Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Path Not Taken - full transcript

Agranon...,

...will you promise me
that when we're old...

...we'll still come back here and
sit under these trees?

When we're old?

We'll do it every year,
on the anniversary of our wedding day.

And one day we can bring
our grandchildren...,

...lots of grandchildren.

Ten years ago...

...a marriage between our
families would have been impossible.

Does anyone even remember
what the feud was about?

No one in my family remembers.



Whatever it was...

...it's centuries old, and it ends
when we are joined.

We'll definitely bring
our grandchildren.

We can tell them that
peace was finally made here.

And that one of their parents
was made here.

After our wedding, maybe.

That's very strange.

Strange?

There's somebody out there.

Who is it?

Who's there?

Run!

No!

Get your hands off me!



We've got the girl!
Come on!

Agranon, help me!

You see, Xena, the way
I look at it...,

...life is an adventure
to be explored.

And without adventure,
what's the point?

Granted with you sometimes
it gets a bit too adventurous.

But that's what makes it
interesting.

Who was it that said "If curiosity
is the food of life...

...then adventure is a meal."?

Sounds like something you
might have said.

Oh, maybe it was me.

Speaking of a meal...

Places like this always
have the best food.

And atmosphere.

Two important ingredients
to fine dining.

I jest, you know?

Let's see what's on the menu.

You whistled?

Yeah, wait for me.

Lovely.

Now, this is the salt of the earth.

Well, you gotta admit, the people of
Lerna might never appreciate who you are...

...but King Gregor certainly did.

He would've lost his whole
kingdom, if it weren't for you.

Ale, please.

Yep, the baby got
a home. Gregor got a son...

...Pandora got some rest.

And the way you figured out that prophecy,
well, I, for one, am still amazed.

Ok!
You win!

Did you ever notice that we never have
trouble getting a table?

A mystery to me.

That's if you're for hire.

-Hey...
-Not that kind of hire, Gabrielle.

Go on.

-May I sit down?
-No.

Keep talking.

I'm not sure where
to begin.

-Who did you want me to kill?
-No one...

...unless you have to.

May I please sit down?

You're new at this, so listen up.

Anyone coming into a place like
this, carrying a bag of gold...

...is looking to live a short life
with a messy death.

I don't care.
I've gotta get her back.

Her?

My fiancee.
She's been abducted...

...and if she's not returned, there will be a war.

What? Who kidnapped her?

The king of Beocia thinks we did it.

My own father thinks they did it
to have an excuse to attack us.

-Nice legs!
-So, who do you think did it?

Sorry. That happens sometimes.
You were saying...?

I think Jana was taken
by someone else.

Someone whose livelihood would be destroyed
if this marriage took place.

Does this someone have a name?

He's an arms dealer who operates
from the walled city of...

Tracus.
I've heard of Mezentius.

I imagine you might have.

Tracus seems to be a crossroads
for murderers and mercenaries.

No offense taken.

Sorry.

You must help us.

We're talking about two
nations going to war.

I don't work for nations.

I don't work for money.

And I won't work for you.

Please!

Please... You're right.

I don't know what I'm doing.

All I know is the woman that I love
more than my own breath...

...My Jana, I love her, and I will die
for her if I have to.

Ask anything of me, and it's yours.

First, there are hungry people in this
town who could use that gold.

I'll take this.

And you'll get your Jana back.

Thank you.

Can I see?

Give me that!

In the time of ancient gods...,

warlords

and kings,

a land in turmoil
cried out for a hero.

She was Xena.

A mighty princess

forged in the heat of battle.

The power.

The passion.

The danger.

Her courage will change the world.

XENA - WARRIOR PRINCESS

Why don't I like the sound of this?

You're going to a place known
the world over as...

...the den for cutthroats,
thieves, and mercenaries...

-...and you're not wearing a disguise.
-Don't need a disguise.

They'll remember me. I think I can
use that to my advantage.

And besides, in a strange way,
it'll be nice to see some of them again.

You're terrible at reassurance.
Did anyone ever tell you that?

I don't want you to go in there and
then decide that you like it again.

It won't happen. I'm getting
in there, getting the girl, getting out.

I did what you said.
I gave out the gold to the poor.

Now what do you need me to do?

You're to stay here and keep me
company while we wait.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Have a seat. Let me
tell you a story.

Go on.

You're certain these weapons will be
delivered to Beocia immediately.

As soon as my people can produce them.

Kidnap your princess, did they?
Kolonus scum!

You'll get the best of my stock,
believe me.

I appreciate your concern over the
loss of our sweet princess.

I know what it's like to lose a loved one.

Is the princess here yet?

She was brought in this morning.

Well, tell the emissary from Kolonus
that it's half the gold up front.

What do you think, Marcus?

I think you're going to be a rich man.

And Dectus, he cuts him all the way
from his neck to his gullet!

