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ETERNAL BONDS


EPISODE NO. 103
Season 5, episode 13
Series 513
1st release: 02/07/00
2nd release:
Production number: V0916
Approximate shooting dates:
Last update: 12-11-00


GUEST STARS, CAST & CREDITS
PROMO TRANSCRIPTION
TV GUIDE PROMO
AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS by Bluesong
COMMENTARY 1 BY Beth the Gaynor
COMMENTARY 2 BY Beboman
COMMENTARY 3 BY Philip Teo
WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
TRANSCRIPT
DISCLAIMER
LINKS


GUEST STARS
Kevin Smith (Ares)
Ted Raimi (Joxer)

CAST
Natalie Duggan (Artemis' Priestess Tira)
Peter Sa'ena-Brown (Apollo's Priest Tazor)
Matthew Dwyer (Poseidon's Priest Orcas
Patrick Iwobi (Magi 1)
Grant Boucher (Magi 2)
Barbara Cartwright (Magi 3)

CREDITS
Written by Chris Manheim
Directed by Mark Beesley


PROMO TRANSCRIPTION
ON AN ALL NEW XENA...
(Xena attacks warriors)
BLAMED FOR THE DEATH OF ZEUS...
Tira: The child must die.
(The 'Magi' attack Xena and Gabrielle)
Ares: Every god on Mount Olympus has targeted you.
WHEN XENA STRIKES A DEAL WITH THE GOD OF WAR...
(Xena attacks warriors; Ares teleports in; Xena spins around to discover Ares holding Eve) Ares: I'm more than willing to be a father to Eve AND a child of our own.
IT'S AN OFFER...
Xena: You're not a dream...
(Armies of different factions charge)
...you're my worst nightmare.
...SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REFUSE.
(Xena attacks a warrior)
Ares: I want to be with you, Xena.
(Xena and Ares get very intimate)
ON AN ALL NEW XENA!


TV GUIDE PROMO

When Joxer is wounded by a poisonous sword intended to kill Xena and Eve, it's up to Gabrielle to get him to the antidote while Xena combats armies sent by priests of the gods. Logline.

While Xena fights off priests' armies, Gabrielle seeks an antidote for Joxer's poisonous wound.

AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION
1st RELEASE: 02/07/00
An AA average of 3.8
Top 25 Syndicated Shows:

                 RANK PROGRAM NAME DISTRIBUTOR RATING AUDIENCE 
                1 WHEEL OF FORTUNE-SYN KIN 11.8 11,939,000 
                2 JEOPARDY KIN 10.0 10,121,000 
                3 JUDGE JUDY (AT) PRM 7.2 7,287,000 
                4 OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT) KIN 7.0 7,068,000 
                5 FRIENDS-SYN (AT) WB 6.9 6,974,000 
                6 ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT PRM 6.6 6,653,000 
                7 WHEEL OF FORTUNE-WKND KIN 6.5 6,544,000 
                8 SEINFELD CTS 6.3 6,316,000 
                9 PARAMOUNT PLUS 3 PRM 5.9 5,908,000 
                10 FRASIER-SYN (AT) PRM 5.6 5,604,000 
                11 WARNER BROS VOLUME 32 WB 4.7 4,756,000 
                12 JERRY SPRINGER (AT) STD 4.6 4,680,000 
                13 SEINFELD-WKND CTS 4.6 4,668,000 
                14 DREW CAREY (AT) WB 4.6 4,661,000 
                15 HOLLYWOOD SQUARES KIN 4.6 4,629,000 
                15 X-FILES-SYN (AT) 2/T 4.5 4,538,000 
                17 ER-SYN (AT) W/T 4.5 4,489,000 
                18 FRIENDS WEEKND (AT) WB 4.4 4,404,000 
                19 JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT) PRM 4.4 4,389,000 
                19 ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW WB 4.2 4,264,000 
                21 STARGATE SG-1 MGM 4.2 4,192,000 
                22 MAURY (AT) STD 4.1 4,083,000 
                23 LIVE-REGIS & KATHIE LEE BV 3.9 3,946,000 
                24 XENA STD 3.8 3,856,000 




SYNOPSIS:

This synopsis is by Bluesong.

