So, you're thinking to yourself - what exactly is she talking about when she mentions this "New Subtext"? What the heck is it? Why do I keep using it like it's going to make me popular? Well, assuming you're familiar with the term "subtext" as it's defined in Xena fandom, the easiest way to define it here is as regards Joxer and Gabrielle's relationship, and the shift that took place in season five - essentially giving it the dimension of being able to "see what you want", just as Xena/Gabrielle subtexters had been doing for several seasons. For years, Gabby/Joxer romantics (henceforth known as GJRs) who had wandered online had been a minority online for holding the views that they did. Joxer and Gabrielle?! The reasons why this pairing was thought to be outright wrong were high in number: Gabrielle was too good for Joxer, Joxer was a blustering jerk, Gabrielle already loved Xena... etc. The interesting thing about the last reason is that, honestly, there is no more honest-to-goodness solid *proof* that Gabrielle romantically loves Xena, and only Xena, than there is that she would romantically love anyone else. However, the level of interaction between Gabrielle and Xena was high, as was their level of relative intimacy and desire to be together. The show is arguably about their relationship, and their closeness is undeniable. Joxer, on the other hand, had little interaction with Gabrielle. What interaction there was was often tainted by verbal and sometimes physical abuse towards him. Gabrielle had been seen to laugh at the idea of loving him, and in other situations remained completely oblivious to the idea of his love for her. So, while there was a high level of "see it if you want to" for the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, there was a limited amount of that same effect for Joxer and Gabrielle, and those who went looking for it generally had to really reach. However, season five effectively changed all of that. From the start of the season, the level of Joxer's interaction with both Gabrielle and Xena was much higher; of the twenty-two episodes of that year, Joxer was in fourteen of them (!), and his interaction with Gabrielle was quite high in most of them. He told her of his feelings, so she could no longer remain ignorant of them. And although many didn't think it was possible for a character who was known to have an impossible love for another to be subtextual in his interactions, the impossible was done. Gabrielle was, one way or another, kept from giving a firm response as regarded Joxer's feelings, either when Joxer wouldn't let her answer or when she couldn't even come up with a response for herself. Her general reaction seemed confused at the best of times. And it was left up to us to decide what she was thinking. Some viewers would say that Gabrielle was shocked to learn of Joxer's love- some might even go so far as to say, frightened or appalled. Some viewers would say that she was surprised, shocked at first, but came to terms with it once she made it clear she only loves him as a friend, a family member. Other viewers, however, saw it differently. Her dialogue was ambiguous; in Eternal Bonds when she is apparently letting him down gently, she tells him that she does love him- "Just not the way you want it... I guess". Towards the end of the episode, she hesitantly brings the subject up, and he tells her that she needn't worry; he will always love her as more than that, but will get used to her not feeling the same. Gabrielle's reaction is a quick and flustered "But-" before Xena interrupts. "But" what? "But you should just get over me before it causes you too much pain"? Or, "But I want to keep talking about this, maybe we could try something"? Even now, it seems that the viewer can see what they want to see. Seems pretty subtexty to me.