Which trilogy do you prefer? India or Valkyrie

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India because it meant something vital to the season and had a permanent impact on the series. Norseland was a pointless retread of past Xena tropes to put them into a Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. It told nothing new and had no impact

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Byanychance@reddit

Well said. There were so many untouched interesting past Xena storylines they could’ve indulged in and fleshed out more and instead added more to an already overcrowded backstory.

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Byanychance@reddit

India by far. Norse felt forced.

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ScentedFire@reddit

The Xena Ring Cycle has an indelible mark on my heart. It ends up being so romantic. I love the India episodes as well, although they haven't aged well in some ways.

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Artemischosenone@reddit

I prefer and love the Indian trilogy. I like that it was kinda center on Gabrielle. BTL, PF and Devi are among my favourite eps.

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Wayne47@reddit

India except for Eli character. Him and the whole direction of the show with Eve and Gabriel didn't work for me.

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Wicked68@reddit

India. India was random, but Valkyrie was just too random and too much Xena and Gabrielle separation

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itsascreambaby96@reddit (OP)

Wasnt Renee preparing for her second episode to direct its one of the reasons Return of the Valkyrie is Gabby lite

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Wicked68@reddit

Don't know. But it seemed like they were barely together during that whole story arch

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Inner-Pomegranate897@reddit

India

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Sighoward@reddit

The India arc are the only eps I skip entirely on my rewatches. The Valkkyrie arc has Valkyries. And Rhine maidens...

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Agent8699@reddit

India by a LOT!

The Norse trilogy is entertaining enough, but by that point in time, I was very over Evil Xena flashback episodes where Xena abandons Gabrielle to run off and right some past wrong and Gabrielle is sidelined for most of the episodes.

And the Norse trilogy is especially galling as everyone is just fine with Xena killing Grinhilda and Odin’s son. Like, there’s no discussion about how she imprisoned Grinhilda when she was pregnant and that child never got to live a normal life, except as a monster completely devoid of love to be slaughtered by Xena.

Kind of reminds me of another baby …

Sure, the Sleeping Beauty kiss between comatose Gabrielle and amnesiac Xena is kind of sweet, as was everyone’s bizarre obsession with Gabrielle after knowing her for five minutes. And I love Gabrielle attacking Grindl with the chakram.

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

I, too, did not like how Xena pushed Gabrielle away in the Ring Trilogy. Geez, Gabrielle says things like "don't ever leave me again" or "promise me you won't die on me again," and you think Xena would keep her word after all this time 😭 like girl I love you and I know you're self-destructive but Gabby ain't going anywhere. If she were, she would've left ages ago...

It also bothered me how Xena really only told Grinhilda, "Forgive me," like, what are you talking about?? She had a kid, and you killed him! Yikes, the warrior princess REALLY needs to brush up on her apologizing abilities cause damn was that rough to watch.

By S6, I thought Xena had plenty of backstory, imo most of those eps weren't needed - the incorporation of Norse Mythology was interesting, but idk I just wasn't all that invested. Except for the Xena and Gabrielle stuff, of course. If, let's say, X+G just so happened to travel to Norseland for whatever reason and stumbled across the monster, that would've been a diff story.

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Agent8699@reddit

And then in FIN, Xena does take Gabrielle to Jappa with her, which is a nice change, only to then abandon her and run off and die as part of her secret plan!

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

Oh my word!! You're right. Another traumatic experience for her to add to the list.

It was Akemi's plan all along! Way to play the long game...

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Agent8699@reddit

Haha - I think Akemi had more important things on her mind - like escaping sexual slavery in China, getting to Jappa, learning how to kill and murdering her father in revenge for his killing of her siblings, mother and grandparents!

All while tricking some random warlord into agreeing to decapitate her with a special sword and place her ashes in the family shrine! Oh and write some bad poetry!

I don’t think she was looking for love 😍

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

I'm just giving her a hard time. But now that you mention it, she did have a lot against her. Her father deserved to die. It's no wonder she ended up betraying Xena.

As I was watching AFIN for the 1st time, I found myself thinking Gabrielle never would've done something like that, though it's not entirely out of the question. Xena was quite awful during her warlord days. And judging by the way Gabrielle acted after Perdicus' death, I find it hard to believe.

Writing bad poetry!! Didn't seem to bother Xena all that much. Oh well, I'm sure having Xena all to herself was a nice plus for Akemi's plan. I'm afraid I'll never grow to like her, not that much anyway 🥲

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Agent8699@reddit

I have no issue with Akemi “betraying” Evil Xena.

She met Evil Xena in Chin where Xena was fresh off murdering and crucifying thousands of people, kidnapping, entombing and attempting to murder a young child, etc.

