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- "When Gabrielle has her mind set on something – nothing can change it. You’ll learn that soon enough. - "
- —Xena
Hades, God of the Underworld and Lord of the Dead, asks Xena to undertake the daunting task of freeing his sister from the clutches of King Sisyphus, who has captured her in hopes of living for eternity. With Celesta unable to hold her death candle, it quickly begins to melt away, and all of mankind is unable to die - even when fatally wounded.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
Guest Stars[]
- Erik Thomson as Hades
- Ray Henwood as Sisyphus
- Leslie Wing as Karis
- Kate Hodge as Celesta
- Kieren Hutchison as Telus
- Chris Graham as Toxeus
Co-Starring[]
- Gordon Hatfield as Seerus
- Paul McLaren as Streptus
- Kelly Greene as Guard
- Beryl Te Wiata as Old Woman
- Wayne England as Wounded Man
- Allan Wilkins as Thug
Summary[]
[]
The Touch of Death
In the Castle Chambers Queen Karis has become consumed with worry turning to her husband, King Sisyphus telling him that only a fool would dare challenge the gods. Sisyphus insists she not worry. He's taken care of everything. Karis gives him a doubtful expression. Outside the castle gates, a young woman wearing a white gown and carrying a single burning candle glides by a Guard. The guard blocks her path telling her the King doesn't want visitors. The Guard laughs and reaches out to stop her, touching her arm. He collapses instantly. Celesta glides on entering the castle entry.
Death is captured by Sisyphus
As his wife Queen Karis nervously looks on, a confident King Sisyphus greets Celesta, the embodiment of Death, who has come to escort him to the Underworld of her brother Hades. Through trickery, the King captures and chains his visitor, rendering her helpless by seizing her eternal flame.
"I mean, what does she have that I don’t have? OK...love. But what about the important things in life? Travel, adventure and meeting interesting people?"
Meanwhile, Xena and Gabrielle travel through an apple orchard in the forest. They notice a playful couple picking apples for each other laughing and kissing. Gabrielle regards them turning to Xena telling her they look like they're having fun. Xena turns, barely noticing them or bothering to care. Gabrielle doesn't envy them but questions what she has that she doesn't and thinks about the important things in life: travel, adventure and meeting interesting people. Gabrielle attempts to pick an apple from a tree, she moves to pick one when an arrow shoots through it. Gabrielle turns to see the evil thug Toxeus and his gang of thugs. They confront Xena. He knows her as the legendary Xena. Xena doesn't recognize him asking who he is. He tells her his name, and that he saw her fight in Nesra a while back. His army could use a warrior like her. "Join a band of worthless, lowlife scum? I think I'll pass." Toxeus pities Xena but warns her he has a strict recruiting policy. Join or die. He draws his sword and attacks.
Toxeus ain't dead yet...
Xena steps in front of Gabrielle and draws her sword in time to block his assault. They exchange blows. In the heated battle which follows, Toxeus tries to stab her with a hidden dagger but Xena narrowly escapes, driving the knife into the chest of her attacker.
Xena starts off. Gabrielle hesitates, looking at Toxeus' lifeless body. Then, feeling creepy, she shudders and quickly follows off. As she and Xena walk away, however, they do not see that the imprisonment of Celesta has already begun to have an effect - Toxeus' eyes pop open and his mortally wounded body is suddenly very much alive.
Act One[]
"You mean, he wanted to be known as the man who killed"
As Xena and Gabrielle continue on their way now reaching the top of a small hill. Gabrielle questions why Toxeus would fight Xena given her reputation. Because he knew her reputation Xena smirks. Gabrielle gets her now. He just wanted to be known as the man who killed Xena. Not a real smart goal she adds.
