Xena: Season 5, Episode 09: "Seeds of Faith"

ALTERNATIVE TITLE:
"The Episode Where Jesus Dies"

Pretty good episode. Weird one. Deep. I cried like two times, which I can’t believe.

What I absolutely love above anything else about this episode, is that they just did their own damn Jesus story. Clearly Eli is supposed to be Jesus, but there's no Herod, no Jewish anything, no trial. No crosses. In fact, it's Xena and Gabrielle who were crucified in Season 4 (God, that hurt.)

I gave this episode an 8, as evidenced below. I might change it, though. Still need to think about it.

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.

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EXTRA QUOTES (There are numerous that stand alone, so not too many comments!):

1) X: "Gabrielle! What's the matter, he gonna hit you with his hankie?" G: "I thought that he had a weapon." X: "What's going on here?" Petracles: "Just a disagreement. Thanks for stopping it before it got out of hand." X: "It did get out of hand." – This was interesting, and they couldn’t even get into it deeply, because this is the episode where the entire history and principles of Christianity are summarized in 40 minutes.

2) Ares: "You, on the other hand, have been keeping yourself busy. I wish I'd known you were lookin' for a father." X: "I'm not." Ares: "Oh? Well, somebody clearly got the job." X: "Yeah, Gabrielle." Ares: "I would have paid to see that." G: "Hmm."

3) Ares: "Those men you saved are part of a growing movement a movement that incites people to disobey the gods." X: "So, you're worried that this could be the beginning of the twilight." Ares: "It's a myth." X: "You are." – Love the way she says this line. And the myth line is amazing, because this is all Greek mythology. Meta.

4) Ares: "I warn you, get in way this time you leave me no choice." X: "You threatening me? You're afraid." Ares: "The decisions you make don't just affect you anymore, 'Mom'. They affect your child. And I would hate to have to kill you both."

5) X: "Why are you doing that?" G: "Nine out of ten times the first strike means victory." X: "We're not at war, Gabrielle." G: "Don't patronize me." – This is just such a different Gabrielle. It’s amazing.

6) Eli: "You're with child." X: "Yup." Eli: "You look beautiful." – Truly believe this is what Jesus would’ve said.

7) X: "Eli, these people think that you're going to lead them in a war against the gods." Eli: "It's not a war of violence. It's a war of peace." X: "How does that work?" Eli: "The time of the Olympians is over, Xena. The gods have no choice but to give us what is rightfully ours." G: "Not without a fight they won't."

8) G: "I feel like I've disappointed you. You're walking through life preaching peace, and Xena and I have swords in our hands." Eli: "What, you feel like you've made the wrong choice?" G: "Yeah. I mean no. My heart says that you're right that everything you say makes sense. But then my head tells me that sometimes the only answer is to fight." – It’s SO DIFFERENT from the way she used to think. Her way changed when she protected Xena in Rome. This is profound, but there’s so much going on in this episode, there’s not much time to think about it.

9) G: "But you seem so sure of yourself like you have no doubt about your cause." Eli: "Everyone lives with doubt, Gabrielle. This is the path I've chosen. I just hope I have the strength to see it through. At least you've got Xena to buoy you in these times of doubt." G: "She's afraid I'm becoming numb to the violence. Look, I'm not, believe me." – This stuff Eli is saying is awesome. Who knows if Jesus really thought this, but Eli is basically saying, “Just pick something, stick to it, and do it well.”

10) X: "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be floating on a cloud someplace." Callisto: "Thanks to you. You saved me from an eternity in Hell and for that I owe you my soul." X: "You don't owe me anything." Callisto: "I've been purified by the waters of Heaven and yet, still all you see in me is a black heart."

11) X: "Am I getting too old for this?.. Nah."

12) Callisto: "The kingdom of Heaven is beautiful, Eli." Eli: "The kingdom of Earth is beautiful too, Angel. My place has always been among the people." Callisto: "And it always will be."

13) Callisto: "You said it yourself. ‘All fear is the fear of loss and only through that fear can we truly love.' You wouldn't have been chosen if you weren't afraid. Remember in everything you do we are always with you."

14) X: "Gabrielle, I need you to stay here. Make sure nothing happens to Eli before I get back."

15) Ares: "Now I'm gonna give you one last chance." G: "Eli-" Eli: "It's all right. No, Ares. I'm gonna give you one last chance.. No, Gabrielle! If you save my life with violence the future will pay the price." – The dialogue between Ares and Eli is so good.

