A Family Affair
Story by Liz Friedman and Chris Manheim
Teleplay by Chris Manheim
Written by Doug Lefler
Xena reunites with Gabrielle and the two friends face off with the evil Hope and Dahak's grandson, the monstrous Destroyer.
Tropes
- Daddy's Little Villain:Hope: But then, I've always been Daddy's little girl, haven't I?
Gabrielle: Always.
Hope: Is that why you never loved me?
Gabrielle: I love you, Hope. I just had to stop you. - Due to the Dead: Joxer is first seen at the pit dropping in daises (Gabrielle's favorite flower). He says that since they're in bloom now that he'll be doing this every day.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Dahak's flame rose up to save Hope from the fall.
- Flashback: While dropping in daisies, Joxer recalls Gabrielle pushing Hope into the pit.
- The Man in the Mirror Talks Back: What Gabrielle thought was her reflection was actually Hope.
- Matricide: Hope is killed by the very son she sought to unleash into the world.
- Murder by Mistake: After the Destroyer figured out that the person hugging her was the true Gabrielle, it stabs the next Gabrielle-looking person. Unfortunately for the Destroyer, that person was actually Hope.
- No One Could Survive That!: Joxer doubts Gabrielle and Hope survived, due to the length of the fall and the river of lava. Both survived, however, due to Dahak's intervention (albeit Gabrielle accidentally).
- Post-Kiss Catatonia: Gabrielle kisses Joxer with joy after she hugs him. It's enough to cause him to faint.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Xena knows that Hope won't hurt Gabrielle's family because she'll need the leverage.
- Previously on…: Weirdly enough, the clips don't refer to the previous episodes of the season at all, instead referring to the season 3 two-parter Sacrifice.
- Shout-Out: The Destroyer chasing Xena from the barn to the house and slamming into the door echo the hallmark Shaky P.O.V. Cam from the Evil Dead movies.
- Something Only They Would Say: Gabrielle convinces Lila of her identity by telling her of the time they got lost in the snow. Gabrielle promises to give Lila her Solstice gift (a rag doll) if she kept walking with her to look for help instead of staying put.
- Spot the Imposter: At first, it appears that Xena had found Gabrielle in her home town. Yet later on Xena discovers that person is actually Hope who has been impersonating as Gabrielle.
- Story Arc: This marks the end of the Hope story arc in the show. The Dahak story arc concludes in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys with no mention of Xena or Gabrielle.
- Weakened by the Light: The Destroyer only comes out at night. During the fight in the barn, Xena uses a lamp to get it to recoil in pain. She later tells Joxer to ensure the villagers keep the torches lit until she gets back.
