Send in the Clones

Written by Paul Robert Coyle
Directed by Charlie Haskell

In the early twenty-first century a group of rabid Xena fans decide the world needs heroes again -- and who better than the Warrior Princess and Battling Bard? Using genetic material found in hairs recovered from the cave where the Xena Scrolls were found, they clone the duo. They imprint the personalities using clip montages, awaken the pair, and. well. would it be fair to say that wackiness ensues?

This whole plot is thrown into turmoil by the appearance of Alti, who is actually the scientist responsible for cloning the pair. She tries to awaken "Evil Xena" in order to discredit the legend. It ends up turning into a junkyard fight that ends up killing Alti - while Xena and Gabrielle get blown up... or do they? The final sequence implies they survived the inferno.

Anyhow, the overall plot is kind of forgettable; with the number of clip montages present the story doesn't get much real development. That really isn't a problem, though, as the real joy in this episode comes from the in-jokes and one-liners that abound. The three Xena fans are each stereotypes of certain sub-groups.

Alison Wall plays the subtext-loving Gabfan Clea (who gets upset when the bard's hair gets cut). Since her premiere character of Minya is the original pre-Mycenaean fangrrl it is only fitting she be reincarnated in a twenty-first century version.

Polly Baigent (last seen as a Xena-double in The Play's the Thing) plays Polly, the foil to Alison's Clea. Polly is a kick-butt, take-no-prisoners fan of the buff, tough, Warrior Princess. It becomes clear that their opinions on subtext are... divisive.

Finally, Ian Hughes (from season one's The Black Wolf) plays the token guy; a Joxer fan that seems devoted to the T&A aspects of the main characters.

The interaction between these three characters makes this episode a joy to watch. The debates that spring up -- and the fundamental differences in points of view -- remind me of heady debates with other fans online. I can only imagine what it's like when you get a group of them into a room together.

There are several inconsistencies and questions that crop up as a result of this episode, however. I find it a little bit strange that Alti has -- apparently -- had no difficulty remembering who she is in her various incarnations (a problem that has plagued uber-versions of both Xena and Gabrielle in episodes like Deja Vu All Over Again).

Apparently Alti hid the Xena Scrolls in order to kill Xena's legend. Wait a minute, though... according to The Xena Scrolls, weren't the scrolls found where Xena had sealed Ares using the Eye of Hephaestus? Not to mention the difference in the chakram itself -- an inconsistency that will probably haunt fans the rest of their days.

And what's the deal with this clone stuff? It looks like there are going to be as many Xena and Gabrielle look-alikes in the modern world as there were back in the olden days. A quick tally gives us Harry, Mattie, Annie, the clone versions of Xena and Gabrielle. is it just me, or is this getting a little convoluted for even this show?

Perhaps it is fitting that this episode, which in many ways celebrates the fans obsession with details and trivia, generates so many questions that can be debated in chat rooms and mailing lists. I for one am not embarrassed or offended by this portrayal of Xena fandom -- I take it as it was intended; a way for the cast and crew of the show to thank the people who made the last six years possible.

The other goal of this episode -- at least as I see it -- is to try and sum up the whole experience. At this, I don't think it succeeds. Too much has happened. Too many events have shaped Xena and Gabrielle into the people they are today. Any attempt to capture that in forty minutes is doomed to failure.

In the end, this is a fun way for fans to kill an hour. Less devoted viewers will probably be left in the dark and scratching their heads. That's okay, though, as this episode isn't really meant for them. A fun premise, coupled with great character dynamics and rib-tickling one-liners makes this one a keeper. The light story and over-reliance on clip montages, however, hold the episode back, rather than enhancing it. My grade for this episode is a solid B.

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