The Deliverer
This transcript is dedicated to the memory of Kevin Smith.
Ares, we have to talk about this cult.
Don't worry about it Discord. Things are well in hand.
Take a look at that. New kind of metal. I'm thinking
about giving it to chosen few.
Ah, the impatience of youth. I admire it, I really,
really do...and I'll excuse it for only so long. The
cult must be taken care of. I put one of my best
men on it. He controls their temple. Without that,
they're hardly a threat.
DISCORD
"Best man"? You have a mortal handling this?
ARES
Not just any mortal, this on is...exceptional.
DISCORD
It's mortals that think this one god, is so special.
Why don't you just destroy the temple yourself, and
get it over with?
ARES
Why don't you? Are you willing to go up against
this god? Is any on Olympus? You are just lucky
that I have the resources and the people to do
something about it. No, it has to be a mortal.
DISCORD
Do you handle everything so...casually?
ARES
If I didn't know better, I would think you were talking
about us. And don't mistake confident for casual.
I know full well what could happen. Everything we
know, everything we've done to make this world
home, could come to an end. You have to have a
little faith in me.
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Well what is a mountain, but--but just, a bunch
of boulders? Right? And--and, what is a rock,
but a large grain of sand? And what is a large
grain of sand-you--you see my theory here?
XENA
No.
GABRIELLE
And that doesn't bother you at all, does it?
XENA
What possible use is this information to us, hum?
GABRIELLE
Well I haven't the slightest idea, but, well, hey,
it gave us something to talk about since the last
town, right?
XENA
A town. Towns which are made up of houses,
which, after all, are just large huts, which are
made of wood, which are made of trees, and,
well, trees are bigger then huts, so-
-there goes that theory.
GABRIELLE
You can be so frustrating sometimes.
Move it! Pick up the pace. Faster. Come on you rebels.
GABRIELLE
Xena...who are those men?
XENA
From the way they were dressed, I'd say they're
from the island north of Gaul. Come on.
Hold up.
You're a long way from Britannia.
BRIT GUARD
We travel only as far as criminals run. We're taking
these men back for trail.
Kill us here if you want, but my people will never
give into Caesar.
Let these men go.
BRIT GUARD
Any particular reason why we should?
XENA
Yeah, a whole list of them.
Yah! Reason one.
Reason two.
Reason three.
I don't often get to reason four, but when I do it
gets real messy!
What does Caesar want with you?
KHRAFSTAR
He knows I'm recruiting mercenaries to join
Boadicea in Britannia.
XENA
Boadicea's fighting Caesar?
GABRIELLE
You know her? Of course you know her. You're
like a "Who's Who" of warriors.
XENA
What about Persuticus?
KHRAFSTAR
Dead. Boadicea barely had time to mourn her
husband when Caesar began his invasion.
XENA
How many mercenaries have you found?
KHRAFSTAR
Two hundred have already set off for Britannia.
I paid these three-
-to escort me safely to Northern Gaul.
GABRIELLE
You might consider a refund. What's your name?
KHRAFSTAR
Khrafstar, first priest of the One God.
XENA
Well Khrafstar, put my name on your list. I'm going
with you to help Boadicea...and to destroy Caesar.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
The harbour should be up just beyond those trees.
Take a break. I'll go check it out.
I'm not sure who hates the Romans more; Boadicea
or your friend.
GABRIELLE
Xena doesn't hate the Romans, just Caesar.
She had a run in with him a long time ago and he,
uh-h, he betrayed her.
KHRAFSTAR
Well...I'm glad she's on our side, whatever the reason.
I just hope there's still time. Caesar holds our
temple. I'm worried he might destroy it.
GABRIELLE
This one god of yours, does he have a name?
KHRAFSTAR
Yes, but we aren't permitted to speak it.
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Hold it down!
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I'd be glad to tell you more.
GABRIELLE
That's okay. The gods I know are trouble enough.
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Show yourself. I know you're there.
Ares.
ARES
You want to move this so we can talk?
