Issue17

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Today's issue includes:

1. Feature Article -- "Death and the Maiden"
2. Xena quote/Xena Joke
3. Featured FanFic and Short Review -- "One Last Warlord," "Truth or Dare," "The Child"
4. Xena News -- "Brilliant Digital Entertainment Asks AXIP To Host XenaWebisodes," "Xena's Seventh Season," "Lucy Takes Up Fight Against Child Abuse"
5. Featured Xena Links -- The Pacific NorthWest Online Xena Fanclub, Warrior Girl's Xena Tribut Seite, Xena Subtext Comics
6. Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide -- "The Prodigal," "Altered States"
7. Trish's Xena Parodies -- "Cyrene Parody"
8. Feedback
9. PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!
10. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
11. Credits
12. Archives

This is the first issue dedicated to one character from XWP. Who best to start with but the badass warrior herself. That's right! This here's about Xena. Happy reading.

1) Featured Article

Death and the Maiden
ArdentTly
August 30, 2000

I often wonder just what our erstwhile heroine would do if she wasn't going for the gold, standing up for the greater good...Would she be happy to just sit back and watch the titillating scenery of an Amazon village go by? Nah.

Would she want to sit and catch fish while studiously ignoring the rotting bodies of soldiers floating by? Well, how about visit a strange land and take in a bazaar or two?

Nope. Can't do it. Why? Well, for one thing, trouble always seems to find her. And for another, I truly believe our warrior babe is ADHD...she couldn't sit still for a full day without A)pulling her hair out
B)knocking some heads together C)being a busybody and getting into everyone's face about their business.

No, she likes trouble. She's a take-charge babe who really likes to be on the cutting edge of brutality. Although she's put away her evil ways, determined to ignore that raging in her heart, that gnashing of teeth that shadows her soul, we all know better.

The bard knows, too. Is Xena violent because of the things she does or does she do those things because she IS violent. I choose door number 2, Bob.

You think for one moment a person who didn't love the blood n guts n violence would have made it to the top of the warlord heap? I doubt it. She'd be a raving lunatic, always at odds with the violence and death when all she wanted was peace and understanding.

But of course, she IS a lunatic. While we haven't seen too much of her young childhood, we do get hints that she was a handful. Probably blackened her brother's eyes on more than one occasion, I'm thinking.
Would she ever have been happy in a village that only knew peace? Like there was such a place anyway.

Xena has always displayed a sense of wanderlust, intense curiosity, and a penchant for violence. I don't think Cortez made her what she was at all. I think he brought out the very best and the very worst, of course. She was no Frankenstein waiting to be created and unleashed on the countryside. No, she was already seething and bubbling, just below the surface.

Wasn't she already in the 'resistance' against the warlords of the day? Wasn't she already displaying the innate qualities of a born leader when she rallied the people against the constant onslaught of tormented every day life that typified Greece in those times?

Her father was a warrior and it certainly stands to reason that she would have the same blood coursing through her own veins. Whether her father is Ares or not is really besides the point. She was a whirlwind of violence just building up momentum when Cortez came along. Her feel for battle was instinctual, even though her maturity lacked the same level of development.

I wonder if she'd ever really given her heart to someone before Caesar entered the picture? Oh, she was almost betrothed...on again, off again...but was it really LOVE?

The violent nature of both she and Caesar fed off each other but he no more created Xena than Borias did. What Borias had that the others didn't, of course, was that he truly loved her. Both Cortez and Caesar wanted to break her and own her; Borias offered not the world but his heart and their future. She was no more willing to accept that than she would have entertained putting the sword down. Her maturity was ill-defined, undeveloped, and un-nurtured.

Xena has spent a good part of four seasons trying to atone for what is, essentially, her true self. She is the sum of her past and present experiences. I hardly think it's happenstance that she met a young bard in a clearing just outside a village being ransacked by warlords.

