Paradise Found
Gabrielle, I'm all for your spiritual quests, and India
is a fine place to go, but-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-remind me why we decided to take the scenic route.
GABRIELLE
Come on. Local legends say that these mountains
are a holy place.
XENA
No, no, no, no, no. I don't care about the local
legends. I'm talking about the local thugs who
tried to cut us up in the pass.
Well, I'd apologize...again. The truth is, I think
you enjoyed it.
Having my leg gashed open?
GABRIELLE
No, having a good reason to bust some heads.
That's ridiculous.
GABRIELLE
You smiled.
XENA
What?
GABRIELLE
When that big guy came at you, and you tossed
him at the other three you smiled.
XENA
I winced. He was big.
GABRIELLE
You smiled.
XENA
I was relieved!
GABRIELLE
You still smiled.
XENA
Oh, give me that. You got hands like a sailor. It
was a thing of beauty. Did you see how they fell
over? Just like a game of dominoes.
Yeah. It wasn't a game to them.
XENA
Let me get this straight. You're standing up for
a bunch of thugs who tried to rob and kill us?
GABRIELLE
Those guys were scum, I admit that. I just wonder
if maybe your fighting for good has more to do
with the fighting than the good part.
XENA
Think my fighting for good is a cover for something
darker? I don't know.
GABRIELLE
It's funny. We come to places like this, you know,
the spirtual places, looking for some sort of answer.
Makes you wonder.
XENA
Wonder what?
GABRIELLE
If instead of reaching out, maybe we should be
looking in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it that vision again? Xena, would you just
forget that? You always say that we control our
own destiny, right?
XENA
Right.
What was that?
Just--just stay here. Don't break those stitches.
I'll be right back.
Gabrielle?!
Gabrielle?
Gabrielle?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gabrielle! Gabrielle!
Gabrielle, answer me!
Gabriel-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-le!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What happened? Xena, I fell down a--a hole.
XENA
Yeah, what is it with you and holes, huh?
Look. My wound, it's gone.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
Hmm. Where are we?
XENA
Good question.
GABRIELLE
Do you know what this place reminds me of?
XENA
Illusia, but so far, the only music I've heard is
the birds singing.
GABRIELLE
Xena, do you think we're dead?
Yah!
What do you think you're doing, sneaking up on us?
GAR
What are you doing? Breaking into this garden?
GABRIELLE
We didn't break in. We just fell through a--a hole
in a cave.
GAR
A cave? There's no gate through a cave around here.
XENA
What is this place?
GAR
Well, ha-ha, that kinda depends on you. Ah!
XENA
Don't play games with us. How do we get
outta here?
GAR
Ask Aidan. He--he, Aidan owns the whole estate
and everything in it.
Except me.
GABRIELLE
And how do we find this Aidan?
GAR
Well, he's everywhere. But start at the house, up
at the path.
Poor man.
XENA
Come on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's beautiful, don't you think?
XENA
Yeah, in that yucky, "I'm in paradise." kind of way.
Let's find out what's goin' on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Aidan did this, he's got talent.
XENA
And a whole lotta time on his hands.
GABRIELLE
They're so unusual. The poses, the colour. Look,
what do you think?
XENA
Without a face, it could be anyone.
Exactly. You see, these figures represent the ultimate,
inner peace. Something anyone can achieve.
XENA
Don't bet the farm on it.
GABRIELLE
She means it's easier for some people than it
is for others.
AIDAN
Very true. Took me almost ten years, but then
my demons ran deep. You can't get rid of those
overnight, but you can eventually release them.
I'm living proof. I'm also Aidan, and you are?
Xena. This is my friend, Gabrielle.
AIDAN
Welcome to my home.
XENA
This is some hospitality you've got here. My leg.
Yesterday, it had a gash on it and took twelve
stitches. Now it's gone. Healed, completely. How
d'ya explain that?
AIDAN
It's amazing, isn't it? Technically, I guess you'd
call it, "Mind shifting matter."
GABRIELLE
You saying your mind healed Xena's leg?
AIDAN
Oh, no, no, not just my mind. You see,
there's breathing and meditational techniques,
the whole approach to the...I'm babbling again,
aren't I? If you'd be interested, I'd love to show you.
XENA
It's potent stuff, but I think we'll pass. If you'll just
direct us off the place, we'll be going.
