THE CONVERT

After an attack from a band of thugs, we learn that a man named Kryton has taken captives.  They (Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer) find him beating up a girl.  Xena fights him and Gabby uses a smoke compact.  The girl is soon revealed as Najara.  What's more shocking, however, is that Joxer kills Kryton!  Joxer is shaken up by this but claims to be fine.  Najara admits to escaping from prison and is, reportedly, following a path of nonviolence.  The plan is to get her healthy and take her back to jail.  They take Kryton's body back to the village where Joxer is rewarded and praised for killing that "son of a Bacchae."  Gabrielle helps Najara and tries to convince Xena that she has put down the sword.  We learn that Kryton has a son!  Joxer wants to go explain everything to him.  Later, Gabrielle learns that Najara has met Eli!  Najara tells Gabrielle that they walk the same path of peace.  Meanwhile, Joxer's guilt is causing hallucinations of Kryton accusing him of being bad natured.  That night, Xena expresses her concern for Gabrielle.  "I don't like you being in the thick of things knowing you won't fight."  Later, Xena accuses Najara of being the "same old wacko underneath."  So Najara pulls out the crucifixion vision card to end the conversation.  Finally, they meet Kryton's son, Arman.  Apparently, he idolizes an idealized version of the father he never knew and Joxer can't bring himself to crush his vision of this hero with his confession.  Xena simply breaks the news that his father was killed in a fight.  Unfortunately, Arman wants vengeance.  Xena invites him to travel with them for a while.  Later, Gabrielle lets Najara know that her place is with Xena.  Najara argues that this will only be true up until Xena does something that not even Gabrielle can excuse.  She warns Gabrielle that a time will come when she'll have to choose between Xena and her own soul.  Elsewhere, one of Kryton's men shows up to avenge his death.  Joxer keeps him from announcing his secret and Xena gets rid of him.  At night, Gabrielle explains to Xena that she doesn't see the point of returning a reformed person to prison.  Again, Xena warns Gabrielle and challenges her to say no to Najara.  That same night, Najara tells Arman the whole truth about his father!  And he's still out for vengeance...until Gabrielle convinces him that Joxer's guilt is worse than death.  Xena later gets it through his head that Joxer killed a man Arman never knew.  Next, Xena and Gabrielle argue some more about Najara but are interrupted by Kryton's men.  A fight!  Xena does defeat the men, but when Xena gets injured and Gabby tries to run to her aid against Najara's will, the zealot (a.k.a Najara) flips out and she and Xena fight up in the trees.  Najara is stabbed and goes into some sort of a coma.  We last see her asleep behind bars.  So Gabrielle won't fight?  "With me around, you won't have to," assures Xena.

THE PLAY'S THE THING

Gabrielle has lost one of her scrolls and yoga isn't helping her (or Xena) forget about it.  Xena convinces her to go back into town after it.  There, in a silly little bit, Gabrielle runs across Joxer.  They are soon met by the flattering words of a theatrical producer (Zehra) who has found Gabby's missing scroll.  Zehra talks Gabrielle into allowing her scroll to be turned into a play!  We soon find out that this woman plans to turn Gabrielle's vision of peace into a theatrical disaster -resulting in the possible murder of Gabrielle!  Well, Gabrielle is appointed director and Joxer her assistant.  Open casting call!  (Minya appears as one of the cast.)  Zehra is trying to make money through warlord investors.  She's counting on the play's failure for her own success.  Joxer is soon promoted to producer.  Rehearsal!  (Gabrielle has cast herself as Gabrielle!)  At the rehearsal, the cast begins to complain that the play contains too much talk and not enough violence.  But Gabby is adamant about her message of peace.  Yet, as producer, Joxer makes some changes.  (Namely, more blood and sex.)  Frustrated, Gabrielle leaves and wonders what Sophocles would say -artist to artist.  She walks into his theatre only to find more blood and sex!  Thus, when Joxer has everyone ready to apologize, Gabrielle announces her changes.  (Let's just say the warlords will love the presentation.)  Of course, the play's newfound potential success has Zehra concerned.  "We have to get Gabrielle back to that boring, pretentious, heavy-handed material we fell in love with."  So, Zehra excitedly tells Gabrielle that her play is certain to inspire armies to violence!  Uh-oh.  Back to the original vision!  At opening night, a warlord interrupts the performance in an attempt to kidnap Gabby to get to Xena.  But the real Xena steps in.  "No time to talk; it's time to act!"  Fight!  Thinking this all part of the show, the crowd goes wild.  But Gabrielle spots Zehra trying to escape the building and gets help catching her by shouting, "Interactive theatre; everybody join in!"  During the brawl, a critic references a play opening across the street titled Buffus the Bacchae Slayer.  Afterwards, Xena sees that the proceeds go to an orphanage and also reassures Gabrielle that it wasn't stupid to think that people would want to hear about peace.  "It's all anyone really wants."  Also, Minya admits that she's a thespian!

