Steven L. Sears Movies

It sure looked like curtains for Xena: Warrior Princess at the end of the series' fourth season, what with both Xena (Lucy Lawless) and her traveling companion, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), being crucified by the Romans, the fulfillment of a prophecy by the evil shamaness Alti (Claire Stansfield). But given the amazing recuperative power of our heroines, both of whom had spectacularly arisen from the dead on previous occasions, it came as no surprise during season five that reports of their permanent demise were highly exaggerated. But though Xena and Gabrielle are eventually restored to the land of the living, they still have their share of trials and tribulations. Impregnated under mysterious circumstances, Xena gives birth to a daughter named Eve, an "immaculate conception" tied in with Gabrielle's devotion to the martyred prophet Eli (Tim Omundson). It soon develops that Eve has been targeted for extermination by the Olympian Gods, the result of a prophecy that the girl's birth would be the beginning of the end of the Gods' rule over Earth. As for Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), she is afforded the opportunity to ascend to the throne of Queen of the Amazons -- but this honor may require her to inflict heavy and horrible punishment upon her old friend Joxer (Ted Raimi). Joxer truly becomes "old" rather suddenly two-thirds of the way through the fifth season -- in fact, in one fell swoop 25 years pass by, during which both Xena and Gabrielle are in a state of suspended animation, frozen in a block of ice. Upon thawing out, the ladies discover that their old adversary Ares (Kevin Smith), God of War, has a powerful new ally: Fierce female warrior Livia, "The Bitch of Rome." Xena is disheartened to learn that Livia is none other than her own, grown-up daughter Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson), with whom she may be forced into mortal combat for the good of humankind. As in past years, season five bade goodbye to some familiar characters while introducing new ones. The most significant farewell was that of Joxer, who dies at Livia/Eve's hands. But the spirit of Joxer lives on, figuratively speaking, in the form of his stalwart son, Virgil (William Gregory Lee). Also in the tradition of previous seasons, the fifth-year run of Xena: Warrior Princess ended with a cliffhanger. This time around, Xena engaged in hand-to-hand combat against the Olympian Gods, with the fate of all the combatants remaining in the balance until the beginning of season six. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still in the faraway land of Chin, Xena (Lucy Lawless) struggles to master the beneficial powers of her late spiritual mentor, Lao Ma. Meanwhile, the despotic warlord Khan and his 100,000 warriors prepare to conquer the land. In her efforts to stop Khan, Xena finds out that her enemy has an unfair advantage, manifested in the evil sibling spirits Pao Ssu (Marie Matiko) and Ming T'ien (Daniel Sing), the latter wraith better known as the hideous Green Dragon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

During their Indian odyssey, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) rescue a widow from being sacrificed on her late husband's funeral pyre. As a reward, Xena's soul is transported into a Karmic future. Here she comes face to face with her old nemesis, the evil shamaness Alti (Claire Stansfield) -- who, once again, conjures up her prophecy that Xena and Gabrielle will both be crucified. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Now that Gabrielle's unholy daughter, Hope, has killed Xena's son, Solan, an action that also cost Hope her life, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) are bitter enemies. But before they can act upon their mutual hatred, the two former comrades are transported to Illsuia, a dream world patterned after tarot cards. Here, with the help of several series semi-regulars, Xena and Gabrielle are forced to confront their feelings -- and, possibly, find forgiveness. This is the celebrated "musical" episode, with everyone expressing their emotions in song (even the war god Ares [Kevin Smith]!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season three of Xena: Warrior Princess ended on a tragic note, with Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), friend and chronicler of reformed warrior Xena (Lucy Lawless), sacrificing her life so that her daughter, Hope -- the incarnation of pure evil -- would not be resurrected. Given the series' mythological zeitgeist, however, viewers could take comfort in the fact that Gabrielle would ultimately be restored to life thanks to the diligence of the faithful Xena, thereby launching a fourth season of fanciful sword-and-sorcery adventures. As usual, quite a lot was packed into the season's 22 hour-long episodes. The death of Amazon Queen Ephiny placed the wide-eyed Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) on her predecessor's throne, thereby introducing a new character: rebellious teenaged Amazon Amarice (Jennifer Sky), whose relationship with Gabrielle was nearly a carbon copy of Gabrielle's relationship with Xena. Also seen for the