Episode 13
Paradise Found
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Robert Tapert
Edited by: Jim Prior

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

Guest Cast:
Jeremy Roberts as Aiden
Mervyn Smith as Garr

After a run-in with local bandits, Xena and Gabrielle are sheltering from a storm in a cave. They are engaging in their usual banter whilst Gabrielle is stitching a wound on Xena's leg. Gabrielle suggests that Xena enjoyed beating up the thugs and that maybe she enjoyed it a little too much. This leads to Xena questioning her motives and how much of her dark side remains. Gabrielle then talks about her search for a spiritual answer and that perhaps people should be looking within themselves to find it.

Xena suddenly sees her vision of Gabrielle on the cross. Gabrielle reassures her and tells her to forget it. However, suddenly they hear a noise. Gabrielle goes to investigate but doesn't return. A worried Xena goes deeper into the cave to look for her. She stumbles upon a deep hole in the ground and calls frantically for Gabrielle but gets no reply. Finally, she throws her torch into the hole and jumps in.

We see a beautiful, peaceful garden with birds singing, a tortoise and a rabbit. Gabrielle is lying on the ground. She wakes and Xena stirs beside her. Gabrielle asks what happened and Xena reminds her about the hole. Both look around in wonder.

Gabrielle is smelling the flowers, wondering out loud where they are. She recalls the land of Illusia and wonders if they are dead. Xena, ever alert, draws her sword and a man appears in the bushes. Xena questions the nervous man who tells her that the garden and all the surroundings belong to Aiden and that they should talk to him. He directs them to Aiden's house and then makes a hasty exit.

Xena and Gabrielle move towards the house. They enter a courtyard paved with coloured flagstones and lined with blue statues of people in unusual poses. As they gaze at the statues curiously, Aiden appears saying that the statues represent inner peace, something anyone can achieve. Gabrielle looks very interested in this.

Aiden introduces himself and welcomes them both. Xena questions him about her wound and Aiden explains about mind-shifting matter and the use of breathing and meditation techniques. He offers to teach them but Xena declines. However, Aiden is very persuasive and manages to talk them into staying for food and a rest. Gabrielle mentions a warm bath and hits Xena playfully, indicating that she wants to stay for a while. Xena reluctantly agrees.

Gabrielle rises up from under the water. Xena is impatient to get out of the bath but Gabrielle tells her to relax. Gabrielle massages Xena's shoulders as they talk about Aiden. Xena, as usual, is suspicious of his motives whilst Gabrielle is curious to know more. Xena finally agrees they could give Aiden a chance.

Xena suddenly leaps from the bath after spotting a shadow on the wall. She races to the door and the man from the garden falls at her feet. He calls himself Lieutenant Garr and has brought clothes with him. He salutes Xena and calls her 'sir'. Gabrielle looks at Xena and smirks.

Gabrielle is lying on the floor and Aiden is teaching her breathing techniques. They talk about this but, suddenly, Gabrielle looks troubled and stands up. Aiden tells her that the work they are doing could lead to disturbing thoughts but Gabrielle says she is willing to try.

Back in the garden, Xena is practicising Tai Chi whilst Gabrielle meditates. Gabrielle is seen in all sorts of different yoga positions. Xena continues working alone in the garden. Gabrielle tells Aiden that she feels as if new life has been poured into her. Then, she has a thought about Hope and she loses her concentration. Aiden calls it a day, telling her she needs to face her pain and release it. He also tells her that she must heal herself before she can heal the world. He explains that thoughts can be made real and, to demonstrate, he opens his palm where a flower suddenly appears. Gabrielle gasps and asks if she can teach others. He tells her 'yes'.

Xena is still practicising her moves in the garden. However, her movements become more and more aggressive. She kicks one of the statues then leaps into the air. When she lands, her hair is all messed up and she has a wild look in her eyes. Xena lets out a horrendous, tortured cry and looks around madly.

