#war chariot

[samiaelsaid]

#بلادي_الجميلة ❤ #مصر ❤ The Well Preserved State Chariot Of Pharaoh Thutmose Iv (R. 1401-1388 Bc, 18th Dynasty), Showing Pharaoh Smiting His Enemies. It Was Discovered From His Tomb Kv43, Luxor, Egypt , Museum Of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo

[pinturasdeguerra]

1275 aC Egyptian chariot - Peter Dennis

[illustratus]

Triumphant Achilles by Franz von Matsch

[gameraboy2]

Lucy Lawless in Xena: Warrior Princess (1995), "Chariots of War"

[marysmirages]

Age of Heroes (Tempera version 2023)

Illustration for Homer's Iliad. War Cariot of Achilles and Patroclus.

[arcanechariot]

maybe you could do oscar characters and their preferred rp setting?

(i hope you mean what i think you mean) i'll see what i can do!

(nsfw below the cut)

i'm working on my personal preference for the boys being dominant so we'll see how we go

anselm (mentor/protégé)

enjoys being the centre of attention, relishing the power he holds over you but in a kind of playful and charming way

loves the balance between control and affection, allowing him to challenge you intellectually while maintaining a nurturing (almost paternal) role

blurs the lines between teacher and lover, creating a dynamic where intimacy and power can coexist

of course, there's spankings/canings if you get things wrong but, hey, you might just do that on purpose....

charismatic, spontaneous, slightly unpredictable; switches between being a strict instructor and a carefree, flirtatious confidant

mentorship involves long, lingering glances and moments of brief, flirtatious touches

may 'accidentally' brush against you during lessons or demonstrate tasks in close proximity

gentle but firm hand-holding, possessive touches or lightly brushing hair away from your face as if it's a reward

whispering praise in a low tone, keeping you close during discussions, letting his breath linger on your neck

"you think i haven't noticed? the way you linger in my presence? and i won't pretend it doesn't drive me mad"

after particularly intense sessions, he suddenly turns soft and affectionate like he's proud of you, whispering praise while holding you tight

enjoys calling you by a pet name but always in the context of his lessons; "darling, you're too clever for this" or "my favourite pupil is finally learning the ropes"

usually devolves into anselm teaching you how to suck him off or ride him properly (glowing praise and scathing criticism included!)

blue (carer/patient)

barely needs any preparation on his part

gets a strange satisfaction from being needed

enjoys the role of protector and saviour, especially when the 'patient' (you) is vulnerable and reliant on him

"you're not a burden, sweetheart. you're exactly where you need to be"

isn't always gentle; there's a part of him that enjoys the balance between being tender and slightly domineering

undeniable charm in his nature but it's paired with a possessive protectiveness that can shift into something darker

may go a little too far with his attention, touching you in ways that could be seen as overbearing or even 'inappropriate' but they're framed under the guise of care (eg making sure you cleaned everywhere after a sponge bath)

tw: possible drugged sex (always agreed upon beforehand)

"i'll take care of you. just let me do what i do best"

bandaging 'wounds', offering 'medication', giving sponge baths, feeding and changing, etc

light restraints might be used if you're 'acting up'

likes to touch you while tending to you; holding your hand, stroking your cheek, etc

has a habit of brushing your hair back or adjusting your blankets in an almost possessive manner as if to make sure you're taken care of in every way possible

fingers you as a way to 'help you relax' and sometimes it's 'treat time' (which means he'll let you swallow his load if you're good)

duke leto (guardian/dependant)

(not necessarily daddy kink)

has a deep need to protect and care for those he loves

his role as a guardian feeds into his pride in being a strong protector, someone who can help guide and stabilise another

he's calm, collected and highly attuned to your emotional and physical needs

gentle but has a quiet strength that makes you feel safe and cherished; more about providing guidance and support than controlling or dominating

verbal reassurance (eg "you're safe here. i won't let anything happen to you"), physical touch, mentoring and guidance

"you don't need to worry about anything tonight. just rest"

suggests activities or positions that allow you to feel secure and comforted. he'll go slow, guiding you with careful hands and giving you plenty of space to communicate your comfort level

drawing a bath for you, rubbing your back after a long day, whispering praise in your ear or taking you out into nature for a calming walk. he enjoys quiet moments that involve simply taking care of you

jake (mob boss/underling)

the ability to command respect and obedience excites him

enjoys pushing boundaries, making things intense and unpredictable

likes being the unquestioned authority. there's a thrill in knowing you have to comply with his orders without hesitation. it lets him express both his dominance and his sense of being untouchable in their dynamic

doesn't do soft or sentimental in this role. his demeanour is intense and he's quick to make decisions. if you step out of line, he's not afraid to correct you swiftly

he doesn't ask; he tells. there's no room for hesitation or negotiation (except if the safeword is used ofc)

a lot of the interaction revolves around orders. involves anything from simple commands (eg "get on your knees") to more complex scenarios that test the limits of your submission

"i told you to shut up. you'll speak when i let you"

uses physical dominance to remind you of your place (eg a firm grip on the wrist to guide you, a hand around your throat, pinning you to a surface, etc)

the sexual aspect of this dynamic is raw, intense and rough (face-fucking, dirty talk, handcuffs, etc)

