Sins of the Past - 1x01 (XWP)

First release: 09-04-95

Now this is a straightforward way of kicking off a show, first line of the show, and by the lead character Xena, is “Hello”. Simple is good.

What jumps me from the first scenes and follows me throughout the episode is the scenery. New Zealand really is ridiculously beautiful something which is take advantage of from the start. I can’t think of another show that uses as many panning nature shots in between scenes, show-casing the varied nature with no actual purpose beyond sharing the beauty.

Second thing to notice is the music, which consists of a delicious mixture of cultures and styles creating an impressive and epic feel. In between the music and nature one could easily mistake this for a straight-faced drama show taking itself very seriously. However, in great contrast to this we have the almost cartoonish violence and fight scenes. The fight scenes in this first episode bear no elements of realism (at all), but are rather amusing romps in unbelievable Hong Kong action mixed with He-Man Masters of the Universe. I appreciate on screen violence and personally, realism is not something I am looking for or need in order to find a fight scene satisfying. But I can definitely understand why more puritan action lovers scorn this show.

Gabrielle
Now lets talk about Gabrielle for a few paragraphs. I remembered her character as the young naïve and virginal peasant girl who was the complete innocence in contrast with Xena’s blemished past and present. I was actually surprised at what I found when I watched this again with analytical eyes. If you fight to look past the adorable smile and the gorgeous flickering eyelashes, what you see is something a lot more complex and darker than the pure and wholesome image she’s been slapped with. Her reasons for leaving home were not simply because of her need to see the world or to get away from a potential and unwanted loveless marriage. Instead she tells her sister “I am going to be a warrior.” I was with this intention she set out from home. Not once during this episode is her spoken intention to become a bard. She certainly has the gift of gab, but it is only used in order to get Xena to take her on as a "warrior apprentice".

On her way to Xena she doesn’t think twice about lying to serve her purposes. We’re not talking about artistic licence here, but pure and simple lies. Both towards those trying to take advantage of her (the blind Cyclops), but also those whom she tries to take advantage of (the old man with the carriage). Furthermore she seems to have no qualms about fighting dirty in order to help Xena (and ultimately herself), by tripping Draco’s guard during the final fight.

Finally I want to go back to the first scene in the clearing, where she is overpowered by one of the ruffians. Xena helps her by bashing the guy with the staff, but it is Gabrielle on her own who breaks free by taking out the guy with a well placed knee. This in no ways an helpless and morally lily white virgin. No, this is a young woman with a lot of drive and a purpose. She only needs for someone to help her take that first step to self-fulfilment. She is us, she is every woman out there. Seeing this again I have to wonder who is the true symbol of female empowerment in this show. Is it Xena, or is it perhaps Gabrielle?

Draco
My memory of the character of Draco has been severely clouded by the way in which he was used later in the series. This Draco however…wow! He is an emotionally complex character with a lot of skill and even more attitude. Personally I think this was a bloody brilliant way of starting the show by having a “villain” such as him. Not only does it show good quality writing and interesting stories, but also early on presents, what I loved about the earlier seasons, the moral ambiguity of all on screen characters. I wish we would have seen more of this competent warlord and skilled actor.

Xena
Xena herself feels very tired in this episode. You can easily imagine the weight of the world on her shoulders. This Xena is one of the most tragic characters I’ve ever seen. She wants nothing more than to “go home”, to feel and be at peace. At the same time it is so painfully clear that this person will never forgive herself and therefore never allow herself to find her own peace. I sigh deeply just thinking about it. Other than that, the Xena character isn’t very interesting in this episode. Until that final fight scene it really feels as if she’s not even there. What we see up until that point is merely a broken shell forced to go through the motions.

What is interesting to note is in the stoning scene at the Inn, where the villagers show up and demand vengance. What made me take note is the person who threw the first stone, a young girl cannot possibly remember Xena’s past sins against the village and its people. It is a powerful image to have a young girl throw the first stone and the guilt on Xena, a character who would become an impressive symbol both for female power, but also as the champion of a minority group such as the Queer community. We really are our own worst enemies aren’t we?!

It should also be pointed out that right from the start the two main characters voices are completely different and distinct from both each other and any other guesting characters.

Subtext
And finally a note on that sweet thing called subtext. Episode one and we already have comedic subtext in the form of an innuendo which comes out of the mouth of Gabrielle; “She’d never let a man close enough to do her -- at least not that kinda doing her. A young thing like me on the other hand.” This line takes on more depth in the light of what I mentioned earlier about her character, and I have to admit I have previously seriously underestimated her in this season. Another lovely thing from a slightly subtexty point of view is their first meeting. With a first meeting such as this, the meeting of glanzes across a crowded clearing, there really should have been no surprise when they eventually upgraded the looks to something beyond friendship, and that they also further down the series adapted the concept of soulmates to fit these two. Because that really was a classic first meeting of epic proportions.

Conclusion
I absolutely adore this episode. Not only is it a good preview of what the show would look like, but it is an enthralling story about three very different individuals and the influence and impact they have on each others lives at one particular moment in time. In my opinion Draco and Gabrielle stands out in this episode and are actually more interesting to watch than the tragic Xena. Still I now can’t wait to see Xena’s character develop into the complex anti-hero is became. I’m also looking forward to watching this season without the purity binoculars when it comes to Gabrielle.

Randomness & Memorable
- Argo the boy.
- “I’ve blocked off the flow of blood to your brain!”
- “You picked the wrong woman to be rough with.”
- Despite future indication of Lyceus as one of the most important persons in her life, she did not go see him until after her second talk with her mother, where she with brutal honesty was reminded of her past sins towards her family.
- The Chakram was the final thing Xena threw onto the pile to be buried at the beginning of the episode.
- Final word of the episode; "Friend".

Next up;
Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest (BtVS)