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Xena
Name: Xena
Known Relatives: Cyrene (mother), Atrius (father, deceased), Toris (elder brother), Lyceus (younger brother, deceased), Solan (son, deceased) and Eve (daughter).
Television Show: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama
Country of Origin: USA
Original Run: September 4, 1995–May 21, 2001
Xena Actress: Lucy Lawless
Xena of Amphipolis is a fictional character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. A flawed hero haunted by her dark past, even the "good" Xena could be angry and arrogant, at times driven by rage and revenge. She could also be vulnerable and tender, capable of caring and feeling deeply. She was portrayed by the ever beautiful New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless.
Xena: Warrior Princess was a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys where Xena was formerly an evil Warlord and called the “Destroyer of Nations”. The television series was aired from 1995 up to 2001 and was filmed in New Zealand by Pacific Renaissance Pictures Ltd. (Universal Studios). It was created by John Schulian and Robert Tapert with 134 episodes, plus the 3 pilot episodes called as The Xena Trilogy.
Xena History
Born in Amphipolis, in a
time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, this young woman of humble
beginnings would go on to become the most feared and fierce warlord of her day.
Known as the "Destroyer of Nations" Xena blazed a path of terror and
destruction across ancient Greece.
She was the only daughter of the tavern keeper Cyrene and her father Atrius. Her mother
murdered her own husband to keep the seven-year-old Xena safe, because her
father after returning from a visit to the temple of Ares,
decided to sacrifice Xena to the god of war. Her mother after what she did decided
to tell her 3 children that their father just left them without any reasons at
all. Much later, Xena would realize that her real father had probably been Ares
indeed, but up to the point, she had been very close to Atrius and felt betrayed.
Xena had war in her veins, so when Amphipolis was attacked by warlord Cortese, she and her younger brother Lyceus convinced their fellow villagers to stay and fight. Although Amphipolis was saved, Lyceus and many other villagers were killed in the battle. Then, Xena decided to prevent further attacks by conquering nearby villages in order to grow stronger. Her fame grew fast and many warriors came to join her army. With them, she started to walk over the enemies of Amphipolis with her ultimate goal being to take revenge on Cortese.
She encountered a handsome and proud roman soldier, Julius Caesar, and a slave Gaelic woman named M'Lila, who would both greatly affect the destiny of the Warrior Princess. Xena took Caesar as a captive, and was naively won over by him to join forces, after beginning an affair with the man. Unfortunately, Caesar betrayed her but was saved by M’Lila while she died saving Xena.
Another warlord named Borias teamed with Xena as she went east. Borias left his family for the love of Xena as she became his lover and right hand. Xena longed for war and havoc and she would rather kill than dealing. Time passed and they returned to Greece. At some point, Borias became too sick with Xena's growing evilness and soon abandoned her, but she was pregnant and gave birth to a son she named Solan. Aware of her attitude, she decided to give up her newborn baby to the centaurs, so that he would be raised in safety and away from her dangerous influence. However, Borias was killed by one of Xena’s lieutenants, Dagnine in a battle of Corinth.
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena, the warrior
princess is bent on overcoming her dark and hateful past. She must save
innocents to redeem herself, in the eyes of the world and to herself. When Xena
met Hercules, initially, she’s set out to kill him but he taught and inspired
her by his integrity. Hercules tells Xena that there is goodness in her heart,
and the two of them shared a brief romantic relationship, before Xena decides
to leave and start making renewal for her past.
Xena had decided to fight no more, but something moved inside her as she watched a group of villagers being attacked by a band of warriors. Xena saved the villagers and a young woman named Gabrielle was left in awe of the Warrior Princess' abilities. Gabrielle persuaded Xena to let her be her traveling companion, and over time Gabrielle became Xena's dearest friend.
As Xena was joined by Gabrielle, Xena travels across the lands as she battles forces of evil, and would often do battle with her evil foes, the ruthless and charming Ares and Callisto, a warrior woman out to get her revenge on Xena for the death of her family and burning her village when she was a child. She reconciles with her mother, Cyrene. Xena together with Gabrielle traveled many leagues seeking adventure and helping people all in the name of the Greater Good.
Superpowers, Abilities and Weapons Used
Mighty strength
She may have been the mightiest purely mortal being ever to live however, there were occasional hints that her true father was Ares. She could arm-wrestle warlords, punch through solid ice, kick down doors, and knock out opponents with a single punch.
Maximum pain tolerance
She had the ability to absorb a great deal of pain dispassionately, such as when arrows were removed.
Gravity-defying leaps
She had a leaping ability demonstrated by other warriors of a high skill level, her gravity-defying leaps usually in an acrobatic style up to 30 feet.
Incredible speed and reflexes
Xena possessed incredible speed and reflexes like she was able to catch knives and arrows in mid-flight and dodge energy blasts from mystical foes.
