A masked female rider interrupts her men getting beaten up by Xena/Gabrielle, pulling a fancy upside-down maneuver on her horse to trip Xena. After being kicked from her horse, she removes her mask...and it's Kathryn Morris. She fights Xena, Gabrielle tries intervening, but gets kicked in the back/is about to be stabbed...until Stabby McStab hears voices/nods in understanding/gets all weepy, before lowering her sword/asking forgiveness. Gabrielle looks at Xena, whose reaction's pretty much "WTF's up with this weirdo?". Weepy Weeperson introduces herself as Najara, saying she knows about them thanks to the voices in her head called 'the jinn'...which is about all she knows regarding them (when doing the bidding of mysterious voices, maybe get more information?). When she says 'Bonacar!', I thought she was calling her horse 'Buttercup' (missed opportunity for a Princess Bride reference). She claims the jinn want Xena/Gabrielle to join her on her mission which is to 'fight evil', Xena amusingly asks for a more specific answer. In this case it's a slave-trader named Marat. While Najara's enjoying the scenery (seems the term 'stop to smell the flowers' originated from her), Gabrielle asks her about the jinn, which she answers vaguely, saying they're from 'the light'.
Najara (who's *finally* removed that unflattering hat she's been wearing and looks SO much better without) sings along with her men, making self-deprecating jokes, then mentions the hospice she's planning for anyone/everyone, its sole purpose being 'relieving suffering'. Between her "so much good to be done, so little time to do it" line and offering her sword/command of her men to Xena whilst admitting she shouldn't be so quickly trusted by Gabrielle...she's clearly trying hard to gain skeptical Xena's trust. She helps Xena fight a raiding party in a village (her war-cry is rather boringly just her yelling. It's certainly no Callisto scream), catches an arrow intended for Gabrielle before Xena can, then lectures the captured men on slavery being wrong/tells the villagers to forgive them. Xena's remembering her future-crucifixion-with-Gabrielle-death-vision, which Najara knows about thanks to the jinn and she informs Xena only something 'drastic' will change it.
Gabrielle *still* can't get over Najara's-arrow-catching-despite-the-fact-that-Xena-does-WAY-more-fantastical-gravity-defying/physics-defying-things-on-a-regular-basis, then gets excited by SWANS, which Najara invites her to go see up close. After declining Najara's offer to join, Xena follows them/eavesdrops as they talk about Najara's lovey-dovey 'way', she suggests Gabrielle start the hospice without her...but that'd mean leaving Xena, who Najara suggests Gabrielle totally commit to a life with, but Gabrielle admits she'll never get used to the violence that comes with being Xena's travelling companion and then Najara's all about Gabrielle' making a "full commitment to the light". When discussing hitting a slave centre, Xena/Najara disagree regarding Xena going after Marat alone, but Gabrielle talks Najara into listening to her. Later, Xena interrupts Najara praying to her invisible friends/voices in her head (who apparently come and go), wanting her to start her hospice, as she's planning to leave Gabrielle with her, hoping to avoid the death-vision. She admits Gabrielle gets hurt travelling with her, Najara agrees, Xena thanks her, then bids farewell to a slumbering Gabrielle.
Najara again gives her 'light' speech to villagers/offers slave-traders the chance to convert...which Gabrielle wants to do. Meanwhile, Xena captures Marat sleeping, he mistakes her for Najara, then conveniently blurts out all the necessary information that lets Xena know Najara's not-quite-so-lovey-dovey. She apparently gives those she captures three days to convert, if they refuse, she executes them without a trial (same goes for if she believes their conversion isn't sincere). What a helpful slave-trader! Gabrielle's initiated, then Xena interrupts more Najara-singing at a tavern, relaying to Gabrielle what she's learned regarding Najara...who actually makes some good points to Gabrielle about the ones she 'sends into the light'/kills being thieves/slave-traders/murderers/pirates, but Gabrielle's hung-up on the whole 'no trial/hearing' thing. Najara rightly points out that those enslaved aren't given any hearing/trial (I know Najara's being painted as the 'villain' here, but I agree evildoers don't deserve what's 'fair' considering the evil acts they commit aren't fair to their victims).
Xena/Najara fight over Gabrielle (we see the footage with the breaking stairs that Alti showed Xena among her visions of the future), Najara fights well, but Xena still kicks her ar$e (on stilts!), then makes the uncharacteristic mistake of turning her back when she thinks Najara's defeated...paying the price for such carelessness, as Najara turns the tables/"whips her butt" (Xena's words). Gabrielle prevents Najara finishing Xena off by agreeing to go with her, admitting Xena's darkness scares her, and they leave the beaten Xena who, once awake, pulls out a tooth/says this is what she gets for trusting someone who talks about being *good* all the time, but she knows Najara's weakness is the same as her own...ie. Gabrielle, who Najara's taken to a cave. They discuss Najara's 'wrong' way vs Xena's 'right' way (according to Gabrielle). Najara makes more good points about turning slave-traders over to local governments being useless if they support slavery and Xena *killing* most of her enemies in combat/rarely turning any over to authorities. Gabrielle maintains 'Xena only kills if it's absolutely necessary'. Najara counters that she only kills evil people, asking what makes Xena any better?
