Xena: Warrior Princess (TV Series) Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts (1996) User Reviews

Fun use of the Trojan War to get in a Xena story

[reb-warrior · 8/10 · 18 March 2021]

Xena's old friend, Helen of Troy, no less, reaches out to her for help after having some disturbing visions.

Too bad they never revisited Xena and Helen's friendship later in the series. I would have been interested to see what happened. "Well, we've had our differences in the past, but, you're still a friend." See, sounds like there's a story there. I thought Galyn Gorg did a great job in the role. She(Helen) is in fact beautiful, but there is more to her than her beauty as this episode attests to. I read the actress passed away recently. RIP.

Remember Perdicas from the pilot? Gabrielle: "It's not the gentle part I have a problem with. It's the dull, stupid part." Lol. Seems like Gabrielle forgot that about him. Perdicas struts around in this episode like a male peacock showing off his feathers to impress a female. Let's face it. He saw Gabs leave town with a warrior(woman) and decided he would become a warrior in order to impress Gabrielle, or perhaps to spite her and soothe his own ego. I know he's written as a nice guy. But I just didn't like him here and in the other episode he appears in, and always felt his motivations were suspect.

Loved that Xena used the Trojan Horse to escape the city. This is another episode where Xena and Gabrielle don't spend much time together. But it's still a fun episode. 8/10

Salute to Xena - A 25th Anniversary Review

[skullface2020 · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

Ruin can't really be avoided when two kings are determined to inflict as much destruction as possible. Xena must protect her old friend Helen of Troy, and Gabrielle reacquaints herself with someone from her past.

SYNOPSIS

Helen of Troy sends a desperate plea to her old friend Xena. Troy has been under siege by the Greeks and King Menelaus for ten years, but it's hard to say if Helen's husband Paris of Troy still loves her or is simply obsessed with winning the war. Helen was right to suspect that she was in grave danger. Xena and Gabrielle brave the deadly no-man's land between battle lines in order to enter Troy. While Xena is reunited with Helen, Gabrielle is shocked to be reunited with her former betrothed Perdicus. He grew up to be a farmer, but after Gabrielle left he traveled off to Troy to reinvent himself as a soldier.

Helen is so happy to see Xena in the palace at Troy, but Paris' brother and security man Deiphobus does not trust Xena. As this is discussed one of Deiphobus' soldiers walks in and Xena recognized him as a traitor against Troy! However, Deiphobus is quick to slay him, and his secrets will follow him to the grave. Xena points out that traitors rarely act alone. With the help of Helen's recommendation, Paris overrules his brother Deiphobus and agrees to allow Xena to join them. However, Xena secretly follows Deiphobus and sees him leave Troy and enter the Greek camp. He is woking closely with King Menelaus! Xena calls him out in front of Paris later on, but Deiphobus is ready with a rebuttal: he has successfully negotiated a peace with the Greeks. Troy is victorious! Xena doesn't buy it, but unfortunately she's thrown in the dungeon on Paris' orders. No worries, she quickly beats up some prison thugs and escapes custody.

The Greeks retreat and send over a victory trophy for Troy. As you may have expected, it's a large wooden horse that gets wheeled into the city. Troy celebrates their victory, but it's clear to Helen that Paris doesn't truly love her and the war was a unnecessary bloodbath. Gabrielle (who doesn't know Xena was locked up) enjoyed the celebrations with Perdicus as they caught up on old times. Suddenly Greek soldiers emerge from the giant horse, open the city gates, and let in the invading Greek army! The city is under attack, and Gabrielle, Perdicus, Helen, and Xena are reunited in the temple. This is in the inner city, and it's where the Trojans will make their last stand against the invading Greeks who have come to destroy the city and capture Helen. However, Deiphobus was actually a double traitor. He suddenly kills his brother Paris and captures Helen. Instead of working for the Greeks, he plans to start his own kingdom with Helen as his queen. Fortunately, Xena knows his secret escape route from the city, and she beats him soundly and saves Helen.

All armies are defeated, and Troy is in ruins. Exactly how the Greeks were vanquished, after successfully entering Troy with the element of surprise, is not really made clear, but it happens. However, all aims of the war were for naught. Fortunately, Helen and Perdicus are among the survivors. Perdicus says his goodbye to Gabrielle; he plans to move on to the next city and start over yet again. Helen decides to travel with him. She plans to also start anew, and to make her own destiny instead of being the property of greedy kings. Xena and Gabrielle also leave ruined Troy as they search for their next adventure.

NOTES

Xena has many skills and is an excellent judge of people's character. Gabrielle is getting pretty good at fighting off bad guys, but she'll have to get a new staff since hers broke.

Enter: Helen, Paris, Deiphobus, King Menelaus

Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 31 October 2018]

Helen of Troy has asked Xena and Gabrielle to arrive to Troy and look to end the war with the Greeks.

The Greeks are building a Trojan Horse but someone close to Paris has his own desires for Helen.

Xena uses the wooden horse to get people out of Troy when the Greeks later take it out with them.

Meanwhile Gabrielle meets her ex fiancé Perdicas who is working as a mercenary for Troy.

The episode has a nice use of the Helen of Troy story while Gabrielle looks wistfully at old flame Perdicas.