4.1 Adventures In The Sin Trade I

after gabrielles' death xena searches for her in the amazon land of the dead. during this she runs into an old, but evil mentor, alti.

my comments:
i saw this episode not all that long after seeing Sacrifice II and all i wanted was gabrielle back but unfortunately she's only in one small glimpse in either of the Sin Trade episodes.
the thing about this episode was the feel of it. it wasn't like any other xwp episode ever. somehow it felt darker, but i guess that was the point considering this was xena without her gabrielle.
once again it was good to revisit the old bad xena and to see when she was first pregnant with solan. i didn't much like alti though...i didn't think there was all that much depth to her character. although as the villan-of-the-week how much depth do you need?? i think i was just missing callisto.

Story By: Robert Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Teleplay By: R.J. Stewart
Edited by: Robert Field
Directed by: T.J. Scott

Guest Stars:
Marton Csokas as Borias
Claire Stansfield as Alti
Sheeri Rappaport as Otere, 16 years old
Vicky Pratt as Cyane
Erik Thomson as Hades
Kate Elliott as Yakut
Charlotte Saunders as Anokin
Jay Saussey as Young Woman
Samelle Vosloo as Young Otere, 8 years old
Barry Duffield as Koryak
Ben Baker as Chalcis
Barret Irwin as Warrior

Disclaimer: No Dead Amazons lost their lives in the production of this motion picture.

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TRANSCRIPT

X: “Yah!”

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Hades: “Tartarus. Elysian Fields. Tartarus. Elysian Fields.”

X [Interrupting]: “Hades! My friend, Gabrielle-- where is she?”

Hades: “Gabrielle, well-- if she’s dead-- she didn’t come to me.”

X: “I _saw_ her die. She _had_ to come to you.”

Hades: “Why would I lie to ya? Look-- if you’d like to see Solon, I could arrange a few moments with-- ”

X [Interrupting]: “No, no, no-- you leave Solon out of this. He doesn’t need to know about my problems. It’s Gabrielle I wanna see. Come on. You owe me.”

Hades: “Xena, not all the world’s dead come to me.”

X: “She was Greek. The Olympian gods control her destiny.”

Hades: “Yeah, I admit, it does seem like she’d be mine-- like these people. Charon and I are gonna be very, very busy.”

X [Interrupting]: “I’m not interested in your workload, Hades! Look-- I just wanna know where my friend went after she died.”

Hades: “Did she, uh-- belong to any spiritual orders, or-- ”

X: “No.”

Hades: “What is it?”

X: “Do Greek Amazons come to you?”

Hades: “No.”

X: “Then that’s it. Gabrielle’s initiation into the Amazons meant she went to a different land of the dead.”

Hades: “Well, I can’t help you then. I don’t know where that is!”

X: “I do.”

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X: “Sorry, girl. I can’t take you where I’m going. Yah!”

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X: “Yah! Yah! Yahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

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[ACT I]

G’s Voice: “Xena. Xena.”

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G’s Voice: “Xena.”

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G’s Voice: “Xena. Xena.”

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X [Thinking]: “Gabrielle-- I’m entering a world of darkness I promised myself I’d never return to. But it’s the only way I can see you again.”

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X [Thinking]: “My mind has lost its center. It’s turning-- turning-- can’t hold.”

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X [Thinking]: “It can’t hold.”

G’s Voice: “Xena-- ”

X [Thinking]: “I hear you-- or is it the wind? As I travel along paths I left long ago-- I’m engulfed by my memories. They consume me.”

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[The Past]

Borias [Bor] and X: “Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!”

Bor: “Ay!”

X: “What?”

Bor: “What would you do-- if I told you-- I’m in love?”

X: “I’d cut out your sweetheart’s throat.”

Bor: [Laughs]

X: “You think I wouldn’t?”

Bor: “No. I mean, I’m in love with you.”

X: “With me? Have you lost what’s left of your mind? People like you and me don’t fall in love-- not with each other, anyway. [Sighs] Where do we go from here? I say we take on the Amazons.”

Bor: “They’re a tough bunch-- but reasonable, I think. I say we offer to ally with them against their traditional enemies, the Centaurs. With the Centaurs out of the way-- nothing stands between us and Greece.”

X: “You and your alliances-- didn’t do us much good in Ch’in.”

