The first ten episodes laid the foundation of the explosive changes that were about to occur in the lives of Xena and Gabrielle. Events in the two-part epic The Debt put more strain on Xena and Gabrielle's relationship than had ever seen before. Indeed, the next three episodes were all light comedies - it would seem that we were back to business as usual. Then came Maternal Instincts . In what is probably one of the most emotional hours in the entire third season, our heroines are put through a wringer.
Hope returns and frees Callisto.
Gabrielle adds more blood to her hands when she poisons Hope, and almost commits suicide afterward. If people thought the rift was opened and shut during The Debt , they hadn't seen anything yet. Following Maternal Instincts came the surprising musical episode, The Bitter Suite . Accusations and recriminations fly as the duo works out their problems in an episode that ranks as a fan favorite. This single event started a feeling in certain fan circles that the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle mirrored that of modern-day abusive relationships.