Return of the Valkyrie

Written by Emily Skopov
Directed by John Fawcett

The Ring Arc is brought to a conclusion, but is it a satisfactory one? I would have to say that it is, but this chapter is the weakest of the three. The reason for this feeling is not any inherent flaw in the episode itself, but rather it feels like there is another chapter missing from this saga.

The problems that were set up in The Rheingold and complicated further in The Ring are neatly resolved. It's almost as if once Xena starts on the path of "setting things right" there are greater powers helping her along, removing all obstacles in her path.

Emily Skopov's script picks up a year after Xena loses her memory at the conclusion of The Ring. Gabrielle still sleeps in Brunhilda's protective ring of fire, and we learn that young warriors enchanted by her beauty have tried to rescue her (with predictable results). Even Beowulf tried, and was badly scarred for his trouble.

The monstrous Grinhilda continues to patrol the swamp, and Beowulf decides to recruit help from his friend King Hrothgar. He arrives to witness the marriage of Hrothgar and Xena.

This whole sequence is, in my opinion, the weakest part of the story. We learn that Hrothgar rescued Xena from an icy death -- but we never knew she was in that danger to begin with. Not only that, in order to pry Xena loose from the good she can do as a Viking Queen there is a barely developed conflict with Hrothgar's sister, who envies Xena's role as Queen.

This sequence has no setup, and the resolution is decidedly rapid. Once Hrothgar's sister has a way of removing her rival (by creating the appearance of a tryst between Xena and Beowulf), she does so. She and Beowulf break free and are off like a shot for Gabrielle's fiery prison.

At this point, I wonder why the year-long time skip was necessary. The only purpose it serves is allowing everybody involved to believe that Xena is dead and the Ring lost forever. When Xena returns, the race is on again, and the end of the story is a foregone conclusion. After the wonderful setup of the first two parts, the pacing of the conclusion is a little fast.

Aside from the Hrothgar sequence, everything that happened in this episode could have taken place shortly after the events in The Ring. If they needed a time skip, couldn't they have shown Xena getting tossed into the ocean by the Valkyries? That plot point is extremely relevant to the setup for this episode, and referring to it in a bit of narrative exposition is a bad storytelling move.

The way Xena resolves the problems she caused is right in line with the message of the series, and the curse of the Ring. If forsaking love allows someone to cause great evil with the Ring, then embracing it will allow that evil to be undone.

Xena regains her memory by embracing her love of Gabrielle (with a kiss that I am sure will live in subtext fans' memories for years). Grinhilda embraces love by forgiving Xena, and Odin doing the same restores Valahlla's honor.

This message (in case you missed the subtle clubbing over your head) is all summed up in the final scene of the episode. When Xena returns the Rheingold to its hiding place among the Rhein Maidens, one of them asks what magic turned the wicked monster Xena was into the kind warrior she is now. Xena says that it wasn't magic, and looks back at Gabrielle with a smile.

Some tidbits I noticed:

We have mysterious and unexplained costume transformations again when Xena enters the circle of fire and awakens Gabrielle. One moment they're both in flowing white dresses, the next they're back in their old duds.

Gabrielle's locks return. When her costume changes back to her battle costume, her hair stays long, looking a lot like it did back in the old days. In fact, the combination of the long hair and the new costume is a little unsettling. The long hair just doesn't seem to fit her anymore.

Odin looks ready to hold on to his anger when Xena tells him to restore Grinhilda to the Valkyries. Xena then gives him one of those looks that says, "Don't make me kick your butt."

Aside from the abrupt pacing, this was a solid conclusion to the Ring Arc. I don't think it was as good as either of the first two parts, but it does neatly wrap up all the dangling plotlines (some may say it wraps them up a little too neatly). After a cliffhanger that matches the edge-of-your-seat drama of Sacrifice and The Ides of March we don't get quite the resolution I feel we deserve.

Still, the quality of the series is solidly reaffirmed. I don't think this story will quite surpass The Debt as a fan favorite, but it certainly deserves respect and appreciation. Solid storytelling, fine acting, and a focus on the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle make this arc a winner.

I have to mark points off for the abrupt resolution and left-field plot devices in this final chapter, though. I think Skopov did the best she could with the time she was given, but I have to give this episode a final grade of B. The entire Ring Arc earns an A-minus.

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