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| Dreamworker | |
| Series: | Xena: Warrior Princess (1995) |
| Season: | One |
| Story Number: | 003 |
| Writer: | Steven L. Sears |
| Director: | Bruce Seth Green |
| Producer: | |
| Broadcast: | September 18, 1995 |
| Previous Story: | Chariots of War |
| Following Story: | Cradle of Hope |
Synopsis[]
Gabrielle is captured by the priests of Morpheus, the god of dreams, and she is tricked into performing tests which will force her to kill and therefore become the god's sacrifice. Luckily, Xena already told her how NOT to kill and yet be successful in defending herself. Meanwhile, Xena discovers the only way to save Gabrielle is to participate in a "Dreamscape". Her spirit/soul must go through a trial comprising of facing her past. If she emerges at the end then she will be reunited with her physical self. On the way she discovers her worst enemy is herself. Her old, evil self appears and, as expected, both Xenas beat each other to a pulp, but the sans leather Xena still outsmarts the leather Xena, thus illustrating that the good Xena controls the old. Xena saves Gabrielle in just the nick of time, and defeats the evil priests. Xena restores the previous benevolent priesthood and cheerfully leaves the village, Gabrielle in tow.
Memorable quotes[]
- Gabrielle: You think you're man enough to test my blade? Do You? Your type are all cowards! I've met and defeated tens of hundreds of your type. So come on, make your move. Or are you waiting for me to make the first move? First mistake? Well that's your first mistake, waiting for my mistake, cause I don't make mistakes! (attacks the log she's been talking to)
- Xena: The moment you pick up a sword, you become a target. And the moment you kill...
- Xena: What's the matter with you? You just seem... bigger.
- Gabrielle: No, I'm not. It's the mountain air. I feel motivated.
- Xena: You didn't hire a sorcerer to enhance your... motives... did you?
- Gabrielle: They're going to sacrifice me, they're going to sacrifice me not. They're going to sacrifice me...
- Xena : See how calm the surface of the water is? That was me once. And then...(throws a stone into the water) That's what I became.
- Gabrielle: But if we sit here long enough it will go back to being still again. It would go back to being calm.
- Xena: But the stone is still under there. It's now part of the lake. It might look as it did before but it's forever changed.
Cast[]
- Lucy Lawless as Xena
- Renée O'Connor as Gabrielle
- Nathaniel Lees as Manus
- Desmond Kelly as Elkton
- Sydney Jackson as Storekeeper
- Colin Francis as Swordsmith
- John Palmer as Baruch
- Bruce Hopkins as Termin
- Matthew Jeffs as Gothos
- Michael Daly as Mesmer
- Peter Phillips as 1st Xena Warrior
- Grant Boucher as 2nd Xena Warrior
- Lawrence Wharerau as Mystic Warrior
- Patrick Smith as Dolas
- Polly Baigent as Doppelganger
Background information and notes[]
- This episode features many parallels to future storylines. For instance: "other realms" seen in Intimate Stranger, The Bitter Suite and Forget Me Not are reminiscent of the Dreamscape; Xena's Oriental gown is similar to those from The Debt; Gabrielle breaking the spear to make a fighting staff (Hooves and Harlots); the ram's head imagery (Gabrielle's Hope); and Gabrielle's "blood innocence" (The Deliverer).
- Steven L Sears added the bit about Gabrielle being born with six toes on one of her feet because his own father was born with an extra toe that eventually fell off.
- The first person Xena ever killed was a man named Termin. She killed him by slitting his throat.
- Xena did not use her chakram once in this episode.
Continuity and mistakes[]
- In the teaser, when Xena spies the highwaymen approaching, she throws her dagger to the left side of a large boulder. Later, during the fight, she dives to the right of the boulder, retrieves the dagger and uses it to kill the lead robber.
Disclaimer[]
- None, the witty disclaimers didn't start until Cradle of Hope