| ACT FOUR |
FADE IN
On Xena standing in the arena, facing Caesar and Livia.
LIVIA:
You'll have to go through us first.
XENA (snarls):
I've had just about enough of you.
They stand still for a moment, facing each other. Then Xena lets out her battle cry--"A-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!"--and charges Caesar and Livia, flipping in the air as she does so. Their swords clash. She ably parries their blows, spinning around and delivering powerful kicks, ducking their blows. Livia leaps over her and lands behind her but Xena spins around and blocks Livia's kick with her own; at the same time, she deflects Caesar's sword with hers without looking.
DISSOLVE TO
Romans battling Visigoths in the streets of Moesia, clouds of dust obscuring the battle. The Roman soldiers are trying to push the Visigoths back toward the gates. As the dust clears momentarily, the camera zooms in on Gabrielle and Haimon fighting side by side.
Pan to Nymphidius fighting in another part of the street, leading a group of Roman soldiers. A Visigoth's sword slashes at his leg and he falls, clutching at the wound.
Pan to Eve fighting the Visigoths in another part of the street; she is making an effort to fight without killing, knocking out and disarming enemy warriors rather than killing them.
Pan to Virgil who is fighting his way through the Visigoth ranks, making his way toward Eve.
Pan to a soldier running toward Eve.
SOLDIER (shouts over the noise of the battle):
Livia! They're trying to scale the walls over in the Aelian quarter!
Eve looks around and grabs another soldier by the arm. He turns toward her. It's Vitus--the soldier who spoke against Xena in What Separates Us I.
EVE (shouts):
Where's Nymphidius?
VITUS:
He's hurt--they had to carry him off the field!
Eve makes her way toward Gabrielle. A Visigoth charges her; she briefly spars with him, disarms him and knocks him out with the flat of her sword.
EVE (yells):
Gabrielle! I'm leaving you in charge here--I'm heading over to defend the walls!
GABRIELLE (mutters):
Great...
Eve takes off running. Four Visigoths cut off her path and back her into the stone wall of a building, blocking her way. With a fierce yell, she does the flip she showed to Varia in Coming Home, flips over their heads, and then slams three of them into the wall and punches out the fourth.
DISSOLVE TO
Xena's dreamworld. Xena flips over Caesar and Livia and slams her boots in their backs, knocking them flat on their faces. She starts toward the doorway, only to hear a rumble of hooves. She looks toward the sound to see Pompey and two gladiators, one of them swinging a sword and the other a mace, racing toward her on horseback.
XENA:
You've got to be kidding. (She looks around, then raises her voice, firmly) Give me back my chakram!
Looking down, she sees something gleaming in the sand covering the arena. It's the chakram. She dives down, picks it up and throws it, knocking both Pompey and the gladiators off their horses. As she catches the chakram and puts it back on her belt, there is a shadow behind her. She thrust her sword backward and hears a strangled cry.
Xena yanks out the sword and turns around. Livia crumples to the sand, clutching at the bleeding gash in her stomach. For a moment Xena's expression is one of shock, but then her face hardens.
XENA (to Livia):
Stay out of my dreams.
With a yell, Caesar charges her and thrusts his sword at her. Xena blocks the blow, kicks the sword out of his hand and runs him through. There is a brief flash of satisfaction in her face.
XENA:
And you, too.
Caesar collapses next to Livia. Xena turns and races toward the doorway, disappearing into it.
CUT TO
A dark tunnel, with a light visible at the end. Xena runs toward the light.
A bright flash of white light fills the screen.
DISSOLVE TO
Xena's room. Xena's eyes fly open and she sits up with a gasp.
Close-up on Ares, a look of relief and wild joy in his face.
Xena looks around, breathing hard. She smiles.
ARES (his voice almost cracking with suppressed emotion):
Welcome back.
He sweeps her up in his arms and kisses her.
As they break the kiss, Xena looks herself over, surprised.
XENA:
My wound--it's-- (look up at Ares) How?
ARES:
A little divine intervention.
He smiles at her.
CUT TO
The Visigoths coming over the walls of Moesia, using grappling hooks and sliding down ropes. Zoom in on Zenobia as she comes over the wall, slides down the rope and jumps on the ground. The Roman soldiers try to push the Visigoths back. With a fierce battle cry, Zenobia mows down the Romans in front of her.
Eve comes running toward the scene. Seeing Zenobia, she stops. They face each other, swords in hand, as the noise of the battle fades to silence and we:
DISSOVE TO
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[FLASHBACK]
[END OF FLASHBACK] |
Two swords clash in the air. The camera pulls back to show Zenobia and Eve fighting each other. Eve and Zenobia are evenly matched in battle, just as they were in the past, both of them swinging, kicking and thrusting their swords and then parrying those moves. Zenobia swings at Eve and she leaps up, letting the blade glide under her.