"you think you can walk in here and tell me what to do? no, bébé. i run this show. you follow my lead"

king john (king/servant)

(incredibly easy because this dynamic is likely already at play)

deeply entrenched in his sense of superiority and thrives in being the ultimate authority

often cruel and enjoys making you feel small or humiliated, whether it's through verbal dominance or physical actions

doesn't just want obedience; he demands it

cruel yet protective, controlling and possessive

doesn't accept anything less than perfection from you. whether it's in obedience or affection, he expects everything to be on his terms, and he has a short tolerance for anything less than total compliance

this dynamic thrives on commands. he enjoys telling you what to do, expecting you to follow without question. it could be simple tasks like kneeling before him or more intimate acts of service where he asserts control (eg "kneel before me", "look at me when i speak to you", "you exist to please me. do not forget that")

will often belittle or degrade you, not out of a desire for cruelty but because it satisfies his need to constantly remind you of your place (eg "you are nothing without me. remember that", "you're lucky i even grace you with my presence")

uses his hands to guide you, grip your chin to make you look at him or even restrain you with physical touches to show his ownership over your body; grabbing your wrist to pull you into position, pushing you onto your knees, etc

enjoys doling out punishments for disobedience or failure to comply

"don't speak unless i ask you to. your voice is nothing compared to mine"

laurent (artist/muse)

enjoys the power dynamic where you're there to be transformed by his gaze, his hands and his art

the act of studying you — taking in every curve, every expression — and turning it into something artistic is both emotionally and physically stimulating for him

while he appreciates the emotional connection in this dynamic, he also enjoys a degree of objectification

a perfectionist in every sense; he holds both himself and you to a very high standard. he demands flawless positioning, precise emotion and will not accept anything less than his ideal

emotionally detached yet intensely intimate

may have you hold positions for long periods (either clothed or nude) while he studies your body and creates his artwork. the act of remaining still and composed will often be part of the submission in this dynamic

"focus. don't look away. i want you completely present for me, for this"

likely to use his hands in a way that is both sensual and artistic. he guides you into specific positions; touching your skin to reposition you or mold your body into the perfect form for his work

"let me see how you look in this light… don't move"

will use direct commands to guide you, telling you exactly how to pose, what expressions to wear or how to move your body (eg "i want to see that look of vulnerability in your eyes. let it show. don't hide from me", "if you're going to be my subject, you need to give yourself over completely. i need your focus")

there is an element of worshiping your body. he enjoys tracing your curves, studying them intently. his touch will often feel reverent, even if it's not necessarily erotic at first

"you're not just a subject, you know. you're a muse. don't forget that"

marc (commander/soldier)

thrives in situations where he can issue orders and maintain a sense of control and authority

even though this dynamic has a dominant edge, marc's protective instincts come through. he doesn't just boss you around; he wants to make sure you're safe, that you know you can rely on him and that he's always looking out for your well-being

protective yet demanding and quick to take charge

much of this dynamic involves physical control and he'll often use clear, direct commands to establish his dominance (eg "don't move until i tell you. you need to be at attention")

uses both praise and consequences. if you fail to follow through on his orders, he employs light punishment (like spanking, restraint, etc)

"report for duty. i expect you to be at your best, understand?"

poe (captain/recruit)

thrives on being in charge and this dynamic feeds his natural charismatic authority. he enjoys being the confident, skilled mentor guiding someone with less experience

has a strong protective streak and this dynamic lets him show off his encouraging, caring nature, even while maintaining a position of power

loves the mix of seriousness and playfulness; switching from teasing to commanding keeps the interaction lively and fun

being the 'captain' allows him to feel respected, desired and admired. he gets a thrill from you looking up to him and hanging on his every word or command

playful yet commanding (eg "c'mon, recruit. you're not afraid of me, are you?")

not a harsh commander; he genuinely wants you to succeed in the role. his encouragement often comes laced with praise and affection (eg "that's it; just like i taught you. you're doing great")

can't resist adding a layer of flirtation; whether it's a wink, a lingering touch or a soft murmur, he knows how to turn up the heat without compromising his commanding demeanour (eg "eyes on me, sweetheart. i'm the one giving the orders")

takes every opportunity to show you how to do something 'correctly'. whether it's adjusting your stance, placing your hands where they need to be or simply guiding your movements, he thrives on physical closeness

"stand at attention. let's see if you've got what it takes to impress your captain"

loves giving clear, direct instructions and watching as you follow through. the satisfaction of seeing their obedience and focus makes him beam with pride.

quick to reward effort and progress, showering you with playful affirmations and encouraging smiles, but his teasing nature comes out when you falter or hesitate

"good recruits earn rewards. think you've earned one yet?"

steven (teacher/student)

a classic which is well-suited to someone just dipping their toes into dominance and/or roleplay in general

finds intelligence incredibly attractive and this dynamic lets him focus on sharing his love for learning in an intimate way

while he's not naturally dominant, he enjoys the idea of being the one in charge of the 'lesson', especially when it's paired with a safe, trusting environment

loves old-school charm and this setup feels straight out of a romantic novel or a movie scene, adding a layer of fantasy he can escape into

