#we can also go on a whole thing about callisto herself being a metaphor for gabrielle's rage

[keyofjetwolf]

The framework for Xena going to free Callisto is fantastic. They’re facing a near-unwinnable situation, and Xena’s up against it. If they don’t seize the opportunity to take Velasca out now, while she’s still a newborn baby god getting her footing, they may never be able to do it, and there’s pretty much no way that ends well for them. Callisto is unhinged and devoted to killing them, so also not a great choice, but at least they know where she IS, which means she’s the best chance they’ve got. It all sucks, and I don’t blame Gabby for being kind of pissed about it all.

But what I really want to focus on here is the way Gabrielle is -- and isn’t -- handling her loss and grief, and how we’re seeing another building block for The Bitter Suite.

Gabrielle has had her heart ripped to shreds by Callisto, in the most painful personal way possible. It’s part of what makes Callisto so an incredible and terrifying villain: she doesn’t want the kill, she wants the PAIN. Perdicus’ death wasn’t about Perdicus, and it wasn’t even about Gabrielle, which manages to make it all even more galling. It was about Xena and nothing but Xena. Someone three steps removed from all of this, someone who never heard of Callisto and only barely knew Xena, was brutally murdered on his wedding night because Callisto needs Xena to suffer, and this was a delightfully roundabout way of making that happen.

It’s Callisto’s doing, no question, but you can’t entirely strike out Xena’s role in it all which -- AND HERE COMES THE IMPORTANT PART -- is something Gabrielle NEVER. EVER. EVER. DOES.

Gabrielle has this burning coal of rage that she slowly, over the course of the series, continues to feed and nurture, but never allows herself to direct at the one place she needs. That’s what makes Callisto such a pivotal role in all this for Gabby, because she’s the “safe” one to hate. That’s what makes it all explode in their faces when when the coals get too hot, when Callisto can’t be blamed.

It’s so fascinating, watching this series from the perspective of knowing how it all unfolds, to see them ignore opportunity after opportunity to have avoided SO MUCH PAIN, because they couldn’t bear to help each other off the damned pedestals they’d built.

#jet wolf watches xena #xena ep 2x14 #we can also go on a whole thing about callisto herself being a metaphor for gabrielle's rage #locked tightly away #but life with xena just can't let it rest #when we strip it all down #i love that xena and gabrielle start with these intense loves for each other #that are unrealistic and can't possibly maintain #and they rip it all down all the ugliness laid bare #and then choose to rebuild together #i think i say something along those lines every time i do this liveblog #BUT I MEAN IT EVERY SINGLE TIME