The Giant Killer
The battle raged on for days. By the time we drove
Gareth and his army back, there were bodies everywhere.
GABRIELLE
Why aren't they buried?
XENA
Giants leave their dead above ground. It's a sign
of honour.
GABRIELLE
So, why are you meeting your friend here?
XENA
We vowed ten years ago to meet in this place,
and mourn and celebrate.
GABRIELLE
Celebrate what?
XENA
Life and death.
GABRIELLE
I hate it when you go cryptic on me.
What happened to him?
XENA
Judging by the scorch-marks, I'd say he got in
an argument with Zeus and wound up on the
business end of a thunderbolt. Here, take a look.
Xena, I--I think we better get out of here.
XENA
Relax, it's the live ones you have to worry about.
GABRIELLE
It's a live one I am worried about.
Xena. I was hoping you'd come.
XENA
I told you I'd be here.
GABRIELLE
This is your friend?
XENA
(introducing Gabrielle) Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
Pleased to meet you.
Pleased to meet you, too.
XENA
It's been a long time.
GOLIATH
Different lifetime, from what I hear.
XENA
Yes, I guess it is.
GABRIELLE
Ah, I think I'll take a walk. I'll let you two catch up.
So, how have you been?
GOLIATH
Ah, making a living. You know how it's been
since...since we last saw each other.
XENA
I know.
GOLIATH
I'm helping a local army drive off a band of thieves.
Pay's good. Very good. Enough to-
XENA
Enough to head into the hills and spend your
life seeking revenge?
GOLIATH
Until I kill Gareth, I don't have a life, Xena. You,
of all people, should understand that.
XENA
I understand that a man's soul can be poisoned
by hatred. I hope that's not happening to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You know, you think she'd mention that her friend
was taller than most pine trees.
Here's another one.
GABRIELLE
I'm not alone.
DAGON
Yes. I heard you talking to your friend. The bush.
Now, just come quietly.
DAVID
Leave her alone!
JONATHAN
David, don't!
Why don't you pick on someone who can defend
themselves?
DAGON
Who? You?
XENA
No. Me.
DAGON
Get her!
Grab her!
EXTRA
See?
EXTRA
Stay where you are!
XENA
Uh-uh.
Are you okay?
DAVID
I'm-ahh.
GABRIELLE
You all right?
DAVID
Never better.
What am I paying you for?! Do something!
GOLIATH
Dagon, this is my friend, Xena.
DAVID
Xena. I should'a known.
JONATHAN
David.
DAGON
I thought you were with these thieves. You're both
most welcome guests.
XENA
Thanks for the hospitality.
Think nothing of it. After all any friend of Goliath's
is a friend of the Philistines.
ACT ONE
Time and again you people have been warned.
And now, you come armed!
DAVID
It's a sling.
DAGON
It's a deadly weapon in the right hands! And you
were using it to steal.
JONATHAN
My people are not thieves.
DAGON
Your people? Your people?!
DAVID
He spoke out of turn.
JONATHAN
It's all right, brother. Yes, my people. I'm Jonathan,
eldest son of King Saul.
DAGON
You call that petty criminal a king?! Well, if I
catch him on my land, he'll be crowned anew!
DAVID
This land is ours, and you know it.
DAGON
I'll tell you what I know. We built this land into
something! It was an unproductive desert when
we got here! And now, it's a thriving area! All we
get from you Israelites is ingratitude! Lock 'em up!
EXTRA
Yes, sir. Come along, move it!
XENA
See that he gets a bandage for that head.
Come on, come on. Move it.
DAGON
Goliath won't be able to join us for dinner. However,
I would be honored with your presence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
They're thieves and they need to be punished
as such.
XENA
What, exactly, have they stolen?
DAGON
Game. They were hunting on our land.
GABRIELLE
They look half starved.
DAGON
It's a shame they don't manage their resources
better. They really need our help.
XENA
What does that mean?
DAGON
We're going to bring civilization to the Israelites.
(to servant) More wine!
So, you're going to enslave them, in other words.
DAGON
No man or woman is forced to work for us. They
can go their own way, if they wish.
As long as they don't mind giving up their land
or going without food.
DAGON
You don't know the lengths I've gone to try and work
with them in a peaceful way. They just won't listen
to reason. Of course, what should one expect
from a people who believe in only one God?
Xena, come work for me.
XENA
I'm not interested.
DAGON
I'm talking about working for the common good.
