From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
   1.10 Hooves and Harlots   
      
   First air date –  Nov 20, 1995   
      
               Well, it's obvious that this is another episode that was shown   
   out of order since Gabrielle is back to wearing her old peasant rags. And,   
   as we are to see later on, the blue necklace thingy she was wearing last   
   time, was part of her Amazon ensemble from this ep.   
      
           This one starts out with Gabrielle admiring her new walking stick,   
   and all its functions, including, ". . . And you can kill nasty little   
   critters if you wanna lie down."   
      
         Xena and Gabrielle are walking through Amazon hunting territory, and   
   are confronted by a band of them. Xena knows the Amazon sign for peace, so   
   it is decided they should be taken to Queen Melosa. Along the way Gabrielle   
   is talking to Terreis, one of the Amazons, and Queen Melosa's sister.   
      
        They are attacked by a hail of arrows. The Amazons take to the trees   
   using some kind of hoisting system. But Terreis is shot and falls from the   
   tree, and Gabrielle falls over her to protect her. In the meantime, Xena is   
   deflecting the arrows with her sword.   
      
           Just before she dies, Terreis begs Gabrielle to take her Rite of   
   Caste. Gabrielle agrees even though she doesn't know what it is.   
      
       We see Amazons dancing around as they prepare to have Terreis cremated.   
      
       Melosa says they are about to go to war with the centaurs, and one of   
   them, Phantes, is captured and accused of killing Terreis. He is to die at   
   noon the next day.   
      
       Xena talks to him, and doesn't believe he is the murderer. She goes to   
   see her old enemy, Tyldus, the centaur leader and Phantes' father.   
      
       And while she does that, Gabrielle is dressed in Amazon clothes for her   
   rite of Cast ceremony. Ephiny, one of the chief Amazons, comes to get   
   Gabrielle, with the classic exchange--   
       Ephiny:  “Come. Now.”   
       Gabrielle:  “I’m sorry, you  *must* have me mistaken for a pet.”   
       Ephiny:  “Would you come with me?”   
       Gabrielle:  “That’s better.”   
      
       Gabrielle chooses her Amazon weapon, the fighting staff. And we see   
   Gabrielle trying to learn to use it, including hitting herself in the head   
   twice. But when she tells Ephiny it's fun when it's working [right], Ephiny   
   shows her how deadly the staff can be, which sobers Gabrielle right up.   
      
       Xena talks to Tyldus and tells him not to attack until she can prove   
   that Phantes is innocent, but Tyldus says he will attack if his son dies.   
      
       Phantes almost escapes but Ephiny stops him. And they have a short   
   conversation, which makes both of them realize the other might not be so   
   bad.   
      
       Xena is investigating, up in the trees when, for some reason, Ephiny   
   tries to kill Xena. They fight, with Xena getting the upper hand. But when   
   one of Krykus' (a warlord who wants the Amazons and centaurs to kill each   
   other off so he can have their land) men tries to kill Ephiny, Xena saves   
   both her life and his.   
      
       The next day we join Gabrielle and her induction celebration. The   
   Amazons dance and after some protests, Gabrielle joins them and really gets   
   into it – very cute, very energetic.   
      
       But then it gets serious when Melosa informs Gabrielle that she much   
   execute Phantes with Terreis' sword. Gabrielle tries but hesitates so long   
   that Xena and Ephiny are able to get there in time to explain that it was   
   one of Krykus' men who  killed Terreis. Also, Xena is surprised, and maybe   
   not so pleased, to find out that Gabrielle is now an Amazon princess. The   
   proof of his innocence  is a ball of horse droppings, which Gabrielle holds,   
   then hurriedly drops.   
      
       But Melosa isn't convinced, so at Ephiny's urging, Gabrielle challenges   
   Melosa to a fight to the death, with Xena as her champion. Xena chooses the   
   Cho-boes – twin batons about three feet long. Xena wins, but doesn't kill   
   Melosa, telling her she needs her help.   
      
       The centaurs arrive to fight, but Xena surrenders, telling Tyldus,   
   "You've got no enemies here," and the Amazons throw down their weapons.   
   Phantes is freed, and after Xena proves it was Arben who killed Terreis, the   
   Amazons, in chariots pulled by centaurs, attack Krykus' army. And Gabrielle   
   acquits herself  quite handily with the Amazon fighting staff. She even   
   helped out Ephiny who was in some serious trouble.   
      
       The centaurs and Amazons win, and Melosa doesn't kill Krykus, but tells   
   him he must stand trial for his crimes against the Amazons and centaurs.   
      
       Xena and Tyldus are now friends, as are the Amazons and centaurs.   
      
       Ephiny give Gabrielle her mother's fighting staff. Then Xena and   
   Gabrielle  leave. And Gabrielle swears to Xena that there will have no more   
   secrets, everything Gabrielle knows, Xena will know. Of course, Xena doesn't   
   make the same pledge.   
      
       The ep ends with Gabrielle saying that Xena is a warrior princess and   
   she is an Amazon princess and what a great story all of this will be.   
      
       I realize that this is mostly a recap, but that's because I really can't   
   find much to complain about.  There were a few small things – like the   
   cheesy centaur effects, or where will Krykus find an impartial jury?   
      
       Once again, I really liked Gabrielle in this episode. More and more   
   she's proving herself (to me anyway) that, even though she is still the   
   comic relief sometimes, her stories and her actions and reactions are   
   entertaining and something to look forward to.   
      
             Obviously, the 'Hooves" of the title are the centaurs. And the   
   "Harlots" are the Amazons, but other than to have a catchy title, calling   
   them harlots is rather insulting  if you ask me.   
      
        I can't help but wonder why this was aired after 'Death in Chains."   
   Surely TPTB didn't think that the viewers wouldn't notice.   
      
       This was a pretty  good episode, not great, but good, and I rate it an 8   
   out of 10.   
      
      
      
   David   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)