The despair of winter is followed
by the hope of spring.
The infernal heat of summer,
abolished by a gentle autumn breeze.
Life's brutal truths...
are softened by its
tender mercies.
You know, I like that.
Thank you.
My writing has allowed me to
express my most inner feelings.
I don't know how
I'd survive without it.
I wish you had something
like that, Xena.
Are you kidding?
I got this.
It's perfect.
More hot sand...
Touring the world
is sure tough on shoes.
Yeah, I gotta get Argo to
a blacksmith in the next town.
Actually,
I was talking about my shoes.
Ready?
- Tara!
- It's Istafan! Run!
You know what you've done,
don't you?
Yeah, I know.
It's a crime we cannot pardon.
She has broken the goddess' law!
You will be disciplined.
Take her!
A terrible crime
has been committed
against our benefactor
and protector.
The great muse, Calliope.
Calliope?
This far from home?
Her scales of justice...
shall be swift and fair.
Ten lashes, Licinus,
and don't spare your arm.
A transgression like this
must be disciplined.
That's not nice.
Save some for me!
You can take over here.
Tara?
I don't wanna hurt you
or your people,
but I'm not gonna let you
b*at this girl with a whip.
So call off your lynch mob
and go home.
This is no mob.
This is the town militia
and I am the chief magistrate.
Tara, what did you do?
She committed
a crime so insidious
we must punish it
quickly and severely.
That's great, Tara.
You really messed this up!
She danced.
What?
She danced.
Danced?
Danced.
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...
Now, the three of us are gonna
walk outta town, nice and easy.
We don't want any more trouble.
Istafan...
I think that banishment is enough
of a punishment for that crime.
Yes.
All right.
But you must leave immediately.
- Yes.
- That seems fair.
Tara...
I'm gonna miss you a lot.
Thanks for giving me a job
in your store, Telamon.
It was wonderful having you around.
Take care, Tara.
I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Goodbye, Andros.
Tara, I shouldn't have run away
when they came to arrest you.
I should have stayed
by your side!
You hadda watch
out for yourself.
I understand.
Take care of your dad.
He's a nice guy.
I will.
Well, let's go!
I don't get that place.
Since when is Calliope
the muse of not dancing?
It goes back into their history...
something about a fire
that b*rned down most of
the city after a big dance
almost years ago.
Thanks, Xena! It was really nice
seeing you again. You too, Gabrielle.
Where do you think you're going?
Look, I know a way to sneak back
into the village so nobody'll see me.
Tara, you can't do that.
They were going to b*at you.
Who knows what will happen if you go
back there after you've been banished.
- Look, I'm on a mission!
- A mission?
That guy, Telamon,
and his son Andros...
They're the nicest men
I've ever met in my entire life.
And they're stuck in that hole where
people aren't even allowed to dance.
Look, I can't throw a chakram
and I don't like staffs...
but I can dance!
Ever since I was a kid,
it was my most
favorite thing to do
in the entire world.
I even made money,
street-dancing in Thebes.
And it breaks my heart
that Andros is stuck there...
where people aren't
even allowed to do that.
I wanna change things
so that he can.
Look, I know people like that.
I came from a town just like it.
The people aren't going to change,
and you're going to get hurt.
I think that you should
stay with us.
We're going back.
You're gonna help me?
Yeah.
And so said Calliope,
first among muses.
"And none shall dance before me
nor in my house,
nor in my temples."
We must preserve our traditions!
I agree.
Tara and I have discussed it,
and she wants
to apologize to
the whole community.
Yeah...
I'm really sorry.
We can show her mercy
if she changes her ways.
Can't we, Istafan?
How do we know
she's really changed?
Look, Tara wants to stay here
with Telamon and Andros.
She understands that she's going
to have to obey the rules.
I'm going to hang around for
a couple of days to see that
she gets on the straight and
narrow, and after that...
if she steps outta line, you can
punish her any way you see fit.
That sounds pretty
reasonable, Istafan.
All right.
But Telamon...
I want you to teach that
girl that dancing is evil!
I will.
Are you sure you and Xena don't
wanna spend the night in the store?
We could set up
some cots for you.
We'll be fine.
We're used to roughing it.
Thank you for bringing
Tara back to us.
It's our pleasure.
- Good night, Gabrielle.
- Good night, Tara.
I hate foreign food.
What are you doing?
Ever since I heard
that it's not allowed...
I've never wanted to dance
so badly all my life!
Just... fells so good.
