From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
                   5.18 Antony and Cleopatra   
      
   First airing was Apr 17, 2000.   
      
   The episode starts with an Egyptian handmaiden pouring milk into a large   
   bath. Cleopatra enters, drops her robe and steps down into the bath. Two men   
   come in and tell her that Marc Antony and Brutus both want her navy. She   
   writes a message to her admiral and the men leave. Someone brings Cleopatra   
   a scroll from Rome. She opens it, and she is bitten by an asp. She writes a   
   note, hands it to Shiana, her main maiden, and tells her to get it to Xena.   
   Then she dies.   
      
   Xena and Gabrielle are now in Egypt. Gabrielle says it's too bad Eve is in   
   Alexandria with Cyrene because she'd love the view. Xena says she owes   
   Cleopatra.   
      
   Marc Antony and a commander discuss taking over Rome. They are interrupted   
   by a "gift" from Cleopatra, a rolled-up carpet. Antony unrolls the carpet,   
   and a naked Xena in gold chains says she is Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, and   
   slave of Rome. She kisses Antony, and slips a key into his mouth. He unlocks   
   her chains and then gives her a blanket, worried if he can trust her.   
   Xena/Cleopatra invites him to her palace.   
      
   Brutus appears at the palace, demanding to see Cleopatra. Gabrielle comes   
   out dressed as an Egyptian. Brutus recognizes her. He can't believe she is   
   alive and survived the crucifixion. He tries to see Cleopatra, but Xena is   
   back in her leathers and she tells Brutus he can't see Cleopatra right now.   
   Brutus says he is glad she and Gabrielle are okay.   
      
   Xena/Cleo is in the milk bath. She introduces Gabrielle to Antony as "Aris,   
   my companion". She invites Antony to join her, but he declines.   
      
   Someone in a hooded robe sneaks into Xena/Cleo's bedroom. Xena/Cleo  is   
   awake and grabs him. He says he isn't an assassin. Fire bombs are tossed   
   into the room. The guy nearly burns up but Xena/Cleo saves him. He says he   
   is Octavius, adopted son of Julius Caesar. Antony arrives and starts to kill   
   him, but Xena/Cleo tells her guards to take him away.   
      
   Gabrielle asks Xena what her plan is. She wants to know if she is going to   
   flirt Antony to death.   
      
   Xena/Cleo and Antony are eating grapes and strawberries dipped in honey   
   while exchanging sultry looks, and they finally kiss. Gabrielle watches,   
   looking a bit jealous. She  finally marches over and tells Xena/Cleo she has   
   a meeting with her advisers, to which X/C replies, "Ah, my advisers  Yes,   
   they're such busybodies."   
      
   Xena and Gabrielle discuss Xena's feelings for Antony. Xena says she has no   
   real feelings for him. Xena receives a flower from Antony, and an invitation   
   to join him under the pyramids. Xena says she has him right where she wants   
   him.   
      
   Xena goes to meet Antony. Xena/Cleo asks him why he came to Egypt -- for her   
   navy? Antony says he doesn't want her navy, he wants her love. They kiss.   
   They are interrupted by attacking guys with swords. Antony fights while   
   Xena/Cleo knocks out one guy. Xena/Cleo tells Antony not to kill a survivor.   
   She tells him to go to Brutus and tell him that she and Antony are alive and   
   well and together.   
      
   Gabrielle goes to Octavius, who is in the dungeon. He wants to correct   
   Julius Caesar's errors and bring peace – the Pax Romana.   
      
   Gabrielle comes in to see Xena. Xena says Gabrielle is right, she has a soft   
   spot for bad boys. Xena wonders if Antony and Octavius can work together.   
      
   Xena/Cleo and Antony talk about how he will kill all of Brutus' men, even   
   the common soldiers. Antony says Octavius cannot be allowed to live.   
   Xena/Cleo tells Antony to take her navy. She says, "I know that you love   
   me." She tells Antony that Brutus is sailing down the Nile and if he fights   
   him there, her navy will back him up and they will crush Brutus together.   
      
   Brutus gets a call to see Cleopatra. Brutus sees that Xena is playing   
   Cleopatra. Xena accuses Brutus of killing Cleopatra and he doesn't deny it.   
   Xena tells Brutus that she knows Antony will betray her. She tells him to go   
   down the Nile and attack Antony and her navy will back him up. Gabrielle   
   says she will go with Brutus when he says he doesn't trust Xena.   
      
   Antony and Xena/Cleo are on his ship, waiting for Brutus. Gabrielle and   
   Brutus talk. Gabrielle asks how many people have to die for the good of   
   Rome.   
      
   Shiana is on the Egyptian fleet with Octavius. The plan is for the Egyptian   
   navy to crush both Antony and Brutus, giving Octavius the rule. He says it   
   is his destiny to rule Rome.   
      
   Xena/Cleo makes the signal as Brutus' ship prepares to ram Antony's. The   
   ships collide and men fight. The Egyptians attack both fleets. Brutus   
   realizes he has been betrayed and goes after Gabrielle. They fight, but he   
   gets the better of her, bloodying her mouth and knocking her down, then   
   kicking her. He starts to stab her but she grabs a sword and the tip of it   
   slices his throat. As he lies there dying and looking upside down, he sees   
   Xena/Cleo, and screams out her name. Antony realizes she isn't Cleopatra.   
   Antony says he trusted her and loved her. They fight, and stop a few times.   
   But ultimately Xena stabs Antony. He says "I did love you" as he dies. Xena   
   looks heartbroken as it starts to rain.   
      
   Octavius tells Xena that Rome owes  her a debt of gratitude. She tells him   
   it owes her nothing. She tells him to put the well being of the people ahead   
   of his own, as Cleopatra did for her people.   
      
   Xena walks off and Gabrielle follows. They stand together and look at the   
   sky and the pyramids.   
      
   …………….   
      
       I think this is the steamiest, most not-so-subtle passionate episode,   
   ever!   
      
   Xena in gold chains. Her seduction of Antony. Gabrielle's obvious jealousy   
   of Antony.   
      
   It's a good thing Xena can read hieroglyphics (and Greek and Latin and   
   Chinese).   
      
   Nothing subtle about Gabrielle's jealousy. But is it because she's afraid   
   Xena won't follow through with her plan? Or because she wants Xena for   
   herself?   
      
   I think this is the first time Gabrielle has been beaten up so badly   
   (although Tara did a pretty good job of it in 'Forgiven'). Can't blame the   
   girl for slicing Brutus' throat like she did (with pure rage on her face!)   
      
   The woman who played Cleopatra was gorgeous. Too bad she didn't last too   
   long. Nice butt, too.   
      
   At first I wasn't too sure what Shiana's motives were until she told   
   Octavius she promised she'd bring Cleopatra's murderer to justice.   
      
   Not sure if Brutus was really happy Xena and Gabrielle survived the   
   crucifixion.   
      
   The audio/video commentary for this episode was with Michael Hurst   
   (director), Lucy, Renee, and Rob. Rob said that after so many eps of Xena   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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