Terrific. Now can we head for
Thessaly before you hurt yourself?
No, no, no.
No, wait.
You see, I've worked
out the mechanics.
The speed, trajectory,
and finally, the arc of the spin.
- Good. What's the point?
- Your flip.
Basically, I've broken it down
into it's relatively simple steps.
Oh, yeah?
What foot do I start on?
Don't confuse me.
This time no staff.
- Watch.
- Gabrielle.
Before I tried the flip without the
staff, I made attempts with it.
Slow learner, huh, Xena?
I had that problem
with basket weaving.
It's the right foot,
but I'd rather you didn't.
It's not like
it's gonna k*ll me.
Let me try it one time.
Okay? That's all I need.
One time.
Wrong foot.
I'm telling you,
my ankle is fine.
Come on. Let me take a look at it.
Don't let pride get in the way.
You tried something...
and you failed. It happens.
It's nothing serious, Xena.
Good thing
it's nothing serious.
That doesn't hurt.
Already too swollen, huh?
I'll walk it off.
I'm not gonna tell you that you
shouldn't have tried that flip.
You'll work it in.
Gabrielle, look out!
Hit the deck!
Why did you do that?
A new theory I'm
testing for sprains.
Elevation and ice-cold water.
Yeah, well,
I'm not very thirsty.
Sit down.
Now you owe me
a nice pair of boots.
Yeah.
You, there.
Run for your lives.
Why? What's going on?
A huge army.
It landed two nights ago.
And a fleet of
tall ships, foreign.
Laid waste to our
troops in Marathon.
They're headed this way.
On a forced march
for Athens.
Tall ships? Three masts?
Yes.
- A double row of oarsmen.
- That's right.
Persians.
Have you fought
these guys before?
Gabrielle, over that
mountain is the most
ruthless army ever
to take up weapons.
If they reach Athens,
Greece is lost.
What are we going to do?
Stop them.
In a time of ancient gods...
...warlords...
...and kings...
A land in turmoil
cried out for a hero...
She was Xena...
a mighty princess,
forged in the heat of battle...
...The power...
...The passion...
...The danger...
Her courage will
change the world...
[font color="#d "]One Against An Army[/font]
The Spartans were fighting at
Marathon alongside the Greeks?
That's a first.
Unfortunately,
they were slaughtered.
They fought bravely,
but they were so
outnumbered they
never had a chance.
Persians will swarm through this
land like man-eating locusts.
We'd better move quickly.
I've never seen
such an att*ck.
The sky was so thick with arrows,
you couldn't see the sun.
Someone had better
warn the Athenians.
Phidippides,
can you run on to Athens and
tell them about Marathon?
- Yes.
- Good.
Pace yourself. In this heat,
a run like that could k*ll you.
We'll try to slow them up.
Stopping an army.
Is that something you try about
times before you actually do it?
Keep that foot elevated.
Go on, say it. We'd move a lot
faster if I hadn't tried that.
- Tried what?
- The flip.
- The pass.
- The pass?
The pass at Thermopylae,
that's the answer.
What's the question?
That's the shortest
route from Marathon.
The Persians have to
go through there.
So it's the best
place to stop them.
Two against an army?
No, an army against
a landslide that we cause,
thereby sealing it off.
Of course.
Look, Xena.
I'm slowing you down.
Why don't you go ahead, create
the landslide? I'll wait here.
No.
Persian advance scouts
travel ahead of the infantry.
They would find you.
Stupid ankle.
If only I hadn't tried that.
Well, if that is the worst thing
that happens today, I'll be thrilled.
Xena, what about that thing
that you did in China?
You know, that power that you had
that could destroy an entire army.
I wish I could
still call it up, but
that took a purity
of essence that--
Well, it's gone now.
Has it occurred
to you that, well,
maybe the landslide will
only delay them?
I mean, what if the
Persians just go around
the mountain and
continue on to Athens?
Then we'll have them
exactly where we want them.
