hercules the legendary journeys and xena warrior princess

What You Need To Know About The Hercules And Xena Crossovers

The syndicated television series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"  took mythology and turned it on its ear, giving viewers an irreverent take on the classical world that nonetheless provided them with characters to care about and action-packed fight sequences that were fun and thrilling to watch. But the "Hercules" spin-off series, "Xena: Warrior Princess,"  soon eclipsed its mothership in cultural capital, with the relationship between soulmates and partners Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) inspiring reams of discussion about the show's lesbian subtext. The show made Lucy Lawless an action icon and launched her American career, and also provided early roles for actors such as Karl Urban and Timothy Omundson .  

For new viewers just discovering "Xena" as it streams for free on Tubi  and is available to rent via other platforms, it might be confusing to puzzle out which episodes of "Hercules" intertwine with "Xena"'s mytharc and vice versa. Let us guide you through the wilds of life in ancient Greece and teach you what you need to know about the way the two shows intersect.

Hercules introduced Xena to the world

The best place to start your "Xena" and "Hercules" crossover journey is at the very beginning — the 9th episode of the 1st "Hercules" season, "The Warrior Princess." It introduces Xena as a villainess as she tries to seduce Iolaus (Michael Hurst) in a bid to take over the world. She appears again in the 12th episode, "The Gauntlet," where she finds herself reluctantly calling on Hercules ( Kevin Sorbo ) for help. Old Herc only wants Xena to embrace all that is good and light and turn her back on wickedness. It's a prospect that she does not yet embrace, but it allows her to become reluctant partners with Hercules and Iolaus to claim revenge on her lieutenant, Darphus (Matthew Chamberlain), who demanded that she run the titular gauntlet to restore her honor with their group of warlords.

Finally, in the 13th episode, "Unchained Heart," Xena embraces goodness once and for all and turns her back on Darphus, which provides a launching pad for Xena to spin off into her own program. Hercules and Iolaus then pop up in the Season 1 "Xena" episode "Prometheus," in which the twosome team up with Gabrielle and Xena to free the Greek god of fire Prometheus (Mark Ferguson), who has been kidnapped. There, Xena and Hercules — as well as Iolaus and Gabrielle — briefly explore their shared attraction to one another but agree to stay friends.

Taming the Callisto connection

Next up is the 13th episode of the 3rd "Hercules" season, "Surprise." In it, Hera (Meg Foster) resurrects Xena's sworn rival Callisto of Cirra (Hudson Leick) and offers her immortality in exchange for killing Hercules. Naturally, the plot fails, and Callisto ends up trapped in a cave. The "Hercules" episode can be watched at any point between "Xena" Season 2 episodes "Ten Little Warlords" and "A Necessary Evil"; in the latter, Callisto is released from her prison.

"Judgement Day," which is Season 3, Episode 15 of "Hercules," reunites Iolaus, Gabrielle, Xena, and Hercules. Herc has settled down with his new bride, Serena (Sam Jenkins). In exchange for wedded bliss, he has traded in all of his powers and is now functionally a mortal, which proves to be an inconvenience when Serena turns up dead. It turns out that Strife (Joel Tobeck) and Ares (Kevin Smith) framed Herc for the deed, and Xena, Gabrielle, and Iolaus have to race against time to prove their friend's innocence.

Multiverse madness in the 4th season

The "Xena" cast appears in "Hercules" once again during the Season 4 episode "Stranger in a Strange World." Marking the first Joxer the Mighty (Ted Raimi) appearance on "Hercules," "Stranger" is a dip into the Hercules/Xena multiverse, with Lucy Lawless, Kevin Sorbo, Renee O'Connor, Michael Hurst, and Raimi all playing different takes on their familiar characters. Herc is on the hunt for his universe's Iolaus, who has been kidnapped and carried through a time gate by The Sovereign (also played by Sorbo).

Season 4's "Armageddon Now" two-parter involves more timeline-related shenanigans. Following the events of the Season 3 "Xena" episode "Maternal Instincts," Hope (O'Connor again) — the wicked daughter of Gabrielle and Dahak (Hurst) — frees Callisto of Cirra from yet another imprisonment and offers her peace of mind in exchange for the elimination of Herc. Callisto heads into the past to prevent Hercules' birth, and Iolaus gives chase with Ares' assist. The ensuing mess results in both The Sovereign and Hercules trapped in limbo and Iolaus having to pull off some fancy footwork when he lands in a world where an evil Xena rules all. Both episodes should be watched before the "Xena" two-parter "Sacrifice" and after the "Xena" episode "The Bitter Suite."

Iolaus also appears in the Season 2 "Xena" episode "The Quest" to help Gabrielle mourn the temporarily dead Xena. "The Quest" is set after the 3rd season of Hercules.

Tying up loose ends

The whole 5th season of "Hercules" deals with the ramifications of the cross-series Dahak arc, with Hercules working to free the demon from Iolaus' body up through its 11th episode, "Redemption." But if you want to simplify your crossover watching experience, the season's 5th episode, "Render Unto Caesar," provides a glimpse of the emperor (Karl Urban) before he becomes an integral part of "Xena" Season 4. And Ephiny (Danielle Cormack), an Amazon who figures heavily into Gabrielle's Season 4 arc on "Xena," appears in episode 12 of this season, "Sky High."

Hercules makes one final appearance in the Season 5 "Xena" episode "God Fearing Child." There, he offers to protect Xena's unborn child from the Gods attempting to kill her due to a prophetic claim she will end their rule. Herc must protect a laboring Xena from his father, Zeus (Charles Keating), who wants to slay the warrior before she gives birth. It's also important to remember that characters like Autolycus (Bruce Campbell), Ares, and Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings) often bounce between the two series for guest appearances with little carryover baggage, so the episodes in which they heavily figure can be watched in airing order without worrying about moving back and forth between the two shows. 

With all of this in mind, you should be able to understand the overarching storylines of two of the most popular '90s syndicated action programs with ease. 

