Xena: Warrior Princess s04e05 Episode Script

Keep moving! Nothing.
No food or supplies.
This village is empty.
Empty? Caesar doesn't want to hear "empty".
His army needs food.
Pompey's soldiers came and took everything.
We had no choice.
We don't even have enough to feed ourselves.
They've been dealing with Pompey, our enemy.
-The enemy of Caesar! -No! My husband serves with Caesar's army.
-A greek mercenary? -Yes.
Your husband's a good soldier.
He knows the penalty for dealing with the enemy.
Javelins! Hold, centurions! -Who are you? -Flanigus.
Amanda.
Greek harp lights.
Legion of Darian.
Flanigus These people are under my protection! You're supposed to be at Corinth with the other greek mercenaries.
-Now, stand aside.
-I outrank you, centurion.
No greek outranks me.
Now, stand aside.
-We have a lesson to teach.
-I will not allow you to kill these people.
Javelins! Stand down! That is an order.
Stand down.
Ready? Xena.
Hello.
Flanigus.
Thanks.
Attack! Women and children! Get behind me! Quick! Get back! Back, men Back! -Fall back! -You heard him! Daddy! -Daddy! -Aremus! By the gods, we missed you.
So that's why you fought so hard.
Thanks.
I understand Caesar and Pompey have moved their armies here.
They've brought their filthy civil war from Rome to Greece -Into our land.
-That's right.
And with respect to your legend'ry abilities, Xena, there's nothing you can do to stop this war from happening.
Stop it? On the contrary I'm here to guarantee that it happens.
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, THE WARRIOR PRINCESS Did you make that? It's beautiful.
Good work.
Flanigus, we need to talk.
I haven't seen my family in two years.
I was hoping to make enough money in Caesar's army to buy a fishing pole, move to the sea.
Well That's all over now.
So Let me get this straight You want Caesar and Pompey to fight.
If their armies entrench themselves here, they'll be here for years.
And your people will be enslaved Forced to feed an army of occupation.
No.
I want them to waste their forces so quickly they have to take this all the way back to Rome.
And what about my family? These people? Pompey already has the paths through the cliffs guarded.
-There's no way out for them.
-We'll have to deal with that.
Why is it men always think war is a simple solution? Those are interesting words coming from a soldier of Rome.
I know you don't like me.
Maybe it's the uniform, huh? A greek, going off to serve in Caesar's legions I am not a traitor.
I would never kill a greek in Caesar's war.
Xena, you were right.
This valley is crisscrossed with caverns.
I talked to a few of the miners.
They're willing to make up a map for you.
Good.
You know, if we're gonna pull this off we need all the help we can get.
A long time ago I I promised my wife that when I returned I would never speak of war.
I didn't want my son to know about it.
I wanted his life to be peaceful.
You've got your man.
You're right, it was the uniform.
Don't get rid of it.
It'll come in handy.
Go to all the surrounding villages.
Gather anybody who's willing to fight and tell them Xena needs them here, now.
Come on! Hurry! I heard you're looking for people to volunteer.
-What's your name? -Temecula.
Temecula, this is war.
I've seen it.
You don't wanna jump into this.
I know and I'm afraid.
I've never shot anybody before.
Let's keep it that way, ok? Look, this is my home.
My family's lived here for generations.
This is all I've known.
We need someone to send back signals.
Are you any good with that? That'll do.
We'll have to stretch our lines thin to match Pompey.
He's got more men than we do and less ground to cover.
Stretch them.
Pompey's being cautious.
He knows my men are superior so he's content to let a siege happen.
Have the countryside combed for more supplies.
If a village is within Pompey's reach burn it.
What of the small hill next to the western line? Ignore it.
It's worthless.
Too many trees to use as either observation or artillery.
This time I have him if I have to destroy his army and this country, piece by piece.
Not bad.
From a distance, Caesar won't know if these belong to his army or Pompey's.
-Xena News.
-How many legions does Caesar have? That means his entire army's on the line.
I've managed to recruit some miners.
Well, they're not soldiers, but they're big and willing to fight.
We better get on with it then.
Everyone, gather 'round! Most of you are already packed, and the rest of you need to hurry.
It's time for you to go beyond the mountains.
You'll be safe there until this is all over.
I need to ask you to do something.
You must destroy your village.
-Destroy the village? -Burn it, raze it to the ground.
Kill all the cattle and poison the meat.
We must leave nothing for the romans to use.
This land must be worthless to them.
