From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
                               6.9     The Return of the Valkyrie   
      
   First air date was Nov 27, 2000.   
      
   The episode starts out with scenes from "The Rheingold" and "The Ring."   
      
       It is one year later and Vikings are moving through the bog toward the   
   Living Flame that protects the sleeping Gabrielle. Beowulf and his young   
   friend, Wiglaf, are chasing after them. They catch up just as Lord Erick is   
   about to go through the flame to rescue Gabrielle. Beowulf shows him a   
   burn-scarred hand where he tried and failed. He says only Gabrielle's soul   
   mate can go through the fire.   
      
           Grindl appears and the Vikings fight and die. One has both his arms   
   torn off. Beowulf convinces Erick to call him men off. Then Erick jumps (or   
   is thrown by Grindl, I didn't get a clear shot of what happened) into the   
   flame and is burned up. Beowulf says they are going to Denmark to get help   
   from an old friend, Hrothgar.   
      
       There is a celebration. Someone tells Beowulf Hrothgar is marrying   
   Wealthea. She comes riding out on a gussied up cow, and it is Xena. Beowulf   
   calls her name but she ignores him. The ceremony begins and the priest says   
   they will exchange blades. They exchange rings instead, and each time, Xena   
   sees flashbacks of the Rheingold ring and Grindl, which startle her. She   
   recovers and says she's the luckiest woman in Denmark. Hrothgar kills the   
   cow as a sacrifice to the goddess Freya.   
      
       The Valkyries are rounding up the men killed by Grindl. One of them,   
   Waltraute, talks about the waste of lives over the ordinary Gabrielle.   
   Sieglinda tells her that since Brunhilda turned herself into flame to   
   protect her, maybe she's not so ordinary. And that Xena cared for her.   
   Waltraute lays into her for mentioning Xena's name. And he thanks the gods   
   she's dead.   
      
       Everyone is toasting and celebrating the wedding. But Wealthea is   
   troubled. She balks at having sex with Hrothgar until she has to. Beowulf   
   finds them and mentions to that Wealthea they might have met, but she   
   doesn't recognize him and leaves, with Hrothgar going after her.   
      
       Later, Wealthea is in her room brushing her hair. A knock on the door   
   and she thinks it's Hrothgar. He comes in wearing a mask. It is Beowulf and   
   he tells her that her life is in danger and she must rescue Gabrielle. A   
   raven sees them and Beowulf says Odin will know she's still alive.   
      
       Hrothgar and his sister come in and think they are together. They are   
   arrested and taken to the dungeon. On the way,  they escape with Wealthea   
   using fighting skills she didn't know she had. When Beowulf reaches down   
   with his hand to pull her to her feet, Wealthea sees Gabrielle saying, "I'm   
   lost without you, Xena."   
      
   They are on a boat back to (Norway?). The men rowing see her and stop   
   rowing. Beowulf tells her they are looking at a legend and can't wait to see   
   her in action. She still can't believe she's Xena, but when Beowulf slashes   
   at her with his sword, she easily grabs it and turns it aside.   
      
   Odin tells Waltraute Xena is alive and heading to the Ring.   
      
   Wealthea is walking in the ocean on the beach. Wiglaf and another Viking   
   fight over who's going to give her a ladle of water. Just then they see five   
   Valkyries riding on horses coming down from the sky. The Vikings pull their   
   weapons but Wealthea tells Beowulf to have them put them down or she won't   
   go with him to save Gabrielle. The Valkyries land and Waltraute pulls her   
   sword and tries to kill Wealthea. But by Xena using defensive moves,   
   Waltraute is unsuccessful.   
      
   Odin rides down. All the Vikings go to one knee except Beowulf. When Odin he   
   realizes Xena has lost her memory he sends the Valkyries back to Valhalla   
   because she is more valuable to him alive. He rides off into the sky.   
      
   Back in Valhalla, Waltraute accuses Odin of wanting the ring for himself   
   instead of giving it to her as he promised. He tells her to make sure   
   nothing stops Xena from getting to Gabrielle. Out of earshot, she vows to   
   kill Xena before that happens.   
      
   Wealthea takes off her wedding ring and another vision of Gabrielle come to   
   her, but when Gabrielle touches her cheek, she feels it and freaks out.   
   Beowulf comes in and gives Xena her Chakram, telling her when the time   
   comes, she'll know what to do with it. They arrive at the Flame, but before   
   Wealthea can go through it, Waltraute runs up and starts swing her sword at   
   her, but she keeps ducking away. Then more Valkyries arrive and everyone   
   fights. Wiglaf throws Wealthea his sword and Waltraute throws a knife into   
   him. Wealthea/Xena kicks Waltraute into the flame and she burns up.   
      
   Grindl shows up and stabs Beowulf through the back and lifts him into the   
   air. Beowulf yells for Wealthea to go, that Gabrielle needs her. She runs   
   and dives through the flames. She uses her Chakram to cut away a year's   
   growth of vines covering Gabrielle.   
      
   She leans down to kiss her on the lips and sees visions of her and Gabrielle   
   together. After the kiss ends, Gabrielle wakes up and Xena is back in her   
   warrior clothes and Gabrielle is back in her Amazon clothes, but her hair is   
   still long. They hug and Xena tells her she didn't remember her, but felt   
   her presence.   
      
   Gabrielle gives her ring but tells her not to put it on. The flames die down   
   and Grindl is there. Xena says she forged the ring and now has to undo the   
   evil it caused.   
      
   She tries talking to Grindl but is "back-handed" into Grindl's cave. She   
   tries again to talk to it, but has to keep on the move. Finally Grindl grabs   
   her. The ring begins to glow as Xena begs Grindl to look into her heart and   
   forgive her.   
      
   There is a huge explosion from the cave that knocks everyone back. Xena   
   comes out unharmed and the ring is a lump of gold again. Then Grinhilda come   
   out. Beowulf and Wiglaf are okay. Xena sees two horses and says it's time to   
   take Grinhilda home to Valhalla. Gabrielle hugs Beowulf, climbs up behind   
   Xena, and they gallop up into the air.   
      
   Xena enters first and Odin asks if she brought the ring. She says she   
   brought something else that belongs there, and Grinhilda and Gabrielle   
   enter.   
      
   Grinhilda asks Odin to make her chief Valkyrie again. When Odin says he'll   
   think about, it Xena tells him not to think too long. He looks at Grinhilda   
   and agrees. As Xena and Gabrielle leave, Odin welcomes her back and they   
   hug.   
      
   Xena dives into the Rhine River going to the Rhine Maidens. She gives the   
   ring back to them. When one asks what magic turned Xena into a noble   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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