What was wrong with staying on the coast?
There was sun, surf, sand...
You got two out of the three.
We were supposed to relax, remember?
We had bad luck.
Going inland didn't have to be this way.
No, deserts don't have to be dry, windy and desolate, Xena.
It's optional. I can't see anything.
Here. Take my hand.
Do you even know where we're going?
Do we ever know where we're going?
Don't say I never give you anything.
Sun... Sand...
Surf.
That was unnecessary.
A little uncalled for.
All right, I'm pruning. I'm outta here.
Strange beauty to the desert.
You do look for the good in everything, don't you?
Why does it sound like an insult when you say it?
- Well, maybe not everything. - Yeah, well...
Sand up my wazoo gets me a little edgy.
Hate it when that happens.
What's that?
Let's go check it out.
Nomads...
Crawl, you snakes of the devil!
Let's even the odds.
- Move! Go! Go! - Retreat!
Who do you think you are?
Who asked you to interfere?
You were being attacked.
Well, in the desert we learn young to mind our own business.
Otherwise you don't become old.
Growing old is overrated.
I never pass up a good fight.
You should pick your fights more wisely, then.
We don't pick them. They pick us.
Come on, Xena.
Who are you to take that name?
Xena, the legendary Warrior Princess is long dead.
No, she's not.
- This is Xena. - Impossible.
No, it's just hard to explain.
Oh, and I suppose you're Gabrielle, the Battling Bard of Poteidaia.
I've never heard it used like that, but, yeah, I'm Gabrielle.
You're both lying.
I guess that's supposed to be the legendry chakram...
Supposed to be.
So you have a chakram...
That means nothing.
You didn't use it in the battle.
It wasn't necessary.
You are a coward and a fraud!
Only the real Xena knows how to use a chakram.
Show her.
In the 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.
Legacy
So this is the desert hospitality that I've heard so much about.
That's right.
Though the fact they worship us
could be influencing the welcome a bit.
Don't refuse anything. You'll insult them.
What is this?
Something yummy.
Kahina...
Xena...
I sent word that you will lead us against our enemy.
Is it the people who attacked you today?
Oh, no.
No, that's Tazir. We're rivals, yes.
But the enemy we both face comes from across the seas.
They've invaded our lands and killed many of our people.
You know them, Xena.
Romans?
Yes.
Some things never change.
Every time our tribes try to join together and fight,
ancient feuds drive us apart.
There's been so much bloodshed, sometimes I think uniting is an impossibility.
But with you to lead us, Xena, I have renewed hope.
Thanks for the compliment, but...
Xena, we've grown up on the stories of your victories.
There's nothing you can't do. No place we wouldn't follow you.
- Stories? - Of course.
Your scrolls.
We were brought up listening to them.
Well, surely you knew, Gabrielle.
I had no idea they'd come this far.
I'm pleased.
All right.
We'll do what we can to help you defeat the Romans.
Bring us wine.
We shall honor our guests.
Of course, our tradition is one of hospitality.
My cousins will be honored to take you both to bed.
What was that you said about not refusing anything?
Do you think those guys bought that "Amazon chastity" I made up?
Oh, I think they were hanging on every word of Gabrielle, the Battling Bard.
I think it has character.
Yeah.
I wish I had a dinar for every time I heard...
"Xena, the legendary Warrior Princess".
Bet you do.
I think you're loving it.
Sure, what's not to love?
Nah...
It's just that these people need help.
If anyone knows Romans, we do.
I'll say.
Xena...
Do you ever have those moments in battle...
where you have to decide whether to disable someone...
or to kill them?
What?
Don't you ever think about it?
You just have to trust your instincts, that's all.
What if your instincts are wrong?
If you're gonna stop and debate that, you're gonna get hurt.
Riders!
It's Kahina!
Are you ready to join with me, Tazir?
Show me this myth you claim to have found wandering in the desert.
Watch who you're calling a myth.
Korah,
- is this the woman you saw? - Yes, Father, it is.
She and her magnificent friend swept down on us
and drove us away as though we were children.
It was incredible, as I told you. I have never seen anyone...
- That's enough. - fight like either one of them.
- Xena has more strength, but... - Korah, I said that's enough.
I could hardly believe my son's crazy tale...
but maybe the prophecies are coming true after all.
Come.
We welcome you.
How far have the Romans gotten?
Uh, they invaded nearest town not long ago.
They come in great numbers and overwhelm any resistance as if...
as if they're tryin' to wipe us from the face of the Earth.
I want to be a warrior.
I dare not aspire to Xena's greatness...
but I've seen your fighting style, such intelligence and restraint.
I'm going to model myself after you.
These weapons you use, they help you to fight defensively
when you don't wanna draw blood.
They do, but you see... You can kill someone with it.
Could you teach me to use those weapons?
