Xena: Episode 112, “Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts”

[helloladies]

In a time without a Black Widow movie on the horizon, two fans in turmoil cried out for a heroine. She was Xena, a mighty female protagonist forged in the fires of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The action, the camp, the queer subtext. Her adventures will rock their worlds.

Xena: Episode 112, "Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts"

Clare: Xena tackles the Trojan War with tact, dignity, and a Trojan Horse built out of wicker lawn chairs, according to the disclaimer at the end of the episode. Hector is transformed into the villainous Deiphobus, the ships comment feels awkward since we're pretty clearly quite far from the shoreline, and it turns into a story about Helen's agency, which is amazing.

Renay: This episode reminded me of a low-budget school play where the production did the best they could with what they had and they decided that gutting the story and making everything about Helen ~finding herself~ was the best decision. I can't disagree. This was excellent Trojan War fanfic.

Clare: According to Whoosh!, Ms loved this episode, because it so clearly foregrounds Helen as a character in the story and asks what she wants. More specifically, it has Xena ask Helen what she wants, after an episode where it's clear that Menelaus and Paris view her as a trophy, while Deiphobus has much weirder plans for her. Helen realizes that the only person who can make her happy is herself, and so off she goes, to be a regular person. Plus, with Galyn Gorg in the role, it does make the statement that in the Xenaverse, which hasn't been doing too great with race so far in the series, a black woman is considered to be the pinnacle of beauty.

Renay: Helen coming to realize that she's become an object for men to fight over, and a tool for other men to use without her permission, and that she can choose who she wants to be is excellent (the line, "I didn't fight ten long years to listen to your judgment." was chilling). Your point about the actor is also spot on, although I wondered initially if it was going to be weird with these two white dudes treating this Helen in particular like a ball was going to have Unfortunate Narrative Consequences. I was pleased when they pulled it off, though.

Clare: Xena defaulting female when she asks who Deiphobus is amazing, especially because she totally knows that Deiphobus is a dude. I think she's just reminding Perdicus that she could tear him apart. Although she is getting more relaxed about Gabrielle's ability to unerringly hone in on the one sensitive dude in whatever town they end up in.

Renay: Someone should have told Deiphobus that hoods are not inconspicuous. Although the plot revealed itself soon enough, I did think they did some nice misdirection at the beginning of the episode. But really, everyone here is terrible at sneaking. Just, so, emphatically terrible. However, amid all that we get Xena having another strong friendship with a woman, and Gabrielle finding out that the man meant to be her husband has gone off on adventures, just like her, so it's a backstory bonanza and a life lesson buffet for everyone but the evil white dudes, who end up empty handed and/or dead.

Clare: Gabrielle reconnecting with Perdicus is quite sweet, especially now that she realizes that Perdicus is capable of having the same worldview that she has. They've changed the actor since the character's first appearance in the pilot, to age him down and make him hotter.

Renay: They made him way hotter. I'd be tempted too, Gabrielle. I'd be tempted, too.

Clare: Having Gabrielle realize that her hometown might not be a complete backwater is nice, as well as having some history with someone and dramatically kissing them before they go off to war. But I think it's a good idea that they part ways at the end; they're both quite different people.

Renay: I thought it was a nice piece of closure for Gabrielle. Hot makeouts, and then her past drifts into the distance -- the camera angle had them going backward from where Gabrielle and Xena headed together, into ~their future~.

Clare: Of course, Gabrielle is totally married to Xena. She can even take care of herself in a fight now, bless!

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Supplemental Material

Much like Xena herself, Renay and Clare have powerful allies in their quest.

• The Hercules and Xena Wiki entry for "Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts".
• Xena megafan website Whoosh’s episode guide for "Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts".

Comments

[frayadjacent]

Yay! This is a great early episode, and I enjoyed reading your thoughts on it. I don't have anything to add! Yay Xena! And Gabrielle!

[lynnoconnacht]

Yay!

... I don't have anything to add either.

(I could add this tangentially related comment: How do you manage to say so much in so little? Every time I've tried to talk about an episode of something, it's been twice as long as your Xena posts. I am in awe of your abilities! <3)