Forgiven – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: R.J. Stewart
This one starts with a couple of bandits (Wayan and Micah) stealing the Urn of Apollo, a sacred vessel that Apollo’s priests use in rituals to forgive people’s sins. The priests ask Xena to get the Urn back. Xena believes forgiveness has to come from within, that it can’t be given by someone else. But Gabi understands the concept and talks Xena into helping. When Xena’s out getting Argo ready, an obnoxious brat named Tara picks a
fight with Gabi and kicks the shit out of her. I thought Gabi should’ve done better in the fight, but Tara did hit her from behind with a chair and she fights dirty (almost biting Gabi’s ear off), something Gabi’s not good at (as we saw in Warrior … Princess … Tramp). Xena breaks it up and Tara tells her she wants to replace Gabi as Xena’s sidekick.
Tara says she can help find the Urn since she used to hang out with the gang 
that stole it, but Xena’s not interested. Tara follows them and guilts Xena into letting her help by pointing out that someone gave Xena a chance to turn herself around. Gabi’s not happy, but Xena says Tara reminds her of herself at that age and wonders if she’d have turned out differently if she’d had some guidance. They find the thieves’ camp and Xena goes to find one to interrogate, but Tara disobeys orders and follows her. Xena tells Tara to go back to camp, but she goes straight to the guard and tells him someone’s hiding in the bushes.
Tara lures the guard over so Xena can interrogate him with the Pinch. He says Wayan took the Urn to sell to some Cilician traders. Back at camp, Gabi
is upset that Xena doesn’t give Tara shit for disobeying her. I think Gabi’s a bit jealous here that Xena’s giving Tara so much leeway, especially after she pounded Gabi. (Maybe Gabi’s a little embarrassed about that too.) Xena reminds Gabi how understanding she was (and still is) about Xena’s past misdeeds and Gabi tells Xena she can help Tara a lot just by telling her she believes in her, like she did with Gabi. In camp, Tara is an asshole to Gabi and asks Xena a bunch 
of questions about how to know good from bad. Xena says she uses Gabi as a guide (since her first instinct is usually unselfish) and tells Tara she believes in her. The next day, Xena goes to slow the Cilicians down in preparation for stealing the Urn from Wayan’s camp. (Xena rules out a frontal assault because the Urn might get broken.) Tara disobeys again and tries to sneak into Wayan’s camp herself and when Gabi tries to stop her, they both get caught.
Xena shows up at Wayan’s (now empty) camp in time to save Gabi and Tara from a deathtrap. Xena gives Tara shit for acting like a spoiled brat and
heads out to find Wayan’s trail. Tara blames Gabi for Xena being mad at her and starts another fight, but this time it’s a fair fight (with staffs) and Gabi beats the shit out of Tara. Tara’s like Cool Hand Luke, she just keeps coming back for more and Gabi’s such a good person she actually ends up feeling bad about pounding Tara. I would’ve loved every minute of it, but I guess Gabi’s a better person than I am. Xena comes back and Tara breaks down, admitting she’s an asshole and 
telling them about her crappy childhood. Gabi realizes Xena left them there knowing what would happen and thanks her, saying the fight helped her work off some of her anger toward Tara. (Of course, I’m sure it was cathartic for Gabi in general.) And Tara definitely needed some tough love to straighten her out. That night, they play charades around the campfire (which Gabi and Tara enjoy, but Xena thinks is too difficult to catch on). But during the night, Tara sneaks off and starts making out with Micah the bandit.
They sneak into an old castle where Wayan is meeting the Cilicians to look for the Urn. Tara asks Gabi if the Urn has any real power and Gabi says it
might, or just the idea of it might just make people feel better about themselves; either way, the Urn is important to those who need forgiveness. Tara assumes Gabi has nothing to feel guilty about, but we know better. They search the castle for the Urn and Tara finds it, taking it to Micah. Apparently, they were going to double-cross Wayan and take the Urn for themselves, but Tara has changed her mind and wants to give it back. Micah tries to kill her (and admits he was always planning 
to kill her), but Tara takes off and Xena—who’s been listening to everything—decks him. Tara runs into the room where Wayan’s gang and the Cilicians are negotiating and they attack her. Xena and Gabi come in and pound everyone as the Urn gets tossed between them. (At least it’s not a baby this time.) Tara realizes Xena knew what she was doing but trusted her to make the right decision (which she says was a sucker move, but Xena did turn out to be right). They return the Urn and Gabi and Tara take part in the forgiveness ritual, but Xena doesn’t, since she believes herself beyond redemption.
This is actually a pretty good episode (it’s #67 on my all-time list), but my main complaint is about Tara. I think we’re supposed to feel sympathy for her, but she’s such an asshole through the first two-thirds that it’s hard to
like her at all. I do end up liking her in the final third, but it’s sure not easy. I’m surprised by how much leeway Xena is willing to give Tara, especially after the beating she gives Gabi. When Xena stops the fight, Tara is pounding Gabi’s head into a table, which could’ve killed her. If that was some dude doing that, Xena would’ve wasted him, so I thought she should’ve at least slapped Tara around a bit. Xena says Tara reminds her of herself, but I can’t imagine Xena acting that bad, at least not before Cortese and Caesar. Gabi’s pretty forgiving too, but that fits her personality.
This episode is about forgiveness and where it comes from; Xena thinks it 
can only come from inside, but Gabi (and eventually Tara) knows it doesn’t hurt to have a little outside help. When Gabi tells Xena that believing in Tara will help reform her, she mentions how Xena’s belief in her helped her become who she is, but that works both ways; Gabi’s belief in Xena has always helped keep her on her true path, even when she felt like straying. That final shot of Xena looking into the temple before turning and walking into the sunset is based on the last shot of The Searchers with John Wayne. In that movie, Wayne turns away from the house because all his years as a
bounty hunter have made him unsuited for civilized life. That’s basically how Xena feels about being forgiven, that she’s not worthy of forgiveness so she’s cut off from others (like Gabi and Tara) who believe they can be forgiven. (Although, as we’ll see in future episodes, Gabi’s own guilt runs pretty deep and there are some things she can never quite forgive herself for …mainly to do with Hope.)
Noticeable Things:
- I’m not sure how old Tara is meant to be; Shiri Appleby was about 20 here, but Tara looks like a teenager. When she’s making out with Micah, it comes off as a bit creepy to me.
- Apparently Gabi invented charades, teaching Xena and Tara to play.
Xena says it’s too hard to catch on, but Tara likes it (and Gabi guesses Tara’s Birth of Athena charade right away). Nobody guesses Gabi’s charade (Iphegenia in Aulis) and she gives Xena shit for not keeping up with contemporary Greek theatre.
Favourite Quotes:
- “I knew you were evil, but you were obnoxious too?” Gabi reacting to Xena’s admission that Tara reminds her of her younger self.
- “It’s easier to believe in yourself after someone else has believed in you first.” Gabi’s advice to Xena; it fits for Xena believing in Tara, Xena believing in Gabi, and Gabi believing in Xena when they first met (which is the way Xena takes it, saying a quiet “Thanks” after Gabi walks away).
- “You are what you do … you can recreate yourself every second of your life.” Xena telling Tara how to be a good person.
- “I’m going to rip out her throat, I’m going to eat her eyeballs …” Gabi expressing her frustration with Tara’s attitude. The way Renee says “eat her eyeballs” is hilarious.
- “You wanna compare bad deeds, I’ll bury you.” Xena letting Tara know she’s outclassed in the bad behaviour department.