"[ Thunder Rumbling ] [ Grunting ]" "[ Wind Gusting ]" "[ Crackling, Rumbling ]" "[ Crackling ]" "[ Straining ]" "[ Grunting, Screaming ]" "Just weren't built to hold a real god, were you?" " [ Grunting ]" " Huh." " Go away." " [ Squealing ]" "dddd [ Tribal Drumming ] [ Grunting ]" "Can you see your friend?" "No, but she's gotta be here." "These are the people that her parents told me about." "I'm sure of it." "dddd [ Stops ]" "[ No Audible Dialogue ]" "I wish I could just make out what he's saying." "[ Indistinct ] I can't make it all out, but it's something about the return of a goddess." "They need to build temples to her." "Prepare the way. [ Bird Screeching ]" "Xena, there she is." "That's my friend, Seraphin." "What is she doing?" "[ Kiaiing ]" "Seraphin!" "This way!" " I'm gonna get Seraphin." " Right." "[ Chuckling ]" "[ Man Narrating ] In a time of ancient gods -- [ Xena Yells ] warlords and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero." "She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle." "The power." "The passion." "The danger." " [ Kiaiing ]" "Her courage will change the world." "We have to find her, Xena." "[ Sighs ] I've known Seraphin since she was -- she was five." "I can't believe that she'd be a worshipper of Callisto's." "More than that, she was a sacrifice." "When we stepped in, Callisto decided to take one of the other priests." "Do you think it's possible that Callisto could end up like the other gods, with temples and followers?" "It's not like her." "There has to be something else." "I just don't know what." "The first thing is to find your friend." "Come on." "[ Squishing Sound ] [ Soft Moaning ]" "Hi, honey, I'm home." "Ah." "Well, there you are." "Hello, pumpkin." "Your Auntie Callisto's brought you a little treat." "[ Growling ] It is what you wanted, isn't it?" "They called him the-the Priest of the Flesh." "Now... shall I carve or will you?" "Most of them are headed toward the river." "They're going to regroup." "Right." "Gabrielle, I want you to take Argo." "Go on ahead." "I'll catch up with you later." "How long have you been watching me?" "Since you broke up Callisto's little party." "Looks like the new kid on the block wants to create her own dynasty." "She's got a lot to learn though." "I, uh" "I don't suppose she happened to be wearing a pendant at all?" "You mean the hind's blood?" "No." "I heard the story, Ares." "Callisto kills Strife using a dagger with hind's blood, and then Hercules forced her through gate into that other world." "What I want to know is, how she got through that gate." "She's a goddess." "How long would it have taken you?" "Good point." "Still, it's good she didn't have it on her, because now" "Now she can't use it against you." "Or against any other god." "Callisto didn't come back for a few temples, she wants it all." "Now, Xena, you're going to need an ally." "Maybe we can..." "come up with some arrangement." "Forget it." "I'm not in this for your petty revenge." "Callisto is not a true god." "She was mortal." "She's got no control, no respect for any of us." "All she can bring is destruction." "And when she gets an army of worshippers, conquers the world, what then?" "Then she's coming after you." "[ Rhythmic Drumming ]" "Priest of the Flesh has gone." "Glory to him." "Glory!" "He will be replaced." "But the blood" "The time of the blood has come." "And this time there will be no interruptions." "Glory to the blood!" "The rebirth of the goddess." "[ Kiaiing ]" "Not happy to see me, are you?" "Neither am I, really." "But I've got a plan to solve both of our problems." " Why don't you let me in on it." " Oh, Xena." "[ Clicking Tongue ] I tell you about it, and the first thing you know, you'll be trying to stop me." "You just trust me." "You're gonna love it." "Well, at least half of it." "Oh, goody." "It's funny that I keep this thing around." "I don't really need it." "It's just for decoration..." "and for fun." "I don't know if I'm toying with you or you're toying with me." "Oh, you can't beat me, Xena." "You can only" "You can only delay me." "[ Scoffs ]" "Sorry, Xena, but I'm on a schedule." "Oh, yeah." "Oh, I've been looking forward to this reunion for a long, long time." "Oh, you're going back through the gate." "But not before we settle a few things." "Love to chat, but, gotta go." "I am really going to enjoy tearing her limb from limb." "[ Muffled Cry ]" "Seraphin, what is wrong with you?" "We're trying to save your life." " Gabrielle, you don't understand, I don't wanna go." "No, I know." "You wanna be sacrificed to the temple of Callisto." "Well, it's not going to happen." "Who's Callisto?" "Who's" "You mean you aren't being sacrificed to Callisto?" "I'm chosen." "The Priestess of the Blood." "The rebirth of the goddess." "This