THE WAY

Xena and Gabrielle are walking along, discussing spiritual things, when Xena suddenly spears a river creature and throws it onto shore.  This masked creature declares, "We were ordered to stop you from reaching the avatar."  (The avatar is a deity in human form.)  He blows some bugs off his hand which then turn into other masked creatures.  Fight!  The new enemy is Indrajit, king of demons.  Later, spurred by her recent revelation as a future peacemaker, Xena wonders if she's not supposed to be a warrior anymore.  Soon enough, they discover that the avatar is Eli!  They find him healing the sick and learn that he is living a terrified life.  Indrajit is after him!  Xena and Gabrielle talk their way into traveling with Eli for a time.  At night, a monkey creature named Hanuman sneaks into their camp.  He advises that Eli seek refuge in a temple and seek Krishna's help.  (Krishna is the supreme personality of the godhood.)  We learn about Hanuman and about "THE truth" as Eli proclaims it -a reverence for life and nonviolence.  Finally, the gang reaches the temple where Hanuman discusses Eli's words with Gabrielle.  "Eli's way is the ultimate way."  A fight with demons!  Indrajit himself shows up on his magic carpet and captures both Eli and Gabrielle!  At this, Hanuman suggests that Xena pray to Krishna to get the god's attention.  As she prays, Indrajit threatens Eli.  "How passive and serene will you remain while she's being tortured?"  Suddenly, Xena finds herself in the presence of Krishna.  He encourages her to embrace the way of the warrior.  "You must not be hesitant to fight in a just cause."  Acting, in combat, without attachment.  He vanishes and Xena leaves with Hanuman to rescue Eli and Gabrielle.  The latter are meditating when Xena suddenly appears in their midst, chained and bleeding!  Eli warns Gabrielle to be careful, but she uses violence to try and free Xena -only to uncover that it is actually Indrajit creating an illusion.  He then grabs Gabby by the throat and declares that she will die now that Eli refuses to join him.  Suddenly, Xena's chakram cuts off Indrajit's hand!  But he grows arms until he has 6 of them!  A fight!  He manages to gruesomely cut off both Xena's arms!  But Xena calls on Krishna and grows 4 arms of her own.  Rematch!  She beheads the king of demons and is returned to her healed state.  Later, Eli encourages Gabrielle and informs her that he's headed home where he believes his message will be most received.  Later still, Xena witnesses Gabrielle throw her staff into the river.  They stay together, despite their different "ways."  "All rivers run to the sea," explains Gabrielle.