I know this is not an easy thing to do.
It's where you grew up It's your home.
Where you married, where you raised your families But it is the only way.
You can rebuild when you come back.
It is the only way.
Are you sure about this? Yes.
How long before they notice? They got spies all over the place, not long.
Make way! Message for Pompey! Stand clear! But that hill is useless! Why would Caesar weaken his line to send troops up there? I don't know, Lord Pompey Magnus.
They took the hill and planted Caesar's banner.
That's all I saw.
Caesar doesn't make mistakes.
There must be a reason.
What troops do we have near that hill? The detachments guarding the catapults at the cliff pass -are the closest.
-Send them up there.
If Caesar wants that hill I want that hill.
It worked.
Pompey has dispatched the men from the cliff pass.
They're coming down the south ridge.
Caesar should be here at any moment.
Pull our men out.
Let's move out.
It's deserted.
No.
There they are Pompey's men.
For Imperial Rome! For Caesar! Xena We got the villagers through the pass.
What now? First we get these catapults into hiding and then we give Caesar and Pompey exactly what they want.
That one spark, that one great, glorious battle.
They just won't be there to see it.
Diversion? That hill was a diversion? I'm sorry, Lord Pompey Magnus.
We tried to defend the catapults.
There were only a handful of them.
And this woman -Woman -Tall woman She was incredible.
I barely got away.
Caesar didn't steal our artillery.
It was Xena.
Hurry! We need more branches! -Hand it up! -Cover it all! -Good, very good.
-Now, back in the forest.
This is the spot.
Pace it out.
We wanna make sure those catapults are exactly on their marks.
All right.
Take that over to the right.
-You've done this before? -A couple of times.
I've never been in a war.
I've only wondered what it was like.
And I'd think of Flanigus out there fighting Sometimes the thoughts were too much to bear.
I know what you mean.
I could tell that he that he hated it.
He wrote to me telling me there was no glory No honor Just a monster that needed to be fed.
And now I finally have him back the monster's followed him home.
Is Flanigus gonna be ok? Yeah.
He's with Xena.
It's just I've known him all my life.
He's like a father to me.
Somehow, the idea that he's a soldier and he's he's killing people I wonder what that's like to kill someone.
It changes everything.
Everything.
Pull the fourteenth back from that hill and continue the excavations towards the river.
-Caesar -I don't want an There's a problem.
Excuse us.
There are no problems in front of my men, Brutus.
One advantage I have over Pompey's numbers is morale.
I'd like to keep it that way.
Yes.
I apologize.
Now, tell me What have you discovered? She's here, isn't she? Yes, our spies report that Pompey is making overtures to her.
Maybe offering an alliance.
Of course.
Fetch Agrilius to my tent immediately.
Come on.
Prisoner for Caesar.
Come on.
Move it.
We made it this far.
Stay outta sight.
The regular soldiers won't bother you, but avoid the officers.
We have an intangible element on the field right now and there's no telling what she might do.
Agrilius, take the fifteenth to this valley out west.
I plan to use your men as a reserve.
No matter what happens on the line you'll be able to sweep through these woods and flank Pompey.
There's another part of my plan that I'd like you to put into action.
Something even Xena won't expect.
Caesar We've caught a traitor.
He fits the description of a greek who deserted from the legion of Darian.
And you're bothering me with this? Execute him! On your knees! War's a bitch I'm sorry about that.
He was heading around the tent.
I figured it was better he caught me than you.
I can take care of myself.
-Thank you, though.
-Did you find out what you needed to know? Only half of it.
That's what worries me.
Come on.
-Flanigus, what happened? -I'm all right.
-Are you ok? -It's a little blood, that's all.
-How'd it go? -Mixed bag.
-Did we hear from Pompey? -Yeah We told his messenger just what you wanted.
He'll be there.
Excellent.
-Olivas, are the catapults ready? -They're getting 'em ready now.
Good.
I'll go give the men a hand.
Gabrielle Come with me.
Look at that.
When I was listening to Caesar I heard him mention a reserve detachment.
When the battle starts they'll be coming from the woods.
I think I know how I can stop them.
And still keep Caesar and Pompey from taking control of their armies? It won't be easy But there's something else Another part of Caesar's plan.
-What is it? -I don't know.
I won't be here when everything breaks loose.
Whatever Caesar appears to do, it's always part of a design.
I'm afraid that Flanigus won't see that.
But you know Caesar and you know how I think.
I can't give the command.
I cannot lead these men to their deaths.
I'll tell Flanigus.
You're sure she got my message? She was told to come alone.
But just in case, I have two men in the woods who Go back to command.
Wait for me there.
-But, sir -Go.
Just a precaution.
There were only two guards.
I know.
Otherwise, I woulda had more helmets.
Xena, you don't know how pleased I am to see you after what you did to Caesar in Rome.
In Rome Incredible.
-I wasn't there after Caesar.
-Yes, I know Vercinix.
But still, without Crassus, Caesar was weakened.
The people are still behind him, but Well, they will soon see Pompey, the Magnus, as their emperor.
I haven't decided whether to invite you to the coronation.
You're a little hard to control.
I'm not here to try on party hats.
You wanna talk or not? And they say all the good women are taken Very well, let's talk.
Talk, talk, talk Is that all there is to do around here? Thank you, Xena.
You've managed to solve both my problems in one stroke.
-Rome is mine.
-You made a deal with Caesar? Oh, no.
She's much too smart for that, Pompey.
In fact, she's much too smart for you.
And I don't care what anyone else says, Caesar You're not so stupid, yourself.
That's what I admire about you, Xena.
Even when you've lost you just can't allow someone else the satisfaction of knowing it.
Oh, I haven't lost.
I wanted you to come.
Now! There it is! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! It's almost daylight.
The attack begins at dawn.
I should boil some more of these bandages.
It's over! The battle! It's over! -What? -Caesar's pulling back.
-They're retreating.
-Thank the gods! Wait It can't be.
It's a trap.
What do you mean? We don't have to fight now.
Flanigus is already bringing our men back.
No, this is the trap that Xena was talking about.
We can't pull back! Flanigus! Gabrielle! They're pulling back! Caesar's legions are in retreat! We've won.
Flanigus, listen to me! Caesar will not retreat.
He's too arrogant.
If we don't finish what Xena started, Caesar will win.
I am positive.
Ok, listen up! Before she left, Xena told me to listen to Gabrielle.
Xena wanted us to trust her! You're in command.
Clever, Xena.
You've taken us both off the field.
My army can still fight.
That's the plan, isn't it, Xena? -Why not just kill us both? -All in good time But not here.
And not while you still have armies in the field.
Take the war! Counterattack! All along the line! Every legion is to attack Caesar now! Cancel those orders and attack, all along the line.
And give the order to Agrilius to begin his attack.
It's started! We gotta get outta here! Temecula! Temecula! The signal! Now! There's the signal! Get ready to pull back! When the catapults hit! Fall back! Disengage! We can't let 'em fall back! Come back! Forward! This battle's over, Xena.
Even if it's fought, I've outsmarted you.
You mean your reserve troops? I know about them.
And I'm goin' after 'em! Pathetic! And what about your troops, Xena? Right about now, the center of my line's pulling back like a retreat.
And when your troops follow, like you told them -You'll trap them.
-I'll destroy them.
So, whatever your plan was Tell me it's going to work now.
We'll hit 'em fast and hard! No prisoners! For Caesar! Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Now! Come on! Gabrielle! -Come on! -Fire! Gabrielle! Look out! No! Flanigus This can't go on forever.
Listen The battle It's over.
What we do here doesn't matter anymore.
Rome has won.
No.
By the gods Well Back to Rome Back to the drawing board.
It doesn't matter where you go, Caesar.
I'll follow you.
Follow with what? We lost, Pompey.
We were played and we lost.
This is just a minor setback, Xena.
You can't change my destiny.
Gabrielle I have the the men looking for the wounded.
I'm not really sure how many there are, but Gabrielle, stop.
It took a little while for the armies to start fighting But they did.
Everything Everything worked out just like you said.
Almost everything.
Thank you.
Your husband gave his life for peace so that your son could live without fear.
When he asks me what his daddy used to do I'm gonna tell him he was a simple fisherman.
That's what he was to me.
I could have saved him.
How do I get over that? I can't answer that question.
Maybe 'cause there's nothing I can say that can take away that feeling you have.
You wanna know that what you did was for all the right reasons but with that pain in your gut and the weight on your shoulders the best you can come up with is that it was a good day of fighting.
I've seen so many changes in you Things I could never have expected.
But as hard as the changes have been, you've gotta know that it's for a reason.
All this is for a reason.
Otherwise, what's the point? I was asking myself that same question when I first met you.
I should talk to Temecula.
I should tell him that what he did was for the greater good, and there is a reason for it.
It was a good day of fighting.