The 1990s were packed with highly entertaining epic fantasy shows, like The Adventures of Sinbad, Highlander, The Odyssey, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. One particularly stood out because it featured two strong female leads and compelling secondary characters: Xena: Warrior Princess, a spin-off of Hercules that premiered on September 4, 1995, ran for six successful seasons, and concluded on June 18, 2001. The 134 episodes were produced by Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi, shot on location in New Zealand, and scored by Joseph LoDuca (for which he was nominated 7 times and won an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for A Series in 2000). Xena even surpassed Hercules in popularity and garnered a cult following that is still very much active today, both online and at conventions.
The story is set in Ancient Greece and follows a former warlord turned hero, Xena (the prolific Lucy Lawless), and the bard turned Amazon warrior, Gabrielle (Renée O’Connor), as they roam the land and also travel to Rome, China, India, Britain, Scandinavia, and Egypt, protecting the innocent from the wickedness of humans, deities, and supernatural creatures. While the two main protagonists are some of the most iconic duos to ever grace the TV screen, other characters on the show deserve a nod as well—be they friend, foe, or good old comic relief.
10 Meg (Seasons 2-6)
Meg (Lawless), one of the 3 Xena lookalikes on the show, is a promiscuous barmaid who later marries their good friend Joxer. Rough and loudmouthed, she would do anything for a penny and has a mean right hook. Despite causing some trouble by being mistaken for Xena, she often manages to come through for her. The other Doppelgängers include a spoiled princess, Diana, and a virgin priestess, Leah, all also brilliantly portrayed by Lawless.
9 Alti (Seasons 4-6)
Alti (Claire Stansfield), an Amazon who was expelled from her tribe, is an evil and powerful shamaness, capable of hurting others through visions and dreams. Once Xena redirects herself to the path to redemption and is no longer willing to do Alti’s bidding, they become enemies. The warrior defeats and kills Alti many times, both in life and in the spiritual realm, but the sorceress’ dark powers are such, that she always manages to resurrect herself.
Alti to Xena: I want to tap into the heart of darkness, the sheer naked will behind all cravings, hatred, and violence. I will become the face of death destroying not only a person’s body, but their soul. Help me, and I’ll make you the Destroyer of Nations.
8 Eve/Livia (Seasons 5-6)
Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson) is Xena’s miraculous daughter from Heaven who is prophesied to bring about the Twilight of the Gods, thus becoming a target since birth. Tired of moving her baby around for her protection, Xena is forced to give her up. As a result, Eve grows up to become Livia, the cruelest champion in the Roman army. When Xena reunites with her again 25 years later and shows her the error of her ways, a now remorseful Eve embarks on the path of non-violence and becomes the Messenger of the Prophet Eli, traveling to China to preach independence from the Gods.
7 Ephiny (Seasons 1-6)
Ephiny (Danielle Cormack) is a feisty Amazon who has a child with a Centaur prince. At first, she is extremely arrogant with Xena and Gabrielle, but later proves to be a great ally and even gives Gaby her first staff. Her close-combat skills and swordsmanship are exceptional. Ephiny is eventually killed in battle by the Roman politician Brutus, Caesar’s right hand, but she is later avenged by Gabrielle.
6 Julius Caesar (Seasons 2-6)
If you’re a fan of Karl Urban’s performance in The Boys, chances are you’d also enjoy his earlier roles. He played 4 different characters on Xena, but the Roman ruler Gaius Julius Caesar was definitely his most memorable.
Caesar and Xena have known each other since her warmongering days, and they’ve often double-crossed each other. After she moves on from her old life, she often finds herself trying to thwart his evil plans, as well as those of the other two co-rulers of Rome, Crassus, and Pompey. Xena tricks Caesar into executing Crassus and pits him and Pompey against each other. Her actions will eventually help precipitate his demise.
Xena: Oh, that’s right. You’re fated to rule the world. Do you really believe that?
Caesar: Of course. Each event in our life is part of a great plan. There are no accidents. Only destiny.
Xenia: And who shapes this destiny? The gods?
Caesar: Perhaps. Or it’s the blood in our veins, our souls, our desires, our will. They’re all in it, together, weaving a tapestry we call ‘destiny’.
5 Joxer (Seasons 1-6)
Joxer (Ted Raimi, producer Sam Raimi’s brother) is an aspiring warrior with very few skills who has undeservedly given himself the moniker, “The Mighty.” Since his number one crush is Gabrielle, he often accompanies the duo on their adventures. Clumsy, slow, and a bit naive, he is far from being a brave hero, but his heart is in the right place. Ironically, he eventually marries one of Xena’s lookalikes, Meg, and has 3 children with her, but then is killed many years later, while trying to protect Gabrielle.