"you're a clever one, aren't you? always eager to impress"

doesn't crave overt dominance but the subtle shift of you deferring to him in the role of 'teacher' (using sir or mister grant) gives him a confidence boost he secretly loves

gentle, patient and constantly reassures you. he often stumbles over his words or gets flustered when the scenario takes a more suggestive turn. the power dynamic excites him but his natural sweetness keeps him from being overly serious

the emotional and intellectual connection is just as important as the physical. he pours his heart into making the roleplay meaningful for both of you

experiments with light teasing, often inspired by books or romantic tropes (eg "if you're not paying attention, i might have to keep you after class, yeah?")

showers you with praise, both in-character and out of habit. he wants you to feel cherished and accomplished

might get carried away; incorporating notes, quizzes or props to make the scene more immersive

though not overt, he may ask for your attention or obedience in subtle, endearing ways (eg "look at me, love. i need you to focus")

i hope this was what you were looking for! 💛💛

[greekgodssitcom]

Apollo: Have you guys seen Artemis?

Dionysus: She’s probably in the Crescent Shuttle

Apollo: The what?

Hermes: The Luna-mobile

Apollo: Guys

Ares: The Arty Carty

Apollo: Guys please

[introspectivememories]

if we're being honest, i don't think will and clarisse's relationship ever fully recovered or that they could even close to what they were before tlo. i think there's this all-consuming rage that fills will whenever he interacts with clarisse and it shows. also i think the apollo cabin refuses to use that specific chariot again.

[red-moon-at-night]

Paris and Helen leave for Troy with the aid of Aphrodite — The Fall of Troy/La caduta di Troia (1911)

[girl4music]

MY TOP 10 FAVOURITE EPISODES OF ‘XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS’ AND WHY I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

(CONTAINS A LOT OF SPOILERS)

'Xena: Warrior Princess’ is a very influential, inspiring and impactful TV show for me. It is my favourite piece of art/entertainment of all-time and it is the backbone and foundation behind my entire philosophy as a human being on this planet. All the show is great, but it’s the episodes that have given me deep life lessons and helped me understand more about myself and the world around me that matter the most to me. I will give a lengthy explanation as to why each one of these specific favourite episodes in my TOP 10 mean so much to me or what it is about them it’s taught me that has made me a better and more evolved version of myself. There is 134 episodes all in all. From most favourite to least favourite, here are my TOP 10 most favourite episodes of 'Xena: Warrior Princess’ and why I love them so much.

1. S03E12: THE BITTER SUITE

‘The Bitter Suite’ is a musical episode. It combines my love for music and drama into one excellently written, produced, directed and composed episode of the show. But that’s not entirely the reason why it makes the very top of my list, although that’s a huge factor. ‘The Rift’ (as Xenites call it) between Xena and Gabrielle all throughout Season 3 is dealt with and put to rest in this episode. The writers use Yin and Yang and the polarities of love/hate, good/evil and peace/war to represent the importance of friendship, honesty, forgiveness and the ability to put someone you love and care about over yourself in their time of need despite whatever animosity you feel towards them due to past circumstances and situations that broke your heart. They use Yin and Yang several times in the show to give such strong and substantial messages, however, this time takes the winning spot for me. The friendship between Xena and Gabrielle is put to the ultimate test when they fall into this dimension of reality called ‘Illusia’. In this strange, whimsical and colourful place everything is designed to be expressed in song and theatrics. It’s such a clever, artistic and extremely thought-provoking episode. There is a lot it taught me that I unconsciously crafted into my own philosophy of life throughout the years. Also, it was the very first episode I ever saw of the show. They were airing Season 3 in the United Kingdom when I came across it at 5 years old in 1997. Its lessons have remained with me since then but I definitely understand it a lot better now I am a grown adult. If there was ever any episode that you should watch of Xena to introduce you to it… and you really don’t care about spoilers… make it this one. I promise you… you won’t regret it.

2. S03E14: FORGIVEN

‘Forgiven’ deals with the themes of forgiveness and redemption. As you may know, the entire concept to the show is about a Warrior Princess named Xena who fights for the good of mankind to redeem herself from her past sins and be forgiven by the world of which she caused immense damage and pain to. So redemption and forgiveness are the biggest and most reiterated themes and overall messages in the show. But never more so prominent and profound than in this episode. We meet a young girl named Tara that reminds Xena of how she used to be before she became an evil warlord. Lost and confused, hanging around the wrong people, doesn’t understand the difference between right and wrong. She picks a fight with Gabrielle to show Xena she’d make a better sidekick. Initially this girl really pissed me off. I thought she was very arrogant and well out of her league to think that she could replace Gabrielle in Xena’s life. But like Gabrielle, I warmed up to her when she crumbled down in tears and confessed that she hates the way she is and wants to change herself. Become a good person. Just as Gabrielle does in the episode, I judged her too quickly. She had a story that hit me hard due to the way I treated people in my own life. It was a real wake up call to me at the time. One I really needed cause gods know I couldn’t be reached otherwise. I was so far beyond real help.

There’s a line in the episode that has really stuck with me throughout the years and still is something I remind myself of even now as often as possible.

XENA: “You are what you do. You can recreate yourself every second of your life.”

