The Prodigal – Director: John T. Kretschmer/Writer: Chris Manheim
This one starts with Xena and Gabi making their way through a mountain pass. They end up in a dead end, where some bandits have a cart full of sharpened spears to roll into the defile and impale them. Xena starts kicking ass and Gabi takes one guy out, then knocks out the guy beside the cart with a rock. Unfortunately, he hits the brake on his way
down and the cart comes speeding down towards Xena and Gabi. Xena lies down, but Gabi freezes and almost gets smashed. The bandits run away, but Gabi’s freaked out wondering why she froze up after everything she’s been through. Xena tells her to “act, don’t react”, but Gabi decides she’s a liability and doesn’t want to take the chance of getting Xena killed, so she tells Xena she’s going back to Poteidaia to get her head on straight. Xena’s obviously worried, especially since Gabi isn’t sure if she’s coming back or not.
After trying several times to flag a ride, Gabi finally gets a lift (from the 
same old man who gave her a ride in Sins of the Past) and ends up close to Poteidaia. She cuts through the woods and runs into a farmer whose family was killed by a raider named Damon. When Gabi finds out Damon’s next target is Poteidaia, she races home. The town is still standing, but strangely deserted. In the tavern, Gabi gets a rousing welcome but finds out everyone was expecting Meleager the Mighty, a famous warrior. Gabi’s sister Lila tells her Damon has been raiding Poteidaia every few months since Gabi left, which is why they hired Meleager. Unfortunately, when Meleager shows up, he’s hammered out of
his mind and passes out. While tending to him, Gabi realizes Lila is mad at her, but can’t figure out why. The next day, Meleager meets the townsfolk, but doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, since he’s more interested in the money he’s getting (half up front, half later) and he’s been at the booze again. When Damon’s scouts show up and start causing trouble, Meleager’s already too wasted to fight.
Gabi and Lila use ropes and pulleys to hold Meleager up and his fearsome reputation scares the bandits off. When Damon finds out Meleager is in 
Poteidaia, he’s not too bothered; there’s a 50,000 dinar reward for Meleager, so Damon figures he can cash in. When Meleager wakes up, Gabi gives him shit for letting the townsfolk down. Meleager talks about how all the blood and danger got to him and Gabi realizes he’s lost his nerve, just like she did … that’s why he drinks. Meleager says the townsfolk should buy some weapons (he’s really keen on Spartan javelins that can impale three men at once), but Gabi points out that fancy weapons aren’t much good if no one there can use them. Poteidaia needs a warrior like Meleager, except he’s a worthless drunk. He promises not to drink until Damon is taken care of and takes Gabi and Lila out to check the approaches to town. Gabi impresses Meleager with her knowledge of battle tactics, but Lila is just confused. (Neither Gabi nor Meleager notice Damon’s men hiding in the bushes … Xena would be so
disappointed.) Lila finally admits that she’s pissed off because Gabi left her behind to follow Xena and hasn’t come to visit since. (It sounds like Gabi hasn’t written much either.) Gabi tells Lila she came home (for good) because she missed her and insists that their connection is stronger than anything she has with Xena. Meleager gets jumped by Damon’s men and Gabi sends Lila back to the village to make sure nobody finds out Meleager’s missing. Gabi tracks Meleager to Damon’s camp, where Damon has just offered Meleager a position with his army, figuring Meleager’s reputation alone will make entire villages surrender. Meleager turns him down and Gabi is dragged into camp after being caught by Damon’s men.
Meleager says he’ll reconsider Damon’s offer if he throws Gabi in as a “bonus”. After pretending to bang to distract the guards, they escape and 
set Damon’s horses loose to slow him down. In Poteidaia, Meleager and Gabi direct the townsfolk in readying defenses and setting up numerous traps (falling logs, sandbags, pit traps). The townsfolk have complete faith in Meleager, but he notices how competent Gabi is. Lila (who’s been working her ass off helping) notices it too, although Gabi obviously doesn’t see herself as a warrior. While on guard duty, Gabi and Lila make up and when they spot Damon’s army, they run to sound the alarm. Unfortunately, Meleager has disappeared … and so has the rest of the money they’re paying him.