AIDAN
A woman of action. Commendable. Yet you still
eat and sleep, don't you? Why not stay the night
here, and start out fresh tomorrow?
XENA
Well...
AIDAN
Good food, fine wine-
GABRIELLE
Warm bath?
Excellent.
XENA
Gabrielle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gods, this is bliss.
XENA
How long do you think we've been in here? I'm prunin'.
GABRIELLE
Would you relax? Aidan's right. You need to just
learn to slow down.
You know, I'm surprised at you, Xena.
XENA
Why?
For someone who's seen what Lao Ma and Alti
can do, it's strange you're not curious about Aidan.
XENA
I've seen enough to know that most people
can't handle spiritual powers. And Aidan is
no Lao Ma.
GABRIELLE
Well, yeah, he's a bit odd. That doesn't mean we
can't learn something from him. I wanna ask him
to teach me his breathing techniques. Will you
come with me?
XENA
Thanks, but I've been breathing just fine on my
own for years, now. Well, you know, I could have
given him another chance. After all, the guy did
heal my leg.
GABRIELLE
That's mighty big of you, Xena.
Mm! Mm! Oh-h! Oh-h! Lieutenant Gar, reporting
as ordered with clothes, sir.
XENA
Sir?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
And inhale. Slowly up through the nose and--and--and
exhale slowly down. Down. Concentrate on the
breathing only. Good.
Good.
GABRIELLE
I've never concentrated on just breathing, before.
AIDAN
Whoever does? But that's exactly where it starts,
from a single breath. Without breath, there is no
life, right?
GABRIELLE
Right.
Something wrong?
GABRIELLE
No, nothing.
Gabrielle, may I? A small warning. These breathing
techniques, the meditational techniques that I'm
teaching you, the whole approach to an inner
stillness, it--it could stir up some thoughts and
feelings that you didn't even know you have. Some
of 'em, not so nice.
GABRIELLE
I'm game if you are.
AIDAN
Good.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel like some power has just poured new life
into me. That's what I'm gonna call her, Hope.
I guess that was one of those thoughts that you
warned me about.
AIDAN
Maybe we should stop. Hmm?
GABRIELLE
Why?
AIDAN
Well, to really do this, to reach that inner stillness,
you're going to have to clear a path and that means
facing whatever comes up and just releasing it.
GABRIELLE
You don't know what I carry and to face that...
AIDAN
No, I know, I know. It feels like a burning fire inside,
doesn't it? I lost my wife and child, too.
GABRIELLE
I'm sorry.
AIDAN
No, no, but the thing is, facing that pain and coming
to terms with it, and then releasing it, it's
allowed me to do all this. You wanna heal the
world, right? And I believe you can. But first you've
got to heal yourself. It's gonna be hard,
but that's the only way you're going to access
that power.
GABRIELLE
You're saying that if I do this, that I can create a
perfect world just by thinking it.
AIDAN
Exactly. Once you tap into that inner stillness, you
can do absolutely anything. You just envision it,
then make it real.
Can I teach others to do this? Xena?
AIDAN
Guaranteed. See, you're a good person and this
place can help draw that goodness from you. Here,
you can become what you really are deep down
inside, everyone does. We strip away all the layers
and all that's left is your core self. The real you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yah! Yah!
(yelling) Shu-u-u-ut u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-up!
ACT TWO
Okay, I got you by the shoulders. I'll pull you up
toward me. Bend your back, that's it. That's it. Now,
raise your right arm up to me. Grab a hold. That's
it. Now your--now your left. Always breathing in
through the nose, out through the nose. A little
more. It's okay?
GABRIELLE
(whispering) Yeah.
AIDAN
Good. Good.
Now, I want you to focus the breath, into the pose,
into the stillness. Focus the breath into the stillness.
All right, can you feel your chest expanding?
GABRIELLE
Yes.
I'm sorry. I never meant to lie. Xena, I couldn't kill
her, she's my daughter. You're a mother! You
know this! I had to save her.
I'm sorry. By the gods.
AIDAN
That's okay.
Okay. Rest.
GABRIELLE
I'm a monster.
AIDAN
No, you're not. Whatever it was that you saw or
you felt, it's just the past. The past has no power
if you face it. Facing it gives you the power.
Are ya sure you wanna stay another day?!
I haven't felt this clean since before Hope was
born. I think Aidan is really onto something.