BETWEEN THE LINES

"What we sow in this life, we reap in our future lives.  This is our karma."  -From the Xena "Blue" Scroll, Author Unknown.  Xena and Gabby are trying on some Indian attire when they see some sort of procession coming through the market.  They check it out only to discover that an Indian woman (Naiyima) is about to be thrown alive into a burning funeral pyre (following her dead husband)!  Xena flips into action to break this outrageous law.  A fight!  They escape with Naiyima into a room where she suddenly (and supernaturally) sends Xena on a journey into her future.  There, Xena is reincarnated as a peacemaker called Arminestra and she finds herself in the middle of a negotiation.  Incoming fireballs!  The villain is the soul of none other than Alti!  Suddenly, an Indian man (Shakti) runs onto the scene and rescues the crippled Arminestra and has her taken away.  Alti shoots him with her crossbow but he escapes.  Back in present day, Gabby discovers that Xena is gone and she is alone with Naiyima, whose henna tattoos suddenly light up and zoom around the room!  (We learn that Alti's planning to capture Xena and make her power her own.)  Naiyima informs Gabrielle that "there is a great evil in the future that is hunting Xena's soul; it has found her.  If it succeeds, Xena's karmic cycle will end -along with all the good of her future lives."  Before Naiyima sends Gabrielle there, she declares that she will need a weapon.  "You must learn the mehndi."  (Arminestra heals Shakti.)  Gabrielle and Xena must use this mehndi to trap the evil and bring it back to be destroyed.  Gabby is then sent into the future where she finds herself reincarnated as the leader Shakti!  Shakti says something that Arminestra recognizes as Gabrielle and they discuss Alti as Gabrielle and Xena.  Alti wants to know who sent them.  Fight!  Shakti (Gabby) is the one fighting with a sword here while Arminestra (Xena) is sending people to safety.  Just when Xena is in a position to kill Alti, however, a man protests to protect her karma.  He is fatally shot by Alti.  Shakti gets knocked unconscious while the dying man delivers the mehndi paint to Arminestra.  Later, Alti discovers that Xena has found Gabrielle and now she plans to take her power, too!  But she won't kill them in private.  No, that is to be a public spectacle.  When Alti leaves, Gabrielle returns to consciousness and gets to painting the henna tattoos of the mehndi.  (Back in present day, Naiyima has been brought again to the pyre!)  When Alti returns, they strike a few poses and, by the power of the mehndi, bring Alti back to their present day -saving Naiyima in the process!  Unfortunately, they brought back Alti's powers, too.  A fight ensues in which Xena is beaten with past blows.  Alti grabs Gabrielle by the hair and shows her the crucifixion vision.  "That's your future.  She's responsible for your death."  "You BIIIITCH!!!!" shouts Xena, who, despite her injuries, manages to throw her chakram to cut Gabrielle's hair and release her from Alti's grasp.  But the weapon comes back and slices Xena's neck!  Just then, Naiyima steps in and the three of them use this mehndi to defeat Alti.  Her soul will return "but you will always be there to meet it."  Naiyima tells them to consider themselves as lines in the mehndi.  They walk a path together, "separated but forever connected."  With that, she supernaturally transforms into an ascending ball of light, leaving Xena and Gabrielle healed!  They later decide that they will recognize each other in future lives using the symbol for woman.

DEVI

Upon their arrival in India, Gabrielle is chatting about the exotic sights when she and Xena spot a magician who is calling all to witness his work.  Gabrielle volunteers Xena as a "skeptic."  She fails to uncover his work as false and lets him proceed.  Soon, this magician sends his assistant, Maya, into another realm.  She returns in gory pieces!  He puts these pieces in a box and says some magic words.  She returns...only now she's possessed!  (NOT part of his show, people!)  Xena fights her while the magician prays to Abba.  Gabby, however, places her hands on Maya's shoulders (who is now writhing and screaming on the floor) and tells her to stop and that it's okay.  With that, the demon leaves!  Soon, the whole town believes that Gabrielle has "the higher power" and is a healing deity called a Devi.  A priest from the town suddenly begins blaming the magician so Xena magically escapes with the man as the town begins to worship their new Devi.  We learn that the magician's name is Eli.  Xena attempts to leave him with a warning about getting out of town, but he hypnotizes her with the intent of finding out if Gabrielle is a Devi.  Elsewhere, even as she is arguing with the chanting crowd, Gabrielle's touch heals a man's sight!  Well, Xena was only pretending to be hypnotized and the conversation continues.  Eli tells of a time when he was 13 and he had the power to heal a convulsing man.  Suddenly, he hides as the aforementioned priest walks into his temple.  Xena leaves him, commenting that "some people see evil everywhere."  Later, we learn that Gabby is beginning to think that she is a Devi after all.  "I healed someone!"  Soon, both Xena and Gabrielle are under the impression that she has a spirit inside of her.  Xena warns her that some spirits are good and some are bad -but they're smart and sometimes you can't tell them apart.  Later still, many people have gathered outside to chant "Devi."  Gabby seems to really be enjoying the praises.  Xena runs off into the temple to find that the priest has been hung!  Later, Eli spies this new Devi and makes a run for it.  He is chased by angry dogs.  Xena steps in and helps him out, but it is the Devi (who was busy being given pearls) who ultimately frees him.  After levitating, Eli shouts to the crowd to praise her.  "Xena, I didn't heal anything," says Gabrielle.  Eli vanishes into the crowd and is found gathering sacred water in the temple.  Xena meets him and spies a painting of one blonde demon wearing pearls!  "Her name's Tataka."  She deceives with good works!  Xena approaches Gabby later and she seems innocent enough.  We learn that the holy water only burns someone in the hands of a priest or exorcist.  Finally, after upsetting Gabrielle with her doubts, Xena apologizes.  Later, Xena fights a guard in the temple and Eli squirts some holy water on his face and it burns him!  "Tataka figured it out....  Gabrielle's not the Devi, Eli.  You are."  And the demon was cast out...straight into Gabrielle!  Later still, Xena calls Gabrielle Tataka and she certainly doesn't deny it.  Xena runs to find Eli escaping town.  He instructs her on how to perform an exorcism (since he doesn't believe he can do it).  Xena is mocked by Tataka when she appears for the exorcism.  "You want me out?  You're gonna have to kill this sweet little body to do it.  And I don't think you can."  "Watch me."  Fight!  Just when Xena is in position to kill, Eli shows up.  "Let me try and save her!"  Tataka discourages him but Xena is persistent.  "Abba, help me," he prays.  The exorcism is a success...to Eli's amazement.  They later part ways with him, concluding that this power is stronger than evil.

