> 2-02 Remember Nothing
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> First air date - Oct 7, 1996
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>
> The episode starts out with Gabrielle walking along behind a mounted Xena,
> (and for some strange reason, Gabrielle was wearing her long skirt and blue
> blouse from the beginning of Season One!!).
>
> They arrive at the Temple of the Fates where Xena goes every year to honor
> the death of Lyceus, her brother who was killed fighting Cortese (and
> Gabrielle had changed into her green top and short skirt).
>
> Afterward, they go outside where a bunch of warriors are attacking the
> Temple. Xena and Gabrielle fight them off. One runs at Xena and she stabs
> him, he falls dead and his helmet comes off - he's a young by in his early
> teens.
>
> Xena goes back into he temple and the Three Fates appear and grant her one
> wish as a reward for protecting their temple. She wishes he had never killed
> the boy and had never taken up the sword.
>
> When she goes back outside, she is plain old Xena, Gabrielle is gone, the
> temple is gone, and Lyceus walks up, no longer dead.
>
> There is a cut to two of the warlords the old Xena killed - Mezentius and
> Krykus, who are joining their armies.
>
> Xena goes home and her fiancé, Maphius, shows up. Xena finds out her mother
> died ten years ago, so she goes to the mausoleum to visit her casket.
>
> She tells her mother that she never wanted her to die, but at least Lyceus
> didn't, and Gabrielle was still with her family. (I guess Xena forgot that
> when she first met Gabrielle, she was being led off by slaver traders!)
>
> Xena goes into a store where a Slave Boss is about to beat Gabrielle, who is
> a slave. Xena stops him just as Maphius comes in to keep Xena from fighting
> the Slave Boss.
>
> Xena sneaks into the castle in a wagon load of food to rescue Gabrielle. But
> Gabrielle can't understand why a stranger would want to help her. Gabrielle
> shows her whip marks on her shoulder - what happens to runaway slaves.
>
> Xena still talks Gabrielle into escaping with her - they are catapulted up
> the chimney, over the castle wall and into the slowest form of escape
> vehicle known to man.
>
> Back at Xena and Lyceus' home, Xena gives Gabrielle a dress belonging to
> Xena's mother.
>
> Gabrielle thinks Xena needs another house slave. But Xena tells
> Gabrielle she reminds her of her best friend who is "the purest, the
> kindest person I've ever known. Someone who's full of wonder, and-and
> stories, and would never give up on anything-- or anyone."
>
> Gabrielle answers, "Then you better look again. It's not me."
> (WOW! She sure toughened up!)
>
> While Gabrielle is changing clothes, Lyceus is trying to plan
> strategy to stop Mezentius, Krykus and Caputius (another warlord) when they
> attack Amphipolis. They think Maphius is fetching some of the citizens of
> Amphipolis.
>
> Gabrielle comes out, now beautiful, and she and Lyceus exchange
> "meaningful" glances - which isn't lost on the approving Xena.
>
> Maphius comes, with soldiers, saying all they want is the slave
> girl and they will go away. He is betrayed, and Xena, Gabrielle and Lyceus
> are taken captive and hung in individual cages.
>
> Lyceus is mad at Xena for not fighting back.
>
> Xena apologizes to Gabrielle who doesn't know whether to thank
> Xena or hate her for her few moments of freedom and hope.
>
> A soldier comes in to get Lyceus. It is Maphius, who has seen the
> error of his ways. After they are free, Lyceus runs away to the banquet hall
> to challenge the warlords. Xena follows and a big fight ensues.
>
> Lyceus can't understand why Xena won't use a sword. But he throws
> one to her anyway, and she catches it.
>
> Mezentius runs at Gabrielle, who has picked up a sword and
> unhesitatingly kills him, much to Xena's anguish.
>
> Xena then kills her attacker, and she is back outside the Temple of The
> Fates, with the same young boy running at her. But instead of stabbing him,
> she knocks him down, makes him swear to stop killing, and lets him go.
>
> Gabrielle comes up to her and Xena puts her arm around her, saying
> the hug it's just for Gabrielle being herself.
>
> They walk off together, with things back to 'normal'.
>
> .........
>
> Okay, I have to say that I LOVE alternative-universe stories
> where the main characters meet under different circumstances. And I thought
> "Remember Nothing" did a great job of it!
>
> I liked this one even better than "Orphan of War" and is one of my
> favorites so far, including S1.
>
> It was a real pleasure seeing a different Gabrielle. How hard her
> life must have been - her spirit and love for life brutally beaten out of
> her!
>
> And how different the slave Gabrielle and the newly-freed
> Gabrielle looked.
>
> The scene with Xena talking to her mother's casket (Cyrene - I
> wonder why her name was never mentioned) was very moving and touching.
>
> Three times we saw people getting stabbed (the young boy by Xena,
> Mezentius by Gabrielle, and the guy Xena killed), and all three times the
> swords were VERY bloody! Definitely to make a point (a terrible pun, I
> know!).
>
> No mention of Toris. Maybe he ran away like he did in 'Death Mask'
> and no one talked about him.
>
> Fun fighting scene at the beginning with Xena swinging around one
> pole and the other.
>
> The pacifist Xena certainly has that 'sway' when walking away from
> the camera, wearing the long dress.
>
> *{Fanfiction Writers - I wonder what Xena and Gabrielle's
> relationship would be like if Maphius had never betrayed them and Gabrielle
> remained free.}*
>
> A couple of the inevitable nit picks, a;ready mentioned -
>
> Gabrielle's clothing change between the teaser and the first act.
>
> After Xena and Gabrielle's escape via the chimney into the wagon -
> why was there no pursuit, and why choose the wagon? Wouldn't a horse make
> more sense?
>

> ..........
>
> Really liked this one. An 8 out of 10.
>