XENA
Aw, Zeus, you don't really like this guy?
That's it, isn't it? You like him. I should'a known.
GABRIELLE
That's not it. What he says to me about reaching
for the stillness, releasing the pain...
XENA
Aw-w.
It all rings true.
Don't kid yourself. I saw what inner peace did for
Lao Ma. Aidan's way seems so numbing!
I was skeptical until I tried it. It was incredible.
I realized I never came to terms with my failure
as a mother. I kept the guilt in my heart.
XENA
You did the only thing you could do. There
wasn't a choice.
GABRIELLE
It didn't make it any easier. Today...I faced that
pain. I let it go. I feel so clear, so light. I wish you
could experience that.
XENA
Well, apparently, my mind is just too active. Isn't
that what he said?
GABRIELLE
All you have to do is look at this place to see that
it works. It's perfect.
XENA
If there's one thing that I've learned, it's that anything
that looks too good to be true usually is.
GABRIELLE
I wish you could see how right this feels for me,
how freeing.
XENA
Another day, huh? Well, I guess it won't kill me.
GABRIELLE
Thank you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
How are you feeling?
GABRIELLE
Lighter. Much lighter.
Excellent, excellent. That's it. That's the core you
that's surfacing. Releasing all that pain and guilt
helped free it and the longer you stay here, the
stronger it'll get until there's nothing left but your
pure essence. A radiant light.
GABRIELLE
What if it's not radiant? What if it's darker?
AIDAN
Well, the same thing, only in reverse. Instead of
being still and lighter, you become jumpy
and a darkness starts to show inside you.
GABRIELLE
How does it show?
AIDAN
Hmm, changes in your appearance, mental lapses,
delusions, spontaneous bleeding. It's all very
unpleasant. You're worried about Xena, aren't
you? Well, you must let that go. A blind man could
see that she has got her dark side, I did too. But
I beat it and so can she.
GABRIELLE
How can you be so sure?
AIDAN
Because she has powerful help. You.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xena, I've been looking all over for you. Are you
all right?
XENA
Sure, why wouldn't I be?
GABRIELLE
It's just Aidan says that you could be in some
trouble. It's because of your dark side, and he
says it could get serious, like bleeding, delusions,
physical changes.
XENA
Really? Well, I'll be sure and keep you posted.
GABRIELLE
Are you sure you're okay? See, I feel so light right
now, and I know I could show you how to get there
if you want.
Know what I want? Know what I want?
What are you doing?
XENA
What I want.
GABRIELLE
Xena, that hurts.
XENA
I'll show you what I want!
GABRIELLE
That hurts! It hurts! That hurts! Stop!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xena?
XENA
What?
GABRIELLE
I asked if you want me to teach you what I've learned.
Some other time, huh?
GABRIELLE
Okay.
If you need anything-
XENA
I'll come find ya, thanks.
Are you sure you're okay?
XENA
Perfect.
ACT THREE
Okay, Aidan, you can dazzle Gabrielle with your
party tricks and bull, but I want the truth.
What's goin' on?
AIDAN
By the looks of it, your fight's already begun.
XENA
My fight? You mean, all that horse
manure about the dark part of me.
AIDAN
It's true. Here, the real you comes out, whether
it's something like Gabrielle's or-
Are you saying that these delusions that I'm having,
they're--they're part of some kind of war
going on inside of me? What do I do?
AIDAN
Do?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
To stop them?! What do I do to stop them?!
AIDAN
Nothing can be done. Once they start, the only
thing that stops them is death.
Wait. These delusions you're having, right now,
that's all they are...in your mind. But that will change.
XENA
Change? How?
AIDAN
They'll start to bleed through into real life.
XENA
You mean I'll act them out? Hurt Gabrielle?
AIDAN
Or worse.
XENA
I don't bel...there's gotta be something I can do.
AIDAN
There is, for Gabrielle. You can leave before
you risk hurting her.
XENA
No, I would never hurt Gabrielle.
AIDAN
You say that and you even believe it, but if
the darkness in you wins, no one is safe, not even
the people that you love. You take it from somebody
who knows, you get out before it's too late, for
both of you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm dying.
XENA
You're what?
GABRIELLE
It's my back. I, ha-ha, I think I pulled something
doing one of his meditative poses.
XENA
Let me take a look at it. Let's see.