Bor: “We did all right in Ch’in. We would have done better if it wasn’t for your unquenchable lust for power.”

X: “I thought you liked my unquenchable lust.”

Bor: “Well-- it does have its good points.”

Man’s Voice: “Borias!”

Bor: “What?!”

Man: “We caught these two lurking in the camp. The hag says she’s a Shamaness-- claims she can-- help us beat the Amazons.”

X: “How can you do that?”

Alti: “I was once an Amazon, myself. But they expelled me from their number because my power was too great. I am Alti-- and this is my apprentice-- Anokin. Congratulations.”

X: “What?”

Anokin: “Hmm.”

Alti: “You are with child.”

Bor: [Laughs]

X: “Very good. I haven’t told anyone that yet.”

Bor: “What?”

Anokin: “Hmm.”

X: “I would have gotten around to it. Go.”

Bor: “Xena, what are you doing? A Shamaness like her can only be trouble.”

X: “I like trouble, Borias. Please-- make yourself at home.”

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[The Present]

X: “Gabrielle.”

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Amazons’ Voices: “What is she doing?” “I don’t know.”

Man’s Voice: “Huh? Look at this.”

Bald Man: “What do you think you’re doin’?”

X: “You did this, didn’t you?”

Bald Man: “Yeah. So what? Ahhhhhhhhh!”

[Fight]

X: “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

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Amazon: “Look what we got.”

Otere [O]: “Good.”

Amazon: “Pick him up.”

Man: “Uh!”

Amazon: “It’s a warrior-woman. She fought our enemies, so I don’t think we need to fear her.”

X: [Yells]

[[[[[[G’s Voice: “You’ve got to take me with you-- teach me everything you know.” X’s Voice: Even in death, Gabrielle-- ”]]]]]]

X: “Ahhhhh!”

[[[[[[X’s Voice: “I will never leave you.” X’s Voice: “You are the best thing that ever happened to me.” X’s Voice: “You gave my life meaning and joy.” X’s Voice: “You will be a part of me, forever.”]]]]]]

X: “Ahhhhhhhh. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Ahh. Ahhhhhhhhh.”

O: “That wailing? I heard it before, a long time ago, when I was a child.”

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[The Past]

O’s Voice: “An army from the East swept across the steppes. They destroyed everything in sight. It was led by a great warlord named Borias-- and her.”

X: “Alti! Who did this?!”

Bor: “Xena, let’s go!”

X: “I’m not leaving without her.”

Bor: “Then don’t! Throw her on a horse, and let’s move! This is the last of the villages before Amazon territory. I don’t want the Amazons to think we’re moving on them.”

X: “I don’t care about your plan! My friend is dead.”

Bor: “You knew her for less than a moon. What spell have they thrown on you? Quick, girl! Come on! It’s only a child. Yah! Out of the way! Yah!”

X: “It’s too late.”

Alti: “You can see her again, you know.”

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[The Present]

O: “She must wanna cross over to the other side, and she needs the horse’s spirit to do that.”

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[ACT II]

X: “What are you doing?”

Dead Amazon: “You’re the one who gave me a decent funeral. Now you, too, are in the land of the dead. I thank you-- mourn for you.”

X: “Don’t mourn for me. I’m not dead.”

Dead Amazon: “If you’re not dead, then-- why are you here?”

X: “I’m looking for a friend. She should have passed through the gate into eternity by now.”

Dead Amazon: “So, you plan to follow her into eternity?”

X: “That’s right.”

Dead Amazon: “So, will you be able to get back from there?”

X: “That, I don’t know.”

Dead Amazon: “She must be a very good friend.”

X: “She’s the only friend.”

Dead Amazon: “How come you know so much about the land of the dead? Have you been here before?”

X: “Let me tell you a little story.”

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[The Past]

X’s Voice: “Gabrielle’s not the first I followed here. I came once before.”

X: “Anokin! Oh!”

Anokin: “Uh.”

X: “What’s the matter?”

Anokin: “Stay away from me.”

X: “Why?”

Anokin: “You poisoned my soul. I want nothing to do with you.”

X: “I _hate_ the dead. You can’t take vengeance on them.”

Alti: “Ah-- but you can.”

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Bor: “Come back to me, Xena.”

