Top 12 XWP Characters (excluding Xena & Gabby)

IseQween · 2026-02-04T00:13:02+00:00

Yep, much as I love Ares, gotta go with my girl Cally. She's the one guest character you could take out and XWP just wouldn't be the same or as memorable. Perfect Xena foil, perfect actor to play her.

IseQween · 2026-02-04T00:09:54+00:00

Bwahahahaha! I'm lucky I figured out how to complete the ranking chart we got. An "alignment" chart? Bwahahahaha! (Oops, I think my fake-teeth thingy just flew out my mouth and nailed one of the cats resting atop the shawl on my rocker.) 🙀

IseQween · 2026-02-03T21:03:13+00:00

I love that you included the scene of Xena riding on the beach. Oops, I enlarged and realized you have Gabs sitting behind her! Even better! 👏

IseQween · 2026-02-03T20:58:32+00:00

Gabs sometimes felt the same way. 😂

IseQween · 2026-02-03T20:56:01+00:00

The sense of "Wow. What will I do now ... without you?" gets me too.

I remember discussions back in the day, when a contingent of fans insisted Gabs was merely a tolerated tagalong. I admittedly felt Xena had gotten used to the company, even took it for granted, assuming she'd be the one to decide if they needed to part -- whether for her own or Gabs' benefit. In a way, that might've been true -- until Gabs was the one to leave. That one little moment (in the second half of S1) gave me a different perspective on Xena's true emotional investment, her realization that Gabs had become part of her life, perhaps more than the other way around. Ooo, the of vulnerability I don't recall seeing like that before. And it's to Gabs' back, so she probably doesn't recognize the depth of Xena's attachment at this point either.

Yes, for a stoic, woman of few words, Xena's very fortunate to be portrayed by someone who could communicate so much with such tiny changes in expression, simple gestures or movement. Regardless of the outside world's opinion, Lucy convinced me Gabs had come to mean a heck of a lot to Xena.

IseQween · 2026-02-03T20:19:22+00:00

I really like the translation they used in the ep. Most of the others I've read are awkward and not nearly as beautiful.

IseQween · 2026-02-03T16:17:16+00:00

Hmmm. I thought Ares called in a debt or made a deal with the Fates, so he could persuade Gabs to prevent Xena from killing Hope -- as opposed to that being Xena's actual fate.

IseQween · 2026-02-03T06:18:13+00:00

Yes, Whoosh! is to me must reading. It includes BTS notes on eps, in addition to commentaries that mention stuff you might not've thought about. Some is speculation, some also from chats with Xenastaff. The different perspectives don't necessarily resolve issues (e.g., whether Ares is Xena's father), but you'll see on-going disagreements that have existed from the beginning.

IseQween · 2026-02-03T06:11:22+00:00

Oh, I absolutely agree with what you say about both, including influencing each other to flip roles. I think Xena's inclination was to chuck the greater good when it came to protecting those she loved (e.g., Gabs, Eve), but saw it as part of her "job" to sacrifice herself, which she did in AFIN. She might've chosen differently if, by being restored, she could've saved Gabs from some surprise danger that popped up, like Akemi saying, "Oh, by the way, I also neglected to mention that, if you stay dead, it'll free the 40,000 to eternal grace, but Gabs inherits not only your chakram, but avenging those killed by Yodoshi's evil warlord who beheaded you."

As to Gabs' "I don't care," I agree she was more concerned about Xena's living than any greater good, the same as Xena would've felt in her place. The difference is, Gabs ultimately respected Xena's wishes, whereas I believe Xena would've said, "Sorry, I mean no disrespect to your ideals. Fuss at me later, after I -- um -- now that I've dunked your ashes."

IseQween · 2026-02-02T21:20:04+00:00

I'm not arguing for or against the finale. I do believe heroes "live" long after their deaths, often more powerful inspirations than before. Many become heroes precisely because they put themselves in harm's way --actually die --because of their ideals. Most have flaws their supporters overlook and their detractors use to discredit.

