Past Imperfect
Written by Steven J Sears
Directed by Garth Maxwell
In order to save a town from destruction, Xena must figure out who is copycatting her past evil deeds.
Tropes
- Arc Welding: Solan's birth and the quest for the Ixion Stone were previously linked, but this episode also adds in the Battle of Corinth and Xena being motivated by Alti's prophecy.
- Birth-Death Juxtaposition: Xena gives birth to Solan, as Borias is killed by Dagnine.
- Call-Forward:
- Borias wants to take their child away after the birth—warning the child will become a target and see things he shouldn't. This echoes what Xena said to Kaleipus when handing baby Solan over.
- Kaleipus has both his eyes in the flashbacks, so we learn how he went half-blind.
- The Dog Was the Mastermind: The copycat is revealed to be Satrina, a slave girl featured in the flashbacks. She says she was never truly a slave—only studying Xena and her other "masters" to learn their moves and tactics. She's also partly responsible for the death of Borias.
- Eye Scream: Kaleipus's eye is injured during the escape from Xena's camp.
- It's Personal: Xena comes very close to killing Satrina:"You killed Borias, the man who could have changed everything for me, if only I had let him. You killed the father of my child! And if he had lived, then maybe my son would—!" [screams]
- Never Found the Body: Satrina is caught in the cave-in. Xena doubts she died, though, recalling what Satrina said about being a survivor.
- Not Worth Killing: Xena passes up the chance to kill Satrina herself."I won't taint Borias' memory by killing you. You're not worth it."
- Pragmatic Villainy: Unlike Xena, Borias is more concerned with moving onto Athens and not making enemies out of the Centaurs.
- Properly Paranoid: Xena says she began to suspect Satrina was behind this, due to the copycat knowing details that few others would.Xena: The poison grain was the key. I tried to think who knew my plans, who would know about the poison grain. There was me, you, and Dagnine. And Dagnine's dead.
- Screw Destiny: Xena tells Gabrielle of the crucifixion vision. While she constantly worries about it, Gabrielle refuses to be afraid and doubts Alti's claims.
- Stock Footage: The Xena/Kaleipus clip from "Orphan of War".
- Whole Episode Flashback: Which shows us, among other things, the birth of Solan and the death of Borias.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Xena anticipated being hit with a poison dart in the tunnel. She reveals she took some kala root to negate the effects and only faked being poisoned in order to get the drop on Satrina.