There's a whole world out there, just waiting to
be helped.
XENA
I reserve my help for those who need it. (to Gabrielle)
Come on.
I think Goliath and I need to have a talk.
All right, quickly!
GABRIELLE
I've come to see the prisoners.
SOLDIER
Make it quick!
JONATHAN
Cover the hole!
What do you want?
Gabrielle holds out the food she took.
I came to thank you, for trying to help me this morning.
DAVID
Had I known you were with Xena, I wouldn't
have bothered.
GABRIELLE
You don't understand. She's going to get you
out of here.
DAVID
She's a murderer. We don't need her help.
GABRIELLE
In case you haven't noticed, you're in a dungeon.
DAVID
Yeah, for now, but I have faith.
GABRIELLE
Look, Xena has changed.
DAVID
Hey, I know all about Xena, okay? I've written of
her exploits.
GABRIELLE
You write stories?
DAVID
Mostly psalms. You wouldn't understand.
GABRIELLE
I know what a psalm is. It's a religious poem. I'm
pretty good with a story myself.
DAVID
Really? Think you can make up an escape story,
and get us out of here?
GABRIELLE
I already have. But, you wouldn't like it. Xena
leads the way.
Out of my way!
GABRIELLE
Hey!
SOLDIER
Stand aside! Move!
You Israelites can't do anything right. The punishment
for trying to escape is death!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What they're paying you isn't worth it.
GOLIATH
You think King Saul would offer more?
XENA
You're missing my point.
GOLIATH
And, you're missing my point. For the last ten years,
I've had to live with the nightmare of losing my
family. And the only dream I've had is to kill the man
that took them from me. This job will give me
the money to track him down.
XENA
What you're doing is wrong.
GOLIATH
What I'm doing is my job.
XENA
No. No, you're blind with hatred. Please. Please,
help me break these people out.
GOLIATH
I think I helped you enough for one lifetime.
XENA
I owe you my life, Goliath, not the lives of others.
GOLIATH
Hmm.
Look, this is all a misunderstanding. I only brought
him some food.
DAGON
Accepting food I can forgive. Conspiring to escape
is another matter.
GABRIELLE
But, he didn't escape. You're too smart. Now,
look, don't you think they've learned their lesson?
DAGON
Perhaps. I'll just kill one. The little one.
No! I'm the eldest, take me.
EXTRA
No use fighting.
JONATHAN
No! No!
No!
Gabrielle runs and puts her head atop of David's.
Gabrielle, don't!
GABRIELLE
No, it's all right.
EXTRA
Huh? Well?
DAGON
Hmm.
GABRIELLE
You're gonna have to kill the both of us!
DAVID
Are you out of your mind?!
GABRIELLE
I know what I'm doing?
DAGON
All right.
GABRIELLE
What?!
DAGON
I said, 'All right.' We'll kill the both of you.
GABRIELLE
But-
ACT TWO
Watch out!
Quickly! Hurry! Hurry!
Go! Go! Go!
I can't see!
Sound the horn for Goliath!
Easy, big fellas.
To the horses!
JONATHAN
Get out of here!
Let's go!
Let's go!
DAGON
Sound the horn, again!
JONATHAN
Let's go!
DAGON
Where's that damned giant?!
It was her!
JONATHAN
On behalf of the people of Abraham, I thank you.
And I owe you an apology.
XENA
It's all right.
What's all this commotion?
JONATHAN
Father, you're sick. You should be resting.
KING SAUL
Nonsense! Where have you been?
JONATHAN
We were captured by the Philistines. This is Xena,
the Warrior Woman. She and her friend broke
us out.
KING SAUL
You're most welcome here. Please, come on in.
DAVID
You were right. You tell a great escape story.
GABRIELLE
Hmm! I thought you'd like it.
You're supposed to be soldiers! You're hopeless!
Get out of my sight! Move!
Sorry, sir.
DAGON
You! You said she was your friend!
GOLIATH
She is my friend.
DAGON
Well, your friend helped the enemy escape. If
I didn't know better, I'd say you were thinking of
backing out.
GOLIATH
What if I was? Maybe, my friendship with Xena
is more important.
DAGON
You want more money? All right, I'll double it.
GOLIATH
You're not listening, are you?! We're talking about
me going up against my friend!
DAGON
What if I can tell you where you can find Gareth?
When you finish this job, I'll tell you where you
can find Gareth.
GOLIATH
All right.
DAGON
And if Xena comes between you and accomplishing
the mission?
