Review of A Fistful of Dinars

This is my favorite episode in the first season. It features a handful of very awesome characters; particularly Thersites. He's an assassin with a thirst for money and riches so he goes through any means to get it; be it murder or mayhem. Well, he ends up joining with Xena and Gabrielle temporarily just so they can acquire the ambrosia, this mystical and mythical fruit that's supposed to be able to make mortals into gods. Then there's this other fellow, Petracles, whom is not originally trusted by Xena and ends up being a more honorable warrior. Of course, Thersites ends up going his way to acquire the ambrosia, and ends up slaying Petracles in the process in the end. He himself is slain by Xena and there's a grand directing perspective here from the upper angle portraying their bodies; all for the ambrosia, which Xena tosses away, disposing of it. There is great morality and mortality found in this episode, and there overall emphasis on the characters of Thersites and Petracles was very well orchestrated. Personally, I found Thersites to be the best character in the first season as a stand-alone plot device. His movement was fluid and his actions defined him. There was a solid usage of philosophical connotations as well; the story telling viewers that chasing something can get you killed; and greed being a strong detrimental factor. There's also other nice ways that these messages have been incorporated throughout the episode, but the best is the fact that the characters go on a journey, some are killed in the process, whilst others learn from the error of their ways. This teaches that not all fates are intertwined and there's great misfortune to befall those who defy common logic. The story is not the only thing that shines as the directing here was phenomenal; a gorgeous job indeed.