The Way (Xena episode)

Xena: Warrior Princess episode
“The Way”
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 16
Guest star(s)	Timothy Omundson (Eli); Rajneel Singh (Indrajit/King of Demons); Rajiv Varma (Krishna); Lucy Lawless (Kali); Jake McKinnon (Hanuman); Slade Leef (Demon)
Writer(s)	R.J. Stewart; Robert Field (editor)
Director	John Fawcett
Production no.	#V0617
Original airdate	1999 Feb. 22
Episode chronology
← Previous	Next →
"Between the Lines"	"The Play's the Thing"
List of Xena episodes

Xena and Gabrielle encounter Eli again (previously seen on Devi) in the fourth of four Xenaverse-India episodes. They must fight an enemy, Indrajit, with the aid of Hanuman and Krishna. Ultimately, Xena incarnates as Kali.

Multiple special disclaimer

Pre-episode disclaimer: "The producers of the following episode took liberties with Hindu deities and historical timelines, but their sole intent was to illustrate the beauty and power of the Hindu religion."

According to Whosh!, The Way was pulled from circulation after criticism about the portrayal of Krishna. A revised edition was released on 1999 Aug. 30 with the video announcement.

Post-episode special video message from Lucy Lawless, Sunil Aghi, and Renee O'Connor:

LL: In today's episode, Xena prayed to Krishna, the supreme godhead of Hinduism. We hope that we have portrayed it in a reverent and respectful way.

SA: My name is Sunil Aghi. I'm a community activist and president of the Indo-American Political Foundation.

RO: More than a billion people throughout the world practice the Hindu religion.

SA: An accurate portrayal of our deity is important to us. But an even more important goal is to enlighten people of other faiths about Hinduism.

RO: With understanding comes tolerance.

LL: If you would like to learn more about this great religion, please visit your local library or Internet website.

Spirituality & X/G, again

The opening dialog sets up a familiar Xena/Gabrielle dichotomy with respect to religion and spirituality. Lots of shots of beautiful rivers, then:

G: I love rivers.

X: They're all right, if you don't have to get to the other side.

G: There's a certain ... inevitability to a river. Nothing stops it from finding its way.

X: You ever hear of a dam, beavers?

G: Why do you do that?

X: What?

G: You shoot me down while I'm doing my philosophical stuff.

X: What do you mean?

G: Xena, since I met you, I've been on this spiritual quest. I've been looking for the meaning to it all. Why don't you ever ask those questions?

Musical pause, then unaccompanied dialog begins followed shortly by fighting.

Afterwards, Xena reflects on a small wound she received. Gabrielle asks what's wrong.

X: "It's this wound. That demon should never have gotten a blade on me.

G: Xena, you're only human. Everybody loses focus sometimes.

X: It's not just that I lost focus. It's why. A few days ago, I saw my future life. You saw it, too. I'm destined to be reborn as some kind of a saint.

G: But that's wonderful, isn't it?

X: Yes, but if I already earned that karma — can I still mess it up? Maybe I was shown my future life for a reason. Maybe I'm supposed to change the way that I'm living this life, here and now. But, either way, a warrior cannot ask these questions in the heat of battle. When the kill is there, you have to take it. If I can't do that — I can't be a warrior, anymore.

Opening sequence begins.

Later, Xena talks with Hanuman about what to do to save Eli and Gabrielle.

H: We need to get [Krishna's] attention.

X: And how do we do that?

H: With these gods, sometimes you've got to try something unusual.

X: Like what?!

H: I pray to him all the time. What Krishna needs is for someone to call upon him ... who doesn't respect gods ... doesn't trust them ... doesn't like them. Someone who thinks ... she doesn't need them.

X: You want me to pray. (she looks incredulous)

X: All right, what's he into? Chanting? Sacrifices?

H: You understand who Krishna is. He's not like other gods. He is in everyone, every living being. So, to find him, you need only to look within.

When Krishna appears, he tells Xena to follow the way.

K: You have to embrace the way.

X: The way? I've heard about the way in Greece, Ch'in, Anatoli, and now India. I don't get it. The way is not for people like me.

K: You're wrong. You're very close to the way now. However, missing it by the width of a hair, is the same as missing it by the height of a mountain.

X: I'm close? I don't think so. I don't have the patience of Gabrielle, the love of Eli, or the serenity of my mentor, Lao Ma. I'm just an angry, ass-kicking —

K: — warrior.

X: Yes, a warrior.

K: You say that with disgust.

X: Well, it doesn't rank up there with the saints, does it?

K: Xena— you have seen what you're destined to be. In your next life, you will walk the way of the saint. However, you will never achieve that life if you don't follow the way you're on now.

X: The way of the warrior?

K: Yes. You must not be hesitant to fight in a just cause. It is better to die following your own way, than to live following someone else's. When you ride into combat, act without attachment, and carry with you the confidence that you are fulfilling your calling in this life. Then you will know the way.

X: I understand.

K: Then go. Rise up like fire, and burn all that oppose you. And if you're following the path of the way, call my name, and the strength to defeat Indrajit will be given to you. Are you ready?

X: I'm ready.

Peace and nonviolence

G: What is the truth?

Eli: So, you really wanna know?

G: Yeah.

Eli: It's life. That we must revere it, wherever we find it, to bring peace to this world. I have to teach mankind a reverence for life.

G: So ... if someone were to walk up to you, and knock you down —

Eli: — then I'd get up.

G: But if they knocked you down again ...?

Eli: Then I'd get up again, if I could. But under no circumstances would I fight back. If I did, I would simply be perpetuating the cycle of violence that has ravaged the Earth for centuries. That cycle has to be broken, Gabrielle. And the truth ... is that that can only be done through nonviolence.

G: So, that's the truth.

At the end of the episode, Gabrielle and Eli talk; she is concerned, because she was so easily tricked by Indrajit.

E: It's hard, the way of love. It may not be right for you. But if you choose to follow it, you must do so with all your heart. You'll fail more than once. But don't give up hope. In the end, you'll redeem the world.

G: Where are you going?

E: Home. I need to take the message to my own people. I believe they'll be the most receptive. Thank you, Gabrielle. You were the first one to understand me. I won't forget you.

He walks off, and Gabrielle throws her staff into the river. Xena walks over to her.

X: So, it's the way of love for you, huh?

G: Yeah. ... Yours is the way of the warrior. I think I've always known that.

X: And I've always known that it was wrong for you. I'm sorry I took you so far from your truth."

G: Don't be sorry, Xena. Do you think I could have understood the power of sefless love, if it weren't for our friendship?