Episode 9
Death In Chains
Story by: Babs Greyhosky,
Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
Teleplay by: Adam Armus and
Nora Kay Foster
Directed by: Charles Siebert
Edited by: Robert Field

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

Guest Cast:
Kate Hodge as Celesta
Ray Henwood as Sisyphus
Leslie Wing as Karis
Kieren Hutchison as Talus
Erik Thomson as Hades
Chris Graham as Toxeus
Gordon Hatfield as Seerus
Paul McLaren as Streptus
Kelly Greene as Guard
Beryl Te Wiata as Old Woman
Allan Wilkins as Thug
Wayne England as Wounded Man

Karis, the queen is arguing with her husband, King Sisyphus. She is trying to persuade him not to challenge the gods but he will not listen.

Death, in the form of Hades' sister, Celesta comes to take King Sisyphus to the Underworld to punish him for upsetting Hera. On approaching the king's castle she is accosted by his guards. One of them touches her and immediately drops dead. The other soldiers run away in fear.

Karis continues to plead with her husband. She now realises that Sisyphus has set a trap for Celesta and she is afraid.

Celesta passes through the inner doors of the castle and is invited in by the king himself. Sisyphus has prepared a banquet and invites her to sit down for a while. She does so but reminds him that nothing has changed. Sisyphus raises a toast and as he does so, chains appear around Celesta's wrists, trapping her in her seat and seperating her from her eternal flame. She cries out in surprise, asking him if he realises what he is doing. She tells him that if the flame burns out she will no longer exist and there will be no death in the world.

Xena and Gabrielle are walking along, minding their own business. Gabrielle comments on a happy couple and wonders if she will ever find someone and be happy as they are. She goes to pick an apple but someone fires an arrow which passes directly through its centre. Gabrielle draws back in surprise and sees a group of bandits laughing and jeering. The leader, who calls himself Toxeus, approaches Xena and asks her to join his band. Xena refuses so Toxeus says she must die. He attacks Xena but she knocks him to the ground. She starts to walk away but Toxeus picks up a knife and attacks her from behind. Xena stabs him with her sword and he dies. Toxeus' men run off and Xena and Gabrielle walk away. As they do so, Toxeus opens his eyes!

Xena and Gabrielle discuss what has just happened. Suddenly the ground starts to shake and Xena yells at Gabrielle to take cover. A chariot appears in a cloud of dust and Xena approaches it. It is Hades, god of the Underworld. He steps out of his chariot and asks for Xena's help. He tells her that Sisyphus is holding Celesta prisoner and that Xena must rescue her or the price will be high. He informs Xena that if Celesta's eternal flame burns out then humans will know eternal suffering.

Xena and Gabrielle continue their journey. They encounter a group of injured people lying by the roadside. Xena rides ahead and starts to help. She asks one of the people there what happened and he tells her there was a rockslide. One man is severely injured and in great pain but death does not come for him. Xena gives Gabrielle her medicine bag and tells her to help the others. She tries to help someone who pushes her away. However, a young man arrives and starts to help the injured man, telling him a story whilst he does so. Gabrielle is intrigued and very impressed. The young man tells her his name is Talus and that he is on his way to Corinth. Gabrielle tells him about Death being a prisoner as they go to fetch some water. Talus offers to help as his mother used to work for the king and he knows the castle very well. He gives Gabrielle a flower, telling her that it is a rare beauty as she is.

All of a sudden, Talus is grabbed by Toxeus who pushes him aside and grabs Gabrielle. Xena appears and she and Toxeus fight. Xena stabs him again but he gets up telling her he is a god. Xena tells him this is not the case - that death is a prisoner. She slices through a tree branch with her chakram which then falls on Toxeus, pinning him to the ground.

Celesta's candle is burning down quickly. Karis is concerned about her husband's trickery, saying that he is not usually so cruel. He reminds her that it was his kindness towards his subjects that led to his being punished by the gods He reassures Karis, saying that they will now live forever and will be together for all eternity.

Seerus, Toxeus' second-in-command is taking control of Toxeus' men. Toxeus arrives and explains about Death. He wants to gather his army and stop Xena from ruining his plans. His men are not convinced so Toxeus fights and kills them all so they are all undead.

Xena, Gabrielle and Talus are travelling together in the same direction. Gabrielle asks Xena what she thinks of Talus. Gabrielle is obviously struck by him. Xena tells Gabrielle and Talus that she intends to ride on ahead. She wants Gabrielle and Talus to go to the hospice to help those there and to tell them about the injured people on the roadside. She rides away.

Toxeus and his men are watching from above. They split into two groups with the intent of following Xena and Gabrielle. Xena, of course, realises she is being followed. She climbs into a tree and jumps on the men from above, knocking them out. She rides away and sneaks into the castle, knocking one of the guards out on the way in!

Sisyphus knows that Xena has arrived and is quite looking forward to the challenge. He tells Karis that Xena is here to rescue Celesta and that this makes things more interesting.

At the hospice, Gabrielle and Talus hear an old woman crying out for water. Gabrielle goes to her and Talus is about to follow when he clutches his chest and winces in pain. Gabrielle doesn't see this though. The woman tells Gabrielle about dying that morning and then coming back. She asks where Death is. Gabrielle tells her that she has been captured but that Xena is going to rescue her. The woman tells her that anyone who touches Death will die. Gabrielle is alarmed and tells Talus she must warn Xena. He responds by offering to show her a back way into the castle.

