Silver...
- and not even good silver. - How can I feed my family,
- when your taxes drain me dry. - Moonlight... take a second job.
Or send your wife and daughter out on the streets to make you money.
Give this to Xerxes, from the Black Wolf.
Sir... I believe this money belongs to you.
At first, I thought it was humorous...
the audacity of the Black Wolf and his Wolf Pack
daring to challenge my authority.
Well it isn't funny, anymore.
Give up the Black Wolf or my guards will level your village.
You'll be sent to work in the mines.
I'm the Black Wolf.
- No, it's me ! - No, I am !
I'm the Black Wolf.
I'm the Black Wolf !
Arrest them all.
You've got seven days to give me the Black Wolf,
or I'll skin you all... pelt by pelt.
Argo.
You've been needing new shoes since we left Corinth.
Hey.
That makes two of us.
Come on.
Please, please.
Let a mother see her only daughter.
She's not like the rest of them. She was well brought up.
So well, she wound up in Xerxes' dungeon.
- Yes, ma'am... thank you. - Please, I beg you.
She needs her mother.
She should have thought of that before she joined the Black Wolf !
You like shoving women around so much ?
Try me.
Take her !
It's all right.
Thank you.
- Xena ? - Hermia ?
The gods !
It must be ten years since I saw you last.
Come over here.
What are you doing here ? Where's your family ?
Persix and Anteocles inhabit the other side...
thanks to that murdering tyrant, Xerxes.
And now he's thrown Flora in his dungeon.
Flora ? Little Flora ? She's in prison ?
She's not little anymore.
She's all grown up and madly in love with one of the Black Wolves.
Diomedes brought her under the spell of these rebels.
He had her thinking they could bring down Xerxes.
And now...
Flora's all I have left in the world.
Why must she die for a lost cause ?
Causes are only lost when people give up.
Maybe Flora knows that.
I'll get Flora back for you.
No one's ever escaped from Xerxes' dungeon before...
except through the grave.
I will get Flora back for you.
In a time of ancient gods...
...warlords...
...and kings...
A land in turmoil cried out for a hero...
She was Xena...
a mighty princess, forged in the heat of battle...
...The power...
...The passion...
...The danger...
Her courage will change the world...
I am being mocked by children !
You should've brought me the Black Wolf.
Remind me why I haven't had you flogged by now !
These rebels are incredibly disciplined.
The usual techniques don't work.
The feast of Zeus is five days from now.
I want the execution of the Black Wolf to be the main entertainment.
Or I could execute my minister of security.
And that...
would be you !
I'll find him. A true leader can't hide his identity forever.
Or... we could just pick one, and say it's the Black Wolf.
- Who'd know ? - The Black Wolf would know.
Guards !
Oh, don't bother the dears.
They're sleeping.
If you kill the wrong man, word will get out...
and the Black Wolf will have a martyr to hold up in front of the people.
Then we'll kill them all.
Good idea... make martyrs of them all.
No, Xerxes, you're right. It's the Black Wolf you want.
Cut off the head of the serpent, and the body withers and dies.
Who are you ? What is your interest in all this ?
My name is Xena.
I'm a problem-solver.
I can solve your problem for ten thousand dinars.
This is outrageous. I refuse to listen to this.
Stage my arrest in the center of town...
in front of Black Wolf sympathizers.
Once I'm inside your prison,
I'll expose the Black Wolf, and hand him over to you.
Why should we believe you could succeed ?
Ask Mezentius and Trakus about me ?
Mezentirus is dead ?
Yes, he is.
Ten thousand dinars and a new pair of boots.
But fail,
and you will join them on the block... that's my offer. Take it, or leave it.
I'll take it.
Sorry, Lord Koulos, she was too quick.
If I have to rely on you and your guards,
they'll be tossing my head around on the feast of Zeus.
Thank the gods I have my own man on the inside.
And tomorrow, I'll show you how a real soldier handles this woman.
Would you need my helmet, Lord Koulos ?
