Xena's Way
Review by: Lord Nelson
lrdnlson@capital.net

What follows speculates on the ramifications of THE DEBT.


Xena of Amphipoliis, The Warrior Princess of Kalmai, has been on a quest
for her own salvation almost from the moment we met her so long ago in the
Hercules episode The Warrior Princess.  In The Gauntlet, Xena discovered to
her surprise, that that there was something deeply wrong with her.  She
knew that she was sick somehow and that she had to find a way to make up
for her past degraded and evil behavior.  By the time of Unchained Heart,
Hercules had shown her a way by which she could begin her work to wash the
blood off of her hands---the way of the wondering hero.  Xena was reborn.
We didn't know that Xena'd been reborn spiritually several times already in
her astonishing past.  We didn't know at the time, but she also had the
memory of the amazing Lao Mai to turn to in which to begin the great,
terrfiying journey into herself that her real quest demanded.  Along the
way she would encounter an equally remarkable 18 year old girl who would
become the rock upon which she could stand while she began her
struggle---Gabrielle.

Now with the conclusion of the uplifting and remarkable story of Xena's
mighty Debt to Lao Mai, Xena has been given the tool, beyond her own
awesome courage, by which she can guarantee her final, glorious rebirth.
The Way of the Tao.  This book, what Xena says is only a momento of her
teacher and friend, Lao Mai, has within its pages the method by which Xena
can turn her courage INWARD to look at her failings, learn to love them and
accept them.  Once that is done, she can then turn her soul outward to
others and to the rest of reality. If Xena does this she could become the
goddess she was meant to be; she could become mightier than all of the gods
on Olympus---including Hercules.  This is the great message of The Tao, ALL
PEOPLE are capable of godliness.  

The Debt has had a great impact upon me because Xenastaff has chosen a
spiritual path I can identify with.  I'm a lazy practitioner of a similar
method of belief, Buddhism.  In regard to Xena's story, this choice could
have enormous ramifications on the direction Xena:  Warrior Princess goes
in the two and a half years remaining in its run.  The ramifications are
enormous because it is my belief that this forms the core of the Decline of
the Gods storyline that Mr. Tapert talked about in his Starlog Magazine
interview.  This choice is exceedingly interesting because all of the major
Eastern faiths claim that the only thing that really exists is the human
spirit and that to reach salvation a practitioner must surrender to that
reality.  When a practitioner desires, they are avoiding reality and living
in complete and unbearable suffering.    We all know that Xena has and is
suffering far more than most people.  Xena has far more desires and all of
them are far more painful than average.  Her struggle is what makes her
heroism so compelling.  

Xena now has the potential to take on all of the Greek Pantheon and Dahok
on nearly equal footing.  The point of all the eastern faiths is that
people are capable of GNOSIS or becoming the spirit that is the reality of
existence.  In a wonderful twist of reverse logic, the giving up of all
desire for everything, including power, gives the practitioner nearly
untrammeled access to ultimate power.  Reality itself is pure love.  We can
see the power of that love in Lao Mai and in Xena herself for that fleeting
few moments in Ming Tien's palace where, with a face of pure serenity, Xena
used bolts of mystical energy to defeat evil and make Ming Tien small.
Once all desire is conquered the body itself is no longer necessary.
Cycles of death and physical rebirth end.  Some are more talented than
others in giving up desire.  Xena is immensely talented in this way.  Lao
Mai saw Xena's talent and her potential as a messenger of reality's power,
and Lao Mai sacrificed her body to show Xena the way.  

What does this mean?  Firstly, eventual bliss for Xena.  At last she can
see the real path to the ending of her suffering. This fills me with
rejoicing.  When Xena suffers, I hurt.   I believe that Xena also knows
that her desires and her rage are so strong that it will be a long, hard
road for her to give them up.  Look what she has to lose to gain her bliss.
 She must give up her love of combat.  She must give up her love danger.
She must give up her LOVE OF GABRIELLE! She must even give up her love of
doing good.  She is already fated to do good. Gabrielle is fated to be with
her.  Gabrielle is part of the great love that is all of reality.
Secondly, it will lead to Xena gaining the ability to channel ultimate
power.   Xena's soul will grow enough for her to surrender to her fate, but
it will take much work for her to reach that conclusion.  There will be
many a time when Xena slips back, like when she killed Ming Tien, but she
will succeed.  Xena now expects no less of herself.   Lao Mai's book will
be worn from use by Xena and Gabrielle, I'm sure.  Xena is now a hero of
the heart, not only of the mind and of the sword arm.  This will lead to
great storytelling.  What are the possibilites?

Ares will oppose Xena with all of his being.  I wouldn't be surprised if
ALL of the Greek Pantheon oppose her.  It does not matter.  Xena knows that
if she succeeds in her quest the Greek Gods will not matter anymore.  What
of Dahok?  Dahok is pure evil.  But yet he is nothing but an an aspect of
the human experience.  Xena has the potential to tap the power of all of
existence.  Evil cannot be defeated totally, but the more people Xena
exposes to The Way taken together can contain Dahok.  I never forsee Xena
as a priestess; she's fated to carry the sword.  This may happen to
Gabrielle.   I'm positive that The Bard of Potidaea will be greatly
influenced by Lao Mai's words.  Xena will become a great shining example of
how recognition of the reality of universal love and compassion can defeat
evil.  I once read a Buddhist saying---so long ago I forgot where I read
it.  "It takes a sword to cut through illusion."  Xena will be that sword.  

To conclude.  I relish what I think is coming.  Lao Mai's teachings will
lead to the end of Xena's suffering.  They could lead to a vast
strengthening of the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle.  Lastly it
could lead to the containment of evil, that containment will last until
another heroine of the spirit comes along.  


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