XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS
"Callisto"

SET LIST

INTERIORS:
ATTICA TAVERN
DELPHI TAVERN
CALLISTOIS STRONGHOLD
DELPHI JAIL

EXTERIORS:
VILLAGE #1
VILLAGE #2
DESERTED VILLAGE
DELPHI - VILLAGE
TEMPLE
STREET
ALLEY
JAIL
CALLISTO'S STRONGHOLD
CAMPSITE
COUNTRY ROAD #1
COUNTRY ROAD #2
COUNTRY ROAD #3
ROAD

Prod. #76920

XENA: WAPRIOR PRINCESS
"Callisto"

CHRONOLOGY

DAY 1 SCENE 1

DAY 2 SCENES 2 - 7

DAY 3 SCENES 8 - 11

NIGHT 3 SCENE #12

DAY 4 SCENES'#13 - 34

XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS "Callisto"

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. VILLAGE #1 - DAY

This village is being systematically destroyed by a band of looters. We see:

A WOMAN

defenseless and afraid, being run through with a sword held by A RUTHLESS WARRIOR.

A GROUP OF PEASANTS

take shelter in a hut.

A WARRIOR

runs up and sets the thatch roof ablaze. We hear screams from inside. When the peasants run out, the warrior cuts them down.

A SMALL BOY

runs for his life as A HERD 0F WARRIORS chase him. He slips and falls. He looks up to see:

BOY'S POV - WARRIORS

They trample over us. This is the last thing this little boy
will see of this world.

ON TWO VILLAGERS

one is tall and is wielding a sword. The other is stocky, well-muscled and has a staff. They battle heroically against three of the warriors and successfully drive them away. The Tall Villager spots:

A WOMAN

being roughly handled by a warrior. The Tall Villager runs up and attacks the warrior. He's joined by the Stocky Villager. Together they succeed in dispatching the warrior. The woman runs away. The Tall Villager turns to see:

ANOTHER WOMAN

standing in front of him. She's beautiful, buff and stands with her right hand behind her back. Her name is Callisto.

TALL VILLAGER
Run, woman. They're trying to kill us
all.

CALLISTO
Trying? I think we're succeeding.

She brings her right arm forward. She's grasping a large broadsword. She attacks the Two Villagers with a fury. She splits the staff of the Stocky Villager in two and then slashes his chest open with a stroke of her sword. She effortlessly sidesteps a blow from the Tall Villager and then launches a counterattack on him. He backs up, desperately defending himself as he goes but he's no match for this demon. She knocks his sword from his hand and runs her sword through his midriff.

ON AN OLD MAN

He stumbles and flees from a warrior, THEODORUS. This guy works at being cruel and heartless and he's good at it. The old man collapses in exhaustion. Theodorus stands over him and is about to bring a spear down into the old man's heart.

CALLISTO (O.C.)
Hold it! Let him live.

Theodorus stays his spear and looks toward:

CALLISTO

who approaches the old man lying cringing in the dirt.

CALLISTO
Tell the world what we did here. Let them know
what devastation awaits anyone who defies me.

OLD MAN
Who are you?

CALLISTO
I'm Xena. Warrior Princess.

CUT TO:

2 INT. TAVERN DAY

Xena sits at a table, drinking from a flagon of wine. The sound of the tavern door opening draws her attention to:

MELAS

He's 30 with sensitive good looks. At the moment he looks overwhelmed with pain and grief, his eyes are dark and haunted, his body bent with fatigue and stress. He walks to a table and flops down on a chair.

MELAS
(to the innkeeper)
Wine, please?

The innkeeper is busy waiting on GABRIELLE who stands at a counter ordering food.

MELAS
(his voice weary, almost desperate)
Innkeeper, please, wine.

The innkeeper still doesn't respond but before Melas can ask again, a flagon of wine is placed in front of him. He turns to look at:

XENA

who has reached over and placed her wine in front of him.

XENA
You look like you could use that more
than me.

He takes a long sip of the wine. He has a strong thirst, not just for the wine but also for the relief from the pain it might bring.

XENA
(seeing his pain)
Is there anything I can do?

MELAS
No. But thank you for your kindness.
(extending his hand)
My name is Melas.

XENA
(taking his hand)
I'm Xena.

MELAS
Xena? The Warrior Princess?

XENA
Some people call me that.

Suddenly, Melas pulls a dagger and tries to drive the blade into Xena's chest. Xena catches his wrist, rolls backwards and flips Melas over her head with her feet. Melas scrambles to his feet and faces off against Xena. Gabrielle watches with concern. Melas charges Xena who knocks the dagger out of his hand, then flips him to the ground and places her foot on his chest.

