Sorry to begin this with such a blurry picture but I love the full shot of the “slip” Xena wears under her leather garb. Like, I would flat out wear that dress as is and I would look bomb-ass. In fact I will now have to spend a lot of time figuring out how to make it… we’ll just add it to my ever growing list of hobbies.

Anyways, this week’s episodes were PACKED with beats so let’s just get right into it.

SEASON ONE, EPISODE FIVE: THE RECKONING

Xena finds a cloaked man murdering villagers. The pair have an intense fight, both clearly skilled in fighting.

In the midst of the fight, the cloaked figured disappears into thin air. Xena quickly turns to the injured tending to a man who is losing a lot of blood.

The villagers find Xena and immediately assume she was the cause of the attack.

TITLES

Xena defends herself against the villagers verbally but they don’t believe her and attempt to arrest her. Xena and Gabrielle bolt.

The townsfolk tell the town elder, Benitar, what occurred. He declares they will have a trial for Xena (though no one is happy that they don’t get to simply kill her).

Xena tells Gabrielle what happened. Xena is worried and tells Gabrielle that if something happens she should run if necessary.

The villagers, led by Peranis, capture Gabrielle. Xena gives herself up in order to save her firned.

COMMERCIAL

In captivity, Xena tells Gabrielle to run but the young bard refuses. She’s determined to get Xena free.

Ares, God of War, appears to Xena when she is alone. Xena says she always “wondered” what he looked like. Ares is disappointed that it’s past tense. He wants her to turn back to the dark side.

Ares offers to release Xena from captivity and she can rule by his side. Xena wants time to consider the offer, so Ares tells her to call him when she’s ready.

Gabrielle meets with Benitar. She wants to represent Xena at the trial.

Xena sees how people are executed. She looks over at an invisible Ares and shakes her head “no.”

COMMERCIAL

Benitar steps in to protect Xena and Gabbi from the rapid villagers. He gives Gabrielle permission to be Xena’s advocate.

Xena insists there were no witnesses to Gabrielle. Gabrielle goes in search of evidence.

Gabrielle is thrilled when she sees to two sets of footprints on the ground where Xena and Ares fought. She quickly fetches Benitar.

When Gabrielle and Benitar arrive at the crime scene, Ares has removed the prints. Gabrielle is dumbfounded and Benitar is annoyed that Gabrielle wasted his time.

At the trial, multiple accounts of events from those around the situation are brought up. Gabrielle is able to have their evidence all ignored, but they are all still so angry that they still find Xena guilty.

The men in the town sneak into where Xena is being held and beat her. Ares shows up and removes her.

Ares makes the offer again. She is overwhelmed by his passionate and manipulate speech. She becomes filled with rage and breaks free of her bonds fighting back.

Gabrielle enters to calm Xena. In a blind rage, Xena knocks out Gabrielle.

COMMERCIAL

Xena cares for the injured feeling guilty for her actions. Benitar is surprised she didn’t run when she had a chance.

Gabrielle shows up later in the night to break Xena out. Xena is given a conversation and kindly sends Gabrielle away.

Xena calls Ares. She asks him if he would be willing to bring people back from the dead to fight in her army, hypothetically the great Greek warriors. Ares agrees. He could bring back whoever she wants after the guilty verdict.

Xena is declared guilty the next morning. She calls for the return to live of the villagers who were previously killed. Ares laughs and does as requested.

With new testimony from those who saw Xena try to save them, Xena is now set free.

SEASON ONE, EPISODE SIX: THE TITANS

Xena spots the criminal Hesiod leading a group. She sends Gabrielle away with Argo and chases after him and his buddies.

They get away. Xena calls on Argo so she can chase after them but the horse is slow to return with Gabrielle so Xena scolds her friend.

Ditched by Xena who went off to fight crime, Gabrielle is left to her own devices. She hears chanting and follows it to a nearby cave.

Gabrielle finds a group of men in red cloaks chanting in the hopes that something will happen but nothing does. Gabrielle tells them they are doing it wrong. She reads the scroll, chanting with the correct emphasis, and the cave shakes as it releases three titans.

Two titans, Thea and Crius, bow to Gabrielle and believe her to be a goddess. Hyperion, the third titan is hesitant but eventually joins the other two, declaring that they will do Gabrielle’s bidding.

TITLES

Xena finds Hesiod but he now has reinforcements and she is surrounded. The titans arrive, led by Gabrielle, and “save” Xena (they save her but I maintain she could’ve handled it)

Gabrielle gives the titans chores to help the locals. All but Hyperion are easily willing and the three head off to do as told.

Hyperion is pissed and rants but the others tell him to relax and do as Gabrielle says because she is likely very powerful.

