The Abyss

Story by Rob Tapert
Written by James Kahn
Directed by Rick Jacobsen

Even from a wonderful show like Xena: Warrior Princess, one cannot expect perfection all the time. In fact, half the fun of the show (especially in the earlier years) is looking for the little imperfections (some accidental, some intentional). These little quirks are part of the show's charm, and when they are part of an enjoyable story they can be forgiven.

One of those little quirks -- well, it's really a big quirk -- is part of this episode. I'll get to it a little later. Fortunately, the story itself is pretty solid and makes for an enjoyable hour.

I'm not completely sure why this episode is called The Abyss. Is it a reference to the deluge dumped on the barbarian cannibals at the end? Is it a reference to the spiritual depths Gabrielle climbs her way out of? I'm not certain.

Several references came to mind while watching this episode, however. Some of them were to previous Xena episodes, while others -- in true RenPic fashion -- are to other sources.

The barbarian cannibals and the terror they embodied brought to mind the Horde from The Price. But where the Horde turned into the "noble savage" presented in Daughter of Pomira, the men in this episode were barely more than beasts. There were no apparent redeeming features of these folk -- they were rabid animals that needed to be put down, nothing more.

In fact, their costuming contributed to this notion. They wore boar pelts, with the head (and tusks) still attached. When fully garbed, they were barely recognizable as human. Only two of the barbarians were given faces -- the tribe's shaman, and the war leader.

Another thing I noticed was the apparent lack of women in the tribe. How could a society develop to this point (with rituals and beliefs and so forth) without women to continue the family lines? It isn't a significant issue, since the tribe existed mostly as a force of nature, rather than as a distinct and unique culture. Still, it does reduce the credibility of the storyline.

Another reference that came to mind is the Michael Crichton novel Eaters of the Dead (made into the film The 13th Warrior with Antonio Banderas). That story also deals with a primitive, cannibalistic tribe in the wilderness. There weren't any other real similarities that I noticed, but the connection appears to be there.

I also noticed references to other Xena episodes. One Against An Army came to mind, as did Gabrielle's Hope in one touching sequence. All in all, the writer showed a working knowledge of the Xena canon, using ideas that have been presented before in a new manner. He also displayed a solid working knowledge of the characters, and they behaved in character.

The performances were solid all around. Renee continued to portray the guilt and uncertainty that appeared in last week's episode. It also appears that Gabrielle comes to some resolution. While she may never be completely comfortable with her role as a warrior, I think that is an important aspect of her character.

Lucy turns in an excellent performance as Xena. She lets her dark side come out to play, but keeps it in check better than she did in The Price. Of course, in this episode her murderous rage is totally justified so perhaps it is simply the fact said rage is never called into question. She also displays some of the tactical skill Xena is known for, and we are treated to the old fire-breathing trick (not seen often these days, but still a joy to behold).

Xena and Gabrielle's relationship is also very well treated in this episode. We have some wonderfully touching moments that happen between the two of them at various times. Fans of the relationship should be satisfied with this episode in that respect.

The barbarian shaman and war leader adequately portray the mystery and threat of the lead cannibals with little more than grunts, gibberish, and evil glares. My only complaint is that for a tribe that was developed more or less to give Xena something to kill, there was a little too much "character development". Still, they played the role of the demonic villains to the hilt.

Greg Lee did a good job as Virgil, demonstrating fewer of the "Joxeresque" qualities that annoyed so many fans in Who's Gurkhan. He exhibits a self-sacrificing attitude and doesn't get in the way.

Even Ruvio, the token comic relief in this dark episode, does a good job. He doesn't descend too far into the realm of camp, adding a realistic human touch to the brutal carnage that serves as a backdrop to this episode.

I have one major complaint, plot-wise. The dam Xena constructs to destroy the cannibals is a bit of a stretch - even for this show. While the idea would work in theory, it really stretches credibility for her to have done it in a day, to the point where the waterfall would completely dry up.

Even if that could have happened, during the time that she was off rescuing Gabrielle and Virgil the river would have backed up behind the dam and likely started spilling over the top. While the show has never held to the strictest standards of real-world physics, this particular story element just screamed plot device.

(On the plus side, I was happy to see that Xena didn't jump to the top of the cliff while escaping the waterfall at the end. It was a slight nod to reality, and I'll take what I can get at this point.)

One issue I would like to address before wrapping up is the cannibalistic tradition as depicted in this episode. In this case it serves a valid purpose, and I don't have any specific problem with how it is shown here. Traditionally, cannibalism is viewed with distaste and horror in western culture. There is another aspect to it that I would like to point out, however.

Cannibalism is a practice that dates back thousands of years. It is most prevalent in primitive tropical societies, where a strong spiritual connection with nature's cycles is felt. In the jungle, observation teaches that life springs from death -- the old tree falls, and new growth develops from it.

Cannibalism is an extension of that belief. In rituals that honor this natural cycle, a human life is often taken, and the tribe partakes of it. Aside from the metaphorical comparison, there is another meaning often associated with the ritual eating of human flesh -- it is often believed that aspects of the deceased are absorbed by the eater. It is a sacred ritual that honors the dead.

Indeed, echoes of this ancient practice can still be found in religious ceremonies today. After all, what is communion but the ritual cannibalism of Jesus Christ?

I didn't really expect an in depth analysis of cannibalistic ritual in this episode, but I thought I would share some of that information.

Overall, this was a solid episode with genuinely creepy undertones that treated the characters with respect. While there were a couple of questionable plot elements (the lack of women in the cannibal tribe and Xena's miraculous engineering skills) they can be forgiven in light of the fact that the basic story itself didn't totally suck. I give it a B.

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