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[FLASHBACK]
[END OF FLASHBACK] |
Eve and Zenobia fight. Zenobia seems to be getting the upper hand, backing Eve up a ramp that leads to the top of the city wall.
CUT TO
Gabrielle is fighting the Visigoths. Around them, the battle rages; the Romans are holding their ground but the Visigoths continue to attack.
A sudden "A-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!" pierces the air.
Close-up on Gabrielle; her face lights up with joy as she turns toward the sound. The camera pulls back to see Haimon and Virgil turning their heads as well.
GABRIELLE (whispers):
Xena...
Pan to Xena, who arrives on the scene in a spectacular flip, kicking down two Visigoths in her path and knocking down a third with a punch. She runs toward Gabrielle and they hug quickly but warmly.
GABRIELLE (beside herself with joy):
Xena--you're all right!
XENA (grins):
No worse for the wear.
They break apart. More Visigoths stream toward them and they fight back to back, repelling the attackers with kicks and sword thrusts.
XENA:
Where's Eve?
CUT TO
Eve fighting Zenobia, now at the top of the wall. Close-up on Eve's face.
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[FLASHBACK]
[END OF FLASHBACK] |
Eve and Zenobia fight on the wall. A cry of "Retreat!" is heard off-camera and they stop for a moment to look around. The camera pans over the ground within the city walls. The Visigoths who have managed to scale the walls are all dead, wounded, or captured. Pan over to the other side of the wall, where the Visigoths are now fleeing from the Roman soldiers.
EVE (breathing heavily):
Zenobia, it's over.
ZENOBIA:
No! Not as long as you're alive, Livia!
She swings at Eve again.
EVE (dodges a blow):
I'm not Livia anymore. I'm... (her voice drops) I'm sorry about what I did to you.
Close-up on Zenobia.
ZENOBIA (chuckles bitterly):
It doesn't mean much now, does it?
She charges again and they spar; Eve is not attacking but only defending herself.
EVE (panting):
Zenobia--hate is the most destructive force in the world. You've let it consume you--destroy the good woman you used to be.
ZENOBIA:
So what? I have nothing left because of you.
EVE (parries another blow):
You can put this rage behind you. Trust me--I know.
ZENOBIA (snarls with rage):
Don't you dare preach to me!
Zenobia charges violently at Eve, throwing her against a turret on the wall and pushing up her sword against Eve's neck, blocked from delivering a killing blow only by Eve's own blade. Eve struggles to free herself and pushes Zenobia back. She loses her footing and goes over the edge of the wall.
Eve looks horrified and ashamed as she rushes to the edge of the wall. She looks over the wall and sees Zenobia hanging by one hand, holding onto a large gap between two stones. She lets go of her sword and it falls down with a loud clanging sound. Eve looks down at the ground to see jagged rocks below. She reaches down, extending her hand to Zenobia.
EVE:
Take my hand.
ZENOBIA:
I won't be a prisoner of Rome--not again.
EVE:
I promise you, that's not going to happen. Take my hand--now!
ZENOBIA (disgusted):
And owe my life to the Bitch of Rome? I'd rather die.
EVE:
No.
Smiling gleefully, Zenobia lets go of the crack in the wall and starts to fall as a horror-struck Eve clasps her hands to her mouth.
XENA (off-camera):
Eve!
Eve turns around, the horror in her face giving way to incredulous joy. Pan over to show Xena standing below.
EVE:
Mother--you're all right!
She rushes down the ramp and hugs Xena. A close-up of the two women embracing.
DISSOLVE TO
Xena and Gabrielle sitting at a table in a small dining room in the Roman military headquarters, eating.
GABRIELLE (smiles as she moves away her empty plate):
Well, there's definitely nothing wrong with your appetite.
XENA:
I'm telling you, I'm feeling better than ever.
GABRIELLE (suddenly serious):
I was--starting to worry you'd finally run out of lives.
XENA:
Nah, I should have another three or four left. (grins) I never got a chance to thank Ares properly--
GABRIELLE (smirks):
I'm sure you will.
Xena gives her a dirty look.
There is a flash of blue light and Ares materializes standing next to the table.
ARES:
I do believe I heard my name...
GABRIELLE:
Ares...thank you for what you did.
ARES (embarrassed, nods in acknowledgment):
Mm-hmm.
GABRIELLE (looks from Ares to Xena):
I think I'll go and see how Eve's doing. (her face turns sad) We're supposed to be going out for Orphelia's funeral in half an hour.
XENA (slightly distracted):
Right.
As Gabrielle leaves, Ares sits down next to Xena.
XENA:
Ares...
He takes her hands.
ARES:
There's something you should know. With Athena's blessing, any god can heal a mortal from a fatal wound--once.
XENA (impassive):
Oh.
ARES:
It's the law of the gods...made so that the gods' favorites couldn't cheat death over and over again. Athena herself couldn't break that law when you killed Ilainis.
