Directed by Gary Jones
Written by Steven L Sears
With the help of Ares, Callisto escapes from the Underworld and switches bodies with Xena, who makes a deal with Hades to track down her nemesis and bring her to justice. Now Xena must find a way to get her body back before being trapped in Tartarus forever.
Tropes
- Bad People Abuse Animals: While posing as Xena, Callisto stabs Xena's horse Argo and leaves her to die.
- Bittersweet Ending: Callisto is back in Tartarus, but Xena is still stuck in her body. Gabrielle also begins dreaming again.
- Bluff the Impostor: Xena convinces Gabrielle of who she is by reminding her what she said about her dreams since Perdicus was murdered.Callisto: You've been dreaming of this moment—the moment you finally get to avenge his death.
Xena: No, Callisto. Gabrielle hasn't dreamt anything since you killed Perdicus. - Break the Cutie: Gabrielle reflecting on Perdicus's death."I used to have the most vivid dreams. You know, my best stories came from them. I haven't dreamt once since Perdicus died. The stories just aren't there, anymore."
- Call-Back:
- Xena's guilt over letting Callisto die comes back to bite her here.
- Xena cites stabbing Marcus to prove to Hades she is who she says she is.
- Chekhov's Gun: Gabrielle mentioning she hasn't dreamt anything since Perdicus died.
- Demoted to Dragon: Defied. Callisto accepted Ares's help to get out of Tartarus, but once she's free and in Xena's body, she gladly deviates from his plan.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Argo can sense that something is not quite right with Xena."You can't figure it out, can you? I look like Xena; I even smell like Xena. But something tells you I'm not. Poor, dumb animal. You don't know what's going on. You don't know whether to run or stay. Well, you should've run."
- Friend to All Living Things: Joxer defends a wounded Argo from who he thinks is Callisto.
- Go Through Me: When Xena approaches Argos to tend to his injuries, Joxer stands between Argos and Xena, whom he thinks is Callisto, despite knowing that he wouldn't stand a chance against her. After proving her identity to Joxer, Xena admits that she was impressed by his courage in standing up to "Callisto".
- Grand Theft Me: Callisto continues her Roaring Rampage of Revenge by taking Xena's place.
- I Have No Daughter: Subverted. Arleia (Callisto's mother) says she must be punished for her crimes but still loves her.
- Ironic Hell: After preying on Xena's guilt, Callisto is forced to face her own guilt for her actions—surrounded by the ghosts of her victims and screaming in agony.
- The Man Behind the Woman: Ares is the one helping Callisto reach through dreams to get to Xena and pull off the switch.
- Never My Fault: Callisto insists that she did was ever her fault, that it was Xena's fault she became a killer. The spirit of Arleia slaps that claim down."Look around you. These people didn't need to die."
- Parents Know Their Children: At Callisto's suggestion, Cyrene realizes it's not Xena doing this when she looks into her eyes.
- Pet the Dog: Xena thanks Joxer for protecting Argo.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Ares warns Callisto not to get sidetracked by revenge. He advises simply avoiding Xena until the time limit Hades gave her expires. Naturally, Callisto doesn't listen.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: The original ending had Xena and Callisto back in their original bodies; however, due to Lucy Lawless's broken pelvis, the episode was rewritten at the last minute to compensate for her injury, and in the next episode Xena is still in Callisto's body.
- Revenge Before Reason: Callisto would rather spend her day killing everyone in Xena's home village than wait out Xena's 24 hours on Earth.
- Something Only They Would Say:
- Xena convinces Hades who she is by saying she was the one who stabbed Marcus.
- Xena proves her identity to Joxer by immobilizing him by touching a Pressure Point on his neck, a skill Xena has frequently demonstrated, but Callisto didn't possess.
- After the climax, Xena is still in Callisto's body. Gabrielle wants proof of who she is to be on the safe side. Xena reminds Gabrielle of what she said about ending the cycle of hate with love.
- Spot the Imposter: Gabrielle has to figure out who is who.
- That Was Not a Dream: Xena's vivid dreams are only partly that. She's asleep, but her encounters with Callisto and Ares are very real."Dreams are the fine line between the real world and the Underworld. And with a little help, well, that line can just disappear."
- Villain Team-Up: Ares and Callisto.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Arleia appears in the Underworld, but Callisto's sister doesn't.