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Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Hercules is half-man, half-god and a hero of fantastic strength. After his malevolent stepmother, Hera, kills his wife and children, he wanders about Earth with mortal best friend Iolaus, fi... Read all Hercules is half-man, half-god and a hero of fantastic strength. After his malevolent stepmother, Hera, kills his wife and children, he wanders about Earth with mortal best friend Iolaus, fighting evil and trying to overcome his loss. Hercules is half-man, half-god and a hero of fantastic strength. After his malevolent stepmother, Hera, kills his wife and children, he wanders about Earth with mortal best friend Iolaus, fighting evil and trying to overcome his loss.

• Christian Williams
• Kevin Sorbo
• Michael Hurst
• Kevin Smith
• 59 User reviews
• 32 Critic reviews
• 7 wins & 21 nominations

Episodes 111

Photos 1161

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• Autolycus …

• Aphrodite …

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• Trivia The ratings soared to number one in syndicated action shows, passing the seemingly insurmountable Baywatch (1989) . Later it would be surpassed by its own spin-off show, Xena: Warrior Princess (1995) , which took top spot in Xena's second season. Xena continued to lead Hercules every subsequent year both series aired.
• Goofs Aphrodite refers to Hercules as both "older brother" and "younger brother" several times throughout the series.

Hercules : This is not my world... DISAPPOINTED!

• Crazy credits The end credits for many episodes include an additional humorous message near the end of the credits. They were usually in the style of the "No animals were harmed..." messages featured in most end credits.
• Connections Edited into Hercules: The Xena Trilogy (1998)

User reviews 59

• Nov 21, 2001
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• How can Strife die in 'Armagedon Now' but be alive in 'Yes Virginia there is a Hercues' which is set in the present day?
• Why are there so many episodes with so little Hercules in them?
• January 16, 1995 (United States)
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• Những Cuộc Phiêu Lưu Của Hercules
• New Zealand
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Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (The Xena Trilogy: The Warrior Princess / The Gauntlet / Unchained Heart)

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Product Description

Lucy Lawless makes her debut as the beautiful and deadly princess Xena in this awesome, sword-wielding action adventure. Xena plans to kill Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) in order to gain control of the region Arcadian. Part of her lethal strategy included convincing Hercules' best friend, Iolaus (Michael Hurst) to join her army and turn against his loyal comrade! Xena Trilogy contains "The Warrior Princess", "The Gauntlet" and "Unchained Heart."

Product details

• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.38 x 0.6 inches; 2.61 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Bruce Seth Green, Jack Perez
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Dolby, Color, Digital Sound, Full Screen, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 21 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 24, 1998
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Lucy Lawless, Kevin Sorbo, Michael Hurst, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Robert Trebor
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, Spanish, French
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Studios Home Entertainment
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0783226276
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #10,347 in Action & Adventure DVDs
• #18,063 in Drama DVDs

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The TV Spinoff That Was Better Than the Original Series

This show ended up becoming bigger — and better — than the series that spawned it.

The Big Picture

• Xena: Warrior Princess started as a villain on Hercules , but her redemption arc led to her own series and made her a feminist icon.
• Xena surpassed Hercules in ratings and became a more compelling character due to her struggle for redemption and her romantic relationship with Gabrielle.
• Xena had memorable villains like Callisto and Ares and continued to thrive in other media, including comic books and video games. A reboot was shelved in 2017.

The '90s were full of shows that shared more than a few key elements. They often had outlandish premises, steeped in science fiction or fantasy tropes. They were usually developed to hit syndication and lasted for years in reruns. Many of these shows eventually became cult favorites or outright pop culture phenomenons. A key example of this is Xena: Warrior Princess , which featured Lucy Lawless ' titular heroine battling the forces of evil. Ironically, Xena started as a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys — and over the years it would grow to outclass Hercules due to its lead as well as several other factors.

Xena: Warrior Princess

Xena originally started as a villain on 'hercules: the legendary journeys'.

When Xena first appeared in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , it was as a villain. In the episode "The Warrior Princess," she seduces young Iolaus ( Michael Hurst ) in order to draw out and kill Hercules ( Kevin Sorbo ). Xena is depicted as cruel, bloodthirsty, and manipulative — a far cry from the feminist icon she would grow to be on her own show . In the penultimate Season 1 episode "The Gauntlet," Xena suffers betrayal and has to rely on Hercules for help. This eventually leads to a fight between the two, but Hercules refuses to kill Xena. She is moved by this, and in the Season 1 finale, "Unchained Heart," she chooses to make amends for her misdeeds.

This would lead to the Xena series, which almost never got made. Xena was originally slated to die at the end of "Unchained Heart"; however, series co-creator Robert Tapert was convinced by Universal to give her a series. "The guys at Universal quickly said, “You know what? You should rip yourself off before somebody else does and try and make a spin-off out of that character," Tapert told Entertainment Weekly as part of an oral history celebrating Xena 's 15th anniversary. And so, Xena's road to redemption began, with the pilot episode "Sins of the Past" having her rescue a maiden named Gabrielle ( Renee O'Connor ), who eventually became her sidekick.

'Xena' Became Its Own Series — and Eventually Overtook 'Hercules'

The first season of Xena: Warrior Princess had its own ups and downs to overcome. Lawless threw herself into the physical demands of playing Xena, which led to multiple injuries. Perhaps the most egregious is a stunt on the set of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ; Lawless broke her hip while attempting to ride a horse for a sketch . The ratings also took a while to kick in. "It took a full year for Xena to rise in the ratings," Tapert noted. But soon a second season was ordered, and eventually, the show ran for six seasons, outstripping Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in ratings .

A large part of what made Xena a more compelling character was her struggle for redemption. Throughout the series, enemies from her past come to haunt her, and she goes through a number of trials, including her crucifixion. In contrast, Hercules feels like he never really grew as a character; he was the stock leading man. Xena would also gain traction due to the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, which carried a number of romantic undertones. Lawless grew to embrace this: in an interview with Collider, she discussed her reaction to a magazine article that touched on those themes when Xena season 1 was filming. "It was Michale Musto writing about how Xena and Gabrielle were queer characters, and we’re like, ‘What the hell?’ We were going, ‘That’s crazy!’ And we were both like, ‘That’s cool.’”

Xena also had two overarching villains. Both the warrior queen Callisto ( Hudson Leick ) and the god of war Ares ( Kevin Tod Smith ) would terrorize the Warrior Princess over the course of the show. Both of them also represented the darkness that Xena was fighting to overcome. In Callisto's case, she had an ax to grind after Xena had burned her village to the ground. Ares thrives on war and strife, and sees Xena as a worthy candidate for his queen. The best villains often serve as a mirror to the heroes, and Xena 's villains definitely lived up to that mantra.

