Xena and Gabrielle find themselves in a strange land of perfect beauty and harmony. Gabrielle becomes entranced with the peaceful teachings of Khrafstar ... no, I mean, Najara ... wait ... Aiden. When will Gabrielle learn to trust Xena's cooty-meter? Xena completely snaps. Gabrielle loses her shirt ... again. And imperfection reins once more.
Xena: "Gabrielle, I'm all for your spiritual quest, and India is a fine place to go, but remind me why we decided to take the scenic route."
Gabrielle: "C'mon, local legends say that these mountains are a holy place."
Xena: "NaNaNaNaNa, I don't care about local legends, I'm talking about the local thugs who tried to cut us up in the pass."
Gabrielle: "Well, I'd say I was sorry ... again ... truth is, I think you enjoyed it."
Xena: "Having my leg gashed open?"
Gabrielle: "No, having a good reason to bust some head."
Xena: "That's ridiculous."
Gabrielle: "You smiled."
Xena: "What?"
Gabrielle: "When that big guy came at you and you tossed him at the other three, you smiled."
Xena: "I winced, he was big."
Gabrielle: "You smiled."
Xena: "I was relieved."
Gabrielle: "You still smiled."
Xena: "Give me that. You've got hands like a sailor ... It was a thing of beauty. You see how they fell over? Just like a game of dominoes."
Gabrielle: "Yeah. It wasn't a game to them."
Xena: "Let me get this straight. You're standing up for a bunch of thugs who tried to rob and kill us?"
Gabrielle: "Those guys were scum, I admit that. I just wonder if maybe your fighting for Good has more to do with the ‘fighting' part than the ‘Good' part."
Xena: "You think my fighting for Good is a cover for something darker?"
Gabrielle: " ... "
Xena: "I don't know."
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Gabrielle: "It's funny, I come to places like this, you know, spiritual places, looking for some sort of answer. It makes you wonder." |
Gabrielle: "Was it that vision again? Xena, would you just forget that. You always say that we control our own Destiny, right?"
Xena: " ... right."
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Gabrielle: "What happened? Xena ... I fell down a hole." |
Gabrielle: "Where are we?"
Xena: "Good question."
Gabrielle: "Do you know what this place reminds me of?"
Xena: "Illusia. But, so far the only music I've heard is the birds singing."
Gabrielle: "Xena, do you think we're dead?"
Xena: "What is this place?"
Garr: "Well, that kinda depends on you."
Xena: "Don't play games with us. How do we get out of here?"
Garr: "Ask Aiden. Aiden owns the whole estate and everything in it ... except me."
Gabrielle: "It's beautiful, don't you think?"
Xena: "Yeah, in that yucky-I'm-in-paradise kind of way."
Gabrielle: "If Aiden did these (blue statues), he's got talent."
Xena: "And a whole lot of time on his hands."
Gabrielle: "They're so unusual ... the pose ... the color ... what do you think?"
Xena: "Without a face, it could be anyone."
Aiden: "Exactly. You see, these figures represent the ultimate Inner Peace. Something anyone can achieve."
Xena: "Don't bet the farm on it."
Gabrielle: "She means it's easier for some people than it is for others."
Aiden: "Very true. It took me almost ten years, but then, my demons ran deep. You can't get rid of them over night, but you can eventually release them. I'm living proof."
Aiden: "Welcome to my home."
Xena: "This is some hospitality you've got here. My leg, yesterday it had a gash on it and took twelve stitches. Now it's gone, healed completely. How do you explain that?"
Aiden: "It's amazing, isn't it? Technically, I guess you would call it mind shifting matter."
Gabrielle: "You're saying your mind healed Xena's leg?"
Aiden: "Oh no, no, not just my mind. You see, there's breathing and mediational techniques. The whole approach to the ... I'm babbling again, aren't I? If you'd be interested, I'd love to show you."
Xena: "It's potent stuff, but I think we'll pass. If you'll just direct us off the place, we'll be going."
Aiden: "A woman of action, commendable. Yet, you still eat and sleep, don't you? Why not stay the night here and start off fresh tomorrow."
Xena: "Well ..."
Aiden: "... Good food ... Fine wine ..."
Gabrielle: "... Warm bath? (places a sharp smack to one Warrior Princess' shapely back side)"
Aiden: "Excellent."
Gabrielle: "Gods, this is bliss."
Xena: "How long do you think we've been in here? I'm pruning."
