Xena

Examining the Warrior Princess Xena Goes to Camp: On Feminism, Anachronism, and Subversion LitCrit Press, Dec 2016. Xena and the Heroine’s Journey: Symbols, Archetypes, and Deeper Meaning LitCrit Press, Dec 2016.   Heroines have existed since the earliest prehistoric myths, questing to become the all-powerful mother goddess in an epic that has them descend to hell and pit themselves against tyrants and vicious matriarchs. Nonetheless, the nineties TV show Xena: Warrior Princess was one of the first to face this journey onscreen. In it, heroic Xena and her companion Gabrielle battle their dark sides over and over, growing into legends through their struggle. Xena and the Heroine’s Journey explores the symbolism of the costumes, the talismans, the emotional struggles, the allegories of the musical episode. It lays out the journey step by step as Xena and Gabrielle face enemies that reflect their own submerged shadow sides, then plunge into true death through crucifixion and sacrifice. Along the way they battle their evil daughter-selves and thus reconcile with their dark sides, discovering the balance that makes a hero, whatever her gender. Part of the delight of Xena: Warrior Princess comes from its campiness – she duels with swordfish, beats thugs with a diaper, flips and spins without a thought for gravity. As she and Gabrielle spar with Santa Claus, Lao Tzu, Julius Caesar, Goliath, Beowulf, Homer, Ulysses, Caligula, Odin, and Genghis Khan, they exist in a historical mish-mash impossible to take seriously…even without the rock music and American slang. Yet hidden within the silly storylines is an immense dose of subversion. Xena rolls her eyes as she seduces warlords in a harem costume and is the first to admit her own leather dress is just as much of a performance. In each historic encounter, Xena takes no credit for revolutionizing history, toppling dictators and saving heroes. As she sneakily saves the day, her unrealistic world underscores an idealized reality – one in which women have always outperformed men. Episode Watching Order Hercules – Movies Hercules and the Amazon Women (with Lucy Lawless, first appearance of Zeus, Hera, Hercules, and Iolaus) Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (with Renée O’Connor) Hercules and the Circle of Fire Hercules and the Underworld Hercules and the Maze of the Minotaur Hercules – Season One H101   16 Jan 95 The Wrong Path H102   23 Jan 95 Eye of the Beholder (first appearance of Salmoneus) H103   30 Jan 95 Road to Calydon H104   6 Feb 95 The Festival of Dionysus H105   13 Feb 95 Ares (first appearance of Ares) H106   20 Feb 95 As Darkness Falls (with Lucy Lawless) H107   27 Feb 95 Pride Comes Before a Brawl H108   6 Mar 95 March to Freedom H109   13 Mar 95 The Warrior Princess (with Xena) H110   20 Mar 95 Gladiator H111   24 Apr 95 The Vanishing Dead H112   1 May 95 The Gauntlet (with Xena) H113   8 May 95 Unchained Heart (with Xena) XenaSeason 1H201      4 Sep 95 The King of Thieves (first appearance of Autolycus)101         04 Sep 95 Sins of the Past102         11 Sep 95 Chariots of War103         18 Sep 95 DreamworkerH205      02 Oct 95 Outcast (with Lucy Lawless)104         02 Oct 95 Cradle of Hope105         09 Oct 95 The Path Not Taken106         16 Oct 95 The Reckoning (first appearance of Kevin Smith as Ares)H208      30 Oct 95 The Other Side (first appearance of Hades and the Underworld)107         30 Oct 95 The Titans108         06 Nov 95 Prometheus (Iolaus and Hercules)H211      20 Nov 95 Highway to Hades (Sisyphus)109         27 Nov 95 Death in Chains (Sisyphus)110         04 Dec 95 Hooves and Harlots111         08 Jan 96 The Black Wolf112         15 Jan 96 Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts113         22 Jan 96 Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards114         29 Jan 96 A Fistful of Dinars115         05 Feb 96 Warrior… Princess116         12 Feb 96 Mortal BelovedH217      19 Feb 96 The Apple (first appearance of Artemis, Athena, and Alexandra Tydings as Aphrodite) 117         19 Feb 96 The Royal Couple of Thieves118         04 Mar 96 The Prodigal119         22 Apr 96 Altared States120         29 Apr 96 Ties That Bind121         06 May 96 The Greater Good122         13 May 96 Callisto123         03 Jun 96 Death Mask124         29 Jul 96 Is There A Doctor in the House? Season 2201         30 Sep 96 Orphan of War202         07 Oct 96 Remember Nothing203         14 Oct 96 The Giant Killer204         28 Oct 96 Girls Just Wanna Have Fun205         04 Nov 96 Return of Callisto206         11 Nov 96 Warrior… Princess… Tramp207         18 Nov 96 Intimate Stranger208         25 Nov 96 Ten Little WarlordsH309      09 Dec 96 “A Star to Guide