ON MELAS

as he stares up at Xena.

MELAS
Go ahead. Murder me. Just like you
murdered my son.

ON XENA

She's stunned by this accusation.

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

3 INT. TAVERN - DAY (CONTINUOUS)

Xena picks Melas off the floor and plops him on a chair. Melas tries to spring at her again but she slams him back on the chair and puts her hand on the butt of her sword to get the point across.

XENA
What are you saying?

MELAS
I found a man from my village lying
half dead on the road. He said you
and your army had murdered everyone but
him.
(with great emotion)
Even my two-year-old son.

XENA
That's a lie.

MELAS
Then why does every traveller between here and Corinth have a story about an
army led by Xena? They say she's
slaughtering the people and laying waste to the land.

XENA
What village do you come from?

MELAS
Kineta.

XENA
I know it. It's east of Corinth.

MELAS
Not anymore.

Xena stares into Melas' hate-filled eyes. She's very disturbed by what she sees there.

XENA
(to Gabrielle)
Let's go. We got to find out what's
happening.

She starts to exit.

MELAS
I'll avenge my son's life. I won't
rest until you're dead.

Xena looks back at Melas. Once again his tortured face bothers her.

XENA
You're after the wrong person. But do
what you think you have to do.

She exits, followed by Gabrielle.

4 EXT. COUNTRY ROAD # 1 - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle travel.

XENA
We'll head towards Corinth. See if we can make sense of anything he said.

ON THE ROAD AHEAD

A group of peasants move along They're refugees, pulling behind them carts containing their worldly possessions. One of the peasants, a TALL MAN, approaches Xena and Gabrielle. He looks parched. Xena leans over and hands him her canteen. He takes a big swallow. Gabrielle takes her canteen to share with the others. She's out of earshot of this conversation.

TALL MAN
Is there any water ahead?

XENA
Yeah. There's a fresh lake in the next
valley.

TALL MAN
Good. We've been travelling for days with very little to drink. She's poisoned most of the wells, you know.

XENA
Who has?

TALL MAN
Haven't you heard? Xena, the Warrior Princess is back. She's worse now than she ever was.

He takes another swig of water.

GABRIELLE
(calling out)
These people are in a bad way, Xena.

The Tall Man spits out the water when he hears that name (he fears the water may be poisoned).

TALL MAN
(glancing at the carts behind him)
Xena, this stuff is just worthless junk. If you'd like it though, please be our guest. Take anything you want. Just spare our lives.

Xena is very troubled by all this.

XENA
I don't want your things.

She walks through the villagers. Word spreads through their ranks that Xena is there among them. Xena examines the:

FRIGHTENED FACES
of the villagers as she passes.

ON XENA

She clears the villagers and walks on, deep in thought, trailing Argo behind. Gabrielle catches up to her. She notices Xena's troubled look.

GABRIELLE
Are you alright?

XENA
Did you see the hatred and fear on their faces? I used to want to see that look in people's eyes. It meant I was doing my job right.

She appears disgusted with herself.

ON JOXER

as he hurries to catch up with Xena and Gabrielle. JOXER is short and looks a little like a weasel, no offense meant to weasels. He wears a sheathed broadsword and has a crossbow strapped to his back. He catches up to Xena.

JOXER
Xena.

XENA
Yeah?

JOXER
Joxer the Mighty at your service.

XENA
Get lost.

JOXER
Don't judge me because I was travelling with those sheep. I can be very valuable to a woman like you. I'm a warrior of some repute.

GABRIELLE
I never heard of you.

JOXER
I'm not talking to you, little girl.
(to Xena)
I'm fearless and I have a lust for blood. As a matter of fact, if a couple of days go by and I haven't shed some blood I get depressed. Blood and me go together like a horse and chariot. I once bathed in a tub of blood. My nickname is Bloody

XENA

(grabbing him by the shirt and lifting him off his feet)
If you're so fond of the sight of
blood, keep talking.

She shoves him away and he runs to a safe distance.

JOXER
I'm disappointed in you, Xena. I thought you'd recognize talent when you saw it.

Xena throws him a look and he dashes away and out of sight.

CUT TO:

5 EXT. DESERTED VILLAGE - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle are entering this village.

AMIDST THE BUILDINGS
warriors crouch in ambush, waiting for Xena's approach.
This is a desperate-looking bunch of scoundrels.

ON XENA AND GABRIELLE

as they enter the village. Xena is eyeing the buildings suspiciously.

ON FIVE WARRIORS

They step out into Xena's path. A LARGE WARRIOR steps out from the rest. He's an amiable, giant of a man. His name is AKTEON. He covers a cruel heart with his joviality.

