Ares steals the secret for the Metal of Hephaestus and gives it to a warlord. Xena gathers together a small band of men, all consisting of people she knew back in her dark days. Whilst trying to combat Ares' men, Xena and Gabrielle must keep their people from all killing each other.
Summary[]
"It's time for the new generation to lead the old out of the darkness."
When Ares provides brash and ambitious young Agathon and his troops with weapons made of the impenetrable metal of Hephaestus, Agathon and his men defeat an entire Athenian army. Agathon is elated by his success and promises Ares undying loyalty. As the two conspire to conquer the world, Walsim, a notorious criminal, is being led to the chopping block in a nearby village. Just as the ax is about to fall, Xena spirits him away and offers him a proposition — he can either join her to go up against Ares or be returned to town to face the axman. Walsim joins Xena.
Xena assembles a team to go up against Ares.
Meanwhile, in a prison dungeon, a criminal named Darnelle, is led into a cell filled with the dregs of humanity to await his execution. As he's being taunted by a fellow prisoner named Monlik, Xena comes up through the tiles of the cell floor and orders Darnelle and Monlik back down into the hole. She then calls out to Glaphyra, a figure covered with a blanket steps forward. The blanket is pulled back to reveal a beautiful blonde woman with eyes of venom. Xena and the three prisoners escape into the tunnel beneath the cell. Once away from the prison, Xena introduces everyone and explains that they must help her defeat Ares. They think she's insane but reluctantly agree.
Xena's sword is broken in battle.
When the group enters the battlefield where Agathon and his troops left thousands of Athenian infantrymen slaughtered, they notice that the swords and shields of the Athenians have been mysteriously sliced in half. Upon hearing screams in the woods, they run to investigate and are attacked by six of Agathon's warriors wearing distinctive black armor. When Xena and her companions try to use their weapons against their assailants, they simply bounce off the armor of their enemies. Even Xena's sword is split lengthwise by one of their swords. She soon explains to her baffled partners that the weapons and armor of Agathon's troops are made from the legendary metal of Hephaestus. Ares stole the secret of the metal and gave it to the the warlord Agathon. Now, Xena needs help in getting it back.
"Others have made the mistake of underestimating her."
Inside Agathon's castle, Ares and Agathon take a tour of the armory where blacksmiths are busy making weapons and armor out of the powerful metal. Ares warns Agathon that Xena is on her way to try and steal the secret back. Agathon welcomes the challenge Xena poses and promises Ares he will kill her.
Back at camp, Xena delegates duties, sending Glaphyra and Darnelle out for supplies and Monlik and Walsim to check out Agathon's castle and draw a complete map of the interior. Xena, herself, plans a diversion whereby she will mobilize King Gregor's army, making Agathon think he is going to be attacked.
"I have changed so much since I met you. I wonder how much of that is timing."
Xena and Gabrielle take a walk away from camp. Gabrielle asks Xena if Glaphyra, Darnelle, Walsim and Monlik were murderers before they met Xena? Xena tells Gabrielle that she changed them, before they meet her they were like Gabrielle. Gabrielle wonders, what would of happened if she meet Xena before she was evil. But Xena tells her, she could never see her being evil, as well as changes the subject of the conversation. When she and her companions meet back at camp that evening, Monlik begins to question what he's going to get out of the deal and refuses to turn over the map of the castle.
First member of the group dies...
In a sudden and unexpected attack, he hurls his axe at Gabrielle but Xena jumps in to save her and Monlik is killed instead. The others grudgingly agree to proceed with their plan.
"Agathon is brash, obnoxious, disrespectful, and smart, very smart, much like the young Xena I took under my wing."
Later that night, Ares appears to Xena. He tells her that Agathon knows her plans and that he intends to kill her. Xena is not phased and she and her group begin attacking the castle with firebombs and flaming arrows. Once Xena is inside the castle, heading toward the armory, she gets trapped by Agathon in a crawlspace. She soon discovers that Walsim and Darnelle have deserted her in exchange for cash from Agathon. Later, when Xena, Gabrielle, as well as Glaphyra are imprisoned, Darnelle comes to set the women free. It turns out that Darnelle's betrayal was all part of Xena's plan.
Glaphyra and Gabrielle share a moment in a prison cell.
Xena finally makes her way to the armory where Walsim and another warrior charge her. But Xena manages to unlock the cabinets containing the formidable weapons with her chakram. She and the others quickly throw them into the fire, plugging the furnace pit with a boulder which causes the pressure to build.
