The Debt II
I want to see Xena.
MING T'IEN
That would be impossible.
GABRIELLE
Why?
MING T'IEN
Our laws say a prisoner charged with a capital
offense cannot receive visitors. And I'm a man
of the law.
GABRIELLE
Your Highness, you said you would let Xena go.
MING TIEN
Gabrielle, I owe you my life. Anything in this kingdom
you wish is yours. But if you think banishing Xena
will keep her from returning to kill me, you don't
know her as well as you think.
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Hey Xena, I hear you were betrayed by a friend.
XENA
No, not by a friend.
PRISON GUARD
Throw her in!
This one's mine.
ACT ONE
If you had her promise, then you would let her
go, right?
MING T'IEN
It would take more than that.
GABRIELLE
Xena would never go back on her promise.
MING T'IEN
Of course, she would.
GABRIELLE
I wanna see her.
MING T'IEN
Out of the question.
GABRIELLE
You said that I could have anything in your kingdom.
MING T'IEN
Except that.
GABRIELLE
You don't understand. I need to talk to her. I
have to explain to her why I did what I did. I'm
terrified of what she might be thinking of me.
MING T'IEN
You betrayed her, therefore you're her enemy.
She'll kill you now, as soon as look at you.
GABRIELLE
You're wrong. You don't know her.
MING T'IEN
I know her. Tell me, why did you do it if you love
her so?
GABRIELLE
I felt that she was betraying herself if she went
back to the way of murder.
MING T'IEN
Murder is in her blood, Gabrielle, her soul. It is
more natural to her than love.
GABRIELLE
Look, I know what Xena did to you is a terrible thing.
MING T'IEN
No, you are wrong. It wasn't terrible. It changed
my life. Gave it a meaning, and a direction. She
taught me how to rule.
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I am the scourge that your gods sent to punish
your people. Scary, huh?
What do you want?
CHUANG
It's Borias. He's riding this way.
XENA
How many men?
CHUANG
He's alone.
XENA
Come on. Get up!
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She understood how to send fear flooding into
your very soul. And when that kind of terror lives
deep inside people...they're yours forever.
My father didn't understand this. He was too soft.
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The boy?
XENA
He's on the third packhorse out there, under
some skins.
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When he ransomed me that night, he held me to
him like a foolish woman, tears in his eyes.
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You can't blame your father for being emotional
at a time like that.
MING T'IEN
He was a fraud, just like Xena said. He cared
about me only because a king needs an heir.
GABRIELLE
Where is he now?
MING T'IEN
Dead...but we're alive, Gabrielle, so let's quit
living in the past and celebrate your heroic deed.
If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be emperor of Chin.
I would be another of Xena's victims.
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What do you want?
JIU
He's giving you his shirt.
XENA
I don't want your clothes.
What--what are they doing?
JIU
Clothing you. It's their way of paying you tribute.
XENA
For what?
JIU
They heard what you did, or tried to do. Your
attempt at trying to kill the emperor.
XENA
They like that, huh?
JIU
There's not a man here that hasn't lost many of
his loved ones at the hands of that monster.
XENA
Where are you from?
JIU
From the kingdom of Lao.
XENA
Lao? Then you know Lao Ma.
JIU
Lao Ma? Of course. She's the wife of our king.
Beautiful woman.
XENA
When was the last time you saw her?
What?
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Like you, many of us had heard of her great powers
and thought she would use them to escape.
Perhaps they were all a lie.
XENA
No. No, her powers were real.
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Would you kill a mosquito with an ax?
This is very beautiful.
That's good.
LAO MA
It could be a very usable weapon, if thrown at the
right body part.
XENA
You could kill someone, using a hair brooch?
LAO MA
If necessary.
I don't like to kill, however.
XENA
Everyone has their preferences. I happen to like
a good kill.
LAO MA
You're so full of anger and hate.
XENA
Everyone's gotta be full of something.
LAO MA
Put up another bottle.
Teach me to do that.
LAO MA
Well...try it.
I'm sorry, Xena, but you're trying to attack the
bottle with your will.
XENA
What else is there?
LAO MA
Exactly.
XENA
What?
LAO MA
The entire world is driven by a will, blind and
ruthless. In order to transcend the limitations of
that world, you need to stop willing, stop desiring,
stop hating.
XENA
How do I do that?
LAO MA
Heaven endures, and the Earth lasts a long time,
because they do not live for themselves. Therefore,
she would live a long time should live for others.
Serve others.
XENA
I could serve you, if that's what you mean.
LAO MA
Of course, you can. It's easy to serve someone
you love. You feel it will make them love you more.
It's like a good business investment. That's not
what I'm talking about.
XENA
You mean that I should serve someone who
hates me.
LAO MA
More than that. You need to serve someone you
hate. Ming Tzu.
XENA
Ming Tzu.
LAO MA
Yes, the man who had you hunted like an animal.