Master of martial arts
After his brother’s death (Lyceus), she studied many advanced fighting techniques under the tutelage of M'Lila over the course of several months. While onboard Xena's ship, M'Lila taught her several fighting techniques as well as instructing her in the use of pressure points, including what became her signature "pinch" maneuver. When Xena engages with her sword, she can use the more elegant parries of fencing however more often switches with techniques attributed to escrima arts, or the asian styles of sword-fighting.
Power to kill gods
The power to kill gods and apparently other immortals such as angels. While normally a sword or other weapon would go right through a god without drawing blood or inflicting a wound, Xena possessed the ability to pierce this "veil of immortality" and make them bleed or die.
Qi powers
A form of psychokinesis that allowed her to deal a powerful "blow" to either a person or an object with spiritual energy, shattering walls and repelling attackers. She was able to use her qi powers to turn an entire attacking army to stone. Defending herself, she also used a fire-breathing trick she had mastered. The result was a fire that spread through the town and killed 40,000 people.
Powers of a shaman
She used this power to cross over to the Amazon Land of the Dead to seek out Gabrielle, believing her to be dead, and then to battle Alti in spiritual form on two occasions.
Powers of "The Mehndi"
Activated by Mehndi tattoos on her body to trap and destroy Alti. Xena achieved this by creating chakram constructs made purely out of the Mendhi's supernatural energies as weapons.
Rheingold Ring
As she wears the ring, she can receive god-like abilities which enabled her to defeat the combined forces of Odin the King of Norse Gods.
Powerful weapons
When Xena picks up an object, no matter what it is, it becomes a weapon. She can fight with frying pans, use rags as whips, even turning one into a staff after getting it wet and taut. As far as traditional weapons go, Xena is an expert combatant with the following and their derivatives: swords, chobos, staffs, whips, axes, knives, and bows and arrows. In terms of weaponry, Xena usually carries her sword, chakram, a breast dagger kept in her bosom armor, and a whip.
Xena Characters
Main Characters:
· Xena: Warrior princess, portrayed by Lucy Lawless
· Gabrielle: Known as the Battling Bard of Potadeia and Xena’s side-kick. She was portrayed by Renee O'Connor.
In Alphabetical Order:
· Akemi: Japanese girl who was kidnapped by Xena and Borias. Although ended up being Xena’s friend as she teaches her one of her signature techniques, the pinch which cut off the flow of blood to a person's brain, resulting in death.
· Alti: Amazon shaman driven out of her tribe. She trained Xena as a shaman too and influenced her toward greater evil with promises that she would become the Destroyer of Nations. Portrayed by Claire Stansfield.
· Amarice: Young Amazon, portrayed by Jennifer Sky.
· Aphrodite: Goddess of love, portrayed by Alexandra Tydings.
· Ares: The god of war, portrayed by Kevin Smith.
· Atrius: Xena’s father.
· Autolycus: The self-styled King of Thieves, portrayed by Bruce Campbell.
· Borias: He was one of Xena’s lovers who left his family to become her lover and father of Xena's son, Solan, portrayed by Marton Csokas.
· Brutus: Right hand man of Julius Caesar.
· Callisto: A woman warrior who was Xena's arch-enemy and nemesis, born out of her own dark past. She was obsessed with revenge against Xena because Xena had destroyed her village and her family when she was still evil. Portrayed by Hudson Leick.
· Cyane: Amazon queen who tried to guide Xena towards good.
· Cyrene: Xena’s mother, portrayed by Darien Takle
· Dahak: An evil god who impregnated Gabrielle with a demon child named Hope.
· Discord: Goddess of Retribution, portrayed by Meighan Desmond.
· Draco: Warlord and former friend to Xena, portrayed by Jay Laga'aia.
· Eli: An illusionist and a divine healer who saved Xena and Gabrielle from evil possessions, portrayed by Tim Omundson.
· Ephiny: Queen regent of the Amazons, portrayed by Danielle Cormack.
· Eve: Daughter of Xena, born of a miraculous conception without a father. She was adopted by the Roman nobleman Octavius, and Eve grew up to become Livia, the Champion of Rome, and a ruthless persecutor of Eli's followers. Portrayed by Adrienne Wilkinson.
· Hecuba: Gabrielle's mother, portrayed by Linda Jones and Lisa Crittenden.
· Hercules: Shared a brief romantic relationship with Xena as he influenced and inspired her to be a good warrior. Portrayed by Kevin Sorbo.
· Herodotus: Gabrielle's father, portrayed by Geoff Snell.
· Hope: Gabrielle's demon child, a villainess in the series.
· Iolaus: Hercules' best friend, portrayed by Michael Hurst.