The villagers are ready to give up, but Gabi and Lila rally them (with Lila giving a rousing speech and pointing out that Gabi has enough battle acumen to lead them). When Damon’s men show up, the Poteidaians fight
with their traps and makeshift weapons, stopping the first wave. Damon shows up to shame his troops into another attack and the villagers figure they’re doomed. But Meleager shows up (with a bunch of Spartan javelins … that’s why he took the money) and starts wasting Damon’s men. Damon grabs Gabi and Lila, but Gabi gets them free and Meleager fights Damon. Meleager does pretty well until Damon throws dirt in his eyes. Gabi tells Meleager to “act, don’t react” and Meleager kills Damon. Later, the Poteidaians celebrate, but Gabi’s heart isn’t in it. Lila knows Gabi wants to leave and tells her it’s okay; Lila knows Gabi’s life will never be complete if she stays in Poteidaia because she belongs out in the world, helping people and learning from Xena … but tells 
her not to wait so long to get in touch again. Gabi heads back to where she and Xena parted and runs into the same bandits in the same narrow pass. This time, they have a cow-catcher sort of thing on the cart so Gabi can’t go under it. She ends up vaulting over the cart with her staff and is ready to fight all the bandits herself when Xena shows up. The bandits take off and Xena congratulates Gabi for not freezing up this time. As they head out of the pass, Xena admits she was on her way to Poteidaia to see how Gabi was doing.
I really like this episode; it’s #48 on my all-time list and could maybe move up a bit. I have a couple of (relatively minor) problems with the episode, otherwise it might even make my top 30. Most of my quibbles are with the teaser, especially how abrupt Gabi’s decision and departure are. As the
episode begins, Gabi is skipping along playing a tune on a Pan flute, seeming pretty happy. But Chris Manheim had written that Gabi was playing a more melancholy tune and was obviously bummed out about something. I don’t know why that was changed, but it would’ve made more sense to have Gabi already feeling somber and contemplative; that way, her freezing up and her decision to leave wouldn’t come out of nowhere. And it would follow from the 
previous episode, where Gabi was captured twice by Sinteres and Xena ended up having the pressure-point duel with him to save her. That would fit with Gabi feeling like a liability and worrying about putting Xena in danger, which would explain why she was so distracted and froze up. Also, the scene where Gabi leaves is totally wrong … she doesn’t even say goodbye! Are we supposed to believe that Gabi could just walk away from Xena (thinking it might be forever) without even a goodbye, or some kind of emotional display? No way. That scene was different in the shooting script (you can see the differences over at Whoosh) and much better in my opinion: Gabi’s explanation about putting Xena in danger was clearer, she hugged Xena before leaving, and she was crying as she walked
away. That’s how it should’ve been done. (Xena’s sad face and little wave—which I like—weren’t in that script, but no reason they couldn’t have had both.) My only other quibble with the episode is that we don’t really see Gabi fighting against Damon’s men. She hits one guy with a frying pan, but I would’ve liked to see her kick some ass with her staff while Lila watching in amazement and realized Gabi is a warrior after all.
The Gabi/Lila relationship is at the forefront of this episode and it’s pretty interesting. Lila’s jealousy is believable (even though she urged Gabi to 
follow her heart and go after Xena) because Lila didn’t know how much she’d miss Gabi until she was gone. And when Gabi realizes how hurt Lila is, she tells her that even though Xena is her best friend, nothing can ever replace a sister, and I think she means it (in spite of the fact that Xena and Gabi will end up being closer than family, which Xena actually mentions a couple episodes from now). And Lila realizes (even before Gabi does) that Gabi can’t stay in Poteidaia without losing her soul. Lila also sees that Gabi has become a warrior in her own right, although none of the other townsfolk seem to notice; I guess
they can’t get past their preconceptions about Gabi, but luckily Lila can. While the town is preparing defenses against Damon, the whole dynamic between Gabi and Lila is almost like a Xena/Gabi thing, with Gabi taking Xena’s role as warrior/mentor and Lila being the student and indispensable helper. Lila even gives a speech, which is usually Gabi’s department. I like Lila and Willa O’Neill plays her really well; she will appear on the show a few more times, but I actually wish she’d shown up more.