Alti: “Uh! Uh!z’

Bor: “Come.”

X: “What do you want?”

Bor: “I want you. The stuff you’re intop-- it’s madness. You’re carrying our child within you.”

Alti: “Uh-- the baby will be a fine-- healthy boy-- with his father’s mouth and his mother’s eyes.”

X: “What will we call him?”

Alti: “Neither one of you will name him.”

Bor: “We’ll name him! And you can stop your evil predictions, you hag! Ah!”

X: “Borias-- you shouldn’t have done that. She’s powerful.”

Bor: “In the land of the dead, perhaps-- but here, she’s a pathetic bag of bones.”

X: “Never mind. It’s over your head.”

Bor: “And who is this?”

X: “Alti needed a human body in order to get us to the land of the dead.”

Bor: “You’re killing people, to help that demon cast her spells?”

X: “Come on, Borias. After all the people we’ve killed, what’s one more corpse?”

Bor: “I can’t believe what’s happening to you.”

X: “And I can’t believe what’s happening to you. You’re as soft as a pig’s belly. And what’s all this talk about _our_ baby and us?! I swear, if you use the word, “Family,” I’m gonna puke!”

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X: “These powers you’re after-- ”

Alti: “You wanna know what they are. Your friend you told me about-- Lao Ma-- her powers come from denial-- from self-sacrifice-- from the light. That’s not for people like you and me. I wanna tap into the-- heart of darkness-- the sheer, naked will behind all craving-- hatred-- and violence. I’ll become-- the face of death itself-- capable of-- destroying not only-- a person’s body, but their soul. Help me-- and I’ll make you-- ‘Destroyer of Nations’.”

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[The Present]

Dead Amazon: “What is it? Who’s that?”

X: “Cyane, Queen of the Amazons.”

Dead Amazon: “Cyane?! She’s a legend! You knew her?!”

X: “I killed her.”

[Flashback to Past: Cyane: “Uh!”]

Cyane: “What are you doing here, Xena? You’re not welcome.”

X: “Cyane-- why are you still in the land of the dead? You should have crossed over into eternity.”

Cyane: “Answer me first. What do you want?”

X: “I’m looking for a friend-- a Greek Amazon.”

Cyane: “An Amazon is your friend.”

X: “That’s right. Her name is Gabrielle.”

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[The Past]

Cyane: “At heart, you’re an Amazon, whether you believe it or not.”

X: “It’s not for me to say.”

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[The Present]

Cyane: “Follow me.”

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Amazons: “Think she’s dead?” “Poke her.”

O’s Voice: “She’s not dead. Her spirit’s with the dead.”

Amazon: “I say, we send her body there, too.”

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[ACT III]

O: “Uh, no! We don’t hurt her.”

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Cyane: “You see, Xena-- none of us can pass through the gate to eternity. We’re doomed to wander the land of the dead forever.”

X: “Alti did this to you.”

Cyane: “Yes-- Alti.”

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O’s Voice: “Watch it-- don’t jerk her. Keep everything smooth, or she’ll feel it.”

Amazon’s Voice: “Careful.”

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Cyane [?]: “We’ll look up top. [?]”

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O’s Voice: “Be careful-- don’t wanna wake her up, just yet.”

Amazon’s Voice: “What’s wrong with her?”

O’s Voice: “Nothing.”

[Flash to Land of the Dead]

O’s Voice: “She’s in the land of the dead. We’re gonna let her accomplish what-- ”

O: “-- she must there. She’s probably acquiring great powers.”

Amazon: “I still say we should cut her throat.”

O: “No.”

O’s Voice: “She’s our future-- I’m sure of it.”

Amazon: “Why should we believe you? There’s something you’re not telling us.”

O: “Borias had taken me in out of the cold.”

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[The Past]

Alti’s Voice: “She must die.”

X’s Voice: “Her-- what’re you talking-- ?”

X: “-- about? She’s just a child.”

Alti: “_She_-- will take your power away from you, one day. Have I been wrong with my predictions, so far?”

X: “You think Borias is trouble, now-- you should wait and see if we knocked off his little orphan girl.”

Alti: “Control your destiny. Kill her now-- and avoid the day she takes your power.”

Bor: “No! Get out of here. Xena.”