Aiden continues his work with Gabrielle. Xena walks into the room, looking in need of comfort. She watches Gabrielle with Aiden. Gabrielle hears her own voice, justifying to Xena why she lied about Hope. She collapses to the floor, sobbing. Xena looks on with tears in her eyes. Gabrielle apologises to Aiden and he comforts her, telling her she must face her past. Xena looks as if she wants to go to Gabrielle but hesitates. Aiden looks up and sees Xena, who turns and leaves the room.

It is night-time. Gabrielle is lying on a round bed which has the yin-yang symbol on it. Xena is doing sit-ups. Xena is anxious to move on but Gabrielle wants to stay longer. Xena is jealous, believing that Gabrielle likes Aiden, but Gabrielle explains that she now realises she has been carrying the guilt around about her failure as a mother. Xena tells her she had no choice but Gabrielle says this did not make it any easier. Xena realises she is 'losing' Gabrielle who is convinced this path is right for her. Xena reluctantly agrees to stay one more day.

Gabrielle has fallen asleep on the bed whilst Xena is sat upright with her eyes closed, meditating. Suddenly, the wound on her leg reappears and then disappears again. Xena looks up and seems angry.

At sunrise, Gabrielle is meditating again. Aiden talks about her 'pure essence' and tells her that the longer she stays here, the more she will be in tune with her 'core self' until she becomes a radiant light. She asks him what happens if there is a darker side to the 'core self'. He replies that the same thing happens but in reverse. Instead of becoming stiller and lighter, the person becomes jumpy and the darkness shows inside. The person's appearance changes and they experience delusions and other disturbing symptoms. Aiden realises Gabrielle is worried about Xena and tells her that Xena can beat her dark side, like he did, with Gabrielle's help.

Xena is in the tub. Gabrielle warns her about what Aiden has said. She tells Xena she would like to teach her what she has learnt. Gabrielle puts her hand on Xena's shoulder and Xena takes hold of it. Then, Xena starts to squeeze her hand harder and harder until Gabrielle cries out in pain. Suddenly, Xena is sat in the tub with Gabrielle's hand on her shoulder and Gabrielle asks Xena again if she wants her to teach her what she knows. Xena looks worried about the hallucination but says nothing. Gabrielle gives up and leaves.

Xena storms up to Aiden and puts her fingers on his neck, as if to put the 'pinch' on him. She demands to know what's going on. Aiden tells her that a person's real self is revealed in this place and it may be light or dark. Xena asks him what she can do. As she does so, she has a vision of herself slapping Gabrielle and she becomes even more agitated. He tells her that only death can stop the visions and that eventually she will start to act them out. Aiden advises her to leave before she hurts Gabrielle.

Back in their quarters, Xena is sat writing a note to Gabrielle. Blood starts to drip from her nose onto the scroll and, as she looks at it, Gabrielle enters. Xena quickly hides the scroll and goes to Gabrielle who is complaining about her back. Xena offers to fix it so Gabrielle lies down and Xena massages her back. The blood starts to drip again and Xena sees her vision of Gabrielle on the cross. She talks to Gabrielle about their journeys together and what she has learnt from Gabrielle. She continues to massage Gabrielle as she does so. More blood falls and she again sees the vision, but this time she manages to catch the blood before it falls on Gabrielle. This continues and she starts to get agitated as she rubs Gabrielle's back and legs. She sees herself standing over Gabrielle with a hammer in her hands, ready to nail her legs to the cross. Some blood lands on Gabrielle's foot and Xena hastily wipes it away. Gabrielle has fallen asleep and Xena tells her goodbye.

Xena is walking through the garden. She throws down a rag with blood on it. Then, she spots a medallion hanging from one of the statues. She calls out for Garr. He runs away and Xena chases him. Garr trips and panics, running straight into Xena's leg.