Gabrielle: "Would you relax. Aiden's right, you need to learn to just slow down. You know, I'm surprised at you, Xena."
Xena: "Why?"
Gabrielle: "For someone who has seen what Lao Ma and Alti can do, it's strange you're not curious about Aiden."
Xena: "I've seen enough to know that most people can't handle spiritual powers, and Aiden is no Lao Ma."
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Gabrielle: "I'm going to ask him to teach me his breathing techniques. Will you come with me? |
Garr: (to one very naked Warrior Princess) "Lieutenant Garr reporting for duty with clothes, Sir!"
Xena: "Sir?"
Gabrielle: "I've never just concentrated on just breathing before."
Aiden: "Whoever does? But that's exactly where it starts, from a single breath. Without breath there is no life, right?"
Gabrielle: "Right."
Aiden: "Gabrielle, may I? A small warning, these breathing techniques, the mediational techniques I'm teaching you, the whole approach to an Inner Stillness could stir up some thoughts and feelings you didn't even know you had ... some of them not so nice."
Gabrielle: "I'm game if you are."
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Gabrielle: "(‘I feel like some power has just poured new life into me. That's what I'm going to name her, Hope') ... guess that was one of those thoughts you warned me about." |
Aiden: "To reach that Inner Stillness, you're going to have to clear a path, and that means facing whatever comes up and just releasing it."
Gabrielle: "You don't know what I carry, and to face that ..."
Aiden: "... I know. I know, it feels like a burning fire, doesn't it? I lost my wife and child, too."
Gabrielle: "I'm sorry."
Aiden: "No no. But, the thing is facing that pain and coming to terms with it, and then releasing it. It's allowed me to do all this."
Aiden: "You want to heal the world, right? And I believe you can. But, first you've got to heal yourself. It's going to be hard, but that's the only way you're going to access that power."
Gabrielle: "You're saying that if I do this, then I can create a perfect world just by thinking about it?"
Aiden: "Exactly. Once you tap into that Inner Stillness, you can do absolutely anything. You just envision it, and make it real."
Gabrielle: "Can I teach others to do this? Xena?"
Aiden: "Guaranteed. You're a Good person, and this place can help draw Goodness from you. Here you can become what you really are deep, down inside. Everyone does. We strip away all the layers and all that's left is your core self, the real you."
Gabrielle: " ‘I'm sorry, I never meant to lie, Xena. I couldn't kill her. She's my daughter. You're a mother, you know this.' ... I'm a monster."
Aiden: "No, you're not. Whatever you saw or felt is in the past. The past has no power if you face it. Facing it gives you the power."
Xena: "Are you sure you want to stay another day?"
Gabrielle: "I haven't felt this clean since before Hope was born. I think Aiden is really on to something."
Xena: "Oh Zeus, you don't really like this guy? That's it. You like him. I should have known."
Gabrielle: "That's not it. What he says to me about reaching for the Stillness, releasing the pain, it all rings true."
Xena: "Don't kid yourself. I saw what Inner Peace did for Lao Ma. Aiden's way seems so numbing."
Gabrielle: "I was skeptical until I tried it. It was incredible. I realized I never came to terms with my failure as a mother. I kept the guilt in my heart."
Xena: "You did the only thing you could do. There wasn't a choice."
Gabrielle: "It didn't make it any easier. I faced that pain. I let it go. I fear so clear, so light. I wish you could experience that."
Xena: "Well, apparently my mind's just too active, isn't that what he said?"
Gabrielle: "All you have to do is look at this place to see that it works. It's perfect."
Xena: "If there's one thing that I've learned it's that anything that looks too good to be true usually is."
Gabrielle: "I wish you could see how right this feels for me ... how free."
Xena: "Another day, huh? Well, I guess it won't kill me."
Aiden: "How are you feeling?"
Gabrielle: "Lighter, much lighter."
Aiden: "Excellent. Excellent, that's the core you that is surfacing. Releasing all that pain and guilt helped free it, and the longer you stay here, the stronger it will get until there is nothing left but your pure essence, a radiant light."
Gabrielle: "What if it's not radiant? What if it's darker?"
Aiden: "Well, the same thing, only in reverse. Instead of being still and lighter, you become jumpy and a Darkness starts to show inside you."
Gabrielle: "How does it show?"
Aiden: "Changes in you appearance. Mental lapses. Delusions. Spontaneous bleeding. It's all very unpleasant. You're worried about Xena, aren't you? You must let that go. A blind man could see that she has her Dark side. I did, too. But, I beat it and so can she."
