Some obviously-doomed-old-geezer walks through a moon-reflecting puddle in the woods, calling for his dog, Pluto. Goofy-without-clothes appears, barking warnings to his slow owner as monster noises are heard, then runs away. Sadly, I think Pluto's monster-chow. The old fart fares no better, as evidenced by the bloody puddle. Meanwhile, Joxer's removing old/dead flowers with new/fresh ones at the site of Gabrielle's death, saying a few words, then nearly soils himself as Xena grabs him, pulling herself up/out of the pit, vaguely explaining her vision-of-the-future being 'evidence' Gabrielle's alive, before making the logic-leap that still-alive Gabrielle would immediately return to her hometown. In bright sunshiny Poteidaia, a puppet show entertains children...including Joxer, who amusingly sits down right at the front, blocking the view of those behind him. Everything goes into slow-mo, as Xena senses Gabrielle behind her...and it's pretty obvious this is actually Hope-pretending-to-be-Gabrielle once again. Joxer literally gets in the way of their gazing-into-each-other's-eyes 'reunion'. Further evidence this isn't the really-real Gabrielle is how she's SO happy to see him/snogging him (causing him to faint).
While Xena's emotion as she embraces 'Gabrielle' is very real, there's something clearly off with 'Gabrielle's' reaction. They discuss 'Gabrielle' sending Xena messages she never got/the all-important question of how 'Gabrielle' survived. The flashback scene's like Gandalf-falling-with-the-Balrog in LotR:TTT...only with less-impressive effects. 'Gabrielle' voice-overs that she fell into a niche in the wall whilst Hope screamed out ,"Why, mother, WHY?!" (maybe because you're a hellspawn!) before supposedly hitting the lava. After regaining consciousness, Joxer leads Xena/Gabrielle to the bloodied-hand-of-old-dead-geezer dangling from a tree. 'Gabrielle', feigns shock/horror. She takes Xena home...and it's not exactly a warm reception. They're more welcoming towards 'Joxer the Mighty' (Gabrielle's sister, Lila, clearly has a thing for him. Even Gabrielle's *mum* thinks he's 'gallant'...which tells you just how questionable their taste/judgment is), while poor Xena's awkwardly left alone with Gabrielle's father, who blames her for everything bad that's happened to Gabrielle.
It's a stormy night (a prerequisite for monster-hunting) and chook-on-a-hook is Xena's plan for luring the monster into the barn. It's shown in silhouette, then lowers itself down behind 'Gabrielle' (resembling Sonic the Hedgehog...if he were a dope-fiend), before blowing right past her to get at Xena, tossing her about (WHY toss your enemy *away* from you? If you've got your hand around their neck...just break it already! Quit giving them a head-start in escaping you!). She snares its arm on the dangling hook/scares it with a lantern, then she and 'Gabrielle' (who didn't lift a finger to help Xena) run to the house. Spiky Smurf rams it, before puncturing various parts of the wall, narrowly missing Xena, then has her by the throat *again* but lets go/retreats due to the insta-dawn. Xena says she hurt it ('Gabrielle' ain't happy), then once the family leave the room, Xena informs Joxer the monster's 'The Destroyer'/Dahak's grandchild and that 'Gabrielle' is actually Hope (*GASP*). Joxer doesn't believe her at first, asking various questions, Xena says they have to keep up the charade of acting like Hope's Gabrielle to keep the family safe. Easier said than done, since Lila's doing everything she can to unintentionally pi$$ Hope off/make Hope want her dead, describing the 'thing' as 'awful'/talking about Xena hurting it.
