Sacrifice Part II
Written by Paul Robery Coyle
Directed by Rick Jacobson
Xena reluctantly agrees to join forces with Callisto to kill Gabrielle's evil daughter Hope.
Tropes
- Batman Gambit: With the group en route to Dahak's temple, Xena abruptly condemns Joxer, takes him aside, and tells him to get lost. He's later captured by Hope's followers and brought to the temple to be sacrificed. After Xena arrives and starts fighting:Xena: Joxer, did you get it?
[Joxer reveals he has the Hind's blood dagger and throws it to Xena] - Big Damn Heroes: Subverted in Joxer's first scene. He jumps in to try to save civilians from Hope's followers, but Seraphin knocks him out from behind.
- Chosen Conception Partner: Ares aligns with Hope to conceive the first of six planned Destroyers.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Seraphin survives the episode, but is never seen or heard from again.
- Cliffhanger: Gabrielle presumably falls to her death with Hope.
- Death by Irony: Callisto is killed by the same dagger she used to kill Strife and after she rediscovered her joy of life, no less.
- It's also arguable that Callisto was just about to find a reason to live again... only for Xena to cut her down.
Callisto: I never thought I’d feel so good again! Seeing poor, dear Gabrielle sacrifice herself makes it all worthwhile. It finally gives me a reason for living, and I have you to thank for it, Xena!
Xena: [Charges forward with rage, impaling Callisto with Hind's blood dagger] No more living for you. - Demoted to Dragon: Ares is reminded that he's serving Dahak now—not joining him.
- Enemy Mine: Callisto joins forces with Xena and Gabrielle in the hopes they'll use the Hind's blood dagger on her.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Hope makes one final appeal to Gabrielle to join them. Gabrielle responds by saying she wishes the poison had killed her.
- Flashback: During her search, Hope has a brief one of seeing where Hercules originally put the Hind's blood dagger.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Gabrielle
- Honor Before Reason:
- Gabrielle tells Xena what will happen if she kills Hope. Xena says she will gladly die to stop all of this.
- Xena initially refuses to accept Callisto's help—wanting to deny her what she wants as payback for her role in Solon's death. Gabrielle points out this is short-sighted, though, and that they need all the help they can get.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Callisto by Xena.
- Literal Cliffhanger: Xena is hanging for dear life with one hand while holding on to a suicidal Seraphin with the other. And while Callisto is looking down on them.Callisto: Hello there Xena. How will you ever get out of this one?
- Multi-Part Episode
- Karma Houdini: Ares gets away. Seraphin is never mentioned again and is presumed to have survived the encounter.
- Shown Their Work: The phrase 'may you live forever' is an actual insult in ancient Greece.
- Uncanny Family Resemblance: Hope's adult form looks like Gabrielle. She deliberately alters her hair and wears Gabrielle's cloths in order to later trick Xena.
- Wham Episode: Gabrielle falls into a Lava Pit, taking Hope with her. Callisto gets her wish and is killed by Xena shortly afterwards.