I think Gabrielle could, in the right circumstances, be open to manipulating a “baddie” for personal gain. Although, her tendency to try to see / believe the best in people, no matter how abhorrent, might get in her way 🤣

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

Oh no, I didn't have an issue w it either. In fact, it was absolutely called for!

If she's already killed by that point and become desensitized to certain things, then I could see her going through with it. Whether or not, she gets swayed by her desire to see the good in people is worth considering. I think it largely depends on how her worldview has changed - if she's more naive or realistic.

She did tell Xena she was no longer the evil person she once was, but it was easier for her to hold that stance when she hadn't interacted with her when she was a warlord. If she had, the story would've been way different!

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Agent8699@reddit

Absolutely! Gabrielle always seemed to see Evil Xena and her Xena as two separate people. She was always surprisingly shocked when Xena acted like … Xena 😆

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

"What do you mean you pillaged entire communities and enjoyed it?"

Gabrielle really loved her bc she never made her feel bad for who she was, although this may just be her looking at things with rose-colored glasses, actually 🤨

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Agent8699@reddit

I mean … we got a couple of comments from Gabrielle, like in … Paradise Found where she questions whether Xena likes fighting for the greater good or just fighting in general - I personally think it’s the latter 🤣

But, on the whole, she wears rose coloured glasses like Mattie will in the future, even after events like the attempted infantcide of Hope, GabDrag, GabChak, etc.

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

I'll have to be on the look out when I get to that ep! Totally forgot about that. She also mentions being afraid of Xena's dark side to Najara just as she's about to kill her.

In Xena's own words, "I never pass up a good fight."

Gabrielle is REALLY forgiving and I wouldn't easily conceive of that being a flaw, but here we are 😅

If we could keep a tally of the time Gabrielle spends defending her, we'd be here for years.

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Agent8699@reddit

I mean … the Xena Scrolls are one huge defence of Xena and she wrote those for many years! 📜

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

Inconsistencies aside, it does make for a great love story!! So I can't complain about that. Well, my only quip is the ending but I can't say that to the author so I'll have to settle for this.

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Agent8699@reddit

And then in FIN, Xena does take Gabrielle to Jappa with her, which is a nice change, only to then abandon her and run off and die as part of her secret plan!

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

Nothing at all bizarre about people being attracted to Gabrielle in my opinion. It was a nice change from people going googly-eyed over Xena all the time.

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IseQween@reddit

That's so interesting. Though I agree it wasn't "bizarre," it seemed to me from S1 on that more folks got "googly-eyed" over Gabs, even if it didn't last long or Xena was standing right there. Gabs attracts at least 7 in S1 alone. I always chuckled at how -- like Beowulf and Brunhilda -- Hippocrates' buddy in DOCTOR may have respected Xena's healing or warrior skills, but treated her like chopped liver, in comparison to Gabs, as do Xena's ex-fiance, Najara, Eli, Lin Qi, and desert boy in LEGACY.

Xena overall gets maybe 10, and that's including iffy cases like Borias, Caesar, Ares, Odin and even Lao Ma, where ulterior motives/manipulation were involved. Those drawn to Gabs typically valued the uncommonly "pure" spirit underlying her courage, good deeds and/or beauty. There was a positive aspect I rarely sensed in Xena's fewer googly-eyed liaisons.

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

I LIVED for that. I admire Brunhilda's forwardness upon experiencing the Gabrielle Effect in real-time 😏

By this point, we had seen many characters fall for Xena, so it was getting old.

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

I know I would have been the same with Gabby :-)

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Agent8699@reddit

I mean … who wouldn’t? 🤔

Gabrielle even grew on the god of war!

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

Oh without a doubt and I know I wouldn't have a chance 😂

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Agent8699@reddit

Oh, absolutely! But, Brunhilda and Beowulf got disturbingly obsessed very quickly! Brunhilda died to “save” Gabrielle after knowing her for what … a couple of days?

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

I won't mention Ulysses ;-)

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Agent8699@reddit

The OTP of Xena?! Why not mention him? 🪵

That obsession was mutual! And even more disturbing 🤢

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SakuraTacos@reddit

It didn’t help that, when Gabrielle told Brunhilda that Xena’s path is her path even if it leads to death, Brunhilda says “I wish I had a friend like you”, Gabrielle says “You do”

The heck, Gabrielle? Now why would you say that? How could you possibly lead Brunhilda to believe she has as much a friend in you as Xena does? Is her path your path, even in death?

No wonder Brunhilda was ready to die for Gab, she was under the impression the feeling was mutual 😂

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Agent8699@reddit

Haha - true! Gabrielle does like to keep her groupies on the hook - whether it’s Joxer or Brunhilda! She just loves the adoration and worship too much. It feeds her enormous ego!

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

So true 😅 can't argue w that

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7Clarinetto9@reddit

Suzanne (OITNB): I threw my pie for you!