She has come full circle. She was the victim of warlords, then the ultimate warlord and finally the solution to warlords. If she hadn't gone through the gauntlet that began when she first took up a weapon in defense of her home, her village, and her innocence, she certainly wouldn't be in a position to know the evil she became and conquered. 'To know one's self is to know the way.'

But has the warlord within been vanquished? Given the right circumstances and the right opportunity, we've seen that the very characteristics that stand the woman in good stead are also the ones the pull her down, unleashed, unfettered and free.

Would she ever revert to the warlord she was were something to happen to Gabrielle? I don't think so. Perhaps if Solan hadn't died. If she'd not had Eve. If she'd not experienced unconditional love with such intensity. Xena may feel that her violence rules her but it's my opinion that it is just part of who she is, not the totality of it. She might indeed be a killing machine, a product of those who influenced her life, but also a product of her own desperate desire for control, violence, and power. They haven't disappeared, only dormant.

Along the road to enlightenment Xena grew up. Her maturity began when Solan was born. It was nurtured when she met Gabrielle, fostered when her mother forgave her, and solidified when she realized that someone loved her as much as she loved them...unconditionally. Her blossoming maturity
made it possible for Xena to control both her desire for violence and power, and see herself as more than merely a two dimensional warlord.

Gabrielle does for Xena what no one has been able to: completes her. What is darkness without the light? Wearing the hard exterior of an ex-warlord enabled Xena to push down her lack of maturity and hide. Watching the fumbling of a young bard allowed her to vicariously live her youth again and experience innocent and pure love. Her curiosity was piqued as the blonde went from one disaster to another. She learned to look within, accept the pinched faced child lurking within - always denied, never loved, never experienced - and grow not only a rich personality but a great sense of humour. It's only when man can laugh at himself that he can except all that he is...the good and the bad. Until then, he just knows the brutality of life, in all its varied forms.

2) Xena Quote/Xena Joke

Xena Quote
Gabrielle: "I can't fight, I can't be of any help to you so please, I'm just distracting you."
Xena: "But you're my source Gabrielle. When I reach down into myself and do things I'm not capable of its because of you. Don't you know that by now? Let's just see this one through together alright?"

Xena and Gabrielle in One Against An Army

Xena Joke
Top 10 signs Xena is Catholic
1. She lights votive candles to her brother Lyceus.
2. She prayed to a Being above the Olympian gods for Gabrielle to keep her inner light.
3. She "confessed" her dark past to "father" Atrius in Ties That Bind.
4. She refused the Billy Graham style easy-believism of the Urn of Apollo in Forgiven.
5. She is wracked daily with overwhelming guilt just like any good Catholic girl.
6. This list item has been sixorcised.
7. In Catholicism suffering is good. In the Philippines some of the faithful literally crucify themselves on Good Friday as public penance. Xena has been crucified several times.
8. She is on a lifetime faith journey to work out her sanctification though Corporal Works of Mercy.
9. Xena experienced stigmata in the fourth season.
10. She gave Solon up for adoption rather than getting an abortion condemned by Holy Mother Church.

3) Featured Fan Fiction

Cated's FanFic Review
Guest Reviewer: Lady Adrell

"One Last Warlord"
By Silk
http://www.obsession14.com/XenaRotica/Silk/onelast.htm

Review by Lady Adrell: This short piece of fanfic is a sad yet touching look at Xena and Gabrielle in there later years.

I give "One Last Warlord" **** (4 stars)

********************

"Truth or Dare"
By WordWarrior
http://www.obsession14.com/XenaRotica/WWarior/truth.htm

Review by Lady Adrell: What becomes of a warrior with no sight? Wordee gives us a look at how our duo would cope with the challenge of a sightless Xena.

I give "Truth or Dare" **** (4 stars)

********************

"The Child"
By WordWarrior
http://www.obsession14.com/XenaRotica/WWarior/child.htm

Review by Lady Adrell: The sequel to "Truth or Dare." With Xena's new insight, she and Gabrielle continue their travels and come across more lessons and trials to overcome. Xena and Gabrielle with a child? Who would have thought of that? A VERY good story!