You'll go to the dungeon for this, traitor...
you and this Black Wolf sympathizer !
Come and get me.
With pleasure, traitor !
You're making this harder than it needs to be.
Well, you want it to look believable, don't you ?
Don't worry. You'll make a comeback...
in the end.
Don't just stand there, get her.
Take her away... and that traitor, too.
Didn't I tell you you'd win in the end ?
Argo.
Where's the owner of this horse ?
Are you the one she said would pay me for the horseshoes ?
Give me the money and I'll tell you.
- What happened ? - Fifteen dinars for the shoes...
five for the feed... horse has a healthy appetite.
She said you should pick up her gear and meet her at the tavern.
Well, that doesn't tell me where she is.
Xerxes' dungeon.
How can I see her ?
Anyone that wants to see someone in the dungeon, has to get sent there.
It's not a nice place to be.
Go on !
My rock...
- you like my rock ? - No.
Big Looking for the man of your dreams, darling ?
Yep...
You're not him.
Listen...
you have a choice.
Either you let me pass right now, or you nurse a broken leg.
And, who would you be ?
It's OK, Diomedes. She's on our side.
She was trying to protect me when Koulos arrested her.
That means nothing.
Anyone who's not one of us is a threat.
it's been a long time.
Xena... this is Xena.
You've grown up.
You've grown legendary.
- I'm different, now. - So I've heard.
Would you believe ? Xena taught me to swing a sword...
and embroider linen for my wedding chest.
You... embroider ?
I have many skills.
I need to talk to you, alone.
Your mother is worried sick about you.
I promised her I'd get you out.
I'm sure I caused her a lot of pain.
I regret that.
It doesn't matter. There's no way out of here.
I'm sure Xerxes believes that.
I don't.
That airshaft...
we can get up there. You'll have to hold onto my back, but...
Can you carry twelve people on your back ?
I'm not leaving without the rest of the Wolf Pack.
Hello, little friend ! Looking for some BlackWolf merchandise ?
Not too loud. Not just becuase of Xerxes' guards,
but because these are incredible bargains !
- I don't have time for this ! - Time ?
Who doesn't have time for a great deal. Trust Salmoneus.
He only has the customers' interests at heart.
Ask anybody... later.
Take a look at this... This is a nice pouch. You put this on your back.
You can put a vegetable in there... a scroll. Take a look.
Look... here's the Black Wolf seal.
I call it... my Black Wolf Pack.
Wolf... Pack. Get it ?
- You like that ? - That's good, yeah. That's nice.
- I need my tomato. - How about a purse ?
This is a nice Black Wolf purse. You put it around your waste.
You can put change in there... keep whatever you like.
- Hey ! - Not a good idea !
You think that's funny, do you ?
How about some time in the dungeon ?
- It wasn't me ! It was her ! - No ! I threw the tomato !
- Yeah, she threw it ! - Yeah, yeah.
I did ! I did !
Yeah ! What're you doing ? Please !
In here. Move it. Hurry it up !
Move, quickly ! Faster.
Now, you'll see.
That's it, get in there !
I'm not gonna waste any words with you people.
I want the Black Wolf, and you're gonna give him to me.
You ! Come here !
Look down. What do you see ?
- What's your point ? - My point is this.
Don't worry.
You'll make a comeback... in the end.
Where did she go ?
She can't stay under long ?
Find her ?
I want the Black Wolf.
It's a misunderstanding ! I'm just a businessman !
Wait a minute.
Those boots...
that leather...
those legs...
- Xena ! - Salmoneus...
I've got a job for you.
Here she comes.
Flora, you won't leave without your friends.
Very well.
I can get us all out of here.
Oh... really ?
Yes.
And believe me... my plan will work.
- Your tunnel won't. - What tunnel ?
- How did she know ? - This one.
This boulder's been shifted too may times not to show wear.
And next time, learn to hide your excess dirt a little better.
Even the guards will notice this soon.
So, what's it gonna be ? Are you in the mood to listen ?
