A Pedestal Too High

Written: 1998
© Julie Ruffell 1998
Description: This article was published in Warrior Princess Press.

"A Pedestal Too High"

"You put people on a pedestal, sooner or later they're going to fall and your expectations fall with them."
-Xena-

Xena, the Warrior Princess and Meleager the Mighty have a lot in common; they are both strong, respected, feared warriors as well as intelligent and brave. However, one other thing they have in common is that they're both put on a pedestal by Gabrielle; a pedestal too high.

"What do you know - a farm girl like you? How could you begin to understand the kind of work I do, or how I live my life?"

"You might be surprised."

"Huh! I doubt it. Blood, killing, the gore. It would turn your stomach to hear about it. Never mind having to life day after day never knowing when the next attack will come. Who's your enemy and who's your friend? What you're going to have to deal with and how, never knowing when you might freeze."
-Meleager and Gabrielle-

Meleager made his first appearance in the first season episode "The Prodigal" as a drunken, has-been warrior. He had been hired by the people of Poteidaia to take care of the warlord Damon, but he was nothing more than a wash out.

Gabrielle had just come home because she had frozen in battle and feared that is she remained with Xena, she would be putting the Warrior Princess at risk. When she confronted Meleager about his drinking, she learned that this once mighty warrior drank since he had lost his nerve. He had frozen, just as she had. Being the warrior that he was, the fact that he had frozen had hurt him so deeply that he couldn't face it.

Gabrielle helped Meleager get sober and, together, they helped each other face their freezing problem. The found their courage again and returned to the life they knew.

"And hope was lost, and that's when Meleager appeared."
-Gabrielle-

Meleager wouldn't return until the second season episode "The Execution." Gabrielle was overjoyed at seeing her friend, who was like a father figure to her, and throughout the journey to meet with him, Gabrielle told Xena again and again about how he saved Poteidaia. Unfortunately, when they arrived, they discovered that Meleager had just been found guilty of murder. Gabrielle wouldn't believe it and helped Meleager to escape. Xena, on the other hand, felt that Gabrielle couldn't accept that Meleager had fallen from his pedestal. Gabrielle turned out to be right; Meleager had not committed the murder, but he had started to drink again and that's why he lied to Gabrielle. In doing that, Meleager had almost fallen from the high pedestal Gabrielle had set him on.

This episode would foreshadow "The Price" and "The Debt" in which Xena would have to deal with her wobbling pedestal. Xena knew that Gabrielle had placed her on one, and seeing what had happened to Meleager, she feared the same would happen to her and she would lose Gabrielle. Xena send a warning to Gabrielle by saying, "You put people on a pedestal, sooner or later they're going to fall and your expectations fall with them." She was telling Gabrielle her fear of falling and losing the young bard's faith.

It's true what Xena said. Gabrielle does tend to put people on a pedestal, but in doing that, she doesn't allow them to make mistakes, and, in a way, that doesn't allow them to be human. Meleager and Xena have managed to keep their places for now, but they don't do it for themselves; they fear how Gabrielle will see them, should they fall. It's another thing they have in common; the fear of losing the light in their lives: Gabrielle.