I give "The Child" ***** (5 stars)

4) Xena News

Brilliant Digital Entertainment Asks AXIP To Host Xena Webisodes
Lady Adrell
September 03, 2000

The Australian Xena Information Page--better known as the AXIP--the website run by MaryD, has been asked to host the Xena Webisodes. This honor was given to the well known Webmistress by Brilliant Digital Entertainment in late August.

With the popularity of the AXIP and the standing that MaryD has in the Xenaverse it is no wonder her site was picked to host the Webisodes. If you want relevant Xena information to go out to the bulk of the Xena fans on the web, you ask MaryD to mention it on her website. It will surely be seen by thousands.

I myself go to the AXIP for Xena news, articles, and everything else that will keep me in tune to the happenings in the Xenaverse. It was a good call on Brilliant Digital Entertainment's part to choose the AXIP to host the Xena Webisodes. It's the best way to make sure the Webisodes are seen by Xena fans.

Congratulations MaryD!

AXIP Website: http://ausxip.com/

********************

Xena's Seventh Season
Lady Adrell
September 03, 2000

When you are a fan of a show, you hate to see that show end its run on the air. In a perfect world, that would not happen. Sadly we do not live in a perfect world. The thought of Xena: Warrior Princess ending has saddened many fans. So much so that a petition has been started by fans to keep the show for a seventh season.

Robert Tapert, Lawless' husband as well as Executive Producer of the show, stated in an interview that Lucy wanted to make this upcoming season the final season of Xena. Renee O'Connor who plays Gabrielle has said before that she would continue to do the show as long as Lucy did as well. The fan support is obviously there. The chemistry between Lucy and Renee is still there. The TPTB haven't pulled the plug. The continuation of Xena rests solely on Lucy's shoulder it would seem.

If we have learned nothing else from watching five seasons of XWP, we have at least learned that ANYTHING can happen in the Xenaverse. Xena isn't out for the count yet.

The Petition: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/XWP4aS7/

********************

Lucy Takes Up Fight Against Child Abuse
Lady Adrell
September 03, 2000

The tragic event that had many people including Lucy Lawless upset and outraged was the beating death of a three-year-old boy, Tangaroa Matiu. The child was beaten to death by his stepfather, Genesis James Mahanga, for soiling his pants.

Being a mother of two, Daisy (12) and Julius (10 months), Lucy wanted to use her fame to somehow prevent other abused children to escape the same fate as little Tangoroa. "I am not an expert on the issue, but I am a new mum and I know how much love and attention needs to go into one baby. It breaks my heart to see how some of these kids are treated," Lawless is quoted as saying. "I feel it is up to all of us to raise healthy childrenwith a good self-esteem."

Read the entire story at http://ausxip.com/ or from the Dominion
Newspaper Website at http://kiwiattic.bizland.com/Xena/LLDominion30800.htm

5) Featured Xena Links

The Pacific NorthWest Online Xena Fanclub
http://www.geocities.com/xenatorres

Here is a really neat site with complete transcripts and cast lists for EVERY show in the series!!!

********************

Warrior Girl's Xena Tribut Seite
http://members.friendfactory.com/cayenne/xenatribut.htm

This German Xena site is packed full of information for HCNB's. If you can read German, then check out this great site.

********************

Xena Subtext Comics
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/1954/index.html

Looking for a few laughs? Then go to this site and you'll find `em. Very funny subtext oriented pop-up text jokes for every fan.

6) Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide
by Bacchae2

Episode Twenty The Prodigal and Episode Twenty-One Altared States

"The Prodigal"
Can there possibly be anything cuter than Gabrielle looking for all the world like a faun as she plays the pan pipes? Yet another moment of truth ep for Gab as she has second thoughts and returns to her village after freezing up in a dangerous situation. Not because she's frightened for herself, but because it puts Xena at risk. It's a Personal Journey thing. One Gab has to make alone, (vacation time for the star?) returning to the bosom of the family, to the sister she left behind. Gab is quite right in pointing out that she only has one sister and Xena is not that to her at all...as well we know. Gab's the most amusing little hitch-hiker since Claudette Colbert raised her hemline and stopped traffic. Once we get back to the ol' homestead though, we get Meleager doing Lee Marvin in "Cat Ballou" (didn't these writers ever get an original idea for a comic ep?) And, since Gab has learned a lot from Xena, for once the WP does not have
to ride in to save the day. It's an object lesson for Gab in losing her nerve, momentarily, and finding her self-confidence (thanks to the strong off-stage presence of a certain tall, dark, and deadly warrior). Poor kid always had a knife at her throat in the first season. When Destiny calls, she goes off happily, whistling, back to the open road. And Xena just happens to be on her way to 'visit.' More like hanging around hang-dog lonesome till the little bard returns.

Subtext Rating: "You know how to whistle, don't you? Just put your lips together and blow."

********************

"Altared States"

Karl Urban's first villain. ROC's delightful tour de force 'drunk' scene. "By the gods, you are beautiful!" Putting the bible where it belongs, firmly in the realm of myth. A nice twice-told tale retelling. The names have been changed to protect the not entirely innocent. There are several fun things in this ep, not least of which is the opening double-entendre sequence... skinny-dipping. Classic clothes scattered travel shot, obviously hurriedly removed. And the falling down and climbing out of the well sequence. "Lovin' every minute of it." Great shot of ROC's hand firmly on LL's thigh. Gab makes such an adorable sot, more amusing yet since she is obviously a very sober young woman. Xena is magnificent climbing out of the well with Gab wrapped around her. And rising from the pond in all her (vividly imagined) glory. Henbane. Interesting high.

Subtext Rating: Wink, wink, nudge, nudge...and pass the nutbread, please. A little henbane will loosen your tongue, my pretty. Yes, strong subtext here, playful at the start with the skinny dipping scene and with that typical loving travel shot over the seemingly hastily discarded clothes...but this is one of those 'having fun with it' early subtext moments they've both alluded to from time to time, when they weren't so sure they were going to take it seriously and just threw that double entendre (especially in the naughty voice-overs) in there for fun. But, much more to the point and handled with such fresh gentility and genuine ebullient emotion, is the totally, delightfully intertwined climb up the rope (lovin' every minute of it indeed, so were we!) and the Gabby zonked out on nutbread gods you're beautiful reverie.

What I love is Xena's reaction to Gab's sudden drug-induced revelation of Xena's beauty...mmhm, I could take advantage of this, but I wouldn't do that, or, oh my, I've got my hands full with this little bard alright. They did play that well scene so, well...'well,' dammit, didn't they? Wonder how long it took to film that? How long they had to cling to each other. Got to know each other well (hah) enough by that time, didn't they? They were both very comfortable with each other here. Renee just went all the way with the comedy of being stoned out of her mind. I miss that callow young (and amusing) Gabby. Sigh.

As my dear friend fluff so sagely and succinctly put it re Gab's drug induced moment of supreme honesty: "She may have been under the influence, but it's clear her statement was sincere. The scene in the well: Have we ever seen Xena and Gab's bodies so intertwined as in this scene? And neither was shy about the physical contact here. Then there's the evil brother's statement to incite the crowd against Xena.

He talks about how 'unnatural' it is that Xena has the strength of ten men, then goes on to add to his reasons why Xena is 'unnatural,' that she travels around accompanied only by 'her scrawny companion.' The whole little speech has exactly the tone and feeling one would expect of a narrow-minded bigot talking about a lesbian he didn't like--and I'm sure the fact that it comes across that way was exactly what Manheim intended."

