Ming T'ien (Daniel Sing), the ruthless young Emperor of Chin who is also known as the "Green Dragon," orders that Xena (Lucy Lawless) be thrown into a dark polluted pit filled with stagnant water and a group of filthy half-starved prisoners. He flatly refuses Gabrielle's (Renee O'Connor) repeated pleas to see her and begins to tell Gabrielle how Xena's cruelty changed his life and taught him how to rule when he was just a young boy. He recalls how Xena kidnapped him and held him for ransom inside a walled-up cave before returning him to his father, Ming Tzu (Grant McFarland). Gabrielle is appalled by the tale, as well as her growing realization that she is dealing with an absolute maniac.
Meanwhile, Xena finds out that her fellow prisoners are from the Kingdom of Lao and soon learns that Lao Ma (Jacqueline Kim) was publicly executed by order of Ming T'ien. Xena flashes back to one of her early encounters with Lao Ma as Lao Ma demonstrates her astounding telekinetic and physical powers. Lao Ma tells Xena that in order to transcend the limitations of her blind and ruthless will, she must give up desire and hate. In fact, she must extend herself to serve someone she hates. In an extraordinary test of will, Xena agrees to pose as a servant girl in Lao Ma's palace when the ruthless Ming Tzu and Ming T'ien (Daniel Lim) come for dinner. Taking this first step to master her own will, Xena maintains her self-control and refrains from killing him. Lao Ma then takes Xena to the bedside of her comatose husband, Lao Tzu, and explains that she has been using acupressure to keep him alive in order to prevent his imbecile cousin from becoming king. She reveals that Lao Tzu was actually a vicious tyrant and it is she who has decided to make him the most loved of rulers by doing good works in his name. Lao Ma also reveals to Xena that she is Ming T'ien's mother.
Back in the present, Gabrielle thinks she has convinced Ming T'ien to let Xena go if she promises she'll never attempt to kill him again. But when Xena is brought in, she is lost in thought about how Lao Ma healed her legs, which were broken when she was crucified by Caesar. Ming T'ien responds to Xena's silence by sentencing her to death. Gabrielle is devastated that her plan to prevent her friend from committing murder has had such horrifying consequences and she goes to see Xena in prison that night. The two women reconcile and Xena explains that she feels compelled to kill Ming T'ien to avenge the death of Lao Ma, who saved not only her life, but also her soul and spirit. Xena then recalls how Lao Ma tried to bring about a three-way alliance between Borias (Marton Csokas), Ming Tzu and herself, proposing that Xena help her run the Lao Kingdom. Ming Tzu refuses to discuss it until Xena suggests that she herself be put up as the stakes in a deadly game of chance, which results in her killing Ming Tzu. When she then attempts to turn her sword on young Ming T'ien, she is stopped by the formidable Lao Ma, who summons her powers and sends Xena slamming into the walls around the room. Xena now admits to Gabrielle that it took her years to figure out that Lao Ma just wanted peace for her land and what was best for Xena.
Dawn has arrived and as Xena is laid on the executioner's table, Lao Ma's teachings echo in her ears. Just as the executioner is about to lower his hacksaw, Xena uses her mental powers to turn his own instruments of torture against him and break free of her chains. Xena is determined not only to kill Ming T'ien, but to bring down his entire regime and a spectacular battle ensues. When Ming T'ien emerges from the rubble of his collapsing palace, he brags to Xena that he personally executed Lao Ma, knowing full well that she was his mother and would therefore not use her powers against him. With a swagger, he then tosses a hair brooch in her direction, saying it was Lao Ma's dying request that Xena have it. In the end, Xena uses this brooch to kill Ming T'ien. Later, when Gabrielle asks Xena if she killed Ming T'ien, Xena lies saying she didn't.
Guest Starring: Jacqueline Kim (Lao Ma), Marton Csokas (Borais), Grant McFarland (Ming Tzu), Daniel Sing (Ming T'ien), Daniel Lim (Ming T'ien at 12 years), Tai Hadfield (Chuang), Ric Chan (Jiu), Din Tran (Prison Guard)
Starring: Lucy Lawless as Xena, Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Teleplay by R.J. Stewart
Story by Robert Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Directed by Oley Sassone