Suddenly, there is the sound of rumbling as the earth starts to shake. The road before them splits, belching black smoke and blinding dust. The noise is deafening as Argo whinnies and moves about, scared.. Gabrielle's alarmed wondering what it is, but all Xena does is tell her to take cover and she'll deal with it. Gabrielle reluctantly heads for cover nearby. Xena watches her go, then turns back to face the gaping chasm. Out of the intense heat and dust, a Chariot appears led by a team of horses. Xena draws her sword, when she sees a man with a large helmet on. He takes off his helmet revealing himself to be Hades, who has rumbling up from the Underworld to ask Xena to rescue his sister. He explains that if Celesta's flame is allowed to burn out, no one will be able to die. Eternal life -- filled with suffering -- will be the fate of all mankind. Xena agrees to help.
Gabrielle and Telus meet
On their way to Sisyphus' castle, Xena and Gabrielle are faced with the terrible realization that as long as Celesta is imprisoned, the ill will find no relief in death. When they stop to give comfort to a group of sick and injured people by the roadside, they meet Telus, a handsome and compassionate young man who helps Gabrielle dispense first aid.
Toxeus attacks Gabrielle forcing Xena to a rematch.
Telus and Gabrielle are strongly drawn to each other and upon hearing about Celesta's capture, Telus insists on joining them in their mission. He reveals he can be of special help to them since his mother worked for the King when he was a small boy and he knows Sisyphus' castle quite well. At the same time, Toxeus, enjoying his newfound immortality, demonstrates to his band of thugs that they cannot be killed and convinces them to join in his campaign to hunt Xena down so they can capture Death for themselves.
Act Two[]
"He's perfect, Xena. He's funny, he's smart..."
Xena, Gabrielle and Talus who is ahead of them move along on their way to Sisyphus' castle. Gabrielle asks Xena what she thinks of Talus. Xena thinks he's nice. Gabrielle hopes Xena's just kidding not happy with her answer. She thinks he's warm and sensitive. And managed to cheered up a poor man. She thinks he's perfect. Xena cuts her off admitting she was wrong he's more than nice. Xena dispatches Gabrielle and Telus to the local hospital to help the injured as she leaves for Sisyphus' castle. With that, Xena rides off. As Gabrielle watches her go, Talus joins assures Gabrielle that Xena will be alright.
Toxeus and his Army watch Xena, Gabrielle and Telus from afar. They notice Xena ride off, and Gabrielle and Telus taking the other path. Knowing that they're splitting up, Toxeus proposes they'll do the same. One of them will lead them to where Death's being held prisoner. He orders his men to follow them closely and report back to him.
Xena stops Toxeus men from following her.
Pursued by Toxeus' men, Xena rides her horse towards Sisyphus' castle. Xena senses something, turning around to notice she's being followed with the men trying to conceal themselves in the woods. She starts off again on Argo, breaking out of the woods, riding furiously. Xena rides to a tree and looks up hiding there. Toxeus' men ride past it. Xena jumps down knocking the men off their horses. She smiles, then turns towards her destination with Sisyphus' castle in the distance.
Sisyphus gets word Xena is coming to free Death and has a plan.
Xena arrives at the castle walls. She surveys the area, then makes a running leap, grabbing onto a spear sticking out from the wall. Using the momentum from her jump, she swings from the spear like a gymnast, and flies up another few feet. Karis joins Sisyphus on the castle balcony as he looks out at his kingdom. Sisyphus tells Karis that Xena has arrived to rescue Death. Karis wonders why she's here. Sisyphus explains its obvious she's a warrior and without Death, Xena has no way to defeat her opponents. He laughs that it'll make things much more interesting.
"If your friend touches Death, or allows Death to touch her, she will die."
At the hospital, Gabrielle and Talus enter a ward teeming with suffering people, some old, some injured. As they look around, they see a bedridden Old Woman, pale and weak. The Old woman cries for some water. Talus tells Gabrielle to check on her, while he fetches some water. Gabrielle rushes to the Old woman's side. Gabrielle is warned by the old woman that Xena will die if she touches Death or allows it to touch her. Fearing for her friend's life, Gabrielle sets out for the castle with Talus.
After Xena steals into the fortress, she battles her way past several guards. Xena confronts Sisyphus in a dimly lit chamber, but falls prey to one of his tricks and falls through a trap door into a pit. Xena falls until she reaches out and catches something. She looks up to discover that she's clinging to the leg of a Skelton chained to the wall.