He said I grabbed her. She was
asking for it, for Dionysus' sake.

Of course she was.

Oh, yeah, or speaking the language
of love, was she, Dectus?

-Yeah, yeah, long live Dionysus.
-Long live who?

-Xena! You're back!
-What happened to you?

You disappeared then
there's this talk all over the place...

...that you've been working for peasants
for no profit.

All part of the cause, boys.
All part of the cause.

It's called gaining their trust.

Once you do that...

-That's our Xena!
-...you've got them right where you want them.

There's profit to be made.

-This calls for a drink!
-Yeah, right!

So, all that stuff about fighting
for peasants and farmers...

Was Draco's payback for
my trouncing him.

Enough already.

And why would you go after Draco?

Because he went after my mother.

You expect us to believe that?

You got something to say to me?

I got something to say about your mother.

How is your mother, Xena?

Marcus, it's been too long!

Come.

So how did you two meet?

I was out for a ride.

In the woods, I bet,
on a moonlit night!

No, it was a hot summer
day, and no woods.

I was getting a drink from a spring when
her reflection suddenly appeared.

I thought it was a water goddess,
Panope.

Then, I looked up and I saw
it was someone far more beautiful.

She smiled.

From that moment on,
I dedicated my life...

...to making that smile appear
as often as possible.

That is just too beautiful!
Did you tell her father this?

No.

Really? You must.

I mean, once he
hears the story...

...he's got to believe that you
would never have kidnapped her.

-Let's go.
-Gabrielle.

You don't understand.
There's no way I'd ever reach him.

I'll get you in. I can be very
persuasive when I want to be.

Come on!

Where have you been
all this time?

I lost track of you after
the raid on Semples.

That was a while ago.

I've been keeping busy
here and there.

I don't hear much about
the great Xena conquests any more.

I don't care much for popularity.

I just came from Lerna. The king there
had a baby I ransomed...

I've missed you, Xena.

I've thought about you a lot.

I've thought about you too,
Marcus.

You have?

Yes, many times.

Thoughts of anger,
or what we had?

Both.

I heard Beocia's going to war.

I smell profit.

I guess a baby's ransom can't
support an army for long.

Not mine.

Dectus!

I'd like some words with you.

What about?

A case full of my new arrows.

A cart full of spears.

They're missing.

I don't know what you're talkin' about.

Of course not.

I know you stole them!

But I also know you have
someone on the inside, working for you.

And the idea that anyone would betray me...

You're scared.

You're afraid of me.

That's good.

And you turned two of my men.
That's smart!

Stop by my office tomorrow,
and you got a job...

...Otherwise, get out of Tracus!

Mezentius.

He's my boss.

Did he kidnap the princess?

Let's just say he has all
the angles covered.

You are so good.

Just be a moment!

I can't guarantee his mood...

...but usually, he's pretty happy
after he's killed someone.

I don't care if he's doing backflips.
I need to talk to him.

Let me give you fair warning, Xena.

This guy could
charm the song out of a siren.

As I remember,
I wasn't too bad at it myself.

Don't you dare bring that up?
That wasn't charm. You tricked me!

What trick? You said you'd do
anything for me.

I just called your bluff.

Have her bathed and perfumed
and taken to my chambers.

It's just as easy
to kill her in the morning.

Mezentius.

Ah, Marcus!

Why didn't you tell me
the girl was such a beauty?

I'm gonna have a fine time with her.

Mezentius, I'd like you to meet
an old friend of mine.

Yes, I know who you are.

And I know why you're here.

Guards!

The great Warrior Princess!

I'm honored.

I saw you at the tavern and I wondered...
"'What would bring Xena here?"

"What do I have that Xena
could possibly want?"

The answer was obvious.

Make it more obvious.

Do you think I'm stupid?

You think I haven't heard
what you did to Aescalus?

Stole his weapons
and ransomed them back to him.

It was brilliant!

I take it you're not so easily
fooled.

Not by you.
Not by anyone.

Are you going to kill me?

Kill you?

Far from it. It's people like you
who make people like me.

Then call off your dogs.

Then maybe we can talk business.

Business?

Business, yes.

One hour, in my office.

Marcus, don't let her out of your sight.

So, show me around.

Don't worry, we'll reason with them.

I don't know if he's gonna be
in a very reasonable mood.

Listen, a sensitive guy like you
would only fall in love with a very special girl.

And anyone who would raise
this special girl...

...is probably very special himself,
and therefore, reasonable.

It makes sense, doesn't it?

-I think so.
-There.

Who goes there?

Let me handle this.

-Take us to the king.
-Who are you?

My name is Gabrielle.
And this is Agranon...

-...Prince of Kolonus.
-Get his sword.

-All right, let's go.
-Perfect, we're getting into the castle.

And that's the weapons warehouse...

...where we're assembling the shipment
for the Beocian war.

