Episode 11
Here She Comes...Miss Amphipolis
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Marina Sargenti
Edited by: Jim Prior

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena/Miss Amphipolis
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle/Contessa

Guest Cast:
Robert Trebor as Salmoneus
Geoff Gann as Miss Artiphys
John Sumner as Lord Clairon
Calvin Tuteao as Doge of Messini
Simone Kessell as Miss Messini
Stan Wolfgramm as Palatine of Parnassus
Jennifer Rucker as Miss Parnassus
Timothy Lee as Regent of Skiros
Katherine Kennard as Miss Skiros
Brenda Kendall as Pageant Matron

Synopsis by Don MacLeod:
Xena and Gabrielle come to the aid of Salmoneus who turns out to want help ensuring the smooth running of a beauty contest organized by the Lord Clairon. Salmoneus is compere. Xena is irritated but agrees to pose as Miss Amphipolis when Salmoneus asserts that skullduggery in the runup to the pageant is an indication that a year-old peace treaty signed by three of the pageant's sponsors is being undermined covertly by one of the warlord signatories. Gabrielle assumes the role of Miss Amphipolis' sponsor and the duo go undercover to identify the saboteur.

An attempt is made on the life of the first contestant they meet which Xena foils, adroitly allowing Salmoneus to take all the credit. Left alone in the steam room after meeting some more participants Xena finds herself sealed in. Escaping easily, she avoids disqualification by arriving just in time to take part in the first round of the contest. While it goes on someone nicks her leathers. Xena discovers it was Miss Artiphys who locked her in the steam room to throw a scare into her and discourage her from revealing the secret s/he knew Xena had guessed. S/he offers to go quietly but Xena rejects this saying, "May the best person win."

The bickering warlords continue to bicker as Lord Clairon attempts ineffectually to subdue their clashing egos. At the first round of judging Miss Artiphys appears wearing Xena's leathers causing some fuss among the warlords who take her for Xena until s/he announces, "I'm no princess - I'm a queen!" and sashays onto the stage.

Miss Artiphys and Miss Amphipolis join the other survivors (of the first round) in the preparations for the talent contest. It is plain Miss Artiphys knows who Xena is but is able and willing to keep a secret. The warlords quarrel again, escalating their threats to the point of war. Clairon's weak efforts at diplomacy only seem to inflame their passions. Xena talks with Miss Messini who gives her the lowdown on the entrants' motives and their various hard-luck stories.

Prior to the talent contest we see a beam above the stage being weakened. During the snake-charming act of Miss Skiros - the only warlord-sponsored entrant not yet attacked, Xena notices that something is about to cut short the performance. She averts disaster without panicking the audience. The nervous Lord Clairon, whose upward glance alerted Xena to the danger, tardily joins in the applause.

One by one the trio of warlords are bopped on the head by a mystery assailant. Lord Clairon corners Miss Amphipolis intending to kill her, confesses in the hearing of the warlords who are tied and gagged under a table nearby, that he only wanted the pageant to have the opportunity to get a profitable war going again. He attacks Xena. As he falls unconscious, the warlords realise Miss Amphipolis is Xena.

Xena turns up as herself for the result of the final judging. To the great chagrin of Salmoneus she announces that Miss Amphipolis has withdrawn. As Salmoneus tries to proclaim a winner, successive runners-up each withdraw until it is the turn of Miss Artiphys who does not hesitate to wear the crown of Miss Known World.

Synopsis:
Xena is badly injured whilst saving a young girl, and Gabrielle must take her to Niklio the healer. Whilst lying unconscious, Xena experiences flashbacks of her life as a pirate, her first encounter with Caesar, her friendship with M'Lila and Caesar's betrayal of her which led to her crucifixion. Xena remembers how M'Lila died saving her life and her own murderous reaction to her death, leading to her vicious campaign of terror against all those who opposed her. Xena lapses in and out of consciousness and Gabrielle pleads with Xena to stay but Xena has lost her will to live and she dies. However, she meets M'Lila on the other side, who tells Xena that it is not her time to die and that she has much to fight for.

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