PARADISE FOUND

"Gabrielle, I'm all for your spiritual quest -and India is a fine place to go...."  Gabby is stitching up a nasty wound on Xena's leg while Xena complains about the thugs they met on Gabby's "scenic route."  Gabrielle begins to wonder if Xena's fighting for good has more to do with the fighting part than the good part.  "You think my fighting for good is a cover for something darker?"  Suddenly, as Gabby talks about looking inward for answers, we see images of Xena's crucifixion vision!  Xena snaps out of it to find Gabrielle closer by her side.  "Was it that vision again?  ...You always say that we control our own destiny, right?"  Then, a noise!  Gabby goes to check it out to keep Xena from breaking her new stitches.  But when Gabrielle doesn't respond to Xena's calls, Xena goes after her...only to discover that she's fallen into a deep pit in the earth.  (There doesn't seem to be any lava in this one!)  Xena jumps in after her!  Chirp, chirp, chirp!  Both find themselves in the lush surroundings of a garden, wondering what happened.  Xena discovers that her wound is completely healed!  They also discover a stuttering, twitching man (Garr) who informs them (at the end of Xena's sword) that someone named Aiden owns the whole estate and everything in it -except him.  He directs them to Aiden's house.  When they meet him, he seems a spiritual guru who babbles about inner peace.  (Xena immediately knows it's something she can't seem to achieve.)  With the prospect of a warm bath, he convinces them to stay the night.  In the bath, we begin to notice Gabby's ability to take in all of the bliss juxtaposed with Xena's impatience.  "Would you relax?"  With that, Gabrielle begins to massage Xena's shoulders until Xena goes to open the door for Garr -who has brought clothes.  (He calls Xena "sir!")  Next, Gabby gets breathing lessons from Aiden.  He warns her that these techniques can stir up unpleasant thoughts and feelings.  Sure enough, the memory of Hope soon springs up.  Nevertheless, he encourages her that the mind has power enough to envision and create a healed world.  This is a place where your core self, the "real you," will be drawn out.  Elsewhere, Xena is practicing fight moves and is beginning to look a bit mad and dingy.  She heads up to where Gabby and Aiden are meditating and witnesses Gabrielle weeping at a memory of Hope and, as we find out, her failure as a mother.  Xena is very concerned and moved by this but leaves with disgust as soon as Aiden spies her.  Later, Gabrielle is reclined on the light side of a yin-yang bed while Xena anxiously does sit-ups.  Gabby talks of peace and convinces her that they should stay one more day.  "I haven't felt this clean since before Hope was born."  Yet, Xena compares Aiden to Loa Ma and concludes that his way seems so "numbing."  Later still, Xena uses her mind to make her wound reappear.  (But it only lasts for a moment.  Clearly, Aiden is powerful.)  After another meditation session with Aiden, Gabrielle expresses concern for Xena.  Aiden explains the unpleasant warning signs of the emergence of a dark inner self, but believes that Xena can beat it -like he did.  She finds Xena in a bath, explains to her that she feels so light and "I know I could show you how to get there if you want."  At first, Xena gets tender with Gabrielle.  "Know what I want?"  But this turns violent as she squeezes Gabby's hand (which was resting on her shoulder) until it causes her much pain.  "I'll show you what I want, little girl."  But wait.  That was only in Xena's mind.  Fearing herself, Xena pats Gabby's hand and simply says, "Some other time, huh?"  Xena then confronts Aiden about these delusions.  He advises her to leave lest she act them out!  So, Xena begins to compose a note -but begins to get a nosebleed (one of the symptoms).  Gabrielle walks in just then, complaining of a knot in her back.  So Xena massages it out (being sure to hide her bleeding and the fact that she's having delusions of crucifying Gabrielle) until her friend is at rest....  Then she leaves....  Only to discover from Garr that Aiden leeches people's goodness.  "Goodness in a perfect place going to waste without evil to keep it alive and fighting."  (Gabrielle!)  The plan?  Xena will allow herself to go completely evil so as to give Aiden nothing.  Evil rat-like Xena confronts Aiden and they fight.  Xena might go after Gabrielle?  What's to stop her from killing?  Garr steps in (as planned) and Xena nearly kills him.  This snaps Gabrielle out of her statue-like peaceful state.  "Xena!  No!"  At this, Xena kicks her sword so that it plunges into Aiden instead!  All is returned to its former state.  Gabrielle has learned that without Xena's darkness, neither one of them would be there.

