There've been dreams-within-dreams before, but how often are there dreams-within-dreams-within-dreams? Xena/Gabrielle are going after Callisto's men in the woods. You'd think Xena would immediately know something's amiss when her mother randomly appears. It's Ares (who apparently enjoys disguising himself as Xena's parents despite having a thing for her...which is weird) and he's making her feel guilty about serving as 'judge/jury/executioner' regarding Callisto, who also randomly appears, drowning in quicksand, once again begging for Xena's help, before saying she *is* Xena, then blaming her for passing judgement on her whilst claiming she could've changed just as Xena did. The sword in Xena's hand suddenly has a mind of its own, stabbing the helpless Callisto (despite Xena fighting it).
Dream Callisto's scream snaps Xena awake...or does it? When she turns over a slumbering Gabrielle, who becomes a freaky black-eyed dead Callisto, it's revealed Xena's still dreaming. Gabrielle wakes her up and Xena's feeling pretty guilty, asking her what her opinion on the whole matter is. Gabrielle seems normal to begin with...but then it's all aboard the guilt train, as her reassurance turns into blame, basically calling Xena a hypocrite, saying that if Hercules had treated Xena the way she treated Callisto, she'd be dead (and would deserve it MORE). When Xena FINALLY awakens for realsies, I'm surprised she didn't immediately blurt out, "Oh, COME ON!". Xena has lots to feel guilty about, like killing innocents, but killing a psycho murderer? I love Callisto, but even *I* understood Xena's decision to let her die (after having given her several chances).
Callisto's men are using Joxer as a piñata until Xena easily scares them off, there's an amusing bit with him asking if she can cut him down *without* dropping him on his face, she says "No.", and the floor acts as the camera lens as Joxer face-plants it. After a not-very-helpful nighttime chat with Gabrielle, Xena sees Callisto giving her the 'come hither' finger motion, then suddenly she's in the underworld where Callisto explains to her there's a fine line between Tartarus and the real world, and now thanks to her new best friend, Ares (who appears), she's got a chance to escape. He's helping her after having given up trying to turn Xena back into her bad self, they pile the guilt on Xena who finally admits to murder and this is all Callisto requires before spinning Xena around like they're on the dancefloor, except this dance ends with her slamming into a big rock. She pokes Gabrielle awake and it's immediately obvious what's happened, but we're subjected to Callisto-as-Xena snogging Ares to make it blatantly clear.
In Tartarus, Xena-as-Callisto convinces Hades of who she is and he grants her a 1-day free pass to reclaim her body/send Callisto back down or she'll take her place permanently. Up top, despite Ares warning her to steer clear of Xena/wait it out until the day's up, Callisto's fixated on making her suffer (it's too bad they had to write Callisto this way, as usually she's pretty smart). Firstly, she offs Theodorus (for badmouthing her behind her back to who he *thought* was Xena), then she teaches Gabrielle to embrace that bloodlust she once had for Callisto by fighting a tree, and lastly she wants to burn all the people from Xena's village (including her mother) as payback for Xena doing the same to her family. Lucy Lawless definitely makes an effort to change her voice/mannerisms/walk to illustrate she's not Xena, but I did think it was more exaggerated than how Hudson Leick plays her.
So much for Gabrielle being Xena's BFF, as she just shrugs off 'Xena' acting weird. Clearly horses are smarter than people, as Argo's no dummy and is constantly whinnying to warn Gabrielle. Figuring the horse might out her, Callisto-as-Xena sends Gabrielle away and then taunts poor Argo (when she said "Poor dumb animal", you just KNOW Argo was thinking, "I'M not the dumb one! I knew it was you all along!"), splashing her in the face, before slashing her/the camera. Kill all the humans you want, Callisto, but leave animals alone! This scene leads to Joxer getting a heroic moment when he interrupts Xena-as-Callisto as she's trying to save Argo with some plants/sap and is willing to die to protect Xena's horse. She easily flips him out of her way, as nothing's going to prevent her from saving Argo (who she knows Callisto was trying to force her to put down).
Xena-as-Callisto's way of convincing him she's Xena is by using her 'pinch' on him after asking whether he's ever seen Callisto use pressure points (considering Callisto's *obsessed* with Xena, how'd he know she hadn't picked up some of Xena's skills?), then thanks him for standing up to who he *thought* was Callisto on Argo's behalf. Hudson Leick really had the more difficult job this episode, as she can't let loose as she usually does, but instead has to be restrained/calm (without making her performance flat/boring). She's at her most 'Xena-y' later on when she answers Gabrielle's question of whether she's really Xena with a very Xena-esque "Yeah." whilst holding Gabrielle's shoulder. How'd she convince her? Gabrielle interrupted Xena and Callisto fighting in each other's bodies, Xena-as-Callisto had a knife to Callisto-as-Xena's throat, and what Gabrielle said at the start of the episode about not having dreamed since her hubby's death was something Callisto obviously didn't know, she then fled.
