As for the xenagab scenes, it took an entire season for Xena originally to be vulnerable with Gabrielle. Without context, watching WFC as a standalone, they're just using the cliche love at first sight trope between them. For a show about their slowburn love, an immediate fall head first doesn't make much sense in hindsight.

I wish Fugate would release the WFC script soon for the rest of us.

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RedwoodFox71@reddit

I have to go with Many Happy Returns as my finale, but I would choose the Ring Trilogy also my finale that should end season 6.

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West-Protection-6327@reddit

Xena warrior princess 👑

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

As in the first episode on Hercules? So, I take it, you didn't like the Xena tv series.

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Latte-Catte@reddit

Nope, I think this user is a semi-bot account. Unless they're willing to come out and prove it, at least write in full sentences.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

I'm glad to hear that. Can't quite understand why someone who didn't like the XWP series is on a xena subreddit!

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rkmmc1@reddit

Old Ares had a Farm. Ares remains mortal (despite the episodes with him in later timelines) and continues a redemption arc as a regular human, hanging out on the farm with his dog. Xena and Gabrielle continue their adventures and come back to visit for the occasional R&R. And they all lived happily ever after.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

He certainly turned back into a bit of a prick after getting his godly powers back didn't he?

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rkmmc1@reddit

He did! I was so bummed they totally reversed all the character progression in an instant.

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

That was a very dumb move I felt. I was really hoping for some growth in Ares after Farm not a regression.

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Designer_Stage_489@reddit

I didn't like send in the clones or soul possession, they felt like fanfiction. Many happy returns would be my pick.

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AuntyEmfromOz@reddit (OP)

Those episodes were not great, but if they'd been better, they might have worked. After all they brought Xena and Gabrielle into the future/modern day, sort of, and Ares finally did something right, in Soul Possession, by accepting that X&G were meant to be together and made sure their bodies matched their previous lives at least.

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XyberVoXXX@reddit

Soul Possession

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matt-89@reddit

You Are There would be a rather bold and unique ending.

When Fates Collide or Many Happy Returns for me though work.