#xwp misc

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

tumblr is like POTENTIALLY MATURE CONTENT and it's literally just a picture of a woman

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

Wooooooow, I'm reading The Departure (Animorphs book 19) and kinda lost it when Rachel said "I'll keep her safe." It's like the opposite of when Gabrielle picked up the sword at the end of season four. And also the exact same thing.

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

Interesting how Gabrielle tells Xena she's not cut out for this village life as Xena, obviously not cut out for village life either, is resolved to return to her hometown. She wants to be like Xena as Xena despises everything about herself. She, rightly, believes in her potential, just like Xena used to believe in hers.

And it got her brother killed, except it didn't. She was innocent, but can't accept that. She remains convinced that she should have been able to prevent it, somehow. She's so much harder on herself than on anyone else. She acquired many of her skills through shame and bitterness, but they're still useful.

Gabrielle and Xena are so similar, and so different. Gabrielle is just like Xena when she was younger, except not. Xena wants to protect her from her regrets, but knows it's wishful thinking. She wants her to accept answers that she herself wouldn't have and shouldn't have. She recognizes ways Gabrielle is naive, but she recognizes that they're two different people too. She wants to prevent Gabrielle from doing what she did, and she knows Gabrielle would never do what she did.

There are so many dynamics, and they're all so good.

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

Back on my bullshit (watching Xena)

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

I love how Xena keeps resolving to not do harm, but then men keep being worse and she steps in. She's like "I can't be good or undo what I've done, but I can prevent it from ever happening again by anyone else, or at least try."

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

"I'm going to join up with Xena."

True.

"I'm going to be a warrior like her."

False. Also true.

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

[youroldfriendmurkyaura]

I had kinda forgotten how Lyceus was Xena's hope. She believed in him, and herself. She knew him so well. She trusted her judgement. No wonder she's so careful to plan for every possible eventuality before going into a battle.

Her overprotectiveness of Gabrielle doesn't even really have anything to do with Gabrielle. She's just... not willing to risk it. Not open to risking it. Like when you swear off dating... but then you meet someone. Xena wasn't ready for Gabrielle, but Gabrielle was overready for Xena.