Warrior Princess 101 – Lesson 13: When the Sidekick Begins to Evolve

with Professor of Fangeekonomics, Ms. Melissa Voelker

Reference Materials for today’s class:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Episode 1.10 – Hooves and Harlots

Today, class, let us look at a very important stage in the evolution of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship. When they first meet, Xena is the powerful warrior who Gabby, the young village girl, looks up to as a mentor and hero. Xena loves her young friend as something a little sister, to be protected and cared for, but not necessarily respected as an equal. Yet by the end of the series their relationship has changed into one of mutual admiration, love, and respect. So how did these ladies get from one place to the other? It all starts with them entering Amazon lands uninvited . . .

A summary of today’s reference material:
Xena and Gabrielle wander into Amazon country, right passed the “No Trespassing” signs meant to keep people from wandering through Amazon country. Not surprisingly, Amazons descend upon them and Xena, being Xena and not caring about anyone else’s borders or boundaries, asks for safe passage. Not so quick to trust, the warrior women decide to take Xena and Gabby to the Amazon Queen. On the way, Gabby bonds with an Amazon named Terreis while another, Ephiny, pisses off Xena. Suddenly the group is attacked by arrows from the woods. Terreis is injured and Gabby shields her wounded body from further harm. It isn’t enough to save her, however, and she dies in Gabrielle’s arms, after giving her the Right of Caste.

Xena, Gabrielle, and the Amazons take Terreis’ body back to the Amazon village. Ritual fighting and dancing ensues. Then they are told by Queen Melosa that they can have safe passage through Amazon lands, but should hurry as the warrior women may soon be at war with centaurs. It looks like it was a centaur who killed Terreis and Ephiny has managed to catch the allegedly guilty horse-man, Phantes. Xena catches a whiff of manure about the situation (haha, its like a joke cause centaurs are half horse), though she isn’t a friend of the centaurs herself. She goes to question Phantes and it leaves her feeling even more like something suspicious is going on.

Queen Melosa meets with a warlord named Krykus who seems to have no interest in the coming war, though his whole persona drips with slime. After he leaves Xena tries to reason with Melosa but she doesn’t listen (a running problem with people in this series.) So Xena goes off to talk to Tyldus, the head of the centaurs and Phantes’ father, and leaves Gabby in the Amazon village. Melosa and Ephiny inform Gabby that the Right of Caste makes her an Amazon princess.

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On her way to the centaur village, Xena is attacked by centaurs and men. Fighting ensues (of course.) Just as it looks like it might get interesting for the warrior princess, Tyldus marches up to put a halt to the fun. Before the two old enemies can reconnect, Xena saves an injured centaur with a little field surgery. Back at the Amazon village, Gabby gets outfitted in some newer, sexier duds. She also begins weapons training with a fighting staff, though it will probably take her a while to get the hang out if.

Xena tries to reason with Tyldus (like that ever goes anywhere) but he will have none of it, swearing instead that if his son dies at the Amazon’s hands then they will die too. Speaking of his son, Ephiny pays a visit to Phantes and the two trade threats back and forth. After a few minutes of this he changes his tune and swears he didn’t actually kill Terreis. Ephiny is starting to believe him, though she would never admit it. Luckily Xena is continuing to look for evidence of the real killer. Ephiny meets her in the trees for some acrobatic fighting, sort of. Xena kicks the younger woman’s butt, and then saves her from an attacking centaur. They both escape into the trees again (Greece is very jungly) and Xena tells Ephiny that she thinks Krykus killed Terreis to start the war, as he will benefit the most from it. The women decide to work together to clear Phantes and stop the war.

As they are playing detectives, Gabby is dancing badly at her first Amazon dance. She finds out she is the one that must execute Phantes or unless she wants to be accused of treason and be executed as well. Hopefully Xena will return in time to save the day, though at the moment she is going to have a chat with Krykus while Ephiny sneaks around for evidence, such as the centaur arrows in Krykus’ weapons chest. Krykus maintains he isn’t behind the death of Terreis but Xena doesn’t believe him. Before she and Krykus can chat further, Ephiny calls attention to herself and she and Xena have to run for it.

Noon of the next day rolls around and the execution is set to begin. Phantes apologizes for Terreis’ death, Gabby wants to refuse killing him, and Melosa tells her it must be done. Then Phantes says he doesn’t want to die, Gabby hesitates, and Xena shows up just in the nick of time. The warrior princess presents her proof that it wasn’t the centaurs that killed Terreis, but Melosa will not listen. So Xena challenges Melosa but since she isn’t an Amazon Gabby has to make it instead (as she is now an Amazon princess) and then chooses Xena as her champion to fight for her. Combat to the death ensues. Not surprisingly, Xena wins and is now kinda queen. The execution is stopped just as the centaurs show up for battle.

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The Amazons surrender and let Phantes go free and everyone learns an important lesson. Xena informs everyone that Krykus is behind everything so the centaurs and Amazons decide to join forces against him. Battle ensues. Even Gabby holds her own as she does some fighting with her staff. Melosa fights Krykus and takes his slimy butt down, but doesn’t kill him as he must stand trial for his crimes against the Amazons and centaurs.

Melosa becomes queen of the Amazons again and peace is struck between she and Tyldus. Ephiny gives Gabby her special staff as a gift, while seeming to be sharing a few loaded looks with Phantes. Then Gabrielle the Amazon Princess and Xena the Warrior Princess walk off into the sunset (literally.)

Discussion from today’s reference material:
This episode marks several important plot developments that will continue to appear throughout the rest of the series. First the entrance of the Amazons and Gabrielle becoming a princess. Many future story lines will concern the Amazons, and the relationship Xena and Gabby have with them will play an important part in their lives as they both fight with and against the women warriors. We also hear the first tidbits of information about back in the day when Xena’s army fought against the centaurs, a war that we will later on learn brought Xena together with one of the only men she ever really loved, Borias. But the most important plot development of all is the first step Gabrielle takes away from being the weak little peasant girl. By the series finale she will be a strong, independent warrior, powerful enough to even control Xena’s Chakram. And she may never have gotten to that point if she and Xena hadn’t wandered uninvited into Amazon territory.
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About Melissa: By day a mild-mannered tv station receptionist, by night a fighter of crime and corruption in the dirty streets of Spokane, WA . . . or maybe not so much. More like a hyperactive, anal-retentive daytime receptionist and a melodramatic, hyperactive nighttime fangirl who only wishes she could be a fighter of crime and champion of justice (except that would lead to getting my super costume all dirty and I hate doing laundry.) Though my intent has always been to write bestselling novels and live a life of wealth and luxury, putting my talents for snarkiness and word doodling together while letting my geek flag fly suits me just fine – for now.

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