Xena asks Garr about the statues, realising that they were once real people. Garr tells her that it was Aiden's doing and that he leached the goodness from them with his talk of stillness and peace. He tells her that these were his men and that he tried to warn them but they wouldn't listen. Xena heads towards the house but Garr stops her. He says Aiden will use her goodness against her. Xena replies that she has no choice but to let it go so she can help Gabrielle but Garr is afraid that she will kill everyone in the process. Xena whispers something to him and then sends him away.

Aiden is working with Gabrielle, telling her to sink deeper and deeper into the stillness.

Xena appears in the bushes with wild hair, mad eyes and rotten teeth! She throws her chakram and the feathers of a bird fall to the ground. The chakram rebounds off the tortoise's shell and heads towards a group of singing birds and more feathers are seen. The chakram once again hits the tortoise's shell and heads towards the rabbit. Xena laughs madly.

Aiden's voice is hypnotic as he stands behind Gabrielle. Xena arrives and demands that he let Gabrielle go. Aiden tells her she is too late and that Gabrielle will soon be drained completely. Xena throws her chakram at Aiden but he stops it in front of his face and blood drips from it onto the ground. Xena screams and attacks but Aiden tosses her around like a rag doll. Xena gets up and rushes him but he throws her again and stands up. He walks over to her in order to leach the goodness left in her but Xena grabs his wrist and throws him. She rolls towards Gabrielle and screams her name but gets no response. Aiden rises and again, Xena rushes at him but is thrown into a wall and collapses to the floor. Gabrielle is turning blue on her shoulders and neck. Xena rises once more and moves towards Aiden who throws her to the ground. This time, however, he seems to be weakening.

Xena picks up her sword and runs at Aiden but is thrown again. In the meantime, even more of Gabrielle is now blue. Aiden hits out at Xena again but there is little effect this time. Xena taunts him but he launches himself through the air, landing on Gabrielle's feet. He takes her energy to replenish that which he has lost then launches a mental attack at Xena who clutches at her head and seems to be having a fit. Aiden glides to the ground, picks up Xena's sword and moves towards her but she kicks him away. Xena collects her sword and goes after Aiden. However, she sees Gabrielle whose face and arms are now turning blue. She raises her sword as if to attack but Garr stops her. Xena then drops her sword and lifts Garr above her head. Meanwhile, Aiden rises.

Xena flicks her foot so that her sword is standing upright, with the blade pointing upwards. Garr is crying out in fear and this seems to bring Gabrielle round. She sees what Xena is doing and screams at her to stop. Xena kicks her sword, which flies towards Aiden and buries itself into his stomach. He cries out and falls to the ground. Xena drops Garr and goes to Gabrielle, taking her hand. They turn to see Aiden crumble into a skeleton. As this happens, the statues also start to crumble and the world of Aiden begins to disintegrate.

Back in the cave: Xena's chakram, sword and some clothes are being slung across the cave. Gabrielle sits up and realises she is naked. Xena gets to her feet unsteadily as her wound has returned whilst Garr appears, asking what happened. Gabrielle hides behind Xena whilst Xena tells him he is free. She is regretful that they couldn't save his men but Garr tells her that they were pacified by Aiden years ago. He realises that he was mad whilst Xena explains that this was what kept him alive. Aiden was unable to use Garr because he could not still his mind. Xena says that his demons saved him and that's what she used to get Gabrielle's attention. Xena explains that she knew Gabrielle would not let her kill an innocent person.

Garr thanks Xena and Gabrielle for his freedom and then leaves the cave. Gabrielle tells Xena that it is ironic that Xena's dark side saved them both. Gabrielle then asks Xena if she really has hands like a sailor, in response to a comment Xena made earlier.

Review
This episode marks the beginning of Xena and Gabrielle's adventures in India. Although there is more meditation than action going on, it is a thoroughly enjoyable episode, dealing with highly spiritual issues. It is about the importance of a balance between light and darkness and how an excess of either can be destructive (i.e. too much light can make us weak and unable to fight back whilst too much darkness can lead to madness and chaos). It appears to be telling us that we need to embrace both sides as each has it uses.

