I liked it...sort of but I found the plot to be confusing. I also found the writing to be a a bit of the "grasping at straws" genre.
First of all I definitely see Eli as being portrayed as a "Jesus type". If Eli's death was to set in motion the great cataclysmic event of the "Twilight Of The Gods" then he had to be somebody very revered and unique. Up until now we have seen Eli in different places...as a matter of fact you never knew just "where" he would pop up so I am led to believe that he traveled the known world preaching his message of love and peace, thus gathering a huge following. I also saw a comparison in the scene between him and Callisto when he asked her if there was any other way to achieve this "twilight" beginning. It reminded me of of Jesus in the Garden asking God to "take this cup from me". So Eli walked like a lamb to the slaughter and let Ares kill him. (Somehow I think we will see Eli again ;) ) What I did NOT understand however was how Gabrielle could turn her back on him when she knew he was going to be killed. I felt sorry for Gab being put in that position. She wanted to interfere but restrained herself and you could see that it took a lot for her to do this. I don't think Xena understood completely that Gabrielle did this because she respected Eli's beliefs and honored his request It isn't easy to stand by and watch a good friend die.
Xena, I think was a bit hard on Gab in this episode...she needs to remember that Gab has never before been put in the position of "protector" and she is really a "warlord in training". Of course she will make bad judgement calls and mistakes.
As for Ares...well he was just a lowlife scum-god in this episode. I really wanted to smack him when he had that look of boredom on his face while he was "waiting" to kill Eli. Great acting on Kevin's part. ;)
Callisto...ahh Callisto...why would she show Xena where the Dagger Of Helios was? Did she know that Xena would pull back at the end and not use it on Ares? Was she doing it out of love as Xena's future daughter (which Xena did not know at that point)?
Yes, I along with many of you realized for a long time now that Callisto was responsible for planting that seed but I have to admit that when she told Xena that she was, and explained why she did it and then added that she "couldn't think of a better mother" I shook my head in disbelief. Xena? A good mother? Sorry, she never showed those maternal qualities IMO. She abandoned her son and failed him right up until his death. She tried to kill Hope when she was a baby. All right Hope was evil but what right did Xena have in acting as judge and jury? No, I don't think that Xena was a good mother. Will she be a good mother to Callisto/Eve? Who knows? I guess only future episodes will tell us.
And on that thought if Eve is supposed to be a composite of dark and light like we have read I would like to know just who is responsible for the dark and who is responsible for the light. As far as I can see Xena is still dark, even after walking through the purification fire waters in Heaven. But Callisto was dark in her lifetime, is she the "light" of which is spoken? I find that very hard to believe. If this child is a combination of Xena and Callisto I would think this kid would be dark/dark which would make her very very bad. Just my opinion folks. LOL
Xena...hmmm...well she took the news pretty well. She accepted Calli as her "child" but apparently if she does name the baby Eve it shows to me that the name "Callisto" still brings her too many bad memories or else why wouldn't she rename this child Callisto? Wouldn't that complete the healing process? "Callisto" reborn, Xena giving her a second chance to be the good person she was supposed to? Again, just me musing here.
Well all in all I found this episode...interesting...that's it. Just interesting. I will miss the old bad girl psycho Barbie Callisto. IMO they should have killed her in Sacrifice II and just left her dead. I have to wonder if Hudson will be playing Eve grown up. I have to wonder if the word "spinoff" is being uttered by TPTB.
Again, it will be interesting to see what happens between Xena and Callisto/Eve after this baby is born.
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