Hmm, I think it's about time for our gals to head back home to Greece. While still in India, Gabrielle and Xena meet up with Eli (who is now the revered avatar). Indrajit, the daddy of all demons, is a'hunting avatars. Gabrielle has a total blond moment (instead of running back into the temple where she would be safe, she flees down the street -- much like to doomed bimbo who runs up the stairs in every horror flick). Xena allies herself with an escaped convict from the Planet of the Apes and Krishna, the Supreme Blue One. Xena sprouts a few new limbs and finally defeats the Evil One. Gabrielle chucks her trusty staff for the Way of Love. I'm guessing the writers have decided to re-use some old being-held-at-knife-point footage from the first season. I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of them in the future.
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Gabrielle: "I love rivers ..." |
Gabrielle: "Why do you do that?"
Xena: "What?"
Gabrielle: "You shoot me down while I'm doing my philosophical stuff."
Xena: "What do you mean?"
Gabrielle: "Xena, since I met you, I've been on this spiritual quest. I've been looking for the meaning of it all. Why don't you ask those questions?"
Xena: "As a matter of fact, I've been thinking a lot about re-incarnation since we came to India."
Gabrielle: "You see, maybe being a warrior isn't the right karma for you. Maybe you should look to Peace."
Xena: "Hm ... maybe violence isn't the answer to anything."
Xena: "Alright, who's trying to stop us from reaching the avatar?"
Demon: "Indrajit, the King of Demons, the Prince of Darkness ..."
Xena: "I get it ... he's a bad guy."
Gabrielle: "An avatar is a deity in human form, usually destined to save humanity from a great Evil."
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Gabrielle: "What's the matter?" |
Xena: "A few days ago, I saw my future life, you saw it, too. I'm destined to be reborn as some kind of saint."
Gabrielle: "But that's wonderful, isn't it?"
Xena: "Yes, but if I already earn that karma, can I still mess it up? Maybe I was shown my future life for a reason. Maybe I'm supposed to change the way I'm living this life here and now. But, either way, a warrior cannot ask these questions in the heat of batter. When the kill is there, you have to take it. If I can't do that ... I can't be a warrior anymore."
Eli: "People suffer so, Gabrielle, it breaks my heart, and they look to me for a solution."
Gabrielle: "That must be an awesome responsibility."
Eli: "You want to know what the scariest part is? It's that I know the Truth."
Gabrielle: "The truth?"
Eli: "No, no the truth ... THE Truth. I've seen it. It's as real to me as these trees are to you. You know, I was jealous of you."
Gabrielle: "Me?"
Eli: "When I thought you were a Devi. You seemed to have the power to heal people, that thing I sought for all my life. I envied that. Now, I have this power to heal people and cast out demons, give people Hope and it terrifies me."
Hanuman: "My name is Hanuman."
Xena: "You've been following us for some time."
Hanuman: "Yes, I thought I could be of some help to Eli. Indrajit is coming for him."
Eli: "I don't need any help ... really."
Hanuman: "Most young avatars say that."
Gabrielle: "You've known others?"
Hanuman: "Only one. If I were you, I would take Eli to the Great Temple and ask Krishna for help."
Xena: "Krishna?"
Hanuman: "The Supreme Personality of the Godhood. He will know how to handle Indrajit."
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Hanuman: "How wonderful. You climb tress just like one of us. You must have learned from monkeys." |
Gabrielle: "What is the Truth?"
Eli: "Sure you really want to know?"
Gabrielle: "Yeah."
Eli: "It's Life, that we must revere it wherever we find it. To bring Peace to this world I have to teach mankind a reverence for Life."
Gabrielle: "So, if someone were to walk up to you and knock you down?"
Eli: "Then I'd get up."
Gabrielle: "But, if they knocked you down again?"
Eli: "Then I would get up again, if I could. But under no circumstances would I fight back. If I did, I would simply be perpetuating the cycle of violence that has ravaged the earth for centuries. That cycle has to be broken, Gabrielle, and the Truth is that it can only be done through non-violence."
Xena: "Hanuman, you've been walking the earth for centuries now, how do you know what is the right code or lifestyle or ..."
Hanuman: "... Way."
Xena: "Yes. How do you know what is the right Way for you?"
Hanuman: "My Way is the way of obedience and loyalty. I can see it's not your Way. You're too proud."
Xena: "What happens when a person gets stuck between two Ways?"
Hanuman: "That is not good. For each person there can only be one Way."