GOLIATH
I know how to do my job.
Sorry, Xena.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me get some ointment on that wound.
Here, let me clean it first.
EXTRA
It's nothing serious but, a small wound in the
right place.
The Philistine army is on the move. They'll be
here by tomorrow at the latest.
XENA
Is Goliath with them?
JONATHAN
He's at the head of the army. He's already destroyed
two outposts-
-here and here.
XENA
Dagon is way too smart to take on directly, especially
with Goliath's help. I have to deal with him first.
I propose a 'winner take all' contest. Me against Goliath.
JONATHAN
Are you out of your mind? He's a giant. It's a
suicide mission.
XENA
Every opponent has its weakness.
With giants, it's here, right above the bridge of
the nose. All I need is one clear shot. And then
Goliath will be no more.
JONATHAN
I'll have a messenger sent with the challenge.
But, he's your friend.
XENA
He's fighting on the wrong side. He knows I'll
do what I have to do.
ACT THREE
I brought you some soup. Food's good after a battle.
DAVID
Thank you.
GABRIELLE
Are you writing one of your psalms?
DAVID
Actually, I was recording the story of this morning's
fight with the Philistines.
GABRIELLE
Can I read it?
DAVID
Ah, it's not very good.
GABRIELLE
It doesn't matter. Stories are meant to be told.
Stories tell us who we are. Come on, tell it to me.
DAVID
Mmm, it's a record of Jonathan's exploits.
GABRIELLE
Jonathan? What about yours?
DAVID
No one wants to read about me. Jonathan's
gonna be our next king.
GABRIELLE
You saved his life.
DAVID
Well, he would have done the same for me.
GABRIELLE
Hmm, it was very heroic. In fact, I'm writing a
story about it myself.
DAVID
Really?
GABRIELLE
Hmm.
DAVID
About Jonathan.
GABRIELLE
About you. "I sing of David, the Warrior Poet of
Israel. His courage shown in the battlefield. His
gentle nature in his home. His passion in his
psalms. And all he did, he did for the love of his
family and his God." That's just the beginning.
DAVID
That was beautiful.
GABRIELLE
Thank you.
David, I thought you might be hungry.
DAVID
Gabrielle, this is Sarah.
SARAH
Pleased to meet you.
DAVID
We're to be married next spring.
GABRIELLE
How nice, uh, um, I should be going, I, um, I'm
sure Xena's wondering where I am.
Dumb! Dumb, dumb, dumb!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xena.
Thunder keeping you up?
XENA
No, just thinking.
GABRIELLE
About tomorrow?
XENA
About ten years ago, when Goliath and I fought
in a campaign against Gareth and his army, we
were caught off-guard one morning. Goliath was
taking his wife and children to safety when I was
surrounded and badly injured. I yelled at him to
get back, but he wouldn't. He refused to leave me.
GABRIELLE
He left his family?
XENA
While he was saving me, Gareth killed them all.
I owe him much more than my life.
Goliath!
EXTRA
Get her!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call your men to attention.
JONATHAN
Fall in!
Come on, let's see you fight our giant!
I received your message and accept your terms.
Sound the horn!
Take your best shot, Xena.
Attack the Israelites.
HEAD ARCHER
Archers, ready!
DAGON
Now's the time to catch them off-guard.
HEAD ARCHER
Aim! Fire!
Watch out!
Run!
Charge!
HEAD ARCHER
Charge!
You're too slow, Goliath! Come on!
Get your people out of here, now!
EXTRA
Get to the cave!
JONATHAN
Watch out!
Jonathan!
EXTRA
David this way!
DAVID
To the cave!
EXTRA
Follow David to the cave!
KING SAUL
Son!
GABRIELLE
Run!
Not now, sire. We must retreat!
GABRIELLE
Run!
Come out, Xena!
EXTRA
Come on!
DAVID
Run!
XENA
Salt.
Got'cha.
(to a soldier) Hey! Come here! Give me a hand.
Over here.
EXTRA
Don't let them get away.
EXTRA
Find David.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's good. Here's a fresh bandage.
(to King Saul) I'm sorry.
EXTRA
Help!
KING SAUL
My boy. My poor boy.
Hey, let me take a look at that.
GABRIELLE
Xena, what are we gonna do? As long as he has
that helmet on his head, we're helpless.
XENA
Then, we have to get Goliath to take the helmet off.