isn't about Callisto." "It's about something else." "The goddess of Dahak." "It's about Hope." "Hope is gathering her following." "It can't be." "Yes." "She's building a power base of people to worship her." "And why shouldn't we worship her?" "I mean, we're not fools." "We look at how the world is today... and where is the happiness?" "Where is the peace?" "Seraphin, you have no idea what you're talking about." "Hope is bringing Dahak's destruction." "The Goddess Hope is the savior of this world." "I must get back to Werfner." "The high priest needs me." "Needs me for the goddess." "Your goddess killed my child." "It's okay." "Come on." "I'll explain to you." "Hope is building an army of the ignorant." "Incredible." "A mortal so stupid as to believe Dahak will actually bring them peace." "They all deserve what they get." "I really don't know why you continue to protect them." "Shut up, Ares." "Hope must die." "Oh, my thoughts exactly." "But my way." "I got a lot of options here." "I can raise a combined army of all my warriors." "Hope wants to fight?" "I'll be there." "But on my terms." "Not to press a point, but, I can really use an overall commander." "Your army means nothing to me." "Taking this all a little personally, aren't we?" "Okay." "When you realize you're wrong, call me... if you survive." "Are you okay?" "Ares is right." "About leading his army?" "Xena, are you sure that's best?" "I'm taking it all too personally." "I can't afford that." "It's okay to be angry." "No, it's not." "Anger clouds the mind." "It prevents focus." "Hope still has a mortal form." "Maybe we can use that to our advantage." "That's if we can get past her powers." "She still hasn't made an appearance." "It's possible that she's not able to." "The rebirth that Seraphin mentioned." "Talk to her." " Find out what it means." " Do you think that Hope is vulnerable?" "That's exactly what I think." "And if I'm right... we got a chance to kill her." "Wait. [ Gulps ] This is the place of rebirth." "The cave of the Sister Peaks." "This is where the goddess is." "Very good." "Please, please." "We are only a servant... to the greatness of the god " " Yes, I know who you serve you little worm." "She and I are old friends." "I've given her the Priest of the Flesh, now she's waiting for the Priest of the Blood." "And just guess who gets that honor." "[ Nervous Chuckle ] No, it can't be us." "'Fraid so." "[ Cries Out ]" "We are not the chosen one." "The priestess servant." "She's the chosen one." "It's her blood." "What exactly do you mean?" "If our blood could release the goddess, we would drive the sword into our own chest, but it won't." "You're gonna help her, aren't you?" "To release her." "We can talk to her for you." "Really?" "No, you aren't listening." "I said everybody." "I want every warlord, every soldier who ever professed an allegiance to me." "All of them." "This is going to be the largest army ever assembled." " But this is Dahak and his daughter." " And I am Ares, God of War!" "I will not end up some footnote in the annals of history." "Dahak wants a battle for dominion." "All right, I'll give him one he'll never forget." "But we strike now." "So do as I tell you and go." "Do you remember the river near your house?" "I remember." "Your parents used to get so upset at us for swimming there." "[ Chuckles ] We would nod our heads and say, "We'll never do it again."" "But we'd go and we'd do it." "Didn't want anyone telling us what to do." "I'm not going home, Gabrielle." "I found my place." "This isn't your place." "These aren't your friends." "What happened to the girl that I knew who had a mind of her own?" "I just can't believe that you'd blindly follow Dahak and his followers." "I'm not as blind as you think." "Yes, I know Dahak has a plan, and yes, I know people must die, but it's for the greater good." "Don't tell me about the greater good because you have no idea what it means." "And you have no idea of the greatness of Dahak." "When the goddess is reborn, she will return from the Sister Peaks." "The bringer of the destroyer will wash the land of its sins." "On the rebirth, it will come to pass." "Werfner the high priest has promised us this." "This rebirth, what is that?" "Can you explain it to me because I don't know what it means." "It's a time when she becomes her destiny and she emerges stronger and more powerful." "Let the Goddess Hope touch your soul." "She already has." "Hope is my daughter." "[ Squishing Sound ] [ Soft Moaning ]" "Very good." "You molded her cocoon from Janiclea's flesh... as it is written." "With the Priest of the Flesh, it wasn't that hard to figure out." "Now talk to her." "What " " What do you want us to ask her?" "Ask her if she understands what I'm doing... and exactly why I'm protecting