'Xena' Would Continue to Thrive in Other Media, Apart From a Failed Reboot

The popularity of Xena: Warrior Princess led to a number of other Xena -themed projects. Dark Horse Comics published a series of Xena comic books, with the license recently landing in the hands of Dynamite Entertainment ( which finally moved Xena and Gabrielle's relationship into romantic territory, among other things .) Plenty of video games were released for '90s-era consoles, including the PlayStation 1 and Game Boy Color. The one project other than the show that Xena fans may remember is the animated movie Hercules & Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus ; Lawless and Kevin Sorbo reprised their roles as Xena and Hercules, with the titular heroes battling the goddess Hera.

After Xena 's cancellation in 2001, rumors swirled about a potential reboot and/or film adaptation. Finally, in 2015 a reboot was commissioned by Universal, with Javier Grillo-Marxuach ( Lost, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ) tapped to write and produce. Grillo-Marxuach said that he was looking forward to updating elements of the show, including Xena and Gabrielle's relationship . It would have even brought back Tapert and Sam Raimi as executive producers. However, in 2017 the project was shelved , as Grillo-Marxuch had left the project due to creative differences and Universal couldn't figure out a direction for the new series.

To this day, Xena: Warrior Princess remains one of the most influential genre shows of the 1990s. It was one of many shows — including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dark Angel — that would feature a well-rounded female lead, and is still referenced in pop culture. A whole segment of The Simpsons ' "Treehouse of Horror" special featured Lawless returning to the role of Xena, albeit with a tongue-in-cheek attitude . Xena will forever live on in the hearts of her fans, as well as the woman who portrayed her.

Xena: Warrior Princess is currently available to stream on Prime Video.

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Screen Rant

Every role karl urban played in xena & hercules (including cupid).

Lord of the Rings wasn't Karl Urban's first fantasy battle. Here's every role he did in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Here's every role on  Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys  that had Karl Urban clashing swords with heroes long before he ever took his first swing at Homelander as Billy Butcher on The Boys . Many of Urban's roles this millennium have seen him squarely in the hero category himself, most notably as Dr. Bones McCoy in the  Star Trek reboots. In the late-90s fantasy series  Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess , however, Urban was a veritable chameleon of antagonists and troublemakers, with roles ranging from Julius Caesar to Cupid. All told, the star took on four different roles in the Xenaverse before the franchise was over.

Urban's first appearance in the Xenaverse was in the 1996 XWP  episode "Altared States," in which he plays the antagonist, Mael. This episode is based heavily on the story of Abraham and Isaac from the book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. In "Altared States" (and in the Bible story), God commands the father of a young boy to sacrifice his son as a demonstration of faith. In the episode, it's not God pulling the strings, but Anteus' jealous older son Mael seeking to steal the inheritance. In the end, Xena defeats Mael in battle and the latter dies when he falls into a gorge refusing Xena's help.

Related:  Every Karl Urban Horror Movie, Ranked

Prior to the death of Lucy Lawless' Xena , Urban played the prominent role of Julius Caesar. First appearing in the  XWP episode "Destiny," Caesar becomes a recurring antagonist in the series, with one appearance in  HTLJ as well. Caesar and Xena begin their relationship as flirtatious allies in "Destiny," but it's quickly revealed they are both double-crossing each other, and Caesar gets the upper hand when he crucifies Xena. From there, the crafty dictator of Rome crops up to do battle with the Warrior Princess until his death in "The Ides of March" at the hand of his second-in-command, Brutus. He also appears as a secondary antagonist in the  Hercules  episode "Render Unto Caesar," and once as the Emperor of Rome in  Xena  season 6 during a brief resurrection.

Compared to his other personas, Urban is virtually unrecognizable as Cupid. Cupid is the son of the goddess Aphrodite and comes equipped with his classic bow and quiver of love and couple-inducing arrows. However, it's revealed in Cupid's debut that due to a curse cast on him by Hera, he will transform into a green-eyed monster whenever he experiences unrequited love. This happens when Cupid inadvertently shoots Hercules with a love arrow, making him fall in love with Cupid's own mortal sweetheart, Psyche. Things are eventually resolved with a little help from Aphrodite, and Cupid retreats with his now immortal bride to Olympus. Following this episode, Urban reprised his Cupid role for a few brief appearances in  Xena ("For Him the Bell Tolls" and "A Comedy of Eros," most notably).

Last and probably least, Urban had one more role in the Xenaverse. Kor, a member of a Stone Age timeline  cannibal tribe, initially appeared in an unaired pilot film called  Amazon High , where he was the love interest of the main character, Cyane. The film ended up getting scrapped, but a good chunk of the story was recycled for the  Xena episode "Lifeblood" in season 5. Kor's main function is to be a more peaceful and sympathetic cannibal who helps make peace between his tribe and the Tretolmecs, who eventually become the Amazons. While Karl Urban has taken on a variety of roles in his career,  Xena: Warrior Princess  and  Hercules: The Legendary Journeys alone showcase his range through these four different characters.

Next:  Karl Urban's Comic Book Movies, Ranked (Including Thor: Ragnarok)

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‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ — See the Cast of the Hit Action Series Then and Now

The girl power was unmatched!

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Xena: Warrior Princess began as a spin-off of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and arrived complete with a cast of powerful ladies who brought on the girl power episode after episode.

Xena made her first appearance in a powerful three-episode arc on the popular Hercules and was originally scheduled to die in her third appearance. However, Xena had become so popular in those few episodes that producers saw the financial gains of giving her her own show — and the rest is history.

The fantasy TV series, filmed on location in New Zealand, made its debut in 1995 and aired its final episode on June 18, 2001. Lucy Lawless stars in this spinoff series filled with magic, humor, historical fantasy and lots of action.

So popular was Xena that hundreds of tie-in products — ranging from comic books to video games — are still purchased, and the annual conventions are well attended. Twenty-three years after the show’s final episode aired, Xena ’s appeal has not diminished.