Before being pulled back to Tartarus, Xena-as-Callisto manages to put Callisto-as-Xena asleep, they're both in the underworld and now it's time for a little payback (guilt-style) in the form of Callisto's victims (plus her mother) making her feel bad for all the unnecessary killing she did. Callisto-as-Xena spins into the big rock, Xena's freed from Tartarus...but remains stuck in Callisto's body. Gabrielle says this'll take some adjusting to, then tells her the story she dreamt, starting with "I sing the song of Perdicus/Perdicas; the boy I knew, the man I loved"...and Xena's probably wishing she was back in Tartarus.
Dream Callisto's scream snaps Xena awake...or does it? When she turns over a slumbering Gabrielle, who becomes a freaky black-eyed dead Callisto, it's revealed Xena's still dreaming. Gabrielle wakes her up and Xena's feeling pretty guilty, asking her what her opinion on the whole matter is. Gabrielle seems normal to begin with...but then it's all aboard the guilt train, as her reassurance turns into blame, basically calling Xena a hypocrite, saying that if Hercules had treated Xena the way she treated Callisto, she'd be dead (and would deserve it MORE). When Xena FINALLY awakens for realsies, I'm surprised she didn't immediately blurt out, "Oh, COME ON!". Xena has lots to feel guilty about, like killing innocents, but killing a psycho murderer? I love Callisto, but even *I* understood Xena's decision to let her die (after having given her several chances).
Callisto's men are using Joxer as a piñata until Xena easily scares them off, there's an amusing bit with him asking if she can cut him down *without* dropping him on his face, she says "No.", and the floor acts as the camera lens as Joxer face-plants it. After a not-very-helpful nighttime chat with Gabrielle, Xena sees Callisto giving her the 'come hither' finger motion, then suddenly she's in the underworld where Callisto explains to her there's a fine line between Tartarus and the real world, and now thanks to her new best friend, Ares (who appears), she's got a chance to escape. He's helping her after having given up trying to turn Xena back into her bad self, they pile the guilt on Xena who finally admits to murder and this is all Callisto requires before spinning Xena around like they're on the dancefloor, except this dance ends with her slamming into a big rock. She pokes Gabrielle awake and it's immediately obvious what's happened, but we're subjected to Callisto-as-Xena snogging Ares to make it blatantly clear.
In Tartarus, Xena-as-Callisto convinces Hades of who she is and he grants her a 1-day free pass to reclaim her body/send Callisto back down or she'll take her place permanently. Up top, despite Ares warning her to steer clear of Xena/wait it out until the day's up, Callisto's fixated on making her suffer (it's too bad they had to write Callisto this way, as usually she's pretty smart). Firstly, she offs Theodorus (for badmouthing her behind her back to who he *thought* was Xena), then she teaches Gabrielle to embrace that bloodlust she once had for Callisto by fighting a tree, and lastly she wants to burn all the people from Xena's village (including her mother) as payback for Xena doing the same to her family. Lucy Lawless definitely makes an effort to change her voice/mannerisms/walk to illustrate she's not Xena, but I did think it was more exaggerated than how Hudson Leick plays her.
So much for Gabrielle being Xena's BFF, as she just shrugs off 'Xena' acting weird. Clearly horses are smarter than people, as Argo's no dummy and is constantly whinnying to warn Gabrielle. Figuring the horse might out her, Callisto-as-Xena sends Gabrielle away and then taunts poor Argo (when she said "Poor dumb animal", you just KNOW Argo was thinking, "I'M not the dumb one! I knew it was you all along!"), splashing her in the face, before slashing her/the camera. Kill all the humans you want, Callisto, but leave animals alone! This scene leads to Joxer getting a heroic moment when he interrupts Xena-as-Callisto as she's trying to save Argo with some plants/sap and is willing to die to protect Xena's horse. She easily flips him out of her way, as nothing's going to prevent her from saving Argo (who she knows Callisto was trying to force her to put down).
Xena-as-Callisto's way of convincing him she's Xena is by using her 'pinch' on him after asking whether he's ever seen Callisto use pressure points (considering Callisto's *obsessed* with Xena, how'd he know she hadn't picked up some of Xena's skills?), then thanks him for standing up to who he *thought* was Callisto on Argo's behalf. Hudson Leick really had the more difficult job this episode, as she can't let loose as she usually does, but instead has to be restrained/calm (without making her performance flat/boring). She's at her most 'Xena-y' later on when she answers Gabrielle's question of whether she's really Xena with a very Xena-esque "Yeah." whilst holding Gabrielle's shoulder. How'd she convince her? Gabrielle interrupted Xena and Callisto fighting in each other's bodies, Xena-as-Callisto had a knife to Callisto-as-Xena's throat, and what Gabrielle said at the start of the episode about not having dreamed since her hubby's death was something Callisto obviously didn't know, she then fled.
Before being pulled back to Tartarus, Xena-as-Callisto manages to put Callisto-as-Xena asleep, they're both in the underworld and now it's time for a little payback (guilt-style) in the form of Callisto's victims (plus her mother) making her feel bad for all the unnecessary killing she did. Callisto-as-Xena spins into the big rock, Xena's freed from Tartarus...but remains stuck in Callisto's body. Gabrielle says this'll take some adjusting to, then tells her the story she dreamt, starting with "I sing the song of Perdicus/Perdicas; the boy I knew, the man I loved"...and Xena's probably wishing she was back in Tartarus.