Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts

At the behest of Helen of Troy, Xena goes to the embattled city to help end a 10-year war with the Greeks. But while trying to rein in the hostilities, she discovers a Trojan horse who's working with the enemy.

Summary
Helen, the beautiful Queen of Troy, awakens from a recurring nightmare in which she is about to be murdered by a dark and mysterious warrior. At her side, Paris, the handsome ruler of Troy, reassures her that victory is at hand in the Trojans' ten-year-long war with the Greeks. Helen is not consoled, however, and privately dispatches her personal guard Miltiades to find Xena  and bring her to Troy to help end the bitter conflict. Not far from the city, Xena and Gabrielle come upon Miltiades as he is being attacked by three hooded thugs. Xena jumps into the fray but is unable to save the life of the guard, who relays Helen's message with his dying breath. Xena sets out for Troy with an excited Gabrielle, who can't wait to meet the legendary Helen.

When they arrive, Perdicas, a brave young Trojan soldier, watches from a battlement as they fight their way past the Greek soldiers. Stunned when he recognizes Gabrielle as his former fiancee, he rushes to the gates and helps them get inside, fighting off their attackers. In the Greek camp outside, King Menelaus, the ruler of the Greeks and Helen's husband by a forced marriage, meets secretly with a Trojan traitor helping him in a plot to invade the city and capture Helen. During the meeting, he learns that Xena has fought her way through his army's lines. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is extremely surprised to be reunited with Perdicas and amazed that her former fianc?-- a gentle farmer when she knew him -- has become a valiant warrior. After Xena explains to Perdicas that she has come to help fight on the side of the Trojans, she goes in search of Helen before Perdicas can escort her to his commander Deiphobus, the head of Troy's security forces and Paris' brother.

When Xena finds Helen in her palace bedchamber, the beautiful Queen asks for her help in returning to Menelaus in order to end the bloody war, but Xena insists that her surrender will have no effect on the fighting. Meanwhile, Deiphobus tries to convince his brother Paris that Xena cannot be trusted. Later, despite Xena's counsel, Helen attempts to sneak out of the palace and go to Menelaus. When Xena confronts her in the courtyard, they hear someone approaching and hiding themselves, watch as Deiphobus steals out of the city through a secret passage. Xena follows him to Menelaus' camp and overhears him promise the King that the city will soon fall. Returning to Troy, the warrior princess reports Deiphobus' treason to Paris and Helen, but when Deiphobus arrives to announce that Menelaus has agreed to surrender, Paris is convinced his brother is telling the truth. He arrests Xena as soldiers burst in with the news that the Greek army is withdrawing and has left a gift of peace at the gates -- a huge wooden horse. Xena is thrown into the dungeon as the victory celebration begins.

Later, when the Trojan guards are drunk, several Greek soldiers climb out of the horse. In moments, the city gates are opened and the Greek army, led by King Menelaus, enters to begin looting and burning the city. Xena, after fighting her way out of the dungeon, tells Gabrielle and Perdicas to gather all the people they can and barricade themselves inside the city temple while she finds Helen. As Menelaus tears apart the city searching for the beautiful Queen, Xena prepares a nasty surprise for the invaders. Meanwhile, the traitor Deiphobus sneaks into the temple through a secret entrance, kills his brother Paris and kidnaps Helen for himself. The Greeks break down the doors of the temple just as Xena learns what Deiphobus has done. She quickly ignites substances she's mixed to produce a huge smoke screen and those in the temple are able to escape. Xena then engineers their flight from Troy by hiding them in the wooden horse, which the Greeks take out of Troy with them. Later, she returns to the burning city to rescue Helen from the clutches of the evil Deiphobus. Xena overpowers him in a fierce battle and ties him up, leaving him for Menelaus to find. In the end, Helen, intent on making a new life for herself, leaves accompanied by the brave and handsome Perdicas, as a somewhat wistful Gabrielle looks on.

Disclaimer
No Oversized Polynesian-Style Bamboo Horses were harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, many wicker lawn chairs gave their lives.

Background Information

 * Chakram Count: 2

1) To kill a Greek soldier, whilst trying to enter Troy.

2) To knock out the Greeks standing gaurd outside the gate

Guest Stars

 * Galyn Goerg (Helen)
 * Scott Garrison (Perdicas)
 * Cameron Rhodes (Deiphobus)
 * Warren Carl (Paris)
 * Ken Blackburn (King Menelaus)
 * Adrian Keeling (Miltiades)
 * Aidan MacBride Stewart (Greek Soldier)
 * John Manning (Greek Scout)
 * Matthew Jeffs (Trojan Soldier #1)
 * Peter Ford (Trojan Soldier #2)
 * Geoffrey Knight (Trojan Guard)