From: davideml@bellsouth.net   
      
   "Lilah Morgan"  wrote in message   
   news:QMQWh.24323$PL.7745@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...   
   > First thoughts about this ep, is that recently I realized that in the   
   > flashbacks when Xena starts attacking Borias after Lao Ma heals her legs,   
   > and Lao Ma tells her to stop, Xena pauses for a second, and not quite   
   > defeat, but desperation covers her face for a moment, and then she resumes   
   > attacking, it mirrors her actions when Gabrielle 'dies' in ITADITH. When   
   > everyone(well that healer guy and Marmax) are telling Xena to just let   
   > Gabrielle go and find peace, she does the same thing, that pause and   
   > desperation look, then resumes what she was doing. Only difference is it was   
   > her hatred of Borias she unwillingly to let go of vs the love/support   
   > Gabrielle gave her.   
      
   On second thought, I don't think Xena really hated Borias. (She sure was quick   
   to "make up" after   
   Lao Ma left them alone.) I think she was just mad as hell about his betrayal   
   and just wanted to   
   beat on him until she was satsfied he'd been punished enough. Or until she was   
   too tired.   
      
   > It makes perfect sense for Xena's character. She's a   
   > fighter by nature. Even when she wants to give up, she just can't bring   
   > herself to do it. Other thoughts on this ep, um Gabrielle? Don't you think   
   > Xena wouldn't have gone to kill Ming T'ien if he were a GOOD GUY?! She   
   > should have known better. We're seeing her denial issues from Gabrielle's   
   > Hope pop up again, with her refusal to believe that killing someone(as in   
   > assassination, not simply killing someone in battle) is the right thing to   
   > do. And it was cool to finally see the origin of Xena's 'Warrior Princess'   
   > title. But then I thought pretty much everything Lao Ma did was cool. She   
   > was not a woman to mess with, and even her beliefs have shades of Gabrielle,   
   > the whole not wanting to kill thing.   
      
       Could you imagine if Gabrielle had become Lao Ma's disciple? They are so   
   much alike!  There   
   would be no way Xena could have ever surpassed Gabrielle in power and inner   
   strength. And what   
   influence Gab could have been on Xena if she had that spirituality when the   
   first met! And how much   
   she could have taught Xena about controlling her anger and hatred. Innocence   
   and helplessness can   
   only do so much.   
      
   > But Lao Ma is much more...subtle in her   
   > power. She doesn't need a sword/chakram/staff as a weapon, she's learned how   
   > to be spiritual and gain power from that, becoming a weapon herself. But we   
   > never saw her kill anyone, she only knocked Xena/Borias unconscious. And she   
   > healed Xena's legs. I loved all of her wisdom tidbits. But I think my   
   > favorite quote from this 2parter goes to Xena's at the beginning of her   
   > story to Gabrielle "With shattered legs and crippled soul..." That was   
   > powerful.   
   >   
           A vivid picture if there ever was one!!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)