Forgiven
Worshippers of Apollo. You have come to this
temple on this day of cleansing to be purified for
past misdeeds. This blessing is of no worth if
you leave here and once again soil your souls
with willful and selfish acts. But if you truly desire
to make a new start, the blessed Urn of Apollo
will anoint you with the purity of hope. Please
come forward.
You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Now go and
do good. You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Now
go and do good.
You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Now go and
do good. You are-
You pour that stuff on my head and you're a dead man.
MICAH
(to people in temple) Hold it right there.
You are stealing the Urn of Apollo!
WAYAN
Very good.
MICAH
And who said priests were dumb?
WAYAN
By the way-
-you're forgiven!
Ooohhh!
You see-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-the Urn of Apollo gives a new start to so many people.
XENA
No urn can do that. That comes from within.
DORUS
Well, not all of us are strong enough to face the
jaws of our conscious alone. People come to
me who are close to being driven mad by remorse
and guilt. Soldiers who have killed too often in battle,
rich men and women who have nightmares about
what they did to accumulate their wealth. The urn
gives them strength to face those demons within.
Do you understand?
GABRIELLE
I do.
XENA
We'll get your urn back.
DORUS
Oh...thank you. Oh!
I'm gonna get Argo. We'll set off once I get back.
Okay.
Huh! Did you throw that?
TARA
Yeah.
GABRIELLE
What's your problem?
TARA
Your face.
GABRIELLE
Then don't look at it.
Huh!
Look, if you don't like the food, may I suggest you
find some other way to express it.
TARA
What kind of wimp are you?! I just threw a plate
of gruel on you, and all you do is talk! You and I
are gonna settle this right here.
GABRIELLE
Look, I think you have me confused with somebody else.
TARA
Yeah, you wish.
I don't know what's bothering you, but I have no
intention of fighting.
TARA
I think you're a coward.
GABRIELLE
Well, I don't care what you think.
Not my ear!
Hold it!
Xena! I'm here to replace Blondie!
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
Xena, I'll understand, just this once, if you're so angry,
you wanna pummel her for a while.
XENA
I'm not gonna do that.
GABRIELLE
Well, then, hold her while I do it!
You want some more, Blondie?! Come on! Huh?!
Come on!
XENA
You listen to me, little girl. I've got no interest in
making a change. Blondie - Gabrielle, here is
my partner, and that's the way it's gonna stay. So,
get lost, huh?
TARA
But, you don't know how valuable I could be
to you!
XENA
Take some advice. Don't get in our way again,
or next time you're gonna get a real beating.
TARA
I know who stole Apollo's urn, the Red-
XENA
Valley gang. They're the only bunch in the area
who'd make a move like that. I'm not impressed.
TARA
Well, I know where one of their hideouts is!
XENA
How do you know that?
TARA
I used to hang with some of them guys.
GABRIELLE
Figures.
TARA
Hey, look! I never said I was a goody-two-shoes,
but I'm here to turn it around! I wanna be a hero
and fight for good, protect wimps and kick the crap
out of jerks! I know I could do it if somebody would
just give me a chance! Come on! Let me just
show you where their hideout is! I won't pick on
your little buddy, anymore.
XENA
We don't need your help.
I heard you were pretty bad once upon a time.
Somebody must have given you a chance to turn
it all around.
What a crock!
Why not use your chakram?
XENA
To do what?
GABRIELLE
Ricochet off a couple of rocks, slice off a piece
of her ear, and scare her witless.
XENA
I don't think that'll be necessary.
Are we going to let her stalk us like this?
XENA
That really bothers you, huh?
GABRIELLE
Yes!
XENA
Okay.
I'm not gonna fight'cha. I just wanted to tell ya,
you don't need me to turn your life around. You
wanna do good? Do it! Then you'll be good.
TARA
That's what I'm here for. I wanna get that urn back
for those suckers who believe in that kind of thing.
That's good, isn't it?
XENA
Yeah, but me and her, we don't need any help.