XENA (in a near-whisper):
I see...
ARES:
So, the next time... (his voice trails off; he looks away, then looks up at Xena again) We can never truly be together, can we? As long as I'm a god and you're mortal--one day you'll be gone and I'll have to go on without you--for eternity.
Xena looks wistfully at him and touches his cheek.
XENA:
Mortality...immortality--it's just what separates us, Ares. All we can do is make the most of the time we have right now.
They look at each other for a long moment, then kiss. Their kiss grows passionate; Ares' hands caress Xena's shoulders as he kisses his way down her neck and to her chest. Xena throws her head back, her breath growing husky.
XENA (pushes him back, trying to keep control):
I--didn't mean that quite so--literally.
CUT TO
Eve in her room, packing a saddlebag. She is back in her Amazon clothing. There is a knock on the door.
EVE (turns):
Mother?
VIRGIL (off-camera):
No, it's me.
EVE (looks perturbed):
Oh...come in.
The door opens and Virgil comes in.
EVE:
Hello.
VIRGIL:
Eve...you've been avoiding me all this time. What's wrong?
EVE:
You were there yesterday when I watched Zenobia kill Orphelia before my eyes... (She looks down, and then raises tear-filled eyes toward Virgil) Just like you were there when I killed your father.
VIRGIL (looks pained):
Oh, Eve...
EVE:
And she wasn't even my real mother. (vehemently) You should hate me as much as Zenobia did.
VIRGIL:
I don't believe in hate. Eve--you know I lo--
EVE (interrupts):
No. Don't say it. Please don't. Don't make it any harder.
VIRGIL:
Make what harder? Are you saying that we shouldn't see each other again?
EVE:
Don't you think it's for the best?
VIRGIL (hotly):
No, I don't! I thought we had moved on and--
EVE:
You can't move on from some things, Virgil. What do you see in our future? We get married, have children? And some day we have to tell them that Mom killed Grandpa?
Virgil is momentarily at a loss for words. He looks down, then sideways, then at Eve again. He seems close to tears.
VIRGIL:
Maybe it's crazy. But I can't change the way I feel about you. Not Livia. Eve. The woman you've become.
EVE:
I care about you too. But I can't change the fact that your father died by my hand. Or that I still think about it when I look at you.
There is a long, awkward silence.
VIRGIL:
Do you want me to leave?
EVE (with an effort):
Yes. (pauses) Thank you for coming here and-- (her voice breaking) helping me out.
VIRGIL (in a neutral voice, obviously hurt):
You're welcome. Good-bye, Eve.
He turns around and walks out.
EVE (whispers tearfully):
Good-bye, Virgil...
DISSOLVE TO
The garden outside Orphelia's house. A large group of people is gathered around a pile of sticks, with a body wrapped in white cloth on top of it. Four large burning torches are positioned around the pyre.
Xena, Gabrielle, Haimon, Eve, and Nymphidius (his leg in a splint) are standing at the front of the group. Eve is wearing a black stole around her shoulders, in mourning. She approaches the pyre, picks up a torch and lights it. The wood goes up in flames, burning bright.
Eve returns to stand with the others.
NYMPHIDIUS:
You know, we never did find Zenobia's body.
GABRIELLE:
Maybe the retreating Visigoths took it away.
XENA:
Or maybe not. (grimly) From what you've told me, she seems like the type to have nine lives.
Eve stares pensively at the flames.
DISSOLVE TO
|
[FLASHBACK]
[END OF FLASHBACK] |
XENA:
Nymphidius, those Visigoths--don't think they're defeated. It may take them a while to rebuild their forces, but they'll be back.
NYMPHIDIUS:
Don't worry, the Empire will be ready for them.
GABRIELLE:
What's going to happen to the ones who've been captured?
NYMPHIDIUS (shrugs):
I'm sure the barbarians will make excellent gladiators.
Xena and Gabrielle shoot him disgusted looks. Eve looks intensely uncomfortable.
NYMPHIDIUS (to Xena and Gabrielle):
I do want to thank you for what you did to help protect this colony.
XENA:
We'd do the same for anyone.
NYMPHIDIUS:
Still, when I make my report to the emperor, I'd like to put you in for a special commendation--and honorary citizenship of Rome.
XENA (coldly):
Don't bother.
Nymphidius looks at her, surprised, then shrugs.
The camera zooms in on Eve's profile as she sadly watches the fire, and then pulls back to show Xena and Gabrielle looking at Eve, as we:
FADE OUT
THE END
[Allying with her greatest enemy proved to be a hazard to Xena's health during the production of this motion picture.]
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Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 9 Episode 4 What Separates Us II Story By: Aurora, Ryan and LadyKate Head Writer: LadyKate Co-Writer: Aurora Edited By: LadyKate Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast
Original Airdate March 24, 2005 Allying with her greatest enemy proved to be a hazard to Xena's health during the production of this motion picture.  DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com |
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