Gabi and Meleager have an interesting relationship too, kind of a father/daughter thing (which will get more pronounced in next season’s 
The Execution). Meleager also recognizes Gabi’s prowess as a fighter and immediately trusts her enough to take advice on Poteidaia’s defenses, treating her like an equal. Gabi has learned a lot from Xena (traps, tracking, fighting, battle tactics) and Meleager obviously sees how skilled and knowledgeable she is. In fact, the only one who can’t see it is Gabi herself, probably because she’s used to looking up to Xena all the time and can’t think of herself on the same plane. But she does help Meleager get his confidence back and even gives him good advice in his big fight with Damon. Tim Thomerson plays Meleager really well, channeling Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou for the drunk scenes (although there’s no drunken horse in this one).
The whole episode does have a Spaghetti Western feel to it, like Fistful of Dollars or Magnificent Seven. Chris Manheim says she watched those movies and kinda wrote Meleager to be like Robert Vaughn in Magnificent Seven. There are several shots (like when Gabi first arrives in Poteidaia and it’s deserted) that look like they’re straight out of a Leone Western. The scenes where the villagers are cobbling together all the makeshift traps reminded me of those scenes in the A-Team where they’d put together some crazy weapon with just the contents of an old barn; even the background music had an A-Team feel to it.
Noticeable Things:
- Gabi’s rock-throwing is pretty accurate; she nails the bandit right in the head and knocks him out. We’ll see Gabi’s throwing ability again in future episodes.
- While trying to flag down a ride, Gabi makes like Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night, showing some thigh to get someone to stop.
Unlike for Claudette, it doesn’t work for Gabi. - Meleager’s reputation is mainly based on the Battle of Liguria, where he killed an undetermined number of men. (The toll keeps going up as each successive person mentions the battle.)
- While looking at a map on the way to Poteidaia, Gabi mentions that she has another 22 leagues to go, which is about 66 miles (depending on what definition of “league” we use).
- A lot of fans wonder where Gabi’s parents are in this episode and why they weren’t even mentioned. I assume they’re probably away visiting relatives or something, which Lila could’ve told Gabi in between scenes. I think it’s better without them because the dynamic Gabi has with her parents is different from what she has with Lila, so if her parents were present it would’ve screwed up the sister reconciliation story. From a dramatic standpoint, it makes sense for them to be absent.
Favourite Quotes:
- “We need a bigger cart.” One of the bandits after failing (the first time) to crush Xena and Gabi in the narrow pass. I assume it’s meant to be a Jaws reference.
- “What, you can’t talk to me?” Xena, hurt that Gabi wants to unburden herself to Lila instead of her. I don’t think Gabi means it as
a slight against Xena, but Gabi’s main worry is that she’s a burden to Xena and might be putting her in danger, something Xena dismisses. So it makes sense that Gabi can’t confide in Xena, since Xena is (in a way) part of the problem. It’s nice to see Xena’s vulnerability here; she’s already pretty invested in Gabi … maybe more than she even realizes. - “Sun-dried hard rodents are good to lift up off the road …” A half-drunk Meleager telling the Poteidaians what weapons they can use against Damon.
- “Any minute now.” Gabi’s reply when Meleager asks her if she has a plan to get out of Damon’s camp.
- “Ohhh, no wonder they call you the mighty!” Gabi, pretending to bang Meleager to distract Damon’s guards. I gotta say, for someone who’s never been laid, Gabi’s pretty good at faking it.