16) Ares: "Since the beginning of time it's been warriors who have shaped the world!" Eli: "That's about to change."

17) Lady: "She let Ares kill him! She betrayed us all! She should be punished!"

18) X: "You defended him, didn't you? You defended him, didn't you?" G: "Don't you blame me." X: "You put up a fight, didn't you?" G: "Don't you dare blame me! Don't you dare blame me!" X: "You didn't put up a fight?" G: "Xena, you were gone! I did what he asked me to do!" X: "What about what I asked you to do?! The only reason that people like Eli exist is because people like us defend them when they won't defend themselves!" G: "So Ares is right?! The whole future is shaped by warriors!" – This…conversation is incredible. I didn’t see it coming, and I was seriously like, “Oh fuck, how are they going to get around this?”

19) Ares: “Imagine how it could be if you had the power to save him. Let me show you what it feels like. [Does a bodily outline on Gabrielle] That is how I feel every moment of every day. It is the power of the gods. And with it you can change the world. Isn't that what you've always wanted?" – I imagine it’s what good heroin feels like.

20) Callisto: "I'm afraid Ares will cause her the real harm." X: "That's why I'm going after him." Callisto: "I realize you may never believe this but I care about Gabrielle and about you." X: "Well if that's true you can take me to the dagger of Helios. They say that no person on Earth knows where it is which is why I'm betting you do." Callisto: "I don't know if I can do that." X: "Well, why not? Doesn't your God believe in free will?" – I love that Xena bows to no god.

21) G: "Is this your big accomplishment, Eli? If I hadn't listened to you I wouldn't be talking to your ashes. You probably think that I'm betraying you by standing with Ares, but I am just trying to use his knowledge for a greater good. I keep telling myself that. You believed in me, Eli but you always knew that we were on a separate path. Have faith in me now." – She changed her mind in the middle of this conversation, when she decides she’s going to kill him.

22) Callisto: "This isn't an ending. It's a beginning. Eli will continue the cycle of life as a soul that's reincarnated into a new body." X: "I liked him just fine in the old one! And what about Gabrielle? She's suffering because she's caught up in the middle of your game."

23) Callisto: "If you won't listen to me then listen to Eli. He sacrificed himself to make it easier for people to follow the way of peace." X: "Like sheep to the slaughter. It's easy to preach peace when you live in Heaven. Where I come from, you've gotta fight for what you believe in. Why don't you come along? It's not every day you get to witness the twilight of the gods. It should be a good show." – I FUCKING LOVE IT, when Xena gets maniacal and dark.

24) G: "Peace is worth fighting for!"

25) Ares: "Why the return to form? I thought you'd given up on Xena." G: "It would take more than you to do that."

26) Ares: "You'll always be a goodie-two-shoes." G: "Yeah, but with a really big sword."

27) X: "Make a move on me please." Ares: "A dagger? You're gonna have to do better than that." X: "The Dagger of Helios. So, no I don't." – My “Quotes” section on my one-pager is too fucking small to fit everything in, but god dammit if I didn’t want just this one.

28) X: "When you killed Eli, you made sure that his cause would never die. It's what he wanted, Ares. You played right into his hands. Now, you're hoping that I'll play into yours."

29) X: "I'm gonna do worse than kill you. I'm gonna spare your life."

30) Ares to G: "And you I could've given you the world." G: "You can't give me what you don't have."

31) G: “I'm sorry." X: "Gabrielle, I shouldn't have blamed you for Eli's death. I'm-" G: "Xena, I was blaming myself. I'm sorry." X: "No, I'm sorry." Eli: "Your enduring faith in one another is the greatest miracle of all." – This is SO good. It’s fulfilling.

32) Callisto: "Xena, my time has come to be reincarnated into the mortal world and the body that will bear my spirit has been ordained. I can think of no greater mother than you." X: "It was you all along? You gave me this child." Callisto: "In the past, I destroyed your life, Xena." X: "And I destroyed yours. Maybe it's time that we both gave back what we once took from each other." – There are some mystics who believe that people you’ve wronged will be your parents in the next life. Like I seriously read that in a physics book.

I think the bridge scene was a serious nod to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984):

I listened to this song this day. I love it. I heard it on Wild, Wild Country (2018), a documentary about a cult who takes over a small town in Oregon in the 80's.

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