31: 3x04-05 "The Deliverer" & "Gabrielle's Hope"

Things take a dark turn this week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST. Vera, Katie, and Livy find themselves at a major crossroads with 3x04 "The Deliverer" and 3x05 "Gabrielle's Hope." Together they mark the beginning of one of Xena's most ambitious, dramatic, and polarizing story arcs, one that would ultimately redefine what kinds of stories the show could tell. First we talk about "The Deliverer"'s devious bait-and-switch structure, its epic rematch between Xena and Julius Caesar that takes a backseat in the shocking last act when Chekhov's blood innocence goes off. We discuss awesome warrior queen Boadicea, BFOTW (or IS he?) Khrafstar, and Gabrielle's rape, with its profound repercussions for the characters moving forward. Then it's on to "Gabrielle's Hope," where we discuss the episode's horror film inspirations, its use of problematic mystical pregnancy tropes to tell a story of female agency and choice, and the painful moral dilemma that sets Gabrielle and Xena against each other. *sadly throws coins in jar* The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/