Episode 3
Succession
Written by: Steven L. Sears
Directed by: Rick Jacobson

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

Guest Cast:
Kevin Smith as Ares
Jenya Lano as Mavican

Ares is in bed with a female warrior named Mavican who believes she is worthy of being Ares' successor. He tells her he has high standards and that she is not the one so she can forget it. He moves towards the door and she throws a sword at him. He tells her he has stuff to do and that she had better not be there when he returns.

Xena is fighting bandits and she excludes Gabrielle who is annoyed about this. She goes to fill some waterskins at a well in a nearby temple. Ares arrives and tells Gabrielle he understands how she feels. Xena is too protective of her and does not appear to appreciate her fighting skills. He comments that Gabrielle is getting pretty good with her sais. She bends down to put them back in her boots but when she stands up he has gone.

Gabrielle gets ready to go. Mavican arrives and pierces both the waterskins. She wants to know where Xena is so she can kill her. She attacks Gabrielle and Xena arrives, asking what she wants. Mavican tells Xena she is her successor and that she by killing her she will prove to Ares she is good enough. They fight but Ares arrives and breaks up the fight. He sets up a contest between Mavican and Xena but Xena says she is not interested. Ares tells her she has no choice. He also sets the rules, saying that Xena cannot kill Mavican but Gabrielle can. Furthermore, if Mavican wins, she will be released but if Xena wins she has to stay. He opens up a portal and Mavican goes through. He then creates a whirlwind which drags Gabrielle through so that Xena has no choice but to follow.

Gabrielle finds herself in a dark room. She stands up and calls for Xena but there is no reply. She appears to be alone.

Xena finds herself in some woods. She looks for Gabrielle but cannot find her. Mavican arrives and Xena tries to reason with her but she will not listen. They fight and Mavican is injured but she rolls out of the way and disappears. Xena carries on searching for Gabrielle.

It grows dark and Gabrielle arrives in the woods whilst Xena appears in the dark room. A vision appears before her, showing Gabrielle in the woods. As she watches, Gabrielle sneaks up to Mavican's campfire. She arrives in the camp unseen by Mavican but she is tricked and Mavican captures her and puts her in a cage. When Gabrielle comes round, Mavican talks about her destiny and suggests that it would be good to have Gabrielle around to write down her exploits. She is using Gabrielle as bait to encourage Xena to come to her but Xena does not appear.

Daylight arrives and Gabrielle turns into Xena, who appears in the cage in her place. Ares has fused Xena and Gabrielle's bodies together so they are as one person. Mavican laughs at Ares' joke. She throws her javelin at Xena who catches it but pretends she has been severely wounded. Mavican moves closer and Xena grabs the javelin and hits Mavican with it. She falls over and flips over the top of the cage. This loosens the rope so that the cage falls to the ground and Xena rolls it on top of Mavican. Xena escapes from the cage but Mavican has disappeared once more.

Xena moves on. She arrives at a stream and starts to collect a type of rock which will create lots of smoke when she builds a fire. Ares appears. He tells Xena that in order for Xena to remain focused, he needed to put Gabrielle out of the picture. However, if Xena dies then Gabrielle dies too. He tells her that he needs to see if someone else has Xena's fire.

Xena builds her fire and lots of smoke rises from it. Mavican sees the smoke and realises that Xena wants to be found. She arrives at Xena's camp and is captured by Xena but then the sun sets and Gabrielle and Xena switch places again. Mavican escapes her bonds and attacks Gabrielle. Gabrielle grabs the staff that Xena has left in her camp but is wounded by Mavican, who throws a flint dart at her arm. Gabrielle runs away whilst Mavican laughs.

Xena is with Ares. She tells him he is wasting his time with her; she is not coming back to him. He tells her he should not have ignored someone for so long. Xena thinks he means Mavican but he is talking about Gabrielle. He wants to see if she is capable of killing Mavican. Only then will he know that she is ready.

Gabrielle hides in a cave she has found. She rests there but Mavican is on her trail. She has found Gabrielle's blood trail and is following it. Gabrielle looks at the staff. Xena is watching and wills her to find the message she has left for her. Gabrielle finds the message which warns her not to kill Mavican. Xena says that is what Ares wants her to do but she doesn't know why.

Gabrielle bathes her wound. Ares appears. He offers to make Gabrielle his successor, telling her that she is someone who knows when to fight and when not to. Gabrielle listens and then asks what will happen to Xena. Ares tells her that Xena will be able to go home and live in peace, safe in the knowledge that Gabrielle is in charge. He offers Gabrielle one of her sais.

Mavican arrives at the cave and she and Gabrielle fight. Gabrielle wins but does not kill Mavican, even though she has the opportunity to do so. Mavican gets away from her and attacks Gabrielle again. It is now dark, however, so Gabrielle changes into Xena. Mavican and Xena fight and Xena blocks up the cave they are in, telling Mavican that her destiny has failed because no one will ever know who beat who. She and Mavican fight on vines above a deep hole and Xena shakes them, trying to make Mavican lose her grip. Mavican is afraid and calls out to Ares for his help. At this request, Xena is allowed to go free. The portal opens and Xena goes through it. Ares turns his back on Mavican, leaving her dangling on the vines.

Xena and Gabrielle are returned to their own world. Ares concedes that they have won. Xena tells him they have both won. Ares tells Gabrielle his offer is still open. Xena gets mushy with Gabrielle and he looks disgusted. Xena tells Gabrielle she will show more trust in Gabrielle in the future and Gabrielle says this means a lot to her. Ares leaves. Xena offers the next seven short bandits to Gabrielle to which Gabrielle asks whether this is a slur on her height. Xena says it is because she can't reach them. Gabrielle tells her this is a fair deal. They walk away.

Review:
I felt fairly ambivalent about this episode. It just didn't seem to move me either way. I didn't love it (my first reaction to "Chakram") or hate it (my first reaction to 'Fallen Angel'). Perhaps I was just so fascinated with whether or not Mavican would make it through the episode without her boobs falling out of her costume that I forgot about the plot!!! Seriously though, I did not see Mavican as a strong enough character or worthy opponent of Xena, particularly not compared to the likes of Draco, Callisto or Alti.

Episode 4
Animal Attraction
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Rick Jacobson

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

Guest Cast:
Ted Raimi as Joxer
Jennifer Sky as Amarice
Mfundo Morrison as Arman
Alison Bruce as Talia
John Smith as Stablehand
Michael Howell as Deputy
Ric Chan as Healer
David Te Rare as Darcon
Norman Potts as Gang Member
John Lawler as Barkeeper

Synopsis:
Amarice, Joxer, Gabrielle and Xena rescue a horse from a trap and Gabrielle decides to adopt it. They ride into a nearby town, where they meet up with Arman. He and Amarice fall for each other but, through a series of misunderstandings, end up arguing more often than not. Xena discovers she is pregnant and Gabrielle, after the initial shock, offers her support. Amarice and Arman finally reach an understanding but Amarice chooses to leave town with Gabrielle and Xena.

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