TARA
Come on! Let me just show you where their hideout
is! It'll be my first step.
XENA
You made a real bad start with my friend.
TARA
All right, I'll give you that. I'll kiss up to her if you
want. I can be just as phony as the next gal.
XENA
Look, this is not gonna work. I am sorry.
TARA
Fine. You think I'm a lost cause, don't you? Well,
everybody else does, so why should I be surprised?
Hold it. Come on.
What's going on?
XENA
Tara's gonna show us where the hideout is.
GABRIELLE
What?
TARA
Yeah. I'm sorry I gave you such a whipping back
there in the tavern. I shouldn't have kicked your
butt like that.
XENA
All right, you made your point.
GABRIELLE
Can I talk to you for a minute?
Hold this.
Yeah?
GABRIELLE
Why do we need her? We can follow their tracks
like we usually do.
XENA
Gabrielle, she is trying to turn her life around.
GABRIELLE
Xena, listen to me. She bit off part of my ear.
XENA
Well, only a little bit and she apologized.
GABRIELLE
You call that an apology? Look, there's something
that I'm not getting here, something you're not telling me.
XENA
She reminds me a little bit of me.
GABRIELLE
Oh, no. I knew you were evil, but you were
obnoxious, too?
XENA
When I was young, before my village was attacked,
I used to hang with the young bucks in Amphipolis.
I was pretty wild. If somebody had'a given me a
little guidance, then maybe I would've been better
equipped to handle what lay ahead. Here's the
deal. Let's see how it goes as far as the hideout,
and if she gives you any more guff, I will straighten
her out. Okay?
GABRIELLE
I guess it can't hurt to give her a chance.
XENA
Thank you.
Come on.
Through there. Nine of 'em. I figure, if we jump
'em from three directions, we can take-
XENA
That's not gonna happen. That urn is fragile. In
an all-out fight it could get broken.
TARA
So, what do we do?
XENA
I'm gonna get closer and try to isolate one of 'em.
TARA
And put your squeeze on him, or whatever you
call it. Oh, this I gotta see.
XENA
Maybe some other time.
TARA
But-
XENA
You're staying. This I do alone.
GABRIELLE
Good luck.
I told you to stay put.
TARA
I've gotta see that pinch-thing. It's legendary.
XENA
Tara, go back now.
TARA
Come on, Xena! I can help!
XENA
I don't need your help.
TARA
You gotta let me prove myself.
XENA
Tara, I am warning you.
TARA
You don't trust me, do you?
XENA
Go back now!
Hey! Tara? What are you doing here?
TARA
I've got some information you might be interested in.
LARK
What's that?
TARA
Somebody's sneaking up on you in those bushes
over there.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
No, you don't need them. A man like you can do
this alone. Let's go.
Right over there.
This is so great. You're gonna die, Lark, unless
you start singing.
XENA
Tara, shut up! Where's the urn?
LARK
It...it--it--it isn't here.
TARA
May you rest in peace.
LARK
I'm telling the truth, I swear. Wayan and some
of the others took it north. They're gonna meet up
with some Silesian traders who'll give gold for it.
TARA
He's telling the truth. He hasn't got the guts to play
this tough a game of chicken.
Hey, what do you think you're doing?!
TARA
I'm gonna knock him out. This guy's real scum.
XENA
You wanna work with me, you don't kick people
when they're unconscious!
TARA
All right, fine. As long as I know the rules. It's okay
to knock 'em out after you put the pinch on 'em,
but no smacking them after it. I got it.
XENA
Now, get outta here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xena, Tara ran...oh, you found her.
TARA
Yeah, I helped Xena put the pinch on one of those guys.
GABRIELLE
What?
TARA
You gotta admit, I've got an instinct for this hero stuff.
XENA
You did all right. We gotta put some distance
between them and us, and then make camp.
We got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow.
TARA
Right.
She didn't listen to you. You let her get away
with that?
XENA
I'm trying to encourage her to turn her life around.
