Episode 3
Dreamworker
Written by: Steven L. Sears
Directed by: Bruce Seth Green
Edited by: Jim Prior

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Nathaniel Lees as Manus
Desmond Kelly as Elkton
Sydney Jackson as Storekeeper
Colin Francis as Swordsmith
John Palmer as Baruch
Bruce Hopkins as Termin
Matthew Jeffs as Gothos
Michael Daly as Mesmer
Peter Phillips as 1st Xena Warrior
Grant Boucher as 2nd Xena Warrior
Lawrence Wharerau as Mystic Warrior
Patrick Smith as Dolas
Polly Baigent as Doppleganger

Gabrielle is attacking a poor, defenceless tree with Xena's sword. After issuing a few threats, she is disturbed by Xena who wants her sword back and who reminds Gabrielle that it is not a toy. Gabrielle tries to persuade Xena to teach her how to use it but her friend refuses, saying that would make Gabrielle a target. Instead, she teaches Gabrielle the rules of survival, which mostly involve running away.

Xena and Gabrielle's friendly banter is interrupted by the arrival of a band of highwaymen who attempt to rob the pair. Naturally, Xena isn't going to give up without a fight and she attacks the men. However, she drops her sword and Gabrielle picks it up. This makes her a target and Xena has to come to her rescue. On finding out the warrior woman is Xena, the head robber (Gothos) tries to kill her but Xena defeats and kills him first. On seeing their leader fall, the rest of the band flee.

Watching from the bushes, a sinister-looking man turns to his companion and comments on how Gabrielle managed to avoid spilling blood. He appears to have plans for her, stating that "she's the one" and that Morpheus will be pleased.

Xena and Gabrielle enter a village. Gabrielle is a little shaken over becoming a target once she picked up the sword. Xena looks smug. They arrange to pick up some supplies in the town and meet up later.

Xena enters a shop, intent on buying a sharpening stone and some oil. The storekeeper asks a few questions about Gabrielle and Xena gets suspicious. However, their conversation is interrupted when Elkton, a blind ex-mystic, enters the shop. He needs a halter for his horse but the storekeeper refuses to serve him. Taking pity on Elkton, Xena buys him a halter instead of the sharpening stone.

Gabrielle enters a swordsmith's shop. The swordsmith looks surprised to see her and wonders why she's in town. He presumes she has nothing to fear from Morpheus, the god of dreams. Gabrielle is confused by his questions but soon has the swordsmith convinced she is a great warrior. He shows her a beautiful sword but it's a bit heavy for Gabrielle so he presents a breast dagger to her, which he pops down her blouse. Gabrielle is delighted with her new weapon!

Xena exits the storekeeper's shop and passes the halter to Elkton. He thanks his unseen helper who does not stop but goes to meet up with Gabrielle. On seeing her, she comments on how she looks "bigger". Then, the breast dagger falls out of Gabrielle's blouse and onto the floor. Xena confiscates it and shoves it down her cleavage. As they continue talking, Xena is distracted as a group of mystics ride into town, heading towards them. There is a fight and, in the confusion, Xena loses sight of Gabrielle. After the battle, she discovers the mystics have kidnapped Gabrielle.

Xena storms back into the storekeeper's shop and confronts him. He confesses that the mystics come down from their mountain every solstice to take a bride for their god, Morpheus but the girls are never seen again. Xena decides to visit Elkton.

In Morpheus' temple within the fortress, the high priest Manus informs his god of his new bride-to-be. Manus then visits Gabrielle in her cell and tells her she has been chosen as Morpheus' bride. Gabrielle tries to talk her way out of it but in vain. Manus tells her she must face several challenges and, if she succeeds, she will become Morpheus' bride. If not, she will perish.

