Destiny is the 36th episode of the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

Overview

A fierce battle with Sitacles and his men leaves Xena lying near death and dreaming of the past encounters that shaped her into a warrior princess, including her adventures with Julius Caesar and her relationship with a mysterious slave girl, M'Lila.

Plot synopsis

The episode opens with Xena and Gabrielle looking over a valley and the village of Cirra. Cirra is the home of Callisto, Xena's arch enemy, and the village burned during one of Xena's army's raids many years ago. Gabrielle tells Xena not to keep tormenting herself about Callisto. Xena says Gabrielle has to understand why she is who she is, and what happened to her. Xena rides Argo down into the village, but the memories of the fire, and of a little girl watching her family burn, are too strong for her. She rides back up the hill, but Gabrielle is gone. Her staff rests beside a skull. Xena grabs it and heads into the woods. Gabrielle and villagers have been captured by a group of men who worship the Lord of the Moon. Xena appears, beats them up, and sets every one free. However, the men continue to fight. One man sees that a trap set prior to Xena's arrival will get Xena and a small girl. Xena sees a huge tree coming toward her and a small girl with a necklace on (in a familiar design that keeps Xena riveted). Xena throws the girl aside and is hit by the tree and then tossed into another tree, where she lies unconscious. One of the men comes to finish Xena off; Gabrielle fights him off, but she is stabbed in the leg.

Gabrielle pleads with Xena to wake up. There is blood everywhere. Gabrielle's hands become covered with Xena's blood as it comes from her ears, nose, etc. Xena murmurs to Gabrielle and asks her to take her to Mt. Nessus. Gabrielle at first stutters, but Xena whispers "please" and Gabrielle whistles for Argo. Xena's next word is "Amphipolis."

Xena flashes back to her past, 10 winters ago (according to what's written on the screen). She has taken a village that is not loyal to Amphipolis and they are giving her money. She tells them that Amphipolis will be safe, or she will destroy those who try to take her home land. She also has taken a Roman prisoner. He tells her his name is Julius Caesar. He tells her he is worth 100,000 dinars ransom.

Xena has a pirate ship (!), and she loads her crew and Caesar onto it. As they sail, Xena discovers a stowaway. The cloaked person nearly takes out Xena's crew, and uses the "Xena Touch" on Xena herself, paralyzing her leg, and kills one of her men. Xena finally stops her with a good throw of a knife that sends a sail down upon the stowaway, who turns out to be a runaway slave. And female. She speaks only Gaelic, which Caesar translates. Xena allows the stowaway to stay, provided she teaches Xena the "touch."

During some lovely scenery shots with a nice song, it is apparent that some time passes; Xena and Caesar become lovers. Caesar says it is his destiny to rule all. Xena loses her heart to Caesar and says she will join him; he never confirms this, though, but allows her to believe it. Finally he is released back to his Roman soldiers and Xena receives her dinars. Caesar swears he will find her again.

In time Xena's man in the crow's nest spies another ship. It is Caesar's. Xena allows him to embark, but he takes a knife to her throat and captures her entire crew. The stowaway, however, gets away. Xena tells Caesar that she had to kill the girl because she was unruly. Caesar puts Xena and her followers in chains, then hauls them to the beach, where they are placed upon crosses. Caesar orders that Xena's legs be broken; a Roman soldier takes a very large sledge hammer to her lower legs.

In between these remembrances we catch glimpses of the present day, with Gabrielle struggling to get Xena to Mt. Nessus. It is cold and snowing, and Xena is growing worse. Argo keeps the two moving.


As Xena hangs on the cross, someone approaches in the dark. It is the stowaway. She rescues Xena, and takes her to Mt. Nessus, where THE healer lives. He knows the stowaway; her name is M'Lila. He sets Xena's legs where they have been broken, and uses accupuncture to stop her pain. Xena thanks M'Lila for saving her. M'Lila asks Xena (through the healer as interpreter) if she is angry at Caesar for his betrayal. Before Xena can answer, Roman soldiers burst in, trying to recapture Xena.

M'Lila fights bravely, and Xena, in spite of her broken legs, also fights. M'Lila flings herself upon Xena as a soldier shoots a crossbow at her, taking an arrow in the back. Xena is horrified. She kills the soldiers. The last one she takes out with the "Xena touch." She tells the soldier to warn Hades to be ready for a lot of dead people. "A new Xena is born tonight with a new purpose in life: death."

Back in the present day, Xena's vital signs grow fainter and fainter, until she passes away. Her spirit leaves her body and Xena finds herself on a cross, in burning fires. M'Lila's spirit comes to her and tells her she has to choose her destiny. Xena replies that she did: she chose evil. M'Lila replies that because Xena knew evil, she can fight evil. Then M'Lila tells Xena that the dead can hear the thoughts of the living, and asks Xena to listen:

In a moving soliloquy, Xena listens to Gabrielle's words while clips of intimate moments between them flash across the screen. ... "You can't leave me. I know it's not your time. I can feel it in my heart. I just feel this emptiness that I've never known before and it scares me. Xena, above all, remember your destiny. Remember it and fight. Fight to come back! This world needs you. I need you."

"I have to go back," Xena replies.

Trivias and notes

This episode aka Why and Where.

Disclaimer

Julius Caesar was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, the Producers deny any responsibility for any unfortunate acts of betrayal causing some discomfort.

Cast

Ebonie Smith (M'Lila)

Karl Urban (Julius Caesar)

Nathaniel Lees (Nicklio)

Grant Triplow (Brutus)

Mark Perry (Vicerius)

Grant Boucher (Telos)

Slade Leef (Sitacles)

Rebecca Kopacka (Young Callisto)

Credits

Story by: Robert Tapert

Teleplay by: R. J. Stewart and Steven L. Sears

Edited by: Robert Field

Directed by: Robert Tapert

Quotes

Caesar: "For instance, that girl. Why is she here now, today, in this very spot?"

Xena: "She's probably a runaway slave trying to get back home."

Caesar: "I don't doubt that. But why did she pick your ship to stow away on?"

Xena: "Dumb luck, I guess."

Caesar: "Luck. I don't believe in it."

Xena then asks who makes this destiny happen. Caesar identifies several things that work together to weave the tapestry of destiny, and then:

Caesar: "But believe me, what we're fated to be, we'll be. That I know."

Xena: "Maybe. But how do you know you're not fated to be thrown overboard tomorrow? How can you be so sure your future is ruling the world?"

Caesar: "Call that an act of faith."

Xena: "I think you're much too smart to try to escape by jumping into the sea. And I want you to have your hands free in case there's something you need to touch. See you tomorrow."

External links

"Destiny" at Whoosh