Recap / Xena S 02 E 02 Remember Nothing

Directed by Anson Williams

Story by Chris Manheim and Stephen J Sears

Teleplay by Chris Manheim

The three Fates give Xena the chance to recreate her life when she agrees to give up her warrior ways.

Tropes

• Be Careful What You Wish For: Xena asks for the boy's life back, saying she wishes she never followed the sword in the first place. The Fates give her just that.
• Continuity Nod: Mezentius and Krykus are back.
• Exact Words: "All is restored."
• Flirtatious Smack on the Ass: Gabrielle is a victim of this from Mezentius.
• The Glomp: How Xena greets Lyceus when she sees he's alive again.
• Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: During the final fight, Gabrielle picks up a sword. When Mezentius rushes her, she stabs him in the chest without a second thought.
• Irony:
  • The Fates warn Xena that the timeline will revert to normal if she ever sheds even a drop of blood in danger.
    Xena: But I'm a warrior. How can I obey that?
    Atropos: As a warrior, you can't.
  • Lyceus jokingly remarks that Xena could've fought Cortese herself before saying that would've been quite a sight to see.
  • Maphias observing that Xena can't change the world.
• It's a Wonderful Plot: Xena experiences what the world would be like if she had never become a warrior. Her beloved brother is alive and she is to be married, but old foes were able to cause trouble and Gabrielle is a slave.
• It's All My Fault: Lyceus blames himself for Cyrene's death. Xena cryptically notes it's really her fault.
• Missing Mom: In the altered timeline, Cyrene died. Lyceus says it was shortly after Crotese ravaged their home.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Xena kills one of the raiders in self-defense and is disgusted when she finds he was just a boy.
• My Greatest Failure: Discussed and deconstructed. Xena's guilt over getting Lyceus killed drives her desire to keep this altered timeline intact.
• Oh, Crap!: Xena in response to Gabrielle killing Mezentius.
• Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "Here's your sweet thing!"
• Revenge Is a Dish Best Served: Gabrielle gets the most out of exacting revenge on her slavers on this way, from feeding some of their bread to a dog to spitting on their drinks.
• Stock Footage Failure: Gabrielle can briefly be seen in her farm girl outfit from early season one due to recycled footage being used.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: The timeline reverts not to when Xena made her wish, but just before she killed the boy—giving her the chance to spare his life.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: Gabrielle due to spending a year as a slave.
• Villain Team-Up: Mezentius and Krykus.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Toris, Xena's older brother, is unaccounted for.
• You Can't Fight Fate: The episode's central theme. Xena tries so hard to rationalize the negative aspects of the altered timeline in order to keep Lyceus alive, but it goes too far.
  Lyceus: Don't fight destiny!

---

Disclaimer: Xena's memory was not damaged or… …what was I saying?