Xena and Gabrielle, on their horses (and baby on board), race across the desert. Thunder and lightning crash around them. A tornado follows them. A hooded figure points out a direction. They race into the woods. Lightening hits a tree, and fire falls all around them. They urge the horses through the flames. The tornado follows them. They hurry into a cave. Gabrielle says the gods are scared because they are fighting for their lives. They hear a sound. Joxer comes out of the back of the cave. He says he has been looking for them ever since he heard the baby was born. He also has some friends with him, three Magi, who have come bearing gifts for the baby. They have been following a light, searching for Xena. They kneel. They say Xena's child ushers in a new world. They want to give gifts. Xena says it would be rude not to accept them. One gives grain to nourish life. Another gives fruit to sweeten her days. The last gives oil from the sacred laurel. Xena says that laurel is sacred to Artemis, and she kicks the vial out of the woman's hand. The three Magi pull their swords and say the child must die.

Fighting ensues. Gabrielle does most of the fighting, Joxer makes an effort. Xena slits the woman's throat with her chakram. Joxer gets his arm cut. Xena tells Gabrielle to take Joxer outside and clean his wound. After she is alone, Xena says she smells a rat. Ares appears. He says the Magi were priests of Artemis, Poseidon, and Apollo. Xena runs to Joxer.

Joxer and Gabrielle at the stream, talk. One of them says everything is a surprise. They argue a little bit. Gabrielle says Eve has to be taken into consideration. Gabrielle tells Joxer he doesn't think, and that she doesn't need his help. Xena comes up and looks at Joxer's wound. She says if it was Apollo's sword that cut Joxer, then Joxer has been poisoned and needs an antidote, the oil of a mandrake tree at the North end of the valley. Joxer says he hasn't been poisoned, and walks off. Xena and Gabrielle argue about Gabrielle taking Joxer to the tree. Gabrielle doesn't want to leave Xena and Eve alone.

Priests kill a man and look at the worms in his heart. They realize their Magi failed and now they have to send armies out to kill Xena and her spawn.

Gabrielle and Joxer leave on the horses. Xena tells Eve it's just the two of them, now. Gabrielle and Joxer ride off. Gabrielle says she is worried about Xena and Eve.

Xena sings to Eve as she breastfeeds. Someone sneaks up behind Xena and Eve. Xena grabs her chakram and fights. The Xena theme plays. When the fighting is over, Xena notices that Eve got a little blood on her. Ares shows up and says "baptism by blood." Xena mentions Ares' appearance to her in Tartarus and how Ares thinks he loves her. Ares says he is dying. He says he'll fight against the bad guys to be beside Xena.

Joxer and Gabrielle work on Joxer's cut arm, which is getting worse. Joxer says Xena can take care of herself. At some point in the conversation, Gabrielle says of herself that she can be a real bitch sometimes.

It is night. Xena kisses Eve. Ares shows up. Xena punches him and tells him to stay away. Xena recalls all of the ways Ares has hurt her. He says he wants Xena back. But it's all changed. Ares says he has a short span of time and then he is gone. He asks Xena to forgive him. He wants to be with Xena. Someone attacks, trying to kill Eve. Ares and Xena both go after the guy. Ares says he'd sooner die in Xena's arms than live without her. They kiss. Xena wakes up. It was a dream. She checks the baby.

Gabrielle and Joxer take a break from riding. Joxer won't wake up. He finally does wake up. Gabrielle helps him up so they can ride off. They come upon a band of women (Amazons?). One of them orders Gabrielle and Joxer killed. They are trespassing in the sacred woods of Artemis. One of them comments on Joxer's illness. Joxer says they were attacked by a woman with a baby. Gabrielle says they are on their way to worship Artemis. The women (Amazons?) let them go.

Xena walks, creating a false trail, and remembers her dreams and tries to sort things out. She keeps remembering Ares making love to her. She has the woollies about it.

Joxer and Gabrielle keep moving. Joxer tells Gabrielle she's beautiful. Joxer falls off the horse. Joxer is burning up with fever. Gabrielle goes to fill up the water bottles.

Warriors find Xena's false trail and begin following it. Gabrielle sees warriors going in search of Xena. Xena reaches the mandrake tree and finds Gabrielle and Joxer are not there. She climbs the tree.

