Written by Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
Directed by Robert Ginty
Xena foils an evil plot by Balius with the help of her two look-alikes, the Hestian Priestess Leah and the lusty barmaid Meg.
Tropes
- Actually Pretty Funny: Gabrielle is irritated having to rescue Leah in The Teaser, assuming it was just Xena having a really off day. Upon realizing this is yet another Xena lookalike, her attitude changes.Gabrielle: [smiling] This is almost too good.
- Barehanded Blade Block: Just when Balius swung down his sword on Xena, she catches the sword with her hands.
- Bawdy Song: Joxer's theme song has his lyrics tweaked to turn it into this, sung by various wenches to the tune of an accordian.
- Bestiality Is Depraved: Among the private doors that Leah opens in the brothel is a sheep bleeting.I hope that's a petting zoo. Oh, please, let that be a petting zoo!
- Bilingual Bonus: How Leah saves the day. Only Leah and the Hestian priestesses would understand the Hestian language, allowing her to tell them to fake being poisoned without anyone knowing that.
- Captured on Purpose: Balius' men see 'Leah' trying to brandish a sword... and failing. Assuming it's the Hestian priestess, they capture her and put her in a cell with Joxer. It turns out to be Xena who promptly escapes afterwards.
- Continuity Nod: According to Xena, Zagreas has suffered some Sanity Slippage since they last saw each other. She says he had put together an imaginary army.
- Everyone Has Standards: Joxer hits on Leah thinking she's Meg. Upon realizing who she really is, he's horrified to have talked that way to a virgin priestess and thinks he'll go to Tartarus for it.
- Funny Background Event: Joxer talks to 'Leah' on how he would get out of their cell, finishing that even an idiot can do it. All while 'Leah' follows through with the plan without him ever noticing. By the time he turns back, he sees the cell door is open and that 'Leah' is actually Xena.Xena: Come on, idiot.
- God Is Displeased: Balius' ultimate goal to discredit Hestia. After lacing the goblets with poison, he had Leah command the priestesses to drink from it. Once they fall dead, he would berate the god for killing her own followers and convince the crowd to join his religion instead.
- Jerkass Gods: Played with; Leah, being a priestess of Hestia, is a devoted worshipper. Xena and Gabrielle, having interacted with more of the Olympians and knowing just how fallible they can be, are not.Leah: What about you, Gabrielle? Surely you put more faith in the all-knowing, ever-powerful gods than yourself.Xena: (*sarcastically*) Yeah!Gabrielle: Actually, I'm with Xena on this one.Leah: Hmp! Heathens to the left of me, infidels to the right. Tremendous.
- Kinky Spanking: Joxer thinks that Leah is his girlfriend Meg. When Leah explains that she's actually a Hestian priestess, Joxer merely thinks she's roleplaying and he's going to get a spanking... just before Gabrielle shows up.
- The Oldest Profession: The place where Gabrielle hides Leah disguised as Meg is a brothel. Given that Leah is a priestess of a virgin goddess, a lot of Hilarity Ensues as a result.
- Rage Breaking Point: Played for laughs, as Gabrielle's frustrations over Leah's attitude boils over when denied entry into the temple.Priest: Virgins only.
Gabrielle: What, is it written on my forehead?! - Seesaw Catapult: Gabrielle creates a makeshift one to toss some water to a pyre.
- Speech Impediment: There is a ever so slight lisp in Leah's speech patterns, the best way to distinguish her from the others. It can be heard on her first appearance.
- Suicidal Pacifist: Leah is so confident about her path of nonviolence that she's willing to let herself burn on a stake to make them see the error of their ways. Later averted when Leah breaks her vow by knocking Balius out with a punch.Xena: What would Hestia say about your use of physical violence?
Leah::In this case, I think she'd say... 'Nicely done'. - Virginity Makes You Stupid: Subverted. Given her upbringing as a Hestian priestess, she has little in the way of street smarts given her nativity is what kicks off the episode's plot. Later in the story, she manages to think on her feet to save her followers from poison.
- Virgin Power: Being a Hestian priestess, Leah is not amused to find out neither Xena or Gabrielle are virgins.Leah: Hmp! Heathens to the left of me, infidels to the right. Tremendous. Next thing, you'll be telling me you're not virgins.(Xena quirks her lips, Gabrielle looks away)Leah: (*gasps and recoils in horror*)(moments later as Leah prays to Hestia in the background)Gabrielle: You don't have to be a virgin to be virtuous.Leah: Oh yes! Yes, you keep telling yourself that, dear.(moments later as Leah again prays to Hestia in the background)Gabrielle: I was married at the time!Leah: Yes, well we all have our little excuses, don't we?Xena: (*snickers*)Gabrielle: Were you?Xena: (*looks away*)
- Wrong Genre Savvy:
- Meg thought Balius could be trusted, telling him about the presence of Xena. As it turns out, he is the mastermind of the plot to kill Leah and the Hestian priestesses.
- Gabrielle first encounters Leah, while the latter is dressed as Xena and about to be killed by Dexon. Saving her, Gabrielle initially thinks this is some kind of Be Careful What You Wish For test after having asked the real Xena for more responsibility.