I vote against it.
The idea that Xena, the Warrior Princess,
could be captured and thrown in prison...
sure smells like a set-up to me.
If I was Xerxes,
I couldn't think of any better way to get to the Black Wolf...
than by sending you in here.
You're a smart man, Diomedes.
And you're half right.
I allowed myself to get captured to get Flora out.
She won't leave without all of you, so I have a plan.
But I need everyone's help...
all the prisoners.
It's not just my decision to make.
Talk.
We'll listen.
Big What do you want my belt for ?
To be perfectly honest, I have no idea.
I just need it... and as many as we can get.
Big What if my drawers drop ?
I don't think that's likely to happen.
It's a perfect fit. It's like you were... poured into that outfit.
That belt really ruins the line of the ensemble.
Big Whatever.
We need some help with the netting.
What's the problem ?
Your fellow Wolves don't seem enthusiastic.
I'll take care of it.
You might wanna have someone keep an eye on the other prisoners.
We don't need anyone talking to the guards about this.
Those knots will never hold any weight.
I know what I'm doing, Xena.
I'm not a little girl anymore.
No, you're not.
So, what are you doing in here, fighting a tyrant ?
The times change people.
And people change the times.
- You remembered. - I can hardly forget.
You used to say it a lot... when our village was being attacked.
I just didn't want people thinking that they had no choice.
Even back then, you could read people.
I could never figure that out.
You always had this knack for understanding what someone needed, without asking.
That's only one of the things I liked about you.
Remember that oak tree... by the river ?
I tried to forget it.
You and all those other kids would climb up into it.
And I would be left on the ground.
Then, you'd reach down your hand, and you'd say, 'You gotta have faith, you got to'.
And I'd reach up...
and you'd pull your hand away.
I fell for that every time.
I couldn't understand why someone... I admired so much could treat me like that.
Can you tell me why ?
I can tell you that you were the closest thing I've ever had to a sister.
That was important to me.
My rock.
We're just about done...
assuming the guards don't do another contraband sweep.
They usually toss us some food up around midnight.
All right...
I got fifteen belts...
four robes...
and three proposals. This is disgusting gonna work.
Still, for the greater glory of the Black Wolf ?
A wolf, who'd be much more widely known,
if he had an agent to promote his image...
- I might add. - Who is this guy ?
All right... you've added... now go.
- Who is he, anyway ? - Crazy little friend of Xena's.
What do you think ?
You're asking me ?
Hey... for a fly-by-night operation, I think it's incredible !
These Wolf-people really know how to organize, you know ?
Listen, when you find out who the Black Wolf is, you gotta let me know.
Not just because I'm running a 'guess who the Black Wolf is' pool...
Diomedes is the favorite, by the way... but,
I've got my signature line of revolutionary Black Wolf Ware ready to go.
I even have a slogan... 'Just cry Wolf !'
You like it ?
OK... anyway, I gotta talk to this wolf person...
he's got the power-of-attorney here.
- Diomedes, are you ready ? - Let's get on with it.
Here we go.
- Everyone in position. - One,
two,
three.
Rock, parchment, dagger.
- All right. - ...two, three.
Time to feed the animals.
They've escaped !
- Search the area ! - Where are they ?
Here ! They've dug a tunnel !
Now.
Wait ! Wait. This is no time to celebrate.
Let's go.
What's wrong ?
- This was too easy. - Easy ? This was easy ?
Xena ? Is this the plan ?
What took you so long ?
I've been waiting for you.
- Round up the others and take them back. - Yes, sir ! Let's go.
Xerxes wants to speak to you.
At the very least she failed. At the most, she betrayed you.
Once she was in my dungeon, she began working against you, Lord Xerxes.
She continually harassed my men.
She bonded with the Wolf Pack... and led them in an escape.
If she just betrayed me, I could deal with that.
But I cannot tolerate the fact that someone would try to humiliate you.
Well, Xena, you've said little.
I haven't had to say much.
Koulos said it all.
And he's right.
