Looking Death in the Eye

An older looking Joxer buys a scroll that depicts Xena and Gabrielle's last adventure known, and tells it to his children - Xena has finally had enough with the constant pursuit of Gods and visits the Fates. She queries as to when the Twilight will happen, only to discover that it is her that decides when it begins - She must die. Or so they say...

Summary
Joxer, now in his early 60s, is overjoyed when he gets hold of the last scroll written by Gabrielle recounting her and Xena's battle against the gods to protect the life of Xena's daughter Eve. Excited about learning what really happened to his warrior pals, Joxer begins to read the story to his children.

As the tale unfolds in flashback, Xena goes to see the Three Fates, seeking answers. The Fates tells Xena it is the time of the twilight. They say that Xena must die, for only in the essence of death will Eve fulfill her prophecy. The sooner Xena dies, the faster Eve will bring about the prophecy and the fall of the gods. Gabrielle comes in, and tells Xena she doesn't want to hear any of this. They make their own Fate. But Xena says she has to listen. She says it is the only way and has to die.

Xena and Gabrielle are pursued by Hades and Athena, whom they fight before barely managing to escape. The two take up shelter with their friend Octavius, the new leader of Rome, before going to visit the three Fates. The Fates deliver a prophecy to Xena, proclaiming that only in the essence of death will Eve find salvation and the twilight of the gods be set in motion. While Gabrielle dismisses their decree, Xena realizes she may have to die to save her child. Meanwhile, the gods convene to try to figure out how to insure their survival and plead with death, Celesta, to pay Xena and Eve a visit. Celesta replies that she can only take mortals at their rightful time.

Xena visits Hephaestus, who beats her to within an inch of her life with his chains and sledgehammer. When Celesta appears, Gabrielle yanks Hephaestus' chains out of his hand and Xena uses them to immobilize the goddess of death. They proceed to kidnap Celesta and retrieve Eve from Octavius, who was watching her. At Mt Olympus, Athena and Ares talk. Athena reminds Ares that he fought at Xena's side in Amphipolis. They talk about Eli, and how his death has only fueled the people against the gods. Hephaestus and Hades arrive and tell them that Xena has captured Celesta.

At the campsite, Gabrielle sings to Eve, and cuddles her, while Xena talks to Celesta. As Celesta's candle burns down, bringing her closer to her own death, Xena tearfully recalls the painful losses of her son and her brother. When Celesta ponders what it would be like to lose her own brother, Hades, she begins to cry. Although they cannot kill anyone without Celesta, the gods retaliate by sending Athena's archers to torture Joxer. Gabrielle valiantly tries to save him, but is captured by Athena and forced to divulge Xena's location.

Athena offers to exchange Gabrielle for Celesta and Xena accepts. Ares pops in and sits in a seat of the wagon. Other gods begin to show up. Gabrielle gets in back of the wagon. Ares, in the front seat, hands Xena the reigns. They go riding away. Athena says when they clear the forest, kill them. Joxer walks through the woods. Xena and Ares converse in the front of the wagon. Ares says he can help. He says he can make it all go away. Xena rejects and Ares leaves. The gods allow Xena and Gabrielle to make their getaway in a horse drawn wagon, but send the archers after them.

Back in the present, old Joxer comes to the end of the scroll, but is able to continue telling the story since he was there to witness what happened next. The scene unfolds with Athena, Hades and Hephaestus launching all of their weapons on the wagon which explodes in flames and plunges off a cliff onto the beach below. Gabrielle lies motionless on the beach as Xena searches in vain for Eve. Believing she has lost them both, Xena takes out her sword to kill herself but is stopped by Ares.

Defying him and announcing her imminent demise to the gods perched on the cliff, Xena drinks from a small vial of poison and collapses. With tears in his eyes, Ares lifts Xena and Gabrielle into his arms and disappears. No sooner is he gone than Octavius and his men come looking for Xena and Gabrielle. When Joxer tells him that they are gone forever, Octavius retorts that Xena and Gabrielle are not dead and that Eve has been with him all along.

Once again in the present, old Joxer begins to piece together what actually transpired. All the events were, in fact, a plot by Xena and Gabrielle to fulfill the Fates' prophecy without sacrificing themselves. Xena and Gabrielle never intended to kill Celesta, they just needed to consume her tears to appear dead temporarily. Gabrielle allowed herself to be captured by Athena while appearing to save Joxer so that no one would be suspicious of Celesta's release. Next, with Octavius' help, Xena used a trap door in the wagon to replace Eve with a fake bundle so that the gods would be convinced the baby died in the crash. Once the switch was made, Gabrielle drank some of the tears and then joined Xena in the wagon before it went over the cliff. Joxer realizes that the plan would have worked brilliantly except that Ares appeared and took Xena and Gabrielle before Octavius arrived.

Ares carries Xena through the snow to an ice cavern. An icy coffin, with Gabrielle's body sealed in it, is joined by an empty coffin. Ares places Xena in the coffin. He tells Xena that Gabrielle knew what she needed unconditional and unselfish love. Ares sayshe appreciated Xena's rage and violence. He kisses her on the lips and tells her he loves her. He seals up the ice coffin. He puts her sword and chakram as a headstone between the two coffins. He walks out into the snow, and seals the cavern. The two women lie sealed in their coffins, with Xena's sword and chakram marking their tombs.

Disclaimer
Death almost died during the production of this motion picture.

Background Information

 * Chakram Count: 5
 * 1) To reveal Hades
 * 2) To take out an Athenian soldier
 * 3) To destroy Hades' Helmet of Invisibility
 * 4) To stun Hephaestus
 * 5) To take out the Athenian Archers

Guest Stars

 * Ted Raimi as Joxer
 * Kevin Smith as Ares
 * Paris Jefferson as Athena