Disclaimers: I did not give this episode a rating as I didn’t want to give credence to a story I did not like or believe in. If I did so, then it would be as if I was saying that I agreed with what happened in it and that, I will never accept as an appropriate series finale. The episode is very difficult to watch and I wish I had not done so. If you have a problem with seeing our hero die before your eyes in a horrific death I recommend you not watch this episode and keep When Fates Collide as your series finale. I could kick myself for not doing the same. Xena’s death is extremely painful and infuriating to watch, not to mention having to see her soul mate Gabrielle’s horror as she sees her dead, decapitated body. I highly recommend that children not see this episode.

The episode begins with Xena on the battlefield burying her armor; she is now in the outfit she wore at the end of part 1. She buries her sword and keeps her Chakram with her. We see men banging on huge drums as an army approaches. Gabrielle is with the monk and an army of her own. She stops, saying it’s too quiet out there and remembers everything that Xena asked her and taught her in part one. She remembers Xena asking what she would do to get to the water tower and to listen to what’s behind the sounds. She remembers what Xena did when she taught her the pinch as we see all of these scenes and she figures out what the deal is yelling, "Xena!" as she runs off through the forest. 

Xena is on a suicide mission and attacks the army, which is carrying flammable bottles. They explode and kill many as it looks like the atom bomb has exploded. After the wrath of the bomb, she begins to attack the remaining army with her bow and arrow. Gabrielle is frantically trying to get to her. The army attacks Xena with their arrows and she’s wounded in the arm above her heart, then through the knee. She breaks them off and continues towards them as arrow after arrow penetrates her scantily clad body. One arrow pins her arm to a cart that she is sitting in front of and she breaks it off, pissed. She stands up saying, "Alright, now you asked for it," very angrily and heads towards them. She’s shot in the stomach, but continues on as many warriors, whom she cuts down, attack her. She shouts, "GABRIELLE!" as she continues to kill them while we see clips of Gabrielle from One Against An Army on her deathbed as we hear Xena’s voice say, "If I only have thirty seconds to live," and the scene changes to the end of Fallen Angel where Gabrielle says, "We’re going to be together." The scene changes to Xena fighting the warriors, then changes to the Ides of March as Gabrielle says, "You brought out the best in me," and Xena screams "GABRIELLE," as she’s cutting one person down after another. The scene changes to part one where Xena is showing Gabby the pinch and she says, "This is how I’d want to live them, looking into your eyes." The scene changes back to the bloodbath as Xena is wounded terribly and faces the lead samurai who swings his sword and beheads her, as the screen turns red, then changes to a commercial. It was a very difficult scene to watch and made me nauseous seeing our hero die like that.

Gabrielle finds Xena’s Chakram covered in blood and the scene changes to the teahouse where Akemi sees the sword appear. She bows her head in prayer as Xena walks through the door. Akemi tells her she came to her in her dreams and she thought it was her dreams, but now she’s there in reality and it feels like a dream. Xena is now in a red robe and walks towards Akemi; the robe flutters in the wind as she walks to her. The scene changes to Gabrielle and the monk who is watching the ghost killer kill the souls of the dead before Yodoshi can devour them. The monk turns to Gabrielle and eagerly says, "Perhaps he sees Xena." Gabrielle gets angry and adamantly tells him, "Xena is alive. She’s alive," before she walks away. The scene changes to the teahouse and Xena is baffled by the way she feels. She tells Akemi she’s been in the underworld before and she’s never felt that way. Akemi looks at one of the other chicks there who is rubbing her foot along the floor with an ankle bracelet on. Akemi explains that their bodies are an illusion projected by Yodoshi and while they are under his body they must obey his will. The anklet chick stomps her foot and the anklet makes a noise. Yodoshi comes storming in and faces Xena who has not bowed like the other women. He has a fire whip coming from his hand and is spanking Xena with it. He finally tears her clothes off with it and makes her bow at his feet. She tells him she is at his service and he says yes, she certainly is, before he leaves.

