Episode: Motherhood (S-5, E-22)

Author: CN Winters

Fandom: Subtext report, Xena Fanfiction, Xena and Gabrielle fanfiction

Author Note: Many of these reports are littered with errors because I wrote them quickly and 'on the fly' so I could post them quicker to the 'Nutforum' back in the day.

Feedback: Drop me a line at cnwinters71@yahoo.com.

Motherhood

Our story opens with a battered Eve in the desert with X and G looking over her from a dune. Xena says they can save Eve. Gabby has doubts. Xena said the reason SHE changed was because she found her (Gabby). With guidance Eve can change too.

Back on Olympus the Gods are kinda ticked that Ares didn’t mention that Eve was still alive. They say they have a plan using the Furies. Ares starts to laugh and says been there, done that, didn’t work. They said the Furies aren’t for Xena but Gabrielle. Dite appears and asks Athena why they have to use the bard. Athena asks Dite if she’s got a soft spot for Gabrielle and Dite replies that Gabrielle is her friend. Athena tells her ‘Then don’t watch’.

Back in the desert some men start to go after Eve/Livia but Xena and Gabby come and race to the rescue. As Xena tends to Eve’s scrapes after the battle we see the Furies appear behind Gabrielle and tell her that the only way peace will come is if she kills Eve. Gabby gets a wicked look on her face as she watches Xena tending to Eve. (End of Teaser)

A woman shows up and offers them shelter at her house since Xena is the protector of the faith or something like that. They go back and stay with some of Eli’s followers and Gabrielle is doing the bard thing and telling them Eli’s story. Eve scoffs and says that love has no real power. Xena speaks up and takes over the story. The Furies show up next to Gabby telling her that she has to kill Eve because she’s evil and she killed Joxer without remorse, yadayadayada. Gabby gets a wicked look on her face but does nothing. If looks COULD kill Eve would have been dead right there. Xena says that she wishes Eli was still there and could teach Eve the way. The woman says that they have a baptist that follows Eli’s way and cleanses people. They trio head to the lake where a man is performing a baptism.

Eve is reluctant but she goes next. As ‘John’ (his name is never mentioned btw) does the ritual on Eve a flaming light comes down to Xena that only she can see. Gabby gets a misty look in her eye as she watches Eve. Xena tells the flame that she’s prepared to do what it takes. Suddenly Poseidon appears from the water and the people run away. Next the other gods appear and start throwing fireballs that Xena deflects. One bounces and hits Poseidon, killing him. Now the other gods are really pissed. Discord charges Xena with a sword and Xena cuts her head off. Hephesteus gets an ax in the chest and back on Olympus we see Dite clutch her heart and take a staggered breath but she quickly regains herself.

Ares, Athena, Hades and the Strife dude with blonde hair (Joel Somebody or other) all watch as Xena blows on her chakram and tells them not to follow. She now has the power to kill a god. They let the trio leave and Xena and Co. decide to make their way to Joxer’s so Eve can begin to make amends. On the way Xena explains that a light (Michael) came to her and said that she now has the power to take down Olympus as long as Eve is still alive.

They get to Joxer’s house and Eve tries to make amends. Virgil, with Joxer’s sword, goes to strike Eve but Xena stops him. Virgil begs her to let him slit Eve’s throat. Eve said if it would bring Joxer back she would gladly give her life but it won’t. Virgil walks back to his scroll after giving a speech about how his father never harmed anyone and brought happiness to folks who knew him. Xena tells Eve to get used to this reaction from people and they leave. Virgil loads up his horse and Gabby goes to him. She asks about Meg and he tells her that his mom was mad with grief and she and his brothers and sisters went to Athens. He said he’s going to catch up with them. Gabby and Virgil embrace and Virgil leaves.

Later that night Eve is commending Gabby on documenting Xena’s adventures and sits down to read a few of them. There’s a storm going on and Xena is looking out the window. She then sees Ares and darts outside telling Gabby to guard the back. Gabrielle goes to the back of the house. She sees Joxer there. She says ‘Your dead’ and he says ‘Yes’. She tells him that she misses him. He says ‘Then you shouldn’t have let Eve kill me’. Gabby said ‘there was nothing she could do’. Joxer tells her to ‘kill Eve before she kills again’ and then off screen you hear a voice say ‘Good Point’. Gabby turns around to see Hope walking toward her. Hope tells her that Xena will never kill her own daughter. Xena’s making the same mistake Gabby did by not killing her (Hope) when she had the chance.

Xena is outside with Ares and she realizes she’s trying to distract her and she runs back inside.