And it’s no mystery why Xena: Warrior Princess has stood the test of time — viewers loved the ancient world portrayals, the girl power that was brought to the masses, the show’s sense of humor and the extremely talented cast who brought the stories to life every week. Which leads to the natural question, where did the Xena cast end up?

Xena: Warrior Princess Cast, Then and Now

Lucy lawless as xena.

Xena started out as a ruthless warrior, but as the show evolved, her storyline shifted more towards mercy after a striking realization leads her to seek forgiveness for her previous crimes. Xena made Lucy Lawless into a cult TV star.

Born Lucille Frances Ryan in Auckland, Australia, Lucy continued taking on a wide array of roles, including the semi-regular role of D’Anna Biers in Battlestar Galactica , a part in Bedtime Stories (2008), plus several made for TV movies, including Locusts (2005) and Vampire Bats (2005.)  

Her voice can be heard in a number of movies, and in 2011, Lucy appeared in No Ordinary Family . She additionally could be seen as Lucretia in the prequel series to Spartacus , Spartacus: Gods of the Arena , as well as Spartacus: Vengeance .

As Caroline Platt in BBC’s Top of the Lake mini-series, Lawless received critical praise. She then took her silvery blue eyes to comedy in NBC’s Parks and Recreation as the recurring character of Diane Lewis.

She displayed her natural ash blonde hair that was dyed black for Xena in 2019’s My Life Is Murder , a light, Auckland-set mystery. She has also had small roles in Spider-Man (2002), EuroTrip (2004), The Changeover (2017) and the voice of Nun-chuck in Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022).

This year, Lucy went behind the camera to direct Never Look Away , a film screened at Sundance. This, she hopes, is the start of a new chapter in her life. Lawless married to Xena co-creator Robert Tapert and is the mother of three.

Renee O’Connor as Gabrielle

From innocent babe to skilled warrior, this was Gabrielle’s evolution on Xena . She began as Xena’s trusty sidekick who was able to counter her bad temper, but as the series progressed, Gabrielle learned how to become an actual Amazon while discovering new aspects of her own life.

Born in Houston, Texas, Renee O’Connor attended the Houston High School of Visual and Performing Arts. She began appearing in commercials for brands like McDonalds, and eventually kicked off her film career at age 17, starring in the serial Teen Angel , a regular feature on The All New Mickey Mouse Club .

She stayed within the Disney family to appear in The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), while guest appearances continued to come her way in TV shows like NYPD Blue , The Rockford Files reunion movie (1995) and Danielle Steele’s Changes (1991). From there she starred as Deineira in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , where she caught the eye of director/creator Sam Raimi, who then cast her in the 1994 film Darkman II: The Return of Durant .

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Then came Xena: Warrior Princess , and the Gabrielle character was almost as popular as Xena herself.

Parlaying her star recognition for other creative outlets, O’Connor formed her own production company in 2002, Roc Productions, with the first project being the rom-com Diamond and Guns (2008).

In 2010, O’Connor wrote, directed and produced the award-winning short film Words Unspoken , while in 2017 she produced her second feature film, Watch the Sky .

While raising her two children back in Los Angeles, Renee occasionally starred in various indie films while continuing her passion for acting and directing with professional and community theater groups.

Her talent also extends to art, and she has auctioned off some of her paintings for charity as well as to fund projects under her production company.   

Ted Raimi as Joxer

Being the brother of famed director Sam Raimi, who developed Xena: Warrior Princess , came in handy for Theodore Raimi , but it was his talent that won a legion of fans. As Joxer he’s a wannabe soldier who accidentally falls in with Xena and Gabrielle, magical spells leading him to marry a Xena lookalike.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Raimi attended high school in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he played blues harp, was a DJ and member of the Groves Cinema Society. At 17, he began acting in industrial films for Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

Ted Raimi has gone on to have a booming screen career since Xena ’s end. He starred in his brother’s Ash vs Evil Dead series alongside two of his Xena co-stars and has been in blockbusters, among them all three of the Sam Raimi directed Spider-Man movie.

His feature film and television credits are lengthy, and include his role as the communication officer Lt. Tim O’Neill on the sci-fi TV series, SeaQuest 2032 . In 2022, he appeared in Failure!.

Kevin Smith as Ares in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

Ares, the Greek god of war, gave Xena her initial murderous warrior spirit and was the character with whom she had a complex romance. With his smoldering good looks, Kevin Smith was Ares in Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules , two spin offs from the original TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys .

Born in Auckland, Australia, Kevin Smith became involved in the drama club at his high school. Additionally, he played in rock bands, painted, played rugby and hoped to become a member of New Zealand’s famous rugby team, the All Blacks. 

The musical side of Smith had him playing with several experimental bands throughout New Zealand, releasing a few albums in the mid-1980s. Forced to sit on the sidelines due to a concussion while playing university rugby in 1987, Smith’s wife saw a casting call for a touring musical tribute to Elvis Presley.

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She signed her hubby up for an audition and he snagged the role of bodyguard JoJoe and lead understudy. He later performed in stage productions for the next three years in a variety of roles. Finding that he enjoyed live performing, in 1989 he co-founded a theatre sports group that performed live comedy.

With his good looks, he got the role of charming bad boy Demian Vermeer on the New Zealand primetime soap Gloss . For his role as Paul Cosic in the primetime drama Marlin Bay , he won the 1995 New Zealand Film and TV Award for Best Supporting Actor.

That was a big year for Smith, because he also appeared on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as Hercules’ half-brother Iphicles. Then came Ares on Xena . Smith also appeared in other TV shows and films while starring on Xena , and continues acting in theater.

While preparing for his first Hollywood film opposite Bruce Willis in Tears of the Sun , the cast and crew went to China to shoot the movie. On February 6, 2022, he went exploring the back lot and climbed up a prop tower, lost his footing and fell three stories. He suffered severe head injuries and died a week later without regaining consciousness.

Hudson Leick as Callisto in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

Just looking at Callisto, you can see the cruelty within her. She was Xena’s main nemesis and a survivor of one of Xena’s past rages. In fact, she lost her village and family and, in response, over the course of 18 episodes Callisto’s sole ambition was to make Xena’s life a living hell.