Where?
Tripolis. I used to keep
a secret armory in the area.
If we're lucky, the weapons
will still be there.
We'll be ready for them.
We? As in you and me?
The two of us?
As in you, me and
the Tripolis militia.
Oh, that we.
Give up the horse.
Or the last thing you see
will be your heart in my hand.
I don't give up my heart
to just anyone.
You've been following us
for the last half an hour.
All that time for this move?
Help her down or I will.
All right.
I can see you're
obviously pressed for time.
Right foot first.
He's a Spartan from his clothes.
At least he stole them
from some real warrior.
I am a Spartan.
I fought at Marathon.
When my commander
saw we were losing,
he sent me to find
a fall-back position.
Unfortunately, my horse came
up lame and I had to k*ll him.
Don't get any ideas.
I wanted your horse
to finish my mission--
and get this treated.
It's pretty bad.
It's only a flesh wound.
I can dress it.
Did you get that
running from battle?
Spartans don't run.
Oh, I know.
They fight to the death.
Not a nick on it.
You're a deserter, aren't you?
N-N-No. I swear on
my father's life.
Oh, a coward and a liar.
Your father must be proud.
All right, all right.
I admit it. I ran.
I abandoned my
people to slaughter.
I'm a disgrace to my homeland.
Everybody feels fear.
But we don't all run.
If we did, there'd be
no home left to run to.
I'm offering you a chance
to redeem yourself.
Join us.
Join you?
Against that army?
What good can the three
of us possibly do?
Xena has a plan to stop them.
- You do?
- Yeah.
And you'll fit into it nicely.
What village in Sparta
are you from, Dorian?
Mizoa, the most beautiful
village in the Peloponnese.
Oh, yeah. That's famous
for that waterfall.
- Seventy feet high.
- Yes.
And I pray that I one day
see that waterfall again.
And my wife and son Zacheris.
I wonder what he'll think of me when
he discovers his father is a coward.
You can change.
He doesn't have to know about
the one time you failed.
What if I fail again?
Quickly, the enemy.
Xena, you still haven't told me
your plans to stop the Persians.
Oh, haven't I?
Hey.
I want you to take
Gabrielle into
the woods and keep
her there, all right?
- What is it?
- Did you see something?
Sunlight glinting
on steel up ahead.
It's the advance party
I've been expecting.
I can still fight.
Don't argue with me.
I'll explain later.
Go on. Get out of here.
Get ready for a fight, Spartan.
Get her!
Dorian.
Dorian, snap out of it!
Dorian, fight or take refuge.
Come on. Come on.
- Gabrielle!
- Gabrielle.
This is my fault,
my fault.
Go and do something useful.
Make a fire.
It's not-- It's
not that bad.
Gabrielle, this is
going to be painful.
- That's enough.
- Not nearly.
I hardly felt a thing.
What is it?
Poison.
Ready?
Will it get the poison out?
No. It's already moving
through her system.
Why did you come back for me?
I wanted you to
see that waterfall.
And your son Zacheris.
I'm sorry I froze.
I guess I came up
short again, huh?
Can we still
execute your plan?
Don't you worry
about my plan.
Dorian's right to
be concerned, Xena.
Why don't you leave me
and go on ahead?
The advance scouts
travel a day ahead of
the main force,
so we still have time.
Be honest with me, Xena.
How bad is this poison?
It didn't hit a main artery.
This poultice will
delay the effect...
until we can get to Tripolis
and treat it with a serum.
By tomorrow you'll be trying
those flips again with a staff.
- If she dies--
- She won't.
If she dies, I'm sure you'll
hate me for freezing up like that.
You'll blame me for
therest of your life.
How I feel doesn't matter.
You're the one who has
to live with yourself.
After today, I'll never see
you again one way or the other.
But with Gabrielle hurt,
doesn't this change your plans?
Yes!
Yes, it does.
Look.
I need you to come through
for me now more than ever.
