Directed by Charles Siebert
Written by Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster, & Babs Greyhosky
Xena must rescue Hades' sister Celesta, the embodiment of Death, from the clutches of King Sisyphus or all mankind will be doomed to eternal life filled with suffering.
Tropes
- Bittersweet Ending: Celesta is freed, but Gabrielle is devastated by Talus dying.
- Damsel in Distress: Death, of all anthromorphic personifications. note
- Death Takes a Holiday: The central premise. Sisyphus manages to trap Celesta, thus ensuring no one can ever die. He doesn't see the harm, but those suffering from mortal injuries or deadly sickness live on in agony.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Zeus ordered Celesta to go after Sisyphus as retribution for taking water from a particular spot.
- Don't Fear the Reaper: Celesta is pleasant and polite, as well as relieves suffering.
- Everybody Hates Hades:
- Averted. While people are scared of Celesta, the episode makes a point of showing her true value.
Sisyphus: You don't understand. If I let her go, I will die.
Talus: You shouldn't fear it. I did for the longest time, but now my suffering has grown so real and deep. Now, I know death can be a friend—a resting place.- Downplayed with her brother - Xena orders Gabrielle to lay low when Hades arrives. (Given the standard asshattery of Greek gods, blame it on paranoia. But Hades seems to be a nice guy too and just wants her help.)
- Foreshadowing: Celesta notes that Sisyphus's time will come another day... and on another show, too.
- A God Am I: Toxeus describes himself as such. Xena says he's just a walking corpse on borrowed time.
- Morality Pet: Talus actually met Sisyphus years ago and is able to convince him to free Celesta.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Sisyphus laments how he's marked for death simply because he secured water for the people of his kingdom.Sisyphus: My compassion brought death to my door.
- Orcus on His Throne: Non-villainous example, and quite justified - Hades probably could have taken things in his own hands but even canonically, he hates leaving underworld.
- Race Against the Clock: Xena and Gabrielle have to free Celesta before her candle burns out. If it does, Celesta ceases to exist, while death will never occur again (leaving humanity to suffer in constant agony).
- Secretly Dying: Talus. He wants Celesta released in order to end his suffering.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Everyone is technically immortal as a result of Celesta's imprisonment, but the idea of enduring a severe injury or sickness for all eternity is horrifying to many. Only Toxeus and his men think it's a fair trade off.
