Eternal Bonds

Joxer is struck by a poisoned blade and Gabrielle must take Joxer to a special type of tree that holds the antidote. But Joxer's life is on the line and must be quick.

Summary
Xena (with her reborn baby Eve) and Gabrielle, ride Argo and Amber through a torrential storm caused by the gods angered by Zeus' murder. Just as a tornado bares down on them, a mysterious hooded figure points the way to a cave. They race into the woods. Lightening hits a tree, and fire falls all around them. They urge the horses through the flames, as the tornado follows them.

Once inside, the girls discover Joxer and three Magi, who coincidentally were looking for Xena to congratulate her on her newborn. Joxer says he has been looking for them ever since he heard the baby was born. The Magi say they have been following a light, searching for Xena and offer gifts to Eve who "ushers in a new world without gods." Xena and Gabrielle accept the gifts as Xena says it would be rude not to accept them.

One of them grain to nourish life and another gives fruit to sweeten her days, the last gives oil from the sacred laurel. until the third Magi offers sacred laurel oil which Xena knows comes from the goddess Artemis. Xena throws it back in to the Magi's face, destroying her flesh. Their cover blown, the remaining Magi fight Xena and Gabrielle and are defeated but not before Joxer gets cut.

While Gabrielle takes Joxer to clean his wound, Ares, dressed in a hooded cape, appears before Xena. He tells her the Magi were priests of Artemis( Tira ), Poseidon( Orcas ), and Apollo (Tazor ). Realizing Joxer's cut could be fatal if it was inflicted by one of Apollo's men, Xena dashes off before Ares can finish.

Joxer and Gabrielle are at the stream. They argue a little bit, before 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, but Xena insists that Joxer's life is on the line. She agrees and Xena and Eve set off in the opposite direction.

At Artemis' temple, Artemis' Priestess Tira, Apollo's Priest Tazor and Poseidon's Priest Orcas conduct a human sacrifice to learn that their mission failed. As Xena nurses the baby, guards set off her early warning system and descend on them. Xena deftly wields her chakram with one hand and changes Eve's diaper with the other. A dirty diaper becomes a powerful weapon as it lands smack into a guard's face and diaper pins become effective as darts. As the last guard falls, Ares appears and once again professes his love and desire to help. Disgusted, Xena blows him off and disappears.

On the trail, Gabrielle and Joxer have their own relationship discussions; Gabrielle blames Joxer's carelessness for putting them all in jeopardy and Joxer feels hurt that he gets criticized for trying to help his loved-ones. As the poison begins to weaken Joxer, the two make haste.

Meanwhile, Xena dreams that Ares, pleading for her forgiveness, demonstrates his change of heart by saving the very child that will end his life. Ares pulls Xena to him and begins to passionately ravage her until she bolts awake. Disturbed by her dream, Xena continues to hack out her false trail before doubling back to join Gabrielle and Joxer at the tree.

Gabrielle and Joxer run into a squad of Tira's female warriors. When accused of trespassing, Gabrielle offers that they were on their way to Artemis' temple and Joxer explains his condition by making up a story that they were attacked by Xena. Delayed on their quest, Joxer becomes increasingly feverish as Gabrielle temporarily leaves him to get water. While Xena awaits her companions, armies converge on her from all directions. Ares offers to fight them if Xena will have his child. 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. Unwilling to sacrifice her future, Xena declines his offer and begins searching for her friends.

Avoiding the army, Gabrielle returns to find Joxer hiding in a log. Delirious, Joxer asks why Gabrielle doesn't love him, to which she answers that she does love him--just not romantically. Joxer says Gabrielle makes him feel special. Gabrielle says he is special. She says she relies on him as a very good friend. With Eve's help, Xena sees a kite intended to signal her and locates Gabrielle and Joxer. The armies arrive and a huge battle ensues. Ares temporaily halts the action and restates his offer but Xena. He tells Xena the with one word, all the armies will go away. Ares says give me a child, and that he will never harm it. Xena, haunted by her dream, doesn't budge and the fight continues.

Xena ties a rope around Eve and hoists her up in a tree. One of the warriors 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 is amazed when Ares decides not to hurt Eve and disappears. Their leaders killed, the armies finally retreat. Xena quickly gives Joxer the antidote, which restores his health.

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.

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

Background Information

 * Lucy recorded two tracks of Eve's lullaby and was furious when she discovered that they used the one that she thought was terrible in the episode.
 * There was discussion about Xena expressing some milk into the face of one of the priests attacking her while breastfeeding. But they decided a diaper in the face would be equally funny and less offensive.
 * Since the length of time that babies were allowed to be on the set was so little under New Zealand law, Lucy used to ask women with babies at the supermarket if they would like to be on Xena.
 * Originally there was supposed to be a kiss between Gabrielle and Joxer in the scene right before Xena arrives with the antidote. Both Renee and Ted nixed this, saying that their characters wouldn't have done this.

Guest Stars

 * Ted Raimi as Joxer
 * Kevin Smith as Ares

Gods

 * Ares