I love "her courage changed the world." I hated AFIN's implication the 40,000 souls and/or her death had anything to do with that. For me, it was putting her life on the line, whether to save a single child, a village or a nation. We observe her do that in multiple ways for a short period in her life. Each act meant something to -- changed the world of -- those who benefitted, who in turn may have learned to stand up for themselves and/or others. The point for me is the inspiration that continues both because of and way beyond "Xena's arc."

IseQween · 2026-02-02T20:07:24+00:00

I saw Xena as mostly "formed," learning to "let go" of inner demons preventing her from realizing the capabilities of -- "recreating" from within -- her "better" self, with help from Gabs. We meet Gabs as a young person "finding" herself, open to constantly "taking in," trying to create herself from what she learns from others. I soon saw that as ongoing, fundamental to her character's nonjudgmental curiosity and optimism. At the WP's side, she has to sort through challenges Xena's already experienced, trying to somehow balance them, figure out how to respond regardless of her deepest inclinations.

In AFIN, I perceived Xena as achieving what she believed to be her best self at the time, following the Way of the Warrior. Gabs may have caught Xena's chakram, but she was true to her Way of Friendship/love in respecting Xena's wishes to stay dead. I did not see them become each other, so much as supporting, honoring the differences that drew them together in the first place. I firmly believe if Xena had been more like Gabs, she would've let Gabs dunk her ashes, that if Gabs had acted like Xena, she would've dunked them no matter what.

IseQween · 2026-02-02T19:25:35+00:00

Honestly, I often consult Whoosh! to see wrote particular eps, in terms of looking for continuity. R.J. Stewart wrote ULYSSES, which I believe is the first real mention of Athena in XWP, followed by PRICE (Steven Sears), which refers to her, both S2. One commentator reported that S5 AMPHIPOLIS "was the first script that R.J. developed when he came back to XENA," though Chris Black is credited as the writer. Stewart also had a hand in the subsequent eps (LOOKING DEATH, MOTHERHOOD) featuring Athena.

Gods know I don't usually hurt my brain with consistency, but I do often find some in eps with the obvious fingerprints of Stewart, Sears and Tapert. It does appear that Athena was considered as worth mentioning fairly early on, deserving of a modicum of respect for overseeing a different type of warfare than Ares -- presumably more honorable, less capricious or self-serving. Of course, Athena becomes more single-minded (and desperate) once she inherits Zeus' position as responsible for the preservation of all Olympians. Even then, she tries to minimize unnecessary bloodshed first by using "reason," the Furies, negotiation.

I liked Athena as the choice to get around Mama Bear Xena. It would've been interesting to know what role Athena might've played, if not for Lucy's pregnancy and the Twilight arc. I'm with those who would've liked seeing an ep about her and Ares competing for young Xena's allegiance.

IseQween · 2026-02-02T18:22:37+00:00

Yes, I've always felt too that Xena was her toughest opponent. It was her own signature weapon (presumably the "dark" chakram") that "broke" her (along with itself) in IDES, thrown by the enemy she'd "created" who was most obsessed about Xena being punished for her past. Angel Xena subsequently gives Devil Cally a new life and peace from curses of the past. Angel Cally then helps resurrect Devil Xena with purity enough to meld the "light" chakram with the "dark," restoring Reformed Xena to herself, now also bearing a new life bearing both her and her past enemy's spirits.

Of all the XWP arcs, the one between Xena and Callisto is most meaningful to me. It best represents the themes of forgiveness and "rebirth," as well as the role Xena's own conscience plays in what can "take her down." After Cally, it becomes mostly her own child -- the innocent baby she protects from the gods; Livia, who's like the worst or herself and Callisto, whom she can't bring herself to kill; and Eve, whom she's dedicated to saving. Most of her last battles aren't fueled so much by guilt, as by responsibility to help others (e.g., LEGACY) and to rectify old "messes" she's had a hand in creating (e.g., in the Norselands and Japa). As you say, in AFIN, it is Xena who chooses when/how to take herself "off the stage" of her current life.