4 Aphrodite (Seasons 2-6)
Aphrodite, the scantily-clad Goddess of Love and Beauty, is portrayed by Alexandra Tydings, who currently works as an intimacy coordinator. She is self-involved, promiscuous, immature, and a tad superficial, but she also cares for her human followers. Her schemes often create obstacles for Xena and Gabrielle, yet she has a soft spot for the latter. In the end, Aphrodite stands up for the pair when her sister, the goddess Athena, attempts to eliminate them and saves their lives.
Aphrodite: Can’t sleep, huh?
Gabrielle: You scared me.
Aphrodite: Sorry, I didn’t know I had to knock in my own temple.
Gabrielle: You don’t, but can you just keep it down? I don’t want to wake Xena.
Aphrodite: Pregnant girl need her rest, huh? I remember when Cupid was on his way…
Gabrielle: Uh, doesn’t a god of your obvious stature have anything better to do than hang out here in the middle of the night?
Aphrodite: Owie! What’s with the attitude? I let you sleep in my temple. I show real concern for your insomnia, and you treat me like I’m a rash where the sun don’t shine.
3 Autolycus (Seasons 1-4)
Autolycus, portrayed by Bruce Campbell, is the self-appointed King of Thieves. Charming, funny, and well-traveled, he offers his services to the highest bidder and can pick any lock, no matter how complicated. His morals may be questionable, but he adheres to a few rules: never kill, except in self-defense, and never harm women and children. An admirer of both Xena’s and Gabrielle’s, he assists them on many occasions, albeit reluctantly, and sometimes when there is no profit to be made. Campbell and Lawless’ on-screen chemistry can also be enjoyed in Starz’s zombie series Ash and the Evil Dead.
Gabrielle: Autolycus, an innocent person is going to die!
Autolycus: No, he isn’t, because he’s leaving. Goodbye!
2 Callisto (Seasons 1-5)
Callisto (Hudson Leick) is one of Xena’s main enemies; she’s been holding a grudge against her ever since she was a child and witnessed the warrior’s army sack and destroy her village. Callisto’s mother, father, and sister perished in a fire during the massacre, and so she grew up embittered, plotting her revenge and turning into a formidable warrior of her own. From vengeful mortal to power-thirsty goddess, to angry demon, to purified angel, such is the complex progression of Callisto’s journey, which is always intertwined with Xena’s.
Callisto to Xena: You fight with your heart. That gives me advantage over you; I no longer seem to have one.
1 Ares (Seasons 1-6)
The late Kevin Tod Smith will always be remembered for his portrayal of the charismatic, dark, six-packed, studded-leather-clad Ares, God of Violence and War, not only in Xena: Warrior Princess, but also in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Young Hercules. Ares has an obsessive love-hate relationship with Xena, because she used to be one of his protegees and wasn’t as manageable as the others. Since he formed her in the arts of combat, enticed her to become a ruthless and wealthy warlord, and even gave her the iconic Chakram (her round boomerang-like weapon), he has trouble accepting her newfound path to redemption. Charmed by her beauty and massive potential as his war proxy among mortals, he never stops attempting to lure her back into her old self and seducing her back into his bed. Despite being somewhat tempted, she constantly rejects his offers and foils his schemes, fueling his rage and passion even further.
Xena: You slaughtered those four villagers.
Ares: Only three so far. That one you ministered to might recover. By all the gods, you are a beauty. You must know I’ve missed you.
Xena: What do you want?
Ares: I want you back, of course. My warrior princess living as my warrior queen. We were once a great match.
Xena: I didn’t know any better then. I thought your ways were all there was for me.
In a surprising move, Ares gives up his godhood to heal Gabrielle and Eve from their mortal wounds, and Xena repays him by protecting him from his new, fragile mortal state, and then restoring his powers with a magical golden apple. He then makes her one last offer, this time not to be his minion, but to rule by his side as an immortal, which she also turns down.
Ares: No. Life isn’t worth living. It’s to be taken, and beaten. And wrestled, and formed in your image. That’s where the meaning lies. In what you can twist life into. For those who just endure life, yeah, it is a very nasty joke. But for those who form it with their will, the joke is on those who get in the way.
Xena: I must be crazy. You’re beginning to make sense.
Ares’ other but minor love interests on the show include Hope, Gabrielle’s evil daughter, Callisto, and Livia. He is one of the most interesting characters in the Xena/Hercules verse, stealing every scene he is featured in.
