Fallen Angel

Teleplay by R.J. Stewart
Story by Rob Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Directed by John Fawcett

Fans sat on pins and needles most of the summer, with speculation both positive and negative running rampant on and off-line. How would the powers that be resolve the "cross hanger" from The Ides of March? The answer, it turned out was, "surprisingly well."

The make-up and visual effects in this story are incredible, but the story is not given short shrift as a result of them. Indeed, there is a hell of a lot going on here narratively (if you'll pardon the pun).

Basically, there are two story lines. The primary one is Xena and Gabrielle's experience with the afterlife and the war in Heaven. The second story is how those who were left behind (Joxer, Amarice, and Eli) deal with Xena and Gabrielle's deaths.

A lot of fuss had been raised about the introduction of "biblical" elements to the cosmology of the Xenaverse, despite the fact that biblical references were nothing new for the show (Giant Killer, for example, or The Royal Couple of Thieves). I won't go too deeply into my thoughts on the subject, except to say that I didn't have a problem with it at all. If you want a bit more in depth than that, I suggest you check out my related article Closer to God.

A conflict or war between Good and Evil is a classic theme in Western mythology. The war here is, I feel, a macrocosmic (that is to say, BIG) representation of the conflict in Xena herself. The fact that the symbols use are biblical should make them more accessible, not less.

The dichotomy between "Light Xena" and "Dark Xena" is clearly displayed by a single line repeated (almost exactly) by Xena at two different points.

When talking to the archangel Michael before she heads for Hell to rescue Gabrielle, Xena says, "I can't let [Gabrielle] walk through Hell alone." Later, when Xena has become a demon, she tries to get Gabrielle to join her, saying, "You can't let me walk through Hell alone."

The first is the selfless, heroic Xena willing to give up her life to save another -- an attitude demonstrated very clearly by Xena's redemption of Callisto. The second is the selfish lust that needs Gabrielle, even if it costs Gabrielle her soul.

There are a couple of interesting connections to Paradise Found. Demon Xena's cry as she flies after Gabrielle is almost identical to her scream when Gab was under Aiden's influence in the earlier episode. In addition, while tracking Gabrielle up in the clouds, Xena says, "I can smell ya." She said the same thing while hunting the man in Aiden's garden. One connection is a coincidence, two is deliberate -- especially where these writers are concerned.

We are clearly meant to draw a connection here. Xena has totally given into her dark side voluntarily, the same way she did to save Gabrielle in Paradise Found. In some ways this mirrors the theme of The Price where Xena is willing to sacrifice all she had gained over the past years in order to save the lives of the men in the besieged garrison.

Another reference to past episodes is made when Xena faces off against Gabrielle in the cliff side cave. She asks Gabrielle to join her, but Gabrielle refuses. To join Xena would be to willingly give in to the hatred and anger. As Xena once observed, "You know hatred, but you've never given in to it." Gabrielle has given in to the darkness from time to time, but only when "forced" into it, as when she is held down by the denizens of Hell and forcefully fed the fruits that turn her into a demon.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the scenes of Joxer, Amarice, and Eli dealing with the aftermath of the crucifixion could easily have wandered into melodrama or become especially maudlin. Each actor, however, was nicely restrained, and their individual internal struggles were a nice balance to the external war taking place in eternity.

Joxer continued to display the maturity that was forced on him in The Convert. Ted Raimi's performance was wonderful, clearly showing a man in pain, but still committed to going on. His determination to return Xena and Gabrielle to Greece (as they desired) displayed the heart fans of his have always known existed.

Amarice displayed a newfound maturity as well, swearing to pick up where Xena had left off and recognizing that she would probably never be as wise as Xena. Her verbal assault on Eli, and her desire to see her new friends honored also spoke volumes about her character. It was a wonderful performance by Jennifer Sky.

Eli suffers a major crisis of faith -- he was certainly guilty of a degree of pride in his philosophy. He learns a great deal about himself and the world in this episode, and many fans (myself included) thought it changes the character for the better.

Hudson turns in one of the finest performances as Callisto ever. For the first time we see the angry, bitter child who lost her family, and seeing this scared, hurt little girl prompts Xena to sacrifice her own light to redeem Callisto. The sacrifice was expected, but made especially poignant because of who she saved.

Callisto seemed to be given a "final farewell" in this episode -- she finds peace and is reunited with her family. She deserved nothing less, but her role in the Xenaverse wasn't over yet.

Despite the intense drama of this episode, it also contains some light hearted moments. When Xena is preparing for the purification test to become an archangel. She asks Michael what's in the cave. I half expected him to say, "Only what you take with you" -- a line used on Hercules the previous season, and perhaps a reference to Luke Skywalker's training on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.

When Gabrielle has been transformed into a demon, she utters a very chilling, "Callisto..." In some ways, this mirrors performances given by Hudson Leick as Callisto in the past, and while eerie, it is amusing to see the tables turned on the villain.

An ironic line is delivered without a trace of irony when newly-redeemed Callisto faces Gabrielle and says, "I'm not a very good fighter." Xena, likewise gets a good line when Michael asks her if she's insane. Xena responds, "It depends on who you talk to."

All in all, Fallen Angel is a solidly written, beautifully directed, wonderfully performed episode. The effects and costumes are stunning, and the story works beautifully to resolve the season four finale. It expands the show's universe while at the same time remaining true to many of the thematic elements from its earliest days.

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