· Joxer: The warrior wannabe, portrayed by Ted Raimi.
· Julius Caesar: Love/hate interest for Xena, portrayed by Karl Urban.
· Lao Ma: Ming T'ien's mother, a woman of great spiritual power who saved Xena from certain death. Lao Ma healed Xena's legs and gave her the title of warrior princess.
· Lila: Gabrielle's sister, portrayed by Willa O'Neill.
· Lyceus: Xena’s younger brother
· Marcus: One of Xena's former love interests, portrayed by Bobby Hosea.
· Michael: The Archangel, portrayed by Charles Mesure.
· Ming T'ien: Lao Ma’s evil son.
· Minya: Good friend of Xena and Gabrielle, portrayed by Alison Wall.
· M'Lila: Young Gaelic slave-stowaway woman who taught Xena her famous pressure-point pinch.
· Niklio: Trustworthy healer who tried to mend Xena’s broken legs.
· Solan: Xena’s son who never got to know her as his mother.
· Toris: Xena’s older brother
· Varia: Young queen of the Amazons, portrayed by Tsianina Joelson.
· Velasca: Rogue Amazon who became goddess of chaos after eating Ambrosia, portrayed by Melinda Clarke.
· Yodoshi: The abusive and tyrannical father of Akemi.
Episode List
Season 1
Pilot: The
Warrior Princess/The Gauntlet/Unchained Heart
(airdate: 3/13/1995)
Sins of
the Past (airdate: 9/4/1995)
Chariots
of War (airdate: 9/11/1995)
Dreamworker (airdate: 9/18/1995)
Cradle of
Hope (airdate: 9/25/1995)
The Path
Not Taken (airdate: 10/2/1995)
The
Reckoning (airdate: 10/16/1995)
The Titans (airdate: 10/30/1995)
Prometheus
(airdate: 11/6/1995)
Death in Chains (airdate: 11/13/1995)
Hooves
& Harlots (airdate: 11/20/1995)
The Black
Wolf (airdate: 1/8/1996)
Beware
Greeks Bearing Gifts (airdate: 1/15/1996)
Athens City Academy of the
Performing Bards (airdate: 1/22/1996)
A Fistful
of Dinars (airdate: 1/29/1996)
Warrior...
Princess (airdate: 2/5/1996)
Mortal
Beloved (airdate: 2/12/1996)
The Royal
Couple of Thieves (airdate: 2/19/1996)
The
Prodigal (airdate: 3/4/1996)
Altared
States (airdate: 4/22/1996)
Ties That
Bind (airdate: 4/29/1996)
The
Greater Good (airdate: 5/6/1996)
Callisto (airdate: 5/13/1996)
Death Mask (airdate: 6/3/1996)
Is There A
Doctor in the House (airdate: 7/29/1996)
Season 2
Orphan of War
(airdate: 9/30/1996)
Remember Nothing
(airdate: 10/7/1996)
The Giant Killer (airdate:
10/14/1996)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
(airdate: 10/21/1996)
Return of Callisto
(airdate: 11/4/1996)
Warrior... Princess... Tramp (airdate: 11/4/1996)
Intimate Stranger
(airdate: 11/11/1996)
Ten Little Warlords
(airdate: 11/18/1996)
A Solstice Carol
(airdate: 12/9/1996)
The Xena Scrolls
(airdate: 1/13/1997)
Here She Comes... Miss Amphipolis (airdate: 1/20/1997)
Destiny (1)
(airdate: 1/27/1997)
The Quest (2)
(airdate: 2/3/1997)
A Necessary Evil
(airdate: 2/10/1997)
A Day in the Life
(airdate: 2/17/1997)
For Him The Bell
Tolls (airdate: 2/24/1997)
The Execution
(airdate: 4/7/1997)
Blind Faith
(airdate: 4/14/1997)
Ulysses (airdate: 4/21/1997)
The Price (airdate: 4/28/1997)
The Lost Mariner
(airdate: 5/5/1997)
A Comedy of Eros
(airdate: 5/12/1997)
Season 3
The Furies (airdate: 9/29/1997)
Been
There, Done That (airdate: 10/6/1997)
The Dirty
Half Dozen (airdate: 10/13/1997)
The
Deliverer (airdate: 10/20/1997)
Gabrielle's
Hope (airdate: 10/27/1997)
The Debt
(1) (airdate: 11/3/1997)
The Debt
(2) (airdate: 11/10/1997)
The King
of Assassins (airdate: 11/17/1997)
Warrior...