Xena seeks out the wary Elkton. Realising she was the one who helped him earlier, he tells her of Manus' cult and how the mystical order was once good but is now tainted by evil. He informs her that they want Gabrielle to lose her blood innocence (i.e. kill someone). Once she has done this, she is to be sacrificed. Horrified, Xena prepares to ride to the fortress but Elkton tells her it would take too long and that she must enter her dreamscape and defeat Morpheus there. Her soul will enter this realm whilst her body remains in the physical world. Once she has passed through the dreamscape into the exit door, her soul will reunite with her body. If she fails to do this, her body will die. Elkton tells Xena to hurry as he pours oil onto her body, vowing to guard it from danger.

Xena finds herself in a blue-lit corridor, wearing a rather fetching purple, silk dressing gown. She hears the sound of approaching warriors and they are chanting her name and boasting of her past victories. Xena reminds them she has changed but they tell her she can't change before marching on. Then, Xena's past victims appear to her, each one giving their name and listing those of their loved ones she killed. Xena starts to get more and more agitated as her victims crowd round her but she won't kill them. Instead, she lets Morpheus know that she realises this is a trick to slow her down.

Manus is told by Morpheus that Gabrielle's friend is trying to rescue her. Manus instructs one of the mystic warriors to find Xena's body and Elkton and kill them both. Elkton, meanwhile, realises that Xena hasn't got much time. Her life is being drained too quickly so he decides to take her body to a safer place.

In the meantime, Gabrielle faces her first challenge. She is given a sword, taken to a room and told to find her way to the other side of it. Manus tells her there are two warriors in there who will try to stop her but she must stop them first. She passes the test by tricking the warriors into killing each other. Manus applauds her efforts but looks displeased that she did not resort to killing them herself. She is told to rest, ready for the next challenge.

Xena's dreamscape overlaps with Gabrielle's dream and they meet. Xena is able to warn Gabrielle that Manus wants her to kill and that she mustn't do that at any cost. If she does, she will be sacrificed to Morpheus. Xena tells Gabrielle to use what she knows and is good at (i.e. talking!) to keep herself alive until Xena can reach her. Gabrielle does not appear to hear her as she is being woken up by Manus. He tells her to prepare for her next challenge and that she should use the sword to defend herself. She grabs the mystic and holds the sword to his throat but relents and lets him go, realising that if she killed him she would be sacrificed anyway. Manus informs her that he knows about Xena and that his soldiers are looking for her body and will kill her as soon as they find her. In fact, the mystic warrior is in pursuit of Elkton, searching for wagon tracks. Elkton, meanwhile, has run out of N'Kama oil.

Gabrielle is sent into another room to face another challenge. As soon as she enters, she throws her sword away. She realises she is good at talking and she uses this to trick her three opponents to fight each other as Manus looks on. As he releases her from the room, he scowls, realising she knows Morpheus requires her to spill blood. He tells her that in the next challenge, she will have no choice but to kill.

Xena is back in the passageway. Gothos, Xena's last kill, turns up, along with Termin, Xena's first kill. They taunt Xena about her own lost blood innocence and tell her Gabrielle will soon be the same as her. Angrily, Xena draws on her strength to rid herself of her tormentors and is weakened as a result. Struggling, she heads for the way out, only to be confronted by her dark self. The dark Xena tries to tempt Xena back to being her old self. In response, Xena fights her dark self.

Gabrielle is in a cage. Before her, is a warrior with a sword and she has no choice but to move towards him as there are moving spikes behind her, forcing her forward. In front of her is a sword and she is urged by Manus to pick it up. She desperately calls for Xena's help.

Xena is taunted by her dark self and still she fights on. Meanwhile, Elkton has been found and the warriors hold him back as one of them gets ready to strike Xena's body. Back at the fortress, Manus loses his temper, ordering Gabrielle to take the sword.

Xena realises her dark self is a part of her she can't escape from but also that this is the key to her escape. She hurls her dark self at the door and walks through, just as the mystic warrior strikes at the empty space where her body had been lying moments before. Xena rescues Gabrielle (who can't resist punching Manus first!) and they return to the village.

