#renee o’connor

[swordchakramandstaff]

🥲

[backinthebottle52]

BTS from "Who's Gurkhan?"

[autolykiss]

Xena Warrior Princess

Season 3 Episode 12, “The Bitter Suite”

Ted Raimi as Joxer the Mighty

and Renée O’Connor as Gabrielle!

[girl4music]

The iconic bathing scene. Can’t believe they got away with this in 1997. It’s crazy to me. I mean this is tame compared to now but WLW representation like this in a TV show in the 90’s was practically unheard of.

Yeah, it’s for jokes but at the same time, you could see they’re were being very genuine with this “subtext”.

Xena and Gabrielle take baths together. No big deal.

Except it was. It very much was in the 90’s. I guess it helped that Xena was syndicated and not primetime because networks that aired the episodes could choose the time and what content to show/not show. Primetime was much different. Yeah, they could censor some things in editing but once it was out,… like… it was OUT. You couldn’t mess around with it.

They got very lucky or the creator got very brave.

Probably a combination of both.

And damn… am I grateful. 🥹

[actressesilove]

[presidentdisastraofgallifrey]

Xena Con Day 2! (Part 2)

HOLY SHIT I MET LUCY LAWLESS!! The 3-hour autograph wait at the end of a long day was SO worth it. I found myself standing in front of her with no idea what to say and just blurted, “I can’t believe I’m actually here” and she said, “oh, you’re here, darling.” When I tell you I MELTED! I also for real actually shook her hand!!

Renee was SUPER sweet, too. Her line moved at a snail’s pace because she actually took the time to talk to everyone a little. When I told her Xena had been my favorite show forever, she added the little heart at the top.

I got pictures with both of them, too! I was Ares and my partner was Joxer and when we showed up Lucy went, “It’s like we’re getting the team back together” and just ^_^

We also got a picture with Ted Raimi, who is super cool! He told my partner to make a Joxer pose and then he made a super offended face like he couldn’t believe that someone else was trying to be Joxer while I glowered like Ares to the side. It was great!!

[differentcookieturtlerascal]

[backinthebottle52]

S02E14 "A Necessary Evil"

One of my all time favourite episodes :-)

[backinthebottle52]

[autolykiss]

Diamonds and Guns

Ted Raimi as Willem (the Landlord) (2/2)

[girl4music]

My favourite WayHaught scene? The sacrifice scene.

I’m just so much more into emotional content between WLW couples than sexual content. I just really feel the depth of love and devotion in scenes where one has to or decides to sacrifice themselves for the other’s safety or freedom or well being or life. Because think about it. How much love do you have to feel for the other person to be to be able to do that? To have the courage and strength to sacrifice for them?

See that’s the thing with Xena and Gabrielle that I’ve written about many times before. Because they couldn’t show physical intimacy between them much and they had to leave the nature of their relationship ambiguous, what they did instead was amped up the emotional content where no matter how hard you tried, you could not not see how much they loved each other, whether it be as only friends or as lovers. You could interpret for yourself whether it was platonic or romantic but you absolutely could not deny their love and devotion to each other. It was deeply felt. Visceral.

It’s a declaration of commitment as well as love with WayHaught because it’s not just sacrifice what Nicole does in becoming the Angel’s Shield. It’s a way of binding herself to Waverly to always protect her. Binding herself not just to her future wife but to the supernatural being that’s been tasked with protecting the Garden of Eden and thus the entire Ghost River Triangle that surrounds it. By Nicole becoming the Angel’s Shield, she has said: “Let me be and do it.”

It’s a sacrifice FOR her but also a commitment TO her.

And okay yeah, it doesn’t relieve Waverly of the role entirely, but what it does do is puts a defensive wall around Eden so that she does not have to immediately follow through with sitting on the throne as Guardian. So they do not have to be separated from each other. Nicole becoming the Angel’s Shield is a statement of: “Stay here with me and I’ll protect all this with you”because otherwise Waverly would have to leave her and she can’t have that happen. Not again. Not ever.

It’s beautiful. You don’t see that often enough in TV art/entertainment with WLW representation. That wholly encompassing depth of love and devotion to each other through sacrifice. And the reason why is because it requires seasons of narrative set up and build up for it to really work and hit as a climax and conclusion. You don’t get it because the WLW couple are NEVER main characters nor last that long to be able to depict scenes of epic love and romance and to represent emotional content that is this compelling to watch and doesn’t feel forced or contrived because there’s sufficient backstory and foundation behind it.

I’m being completely honest that the only other time I’ve really ever seen it is with Xena and Gabrielle despite them not being confirmed as a couple in the show. It’s hard to express or articulate how much this doesn’t matter when the creators agree with you anyway. When they absolutely see the them this way and do what they can under the restrictions to show it. To represent a love without defining the nature of that love other than a few less-than-subtextual tentative kisses where you can read into it whatever you want.

[backinthebottle52]

S04E13 "Paradise Found"

[actressesilove]

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S06E10 "Old Ares Had A Farm"

(alternative title for this photo - "That's it, Gabrielle! I'm cutting you off!)

(Scan by Nicole B).

[girl4music]

Captain Marvel is terrible. Wonder Woman is terrible. She-Hulk is terrible. Black Cat is terrible.

Any Marvel/DC superheroine female character is terrible. These characters do not have development. They’re all flash and no soul. They have no personality. I may as well be watching cardboard cut outs for all the dimension these “strong women” have to them.

