Directed by Stephen L Posey
Written by Julie Sherman
Xena's plan to prevent a war by rescuing a kidnapped princess brings her back into contact with murderers and mercenaries from her dark past.
Tropes
- Beautiful Singing Voice: Astonishingly it's revealed that Xena has a great singing voice, courtesy of Lucy Lawless's actual singing voice. She only does it in certain occasions, such as Marcus' funeral. It will come out occasionally throughout the series.
- Bittersweet Ending: Jana is saved and peace is assured, but Marcus dies.
- Call-Back: Xena saving the baby is referenced early on by Gabrielle, but it's also how Marcus learns that Xena has changed sides.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Xena and Marcus had a thing back in her warlord days. She also speaks fondly of some other cohorts who have since died.
- Even Evil Has Standards:
- Marcus says he always respected how Xena wouldn't harm defenseless people. He remarks he finally understood why when faced with possibly killing an old man's crippled grandson.
- Marcus finds himself unable to kill Jana in cold blood.
- Good Feels Good: Xena's argument to Marcus to change his ways.Xena: Marcus, it is so simple. You do one thing, one good thing, for no other reason than you know it's right. That's the first step.
- Grief Song: The song Xena sings for Marcus' funeral will be used for a number of other cases throughout the series.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Xena notes she doesn't need a disguise since Trachis is the kind of place someone with her old reputation would be welcome.
- Properly Paranoid: Marcus can tell there's something different about Xena these days.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: Myzantius doesn't trust Xena not because he knows she's become good, but because he's heard stories of how she's manipulated so-called partners in crime.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Myzantius kills Marcus, so Xena kills him.
- Slashed Throat: Myzantius gets one, courtesy of Xena's chakram. He dies immediately afterwards.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Agranon and Jana are lovers from feuding royal families. Their marriage would've ensured peace, so Myzantius orchestrates Jana's kidnapping in order to ensure war and that both families pay him for the weapons.
- Taking the Bullet: Marcus takes an arrow in the chest to save Jana.
- Too Dumb to Live: Agranon walked into a seedy place with a bag of gold to pay someone to rescue Jana. Xena lampshades how this is a surefire way to get oneself killed.
- Villain Respect: Myzantius heard of one occasion where Xena stole a warlord's weapons out from under him and then ransomed them back. Myzantius remarks it was brilliant.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Marcus towards Xena for why she really came to town. It's not her end goal that even bothers him so much; it's not being honest with him that he considers a deep betrayal.
- Wretched Hive: Trachis is known as "the den for cutthroats, thieves, and mercenaries" and thus full of criminal enterprises.