her." "[ Bubbling ]" "You wanna die?" "More than that." "I want oblivion." "I want my life to end." "I want it all to stop." "No nothing." "No memories, no Tartarus, nothing." "And I know" " I know she can do it." "Now, does she agree?" "[ Soft Moaning ]" "Goddess understands and she agrees." "[ Moaning, Squishing ]" "Should have been my child." "You know that?" "That's okay." "You have such power, it's almost scary. [ Moaning ]" "Daughter of Dahak, the power of her father behind her." "Yes... quite scary." "Hey." "Every village has got the same story." "People leaving home to join Dahak's followers." "Disciples they're calling themselves now." "Are they under a spell or something?" "No." "They're simple people." "They're poor and they're disillusioned." "That's all she needs to draw them in." "What's wrong with her?" "I told her about Hope." "About me and Hope." "And?" "I don't know." "When she looks at me, it's like there's somebody else in there." "How could this happen?" "I mean, if I were to bet what she'd be doing right now -- [ Scoffs ]" "That's the funny thing about people." "Just when you think you've got them figured out, they show a completely different side to their character." "I know what you mean." "You think we'll ever get her back, the Seraphin I know?" "We're gonna do everything we possibly can." "But, first, I gotta deal with Callisto." " What about Hope?" " I don't wanna split my efforts." "Callisto is protecting Hope." "So whatever happens, I gotta take her out of the picture." "The villagers mentioned a drifter who'd been stealing food from the markets." "By the description, it sounds like the priest we saw with Seraphin." "He's gotta be in the same general area as Hope." "The Sister Peaks." "Right." "Look, Gabrielle, do not turn your back on her." "She is not your friend any longer." "She belongs to Hope." "Be back as soon as I can." "Okay." "[ Squishing ]" "You should of told us you didn't eat." "We wouldn't have brought back so much." "If we were immortal, we would still like to eat " " Quiet!" "We've got a visitor." "Oh, she's so good." "We'll be right back." "A visitor?" "We don't like visitor." "Oh, Xena, come on." "I know you're here." "Still trying to stop me even though I'm doing you a favor." "You can do me a favor by handing over Hope." "Oh, you figured it out, did you?" "Well, no can do." "She's not quite up to snuff at the moment." "She's cocooned, helpless." "She needs her Auntie Callisto." "You would just run her through." " That's the idea." " Yeah, well, I can't let it happen." "See, I have plans for her." "Big plans." "Well, forget about them, and hand over that monster." "What is this, some kind of martyrdom phase you're going through?" " I could kill you in an instant." " [ Kiaiing ]" "Nice try." "But that threat worked when I was only a mortal." "But, I'm a god now, Xena." "Welcome to my world." "Now get ready to leave it." " Give me your best shot." "Oh, clever, clever girl." "You want me to use my powers in here so all these stupid rocks come tumbling on me." " You're a god." "It won't kill you." " No, it won't kill me." "But it will keep me locked up long enough for you to get to my precious little baby." "Oh, well, back to basics." "Ouch." "Don't do that." "The best you can hope for is a standoff." "And who do you really think is going to tire out first, huh?" "I gotta give you credit for trying." "You should've kept running." "I couldn't use my powers in there." "But out here, well, can you say, "Nighty-night?" [ Screams ]" "[ Gasps ] No!" "Nighty-night." "[ Gurgling, Squishing ]" "Stay back, Ares." "I'm the one who gets to kill her." "Then I guess we got a problem, 'cause I just can't let that happen." "We had heard about the mother of the Goddess Hope." "She's known as the Betrayer, the one who selfishly killed her own daughter." "That's not how it was." "We were never told her name... because it was said to speak it was obscene blasphemy." "I didn't know it was you." " But I guess it makes sense." " How does it make sense?" "She's your daughter." "She's a balance of Dahak's power." "The Goddess Hope is a balance of good and evil." "But born as a mortal, she's one of us." "She's evil." "That's what she is." "She's like her father." "She has a harsh father, yes, that's why Hope was born of a good person-- of you." "She can stand as a champion for mortals, a leader for us all." "She is a murderer." "She doesn't care about any of us." "Even as a child" "Can you blame a child for not understanding a power that was given it?" "A child without guidance." "Without her mother." "After the rebirth, the Goddess Hope will have the wisdom to know what's best." "She's your daughter, Gabrielle." "How could your daughter be evil?" " Ares has got Hope." " You saw her?" "Yes, I