u/Luna09Astra

What is your view of the history of Greece and Rome in the Xenaverse?

Because in our world, by the time Caesar was even born, Greece was already part of the Roman Republic, and before that, they were part of the empire established by Alexander. However, in all 6 seasons of Xena, it seemed that Greece remained a collection of independent cities, villages, and tribes.

Does that mean that Alexander the Great never existed in the Xenaverse and that Rome were never able to conquer Greece? Is that what Caesar and Pompey were trying to do in A Good Day and then in Endgame? I guess in the 25 sleep years Greece and Rome must have formed a good relationship if Joxer and Meg felt comfortable moving near Rome and their son was able to establish a business inside the city.

I would be really interested in reading your thoughts on this topic. Thank you.

That was supposed to be “and I like or feel sorry for her.” Thank you in advance for voting!

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This is based on my Gabrielle poisoning Hope post, which had some really interesting comments. But I would like to understand people’s thoughts more. Thank you.

What is the main reason Gabrielle killed Hope in Maternal Instincts?

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Is anyone else bothered by the fact that Gabrielle murdered Hope in a very premeditated, cold-blooded, first degree homicide kind of way? I get that Hope was dangerous and had to be stopped. However, Gabrielle met a lot of dangerous people during her travels with Xena, and I didn’t see her going around pretending to be friends with warlords and slave traders and putting poison in their drink.

Some might argue that since Hope wasn’t human, she didn’t deserve the same consideration. But let’s compare her to some of other supernatural beings/monsters/demons Xena and Gabrielle dealt with: Bacchus, Krafstar/Deliverer, Tataka, Indrajit, Mephistopheles, Grindl, and Yodoshi. These were all defeated in battle while they were actively attacking someone. I have a hard time believing that the demon who looks likes a preteen girl is somehow so much more dangerous than those ones I listed that she deserved to be tricked and poisoned by the woman who gave birth to her.

Based on interviews and commentary, it seemed that the writers always planned for Hope to be evil from the start, and that Xena was right and Gabrielle was wrong in Gabrielle’s Hope.

So why didn’t they make it more obvious? Here are some of the things they could have done:

Actually show Hope kill the knight via some camera and editing magic. I don’t think it would have been more difficult than Bliss in a Comedy of Eros.

Since shortly before Xena found Goewin’s body, she was specifically told that the castle was filled with secret passages, they could have had Xena look around to make sure there were no secret passages near the knight’s body and that no one else was in the room. Can you imagine how differently things could have gone if Xena said to Gabrielle “ I cannot imagine how difficult this must be you. But I checked, and there is no way anyone else was in the room. So unless you’re saying you killed Goewin, or that he killed himself. The only other possibility is Hope.”

Have older Hope, either played by Amy or Renee, talk about how proud she felt when she killed the knight, or how she almost felt bad about killing that nice couple who found her in the river. Almost.

Not have Hope mutter to herself about why Mommy doesn’t love her. Can you imagine watching a scene where Indrajit, Mephistopheles, or Yodoshi talk to themselves about why someone doesn’t love them? And Hope, in the writer’s mind, was supposed to be just as evil, if not more, as them.

Or do you like how the writers wrote the Hope character and storyline?