Priestess... Tramp (airdate: 1/12/1998)
The Quill
Is Mightier (airdate: 1/19/1998)
Maternal
Instincts (airdate: 1/26/1998)
The Bitter
Suite (airdate: 2/2/1998)
One
Against An Army (airdate: 2/9/1998)
Forgiven (airdate: 2/16/1998)
King Con (airdate: 2/23/1998)
When In Rome... (airdate: 3/2/1998)
Forget Me
Not (airdate: 3/9/1998)
Fins,
Femmes and Gems (airdate: 4/13/1998)
Tsunami (airdate: 4/20/1998)
Vanishing Act (airdate: 4/27/1998)
Sacrifice
(1) (airdate: 5/4/1998)
Sacrifice
(2) (airdate: 5/11/1998)
Season 4
Adventures
in the Sin Trade (1) (airdate: 9/28/1998)
Adventures
in the Sin Trade (2) (airdate: 10/5/1998)
A Family
Affair (airdate: 10/12/1998)
In
Sickness and In Hell (airdate: 10/19/1998)
A Good Day (airdate: 10/26/1998)
A Tale of
Two Muses (airdate: 11/2/1998)
Locked Up
and Tied Down (airdate: 11/9/1998)
Crusader (airdate: 11/16/1998)
Past
Imperfect (airdate: 1/4/1999)
The Key To
The Kingdom (airdate: 1/11/1999)
Daughter
of Pomira (airdate: 1/18/1999)
If The
Shoe Fits... (airdate: 1/25/1999)
Paradise Found (airdate: 2/1/1999)
Devi (airdate: 2/8/1999)
Between
The Lines (airdate: 2/15/1999)
The Way (airdate: 2/22/1999)
The Play's
The Thing (airdate: 3/15/1999)
The
Convert (airdate: 4/19/1999)
Takes One
To Know One (airdate: 4/26/1999)
Endgame (airdate: 5/3/1999)
The Ides
of March (airdate: 5/10/1999)
Deja Vu
All Over Again (airdate: 5/17/1999)
Season 5
Fallen
Angel (airdate: 9/27/1999)
Chakram (airdate: 10/4/1999)
Succession
(airdate: 10/11/1999)
Animal
Attraction (airdate: 10/18/1999)
Them
Bones, Them Bones (airdate: 11/1/1999)
Purity (airdate: 11/8/1999)
Back in
the Bottle (airdate: 11/15/1999)
Little
Problems (airdate: 11/22/1999)
Seeds of
Faith (airdate: 1/10/2000)
Lyre,
Lyre, Hearts on Fire (airdate: 1/17/2000)
Punch
Lines (airdate: 1/24/2000)
God
Fearing Child (airdate: 1/31/2000)
Eternal
Bonds (airdate: 2/7/2000)
Amphipolis
Under Siege (airdate: 2/14/2000)
Married
with Fishsticks (airdate: 2/21/2000)
Lifeblood (airdate: 3/13/2000)
Kindred
Spirits (airdate: 3/20/2000)
Antony
& Cleopatra (airdate: 4/17/2000)
Looking
Death in the Eye (airdate: 4/24/2000)
Livia (airdate: 5/1/2000)
Eve (airdate: 5/8/2000)
Motherhood (airdate: 5/15/2000)
Season 6
Coming
Home (airdate: 10/2/2000)
The
Haunting of Amphipolis (airdate: 10/9/2000)
Heart of
Darkness (airdate: 10/16/2000)
Who's
Gurkhan (airdate: 10/23/2000)
Legacy (airdate: 10/30/2000)
The Abyss (airdate: 11/6/2000)
The
Rheingold (1) (airdate: 11/13/2000)
The Ring
(2) (airdate: 11/20/2000)
Return of
the Valkyrie (3) (airdate: 11/27/2000)
Old Ares
Had A Farm (airdate: 1/15/2001)
Dangerous
Prey (airdate: 1/22/2001)
The God
You Know (airdate: 1/29/2001)
You Are
There (airdate: 2/5/2001)
Path of
Vengeance (airdate: 2/12/2001)
To Helicon and Back
(airdate: 2/19/2001)
Send in
the Clones (airdate: 4/23/2001)
The Last
of the Centaurs (airdate: 4/30/2001)
When Fates
Collide (airdate: 5/7/2001)
Many Happy
Returns (airdate: 5/14/2001)
Soul
Possession (airdate: 6/4/2001)
Friend in
Need (1) (airdate: 6/11/2001)
Friend in
Need (2) (airdate: 6/18/2001)
Sticks And
Stones
Other Appearances of Xena
TV Movies
· Hercules And The Amazon Women
· Hercules And The Lost Kingdom
· Hercules And The Circle Of Fire
· Hercules In The Underworld
· Hercules In The Maze Of The Minotaur
TV Series
· Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
· Xena: Warrior Princess
· Young Hercules
Comics
· Xena Warrior Princess from Dark Horse Comics
Animated
· Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus
Video Games
· Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
· Xena: Warrior Princess
· Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Fate
Comic Appearance
Photoshoot Appearance
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