Disclaimers: If you don’t want to be spoiled for the next part I wouldn’t recommend reading the sections title ‘my musings’ or ‘my speculation’ which are at the end of the review. They contain spoilers and rumors for the next part so skip by them if you are spoiler sensitive. If you don’t mind them then happy reading to you! J

The episode begins with Xena and Gabrielle chilling out by their campfire. Gabby is checking out the cosmos above and says to Xena, 'Looking out at the cosmos makes you think about where we are, where we’ve been and where we’re going now." Xena adds, 'Yeah, like the bigger now. I mean Gabrielle what are we going to do? Wander around Greece all our whole lives looking for trouble? Why don’t we go away, far away what do you say?" She eagerly hopes that Gabrielle will agree to it. Gabrielle quips with a cute smile, 'I can’t believe you’re awake, much less listening to me." Xena suggests, 'Let’s go south to the land of the Pharaohs, I hear they are in need of a girl with a Chakram," with a grin as she’s leaning up on her elbows in a supine position. A tree rustles in the distance and Gabrielle takes a look out saying, 'You know that there’s somebody out there," and Xena adds, 'Yeah, he’s been trying to find us for the past half hour." You hear a man shout something and Gabrielle springs into action to see what’s going on as Xena chills out watching her before she decides to investigate.

Gabrielle finds a monk with a huge backpack that has a wicker thing on top that looks like he has a tree house attached to him. He questions as to whether she’s Xena and Xena has approached cautiously asking, 'Who wants to know?" He says he’s a messenger sent by Akemi. Xena is intrigued and approaches him asking, 'Akemi? You saw Akemi?" She looks like she’s seen a ghost she’s so stunned. He explains he did a few weeks ago and that that he and a fellow monk were traveling together in a forest near the town Higuchi, but were caught in a bad storm. As he’s explaining this we see what’s happening between them. They sought refuge in a teahouse full of women. His fellow monk decided to take advantage of the offerings of the women, but he abstained from the pleasures offered by the women. We see everything happening including a rapidly moving entity that we can’t see; we can only see where this thing is heading, straight for the teahouse. The woman that the monk was speaking with tells him he must leave and he scats out the back door. His friend stays in the hot tub as the entity bursts through the door. It’s head stretches all the way into the teahouse much like rubber man with a gnarly looking demonic face, it’s large human form body finally catching up to it. It blows a cold wind on the monk in the hot tub and then sucks him up. The other monk runs from the teahouse and falls into the water. He climbs out and is trying to get away. The woman from the teahouse grabs him and scares the bejeebers out of him. She tells him that demon is the lord of the dark land and he’s forging war on Higuchi. She offers a samurai sword and begs him to do what is needed to stop the demon from doing harm to the city. He nervously explains that he’s not a swordsman. She tells him there is a swordsman in the far west, a warrior princess. The opening begins.

They are all now on a boat. Xena is sunbathing in a bathing suit with a large black oriental looking hat on watching Gabrielle sparring with the monk using staffs. He’s explaining to Gabrielle about the ways of the Samurai and Gabrielle asks what he knows about Akemi. Xena looks down giving a look like she’s suddenly had a bad case of food poisoning as he explains that she was forced by Yodoshi the lord of the dark land to seduce souls into his grasp. He explains that she’s very beautiful and that she’s a ghost. Xena realizes that she’s got some explaining to do and says, 'Gabrielle before we reach Jaba I should tell you everything that happened there the last time." Gabrielle sees the seriousness in Xena’s demeanor and joins her as Xena begins to explain. She explains that Borias told her about a man’s daughter who had been kidnapped and taken farther east than Chin. He told her he was offering a reward for the girl so they took off eager to find the girl for the money. The scene changes to Borias and Xena on a boat as she continues to tell the story. The challenge of finding a new land to plunder was much too much for her to pass up. They enter a palace and find the girl bowing on the floor. Her keeper goes to introduce her, but she already knows Xena’s name and is quite enamored with her. Her keeper threatens the girl and she says that he will do nothing to her, as Xena won’t allow it, as she will soon fall in love with her. Borias pipes in that Xena loves no one and the girl informs them that she will be Xena’s student for her to take her with her and teach her everything she knows. Xena offers him fifty pieces of gold, but the guy is reluctant. Borias tells him it’s unhealthy to negotiate with Xena. He was right; Xena kicks the guards’ butts after putting the pinch on the keeper. Xena finishes up the job, and takes the girl allowing the guy to die, as she never removed the pinch.

