ALTERNATIVE TITLE:
"The Episode Renee O'Connor Directed"
Simply: I love this episode because of all the stuff we get to see Xena do. The flip off the thing, her pulling the chakram from wood, throwing the chakram, wearing Varia’s outfit. Fucking awesome. That epic tree scene? Love that. Seeing her hold those logs together? Heart, be still.
If Gabrielle had been in the episode more, I would have rated it a 7.
Some Extra Loves on Top of the Loves in My Review (pictured below):
- Varia is always hitting Xena
- Xena hoisting Varia with sheer strength
- Xena's shadow on the cave wall
- Just the darkness of this ep
- Xena supporting that whole log cabin/platform
- Xena moving out of the falling log's way
Number of times X throws her chakram: 6
Number of times she catches it: 5
Number of shots with deer in them: 2
Expanding on some of my Notes:
- 21:04 One of the single greatest shots in the history of Xena is this chakram throw right here. I seriously rewound it like 20 times. I could talk about it for days. Someone did a great job with the CGI and LL did a great job really looking like she was throwing and catching that thing. The whole mechanics of catching of the chakram makes sense. She pretty much catches it as it’s about to pass her body. It’s not a “get in front of the ball” kinda catch.
- There’s a famous fan art of Xena looking off into the foreground wearing Varia’s outfit. It’s not an actual moment in the episode, but they knew how toight Xena looked in that outfit, so they did a publicity shot, I'm guessing. There have been so many fan arts with her wearing that outfit, and I never realized the outfit was for this reason, until now. I thought this outfit and scene was maybe in FIN. I’m getting excited about watching FIN, speaking of. Lately I’ve been thinking about movies I love and shit. Some of my favorites end tragically.. I love it when traumatic things happen to my favorite characters. You know where this is going.
- Thank you so much for having Xena and Varia turn around when the cave mouth explodes to witness/acknowledge it. One of my biggest cinematic pet peeves is when something blows up and the person who did it, doesn’t turn around to watch it. It’s stupid and would never happen real life.
- If the beginning of that forest fire was CGI, I am so impressed. I couldn’t tell. I’m genuinely bothered with the insane thought that they actually set those pretty trees on fire.
- So many things I like about Prince Morloch and Xena’s fight. When Xena tries to strike him with the sword first, he parries it away, and she immediately tries again (chef’s kiss).
- So many shots I love in this, such as the leap off that log stack - graceful and gorgeous, and most importantly, believable. Equally believable is Xena pulling that chakram from the log. These nuances are important to me. I love to be pulled-in like this.
- The shots in this episode are so unique and fun, I can only imagine what ROC could’ve done with a more greatly scripted Xena episode.
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.
EXTRA QUOTES:
1) Varia: “Marga is our queen.” – Yeah, girl!
2) X: "Gabrielle, try to keep everyone in the camp ‘til I find out what's goin' on." – “Gabrielle, I’m going to say this dialogue to give you an alibi as to why you won’t be in the rest of the episode, as if the fans are unaware you’re directing the episode. K, byeee.”
3) X: "He's gone. At least we can find out where.. I told you to watch him." – Love this line and Xena’s face when she says it.
4) X: "There's a whole lot of things you need to know. This entire canyon is rigged like a hunting ground. There are traps everywhere."
5) X: "I'm gonna let that one go." – OK, she might have meant this seriously, but that is fucking hilaaarious.
6) X: "Something's not right. Varia, this is where you get to do exactly what I say when I say it." Varia: "Just give me the word." X: "Get ready to take your clothes off." – Beautiful.
7) Varia: "All right. Let's go." X: "Where do you think you're going?" Varia: "I'm goin' in there to help you." – Like the way Varia says this. I believe her.
8) PM: "If I'd known how much fun you Amazons would be, I'd have come to this country years ago." X: "I'm not an Amazon." – This is a great delivery. She’s like, you’re stupid. PM: "But you're so tall." X: "It's the boots." PM: "I don't usually do this, but I'd like to know your name before I kill you." X: "You first." PM: "I'm Prince Cheznic Bludecarr Morloch Upper Scheharazadestan." X: "Oh, Xena of Amphipolis. Warrior princess, warrior mom, who conquers Prince Chesty Forloch of Upper Whatever-stan." – Hahahahaha! His name is so long and hers is very short. The way she says this, she never takes herself seriously. He takes himself seriously and hopes to impress her. She doesn’t take herself seriously at all, she just wants to kill him.
9) X: "Go, Varia, go! Varia-" Varia: "I just wanted to see the master in action." – Yeah that’s right, bitch!
10) Varia: "I thought it was gonna hit you." X: "I can take care myself, thank you." Varia: "If this had happened earlier today, I bet you would have just left me here." X: "Don't get too cocky. I still might." – This is so cute.
11) PM: “Light the fire." Raczar: "They're right in the middle of it." PM: "Oh, that's a shame. Do it!" – This convo is weighty and interesting.
12) X: "Not a chance. Varia, saving you is saving the Amazon people. You've just gotta have a little faith." – Love the combination of Xena saying this line while discovering and pulling the rope.
13) Varia: "What am I supposed to do about landing?" X: "Tuck and roll." – Hahahaha!
14) X: "Why don't you come and get some of this?" – OMG Xena loves this line. What an angel.
15) PM: "Know what I like about swords? When I kill you, I get to see the look in your eyes. Oh, I nicked you." X: "Where'd you get that? Shaving?" – Hahahaha! Fuck, I love her so much.
16) PM: "You will fight me! Yeahhh!" (He jumps and impales himself on a whole log.) X: "You lose." – [Pac-Man death noise]
This day, whilst walking down the street, before watching this episode, I listened to "Gone, Gone/Thank You" by Tyler the Creator. I actually listened to this whole album this day, which is what I do every time I want to hear a song from it, it's so good.