The warriors realize that Xena has turned and changed directions. They realize she is heading for the mandrake tree. Ares watches.

Xena, up in the tree, sees the warriors coming after her. Ares comes to Xena, and tells her he'll fight beside Xena, and be a father to Eve, if Xena will give him a child. Xena says he is a conniving bastard. He says every god on Mt. Olympus is after Xena, but he'll help her. Xena says she won't give up her future. Ares says that could mean the lives of Joxer, Gabrielle, or Eve. The armies march. Ares vanishes. Eve cries. Xena comforts her.

Gabrielle goes back to find Joxer hiding in a log. She gives him water. She tries to help him up, but can't. He tells her to go ahead. Gabrielle says she isn't leaving him. They argue about who is thinking about the people they love. Gabrielle says she is.

Xena looks for a signal from Gabrielle. She finally sees one of Gabrielle's scrolls flying like a kite up in the air.

Joxer yells for Gabrielle as he wakes from fever. Gabrielle holds Joxer. Joxer asks Gabrielle why there was "never an us." Joxer says Gabrielle makes him feel special. Gabrielle says he is special. She says she relies on him as a very good friend. Gabrielle says she does love him, just not like he wants. Xena shows up. Two spears fly through the air at them. Xena catches them. The armies all converge and bear down on Xena. Xena throws the spears into people. Xena and Gabrielle fight. Eve, on Xena's back, cries. Xena fights. Suddenly everyone freezes in place and no one can move but Xena.

Ares shows up. He tells Xena the with one word, all the armies will go away. Ares says give me a child, I swear I would never harm it. Xena remember her dream. She tells Ares he is her worst nightmare. Ares wakes everyone up again and he vanishes. Xena ties a rope around Eve and hoists her up in a tree. More fighting with Xena and Gabrielle. A guy on a horse spies the baby in the tree, as do several other army leaders, and they all go for the baby. Xena jumps up to get Eve but Ares does a somersault and gets the baby. He and Xena look at each other. He lets the baby go, letting the rope pull the child back into the tree. Xena chakrams several people, including all the army leaders. Xena retrieves the baby. Eve cries. Xena takes the antidote to Joxer. Eve has blood on her again.

Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer lead the horses. Joxer and Gabrielle talk about how Gabrielle loves Joxer as a friend. He says he loves her more than that, but he'll just have to live with it. Xena calls Gabrielle over. They walk together. Xena wonders if it is wrong to expose a child to all the blood. Xena says it would be a greater wrong to never fight at all. Xena, Gabrielle and Eve, with Joxer trailing behind, walk off into the sunset.



COMMENTARY 1:

This commentary is by Beth Gaynor.

This episode is a post-subtext-awareness boytoy episode. Xena and Gabrielle spend a little snuggly time with Ares and Joxer, respectively, but they're only because of a god- induced dream and deathbed comforting, so when it's all said and done, nothing is really changed. (ko-COPOUT-ff!)

I liked the opening chase scene - some nifty riding, and wow, Gabrielle's gotten good at handling her horse.

Are the gods really fighting for their lives, as Gabrielle suggests? The Artemis priestess seems to think that killing Eve (and Xena for good measure) will save their gods. I thought it was just the birth of Eve that brought the curtain down on the Greek Gods, but apparently the longer she's alive, the more of 'em are going to drop.

Cute scene from Joxer when he meets Eve. I liked his hopping- n-cooing and his teeth-gritted "I'm not gonna scare her."

The magi?!? What a bizarre half-Christian reference. Three kings (rulers) who followed a star present Eve with gifts while the music from A Solstice Carol plays in the background. But they offer the wrong (and poisonous) gifts and turn out to be assassin priests. What the HECK is that supposed to mean?

Nice delivery from Lucy on "I smell a rat... come out, rat!"

ARTEMIS is hunting down Xena and Gabrielle? Artemis is the god of the amazons. Is nobody at all worried about the god of the amazons hunting down her own queen?

Pardon me, haven't we met before? In a weird copy of One Against an Army, Joxer is poisoned and must have heart-to- hearts with Gabrielle before an entire army comes down on them before an antidote can be found.

