MORTAL BELOVED

Nice tale. The ghost of Marcus brings news to Xena that the underworld is in turmoil and they need her help. The good are being sent to Tartarus while the bad are going to the Elysian fields. Gabrielle camps lakeside while Xena dives to the bottom to enter "the other side." This unrest has been created by a bad man who has stolen Hades' helmet of invisibility. We learn that Marcus was sent to Tartarus when he died and will be sent there again when things are put right. Nevertheless, he wants to do the right thing. There is a fight and Marcus and Xena head out to see Hades. They fight off the harpes on their way. Hades gives Marcus his life back for 48 hours so they can return to the land of the living to kill the bad guy who has gone there to kill more innocents! But he has gone there by way of the lake where Gabrielle waits! A fight! Xena confesses her love for Marcus. The bad man is after a bride so the gang devise a plot to protect her. The bad man is killed and the helmet retrieved. Xena convinces Hades to let Marcus stay in the Elysian field because of the goodness in his heart.

WARRIOR ...PRINCESS

Xena goes to visit a king at his castle and is confused as to why she is treated so...royally. We learn it is because she is a spitting image of the princess, Diana. And Xena has been summoned to counteract attacks on the princess' life. It has something to do with the greed of slave traders and Diana's wedding -which will cause the outlaw of such trade. Xena and the princess must now switch places until the wedding, parading as each other. Diana is in love with the brother of the one she is to marry. Xena fends off the baddies and Gabrielle has a lot of work to make Diana a warrior! Xena figures there's a traitor in the castle. Meanwhile, Diana is learning the real troubles of her people. (It's amazing how many ways the writers try to rephrase the description of the pinch!) The man who was thought to be traitor is found dead and the ladies go back to normal...or so they let us think! Later, the bad man is captured and the real wedding between Diana and her true love takes place.

A FISTFUL OF DINARS

Xena haphazardly finds her way on a treasure (+ ambrosia) hunt with one of the clues. She teams up with two thugs. One of the men is Petriclese -once the smooth-talking fiance of Xena! They encounter a myriad of obstacles; old bosses, unsteady bridges, flying arrows.... Now Petriclese is slowly gaining the trust of Gabrielle -to Xena's chagrin. They share a kiss and Gabrielle flees. Later, they steal a ruby from a temple. The volcano where the ambrosia is hidden is about to errupt. They hurry on their way, solve a riddle with the ruby, and wait until sunrise. (Gabrielle is humorously rough with the assassin.) They follow their new path and fall into a pit to find a horde of treasure! But the assassin figures out there is ambrosia around and escapes with Gabrielle. Xena and Petriclese travel through the hall of silence and find the ambrosia just as the others do. Petriclese proves himself trustworthy in the end. Assassin dies. And the ambrosia is returned to the gods.

ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS

Clipisode! Gabrielle learns of a bard competition and heads off for the Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards. She sneaks her housing letter in with the others and begins to prove her skills. We see clips from Xena as well as older gladiator movies! One contestant's father is out to sort of expel Gabrielle. His son Orion is having trouble storytelling due to his father's bad advice. But Gabrielle helps him. And the guys band together to keep her in the competition. Orion (whom we learn is the Homer) finally stands up to his father. Despite winning, Gabrielle decides not to stay and joins Xena to live the stories.

BEWARE GREEKS BEARING GIFTS

Helen of Troy has foreboding nightmares and sends for Xena. We find Perdicus, Gabrielle's former fiance, working as a Trojan soldier. As a Greek, Xena must fight to gain trust. As a farmer, Perdicus is advised by Gabrielle to return home. Xena discovers one f Helen's men is up to no good. Peace is feigned and the gift of a Trojan "horse" brought onto the castle grounds. Xena is thrown in prison. Once the soldiers are good and drunk, the Trojans surprise attack from inside of the horse. (Yet Gabrielle finds the time to fall for Perdicus.) Helen's Paris is killed and she is kidnapped. Xena fights the kidnapper and leaves him unconscious. Perdicus is ready to go separate ways with Gabrielle. He travels away with Helen for a while -as an escort. And Xena and Gabrielle split town, too.

THE BLACK WOLF

Someone called "the black wolf" dares to secretly but effectively stand against the corruption of the government. Gabrielle is not with Xena. Lucy Lawless has a cold. And Argo needs new shoes. Xena steps in the middle of things in town. She runs into an old friend-woman with a daughter named Flora. Xena's new mission? Get Flora back from out of Xerxes' dungeon. Xena pretends to be on the side of Xerxes...for money. She gets into the dungeon. Gabrielle arrives on scene only to learn of Xena's location. Flora isn't leaving the dungeon without the rest of the "wolf pack." Gabrielle meets Salmoneus and accidentally gets him sent to prison instead of herself. Xena is captured upon escape after helping the wolves and is taken to Xerxes. She convinces him to send her back in. She's also learned that Xerxes has a man on the inside. Later, Gabrielle finally gets sent down and delivers the chakram via her hat. Flora is taken away as the black wolf for execution. Xena fights last-minute and saves the day.

HOOVES AND HARLOTS

Meet the Amazons! Xena and Gabrielle, seeking safe passage, are brought to Queen Melosa. On their way, they are all attacked and Gabrielle is given a rite of cast for trying to save a life. Now she's an Amazon Princess! There is threat of war with the centaurs over hunting grounds. Gabrielle is taught the Amazon way. The use of a staff as a weapon makes its first real debut. Xena thinks someone else is causing the Amazon/centaur feud...a warlord. Gabrielle learns that she is supposed to carry out the death sentence with the sword of the victim. She must kill! Xena speaks with the warlord and discovers there is a centaur on the inside. Just in time, she proves that the accused is not the murderer. Melosa is not convinced, so Xena challenges her in a fight to the death. Xena's the new queen and leaves Melosa alive. Also, there will be no execution. Then the centaurs show up and the mole is uncovered. They join forces against the warlord and win.