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Sally

I just fell in love with the teaser. Very cute! Great title as always! LMAO @ XENA'S immpeccable timing....I guess it's payback time for all of Gabby's timings. The Mavican-bit was a clever doing. We finally get to see Xena and Ares as a couple...

Why don't we start a list comparing the faults of both our boyfriends, Xena?

Xena didn't deny it at all!

Just because we're together...

And Xena admits it openly again!

Come on, Xena, don't you think you can trust me now?

I suppose not. A very dramatic scene between the new couple. Then ending was so beautiful even without words.....it didn't need words. Personally I don't think Ares is lying. I know there's got to be something that'll make the lil' Mavican remark make sense. Anxiously waiting for the grande finale.


Tango

It's up there with the best XWP eps, including most of my S3 classic favourites. Mature, stylish, wonderful characterisation throughout, perfectly paced, I could go on and on, but I'd bore you all to tears, so I'll restrain myself.

I particularly enjoyed the development of Sabina's character. She's no psycho, no megalomaniac, no zealot, no moron. If anything, she's a mortal version of Athena. She even breaks the traditional XWP mould by not sneering! This is a girl with her priorities firmly in place; she knows what she wants and she knows just how to get it. Awesome. I'm a fan!

Interesting that no matter how things would have panned out in Xena's younger days, I don't think she could have ever become a "Sabina" - unless perhaps she'd learnt from Lao Ma a degree of self-restraint. She was too passionate, and her view of the world was always too distorted. Even as a pirate, before Caesar, she had plenty of ambition, but no way to channel it. She was simply too raw - and then after Caesar, she was too scarred. Xena was always hot-blooded, Sabina is cool and calculating. A wonderful contrast!

Of course, the shipper aspect is spot-on here as well. It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that just because they "get together", every cloud suddenly disappears from the sky. I can only applaud the courage of everyone who was involved in the decision to tackle the difficulties of this relationship.

Finally, I just have to add that the Xena/Gab argument about how far Xena is prepared to go to save Eve was superb, and very poignant. It's wonderful to see Gabrielle growing into a more confident, mature, woman - and Xena trying to deal with it. In a way, it's like Gab is rediscovering the confidence of her S1 self, with experience replacing naivety. She's earned her insights with experience now, instead of simply imbibing them from stories and plays.

All in all, I think LK and Sais deserve another round of applause!