It was good to see the return of Jeremy Roberts in this episode. You may remember him as Thersites, the assassin, in A Fistful of Dinars as well as an appearance in Hercules: TLJ as a murderer whom Hercules is determined to bring to justice. His convincing portrayal of Aiden as a spiritual guru who has faced his demons and overcome them would have had me completely fooled if it hadn't been for the fact that you just know that if Xena and Gabs think they've found peace, something or somebody's just got to come along and spoil it for them!

So, what were the most touching moments? Xena's willingness to sacrifice her own happiness with Gabrielle by leaving her rather than destroying her peace. Brings a tear to your eye (sniff!). Also, when Gabrielle breaks down and you can see how desperately Xena wants to go to her to comfort her but stays out of the way, letting Aiden soothe her instead. Powerful stuff. On the downside, I thought Xena might have come up with more ideas when fighting Aiden, instead of just running at him only to be thrown backwards. I was surprised she tried to deal with him as if he was just another evil warlord rather than someone who was able to perform highly impressive mental feats (and who should, therefore, have been far more difficult to destroy). Whether this is because she was unable to think straight because of her 'rabid animal' mentality is anyone's guess although she seemed fairly aware of what she was doing when she tricked Garr into thinking she was going to kill him. I also wonder what the relationship is between exposing your dark side and having manky hair, strangely-coloured eyes and black teeth!!!

Episode 14
Devi
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Garth Maxwell
Edited by: Robert Field

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

Guest Cast:
Timothy Omundson as Eli
Monroe Reimers as Vikram
Mukhtar Ali as Ravi
Kamahl Santamaria as Hypnotized Man
Alex Reekers as Maya
Ajay Sharma as Villager #1
Sant Ram as Bodyguard #1
Sreejith Soman as Villager #2
Ron Lal as Bodyguard #2

Synopsis:
Xena and Gabrielle are watching a magician perform a rope trick. However, the trick goes wrong and the magician's assistant, Maya returns possessed by a demon. Xena fights her but Gabrielle touches her and the demon disappears. The crowd bow down to Gabrielle, calling her a Devi, someone who is able to heal. However, the crowd turns on the magician, Eli, who is blamed for the demon's appearance. Xena helps him escape and hides him in the temple. Eli tries to hypnotise Xena to find out whether Gabrielle is a Devi and how she came across the power. Xena dismisses it as a fluke, saying it couldn't be Gabrielle because she had never done this before.

When Xena returns to her and Gabrielle's room, they talk and Gabrielle is fascinated with her new-found power. She is acting strangely and Xena is suspicious of her, believing she might be possessed. She is even more convinced that something is wrong when Eli is chased by vicious dogs through the streets, after Gabrielle's guards have disappeared. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is paraded through the streets, wearing pearls and being honoured by her followers. This alerts Xena and she returns to the temple to find Eli is still there. He tells her about the attempt on his life and whilst she is there, Xena spots a picture on the wall of the demon, Tataka. She is someone who heals people to gain their love and then persuades the men to follow her into battle and die for her. She is wearing pearls and Xena realises that it was Eli who healed Maya, not Gabrielle. He cast out the demon and it went into Gabrielle instead. She tells Eli he must perform an exorcism on Gabrielle as the only other way to get rid of the demon would be to kill Gabrielle. Eli finally agrees to help.

Xena attacks Gabrielle/Tataka in the streets and she is beaten back by her again and again. Finally, she captures her and then enlists Eli's help. Gabrielle/Tataka tries to trick Eli into thinking he is powerless but Xena tells him it is a trick and he must save Gabrielle. Eli casts Tataka out and Gabrielle is saved. Xena and Gabrielle thank Eli and he sets out alone to find his way.

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