Xena is pleased with her new pupil and Borias is taunting her about the girl never learning anything. Xena calls Akemi over and tells her a few moves to do as she is going to pretend to be the attacker. The girl counters her moves, but forgets one and Xena kicks her in the ribs, knocking her to the ground. Xena tells her, 'Lesson one. Trust no one." They get off the boat and Borias reminds her that he is to get ten percent of the ransom money. 

Xena and Akemi are walking through the snow-covered land. Xena stops and listens, telling her pupil to listen as well. Akemi doesn’t hear it and Xena tells her it's life and death. Then tells her different things that have happened in that area and what is currently happening. Akemi is awestruck saying that Xena must be at such peace to hear the ‘Commi’, which is the powers behind all nature, the universe and she believes that they brought Xena to her. Xena refutes that saying she’s at war and that every sound is a potential enemy approaching. Akemi tells her that she hopes one day the ‘Commi’ will help her know peace. She gives her a scroll with writing on it that Xena can’t read and she tells her it means love. She begins to read, 'Yesterday the moon took lodging on my sleeve, today I have hope for even the broken-hearted stars."

The scene changes to Gabrielle and Xena. Gabby says, 'So beautiful. To write something like that she must have loved you very much. What’s wrong?"  Xena looks very sad and says, 'The truth is Gabrielle, she broke my heart." Xena stares at her with a look of complete hurt. Xena continues to explain that Akemi took her to her grandfather’s grave. Xena is not happy about it at all. Akemi says that they must seek his blessing. She bows to pray to him and Xena draws her sword as if she’s going to decapitate her, but Akemi moves her hair off her neck. Xena stops and looks at her as Akemi tells her that she hears sounds that are unheard to Xena and goes back to praying. She explains that her grandfather says that she is a wise and good teacher, but that her sword is not good enough. Xena is perturbed by the comment and Akemi tells her that compared to a Katana all other swords are toys. They go to get one of these swords and enter a blacksmith shop. Akemi greets the sensei telling him that her master wishes to fight him for the Katana. He’s pissed when he sees that her master is a woman and all the men in the shop fight Xena. They easily snap her sword in two with the Katana and she’s impressed. She wants it and she shall have it too! She wins the fight and takes the sword telling Akemi, 'Grandpa was right. Now this is a sword," as she’s checking out the sword appreciatively.

Later, they are at their campsite and Akemi is writing more of her scrolls. The young girl and everything that she’s saying intrigue Xena. Xena tells her, 'Listen kid, you’re nice and all, but I’m just here for the ransom money." Akemi asks Xena what she hears and she tells her, 'Snow falling on cedars. No, your heart beating harder than normal." Akemi tells her she’s a master of war, but she knows no words of love even though she saved Akemi back where they got the sword and there is no greater gift of love a teacher can give a student than that. Akemi asks Xena for a gift from Xena. She wants to know how to do the pinch. Xena tells her it’s a sacred trust, but agrees that she will show her. Gabrielle is very upset saying, 'You knew her for a few weeks and you taught her the pinch? Xena in all the..." she’s interrupted by the boat captain who tells them the city is on fire and he’s turning back. Xena is desperate and tells Gabrielle she has to go to ashore. Gabrielle says, 'I’m with you," and Xena smiles saying, 'I knew you’d say that," before she jumps in the water followed by her battling bard. They climb out of the water as fireballs from a catapult are pelting the city.

Xena and Gabrielle scan the destruction as Xena tells her she has to get to the water tower. She turns to Gabby and asks, 'Gabrielle, what would you do?" Gabrielle answers, 'I saw these acrobats, they used these..." Xena interrupts her and says, 'Show me, Gabrielle," as Gabby nods her head to begin. We see an old man watching the two of them quite intently since they exited the water. They run through the fire and jump on a rope that just happens to be hanging down. They fly all over on it bouncing off of different things and let go, landing on a roof tarp. They careen off and both do back flips in synchronicity, landing on a rooftop. Yes, folks Gabrielle is doing back flips like Xena now. Gabrielle runs into a door that is covered by fire and Xena shouts for her, as she can’t see her. A guard climbs a ladder that goes to the window and Gabrielle knocks the ladder with him on it to the ground. She jumps out the window onto the ladder and balances herself on it, just like Xena did in Callisto. She shouts for Xena to jump down on it and she does sending Gabrielle flying through the air to safety on a roof. Xena does a few back flips and lands on a bar, Gabrielle shouts for her to go to the ladder. Gabrielle does a balance beam act walking across a board to the ladder and climbs onto it after Xena swings around the bar she’s on a few times to get her momentum up. Xena lands on the ladder with Gabrielle and they twist the ladder around, making it go where they want it too, stopping at the water tower. Xena watches as Gabrielle turns the nozzle to turn the water on, Xena takes out her sword and hits something making the tower burst open, dousing the city thereby putting out the fires. They are very pleased and clasp hands. Gabrielle smiles saying, 'Higuchi is saved!" Xena puts her arm on Gabby’s shoulder saying, 'Not quite how I would have done it, Gabrielle, but it sure worked." They laugh, pleased with their work as the scene changes.

