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| Mortal Beloved | |
| Series: | Xena: Warrior Princess (1995) |
| Season: | One |
| Story Number: | 016 |
| Writer: | R.J. Stewart |
| Director: | Garth Maxwell |
| Producer: | |
| Broadcast: | February 12, 1996 |
| Previous Story: | Warrior...Princess |
| Following Story: | The Royal Couple of Thieves |
Synopsis[]
Marcus, Xena's redeemed but deceased past lover (see The Path Not Taken), appears to Xena telling her that all hell has broken loose in Tartarus because Atyminius has stolen Hades' Helmet of Invisibility and has used this power to force the good people to suffer in Tartarus and the bad ones to party down in the Elysian Fields. Marcus tells Xena he needs her help. Xena heeds the call, and enters Tartarus through a lake.
Xena and Marcus head for Hades' castle and are attacked by Harpies. Defeating the Harpies, Xena meets with Hades who informs her that Atyminius, by taking the Helmet of Invisibility to the world of mortals, has become mortal again. This means he can be killed, be relieved of the Helmet, and returned securely to Tartarus. Xena cuts a deal with Hades which includes making Marcus mortal again for 48 hours and requires Xena to capture Atyminius.
Meanwhile, Atyminius pops out of the lake and terrorizes Gabrielle. Gabrielle fights back but Atyminius finally wings her, but before he can do any permanent damage, Xena and Marcus emerge from the lake and start to chase him. Mid-pursuit, the trio decide to camp out for the rest of the night.
The next day Xena, Marcus, and Gabrielle wind up at a wedding party in a nearby village. Xena talks to the bride's father, brings him up to snuff, and agrees to masquerade as the bride during the ritual bathing, which just happens to be one of Atyminius' favorite times to slice and dice. But Atyminius overhears the plan and decides to attack the bride as she sleeps in her room. However, Xena outsmarts him. She is actually masquerading as the bride sleeping while the real princess is doing the ritual bathing. Xena throws a blanket over Atyminius, skewers him, and takes his helmet.
Gabrielle waits by the lake edge as Xena and Marcus return to Hades. Xena manipulates Hades by demanding that he move Marcus from Tartarus to the Elysian Fields. Hades agrees.
Memorable quotes[]
- Marcus : Nah. I want to be awake for every moment of life I have left to me. You know, you don't realize the kinds of things the living take for granted, until you don't have them anymore. Like the evening air. It just settles on you like a cool blanket. And the sky. There's nothing like it on the other side. You know what I missed most?
- Charon: No, I’m Talula, the dancing girl. Of course I’m Charon. Who else would be crazy enough to be down here? Mind you, with all the changes that are going on, I could be losing a job soon. Ah-ah-ah-ah! No more Mr. Nice Guy. I refuse to take any more dead people across, unless they got a coin.
- Charon: Welcome aboard. Hope you have a great time. Come on. Please, make yourselves comfortable. And, uh, keep your hands inside the boat. Now, looking to the left, you will see the caves of despair. And, uh, just coming up ahead on the right, you will see the hanging gardens of disgusting diseases.
Cast[]
- Lucy Lawless as Xena
- Renée O'Connor as Gabrielle
- Bobby Hosea as Marcus
- Paul Willis as Atyminius
- Erik Thomson as Hades
- Michael Hurst as Charon
- Chris Graham as Toxeus
- John Palmer as Traveler
- Michelle Armstrong as Young Woman
- Geoff Clendon as Bride's Father
- Chantelle Brownlee as Bride
Background information and notes[]
- Charon complains about people expecting him to take them across the Styx without payment. This is because Hercules had crossed a number of times without payment, either in coin or in one case, livestock (a pig) in the Hercules episode "The Other Side".
Continuity and mistakes[]
Disclaimer[]
- No Winged Harpies were harmed or sent to a fiery grave during the production of this motion picture.