21. The Greater Good

Xena helps Salmoneus defend a village and his water business from the warlord Talmadeus. During the encounter, an unseen attacker strikes her with a poisoned dart. She initially conceals the injury, but weakness soon makes it impossible to keep fighting normally.

Salmoneus has angered Talmadeus through a dishonest weapons deal, and the warlord is determined to retaliate. To conceal Xena's condition, Gabrielle disguises herself as the Warrior Princess. With Xena secretly assisting and the workers using improvised weapons made from their equipment, they repel an attack.

Gabrielle attempts a further raid on Talmadeus' camp, but a fall exposes her disguise and she is captured. Argo rescues her. Returning to the factory, she finds Xena motionless and believes that the poison has killed her.

Despite her grief, Gabrielle organizes defenses and tries to seek help. Salmoneus offers himself and Xena's body in exchange for the villagers' safety, but Talmadeus never intends to honor the bargain. He plans to sell the people into slavery and publicly destroy Xena's remains.

Gabrielle returns to fight for them. She is eventually overpowered, and Xena is bound to horses that are to pull her apart. Before the order can be carried out, Xena awakens. She and Gabrielle defeat Talmadeus and his soldiers together.

The apparent death has forced Gabrielle and Salmoneus to find courage without relying on Xena to solve everything. The friends resume their travels with their bond strengthened, although the identity of the person who fired the poisoned dart remains unknown.