‘It’s up to Gabrielle to rid the world of Eve. Do it for Xena’, Hope tells Gabrielle. Meanwhile the furies are in the background, doing their little furies dance, egging her on. Gabby raises her sais as Xena busts in. Gabby strikes before Xena can stop her but Xena lets the chakram loose anyway, knocking Gabby in the back of the head. Xena checks on Eve and then Gabrielle, who’s fallen to the ground. Xena realizes the furies were responsible. Next we see Gabby being tended to by Xena. Xena then goes to Eve and Eve asks how Gabrielle is doing. As Xena works on Eve the Gods show up (Hades, Athena, ‘Strife’ and Artemis).

Xena battles them for a bit but flips a table up for cover. She turns around and sees Dite, dressed in black mourning clothes since Xena offed her hubby, Hephesteus. She's knelling over Gabrielle. Xena moves to strike Dite, but Dite holds up her hands and says she just wants to help Gabrielle. Xena believes her and lets Dite take Gabrielle to the back and away from the fighting. The battle rages on and Xena takes out ‘Strife’ with a cart and Hades with the ole flame-thrower routine but not before Artemis gets a lucky arrow off that lands in Xena’s hip. Xena manages to get Eve to the back room and asks Dite to look after her. Eve falls down and Ares appears. Dite watches as Ares closes in on Eve but she keeps watch over Gabby. Sure, she'll help Gabby but the brat Eve isn't part of the deal for her. The two goddess' that remain in the battle bolt away and Xena arrives in time to hit Ares sword with her chakram before he can strike Eve. He vanishes, as does Dite.

Xena hobbles out of the burning house with Eve, dragging Gabby behind her. (I have to admit it is quite humorous to see Xena dragging ‘massive head wound Gabby’ around by the arm through the mud (LOL). Poor Gabby is she gonna have a headache when she wakes up (VBG)) and she's gonna be dirty too. Xena tells them that nether of them are going to leave her because Gabby is the most pure thing in her life and Eve is her great hope (no pun intended by TPTB I’m sure (VBG) since Xena wanted to kill Gabrielle's daughter NAMED Hope). Xena says she’s not giving up. Dite appears and says it’s so sad. Xena says if you feel that awful why don’t you heal them. Dite says only Athena can approve healing and that ain’t gonna happen anytime soon.

Xena says, ‘then take us to Olympus’. She wants to work out a deal. Dite agrees to do that after Xena points out that Gabrielle doesn’t have much time. They arrive and Xena tells Dite to take off because things could get ugly. Dite strokes Gabby’s head and says ‘Bye little one’. Xena offers her thanks again and starts to the grand room.

Eve says mother, getting Xena’s attention. Xena asks what’s wrong and Eve says nothing - she just wanted to say that out loud. She never did before. Xena says she bets Eve was a pretty little girl. Eve says yes and she liked to play with spiders. Spiders? WTF? LOL Xena says she was the same way as a kid. Again, WTF? LOL That's your big mother daughter bonding moment? A bizzare love of arachnids? LOL

Ares shows up and says he’ll make Xena a god if she calls things off. Gabrielle is negotiable, but Eve has to die. Ares points out that this is the second time they faced off and Xena still can’t kill him. Xena answers by shooting him in the thigh with a crossbow and tying him up with Hephesteus chains she stole.

Athena is on the throne and Xena tells her that if she cures her gals she’ll let the Gods live as she pushes Ares off to the side. Artemis tries to sneak in a shot at Xena but Xena catches the arrows and throws them back killing her. Athena then goes nuts and starts to battle Xena. As they fight Ares crawls over to G and E. Xena stabs Athena but it does nothing. Eve is dead and Xena no longer has her power. Athena opens a can of whoop ass on Xena. Ares finally makes it to the girls and her puts his touch on Gabby and Eve. Athena gets ready to strike the deathblow when Xena drives her sword into Athena killing her. Athena asked Ares why and he said ‘I gotta thing for her’ and he gave up his immortality to save Gabrielle and Eve. Athena dies and Xena runs over and hugs both her girls. She turns to Ares and offers her sincere thanks. He doesn’t speak. He just gives a slight nod as an acknowledgement for finally doing the right thing for a means other than his own.

Later Xena, Eve and Gabrielle are sitting in the grass on a hill and Eve is playing with a spider. Eve starts to apologize for Joxer to Gabby but Gabby stops her and says Joxer is at peace. Eve gives her thanks. Eve walks off toward the beach as Gabby turns to Xena.

Gabby: "Looks like you got your daughter back."

Xena: "No . . . We got OUR daughter back."

Fade to black. I'll leave you all to decide what you think... LOL

CN Winters