Elkton has somehow regained his sight and has now been reinstated as Head Mystic. He tells Xena that, as punishment, Manus has been placed inside his own dreamscape to face his past demons. Satisfied they have saved the village from losing any more of their young women to Morpheus, Xena and Gabrielle leave to continue their travels together. As they stop by a lake, Gabrielle contemplates how near she came to killing, whilst Xena explains she once was calm like the water but how she was forever changed by outside events. Gabrielle smiles at Xena's "first stab at wisdom".

Episode 4
Cradle Of Hope
Written by: Terence Winter
Directed by: Michael Levine
Edited by: Robert Field

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Pandora
Edward Newborn as King Gregor
Simon Prast as Nemos
Kirstie O'Sullivan as Ophelia
Beryl Te Wiata as Cynara
Christine Bartlett as Philana
Tony Bishop as Weasel
Paul Minifie as Innkeeper
Lathan Gains as Kastor
Alan De Malmanche as Old Man
Carl Straker as Young Man
Susan Winter as Woman
Paul Norell as Street Vendor

King Gregor, accompanied by his trusted adviser, Nemos is seeking a vision of his future from Cynara, an old mystical woman. She confirms to the king that his dreams of a future child are correct. He tells her that is the past; his newborn son died months ago. Cynara relates to him that the child is an orphan who will someday sit on the throne. Nemos tentatively suggests to the king that the child may, therefore, be a threat.

One of the king's servants, Ophelia, is trying to persuade Philana, the servant who has been caring for the orphaned child, to give up the child to her so she can hide him. Ophelia warns that Nemos is looking for him and that he is in danger. Philana hesitates but then puts the child in the basket Ophelia is holding. The young girl then takes the child down to the river and puts the basket on the water.

Xena wakes Gabrielle. Both hear a noise nearby and go to investigate. Parting the reeds in the nearby water, Xena reveals...a baby in a basket! Gabrielle starts ga-ga gooing at the baby whilst Xena keeps her distance. They both ponder what to do about the baby and why he had been left there. Xena suspects he has come from a nearby village upriver and decides to go back there to get him some food and find out where he came from.

King Gregor asks his adviser for news of the child but there is none. Gregor is reluctant to view the child as a threat but Nemos tells him the child could be used as a weapon against him. The king, still grieving over his lost wife and child, instructs Nemos to bring him the child and that he will decide then what to do with him.

On their way to the village, Xena and Gabrielle come across a potential hanging. A group of villagers are just about to hang a young woman. Xena intervenes, taking out the leader of the mob and the rest scarper. The woman assures them she is alright and thanks them for their help. Gabrielle grasps her bag but the woman seems very concerned about her handling it. It starts to rain and they decide to get the baby undercover.

The group find shelter in a nearby cave to wait out the storm. Gabrielle puts the bag down and a box falls out. Xena asks the strange woman if that has anything to do with what those people were doing to her. She replies that they were after her, not the box. She then reveals her name is Pandora and that her grandmother was the original Pandora who opened the box. Gabrielle looks panicky but Pandora tells her it can't hurt anyone - there is only hope left trapped inside. Pandora reveals the box is the most important thing to her but that it prevents her from living her life fully. Xena calls Gabrielle over and asks her to give the baby to Pandora to look after. She does so then goes to help Xena.

Nemos instructs his men to look for the child, making it clear it does not matter if the child is brought back dead.

Xena, Gabrielle and Pandora enter a tavern. The innkeeper insists they hand over their weapons first, which Xena does reluctantly. As they sit down, the innkeeper goes to the back of the bar and orders a boy to fetch Nemos quickly. He then returns and Xena questions him about the baby, informing him they are looking for his mother. The innkeeper keeps staring at him until Xena starts to get suspicious.

Nemos arrives and tries to arrest the child. Whilst Xena fights his men, Pandora and Gabrielle hide behind the bar, leaving Pandora's box unattended. Xena defeats Nemos and puts the pinch on the innkeeper. She asks about Gregor and is told that the rumour is that the king wants the baby dead. At that moment, Pandora realises her box has been stolen.

