From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
               4.16 The Way   
      
   First air date was Feb 22, 1999.   
      
   The episode starts out with Gabrielle taking about loving rivers. Xena   
   mentions dams and Gabrielle asks why she shoots her down while she's doing   
   her philosophical thing. She says she's been on a spiritual quest and why   
   doesn't Xena ask the questions.   
      
   Xena says she's been thinking about reincarnation since they came to India.   
   Gabrielle suggests that maybe being a warrior isn't the right karma for   
   Xena. Xena is back in her armor and Gabrielle is still in the India clothes,   
   and barefooted. (I noticed later in the episode, she was running and it   
   seemed like she wasn't running as hard as if she's had boots on.)   
      
   Suddenly Xena jabs the long stick she's been carrying into the river and   
   brings out a big fish.   
      
   When she throws it down on the ground, it turns into a demon with a scary   
   mask on. She asks why it's been following them . He / It says to stop them   
   from finding the Avatar. He / It throws some bugs down on the ground and   
   they turn into more like him.   
      
   Xena and Gabrielle fight. Xena is cut on the shoulder.  When the demons are   
   thrown down hard enough, they convulse and disappear.   
      
   When asked after the fight who sent them he says it was Indrajit, the prince   
   of demons and he disappears.   
      
   Gabrielle explains that an avatar is a deity in human form destined to save   
   humanity. Xena says she never should have been wounded -- she lost her focus   
   after finding out she's supposed to be a some kind of saint in her next   
   life. She's worried that she might mess up her karma. But a warrior can't   
   ask those questions in the heat of battle. If the kill is there, you have to   
   take it, otherwise she can't be a warrior anymore.   
      
   They go into a village and the Avatar is there. It's Eli. He reluctantly   
   heals a sick girl, then leaves. Xena and Gabrielle chase after him.   
      
   He says the people look to him for salvation. And he knows the truth – THE   
   Truth. Xena tells him Indrajit is coming after him.   
   They want to travel with him, but he says no,  he's going home. They insist.   
      
   They are asleep and an ape-looking man covered with hair wakes up Eli   
   looking at him. Xena attacks but is held fast by her arms.   
      
   The ape man is  Hanuman. He says he only wanted to look at the avatar. He   
   says Indrajit is coming and wants to help. He says they should take Eli to   
   the great temple to ask for Krishna's help.   
      
   On the trail they suspect the Indrajit's demons are around. Gabrielle and   
   Eli hide and Hanuman and Xena jump up into a tree.   
   Hanuman tells Xena centuries ago he helped Rama kill Indrajit's father. And   
   only Indrajit can kill him.   
      
   Gabrielle asks Eli what The Truth is. He says It's reverence for life. And   
   the cycle of violence can only be stopped by nonviolence.   
   Xena asks Hanuman  how he knows what was the right way for him. He says his   
   way isn't her way. They see Indrajit on a flying carpet and they may have   
   time to get to the temple.   
      
   Approaching the temple Eli is mobbed by adorers and Gabrielle pulls him   
   away. They go into the temple while Xena tries to get the people to disperse   
   before Indrajit comes.   
      
   Inside the temple Gabrielle asks Hanuman if the statue of a man playing a   
   flute is Krishna, he says yes. He knows Eli's words troubled Gabrielle.   
      
   Outside, Indrajit flies in on his carpet. Eli runs out to help and is   
   grabbed up by Indrajit and forced into the carpet. He sees Gabrielle and   
   goes after her. Xena tries to save her but just  missies and Indrajit flies   
   off with both of them. Hanuman says he is taking them to the demon land of   
   Lanka. Xena want to go immediately but Hanuman tells  Xena she needs to pray   
   to Krishna to get him to help her.   
      
   Gabrielle and Eli are locked in a room. Gabrielle tries to open the door but   
   can't, and Eli won't help her. Gabrielle says Indrajit is an evil man. Eli   
   say she's only the incarnation of evil. He says if he stays faithful to his   
   way he can defeat him. They pray.   
      
   Hanuman tells Xena how to pray to Krishna.   
      
   A wall opens and Indrajit rides in on a throne.  He wants to be a friend and   
   ally of Eli but Eli refuses. Gabrielle is still praying. Indrajit wonders if   
   Eli can stay true to his way while watching Gabrielle being tortured.   
      
   Krishna appears to Xena. She asks for his help. He says she must embrace the   
   Way. Xena tells him she's not like Gabrielle or Eli or Lao Ma. He tells her   
   way is the Way of the Warrior. And if she needs his help to call him. Xena   
   and Hanuman leave.   
      
   Gabrielle sees Xena badly beaten and in chains. She grabs her staff to stop   
   a demon from stabbing Xena. But it is Indrajit and grabs her by the neck. He   
   says he won't kill Gabrielle if Eli joins. Him Eli refuses. Indrajit is   
   choking Gabrielle when Xena's Chakram cuts his hand off.   
      
   He convulses. Then grows a new hand and four more arms. He throws six axes   
   at her but she hides behind a shield. They fight. He stabs Xena through the   
   hand and pins it to the wall behind her. He then cuts off both of her arms.   
   She calls for Krishna and grows six arms. The fight some more. Xena manages   
   to cut his head off and she is back with two good arms.   
      
   Later, Gabrielle tells Eli she failed her first test. He says following the   
   way of love is hard and she will fail more than once. But not to give up   
   hope. He says he 's going home to spread the word to his people.   
      
   Gabrielle is looking at a river, then throws her staff into it.. Xena asks   
   if her way is the Way of Love. Gabrielle says yes and that Xena's is the Way   
   of the Warrior. Xena says she should travel with Eli, but Gabrielle says she   
   and Xena will stay together. Xena says they are going in opposite directions   
   in life. Gabrielle says like all rivers running to the sea, they will end up   
   in the same place.   
      
   …………………….   
      
   Another episode with things I liked and things I didn't.   
      
   So why didn't Indrajit want Xena to find Eli?   
      
   Loved the line, "When the kill is there, you have to take it." And I liked   
   Xena questioning her path in life. Something we've rarely seen, if ever.   
      
   It seemed kind of odd that Eli trying to get away from Xena and Gabrielle,   
   yet he says over his shoulder, 'Hello old friends, you’re a sight for sore   
   eyes."   
      
   Got a bit of a chuckle when Eli was in the carpet and Indrajit had to push   
   him back down.   
      
   When Indrajit reached down to grab Gabrielle, why didn't Xena throw her   
   Chakram? So many times I've seen where she should have used it but didn't!   
      
   Can't recall seeing Xena so badly beaten, even if it was only Indrajit   
   fooling Gabrielle.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)