Xena

Xena of Amphipolis
species: Homo sapiens
Warrior Princess
from Xena: Warrior Princess
Evil Xena, from the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys trio of Xena episodes
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Xena, also called "Xena, Warrior Princess" and "Xena of Amphipolis", is the warrior woman heroine of a New Zealand television series and associated works Xena: Warrior Princess, a spin-off of an earlier action/adventure series, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The role was created by Lucy Lawless.

Xena started her series life on Hercules as a villainess, a murderous conqueror intent on killing and destruction, exacting terrible revenge for the murder of her brother, Lyceus, by the army of another warlord, Cortese. In a series of interactions, including one in which she is severely beaten and cast out by the army she commanded for preventing a child from being murdered, Xena is convinced by the good Hercules to renounce her evil ways and fight the good fight for truth, justice, and the Ancient Greek way. Xena's ferocity was thus revealed as a tragic reaction to her own abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder, as evidenced by her instinctive protection of the child even though this act of mercy resulted in terrible consequences for herself.

The show Xena: Warrior Princess picked up Xena's life as she began her quests to make amends and wander about doing good. She immediately encounters Gabrielle who becomes her sidekick and companion.

While Xena began on the Hercules show as one more sinner redeemed by him, in her story it is clear that her greatest teachers have always been women: her mother Cyrene, M'Lila, Lao Ma, Akemi, Alti, Cyane, and most importantly Gabrielle. Men have been her companions or betrayers, helping her on one path or another, but she is rarely shown to have had the deep connections with them that she had with women. While the audience is told that she has had deep relationships with men, the relationships that are shown to be deep and emotionally impactful are all with women.

Chronology of Xena's life (with relevant episodes for flashbacks & backstory)

• Xena born to Cyrene and Atrius, with borthers Toris and Lyceus; raised in Amphipolis
• At 6yo, Xena's father tried to sacrifice her to Ares ("The Furies")
• Xena involved with future warrior Petracles
• Lyceus murdered by Cortese, a marauder who attacked Xena's village ("Death Mask")
• Xena forms her own army and her own marauding
• Xena captures and becomes involved with Julias Caesar, who betrays her, and M'Lila, a Gaelic/Gaulish runaway slave who teaches her pressure points ("the pinch") and other fighting techniques; M'Lila rescues her from execution on the cross by Caesar's men, taking her to healer Niklio, and then throwing herself in front of an arrow to save Xena. ("Destiny")
• Xena traveled east to Chin and (it looks like) the steppes of Kazakhstan, where she met and became lovers with Borias; Xena then entered into a relationship with Lao Ma, who taught her many things and almost redeemed Xena
• Xena and Borias traveled to Jappa, and Xena became involved with Akemi; after Akemi killed her own abusive father and committed seppuku (honorable suicide), Xena accidentally started a fire that killed 40,000 people. ("A Friend in Need", part 1)
• Xena later met a shamaness, Alti (and her apprentice Anokin) and the Amazon queen Cyane. Cyane taught her Amazon techniques and fighting skills, and Alti taught her certain mystical secrets. Tempted between two paths, she chose the path of darkness once again, killing Cyane and many Amazons. ("Adventures in the Sin Trade", Part 1)
• XG-9: Xena bore a child (by Borias), but gave Solan to the centaurs to raise him, without violence, and without fear of retribution for Xena's actions. ("Orphan of War"; "Past Imperfect")
• Xena later traveled to the Norselands, attempting to steal the Rheingold as one of Odin's Valkyries, and apparently one of his lovers. ("The Rheingold")
• She was given her chakram by Ares, the god of war, as she raised an army to plunder Greece; at this point she may have been lovers with Ares.
• Xena's army turned against her, and forced her to run the gauntlet -- which she survived. ("The Warrior Princess"; "The Gauntlet"). After fighting and almost defeating Hercules, she joins him, and begins her path to redemption. She and Hercules are briefly romantically involved; she also seduced Iolaus to split him and Hercules up.
• XG-S1: Xena encounters Gabrielle, reconciles with her mother Cyrene, and begins the adventures chronicled in Xena: Warrior Princess. ("Sins of the Past")
• XG-S3: Relationship with Ulysses ("Ulysses")
• Birth of Eve ("God Fearing Child")
• Relationship with Marc Antony ("Antony and Cleopatra")

Events not easily placed in chronology:

• Betrayal of Boadicea ("The Deliverer")
• Relationship with Marcus
• Possible relationship with Draco?

See also

• List of female warriors in SF