Let's just try and get
some sleep, huh?
Is the plan underway?
I gotta dance.
Go to sleep.
Do you do repairs?
Shoes and boots...
Bags and saddles.
I travel... a lot!
I don't want some
half-hearted patch job.
I just want something
that will last.
It'll take me at least...
- three days.
- Three days?
You didn't hear?
Phillipan, the Reformer's coming.
People have been talking
about it all morning.
He's supposed to be a great
preacher of righteousness.
That's exactly what this town needs...
Another "holier-than-thou" preacher.
You watch your mouth, young lady!
I'm sorry.
Look, you can't make me walk
around barefoot for three days.
I'll getcha some loaners.
Here he comes!
Clear the way!
In the name of Calliope...
on behalf of all
the citizens of Palios
and all righteous
people everywhere...
I welcome a great man
and a great prophet to our city!
Ladies and gentlemen...
I give you Phillipan,
the Reformer!
Oh, bless you!
Betcha could get to like that, huh?
Got your pigeon.
What, did you sh**t
it from a catapult?
The tail feathers were smokin'.
- Hey, how you round up all the people?
- We love ya, Phillipan!
We started a rumor about
your coming three days ago.
Thanks for getting here so quickly.
Well, I figure you sprang
for the express bird.
It's gotta be important.
Not to mention the reward
you promised me.
Don't tell me this is another
"virtue is its own reward" job.
We love you, Phillipan!
Xena, I thought better
of you, I really did.
Phillipan! Over here!
You know I might as well
go back to Oman,
because I got a good thing going
there with the king's sister.
I'm this close to the crown jewels
and he doesn't suspect a thing.
He does now.
I sent two pigeons.
Follow my lead!
People of Palios!
May I present to you
Phillipan of Crete.
Reformer of warlords,...
dancers...
and evil people!
It's even said that he once convinced
the King of Thieves himself
to do a good deed, for no reward
other than his own virtue!
Well, I wouldn't believe
everything you hear.
King of Thieves?
That degenerate blowhard...
Beg your pardon?
Sinners like him...
never have the courage
to be really successful.
I'm sure he's just a fraud
and an idiot.
No doubt.
Would you excuse me?
This plan of yours does it involve
humiliating that horse's ass?
- Yep.
- Then I'm in.
Good citizens of Palios...
Heed my words.
You know how it happens.
It all starts with a tune...
rollin' around in your head.
The next thing you know...
you're hummin' at work, ain'tcha?
You've done it. You've heard it...
We've all been there.
Then you know what?
Your toe starts to tap.
And your heel followed by your knee,
'cause they're all connected.
It moves on up,
and then you start gyratin'.
The next thing you know
you just gotta let it...
Trust me, good people.
I know from whereof I speak.
For I, myself,
was on that rocky road to Tartarus.
That's right, brothers and sisters.
In my wild and misspent youth...
I, too...
danced.
But then...
an amazing event transpired.
The goddess Calliope
came into my life
and claimed it as her own!
Praise Calliope!
- Praise Calliope!
- Praise her!
Praise her!
Get 'em up!
Praise her!
Nice and loud, now.
That's it. I know you
can do it. Praise her!
- Praise her! Get 'em up, Gabrielle.
- No.
Istafan...
I can tell that you have
a righteous community here.
But I just wonder...
Are you doin' everything you can?
- Whaddya mean?
- Well...
Is it enough to simply
eliminate dancing?
What about singing?
Painting? Flashy embroidery?
For shame!
I'm telling you, people!
Extremism in the name
of piety is no vice.
Get 'em up and praise her!
Get 'em up and praise her!
Praise Calliope!
Are you praisin' Calliope?
Get 'em up!
Come on! Get 'em up!
There you go, Istafan...
To the sky to praise her!
Praise her! Praise her! Praise her!
- Can you believe this?
- Come on, folks.
- Give it up for the goddess.
- He suckered everyone.
- Wave those hand for the muse.
- No.
Not everyone.
Get 'em up and praise her!
She's up there! She can't hear!
Louder! Louder out of you!
Telamon...
You didn't stay for the end
of Phillipan's speech.
I, uh...
had all this work to get done.
Oh, that explains it!
I thought, maybe you felt that
Phillipan's ideas were a little...
extreme.
Well, they certainly are strict...
but I'm sure he and Istafan
know what's best.
It's a pity that the kids
don't feel that way.
You know, I sure hate to see children
pitted against their own parents.
