Xena Reviews: Season 5, Episode 16

Lifeblood – Director: Paul Grinder, Michael Hurst/Story: Rob Tapert, R.J. Stewart/Teleplay: R.J. Stewart, George Strayton, Tom O’Neil

This one starts with Xena and Gabi taking Eve to the Northern Amazons to induct her into the tribe so Gabi can give Eve her Right of Caste. When they arrive, they find the Amazons have been attacked by Samite raiders and many of the tribe are dead, including the shamaness Yakut and their friend Amarice. But Yakut’s spirit is still there and shows Xena a vision of the Amazons’ distant past, when they were fighting a tribe of men called the Varanas.

Gabi gets Amarice’s bracelet (the one she gave her in Them Bones, Them Bones) and learns that she has to become Queen of this tribe before she can give Eve her Right of Caste. Xena is barred from the rituals, since she’s not an Amazon. Yakut’s spirit tells Xena the tribe is in danger of losing their way, but something in the past can save them. We get flashbacks to the ancient Amazons fighting the Varanas and enacting a ritual (by a male shaman) to bring them a saviour—the Atma—to help the tribe in its time of need. The Atma turns out to be a modern teenage girl named Cyane (played by Selma Blair), who freaks out when she suddenly appears in the Amazon camp centuries in the past. (The flashbacks are from the pilot to a series called Amazon High that never got picked up.) Cyane impresses the ancient Amazons by riding a horse (briefly) and they vote her into the tribe, although a bloodthirsty warrior named Samsara (played by Danielle Cormack, better known as Ephiny) isn’t too happy about that. They have a ceremonial dance (where Cyane shows them some funky moves from the future) and Cyane’s arm is cut to symbolize her membership. In the present, Gabi’s arm is cut to induct her as the new queen.

The Amazons want Gabi to lead them in vengeance against the Samites, but Gabi’s not into the whole vengeance thing. Xena and Yakut realize they need the Utma Dagger (an ancient bone artifact) to be able to see the truth about what happened to the Amazons in the past. Samsara’s spirit opposes Yakut’s, but she manages to bring the Dagger from the Spirit World so Xena can grab it and pull it into the real world. The Dagger gives them more flashbacks, this time of Samsara challenging Cyane to a race. Cyane falls in a river and is rescued by a Varana called Kor (played by Karl Urban, who we’ve seen a number of times before). There’s an instant attraction between Cyane and Kor and they start making out, but Samsara attacks and tries to kill Kor. Cyane stops her and Kor gets away. Samsara tells the Amazons Cyane should die for aiding their enemy. In the present, Yakut says that Samsara’s hatred and bloodlust is what corrupted the Amazons and mentions that even today, their rituals are bathed in blood. We see what she means as the Amazons prepare to sacrifice a horse to bathe Eve in its blood.

Xena stops the ritual and Gabi apologizes, saying that wasn’t how her initiation went. Xena tells them they’re dishonouring Yakut and putting her soul at risk. She uses the Dagger to show them Cyane and her friend Olan getting captured by Varanas, but when Kor’s father orders him to kill Cyane, he refuses. The Amazons attack and Samsara kills a lot of Varanas. Later, Cyane finds out that Samsara’s father was killed by Varanas and now she wants to wipe them all out. In the present, the Amazons hear that the Samites are retreating and prepare to follow and slaughter them. Xena and Gabi tell them their bloodlust is wrong, but they’re ready to defy their new queen and Xena for revenge.

Cyane feels Yakut’s spirit nearby and admits she feels guilty because Yakut took an arrow meant for her. Xena shows them the past again, with The Varanas (including a tied-up Kor, who must’ve gotten in trouble for sympathizing with the enemy) attack, but Cyane leads some Amazons on horseback to break up the attack and get an advantage over the Varanas. Samsara kills the guy who killed hr father and saves Cyane from getting stabbed in the back. But when Cyane lets Kor go (telling him to lead his people in peace instead of war), Samsara gets pissed off and leaves. The Amazons pledge not to accept any more men in the tribe and take the name Amazons for the first time. (They were originally called Tretomlecs.) In the present, the Amazons (including one who named herself after the original Cyane) realize they’ve strayed from their path and allow Gabi to lead them back to a more peaceful way. Eve is inducted and receives Gabi’s Right of Caste, but she’s baptized in water, not blood. Yakut’s spirit thanks Xena and her spirit departs for the afterlife.

This is not a very good episode … in fact it’s one of my least favourite episodes of the whole series (which is why it’s #131 on my all-time list). The main problem is that it’s not really a Xena episode, it’s at least half Amazon High. The whole premise of Amazon High is goofy to begin with, but trying to link it in with the history of the Amazons in Xena is even worse. I guess this was a way to use some footage from an expensive pilot that never got picked up, but it’s basically a waste of a Xena episode as far as I’m concerned. The flashbacks are disjointed and pretty boring, and even the way they’re presented is weird; the whole Atma Dagger thing is a pretty convenient plot device for Xena to show the flashbacks to the Amazons. I get that the whole flashback thing is meant to parallel the current tribe, and that Samsara’s lust for vengeance has perverted the tribe right up into the present. And that Samsara wanting revenge (and feeling guilty) for her father’s death parallels the modern Cyane wanting revenge for Yakut’s death, but I just find it hard to care too much.

I might be willing to give this a higher grade, since some of the stuff in the present is actually kinda cool. Gabi becoming queen and giving Eve her Right of Caste is nice and shows how she loves Eve like her own daughter. (Isn’t Gabi already queen of the Greek Amazons? I’m not sure why she didn’t induct Eve into that tribe; maybe Xena figured she owed the Northern Amazons, since she pretty much wiped them out a decade ago.) It’s good to see the influence Gabi (and Xena) has on these Amazons, turning them from their vengeful path and bringing them back to their original ideals. That’s symbolized by Eve being baptized with water instead of blood, and in the daytime instead of at night. And Gabi’s little speech at the end is great (once again, Renee does a hell of a voice over), but the whole ends up being pointless next season. The Amazons go back to their bloody ways (even falling under Ares’ influence) and Eve’s being a member of the tribe (technically an Amazon Princess, since she has Gabi’s Right of Caste) isn’t even mentioned when the Amazons are trying to kill her. I know there’s a twenty-five year gap, and Eve probably lost all her rights when she was Livia, but it should’ve at least been brought up. It seems like the creators are basically ignoring this episode, so why should fans consider it anything but apocryphal?

Noticeable Things:

• When Xena and Gabi are first talking to the Amazons, Eve is playing with one of Gabi’s sais, which is kinda cute.
• In the flashbacks, the original Cyane becomes close with an Amazon named Olan, who definitely has a thing for her; I can’t tell if it’s mutual, since Cyane only seems interested in Kor.
• Not only does Gabi not want Eve to undergo the bloody initiation ritual, when Xena triggers the visions, Gabi instinctively shields Eve’s eyes from the bright light.
• I guess Xena can see Yakut’s spirit because they’re both shamans, but Gabi is technically a shaman too, so maybe it’s just because Xena’s known Yakut for so long.
• The Amazons have supposedly never ridden horses (just eaten them!), but when Cyane leads the cavalry charge, they all have saddles, bits, and bridles.

Favourite Quotes:

• “Revenge is not justice.” Gabi letting the Amazons know her personal philosophy.
• “Good body.” Kor’s opening line to Cyane, which seems to work.
• “And so, the Amazon legacy to temper might with mercy was restored, thanks to the innocence of a child, and the wisdom of Xena.” Gabi’s final voice over, which is actually quite touching the way Renee reads it. Too bad it didn’t last.