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[The Present]

Amazon’s Voice: “So, she would have killed you if Borias hadn’t shown up.”

O: “Nope-- I don’t think she would have. She didn’t kill me because she knew what Alti predicted must happen.”

O’s Voice: “I am destined to take her power.”

Amazon’s Voice: “I’m glad you’re so sure about it.”

Amazon: “I’m gonna have my ax ready when she starts to come around.”

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X: “I’m so sorry for what’s happend to you.”

Cyane: “I don’t think they believe you, Xena.”

[Flashback to fight with the Amazons in the past]

Cyane: “She claims she’s looking for a friend-- a Greek Amazon, no less.”

X’s Voice: “I understand your anger.”

X: “The sight of me must be a torment you. But once I find Gabrielle, you’ll never see me again.”

Cyane’s Voice: “Then, go!”

Cyane: “The gate to eternity lies in the heart of that volcano. That’s where you’ll find your precious Gabrielle.”

X: “But you said that Amazons can’t pass through the gate.”

Cyane’s Voice: “Our tribe can’t.”

Cyane: “The other Amazon tribes from Greece and Mesopotamia-- they can. The path to your friend lies through that gate. Now-- go into eternity-- and out of our lives forever. Go!”

G’s Voice: “Xena. Xena.”

X: “I can’t. Gabrielle, I can’t. You know, nothing would make me happier than seeing you again. You were my light. But I just realized what it was that you gave me-- a light of my own. There’s something I gotta do-- something you’d want me to do. I love you.”

Cyane: “I thought I told you that the gate was over there.”

X: “Some other time. I’m going back to stop Alti.”

Cyane: “Our holy word should have been strong enough to undo whatever it was that kept us from eternity, but still, we can’t pass through the gate.”

X: “Maybe you need a new hold word-- one stronger than the last.”

Cyane: “Our holy word is ‘Courage’, Xena. Nothing’s stronger than courage.”

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[ACT IV]

Amazon [O?]: “Get back! Quick! Move!”

X: “Who are you?”

O: “Otere.”

X: “I remember you. How did I get here?”

O: “We moved you. We thought you’d be safer here. We were careful not to wake you up.”

X: “You did well. Ahh!”

Amazon: “Oh!”

X: “I could teach you a thing or two about holding a sword on somebody. Who’s he?”

Amazon: “Our enemy. You wounded him. We haven’t decided who gets to kill him yet.”

O: “You drew first blood. You should make the kill.”

X: “Can you walk? Good. I want you to deliver a mesage to Alti. Dah! Tell her that Xena’s coming.”

O: “If we move directly on Alti, she’ll send _him_ after us.”

X: “Who’s ‘him’?”

O: “Berserker-- only the greatest fighter in our land. He’s been given special powers by Alti-- killed every warrior he’s ever met in combat.”

X: “Is that so? Well, let’s get started then.”

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Wounded Warrior: “Uh!”

Bald Warrior: “He says that-- ”

Alti [Interrupting]: “Xena’s coming! Do you _idiots_ think I didn’t know that already? I’ve felt her presence for days. It was only a matter of time before she looked for me. And you-- were kind enough to _bleed_ your way back here, and leave _ever_ so nice a trail.”

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X: “This one’s for you, Gabrielle.” [Yells]

[Fight]

O: “The Berserker!”

X: “_That’s_ the Berserker?!”

O: “No! _That’s_ the Berserker!”

X: “Get out of the way!”

[Flashes back and forth between the present and painful memories of the past]

X and Berserker: “Yah! Ahh! Uh! Ahh! Yahh! Ahh! Ahh! Yahh! Ahh! Yahh! Yahh! Ahhh! Ahh! Ahh! Yah! Ahh! Yahh! Yahh! Ahhhhh!”

Amazon: “You all right?”

X: “My legs still feel broken. It doesn’t make sense. The power that was making me relive my past seemed to be coming from the Berserker.”

O: “But you killed him.”

X: “I know. That should have released me from-- ”

O: “Alti’s spirit was in the horse. She seemed afraid of you.”

X: “Now, maybe. But as we get closer to her stronghold, she’ll get stronger and stronger. This new power that she has-- the ones that make you relive your past-- it’s a toughie.”

O: “Can we beat her?”

X: “We’ve got to.”