PATREON ONLY: Xena Warrior Princess 4x08 Reaction
Added 2024-11-29 14:45:07 +0000 UTC
Comments
When it comes to "protecting her" situations, it reminds me of Orphan Black with Delphine and Cosima. That one scene between them on the island: "That's our relationship, I'm always gonna push too hard and you are always going to do things without my permission". From Delphine's side It was to protect Cosima, because she wouldn't ask Cosima to change one of the things she loves about her. Cosima was always gonna push to hard cause of her beliefs and who she is as a person. What I like is that it feels like it illustrates a love and understanding that you accept the person you love for who they are. Granted Xena and Gabrielle's relationship is slightly different, but I do think that was just a sign of the times.
Bo D
2024-12-15 01:24:17 +0000 UTCThis is definitely one of the best episodes of Season Four. Najara is evocative of Joan of Arc, while simultaneously invoking Islam on some level (with the Djinn, if nothing else.) Whether "the Light" of which Najara speaks is the same as the true Light who is a quiet presence on both Hercules and Xena is a mystery.
Koz
2024-12-02 14:48:37 +0000 UTCNajara is a nut
Dudley, the Stardew Valley cat 2
2024-12-01 21:31:03 +0000 UTCYeah, I suppose you’re right. Thanks. ☺️
Girl4Music
2024-11-30 13:01:41 +0000 UTCYes that's also true... but I think objectification of people it's the theme of this episode, and that's why they leaned so hard on that
Herbert West MD
2024-11-30 13:00:12 +0000 UTCThat’s very true. Never even thought of that. But how often does Xena ever ask Gabrielle for what she wants when it comes to “protecting her”? She normally just goes ahead and does it and never consults Gabrielle. Often leaves her in the dark to go on one of her suicidal/self-sacrificial missions.
Girl4Music
2024-11-30 12:47:08 +0000 UTCNajara also gives a whole speech to the slave traders about how wrong it is to sell and trade people like objects, but still she and Xena make a deal about who gets Gabrielle not even asking her what she wants.. so they knew what they were doing with this episode 😆
Herbert West MD
2024-11-30 12:45:56 +0000 UTCYeah, I know it’s the point but I still don’t like the line and what it means. Xena in general is so not about that. Part of what makes their relationship so beautiful is that while they belong to each other spiritually they don’t go on like they own each other physically or emotionally.
Girl4Music
2024-11-30 12:35:50 +0000 UTCWell that's the point, isn't it? It's your typical mustache twirling evil villain speech when facing the hero, the hero/villain/damsel setup.. Xena is supposed to be the hero, but she's the villain here, and Najara is supposed to be the villain but she's the hero here trying to save someone she cares about.. so who is really who? Such a great play on what is what and who is who 😁 I just love it
Herbert West MD
2024-11-30 12:33:23 +0000 UTCI love this episode! And love Najara! I think it was less Gabrielle looking up to Najara and more Gabrielle CRUSHING on Najara and therefore having on some mild blinders. Beautiful warrior woman + monotheism = Gabrielle's 2 kryptonites lol. So of course she struck by Najara. Also, I think Najara came at the perfectly vulnerable time for both Xena & Gabrielle. They are both at a sensitive place in their journey/relationship where they are doing a lot of soul searching about if this is the right path for themselves and eachother. Najara holds up a really painful but needed mirror to alot of their choices for 'the greater good' and how it's not much different than what she does.
mary smith
2024-11-29 22:50:26 +0000 UTCAnd THIS is when I started to have real dread watching this season. Because whyyy would they show that vision again?? 😭 It was traumatizing enough the first time. Also I hated the idea of Gabrielle leaving, even though she didn't even know that was the plan. I think this is a good time to say wow, look at how much Gabrielle's fighting has grown since the first season. Her moves are so slick now. As for Xena, I think her suspicion was only partly caused by Najara herself. Imo it was mostly jealousy. Najara: Sleep well. Xena: Oh, WE will. 🙂
TurnK
2024-11-29 20:59:06 +0000 UTC“If I can't have her, nobody's gonna have her." Like she’s some trophy. Yuck. I know it’s just a ruse to get Najara antsy and take the bait but still… I don’t like the objectification. Even if it’s by a woman about another woman. If anything - that’s worse because a woman would know how it feels to be objectified. People belong to themselves. They’re nobody’s prize to be won.
Girl4Music
2024-11-29 20:58:16 +0000 UTC'Crusader' aka Gabrielle's first female love interest that she reciprocated something back for. Here we have the biggest threat to Xena. I love how literally every love interest Gabrielle seems to be interested in is also a Warrior. Najara is a compelling character... or rather I should say that she started off compelling but she's another example of side/recurring/season regular characters that got stripped of multidimensionality and complexity of moral ambiguity just because they had to give the counterpoint to Xena yet again. It's not that I ever object to that... it's just it needs to make sense and feel organic and what they do with Najara just... didn't. But anyway - in this episode the writing of the character and Kathryn Morris' portrayal of her definitely did make Gabrielle's attraction to Najara logical and justified because she was presented with a worldview that she found very enticing given she was so lost in herself and wondering how she can go on with Xena. There was no question of Gabrielle's love for and loyalty to Xena, of course, but there was still a gaping hole left by the traumatic events that happened in her life that she knew only occurred because she was travelling with Xena and because she chose her as a romantic partner - regardless whether it was in an official context or not. Then this attractive woman comes into the narrative and upstages Xena in seemingly all areas as a warrior and heroine but also appears to have made a complete commitment to serving the greater good that doesn't leave her emotionally shattered and she's left wondering... "What if?" What does she do? That's a significant internal conflict for Gabrielle and they could have played this for much longer than they did if they didn't write Najara off as an obsessed psychotic zealot and, at the same time, make Gabrielle out to be dumb as shit for falling for it. It was to me a missed opportunity to do something interesting with what could have been a real romantic interest character for Gabrielle because they were very intentionally playing it that way in 'Crusader' and I was here for it. I was here for the possibility that maybe they could prove that Xena was really the right person for her to be with that didn't conclude in stripping down the romantic interest because not only does that make the side/recurring/season regular character look bad,... but it also makes the lead character look bad as well and Gabrielle, as well written as she usually is, just didn't deserve that hit. So not a favourite - despite the obviously very intentional queer vibes. I just feel like they watered down such a fascinating character by being “look, told you she was crazy all along.” In the end.
Girl4Music
2024-11-29 20:00:04 +0000 UTCI love this episode, they were crazy for making Xena and Najara fight over Gabrielle 😆 so much good drama in that love triangle
Herbert West MD
2024-11-29 17:37:22 +0000 UTCLol when I first watched that episode when I was younger I didn't like it cause Xena got her butt kicked, but when I got older and understood more I developed a fondness for the episode, now it's one of my favorites. Kathryn Morris did an amazing job with Najara, she played it in a way where you just didn't know and knew how to shift it just enough to make you second guess yourself....crazy to think it's the same actress that plays the lead in Cold Case
Bo D
2024-11-29 16:47:40 +0000 UTC