Joxer mentions the whole if-Xena-kills-Hope-she-will-die-too deal Ares made with real Gabrielle, Xena reckons he released that debt, then reveals she didn't actually hurt Pr!ckles/only *said* she did for Hope's benefit. She amusingly keeps Joxer occupied by tasking him with the all-important-job-of-sheep-counting. Gab-dad's still badmouthing Xena, then basically tells her 'Gabrielle'/Lila went "Out. For. A. Walk...B!tch.". Hope's obviously taking Lila to become monster-chow, but has to change tack once Xena ruins her plan...so she walks out onto a mostly-gone bridge, uses her powers to make it even-less-stable, then pushes Lila onto it as it breaks. Xena grabs it, and I was amused by Hope's totally unconcerned "I'll get father." before leaving them to die. Lila takes her sweet time grabbing Xena's hand, but at least thanks her for saving her life. In a cave, Hope's checking on Mr. Pointy (who must've been the MOST painful birthing ever), he repeatedly tries to hug her, she keeps telling him to stop, finally yelling at him, which causes him to accidentally scratch her. He cowers, but she regains composure/speaks soothingly as she discovers Xena tricked-her-into-believing-he-was-hurt. I already feel sorry for the poor guy, as Hope leaves him alone in the cave and he sadly calls out for her.
Counting sheep's predictably put Joxer to sleep, he awakens to see Hope and follows her. As does Xena. The scene's well-done, as we cut between the two following her until it's revealed that Xena's actually been following the REALLY REAL Gabrielle, while Joxer ends up on the receiving end of actual-Hope's powers. This time the Xena/Gabrielle reunion *feels* real thanks to LL/ROC totally selling it. Gabrielle's clearly shell-shocked, a lot of what she says echoes what Hope-as-Gabrielle said about the plummet-into-the-lava-pit, she learns Hope's alive. Joxer's gagged/tied-up, hanging outside the cave as monster-chow (even uttering a muffled "Oh, sh!t."). Xena returns to the Gab-fam, Hope's there all battered/bruised, setting Xena up, then threatens the fam with her one-and-only-trick-of-levitating-weapons. Xena leaves, rescuing Joxer with her chakram...that sticks into a tree-trunk. Amusingly, she hits the tree to release it.
Really-real Gabrielle convinces Lila of her genuine Gabrielle-ness. There's a cool-if-inexplicable-reveal-of-Hope-to-Gabrielle-via-a-mirror. They chat, Hope explains she survived thanks to daddy's-flame-reaching-up-and-saving-her, Gabrielle hilariously dives out the window. Xena lures Quillbert into the barn/fights him, Gabrielle pretends to be Hope (only NICER), clearly scared sh!tless whilst letting him hug her, and just as he's *finally* embraced...Xena literally stabs him in the back. Hope runs in, yelling, Pokey-man pokes her fatally...then turns, seeing Xena/Gabrielle standing together. Realising his mistake/that the big meanies tricked him into killing his own mama, he cries out, hugging her sobbingly. Hope hugs him back as they die together and haunting music plays. A sad ending for poor Spinosaurus. Xena/Gabrielle sit together, discussing Gabrielle 'finding her way' and Xena says Gabrielle's *her* way.
While Xena's emotion as she embraces 'Gabrielle' is very real, there's something clearly off with 'Gabrielle's' reaction. They discuss 'Gabrielle' sending Xena messages she never got/the all-important question of how 'Gabrielle' survived. The flashback scene's like Gandalf-falling-with-the-Balrog in LotR:TTT...only with less-impressive effects. 'Gabrielle' voice-overs that she fell into a niche in the wall whilst Hope screamed out ,"Why, mother, WHY?!" (maybe because you're a hellspawn!) before supposedly hitting the lava. After regaining consciousness, Joxer leads Xena/Gabrielle to the bloodied-hand-of-old-dead-geezer dangling from a tree. 'Gabrielle', feigns shock/horror. She takes Xena home...and it's not exactly a warm reception. They're more welcoming towards 'Joxer the Mighty' (Gabrielle's sister, Lila, clearly has a thing for him. Even Gabrielle's *mum* thinks he's 'gallant'...which tells you just how questionable their taste/judgment is), while poor Xena's awkwardly left alone with Gabrielle's father, who blames her for everything bad that's happened to Gabrielle.
