They tried to make swords a thing after Xena got picked up multiple times. The problem is the choreography required wasn't believable with Sorbo. I don't hate on him as much as most. I actually had the weirdest lunch of my life with him (it was surreal and not entirely a choice so much as an "oh this is happening"). I like a lot of his work despite what he has become. He just couldn't make the sword look authentic. The picture here? Baseball bat stance. You put anyone else in the scenes with a sword and it really shows how stiff he is.

It's harder to watch for me now that I have training. Xena made me a sword girl and I did HEMA at the championship level for a long time.