3. S01E22: CALLISTO

‘Callisto’ is about a new character we meet late in Season 1. This character becomes the main antagonist of 'Xena: Warrior Princess’ and my favourite character besides the main two leads in the entire show. In the episode before it, ‘The Greater Good’, Xena gets shot in the neck with a poisoned dart and it is revealed to us in this episode who it was that targeted her. Now I don’t just want to talk about the character but also the actress that portrays her as well because that is a massive reason why this episode stands out so much to me over others in Season 1. Hudson Leick plays Callisto and delivers such a remarkable acting performance that gives her character layers and layers of depth, expression and personality. She’s easily on-par with the leads, if not better. I love watching her perform. She’s fantastic!

Excerpt taken from my character study thesis; Section 4: A dark heart is shadowed until the light shines in.

[The introduction of the character Callisto to the show adds a much heavier layer to what is already an overwhelming story of redemption, vengeance, love, forgiveness and balance, which are to me, the main themes in the show that are reiterated repeatedly as it progresses in writing, production and direction. Callisto becomes the main villain in the show, but she isn’t your run-of-the-mill evil villain. Oh, no, no, no. I like to think of Callisto as more of an antagonist than a villain. She has an extremely complicated storyline of her own that inexplicably ties in with Xena’s because Xena murdered her family, or so that’s what she adamantly believes. It’s hard to explain or understand just how much this character is an integral reason for Xena’s reformation from being an evil warlord to a heroine for good, and how the consequences of her dark past have really screwed Callisto up and turned her into, for lack of a better word, a psychopath who is absolutely bent on destroying everything that makes Xena who she is. Starting with her reputation, and eventually escalating to the people she loves and cares about in all the world. This character is so crucial to ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’, that there is never any way to stop her even when she dies. She’s that dedicated to ruining Xena and Gabrielle’s lives. Callisto doesn’t just want to kill Xena. She wants to kill her soul because that is what Xena has done to her. It’s hard to think of Callisto as any kind of villain because you develop such sympathy for her throughout all her appearances in the show. She’s so messed up in the head that you just don’t think of her as an evil person, just an extremely depressed and misunderstood one. What happens to her, in the end, is something that needed to happen, and I was unbelievably happy did. She did terrible things, but she needed the opportunity to be saved and forgiven as Xena did, and fortunately, the show’s producers gave her the ending she deserved.

This leads me on to what happens when Callisto meets Xena face to face for the first time in the late Season 1 episode, titled ‘Callisto’, and how Gabrielle plays a part in stopping Xena from crumbling down in guilt and regret and letting her go because of it once they captured her. Xena doesn’t blame Callisto for how she ended up, knowing that it was her own fault she became that way in the first place. Even if she didn’t mean for her family to be killed in the fire her own men started against her orders all those years ago in ‘Cirra’, Callisto’s hometown, she still felt solely responsible for the consequences that followed.

There is a very important scene, which I call ‘The Promise’ scene, from this episode where Gabrielle asks Xena to promise her that if anything happened to her in their travels together, that she would not turn away from her path of atonement, and rampage like a raving blood-lusted lunatic the way Callisto was. You see for the first time Xena’s vulnerability and struggle with sensitivity. She was finding it so difficult to cry in front of Gabrielle. She tries to send her off to bed before she could see the tears streaming down her face, but Gabrielle wasn’t having it. She made sure she promised her, and that she was sincere with the words. She sees the tears and tries to brush them away from her face. Xena immediately turns away from her and tells her to go to bed, but she doesn’t move. Gabrielle just sits there by her side sharing her pain and accepting her for who she is now, which I find extremely powerful and beautiful. Xena has probably never encountered acceptance like that in her life before, or she wasn’t paying enough attention to see it. The fact that Gabrielle refuses to leave her must have thrown her off. She left herself unguarded for the very first time in her life in front of this young woman. As the flickering flames danced before them, illuminating their faces, we see the Warrior Princess’ walls down for the very first time. The Bard had succeeded in bringing out her sensitive side, if only just for a moment. This would be the beginning of a transformation so intense, it would completely change Xena’s personality and mindset forevermore. Love and forgiveness would be her saving grace, and the beautiful soul sat across from her would be the reason why it happened at all.]

Furthermore, in this episode we also meet Joxer, who becomes the main comic relief in the entire show and gave Gabrielle the chance to be taken seriously as a character instead of the “irritating blonde”, as she’s so often called by other characters in the show, much to my distaste. So because of the introduction of two incredible recurring characters, especially Callisto, this episode ranks high on my list.

4. S05E02: CHAKRAM

‘Chakram’ goes back to the Yin and Yang representation of the show. They use it as the main plotline of the episode in that there is a Light and Dark chakram and the plot was to retrieve the chakram of Light from the temple of the Tao because Xena has always had the Dark chakram and it broke earlier in the show. It’s one of the many episodes in the entire show where the character Ares: The God Of War represents Xena’s Dark side and Gabrielle Xena’s Light side. But this time with a little bit of a twist, as it is Gabrielle that directs Xena back to her Dark side again due to Xena having lost her sense-of-self and the memories of who she was in her past after the both of them were crucified at the end of Season 4 and were brought back to life again through another new character in the show, Eli, at the start of Season 5. This episode means a lot to me because it really clarifies how important it is to have balance in your life and in yourself. A balance of Light and Dark to really understand both and be whole with everything you are as a soul. All that makes you you.