GABRIELLE
It's a knot, right there.
XENA
Oh, yeah, I can feel it. Lie down. I can fix this.
Okay.
There.
GABRIELLE
That feels great.
XENA
Just relax.
I feel so peaceful.
We've come a long way, the two of us.
GABRIELLE
A long way.
Lie down. And you've taught me a lot about kindness
and mercy and love.
Love.
XENA
You've got a good heart, Gabrielle. It's pure and
it's honest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
And no one should ever hurt you. No one should
ever hurt you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delusion. The drop hits Gabrielle's leg on the cross and a peg is placed on her foot. Xena holds the hammer and yells at she brings it down. The peg goes through Gabrielle's feet and blood splatters.
Goodbye, Gabrielle.
A service medallion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gar?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know you're out there. Don't make me come after
ya, Gar. Piggy! Come here! The longer
ya take, the madder I get and you don't wanna
make me mad. You wouldn't like me when I'm mad.
GAR
Oh!
I can smell your sweat, Piggy, Piggy, Piggy!
Come on, Gar, give it up! I just wanna talk
to ya. Come on, Gar, I won't bite.
GAR
Yet. Mmm!
Ooh, I didn't mean, really mean it, not really. I know
you won't bite, not for a while.
These statues were real men, once. Your platoon.
What happened to them?
GAR
Nothing. Aidan made sure of that. Nothing,
that's what happened! But I knew, yeah and I fought it!
XENA
You fought what?
GAR
Peace, quiet, stillness! Shh. I--I tried to
warn them, but everything was so perfect, they
didn't believe me. Well, you believe me now,
don't you, men?
XENA
Ya tried to warn 'em about what?
GAR
Aidan! It's all him! He makes everyone
so still, he leeches their goodness. Goodness,
in a perfect place going to waste without evil to
keep it alive and fighting.
XENA
So, Aidan feeds off goodness.
GAR
Yeah.
XENA
And when he's done with them, all that's left is...
Gabrielle.
GAR
No! You can't fight him, I tried. He'll take what's
good still in you and use it against you!
XENA
Then I won't give him the ammunition.
GAR
Now, who's talking crazy?
XENA
What choice do I have, huh? If I don't let go of any
goodness that's still left in me, I don't stand a chance.
GAR
No, you can't! I mean if you do that, what's to
stop you killing us all, even Gabrielle?
XENA
One thing, Pops. You.
GAR
What?
Now, go!
Xena kicks Gar and he runs off.
XENA
'Cause by the time I get back to Aidan, any good
that's still in me doesn't stand a prayer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You're very powerful, Gabrielle. The sooner you
tap that source, the sooner we can use it to change
the world. Now, sink deeper and deeper. Now...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT FOUR
Sink down. Be still, still as stone, still as death.
Let her go!
AIDAN
You're too late. She's too deep. See for yourself.
Soon, I'll drain her completely.
Come on, fight me!
What goodness can I gain? What little light is
left in even your dark soul to make me stronger?
Gabrie-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-elle!
Oh, come on, you can do better than that!
Come on, ya rat bastard! Come do it yourself!
Uh!
No!
Oh! Don't!
Xena, no!
What--what happened?
XENA
Uh-h-h-h, you're free, now. Aidan's gone. Unfortunately,
so are your men.
GAR
My men died years ago, permanently pacified
by Aidan. He'd 'a done the same to me. But I saw
through his illusions and I fought him.
It...it drove me mad.
XENA
Well, that's what kept you alive. Aidan wasn't
able to steal your mind.
You embraced your demons and they saved
you. To survive, I knew I'd have to do the same,
even if it meant scaring you to get a rise out of Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
You attacked him on purpose?
XENA
I knew that no matter how far under you were,
you'd never let me take an innocent life.
Well, just as well for me it worked! I--I'm free?
I got a wife! I got kids! Oh! Thank you! Thank you!
Freedom! Real freedom!
I learned something about myself...and you?
XENA
Yeah?
GABRIELLE
I sometimes talk about your darkness like it's
some sort of disease. But without it, neither one
of us would be here. It's kind of ironic.
XENA
Yeah.
GABRIELLE
Do I really have hands like a sailor?
END OF ACT FOUR
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Jeremy Roberts as Aidan
Mervyn Smith as Gar
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Rob Tapert
Disclaimer: Paradise was found but not necessarily embraced.
