Episode 1
Adventures In The Sin Trade I
Story by: Robert Tapert and R.J. Stewart
Teleplay by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: T.J. Scott
Edited by: Robert Field
Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Guest Cast:
Marton Csokas as Borias
Claire Stansfield as Alti
Sheeri Rappaport as Otere (as adult)
Vicky Pratt as Cyane
Erik Thomson as Hades
Kate Elliott as Yakut
Charlotte Saunders as Anokin
Jay Saussey as Young Woman
Sanelle Vosloo as Otere (as child)
Barry Duffield as Koryak
Ben Baker as Chalcis
Barret Irwin as Warrior
Xena rides at full speed. Hades is seen dismounting from his chariot in a burnt-out village. He begins to judge the dead villagers. Xena arrives at the village and asks Hades where Gabrielle is. Hades tells her he doesn't know but Xena won't accept that because Gabrielle was Greek and all Greeks would normally be judged by Hades. He asks if Gabrielle was a member of a cult or spiritual order. Xena immediately realises that Gabrielle must have gone to the same place that dead Amazons would go to.
Xena saddles another horse and sets Argo free. She tells Argo that she can't go where she (Xena) is going. She then rides away on the other horse.
Xena rides across different landscapes from snow-capped mountains to desert sands until she arrives in the land of the Northern Amazons. She dismounts from her horse and sneaks up on an elk. She shoots it with her bow and continues on her journey. She stops frequently to dance, chant and pick herbs. She finds a cave and whilst in there she hears Gabrielle's voice calling her. She dresses in the skin of the elk and continues dancing. She talks to herself and appears to have gone a little bit mad. As she dances, Xena remembers Borias.
Flashback: Xena and Borias are enjoying their lovemaking. Borias tells her that he loves her but Xena scoffs at him, saying that love isn't for people like him and her. She then asks Borias what their next move is and suggests they attack the Amazons. Borias mentions an alliance with the Amazons against the centaurs but Xena is scornful of this idea. They start to kiss again but are interrupted by a soldier entering the tent. Following him are a shamaness and a young girl. The shamaness introduces herself as Alti and her apprentice as Anokin. Alti tells Xena and Borias that she can help them defeat the Amazons as she was an Amazon herself at one time. She impresses Xena when she reveals that she knows her secret. She tells Xena that she is pregnant. Xena had not told anyone. Borias starts to laugh until he realises that it is true. Xena invites Alti and Anokin to stay, although it is obvious that Borias is not happy about this arrangement.
Eventually, Xena leaves the cave and enters a forest. She spies a dead Amazon who is hanging from a tree so she cuts down the body. She is unaware that she is being watched by a group of Amazons who are curious as to what she is doing.
As Xena chants over the dead body, she is attacked by some barbarians who admit to having killed the Amazon. She fights and defeats them, knocking one of them unconscious. She carries the body of the Amazon away and builds a funeral pyre. Whilst she is doing this, the watching Amazons capture the unconscious barbarian.
Xena dances around the pyre and the Amazons follow her, watching from a distance. Xena begins to wail as she seems to realise the full extent of her loss. She mourns Gabrielle, remembering their time together. One of the Amazons, Otere recognises the sound and realises who Xena is. She tells the others of the Greek warlord Borias, who attacked her village when she was a child.
Flashback: The scene is of a burning village. People are running in all directions and Borias is seen mounted on his horse. The child, Otere is hiding amongst the debris. Xena is crying and shouting to Alti for help. Anokin has been severely wounded and lies in Xena's arms. Xena begins to wail. Borias tells her they must leave but Xena says she will not go without Anokin. Xena suddenly sees the young Otere holding a pitchfork. She moves to attack but Borias snatches the child onto his horse and rides away. Alti arrives and Xena tells her it is too late; Anokin is dead. Alti tells Xena she can see Anokin again.
Xena is stood in front of the burning pyre. She draws her sword and approaches her horse. She kills it and drinks the blood. Otere sees this and explains to the others that she must be trying to cross to the other side. Xena collapses on the floor in a trance and her spirit rises from her body.
A young Amazon leans over Xena as Xena opens her eyes. She stands up and the girl pays her tribute. Xena is confused until the girl thanks her for giving her a proper burial. It is the Amazon she cut down from the tree and performed the burial ceremony for. Xena asks where she is and the girl tells her she is in the Land of the Dead. She asks Xena if she has been here before and Xena replies that she visited once before.
Flashback: Xena and Alti are in the Land of the Dead moving towards the lone figure of Anokin. As they approach, Xena runs forward to embrace her but Anokin pushes her away, telling her she wants nothing to do with her. Xena is angry and wants revenge. Alti tells her that it is possible to get revenge on the dead.
