When Marga is killed by a vicious hunter, Prince Morloch, she requests that Xena trains Varia to become queen of the tribe. The two attempt to track down Morloch, but he is very smart and has skills that almost match those of the Warrior Princess herself.
Summary[]
Amazon Queen Marga is killed.
In the forest, the Amazon Queen Marga triggers a trap while being pursued by an unknown hunter. She struggles free only to snag another tripwire along the trail, causing ropes to lash her against a tree. Frantically freeing herself once more, she runs smack into the clutches of Prince Morloch. With a kick to his chest, she escapes but is quickly stopped in her tracks when a razor-sharp star hurled by Morloch cuts deep into her leg. Standing over her with his deadly weapon, Morloch calmly explains that before she dies, she'll deliver a message for him.
Xena and Gabrielle return to the Amazons after hearing of trouble.
Meanwhile, Xena and Gabrielle arrive at the Amazon village where Varia and Zana reveal that Amazons have been disappearing and that Marga has gone after whatever is hunting them. Later, when Varia defies Marga's orders and sneaks off to find her, Xena follows and spots the Queen collapsed and near death. Marga tells Xena that if Varia dies, their village will be lost. She implores Xena to protect the young Amazon and teach her how to be a true warrior. Varia approaches as Marga relinquishes her royal necklace to Xena and dies. Xena discovers an ominous message carved into the Queen's arm, mocking Marga's skills as a warrior and challenging all comers.
Xena promises to keep Marga's dying request.
Back at Amazon camp, Four Amazons carry Marga's body away. Varia watches on sadly. Xena explains to Gabrielle that It was all internal damage, and that Marga was meant to crawl back to camp before she died. Gabrielle asks Xena who would do that, to which Xena explains so she could deliver a message to the Amazons. When Xena notices Varia, she heads off to find out what is going on, while Gabrielle tries to keep everyone at camp.
Xena fashions a leash from the chain around Varia's neck.
Determined to find Marga's killer, Varia sneaks off again but is quickly caught in a trap that yanks her skyward. As she struggles to free herself from Morloch's right hand man Raczar and his henchmen, Xena arrives, overpowers the attackers and sends them fleeing back to their camp. When an irate Varia tries to follow, Xena fashions a leash from the chain of a metal trap and secures it around Varia's neck. Back at Morloch's tent, Raczar informs the prince of their run-in with Xena. Feeling bored and unchallenged, Morloch is thrilled by the news and orders his men to capture Xena so he can determine if she's worth hunting.
Xena finally wins her respect and loyalty saving Varia's life.
As the henchmen approach, Xena still refuses to unchain Varia, who lets out a whistle and reveals their location. Leaving Varia chained to a log, Xena takes off and quickly defeats all three men. Traveling on, the two women take refuge in an abandoned temple where Xena explains to Varia that she can't save her village on her own and that she's protecting her at Marga's request. When Varia suddenly lashes out, Xena challenges her to a fight and easily defeats the young Amazon. As Varia crashes backward onto the rotting floorboards, the floor splits open and she falls through. Rushing immediately to Varia's rescue, Xena finally wins her respect and loyalty.
Morloch is fascinated by Xena's instincts.
Later, as Morloch's men trudge through the woods searching for their prey, Xena grabs a henchman without being seen. Taking his weapon and the keg of flammable liquid he is carrying, she and Varia gag him, suspend him from a tree and use him as bait to lure Morloch. While they watch from a distance as Morloch's henchmen cut him down, Morloch secretly watches Xena. Suddenly sensing trouble, Xena pulls Varia behind a bush, switches clothes with her and manages to get the drop on "Morloch," clocking him with her chakram. But she quickly discovers that her victim is actually Morloch's henchman dressed as the prince. Spurred on by the competition, a gleeful Morloch appears in the entrance to a burial catacombs and invites Xena inside.
Xena and Morloch face off in a cave. Round One.
Armed with her chakram and a bow and arrow, she enters and a deadly hunt commences. When Varia, unwilling to wait outside any longer, follows her inside and sneaks up on Morloch, Xena's hurls her chakram, slicing Morloch's blade in half before he can kill Varia. The women race to the entrance of the catacombs, but Raczar and his men are blocking it. Using Varia's boots as a decoy, they lure Raczar's gang towards the keg they've ignited, which explodes in the men's faces.
Varia is captured by Morloch.