With Gabrielle injured,
we're moving too slowly.
I need you to run
ahead to Tripolis.
Anything, anything at all.
I need you to tell
the head of the militia
to get his men
ready to meet me.
There's been a landslide at
the pass at Thermopylae--
The pass is blocked?
Then there's hope.
You didn't tell me that.
Well, you'd better get moving.
It's risky. There may be
more Persian scouts ahead.
Thanks for giving me
another chance.
I'll see you later with help.
This time no amount of fear
will stop me from doing my duty.
Make your son proud.
Be careful.
Okay.
I think you might
have changed him.
I don't understand. There's
no landslide at the pass.
And there's no
waterfall at Mizoa.
What?
Spartans from the age of eight
carry around a wooden stick.
They're constantly squeezing it
between their hands to harden them.
When I helped him
up this morning,
I noticed there were only a
few calluses on his sword hand.
- He's no Spartan.
- Then where is he from?
Persia. He's a spy.
But he has a wound.
One of his fellow
Persians gave him
that to make his story
more convincing.
Right now he's rushing back to
tell them there's been a landslide.
So that we don't have to do it.
The army will be
diverted anyway.
Right into us and the militia.
Now let's get you to Tripolis
and get you treated.
What is this place?
Tripolis, or what's left of it.
Everybody's fled.
The militia razed
their own town.
They didn't want to leave
anything behind for the Persians.
- There.
- It's the physician's hut.
Stay here.
The serum.
No militia.
You know, Xena, they say that
bad things come in threes.
How about that armory, huh?
We're not staying here.
We're moving on to
Thessaly after all.
- They'll have medicine there.
- Now just wait.
- We can take the back roads.
- But your plan--
Dorian would have told
the Persians about Thermopylae.
That means that
they'll be heading here.
And you've promised the people
that you'll slow them down, right?
So let's take care
of that first.
No. First the serum.
We can get back in time--
Xena, we can't make it back in
time to slow down the Persians.
And if we can't stop them while
the Athenians are moving up,
then Athens is going to fall.
How long do I have?
Well, we'll just have to stand
and fight now, won't we?
Tomorrow we'll go to Thessaly.
It's a chance that
we have to take.
Horses. Persian cavalry.
It's the advance party. Come on.
Here.
Sit down.
Xena, aren't we
going to the armory?
Yep.
We just got there.
We bought ourselves some
time with that shortcut.
Not too shabby for three years.
I hid these here in case
I ever had another army.
I didn't think
I would need them again.
I didn't know that
I qualified as an army.
- Okay.
- Xena.
In case this poison
starts spreading faster,
- I do have a last request.
- You can tell me about it later,
years from now,
when we're old and gray.
Oh, that's funny.
Really, after you've
slowed down the Persians,
if I can't make it,
I want you to save yourself.
I don't want to be
a burden to you.
I can't promise that.
We're all gonna die eventually.
Not today.
Look, Gabrielle.
I know it's bad, but we've
survived worse, right?
Right?
Are you all right?
What are you doing sitting up?
I was just uncomfortable
on my back.
The Persians are
out there, aren't they?
Yes.
How many campfires?
Thirty or forty.
Ten men or so per fire.
That's good.
For a minute there,
I thought we were in trouble.
At least we have the element
of surprise in our favor.
It's the main cavalry.
Their best warriors.
Well, we only have to
delay them, right?
Just bloody their
noses a little bit.
You just let me worry
about their noses.
I'm gonna find someplace to
hide you until after the battle.
I guess I'm gonna miss out
on all the fun, huh?
You know, it's occurred
to me that this is just
a clever diversion to make
me forget about my boots.
My chest feels so h-heavy.
- What?
- Blood.
The arrow must've grazed
your lung. The poison--
I just ran out of time,
didn't I?
That doesn't look
like a w*apon.
It's not.
It's a litter.
I'm putting you on it
and getting you out of here.
Why?
