Xena and Hercules, their shows and characters, are property of Universal Pictures, and probably some other people I don't know much about. Their shows are set in what is known among fans as the "Xenaverse" since the historical timeline deviates from ours. However, the original idea is based on ancient Greek mythology. I highly recommend these shows, for comedic value as well as unbelievable fighting stunts, and I hope the character sketches help somewhat in your analysis.
- Xena:
Also known as the Warrior Princess, Xena was once a villainous warlord, but was brought to see the error of her ways by Hercules. Now she wanders the countryside in black leather and does good, kicking some major butt with her swordsmanship and this wierd Frisbee-of-death thing called a chakram. Known for her high-pitched battle cry, she is a serious and tormented character, but is not above being a moron if the script calls for it. Three cheers for Lucy Lawless.
- Hercules:
Son of Zeus, he also is a hero. His superhuman strength is caused by his parentage, and he uses it for the Greater Good, slaying monsters and battling his Evil Stepmother (knew we had to have one!), the goddess Hera. He has massive muscles and a heart of gold. Let's hear it for Kevin Sorbo.
- Gabrielle:
A bard, Amazon Princess (and briefly queen), one-time Archangel and mother to the Xenaverse version of Rosemary's Baby, her character alters from season to season. She is upbeat and cheerful, (except for when she had Dahauk's child and then killed it...twice),a fighter first with a staff and now with twin knives (except for the season she became a Hindu pacifist), and your basic Single White Female (except for that time she married Perdicas, and the other time when she switched bodies with this Indian guy...) . The one thing that remains constant is that her outfit gets skimpier each season, and she's Xena's loyal sidekick and best friend (except when her kid killed Xena's) Oh, Nevermind! Blame Renee O'Connel!
- Iolas:
It is impossible to have Hercules and not have Iolas. In the original myth, he was Hercules' nephew, but for the show they're childhood friends. Other than fighting and playing a fabulous drag queen (Mistress Twanky), Michael Hurst is just your basic comic relief. His only outstanding characteristic is that he has been killed and resurrected more times than I can count. Actually, that rings true for all four of the previously introduced characters, the only exception being Hercules. If you've seen an episode where Herc dies, let me know. I haven't seen it, not to my recollection.
- Callisto:
Now we get to the fun part. Callisto is a certifiable nut case. Her leather outfit is cuter and skimpier than Xena's, and she's a blond. She kicks as much butt as Xena, only she's evil. Xena killed her family when she was twelve, so she's got the whole revenge complex going on. It's actually more complicated than that, but it doesn't matter. Sometime after she kills Gabrielle's husband, Xena kills her, then she comes back to life, then she becomes an immortal, then she eats ambrosia and becomes a goddess. It should've been left at that.. Last I knew, she became a demon, was redeemed and became an angel, and is now about to be reincarnated as Xena's child. The actress (her name's Hudson something) was better at being crazy. It was more fun, so for the sake of my whims, we're casting Evil Callisto.
- Joxer:
Known among Mad Magazine fans as Jock Strap, this guy is exactly what he seems to be: a total moron. Pure comic relief, put on Xena to make Gabrielle look smart, he's in love with Gabrielle and a totally incompetent warrior. Not only that, he wrote his own themesong: "Joxer the mighty, he roams about the countryside, he never needs a place to hide, with Gabby as his sidekick, fighting with her little stick, it's Joxer! Joxer the Mighty!"
- Ares:
God of War, he is usually up to no good. Well-played in the early seasons, he's become a bit of a joke more recently. Too bad. I liked his black leather outfit. The actor is hot. Fiery temper and short fuse make him a typical war god, capricious and cruel. He likes killing things. He likes Xena. Whether or not you think he's her father depends on how you intepreted a few certain episodes.
- Aphrodite:
She's the godess of love. She's Hercules' half-sister, though why she refers to him as her older brother is beyond me. She's been around longer than he has. The original Valley-Girl, she likes scandalous pink bikinis and filmy, transparent robes. Though flaky, she usually means well.
- Auctolycus:
The King of Theives, this charming crook considers himself to be Aprhodite's gift to women. Conceited and clever, he's usually a Good Guy, because "he has a heart of gold!" He's so nice, he even let Xena's spirit take over his body one time when she died.
- Victim:
They never have a name. However, they always need to be rescued from whatever monster or villain got the guest spot. Read: Random New Zealand Extra.
- Warlord:
Have it be Dagon. Or one of the others. Like it matters. They're all the same. Either they're trying to kill someone, steal something, hurt someone, or control a city, he's the episode's Bad Dude. WARNING: He will die by the end of the episode, or be miraculously turned to the light. Read: Random New Zealand Extra. (Actually, that's how Xena's character got started...)
- Other:___________
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