That's ridiculous!
Andros is my life.
He's a good boy.
He's the most important
thing in my life,
now his brother's gone.
His brother?
Yeah. He moved to Athens
a few years back.
Why?
He got a job there.
But Andros is gonna
stay here with me!
A little moral teaching
isn't gonna frighten him off.
Well, I'm glad you feel that way.
You know what?
This Phillipan might be
just what this town needs.
I'm tellin' you, Istafan...
I see signs of decadence
everywhere I go in this town.
Do you realize, on my way here...
I saw two people holding hands?
You know where that can lead?
- Now, brother...
- Yes?
I noticed last night
at the meetin'...
This is exactly what
I'm talkin' about, Istafan.
- Look at that filth!
- What's wrong with it?
My father painted that.
It's where he was born.
You painted that?
- Well, I know it's not very good.
- Good?
It's an abomination!
Don't tell me you don't see it!
Look.
Look at the firmness of
those rounded peaks!
The cleft in that valley.
And the tower!
Thrusting skyward!
Oh, Phillipan's right.
It's obscene!
That's not true.
My father's a good man.
He wouldn't paint anything wrong!
Son...
Even good men can
fall prey to bad influences.
The painting must be destroyed.
Calliope has spoken. Praise her!
♪ I'm a candle in the wind ♪
♪ My future flickers 'fore my eyes ♪
♪ I'm too restless to be
satisfied with silence ♪
♪ So, I'll push further
through the night ♪
♪ Say you wanna put me
out when I'm lonely ♪
♪ No, I've heard those lies before ♪
♪ 'Cause the fire inside,
it just keeps burning ♪
♪ Just won't stand it anymore ♪
♪ You came along,
you pulled me up when I was down ♪
♪ The way you made me feel
just took me by surprise ♪
♪ You took my hand, you stole
my heart, you fed the fire ♪
♪ When you moved with me
you gave me back my life ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
♪ Let the spirit move me ♪
What is it, Andros?
What's the matter?
I'm leaving, Tara...
For good.
And I want you to come with me.
Settle down,
you're calling attention to us.
I can't help it.
Have you seen Tara?
She's supposed to meet me and tell me
how it's going with the other kids.
No, I haven't seen her.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing, I hope.
She's gone.
They're both gone.
Xena?
So, off you go again.
It was all about the cute guy,
wasn't it?
Hey, it wasn't her idea to leave.
I asked Tara to come with me.
- Really?
- I've had it!
I've had it with their backward ideas!
Their rules! Their laws!
My brother found
a great job in Athens.
That's where we're heading.
And after that?
You mean, you didn't
tell him, Tara...
Tell me what?
That running away isn't a solution.
It's what cowards do
when they're not willing
to stand and fight for
what they believe in.
Isn't that right, Tara?
Look, Andros,
I understand why you wanna leave.
But you should understand
what it means.
It means you never stop.
It means no home,
and no family...
and your father
loses another son.
And it means not sticking
around ever long enough
to help the ones you actually
claim you care about.
You know, Tara, I got
involved with this because
I thought I sensed
a change in you, somehow.
I'm really getting
into these metal patches.
I like steel.
Gabrielle, I sense that there's
some pent-up energy.
Some frustration eating at you.
Some unresolved desire.
- I can tell! You need to get...
- Dancing!
I just wanna dance.
Well, actually
I was on a different track.
You know? I hope that Tara can talk
those kids into going along with this.
Yeah? Well, if she doesn't...
I'll be squandering one
of my finest performances.
Good day to you, Istafan!
Are you ready to see
the seeds planted
that will sprout into
the fruits of our labors?
Yes.
Phillipan, I must ask,
do you really think...?
What's that you're doing,
young lady?
I'm just nervous.
Well, as I was saying, well...
Yeah?
Do you really think militry training's
what our children need?
'Course. See...
All that excess energy that used to be
squandered on degenerate dance...
can now be channeled
into martial discipline.
Well, I guarantee it'll work.
See, I talked Xena
into leadin' the drill herself.
She'll whoop 'em into shape!
It's just that there's
an election tomorrow.
This may not be that
popular with the voters...
I mean, the public.
Left! Left!
Left, right, left!
Left! Left!
Left, right, left!
Doesn't that look good?
Praise Calliope!
Praise her!
Left, right, left!
Left! Left!
Left, right, left!
Halt!
All right, now
let's get this going.
We're here to purify your minds.
We're here to give
you a little focus.