If you want me to.
May I wash your feet?
- I don't think you wanna do that. - No, it is a custom. Please.
- No, really. - May I?
Ok.
If you must...
Your descriptions of the battles you've been in
show growth and understanding from the earliest of the scrolls to the latest.
Were you aware of that?
No.
They've started building roads across the sand.
How many legions are there?
We don't know.
Gabrielle...
Let's go check out the town and find out what the Romans are up to.
- It's too...! - Hold it!
Gabrielle and I can handle this.
Everyone else stay here.
Just need to put this on.
What's with the desert boy?
He wants me to teach him how to use the sais.
He's picked a great teacher.
It's kind of strange being thought of as a warrior more than a bard.
Guess I've come a long way.
Is that a good thing?
Yeah, it is.
For once, Xena, I'd like to be Roman noble and you be the slave.
Yes, what is it?
My loyal servant and I have just arrived from Rome.
Are you in charge here?
Yes, yes, I am. What can I do for you?
I am Fasmia...
Wife of Cypio Africanus the fifth.
I assume you've heard of my family.
Indeed I have, madam.
Cypios are well-known everywhere.
I've come to see whether this would be a profitable place to invest our money.
My dear lady...
Please, excuse my manners.
Our prospects here are excellent.
We've set up a profitable trade route,
protected by the forces of Rome.
Protected from what?
The nomads?
I've heard they're very fierce...
Scattered savages, I assure you.
The tribes fight more amongst themselves than with us.
And what if they were to unite?
They'd be dangerous, wouldn't they?
There is no chance of that.
They spout old stories of Xena, Caesar's Thracian whore,
and wait for a legendary warrior to rise out of the sand and lead them.
- Are you concerned? - Concerned?
About a long-crucified annoyance?
Hardly.
My dear lady...
Your money will be safe with us.
At this moment...
three legions are preparing an offensive to...
pacify the ethnics once and for all.
Call it a...
cleansing, if you will.
Seems overconfident, if I may say so.
You seem a little outspoken for a slave.
I think someone should be punished.
Oh, someone will be.
I promise.
Thank you, Governor.
You've been most helpful.
I think we should stop!
We'll get covered over!
Keep moving!
Gabrielle?
Xena!
Gabrielle!
Xena!
Gabrielle!
Korah?
- Gabrielle... - What...?
It's a scroll.
What have I done?
I never thought I'd see this.
What's that?
You washing blood off my hands.
I never thought I'd see it, either.
It says that Kahina and Tazir have finalized their peace treaty.
I want you to go back to Kahina's camp...
- and wait for me there. - Where are you going?
To take him home.
I'm going with you.
No, just give me a chance to explain to them.
- Xena, I have to talk to Tazir. - You will...
later.
A rider approaches!
It's Xena!
Xena!
Did the message reach you?
It's Korah.
Korah!
- Tazir... - What happened?
Quickly, men!
- Korah, how...? - What's going on?
Xena?
Someone'll die for this. I swear it!
Who could have done it? Thieves?
Yes.
More like one of your men, Kahina!
Get your hands off me! We had nothing to do with it!
You've been trying to weaken my position for years.
- Now you take my son! - Tazir, wait.
I saw tracks where he was killed.
Tracks of a thousand men a mile wide.
Tracks?
My people wouldn't leave a grain of sand out of place.
We had nothing to do with it.
Only the cursed Romans would...
Romans...
- Xena, did you see them? - No, there was a storm.
It must have been the Romans.
How foolish I was to send Korah.
The Romans are coming in several legions.
We have to hit them before they're ready.
They have cost me my son.
They will all die for this.
I will slaughter them one by one with my own hands.
I will have justice for my son's blood!
Save it for the Romans!
How'd it go?
Not good.
I should have gone with you.
I'll talk to him, Xena.
No, it's more complicated than you think.
Xena, it's not complicated. It is simple. I killed Korah.
Out here, the penalty for that is death.
I accept that.
Well, I don't.
What purpose would it serve?
It can't bring Korah back now, can it?
Xena, that man out there deserves to know the truth.
He thinks he does. He thinks the Romans did it.
Did you tell them that?
It was an accident.
Let him believes the Romans did it.
They have to fight them anyway.
- I can't lie about this! - You don't have to lie.
Xena!
Please I beg you... Please...
- Don't say anything. - Xena?
We've spotted Romans in the desert. We sent a patrol out.
What we have to do is find out where they are now and lure them into a trap.
There's a valley just north of here.
- We could lead them there. - That's perfect.
They cannot come soon enough.
I hunger for this fight to begin, Xena, and for you to lead us to victory.
Kahina... We found him.
- He's the killer? - Of course.
We caught him near the water-hole. He tried to escape.
See? Korah's blood is still on it.
Let's take him to Tazir.
