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| Warrior... Priestess... Tramp | |
| Series: | Xena: Warrior Princess (1995) |
| Season: | Three |
| Story Number: | 055 |
| Writer: | Adam Armus
Nora Kay Foster |
| Director: | Andrew Merrifield |
| Producer: | |
| Broadcast: | 12 January 1998 |
| Previous Story: | The King of Assassins |
| Following Story: | The Quill is Mightier... |
Synopsis[]
In the beginning, "Xena" opts for peace and drops her sword before an evil man. He decides to burn her at the stake after she removes all her weapons, leaving her clad only in her leather shift. Gabrielle arrives and finds "Xena" tied to a stake. She pleads with her to release herself. When she doesn't, Gabrielle decides Xena is testing her because she has previously asked for more responsibility. So Gabrielle finds a way to put out the now- burning fire and cut Xena free. After they run, Gabrielle learns that she has saved not Xena, but Priestess Leah.
Gabrielle takes Leah to Xena, who waits for Gabrielle down the road. They learn that Leah had a message from Hestia to dress up like Xena. Xena is suspicious. Leah is horrified to find herself in the company of these wanton women who are not virgins. Gabrielle explains that she was married at the time, then turns to Xena. "Were you?" she asks.
Xena and Gabrielle take Leah to the temple, where they see Meg holding court and posing as the priestess. Later, when confronted by Xena, Meg says she doesn't know why the High Priest Bailey wants her acting as the priestess, but she was glad to do it. Meg now runs a tavern and brothel down the road. Gabrielle takes Leah away from the temple, deciding to hide her in the tavern. Enroute, Gabrielle tears Leah's clothes to make her look more "Meg-like." Leah talks to Gabrielle about becoming a virgin and knowing yourself. 'Believe me, if I have to go the rest of my life without companionship, knowing myself won't be a problem, Gabrielle replies.
Back at the temple, Xena looks for clues about Bailey's reasons for the impersonation plot. She finds out he really isn't a Hestian priest. Meg accidentally tells Bailey that Xena is in the temple and Leah is at the tavern.
Gabrielle and Leah make it to the tavern. Joxer (dressed in his garbage can clothing, not the outfit in King of Assassins) appears and the strumpets sing the "Joxer the Mighty" song. Gabrielle tells Joxer what is happening.
Xena, mistaken for the priestess by the Hestia virgins, has to listen to confessions. A man attacks her while she sits in the confessional. She gives him the "touch" and learns that she has been found out and that Leah is in danger.
Lea sees more than she wants to in the "den of filth" where she is hiding. In an effort to make things better, she has the strumpets sing virtuously and virginally. But guards come. Joxer, thinking Meg is in danger at the temple, goes to rescue her. He is captured. Xena and Meg arrive at the tavern. The strumpets subdue the guards (not by fighting).
Xena and Leah leave to go back to the temple. Bailey shows up at the tavern and kidnaps Meg so that the ceremony scheduled later will take place. Meg, acting as the priestess, is supposed to tell the Hestian virgins to drink wine which is poisoned. Leah tries to get into the temple but she is captured and put into the dungeon with Joxer. Actually, this is Xena, not Leah, and she frees Joxer. Meanwhile, the ceremony takes place and the virgins all collapse. Bailey tries to convince the watching public to change religions. But the virgins rise up and spit the wine out; the priestess conducting the service is really Leah, not Meg, and she gave them instructions in ancient Hestian language.
Xena, Gabrielle, and Meg fight the guards. Bailey takes Leah hostage, but Xena defeats him, with the final coup de grace coming from Leah. The priestess says she has learned that you don't have to be a virgin to be virtuous, though she still thinks Gabrielle would make an excellent one.
Memorable quotes[]
- Joxer: "Un-hand that Hestian!"
Cast[]
- Lucy Lawless as Xena, Meg and Leah
- Renée O'Connor as Gabrielle
- Macgregor Cameron as Balius
- Megan Nicol as Hestian Virgin #1
- Jodie Dorday as Bordello Girl #2
- Rachale Davies as Bordello Girl #3
- Bobbie McKay as Xena/Leah/Meg Body Doubles
- Matty J Ruys as Dexon
- Fred Morton as Bordello Girl #1
- Rob Sinkinson as Bystander/Drunk
- Tim Hosking as Burly Blacksmith
- Ted Clarke as Thoracles
- Polly Baigent as Xena/Leah/Meg Body Doubles
- Jan Hellriegel as Hestia
Background information and notes[]
- This episode sees Xena discovering yet another lookalike: the Hestian Priestess Leah.
Continuity and mistakes[]
Disclaimer[]
Despite another Xena lookalike, the gene pool (or rather gene puddle) was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.