Plot summary
After freezing during an attack, Gabrielle loses confidence in her ability to travel with Xena and returns to Poteidaia. On the way she learns that Damon and his raiders are approaching her village. The villagers have hired the famous Meleager the Mighty, but he arrives drunk and initially seems incapable of protecting anyone.
Gabrielle persuades him to take the threat seriously and helps organize defenses. She also reconciles with her sister Lila, who admits feeling abandoned and jealous when Gabrielle left. When Damon's men capture Meleager, Gabrielle follows and is captured too. They escape together and return to prepare traps.
On the morning of the attack, Meleager disappears with the villagers' money. Panic spreads until Lila persuades everyone to trust Gabrielle's leadership. Her traps repel the first assault, but Damon forces his men to regroup.
Meleager then returns carrying Spartan javelins bought with the missing money. He had gone to obtain weapons rather than run away. With his help the villagers break the raiders' attack. Damon takes Gabrielle and Lila hostage, but Gabrielle tricks him and frees them both.
Meleager defeats Damon in single combat, encouraged by Gabrielle. Her own courage has become equally important to the victory: she planned, led and acted despite her fear. With her confidence restored and her bond with Lila repaired, Gabrielle says goodbye and rejoins Xena.
Credits
Adapted from Legendary Journeys Wiki contributors, The Prodigal. Complete episode narrative, rewritten and condensed for clarity; causal developments and the episode's ending retained. Illustrations, dialogue quotations and non-story metadata omitted.