There is a really great scene in the episode, that’s probably my favourite scene, where Xena is praying to some kind of deity, most likely the ‘One God’ of Eli’s religion. It is never revealed who or what exactly she’s praying to but Gabrielle notices and is concerned about her because Xena won’t defend herself when she is attacked anymore, nor does she remember anything violent or negative about herself and her past. Xena questions her whether they’re doing the right thing in restoring her darkness and how that could even be a good thing to do. Gabrielle replies in such a way that is very philosophical and wise that you don’t hear from her in quite awhile in the show. She says “I think it’s vital. I know that sounds strange, coming from me. I think you have to know the darkest part of yourself to be whole.” Xena exclaims back “But this way, I harm no one!” Gabrielle counters “But Xena, what about the people who harm others? Xena, you have this balance of lightness and darkness. Without both of those, the very best in you is defenceless.“ That scene and that dialogue helped me to realize something amazing about myself and the way I look at everything negative I do as something that takes away from who I am as a soul. But really it’s just giving the way to the rise of something much more positive and helping me to understand myself better and recognize the importance of polarity and the teachings of Yin and Yang. It’s a meaningful and motivating episode to me because it represents what I call ‘The Grey Area’ in the best way that I could never explain myself. 

Also, Xena gets a cool new and improved chakram with the Yin-Yang design when she neutralises the Light and Dark chakrams together, which brings her back to her former self again, so that was awesome too. I love the way they did this episode so much. I especially love that both lead characters evolved because of the need to be there for each other. The need to protect and defend one another. That’s precisely what their relationship is fundamentally about and they hit it on the nail with this episode. Who said Season 5 didn’t show the love between them? Look deeper. The love is there, it’s just not in the way that you expect. It’s in the themes represented. It’s in the fundamental message that someone that cares about you has to put aside what scares them about you and do what’s best for you.

5. S02E15: A DAY IN THE LIFE

‘A Day In The Life’ is a comedy episode that centers around Xena and Gabrielle’s average day of fighting for the innocent. Now while this episode is highly regarded in the fanbase because of the hilarious things Xena and Gabrielle do to each other to affectionately aggravate one another that drives them both crazy like a squabbling old married couple, it’s also got a very inspiring moral to it at the same time. That you do not need to make yourself the victim in thinking of yourself as unworthy or unappealing to the one you love, and that you have your own strength to fight your own battles and don’t necessarily need someone to defend or protect you all the time. You see, in this episode you are introduced to a couple, Minya and Hower, that fall into somewhat of an estranged relationship when Hower falls in love with Xena as soon as he meets her. Hower is the first person of the couple you get to know, but when you meet Minya, you find out she’s a big fan of the Warrior Princess, but begins to view her with disgust and jealousy when she realizes her boyfriend is attracted to her. Xena and Gabrielle, while occupied with their own married couple problems, have to sort this out and make it clear to Hower that he has no chance with Xena. Xena gives some advice to Minya on how to handle men and she becomes this strong, independent and extremely confident woman that knocks a warlord to his feet that impresses Hower and she no longer feels victimised by him or anyone else. This ignites the flame in their relationship again and Xena and Gabrielle learn to overcome their own differences in the meanwhile because of being inspired to by them.

Furthermore, Xena, the brilliant strategic thinker she is, finds a way to kill two birds with one stone by stopping both an army and defeating a giant. There is this cute little moment in the middle of the episode where she tells Gabrielle that by defeating the giant Gareth, she will be repaying an old friend back from having to fight against him for ‘The Greater Good’, which ultimately led to his death. I thought that was very endearing. It’s a great episode. Funny, yet has a lot of substance to it. At least to me it does. It’s definitely my favourite comedy episode in the entire show and it is another great introductory episode to come to know the comedy and campy side of Xena because Xena isn’t dramatic and serious all the time and that’s part of its charm as a 90’s show. 

6. S04E07: LOCKED UP AND TIED DOWN

‘Locked Up And Tied Down’ has Xena dealing with the justification for her regretful past. She is convicted and tried for a murder she committed to a young woman years ago, that has only just seemed to follow her up now. I thought that was quite weird at first, but it’s explained why later on. The build-up of the episode has her boarding a boat shackled in chains and leaving a grief-stricken Gabrielle behind to carry out her sentence: life imprisonment on Shark Island. Gabrielle follows her, of course, and tries to free her while masquerading as the new healer for the prisoners. It is here the sudden event of Xena’s conviction begins to make sense, as Gabrielle discovers that the person Xena, apparently, murdered, is the one who condemned her. It’s an episode where the empathetic ways of Gabrielle transform someone into finding their power and peace again, the way she has done for Xena.