first time during season four is Eli (Timothy Omundson), a Messianic shaman whom the ladies met during a journey to India. Eli will ultimately emerge as Gabrielle's spiritual mentor -- not to mention the figurehead in a pacifistic, monotheistic cult that will in later seasons bring down the literal wrath of the Gods. And just as Amarice and Eli were making themselves at home, the series bade farewell to Bruce Campbell as Autolycus, self-proclaimed King of Thieves. The more suspenseful and terrifying episodes of season four were offset with excursions into pure comedy. One of the more noteworthy lighter installments was the season's final episode, in which we were introduced to mixed-up modern-day incarnations of Xena, Gabrielle, and warrior wannabe Joxer (Ted Raimi). Withal, however, an ominous pall hung over the entire season, thanks to the grim prognostications of Xena's old nemesis, the evil shamaness Alti (Claire Stansfield). With her dying breath, Alti conjured up a horrific vision of Xena and Gabrielle's grisly execution and the hands of the hated Romans -- a prediction that not only came true, but also provided the "cliffhanger" which assured that loyal (and very worried) Xena fans would return for season five. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In part one of Xena: Warrior Princess' third-season finale, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) try to prevent Gabby's friend Seraphim (Jodie Rimmer) from sacrificing her life to revive a so-called goddess. Even worse: that "goddess" is none other than Gabrielle's evil daughter, Hope, killed by Xena in an earlier episode. All this intrigue has been cooked up by two other enemies from Xena's past: Ares (Kevin Smith) and Callisto (Hudson Leick). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While fishing with Xena (Lucy Lawless), Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) reels in a wounded Athenian soldier -- and in an instant, both of our heroines are surrounded by the Horde, a primitive tribe of warriors with whom Xena has had a traumatic previous encounter. Escaping, Xena and Gabrielle come across other Athenian victims of the Horde's brutality, and before long Xena is forced to lead the surviving Athenians against their enemy. In the thick of battle, Xena's "dark side" re-emerges, and soon she has become as vicious and ruthless as the Horde -- thereby galvanizing the more compassionate Gabrielle into desperate action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hoping to purge some more of her inner demons, Xena (Lucy Lawless) visits the site of a city burned down by her former warriors. Before long, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) is captured by cannibals and Xena is seriously wounded while rescuing her friend. The only hope for Xena's survival is the legendary Healer of Mount Nestus. The first episode of a two-part story, "Destiny" is highlighted by a dazzling flashback sequence in which Xena relives the events leading up to her assuming the mantle of Warrior Princess. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shipwrecked in a melee with pirates, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) are separated. Gabrielle is subsequently "rescued" by Cecrops (Tony Todd), the captain of a ship that has been doomed to travel the seas forever by Poseidion (Charles Siebert). Even though anyone on board Cecrops' ship is doomed to die if he or she attempts to leave, Xena is determined to rescue Gabrielle -- a determination leading to a harrowing encounter with the infamous whirlpool Caribdus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Through a ruse, Callisto (Hudson Leick) switches bodies with her sworn enemy, Xena (Lucy Lawless), and returns to the world of the Living. Stuck in the nether world of Tartarus, Xena asks Hades (Erik Thompson), God of the Underworld, to be restored to life just long enough to prevent Callisto from wreaking havoc. Unfortunately, Callisto has already used her Xena incarnation to warp the mind of the hapless Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Out of gratitude for saving their temple, the Three Fates offer Xena (Lucy Lawless) anything she wants. She asks that the Fates alter history so that her brother Lyceas will not be killed -- and that she will never become the evil Warrior Princess she once was. The wish is granted, with one condition: Should Xena kill anyone in her "new life," all things will return to what they were before. But what of Xena's friend and traveling companion Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), who has likewise been altered in this Alternate Reality? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Xena-styled spin on the spaghetti Western genre, a wounded man surrenders a parchment map leading to the lost treasure of the Sumerian Empire. Inasmuch as that treasure includes ambrosia, the substance that can turn humans into immortals, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) decide to go prospecting. In order to find the treasure, Xena is forced to team up with a pair of unsavory characters -- one of whom had been her fiancé back in the Bad Old Days. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide