Whoosh! Issue 46 - July 2000
Letters to the Editor


To write to the editor regarding your comments, observations, and questions about Whoosh!, send an e-mail to ktaborn@lightspeed.net and mark the subject "Letter to the Editor". All letters with the subject "Letter to the editor" are subject to publication and may be edited. Due to the volume received, some letters may not be answered individually or receipt acknowledged. Letters received after the 15th of the month may be reserved for the issue after the immediate new issue.




Sexual Objectification In Xena: Warrior Princess
Gabwhackers: A Comparison
June Editorial: The Night of the Jilted Joxer
June Editorial: You Have to Go Outside to Go to New Orleans
Le Morte D'Joxer
Pondering the 5th Season
Braining Gabrielle and Other Hobbies
Kudos
Xena and Callisto
Centaur Genetics
Josh Becker
Politically Incorrect
Cleopatra 2525 Music
Another Fan Drive
Upcoming Convention: Toronto Trek
Creative Writing Corner



Letters To The Editor



Sexual Objectification In Xena: Warrior Princess

From: Michael Klossner
Subject: letter re Gordon , Objectification
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000

In her article "Sexual Objectification in XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS or Where are the Three Naked, Dancing Autolyci" in WHOOSH 44, Rachel Gordon objected to the prominent display of Xena's and Gabrielle's bodies. Besides the facts that I'm a man and I like it, what can I say?

First, if display of attractive bodies is objectifying and harmful, is it better or worse to display male bodies as well as female, as Dr. Gordon suggests? Do we want more exploitation or less? If we want less the solution is to have no display of female or male bodies, which is likely to be an unpopular option. I appreciate the argument that it's more fair to show both genders the same way, but that is simply spreading the exploitation around.

Second, who would the undressed men be? Men in XENA are mostly villains, hapless victims, fools (Joxer) or rogues (Autolycus, Salmoneus). Which of those would be better off naked? If a scantily-clad Gabrielle fought a scantily-clad villain, that would give a very different impression than her usual fight. Dr. Gordon suggests Ares, Autolycus, Palaemon, Rafe, Darnelle and Cupid. (But not Ulysses.) Three of those men were in one episode only. Cupid is only occasionally seen and Autolycus was in only a few episodes.

Third, if there were underdressed men on XENA, how would Xena and Gabrielle react to them? Would they be interested, amused, indifferent, contemptuous? Any of those reactions would be controversial, especially indifference, which would imply disinterest in men. The XENA makers apparently don't want to get into that territory.

Fourth, there is no reason to assume a correlation between equal display of male and female bodies and a show's quality, or even its adherence to sexual equality. HERCULES had more male body display than XENA but was it better? Many HERCULES episodes were better than many XENA episodes but was the whole series better? BEASTMASTER has probably more display of male bodies than any other show but it is almost unwatchably bad.

Most interesting to me are the old pepla films, the Italian-made muscleman epics of the late 1950s and early 60s. They featured very equal displays of men and women. Characters of both sexes wore the pepla, the short skirts after which the films were named. Men often wore nothing else. The films were visually very sexy but morally very conservative. Girls in the films were either helpless virginal heroines or seductive villainesses. Neither could fight; the villainesses' weapons were seduction and armies of male henchmen.

I'm not attacking Dr. Gordon's article, just thinking of points to be made around the edges of her arguments. However, there is one error to be corrected. In her para. 29, Dr. Gordon refers to "the mud wrestling scene in LITTLE PROBLEMS". That wasn't mud wrestling; that was oil wrestling. For Gabrielle in mud we had to wait for KINDRED SPIRITS.

Michael Klossner






From: Rdwarior
Subject: letter to the editor
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000

I'm not the type of person who generally writes letters to the editor but after reading Andjam's commentary on Rachel Gordon's article "Sexual Objectification in XWP", I had to do something.

The article itself is a fascinating and unique look at something we all take for granted in today's media- the objectification of women. As in her previous articles, Gordon asks us to look more closely at our favorite show and to see what messages lie beneath the surface.

The article is not about Joxer, who is a character and doesn't really have thoughts of his own, it doesn't say that some types of sexism are better or worse than others, and it doesn't even mention subtext. All those contraversial subjects that xenites love to discuss but will never agree on - they're not in this article.

What the article does do is it makes us examine one of our guilty pleasures - looking at sex objects- and think about what that means in a society made up of both men and women.

Whoosh! was originally designed as a forum for pseudointellectual and intellectual thought. Rachel Gordon's articles are some of the few remaining that still adhere to this principle.

Rdwarior






AmazonWannabe
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000
Subject: Letter to the Editor

I just wanted to thank you for writing "Sexual Power in Xena: Warrior Princess." It seemed more apparent then ever this season, and I'm glad someone with the power to express it so clearly did so. It was a wonderful article, and it pointed out many, many things that I hadn't even noticed before. I agree with you whole-heartedly, the more common the objectification of women becomes, the less sensitive we become about it. I love the show so much...especially Gabrielle's character, and as beautiful as I think she is, I also think that her character this season was starting to weaken. Oh well, I am very hopeful for the 6th season. Thanks again for writing this amazing article.





Gabwhackers: A Comparison

From: Jasper Hedger
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000
Subject: Letter to the Editor: Jim Yuen's gabwhacker article

I've just read Jim Yuen's fun and informative article on Gabrielle's staff. A couple of points though.

Firstly, the term merkin. Jim Yuen says this is how SoundWarrior describes the decoration on the staff. (Btw, SoundWarrior's how to make a gabwhacker piece is a lot of fun too.) In the article this is defined as, "A swab for cleaning out a cannon." Well my dictionary, Chambers 20thC, defines it as a, "Hairpiece for the pubic area." It does not explain why Gabrielle would want one on the end of her staff, though I liked the idea of it being used to tell which end is up.

Secondly, one feature of the staff which cropped up in The Greater Good, and hasn't been seen since, is that it is a take-down model. In one scene Gab is clearly shown with it folded into three sections putting it away in Argo's saddlebag. As the article says the design does change from ep to ep.

Anyway thanks to Jim Yuen for writing the article and thanks to Whoosh for publishing it.

All the best,
Jasper





The Night of the Jilted Joxer

From: Brian Lashmar
Subject: Editorial
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000

This is just a short note to let you know that I enjoyed your Joxer Editorial very much (but then I always look forward to your editorials).

I agree with you that TPTB should have developed the Joxer character and allowed him to grow. I was also disappointed with the way he died-Joxer just getting in the way again. I should point out that I am a Joxer fan but at the same time, I think it would be a mistake to bring him back from the dead. This devise has been used too many times.

Also, I've been a loyal fan of the show for the last 5 seasons and I am looking forward to season 6. However, I find that everything (including my love for the show) is beginning to wind down. I also experienced this with Star Trek TNG and Deep Space 9 (I could never get into Voyager). Anyway, My point is that maybe its time for XWP to come to an end. I just hope that in Season 6 they go out in style. TPTB for the most part have not disappointed me yet and I doubt they will.

Thanks
Brian Edward Lashmar
Hamilton,On.
Canada






From: Kim
Subject: Joxer Editorial
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000

Nicely done. I hope all concerned see it as the even-handed and respectful piece that it is. I especially appreciate your addressing the Joxer as an "Everyman" issue. I wonder if that was why Joxer infuriated some folks so? Who among us, after all, could hope to catch the eye and friendship of a great warrior and bard? We have met the idiot, and he is us.

Good for you for placing the responsibility for the character's dramatic failings with the show's directors, writers and producers, where it belongs.

Regards,
Kim






Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000
From: Ellen Beckworth
Subject: jilted joxer

Read your Jilted Joxer column and agreed with what you had to say -

I don't think Joxer is finished on Xena - but my guess is he'll be used a lot more sparingly, and maybe show up as Jett, though I'd prefer Jace

I also liked him a lot in Callisto - since it helped Gabrielle's character to look more mature in relation to Joxer's persona at that point in time - and he was funny in so many ways - that tiny knife was great

I also liked him in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Been There Done That; and the best moment of all for Joxer was definitely that poignant campfire scene at end of Comedy of Eros

I also really liked Forget-me-Not, mainly because I thought it was a pretty important part of the Debt/Dahak/Rift arc - in that I thought Joxer was a fully realized character - torn between taking advantage of G and doing right by her - it's to his credit that he did the latter

He hasn't gotten enough credit for the hind's dagger throw in Sac II, nor the daisies he brought G at the beginning of Family Affair....

I also liked the show Deja Vu because of the comedy and the present day setting - the kiss at the end was appreciated, too, since I'm a subtexter

He'll be back !!! Ciao!

Ellen
Boston






From: Gary
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000
Subject: Joxer

Good write-up about Joxer...pretty much the way I saw him thru 5 seasons. It is tiring,tho,to see the characters killed off so often....I mean,where is the worry that someone will REALLY die,as in Is There a Doctor In The House? How can RenPics ever top that scene where Xena tries to save Gabby? Also,even this past season,Gab gets killed (again) by Alti in the "otherworld"....Xena has to bring her back to life again as in Doctor....House.....gee,didn't they just die on the cross a few eps ago,too? I feel the powers that be are just out of ideas. Why don't they just stick to what worked beautifully for 3 years,even with the "rift"? I hope there won't be a sixth season,despite the fact that I USED to love the show. I will watch any that come,in case there is another gem like Paradise Found,one of the best since One Against an Army.

Even tho I criticized the fifth season,I will continue to watch,if it ever will be on again....just in case they finally see what they have done to a formerly excellent show and correct it.

Keep up the good work...i enjoy your web-site.

Gary in Vermont






From: Heidi Perryman
Subject: I enjoyed your Joxer piece...
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000

And I think you make an good case, especially about the theme of remaking yourself. It would have been nice to see Joxer become more than he was.

But you *really* didn't like FF&G??? huh. I think it's priceless for Gabby's narcissim alone!

:-)
Antigone






From: Linda Mallory
Subject: RE: Bravo re your June Whoosh! editorial!
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000

Perfectly put, dear sir. You articulated several ironies present in the premise of XWP per se and the development (and corresponding deconstruction) of Joxer's character. More episodes like "Convert" and "Intimate Stranger" might have blunted the harshness of the Joxerphobes somewhat. Instead, the writers/directors/producers (them's called TPTB here in cyberland, little lady) incessantly re-dumbed him down, so that even his fans often had to watch from between their fingers as they covered their eyes.

The Comedy of Eros broke my heart too, and the Whoosh article re Asperger's Syndrome put me in his corner for good. So I'll miss Joxer. Sad to see him go, even though it was as heroic a moment as it could possibly be.....but you never can tell, as you said. Who knows?? If he does come back, maybe they'll let him return a bit wiser. Wouldn't THAT be nice!

Linda M.






From: Rich Furman
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000
Subject: Joxer's death.

I find your editorial intriguing, but there are a couple of points I wanted to share with you.

1) Fins and FishSticks both sucked. However, Sickness is in my eyes one of the best Joxer episodes. The reason is simple, as in Sacrifice, his role is critical to the mission and he succeeds rousingly.

2) Joxer's attempts at growth are often short-circuited by X & G themselves. They seem at times so concerned with preserving his self esteem, that they shield him from his own insights. As an example of this is the exchange between X & J at the end of "For Him The Bell Tolls." Joxer realizes that has been an idiot wannabe and instead of using this insight to give him a goal to strive for, Xena simply lets him off the hook. Gabrielle does the same thing in Livia, where she prevents Joxer from telling Virgil the truth about himself. This raises the question of why they are infantilizing him by defending his delusions of grandeur whenever he threatens to move beyond them.

3) The issue you raise regarding Joxer becoming stupid after apparently learning is, I think, a problem with the writer's perceptions of the characters. Different writers characterize the characters very differently. A good example is the fact that in Gabrielle's Hope, G is able to successfully evade Xena and convince her that Hope is dead. Next week, in King of Assassins, she is portrayed as a weak-minded Xena wannabe. The same is done to Joxer, but the overall path has been growth.

Rich Furman






From: C. Pattee
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000
Subject: joxer editorial

once again, you have nailed an idea dead on, that tends to get overlooked on the all-female lists where i tend to hang out. i've never been a rabit anti-joxer fan, and appreciated at the time the touching moments you have pointed out here, but you have pointed out the significant flaw - the failure to allow this character to grow - that becomes obvious only after it is pointed out.

write on, brother!





June Editorial: You Have to Go Outside to Go to New Orleans

From: Jules/JettX
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000
Subject: Calendar note WHOOSH!

As usual, WHOOSH! is great this month and I really liked your editorial. It's so true! I have friends all over the US and a few Canadians and Brits as well.

~Jules/JettX





Le Morte D'Joxer

From: Rebekah
Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000
Subject: Letter to the Editor

I am writing this letter to express my sorrow at Joxer's death. I just read an interview with Robert Tapert in which he stated that Joxer will not be in season 6. As I thought about his character and his subsequent demise, I finally realized who Joxer really was in the show.

We watch Xena and we think, as does Gabrielle, I want to be Xena. I want to be that hero. I want to be strong. I want to make a difference. We dream of being Xena. We think we are Gabrielle. But the cold hard truth is that we are each Joxer.

We are the outsider. If we really look at ourselves, we have each loved someone who will never love us back. We have each thought we are more than we are. We have each fallen on our face. We have each been more courageous, than skilled. We have each loved and cared sincerely. We are each Joxer.

It is one thing to watch a hero. It is quite a different thing to be human. Each time they show the human side of Xena and Gabrielle it is to remind us that they are only human. But what really shocked us were the few times that Joxer, in a quiet and simple way, rose above his own incompetance.

Just as Joxer, we are not really a part of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship. We are simply outsiders, who each week attempt to be part of what they have. We go with them and we have our opinions, and feelings, but we don't really influence either Xena or Gabrielle. They let us in only to watch. They care because as heros they care about everyone, but we are simply Joxer. And now that they have killed him, they have killed me.

Rebekah





Pondering the 5th Season

From: Melissa
Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000

First I want to thank you for giving us such a valuable resource.

Second, I was just reading Mr. Tapert's comments about this season, and I totally agree with him. This season has been all about missed opportunities. Episodes like Succession had great ideas (Ares tries to seduce Gab, and Xena turns a very unbecoming shade of green), but no follow through. I think that there's been an 'unplanned' rift this season, because G & X seemed out of tune with each other, and I don't think that it's been the actresses. Writes, rewries, re-rewrites.... these have GOT to take a toll on the series, and they have. For instance, right before Xena takes on the biggest challenge of her life (defeating an army of 10,000 men in BIB), she shoos Gab and Joxer away, and then HUGS what's-her-face! Then we have a slew of inconsistencies, such as Gab's voice over in Punch Lines, "India, I don't get that place." Hello, Gab! Wasn't she the one immersing herself in the culture and the "WAY?" Here's a good question, why does Gab only kick butt when Xena isn't around? As soon as Xena shows up (and is able to fight), Gab turns into a punching bag waiting to be rescued. Here we have two girls who are (/should be) totally attuned to each other's moves. They have the background to competently operate as two halves of a whole, right and left hands, acting seperately, but in conjunction. How could anyone defeat?

This isn't to say that there haven't been moments. Some of the eps this season have been fairly majestic. I would even expect some hits and misses, but the extremes this season have almost been too much to bear. Again, I don't fault the girls; they work with what they have. ROC is an amazing actress. She communicates with one expression what most actresses need 10 min of screen time to say. (My fave is the total change in her facial expression and body language at the end of Maternal Instincts when Hope says "...Solan..") And I definately have a lot of respect for LL. How many women could hold her performances to this quality, and activity level, while pregnant? (An aside: how did she get THAT body back so quickly? Have you seen the MAXIM cover?)

Anyhow, I'm sorry that this has been a tirade, but I don't really have anyone with whom to converse about my favorite show. Again, thanks for all of the work that you do. I check Whoosh daily. It is my only resource in the Xenaverse! Keep it up, babe. We all love you (and the rest of your production staff!) for it.

Melissa






Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000
From: Michelle Walker
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Isn't there anyway they can pretend this last season was a dream sequence. (Like Bobby in the shower in Dallas). I'm sorry I really liked the Gods, (Ares, Athena's bitchiness, Hades, Cupid, and the Black haird girl) . I wish this entire season (except for the singing episode) would disappear. Do you know if there is a petition some where I can sign for this?

Thanks
Michelle

P.S. I love your website!






From: Richard P. McArthur
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000
Subject: Letter to the editor

Gentlemen [Editor's note: I guess this is addressed to Bret, our token male]:

As one new to Xena fandom, although having seen some episodes of XENA and HERCULES in the past, I'd look to make some observations and comments about the 5th season.

I've seen enough of the two series' past episodes to note the sharp difference between those episodes and the recent episodes. On XENA, an odd storyline has been developed. It changes some of the characters (literally), and premises; follows a trend toward grandiosity; and unnecessary grimness.

First: whose idea was it to kill off the gods? I'm willing to bet there was no underlying pressure from the viewers to kill off the gods, or go to monotheism from polytheism. I'm willing to bet viewers would have been happy to accept the Olympians as a steady presence right to the end of the two series.

Second: have TPTB thought of how this season will effect syndication viewing? Think of it: You're looking at Hades as played in the earlier episodes of HERCULES and XENA, wherein he's basically sympathetic. But can you forget that he's going to wind up trying to kill a baby? Would Hades have been written up this 5th season had Eric Thomson still played him? Remember HERCULES episodes in which Hephaesteus is sympathetically shown. Now anyone viewing those episodes must again recall Hephaesteus ends up trying to kill a baby, Xena's daughter. And of course, any comments by immortals on immortality will have the Twilight of the Gods in the background.

Third: does eliminating Joxer not cast a pall on all past episodes in which he appeared? It seems to me that if he was to be killed, it should have been in the first season, not the fifth.

Fourth: look how makeshift the writing has been this season. In the past episodes, almost every Olympian has had the following powers:

selective invisibility
shape changing
moving people and objects without actually touching them
throwing flame, fireballs, and lightning bolts
Note-even Callisto, when a goddess, though not an Olympian, could toss people around without touching, and could throw fire and fireballs.

Ares was able to unite Xena's and Gabrielle's bodies, without their consent.

Aphrodite could change Xena's and Daphne's souls and bodies, again without asking permission.

So, if the Olympians want to murder a baby, they shouldn't need armies as in Amphipolis under Siege. The kid's a gone goose from the start. The scriptwriters had to ignore most of the past episodes to keep Eve alive.

Finally: what's with this Eli Religion aspect? The writers obviously don't want to mention Christianity, but they want to introduce Judaeo-Christian factors, in addition to Hindu reincarnationism. The whole thing should have been ducked.

Look: the episodes were, individually, well done. They were riveting, we cared about the people. But as a continuum with the past, they fail. And, I repeat, they may overall discourage syndication and rerun viewing.

I hope I'm wrong.

Vty
Richard P. McArthur






From: LeedsBard
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000
Subject: Letter to the editor

What's going on here?

Despite having been a fan of Xena and Gabrielle since season one was shown on terrestrial TV over here - OK, so that's not as long as lots of you out there, but this is England we're talking about! - I've never really felt compelled to add my opinions about anything. It always felt like everyone else was saying it so well, I didn't need to.

However......I've been watching the recent debate about the future of the show, the alleged death of the subtext in season five, the way TPTB have 'sold out' on certain sections of the fan base and last, and certainly not least, the very public exits of various individuals from the Xenaverse, shouting very loudly about how the show now stinks and should be cancelled, or about how they feel they're not wanted anymore.....and this is really begin ning to piss me off.

Have we been watching the same show, I ask myself? No subtext in seasons four and five? Pardon me?!! The whole of season four was like a gigantic love story, from Xena searching for a dead Gabrielle in Adventures in the Sin Trade I & II, thru the 'welcome' she got from Gabrielle's parents in A Family Affair, the sub-plot with Najara, the totally wonderful Between the Lines and right up to Ides of March. And in season five the central premise of Xena and Gabrielle raising a child together with no male father figure. If that's not subtext, what is it? Other than main text of course.....

And maybe that's where it starts to get interesting - a potential relationship is OK as subtext (vaguely naughty, a secret turn-on, hidden desires we don't talk about in public but jerk off to in private) but when it starts to look like there might be some kind of serious commitment in this relationship it gets to be a problem (no room for sexual fantasies of threesomes if the two women involved are exclusively committed to each other.)

And is this also a reason why so many people seem unhappy with the new-look Gabby? Granted, I liked the bard too, so I'm not saying it's a total improvement, but this new Gabby is really hot. Fiery, sexy and most of all, a grown woman - at last, thank the gods. (And I love the hair.) But is she just a little more threatening now - little too tough, a little less of the girly stuff that some fantasies are made of.....? (Not mine, I hasten to add!)

Now mind, I'm not saying that 'Subtext Rules' or anything, so please don't harrass me with that.... I believe the show is open to a number of interpretations (apart from the Gabrielle/Joxer thing, which is just silly.) What I'm saying is that the subtext is still there if you want to see it. It just looks different.

And anyway, how did you all expect it to look by now? Face it, we will never see Xena and Gabrielle in anything more intimate than that kiss. It just won't happen, not on mainstream American TV (although what a way for them to go out at the end of season six......hey, I can dream can't I......?!!) But seriously, if you want more than that, read the fan fiction 'cos that's the only place you're going to find it.

Also, I keep hearing people talk about seasons one and two as though they were some kind of halcyon days for the show, such perfection that can never be reached again. Hello....? Did you actually watch those programmes recently? Some of them are really lame - I remember thinking that at the time, and they haven't improved any with age. Everyone remembers Is There a Doctor in the House and A Day in the Life, and rightly so. But what about Dea th Mask or Ulysses, most of Chariots of War, Cradle of Hope or A Fistful of Dinars? These just don't compare with Adventures in the Sin Trade I & II or any of the Najara or India episodes. Episodes that are so intense they leave you drained after watching them. (Well, they did me, anyway.....)

I don't think season five is brilliant - I've only seen half of it so far, and I admit a lot of it has been disappointing (although I loved Xena telling Ares that Gabrielle got the job being of the baby's father, and the sub-plot with Cyrene and all the dodgy men in Lyre Lyre.) I don't think the writers have responded nearly as creatively to Lucy's pregnancy as they could have done - or as we no doubt expected them to, after what they achieved when she fell off that horse (and revisiting Chin without Lao Ma was a big mistake.) But hell, we all make mistakes. What I do know is that Xena and Gabrielle are still there and still committed to each other, and that they are still the only thing on mainstream television that speaks to me in such a personal way.

I know I won't be alone in saying that this programme has changed my life (gone some way towards saving it, in fact.) And I know that, for me at least, a large part of this has been due to the positive and inclusive attitude of Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor and Rob Tapert, for which I thank all of them, from the heart. That in itself would be enough reason for me to stick with the show. But as I've said, I don't actually think it's that bad - just different. I'm not going anywhere. See you all for season six!

Battle on Xena!

Sue B (LeedsBard)





Braining Gabrielle and Other Hobbies

Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000
Name withheld
Subject: Letter to the Editor

An observation about my still-favorite show: From the Gab drag of The Bitter Suite to the "Chak-attack" of Motherhood -- boy, with friends like Xena, Gab needs no enemies.

But perhaps now Xena can understand why Gabrielle was a bit protective about her own daughter when Xena tried repeatedly to kill Hope. And Eve apparently killed a lot more people than Hope had a chance to kill in her short lifespan. (Eve's little crucifixion spree alone probably accomplished that.) I guess that's part of the old Xenaverse double-standard -- when Xena does something questionable -- like trying to kill newborn baby Hope -- it's for the greater good. When insanely-possessed-by-the Furies Gabrielle tries to kill mass murderer Eve, she gets a chak-attack.

I'm glad Eve survived, but I'm weary of the trend we've seen increasingly since the beginning of the India arc: Xena never does any wrong, yet Gabrielle seems to never do anything right. She's always the gullible one, the weak one, the one who screws up or makes the wrong choices. For a couple of episodes at the beginning of the season -- notably Chakram -- I thought perhaps this trend was being reversed and that Gab would finally get her due. But I guess the real problem is that the show is named "Xena" -- not "Xena and Gabrielle"-- and Lucy, not Renee, is married to Rob.






Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000
From: Rob Lent
Subject: Letter To the Editor

Many people have taken issue with Xena attacking Gabrielle with her chakram when Gabrielle was about to stab Eve. I've thought about this, and I think the reason it seems she went to far is what I call the "Superman Effect". In old Superman comics, Superman was powerful enough to move the moon, if needed. However, when teamed up with someone of lesser powers, in order to make the story plausible, his powers were toned down.

By itself, Xena's actions are not unreasonable. She saw her daughter being attacked, and instintively attacked the person who was a threat to her daughter.

The problem is that a precedent has been set many times in the past of Xena being able to do miraculous things with the chakram, with no more time to prepare than she had in this episode. The irony is that all these prior implausible chakram tricks makes Xena's actions seem somewhat implausible, even though, in this episode, they were realistic.

Rob Lent









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