It's a stormy night (a prerequisite for monster-hunting) and chook-on-a-hook is Xena's plan for luring the monster into the barn. It's shown in silhouette, then lowers itself down behind 'Gabrielle' (resembling Sonic the Hedgehog...if he were a dope-fiend), before blowing right past her to get at Xena, tossing her about (WHY toss your enemy *away* from you? If you've got your hand around their neck...just break it already! Quit giving them a head-start in escaping you!). She snares its arm on the dangling hook/scares it with a lantern, then she and 'Gabrielle' (who didn't lift a finger to help Xena) run to the house. Spiky Smurf rams it, before puncturing various parts of the wall, narrowly missing Xena, then has her by the throat *again* but lets go/retreats due to the insta-dawn. Xena says she hurt it ('Gabrielle' ain't happy), then once the family leave the room, Xena informs Joxer the monster's 'The Destroyer'/Dahak's grandchild and that 'Gabrielle' is actually Hope (*GASP*). Joxer doesn't believe her at first, asking various questions, Xena says they have to keep up the charade of acting like Hope's Gabrielle to keep the family safe. Easier said than done, since Lila's doing everything she can to unintentionally pi$$ Hope off/make Hope want her dead, describing the 'thing' as 'awful'/talking about Xena hurting it.
Joxer mentions the whole if-Xena-kills-Hope-she-will-die-too deal Ares made with real Gabrielle, Xena reckons he released that debt, then reveals she didn't actually hurt Pr!ckles/only *said* she did for Hope's benefit. She amusingly keeps Joxer occupied by tasking him with the all-important-job-of-sheep-counting. Gab-dad's still badmouthing Xena, then basically tells her 'Gabrielle'/Lila went "Out. For. A. Walk...B!tch.". Hope's obviously taking Lila to become monster-chow, but has to change tack once Xena ruins her plan...so she walks out onto a mostly-gone bridge, uses her powers to make it even-less-stable, then pushes Lila onto it as it breaks. Xena grabs it, and I was amused by Hope's totally unconcerned "I'll get father." before leaving them to die. Lila takes her sweet time grabbing Xena's hand, but at least thanks her for saving her life. In a cave, Hope's checking on Mr. Pointy (who must've been the MOST painful birthing ever), he repeatedly tries to hug her, she keeps telling him to stop, finally yelling at him, which causes him to accidentally scratch her. He cowers, but she regains composure/speaks soothingly as she discovers Xena tricked-her-into-believing-he-was-hurt. I already feel sorry for the poor guy, as Hope leaves him alone in the cave and he sadly calls out for her.
Counting sheep's predictably put Joxer to sleep, he awakens to see Hope and follows her. As does Xena. The scene's well-done, as we cut between the two following her until it's revealed that Xena's actually been following the REALLY REAL Gabrielle, while Joxer ends up on the receiving end of actual-Hope's powers. This time the Xena/Gabrielle reunion *feels* real thanks to LL/ROC totally selling it. Gabrielle's clearly shell-shocked, a lot of what she says echoes what Hope-as-Gabrielle said about the plummet-into-the-lava-pit, she learns Hope's alive. Joxer's gagged/tied-up, hanging outside the cave as monster-chow (even uttering a muffled "Oh, sh!t."). Xena returns to the Gab-fam, Hope's there all battered/bruised, setting Xena up, then threatens the fam with her one-and-only-trick-of-levitating-weapons. Xena leaves, rescuing Joxer with her chakram...that sticks into a tree-trunk. Amusingly, she hits the tree to release it.
Really-real Gabrielle convinces Lila of her genuine Gabrielle-ness. There's a cool-if-inexplicable-reveal-of-Hope-to-Gabrielle-via-a-mirror. They chat, Hope explains she survived thanks to daddy's-flame-reaching-up-and-saving-her, Gabrielle hilariously dives out the window. Xena lures Quillbert into the barn/fights him, Gabrielle pretends to be Hope (only NICER), clearly scared sh!tless whilst letting him hug her, and just as he's *finally* embraced...Xena literally stabs him in the back. Hope runs in, yelling, Pokey-man pokes her fatally...then turns, seeing Xena/Gabrielle standing together. Realising his mistake/that the big meanies tricked him into killing his own mama, he cries out, hugging her sobbingly. Hope hugs him back as they die together and haunting music plays. A sad ending for poor Spinosaurus. Xena/Gabrielle sit together, discussing Gabrielle 'finding her way' and Xena says Gabrielle's *her* way.
