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Better late than never - Friendshipper/Other - 4 Chakrams. Although there's a lot to like in Season 6, what I hate, I REALLY hate and almost voted 3 but decided not to hold what I don't like in disproportion to what I liked. Unfortunately some of my most negative feelings about the series seemed to be congregated in Season 6.

NEGATIVES
One theme I really disliked was the terrible family price Xena and Gabrielle had to pay as the result of their 25 year absence. In addition to the Eve situation in Season 5, this carried forward into Season 6 with the nearly back to back revelations of the horrendous deaths suffered by Cyrene, Hecuba and Herodotus. Cyrene's death was especially awful as it happened mainly as a plot device for what I feel is a particularly bad episode in The Haunting of Amphipolis. Its hard to think of a more disturbing image than Xena handling the charred bones of her mother and one I felt was totally unnecessary. At least Gabrielle's parents' death, although also ghastly, did serve the plot of Who's Gurkhan in that it was probably the only event that could have spurred Gab into pursuing cold blooded murder in the name of vengeance but still I could have lived with just one of these, but both, too much. Thank God Xena never went looking for Toris or she probably would have found his skeleton strapped to a wheel twisting in the wind in a field somewhere.

There are a handful episodes that aren't my particular favorites for the simple reasons that are uninteresting, low quality or just plain silly. Then there are episodes I actively loathe and Season 6 unfortunately contains two of the latter in Soul Possession and Last of the Centaurs. I know some peoples' theory is that Soul Possession is actually from a scroll written by Joxer but even Joxer wouldn't distort history that badly so I chalk it up to a hoax against C.H.A.K.R.A.M. by some unknown person. SP completely contradicts the events in the SII and AFA and to have those two wonderful episodes tainted by a crappy comedy like SP is a shame. And why exactly would Gabrielle sell her soul to save Hope when she had just sacrificed her own life to kill her?!?!? But even more aggregious is the complete character assassination perpetrated upon Ares. This is not the Ares we saw in season 3 (or any season for that matter). This guy is just a slimy opportunist uttering atrociously lame lines like "holding out Hope...oops" and "just as long you look good on top of me". Ugggh!!! The one redeeming quality in SP is the very sweet "something new, borrowed, etc" scene between Xena and Joxer, one of my all-time favorites between those two. Call me cranky, but I've never liked "winking to the audience" moments in any series and didn't like here (e.g. Annie referencing Joxer being played by the producer's brother).

Continuing the character assassination theme was what was done to Borias in LOTC. Throughout the series, we had been lead to believe that Borias did have some honor within him and that he did care for Xena and his unborn son and could have been the man to have turned it around for Xena if he'd been given the chance. But here we find out that he was seduced by Xena into abandoning his family in effect destroying what I'd admired in him. This episode also contains one of Gabrielle's worst lines ever when she questioned Xena if Bellach might be her son. I know sometimes lines exist to answer questions for the casual fans, but really, after everything they've been through, for Gabs to think for a moment that Xena would have withheld info like that is insulting. Also hated that no matter which side she's on, Gabrielle has to be proven wrong (with a few exceptions) so Xena can be right. In a total role reversal, Gab advocates killing Bellach with Xena being the one trying to avoid bloodshed but even with that, Gabrielle is still wrong. The cavalier way Xena pointed that out at the end felt a bit too happy go lucky on the heels of the virtual extinction of the Centaur Nation at the hands of Bellach not to mention the message that its okay to commit holocaust as long as you find the love at the end-yuck! On the plus side, it was great to see Ephiny again along with a grown up Xenon.

I'll keep this one brief but I'm very much in the anti-AFIN camp. Didn't mind Xena dying but hated this specific reason for it. I just don't buy the contention that the 40,000 souls couldn't be released into a state of grace unless Xena stayed dead. Don't like the idea that a person's final judgement is in any way related to their murderer (although this is the one case where Xena didn't commit murder, it was an accident). Also, wished the final episode didn't introduce a bunch of characters we'd never met. Also, how could Xena have not had a single thought for Eve knowing she was going to have to stay dead. How about a quick "tell Eve I love her".