Isn't that what you'd do?
GABRIELLE
What?
XENA
Turning people away from their dark side isn't
my specialty.
GABRIELLE
Xena, I have learned a lot in these last few years.
And one of the things I've learned is that you can't
save everyone.
XENA
Then you and she do have something in common.
GABRIELLE
What's that?
XENA
You both think she's a lost cause.
GABRIELLE
Okay. I get what you're saying. I'm being too hard
on her.
XENA
Well, it's understandable, she did try to bite off
your ear.
Well, it's not hurting as much now, so I can be
civil to her.
XENA
Thanks.
GABRIELLE
Xena, if you can say with a straight face that you
believe in her, that'll go a long way with a confused
kid like that. It did with me. It's easier to believe
in yourself after someone else has believed in
you first.
Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You put my staff in the fire?!
TARA
Oh, was that important?
What?
GABRIELLE
You see, I--I sleep next to Xena.
TARA
Well, you can sleep on the other side.
GABRIELLE
I don't like to sleep that close to the fire.
TARA
Well, I don't know what to tell you. First come
first served.
GABRIELLE
Is that right?
Oh, yeah, that's right.
GABRIELLE
Who was here-
XENA
What's right?
GABRIELLE
Nothing, not a thing. Not a thing.
(to herself) It's nothing. Everything's fine. The world's
just a bowl of cherries. (to others) Good night.
Yeah.
Can I ask you something?
XENA
As long as it doesn't keep me awake too long.
TARA
This doing good thing, how do you know what's
really good and what's not? I mean, those boys
from the gang, they think they're good. How
do you really know?
XENA
It's not always that simple. I usually go with my gut.
And when in doubt, I ask her.
TARA
No. She would know?
XENA
Not always, but I know that her first instinct is
usually an unselfish one and that's a really
good place to start.
TARA
Do you think she was born good? I mean, my
father always told me that I was bad from day one.
XENA
That is not true. You are what you do. You can
re-create yourself every second of your life.
TARA
But what if-
XENA
You know what is bad?
TARA
What?
XENA
Keeping me awake when I'm tired.
TARA
Right. Good night, Xena.
XENA
Good night.
It's just that I'm not sure whether or not I'll figure
out this being good thing.
XENA
You will. I believe in you.
TARA
Really?
XENA
Really.
TARA
Good night.
That must be them.
TARA
Yeah, Wayan likes setting up camp on hills.
And they are the Silesian traders.
TARA
We're just in time.
XENA
Not really, we'll be right in the middle of relieving
the gang of the urn when the Silesians arrive.
That could make things a little dicey.
TARA
Well, what are we gonna do?
XENA
I'm gonna ride down and knock the Silesians
around a little bit, first. That'll either turn 'em around,
or at least slow 'em down long enough for us to
make our move on the gang. When you two see
me riding for the big hill, you run for the crest fast.
GABRIELLE
Okay.
Keep going.
GABRIELLE
Let's just try to get along, okay? What?
TARA
She told you we had to get along or else, right?
GABRIELLE
Forget it.
TARA
You know, you've got her convinced you're the
real thing.
GABRIELLE
What does that mean?
TARA
She thinks you're perfect.
GABRIELLE
She knows I'm not perfect. She loves me anyway.
That's what friendship is about.
TARA
I wouldn't know. I haven't had a lot of friends in
my time.
GABRIELLE
I wonder why.
TARA
Look! There's no smoke, I think they put the fire
out. They must be on the move.
GABRIELLE
No, they're waiting for the Silesians. They're not
going anywhere.
TARA
You don't know with these guys. They're an
unpredictable bunch. Come on, let's go.
We're not going anywhere. We wait for Xena to
ride towards the hill.
TARA
Look! Do you wanna be a sidekick all your life?!
How's it gonna hurt us to get into position earlier?
GABRIELLE
We're waiting here.
TARA
All right.
Tara! Stop! Come back here! Tara! Why can't you
wait?! Xena told us to wait!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You're gonna stay put 'til Xena gets back.