Interesting shot on Gabrielle when Xena asks if keeping watch over her and Eve is something she's willing to risk Joxer's life for. Gabrielle seems to be struggling with whether her answer is yes. She's always had a rough time with the concept of weighing lives. In this case, the answer becomes easier when it's clear that Joxer's life is definitely in danger versus only the threat to Xena and Eve. But it's still a tough decision to face.

That sacrifice/heart-ripping scene was nasty. Is this really the kind of thing Artemis, Apollo, and Poseidon are into? And what is UP with the bat ears on the priestess of Artemis?

Joxer on Argo? Something in my brain made an audible "sproing!" sound when that happened.

Ares' plan makes a sick kind of sense. He's still looking for a successor, but this time for himself instead of for Xena. Hey, you takes what you can gets.

I liked Joxer's humming response to Gabrielle's very heavy question, "I can be a real bitch sometimes, huh?" When someone's adoring your every move, it's hard not to enjoy it or take advantage of it. But Gab's right, it's not the most kind-hearted thing to do. And by the end of this episode, she's finally set the record straight with Joxer, and made sure he's realized where he stands. Bummer deal for Joxer, but at least now the issue's out in the open and dealt with.

NICE sucker punch by Xena on Ares (and "Oh! Damn!" reaction). Wow, those Ares willies come in handy!

Ares turns the godly pheromones on full. James Bond, eat your heart out. Xena's overheated reactions to the flashbacks were pretty funny, and that was some great hyperventilating during the final battlefield temptation. I could almost feel the godly testosterone rolling in waves off the TV.

OK, it was a dream, but I loved the net escape route for Eve. Robinson Crusoe would be proud.

Gabrielle remembers her A Day in the Life lessons to form a flying parchment, although the rods in that scroll must have made some serious ballast for her to overcome. And if guards can smell smoke and hear crying babies, why can't they look up? Then again, they all end up at Gabrielle's kite - maybe they can.

That was some pretty impressive waste-laying Xena and Gabrielle do to those armies. I liked the shot of the bodies landing like raindrops around Joxer.

The frozen effect has been done before, but nice additional touch when Ares knocks a sword out of a frozen guy's hand.

The blood on Eve was a neat symbolic touch, but am I totally sick for thinking that the final scene of her wide-eyed look with the spot on her forehead was the cutest of the whole episode?

This episode had a disturbing message to it. Ares says that a fight is a fight, no matter which side you're on. Xena seems to agree by stating that "the greatest wrong is never to fight at all" and that "it doesn't matter where we take a stand as long as we make one." That's IT? No greater good business - now it's just important to fight? I hope that was a lingering effect from the Ares hormones talking, there.

HIGHLIGHTS

To add to the revolution of a proudly pregnant action hero, we now have a proudly breast-feeding action hero. And if you want to get saucy about it, you'll get a dirty diaper to the face of a diaper pin through the skull - ow! (Loved the "and that's how we do it" line at the end of that fight. This kid is getting SOME education.)

Gabrielle is fulfilling her promised role as parent to Eve. She's holding her, caring for her, and accepting gifts on her behalf. Sweet touch. And in the not-so-sweet category, she puts some muscle behind her promise to protect Eve as she does some serious damage with one of those nasty saw- toothed poisoned swords. We haven't seen that kind of Gabinator action since a Roman legion waved crosses at her and Xena in Ides of March.



COMMENTARY 2:

This commentary is by Beboman.

* Oh my, oh my - what an episode. Let me get this off my chest before I start really writing about this episode. Did I like it? Yes, I did. I enjoyed it and overall it really fulfilled its practical purpose; it entertained me. Overall it was a pretty good episode, with some good fights, some really tender moments and just a touch of comedy.

* Now, with that said, let's take a close look at the episode. First stop the cave scene. Very interesting scene. Joxer tells Gabrielle that the Three Magi came following the light. Gabrielle corrects him and says the lightening.

* The Three Magi are presenting gifts to the newborn baby, Eve. This sounded to me like a take-off from the New Testament, the Epiphany, where the Three Wise Men came following the star of Bethlehem and brought gifts to the newborn child Christ. Epiphany is celebrated in some parts of the world as the true day to exchange presents. It is when the Three Wise Men, the Three Kings, Reyes Magos (take your pick) bring presents to kids. This occurs on the "Eve" of January 5th and the presents are found on January 6th. I found it interesting that the writers of the show picked this passage as part of the show.