They are now on the ground and Gabrielle tells Xena she doesn’t understand that she taught Akemi the pinch and asks if she ever used it. Xena looks upset about it and Xena says, 'Yes, unfortunately she did." She continues to explain that after a few days of walking they reached Akemi’s father’s fortress. We see everything that is happening and that Akemi puts the pinch on her father. Xena isn’t pleased, but she has to fight off the guards. Akemi kneels beside him and coldly says, 'You have thirty seconds to live. My brothers, my sisters, my mother, my gentle grandparents, I avenge all of your deaths at the hands of this monster. Father, I pray you suffer in death the way your family suffered in life." Her father croaks and she rises to her feet saying, 'It was my duty," as she turns to Xena who is shocked by what she did and continues, 'He had to die," before exiting the room. Xena is pissed; all she wants is the money. Akemi goes outside and bows like she’s going to pray. She asks for Xena to forgive her and asks her to restore her honor with the sacred Katana. She turns away from Xena and pulls her hair off her neck. She tells her once it’s done to take her ashes and spread them out in the town of Higuchi. Xena is reluctant to do it and Akemi sticks a dagger in her stomach telling Xena to do it before the snow melts and the flowers fade as she passes as all things do. She turns to Xena saying, 'The time and love then go on. Restore my honor, Xena." Xena decapitates her as she had requested.

The scene changes back to Xena and Gabrielle as the town people are following them cheering her. Gabrielle asks, 'How will you feel when the time comes that you come face-to-face with Akemi’s ghost?" Xena doesn’t get a chance to answer as the old man stops her and asks, 'The better question is how will Xena feel being face to face with the ghost of the people she killed at Higuchi." Xena says, 'What?" Shocked. Gabrielle asks, 'Who are you?" He says his family name is Harukata and the monk adds, 'Who is known as the killer of ghosts." Gabrielle says, 'Xena saved your city," and he adds, 'This time, but it does nothing to atone for what happened the last time she was in the city." Gabrielle is confused and wants to know what he is talking about so Xena explains that she was going to fulfill Akemi’s dying wish by placing her ashes at her family’s shrine. She explains that the word got out that she was honoring the ashes of a girl who killed her father and they felt that she would be defiling the gravesite. We see Xena looking awful, wicked drunk and with shorter hair than Gabrielle. The town people knock the urn out of her hand and are attacking her. It breaks and Akemi’s ashes are strewn all over the place. Xena is pissed and stands up taking a drink of the alcohol she has. She puts the torch up and blows the fire at them, setting the town on fire. Harukata explains that the fire spread through the city killing forty thousand townsfolk. Xena is in shock and can’t believe it. The monk explains that Akemi told him that after she killed her father his spirit was so full of evil that even the underworld would not allow him in and he became Lord Yodoshi, the eater of souls. The forty thousand lost spirits were at his mercy and he holds them within him. Xena is horrified and says, 'Then I’m guilty of a greater evil than I ever thought possible." Gabrielle tries to console her saying, 'Xena, it was an accident," but Xena can’t accept that saying, 'No, I must set things right."

The scene changes to Xena and Gabrielle on the top of a building overlooking the vast land below. Xena asks Gabrielle if she can hear them and she tells her she thought she heard a horse. Xena tells her to listen to what is behind those sounds. Gabrielle hears the horses and armies that are riding them. She turns to Xena asking how many armies there are and she says at least three. Gabrielle tells her she’s going to warn the others. The ghost killer approaches Xena and he really hates her. Xena tells him that her spirit aches for the torment she has caused and he tells her they both want the same thing, to release the souls. Xena wants to know why he has devoted his life to killing Yodoshi and why he hasn’t been able too. He explains that he has the power to, but that it’s impossible for him to get close enough to use his sword. He tells her he’s mortal and only another ghost can track a spirit as mighty as Yodoshi. Xena looks out over the land thinking of what she’s going to do and nods to him before leaving. I know what she’s thinking and really, Xena just get your bard and go on a vacation. Leave that place and the ghost killer to handle Yodoshi! There is no time for heroics now! We want to see you both alive and well and with each other. So here’s my recommendation, haul ass!