XENA
Oh, I don't know, I kind of like the look of it there.
Still miffed about the insanity thing, huh? Oh get
over it. Even the Furies have forgotten about it by
now. There's no real damage done.
XENA
You wanted me to kill my mother.
ARES
No, I wanted you to join me. Why do you always
look at the effect and ignore the goal? Anyway,
that's not why I'm here, at least, not to moan
about the past. I am excited by your future! Your
near future. You're going up against
Caesar, huh?
XENA
I am helping a friend.
ARES
Oh, yeah, sure, sure. That must be great for the
masses, but we really know, don't we? You know,
Caesar and I...talk now and then. Now don't get
jealous, I don't always answer him. He's got this
temple. I told him he should destroy it, but he
hasn't yet. Sure must be important to him.
XENA
Caesar doesn't care about temples. If he has it,
it's just for strategic value.
ARES
Either way, it would really humiliate him if you
destroy it. Go Xena, lead your army to victory and
make me proud.
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Easy does it now.
EXTRA
Gang way!
You all right?
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Some people call us a cult. I hate that, but I
understand. I mean the idea of one god, it's a
little far-fetched.
GABRIELLE
It's hard for people to believe in something they
can't see or touch or hear.
KHRAFSTAR
When was the last time you saw love? Or friendship?
You see its effect, and you'll see the effect of our
god when he brings his kingdom to Earth.
I don't know. Xena, umm, I was teaching Khrafstar
how to avoid seasickness. He was telling me
about his god.
It's very interesting.
XENA
I'm sure it is.
Hey. What's up?
XENA
Does anything have to be "up"?
GABRIELLE
Xena, I think you have mixed feelings about this.
I mean, you say you want to help a friend, but you
don't seem very friendly towards her.
XENA
Boadicea and I were allies a long time ago in Gaul.
GABRIELLE
You were allies?
XENA
In a sense. She thought I was a friend and I just
needed an army, so I let her think whatever she
wanted, until I took control of her men.
GABRIELLE
You used her.
XENA
I ordered her killed. She escaped and then she
and Persuticus joined forces. They attacked me,
but I defeated them. Then they retreated north
to Britannia. So you see I'm not the only one dealing
with betrayal.
Xena! You'd better come up here.
Go ahead. Tell her what you told me.
CENTURION
Caesar has ordered that no ships land on these
shores. You have until tomorrow morning to go
back to Gaul. After that, this vessel will be taken
and all aboard will be disciplined.
Not on your life.
XENA
You tell Caesar that we aren't stupid enough to
go up against his army. As soon as I check the
wind up top, we'll set sail.
CENTURION
A wise decision. I'll relay your message.
XENA
Do that.
I see the mercenaries have gone.
LIEUTENANT
Yes sir, they headed north.
CENTURION
North? Get the men! Now!
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They've already come ashore. Check the area for-
Formation! Stand firm!
Weapons!
Boadicea. Caesar himself will rest lorals on my head.
XENA
Ha! If you still have one.
It's been awhile Xena.
XENA
You got my message.
BOADICEA
Barely. You need to polish your sword.
Ai-yah! Ee-yah! Yah!
Yaaah-uh!
CENTURION
Retreat!
EXTRA
There's too many!
XENA
Ai-yah!
Come on! Hurry! Keep going! Don't stop! Let's go!
At least it's not a total loss. Caesar might spare
my life, if I bring him prisoners.
GABRIELLE
Let me go!
ACT TWO
There's food and water in the back of the cave.
The hospital's there too. Take the wounded and
then get some rest. I want you all on the battle
field by morning.
XENA
You should cut down those trees before Caesar
puts some archers-
BOADICEA
This is my camp Xena. I'm in command here,
not you. Let's just get that clear right now. This
isn't the past.
XENA
Then stop acting as if it is. I'm here to help you.
BOADICEA
No you're not. You're here because Caesar here,
because your hatred of him won't allow you to be
elsewhere and that's the only reason why we
haven't crossed swords. I know I can't defeat him
without you.
