Home Episode Guide Reviews Cast & Crew Articles Features Links

[Season One] [Season Two] [Season Three ] [Season Four] [Season Five] [Season Six]

When Fates Collide

Director: John Fawcett
Writer: Katherine Fugate

Starring:
Lucy Lawless
Renee O'Connor

Guest Stars:
Karl Urban (Caesar)
Claire Stansfield (Alti)
Ted Raimi (guard)
David Franklin (Brutus)

"After escaping from Hades, Caesar takes control of the Fates` "Loom of Life," which he uses to splice the past with a new future - a future in which Xena becomes his wife and Brutus remains his loyal aide. In the rearranged world, Gabrielle is a playwright for whom Xena feels an intense attraction. Sensing their bond, Caesar charges Gabrielle with being an assassin, and orders that she be crucified."

Intriguing sounding episode by new to the Xenaverse writer Katherine Fugate that sees Karl Urban and Claire Stansfield return in a "what if?" story. Could Xena`s life have taken a different turn? What if Xena and Caesar had become allies? What if Xena wore trousers instead of that leather dress? What if Argo was black instead of palamino?

Rob Tapert said in an interview on WHOOSH, "It goes back to a defining moment with Xena and Julius Caesar where he realizes from the Underworld that he made a key mistake and has a chance to rectify it. It`s about how things would be different in his relationship with Xena and how that would affect history..."

Visit Katherine Fugate`s web site where she has her response to the episode and comments on her trip to New Zealand to see the episode being filmed...no spoilers though!

Sofrina's Summary
Escaping the unguarded Hades, Caesar binds The Fates and changes the past, undoing his decision to betray Xena, which sends everyone down a completely different path. Five years later, he rules Rome with Xena as his wife and Alti as the Palace Priestess, never having met Gabrielle. When the famous playwright, Gabrielle, arrives Caesar's plans begin to unravel as the ambitious Alti moves against Xena. In the end, Xena assures us that you just can't fight fate.
[Great camera work; some Xena/Gab flashbacks; the pointless but welcome return of Ted Raimi; the return of Karl Urban; Alti in nice clothes and a nice voice for once.]

DISCLAIMER: As the Fates would have it, Caesar was once again harmed during the making of this motion picture

Go to my review of this episode

Back to Episode Guide page
Back to Main Xena page