Written by R.J. Stewart
Directed by Charles Seibert
In some ways, this episode revisits ground covered in other Ares episodes -- most notably, Ten Little Warlords and The Quill is Mightier. This episode also bears more resemblance to the situational comedy of the second season than the "slapstick stupidity" of later years. It is in many ways a return to the old style, and long-time Xenascribe R.J. Stewart takes us there with style.
The basic premise is rather simple -- word has gotten around that Ares is now mortal. A bounty has been placed on his head, and a band of warlords is looking to cash in. Xena takes action to protect the former God of War by countrifying him. What results is a relatively light-hearted tale that shows -- once again -- Ares is really an old softie underneath all the machismo.
The story wasn't flawless, but it was fun. There were several aspects of the script that had me scratching my head -- I'm sure there were several pieces of country-and-western pop culture that sailed miles over my head, and one or two of the relevant plot points didn't make a whole lot of sense taken in the greater context of the series (especially at this late stage of the game). It is these points I would like to address in my commentary.
First of all, what drove Xena to start that brawl in the bar? While I recognized the high degree of thugitude present, I failed to notice why Xena started beating them about the head and shoulders. The revelation that these goons were after Ares didn't come until after the fight, so that couldn't have been Xena's motivation. Has she taken a more proactive stance on crime fighting? She's cracking skulls simply because a bunch of professional lackeys are drinking in a tavern? It struck me as a little out of character -- it looked like Xena acted before being provoked.
Perhaps it is simply that there wasn't much action in the script, and they needed to get a certain amount of fisticuffs in.
Another oddity that struck me was how nonchalant the warriors seemed with Xena's presence. The Warrior Princess disappeared for twenty-five years, returned to kill off the Olympian gods, and then vanished off to Norseland for a year. Everything else being equal, didn't it seem a little strange to anybody else that Gasgar wasn't awed by her mere presence? There seemed to be more professional respect than anything else. Sure, the warlord in question could have been around back in Xena's heyday (he looked old enough), but based on the reactions Xena and Gabrielle inspired in Legacy he struck me as awfully calm.
