During the Stone Age, the Amazons were a small tribe known as the Tretolmecs. They lived on the Siberian steppes. The tribe was constantly at war with a group of bloodthirsty cannibals. According to their legends, a warrior called the Atma would someday come and help the Tretolmecs defeat their enemies. After consulting a medicine man, the vengeful Tretolmec warrior Samsara (Danielle Cormack) manages to bring the Atma to her people. The Atma ends up being a teenage girl named Cyane (Selma Blair) from the distant future. She eventually helps the Tretolmecs defeat their enemies by forging a peace with them through Kor (Karl Urban), the leader’s sympathetic son. Unable to forgive her enemies, Samsara leaves the tribe. Karina (Claudia Black), the tribe’s leader, declares that future tribe leaders should be named after Cyane. She also changes the tribe’s name from Tretolmecs to Amazons. In the years to come, some of the Amazons would travel to places such as Greece and Sumeria, establishing new tribes.
In the present, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) decides to give her Right of Caste in the Amazon tribe to Eve, which would make Eve an Amazon princess. Gabrielle, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and the baby travel to the Northern Amazon village. They find the tribe mourning the loss of several Amazons, including Yakut (Kate Elliot), and planning to take revenge on the Samite nomads. During the funeral, Yakut's ghostly image appears to Xena and throws a fireball at her from the pyre that causes Xena to have disturbing visions. Xena shakes herself from the trance and Cyane (Shelley Edwards), the new tribal leader, informs Xena and Gabrielle that Amarice was one of the Amazons killed. In addition, Cyane tells them that Yakut foresaw their coming to make Eve a part of the tribe.
Gabrielle becomes the temporary tribal queen and takes Eve to the ceremonial yurt. Unable to attend the sacred ceremony, Xena visits Yakut's yurt where Yakut's ghostly image appears and warns Xena that the Amazons are in danger. Meanwhile, Gabrielle falls into a trance while the Amazons dance around her. She has visions of Samsara fighting the cannibals and the original Cyane becoming a member of the tribe. Gabrielle discourages the Amazons in their quest for revenge and asks that they focus instead on bringing new life, such as Eve, into the tribe.
Back at Yakut's yurt, Xena and Yakut unite to retrieve the Atma dagger that has been banished to the netherworld. Xena successfully pulls the dagger into the realm of the living, but the electricity it gives off sends her into a trance and she sees visions Samsara and Cyane fighting. Xena comes to and Yakut warns her that Eve will be bathed in blood during the ceremony.
Xena rushes into the ceremonial yurt and stops the initiation. Gabrielle is equally shocked at this unfamiliar ritual and apologizes to Xena. The tribe gathers around Xena when she reveals the Sacred Dagger of the Atma. Entranced by the weapon, the tribe sees visions of battle between the cannibals and the Amazons. Cyane and the Amazons wish to go to war, but Gabrielle and Xena dissuade them by pointing out that shedding more blood will not honor nor bring back their dead friends. The Amazons take on a new mission of dedicating their lives to helping others and Eve is indoctrinated into the tribe with water instead of blood.
Guest Starring: Selma Blair (Cyane), Monica McSwain (Olan), Danielle Cormack (Samsara), Claudia Black (Karina), Kate Elliot (Yakut), Shelley Edwards (Cyane), Morgan Reese Fairhead (Eris), Karl Urban (Kor)
Starring: Lucy Lawless as Xena, Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Teleplay by R.J. Stewart ("Amazon High" portions) and George Strayton & Tom Oneill (the rest)
Story by Rob Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Directed by Michael Hurst ("Amazon High" portions) and Paul Grinder (the rest)
Trivia: This episode featured clips from "Amazon High", an unreleased pilot produced by Renaissance Pictures. Had "Amazon High" become a series, the stories would have likely centered around the adventures of Cyane and Olan.