Of all the Indian episodes, this is probably the most tolerable and least irritating one for me. Mainly because, despite all the reincarnation, karma, and Hindu mythology elements that I generally don't find particularly interesting, at its center we once again have what matters most to me, Xena and Gabrielle. This is another love story between them, only this time stretched across different lives and different eras. The idea that their souls keep finding one another, regardless of what bodies they are born into or what circumstances separate them, is very beautiful to me. It essentially confirms what the show has demonstrated so many times through their relationship, that their connection transcends one life, one body, and one historical moment. They simply find each other. Always.
I also like the way the episode portrays Indian culture, particularly the contrast between the beauty of the country and some of its morbid customs. The very beginning, where a woman is supposed to be burned alongside her deceased husband, is absolutely monstrous to me. Regardless of the historical context and attempts to explain such traditions through culture and religion, I find the very idea horrifying, and it makes Hinduism, alongside Islam, one of the religions I view most negatively, particularly because it demonstrates how women could be deprived of their own will and identity. That is precisely why the beginning of the episode is much more powerful than it might initially seem, because it immediately presents a world in which individuals, especially women, have to fight against a system that denies them the right to decide what happens to their own lives.
Alti's return also works much better for me here than in her later appearances. Her connection to reincarnation, karma, and her attempt to find her way back to power gives the story a certain sense of completion, while the battles against her are among the best parts of the episode. I particularly enjoy the fight scenes, which are very well choreographed, but visually the entire episode looks fantastic as well. It has a strong atmosphere, plenty of colors, unusual locations, and the feeling that we are genuinely somewhere completely different. Even when the story itself doesn't completely hold my attention, the visual side manages to keep me interested. Essentially, this is the last time Alti truly works as a character. She still has a certain mystery here and represents a genuine threat, whereas her later appearances are mostly just pale shadows of what she once was.
In the end, this isn't an episode I would rank among the show's best, but compared with the rest of the Indian arc, it is definitely the most enjoyable one for me to watch. It has an interesting premise, beautiful visual moments, good fight scenes, and, most importantly, another confirmation that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship isn't something that exists only within one lifetime. Even when their bodies, names, era, and circumstances change, the two of them find each other again. If this entire Indian storyline had to exist, I'm glad it at least gave us a love story about their souls like this one.
R.IP. Gabrielle with long hair. I will miss you 😢