IF THE SHOE FITS...

The scene opens with Gabrielle taking a primitive shower in the middle of the woods. Xena, on the other hand, has overslept. (Joxer's in the camp, too.) A mystery creatures snatches Gabby's clothes. Elsewhere, Xena interrupts a band of thugs and ties one of them up using...Gabby's shirt! "We ran out of rope." Now, Gabby is sporting...a sac.  Suddenly, an explosion from Aphrodite's temple!  (A little girl named Alesia was playing with the "passion" bottle.)  "Xena!  Please, you have to save me from my evil fairy godsmother!" she cries.  It turns out that this is princess Alesia.  She doesn't like her new stepmother and ran away.  Soon, they all leave Aphrodite behind to take Alesia back home.  Soon, Xena backtracks to take care of the men who are following them -leaving Gabrielle to tell Alesia a story.  It isn't Cinderalla, however.  It's Tyrella.  All of the characters (even the tied up bad guy) are made into the characters surrounding Tyrella's tale.  Meanwhile, Aphrodite actually begins to miss Alesia...who is off hoping that Gabby's story ends gruesomely for the stepmother!  Suddenly, Aphrodite appears and tells her version of Tyrella's "sizzling" story.  Next, as Gabby helps Xena cook, Joxer tries his storytelling skills -making himself the lead (Tyro).  Joxer's story is complete with a wild dance sequence and duet!  In fact, Joxer gets so into his story, that he doesn't notice Alesia is missing!  As soon as Xena goes after her, an elderly woman appears in the camp (Aphrodite in disguise) and tricks Gabby into leaving after the baddies.  Somehow, Alesia has gotten herself dangling from the edge of a cliff.  Xena to the rescue!  The gang finally learns that Aphrodite is plotting to get the girl back.  On their way, Xena tells her action packed version of Tyrella's story.  But she manages to belittle and offend (for at least the 3rd time that day) Gabrielle with the tale.  Gabby decides she has had enough and leaves.  Finally, the rest of them reach "home" only to find Alesia's father and stepmother tied up and the crown jewels stolen!  Before Xena leaves again, though, she locks Alesia and her stepmother in a room to talk things out.  Elsewhere, Gabby summons Aphrodite and attempts to talk her out of meddling with Alesia's family.  Xena and Joxer go after the baddies while Alesia and her stepmother make peace.  The ensuing battle turns into the ending of Tyrella's story -which Xena wraps up for Alesia in only a way that Xena can.  Gabby has returned after realizing that family stays together and works things out.  In closing, Gabrielle begins to conceive the story of Pinocchio.