Gabrielle brags to those that surround her about how she’ll use the titan for good. All are thrilled.

The titans return, hungry. Hyperion insists on a “godly” feast from Gabrielle. When she refuses he blows her over, literally, determining that she is not a god at all.

Xena steps in to protect Gabrielle. With her back to Hyperion, he moves to step on the two.

COMMERCIAL

Xena stabs Hyperion in the bottom of the foot and runs. Furious, Hyperion decimates the village trying to find Xena and Gabrielle.

A village priest, Phyleus, takes everyone to his temple where they are able to find sanctuary because it is the one place Hyperion cannot destroy as it is holy ground.

Hyperion sees Crius “checking out” Thea. He taunts his fellow titan and kisses Thea.

Hyperion calls out to the townsfolk in the temple. He tells them he will let them go if they give up Xena and Gabrielle. Many people quickly turn on the ladies.

Gabrielle consoles Phyleus. He blames himself for releasing the titans. Gabrielle takes the blame on herself.

A woman is crying, apparently many children are missing. Xena puts guards on the criminal Hesiod and heads out.

The titans hear the children playing. Hyperion chases them into the cave with plans to kill them as punishment for the villagers.

Crius protects the children. He and Hyperion get into a knock-down-drag-out fight that shakes the caves, causing much of it to cave in.

Xena hears the fight and runs in. She is able to get out the kids safely.

Hyperion kills Cruis. Thea tries to stop him but it is too late.

Xena returns with the kids. She is quickly bagged by the villagers that Hesiod manipulated against her in Xena’s absence.

COMMERCIAL

Rhodos, another villager, and Hesiod hide Xena under canvas in the back of a cart and haul her off to the titans. When the men are not looking, Xena removes her bonds and escapes the cart.

Hesiod hears Thea in the distance crying. He leaves Rhodos behind to talk to the titans alone.

Hesiod asks for leniency and a special relationship with the titans for himself. Hyperion agrees.

Rhodos bring over the cart. No Xena. Hyperion swats them, seemingly killing the pair, in anger.

Thea is upset with Hyperion. He tries to convince her to join his plan to release the rest of the titans so they may rule but she refuses.

Phyleus has an idea for Gabrielle to give another chant and put the titans back in stone. Xena won’t allow Gabrielle to do it, at least not alone.

After the village build a weapon for their new plan, Xena goes in search of Gabbi and finds her alone cuddling with Phyleus. The two get into an argument with Gabrielle feeling as though Xena doesn’t trust that Gabrielle can be helpful.

Gabrielle sneaks out without Xena knowing and into the caves as the titans sleep. She is caught and caged by Thea.

Hyperion gives Gabrielle another scroll to read to release the other titans. Gabrielle continuously misreads it so it never works.

Hyperion is confused why it’s not working. Gabrielle lies and says she’s not a virgin anymore (a tenant of making the scrolls work).

Xena arrives and Hyperion chases her in a rage, allowing the villagers to trap Hyperion’s hand, making him immobile.

Xena is about to kill Hyperion when Thea steps in. She gives them the scroll to turn them back to stone.

Hyperion breaks free. The ladies scramble to get the chant right before Hyperion kills Gabrielle.

Xena knocks Hyperion over a cliff as Gabrielle reads the chant. The titans are again stone.

Later, Gabrielle says goodbye to Phyleus. She stops him before their romantic attachment can go any further (meaning just a kiss).

Xena asks Gabrielle why she went into the cave by herself, then tells Gabrielle how important the young bard is to their quests.

THE END

Conclusion

I thought I had seen every single episode of Xena countless times but apparently I was wrong. I remember every detail of “The Reckoning” but nothing of “The Titans.” How the hell did that happen?

This is the first major time in the series that Gabrielle’s attraction to others is brought up in the series. We knew she was a virgin already, and that she had been betrothed to a man she hated, but where this attachment with Phyleus came from I am not sure. I believe she is simply enjoying the attention from her power of the Titans and even once that is gone he is still supportive, but I cannot figure out why after they were under attack why Phyleus still appealed to her more than her ex-fiancee back home ever did.

In terms of structure, this second episode is interesting in that Gabrielle is driving the story but just like when she was captured by the priests of Morpheus earlier in the series, it is still completely viewed through Xena’s eyes. The show is still early on enough that the writers were still set on Xena’s journey, but it’s evident just how much fun they have writing Gabrielle’s character. Then again, maybe I’m biased because I always liked the talkative writer better myself.

I’m not going to break down these episodes for you. You can do it! I believe in you! Plus the commercial breaks tell you and if you’ve been reading all my other posts you should simply know by now. If you get confused though, let me know in the comments below!

Happy Writing!