Gabrielle: "How can you be so sure?"
Aiden: "Because she has powerful help ... you."
Gabrielle: "Xena, I've been looking all over for you. Are you alright?"
Xena: "Why wouldn't I be?"
Gabrielle: "It's just ... Aiden says that you could be in some trouble. It's because of your Dark side. He says it could get serious, like bleeding, delusions, physical changes."
Xena: "Well, I'll be sure to keep you posted."
Gabrielle: "Are you sure you're okay? See, I feel so light right now, and I know I could show you how to get there if you want."
Xena: "You know what I want? What I want ...."
Gabrielle: "What are you doing?!"
Xena: "... what I want ..."
Gabrielle: "Xena, that hurts ... Xena, that hurts ... Stop!"
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Gabrielle: "Xena, I asked if you want me to teach you what I've learned." |
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Xena: "Okay, Aiden, you can dazzle Gabrielle with your party tricks and bull, but I want the truth. What's going on?" |
Xena: "Are you saying that these delusions that I'm having they're ... they're some sort of war going on inside me? What do I do?"
Aiden: "Do?"
Xena: "To stop them. What do I do to stop them?"
Aiden: "Nothing can be done. Once they start the only thing that stops them is death. Wait. These delusions you're having, right now that's all they are, in your mind ... but that will change."
Xena: "Change how?"
Aiden: "They'll start to bleed through into real life."
Xena: "You mean I'll let them out ... hurt Gabrielle?"
Aiden: "Or worse."
Xena: "I don't ... there's got to be something I can do."
Aiden: "There is ... for Gabrielle. You can leave before you risk hurting her."
Xena: "No, I would never hurt Gabrielle."
Aiden: "You say that, and you even believe it, but if the Darkness in you wins, no one is safe ... not even the people that you love. You take it from someone who knows. You get out before it's too late ... for both of you."
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Xena: "We've come a long way, the two of us ..." |
Xena: "Garr ... I know you're out there ... Don't make me come after ya, Garr ... Piggy, come here ... The longer you take, the madder I get, and you don't want to make me mad ... You wouldn't like me when I'm mad ... I can smell your sweat ... Piggy, Piggy, Piggy ... C'mon Garr, give it up, I just want to talk to you ... C'mon Garr, I won't bite ..."
Garr: "... yet."
Xena: "These statues were real men once, your platoon. What happened to them?"
Garr: "Nothing. Aiden made sure of that. Nothing, that's what happened. But I knew. I fought it."
Xena: "Fought what?"
Garr: "Peace. Quiet. Stillness. I tried to warn them, but everything was so perfect they didn't believe me. Well, you believe me now, don't ya, men?"
Xena: "You tried to warn them about what?"
Garr: "Aiden. It's all him. He makes everyone so still he leaches their Goodness. Goodness in a perfect place going to waste without Evil to keep it alive and fighting."
Xena: "So Aiden feeds off Goodness and when he's done with them all that's left is ... Gabrielle."
Garr: "You can't fight him. I tried. He'll take what Good's still in you and use it against you."
Xena: "Then I won't give him the ammunition."
Xena: "If I don't let go of any Goodness that's still left in me then I don't stand a chance."
Garr: "No, you can't. If you do, then what's to stop you from killing us all ... even Gabrielle?"
Xena: "One thing, Pops ... you ... (whisper whisper) ... No go, because by the time I get back to Aiden any good that's still in me doesn't stand a prayer."
Aiden: "You're very powerful, Gabrielle. The sooner you tap that source, the sooner we can change the world. Now sink deeper and deeper."
Xena: "Let her go."
Aiden: "You're too late. She's too deep. See for yourself. Soon I will drain her completely."
Aiden: (to Xena) "What Goodness can I gain? What little light is left in your Dark soul to make me stronger?"
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Xena: (to Garr) "Aiden wasn't able to still your mind. You embraced your demons and they saved you. To survive I knew I would have to do the same even if it meant scaring you to get a rise out of Gabrielle." |
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Gabrielle: "I learned something about myself ... and you." Xena: "Yeah?" Gabrielle: "I sometimes talk about your Darkness like it's some sort of disease. But without it, neither one of us would be here. It's kind of ironic." Xena: "Yeah." Gabrielle: "... Do I really have hands like a sailor?"> |
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DISCLAIMER: Paradise was found, but not necessarily embraced, during the production of this motion picture.
