Crusader

Xena and Gabrielle meet up with a young woman who hears voices in her head and has several imaginary friends. In the ancient world, it's known as being blessed by the Light. Today, we call it schizophrenia. Xena leaves Gabrielle. Gabrielle turns to the Light. Xena gets her arse whooped. Gabrielle leaves Xena. And, everyone is left confused and irritated (especially the viewers).


Najara: "My name is Najara."
Gabrielle: "I'm Gabrielle. This is Xena."
Najara: "You have suffered much, Gabrielle, but you have retained your good heart. And you (Xena) have chosen to fight the darkness within you. What courage that takes."

Najara: "Would you like to join our mission?"
Xena: "What's your mission."
Najara: "To fight Evil wherever we find it."
Xena: "Can you be a little more specific?"

Najara: "There's so much Good to be done and so little time to do it."

Najara: (to Xena) "I can't tell you how much I love the challenge of winning your confidence. (to Gabrielle) And you should listen to her. Don't trust me too soon. Xena's wiser that way."

Najara: "You fought with great courage, but that can only be a virtue when it's used on the side of the Light when it's used against the darkness. The capture and selling of people is wrong. It shames both its victims and those who would profit from its evil. Slavery paves the path of Darkness. We can offer initiation into the Light. Let us help you."

Najara: "Turning people away from their Dark side is the most important thing I do."


Najara: "It's a great curse to have seen one's death."
Xena: "The jinn told you?"
Najara: "Yes, but not everything. Your vision, does it ..."
Xena: "Yes, it includes Gabrielle."
Najara: "Does she know?"
Xena: "No."
Najara: "That's fortunate for her."
Xena: "Do you think it can be avoided?"
Najara: "Of course, I believe our destiny is in our hearts. But it will take drastic measures to change an event foreseen in your soul's eye."


Gabrielle schmoozing with the fruit cake
Gabrielle: "You seem so happy. It's like what you're doing has so much meaning for you. Am I right?"
Najara: "I don't think about it much, but now that I think about it, yes, I'm very happy."
Gabrielle: "I just ... I don't know if I'm on the right path in my life."
Najara: "You fight for Good. What other path is there?"

Najara: "Perhaps you need to commit totally to your life with Xena. You two do a lot of Good."
Gabrielle: "We do. Najara, Does the violence ever bother you? I assume you've killed before?"
Najara: "Yes, as little as possible, but sometimes it's unavoidable."
Gabrielle: "I don't think I could ever get used to that."
Najara: "Gabrielle, you need to make a full commitment to the Light. It will give you faith that what you're doing is right."
Gabrielle: "The Light ... I need something."


Najara: "Ah, now I understand. You don't plan to return from your mission against Marat. You want a place to leave Gabrielle."
Xena: "She'll die if she stays with me. You said it would take something drastic to change her destiny. Maybe this is it."
Najara: "Once she realizes you've left her, you know she'll follow you."
Xena: "I see such joy in her eyes when she talks to you about your Mission. She's been looking for meaning. I think you can give it to her. It hasn't always been good for her being with me. I seem to hurt her."
Najara: "I know she forgives you. I promise I'll do everything I can to justify your trust."
Xena: "You better."

Najara: "This must have been a very difficult time for you all. Don't carry it with you. Live life to its fullest. Seize every day as an opportunity to do good. And remember, you're always free to turn to the Light that drives away all Darkness ... Goodbye, and may the Light illuminate your Way."

Najara: "The slave traders, what shall I do with you? I'll tell you what I want to do. I want to forgive you and love you as brothers, but I can't do that unless you turn to the Light, and there's no reason why you can't. We'll be glad to initiate you into the way, just let the Light in and the Darkness will be gone."

Gabrielle: "I want to be initiated into the way of the Light."


Marat: "Go ahead, do it."
Xena: "Do what?"
Marat: "What you do to all the people you defeat, cut their throats if they don't turn to the Light."
Xena: "What did you say?"
Marat: "I've heard all about you, Najara. How you give your captives three days to turn Good before you execute them."


Najara: "Flowers can not blossom with out the light of the sun, nor can the human soul flourish without the warming glow of the Eternal Spirit. Gabrielle, walk into the Light and look no more on the Darkness."

Xena: "Come on, Najara, do you execute unarmed men without a trial?"
Najara: "Definitely not. I liberate their souls."

Najara: "I always give evil doers a chance to turn to the Light. But if they refuse or I sense that their conversion isn't sincere, I send them to look into the Light."

Najara: "The Light will triumph, Xena."
Xena: "Quit preaching and fight!"

Gabrielle: "No, you can't do this."
Najara: "You don't understand, Gabrielle. That Darkness inside her will destroy you one day."
Gabrielle: "Put the sword down. Najara, you and I will walk out of here together."
Najara: "You're just saying that to protect her."
Gabrielle: "Xena's dark side frightens me. I need to move on, but I could never live with someone who killed her. There would be no going back from there."


A seriously whipped Xena ... no not that kind of whipped
Xena: "I got my butt whipped, didn't I? Well, it serves me right for trusting somebody who talks about being good all the time. You know, she's tough girl, but she's got a weakness ... it's the same one I've got."


Gabrielle: "You're so close to being this ultimate force of Goodness, but that little bit makes you so wrong."

Najara: "I'm sure I've mad mistakes before, but all I've done is send them to the Light. The Eternal Powers will correct any mistakes I've made."


So I left you for a homicidal nut-case ...
Gabrielle: "Xena, are you alright?"
Xena: "I lost one of those good chewing teeth, but other than that I'm fine."

Xena: "She's too dangerous a girl to have on the loose. She likes killing too much."
Gabrielle: "But she beat you up so badly."
Xena: "Well, that's another reason."

Xena: "Ooh ... that's gotta hurt."

Xena: "I just asked her to come with me right now, and you know what she said? She said she'd rather stay here and try to reform you. Seems that your zealotry is less scary than my Dark side. Sniveling ingrate. But if I can't have her, nobody's gonna have her."

Xena looking a little miffed
Xena: "See, it's a little more difficult with a millstone like her around your neck, isn't it? You probably wouldn't care if one of your soldiers died. They'd just go up to that big ol' light in the sky. But you might miss Gabrielle, huh?"

Xena: "If you don't mind me saying, your focus is a little off."

Xena: "Looks like she's saved both our lives today."


Xena: "Did you tell her about the vision?"
Najara: "No, that would hurt her and I don't ever want to do that. That's your job."


DISCLAIMER: Xena's Best Chewing Tooth was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.


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