The History of
Xena: Warrior Princess

Original Introduction

It seems like ages since a beautiful woman tracked down Hercules and Iolaus with a devious plan to divide these two great friends and turn them against one another as a preamble to her plan for conquering all of Greece. The wars which ensued were more often fought among the fans of the television shows Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess than among the characters. We've watched in awe-filled wonder as Xena has grown and won the hearts of millions of viewers of all ages. She has gathered a small group of friends and companions who stay with her week after week, enduring all the heartbreak and hardships.

This history seeks to document Xena's life. It is more than an episode guide. It is a story about a fascinating woman warrior, from her childhood to her regenerative adulthood. The tale is incomplete (for now) and it moves and sings in ways we never imagined. And each story as it unfolds is debated endlessly by the fans, who seek for deeper meaning, sometimes bemoaning the obvious and inevitable homages to older stories, sometimes wailing in agony over the clear and deliberate misabridgements of actual history.

But Xena lives in her own world, making her own history. Our goal is not to explain the strange anomalies, or to rectify the errors of other recitations of this history. We merely wish to provide our fellow fans with a concise and coherent narrative of the life and times of Xena, from beginning to middle, until the end is finally (if sadly) reached.

We claim no authority, though we do try to provide clear and accurate research. We subject ourselves to the constant scrutiny of discerning fans who, seeing what we miss, point out the oversights for us. And we strive to be entertaining. History is entertaining when the story is one that seems familiar and well-loved, and all the listeners crowd around the speaker so as to catch every word. That is a great ambition, but we have so often been asked for more that it is hard, almost impossible to refuse.

So we offer our unique perspectives of who Xena is and where she came from, and also of the lives and people she touches within the boundaries of her story. We hope you will continue to approve of our efforts.