AKTEON
Hello, Xena.

DIFFERENT ANGLE

as all the warriors, including the ones amidst the buildings, stand up and cheer, waving their spears in celebration of her arrival.

XENA
Hello, Akteon.

AKTEON
As soon as I got your message I did as you suggested. There's nothing left standing in the Mani.

XENA
(playing along)
Good. You'll make a very useful ally.

AKTEON
Why me, Xena? We were never close.

XENA
You aren't still angry about that thing
in Macedonia? That was years ago.

AKTEON
You lied to me. There was no gold in Askos. No food, even. My army almost died of starvation.

XENA
(with a shrug)
Hey, I had to make sure you were out of the way so I could loot Salonika by myself.
(beat)
You know what they say about love and war, Akteon. But I'm going to make it up to you now. I have a plan.

AKTEON
I know. Your messenger said our armies should rendezvous outside Thebes. The plundering should be rich around there.

XENA
There's been a change of plans. There's a big shipment of gems coming into Piraeus.

AKTEON
Piraeus? Athens' entire army and fleet
are there.

XENA
You haven't heard about the expedition?

AKTEON
No.

XENA
Most of Athens' army is headed toward Anatolia on board the fleet. I figure if you close from the west and I from the east, we'll crush the garrison in Piraeus in hours.

AKTEON
Brilliant.
(suspicious)
How do I know you'll really be there?

XENA
Wait for me north of Athens If I don't show up, then don't go ahead.
(off his look)
You can trust me, Akteon. I trust
you. Look, I've come to see you
without my army.
(the closer)
This is a rich haul, but if you're not interested I could go to Draco.

AKTEON
No. You got a deal.

CUT TO:

7 EXT. COUNTRY ROAD #2 - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle leave the village behind.

GABRIELLE
I take it the Athenian army isn't
really on an expedition.

XENA
No. They usually camp where I told him to wait for me. They'll chop his army into little pieces. The most important thing is I kept him from joining forces with "Xena". And now I know she's headed toward Thebes.

Suddenly, Xena jerks her head back to neatly avoid being decapitated by:

A BATTLE AXE

wielded by Melas. He's on a suicide mission to kill Xena. He powers ahead, swinging the axe with wild abandon. He drives Xena back a few feet before she lays a drop kick to his knee cap, which sends him to the ground. She grabs the battle axe and tosses it aside.

XENA
You're a slow learner.

She picks him up and proceeds to tie him to a tree.

MELAS
(tortured with hate)
I don't care how long it takes, I'll
see you dead one day.

She finishes tying him up and walks away. A sympathetic Gabrielle approaches Melas.

GABRIELLE
You know if she was the monster you think she is, she'd have killed you by now.

MELAS
She likes seeing me helpless in my
rage.
(to Xena)
I will continue to hunt you, even if
it costs me my life.

GABRIELLE
This hate is twisting you into another
kind of monster.

MELAS
Well, maybe I have to become one to
destroy one.

Gabrielle studies his pain-wracked face for a moment. She tucks a folded up blanket behind his head so he'll be comfortable against the tree.

XENA
Those knots I tied you with aren't very strong. You should be able to work your way out of them in a few hours. I'm going to stop whoever it is that's doing these raids. So be smart and stay out of my way.

She walks away. Gabrielle looks sympathetically at Melas.

GABRIELLE
Goodbye, Melas. I hope you find peace.

MELAS
I will once I know her evil heart has
stopped beating.

Saddened, Gabrielle hurries to catch up with Xena.

CUT TO:

8 EXT. COUNTRY ROAD #3 - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle come over a hill and freeze when they
see:

A ROAD

lined with crucified peasants. In the distance we can see
smoke billowing up from a village.

XENA

looks tense as she mounts Argo and gallops toward the
village.

9 EXT. VILLAGE #2 - DAY

Warriors are pillaging the town. Xena rides in amongst them, kicks one unconscious with a foot to his jaw, leaps off her horse and starts kicking butt.

THREE WARRIORS

come out of a hut, dragging children with them.

ON XENA

She grabs her chakram and throws it.

ON THE CHAKRAM

We follow it as it disables each of the three warriors and sails back toward Xena. It flies into:

A WOMAN'S HAND

We think it's Xena's hand.

DIFFERENT ANGLE

Xena is in the background. In the foreground is CALLISTO. She just caught the chakram for gods' sakes!

CALLISTO
If you want your chakram, come and take it.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

Xenaphile | Callisto Act 1 | Callisto Act 2 | Callisto Act 3 | Callisto Act 4