Other negatives for me include:
-two clip shows this season, especially since it was the last ever season. Send in the Clones was one of the weaker clip shows I thought plus I've never been particularly fond of the cutesy idea that Xena and gang existed for real and that there was a tv show based on the scrolls. So are we watching the reality or the show Gabs pointed out took liberties with her scrolls?
-I found Eve to be mostly annoying especially in The Haunting of Amphipolis beyond the incessant Exorcist chanting was the simpering delivery of virtually all of her lines.
-Xena's belated and lame "oh yeah, that reminds me" apology to Gabrielle for nearly killing her. Could and should have been a much more powerful moment had it been given its proper due.
-The massive overkill of brutality inflicted upon Xena in Who's Gurkhan especially since in the final analysis, once Gurkhan was in the cell, Xena easily took over the place so why didn't she just do that in the first place. Not sure why the beating had to be so over the top other than director Michael Hurst's love of blood.
-Akemi: enough said!

POSITIVES
There was a lot I liked in Season 6 as well but I'll keep it briefer since I've already droned on enough:

-Gabrielle questioning and sometimes struggling in her role as a warrior, especially her insight that although she had the physical skills, she didn't always have the right judgement and seeing the deadly consequences of that in Legacy and especially her greatest challenge as Amazon queen in trying to lead the Amazons against the formidable Bellapheron (he was a great villain). She certainly came a long way from the naive farm girl who wanted a great adventure.
-My second favorite comedy ever in Old Ares Had a Farm mixing great comedy with some sweet emotional moments. Great to see Ares trying to cope with mortality with his delusions of grandeur living as a king or priest of his own cult, shirking all physical labor with the exception of killing dinner, his wounded pride at Greba thinking he was Xena and Gabrielle's father. Loved Xena trying to recapture the peaceful feeling of her youth and Gabrielle teasingly pointing that out to her along Ares cynically response to the rainstorm "don't tell me, this is your favorite part". The scene with Gabrielle thanking Ares for saving her and his teasing "you were an afterthought" is one of my all-times favorites with them.
-Xena recognizing that she, Gabrielle and Eve owe everything to Ares' for his sacrifice and going out on a limb to save him from the Furies and then helping him again in OAHAF. Loved the sweet moment between Ares and Xena at the end with her allowing him his one-in-a-billion hope.
-Xena arranging to get Ares and Aphrodite their godhoods back. Poor Dite was just not made to be a mortal. Ares' joy at whipping the fireballs was great!
-Ares applauding Xena in admiration after she once again bested him in Path of Vengeance. Both Xena and Ares doing what they do and Ares not wanting it any other way. Great conclusion to their relationship.
-Renee O'Connor getting a second chance to direct a much better episode this season than her first outing.
-The God You Know: Ares demonstrating his love for Aphrodite by risking his life to try to save her. Great to see that his ability to love wasn't just restricted to Xena. Loved the moment at the end with Ares and Dite goofing with each other walking out together. Also liked Xena's understanding that Caligula was damaged and feeling dirty that she had to manipulate him to his death, even if it was the only option, good character development for her. Can't remember another time where she had regrets like that.
-Many Happy Returns: Great funny, feel-good episode before the final end. Loved the tradition of the birthday practical jokes (although as someone else said, wish we'd seen a Xena birthday). Still think Xena let the fish guts land on her. Camp being setup in seconds still makes me LOL! Wonderful scene at the end with the poem, Xena's "huh" reaction to it, Xena and Gabrielle flying off into the sunset.
-The Abyss: Average episode but a couple of scenes impressed: the continuity from Legacy with Gabrielle's hesitation to kill causing her injury. This was so much more realistic than her almost seamless transformation to warrior in Season 5. Much more in character for Gabrielle to struggle and glad they addressed a bit this season. Also liked Xena initially thinking Gabrielle was talking about her but then realizing she was flashing back to her fear of Xena with regards to Hope and Xena finally understanding, though too bad Gabrielle never heard her say the words.
-When Fates Collide: Overall liked it but never quite understood Caesar's motivation to betray Xena in this one. Alti certainly isn't worth risking fate again. Did like the theme that no matter what, Xena's fate was to be crucified by Caesar, Caesar to be betrayed and stabbed and that Xena and Gabrielle to meet and feel a strong bond.