The final showdown between Xena and Agathon
In a spectacular final confrontation, Xena and Agathon face each other. He throws his boomerang at the same time that she throws her chakram. As the weapons meet in mid-flight, the chakram slices the boomerang in two and the severed ends fly back and strike Agathon in the face, leaving him severely wounded. Xena and her gang flee from the castle just in time to escape the furnace explosion, which destroys the castle and all the weapons inside.
"Started off with four, and you redeemed two. All things considered, it's not bad odds."
Later, Xena and Gabrielle stand before Darnelle and Glaphyra on the countryside. Darnelle is leaning on a crutch. Xena tells them both, that it's their choice whatever path they choose from here on out. Darnelle and Glaphyra bid farewell to Xena and Gabrielle, both deciding to travel east together and see what happens. Gabrielle is proud of her and Xena that they managed to redeem two people. Xena tells Gabrielle she has the answer to question she asked her a day or two ago, "Are you who you are, or are you who I made you?" She tells her that shes Gabrielle and that nobody made her who she is, it was already there.
Disclaimer[]
- No convicts were reformed during the filming of this motion picture. Can`t we all just get along?
Background Information[]
Mythology[]
- When Darnelle and Glaphyra have an argument, Glaphyra says "You are born of a woman", to which Darnelle responds "I was born of a man, I was delivered by a woman". This is exactly how ancient Greeks used the verbs, they would never say that one was born of a woman.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Charles Mesure, who plays Darnelle in this episode, would later play the recurring role of Archangel Michael in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: "Revelations", and in Xena: Warrior Princess seasons 5 and 6.
- When Charles Mesure was working on his character Darnelle, he envisioned himself as being a mortal version of the macho, swaggering God Ares, played by Kevin Smith. Charles and Kevin had gotten to be good friends while filming the show City Life, so he knew Kevin's style very well and thought it would be perfect for his own character.
- Since "The Furies" and "Been There, Done That" were actually produced as part of the second season, this episode is the first 'true' third season episode.
- Darnelle and Glaphyra were written to be recurring characters that could join up with Gabrielle in Xena-lite episodes. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out and they are never seen again.
Lucy Lawless' later series Battlestar Galactica had a family of prominent characters named Agathon.
- This episode's script number is 308.
Key Events[]
- The conversation between Xena and Gabrielle about their relationship is meant to foreshadow "The Rift". "The Rift" is the name fans have given to the relationship trouble Xena and Gabrielle have after the events of the following episode "The Deliverer" and continuing until the episode "The Bitter Suite" later in the season.
Trivia[]
- Chakram Count: 4
- This episode marks the debut of Gabrielle's even shorter outfit - her top is now even smaller, as well as has different detailing on it. (It could be mistaken for the same one as before by the casual viewer, but is different: for example, there are ten holes for the cord binders of her top instead of twelve). She will wear it through the third season and through the first half of the fourth.
- Xena discovers that the chakram can break the Metal of Hephaestus, a revelation that would have come in handy when assisting Prometheus.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Recurring Role[]
- Kevin Smith as Ares
Guest Starring[]
- Stephen Ure as Monlik
- Charles Mesure as Darnelle
- Katrina Hobbs as Glaphyra
- Jon Brazier as Walsim
- Jonathan Roberts as Agathon
Appearances and Mentions[]
People[]
- Xena
- Gabrielle
- Monlik
- Glaphyra
- Walsim
- Darnelle
- Agathon
- Thersites (Mentioned)
- King Gregor (Mentioned)
- Callisto (Mentioned)
- Perdicus (Mentioned)
- Autolycus (Mentioned)
Gods[]
- Ares
- Hephaestus (Mentioned)
Places[]
- Greece
- Nomydia (Mentioned)
Other[]
[]
| << Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 >> | ||||||
| #01 | The Furies | #09 | Warrior... Priestess... Tramp | #17 | Forget Me Not | |||
| #02 | Been There, Done That | #10 | The Quill is Mightier... | #18 | Fins, Femmes and Gems | |||
| #03 | The Dirty Half Dozen | #11 | Maternal Instincts | #19 | Tsunami | |||
| #04 | The Deliverer | #12 | The Bitter Suite | #20 | Vanishing Act | |||
| #05 | Gabrielle's Hope | #13 | One Against an Army | #21 | Sacrifice I | |||
| #06 | The Debt I | #14 | Forgiven | #22 | Sacrifice II | |||
| #07 | The Debt II | #15 | King Con | |||||
| #08 | The King of Assassins | #16 | When in Rome... | |||||