Xena sneaks into the castle. Sisyphus appears in a cloud of smoke. Xena tries to reason with him but he will not listen. Xena threatens him, saying she hasn't much time. He disagrees, saying she has all the time in the world. He disappears and, as he does so, the floor under Xena's feet gives way and she falls into a pit. She manages to grab some bones on the way down which are hanging from some chains in the wall but the bone she is holding on to comes away from the body and Xena falls even further, lands heavily and lies still.

Gabrielle and Talus reach an escape tunnel which leads from the castle and they sneak into it. Toxeus' men follow. Gabrielle asks Talus to go back but he refuses. As they walk forward they see Toxeus' men and start to run. The men chase after them. Gabrielle and Talus reach some stairs and run up them but as Talus is halfway up them, they start to collapse and Talus falls down a chute. Gabrielle continues to run away.

Xena wakes up. She hears someone shouting and the noise appears to be getting louder. Suddenly, Talus appears from a chute. He tells Xena about Gabrielle and is annoyed at himself. Xena says they must find her and she starts to look for a way out. She hears water and finds a trapdoor. She lifts it and drops down into some water. Talus follows.

Gabrielle is still being chased. She just manages to hide behind some curtains before Toxeus' men appear. She tries to keep quiet but a rat is crawling around near her face and she squeals. Toxeus hears a noise and is just about to open the curtain when the rat comes out from the bottom. Toxeus steps on it and then leaves. Gabrielle comes out from the curtain and runs in the opposite direction.

Xena crawls down a dark tunnel, through pools of water. As she does so she sees lots of rats appear further down. Suddenly, there are tons of rats falling on both her and Talus. When they have all gone, Xena and Talus continue until they reach the exit. They appear in a chamber in the castle. Karis is in the next room and hears their conversation. Xena starts to move but Talus again clutches at his chest. Xena asks him what is wrong. He tells her that he has been ill for a long time and that he was travelling to Corinth to see his home once more. Xena asks if Gabrielle knows. He tells her no but says he is not afraid to die.

Karis is upset. She runs to Sisyphus and says that it is wrong to keep Death in chains. He rebukes her, saying he will die if Xena wins. Celesta looks weak as her flame is getting lower and lower.

Karis catches up with Xena and offers to help. She tells them there is a quicker way through the castle, avoiding Sisyphus' traps. Although sceptical at first, Xena agrees to accept her help.

Sisyphus gloats, believing he has captured Xena but it is Karis who is in his trap. Xena talks to Sisyphus who challenges her to a fight but she refuses and asks Talus to come out. He does so and pleads with Sisyphus to release Celesta. Sisyphus realises he has been selfish and he relents, saying he will release her.

Sisyphus approaches Celesta and starts to unchain her. At that moment, Gabrielle runs into the room with Toxeus and his men chasing her. Toxeus grabs Gabrielle and threatens to kill her. Xena offers herself instead so Toxeus releases Gabrielle. As he does so, Sisyphus uses one of his tricks to throw Toxeus and his men backwards. Sisyphus goes back to Celesta whilst Xena fights Toxeus' men. Toxeus throws Sisyphus aside so Talus and Gabrielle grab Toxeus. He pushes Talus away roughly and then grabs Gabrielle again. Xena throws her chakram which knocks the knife out of Toxeus' hand and breaks Celesta's chains. The candle rises to its full strength. Celesta is released and touches Toxeus and his men who fall to the floor and die. Sisyphus says he is ready to go but Celesta tells him that someone else needs her first. Talus steps forward. Gabrielle, confused, says it must be a mistake but Talus tells her that it is no mistake and that he is ready to go. Gabrielle and Talus hug and then Talus follows Celesta whilst Gabrielle cries and turns to Xena for comfort. Xena puts her arm around Gabrielle.

Review
There is a powerful moral to this episode about death and the painful but necessary role it plays in all our lives. This is played out beautifully by all the characters. We see Sisyphus' attempt to cheat death and his selfish disregard for the needs of others, Gabrielle's denial of Talus' illness and Talus' welcoming of an end to his pain. Throughout, we see the contrast between those who are fighting death and those who wish to embrace it and the balance of this is just right.

In my opinion, full marks should be given to Chris Graham as Toxeus for managing to be both obnoxious and charismatic at the same time whilst Kieren Hutchison is perfect as Talus. Poor Gabrielle! So begins the long line of doomed loves!

Episode 10
Hooves And Harlots
Written by: Steven L. Sears
Directed by: Jace Alexander
Edited by: Jim Prior

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

Guest Cast:
Danielle Cormack as Ephiny
David Aston as Tyldus
Rebekah Mercer as Terreis
Alison Bruce as Queen Melosa
Mark Ferguson as Krykus
Colin Moy as Phantes
Chris Bailey as Celano
Anthony Starr as Mesas
John Watson as Arben
Aurora Philips as Magdelus
Tanya Dignan as Eponin
Andrew Kovacevich as Tor

Synopsis:
Whilst Gabrielle and Xena are travelling through Amazon lands, Terreis, an Amazon princess is tragically murdered and Gabrielle is given her right of caste. Not really understanding what this means, Gabrielle accepts and is shocked to learn she must avenge her death. A Centaur called Phantes is captured by the Amazons and blamed for Terreis' murder but a suspicious Xena visits the Centaur camp, convinced that Phantes is innocent. When she discovers that a ruthless warlord, Krykus, has his eye on both Amazon and Centaur land, she strives to prove to Queen Melosa of the Amazons that Phantes is innocent and so prevent a war between the Amazons and Centaurs.

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