Devi

God bless the writers for finding a way for Renee O'Connor to do mean-and-nasty again now that Hope is gone. And quite a different mean-and-nasty: instead of the cold, menacing, emotionless daughter of Dahak, we have the writhing, over-the-top, vicious Tataka. Well played, ROC! Xena has her body doubles, Gabrielle has her daughters and possessions, and never may the actresses be bored.

We now know that if Xena and Gabrielle were transported to modern New York City, they'd be gawking at the skyscrapers just like every other country bumpkin. They go through the litany of stereotypical Indian wonders, all packed into one village market, and stare and smile like any other tourist. Small nit: the dialogue dubbing in this opening scene was really bad.

Xena and Gabrielle act as if they're on vacation. As they're watching Eli do his magic act, they're both grinning and enjoying themselves. Even when the act supposedly goes wrong and horrifies most of the villagers, they're enjoying the show. Even as tourists, our ladies aren't dumb enough to fall for any three-card monty cons.

Paradise Found consistency: Gabrielle's still doing yoga.

The Babel Fish Syndrome continues from The Debt: Everyone in the world speaks English/Greek.

Plot quibble #1: What happened to Maya? She was nearly soul-devoured by a demon, then we never see her again. Eli doesn't seem to give her a second thought after the possession. She must not have been much of an assistant.

What's up with this horizontal helicopter move that both Maya/Tataka and Xena end up using? Was the stunt team trying out a new harness?

When Eli backs away from the possessed Maya, look at the shop behind his shoulder: there's a chakram hanging in the weapons booth. This one has a different pattern that Xena's, but unless the Indians are trading in large metal O-rings, that's a chakram. Chakrams are from India, so that's a nice touch.

What's with this "Abba" that Eli prays to? Not Rama, or Vishnu, or any other Indian deity that I've heard tell of. The only "Abba" I know of is the Greek/Aramaic Abba, meaning Father, which the Christians used as another name for God. Is he a worshipper of "the one God of the Israelites," or is he using an Aramaic name for a god he doesn't know or calls as a father?

Eli's a great character and well-played. This whole episode had kind of a Life of Brian "I'm NOT the Messiah!" theme to it. Gabrielle tried to deny being a Devi until Tataka set up shop, but the villagers hailed her and camped outside for her anyway. And Eli, who out of all the spiritual people Gabrielle's met is probably the one most worthy of following, turns down Gab's offers (twice!) to travel together. Gab, ignore his protests: hunt him down like the villagers were hunting you. He's the one on the right track.

Plot quibble #2: Why did Tataka do the rabid act with Maya, then the slow taking-over-the-world plan with Gabrielle?

I got a kick out of Xena's faked hypnotism. She's new in town, Eli, so I'll warn you: do NOT attempt mind games with the Warrior Princess. She'll end up throwing swords at you. (Another moment I loved. WOW, look at that big piece of metal fly. Eli looked like his knees were about to give way beneath him.)

What was the deal with Ravi and the rest of the bodyguards? Ravi was the one whose eye was healed by Tataka, which convinced the crowd (and Gabrielle) that something serious was going on here. And judging by the reaction of the Ganges water to him, he was possessed in a big ol' way. As were the rest of the guards who (I think) turned into the rabid dogs that chased Eli. Were they servant demons to Tataka? Were they more possessed people, or demons in human form? Was Ravi possessed from the beginning, or did he get possessed when he touched Gabrielle's hand?

Where on earth did Xena get that "watch your back" threat that she used on the priest? OK, it was to nice effect, especially since he ended up dead, but it didn't seem to fit the conversation in the slightest.

The special effects team had some extra time on their hands. They souped up the teeth on the rabid dogs, and for the truly over-the-top and silly, note the fangs on the snake being charmed in the opening scene. That snake looked like it was wearing fake Dracula teeth! ("I am a hissy snake, here to follow the bobbing pipe this man plays. And I vant blood! Bleh! Bleh!")

Follow with me, now, the progression of possession:

• First evening: Gabrielle's wearing a scarf and feels the power of life and death. New fashion choices and power tripping: two signs to the Warrior Princess that all is not right with the bard.

• First night: Gabrielle lies awake. I'm still not sure why, but it must be significant somewhere.

• Morning: Gabrielle, who the day before was protesting the followers, does some serious reveling in the square full of worshippers.

• Late morning: Gab starts collecting pearls and gathering her crowds. And I think it's somewhere in here that she sics her guards on the priest.

• Afternoon: Gabtaka is in full swing, posing on thrones in full get-ups.

• Night: Gabtaka sics the guards on Eli.

• Mid-night: Xena demonstrates the power of true names: when she calls Tataka by name, the demon takes the wheel and Gab is no longer anywhere to be found.

Watch when Gabrielle gets out of bed the first morning. Does the bard always sleep in beds with her boots on?

