SACRIFICE II

Xena and Callisto fight! Xena traps her under boulders yet again. Another fight! Xena vs. Hope's special powers. Callisto frees herself. (That didn't take long.) Xena things Gabby's protecting Hope when she's really protecting Xena. So Gabby clears the air. Xena notes how "the one I love the most in all the world and the one I hate look exactly the same." (I didn't know Xena liked Hope so much.... Just kidding!) Callisto disguises Hope in a getup just like Gabby's. We see Ares kneel before Dahok's flames in servitude. Later, after Hope mentions something about unfinished business, Ares and Hope share a few kisses! Callisto finds Xena and tries to switch sides. Seems Hope isn't giving her oblivion soon enough and she's getting impatient. She's after something called the hind's-blood dagger. (It can kill a god.) Xena eventually allows her help. Elsewhere, Joxer and Hope cross paths and he thinks it's Gabrielle. Soon, Xena makes the same mistake. (Hope's trying to find the dagger to kill the Olympian gods.) When Xena realizes who it really is, Ares shows up and disappears with Hope. Later, as the gang travels, Joxer falls off his horse and Xena harshly makes him leave their company.... We learn that Hope is pregnant with Ares' child! Hope and Gabby have a talk. "Come be my mother." But Gabby's sorry the poison didn't finish Hope off! Next, Xena and Gabrielle have a talk. Xena is fully expecting to die in this fight. Fight! Turns out that Joxer was sent to get the dagger -which Xena now takes. Callisto takes out Ares while Hope tries to turn the blade on Xena as she goes in for the kill. But Gabrielle yells and tackles Hope and both fall into a deep lava pit! NO! Callisto gains some meaning to her life, having witnessed this, and a stunned Xena turns around and kills her.