I bonded with the Wolf Pack, and I led them in an escape.
And because of all that, I was about to become one of them.
And then I would have found out who the Black Wolf is.
Well, Koulos...
you seem to have set my plans back a bit.
Respectfully, sir... if this woman had told me her plan,
I could have guided her efforts.
And we would have the vermin by now.
Her silence is what hurt us.
Really ?
Apparently, you weren't completely surprised.
Who's your man on the inside ?
How did you know to be waiting for us ?
I knew, because I'm good at what I do.
Oh, yes, I can see that.
Even the Black Wolf can see that... whoever he is.
Send me back in.
They'll kill you.
I still have some ideas left.
And who knows ? Maybe I can turn this to my advantage.
Well if they do kill you, I won't have to worry about doing it.
And if you succeed, there may be a job waiting for you when you get out.
Xerxes commands that you give up the Black Wolf...
by the time the sun hits this staff.
- Never. - Or you all die.
I found him ! The little rat !
- He was hiding in the latrine ! - Please... you're making a big mistake.
- I hardly know the woman. - Any friend of that traitor, Xena,
- is an enemy of mine. - Friend...
you see, that's not the right usage of the word.
At best, it was purely a buiness relationship.
If you've got a problem with me...
take it up with me.
Big I got no problem.
I know I'm not the most popular person right now...
but I'm not the one who betrayed you.
Why would I arrange an escape just to tell the guards about it ?
It makes perfect sense to me.
Especially if you're intent on breaking our spirit...
if the escape fails, and we become demoralized...
or the escape succeeds, and we begin to trust you.
No...
no, not anymore.
Diomedes, you don't wanna do this.
You really don't wanna do this.
There are two people in this dungeon who know I'm telling the truth.
One is me...
and one's a traitor.
She could'a killed you... and she didn't.
You get fifteen dinars a day. Take him over there.
All right ?
It's really nice of you to walk me down here personally.
- Excuse me ? - Do you like my rock ?
Have you seen Xena ? She...
she's tall.
She's beautiful.
She... piercing blue eyes...
swings a mean right hook.
It looks like she might have swung it already.
What in the gods' names are you doing here ?
You get yourself thrown into a dungeon, and you expect me to do nothing ?
- You should know me better by now. - I should.
I figure two things. One... if you're here, it's because you want to be,
which means that you have a plan to get out, and two... you're gonna need my help.
You couldn't ask for it, of course... that's not you. But...
you knew I'd get down here, and I'd bring you this...
My chakram.
And this.
You !
That's the 'little Miss Innocent' who had me thrown in here in the first place !
- She's my friend. - She's your friend.
She's your friend ?
You have a friend ?
What is she... a warrior ?
Hey, hey ! Back off !
You wouldn't be in here in the first place if you had kept your hands off my tomatoes.
I can explain that !
So, why are you in here, Xena ? And, why does everybody hate you ?
It's a long story.
Salmoneus will be glad to tell you.
- I've gotta go talk to someone. - OK, tell me.
It all started when this little blonde and her tomatoes
had me thrown into a dungeon...
Hi.
I've been thinking...
about you, and me...
how much we've changed.
I realized something.
What's that ?
Why you never gave me your hand to climb the tree.
You told me to have faith.
And I always thought you meant to have faith in you.
But it was me you were talking about, wasn't it ?
You have to have faith in yourself, Flora,
otherwise, you spend the rest of your life
waiting for other people to offer their hand to you.
I told Diomedes the story about the tree.
He doesn't understand it.
Diomedes is in love with you, you know.
Yes...
and I love him.
I'd do anything for him.
And he'd do anything for the Black Wolf ?
Yes, I know who the Black Wolf is.
The others thought you could be fooled.
I knew it was just a matter of time.
So...
now what ?
My plan hasn't changed.
I'm still gonna get you out of here.
No. No. No. I am not gonna do it. It sounds too dangerous.
What's dangerous ? Look...
