Mortal Beloved (Xena episode)
| Xena: Warrior Princess episode | |
|---|---|
| “Mortal Beloved” | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 16 |
| Guest star(s) | Bobby Hosea (Marcus); Paul Willis (Atyminius); Erik Thomson (Hades); Michael Hurst (Charon) |
| Writer(s) | R. J. Stewart; Robert Field (editor) |
| Director | Garthy Maxwell |
| Production no. | 76919 |
| Original airdate | 1996 Feb. 12 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Warrior ... Princess" | "The Royal Couple of Thieves" |
Xena receives a visitation from former lover Marcus (last seen in The Path Not Taken) who asks her help in returning Hades to power. An evil shade, Atyminius, has taken over Hades, and is destroying the balance between the (heavenly) Elysian Fields and (the hellish) Tartarus. Among his other goons are Toxeus (last seen in Death in Chains). Xena strikes a deal with Hades to have Marcus help her for 48 hours to restore the balance. Marcus further redeems himself, and Xena bargains with Hades to let Marcus go to the Elysian Fields rather than Tartarus. With Marcus' consent, Xena stabs him so he can return to Hades.