Born in Cincinnati, Hudson Leick grew up in Rochester, New York. She started out as a model in Japan before deciding to pursue acting. In 1992, she appeared in an episode of the CBS Schoolbreak Special , following that up with an appearance on Law & Order .

Her big break was winning a part on Melrose Place in 1995. Post-Callisto, she had a number of one-off roles in TV, including Nip/Tuck , 7 th Heaven, Touched by an Angel , Shark and Tru Calling .

MUST-READ: ‘7th Heaven’ Cast Then and Now — See What the Camden Clan Has Been Up to Since 2007

Leick was also busy in feature films, appearing in Cold Heart (2001), Chill Factor (1999), Denial (1998) and One, Two, Many (2008). She gave up her acting career after 2010’s mystery, Paris Connections, and now works primarily as a yoga instructor through her company, Healing Heart Yoga — but she will always be remembered as Callisto to us!

Karl Urban as Julius Caesar in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

Caesar is Xena’s number one mortal enemy, having broken her legs and crucified her on their first meeting. But you can’t keep a good woman down as Xena is resurrected and finally kills him once and for all in season 4. Important to keep in mind is that the series is filled with fantasy and magic, so Caesar uses some alternate reality magic to come back to life.

Karl Urban was born in Wellington, New Zealand and showed an early interest in public performances with his first acting role at age eight, when he had a single line in local TV series Pioneer Woman .

He acted throughout his school years in plays and, following high school graduation, enrolled in Victoria University, leaving after one year to pursue his acting ambitions. He appeared in several local TV commercials over the next few years in addition to theater roles.

His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship , and since then he has worked on many high-profile movies, including The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Doom (2005) and Star Trek (2009), in which he took on DeForest Kelley’s role of Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, to name a few.

A longtime fan of Westerns, Urban starred as Woodrow Call in Comanche Moon , a TV miniseries that was a prequel to the Lonesome Dove miniseries.

Many box office hits have rounded out Urban’s resume over the years, including Acts of Vengeance (2017), Pete’s Dragon (2016) and The Loft (2014). Since 2019, he has starred as William “Billy” Butcher in Amazon Prime’s The Boys .

MUST-READ: DeForest Kelley — Remembering the Life and Career of the Heart of Star Trek

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How to watch Hercules and Xena in order

Image: ©Universal

In 1994, Greek hero, Hercules became the main character in a series of live-action television movies. The films, set in ancient Greece, starred Kevin Sorbo as the titular hero and told action-adventure stories filled with gods and monsters.

The Hercules movies proved popular with audiences and were quickly re-developed into a television show called Hercules: The Legendary Journeys . This show in turn became the catalyst for an entire universe, which included a spin-off series in the shape of Xena: Warrior Princess , as well as a Hercules prequel series, and an animated musical feature film.

Not familiar with all of these shows and movies? Not to worry – in this post I am breaking down the Hercules and Xena universe to provide you with a run through of all the different shows and movies.

If you are feeling lost, stick with me and soon it will all become clear.

Understanding Hercules and Xena

As noted above, the Hercules/Xena universe began in 1994 with five television movies which aired at different intervals throughout the year. The movies included: Hercules and the Amazon Women , Hercules and the Lost Kingdom , Hercules and the Circle of Fire , Hercules in the Underworld , and Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur .

Due to the popularity of the movies, Hercules was given a television series called Hercules: The Legendary Journeys . This was a weekly show which delved deeper into the mythology, expanded Herc’s world, and introduced new characters.

During the first season of the show, one of the new characters that was introduced was Xena – a fearsome warrior played by Lucy Lawless. Xena popped up three times across the course of the season, creating a mini-story arc for the character in the process.

Xena proved to be a hit with audiences, and Lawless was quickly offered her own show. The series – Xena: Warrior Princess – would put Xena on a path of redemption, and become a companion piece to Hercules: The Legendary Journeys .  

For the next few years, both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess aired concurrently. The two shows existed in the same universe, shared many of the same characters, and on the odd occasion their stories would overlap.

Then in 1998, the Hercules/Xena universe expanded even further with the introduction of two new spin-offs: a prequel show, in the shape of Young Hercules , and a cross-over movie, in the form of Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998).

Young Hercules was set during Herc’s formative years. The show ran for one season with Ryan Gosling taking on the role of Hercules.

Meanwhile, Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998) was a feature film which combined characters from both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess . The movie was a musical adventure featuring the vocal talents of both Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless.

For some fans, these two spin-offs were neat additions to the Hercules/Xena universe, while for others, they came and went with very little acknowledgement. However, regardless of how successful they were, they marked the peak of the Hercules/Xena popularity.

The following year, after six seasons, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys came to an end. The final season comprised just eight episodes, rounding out a 111-episode run.

With both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules leaving the air in the same year, only Xena: Warrior Princess remained. The series continued until 2001, before concluding after six seasons and 134 episodes.

Watching Hercules and Xena in order

If you have never watched any of the Hercules/Xena shows, and you are just finding your way into this little universe now, you will need a timeline to help you find your way. Set out below is a list of every show and movie in the universe, presented in chronological order, beginning with Young Hercules .

Do you need to begin with Young Hercules ? That is entirely up to you. Some fans would suggest skipping it, but I am including it at the beginning of this list, as this is chronologically the first entry in the timeline.  

• Young Hercules – Season One (1998 – 1999) – TV series
• Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994) – TV movie
• Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994) – TV movie
• Hercules and the Circle of Fire (1994) – TV movie
• Hercules in the Underworld (1994) – TV movie
• Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur (1994) – TV movie
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season One (1995) – TV series
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season Two (1995 – 1996) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season One (1995 – 1996) – TV series
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season Three (1996 – 1997) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season Two (1996 – 1997) – TV series
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season Four (1997 – 1998) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season Three (1997 – 1998) – TV series
• Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998) – Movie
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season Five (1998 – 1999) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season Four (1998 – 1999) – TV series
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Season Six (1999) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season Five (1999 – 2000) – TV series
• Xena: Warrior Princess – Season Six (2000 – 2001) – TV series

Please note: The above viewing order is presented as close to chronological order as possible. As both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess aired at the same time, there might be some slight discrepancies during the cross over episodes, but this list should see you right.

Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the Hercules/Xena viewing order – I hope it sends you on a fun and exciting journey. For more nostalgia-inducing content, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.