Meanwhile, the opposite is happening to Xena. She feels an immense amount of contempt in herself for all the horrible things she’s done. She’s so disgusted with herself, that she takes accountability for any kind of punishment or chore any of the prisoners are given while on Shark Island, along with her own. For me, that was an extremely painful thing to watch. My hero literally just giving up everything, including Gabrielle, because she hated herself. It was awful to watch how she just let the guards order and push her around like that and have all authority over her. But as painful and awful as it was to watch, it made me understand that forgiving yourself isn’t easy when your past sins follow you around and weigh you down when you’re trying to climb back up in your life. It’s not justice to just feel remorse for what you’ve done. You have to pay for those sins and accept the consequences of the pain and damage you’ve caused to others. You don’t get a free pass just because you believe you’ve repented for your sins. Others make that decision for you. Which means redemption is not earned and can’t be. It’s decided by others. It’s not a nice lesson to learn, but it is an important and realistic one. What’s more is you need to stop seeing yourself as a victim, because nobody is going to have mercy on you if you’ve done wrong. You have to own up to your crimes and deal with the consequences of your own actions. It’s a very dark, twisted and dramatic episode, but that’s just the kind of TV that I love to watch. That’s why this episode is one of my absolute favourites. This show is not afraid to tell the truth of the darkness of its themes or let the leads off for doing questionable things, unlike 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys’, and because of it, it is far superior to it in writing, directing and acting.

7. S06E02: THE HAUNTING OF AMPHIPOLIS 

‘The Haunting Of Amphipolis’ sees Xena, Gabrielle and the newly reformed daughter of Xena, Eve, go back to Xena’s hometown after over 25 years to find that something has gone terribly wrong. Xena’s mother, Cyrene, is dead and the entire town has been wrecked and abandoned. There is a great evil that has permeated it and wreaked havoc that turned it into a hell hole of death, torture, pain, grief and just outright carnage. 'Xena: Warrior Princess’ finally gets a HORROR story. My favourite producer, Sam Raimi, who executive produces the show along with Rob Tapert, had a lot to do with this episode and you can tell because it’s his sort of episode. His creative area of expertise. Horror, just without the comedy, although there is some well-hidden dark humour in there that only an enthusiast of the original Evil Dead film series will pick up. And I am somewhat of a fan.

Okay, so I’m cheating a bit here. This episode isn’t really all that inspiring or really teaches you anything of any importance whatsoever. It’s just… I love horror basically, and I was waiting for Xena to have some sort of episode where they show blood, guts and gore since it’s done every other genre known to man. If you read my writing about my favourite art/entertainment, you would know what I’m like with begging creators to incorporate versatility. It’s a big drawing card for me when it comes to art/entertainment. There’s not much else to say. There’s a lot of weirdness, disturbing and creepy crap that goes on in it that is right up my alley. It makes my TOP 10 because it’s just something that I enjoy watching and suits my passions for TV media in general. It’s my niche. There’s no moral or message of significance. Honestly, I am just a sick person who loves watching sick stuff. So there you have it. It is an acquired taste and not for the faint-hearted, so I probably wouldn’t recommend watching this one if you do not like or are not familiar with horror. It’s a great one to watch for Halloween though, which I’m sure was the intent behind creating and airing it.

Oh, and Xena finally teaches Gabrielle ‘The Pinch’. One of Xena’s trademarks in her “I have many skills” repertoire. Or at least she teaches her how to take ‘The Pinch’ off. Good enough for me. Xena teaches her everything she knows in the end anyway.

8. S01E24: IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

‘Is There A Doctor In The House?’ finds our heroines, Xena and Gabrielle, in the middle of an ongoing civil war between the Mitoans and the Thessalians. They end up bumping into a friendly face in the name of Ephiny, an Amazon in Gabrielle’s tribe, who is extremely pregnant and about ready to have her baby. They capture a Mitoan commander and take refuge in a Thessalian temple where the wounded, sick and dying are being treated. This episode is very upsetting. To cut to the chase: SPOILER ALERT! Gabrielle dies. Not only do you get to see Xena’s impressive demonstrations of medical aid, surgery and respiratory reparation, but you also come to see the incredible influence Gabrielle has had on her life throughout Season 1. Xena showcases such vulnerability, compassion and even fear while begging and pleading for Gabrielle to wake up. She absolutely crumbles down in emotion the likes you’ve never seen from her in the show thus far, and you realize that this adventurous and naive young woman she helped on to the back of her horse, Argo, not too long ago, has had an unbelievable effect on her mindset and personality. She has fallen completely in love with her and her ways of empathy and understanding of ‘The Greater Good’ and she just can’t let her go peacefully. She demands for her to return to the land of the living, screaming “Don’t leave me! DON’T LEAVE ME!”. Through much persistence and determination Xena’s remarkable medical and healing skills somehow miraculously bring her back to life again. Don’t ask me how, she just does it, and Xena claims it’s entirely Gabrielle’s doing. I disagree. I think it was Xena that achieved that feat because her love for Gabrielle guided her efforts. Their relationship reaches even greater heights. At least from Xena’s point of view it does. 

Elsewhere in the episode, before that dramatic and climactic ending, that I also thought was a great addition to the theme, we go back to Ephiny and watch her talk with the Mitoan general named Marmax, who the Amazon has been put in his care. Ephiny has developed a hatred for the Mitoans because they killed her husband, but is able to tolerate Marmax because she wanted him to understand something about hatred. That the war has to end somewhere for their children’s sake. She challenges him by asking “Is bloodshed all you want them to know?” and the scene cuts out. I thought that was very powerful and it made me appreciate the episode all the more. This episode inspired me a lot and makes it on my TOP 10 because of it.