Let me show you
one of my favorite places in the compound.

Very nice.

Mezentius discovered this hot spring
under his fortress two years ago.

Heats the whole building.

This room has its uses too.

I'll bet.

You look just as beautiful as I remember.

What do you remember?

Everything.

Every sound...

Every touch...

Every smell...

Do you remember?

No! Leave me alone!

Leave me alone!

I think we better get back
to Mezentius.

We can talk about this later.

Mezentius, we had a meeting.

-I'm busy. It'll wait.
-No, it won't.

We talk now.

I want to make an offer,
and I want to give you some advice.

Both are worth a fortune.
Neither comes free.

I never make investments without
examining the goods.

I don't intend to start now.

Very well.

Kolonus and Beocia are about
to go to war.

Beocia's army is far better.

It'll be over in a month.

Poor Kolonus.

Poor arms dealers.

You'll be winding down before
you finished gearing up.

I'm listening.

I can keep the war
going indefinitely.

Interesting!

There might be a deal here.
Go on.

I don't care who wins.

My army will fight for one side...

...and then the other.

I'll keep them far busy
to figure out...

...that you've got the princess.

She figured that out herself,
I didn't tell her that.

I don't need you for that.
The girl will be dead by tomorrow.

Her body found
by her family...

...the apparent victim
of the Kolonus barbarians.

Your offer is shallow at best.

No deal.

Which brings me to my advice.

The girl's worth far more to you alive.

When the war's over, the victor
will pay his treasury to get her back.

Either as a trophy... or a daughter.

Intriguing.

What's all this gonna cost me?

Weapons for my army
and half your profits...

...from the war and ransom.

Xena.

Why stop at half?

If you push me, I won't.

I wouldn't dream of it.

Very well, a deal.

Stay away from me!

What's going on?

Up there.

Well, look at this!

Keep away from me, I'm warning you,
I'll jump.

Oh, the sheep has fangs!
Good...

This is getting tedious.

-I'll bring her down.
-Wait.

Let me handle this.

Worth more alive, remember?

This Xena is a strange woman.
I like her... energy.

Yes.

I really hope I don't have
to kill her.

Stay back!
I'll do it!

-I'll take my own life.
-You're gonna cut your throat and jump?

That's overdoing it a bit, don't you think?

I can still jump.

You can still jump whenever you want.

I'm not going back to that man.

I'm not gonna let him take me.

Neither am I.

Agranon sent me.

You lie.

Come down off the ledge and I'll prove it to you.

There's only one way I'm coming off this ledge
and that's straight down.

Does this look familiar?

He did send you.

You're going to be all right.

-Do you know where the grotto is?
-The hot spring?

They took me there to prepare
for that awful man.

Meet me there tonight.

When the moon is in the western sky.

Now, go inside.

Can you believe that?

Did I protect our investment, Mezentius?

You protected my property, yes.

Good.

Now don't ruin things by letting
your passion overcome your senses.

Your friend can be
quite insulting at times.

Perhaps.

But I found it best
to listen when Xena speaks.

You found that, did you?

Well...

There's a reason for her success.

She know what she's doing.

Go on.

The princess loses half
her ransom value if you go to her.

Now, isn't half a ransom
worth a cold bath?

You seem to know a lot about this.

Well, I've dealt
with this situation before.

I'll consider your advice.

Oh, and Marcus...

Don't let your passion
overcome your senses...

...or your loyalties.

-All clear there?
-Yes.

What's going on, Xena?

What happened to the guard?

I wanted to see what the inventory looked like.

If you wanted to see the weapons,
all you had to do was ask me.

Now, tell me the truth.

Faith in the people
I work with...

...certainly is in short supply
these days.

And what side of the coin do you fall on, Marcus?

Yours, of course.

Know your enemies, Mezentius.

Xena's army will be going up against
these weapons.

I thought she should get to know
the inventory.

Your weapons are impressive.

Too impressive.

I don't want my men
to die needlessly.

That's your problem.

However it might appear to you...

...do not deceive yourself that ours
is an equal partnership.

I wouldn't dream of it, Mezentius.

A wise choice.

As long as it's
equal pay.

You were going to steal weapons, weren't you?

I'm sure it's not
the first time it's ever been done.

No.

In fact, it's still being done.

You just have to know how to...

...juggle the inventory.

How do you get them out of the city?

This is one of four water
wells in the city.

Only this one isn't quite what it seems.

A back door
right out in the open.

I'm impressed.

You know, I never showed anyone this.

I never trusted anyone.

You know all that talk
about you changing...

...trying to leave all this?

-Not you too, Marcus.
-No. I didn't think you did.

But I tried leaving once.

What happened?

I was in a raiding party.

Some old man was begging us to spare
his grandson, who was crippled.

And one of my men said...
"Ok...

...Cut the kid's head off."