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'Xena: Warrior Princess' - See the Cast of This Hit Series Then and Now!

Xena: Warrior Princess began as a spin-off of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and arrived complete with a cast of powerful ladies who brought on the girl power episode after episode.

Xena made her first appearance in a powerful three-episode arc on the popular Hercules and was originally scheduled to die in her third appearance. However, Xena had become so popular in those few episodes that producers saw the financial gains of giving her her own show - and the rest is history.

The fantasy TV series, filmed on location in New Zealand, made its debut in 1995 and aired its final episode on June 18, 2001. Lucy Lawless stars in this spinoff series filled with magic, humor, historical fantasy and lots of action.

Lucy Lawless, Xena: Warrior Princess

©NBCUniversal/Wikipedia

So popular was Xena that hundreds of tie-in products - ranging from comic books to video games - are still purchased, and the annual conventions are well attended. Twenty-three years after the show's final episode aired, Xena 's appeal has not diminished.

And it's no mystery why Xena: Warrior Princess has stood the test of time - viewers loved the ancient world portrayals, the girl power that was brought to the masses, the show's sense of humor and the extremely talented cast who brought the stories to life every week. Which leads to the natural question, where did the Xena cast end up?

Xena: Warrior Princess Cast, Then and Now

Lucy lawless as xena.

1997 / 2024

Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images ; Araya Doheny/Getty Images

Xena started out as a ruthless warrior, but as the show evolved, her storyline shifted more towards mercy after a striking realization leads her to seek forgiveness for her previous crimes. Xena made Lucy Lawless into a cult TV star.

Born Lucille Frances Ryan in Auckland, Australia, Lucy continued taking on a wide array of roles, including the semi-regular role of D'Anna Biers in Battlestar Galactica , a part in Bedtime Stories (2008), plus several made for TV movies, including Locusts (2005) and Vampire Bats (2005.)  

Lucy Lawless, 1996

Maureen Donaldson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Her voice can be heard in a number of movies, and in 2011, Lucy appeared in No Ordinary Family . She additionally could be seen as Lucretia in the prequel series to Spartacus , Spartacus: Gods of the Arena , as well as Spartacus: Vengeance .

As Caroline Platt in BBC's Top of the Lake mini-series, Lawless received critical praise. She then took her silvery blue eyes to comedy in NBC's Parks and Recreation as the recurring character of Diane Lewis.

Lucy Lawless, 2024

Monica Schipper/Getty Images for IMDb

She displayed her natural ash blonde hair that was dyed black for Xena in 2019's My Life Is Murder , a light, Auckland-set mystery. She has also had small roles in Spider-Man (2002), EuroTrip (2004), The Changeover (2017) and the voice of Nun-chuck in Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022).

This year, Lucy went behind the camera to direct Never Look Away , a film screened at Sundance. This, she hopes, is the start of a new chapter in her life. Lawless married to Xena co-creator Robert Tapert and is the mother of three.

Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

2003 / 2018

Albert L. Ortega/WireImage/Getty Images ; Che Rosales/Getty Images

From innocent babe to skilled warrior, this was Gabrielle's evolution on Xena . She began as Xena's trusty sidekick who was able to counter her bad temper, but as the series progressed, Gabrielle learned how to become an actual Amazon while discovering new aspects of her own life.

Born in Houston, Texas, Renee O'Connor attended the Houston High School of Visual and Performing Arts. She began appearing in commercials for brands like McDonalds, and eventually kicked off her film career at age 17, starring in the serial Teen Angel , a regular feature on The All New Mickey Mouse Club .

Renee O'Connor, 2003

Albert L. Ortega/WireImage/Getty Images

She stayed within the Disney family to appear in The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), while guest appearances continued to come her way in TV shows like NYPD Blue , The Rockford Files reunion movie (1995) and Danielle Steele's Changes (1991). From there she starred as Deineira in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , where she caught the eye of director/creator Sam Raimi, who then cast her in the 1994 film Darkman II: The Return of Durant .

MUST-READ: ‘NYPD Blue' Cast Then and Now: A Look Back at the Beloved 90s Police Drama

Then came Xena: Warrior Princess , and the Gabrielle character was almost as popular as Xena herself.

Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor, 2001

Albert L. Ortega/WireImage

Parlaying her star recognition for other creative outlets, O'Connor formed her own production company in 2002, Roc Productions, with the first project being the rom-com Diamond and Guns (2008).

In 2010, O'Connor wrote, directed and produced the award-winning short film Words Unspoken , while in 2017 she produced her second feature film, Watch the Sky .

Renee O'Connor, 2017

Leon Bennett/Getty Images

While raising her two children back in Los Angeles, Renee occasionally starred in various indie films while continuing her passion for acting and directing with professional and community theater groups.

Her talent also extends to art, and she has auctioned off some of her paintings for charity as well as to fund projects under her production company.   

Ted Raimi as Joxer

2002 / 2017

Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images ; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Being the brother of famed director Sam Raimi, who developed Xena: Warrior Princess , came in handy for Theodore Raimi , but it was his talent that won a legion of fans. As Joxer he's a wannabe soldier who accidentally falls in with Xena and Gabrielle, magical spells leading him to marry a Xena lookalike.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Raimi attended high school in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he played blues harp, was a DJ and member of the Groves Cinema Society. At 17, he began acting in industrial films for Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

Ted Raimi, 2017

Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

Ted Raimi has gone on to have a booming screen career since Xena 's end. He starred in his brother's Ash vs Evil Dead series alongside two of his Xena co-stars and has been in blockbusters, among them all three of the Sam Raimi directed Spider-Man movie.

His feature film and television credits are lengthy, and include his role as the communication officer Lt. Tim O'Neill on the sci-fi TV series, SeaQuest 2032 . In 2022, he appeared in Failure!.

Kevin Smith as Ares in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

Kevin Smith, Xena: Warrior Princess

©NBCUniversal/IMDb

Ares, the Greek god of war, gave Xena her initial murderous warrior spirit and was the character with whom she had a complex romance. With his smoldering good looks, Kevin Smith was Ares in Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules , two spin offs from the original TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys .

Born in Auckland, Australia, Kevin Smith became involved in the drama club at his high school. Additionally, he played in rock bands, painted, played rugby and hoped to become a member of New Zealand's famous rugby team, the All Blacks. 

The musical side of Smith had him playing with several experimental bands throughout New Zealand, releasing a few albums in the mid-1980s. Forced to sit on the sidelines due to a concussion while playing university rugby in 1987, Smith's wife saw a casting call for a touring musical tribute to Elvis Presley.

MUST-READ: Best Elvis Movies, Ranked: 12 of His Most Rockin 'n' Rollin' Roles

She signed her hubby up for an audition and he snagged the role of bodyguard JoJoe and lead understudy. He later performed in stage productions for the next three years in a variety of roles. Finding that he enjoyed live performing, in 1989 he co-founded a theatre sports group that performed live comedy.

With his good looks, he got the role of charming bad boy Demian Vermeer on the New Zealand primetime soap Gloss . For his role as Paul Cosic in the primetime drama Marlin Bay , he won the 1995 New Zealand Film and TV Award for Best Supporting Actor.

That was a big year for Smith, because he also appeared on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as Hercules' half-brother Iphicles. Then came Ares on Xena . Smith also appeared in other TV shows and films while starring on Xena , and continues acting in theater.

While preparing for his first Hollywood film opposite Bruce Willis in Tears of the Sun , the cast and crew went to China to shoot the movie. On February 6, 2022, he went exploring the back lot and climbed up a prop tower, lost his footing and fell three stories. He suffered severe head injuries and died a week later without regaining consciousness.

Hudson Leick as Callisto in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

2003 / 2024

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images ; @hudsonleick/Instagram

Just looking at Callisto, you can see the cruelty within her. She was Xena's main nemesis and a survivor of one of Xena's past rages. In fact, she lost her village and family and, in response, over the course of 18 episodes Callisto's sole ambition was to make Xena's life a living hell.

Born in Cincinnati, Hudson Leick grew up in Rochester, New York. She started out as a model in Japan before deciding to pursue acting. In 1992, she appeared in an episode of the CBS Schoolbreak Special , following that up with an appearance on Law & Order .

Hudson Leick, Ted Raimi, 2024

@hudsonleick/Instagram

Her big break was winning a part on Melrose Place in 1995. Post-Callisto, she had a number of one-off roles in TV, including Nip/Tuck , 7th Heaven, Touched by an Angel , Shark and Tru Calling .

MUST-READ: ‘7th Heaven' Cast Then and Now - See What the Camden Clan Has Been Up to Since 2007

Leick was also busy in feature films, appearing in Cold Heart (2001), Chill Factor (1999), Denial (1998) and One, Two, Many (2008). She gave up her acting career after 2010's mystery, Paris Connections, and now works primarily as a yoga instructor through her company, Healing Heart Yoga - but she will always be remembered as Callisto to us!

Karl Urban as Julius Caesar in the Xena: Warrior Princess cast

2002 / 2022

Gregory Pace/FilmMagic/Getty Images ; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Caesar is Xena's number one mortal enemy, having broken her legs and crucified her on their first meeting. But you can't keep a good woman down as Xena is resurrected and finally kills him once and for all in season 4. Important to keep in mind is that the series is filled with fantasy and magic, so Caesar uses some alternate reality magic to come back to life.

Karl Urban was born in Wellington, New Zealand and showed an early interest in public performances with his first acting role at age eight, when he had a single line in local TV series Pioneer Woman .

He acted throughout his school years in plays and, following high school graduation, enrolled in Victoria University, leaving after one year to pursue his acting ambitions. He appeared in several local TV commercials over the next few years in addition to theater roles.

Karl Urban, 2004

J. Merritt/FilmMagic/Getty Images

His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship , and since then he has worked on many high-profile movies, including The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Doom (2005) and Star Trek (2009), in which he took on DeForest Kelley's role of Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, to name a few.

A longtime fan of Westerns, Urban starred as Woodrow Call in Comanche Moon , a TV miniseries that was a prequel to the Lonesome Dove miniseries.

Many box office hits have rounded out Urban's resume over the years, including Acts of Vengeance (2017), Pete's Dragon (2016) and The Loft (2014). Since 2019, he has starred as William "Billy" Butcher in Amazon Prime's The Boys .

MUST-READ: DeForest Kelley - Remembering the Life and Career of the Heart of Star Trek

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Aphrodite  is the Olympian Goddess of Love . Although often spiteful and selfish, and very immature at times (as shown by her feuds with Discord and her son, Cupid ), the influence of her half-brother Hercules and her friendships with mortals such as Iolaus , Xena and Gabrielle leads her character in some surprising directions.

Relations [ ]

Aphrodite treats Hercules as her protective older brother, affectionately referring to him as "Big Bro" (a physical description, given that she was millennia older than him) and was probably the closest to him of all the Olympians; certainly, even though Hercules later came to hate the Gods, he did not  hate her . She frequently took his advice and assisted him on his adventures. Although she was manipulating him during their initial encounter, Aphrodite eventually became friends with Iolaus, Hercules's most frequent ally. Xena and Gabrielle often found themselves entangled in Aphrodite's hare-brained schemes, though their relationship with her improved to the point where the Goddess was even willing to stand up to Athena on their behalf.

She was also quite close to her brother Ares, largely due to the connection they shared. Aphrodite literally goes insane when Ares loses his Godhood as War and Love must co-exist in cosmic balance. In spite of her affection for Ares, Aphrodite has no time for his flunkies, in particular, Discord , with whom she shares an almost adolescent rivalry.

Aphrodite's relationship with her son Cupid is generally strained for a variety of reasons, namely her overprotectiveness and the fact that she is his boss as well as his mother.

Like many Olympians , Aphrodite occasionally has trysts with mortals. Two children produced from such couplings are Deon and Aeneas . 

History [ ]

Before her tryst with Hephaestus, she is portrayed as being a bit promiscuous: she steals a boyfriend away from Hera and because of that Hera places a curse on her son Cupid. Cupid falls in love with a girl named Psyche , who is said to be more beautiful than Aphrodite, which makes her extremely jealous. Out of jealousy, Aphrodite tries to shoot a love arrow at Psyche. When Cupid tries to stop her, Hercules is accidentally hit and falls in love with Psyche. Thanks to Hera's curse, Cupid literally turns into a green-eyed monster with jealousy at the thought of losing Psyche. The curse is eventually lifted when the truth comes after he confesses his love for Psyche and she marries him. Aphrodite gives Psyche Ambrosia to make her a goddess to make amends since she is the one who started the mess but soon realizes she is now a mother-in-law, which does not make her very happy. She becomes a grandmother later on when Psyche and Cupid have a son named Bliss .