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Gabrielle: "The statue with the flute, is that Krishna?" |
Gabrielle: "Hanuman, no offense, you see Xena and I aren't used to waiting around for the gods to bail us out."
Hanuman: "Eli's words have troubled you, haven't they, Gabrielle?"
Gabrielle: "How did you know what he said to me?"
Hanuman: "I've been following him for weeks. I know his words touch anyone with an open heart."
Gabrielle: "So, what do you think of his message?"
Hanuman: "His Way is the Ultimate Way. Few can follow it. Those who can, truly walk with the Spirit."
Xena: "Well, your friend Krishna didn't show."
Hanuman: "We need to get his attention."
Xena: "And how do we do that?"
Hanuman: "With these gods sometimes you've got to try something unusual."
Xena: "Like what?"
Hanuman: "I pray to them all the time. What Krishna needs is for someone to call upon him who doesn't trust them ... doesn't like them ... someone who thinks she doesn't need them."
Gabrielle: "You're not gonna do anything to try and get out of here, are you?"
Eli: "No ... Be patient. We'll be alright."
Gabrielle: "I don't think that's very realistic. This is an Evil man."
Eli: "He's not a man at all, Gabrielle. He's the incarnation of Evil itself."
Gabrielle: "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
Xena: "Okay, so what's he into? Chanting? Sacrifices?"
Hanuman: "You don't understand who Krishna is. He's not like other gods. He's in everyone, in every living being. So, to find him you need only to look within."
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Indrajit: "You like her, don't you? Congratulations, Eli, you have your first real disciple. How passive and serene will you remain while she's being tortured?" |
Krishna: "How do you expect to defeat Idrajit?"
Xena: "I can't without your help."
Krishna: "But, I can't help you unless you let me."
Xena: "I'm not one for cryptic talk. Get to the point."
Krishna: "You must open up you heart to me if you are going to tap into the strength which will allow you to defeat Indrajit."
Xena: "I thought that's what the prayers were for."
Krishna: "That got my attention. Now you have to go one step further. You have to embrace the Way."
Xena: "The Way? I've heard about the Way in Greece, Chin, Anatolia and now India. I don't get it. The Way is not for people like me."
Krishna: "You're wrong. You're very close to the Way now. However, missing it by the width of a hair is the same as missing it by the height of a mountain."
Xena: "That close, I don't think so. I don't have the patience of Gabrielle, the Love of Eli or the serenity of my mentor LaoMa. I'm just an angry, ass-kicking ..."
Krishna: "... warrior."
Xena: "Yes, a warrior."
Krishna: "You say that with disgust."
Xena: "Well, it doesn't rank up there with the saints, does it?"
Krishna: "Xena, you have seen what you are destined to be. In your next life you will walk the Way of a saint. However, you will never achieve that life if you don't follow the Way you're on now."
Xena: "The Way of the Warrior?"
Krishna: "Yes. You must not be hesitant to fight in a just cause. It is better to die following your own Way than to live following someone else's. When you ride into combat, act without attachment and carry with you the confidence that you are fulfilling your calling in life. Then, you will know the Way."
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Krishna: "Go, rise up like a fire and burn all those who oppose you. And, if you are following the Way, call my name and the strength to defeat Indrajit will be given to you." |
Indrajit: "You're in my world now, little girl. I got her to cave with a simple illusion. Your disciple gave in to the first temptation. Let's see how you do, Eli."
Indrajit: "You feel her pain, don't you? That's your curse. You can feel everyone's pain. Eli, I can arrange it so you never have to look on human suffering. I could surround you with joyous, happy people. Save yourself and this girl. Join me."
Eli: "No."
Indrajit: "Then she dies." (Fortunately, Xena has other plans)
Gabrielle: "Eli, I failed my first test."
Eli: "It's hard, the Way of Love. It may not be right for you. But, if you chose to follow it, you must do so with all your heart. You'll fail more than once, but don't give up Hope. In the end, it will redeem the world."
Xena: "So, it's the way of Love for you, huh?"
Gabrielle: "Yeah. Your's is the Way of the Warrior. I think I've always known that."
Xena: "And I've always known that it was wrong for you. I'm sorry I took you so far from your Truth."
Gabrielle: "Don't be sorry. Xena, do you think I could've understood the power of selfless love if it weren't for our friendship?"
Xena: "Still, I think maybe you should travel with Eli for a while."
Gabrielle: "No, you and I stay together."
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Xena: "Gabrielle, we're headed in opposite directions in life." |
DISCLAIMER: Any similarities between Hanuman and a major character in the motion picture classic "Planet of the Apes" is purely coincidental.