9. S02E20: THE PRICE

‘The Price’ is an episode about understanding what it means to be human and the price you pay if you’re ignorant to the truth because you’re blinded by hatred and anger. Xena and Gabrielle stumble into dangerous waters and come across The Horde. Xena remembers this barbaric tribe from when they annihilated her army sometime after the Battle of Corinth. She doesn’t have any understanding or knowledge on them other than what she knows from her past when she was the Destroyer of Nations, and claims they have no will other than to kill everything and anything they come into awareness with. They pick up a wounded soldier in their canoe and bring him into the Athenian Army battlement camp while the war still rages on. Xena becomes ruthless whenever she has an army around her and something to hate and direct her anger at and Gabrielle never likes or accepts it. While Xena is taking command of the Athenian Army to try to destroy The Horde by any means she can, Gabrielle is tending to the wounded in an old armoury unit where there are no doctors or healers and she takes the initiative to be the lead nurse to care for those who are dying and need help. This is where you come to see that Xena cannot stay on the right path for herself and would easily just as go back to her dark days if not for Gabrielle’s hold on her guilty conscience. Gabrielle argues with Xena that maybe The Horde want something and if they had it, they would leave them alone. Or maybe they could find common ground if they learn to understand their ways first. Gabrielle finds the answer when Xena captures one of them and she’s ladling water right next to the tied up Horde. He was breathlessly repeating “Kaltaka”, which is what all the dying Horde chant endlessly on the battlefield. She previously believed it was the name of their god and it was the clue she needed. It translated to water. They just wanted water because the Athenians poisoned the rivers. They didn’t want to fight anymore, they were just desperate for a way to keep themselves alive. Gabrielle defies Xena and goes out into the battlefield to feed the dying Horde weaponless and The Horde crowd around her but don’t hurt her. They notice she was just trying to help. Through this act of kindness towards the opposing side Xena comes to her senses and realizes she’s wrong about them. She goes back to the captured Horde and experiments with her newfound theory that maybe they have a code of conduct that is in common with her own. A Warrior’s Code. She understands him and releases him. Then she goes out to fight The Horde Leader who is the one causing all the trouble for the tribe and defeats him. As she’s walking away with her back turned to the entire Horde tribe, they raise their bows and arrows and Gabrielle screams out “LOOK OUT!”. They don’t target Xena. They target The Horde Leader who was screaming in anguish at being defeated. Xena was now their leader by defeating their previous leader. That was their Warrior’s Code. No real difference to the Amazons, an indigenous tribe they knew so well and wore just as much war paint.

The message is self-explanatory: Don’t judge a person by their race, religion, language, culture, colour, sexuality, gender, or by what you ignorantly think you know about them without getting to know or understand them. You risk losing your humanity.

10. S01E02: CHARIOTS OF WAR

‘Chariots Of War’ is about compliance and expectations from relationships that affects our choices and perceptions of reality. Xena gets herself caught up in a situation where she’s trying to stop these two warlords ravaging a settlement where a community of villagers were trying to build a new home for themselves and Xena takes an arrow to the chest and faints. A single father takes her into his home and cares for her because she saved his young son from being crushed by the newly built settlement that one of the warlords pulled down. While injured, Xena learns of this family’s plight and tries to put it right for them, promising not to use violence to do it, obeying the wishes of the one who took her in who does not want another war. She becomes very affectionate with the father and his family and finds it a struggle to leave them because of it. 

Meanwhile, Gabrielle meets one of the warlords in the inn she takes refuge in because a smelly and disgusting drunk keeps hitting on her. She tells a lie that she already has a boyfriend and he is with them in the inn. To prove it, a bold as brass Bard walks right up to this warlord and complete stranger and kisses him on the mouth and requests that he pretends he knows her to keep away from the horny drunks. They start a conversation about what they do and the warlord, who’s name is Sphaerus, tells her that he works for his father, but he makes him do things he doesn’t like and doesn’t want to do and this insightful conversation between them happens that I really love and relate to myself…

GABRIELLE: “My mother always wanted me to get married and have kids. And I remember telling her that I’d always be grateful for the way that she raised me, but she couldn’t expect me to pay for that with my future.”  

SPHAERUS: “That’s very insightful.”

GABRIELLE: “It’s a gift. Well, anyway, I came to a point in my life when I had to make a choice and I thought about who I really was, and I made it.”

I’ve written an entire article about this that was inspired by this episode and this is a piece of that article where I explain the moral to the episode because, for me, that’s part of the reason why this episode is so damn brilliant and one of the best.

[The moral to this episode is about what is expected of us to comply to by our family, our employment, our sociality and our romantic relationships and trying to apply it to who we are, how we choose to view reality and how we live by our own perceptions. I tend to think the more we empathise with the people that love or care about us and that we love and care about, the better our relationships become. The reason why I think this is because you can only walk a mile in someone’s shoes once you have begun to understand them… But that doesn’t mean you should take on their beliefs… their perceptions… or their lifestyle. You have your own to live by, and that’s how it should be. What you believe in and what lifestyle you choose to live by is what is your truth. And no one should take that away from you. Not even those closest to you.]