Akemi tells Xena she was worried that Xena wouldn’t show him respect, but she was glad that she did. Xena informs her it wasn’t respect she was showing and that she intends to destroy him. Akemi tells her it won’t be easy as the chick with the anklet is watching her and Xena tells her she realizes she’s watching and to let her follow her. Gabrielle is walking through the forest and catches a glimpse of two people running through the woods. She sees someone in red and heads towards them.  She comes face to face with Xena who is shocked to see her. They hug and Gabrielle wants to know what’s up with the robe. Xena tells her she’s going to kill the lord of the dark land. Gabrielle tells her, "Well, you’ll need this," and holds the Chakram out, but Xena can’t take it. Gabrielle is surprised, as is Xena. Gabrielle realizes she’s dead and is upset. No, she looks more like she’s hurt that Xena would do that without telling her. She’s devastated that Xena allowed herself to get killed and tearfully asks her that. Xena tells her that she had to do it without her knowing about it because she knew she would try to stop her and then they would both be dead. Gabrielle tearfully asks, "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Xena says, "We’ve overcome death before. We will find a way to bring me back. Only by becoming a spirit can I kill Yodoshi and free those souls I condemned to torment. Don’t you see that?" Gabrielle looks at her and hugs her saying, "You’re my whole life Xena. I won’t lose you." Xena tells her, "You won’t lose me." They continue the hug and the ghost killer approaches. Gabrielle draws her sword and squares off at him adamantly warning, "Don’t you come near her."

Xena puts a comforting hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder and tells her to put her weapons down, that he’s working with her as the anklet chick hides in the bushes. Xena motions with her head where the chick is and grabs the chick throwing her towards the ghost killer who skewers her. Xena dives and catches the anklet before it rings, signaling Yodoshi. They all head to the teahouse and Xena shows Akemi the anklet saying that they can bring Yodoshi to them when they are ready. Gabrielle tentatively approaches and looks as if she’s the left out lover. I felt so heartbroken for Gabrielle and sad. Akemi and Xena look at her. Xena says to Akemi, "This is my soul mate, she’s a poet like you, Akemi." The ghost killer grabs Gabrielle’s arm and she turns to him. He asks, "I have one question. Would you risk your life for the return of hers?" Gabrielle tearfully says, "Without hesitation." The monk softly tells her there’s a way for her to do that by taking Xena's body and burning it. Then she has to sprinkle the ashes in the fountain of strength on Mt. Fujisan before the second sunset after death, that’s tomorrow. He explains that the ghost killer will say that incantation is necessary to give the sacred katana power against malicious spirits. Gabrielle understands everything and Xena introduces Gabrielle to Akemi. She bows and tells her it’s an honor to meet her at last. Gabrielle says, "And you, Akemi." The monk explains to them that Gabrielle can’t help with their work in the teahouse and that she must leave soon. Akemi tells Gabrielle she wants to give her something that will protect her on her journey.

The scene changes to Gabrielle lying on the floor prone. The sheet is pulled off of her and Akemi begins to put a tattoo of a dragon on her back. It’s extremely painful and Gabrielle arches up wincing, grabbing the sheet when she begins. Xena lies next to her and looks at Gabrielle, then places her hand on Gabrielle’s arm as Akemi works on the tattoo. They dress Gabrielle once the tattoo is finished and it covers her entire back. They are all outside and Xena hands Gabrielle the katana saying, "Good luck, old friend," as Gabrielle nods, takes the sword and turns to leave. Gabrielle turns around and adamantly guarantees, "I’m getting your body back, Xena. No matter where they’ve hidden it. Before sunset tomorrow we will meet again on the side of Mt. Fujisan." Xena smiles slightly and Gabrielle walks away. She turns back to look at her as Xena says, "See you there." 

