Script for "The Abyss"
Posted by Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit | xena | View on Reddit | 12 comments
The Abyss stands as one of all my time fav eps of XWP.
Hope being mentioned by Gabrielle was really sad, and it was a commendable effort by the writers to tie any remaining loose ends before the series ended.
The script had Xena apologize for what happened. It didn't make it into the final product but I thought it was worth mentioning.
seventy912@reddit
I can definitely see why that bit got cut out but would’ve been cool if something similar had remained. Doesn’t really sound like Xena or Gabrielle.
NoReach1699@reddit
I prefer what’s in the episode. It’s more sentimental, more subtle. And you understand everything without needing such an explicit explanation. I’m glad they changed it. But it’s nice to know there’s also this other version.
Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit (OP)
Well said. Xena explicitly mentioning Hope would be more for Gabrielle than anything else. I'm more than pleased by the scene we actually got. But this one's nice.
It's admirable that the writers were going to mention Hope at all. We don't need to be privy to every meaningful conversation between X and G, and I'm sure they had one after the ep was over.
Overall_Sandwich_671@reddit
I Hope it doesn't haunt you too much.
Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit (OP)
Truly, a poor choice of words! No one ever said Xena had to be good at giving apologies 😂
Overall_Sandwich_671@reddit
Hopefully they can work out their differences.
ChippieChamp@reddit
That is interesting?
While I don’t care for the whole story in the episode, but I only like cave moments scene where talked about their past and future.
But I did always felt the whole Hope situation, feels so incomplete and Xena didn’t brought it up.
When Gabrielle was back to normal and better in the episode or the episode, this script dialogues seems to at least give Gabrielle some closure that.
She never got to heals and at least move passed of her trauma and guilt, while Xena finally knowledge the pain and suffering Gabrielle gone through.
Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit (OP)
Xena dealt with the situation horribly. She should've tried to reason with Gabrielle and understand her perspective rather than insist on killing Hope. What's most frustrating is that this takes place 3 SEASONS into the show, so about 3-4 years since they met.
Gabrielle didn't know what was happening, none of this was her choice. And somehow, she's expected to give up her child, just like that?
But I like the addition of the scene in "The Abyss" bc Gabrielle has a chance to express some of the loss we never got to witness firsthand. Most of it became internalized, I imagine, and Xena can finally understand some of the pain Gabrielle's had to shoulder on her own.
ChippieChamp@reddit
That my point exactly, Xena definitely handled the situation horrible. She should have talks to Gabrielle and understand her pov, instead of just to kill Hope immediately while Gabrielle was sleeping.
Upon discovering the dead knight and trying to force Gabrielle to immediately believe her.
Confident-Club1310@reddit
Xena's tears, her embrace, her kisses said more about her sorrow and compassion for Gabrielle than this script's words ever wil
Agent8699@reddit
Does that version of the script still have Gabrielle hallucinating about Hope in the cave?
I wish this dialogue had remained, although it doesn’t read quite right for Xena or Gabrielle. Xena’s too … chatty and Gabrielle is too … fraudulent. But, the crux of it could have remained.
Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit (OP)
It still does, and it's almost word-for-word.
Gabrielle jumps in and out of consciousness while Xena expresses a lot of concern over her safety.
An apology from Xena was long overdue; one way or another, Gabrielle lost her child. On even a basic level, Xena should've been able to relate to that feeling....of what could've been.