saw her, or something very like her." "She's in a cocoon." " What is Ares up to?" " He's not taking her to Mount Olympus because of other gods." " There's only one place that she'd be safe." " What place?" " The Halls of War." " We'll need every bit of time we got." "We'll travel overnight by foot." "I think we can be there by morning." " And then what?" " First things first." "Let's just get there." "Can you hear me?" "Can you?" "You and Callisto killed Strife." "You tried to kill me." "As you've probably figured out, I forgive you." "Xena's not finished, you know." "When she puts her mind to killing someone, they generally get killed." "I know." "I gave her that focus." "I suggest you do something to discourage her." "[ Eerie Howling ] What is that?" "[ Continues ] The goddess." "She's speaking to us." "You have to leave, Gabrielle." "They're coming." " Who's coming?" " Gabrielle." "[ Voices Chanting ] Priestess of the Blood." "By the gods." "Priestess of the Blood." "Priestess of the Blood." " They're innocent people." "Hope knows I won't kill them." " Priestess of the Blood." "There was a hut on the other side of the ridge." "Run to it." "I'll meet you there." "Okay, fellas, break it up. [ Man ] Stop her." "Come on." "Hurry!" "You don't understand, Gabrielle, they're trying to save me." "They're trying to save you for a sacrifice." "They won't hurt us." "They wouldn't!" " Right, they won't hurt "the Betrayer."" " But I would tell them... that-that you realize that you were wrong." "I can see it in your eyes." "[ Rumbling ]" " They're coming." "[ Thud ]" "[ Grunting ]" " Xena." " Gabrielle, up through the roof." "Climb down the tree and head to the river through the forest." "Come on." "Your turn." "No." "Leave me here." "Come on!" "No, Xena." "[ Kiaiing ]" "This is the area." "The Halls of War are around here someplace." "The entrance is along these cliffs." "Xena, about this rebirth of Hope." "What if it changes her?" "It won't change her, except to make her more powerful and more evil." "I just can't help thinking that -- well, she was a child when she did all those things." "My son was only a child when she killed him." "Don't you dare defend Hope to me." "I'm gonna head south and see if I can find anything." "Don't let her out of your sight." "You can sense her, can't you?" "[ Exhales ]" "She's your daughter, Gabrielle." "She loves you." "Don't you know that?" "She needs you." "Don't you think I know that?" "I have thought of it every minute." "I can't play "what if."" "But it doesn't have to be like that." "She knows." "The Goddess Hope knows." "I can feel it." "And if Xena kills her, I" "Go to her." "Find her." "Warn her." "I will." "And I'll tell her that her mother loves her." "Oh, you are the savior of the world, Gabrielle." "That was good." "With the connection Hope has with her followers, Seraphin should lead me right to her." "You almost convinced me." "I'm not blind anymore." "You realize that we've given Hope exactly what she wants..." "Seraphin." "It was the only way we could get to her in time." "If we waited, Hope would just choose another Priestess of the Blood." "We thought this place safe." "You told us it was." "No." "Safe was not the word I used." "When Xena starts to move, nothing is safe." "Once Hope is released, we won't have to worry about that." "Weren't you supposed to bring Seraphin here first?" "We" " We failed." "But we're looking." "I do have one card to play." "Something even Xena won't see coming." "Be careful." "Yeah." "Shh-shh-shh." "You and I have got something to talk about." "[ Gabrielle ] Where are we?" "What is this place?" "Who are they?" "We " " Are" " The Fates." "Yes, the Fates." "They spin the thread of life for all you mortals." "What am I doing here?" "Oh, I don't know." "Old time's sake?" "To call in a debt, remember?" "You still owe me for getting you to Chin ahead of Xena." "Now I'm calling that favor in." "If Xena kills Hope, this thread is cut." "If I have to die to keep Dahak's evil from the world, then I will." "Th-That's Xena." "This is Xena's life thread." "That's right." "And if she kills Hope -- [ Makes Cutting Sound ]" "The Fates agree, I have the right to ask this." "The debt is binding." "The burden is-  on Gabrielle." " [ Young Girl ] If Xena kills Hope" "[ Young Woman ] Xena will die." "My Goddess, I'm here." "I bring you my life's blood." "[ Soft Moaning ]" "I bring you freedom." "[ Man ] The offering of the Priestess of the Blood." "The rebirth of the goddess." "With this offering, the goddess awakens." "Daughter of Dahak... bringer of the destroyer." "Kill her!" "[ Kiaiing ]" "No, Xena." "[ Grunts ]" "[ Fighting Continues ]" "[ Growling ]" "What do you think you're" "[ Shrieking ]" "[ Moaning ]" "[ Laughs ]" "Captioned by Grantman Brown"