7) Ardent's Xena Parodies

Cyrene Parody:

Xena and Gabrielle finally make their way back to Amphipolis after being trapped in solid ice for low these last twenty-five years. Xena is somewhat taken aback with the state her mother is in while the bard takes it all in stride, figuring the woman will be easier to deal with at this age. And if the time ever comes that they break the news to her regarding their relationship...

C: Yep...why, when I was jes' a tad of a thing, I could whoop them thar gods with two hands tied behind m'back. You young whipper snappers have it easy, I'd say. Why, I remember once when I had ta hold off a warlord from takin' over our town...

G: "That was Xena, mother Cyrene. I think you mean Draco."

C: Eh? Well, I disremember all the facts right now...you sure? I kin remember grabbin' hold o'that man...what wuz his name?

X: "You mean Draco, mother?"

C: Draino? Nope, ma pipes is jes fine, thankee.

G: "You mean Ares, mother Cyrene?"

C: No...no...he was wearing armour 'n all, weren't nekkid at all. Had one of them fierce lookin' hat things on...a sure fire way to tell a warrior...<gives Xena a dirty look> You and yer leather skirt...ha! Shoulda been wearing pants...in fact that nice man who wore all black leather had the right idea...talk nice and maybe he'll loan it to ya, Xe.

X: "He's gone now, Mother....this guy you were fighting wore armour and a strange helmet? Hmmmm."

C: All gone, ya say? Pity. He sure did fill out a nice pair o'pants, he did. He was a bit lumpy, though. And cackled some, ever' now and then. Too much eye make up fer a man, though, an' needed a hair cut somethin' fierce. Nicest beehind on a man I ever did see. Minja, I had m'own hands busy with the warlord...though he said he wasn't one...tried to trick me with that speech about him bein' yer friend n all...

X: "You...you fought with....Alti??" <Xena's mouth drops open>

C: Is Baldi the one with the pants? Nah...he was a sissy boy. I was far too busy with the guy in armour to give him the time o'day.

X: "Oh gods, it was Joxer!"

G: "I'm afraid to ask who won, Xena...I mean Joxer never talked about this to me...and he always told me everything...all the time...ad nauseum...even when I begged him to shut up...he just kept on...and on...and on.."

X: "Like someone else I know...I get the drift, babe. Okay, mother..now think. This guy you fought...did he hurt you? Think."

C: Hurt, smurt. Whatcha goin' on about now, Xe? I think yer gettin' soft, girl. Who said anathing about hurtin? We bickered a bit, I threw him to the floor, we wrestled some and he left...smilin', I might add.
Had to git some thread to sew my dress back up. Decided NOT to take over the village after all.

X: "Oh. My. Gods!" <Xena runs for the outhouse>

G: "Hmmm...so, that's why he was smiling like that. The slut."

C: Hey, Xe...while yer out there...ya wanna look fer m'teeph?

G: Heh...oh, Mother Cyrene...

C: Eh? Whydja keep callin' me that, girlie?

G: Ah...well you see...your daughter and I...

A little while later:

X: <gasp!> What happened to Mother?

G: I, ah...was telling her about us...

X: Oh no...you've killed her!

G: No, I...

X: How could you! What difference could it make if she never knew?

G: Well, see it was like this...

X: I'm disappointed, Gabrielle...acting so selfishly...<sniff> Poor Mother...I'll have to think of a funeral now...and who's left to come to it...<sniffle>

G: <arching eyebrow> She fell asleep.

X: Ha?

G: yeah, I was in the midst of tell her...breaking it to her easily...

X: Oh, like a sledge hammer?

G: Nah...didn't even get but half way through and she asked me to come to the point. Well, I was in the midst of doing just that when she asked me if I should go tend my loved one...

X: Mom said THAT? Your...'your loved one'? Oh Mother! I never knew she knew, ya know?

C: <snore>

G: Heh...so, my little warlord...are you feeling better?

X: Shh! She might wake up...

G: Nahhhh...she's old...she'll be out for a while, I'll bet.

