THE EXECUTION

Remember Meleager the Mighty? He's sent for Gabrielle (and Xena, I suppose.) Something urgent. Turns out, not everyone's a friend of his. A fight! A Judge Arbus has sentenced him to death for cold-blooded murder. (Well, he was drunk, anyway.) Apparently, there was an eye-witness. Xena hears the account and basically gives up. Not Gabrielle. She brings a "last meal" of a feast for Meleager -which the guards eat (as planned.) They sleep while Gabby takes the key, unlocks the accused, and gives him the chance to find his eye-witness so he can clear himself. She gets busted for this, of course, and the judge agrees to let Xena and Gabrielle bring Meleager back. "But even I can't hold this town back forever," he says of the angry citizens. (Gabrielle actually TRIES to stand in Xena's way....) The winning argument with Meleager is that if he doesn't go back, Gabrielle will pay. He then confesses his guilt! Disappointment. They all camp for the night and make peace again. Soon, Xena has her suspicions. They make a stop to check out some evidence. Uh oh! Xena killed that man!!! (Defending another.) She splits up with the other two. And we find out that Judge Arbus is corrupt! He only protects his reputation. Gabs and Meleager get captured. He's hanged! (But not really. Xena caught his fall from beneath the gate.) Judge Arbus is exposed.

FOR HIM THE BELL TOLLS

Because she's in a hurry and has to push her horse, Argo, very hard, Xena leaves Gabrielle behind. "See you in a couple of days," says Xena. This irritates Gabrielle a bit! Soon, Gabrielle runs into Joxer. Later, we meet Aphrodite and Cupid! Aphrodite is out to not only stop a marriage for the sake of her temples, but to prove her power to Cupid by showing him she can make ANYONE attractive. Yes, even Joxer. She gives Joxer a small bell to deliver to a Princess Ileandra. We soon learn that, every time a bell rings, Joxer is transformed into a handsome hero...or back into an idiot. He saves the day! The ladies go wild. Joxer can't seem to remember it, though. Later, Joxer comes between the princess and her betrothed. A fight! Joxer sends the prince away. Gabrielle gets the joy of breaking up the magnetic attraction between Joxer and the princess in a very funny bit while an all out search for Joxer is being prepared. He is found! And, just before the fight begins, Joxer is transformed back into himself. He is chained. Gabby goes to Aphrodite's temple and meets the goddess for the first time. Joxer is taken to get beheaded. Just in time, Gabby rings a bell (chakram-style) and Joxer gets free. During a sword fight, Joxer uses the "I am right handed" line from The Princess Bride. The fight moves into one of Aphrodite's temples and, because it gets destroyed, she relents into releasing Joxer from the spell. The prince and princess are reunited. "You're a real hero," they tell Gabrielle. And, when Joxer is hard on himself and feeling most unworthy, Xena reassures him that "the gods can't give us anything that isn't already in our hearts." Feel free to sing along to "Joxer the Mighty" as the credits roll!

A DAY IN THE LIFE

This is a classic. (Waking Up.) An attack! A frying pan fight! We learn that Xena needs to stop a warlord from looting a nearby village. (Finding Your Way.) While lost, the gals learn of yet another village in need. It's being threatened by a giant! (Making a Decision.) Which town to help first? Flip a coin! They head to face the giant with a townsman named Hower. (Traveling.) Xena and Gabrielle pass the time playing 20 Questions. Xena makes a stop to go fishing. We see the competitive nature between the two heroes really come out A LOT. Hower falls for Xena. (A Call From Nature.) Xena uses one of Gabby's scrolls for toilet paper. She deflects retribution. "The giant is coming...." Ha! (Giving Directions.) They plant a sign for the giant, Gareth. We meet Hower's girlfriend, Minya. She prepares a bath for the duo to help them concentrate. (Practice Makes Perfect.) The warrior princess practices her skills. "Zeus killed giants with lightning bolts!" "How are we going to get lightning bolts?" (Trial and Error.) Xena invents the kite! Gareth finishes off the warlord's army. (Waiting for Gareth). A funny bit with the chakram. Minya finishes off the warlord and Hower redirects his affections. Xena finishes off Gareth. (Going to Bed.) The day ends with Xena and Gabrielle finding images in the stars...and arguing. ; )