Act Three[]
Xena hangs from the skeleton leg. She looks down into the deep darkness of the pit. The leg bone creaks and breaks. Xena plummets downward, landing hard on the dark floor.
Gabrielle and Telus arrive at castle walls. They search for an entrance. Telus reveals he found an escape tunnel back when his mother worked in the castle. Nobody knew about it except for the children. Tapping a stone at the foot of the wall. It slides out, making a small tunnel entrance. After they sneak into the castle, Gabrielle and Telus hurry down the hallway only to run into Toxeus' Thugs with their swords drawn. The Thugs advance on them as Gabrielle and Telus take off the other direction.
At the end of the hall, they come upon a stairway. Gabrielle runs up first with Telus close behind, unfortunately Gabrielle's foot touches the top step, sinking it slightly. The stairs collapse. Gabrielle watches helplessly as Telus loses his footing and slides down the ramp created by the flattened stairs. When he reaches the bottom Telus, too, falls through a trap door into the same pit that Xena is currently in. Gabrielle considers going after him, but the Toxeus' Thugs arrive, chasing her back up the stairs.
Xena searches the walls of the pit for a way out. Suddenly Telus flies in through falling in front of Xena. Xena's not pleased to hear that Telus and Gabrielle came to the castle concerned about Xena. Xena and Telus starts looking for a way out. Telus believes everything that happened to him and Gabrielle is all his fault. Xena assures him that when Gabrielle sets her mind on something, nothing can change it. The two hear the sound of water dripping through the pit. Xena finds a damp wall and moves to a corner, believing it must drain somewhere. Kicking away debris, Xena uncovers a steel grate. Xena and Telus uncover the ventilation hole and jump down.
Gabrielle almost gets caught by Toxeus army.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle arrives back at the tunnel entrance where she and Telus started. Just then, she hears a noise someone coming out. Gabrielle looks around for a place to hide and spots somewhere to hide behind a tapestry. The Thugs scatter, but Toxeus stops as he hears a suspicious sound. Behind the tapestry, Gabrielle pulls herself in tight, holding her breath. A rat crawls past her. Gabrielle struggles against the scream building inside of her, then nudges the rat away. The rat drops to the floor and moves out from behind the tapestry. Toxeus kills it and moves on.
Xena tries to escape the traps of Sisyphus
In the pits Xena and Telus push against the walls, but there is no stopping them. Then, Xena notices something else up ahead, A the sea of rodents closes in on Xena and Telus.
Act Four[]
Gabrielle successfully evades Toxeus' men as Xena and Telus escape the pit to face a succession of deadly traps. As Celesta's flame burns still lower, Karas finally offers Xena help, knowing that her husband's selfish attempt to cheat Death is wrong. She and Telus convince Sisyphus to release Celesta, but as he begins to unlock her chains, Gabrielle rushes in, followed by Toxeus and his men, who take her hostage.
As Xena prepares to battle the Thugs, Sisyphus hurries to Celesta. He finds his key, then starts on the first lock. Xena fends off the thugs and manages to save Gabrielle's life by smashing the last lock holding Celesta with a direct blow from her chakram. As soon as Celesta is free, she suddenly regains her strength. Picking up her candle, and it becomes newly restored. Suddenly Toxeus and his men fall to the ground, dead.
Gabrielle is heartbroken by Telus farewell
Sadly, Celesta then comes for Telus, who has been ill for some time, but not before Gabrielle bids a heartfelt farewell to her new friend. They hug and Telus moves to Celesta. She touches him and the two move through the door to the afterlife. Talus takes a last look at Gabrielle, before crossing into the light. Gabrielle hugs Xena. Xena tries to comfort her as Telus walks away.
Disclaimer[]
No Jumbo Sized Cocktail Rats were harmed during the production of this motion picture.