X: <shudder>

G: What?

X: Mom and...Joxer...bleck!

C: <peek>

G: <waggle> c'mere, you

X: Gabrielle! <pushing hands away>

C: <watching as X and G run quietly upstairs> My little girl...happy at last!

8) Feedback

Comments on the Issue 16

"Really nice wrap up to the season themed Xine issues, and an appropriate follow up to the look back at the season of disappointment, season five, to do a Xine devoted to the season to come, with a look ahead
appropriately filled with hope, longings, and some trepidation.

"Bacchae and Lady Adrell, superb collaboration on the main article. Yes, all the things we'd really love to see in a final dream season of Xena...*sigh*....all the good things we may realistically hope to see on
screen--and these are indeed many, if reports of Rob Tapert's determination to not repeat the mistakes of season five are really true....and the fears we can't help feeling about what may yet still be bungled in the actual execution of the final season. And all very intelligently and--as usual--poetically expressed. I'm choosing to take the hopeful attitude myself to season six....I certainly feel more optimistic about it than I did after seeing the horror of `Motherhood'.

"Excellent episode reviews again Bacchae. It's really nice to see such well-thought out reviews from a subtext-oriented perspective. As usual, you really are perceptive in analyzing and picking up on the emotional nuances of the developing relationship of Xena and Gabrielle. I can't wait until you get to season two! I'd like to see these episode reviews eventually go into a special archive of their own; while there are already a good deal of Xena reviews on the web, yours manage to bring an exceptional insight into the relationship aspects of the series--often in other episode guides I've seen on the net, subtext-oriented reviews are very tongue-in-cheek and loopy, while the in-depth serious reviews tend to
only make the briefest mention of subtext issues. Your serious and thoughtful subtext reviews fill a niche all their own.

"Lady Adrell, interesting to find out through your article that even the Kiwi Xenites have a heck of a time seeing the show made in their own back yards. I knew about the channel 10 Aussie problems, but didn't realize that England and NZ were also countries where it's hard to keep up on Xena episodes. I guess I'm very grateful to live in North America, where we can actually see every episode. By the way, interesting new information regarding channel 10's rights monopoly on recent seasons of Xena. This is
something that has always very much offended me--when a company holds on to the rights to a show or movie, while refusing to either make it available, or to let anyone else show or distribute it. Thank the
remaining Olympian gods and goddesses that channel 10 is losing the rights to Xena soon."
--Brian Davis

If you have any comments, suggestions for content, or articles to submit to this Xine, then please contact Lady Adrell at exine@exine.tvheaven.com

(We are accepting submissions for featured articles. Send to above address.)

9) PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!

NO SPAMMING OR LIST SHARING!
You can rest assured that your subscription email address will be kept in the strictest confidence. We do not divulge, nor make available to any third party, our subscription list. Your privacy is paramount to us! Therefore, it receives the respect it deserves!

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11) Credits

The Xena E-Xine Staff:
Chief Editor/Head Reporter/Writer: Lady Adrell
Editor/Head Writer: Bacchae2
Assistant Editor/Research: Cindy
Writer: ArdentTly
FanFic Critic: Cated
Website Analyst: Staff
Episode Guides: Bacchae2

The image of Xena was not harmed or damaged in the production of this Xine. Sadly, many warlords, enemies, and badguys were harmed and damaged by Xena in the course of her fighting. We are not responsible for her actions...<evil grin>...we just sit back and cheer her on!

You have permission to forward this to other people, and by all means, please do.

The contents of this E-Xine may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author's name and contact information are included, unless where otherwise stated. Example: Reproduced with permission from Lady Adrell or said author.

All contents Copyright � 2000 The Xena E-Xine, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

*****	Great Hard Core Nutball reading material!
****	You won't be disappointed.
***	It's better than getting punched in the face by Xena.
**	Maybe a go-round with Xena isn't a bad idea..
*	Shoot me...shoot me now!