Episode 7
The Debt II
Story by: R.J. Stewart and Robert Tapert
Teleplay by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: Oley Sassone
Edited by: Robert Field

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

Guest Cast:
Jacqueline Kim as Lao Ma
Marton Csokas as Borias
Grant McFarland as Ming Tsu
Daniel Lim as Ming T'ien (aged 12)
Daniel Sing as Ming T'ien (as adult)
Tai Hadfield as Chuang
Ric Chan as Jiu
Din Tran as Prison Guard

Synopsis by Don MacLeod:
Xena remains imprisoned in a watery dungeon. Ming T'ien, the Green Dragon, rejects Gabrielle's pleas to release Xena. He tells her that he cannot free Xena for he is convinced she will not cease trying to kill him. Ming T'ien narrates how Xena shaped his youth and made him the ruler he is today.

A fellow prisoner tells Xena that Ming T'ien is an implacable tyrant with absolute power who rules by fear. He relates the torture and execution of Lao Ma and wonders if she had any powers at all since she did not save herself. Xena assures him that she was indeed powerful and narrates her life with Lao Ma and what she learned of her powers.

Gabrielle begs Xena to promise not to attack Ming T'ien again - her punishment will then be commuted to banishment. Xena is obdurate and will not speak. A tear rolls down her cheek. Her execution is set for dawn the next day. Ming T'ien mocks Gabrielle, saying he would have had Xena killed whatever she said. She wades into Xena's dungeon and admits that her abhorrence of killing has caused her to bring about a greater wrong. The pair are reconciled, for now.

Xena relates how Lao Ma enlisted her in a plan to unite her kingdom in a tripartite alliance with Borias, Xena's former lover and mentor, and Ming Tsu, father of Ming T'ien. Xena and Borias got together again and destroyed Lao Ma's plan by murdering Ming Tsu. They were set to finish the job by killing Ming T'ien but Lao Ma protected her son's life. Xena parted from Lao Ma and only much later realized the extent of her debt, which she now feels must be repaid.

Xena breaks free from her cross of execution and sets about destroying Ming T'ien's palace. He climbs from the rubble. Xena tells Gabrielle to leave because the palace is about to collapse completely. She leaves, taking Xena's assurance that the conflict is over to mean that Xena has no desire to kill Ming T'ien. Xena listens as the monster she created tells how he himself tortured Lao Ma to death, knowing that she was his mother - in fact it was this knowledge that let him proceed with the murder in the assurance that he was the one person on whom she would not use her power. He tosses Xena a two-pronged hair brooch, saying it was the sentimental fool's dying wish that it be returned to her friend. In the past Lao Ma had remarked to Xena how that very brooch could be a killing tool used properly...

Gabrielle returns to see what is keeping Xena. She finds her facing Ming T'ien, upright on his throne, telling him his power over his people is ended: he has been made small again. Xena tells Gabrielle that she understood Lao Ma's message and did not have to resort to murder. Gabrielle and she leave, professing love for each other.

We see that the brooch is buried in the side of Ming T'ien's head. Xena has lied: it is death that has made him small.

Episode 8
The King Of Assassins
Written by: Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
Directed by: Bruce Campbell

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

Guest Cast:
Ted Raimi as Joxer/Jett
Gina Torres as Cleopatra
Bruce Campbell as Autolycus
Jonathon Hendry as Pontius
Larry Keating as Warlord
Christian Hodge as Prisoner
Benjamin Banse as Prison Guard
Russell Raethel as Guard #3
Nerida Nichols as Chambermaid
Jeremy Birchall as The Other Joxer/Jett

Synopsis by Don MacLeod:
In a prison encouraging a prisoner to volunteer some information, Xena finds Joxer in the stocks for stealing a chicken. She buys his release and asks him to tell Gabrielle she will be away for a short while.

Autolycus and a mystery accomplice are engaged in stealing a precious sword. The alarms are triggered and the warlord owner is murdered by Autolycus' accomplice who looks like Joxer's double. Autolycus is perturbed by his companion's assertion that he's not done killing yet.

He runs into Joxer and Gabrielle at the marketplace. He takes Joxer to be the killer but it turns out that Joxer has a twin brother, Jett, who is a master assassin. Gabrielle persuades Autolycus to set a trap for Jett and prevent him from killing again.

Things go awry. Joxer and Gabrielle end up in the dungeon of a castle currently occupied by Cleopatra and her court. She is planning an invasion of Egypt to wrest the land back from her usurping brother, Ptolemy. Autolycus eavesdrops on her conversation with her chief of security, Pontius, as he assures her that she will have her pick of armies within three days. He stashes the stolen sword in her wardrobe just before she yanks him from his hiding place. He offers to get Xena to aid her, pretending with all the charm he can muster that he was merely testing her security. Pontius visits the dungeon and takes Joxer for the assassin Jett that he has secretly hired at the behest of Ptolemy. He releases them to stay as guests of Cleopatra but Joxer contrives to leave Gabrielle locked in the dungeon. It takes her some time to escape.

Jett accosts Autolycus in a foul mood, thinking he has been betrayed. He is assuaged by the news that the sword is already planted in Cleopatra's chamber as planned. Cleopatra summons Autolycus to her rooms to negotiate for Xena's services. Jett demands that he dismiss her guards at the first opportunity; that will be the signal for him to strike. While Autolycus and Cleopatra negotiate, watched by the guards that Autolycus has insisted should stay, Joxer and Jett meet. They exchange pleasantries, much to Joxer's humiliation. Autolycus leaves Cleopatra in a very good humour and meets Pontius along with Joxer and Gabrielle, not knowing that the chief of security is behind the assassination plot. He soon finds out when Pontius reminds Joxer, taking him for Jett, that it's time he did his job and has Autolycus and Gabrielle locked up.

Xena turns up and frees them from the dungeon. Jett is on the point of killing Cleopatra when Joxer challenges him to fight, giving Xena time to get there and put him down. Pontius and his men show willing and join the fray. A general melee ensues. When the dust settles Jett has killed Pontius to save his brother's life. He goes to prison. Xena gets a royal invitation to Egypt. Autolycus and Cleopatra part on the best of terms.

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