The scene changes and it’s now storming. Gabrielle is in the camp of the army that killed Xena. Two warriors walk by and she thrashes them with the whip, taking them out with a few kicks to the chest and head. She walks away from them and drops to her knees at the sight before her, Xena’s headless body strung up between two trees. She’s mortified, horrified and ready to throw up. She gasps over and over again trying to gain her composure. She stands up, drawing her sword and shouts, "Give me her head!" She cuts Xena down and wraps her up in a blanket as the head samurai approaches from behind. She’s livid and stands up, then faces him. He tells her that he’s been expecting her and that her friend was a fine opponent that she provided him with one of the greatest trophies an honorable samurai can claim. Gabrielle isn’t impressed and says, "You call yourself honorable. You outnumbered her by a thousand to one. You’re not a samurai, you’re a fraud. You couldn’t have killed Xena unless she wanted you too." He’s pissed and says; "I think it’s you with the death wish." Gabrielle defiantly says, "I accept the challenge." She squares off against the samurai and remembers what Xena taught her about listening to the sounds behind the sounds. The storm continues as the samurai moves to strike her. She easily avoids him and knocks him to the ground. He is on his knees as Gabrielle is holding the sword to his neck. He tells her, "It was the greatest honor of my life to send Xena to an early grave. If I can’t do the same to you then I ask you to grant me a noble defeat. Please, remove my head in one stroke." Gabrielle clenches her teeth and swings her sword, knocking him out. She waves her sword and sheaths it as she walks away. The warriors all bow to her and move as we see Xena’s head sitting on a bench. We see Gabrielle put Xena’s body on a white horse before she rides off.

Back at the teahouse the ghost killer is chanting. Xena is dressed like the other girl and stomps her foot, calling Yodoshi there. He asks where the other girl is and the ghost killer stabs him. He tosses the ghost killer off of him and he drops the sword. Xena picks it up looking in the water for him. The steam comes out of the hot tub and they don’t see him. A drop of water falls from the beam and the water forms into him (special effects like from the terminator). He fights Xena and blows fire on the other girl who is instantly torched. In the fight, the monk is decapitated and Akemi is on fire. Xena kicks her and she falls into the hot tub. Yodoshi blows on the water freezing her in an ice tomb there. Yodohsi kills the ghost killer. Xena battles Yodoshi and cuts off one of his arms. She stabs him and he turns into a fire tornado that takes off out of the roof. Xena breaks the ice on the tub and gets Akemi out of the water. 

The scene changes to Gabrielle who is burning Xena’s body. She is thinking, ‘I can’t let you die,’ as the scene changes to Xena showing her the pinch and saying that if she had thirty seconds to live that’s how she’d want to live them, looking into her eyes, then the scene changes to the Ides of March prison scene of Xena in Gabby’s arms as she kissed her, then the ending to Return of Callisto with Xena and Gabrielle looking at the sunset as we hear Xena say, "Even in death Gabrielle. I will never leave you." Gabrielle is crying and says, "You will return to me, my friend," as she closes the lid on the small container for her ashes.  The scene changes to the teahouse and the dying ghost killer explains that Yodoshi is drinking from the fountain of strength. He explains that if you drink from the fountain and use the sword that he has blessed, it would be the final destruction for any spirit. He tells her she must finish the job and release them all as he dies in her arms. Xena guarantees, "I will not rest until it is done.