* Another thing that I found interesting, if not a bit alarming, was that with Xena, Gabrielle and Eve being persecuted by the Gods, Xena would let these three strangers get that close to her daughter. It was not until the last Magi had presented her present that Xena became aware of the danger and took action. Where was Xena's sixth sense? Where was that intuitive sense of danger that puts her above all others?

* As the show progressed, a few questions came to my mind. Here they are: First, how did Joxer know where to find Xena, how did he know about the cave and when they were going to get there; and when did he get in with the Three Magi?

* Second: How come the three armies did not take Xena and Gabrielle by storm. Come on guys, Xena and Gabrielle were surrounded in an open field. (Yeah, Yeah I know, Xena and Gabrielle are the heroines and if they died this time how are the writers going to bring them back to life.) But a touch of reality would not hurt at a time like this. We all know that Xena could take on an army and defeat it and come out of it with only a scratch (One Against an Army). But at that time, she had the upper hand. She was waiting for them, she had placed the booby-trap, she was ready. She was in full control and she HAD NOT JUST GIVEN BIRTH. Yoo people, she is carrying a baby on her back. Also, it was interesting that everyone took their time to fight Xena one at a time. (Yeah, Yeah its television, I know.) But I have to admit that the fight scenes with Xena are always very well done and the ones in this show did not let me down. The only disturbing thing was seeing the blood on Eve's face. I would have to agree with Xena; a battlefield is no place for a child. During this final fight scene, I once again took a stroll down memory lane to "Warrior, Princess, Tramp". Remember the fight scene at the end in the room, the baby on the rope.

* Third, where did Xena hide the leaf of the Mandrake tree and how was she able to make it work so fast? That is some fast acting antidote to say the least.

* Fourth and most trivial: What is the name of Gabrielle's horse? (Yeah, I know, a bit on the petty side.)

* Moving right along, I was glad Gabrielle realized she has been a "bitch" in the truest sense of the term. I did not like the way she was treating Joxer from the beginning of the show. How was Joxer to know that the Magi were there to harm Eve? Not even Xena realized that. It took Joxer getting really sick for her to realize how important he was to her.

* I know that many of us find Joxer to be a useless buffoon, but the character has grown quite a bit in the past couple of years and has truly come through for both Xena and Gabrielle.

* Even though it is going to be hard for me to admit, but as Joxer got sicker I really felt sorry for the guy. The idea of him dying was not a good one. I felt like I was going to lose a good friend, something similar to when Ephiny died.

* But what amazed me the most was how much Xena really cares for Joxer. As soon as she found out that he might have been poisoned, she ran to him and asked Gabrielle to take care of him. Loved her line to Gabrielle, "Are you willing to gamble Joxer's life on that?"

* Of course, as Gabrielle and Joxer travel on, Gabrielle's attitude to Joxer changes and the scene where he is close to dying was very touching. In a way, it reminded me of a scene close to the one in "Prometheus" where an injured, almost dying Ioulas is in the arms of a young, na‹ve Gabrielle and she is telling him stories to keep him alive. This time, Joxer was in the arms of a mature Gabrielle and she is telling him that she loves him, but not the way Joxer has wanted her to love him. Not a bad scene, very well acted and it got the point across.

* Another very tender moment for me was the breastfeeding scene. By the Gods, that was a very beautiful scene. I really did enjoy that moment of maternal nurturing and love between Xena and her child.

* It has been proven several times and this episode is another example of how creative a fighter Xena really is. She will use and has used everything around her as a weapon, this time even a dirty diaper makes a great weapon. It brings back memories when Xena uses a wet diaper as a fighting tool. How many of us remember a scene close to that when Xena and her brother were trying to escape the castle of Cortese and Xena used a wet floor rag to keep the guards at bay and help them escape. (Death Mask)

* Another thing that I have always wondered about Xena: does this woman know what the middle ground of anything is? When she has passionate dreams, SHE REALLY HAS PASSIONATE DREAMS. Someone please tell the woman to take a cold bath.