They’re given superheroine abilities out of nowhere and basically believe if they don’t use them all the time - they’re weak-willed. They’re not “strong enough”. It’s completely the wrong way to do this. It’s toxic and dogmatic and can be very dangerous to naive and impressionable eyes and ears - to the young. To whom this superhero media is targeted.

Their true strength is when their superheroism is taken away and they’re able to survive regardless.

Like the fucking rest of us. Then they’re just like us.

This is why I don’t watch superheroine TV shows or movies. I can’t stand how they characterize gender. It’s not just female characters where they do this. The male characters suffer as well from the poor writing. Everything has to be specific and “by-the-book”. Some random book of rules and laws no one’s seen on how to write “strong” or “heroic” characters. And it’s just not it. That’s not what I pay attention to or spend my energy on. I know what a truly strong character is.

I’ve watched and engaged with truly strong characters all my life. Male and female. And it was never like the load of shite we get now in superhero-focused media.

I’m calling out this garbage writing once and for all.

You want a truly strong female heroine character?

She has bouts in her arc where she thinks she has to disregard love to remain powerful. Where if she gives up for even one second - she’s already lost the battle.

But she overcomes these bouts. She realizes they’re not what make her “strong” or “powerful” at all.

She even believes that she should go at it alone because she deserves to be alone. Guess what? The narrative doesn’t let her because that’s not what makes her strong or heroic or powerful or capable.

The writing is always “you need help and it’s okay”. That’s not to say that she doesn’t and can’t do things on her own. She does and she can. But it’s not the point. The point is that she allows herself the help.

And in allowing it - that’s what makes her STRONG. Opening her heart is what makes her worthy of love. Whether it be love from a romantic partner, her family or even the audience that watch and engage with her.

They see her and they see that’s what strength truly is.

It’s not because she wields a sword. It’s not because she can do insane kicks and acrobatics. It’s not because she is physically strong what makes her that.

It’s because she allows herself to be vulnerable when she otherwise believes she can’t and shouldn’t be.

A running gag is that she has “the strength of ten men” and yet she doesn’t look like a man. She possesses the traits and skills of a man, yes, but she’s not characterized as “male” for it because she has masculine energy. It’s because SHE IS a woman. The God of War himself acknowledges this about her. Even says “sometimes the only man for the job is a woman.”

Now they’re not saying this to throw men under the bus. They’re saying that “this too is completely fine.” It’s completely fine for a woman to lead an army of men. To wage war, to be a commander in the battle.

And all the while - this character expresses femininity. She doesn’t have to express masculinity to do any of this - to do it well - because a woman is just as valid.

There are times when the most powerful thing you see on the screen is Xena using her feminine wiles on men. And it’s powerful because they don’t ever shame her. They might say it’s wrong for her to do this but it’s not because it’s sexual or hedonistic or anything like that.

But because she’s using it as a manipulation tactic. The only reason why it’s wrong is because it’s literally not right to do it to someone. That’s it. Nothing about her being a woman doing it. She’s not a “slut” for it etc… in fact… they’re very heavily pro sex-worker in this show. There’s another character played by Lucy Lawless that is a sex-worker and even though she feels ashamed for it at times - the narrative does not let her. It’s constantly in her favour - in her corner. This is just a recurring character. Not even a main one. Still - the writing is always showing what true strength is.

And it’s never that Xena is a warrior.

It’s that’s she’s a woman AND a warrior.

There’s so many different ways to characterize this. The only wrong way is to not give a shit in trying to and instead just slap male characteristics on them until all people ever think “true strength” is is male.

And don’t get me wrong. It’s not that males or men aren’t truly strong. They are. But it’s not a requirement of being entirely physically powerful and brute force. This is what ruins a man. What makes them feel bad.

You make true strength all and only about physical power and force and you make a monster. Not a man.

So as I said. It’s not just with female characters where the writing in superhero TV shows and movies is fucked up beyond all recognition. It’s every gender. True strength is something made out to be enforced and not already what lies within. It’s FUCKED UP!

I’ll rant about this forever if I have to because I know better. I’ve learned better. And I’ve been given better.

My inspiration all my life has been Xena. It’s never been just the portrayal of the character that’s the reason why she means so much to me. It’s the writing as well. It’s the way they didn’t just write the character but the entire Universe in which the character lived in. The environment was realistic in that it was hard and brutal and predominantly harsh. But the writing was always saying “This isn’t what makes it truly strong. This is actually what makes it weak and fragile.” You have battle-hardened male warriors in this show come out of the war a shell of the man - character - they used to be. Including WAR himself. It’s powerful emotionally. It hits the heart. A palpable impact. The way these people - characters - lose themselves in the violence. In what’s often regarded as what “physical strength” is. But in this show it tears them down. Breaks them apart. They’re weaker because of it. Both male and female characters suffer this destruction. Have to grapple with the serious implications of it. What it makes of them to put power and force first. Or to make violence the only thing that matters at all.

It’s the way it’s written. It’s always the way it is written.

If you write a warrior as nothing but a warrior - you’re not depicting “true strength”. You’re destroying them. But I suppose it doesn’t matter because they’re not human in superhero media right? They might be humanoid in appearance but they’re supernatural so it shouldn’t make a difference, right? Well, it does.

It just fucking does. Because true strength isn’t about being “strong”. It’s about being weak but enduring anyway because life goes on regardless.

You can still show this with superhero characters. Have them still keep all of their superhero abilities.

You just have to care to write them the right way.

Rant over.

[backinthebottle52]

S01E03 "Dreamworker"

Xena Warrior Princess 1x3 Dreamworker | bonus: