From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
           TOP POSTING --   
      
           I just realized what the title was referring to. I presume the   
   'necessary evil' is Callisto,  and freeing her to fight Velasca.   
      
           I should pay more attention to, well everything!   
      
      
   "David"  wrote in message news:psd979$a79$1@dont-email.me...   
      
   2-14 A Necessary Evil   
      
   First air date Feb. 10, 1997   
      
   The episode starts out with the new Amazon Queen mask being presented to   
   Gabrielle. She in turn offers it to Ephiny to rule while she (Gabrielle) is   
   traveling with Xena. Suddenly a badly wounded Velasca shows up saying the   
   mask was supposed to be hers. Xena says she's wounded and needs help.   
      
   Velasca opens a small leather pouch and takes out a piece of Ambrosia, eats   
   it and turns into a god. She throws lighting bolts at everyone, trying to   
   get Gabrielle. Everyone runs away.   
      
   Xena tells Ephiny she needs as many Amazons she can get to slow Velasca down   
   while she and Gabrielle get away.   
      
   Xena tells Gabrielle they need an immortal to kill an immortal and she knows   
   where to get one.   
      
   Cut to Callisto trapped in a cave with no way to get out. She is immortal   
   from eating an apple from the Tree of Life (Hercules episode "Surprise"   
   which I never saw, wasn't watching Herc series) and   
   she was imprisoned for eternity by Hercules.   
      
   Gabrielle can't believe Xena wants to free Callisto, and suggests they get   
   Hercules. Xena says there isn't time to find him.   
      
   Ephiny and the Amazons lure Velasca into a pit and shoot her with arrows,   
   but she flies out of the pit and continues after Gabrielle.   
      
   Xena drops down through the roof of the cave on a rope and Gabrielle pulls   
   the rope back up.   
      
   Xena and Callisto sword fight some. Callisto tells Xena she can't be hurt,   
   so Xena pulls out her Chakram and mentions to Callisto about spending   
   eternity in 5 pieces. Callisto agrees to talk. She tells Callisto about   
   Ambrosia to get her to cooperate.   
      
   Gabrielle drops the rope down and Callisto and Xena climb out of the cave.   
   Callisto asks Gabrielle about any new husbands and Gabrielle smacks her with   
   her staff, which doesn't hurt her. To prove she is immortal, Callisto stabs   
   herself with her own sword - no blood, no pain.   
      
   Before  they can go after Velasca, Callisto makes Xena confess her crimes   
   against Cirra and the young Callisto to the people of the nearest village.   
   Xena, Gabrielle and Callisto plan to trap Velasca with rocks from the top of   
   a cliff. Callisto steals the Chakram and goes after Velasca, but changes   
   sides against Xena. Xena yells out to Callisto to take out Velasca, and   
   Velasca ignores Callisto and throws lighting bolts at Xena, then at   
   Gabrielle.   
      
   Xena and Velasca start sword fighting. Callisto grabs Velasca from behind,   
   saying she can't just kill her and walk away. Those two fight while Xena   
   throws her Chakram and a pile of rocks fall down on Velasca, trapping her   
   temporarily.   
      
   X, G, & C make their way to some old ruins near a lava field. Velasca turns   
   into a tornado and follows them.   
      
   Xena and Gabrielle run for a rope bridge over the lava while Callisto stays   
   to get behind Velasca.   
      
   Velasca sends Xena flying and she catches herself on the face of the cliff.   
      
   Velasca decides to kill Gabrielle with a knife, but Callisto grabs her from   
   behind and cuts the pouch from her belt. It falls to the ground and   
   Gabrielle gets it. Gabrielle is in the middle of the rope bridge and C & V   
   begin fighting. Xena tells Gabrielle to throw the pouch to Callisto. She   
   catches it, eats the ambrosia and turns into a god. She and Velasca   
   stalemate with lighting bolts, then go at it hand to hand.   
      
   Xena cuts one of the ropes of the bridge and the two gods fall into the   
   lava. Xena dives off the cliff with a rope around her waist and catches   
   Gabrielle.   
      
   Xena says they should be trapped forever.   
      
   Gabrielle says she has to think that deep down that Callisto is sorry for   
   the things she did so she (Gabrielle) can forgive her and move on.   
      
   Episode over.   
      
   ++++++++++++++   
      
   Another excellent episode. Callisto is always fun, even if sometimes a bit   
   irritating.   
      
   Some of the things I liked -   
      
   Gabrielle wondering if an Amazon Queen beats a Warrior Princess.   
      
   Xena nonchalantly slamming her shoulder into the cave wall to reset her   
   dislocated shoulder.   
      
   Ephiny. Too bad we never get to see that much of her.   
      
   The sword fight between Xena and Velasca. Reminded me of Xena and Ares.   
      
   Callisto keeps coming back after Velasca thinks she's done with her.   
      
   Velasca's impatient "Go away" statement to Xena on the rope bridge as she   
   sends her flying away.   
      
   Velasca:     "Strange, but I really don't want to kill you."   
   Gabrielle:  "Go with it."   
      
   '''''''''''''''''''''''''   
      
             And the questions -   
      
             Other than for dramatic effect, why did Velasca wait until she was   
   at the Amazon camp before eating the Ambrosia?   
      
             What made Xena think there was more Ambrosia in Velasca's pouch?   
   And why didn't she eat all of it?   
      
             How did Xena know about Callisto being imprisoned by Hercules?   
      
             If Xena wanted a god to kill a god, why not call on Ares? Surely   
   the Olympian gods wouldn't want just anyone becoming a god and challenging   
   them (as Velasca did when she destroyed part of Artemis's temple, and said   
   that Hades would get a visit from her).   
      
             Why did Callisto grab the Chakram? What purpose did that serve?   
      
             Why did Velasca go after Xena and not Callisto when Xena yelled   
   out for Callisto to take her?   
      
             I'm always confused about the Chakram. If it's so powerful, why   
   not use it against Velasca (or Ares?). And why the sword fight between Xena   
   and Velasca and Callisto?   
      
             ===========   
      
             Other observations --   
      
   I liked Gabrielle's Amazon queen outfit better than the one with the green   
   top. Too bad she didn't keep wearing it.   
      
   The very last scene showing Callisto and Velasca - does this mean we haven't   
   seen the last of them??   
      
   Finally -- since both Velasca and Callisto are female - what's up with   
   calling them "gods'? Shouldn't they be called "goddesses"?   
      
   All in all, despite the questions, I enjoyed this one, maybe not quite as   
   much as The Quest, but enough to give it an 8 out of 10.   
      
      
   David   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)