Xena: Season 4, Episode 9: "Past Imperfect"

ALTERNATIVE TITLE:

“The Copycat Episode”

The thing that stands out about this episode is Xena's speech at the end. It's such a personal moment, and she's in a real naked place. It's at once intimate and a reminder: don’t fuck with Xena. Not even Gabrielle has been seen on the end of such intensity from Xena.

Number of times:

• Xena tries to ditch Gabrielle: 3
• Xena says "crucify" in a sentence by itself: 1

SPOILERS: My reviews are full of them! I'll try to note when I'm about to spoil the series by posting [SERIES SPOILER] before said item and [END SPOILER] after. Please don't read the review, unless you've seen the episode under discussion or don't care if I spoil it.

CLICK HERE for full page view.

 CLICK HERE FOR bigger VIEW! 

EXTRA QUOTES:

1) G: "It's almost dawn. Come on, better get moving if we're gonna warn the people of Actus about that army." X: "No sense in us both going. Stay here. Catch up on some rest. I'll go to Actus." G: "No, you won't. The threat of a battle does not mean I'm going to end up like your vision." – First time Xena tries to ditch Gabrielle.
 
2) Xena, you're expecting Medusa behind every tree! Y-y-you can't look left! You can't look right! You just-" – Love this line and Gabrielle's delivery.
 
3) G: "That's fine. This conversation is over, right? Deal?" X: "Gods forbid I'd ever bring that subject up again." – This is such a couple argument.
 
4) X: "This baby is nothing compared to my empire." – A fucked up quote that almost got away. She's talking to Borias about Solan.

5) Pas: "What's she doing?" G: "She's looking for an ambush. She's trying to draw them out." X: "Here-- and here." Pas: "She's amazing. OK, let's move." – This is under subtext. The look on Gabrielle’s face here. Gabrielle looks at him like, “get my woman out of your mouth.”

6) X: "Gabrielle, did you see that mountain out there?" G: "Yes. It's part of your vision, right?" – Love this intimate dialogue.
 
7) B: "Ahhh, don't do this! We lost our love. Don't make me an enemy!" X: "You became an enemy the moment you thought there was love."

8) X: "We're going to need a lot of wood. When I'm done here, there'll be a line of crucified bodies leading from Corinth to the Caspian Sea. And I will crucify them all. Crucify them! Crucify!" – So, like, if Xena had stayed in Corinth and defeated them, she would have crucified them all. This is the attack that's being copycatted, so if Satrina would've won, Gabrielle and Xena both would've been crucified by that mountain.

9) G: "So, OK, in order to save me, you're willing to risk these men? Their lives mean nothing to you?!" X: "All right, I will think of something else." G: "No, you won't. As long as you're concentrating on me, you can't think about the problem." X: "I am thinking about the problem." – This is both a putdown and a proclamation of love. I love the shit out of it.

10) Satrina: "You see, Xena, I never did have that much in the way of muscle, never. But I am a survivor. And I have this incredible ability to put myself into my enemy's head. So, when I found myself in your custody, I realized this was my one chance to learn from the best."

11) X: "I couldn't believe that (Borias) could come back for me, and that he was in love with me." Satrina: "But you were focused on the power Alti promised. You shouldn't have left Corinth. You could have taken it!" – Love the way Satrina says this.

12) X: "The poison grain was the key. I tried to think who knew my plans who would know about the poison grain. There was me, you, and Dagnine. And Dagnine's dead. Ahhh! Want some kala root?" – I love the shit out of this turn, love the way Xena says this.

13) X: "What's the matter? You having trouble getting inside my head right now? Let me help you. You killed Borias, the man who could have changed everything for me, if only I had let him. You killed the father of my child! And if he had lived, then maybe my son would s-...Ugggh! Did you get inside my head, now? Huh? What am I thinking now, huh? Uggh!” – IIiiiiiiiiii fucking love this speech. It's so intimate and intense. I don't think even Gabrielle has seen this, at least not on camera.

14) G: "Funny thing about destiny: you can't ignore it, can't rely on it. Alti promised you one, didn't she?" X: "I was to become the destroyer of nations. It's funny how I used to look forward to those promises of hers, and every one of them ended in tragedy. Maybe that's why I fear this prophecy so much." G: "A prophecy? Xena, no one said anything about a prophecy. Maybe it's a warning, a sign, a guide? The truth is, you don't know, like Alti didn't know, because she didn't know you." – [SPOILER] Gabrielle fucking wishes this were true. [END SPOILER]

THE THREE TIMES XENA TRIES TO DITCH GABRIELLE:

1) G: "Xena, the gods know that I have been tied to a cross before. You helped me then. What makes you think this vision is different?" X: "It was so real. The way you looked, the mountain in the background. It's true, or it could be." G: "Well, I'm not going to believe it.” – I love this because it’s so believable and X it's the closest Xena gets to deep talks and revealing her feeings. It's interesting. And they're talking about the death of Gabrielle, so it's kind of scary.

2) Gabrielle, looks like this hospital could sure use your hand." G: "No, Xena, this hospital is well protected. It's in the center of the city. It doesn't need me hiding in it. I'll start the fire brigade." – This is the second time Xena tries to ditch Gabrielle in this episode to protect her. 

3) X: "If I had won back then, if this man wins now, then my vision of your death might come true." G: "I'm going onto the battlements. I'm going to reinforce the men." X: "Gabrielle. Gabrielle!" G: "Xena, I don't believe in your vision. I can't afford to! Now, either I prove you wrong and we go on from here, or I prove you right and we die. But either way, I will not continue like this." – Because if Xena hadn’t withdrawn her army, she would’ve won and crucified them all, similar to her vision with Gabrielle and her. This is the third time she tries to ditch Gabrielle. I also love Gabrielle laying down the law with Xena here.

In the movie Copycat (1995), Sigourney Weaver relives a horrible failed murder attempt (1st video) at the hands of a copycat killer who aims to get it right the second time around (2nd video):

 This is Xena's "Last Dance" with Satrina, or is it...

Don't forget to like the Xena Movie Campaign on Facebook!

Click HERE for an updated calendar/watching schedule.

 Xena Movie Review Templates: COLOR or Black & White

 Thanks for reading!