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Destiny

Director: Rob Tapert
Writer: R.J. Stewart and Steven L. Sears


Starring:
Lucy Lawless
Renee O'Connor

Guest Stars:
Karl Urban (Julius Caesar)
Ebonie Smith (M'Lila)
Nathaniel Lees (Nicklio)
Grant Triplow (Brutus)

A trip to Cirra, scene of Callisto`s family`s death results in a life threatening injury to Xena and she flashes back ten years to her first encounter with Julius Caesar. We meet a younger Xena whose main motivation was to defeat the enemies of her home town of Amphipolis. However, she has expanded her horizons and is a pirate now. Capturing Caesar, she realises they can get a good ransom for him. The two bond, the young Xena giving him her trust in a way the Xena we know never would. Of course this is a mistake. Caesar takes revenge on the pirates who kidnapped him by capturing them and crucifying them! Another important part of this episode is the meeting between Xena and M`Lila, a gaelic slave girl who teaches Xena pressure points. She is a REAl friend, and it is M`Lila who rescues Xena from the cross and takes her to a healer, Nicklio - the same healer that Gabrielle takes Xena to in the present day. Caesar intends to destroy Xena and sends his men after her. M`Lila is killed defending the injured Xena, and this sacrifice and betrayal is what started her on the road to evil. After M`Lila is killed, Xena declares she now has one purpose in life - death! Meanwhile, Gabrielle arrives at the healer after a difficult journey through snow and rain. Even Nicklio can do nothing for her, and the episode ends in Xena`s death! And a to be continued....

Notes:
This was the first Xena episode to be directed by executive producr Rob Tapert, who also wrote the story. Look carefully at M`Lila`s shirt - it has the same pattern as Xena`s breast plate. Another thing to look out for, the soldier who swings the giant hammer to break Xena`s legs is played by Daniel Ryan - Lucy`s brother!
Here we meet Brutus #1 - Grant Triplow. He will be replaced..

Disclaimer :-
Julius Caesar was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, the Producers deny responsibility for any unfortunate acts of betrayal occurring soon thereafter.

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