He comes here tomorrow with his son.
XENA
Serve Ming. I'd rather die.
LAO MA
You've been a dead woman for a long time now,
Xena. I'm offering you the chance to live.
ACT TWO
Welcome to my home. I wish only that it were
worthy of your presence. Welcome, Ming T'ien.
Dinner awaits, Ming Tzu.
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So, Borias is still a problem?
MING TZU
Yes, the gold and the horses we gave him for
double-crossing that whore have made him too
powerful. (to Xena) Be careful, you idiot!
Borias is very dangerous. He's more dangerous
than that witch, Xena. He's very clever. She was
a stupid thug.
Something the matter, son?
Goodbye, Lao Ma.
All right, Lao Ma, I did the whole servant bit, and
it accomplished nothing.
LAO MA
You're wrong. For a few hours, you actually silenced
your will. It's a beginning.
XENA
A beginning to what, huh? I should've just sliced
that pig's throat.
LAO MA
To conquer others is to have power. To conquer
yourself, is to know the way. Come with me, Xena.
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My husband.
XENA
I heard that you keep him in a coma. I didn't
believe it, but it's true.
LAO MA
Oh yes. If he were actually dead, word would get
out and his imbecile cousin would become king.
No, I make sure he stays alive, but in this
half-conscious state. You understand pressure
points, don't you?
I make sure he's seen every once in a while, in
the garden. It helps to convince doubters.
XENA
So you rule in his name.
LAO MA
The only way a woman could rule in the kingdom
of Chin. It's my gift to him. He was a vicious tyrant.
I'm going to make him the most loved of rulers.
XENA
Don't you get sick of him getting the credit for
everything that you do?
LAO MA
Not at all. As long as good is done.
XENA
You write down all that wisdom stuff, huh?
LAO MA
Yes...in his book.
XENA
You give him credit for that, too?
LAO MA
This wisdom comes from Heaven. What difference
does it make who gets credit for it? Lao Ma or
Lao Tzu?
XENA
Yeah, nothing seems to phase you, except that
boy I kidnapped. Every time he ignores you, that
cuts deep.
LAO MA
I know it's foolish of me. Just because we give
birth to them doesn't mean we own them.
XENA
He's your son?
GABRIELLE (voice-over)
Say it!
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Say it! Xena, promise them that you will never
attempt to kill Ming T'ien again. Promise them!
Xena, if you promise them, they will banish you.
Please, we can ride away from this.
Come to me, Xena. Now.
So, you have nothing to say in your defense, Xena.
GABRIELLE
Xena...
MING T'IEN
So be it. Tomorrow at dawn, you'll experience
this life for the last time. The sentence...is death.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
Don't feel like you failed. I would've executed her
no matter what she said. It's amazing, really. She
did all of this out of some fool gratitude to Lao
Ma for saving her life. I suppose even wild beasts
have a sense of loyalty, sometimes.
GABRIELLE
Can I see her?
MING T'IEN
Oh, yes. Now that she's condemned, you can
visit her. I'm not a monster, you know.
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Move it along!
Can we talk? Of course not. I betrayed you. The
pathetic thing is, I thought I was saving you. My
reverence for life kept a brutal tyrant in power,
and led to my best friend's execution. I know you
hate me Xena. No more than I hate myself.
Scratch my nose, will you?
Come on.
I know you only did what you thought was right. I
was angry with you, but I didn't hate you. I never could.
GABRIELLE
I think I understand why you thought you had to
kill Ming T'ien. It was Lao Ma's last request, and
she saved your life.
XENA
Not just my life. She saved my soul, my spirit,
my entire being.
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Xena, stop. Control yourself. He's here, because
I sent for him.
Stop Xena, just stop. Stop willing, stop desiring,
stop hating.
XENA (voice-over)
That was the moment.
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I could've done it right there. I could've just...let
go and buried all my hatred forever. That was
my chance.
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You always were a legs man.
All right. We'll do this a different way.
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What's he doing here?
LAO MA
We're going to have peace in this land, and the
two of you are going to help bring it about.
XENA
You've gotta be kidding!
LAO MA
Tomorrow, Ming Tzu comes here to talk with
Borias and me. We're going to include him in a
three-way alliance.
XENA
If you think that I am playing servant-girl to these
two, then you've got another thing-
LAO MA
Quiet, Xena. I plan to inform Ming Tzu of your
presence. He has to accept that. You're going to
help me run the kingdom of Lao. You'll be my
warrior princess. Tomorrow, you'll ask for Ming's
forgiveness. Today, you're going to learn how to
deal with Borias. Xena's capable of profound
loyalty, Borias. She just doesn't know it yet. I'm
gonna leave the two of you alone. It serves both
your interests to get along. If you kill each
other...so be it.
So you and Borias made up.
XENA (voice-over)
Oh, yeah, we made up.
I also asked Ming Tzu for his forgiveness.
