Okay, laugh if you want to. The fact is those martial artist and their movies have nothing over Xena. It's all choreographed fantasy and we aren't going to learn any techniques in dealing with BG's watching those movies. The fights in Xena are so clearly FANTASY, like the Chinese Martial movies of old, there is no confusing or pretending that the moves are real. The actresses playing Xena and Gabrielle aren't even martial artists!
So, why do I like Xena? Well, sandwiched between the episodes that are whimsical, musical, silly, and everything else, there are episodes that provide real philosophical discussions of violence, pacificism, personal power and the lingering effects of violent action, justified and otherwise.
The two protagonists play off each other with Xena representing the warrior's way and Gabrielle representing the way of "peace." (I must note that I missed many episodes and Gabrielle seemed to have "hardened" in her perspective, along with trading her staff for two Okinawan sai's -- boot mounted.) And, perhaps, the gender of the protagonists has a play in that they are able (allowed) to voice their perspectives about war, peace and love, showing their inner conflicts and turmoils in ways that male protagonists are not allowed to do without appearing "wimpy."
I caught an episode today and it was one of the better ones. We have the protagonists protecting Ely - a Ghandi type -- against Aries the God of War. Ely threatened to bring on the Twilight of the (petty) gods by preaching love, peace and fearlessness among humans. Aries took it upon himself to kill Ely while his human troops are being held up in fight with Xena. Gabrielle was left to defend Ely from Aries. Ely beseiged Gabrielle to step aside because, steeped in his conviction, he did not fear dying. Gabrielle stepped aside in deference, torn and conflicted with her love for way of peace and a "Xena" like belief that sometimes one must fight for right. Subsequently, Ely was runned through by the sword of Aries.
Xena came back to find Gabrielle over the body of Ely. "You defended him, didn't you?", she asked. Gabrielle stormed off, screaming "Don't blame me! Don't blame me!" In anger, Xena screamed out "It's people like us (warriors) that make it possible for people like him (Peaceful Ely)!"
Grabrielle, alone, was confronted by Aries who tried to assuage her guilt by saying she really understood that "might makes right, even when it's wrong." He tried to tempt her with an alliance by giving her a glimpse of the power of the gods -- the power of might and of life and death. Gabrielle's inate sense of right prevailed.
In the meantime, Xena found a magical dagger with power to kill a god and went to find Aries. She found Aries confronting the followers of Ely. Aries was urging the followers to give up Ely's Way, and to go back to as they were, or face death. Xena attacked. At the verge of slicing Aries' throat, the spirit of Ely appeared. Xena was asked whether this was the way to honor his memory... Xena withdrew, despite taunts of Aries to "do it!" "No!" reply Xena. "The Way and teachings will continue. The Twilight of the gods will come..."
Oh well, that's my cold saturday afternoon in with the kids.
david
