A few years before Buffy the Vampire Slayer Kick some ass, stake in hand, ya Xena, Warrior Princess he had. The character was the center of an increasingly interesting universe that extended to all kinds of historical and mythological references. Portrayed by Lucy Lawless, who first appeared in an episode of the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, became an immediate icon. Not just for being one of the first powerful TV heroines without a male counterpart. Also for embodying a kind of version of women in pop culture that is still new today.
The series also dared to subtly explore controversial themes that were by then bold narrative threads. Even today they still are. From exploring the sexuality of his characters, to their sense of belonging, identity and purpose. Xena, Warrior Princess it was a unique but effective combination of plot experiments and pure fantasy. All with a context that slowly grew to encompass mythology, history, and its own critical context.
Today, almost thirty years after its premiere, the series is still surprising for its freshness, good work and better sense of entertainment. But specifically, for pioneering at least three elements that contemporary television and streaming took to the next level. Though it may not seem like it, the often wacky adventures of Xena are a good example of television sustained on original ideas. Several that managed to transcend the small format of the series and become milestones that are still intriguing and worthy of analysis. We tell you the three times that Xena, Warrior Princess, he was ahead of his time.
It was the first spin-off before the mere idea was successful on television
Although most fans now only remember the popularity of Xena, the character actually comes from a parallel series. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys it premiered in 1995, starring Kevin Sorbo. And in fact, the character of Lucy Lawless debuted in chapter nine of that first season. Entitled “The Warrior Princess,” the episode featured Xena as an up-and-coming villain.
But the character’s potential was so obvious that his story arc was extended by three more chapters. And as unique as it sounds, she got a fitting redemption that set her up for a much larger television universe. On September 15, 1995, and just a few months after her first appearance, Xena Warrior Princess debuted on her own show. The show was an immediate hit and even far surpassed the popularity of the show it came from. It was a television experiment of a curious scale, by director Sam Raimi’s production company.
A curious data? Over the years and as the series became a milestone in pop culture, Kevin Sorbo began to make his discomfort clear. In a curious display of uneasiness and conformity, he even made a few statements about it. “I never understood why [ Robert Tapert] made her more powerful than Hercules,” Rob Weisbrot told author. The interview, contained in the book Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, An Insider’s Guide to the Continuing Adventures and published in 2004, it surprises by sincerity. “Hercules is supposed to be the strongest person in the world and a half god… They made him invincible and so many other things. And I found it just weird.” Sorbo expressed in various interviews his discomfort at the popular impact of Xena, much greater than that of Hercules.
The feminist icon of Xena, The War Princess was almost unintentional
Decades before political commentary on characters and stories from popular culture, Xena, Warrior Princess she was a feminist icon. Even without wanting it or being planned that way. But it was inevitable that the character would be. Powerful, self-sufficient and determinedXena was going through the ancient Greece imagined by the show as a central heroine and without a male partner.
At first, the executives were concerned with the fact that Xena did not depend on the company of a hero. And the possibility of delving into a possible relationship between Kevin Sorbo’s Hercules and the character was even raised. But the series was an immediate success due to the ability of Lucy Lawless to provide personality and intelligence to The Warrior Princess. The premise was a resounding triumph among a majority audience of young women, who enjoyed a three-dimensional heroine with doubts and imperfections.
By the end of his first season, the character already had a loyal and solid fandom. And by the sixth and final round of it he had become a phenomenon in his own right. Also, in the inspiration of a series of programs and premises related to autonomous and powerful heroines as the center of action stories. Nevertheless, Lawless has made it clear on more than one occasion that she is not comfortable with the idea of being a feminist icon.
“This whole role model thing has been an accident,” Lawless said. in an interview with L.A. Times. “I’m just trying to do the script. It is reality versus ideal. We are promoting the ideal of women, or at least the new ideal.”
That deep and ambiguous relationship between Xena and Gabrielle
Before the broad debates about inclusion and representativeness, Xena, Warrior Princess He had already taken a decisive step in that direction. Throughout his history, the character had an ambiguous and often emotional relationship with Gabrielle (Renee O’Conner), his battle partner. A sexual tension that was never resolved, but is still considered the precedent for inclusion on television.
Xena and Gabrielle were best friends and apparently had unresolved feelings for each other. There were even affectionate and seemingly romantic gestures between the two. However, the producers never allowed showrunner Taport to confirm the relationship, due to the scandal that could suppose. There was even talk of an unspoken agreement to hide any ideas about it that could affect the show.
But in 2003, the actress confirmed the relationship in an interview. for the weekly Lesbian News. When asked if Xena and Gabrielle had more than just a relationship, Lawless pointed out that both characters were practically married.