GABRIELLE
Okay. If...say he does. Now, are you sure that the
shot to the forehead would kill him?
XENA
Positive, but I'm not going to do it.
GABRIELLE
Look, I understand your feelings about Goliath.
This is-
XENA
No, Gabrielle, I can't do it. Look around you.
Jonathan was the leader of these people. If I kill
Goliath and then leave, what do they have left?
They need someone to believe in.
DAVID
Xena, we need to talk.
XENA
David, I wanted to talk to you-
DAVID
Wait. Let me finish. My people need a leader. I
can't let you kill Goliath. I have to be the one.
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
My family, I will avenge your deaths.
XENA
Hello, Goliath.
How long have you been there?
XENA
Long enough.
GOLIATH
You could've killed me.
XENA
I don't want to kill you.
GOLIATH
I don't wanna kill you either, Xena. You know I
had nothing to do with that sneak attack on the
Israelites, don't you?
XENA
I know. It was Dagon. You can't trust him, Goliath.
Why not just walk away from this whole mess right
now? Leave him to go hang himself.
GOLIATH
Dagon knows where I can find Gareth. He'll give
me the information when the Israelites are defeated.
XENA
Do you think your wife would want you to hurt
innocent people to avenge her?
GOLIATH
No! She wouldn't! She was peace-loving and
forgiving! And now, she's dead! Because I wasn't
there when my family needed me! I have to live with
that! But these innocent people of yours stand
between me and Gareth. And if you stand with
them, you'll be my main target. I'm sorry.
XENA
No, I'm sorry. This is the last time we'll be meeting
in this place. You were a good friend, Goliath.
GOLIATH
So were you. See you on the battlefield.
You wanted to see me?
DAVID
Yeah, I get the feeling you're avoiding me.
GABRIELLE
Avoiding you? No, um, you just have a lot of, ah,
well...I think meeting your betrothed shook me up a little.
DAVID
I should've told you. Sarah's a wonderful person,
and I love her very much.
GABRIELLE
That's good. I just didn't wanna become an issue.
DAVID
How about being a friend?
GABRIELLE
That's good enough for me.
But I'm not convinced this is gonna take down
a giant.
DAVID
Well, this is my best weapon. And besides,
anything's possible when you put your faith in
the Lord, Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
Yeah, well this one God stuff is a new concept
for me.
DAVID
Mm-ah, I understand. Think of him as the ultimate
power, the highest being there is.
GABRIELLE
Greater than Zeus?
DAVID
Greater than Zeus, Ares, all the lesser gods put
together. I know it's difficult, but try to think of him
as a sort of caretaker to the world, like our shepherd.
What's this?
DAVID
These are my psalms. Just in case the good
Lord sees fit to call me home, I want someone
to remember them. And you're right. What's the
point in writing them if they're gonna be kept secret?
GABRIELLE
Will you recite it? It's always best to hear it from
the author.
I haven't written this one down, yet. I thought of
it just before you walked up.
"The Lord is my Shepard; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparedst my table for..."
Come on, line up.
GABRIELLE
The weather doesn't look good.
XENA
I know. David and I worked on this plan all night.
All we need is a little luck.
GABRIELLE
Right. How are you doing?
XENA
If all this works out, I lose a good friend.
GABRIELLE
He made his own choice, Xena.
XENA
I know. I know.
You might wanna mention the weather to, um...him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm.
Positions.
The boy?
EXTRA
We want Xena!
EXTRA
Watch it, Goliath!
Keep your distance, David.
Now!
Attack!
This is far from over!
All right!
EXTRA
David!
EXTRA
David, the hero!
EXTRA
David!
Xena.
XENA
I'm here, Goliath.
GOLIATH
Do you think I'll see my family on the other side?
XENA
I don't know. I can't be the judge of that. I hope
so, my friend.
GOLIATH
Gareth...still-
XENA
Go, now. Your war is over.
Goliath, I know you can hear my thoughts. I hope
you're with your family. When I think of you, I'll
remember Goliath, the great warrior and a loving
husband, and my friend.
END OF ACT FOUR
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Todd Rippon as Goliath
Antony Starr as David
Calvin Tuteao as Dagon
Dale Corlett as Jonathan
Dennis Hally as King Saul
Emma Brunette as Sarah
John Leonard as Soldier
Brad Homan as Head Archer
Written by: Terence Winter
Directed by: Gary Jones
Disclaimer: No Bible myths or icons were irreparably mangled during the production of this motion picture.