Gabtaka is one smart cookie: she dodges all of Xena's tests neatly. She questions Xena's desire to do yoga and never has to actually perform it. She throws Ganges water on herself, which she knows darn well won't do a thing, and yet manages to make it look like she's passed the test of being willing to stand the trial. And she DECIMATES Xena in their argument about the Ganges water test. Combine Gab's fast-talk with a demon's prescience, and you can even talk circles around the Warrior Princess.

I wonder if it was on purpose that Eli calls the pictures in the temple depictions of evil incarnate, and yet none of the images seem to be of anything bone-chilling? No disemboweled bodies, no hellish monstrosities, but what looks like family and homage scenes. That was a deft touch.

How hard was this REALLY to figure out? A big-as-life drawing of a blonde (NOT common in India) in pearls being served by beefy bodyguards, and no one ran screaming when she set up shop in the village square? These people must not know their legends very well.

The rock-em-sock-em fight between Xena and Ravi was awesome; a good toe-to-toe battle. X:WP meat and potatoes kind of stuff.

What is with the Evil Overlord "moo-wa-ha-ha-haaa" mini-speech from Gabtaka when she says to thin air "If I eliminate Xena, then Eli won't have a prayer"? Who was she saying that to? And why, other than to look sinister and malicious for the TV camera? Lame cliche moment.

Is Tataka some kind of snake demon? She hisses at the bodyguards when she orders them off, she hisses on the coals. Her lick is venomous. She poses like a snake and does a snakey dance with the cobra. (That last, by the way, was REALLY cool, and a neat effect of putting the snake and Renee in the same shot.)

Subtext is applied with the subtlety of a sledgehammer in this episode. Xena and Gab joke about what they're going to be doing in their old age. Their argument struck me as a "the Rift is dead, long live the Rift" moment - they could fight again without old wounds being opened up, and they could hug and make up when it's over. Gabrielle's crawl for Xena and Xena's incredible relief after the demon was finally gone was sweet and touching. And, of course, we have Tataka's writhing commentary that Xena won't kill Gab's "sweet little... firm, strong body" (hey, Tataka looked up "babely" in the thesaurus) before climbing up her like a jungle gym to plant a big sloppy lick alongside her face. Good morning.

The imagery of the Battle Royale between Gabtaka and Xena was worth the price of admission to this episode alone. Renee does a great job with a new fighting style - that kickboxing sure comes in handy! And I like the funky strike-a-pose vogueing she does after that one takedown of Xena. Wild.

Small note when Gabtaka is stomping on Xena: her toenails are painted bright red. Who did THAT? Another small note on that same moment: get a different stunt double for Renee. That one wasn't even close, and we got to see how not-close she was three times over.

At the end of the fight, Xena's got the sword, she's about to win, and Gabrielle makes an appearance. Was that a deliberate distraction by Tataka, giving the reins to Gabrielle for a moment to make Xena pause, or did Gab fight her way to the fore on her own? I'm thinking the latter, myself: when Eli makes Xena pause again, Tataka does some quick throwing-and-rolling to get out of the way. Gabrielle freezes and calls Xena, almost as if telling her to go ahead and do it. Whew.

But speaking of which, Xena really was about to shish-ka-bob Gabrielle! If I was Gab, after sufficient recovery, I'd be smacking Xena on the top of the head. "What was THAT, Miss I-Always-Have-Three- Plans-in-My-Back-Pocket? One nasty fight and you were ready to skewer me!"

Plot quibble #3: Why didn't Tataka leap into someone else after Eli drove her from Gabrielle, like she had done from Maya into Gab?

Watch the shots as Gabrielle goes into fits as Tataka goes bye-bye: Xena moves her arms to Gab's shoulders, then they're gone, then she moves them on again.

Xena, the Skeptic Princess, says the line "Some things you just gotta take on faith." We NEVER would have heard that a couple of seasons ago. But I'm willing to buy that her character has changed enough to say that. Xena, along with all her other changes, is starting to believe there might be some things out of her control.

Also in the "my, how far we've come" vein, Xena hugs Eli! I think I can count on one hand the number of people Xena has hugged. Maybe it's just continued gratitude to him for saving Gabrielle, but not even ol' Autolycus has ranked a hug.

Gabrielle's usual outfit is gone in the last scene; it's a more Indian-style outfit, but not what she wore as Gabtaka. Is this a permanent change? And why am I even asking this after the BGSB was threatened two episodes again but made a comeback?

Plot quibble #4: Everybody's walking through town unmolested the next day? No one to ask Gabrielle "Hey, weren't you the demon-possessed Devi?" No one to chase Eli through the streets because he drove out Tataka?

There's a couple of rather deep-n-thoughtful moments in this episode. Xena nailed it on the head when she talked about good and evil spirits existing and how hard it is to discern between them. Gabrielle showed how well she's learned her yin and yang theory by telling Eli if there's an evil power that can heal, and it can be exorcised, there must be a good power that's even stronger. Tell me again that this is a cheesy action show? I almost forgot for a minute.

Return to the Wool-Gatherings.

	Web www.bethgriese.com