ENDGAME

Ephiny, queen of the Amazons, is killed by Brutus in a fight with the Romans.  Elsewhere, Gabby is showing Xena how she goes fishing with a net when they are suddenly interrupted by an Amazon named Amarice.  "I come from the village of your tribe, my queen."  But Gabrielle knows she isn't queen unless Ephiny....  "Ephiny is dead."  Amarice tells Gabrielle that they need her to lead them.  Xena and Gabby visit Ephiny's body where we learn that "Pompey's trying to rebuild his army so he can go after Caesar again.  For that, he needs money; so he's selling our friends as slaves."  We also learn that Amarice, by nature, is all too ready to fight.  Before we know it, Brutus himself is being dragged behind Xena's horse -all the way back to the Amazon village.  After Xena learns the whereabouts of the Amazon captives from Brutus (via the pinch), Gabrielle has him locked up.  Later, Xena tells Amarice that Gabrielle "is not the weakling that you think she is."  She tries to explain Gabrielle's way.  Later still, the Romans are ambushed by the Amazons, setting the captives free and taking prisoners.  But Pompey is planning an attack!  Gabby tells Brutus, "As queen of the Amazons, I propose a treaty of peace... to Caesar."  Soon enough, Pompey's army is positioning themselves on one side of the Amazons while Caesar's is on the other.  "In getting to Pompey, Caesar wants to obliterate us," explains Xena.  She then sets Brutus free.  WAR!  Xena nearly kills Pompey but "if you kill me, Caesar gains control."  But when he tries to stab her in the back, she beheads him anyway.  His army scatters and Brutus decides to leave the Amazons alone.  Xena tells him that his faith in Caesar is misplaced and to pretend that the whole victory was his own doing -not hers.  Brutus then goes on to deliver the Amazons' peace treaty to Caesar  ...and he burns it in the fire!  "If they're not under my control, Brutus, they're a threat."  Brutus then denies knowledge of Xena.  Back in the Amazon village, Ephiny's funeral is taking place.  Gabby hands her queendom over to another, Amarice makes plans to travel with Xena and Gabrielle, and our heroes finally get a chance to mourn for Ephiny.