The scene changes to Gabrielle riding back and an arrow shoots her horse. They fall and Gabrielle rises to her feet. Oh, by the way she has the Chakram on her side and faces the samurai she was supposed to kill before. He tells her he won’t allow her to find the fountain of strength to revive her friend. Gabrielle picks up the container with Xena’s ashes and begins to fight him. He knocks the container out of her hand and she takes off after it. He follows as they continue to fight. Gabrielle beats the crap out of him and knocks him to the ground. His hand hits the container sending it over the side of the mountain. Gabrielle runs to catch it, but misses it. She can’t reach it and looks around as the scene changes to Yodoshi who is opening a valve to let the water out. Xena comes up and throws him aside. The water comes down the mountain and she’s about to drink it, but Yodoshi freezes it, sending Xena across the sky to the ground. She’s knocked out and Gabrielle turns, as she's heard her yelling. Gabrielle heads back towards Xena as Akemi picks up the sword to kill Yodoshi. Xena is laying down gasping as Gabrielle approaches. The scene changes to Yodoshi and he sucks up an ice crystal with his tongue gaining strength. Gabrielle reaches Xena and cradles her. Yodoshi starts to suck and Akemi tries in vain not to be taken in. Xena tells Gabrielle with a smile, "I told you I would see you here." Gabrielle smiles as she looks at her and holds her head. The useless Akemi gets sucked into daddy’s tummy and he grabs the sword before he eats it. Xena gasps to Gabrielle that she has to get water from the fountain of strength. Gabrielle heads over to it and scoops some up in her hand. She puts it to her mouth and Yodoshi sends a fireball that hits her back where the tattoo is. The fireball goes back and knocks him to the ground. Gabrielle is dazed, but rushes to Xena’s side and hovers over her. She puts Xena’s head in her hand. Xena opens her mouth and Gabrielle presses her lips against Xena’s. Gabrielle moves her head to the left, then to the right as she’s still holding Xena’s face with her hand and you hear kissing noises. There is a close up of Gabrielle kissing Xena and she opens her eyes, then closes them before they do a shot over Gabrielle’s shoulder with her head moving side to side as if they are locked in a steamy kiss. They do a close up from the side and Gabrielle’s lips are kissing Xena’s top lip, she moves her bottom lip up brushing Xena’s top lip then moves it down, brushing her lip and nose against Xena as Xena is revived. By the way, there was no water exchanged here folks. We saw no water in the scene and tried to find it the numerous times we watched it. No luck, no water. The side shot from afar at the beginning of the kiss shows the two of them reciprocating the kiss and Xena is fine, when it moves to a close up shot it looks like Xena is dead until Gabrielle’s mouth moves off of hers, then she moves. Xena looks and Gabrielle smiles, happy that she is alive. Xena says, "Gabrielle," in a whisper as she pulls her up. Xena is transformed into full strength and her battle armor now. She tells Gabrielle that she needs the sacred katana, which Gabrielle gives to her.

Gabrielle looks and sees that the sun is ready to set. She tells her she has to find her ashes as the sun is setting. Xena says in a whisper, "Gabrielle," but turns when she hears Yodoshi yell. She looks like she’s going to tell Gabrielle something, but doesn’t. Gabrielle runs off to get her ashes and Xena has to go battle Yodoshi. They battle back and forth as Gabrielle tries to get to her ashes. Gabrielle climbs down the wall of the mountain to get the container with Xena’s ashes that is perched on a ledge. Yodoshi and Xena continue to battle. He tells her that she’s going to join the forty thousand souls that she condemned and the first thing he’s going to do is take off the head of her little friend.  Ooh, now he’s done it. He’s threatened Gabrielle and you don’t do that!

She kicks him and he flies backwards into a tree, bounces off and heads towards Xena. She turns her back to him and swings her sword around moving it behind her as he plunges onto the sword. She takes it out of him and swings around, chopping off his head. Gabrielle kicks the container up and catches it, before quickly climbing up the face of the mountain. She rushes to meet Xena, but sees the samurai. He holds his sword out to Gabrielle and says, "I deserve the dignity of a warrior." Gabrielle looks at the setting sun and looks back at him saying, "Dignity, huh?" as she takes the Chakram off her hip. She holds it up and says, "Like you showed my friend?" She throws it under hand and it hits him in the head, then a rock and back to Gabrielle who catches it, thoroughly surprised that she caught it. She rushes off to find Xena. 