XENA
I'm sorry about Persuticus.
Easy does it. I've got you.
XENA
You. Soldier, what happened to that girl that was
brought in earlier?
SOLDIER
What girl? There's been nobody brought in.
XENA
Well that's impossible, she came in with a young
man. He was the leader of that temple.
MERIDIAN
Khrafstar? Are you speaking of him?
XENA
Yes, him and the girl. What happened to them?
MERIDIAN
I--I don't know who the girl is, but Khrafstar went
to Gaul to find mercenaries. I--I was hoping he'd
with you.
BOADICEA
This is a much-
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-stronger position.
There's been a change in the-
You lied to me. Gabrielle was never brought back
here, and you know it.
BOADICEA
Yes, I was told, but we had to get out of there and
I knew you wouldn't leave.
I had to tell you something!
Do you want me to call a guard?
BOADICEA
No, leave.
We found this near the river.
Caesar has them. You go up there, they'll die,
if they haven't already.
XENA
No. No Caesar will know she's my friend. He'll
keep her alive until he can figure out how he can
use her against me.
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Hey!
CENTURION
Sit!
GABRIELLE
Sit on this.
KHRAFSTAR
No, we'll sit. No time for an attitude. My god has
taught me that direct confrontation is not always
the right path.
GABRIELLE
Yeah well, Xena taught me that if you let someone
take advantage of you, they will. Besides, she's
going to get us out of this. Caesar has no idea
what he's gotten himself into.
CAESAR
Divide a woman's emotion from her sensibilities,
and you have her.
Divide and conquer.
GABRIELLE
About what I said-
CAESAR
It doesn't matter, it has no bearing on your fate;
that was decided the moment you entered my
world. And how is Xena?
GABRIELLE
She's...fine.
CAESAR
You're a friend of Xena's.
GABRIELLE
Um. Uh, she hardly knows me. She probably
doesn't even know I'm gone. I mean, she hardly
knows when I'm around! Come to think of it, she
doesn't even know my name.
CAESAR
Hmmm, well we'll see. You see, Xena's fatal flaw
is her emotion. She feels; she cares. Not exactly
good attributes for a...true warrior. (to guards) Guard
them. First daylight, we take them to the hill.
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Boadicea?
BOADICEA
Fifteen volunteers are standing by. They're ready
when you are.
XENA
At dawn then.
BOADICEA
This had better work Xena, or I'm going to lose a
lot of my best people.
XENA
It will. Caesar wants that one great battle that
will make him a part of history. We're going to
give it to him, but first we have to get his entire army here.
The key to destroying Caesar is his belief in his destiny.
BOADICEA
Sounds like someone I once knew. Someone I
trusted with my army, and with my life.
XENA
Why do you trust me now?
BOADICEA
I don't, but I have no choice. You know Caesar
and you know how to wage war.
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Khrafstar, do you have faith in your god?
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It's hard to explain. I had a farm once in Gaul. I
went to the temple of the gods, and made my
offerings, I did everything right. Then one day, a
warlord came, destroyed my home and almost
killed me. As I lay in the brush, bleeding, I saw
him walk over to the temple and make an offering
to Hera and Zeus. The same man who destroyed
my world, was blessed by the very gods I thought
would protect me.
GABRIELLE
I'm sorry.
KHRAFSTAR
I was found by some travelers from the east.
They cared for me, made me well. They taught
me about their one god.
GABRIELLE
And that's when you started to believe?
KHRAFSTAR
I thought they were like sheep to believe. Then
I met the warlord again. He was wounded from
some battle already and I was filled with so much
rage and as I was standing over him, with a sword
at his throat, something happened. A light filled
me and I knew he existed.
GABRIELLE
And this god gave you enough strength to kill
the warlord?
KHRAFSTAR
Just the opposite. I couldn't kill him. Despite all
my rage and hatred, I knew it wasn't right, that
even the warlord had a purpose. That's what I
mean by faith. I know, it sounds strange.
GABRIELLE
No, I think it sounds wonderful.