- Let him make an example of him. - Just because he's a Roman...
doesn't mean he's the killer, Kahina.
I have all the proof I need right here.
Tie him! We'll drag him into Tazir's camp.
- Yeah. - Hold it.
To kill a man in a fight to protect your homeland is one thing.
But to pick out a Roman at random
and execute him for a crime he may not have committed, that is something else.
If he didn't do it, someone just like him did.
Come with us, Xena.
- You're one of us now. - Wait!
He isn't the killer.
I am.
- Where are they taking her? - To Tazir's camp.
She doesn't deserve to die, Kahina.
Neither did Korah.
The law is a just one, Xena.
This changes everything. You lied to us.
That's right, I lied.
And even if you were to kill Gabrielle, the Romans would keep coming.
Then they will.
We can't follow you now.
Tomorrow at dawn, she dies.
How does it feel?
- How does what feel? - Killing an innocent.
It's unbearable.
He admired you and you slaughtered him.
No.
Silence!
If I had know what a snake you were...
I'd have struck your head off and my son would still be alive.
Murderer.
I'm going to join up with Xena.
I'm going to be a warrior, like her.
A warrior? Gabrielle, I can beat you up.
You've got to take me with you and teach me everything you know.
You have a remarkable gift for healing.
No, that's Xena's specialty.
No, Perdicus!
Oh! No!
I won't take a life, even yours.
It's hard the way of love.
But if you choose to follow it...
you must do so with all your heart.
No, look. You promise me.
If something happens to me, you will not become a monster.
Get up!
I can't, Gabrielle.
You're walking through life preaching peace and...
Xena and I have swords in our hands.
sometimes the only answer is to fight.
If I kill you...
you win.
I become like you.
These weapons you use,...
they help you to fight defensively when you don't wanna draw blood.
They do, but you see... You can kill someone with it.
Korah?
Xena...
You once prayed never to see the light go out in me.
I just don't think there's much of that left in here.
This is best for everyone.
The end will come too quickly for what you deserve.
Pray the vultures don't get to you before we do.
Bury the murderer.
My dear lady...
Is there something I can do for you?
Actually there may be something I can do for you.
The nomads are joining forces.
They found someone to lead them. This could mean trouble for you.
A minor annoyance.
But one you could avoid if you knew where they were gathered.
True.
Our legions could use a diversion.
- A life for a life! - Justice for Korah!
Avenge my son! Avenge Korah!
The Romans! The Romans are coming!
Get the horses! Quickly!
I hate to interrupt their game, but I'm getting you out of here.
To the valley!
Saved by the Romans...
I would have bet against that.
It sure took 'em long enough.
Xena?
I needed a diversion.
Last night, I thought letting them kill me was the best thing for everyone.
Gabrielle, you may never forgive yourself for what happened to Korah...
but you'll be a stronger person for it.
I don't know.
I felt that way once.
I felt there was nothing left to live for.
I was tired of hurting and I just wanted it to end.
What changed it for you?
You did.
I guess we've come full circle, huh?
Come on.
You're out of time and you're out of options.
Now they know that you're here,
they'll hunt you down unless you stop them.
You expect us to trust you now?
- Why should we? - You have no choice.
We could have ridden in the opposite direction.
Why didn't you?
Tazir, your son's blood is on my hands
and it will be for as I walk this Earth.
I can't change that...
but I can help his people win their freedom.
Maybe his death'll have some meaning then.
And I promised you that I'd help you defeat the Romans.
I keep my promises.
The Romans are coming! They found our trail!
She's right. We have no choice.
All right.
Let's move it!
Get those horses outta here!
You said the sun had to be in this position?
Yes.
That's how we know when one is coming.
They're right behind us!
Everyone, get covered up! Move!
We don't have enough people, even with the surprise.
You have Xena. What more do you want?
Funny how the Romans showed up just in time to save your friend...
- almost like it was planned. - You got the fight you wanted.
Stop complaining.
Left a few details out of those stories, didn't you?
Form up!
You heard him, form the line!
Hold steady!
Hold steady men!
Die!
Come on!
Tell Caesar Xena sends her regards.
Xena?
Do you think they'll succeed against the Romans?
They've got a good chance.
The desert's a powerful weapon in their favor.
For a while there, I didn't think the day would end so well.
Neither did I.
You saved me today, Xena, against the greater good.
Why?
Isn't that what we've been fighting for?
Gabrielle, in everyone's life
there's something that goes beyond the greater good.
That's what you are in my life.
I wasn't about to let you die out there
if there was something I could do about it.
What if it was my choice?
Especially if it was your choice.
It seems I've traded Korah's life for my own...
thanks to you.
That evens the scales between us.
It doesn't really, does it?
No.
He could have become a great warrior...
just like you.
Just like me.