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Xena and Gabrielle get caught up in a war in the middle of the desert. They are quite happy to help out when the Romans decide to join in. But when Gabrielle inadvertantly kills an innocent boy and is sentenced to death, Xena is distracted from the war.

Summary[]

Legacy sandstorm

Xena and Gabrielle travel through a sand storm.

Traveling through the desert, Xena and Gabrielle struggle through a ferocious sandstorm. Spotting a battle in the distance, the two swoop in to aid three nomads, led by the fierce woman warrior Kahina , against attackers from another tribe. As they drive off the assailants, a suspicious Kahina berates Xena for having interfered in the fight. Upon hearing Gabrielle speak Xena’s name, Kahina and her cohorts draw their weapons, convinced that the women facing them are imposters. But Xena quickly proves her identity by disarming the nomads with her chakram and instantly wins their devotion. That night, at a feast in their honor, Kahina informs Xena and Gabrielle that they will lead her people’s battle against their archenemies, the Romans.

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Gabrielle questions her motives

Alone in their tent, Gabrielle asks Xena how to decide whether to kill or just hurt the enemy in battle. Xena explains that there’s no time to decide and that one has to rely on instinct. At dawn, Xena, Gabrielle, and Kahina travel to the camp of their rival, the nomad Tazere, to make peace so the two tribes can join forces against the Romans. When the trio approaches Tazere, his son Korah confirms that Xena and Gabrielle were the valiant warriors he saw in battle the day before. Xena , Kahina, and Tazere plan their strategy while Korah drools over Gabrielle.

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Korah takes a shine to Gabrielle

Xena and Gabrielle decide they need to check out the Roman town by themselves. Xena, disguised as a Roman wife, and Gabrielle, posing as her slave, approach Governor Dalius. Xena claims her husband is from a very prominent family and is interested in finding out if the town would be a good place to invest his money. Dalius assures her that the town has excellent prospects and that the entire region will be under Roman control very quickly. Eager to impress her, he volunteers that three full-strength legions are being brought into the area to control the local tribes.

Legacy Instinct kill

Gabrielle seconds after discovering she killed an innocent man.

After leaving the town, Xena and Gabrielle are overtaken by another blinding sandstorm, during which Gabrielle suddenly sees a figure headed towards Xena’s back with his arm raised. Instinctively, Gabrielle draws her sai and impales him before he can harm Xena. As he falls to the ground, Gabrielle is horrified to realize that she has accidentally killed Korah, who was holding nothing more than a scroll in his hand.

Legacy savingGabrielle

Xena, determined to save Gabrielle speak to Dalius.

Xena reveals that the scroll Korah was carrying was a peace treaty between Kahina and Tazere. Xena sends a grief-stricken Gabrielle back to Kahina’s camp while she delivers Korah’s body to his father. When Tazere sees his slain son, he vows to make the murderer pay for his death. As Xena misled him to believe that the Romans are responsible so as to protect Gabrielle as well as to prepare for the attacks of the Romans.

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Gabrielle is sentenced to death

Back at Kahina’s camp, Xena arrives with the news that the Romans are about to attack. Just then, a group of Kahina’s and Tazere’s men drag in a Roman soldier, convinced he is Korah’s killer. But before they can execute him, Gabrielle confesses her guilt. When Gabrielle tries to explain to Tazere that her actions were a dreadful mistake, he is unmoved and calls her a murderer. Alone and grief-stricken, she has flashbacks of her life over the past years. She concludes her death will be best for everyone.

Legacy fullcircle

I guess we've come full circle, huh?

The next day Xena, determined to save her friend, heads back to speak to Dalius. Meanwhile, Tazere’s men bury Gabrielle in a sand pit, leaving only her head exposed. The nomads are charging Gabrielle on horseback, swinging their mallets towards her head, just as the Romans approach with Xena. Chaos erupts and Xena rescues Gabrielle. Xena and Gabrielle meet up with the nomads and Gabrielle declares that she’s going to fight the Romans in Korah’s honor. Xena mobilizes the nomad forces and the battle begins. Gabrielle, seeing Tazere in jeopardy, leaps in to save his life. A sandstorm blows in and ultimately the nomads are victorious. That night, Gabrielle and Tazere make peace. Xena gives a sad smile and puts a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.

Disclaimer[]

Despite severe air turbulance, no sand fleas were harmed during the production of this motion picture, although some experienced periodic bouts of motion sickness.

Background Information[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Key Events[]

  • This episode marks the second and last time that Xena is forced to prove her identity by using her Chakram, something that she was previously forced to do much earlier, in "Warrior... Princess... Tramp.”
  • This episode is considered the second of three consecutive episodes, where Gabrielle must choose between life or death (the other two being "Who's Gurkhan?" and "The Abyss").
  • This is the last episode to be set in Africa.

Goofs[]

  • For a person buried up to their neck in sand, it didn't take Xena very long to dig her out and Gabrielle came out pretty clean for it, too.
  • Tyre tracks can be seen in the sand, when Gabrielle's executers are charging toward her.
  • The first shot of Xena and Gabrielle in the heavy sandstorm (moments before Korah is killed by Gabrielle) has been reversed.

Archive Footage[]

Trivia[]

  • Chakram Count: 2
  1. To prove to Kahina that she is truly Xena (split).
  2. To disarm Gabrielle's executors (split).
  • This episode is set in the same place as "Who's Gurkhan?", somewhere in Northern Africa (maybe Mogador still).
    • This is further confirmed when Gabrielle claims that she was amazed that her scrolls had "come this far."
  • Gabrielle mentions the Xena once prayed never to see the light go out in her. This is referring to Xena's prayer in "Return of Callisto".
  • Gabrielle is using a staff once again towards the end of the episode.
  • Gabrielle has always been portraying the slave and Xena as the master, as referred to the episode "Antony & Cleopatra".
  • Eve, Virgil, and Sarah do not appear in this episode, in spite of how the previous one ended, and their absence is not mentioned.

Links and References[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

References[]

People[]

Gods[]

No gods were mentioned or seen during this episode.

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