Episode 13
One Against An Army
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Written by: Gene O'Neill and Noreen Tobin
Directed by: Paul Lynch
Edited by: Jim Prior

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

Guest Cast:
Douglas Kamo as Dorian
Nick Kemplen as Phiddipides

Synopsis:
Whilst Gabrielle practises her 'flips', she hurts her ankle. As they rest, a runner approaches, warning them of the approach of the Persian army. Xena sends him on to Athens to warn its citizens and then tends to Gabrielle. Xena intends to start a landslide at the pass to slow the army down but she and Gabrielle come across Dorian, who claims to be a Spartan deserter. Xena asks him to join up with them against the army. However, when advance scouts attack, Dorian freezes and Gabrielle gets hit by a poisoned arrow whilst rescuing him.

Xena sends Dorian on to Tripolis to warn the militia to prepare for an attack but Gabrielle is puzzled. After Dorian has left, Xena explains that Dorian is a Persian spy and that he has gone to tell the army about the landslide at the pass (something Xena 'let slip' to Dorian earlier).

Xena and Gabrielle head for Tripolis to meet up with the militia and to get the antidote for Gabrielle. However, on arrival they discover that Tripolis has been razed. Obviously, the militia had heard about the attack and had burned their own village down. Xena enters the physician's hut to find that the antidote has been destroyed. She tells Gabrielle that they are going on to Thessaly instead. Gabrielle refuses, saying that they must stay and fight, otherwise Athens will fall. Xena reluctantly concurs but when she discovers that the arrow pierced Gabrielle's lung, thereby speeding up the poision, she insists that they must leave. Gabrielle once again reminds her of the greater good so Xena tells her she will stay and fight and they will die together.

Xena releases Argo and prepares for the battle ahead. The advance party attack but Xena has left several traps for them. She fights many of them but in the midst of battle, she sees Dorian about to kill Gabrielle. She attacks him and stabs him with a poisoned arrow. When he crawls towards the archer who fired them, Xena sees him pick up the antidote and she wrestles it from him. She continues fighting on and finally the remainder of the army retreat. Xena races to Gabrielle with the antidote but is attacked from above. She fights these soldiers off and then gives the antidote to Gabrielle. Once Gabrielle has come round, Xena collapses, exhausted, beside her.

Episode 14
Forgiven
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Written by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: Garth Maxwell
Edited by: Jim Prior

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

Guest Cast:
Shiri Appleby as Tara
Mervyn Smith as Dorus
Wade Jackson as Wayan
Brett Coutts as Micah
David Goodwin as Lark

A gang of thugs steal the Urn of Apollo from his temple. The head priest, Dorus, seeks Xena's help in recovering it. Xena agrees to recover the urn and she goes to fetch Argo, leaving Gabrielle in a tavern. Gabrielle starts to write but a young girl throws water at her and then her bowl of gruel at her. When Gabrielle refuses to fight her, the girl attacks Gabrielle, nearly biting a piece of her ear off! Xena returns and intervenes. The girl (Tara) says she wants to be Xena's new sidekick. Xena tells her she does not need her help and walks away.

Tara follows Xena and Gabrielle until Gabrielle complains about it. Xena tells Tara to stop following them but Tara says she wants a chance to prove herself. Xena relents and lets Tara accompany them. Gabrielle is furious but reluctantly gives in.

Tara takes Xena and Gabrielle to the gang's camp. Xena goes to investigate and Tara follows. Xena sends her back but Tara ignores her. Instead, she approaches Lark, one of the gang members and tells him someone is watching them. When he nears where Xena is hiding, Xena leaps out at him and puts the pinch on him. She asks where the urn is. He says he does not know where it is but Wayan, the leader of the gang means to sell it to some traders. Xena knocks him out.

Xena and Tara return to where Gabrielle is waiting for them. Tara gloats at her success but Gabrielle reminds Xena that Tara disobeyed her. They set up camp and Tara deliberately puts Gabrielle's staff in the fire and then places her blanket next to Xena's so that Gabrielle is forced to sleep on the other side of the fire.

The next day, Xena rides ahead to follow the traders. She tells Gabrielle and Tara to wait for her signal before moving to the foot of the hill. Tara again ignores her instructions and moves forward too soon. Gabrielle tries to stop her and they both get caught by the gang.

Xena arrives at the gang's camp to find them gone. Instead, she finds Gabrielle and Tara buried in the dirt up to their necks. In front of them is a wooden trap, held open by ropes. A pair of axes are fastened to the trap in such a way that when the ropes burn through, the axes will strike Tara and Gabrielle. Xena is just in time to stop this. However, she is not amused. Neither is Gabrielle. Xena gives Tara a good talking to and then leaves, to try to catch up with the gang.

Tara accuses Gabrielle of putting her in Xena's bad books. She attacks Gabrielle but this time Gabrielle is ready for her. They fight and Tara is beaten quite badly. Xena returns and Tara collapses sobbing in her arms.

Xena and Gabrielle tend to Tara's wounds and Gabrielle thanks Xena for helping her to see Tara's pain. Later, they have a game of charades (Gabrielle's new game!) and Tara and Gabrielle seem to be getting on much better. However, after Xena and Gabrielle have gone to sleep, Tara goes to meet up with Micah, one of the gang.

The next day, they arrive at the gang's hideout. Xena goes to find a way in, whilst Tara and Gabrielle wait. Once inside, they search for the urn. Tara finds it and makes a run for it. She runs to Micah but when he orders her to give it to him, she refuses. She tells him that she thinks they should return it to the temple. Micah draws his sword but Tara runs off. Micah starts to give chase but Xena intervenes and knocks him down.

Tara runs into one of the rooms but unfortunately the gang are in there. Xena and Gabrielle follow and a fight ensues, with the urn being tossed from one person to another. Eventually, the gang are defeated and the urn is safe. Tara realises that Xena and Gabrielle knew all along that she was going to betray them and she storms out, annoyed at them both.

Back at the temple, the urn is back in its rightful place. Tara and Gabrielle kneel at the altar and are forgiven for their past misdeeds. Xena stands at the back of the temple but does not approach. Tara is confused, wondering why Xena does not seem to want to be forgiven. Xena watches them both and then walks away.

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