* The animal attraction that we first saw between Aries and Xena in "The Reckoning" was there this time in full force and it worked quite well. Now that I have touched on the animal attraction stuff, what do you guys think of Gabrielle? Whoa, she has really grown into her body and what a body, by the Gods. It's not that Xena doesn't look good. She looks radiant after the birth of her child, but Gabrielle just looks simply outstanding.

* The parallel between Xena's and Gabrielle's trip to the Mandrake Tree was very unique. Xena was having very vivid passionate dreams with Aries, while Gabrielle was finally admitting that she needed Joxer and that she loved him as a friend only. There was no doubt in Gabrielle's mind about her feelings for Joxer, while Xena was full of passion and doubt. And Aries definitely knows how to push the passion button. And this is true not only with Xena; we have seen him use some really good moves on Gabrielle in the past as well.

* But the scene-stealer was the scene where Xena is cutting her way through the bush and is talking to Eve. She is really talking to herself and is having some really erotic flashbacks. I laughed so loud it was hard to control myself. That scene once again shows the extent of LL's comedic talent. Her facial expressions during that scene were just outstanding.

* Now, I have always believed in the power of positive thinking, but Xena just beats the bucket in that aspect. She is surrounded by three, count 'em three great armies and she tells Eve, "It's alright, everything is going to be alright". Then she says, "This is not going to last long". Yoo, Xena, it's great that you have positive thoughts, but you are surrounded.

* Another flash from the past was the flying parchment. It was absolutely wonderful to see that it was Gabrielle sending Xena a message using a flying parchment, when it was Gabrielle who doubted the ability of Xena to use the flying parchment to conquer a giant. I really got a kick out of that scene.

* Also, when Xena and Gabrielle reunite and the Three armies converge on them, there were some truly great expressions on Gabrielle's face. Yes Gabrielle, I would have had to agree with you, "How in the world are we going to get out of this one?"

* Finally, Xena conquers the bad guys, saves Joxer and definitely it was "not a bad day of fighting", as Xena, Gabrielle, Eve and Joxer walk off into the sunset.



COMMENTARY 3:

This commentary is by Philip Teo.

As I watched the opening teaser, I was wondering how did Hercules separate from them. Based on last week's episode, he was still with them just after Xena has given birth. Why would he leave her at such a critical stage? Shouldn’t he know that the rest of the gods would be after Eve as well?

Xena is a very knowledgeable woman. She is just a mortal, but she appears to know so much of the gods that I wonder whether she is truly a god herself. From the way she mentioned Apollo's sword, and last week where she knew of the ribs of Chronos that could kill Zeus and many incidents in the past, I must wonder what else does our warrior princess knows?

Isn't it convenient that the antidote for Joxer lies nearby at the mandrake tree? And did Apollo expect that his weapons would poison one of them anyway? If he did, I would think the antidote would not be so easily accessible.

It was quite a nice scene seeing Xena breast-feeding Eve. It’s the only real and believable scene I see in the entire episode. And it's even more understandable where we see that Xena is still mortal as she resist the urges to Ares’s offer.

Naturally, I shouldn't think that Xena should be intimidated by the army ever since having fought off one in "One Against An Army". The only difference now was that she had Eve to consider. But back then, she also had Gabrielle to worry about.

I thought that it was a bit ridiculous that Joxer could recover so fast. It took only a dab of leave from Xena into his mouth and the next instant, the poison in his body receded. They should give it more time.

Life with Eve is going to be more stressful now that we know that the gods wouldn't give up until Eve is dead. Take care, Xena.



WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR

06-17-00. In the June 2000 issue of Chakram (#11), the newsletter of the Official Xena Fan Club, writer Chris Manheim was interviewed:

Interviewer: You were able to make up for it in "Eternal Bonds" which you also wrote.
Chris Manheim: That's true. There was a lot of the Joxer/Gabrielle story in "Eternal".
Interviewer: Was there ever any thought of keeping the two of them together?
Manheim: Not really. In "Eternal", there was supposed to be a kiss between them when Gabrielle thinks Joxer's really dying and he's asked her why there wasn't an "us". And it was written that the last thing she does for him is kiss him goodbye. But that kiss didn't materialize. And I believe it was because of Renee's and Ted's resistance to it. Even the actors would have felt odd about trying to make that happen. It would have been a lie to the characters. It's not the truth about who they are.

