#around and re-gayed them for the fans despite the annoying het ares context but js watsonianly there's still wiggle room without that)

[marley-manson]

This may be my most controversial Xena hot take yet but I gotta say it:

I think Ted Raimi nailed it as a reincarnated version of Xena.

A lot of it is the writing of Harry - the cynical skepticism, the playful dickishness, the irritated protectiveness of Annie. The way he doesn't watch the show just like Xena not reading Gabrielle's scrolls lol. (Incidentally surgeon is a great choice of career for modern Xena, and frankly woowoo scam artist is a great choice for modern Gab lol) But it's also like, line deliveries and gestures and expressions, and I totally buy Harry as a modern version of Xena. It's very easy for me to imagine Lucy Lawless in his place, making fun of General Custer, rolling his eyes at everyone, threatening a lawsuit, etc. I guess to be fair he's a little hammy as full on memories-back Xena, with his "Aaaares" drawls lol, but even then like, it was a fun fight scene and I think he overall succeeded.

Also, as much as it sucks that Xena/Gabrielle was only allowed to be canonized while het, I gotta say that I really appreciate how they did it. Annie bowing out before Harry and Mattie have barely exchanged two words because she already knows they're soulmates, the Xena/Gab flashback montage, showing the kiss from The Quest as one of the clips demonstrating their relationship, and Harry calling Mattie his "friend" before kissing her, to pointedly make it clear that Xena and Gabrielle calling each other friends is not intended as a no homo.

Plus I fucking love that, at least in this episode, Ares is completely dtf Raimi!Xena. Not fazed at all, no hesitation, just flirtatious glee that Xena's back. And I looooove that Ares never actually thought he'd join him lol, he just wanted to get a fun fight out of it <3

Honestly if this was the actual last episode of Xena I think it would've been a very sweet and cute sendoff.