A NECESSARY EVIL

Gabrielle makes Ephiny the Queen of the Amazons (in her absence.) At the ceremony, Velasca makes an appearance. She also makes herself a god. A fight! She's after Gabrielle. "To fight an immortal, I need an immortal." -Xena. Helllooo Callisto! The others delay Velasca while Xena drops in where Hercules has Callisto trapped. She offers Callisto a shot at the ambrosia in exchange for her help. However, before they get down to business, they make a stop at a town where Xena publicly confesses her crimes against Cirra. Callisto is obviously moved by this. Next, they're off to the showdown. Velasca (God of Chaos) destroys the temple of Artemis (God of Amazons) on her way. Then, just as soon as they need her, Callisto switches sides! "You want Gabrielle; I want Xena." This doesn't last, however, and Callisto finds herself having to fight Velasca. They trap her beneath the ever popular choice -a pile of boulders. (A mere delay.) That night, there is a great dialogue shared between Gabrielle and Callisto. A bit of "truth or dare." The topics? Cirra and Perdicus. Callisto opens up herself to Gabrielle -only to make a most insensitive remark. The next plan, we soon learn, is to draw Velasca and Callisto onto a nearby rope bridge which hangs over a lava pit. Success! And, there, Callisto eats ambrosia and becomes a god. A fight! Xena cuts the ropes sending the gods into flame. AND she invents bungee jumping! Gabrielle believes that Callisto, deep down, is sorry.

THE QUEST

Poor Gabrielle is all alone. She's traveling to Xena's brother with Xena's body when Iolaus shows up...and leaves again. She travels through Amazon land and reencounters Ephiny. We learn that Queen Melosa is also dead! The new queen is Velasca -who holds jealously to her title. BUT the real right now belongs to none other than Gabrielle! Meanwhile, the King of Thieves is elsewhere -stealing the dagger of Helios when Xena's spirit takes over his body! She solicits his help in stealing her body from the Amazons -who soon convince Gabrielle to put Xena on a funeral pyre. Gabby's also decided to return to rule as queen. She catches Auto! (A mere delay.) Xena takes over yet again. A fight! Gabrielle sees the fight and believes it is Xena. They escape and Velasca's opposers are imprisoned. Xena speaks to Gabrielle through Autolycus. (And we may never know WHO gave a kiss. We SEE lips locked between Gabrielle and Autolycus but we can't tell if he looks confused or guilty. Did he steal that, too??) ANYWHO...our heroes have found ambrosia, food of the gods. Velasca shows up. But one needs the dagger of Helios to unlock the ambrosia. Wellll...Velasca gets the dagger and breaks poor Autolycus' arm in the process. He's thrown into prison with the others. Of course, with him around, they're not locked up for long. Xena takes over Gabrielle's body! The chakram is thrown! Velasca is stopped! Gabs feeds a bit of leftover ambrosia to Xena and she awakens. Unfortunately, Velasca (who is not completely dead as presumed) manages to scrounge up some of that jello-like food for herself, too....

DESTINY

Xena and Gabrielle visit Cyrra to understand "why it happened" and "how I can ever atone." Xena leaves Gabby's side for one minute and Gabs goes missing! While rescuing her from painted warriors, Xena is struck by a weapon (a tree trunk hanging in the woods.) This throws her body against a tree and throws her mind into the past! Gabrielle journeys with Xena towards the house of a healer while Xena's mind travels to her evil days. We see how she first crossed paths with Caesar and a girl named M'Lila. Caesar eventually betrays her and hangs her from a cross. M'Lila, who was the one to teach her the pinch, rescues Xena from that cross. Soon, however, M'Lila is killed by the Romans. Back in the present day, Xena slips away and we see her old self declare her new purpose in life: death. The present day Xena, however, declares, "I have to go back." To be continued....

HERE SHE COMES... MISS AMPHIPOLIS

Something is up at a beauty pageant! So Salmoneus has sent for Xena. She will pose as a Miss Amphipolis so that she can work from the inside, trying to stop a war from happening. Gabrielle poses as her sponsor. First, Xena uncovers a drag queen among the contestants, but she keeps this to herself. Later, during a show, Miss Amphipolis is exposed by a sponsor to be Xena! BUT the situation is quickly diverted by the drag queen who has stolen and is wearing Xena's armor. The competition narrows down to the semi-finalists. The talent events are put on rush and there is another attempted sabotage. (Xena stepped in.) Finally, Lord Claron admits to Xena that he's behind the attacks and then makes the mistake of trying to kill her. The pageant wraps up with Miss Amphipolis the winner -had she not withdrawn. Many other contestants also quit. The winner now? The queen!