TARA
All right.
What do you think you're doing?!
Is this worth a thousand dinars, or what? Put it
in here.
Careful! Put it on the wagon.
TARA
Did you see that?
GABRIELLE
Yeah, now we know where the urn is.
TARA
Okay.
GABRIELLE
When Xena comes back, we're gonna make for
that bag right away.
What are you...
ACT THREE
Uh, Xena?
Huh?
This had better be good!
Wonder girl took matters into her own hands again.
TARA
Everything would have been fine if you just let
go of my foot!
GABRIELLE
You would be dead if I didn't grab your foot!
TARA
Uh!
Oh, boy!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(to Tara) I'm gonna ride ahead and see if I can't
pick up their trail and then, maybe I'll come back
for you.
GABRIELLE
Xena? Can I talk to you for a minute?
Yeah.
GABRIELLE
I'm gonna kill her. I'm gonna rip out her throat.
I'm going to eat her eyeballs.
XENA
Gabrielle, calm down.
GABRIELLE
Xena, she almost got us killed. I can't work like this!
Okay, come here. Sit down.
TARA
What're ya-
XENAv You asked me how you know what's good and
what's bad. Let me make it real simple for ya.
Acting like a selfish brat is bad. So you better
start putting others first or I will leave you by the
roadside in a flash.
Well, congratulations! You got what you wanted!
GABRIELLE
What's that?
TARA
She hates me now, thanks to you.
GABRIELLE
Thanks to me? Tara, you're not only obnoxious,
you're deluded.
TARA
I don't know what that means, but you better take
it back, right now!
GABRIELLE
Don't push it. Don't you-
What are you gonna do about it?! Oh, you think
I'm scared because you've got that stick, huh?
Okay. Let's go, Blondie!
Be smart for a change! Stay down.
What are you doing?!
I don't wanna hurt you anymore!
TARA
Don't do me any favours.
GABRIELLE
Stay down, Tara!
Go away! I was just--I was just giving her my
best shot!
I'm bad! I know I am! I'm really--I'm really, really bad!
XENA
No, you're not.
Shhh.
It's okay.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
My mom was good, I know that. (crying) She died
when I was about four. I remember when we had
to bury her, I stood by the grave and I said, "Mom,
you better get up, now! The men are throwing
dirt on you.!" Pretty dumb, huh?
GABRIELLE
Not at all.
My father wasn't bad from the beginning. It's just
that he missed my mom so much he started to
drink. Pretty soon, he was beating up on me,
telling me how worthless I was. It went on forever.
So when I met the boys from the gang, I...
XENA
You just wanted to belong.
TARA
I guess that was it, yeah. Why are you guys being
so nice to me, anyway?! You guys are acting like
a bunch of suckers! I've done some really bad things!
XENA
You wanna compare bad deeds, I'll bury ya.
You are good.
XENA
What are you talking about?
GABRIELLE
You left us alone together, figuring that this would happen.
XENA
That's ridiculous! What do you think I am, a prophet,
or something?
GABRIELLE
No, just a good judge of human nature.
XENA
You're giving me way too much credit.
GABRIELLE
Thanks, Xena.
XENA
For what?
GABRIELLE
I had so much anger for that poor little kid, I never
gave her a chance, and you helped me deal with that.
XENA
You did everything just right, including a little bit
of, uh, tough love.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sss!
XENA
"Zeus and the Cyclops"?
GABRIELLE
No, it's not a legend.
Don't you remember when I did this?v
And this?
XENA
Yeah, yeah, we do.
GABRIELLE
That's the mask of comedy and drama.
TARA
So?
GABRIELLE
So, that means it's a play.
XENA
"Oedipus".
GABRIELLE
No, don't, don't guess. You have to use the clues. Watch.
We don't know.
TARA
Come on, will you just tell us?
GABRIELLE
"Iphigenia at Aulis".
XENA
How are we supposed to know that?!
