Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Timing and Distance

**Travel:**  Around three months to get back to southern Greece from the Valley of Elah, Israel where *Giant Killer* took place.

**Location:**  The shooting script mentions Anthisteria which was a three day festival "celebrated in most Ionian communities, but details are known almost exclusively from Athens, where it was of an importance comparable perhaps to modern Christmas. It was celebrated in the correspondingly named month Anthesterion, roughly late February" (Oxford Research Encyclopedia).  That timing doesn't fit with this current series of documents but as I’m aiming to see if *The Solstice Carol*,  still several episodes away, matches up with *Dreamworker's* Summer Solstice, it's worth keeping this month in mind. I may have to adjust the distances and timing of other episodes to make it work.

In Euripides'  [*Bacchae*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchae), Dionysus (the actual Greek name of Bacchus) carries out his dances and rites with his bacchants, his priestesses, on Mt Cithaeron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cithaeron).

**Timing:** Athens to Mt Cithaeron (modern day Kithairon) is almost 50 miles from Athens to a 2-2.5 days journey by foot. However, it's clearly stated in the episode that the girls who had been kidnapped will be turned into fully fledged Bacchae 'tomorrow night' – the shooting draft says the episode takes place over three days and two nights.

**First Time**

* Xena knows how to run up cliff walls?

**Repeat Performance**

* Joxer returns – last seen (for the first time) in *Callisto* – seems he's continuing to try and be a hero though goodness knows why anyone would think he'd know how to track down Xena with Orpheus's head – but he did!  They seem like old friends now, though he's only actually been in that one previous episode * Fire breathing * Campfire scene (this time with Joxer}

**Highlights/Subtext**

* Our girls look gorgeous as Bacchae!  * In the final scene, the way Gabrielle moves in closer to Xena and kind of leans in towards her, when she says "You know-- you almost died trying to save me.  I really want to do something to thank you.”  I always saw that as an invitation, the way she presents herself.......... * And of course, The Bite – I highly recommend Texbard's short follow-up to this episode for all those keen on the subtext - Over 18 years olds only -https://www.ausxip.com/fanfiction/texbard/2\_4\_RealityBites.htm