Them” (linked Christmas episode)209         09 Dec 96 A Solstice Carol (linked Christmas episode)210         13 Jan 97 The Xena Scrolls211         20 Jan 97 Here She Comes… Miss AmphipolisH312      27 Jan 97 Surprise (with Callisto) 212         27 Jan 97 DestinyH313      03 Feb 97 Encounter (first appearance of Strife and Kevin Smith as Ares on Hercules) 213         03 Feb 97 The Quest (with Iolaus)H414      10 Feb 97 When a Man Loves a Woman (with Joxer)214         10 Feb 97 A Necessary EvilH315      17 Feb 97 Judgment Day (with Xena/Gabrielle)215         17 Feb 97 A Day in the Life216         24 Feb 97 For Him the Bell Tolls (first appearance of Cupid) 217         07 Apr 97 The Execution218         14 Apr 97 Blind Faith219         28 Apr 97 Ulysses220         05 May 97 The Price221         12 May 97 The Lost Mariner222         19 May 97 A Comedy of Eros Season 3301         29 Sep 97 The Furies302         06 Oct 97 Been There, Done That303         13 Oct 97 The Dirty Half Dozen304         20 Oct 97 The Deliverer (first appearance of Discord)305         27 Oct 97 Gabrielle’s HopeH405      27 Oct 97 Stranger in a Strange World (with Xena 2/Gabrielle 2)306         03 Nov 97 The Debt (1)307         10 Nov 97 The Debt (2)308         17 Nov 97 The King of Assassins309         12 Jan 98 Warrior… Priestess… Tramp310         19 Jan 98 The Quill Is Mightier311         07 Feb 98 Maternal InstinctsH413      9 Feb 98 Armageddon Now, Part 1 (with Hope/Callisto) 312         14 Feb 98 The Bitter SuiteH414      16 Feb 98 Armageddon Now, Part 2 (with Callisto/Xena/Gabrielle)313         21 Feb 98 One Against An Army314         28 Feb 98 Forgiven315         07 Mar 98 King Con316         14 Mar 98 When In Rome…317         21 Mar 98 Forget Me Not318         25 Apr 98 Fins, Femmes and Gems319         02 May 98 Tsunami320         09 May 98 Vanishing Act321         16 May 98 Sacrifice (1)322         23 May 98 Sacrifice (2) Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998) Season 4401         03 Oct 98 Adventures in the Sin Trade (1)402         10 Oct 98 Adventures in the Sin Trade (2)403         17 Oct 98 A Family Affair404         24 Oct 98 In Sickness and In HellH505      31 Oct 98 Render Unto Caesar (Caesar)405         31 Oct 98 A Good Day406         07 Nov 98 A Tale of Two Muses407         14 Nov 98 Locked Up and Tied Down408         21 Nov 98 CrusaderH509      4 Jan 99 For Those of You Just Joining Us (with Renée O’Connor)409         06 Jan 99 Past Imperfect410         16 Jan 99 The Key To The Kingdom411         23 Jan 99 Daughter of PomiraH512      25 Jan 99 Sky High (with Ephiny)412         30 Jan 99 If The Shoe Fits…413         06 Feb 99 Paradise Found414         13 Feb 99 Devi415         20 Feb 99 Between The Lines416         27 Feb 99 The Way417         20 Mar 99 The Play’s The Thing418         24 Apr 99 The Convert419         01 May 99 Takes One To Know One420         08 May 99 Endgame421         15 May 99 The Ides of March422         22 May 99 Deja Vu All Over Again Season 5501         27 Sep 99 Fallen Angel502         04 Oct 99 Chakram503         11 Oct 99 Succession504         18 Oct 99 Animal Attraction505         01 Nov 99 Them Bones, Them Bones506         08 Nov 99 Purity507         15 Nov 99 Back in the Bottle508         22 Nov 99 Little Problems509         10 Jan 00 Seeds of Faith510         17 Jan 00 Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire511         24 Jan 00 Punch Lines512         07 Feb 00 God Fearing Child (with Hercules)513         14 Feb 00 Eternal Bonds514         21 Feb 00 Amphipolis Under Siege515         28 Feb 00 Married with Fishsticks516         13 Mar 00 Lifeblood517         17 Apr 00 Kindred Spirits518         24 Apr 00 Antony & Cleopatra519         01 May 00 Looking Death in the Eye520         08 May 00 Livia521         15 May 00 Eve522         22 May 00 Motherhood Season 6601         02 Oct 00 Coming Home602         14 Oct 00 The Haunting of Amphipolis603         21 Oct 00 Heart of Darkness604         28 Oct 00 Who’s Gurkhan?605         04 Nov 00 Legacy606         11 Nov 00 The Abyss607         18 Nov 00 The Rheingold (1)608         25 Nov 00 The Ring (2)609         02 Dec 00 Return of the Valkyrie (3)610         20 Jan 01 Old Ares Had A Farm611         27 Jan 01 Dangerous Prey612         03 Feb 01 The God You Know613         10 Feb 01 You Are There614         17 Feb 01 Path of Vengeance615         24 Feb 01 To Helicon and Back616         28 Apr 01 Send in the Clones617         05 May 01 The Last of the Centaurs618         12 May 01 When Fates Collide619         20 May 01 Many Happy Returns620         09 Jun 01 Soul Possession621         16 Jun 01 A Friend in Need (1)622         25 Jun 01 A Friend in Need (2)