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We still have to bolt these.
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Take this message to Catalinius. He is to form
up and prepare to move his entire legion. Go.
EXTRA
Yes sir.
CENTURION
Trouble Caesar?
CAESAR
During the night, the barbarians gave up land
they fought and died for. Xena's trying to draw
me into a trap. If she's foolish enough to offer me
the land, then I'm going to take it.
CENTURION
That will spread out forces fairly thin.
CAESAR
You misunderstand, I want her to attack. This
draws her into one big battle. I have her. Take
my personal banner. I want her to know who
ordered their deaths.
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There's no way the Warrior Princess will miss this.
Caesar wanted one more thing. Your legs are to
be broken. Said it would mean something to Xena.
ACT THREE
A-la-la-la-la-la-yah!
Yah! Ee-yah! E-e-e-e-yah! Yah!
Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
Timing. We've got to work on timing.
You all right?
I want every legion in this country here by tomorrow.
Xena, now I know what you're going to say. Look,
I'm sorry I--I it's not like I wanted to be captured
by Caesar.
XENA
Did you talk to him?
GABRIELLE
Caesar? Yeah I did, um, well he has this aura
about him that-
XENA
It's the same thing that draws a moth to a flame
and with pretty much the same result.
GABRIELLE
Well he said something about dividing-
XENA
Dividing a woman's sensibilities from her emotion.
Yeah. Yeah I know his philosophy.
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There are seven hills surrounding this valley.
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To force the battle, he'll have to divide his army
and fight uphill.
BOADICEA
Divide and conquer.
XENA
Right, only this time, we're the conquerors.
BOADICEA
What if he doesn't attack?
XENA
He will. Trust me. We're going to take these hills,
starting with this one.
There's a temple near there. The Romans hold
it If we leave them there, they'll be at our backs.
XENA
Then we take the temple.
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Quick! Shields!
Yah!
Yah!
BOADICEA
Go!
SQUAD LEADER
Let's get out of here! Retreat!
BOADICEA
They're heading for the hills.
XENA
Press the advantage. Follow them before they
can reinforce the garrison.
BOADICEA
Yah!
Yah!
Praise to the one god.
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Get the army up to the hill. Go now.
It's going well. The last hilltop is being taken as
we speak.
BOADICEA
Caesar's legions have arrived. They're forming
out north of the plain.
XENA
Then this is it. The final battle. We need to get
your army on place on those hills.
BOADICEA
I've already sent out the order. Yah!
Temple. You didn't destroy the temple.
XENA
What is it about that temple that bothers you
so much?
ARES
There's no place for one god in our world. This
is the world that we created! Zeus, Athena, Hades,
Poseidon, it is our world!
XENA
And before that, it was the world of the Titans. Well
that's right, Zeus overthrew them, didn't he? You're
just afraid that history will repeat itself.
ARES
Whatever you might think about us Xena, you know
us. You might love us, you might hate us, but
we're not evil. This god is.
XENA
Evil to you.
Trust me Xena!
XENA
Based on what?
Are you sure my being here is okay?
KHRAFSTAR
Our god is open to all. Besides, I want you to
see this.
MERIDIAN
If you don't mind, I'd like to conduct the Ceremony
of Rejoining. I know it's your honour, but the tribunal's
made some changes to it.
KHRAFSTAR
Oh. Well, if the tribunal wishes it.
From the beginning of time, the one has been
waiting to complete the circle. The world that is
his, has reached a time of rejoining. The days of
old are gone, and the new is before us. Tremble
at his arrival.
KHRAFSTAR
It's changed a lot.
MERIDIAN
But first, the door must be opened. The path of
his arrival must be sanctified in blood. Pure
blood. Innocent blood.
What are you doing?! What are you talking about?!
KHRAFSTAR
Let me go!
This world will end today.
The hand of Dahak will sweep the Earth, bringing
with it the winter of a thousand years, killing
everyone who stands in the way of his world.
KHRAFSTAR
No! This isn't our god! Gabrielle!