As if proving Najara's point for her, Xena seemingly kills her men outside. While Najara investigates, Xena sneaks in, Gabrielle amusingly points out how badly Najara beat Xena, then when Najara returns, Gabrielle's supposedly hanging from a rope above a chasm (though she's actually standing on something). Xena says Gabrielle's turned against her, claiming if she can't have her, nobody can. This time Xena beats Najara, who ends up hanging over the chasm/sees she's been tricked. Gabrielle stops Xena killing her, then there's the amusing sound of Xena knocking Najara out off-camera. Chained to a stake, Najara gets in one final dig about how hurting Gabrielle is *Xena's* job. Xena/Gabrielle leave as Najara forgives Gabrielle. Kathryn Morris played creepy zealotry well and I liked Najara better than other Callisto wannabes Xena's encountered, as she had more substance/complexity.
Najara (who's *finally* removed that unflattering hat she's been wearing and looks SO much better without) sings along with her men, making self-deprecating jokes, then mentions the hospice she's planning for anyone/everyone, its sole purpose being 'relieving suffering'. Between her "so much good to be done, so little time to do it" line and offering her sword/command of her men to Xena whilst admitting she shouldn't be so quickly trusted by Gabrielle...she's clearly trying hard to gain skeptical Xena's trust. She helps Xena fight a raiding party in a village (her war-cry is rather boringly just her yelling. It's certainly no Callisto scream), catches an arrow intended for Gabrielle before Xena can, then lectures the captured men on slavery being wrong/tells the villagers to forgive them. Xena's remembering her future-crucifixion-with-Gabrielle-death-vision, which Najara knows about thanks to the jinn and she informs Xena only something 'drastic' will change it.
Gabrielle *still* can't get over Najara's-arrow-catching-despite-the-fact-that-Xena-does-WAY-more-fantastical-gravity-defying/physics-defying-things-on-a-regular-basis, then gets excited by SWANS, which Najara invites her to go see up close. After declining Najara's offer to join, Xena follows them/eavesdrops as they talk about Najara's lovey-dovey 'way', she suggests Gabrielle start the hospice without her...but that'd mean leaving Xena, who Najara suggests Gabrielle totally commit to a life with, but Gabrielle admits she'll never get used to the violence that comes with being Xena's travelling companion and then Najara's all about Gabrielle' making a "full commitment to the light". When discussing hitting a slave centre, Xena/Najara disagree regarding Xena going after Marat alone, but Gabrielle talks Najara into listening to her. Later, Xena interrupts Najara praying to her invisible friends/voices in her head (who apparently come and go), wanting her to start her hospice, as she's planning to leave Gabrielle with her, hoping to avoid the death-vision. She admits Gabrielle gets hurt travelling with her, Najara agrees, Xena thanks her, then bids farewell to a slumbering Gabrielle.
Najara again gives her 'light' speech to villagers/offers slave-traders the chance to convert...which Gabrielle wants to do. Meanwhile, Xena captures Marat sleeping, he mistakes her for Najara, then conveniently blurts out all the necessary information that lets Xena know Najara's not-quite-so-lovey-dovey. She apparently gives those she captures three days to convert, if they refuse, she executes them without a trial (same goes for if she believes their conversion isn't sincere). What a helpful slave-trader! Gabrielle's initiated, then Xena interrupts more Najara-singing at a tavern, relaying to Gabrielle what she's learned regarding Najara...who actually makes some good points to Gabrielle about the ones she 'sends into the light'/kills being thieves/slave-traders/murderers/pirates, but Gabrielle's hung-up on the whole 'no trial/hearing' thing. Najara rightly points out that those enslaved aren't given any hearing/trial (I know Najara's being painted as the 'villain' here, but I agree evildoers don't deserve what's 'fair' considering the evil acts they commit aren't fair to their victims).
Xena/Najara fight over Gabrielle (we see the footage with the breaking stairs that Alti showed Xena among her visions of the future), Najara fights well, but Xena still kicks her ar$e (on stilts!), then makes the uncharacteristic mistake of turning her back when she thinks Najara's defeated...paying the price for such carelessness, as Najara turns the tables/"whips her butt" (Xena's words). Gabrielle prevents Najara finishing Xena off by agreeing to go with her, admitting Xena's darkness scares her, and they leave the beaten Xena who, once awake, pulls out a tooth/says this is what she gets for trusting someone who talks about being *good* all the time, but she knows Najara's weakness is the same as her own...ie. Gabrielle, who Najara's taken to a cave. They discuss Najara's 'wrong' way vs Xena's 'right' way (according to Gabrielle). Najara makes more good points about turning slave-traders over to local governments being useless if they support slavery and Xena *killing* most of her enemies in combat/rarely turning any over to authorities. Gabrielle maintains 'Xena only kills if it's absolutely necessary'. Najara counters that she only kills evil people, asking what makes Xena any better?
As if proving Najara's point for her, Xena seemingly kills her men outside. While Najara investigates, Xena sneaks in, Gabrielle amusingly points out how badly Najara beat Xena, then when Najara returns, Gabrielle's supposedly hanging from a rope above a chasm (though she's actually standing on something). Xena says Gabrielle's turned against her, claiming if she can't have her, nobody can. This time Xena beats Najara, who ends up hanging over the chasm/sees she's been tricked. Gabrielle stops Xena killing her, then there's the amusing sound of Xena knocking Najara out off-camera. Chained to a stake, Najara gets in one final dig about how hurting Gabrielle is *Xena's* job. Xena/Gabrielle leave as Najara forgives Gabrielle. Kathryn Morris played creepy zealotry well and I liked Najara better than other Callisto wannabes Xena's encountered, as she had more substance/complexity.