Written by RJ Stewart
Directed by Michael Hurst
An episode that takes a different approach to the adventures of Xena and Gabrielle. Here, the episode tackles aspect of their lives that aren't documented in other episodes.
Tropes
- Batman Gambit: Xena has Hower relay a couple messages to Zagreas, wherein she claims she doesn't care if he attacks Piedmont and that she's focused solely on Laurel. She knows that, between paranoia and greed, Zagreas will want to know what she's up to and bring his army to Laurel instead of Piedmont. As she anticipated, the army bumps into Gareth before getting to Laurel, and he takes care of that problem for the heroines.Xena: That Gareth never could resist stomping an army.
- Battle Discretion Shot: Gareth's battle with Zagreas can be heard, but is never shown.
- Call-Back: After learning it's Gareth they're dealing with, Minya recaps what Goliath's history with him and death. She then remarks she read it in one of Gabrielle's scrolls.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Gabrielle finally manages to land a hit on Xena thanks to a stargazing distraction and hiding her staff in their sheets, she was surprised at first that she actually got a hit on her. Her conclusion? That Xena let her hit the warrior princess to make the bard feel better. Xena tries to explain that she really did get a hit on her but eventually resigned to that conclusion while trying to sleep.
- Continuity Nod: One of the scrolls that Minya reads details facing the Bacchae.
- Day in the Life: This episode plays with the conventions of such stories as Xena is shown to save two villages from (respectively) an invading army and a greedy giant. However it is true in a literal sense as the story takes place over the course of less than 24 hours.
- Extremely Short Timespan: As the title implies, the story takes place over the course of one day, probably less than 16 hours (as it begins with Xena and Gabrielle waking up in the morning and ends with them going to sleep that night).
- Even Evil Has Standards: Gareth stopped at a burial ground as a show of respect to his fallen brethren.
- Fangirl: An In-Universe example. Minya claims to be Xena's biggest fan.
- Ascended Fan Girl: She ends up taking down Zagreas all by herself.
- Frying Pan of Doom: Xena uses a frying pan to fight on an ambush. She even throws it like a chakram to take out a few goons. Gabrielle later laments Xena for destroying the only thing they had to cook their food.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Averted. Zagreas used to work as one of Xena's mooks and seems to have built himself up as a warlord in his own right, but this is just on the basis of having other soldiers to boss around. One encounter with Gareth completely destroys his army and sanity before we even see him onscreen. Xena notes he was always too paranoid and high-strung to be a credible threat.
- Genre Savvy: The bandit that was captured by Xena knows enough about The Pinch to know how much time he has left to live and to tell her what he knows to undo it.
- Godzilla Threshold: Gareth is wearing a helmet to protect his species' Achilles' Heel. They can't simply recreate the mirror plan they used on Goliath because storm clouds will put a damper on the sunlight, so Xena opts for her kite plan.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Minya over her boyfriend falling for Xena.
- Heads or Tails?: What Xena uses to decide which village to save first.
- Heavy Sleeper: Gabrielle once again sleeps through much of a fight. This time, Xena had to squirt water out of a water bag to wake her up.
- Heroes Gone Fishing: One scene involves Xena fishing. Unlike most heroes, she catches fish with her bare hands. Made more realistic with Gabrielle requesting for fish which are out of season.
- Hell-Bent for Leather: What Xena and Gabrielle predict why Hower fell in love with Xena. It's proven right when he falls for Minya when she dons a similar outfit.
- Hopeless Suitor: Hower towards Xena.
- Improvised Lightning Rod: Xena uses a kite as a lightning prod to kill Gareth.
- Indy Ploy: Xena's "For now" when describing part of her plan prompts Gabrielle to express annoyance over how she'll change up a plan at the last minute. Xena retorts that, sometimes, plans have to be adjusted completely on the fly in this business.
- It's Personal: Xena wants to take down Gareth in order to make up for what happened to Goliath.
- No Sympathy: "Hi, Zagreas. Having a bad day?"
- Nonchalant Dodge: Xena dodges nearly every attempt by Gabrielle to tag her with ease that day. In one instance, Gabrielle tries to tackle her from the roof top. Xena merely steps to the side for Gabrielle to fall on the ground.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: Xena's reaction to Hower falling for her. This kind of thing apparently happens a lot.
- Parting-Words Regret: Averted as a precaution. Before Xena heads out to face Gareth, she and Gabrielle apologize over their petty little arguments earlier in the episode.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "Goliath says hello."
- Self-Deprecation: After applying the Pinch on a mook, Xena is about to do the usual explanation from so many past episodes, but the guy flippantly says it's common knowledge by now and that he'd rather not waste the time.
- Shamu Fu: Xena throws a few live fish at Gabrielle, much to her annoyance.
- Shock and Awe: The plan to kill Gareth is to use a kite with a piece of metal on it to direct a lightning bolt towards him. Despite all the doubts, it works.
- Stringing the Hopeless Suitor Along: Xena just can't seem to convince Hower that she doesn't love him.
- Take a Third Option: Xena learns that Zagreas is going to lead an attack Piedmont, only to be approached by Hower about a giant threatening Laurel. Gabrielle thinks they'll have to decide which is the greater need and make a painful choice, but Xena fully intends to find a way to save both villages. She focuses on figuring out a way to take down Gareth, while tricking Zagreas's army into bumping into the guy in the meantime.
- Toilet Humor: Xena tears off a piece of Gabrielle's scroll to... ahem... use it in the bushes. Because there were no good leaves.
- Villainous Breakdown: Zagreas over Gareth destroying his army. He's a battered, unbalanced mess by the time he confronts Xena.