Xena is looking at all the souls that have been released and Akemi tells her that she’s been redeemed and Xena tells her to go in peace, that they’ll meet again one day. Gabrielle is holding the container over the water and is ready to pour them in, but Xena stops her. Gabrielle keeps trying to but Xena tells her, "No, not if it means condemning the souls of the forty thousand who burned at Higuchi." Gabrielle tells her, "The souls are free." Xena says, "From Yodoshi’s grasp. Akemi didn’t want to tell me this in case I wouldn’t come back to help, but for those souls to be released into a state of grace they must be avenged. I must stay dead." Gabrielle is dismayed and begins to cry saying, "But if I bring you back to life," Xena tearfully interrupts saying, "Then the souls will be lost forever." Gabrielle shakes her head and cries saying, "Xena," turning her back to Xena. She turns around tearfully saying, "That is not right." Gabrielle moves closer to Xena and cries softly saying, "I don’t care," as Xena lovingly looks at her. She puts her hand over her mouth crying harder and says, "You’re all that matters to me." She cries harder and Xena says, "Don’t you know how much I want to let you do this. But if there is a reason for our travels together, it’s because I had to learn from you, enough to know the final, the good, the right thing to do." Xena’s voice cracks as Gabrielle cries harder and Xena says, "I can’t come back," crying as she looks at Gabrielle then says, "I can’t." Gabrielle can’t take it and plops down on a rock shaking her head.

Gabrielle closes her eyes as Xena sits next to her and breathlessly says as she opens her eyes, "I love you, Xena." She turns to Xena and tearfully asks, "How am I supposed to go on without you?" Xena smiles as she looks at her and says, "I’ll always be with you Gabrielle. Always." Gabrielle leans her head against Xena’s shoulder as Xena puts her arm around Gabrielle’s waist. They sit that way together looking at the sunset over the mountain. Xena disappears and Gabrielle shakes her head in disbelief and longing saying, "Xena," in a whisper as the sun begins to disappear behind the mountain. We see a picture of Xena from the first season superimposed over the shot of the clouded and quickly darkening sky. 

The next shot is of Gabrielle alone on a boat holding the container with Xena’s ashes. The shot moves closer to Gabrielle who says with a crackle in her voice and an admiring smile on her face, "A life of journeying has brought you to the farthest lands, to the very edges of the earth." She smiles looking down at the container as a hand touches her shoulder. The shot moves back as Gabrielle turns to see Xena standing beside her and she says, "And to the place where I’ll always remain, to your heart." She smiles and so does Gabrielle who looks like she’s blushing. She looks at the container and Xena looks out over the sea asking, "So, where to now?" Gabrielle looks out over the water and says, "I think we should go south to the land of the pharaohs. I hear they need a girl with a Chakram." Gabrielle looks at Xena who tells her, "Where you go. I’m at your side." Gabrielle chuckles and says, "I knew you’d say that," as Gabrielle smiles looking out over the water. Xena laughs and puts her hand on Gabrielle’s head, pulling her to her and kisses the side of her head. Gabrielle looks at her and smiles sadly, as does Xena who still has her hand resting on Gabrielle’s shoulder. The shot changes to Gabrielle standing alone on the boat as it sails off and the shot pulls farther away, ending a fabulous love story with our hero dead and her soul mate left all alone, our hearts broken from the tragic turn of events.

The direction, the acting and the scenery of the episode were fabulous. However, the story was extremely flawed and cruel. It left me in dismay, disbelief and extremely mad! I was too livid with this story (and still am) to cry either of the two times I watched the episode. I finally did as I wrote the last few lines of the review, but I’m still mad. First of all, how many times does Xena have to die for these forty thousand souls that no one but her and TPTB care about? We could care less about them, keep our hero alive and by her soul mates side! Xena received redemption and atonement when she died in The Ides of March and went to heaven in Fallen Angel. She was absolved of all her past sins (including these) when she became an angel and was allowed into heaven. Did the person who wrote this story forget that important fact? It seems so! Also, Xena did not condemn those souls; they were condemned by the useless, good for nothing Akemi! She’s the one that is responsible for them. If she wouldn’t have killed her father and requested that Xena take her ashes to the grave site, the deaths of those people wouldn’t have happened. I never bought into the storyline that Akemi meant so much to Xena or that she broke her heart for love reasons. I didn’t consider Akemi to be a friend at all. She used Xena and Xena was mad because she didn’t get her money and because Akemi betrayed her. The storyline of them did nothing but make me think Akemi just used Xena to get what she wanted and left Xena high and dry, dead! This storyline had so many big holes in it that a Boeing 747 could fly through it sideways! That’s what really ticks me off! There was no reason for Xena to die for these souls as she had already done so in Ides of March. There was no reason for our hero to die during the SERIES FINALE! Fine for a season ender, but not for the SERIES FINALE!