Background Information[]
Behind the Scenes[]
| "“I thought they’d be [using] lovely little lab rats [in that scene], and I just let them dump these crates of vermin on me in the fiberglass sewer. I was supposed to dive hard to the bottom of the pipe, as soon as I felt them on me. But there was a long trail of slime at the bottom of the pile, so I really didn’t want to, I left two inches between me and the pipe, just resting on my elbows and toes, I dropped my head, and they just kept dumping rats, and they yelled, ‘Cut[!] Cut[!]’ and these rats had all nestled on my body, nestled into my cleavage and legs, it was so disgusting! Oh, God, and they stunk, they stunk, they just pooed everywhere … It was really harrowing! Anyway, you ‘dine out’ on those [stories], and you laugh a lot afterward. But it was far more disturbing than I thought it would be. I don’t know what I was thinking.”” " |
| ― Lucy Lawless on the rats scene
Source: (The Official Guide To The Xenaverse by Robert Weisbrot – 1998) and many thanks to http://jacksonupperco.com/ for personally researched, and transcribed |
- This episode is also known by the title "Death is M.I.A.".
- This episode was the third to be written, after Sins of the Past and Chariots of War, but ended up being filmed as the tenth. It explains why Gabrielle isn't carrying her staff in the episode and it makes sense why they placed it before Hooves and Harlots. So the continuity error is simply Gabrielle wearing the wrong outfit.
Key Events[]
- This episode marks the first appearance of Toxeus.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Celesta in the Xenaverse.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Sisyphus in the Xenaverse.
- This episode marks the only appearance of Karis on Xena: Warrior Princess. She will later appear in the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode "Highway to Hades."
- This episode is the first to feature Xena without her large belt, which she used to keep her Chakram on (and her sword in earlier episodes).
- This episode marks the first appearance of Gabrielle's second costume.
- This is the first appearance of Erik Thomson as Hades, previously played by Mark Ferguson in Hercules in the Underworld. In addition, he is the only actor to play the same role in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules. He will later be replaced by Stephen Lovatt in the Xena: Warrior Princess episode "God Fearing Child."
- This episode was followed up by the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode, "Highway to Hades", which premiered the following week. Both episodes feature Sisyphus and Karis (as well as the same actors portraying them).
| "“In this [episode] … when Hades comes in, Xena draws her sword and he says, ‘Hey, relax. I’m a fan. Well, once you’re into that world, you can do just about anything.’” " |
| ― Charles Siebert (Director)
Source: (What You Didn’t Know About Xena – Exclusive Bonus on Best Buy Season One DVD Release) and many thanks to http://jacksonupperco.com/ for personally researched, and transcribed |
Goofs[]
- Gabrielle is wearing her amazon attire in this episode - an outfit she doesn't recieve until the following episode.
- Toxeus and his men all suffered fatal wounds, just like the people who were involved in the landslide and even Telus. This means that they should have been in pain, like Telus and the victims of the landslide were.
- Celeste comes for Sisyphus but in the end she takes Telus with her. Did she expect to find him in the castle or why did she come there in the first place?
Trivia[]
- Chakram Count: 2
- 1) To cut the branch so it would fall on Toxeus.
- 2) To prevent Toxeus from killing Gabrielle and to release Celesta.
References[]
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| Season 1 | Season 2 >> | |||||||
| #01 | Sins of the Past | #09 | Death in Chains | #17 | The Royal Couple of Thieves | |||
| #02 | Chariots of War | #10 | Hooves and Harlots | #18 | The Prodigal | |||
| #03 | Dreamworker | #11 | The Black Wolf | #19 | Altared States | |||
| #04 | Cradle of Hope | #12 | Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts | #20 | Ties That Bind | |||
| #05 | The Path Not Taken | #13 | Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards | #21 | The Greater Good | |||
| #06 | The Reckoning | #14 | A Fistful of Dinars | #22 | Callisto | |||
| #07 | The Titans | #15 | Warrior... Princess | #23 | Death Mask | |||
| #08 | Prometheus | #16 | Mortal Beloved | #24 | Is There a Doctor in the House? | |||