Xena and Varia escape into the woods, but Varia is injured by another trap. Meanwhile, Morloch's men ignite an enormous fire that surrounds the two women. Using a tree as a catapult, Xena hurls Varia over the flames, but Morloch's men catapult a net that traps her in mid-air and they haul her in. After Morloch orders Raczar to bring Varia to his camp, Raczar follows orders, then abandons the prince.
"You Lose"...
Xena follows Varia's screams to an arena where she spots her friend strapped to the top of a rickety tower. A fierce battle ensues. But just when Morloch thinks he's got the upper hand, Xena uses his insane bloodlust against him and she ultimately prevails.
Gabrielle gives Varia the right of caste making her the new queen.
Later at the Amazon village, Gabrielle lights Marga's pyre on fire. The Amazons are all gathered around, as Xena and Gabrielle move over to Varia. Xena hands Marga's royal necklace to Gabrielle who places it on Varia, officially making her Queen of the Amazons. Varia tells Xena she has so much to learn to honour Marga's memory. Xena hugs Varia, and tells her she doesn't owe her anything after she says she is in her debt. The Amazons mourn in silence, looking at the burning pyre.
Disclaimer[]
- Raczar mysteriously disappeared at the completion of production of this motion picture and is rumored to have been living under the guise of "Prince Vhalimar Barbiqueem Raczar of Lower Alibabaston".
Background Information[]
- Chakram Count: 6
- To disarm Chesnik Morloch's men.
- To release Varia.
- To take out one of Morloch's men.
- To combat against Morloch's Weapon.
- To prevent Morloch from killing Varia.
- To deflect Morloch's Weapon.
- Morloch's Weapon is the third time that a chakram-like weapon has appeared in the Xena-verse - the first was with Agathon's Weapon in "The Dirty Half Dozen". However, while Agathon's Weapon appears to have been inspired by Xena's own Chakram, Morloch's appears to have drawn inspiration from elsewhere as he has not even heard of Xena prior to this, even to the point of mistaking her for an Amazon.
- Xena is yet again mistaken for an Amazon in this episode.
- This episode marks the death of Marga.
- This is one of the rare "Gabby Lite" episodes.
- Other Gabrielle Lite episodes were; The Path Not Taken, Adventures In The Sin Trade Part 1 and 2, and Return of the Valkyrie
- This is the second episode to be directed by Renee O'Connor. The first was "Deja Vu All Over Again".
- Morloch mentions that he will add Xena's Chakram to his collection, which implies that he has collected other trophies from his prey in the past.
- Varia mentions "Adventures in Sin Trade 2" where Xena attacked and killed almost all the Amazons in the area.
- Varia does her most prominent “head Whoosh” in this episode; when Xena throws a collar around her neck, Varia’s head turn is accentuated by an aggressive “whoosh” sound effect.
Memorable Quotations[]
Xena: I'm not an Amazon.
Morloch: But you're so tall.
Xena: It's the boots.
Morloch: I'm Prince Chesnick Bloodicarr Morloch. Upper
Scheherazadestan.
Xena: Oh, Xena of Amphipolis. Warrior princess, warrior mom, who
conquers Prince Chesty Forlock of Upper Whateverstan.
Morloch: In this world there is only the hunter and the hunted.
Morloch: Her skill nearly matches my own.
Links and References[]
Guest Stars[]
- Tsianina Joelson as Varia
- Sandy Winton as Prince Chesnik Morloch
- Sela Apera as Marga
- Craig Hall as Raczar
References[]
People[]
Gods[]
Places[]
- Greece
- Upper Scheherazadestan (Mentioned)
- Amphipolis (Mentioned)
Other[]
- Adventures in the Sin Trade II (Events Mentioned)
[]
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| #01 | Coming Home | #09 | Return of the Valkyrie | #17 | Last of the Centaurs | |||
| #02 | The Haunting of Amphipolis | #10 | Old Ares Had a Farm | #18 | When Fates Collide | |||
| #03 | Heart of Darkness | #11 | Dangerous Prey | #19 | Many Happy Returns | |||
| #04 | Who's Gurkhan? | #12 | The God You Know | #20 | Soul Possession | |||
| #05 | Legacy | #13 | You Are There | #21 | A Friend in Need Part I | |||
| #06 | The Abyss | #14 | Path of Vengeance | #22 | A Friend in Need Part II | |||
| #07 | The Rheingold | #15 | To Helicon and Back | |||||
| #08 | The Ring | #16 | Send in the Clones | |||||