Now that's a very important
word for you... Focus.
- Say it with me! Focus!
- Focus!
- Focus!
- Fo-focus.
- You all right?
- Yeah, get on with it.
Some of you think that
dance is a way to express
your inner feelings...
It's an art!
Well, Phillipan has asked me
to show you a real art!
The art of w*r!
w*r! w*r! w*r!
So, this first move is called
"defense of the perimeter"...
and it insures that anyone who
gets in your space loses an arm!
A leg!
Or a vital body part!
Then let us begin.
One!
Two!
Three.
Four.
Five.
Altogether now!
One!
Two.
Three!
Four!
Five!
You were right!
This is going down very well
with the voters...
I mean, the parents.
With respect,
I tend to work better
without an audience.
No problem!
Clear the area!
Xena needs to work!
Now, everyone,
except the children, home!
Ok.
So you guys have seen
the basic moves.
And now if you give us
some space...
my lovely assistant and I
will put it together.
Gabrielle?
All right!
Who's next?
Thank you.
Thank you, but really...
You give me too much credit.
The great changes that
have been introduced...
to this town recently
are the doin's of...
my friend.
I hope I can call ya that.
Speech!
Come on up here.
You know who he is!
My friend, Istafan!
Xena...
I understand today's
teachings went well.
Very well, Phillipan.
The kids are quick learners.
I'm hoping to begin lessons in
swordplay by the end of the week.
In one week...
Praise Calliope!
That is absolutely wonderful.
Well, then strategies and tactics
can't be far behind, can they?
Did you show 'em those
hand-to-hand k*lling techniques?
Tomorrow.
No!
My child is not going
to learn how to k*ll!
I won't have it!
Teaching them to k*ll to take
their minds off dance?
Have you heard anything
more ridiculous?
Perhaps you can talk about that
with Istafan after the elections...
when things have
calmed down a little,
when the children are more...
focused.
After the election is too late.
Andros...
Your brother, Thanos, didn't leave
because he found a job in Athens.
He left because he
didn't wanna be here.
He hated this place...
Hated what we made of it!
I've already lost one son
because of our ignorance.
I refuse to lose another!
But I know I will...
unless things change.
As of tonight...
I intend to run against Istafan,
as chief magistrate of our town!
We need change!
Or our children will leave us.
And our town will die.
It looks as though
you'll have a real election now.
Father...
I wouldn't worry about it, though.
I'm not worried.
So today...
when you raise your arm
to vote, remember...
You're not voting
for Istafan or I...
You're voting for a sane way
to deal with our traditions.
Our children!
And our futures!
Thank you!
- What are you looking for?
- Licinus. Where is he?
- How did I do with your speech?
- It was fine.
You did drop the line about
everlasting judgment and posterity.
Well, I thought it was
a little over the top.
Oh, really?
Let it go, Gabrielle.
Praise Calliope!
Brother Istafan asked me to say
a few words on his behalf.
Sinners, beware!
Your time is at hand.
Everyone!
Stay calm!
Licinus, have the militia
search for the perpetrator!
- Over here, quickly!
- I'll check the alley!
We'll cover the gates!
People!
This is what I was afraid of!
Telamon wanted change!
Well!
I guess he got it, all right?
Our first assassination attempt!
With all this dissension
we've been having lately.
I think it only makes sense
that the assassin was...
Licinus.
Licinus?
- Licinus?
- Well... That's ridiculous!
It was one of those young rebels!
Any time I have ever seen Istafan,
Licinus has been at his side...
until today.
When suddenly, for the most important
event of the year, he's not here.
He was looking after
security matters!
Well, he didn't do
a very good job then, did he?
This is ridiculous!
Why would I want Phillipan k*lled?
Who said anything
about you, Istafan?
I was talking about Licinus.
What I meant was...
someone under my...
I mean, someone who
works for me...
You're lost for words?
That's somewhat outta character,
don't ya think?
Istafan wanted Phillipan dead 'cause
he thought he could scare you
into thinking change
would bring anarchy.
This man would do anything
to remain in power.
Including lying, murdering,
and brutalizing your children.
It's all lies.
Everything I've done was
for the sake of the children.
Then it'll be interesting to see
how you deal with this.
Militia!
Militia!
Arrest them all!
Come and get some!
Wait!
I have seen the light!
Calliope has spoken to me!
The scales have fallen
from my eyes!
Let's dance!
Here we go!
Come on!
Here we go!
Wait!