Xena wants us to collect as many shirts as we can,
wet them, use them as air bladders,
and escape through the underwater river.
- It's a great plan. - Yeah... great plan !
If you're a fish... which I'm not.
Then you can just stay.
The hard decisions always become Salmoneus'.
OK, how many shorts do you want ?
I said shirts...
- shirts, not shorts. - Shirts, shorts... whatever.
Sometimes, the best place to hide is out in the open.
'Rebels escaping through underground river.'
Not nice to listen to other people's conversations.
Not polite.
So, you're the traitor.
I'm a spy... there's a difference.
They know ! I'm coming out !
You're a defiant bunch... I'll give you that.
I've threatened all of you Black Wolves...
individually and in groups. And it makes no difference...
each one of you is willing to die for him.
Then it occurred to me, you Wolves
consider yourselves to be the saviors of the little people.
If that's the case, then my threats have been misdirected.
Guards !
Take the old guy !
Hey ! Wait a minute ! What are you doing ?
Let's see how you react to the death of someone who isn't a Black Wolf.
But, I am !
I am the Black Wolf !
Oh, no, please !
Somebody help me, please !
I'm just a travelling salesman !
Someone, someone !...
Flora, do you have faith ?
Koulos...
get him out.
I'll give you what you want.
What is it I want ?
The Black Wolf...
it's her.
No ! I'm the Black Wolf !
Stop !
She's right.
I'm the Black Wolf.
Excellent.
Let's go.
This is wonderful...
and just in time for the feast.
So you're planning to execute the Black Wolf in the town square.
Of course.
I didn't root her out just to have her buried in a private ceremony.
This will be quite a spectacle.
Glad I could help.
I'll be even happier when I can get my payment.
Ah, yes...
the ten thousand...
it's yours...
and the boots.
But keep in mind, I wasn't joking when I mentioned the possible position here.
What about Koulos ?
Ah, yes... Koulos.
It should be interesting to see how you deal with him.
Well...
are you staying, or leaving ?
And miss the execution of the Black Wolf ?
I think not.
I would be honored if you would accompany me.
You've got to listen to me.
There's nothing you could say to me which would make me think anything good about Xena.
Have you thought that this might be part of the plan to get you out of here ?
Get them lined up !
She said if you don't believe me,
that I'm to mention an oak tree that she and Flora used to play in.
Talk to me.
Come on !
Like this... hold them high.
What if the plan works ? I'm a salesman, not a warrior.
What do I know about fighting ?
See the pointy ends of those swordie-things the guards are carrying ?
Yeah ?
- Stay away from them. - Great advice. Thank you so much.
All hail, Xerxes, Lord Emperor of the land.
Citizens of Argos...
we have come to a glorious day...
a day when we can restore the order of law to our land...
when law-abiding citizens
no longer have to live in fear of their lives...
from rebellious acts of terror.
Carry out the execution.
The prisoner... the villainess Black Wolf.
Bring the prisoner forward.
She's the Black Wolf ? She's a young girl.
Now !
- We're free ! - Come on, let's get them !
Stop them !
Kill them all !
I owe Koulos an apology...
one I will give him...
after I kill you !
This time, no holding back.
That must've hurt.
We already have some people in the government, so...
it won't be difficult to turn things around.
But we could never have gotten this far without your help.
- I was wrong about you. - No you weren't, Diomedes.
You knew what I was there for... to get the Black Wolf.
Only I didn't know at that time it was Flora.
How did you figure it out ?
When Diomedes didn't wanna hear my plan, he kept looking at you...
a lot of the Wolves were doing that.
It didn't take long to notice that that was the procedure...
no decision was made without a glance to the Black Wolf.
That's the old school. Writing is gonna be big one of these days, believe me.
So, what do you think ?
I envision a series of scrolls called...
the Black Wolf chronicles.
I'll draw up the paperwork, and all the Wolves will sign releases.
Flora... I think there's someone there who wants to talk to you.
Pretty touching, isn't it ?
This is what the public wants.
This alone'll make us a fortune !