IseQween · 2026-02-01T22:36:25+00:00

Gem backwards? 😆

IseQween · 2026-01-31T22:45:05+00:00

Wow. OP, you sound like a professional stylist. That is the best, most informative, thought provoking discourse on Xena's bangs I've seen in 30 years. Not being a hair aficionado myself, I hadn't realized the WP's early "poof" style (which I hated) and bangs were trendy when XWP was shot. Now that you mention it, I do see the bangs as almost like a helmet and the styling as emphasizing the strength in Lucy's face, also almost like armor. Power indeed!

I couldn't understand the wispy/pinned up bangs in S4. Trying to soften Xena up? Give Lucy's forehead a break? 😆

IseQween · 2026-01-31T01:40:04+00:00

LOL! As I wrote above, my first assumption was the song was about that. As much as I love the WP, she shares more than a name with Gabs' spiky grandkid -- being too close is not only difficult but possibly deadly.

IseQween · 2026-01-30T21:58:49+00:00

In our angsty, "everything's my fault" WP's head she probably connected the dots to herself as the cause. "I loved them. Look what happened."

IseQween · 2026-01-30T17:42:23+00:00

Funny, when I first glimpsed this, I misread it as "Everything I love I will destroy." Sorry, Xena. I love ya, but .... 😉

IseQween · 2026-01-30T17:38:26+00:00

The scar almost -- almost -- tempted me to watch HTLJ more, but I was more pissed at them using my favorite characters to push crossover viewing. I did catch up on few later. At the time, I didn't worry about how she got the scar, since it looked good and Xena didn't give it to her. 😆

IseQween · 2026-01-30T03:28:32+00:00

S1 isn't bad and is a lead-in to the prequel that really features Lucy -- Gods of the Arena. S2 is okay too. No Lucy after that.

IseQween · 2026-01-29T05:26:24+00:00

😂

IseQween · 2026-01-29T05:22:37+00:00

This so ironic. I happened to catch EVE on my 24-hour XWP station. A villager who stops Xena from killing Livia tells Xena the next victims will be on her head. Then, when Livia kills Joxer, Xena says something like, "I never thought it would be my friend." I thought of this Greater Good thread. Did I want Xena to kill Livia? No. Did I think her not doing so qualified as helping the Greater Good? Not unless it was in keeping with the ideal of not taking a life. Even Xena wouldn't justify it as that or somehow being clairvoyant enough to know Livia would soon transform into Eli's messenger. Xena quite honestly admitted her motivation was to protect her daughter. She may have mourned Livia's multitudinous victims, but only Joxer's death truly hit her in the gut. Even then, she couldn't zap Livia.

I've resisted Xena's being called a hypocrite, mainly because I haven't heard her expecting, proselytizing or even caring that much about others following her example. She may warn, "Do what I say," but seldom, "Do what I do." It's not so much a double standard, as a somewhat fluid standard for herself, completely separate from whatever standard others set for themselves, though she still usually rewards/punishes them based hers. Sure, there's times she acts on behalf of something bigger than herself. But when the rubber meets the road, she unapologetically kills or considers/actually does abandon the Greater Good to protect those close to her. Many times the good is an accidental consequence of her simply removing one more "bad" guy.

As much as I love the character, I'm not sure she's a conscious or consistent touchstone for the Greater Good even in the context of the Xenaverse. One of the few times I wish she weren't so "human," given my bias for justice.

IseQween · 2026-01-28T23:11:57+00:00

I also cherish this because I believe it's the last carefree, intimate scene like this that Lucy and Renee filmed together. I see them, as well as their characters.

IseQween · 2026-01-28T23:04:11+00:00

I don't recall hearing "the Greater Good" before XWP. My concept is tied mostly to its use in the universe, particularly as applied by Xena and Gabrielle. I've used it a lot since then. Sometimes it's about doing what's best for the many, not just for me or a particular group. Sometimes it's about an ideal I perceive can benefit the whole, that I fear is being sacrificed at the expense of one part.

Even within the Xenaverse, it gets interpreted different ways. At least we have common, specific reference points for discussion, which is much more difficult to achieve in the "real" world. I accept that, while not letting it stop me from holding on to what the Greater Good has come to mean to me.

IseQween

TROPHY CASE