Brunhilda: Hold my beer.

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ZanderArch@reddit

Despite introducing Timothy Omundson (Eli) in India, I'm going with the The Rheingold.

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ObnoxiousConsistent@reddit

I know Norse trilogy was gratuitous, but going by vibes only, i prefer it a lot to India i was just never that comfortable with the whole India storyline- not the white savior tropes, not Eli as White Indian Jesus, which is just plainly ridiculous … i liked the message and what the India episodes did for the show at large but not the adornment 🤷‍♀️

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DeedleStone@reddit

My thoughts exactly

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Dionne005@reddit

That’s tough. But just caz the India thing is longer I’ll say India just caz of Alti

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milehighgayguy@reddit

Love em both!

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Current-Chip5267@reddit

Lol neither Destiny/Quest/ANE. 😅

But going India with the choices asked.

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Popular-One-7051@reddit

Valkyries. I hated the India and Jesus wannabe thing and Eli creeped me out. Besides, now my WNBA team is the Valkyries and the arena is nicknamed Ballhalla. The mascot is even a raven. A girlie violet raven,but a raven nonetheless. Ballhalla has insane energy!!

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daryl772003@reddit

Definitely Valkyrie

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TicketTop4718@reddit

Valkyrie

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Away-Living5278@reddit

Valkyrie. I usually skip the India/peaceful Gabi on my rewatches. It's fine, some of it is even great.

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BookkeeperNo6615@reddit

Can't decide. I love them both so much!

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Ok_Cod_4834@reddit

India , i am sorry but no one needed another “ evil xena flashback episode “ let alone a whole trilogy where my girl gabrielle also got sidelined the whole time . Only thing i liked was the kiss lol. India has better and warmer vibes . Cause gabby wanted to go for a little journey and some healing perhaps . Finally not a storyline that revolved around going on a suicide mission and just 2 friends roadtripling through india . I also like how in 4x12 they already referenced that they would be going to india and it felt like a fun little roadtrip being stopped abruptly ( that damn “ peaceful man “ lol) but yeah, india all the way !!

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Trashy_Cappy@reddit

I genuinely believe the India arc was exactly that: two women in love, bumming through India between semesters, but anachronistic.

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Resha_Riandi@reddit

The India costumes and locations were beautiful but the story was kinda bad unlike Valkyrie's.

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WerewolfWild1323@reddit

That's how I feel about it too

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Great-Car-1358@reddit

Eu prefiro na Índia 😍😍

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Pop_Stensbold@reddit

that's Season 6 - Who's Gurkhan

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pastajewelry@reddit

I liked the confirmed soul mates part of India, but I never got into the aspects of the show that focused on current religions. The Valkyrie trilogy aligned more with what I enjoyed most about Xena.

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LeFreeke@reddit

I hated that headdress thing on Xena in India episodes.

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Ok-Jackfruit-6873@reddit

Norse trilogy is my favorite to rewatch now. I love the fairytaleness (like everyone just immediately falling in love with Gabrielle, as others have said), I love that it feels entirely self contained, and I almost get a cozy vibe watching it because I've seen it so many times. On the other hand they did an amazing job with the costumes and all the colors in India.

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SakuraTacos@reddit

Norse trilogy. I always settle in to watch all three together like a movie. With the India eps, I mainly just go back to Between the Lines

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JayDuPumpkinBEAST@reddit

I mean we all kind of agree that S5/S6 are alternate universe “what-if” series’, as almost all of the storylines are just a retread of previous plot-points, or otherwise don’t make sense to the overall canon… right? If so, then the Valkyrie trilogy is much more fun.

That said, India is clearly the more impactful storyline and actually makes sense to X&G’s journey. The set design is also incredibly rich in detail (although admittedly not my favorite aesthetic).

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Ok_Kangaroo_2160@reddit

India was much better - for the story & the respective journeys of Xena and Gabrielle, the rising stakes, and the beautiful ending.

Valkyrie is good, but I would say that's primarily bc of the steadying, anticipatory reunion Xena and Gabrielle will have. And of course, their kiss! I personally didn't find the overarching story all that interesting.

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Overall_Sandwich_671@reddit

India never really sat well with me. I don't like how they brought in the soul mates and reincarnation stuff, I think those were entirely unnecessary, and they even lead to some bad modern day episodes.

Devi is a lot of fun, but Eli should have just remained as a one-off street magician who discovers healing powers, and left it at that - the Jesus peace 'n love stuff was a horrible direction for the show to go in, and it killed a lot of the magic from earlier seasons.

I love how the Norse myths were portrayed on Hercules, so I've always been pissed that Xena's norse episodes completely ignored them, but as a self-contained story, the Valkyrie trilogy was better than India.

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