Unfortunately the warrior princess didn’t listen to my warnings and is meditating in a room on her knees with music which sounds like a bunch of angels singing. She tearfully says, 'Akemi. I know what I must do, but I know that what happens on this day may not be undone." Gabrielle enters the room dressed in yet a different costume. She is out of control! Actually, it’s just a variation of her current outfit; she just has a bit of armor up top. She tells her the militia is prepared and wants to know why she’s not ready. Xena asks that Gabrielle come closer and to give her hands to her. Gabrielle does and kneels before Xena who places Gabrielle’s hands on her neck. She’s teaching Gabrielle the pinch. Gabrielle pulls away saying, 'Xena, you don’t have to do this. I understand why you would never want to show me the pinch." Xena says, 'No, today more than ever I want you to know what I know. Please." She takes Gabrielle’s hands and places them on her neck. She smiles and then makes them put the pinch on her. Gabrielle emotionally asks, 'Why are you doing this?" Xena stares at her and struggles to breathlessly say, 'Gabrielle if I only had thirty seconds to live this is how I’d want to live them, looking into your eyes." She stares at Gabrielle full of love. Gabrielle pleads with her, as she’s ready to burst into tears, 'Stop this... Stop it." Xena lovingly stares at Gabrielle saying, 'Always remember I love you," and takes the pinch off. Gabrielle desperately asks, 'Why would you show me this now? I don’t understand." Xena tells her, 'There’s nothing to understand. I just wanted you to know everything that I know. Let’s go, we’ve got a battle to run." She gets up and leaves Gabrielle stunned, shocked in dismay as to what’s going on. I know what’s going on Gabby and I don’t like it one bit! The scene changes to Gabrielle and the monk in a foggy covered haze of the town. He asks, 'Wouldn’t it be better if we stayed with Xena?" Gabrielle informs him, "Xena wants us to lead a contingent to the east flank. She said a group of Yodishi’s archers are gathering there," as she walks past with a confident stride ready for battle. In the background through the fog we see Xena standing there in a new outfit of armor watching her bard walk off in the distance, quickly disappearing from her sight as "to be continued" appears on the screen.

My musings: Well, we find out that Gabrielle is not Xena’s first! J This episode is one that sets everything up for the next one by telling the back-story of Xena and Akemi. I figure this all had to have taken place right after her and Borias left Lao Ma as Xena is now very proficient in her fighting skills and legendary. I enjoyed watching Gabrielle taking charge of the situation and showing Xena what she would do. I just don’t like the circumstances as I just have this bad feeling that something terrible is going to happen because of it. I was a bit bored with the story of Akemi and Xena and wanted more of Gabrielle and Xena. I didn’t particularly care for Akemi and I certainly didn’t believe that Xena was in love with her. I think she was more intrigued with the fact that the girl was so enamored with her and she wanted the ransom money. I also think she was livid by the girl's betrayal of using the pinch to kill her father. It seems strange that Xena would say that she broke her heart, as I just didn’t see the love there between them. The girl had an agenda and used Xena to accomplish it by filling her with words of love or basically filled her with a bunch of bull to get what she wanted. I really don’t like where this episode is leading, to a deathly end for Xena. It seems to me throughout the episode she’s teaching Gabrielle and quizzing her to make sure she’s fully prepared to be without her. She has resigned to the fact that she’s not coming back and she wants to be safe in the knowledge that Gabrielle will be completely safe without her. It seems pretty evident that Xena is going to die to go into the spirit world to fight Yodishi. I really loved the scene between the two of them when she was teaching her the pinch and the line was so beautiful, but if she loved Gabrielle as much as she did she wouldn’t put her through what she’s about to. I have a feeling she did that so she could remember Gabrielle when she dies, as Gabrielle won’t be there. I think she knows that if Gabrielle is there she will stop her or kill herself. I’m trying to hold out hope that the ending is not going to have Xena die and leave it at that or have her as a ghost as some rumors have mentioned. I’d really love to keep my Xena collection and not have to have a fire sale, but after hearing different rumors I’m losing my hope!

My speculation: Is this from watching the episode, from some of the spoilers that I’ve heard and from seeing some of the previews for part II. Here it goes and I could be full of Centaur dung with it, but I believe that Gabrielle is going to be the one to bring Xena back to life. There is a clip in the previews where Gabby gets a tattoo on her back (big one too) and I think that somehow Akemi is going to help her bring Xena back by some type of a ritual maybe like what was done with the mendhi. I look at it this way, that little tart owes Xena big time and better repay two fold by restoring Xena to life for all the favors Xena did for her. I have a feeling that Akemi and the dragon tattoo are in some way going to be connected. There are rumors that Gabrielle kisses Xena to bring her back and I think that’s how it is going to be done with help from Akemi. Let’s hope!