TV Fantasy Warriors

Fantasy and the warriors who fill those worlds have always been influential in the type of writing I create. So, I thought it would be fun to explore some of the fierce female fantasy warriors who have inspired me and countless others. Starting with the popular TV series Xena: Warrior Princess

Xena

Xena was a badass warrior with, as she said on the show, "many skills." Those skills were brought into new adventures each week in the mid-90s TV series. Her prowess with a sword, aerial skills, and stature were immediately captivating to watch. Throw in her trademark war cry and specialized weapon The Chakram, and you have all the markers for a unique hero. But the best part about Xena (besides her dry with and humor) was her dark backstory. Xena initially started as a villain on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys before getting her own show. Throughout the entire series of Xena: Warrior Princess we see her battle with this dark past and try to make amends for all the horrible things she had done. It was a tragic backstory told in a different way. Basically, Xena was a villain on a redemption arc which gave more layers to the character and brought a depth to her encounters with others.

Gabrielle

Who doesn't love a good sidekick? What I like about Gabrielle's journey is the growth the character takes. She starts the series as something of the comedic foil. Gabrielle is there for levity and jokes. But as the show progresses, we see Gabrielle get stripped down in more ways than one.

Not only do her outfits get smaller, but the character strips down to show different sides to the character. She grows from a naive young girl, to a pacifist, to a bonafide hero herself by the end of the show when she takes over for Xena.

Cyane: Amazon Queen

The best part about Cyane is that actress Victoria Pratt played her! A fitness competitor and model, Vicky made the Cyane a formidable opponent for Xena. The leader of the Amazon nation, Cyane was strong, smart and yeah...sexy.

She held her own in the acting arena and kicked ass when the time came. There were other versions of Cyane throughout the show as the Amazon's recycled the name, but I preferred Vicky above all others. She brought a toughness and intelligence to the role that spoke of being a leader.