The Key To The Kingdom
Written by Eric A Morris
Directed by Bruce Campbell
A double for Xena double-crosses Autolycus in an attempt to steal a special baby.
Tropes:
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Acting for Two: Lucy Lawless plays both Xena and Meg. - Bittersweet Ending: The king and queen are restored, and the kingdom is saved, but Meg is certain she'll never have children of her own. Xena implores her to not give up.
- Commonality Connection: Autolycus and Meg both know what it's like to grow up without parents.
- Directed by Cast Member: Bruce Campbell directed this one.
- Everyone Has Standards: Autolycus initially intends to return the baby—partly in the hopes of getting a reward, but also because he finds the notion of kidnapping disgusting.
- Flanderization: Meg is significantly more cartoonish and less streetwise since her first appearance.
- Halfway Plot Switch: Seems like a story about committing a heist, but then Autolycus learns Meg's after a baby. It turns out the baby is key to a legend and the nutty trio sets out to get it, only to learn who the baby really is.
- Hidden Depths: Meg wanted to take the baby not because she simply wants a family and can't have children of her own, but to spare him an upbringing without parents."See, what I had, now, it wasn't so good. My father—he died when I was really young, and my mom, she tried hard, but... why, it just didn't work out. Well, I was left alone to do what I wanted, and I made all my own decisions, and I guess I wasn't too good at that, neither. Things is gonna be different for you. You see those? They're stars. When I was a little girl, I-I used to think that all those little lights came from houses in the sky, and each one of those houses had a happy family around a cozy fire. And the lights came from all the open windows. And I used to think that at every window, there was a little girl, just like me, lookin' out at the other lights. And I wondered what it would be like to be one of them. Well— one day we're gonna be one of those little lights. That's a promise."
- I Owe You My Life: Cleades was fully aware of everything as a baby, so he greatly appreciates what Meg has done."I wouldn't be here today if someone hadn't risked everything for me. I had to see love, and you showed it to me."
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Even the King of Thieves is moved by Meg wondering what it'd be like to be part of a family.
- Karmic Transformation: King Cleades and his queen were extremely poor leaders. Athena punished them in ways that would help them learn the error of their ways. Cleades was turned into a baby, so that he could see things through the eyes of a child and what suffering looked like. Gryphia, meanwhile, was turned into an old nursemaid so that she would learn to care for others.
- Mood Whiplash: The episode seems like a goofy comedy episode, but then Meg talks to the baby about not having parents.
- Parental Abandonment: Meg explains to the baby what happened to both of her parents.
- The Reveal: Gryphia being the queen is the final surprise.
- Rewatch Bonus: The baby crawling off and getting into a chariot seems like comedic baby hijinks, but upon rewatching, it's because Cleades wants to get to the place where he can be returned to normal.
- Unwitting Pawn: Autolycus to Meg, much to his infuriation and embarrassment.
- Whole-Plot Reference: Raising Arizona