With this blood, we praise Dahak, the Dark One.
Gabrielle!
Thank you, Gabrielle. You're going to help bring
Dahak into this world. He needed a sacrifice, and
not just one of flesh and blood. He wanted your
purity. Your innocence of evil, and you just gave
it to him. This world and all who are on it will be
no more. The new kingdom of Dahak will rule!
And you Gabrielle will bring him to us.
GABRIELLE
No!
ACT FOUR
Boadicea?
BOADICEA
By the gods, look.
It's immense. How are we supposed to defeat that?
XENA
Caesar still has to divide up his army to attack
the hills. Hold your cavalry until he tries to regroup.
I'm going after Caesar. He's mine.
BOADICEA
Xena, you're not the person I once knew, I can
see that. I can't forgive you, but...I can thank you
for what you're doing now.
What's the matter?
What's that?
XENA
I don't know, but it's centered over the temple.
That's where Gabrielle is.
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What happened?
GABRIELLE
(whispering) Mer-
(whispering) Mer--Mer--Meridian
She's dead. Gabrielle, who did this?
GABRIELLE
I did. I killed her. I killed her, Xena.
A-ah Gabrielle, you couldn't-
GABRIELLE
No, I did. I just stabbed her. (whispering) I stabbed her.
XENA
Accidentally you...
GABRIELLE
No, I stabbed her. Xena, I did-I murdered her.
Gabrielle, it's...it's-
Thank you, Xena.
No.
What have you done to her, you bastard!?
Done to her? I fulfilled her destiny. She's for Dahak.
XENA
Who's Dahak?
KHRAFSTAR
The one god. The dark force that will sweep this
world. The old, crippled, blind, maimed, your
so-called gods, all will be destroyed. Dahak will
bring the cleansing fire of war to the world. A war
begun of innocence.
XENA
This is not the one god of the Israelites.
KHRAFSTAR
No. That one will be taken care of in due time, but
thank you for Gabrielle.
XENA
I don't know what you're talking about.
KHRAFSTAR
Look inside yourself. You brought her here; and
why did you come? To defeat Caesar. Your hatred
brought you here. Dahak appreciates rage.
No! No!
XENA
No-o-o-o-o-o!
Xena! Xena, help!
Stay back Xena! You routed Caesar, but Dahak
will triumph here, as he will triumph everywhere!
I know!
I am, the Deliverer!
Go now Xena, you have to go. It's Dahak's will.
Dahak already has a sacrifice in Gabrielle, but
he wants your blood to welcome him into the world!
Hold on Gabrielle!
Well that answers one question. You can get hurt.
You get pretty mad too. Come and get me then.
Ya half witted toady to a third rate god, come and
get me! Come on.
E-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-yah!
What's the matter? A mere mortal giving you a
problem? I thought your god was all powerful or
somethin'.
THE DELIVERER
You can't talk of the great Dahak like that!
XENA
"Great"? Great at what?! All I've seen is a lame
attempt at a religion and some fancy fireworks.
Are you sure he's what you think he is? Maybe he's
got you fooled too.
I gotcha. I gotcha. I gotcha. You all right?
Run!
Xena?
XENA
I'm here Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
It hurts inside.
XENA
What?
GABRIELLE
Everything's changed. Everything.
Hey. It's going to be okay. Promise.
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Kevin Smith as Ares
Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Boadicea
Marton Csokas as Khrafstar
Karl Urban Julius as Caesar
Meighan Desmond as Discord
Anthony Ray Parker as The Deliverer
Catherine Boniface as Meridian
Anton Bentley as Centurion
Patrick Kuhtze as Brit Guard
Andre Coppell as Squad Leader
Daniel Martin as Soldier
John Manning as Captain
Brad Homan as Jiela
David Holton as Lieutenant
Written by: Steven L. Sears
Directed by: Oley Sassone
Disclaimer: Gabrielle was slightly well-done during the production of this motion picture. However, the producers would like to recommend a zesty barbecue sauce to bring out the full flavor of the episode.