GABRIELLE
Well, it's not my fault you don't keep up with
contemporary theatre.
TARA
Okay, look, I've got one. I'm ready.
XENA
This'll never catch on, it's too hard.
TARA
Okay.
The birth of Athena!
TARA
That's it!
XENA
All right. Let's get some sleep. The gang are
headed toward the Manie river. The Silesians
will probably meet up with them there.
TARA
Yeah, that makes sense. There's an old abandoned
castle there that Wayan loves to hide out in.
XENA
Well, that's where we're headed.
Hey, Gabrielle?
GABRIELLE
Hmm?
TARA
I really like that game you made up.
GABRIELLE
Thanks, Tara.
TARA
Good night, Gabrielle. Good night Xena.
XENA
Hmm.
GABRIELLE
Good night, Tara. Good night, Xena.
XENA
Good night.
TARA
Good night, Argo!
ACT FOUR
Those horses belong to the Silesian traders.
They must be ready to make the exchange. I'm
going over the wall. Once I'm inside, I'll open the
door for you.
Gabrielle? This urn, mm, do you believe it has
some kind of power?
GABRIELLE
They say it gives people a sense of peace. Whether
that power comes from the mind or the urn, I
don't know.
TARA
But it could just be an old piece of pottery with
really pretty gems on it, right?
GABRIELLE
I guess so.
TARA
So...if, for some reason, we don't get it back, it's
not the end of the world.
GABRIELLE
Maybe, but I know this. For people who need to
forgive themselves in order to move on in life,
this urn can be very meaningful.
TARA
Like somebody like you knows anything about
feeling guilty.
GABRIELLE
I know. Believe me, I know. Look, she opened
the door.
Shh. They're bargaining. But the urn's not there.
Let's go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are two guards. I don't see the urn, but those
guys aren't in there for nothing.
All right, let's find this thing.
Nothing there.
What's the matter?
XENA
You may be right, Gabrielle. Maybe you can't
save everyone.
You are the best. You should be proud of yourself.
I love you, Tara.
TARA
I love you too, Micah.
MICAH
Not many people play Xena, Warrior Princess,
for a sucker.
When word gets out, she'll be a laughingstock.
Come on, give it to me.
What are you doing? Give me the urn. Look, we've
gotta get out of here before Wayan realizes what's
going on.
TARA
Micah, we don't need this urn.
MICAH
Well, you're right, there. But we do need the money
we'll get from selling it.
TARA
You know, if you and I head to Athens, we could
get some action going there.
MICAH
Fine, we'll to Athens. Now, give me the urn.
TARA
No.
MICAH
Tara! You're beginning to make me very angry.
TARA
Look, I don't think we should sell this urn.
MICAH
Well, what should we do with it?
TARA
Return it to the temple. People believe in it and
Xena believes in me.
MICAH
You know-
-I wasn't gonna kill you until we were clear
from the castle, but now will do fine.
Hello, handsome.
Huh?!
Gabrielle!
Oh!
Xena!
Hah! Hah! Tara!
Tara!
Hey, Micah! Here's something to remember me by!
I did it, didn't I? I did good.
GABRIELLE
You sure did.
Go get Argo. We'll meet you at the main gate.
What's the matter, Tara?
TARA
You knew, didn't you?
XENA
Yeah, I knew.
TARA
Then why did you-
XENA
A very wise friend of mine once said that no one
can believe in herself unless someone else believes
in her first.
You two are such suckers!
You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Go now and
do good. You are forgiven for past misdeeds.
Go now and do good.
You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Go now and
do good.
You are forgiven for past misdeeds. Go now and
do good.
What's Xena doing? Doesn't she wanna be forgiven?
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Shiri Appleby as Tara
Brett Coutts as Micah
Mervyn Smith as Dorus
Wade Jackson as Wayan
David Goodwin as Lark
Written by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: Garth Maxwell
Disclaimer: No street-talking, cat-fighting, barrroom-brawling juvenile delinquents were harmed during the production of this motion picture.
