Xena: Warrior Princess 6x05 "Legacy" Reaction
Added 2022-12-22 00:41:32 +0000 UTC
Comments
Even though Melissa Good wrote this episode I want to give tribute to the insightful writing and character representation and development by Steven L. Sears. Watching the interview for the season 4 episode, ‘A Good Day’, there was some commentary about what the significance of the character Temecula was in the episode. Listening to this commentary, a new wave of insight has entered into my consciousness. Having these interviews and commentaries between the cast and crew from the DVDs I’ve bought are important to me because, although I have my own interpretations and ideas about how storylines play out and the growth of the characters season to season, I care about the opinions of the creators. My respect and admiration for them is so high because of how much the philosophical symbolism they put into the writing and production affect me and what they teach me regarding the human condition and real life situations and circumstances. You see, Xena is so much more than a TV show to me. It’s helped me gain a cemented mentality about how to deal in my life. I may never have the experiences of what the characters go through in the show but I do know they are relevant to today and many people just like me experience them. And it’s good to have that awareness and that knowledge of not only the experiences themselves but how those experiences affect people and what they do and the decisions they make having been influenced by them going forward. The reason why Gabrielle, out of all the characters on the show, matters to me so much has to do with how she handles the dire situations she gets thrown into because of travelling with Xena, because of becoming an Amazon Princess, because of how close of a connection she has to Xena. And all those experiences which inevitably lead to even more experiences in a sort of ripple effect. Just like how when Xena talks about the water never truly settling in ‘Dreamworker’ because of what’s been thrown into it and has become a part of it. It’s forever changed because of it. And as much as Xena’s individual storyline of seeking redemption matters in the show, the most integral and interesting reason to watch the show, for me, is all because of Gabrielle and her individual storyline of going from inexperienced farm girl into a warrior. What she takes with her and what she leaves behind metaphorically. Parts of her personality and her psyche that were so important to her to begin with but were either flawed or just misunderstood ideals. Her growth mentally and emotionally is just as important as her physical growth. It’s her consciousness evolution that grips me to the show and I think it’s because of the way it’s written but also how it reflects back to me and my life. I always say it’s Xena I most relate to regarding life experiences. But what makes me give more of my attention to Gabrielle is because she represents the person I wish to be with in those experiences, in those situations, in those circumstances. So while she’s not me and I don’t relate to her anywhere near as much as I do Xena, she’s a part of what I want to be involved with going forward in my life. The person I see myself being with on all fronts. The yang to my yin. I see Gabrielle through Xena’s eyes as a guiding light. To see her be a leader to somebody or be idolised for her growth out of her personal experiences is amazing to see. To make a mentor out of her and be regarded in high esteem by the likes of Temecula and Korah from ‘Legacy’, means more to me than anyone will ever know. And I have such love for Steven for doing this. For creating this character and giving Gabrielle that responsibility. For showing her the love and respect few people do when they watch Xena. The way I always have ever since I truly got what her character was all about. And what her character truly represents above all is evolution in every way. She’s far from perfect. She’s goes through awful things, makes mistakes, and changes many times. But while influenced by all these experiences, the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, her core self remains unmoved. And just like I mentioned in my character study thesis, she swapped roles with Xena and became the warrior. While the ‘way of the warrior’ wasn’t entirely her way, like it was for Xena, it was her karma. It was what she needed to become to follow it. And it is Steven L. Sears that had the biggest hand in her character evolution.
Girl4Music
2023-11-27 19:18:12 +0000 UTCThis is legitimately one of my top 10 episodes of the series! LOVE that they explored Gabrielle's legacy for the first time. Gabrielle is such a big part in shaping and sharing Xena's legacy with the world. It is so meaningful that she now has to confront the bittersweet reality that she, too, has a legacy. And one of a warrior, no less, the thing she has always struggled with ideologically. It is very clear the writer (a new writer to the show) is a longtime fan of the series and has infused her script with this love and knowledge of the show and characters.
Judson
2022-12-22 03:20:15 +0000 UTC
