Xena Reviews: Season 6, Episode 8

The Ring – Director: Rick Jacobson/Writer: Joel Metzger

This one starts with Gabi, Brunnhilde, and Beowulf following Grendel’s trail after it dragged Xena off at the end of last episode. Brunnhilde and Beowulf assume Xena’s already dead, but Gabi knows better. They split up and Gabi finds Xena, battered but alive. They catch a glimpse of Grendel, who takes off upon hearing Brunnhilde and Beowulf approach. Brunnhilde fangirls out over Xena, who realizes Brunnhilde has a thing for Gabi (as does Beowulf, but Xena seems less bothered by that). Xena says she has to get the ring back from Grendel to make things right and naturally Gabi refuses to leave. Brunnhilde and Beowulf agree to help as well.

They lead Grendel into the old mine, but when they try to drop a stone on its head, Grendel proves to be a pretty smart monster and takes off. Xena tells the others how Grendel came to be a monster and we get another flashback. After Xena forged the ring from the Rheingold, the head Valkyrie (Grynhilde) attacked her and took the ring. Xena reminded her she couldn’t use it unless she’d forsaken love (as Xena had at that point in her life) or she’d lose what was most valuable to her. Grynhilde pointed out that the ring would give her an initial godlike surge of power before stripping her essence, so she put it on. She kicked Xena around a bit, but eventually lost what she valued most … her humanity, symbolized by her inner and outer beauty. Grynhilde turned into the monster Grendel and Xena cut her finger off to get the ring back before confining her in the mine. As we saw last episode, Grynhilde grabbed the ring back, but Xena assumed she’d never be able to use it. In the present, Xena says that Grynhilde must’ve learned to forsake love during her long confinement, which let her harness the ring’s power to break out. Grendel attacks and Xena tries to trap her by collapsing the ceiling of the mine, but Xena gets caught on the wrong side with Grendel.

Gabi starts digging through the rubble and wriggles through as soon as possible. She finds the chakram and jumps Grendel as she’s pounding Xena. Gabi is thrown off, but Xena retrieves the chakram and kills Grendel. When she takes the ring back, Xena notices that the monster has all its fingers, which means this wasn’t Grynhilde. They head out and Xena wants to return the ring to the Rhinemaidens. She tells Gabi she doesn’t trust Brunnhilde; I’m not sure how much of that is instinct and how much is jealousy, but Xena turns out to be right: Brunnhilde is a Valkyrie working for Odin, who meets her in the forest. Brunnhilde was supposed to take the ring from Xena, but didn’t because (as Odin points out) she’s in love with Gabi. Odin is wary of getting too close to Xena since she can kill gods now, so he sends the Valkyries to grab Gabi so he can trade her for the ring. The Valkyries attack, but before they can get Gabi, Brunnhilde swoops down and carries her off.

Xena sends Beowulf to see where they land and fights Odin and the Valkyries. Odin tells Xena that Grendel was Grynhilde’s son and threatens to bring her into the fight, but Xena realizes Odin has forsaken love and wants the ring for himself. Out in the forest, Brunnhilde tells Gabi she loves her, but Gabi (who’s both stunned and flattered) isn’t interested. Odin goes to tell Grynhilde that Xena killed her son and brings her back to the fight. In the forest, Brunhilde reiterates her professions of love, but Gabi says she and Xena are soulmates and nothing can break that. Odin, Grynhilde, and the Valkyries attack Xena and Beowulf, who gets stabbed. Xena is cornered and threatens to put on the ring to gain enough power to defeat them. Despite Odin’s reminder about losing what she holds most dear, Xena puts on the ring.

In the forest, Gabi and Brunnhilde are attacked by Valkyries and Brunnhilde tries to impress Gabi with her fighting prowess, but Gabi finds that repulsive instead of romantic. Xena kicks ass and takes off to find Gabi, but the ring’s curse kicks in and she starts losing her memory. She meets Brunnhilde, who talks her into handing over the ring, but Xena’s already lost her sense of self and can’t even remember her own name. Brunnhilde tells Gabi about Xena’s memory loss and gives her the ring. Brunnhilde knows Odin will never stop looking for it, so she offers to become an eternal flame to protect Gabi and the ring. Only Gabi’s true soulmate (Xena, in other words) will be able to cross the flames safely. Brunnhilde becomes a burning ring of fire and Gabi falls into an enchanted sleep, still clutching the ring. Beowulf recovers from his stab wound and looks for Xena, but only finds her sword and chakram. Meanwhile, Xena is wandering through the woods, hearing voices and yelling, “Who am I?”

This is a really good episode, definitely my favourite of the Ring trilogy (which is why it’s #24 on my all-time list). For me, this is the best of the three because Xena and Gabi have the most screen time together. It’s obvious how much they love each other (the creators weren’t even trying to hide it anymore), with Odin even pointing out to Xena that she can’t use the Ring because she loves Gabi. And when Xena puts on the Ring, she loses that love, which is obviously what she values most. I’m not sure why that makes her lose her memory, but Brunnhilde says Xena has lost her sense of self, the person she’s become since she met Gabi. As we’ll see next episode, that also means Xena has lost her warrior instinct, so maybe it has something to do with the balance Gabi brings her, letting both the Light and Dark sides of her personality work together. We saw that balance disturbed in Chakram and it’s interesting that after Xena loses her memory here, she accidentally cuts herself on the chakram and drops it. Of course, this love isn’t all one way, with Gabi’s love for Xena making her refuse to leave her side. I love the scene where Gabi grabs the chakram and jumps on Grendel’s back, stabbing the monster over and over to save Xena.

But Xena’s not the only one who loves Gabi; Beowulf and Brunnhilde do too. The scene in the teaser is great when Brunnhilde and Beowulf betray their feelings: Gabi realizes Beowulf is interested (and looks slightly bothered by that), but is completely oblivious to Brunnhilde’s feelings. On the other hand, Xena notices that both of them are interested, but only seems worried about Brunnhilde. Maybe she’s scared that Gabi might actually find Brunhilde attractive, since Xena’s kinda opened up that side of Gabi’s sexuality (and Gabi’s obviously into ass-kicking woman warriors now).

Noticeable Things:

• It’s interesting that Grynhilde’s son was wearing the Ring instead of her. Xena figured Grynhilde had forsaken all love, but she seems pretty broken up when her son dies, so maybe she still has some love left in her and couldn’t use the Ring?
• The new head Valkyrie (Waltraub) always has this snotty, petulant look on her face that I find really annoying. I know the Valkyries were corrupted by Xena’s influence, so it makes sense she’d be an asshole, but it’d be nice if she changed expressions at least once. That must’ve been painful for the actress playing her.
• When Gabi falls asleep inside the ring of fire, she’s instantly garbed in a fancy dress that makes her look like Princess Peach.

Favourite Quotes:

• “Lots of reasons.” Xena’s answer when Brunnhilde asks why she’s learned to respect life, love, and peace … but Xena’s adoring look at Gabi speaks volumes.
• “I never listen.” Gabi telling Xena something she should already know by now.
• “There’s more to being a warrior than skill, there’s fighting for what you believe in, for people that you love.” Gabi summing up her and Xena’s shared philosophy for Brunnhilde.