I thought it was downright mean, nasty and cruel. Not only did we have to watch her die a painful death, they had to add injury to insult by beheading her and then have her body displayed naked and tied between two trees with her head sitting on a bench. I don’t give a rat’s ass that it is an honor for a samurai to die that way. News flash! Xena is not a samurai! On top of all of that, TPTB thought they would be funny with their disclaimer that Xena was permanently harmed during the production of this motion picture, but she kept her spirits up. News flash! It wasn’t very amusing! I couldn’t disagree more with this conclusion for a series finale. What would it have harmed to have our two favorite characters ride off into the sunset happy, alive and together like on Hercules? It wouldn’t have harmed anything. It would have been nice for them to have a break after all they have been through together through the years. No, Xena is dead and Gabrielle is left alone. It would have been more acceptable if Xena died for Gabrielle, but not for the forty thousand souls (need I say it again?) that Xena had already been redeemed for, the one’s I don’t think she’s responsible for anyway! 

We finally get a kiss between these two lovely ladies and of course, one of them is dead! So, it means nothing. There was no water exchanged between the two so obviously the scene was a supposed gift to us, but again Xena was dead, a ghost! After analyzing the kiss a few, twenty times I’ve come to the conclusion of this. When the shot was far off (in the beginning) Xena opened her mouth and both of them were in to it as a passionate kiss. When the camera did a close up, it looked as though Xena was dead and I think this was to appease the censors. They shouldn’t have coped out and had them kiss with both women being alive and in their own bodies, both awake! To heck with the censors! If they can allow Aphrodite to kiss Gabrielle and us to see Xena’s decapitated body strung up, NAKED no less, between two trees then we could have had a kiss between the two of them under the circumstances I mentioned above. Can you tell I’m a little miffed by the whole ending?

ROC did a fabulous job (as always) and gave a powerful performance. We all cheered when Gabrielle threw the Chakram and caught it! Her reaction of seeing Xena’s dead body, the pain and agony she felt from it were heart wrenching to see. The best line of the episode was when Gabrielle told Xena that she didn’t care that the souls would be condemned. She wanted Xena back and that’s what she should have gotten. The most painful to watch was Gabrielle standing alone on the boat as the scene fades to black, knowing that she is without the love of her life physically by her side. To me, it’s more significant to have Xena in Gabrielle’s heart and by her side, alive. Lucy did a great and terrific job as well, especially having to react to ROC’s emotional reactions with Xena’s death!

I wish I'd never seen this episode and could keep When Fates Collide as my series finale. I look at it that way but unfortunately the damage was done when I watched this one. Now I can’t get the image of Xena being a ghost and Gabrielle being alone, without Xena physically by her side as they should be out of my mind. I wanted to watch another episode, a funny one to ease the pain I felt, but couldn’t as I knew I would only think of how happy they looked together and then reality would set in that Xena was dead. It just wouldn’t be the same. I have no closure and there is no sense or reason for an ending like this one. I fell in love with these two characters and they will always be dear to me in my heart, as they have become like family to me. Their story has given me my soul mate and very dear friends as well as a fabulous opportunity as a bard and for that I thank them. My advice to all of you who would rather keep the vision of these two characters alive and happy in hearts and minds, don’t watch this episode. Instead, watch the real ending, When Fates Collide.

Thanks for your support!
Cruise

Disclaimer: A clown piñata of Rob Tapert was severely harmed after viewing this episode by numerous Xenites. He received the same fate as he gave Xena. He was beheaded and burned to ashes!