06-17-00. In the June 2000 issue of Chakram (#11), the newsletter of the Official Xena Fan Club, actor Reneè O'Connor talked about about the show,

The first thing I [the interviewer] brought up was "Eternal Bonds" and the resolution to Gabrielle and Joxer's "she loves me/she loves me not" relationship. "You weren't too nice to him at the beginning of the episode," I pointed out to Renee. "And then you realize he's being protective of you the same way you were feeling protective of Xena and you said..."

"...I can be a real b*tch, can't I?" Renee quoted from memory and laughed. "I think Ted really enjoyed his response much more than I was expecting. He had too much fun." She chuckled again.

"Were you satisfied with how they wrapped it up?" I asked.

"You know, Ted and I both laugh at the fact that Joxer was in the throes of death and Gabrielle still can't say, 'I love you.' But at least she was honest. Pretty sad, though, I have to say," she laughed. "Here he's dying and Ted kept teasing me, 'You could have at least said yes then!"

06-17-00. In the June 2000 issue of Chakram (#11), the newsletter of the Official Xena Fan Club, executive producer Robert Tapert said, "Right, we cut [the kiss between Gabrielle and Joxer]. I was at the readthrough and I said, 'She can't kiss him! You know what a betrayal that would be to everything you've said?' And Renee said, 'Oh, thank you.'"

06-17-00. In the June 2000 issue of Chakram (#11), the newsletter of the Official Xena Fan Club, executive producer Robert Tapert said, "And it was written that the last thing she does for him is kiss him goodbye. But that kiss didn't materialize. And I believe it was because of Renee's and Ted's resistance t it. Even the actors would have felt odd about trying to make it happen. It would have been a lie to the characters. It's not the truth about who they are."

06-17-00. In the June 2000 issue of Chakram (#11), the newsletter of the Official Xena Fan Club, actress Lucy Lawless said, "...I did a tired, awful version of the [lullaby in Eternal Bonds]. Later, when I heard it, I was furious. We reached a new understanding that day. If I give a substandard performance, they have to say something to me. None of this being polite or she's the star or coddle her ego. I can't stand that. It just makes me furious."



THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

These things are by Beth Gaynor.

I'm not 100% sure on any of these, but I could swear we have three bloopers in the first five minutes of the episode:

(OK, this one isn't really a blooper, just funny.)
Listen to the dialogue as we first see the horses fleeing across the sand:
Xena: "YAH, ARGO!! YAH!"
Gabrielle: "Yah."
Xena: "YAHHHH!!!"
What, was Gabrielle getting tired?
After the hooded figure points the way, watch as the two horses take off. It looks like Renee's stunt double is wearing a white handkerchief to simulate short blonde hair.

When Gabrielle leads her horse into the cave, it sounds like she tells our still-unnamed-horse "Easy, girl." Wasn't Gab's horsie a stallion in Animal Attraction? Is this one going to go through the exact same kind of gender switch that Argo did from the first episode to the whole rest of the show?

The ArtemisAmazons insist on escorting Gabrielle and Joxer, despite their protests. Gab and Joxer are led away by two guides/guards. Then in the next scene, they're alone again. What'd Gab do, conk 'em on their pointy-eared heads? Distract them with "Look! The bat signal!"?

Granted, it's a time-honored fallacy of the bad guys to attack in ones and twos even when they vastly outnumber the good guys. But I don't think I've ever seen before a long shot of the battle in the middle of a field to show the whole army politely waiting their turn and cheering on their comrades who spring forward in sequence to be slaughtered. I nearly laughed myself sick.



MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

From Kari A Snorek. At the very last scene where Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer are walking on sand, if you look at the sand, there's lots of footprints there, which probably means they did the scene over a few times.



TRANSCRIPT

Click here to read a transcript of ETERNAL BONDS .



DISCLAIMER:

Ares virility was harmed during the production of this motion picture.



LINKS:

Eternal Bonds preview from the XWP Clip Vault.





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