Borias slaps Xena to wake her and kicks Alti in the stomach when this does not seem to work. He tells Xena it is madness to get involved in this and he throws Alti out of the hut. He then spies the dead body on the floor. Xena tells him they needed the body to cross over and reminds him that Alti is powerful and he should not cross her. Borias does not like what is happening to Xena but she accuses him of growing soft and storms out of the tent after Alti. She sits at the fire with her and Alti asks for her help. She tells Xena that, in return, she will make her the Destroyer of Nations.
In the Land of the Dead, Xena meets up with Cyane, an Amazon queen. She apologises to her for what happened and tells her she is looking for Gabrielle, an Amazon. Cyane is scornful of her, not believing that she could be friends with an Amazon.
Meanwhile, the Northern Amazons poke at Xena's still body. Otere is just in time to stop Yakut from killing Xena as she lies helpless and vulnerable.
Xena asks Cyane about the Amazon afterlife and is confused about why the Northern Amazons can't cross over. Cyane explains that it is Alti's doing and that this only affects the Northern Amazons.
Otere, Yakut and the others carry Xena's body to safety. Otere explains to Yakut about Alti's prophecy.
Flashback: Alti tries to persuade Xena to kill the young Otere as she will take Xena's power away from her. As Xena is about to strike, Borias arrives and stops her.
Yakut asks why Otere wants to keep Xena alive if she tried to kill her. Otere replies that she didn't think Xena would have killed her and that she knows she is destined to take her power away. She tells the others to be careful not to jerk Xena's body as they lower it to the ground.
Xena tells Cyane she wants to get into the Amazon afterlife in order to find her friend. Cyane sends her to the volcano where the land is located and Xena hears Gabrielle's voice calling her. Suddenly, Xena realises that she can't go the afterlife to find Gabrielle as it is more important that she help the Amazons against Alti. She talks to Gabrielle, saying that even though she wants to see her again, she knows that Gabrielle would want her to help others first. Consequently, Xena goes back to Cyane and promises her that she will stop Alti. Xena feels the pull as her body is moved.
Xena wakes up. Yakut is holding Xena's sword and pointing it at her. Xena kicks it away, catches it and puts it in her scabbard. Yakut picks up an axe instead. Xena sees Otere and comments that she remembers her. Otere and Yakut tell Xena that they have been saving the prisoner and that Xena should be allowed to kill him. Xena approaches him with a knife but cuts his bonds and sends him back to Alti with a message. However, Alti already knows that Xena is on her way.
Otere warns Xena about the Berserker who is the most dangerous swordsman in Alti's forces. However, Xena isn't afraid. She persuades the Amazons to fight and they set out across the forest and desert towards Alti's hideout. They run uphill and are met by Alti's minions. Xena screams her battle cry and the Amazons attack Alti's forces. The Amazons fight ferociously and manage to defeat Alti's forces. However, Otere runs towards Xena telling her that the Berserker has arrived. Xena attacks a lone horseman and defeats him easily. She is incredulous that this is the mighty Berserker, but Otere points in the opposite direction and Xena sees another horseman approaching.
Xena stands ready to fight. The Berserker charges and his eyes flame red. He knocks Xena down again and again. He then uses her painful memories to try to defeat her and she sees flashes of herself in the future being beaten and feels the pain of every blow. She sees herself running the gauntlet again and also experiences her legs being broken as she hangs on the cross. She falls to the ground and cannot stand. The Berserker charges at her but she drags herself to a horse and mounts, steering her mount to face the Berserker. They charge at each other and the Berserker jumps onto Xena's horse and tries to strangle her from behind. Xena manages to throw him to the ground and kill him. Otere helps her stand but she still feels the pain in her legs. She quickly realises that the evil spirit is now in the Berserker's horse. She moves towards it with her sword but the spirit flees. Otere asks Xena if they have a chance of winning against Alti. Xena says they must.
Review
What a great start to Season Four! This episode has so much to offer in that it gives us a greater insight into the younger Xena and her relationship with Borias. It also introduces Alti and gives us just the right amount of background information for us to understand the connection between Xena and Alti. We begin to see Borias and Xena growing further apart and how the promise of power is too much for Xena to resist. Claire Stansfield is positively scary as Alti whilst Marton Csokas is, as always, perfect as Borias.
Episode 2
Adventures In The Sin Trade II
Story by: Robert Tapert and R.J. Stewart
Teleplay by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: T.J. Scott
Edited by: Robert Field
Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Guest Cast:
Vicky Pratt as Cyane
Marton Csokas as Borias
Claire Stansfield as Alti
Sheeri Rappaport as Otere
Kate Elliott as Yakut
Jay Saussey as Young Woman
Barry Duffield as Koryak
Synopsis:
Xena takes on Alti in the spirit world, defeats her and breaks the curse on the Northern Amazons, allowing them to cross into the Amazon afterlife.
Disclaimer: Xena: Warrior Princess and its characters are the property of MCA Universal and Renaissance Pictures and in no way does this site intend to infringe upon their copyright.