Nemos reports back to the king that Xena is now involved and that she has both the child and Pandora but that he managed to get the box. Nemos then turns the king against Xena by suggesting she might have intended to use the box to blackmail him. The king's only option, Nemos suggests, is to kill the child. Gregor is not happy about this but Nemos says they must offer a reward to the peasants for the baby's capture and, if that doesn't work, arrange to exchange the box for the baby. As he speaks, he is handed a note. It is from Xena, saying she wants to meet the king.

Gabrielle returns to Xena with the message that King Gregor has agreed to meet with them. Xena insists she will go alone though. Gabrielle informs her there is a reward on their heads. Pandora, meanwhile, is sat by herself, mourning the loss of the box. When questioned, she reveals her family's curse. The box must remain in the possession of her family, otherwise it will open itself and hope will escape. They only have until midnight before this happens.

King Gregor and Nemos await Xena in the tavern. On behalf of Xena, the innkeeper checks with them there are no guards around. Satisfied they are alone, Xena appears. They discuss the child and the box and Xena tries to convince the king that the child is not a threat to him. Under Nemos' influence, the king refuses to listen and insists that Xena has 24 hours to decide which is more important to her - the child or the box containing hope.

Xena returns to their hiding place to find Ophelia there with Gabrielle and Pandora. Xena tells Gabrielle that King Gregor is not evil and that he is just trying to protect his kingdom. However, she does not trust Nemos. She asks Ophelia about the box and is told Nemos is guarding it. After asking for Ophelia's help, Xena hatches a plan. She will take Ophelia's place as a dancer at the planned quartermoon festival that night.

All the villagers are frantically looking for the baby. Gabrielle and Pandora move through them towards the castle. Inside the castle, Nemos is making merry at a table, the box at his side. The king passes by and is clearly not happy with it being there. After he has gone, Nemos orders his second to gather his loyal followers to him but says he intends to deal with Xena first. He then turns his attention to the dancers. In disguise, Xena dances with the others and Nemos takes a fancy to her and orders her to be brought to his room.

Waiting outside the castle, Pandora and Gabrielle talk about babies. Pandora seems to have a good maternal instinct but sadly tells Gabrielle she can never be a mother (because of her responsibility).

In Nemos' chamber, Xena makes small talk with him in order to find out where the king's chamber is located. After securing this information, she knocks Nemos out.

In his room, King Gregor stands over the empty cradle of his son. He sorrowfully mourns his child and still seems uncertain what to do about the orphan child. Xena sneaks up behind him and knocks him out cold.

Nemos wakes up to discover the box is missing. He immediately heads for the king's room whilst shouting for the guards. Xena has bolted the door so he instructs the guards to break it down. Once inside, he faces Xena who is clutching the box. He closes in on her but she dives out of the window...with the box. At the bottom, she searches for Gabrielle who has hidden away nearby. Instead of leaving though, Xena tells Gabrielle they still have the prophecy to think of and, therefore, they must give the baby to Gregor.

Xena returns to Gregor's chamber, with the baby. He thinks she is after his throne but she tells him the child is meant to be his heir and that is what the prophecy means. Suddenly, it all makes sense to Gregor and he prepares to declare his decision to his people. Nemos enters and demands the baby but when King Gregor stands up to him, Nemos attacks the king and snatches the baby. Xena goes after him and a fight ensues, with much baby throwing between Xena and Gabrielle. Xena kills Nemos and the crowd cheers.

Pandora worries about her box but King Gregor assures her it is safely locked away in his fortress. He then asks Pandora to stay on, telling her his son needs a mother. Turning to Xena, the king thanks her and Pandora asks if they want anything in payment. Xena tells them to name the child Gabriel.

Xena and Gabrielle prepare to leave. They are in the room with the box. Gabrielle muses on whether this is all down to fate. As they turn to leave, Gabrielle clumsily knocks the box to the ground and it spills open. It is empty! They decide to tell Pandora that hope has always been inside us all.

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