A Tale of Two Muses
Written by Gillian Horvath
Directed by Michael Hurst
Xena, Gabrielle and Autolycus bring dancing to a town where it is banned.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch: Xena and Gabrielle arrive just as Istafan is about to punish Tara.Istafan: She committed a crime so insidious, we must punish it quickly and severely.
Gabrielle: That's great, Tara. You really messed this up.
Istafan: She danced. - Because You Were Nice to Me: Tara's already become a better person, but she wants to change things in this rigid town because Telamon and Andros treated her better than anyone else she's ever met. Xena suspects Andros being an attractive young man might also have something to do with it, though.
- Hidden Depths: Tara is actually a skilled dancer, even supporting herself as a street performer in Thebes for a time.
- Impersonation Gambit: Philipon is a famed reformer. Xena gets Autolycus to impersonate him and instigate annoyance in the town in order to embarrass Istafan and bring positive change to the town. Autolycus considers this one of his finest performances.
- It's Personal: Autolycus decides to go along with this Philipon con when Istafan loudly denounces the King of Thieves as a degenerate blowhard.
- My Greatest Failure: Telamon has two children; while Andros stays with him, Thanos left home for Athens. Andros thinks it's because Thanos simply left for a job, but that's not the whole story.Telamon: Andros, your brother, Thanos, didn't leave because he found a job in Athens; he left because he didn't wanna be here. He hated this place, hated what we made of it. I've already lost one son because of our ignorance. I refuse to lose another! But I know I will unless things change!
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Autolycus initially wants nothing to do with Xena's plan since there's no profit in it for him, but just as he's about to leave he gets a dose of Istafan's personality and takes Xena aside.Autolycus: "This plan of yours - does it involve humiliating that horse's ass?"Xena: "Yep."Autolycus: "Then I'm in."
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Istafan starts out as a pompous politician, but when his position is threatened by Telamon, he becomes outright villainous and hires an assassin.
- We Help the Helpless: Much to the annoyance of Autolycus.Autolycus: Don't tell me this is another "virtue is its own reward" jobs. Oh, Xena, I thought better of you. I really did.
- Wham Shot: Philipon's grand entrance reveals it's really Autolycus.
- Whole-Plot Reference: To Footloose.