You would never kill defenseless people.

I always respected that.

And I never really got it
until that day.

So I walked away...

...I thought for good.

Obviously, you came back.

I wasn't cut out for it, pure and simple.

So I said...
"Fine, not for me."

So I came back.

You know, the old Xena would have lopped
my head off for a story like that.

The old Xena...

Yeah...

...The old Xena.

You know, there is something different
about you now.

I mean, before you were...

...so determined, like you...

...always had something
to prove. But now it's...

But now...?

It's hard to say.

It's like...

...now you have the answer.

But I've never even
found the question.

What we have here is a
failure to communicate.

No one talks,
that's the problem.

When I meet the king, I'll explain that...

...this whole war thing
is just a terrible misunderstanding.

We'll get through this, I'm sure of it.

-The key is to meet with him.
-Noon tomorrow.

-To meet the king?
-The executioner.

The war has begun,
and you two will be the first casualties.

Oh, Marcus...

I can't do this...

Not now.

Where were you?

I'm here now.
Are you ready?

Let's go.

Who's in there?

Mezentius.

I demand to know who's in there...

Marcus said it would be all right
to use the spring.

His timing could've been better.

Or perhaps it couldn't have been better.

I don't usually have an audience.

I'm not an audience. I'm a business partner...

...and I have something of interest for you.

Please, go ahead.

Well...?

I've just had word that Agranon,
the girl's betrothed...,

...has been taken captive by Beocia.

That could be useful.

Are they going to ransom him?

Even better. They plan to execute him
and his companion tomorrow.

This war will be a bloodbath.

Great start, isn't it?

Then I better
get ready to fight it...

...after my bath.

Why don't I join you?

The last time I talked business with
a handsome man in a hot spring...

...I almost lost a war.

Now, go.

Perhaps another time.

Count on it.

There's no time to lose.

Give me one.

There you go.

Two dinars.

You heard the latest news
on Xena?

No, but I'll bet you're gonna tell me.

I talked to a trader
who came from Lerna.

He said she was there.

She told me.

She ransomed a baby back
to King Gregor, and made a bundle.

What?

Ransomed to the king?
No, no, Marcus...

...She rescued the baby.
She didn't kidnap it.

No.
You got it wrong.

Yeah, I'm sure you
wanna believe that.

Is that supposed
to mean something?

She's got you fooled, Marcus.

She's running something right now, and you're
falling for it like a good, little lovesick puppet.

This guy worked for Nemos,
the king's advisor!

She killed Nemos, because he wanted
to grab the kid and blackmail the king.

I swear it. I swear it!

Where's the profit?
I just don't get it.

You'll be shipped out this morning
right to your father's encampment.

-I hate little places.
-You'd hate a coffin even more.

Trust me.

Hi.

Oh... Hi.

What's in the box?

The box?

Some bows, arrows for weight.

Bows and arrows.

Arrows like this?

Of course.

I didn't think you'd seen
this arrow yet.

We just developed it.

It'll go through a wood shield
like a dagger through butter.

Leave a hole as big
as your fist.

Let me show you.

This box will make a good target.

Marcus.

What?
Are you afraid I'm gonna hit the princess?

Please.

I have to save this girl
and stop a war.

I couldn't risk telling you.

Especially when I was far more
useful being your stooge with Mezentius.

You get a good laugh, Xena?

About your old buddy that couldn't
make it on the outside?

It hurt.

I care for you.
You're still a part of me.

Then why the deception?

Why couldn't you just tell me
the truth, and ask for my help?

I didn't know how much you cared.

Now I know.

I see it in your eyes.

Come with me now.

How many of us are left
from the old days?

Most of them are dead.

Marcus, I don't want to stand
by your grave.

You're not better than me, Xena.

You're right.

-What makes you think I want to?
-What made you think you wanted to?

Marcus, it is so simple.

You do one thing, one
good thing...

...for no other reason than
you know it's right...

That's the first step.

I'm not that strong.

No.

It's too late, Xena.

I'm taking the girl.

Guards!

Come on.

Come on.

Up there!

What is going on?

Marcus...

Somebody find Marcus!

Move!

-You stay here.
-For how long?

As long as it takes.

Get her!

That way.

Get her!

Come on!

After her! She's getting away!

Get her!

Xena!

Drop the sword!

You're not going to hurt her.

Don't bet on it.

She's no different than the innocent
grandchild of that old man.

You're right, Xena.

I'll have my war, if I have
to kill every last one of you!

No!

Marcus!

Marcus...

I could have saved her.

I know.

Was that it?

Was that the one step that you meant?

Yeah.

Marcus...

Don't make me stand by your grave.

I wish I could have met him.

I'm sorry.

He was my friend.

To be rememered
like that is a good thing.

My friend...

...My friend.

Subtitles: @marlonrock1986 (^^V^^)