On Hercules , Aphrodite is usually the comic relief or the viewers' window into the politics of Mount Olympus. Though she is originally introduced as a scheming Goddess, devious and almost as uncaring as Ares, she quickly evolves into a more benevolent fun-loving character, though still prone to mood swings. She is also the only member of his Olympian family, apart from Zeus , whom Hercules seems to have any sort of close relationship with (in one episode he refers to her as his favorite little sister, and is somewhat close to her son Cupid who refers to him as "Uncle Herc"), despite the trouble she seems to cause him.

Aphrodite determines to break up a royal family marriage that will end a war, only because the newly allied kingdoms plan to destroy her temples. As her son Cupid explains to Gabrielle, "When the Goddess of Love decides to do something petty and spiteful, she can be a tad difficult to reason with." She later develops a friendship with Gabrielle and tries to save her during the massacre of the Olympian Gods.

Aphrodite becomes one of the survivors of the Twilight of the Olympian Gods, organized by Xena when the gods, under Athena's flag, join together to kill Eve . Aphrodite remains unconvinced that Eve will willingly destroy the gods, to the point where she sneaks Xena and Gabrielle into Olympus itself. After the Twilight of the Gods, Aphrodite becomes mentally unbalanced due to Ares losing his powers; Love must be balanced by War. Her powers are stolen by Caligula , whom Xena tricks into killing himself. This makes matters worse, since love is now gone from the world altogether. Xena restores the powers of both Aphrodite and Ares using golden apples she stole from the Norse Gods, thereby restoring balance to the universe.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

As an Olympian Goddess, Aphrodite has the range of Powers and Abilities of Olympic Gods. Unlike most of the other gods, Aphrodite does not use her powers with violence or force. As a goddess of love and beauty, she will focus more on emotions, aesthetics, and decadence when using her divine abilities. Her powers also have a passive affect on the world around her. As long as she keeps her station on Olympus, people will retain the ability to love. Her divinity needs to be balanced with a god of war also on Olympus. Without this, she will become unhinged and her divinity may be siphoned off.

• Conjuration: The ability to summon forth or create items, clothing, furniture, people, and so on is one of Aphrodite's more favored abilities. She uses this to suit her whims so that she may have whatever pleases her at any given moment.
• Immortality: Like other Gods, Aphrodite can not die, be killed, or age. She is also invulnerable to harm.
• Imperception: Gods will often watch mortals while invisible to subtly influence their lives. Aphrodite seems to use this ability more than most as she tends to be one of the more conniving Gods. While invisible, the Gods are also intangible and silent to mortal ears. Xena and Hercules are both able to sense past this ability, however.
• Magic: Unique to other Gods, Aphrodite has the ability to cast spells. This differs from divine powers as she will cause complicated circumstances to take place, usually through the medium of certain words. While used superficially, this ability is very powerful. In The Quill is Mightier , Aphrodite enchanted Gabrielle's scroll that will cause anything written upon it to occur until absolute truth is written instead. She enchanted this with the words "Lies will make the world go round, 'Til truer words are written down." Aphrodite also moved Xena's spirit into the body of a little girl's to wake her from a coma ( Little Problems ), and caused Joxer to switch between himself and the persona of a hero every time he heard a bell ring ( For Him the Bell Tolls ). Aphrodite also brews potions such as ones to induce obsession ( Fins, Femmes, and Gems ) and passion ( If the Shoe Fits... )
• Omnipresence: This is the ability to be in more than one place at a time. Teleportation may stem from this ability. Gods are also able to watch places without actually being present and hear someone's summons from anywhere in the world.
• Power Over Love: As the Goddess of love, Aphrodite's primary power is create love, desire, passion and affection and cause people to fall in love. Aphrodite can not eliminate love born by itself. She stated once that her specialty is love at first sight.
• Reading Auras: Aphrodite can see and read the aura. She knew about Iagos ' lies and manipulations by reading his aura.
• Shapeshifting: Another common ability among gods is the power to transform into any shape that they see fit. Aphrodite will often use this for disguise.
• Shielding: On a few occasions, Aphrodite would conjure shields to protect herself or deflect attacks.
• Telekinesis: Aphrodite was once seen moving models of her temples back onto a map after they were thrown onto the floor.
• Teleportation: Gods have the ability to appear anywhere they please. For Aphrodite, this appears as an orange light surrounded by golden sparks.

Background [ ]

• Aphrodite is the second most frequently recurring character in the Xenaverse after Ares . She appears in ten seasons across two shows; only Ares has appeared in more seasons.
• Alexandra Tydings has short brunette hair. She was surprised and gratified to be cast as Aphrodite in spite of her brown locks... but then they showed her the wig she would be wearing.
• She uses it again in Hercules & Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus to surf, both on the ocean and down the slopes of Olympus. She later planned to hide in her shell if her "calming aura to neutralize the bad titan vibes" didn't work. Neither the aura nor the shell was successful.
• In the earliest myths, Aphrodite was more specifically the Goddess of Sexuality. For a family-friendly show, love generally was used.
• In the Xenaverse, Zeus is explicitly Aphrodite's father and Hera is "implicitly" her mother. But the way that Aphrodite expresses herself about Hera, the relationship of mother and daughter, is questionable. 
• In the myths, Zeus is the father of Aphrodite. Her mother is Dione, a Titanic Ocean Goddess, of which little is known. The more known myths refer to Aphrodite being born from genitalia, cut off Ouranos, and thrown in the sea, when Kronos castrated him.  
• Aphrodite is inferred to have time-travelled despite the ban by Zeus, as she seems to be aware of modern-day references such as Elvira, and have access to technology such as headphones.
• In the xenaverse, her title is the Goddess of love, but she was not called the Goddess of Beauty, like the myth.  

See Also [ ]

• The Apple of Aphrodite