Antony and Cleopatra


Shadow Warrior

This was a wonderful episode and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a lot of the old Xena fire in this one.

As our story opens, some servant girls are pouring a milk bath for Cleopatra, who disrobes and enters the bath. Two male messengers enter with a message for Cleopatra, telling of a war involving Rome. It seems that Mark Antony wants the services of the Egyptian navy to help them win. Cleo sends a message back to the chief admiral. She exclaims that so much important business always happens when she's naked!

Then, an urgent message from Rome arrives. The messenger hands the scroll off to Cleo. As she unrolls it to read the message, an Asp bites her! It falls into the bath and swims off, leaving her mortally bitten. Cleo tells her main servant to bring the scroll to Xena. Then, she dies.

Xena and Gabrielle are reading the scroll.

Next scene, Mark Antony gets a message in the form of a scroll, along with a huge carpet that is rolled up. The carpet is placed at Antony's feet, and he reads the message. He unrolls the carpet and Xena is inside, dressed only in chains. She says that she is Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. She tells him that Egypt is his, and kisses him. Then she asks him to free her from her chains. As he unlocks the locks, the chains fall to ground, leaving her naked. He gallantly gives her a blue robe to wear.

He tells her that he came there to get an alliance with Egypt, based on TRUST. She tells him to come to her palace, and that she can find a bed for him there.

Meanwhile, Brutus comes to Cleo's palace and demands to see Cleopatra. Gabrielle is dressed as a queen's aide, and Brutus immediately recognizes her. He asks how she survived the crucifixion. Then he tells her that he has information which can save Cleopatra's life, but he MUST see Cleo.

Gabrielle brings Brutus to Xena, who is in her brown leathers. He demands to see Cleopatra, but Xena puts him off. He says he's happy that Xena survived the crucifixion.

Cleopatra (Xena) in the bath as Mark Antony enters the room. He tells her that he will put the alliance question to rest by morning, and then he leaves. As Xena (Cleo) sits with mouth open, Gab says that she didn't expect Antony to accept the invitation. Xena says, "Neither did I."

Back in the palace, Xena is asleep (as Cleo). Someone is stealing into her room, dressed in a black cloak. She collars him, and throws him to the bed beside her. He asks her if she's Cleopatra, and she asks him who he is. Suddenly there's a huge fire and both are nearly burned up alive. Xena saves the intruder from death by lunging through fire and spears him through a door.

As they land in the hallway, they are surrounded by soldiers. The intruder says he's being pursued by Mark Antony, who means to kill him. Antony appears, and says that the intruder is Octavius, a nephew of Julius Caesar. Octavius swears that he meant to save Cleo rather than kill her. Xena (Cleo) has him taken away, saying she will deal with him later.

Then Xena asks Antony why he's there. He calmly whispers that he came to put her fire out. As Gabrielle cranes her neck and looks on in bewilderment at Antony's statement, she looks irritated at both of them.

Xena and Antony court, kiss, and eat fruit to some wonderful musical accompaniment. Xena falls in love with Mark Antony, who is really in love with her, too.

Meanwhile, Gab and some other women servants are watching the entire scene. Finally, Gabrielle interferes, telling Xena (Cleo) that she mustn't forget her "meeting" that she's expected in shortly. Antony says "Rome wasn't built in one day."

Xena and Gabrielle are talking together, and the subject of the Egyptian navy is the topic. Seems that it is requested by all sides involved in the war, and that is the reason for the intended alliance with Rome. Xena, in defense of her role here, says she will kill Antony if she has to. She has that evil sneer on face as she says this.

Antony sends a message to Cleopatra (Xena) requesting a secret meeting with her. Xena says she's got Antony right where she wants him.

She goes and meets with Antony, beside a campfire. Antony is thinking of the future, and is philosophic. She asks him if he's only interested in the navy. He says that he came at first only for that, but now it's changed. He changed his mind and doesn't want her navy after all. He only wants her love.

Xena (Cleo) turns away, shaking her head. She tells him that love won't save his empire, but the navy can. He draws her to him, and they kiss. Then they lie down on robes beside the fire, kissing.

Suddenly, Antony is attacked by soldiers of Brutus's army. Antony fights valiantly, defeating them alone. It's all Xena can do to keep from interfering in the fight! He kills all of them except one, and is about to kill him, too, when Xena stops him. She spares the soldier's life, and sends him back to Brutus with a message that they have failed.

Gab goes to talk with young Octavius. He tells her that he didn't come to attack Cleopatra, but truly did come to assist her. He only wanted Roman peace. Gab is understanding, and listens to him. Then, she goes back to Cleopatra (Xena) and says that Octavius was innocent of charges. Xena says that Antony wanted her love rather than the navy.

Xena walks in to find Antony studying a map, and asks him if he's contemplating leaving. He says that he's trying to outguess Brutus. He will execute Brutus, who's a traitor to Rome. She asks him about Octavius. He says that Octavius is a good boy but unfortunately he can't be allowed to become a good man. She tells Antony to go, and take her navy to crush Brutus. Her navy will reenforce his army.

Cleopatra (Xena) is sitting on her throne, when Brutus enters. He realizes that Xena is Cleo and wants to know what is going on here. She tells him that HE was the one who killed Cleopatra. However, Xena and Brutus have a common enemy in Mark Antony. She tells him to go and crush Antony's army, and she will reenforce his army with her navy.

She's playing both sides against each other here....

Antony is on a ship in the dark, talking with Cleo (Xena). Gabrielle is on another ship, talking with Brutus. Gab tells Brutus that he's a murderer, and he says that he killed Cleopatra for the good of Rome. Gab asks him how many must die for Rome??

Meanwhile, Octavius is on an Egyptian ship, leading the navy. He's accompanied by Cleopatra's top woman aide.

Suddenly Brutus and Antony realize that there is a crash impending between their ships. Both proceed at ramming speed, and collide. There is a huge fight, with yells and swords clanking everywhere. A great fight!! Then, the Egyptian navy attacks. Brutus and Antony realize that Cleo pitted them against each other deliberately, but it's too late now. Brutus asks Gab if she knew this all along, and she did. They fight, and Gab knocked down with bloody mouth. He raises his sword to kill her, but Gab was quicker than he was and slashes him mortally. He falls, yelling in pain.

Antony then realizes that only Xena would have done such a diabolical thing. He confronts her with this, saying that he was deceived. With great pain in his face and eyes, he fights Xena, who also has great pain and hurt in her eyes. This is a fight that Antony can't win. Xena tries to stop him, but he continues with all his might. Emotionally hurt, they both fight. She tries not to hurt him, but finally she runs him through with her sword. His last words were "I did love you."

The Egyptian navy wins.

Octavius tells Xena that she must be rewarded for her great victory. She says she wants nothing. Turning to Octavius, she tells him that he must be very careful and rule wisely. Cleopatra only wanted peace and it cost her her life. Cleo WAS Egypt. She says that Octavius must realize the power and importance of this alliance.

Gabrielle smiles at Octavius, and joins Xena as they overlook the pyramids.

End of show.