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You expect me to forgive the woman that kidnapped
my son. Then permit me to point out the detail
that perhaps you missed. Xena belongs to me.
She's my property.
LAO MA
Ming Tzu, I know a man of your wisdom wouldn't
endanger an important treaty by holding a grudge.
MING TZU
To have the treaty, I must forgive her? Then I
apologize for wasting your time. Ming Tien, let
us go.
XENA
Lao Ma, if I may make a suggestion. Ming Tzu
is a man of great courage. I say you should put
me up as the stakes in a game of chance, and
see who wins.
MING TZU
Excuse me, but I do not have to play such a game.
You belong to me, now!
BORIAS
I have a claim on Xena. I discovered her, so to speak.
LAO MA
And I was fortunate enough to save her.
XENA
And I should say, I belong to myself. It should be
an interesting game.
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This is ridiculous! Gambling over this worthless
whore. Why don't we throw something of value
into the pot?
XENA
All right. Let's say the winner gets me and a body
part from each of the losers.
MING TZU
What do you mean?
XENA
A body part. Minimum bet is a hand.
BORIAS
I'm in.
LAO MA
I don't want anyone's body part.
XENA
Then I'm sure we all pray that you win. What about
you, Ming Tzu? You got the jewels for this one?
MING TZU
Fine, all in one throw.
I win. (to Ming Tzu) Pay up.
LAO MA
This is ridiculous.
XENA
I want a piece of him.
MING TZU
You're crazy!
BORIAS
Then you're not gonna pay up?
MING TZU
Are you?
BORIAS
Yes. (to Xena) I give you my heart.
XENA
I accept. I'll settle for that from you too, Ming Tzu,
your heart.
MING TZU
This is nonsense! I'm getting out of here! Ming
T'ien! We're leaving this madhouse!
XENA
Not 'til I collect my winnings.
Xena!
Now for the kid.
What are you doing?
XENA
Now, we can wipe out the entire line. Then it'll
just be the house of Lao. We can rule the whole
kingdom of Chin together. You can do all your
noble stuff, and Borias and I'll keep the peace.
We'll have some laughs along the way.
She had such dreams of peace for her land,
and for my soul. I ruined them all. It was years
before I understood finally what she wanted
from me. Not long before I met you, I was at the
end of my rope. I was ready to give up. And then
I thought of her and what she taught me, and--and
I was reborn. That's the debt.
PRISON GUARD
It's time.
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
The entire world is driven by a will, blind and ruthless.
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(whispering) Xena.
In order to transcend the limitations of that world,
you need to stop willing.
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Stop desiring.
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Stop hating.
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To conquer others is to have power. To conquer
yourself is to know the way.
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Stop her!
She-e-e-e-e-yah!
Come on! Let's go!
Be careful. Let's go.
Xena! I have something to tell you.
XENA
Gabrielle, make sure everyone gets clear of the
building. It'll collapse at any moment.
GABRIELLE
Are you-
XENA
I'm fine. Don't worry, as far as I'm concerned, this
is all over.
Say it.
MING T'IEN
You made me, Xena. You taught me to be the
monster I am.
XENA
I know. It's part of the reason I'm here. I've learned
to clean up after myself. Is that all?
MING T'IEN
One other thing. You probably heard that I had
Lao Ma executed.
XENA
Yes.
MING T'IEN
But, I just wanted you to know, it's not true.
XENA
Really?
MING T'IEN
No. I did it myself.
XENA
I have something to tell you, Ming T'ien.
MING T'IEN
What's that?
XENA
Lao Ma was your mother.
MING T'IEN
I knew that the whole time!
That was why I did the execution. I knew she
wouldn't use her powers to hurt her little boy. I
think this belongs to you.
Her last request was that it was returned to you.
It turns out that she was just a sentimental fool.
Remember this? Mother's book of wisdom? It
failed her in the end. That philosophical sense
of peace fell apart! She cried like a baby. She
even cried on after I had torn her heart from
her body!
You're powerless now. You've lost face in front
of your people. They won't follow you, anymore.
You were right. I didn't have to resolve this with
murder. I finally understood Lao Ma's message,
and I made him small again.
Xena, your not killing him made you exactly what
Lao Ma wanted you to be.
XENA
A memento of Lao Ma.
GABRIELLE
We'll take good care of this. I love you, Xena.
XENA
Love you too, Gabrielle.
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Jacqueline Kim as Lao Ma
Marton Csokas as Borias
Grant McFarland as Ming Tzu
Daniel Sing as Ming T'ien
Daniel Lim as Ming T'ien (12 years)
Tai Hadfield as Chuang
Ric Chan as Jiu
Din Tran as Prison Guard
Teleplay by: R.J. Stewart
Story by: Robert Tapert and R.J. Stewart
Directed by: Oley Sassone
Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle's relationship suffered another blow (although Gabrielle doesn't know it yet) during the production of this motion picture.