Did the Persians pull back?
Xena--
you can't do this.
You can't leave, not if
they're still out there.
- You're the only one.
- Gabrielle, quiet.
Look. I know what
you're doing. You can't.
- If you don't hold them up--
- I am not going to let you die.
I can still get you to
Thessaly and the antidote.
And then what?
What happens to Athens?
What's my life worth then?
First things first.
The first thing is
the greater good.
You taught me that.
You taught me that there are
things in life worth dying for.
Things that hold a higher meaning
than our own existence.
Not your existence.
Why?
- 'Cause I'm your friend?
- Yes.
Well, then, honor my memory.
We both know that I'm right.
This is right.
Xena, promise me.
Promise me that you will not
leave this battle because of me.
Help me.
Hey, hey.
I'm here.
- Xena.
- Yes?
You've gotta take me with you.
Teach me everything you know.
You can't leave me
here in Poteidaia.
I want to go with you.
I've studied the stars,
spoken with philosophers,
and I have the gift of prophecy.
I can be very valuable to you.
Take me with you.
I want so much to be like you.
I want to be like you.
k*ll her!
Xena!
Xena.
We're leaving.
- I thought that we agreed.
- I changed my mind.
There's no other way.
There's got to be another way.
I'm going to get
us out of this.
It's too late for me.
I don't accept defeat.
There are always choices.
I'm done paying for
my past mistakes.
My responsibility now is you.
Don't.
- Don't argue with me now.
- Don't you argue with me.
I know that I am going to die.
I accept that.
Why can't you?
A long time ago,
I accepted the consequences
of our life together,
that it might one
day come to this.
It has.
I'm not afraid.
You've always said
that I was the brave one.
Look at you now.
If this is to be our destiny,
let's see it out together.
Even in death, Gabrielle,
I will never leave you.
Hey.
I want you
to run away from here.
You run as far as you can.
Don't you stop
for any stallions.
Go on!
You do as I say!
Go!
Gabrielle.
I'm still here.
I think--
Strange.
I seem to have
moved beyond the pain.
Here.
- I have a poultice ready for you.
- No, please, don't.
Don't bother with that.
I can't fight.
I can't be of any help
to you, so please.
I'm just distracting you.
But you're my source,
Gabrielle.
When I reach down inside
myself and do things
that I'm not capable of,
it's because of you.
Don't you know that by now?
Let's just see this one
through together, all right?
Here we go.
Okay, here we go.
Now I have a better view.
I'm gonna put the boiling oil
over by the ladder.
The minute they
start up, you tip it.
Just push it on them.
You'll be down there.
If they're coming up the ladder,
then it means they got past me.
If they got past me, well--
Watch out for a man with
a double-edged sword.
What?
I had a dream.
And he came through the roof.
Just be careful.
Always looking out for me, huh?
Always.
Xena.
About China, I hope you know
I never meant to hurt you.
I only did what
I thought was right.
Gabrielle,
that's all in the past.
All I want is to be
with you right now.
You're my best friend,
my family.
I love you, Gabrielle.
I love you, Xena.
Until the other side then.
We'll be together.
Until then.
They're coming.
Archers, fire!
Xe--
Gabrielle, do it!
Gabrielle, now!
Told you I'd be back...
with help.
Poison, just like Gabrielle.
I'm going to
let you die quicker,
but with much more pain.
That's right. Crawl.
Crawl for your stinking life!
Down! Down!
You feeling better now that
you found your medicine?
Go home. There are
thousands more like me.
Come on.
Come on, back to the horses.
Gabrielle, I have the antidote.
Hey, Gabrielle.
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, can you hear me?
- Are we dead?
- No.
No. Here, drink this.
I thought you said
those guys were tough.
Must have caught
them on an off day.
- You're hurt.
- No, I'm all right.
You just get some sleep.
We'll be heading out
in a few hours.
Xena.
When we get to Thessaly,
you still owe me
a new pair of boots.