Xena: Warrior Princess was a pop culture creation which aired on television between 1995 and 2001 and starred Lucy Lawless in the title role. Set in ancient Greece, the plot drew on classical mythology and featured many gods and heroes from Greek and Roman traditions. Accompanied by her sidekick Gabrielle, Xena travelled the world destroying tyrants and monsters in an attempt to find atonement for her own bloody past. Possibly the offspring of a divine parent (Ares, god of war), Xena is in many respects like the heroes of ancient myth, but she is different in one fundamentally important way: she is a woman.
In Greek and Roman mythology, heroines were mothers, faithful wives or maidens awaiting rescue. They supported and encouraged the male hero but did not actively influence events. For contemporary audiences, however, Xena is an embodiment of an important change in western cultures, encapsulating the move towards equality between the sexes. Here is a powerful woman who, despite her faults, achieves great things in the defence of her community. Just like male heroes in contemporary comics and movies, Xena is a new spin on an ancient hero.