Another reason I love it is because the writer, Josh Becker, did something very clever with it in setting up the idea of Xena and Gabrielle being each other’s Yin and Yang before they even realize that for themselves. And he does it by using none other than their MALE COUNTERPARTS and LOVE INTERESTS. It is ingenious writing and something you will only pick up on with multiple rewatches of the show.

—————————————————————————–

That’s my TOP 10 favourite episodes of 'Xena: Warrior Princess’. It’s probably not the list that you were expecting since Gabrielle is my favourite character. You would think I would go with Gabrielle-centric episodes. But when it’s your favourite show, you don’t necessarily care about how much screen-time your favourite character has or hasn’t. What you care about is how well your favourite character is integrated into each episode and there is a lot of episodes that are extremely well written in character representation and development so it’s not a factor.

I’ve already written a hell of a lot so I’ll just end it briefly. Thank you for reading. I hope you check the show out for yourselves if you haven’t seen it and come to love it as much as I do. And if you’ve already watched the show all the way through once or more, what is your TOP 10 favourite episodes? Feel free to express why as I have done. I’d love to know how this show has impacted you the way it has impacted me.

Thank you.

- Girl4Music 

[margindoodles2407]

HFSW Anakin is a horse girl btw. You all need to know this information.

[telltaleangelina]

“‘Machine’ is journalese....Inexact terms like that are part of the war psychosis. People are never machines, even when they want to be. You have to start somewhere.”

andrew raynes you will always be an anti war king to me, idc what anyone else (ralph) says you will always be famous

[illustratus]

Bellona calling Mars to war by handing over the reins to her chariot

by Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée

[undercoverangell]

i can literally feel the wires altering in my mind and making me a helen x menelaus stan and its dangerous. evil is brewing...

[eu-ry-dice]

For some reason I really like the idea of everyone at CHB freaking the FUCK out whenever Nico and Will are fighting

Like, they argue sometimes over stupid stuff like the best ice cream flavour or whatever, but on the rare occasion they're actually FIGHTING, everyone starts losing their minds expecting the end of the world or whatever

And then they start pretending to fight on purpose cause they think everyone's reactions are too funny not to keep doing it

[arcanechariot]

mental health issues hcs

looking at oscar characters and their mental health issues as well as their freudian psychosexual personality type (by a psych student)

@buckyssugarchick you manifested this

note: freuds theory is very flawed but i think the psychosexual personality types are quite fun

also disclaimer: im not trying to make light of mental health issues. as a psych student, i enjoy overanalysing characters and i have personal experience with some of these disorders myself so pls dont take offence

anselm vogelweide

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic aggressive

competitive, power-seeking, overconfident

tends to show off or exaggerate their skills/intelligence/sexuality

has difficulty dealing with criticism or rejection

also exhibits psychopathic traits (impulsivity, lack of remorse, promiscuity, etc) also possible ptsd from incident/illness which caused his injuries

basil stitt

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: classic hysteric

dramatic and emotionally expressive

prone to mood swings and exaggerated emotional displays

seeks validation or reassurance

may have a fear of abandonment

exhibits traits of social anxiety disorder and body dysmorphic disorder

blue jones

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: oral aggressive

aggressive, argumentative and sarcastic

tends to be cynical, irritable and prone to criticism

exhibits traits of malignant narcissism (paranoia, grandiosity, aggression, etc)

bud cooper

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic aggressive

exhibits traits of narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder

duke leto atreides

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: anal retentive

perfectionist, meticulous, highly organised

may be stubborn, inflexible and overly focused on rules and order

tends to be emotionally reserved or repressed

one of the more stable

jonathan levy

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic compensative

may 'overcompensate' by adopting traits opposite of perceived flaws

may develop a 'need to prove oneself' in relationships/at work/etc

can develop feelings of sexual inadequacy or anxiety, often manifesting as overcompensation in other areas of life

exhibits traits of depression and anxiety

king john

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic aggressive

exhibits traits of narcissistic personality disorder as well as paranoia and mood disorder

laurent leclaire

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: anal retentive

exhibits traits of ptsd and depression

marc spector (aka moon knight system)

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: oral receptive (steven; dependent, passive and overly trusting), anal retentive (marc), phallic aggressive (jake)

known did but also exhibits traits of ptsd (marc), anxiety and imposter syndrome (steven) and possible anger issues (jake)

nathan bateman

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic aggressive

exhibits traits of narcissistic personality disorder as well as antisocial personality disorder

poe dameron

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: phallic aggressive

again, one of the more stable here

william tell

suggested freudian psychosexual personality type: anal retentive

exhibits major traits of ptsd, depression (after having endured complex emotional trauma)

end of post & side note

if you're interested in finding out your freudian psychosexual personality type, i'd suggest taking this test

if you were curious, i'm the retentive hysteric type

tends to internalise emotions instead of expressing them outwardly

may appear 'quietly anxious' or exhibit physical symptoms of stress

more restrained, composed and less overtly 'performative' than the classic hysteric

often viewed as 'polite to a fault' or unwilling to express true feelings for fear of judgment

anyway this was fun and interesting! i love overanalysing fictional characters