Callisto

"You're gonna make my life a living hell? Old hat, dear. You did that years ago, when you barbecued my family. But now it's my turn to host the cook-out! And where is the guest of honor? Solan - Solan, dear. Come meet your auntie Callisto."

- Callisto to Xena in "Maternal Instincts" Callisto was a recurring character on and. She was one of the most bloody and ruthless warlords of the time, due to witnessing the horrific deaths of her mother and father at the hands of Xena, during a chaotic assualt on her vilage. She built an antagonistic relationship with Xena throughout the years, (along with others, notably Gabrielle and Hercules) constantly attempting to destroy her both mentally and physically.

Despite her short temper and evil behaviour, Callisto's life was filled by many events. She witnessed her parents and home burn to death, died twice at the hands of Xena and was sent to Tartarus, Heaven and Hell. She also became an immortal, due to the golden apples, and a God, due to Ambrosia. After final death, she was sent to Hell and became a Demon and, later, an Archdemon. She was then sent to Heaven by Xena and become an Angel, before reincarnating into Eve, Xena's daughter, who would later become the bringer of Twilight and peace.

Her murderous nature lead to the deaths of several people, such as Strife, Perdicus and Solan, which helped her to build antagonistic relationships with Ares, Gabrielle and Xena, respectivley. She was a highly skilled strategist and martial artist, outsmarting and beating Xena on several occasions, also seemingly having a strange affiliation with Xena's Chakram, catching and using it whenever the oppurtunity arose.

Callisto was played by Hudson Leick.

Early life
Callisto was the daughter of Arleia and Pankos. She also commented on having a sister, but she has never been seen. She grew up in the little villiage of Cirra, which was attacked by Xena's army. Everything living thing was devoured by the flames that swept through the villiage. Xena stated that she never knew how the fire started, presuming one of her men accidentally ignited it. It was in fact the adult (and God) Callisto herself who started the fire when she went back in time with the Kronos Stone.

Vengeance
"...Love is a trick that nature plays to get us to reproduce. I want no part of it."

- Callisto, in "Return of Callisto"

Callisto's first two episodes set up the themes of hatred, revenge and guilt, and pose the ethical dilemma of how Xena can never put right the damage of her evil past. If she lets Callisto live, she will wreak havoc, kill and maim people. But if she kills Callisto, she is merely finishing the job which she started when she wrecked that little girl's life. In her first episode, we see that Callisto has recruited a small army and spends her days training hard with them until she is 'as good as Xena'. She begins her campaign of revenge by raiding and burning villages and savagely slaughtering people in Xena's name. She hopes to revive Xena's reputation as a villain; planning to kill Xena after destroying her reputation. Xena has no choice but to engage with her, and in a close fight Xena beats her, but cannot kill her. She hands her over to the authorities, who throw her in jail.

However, Callisto later escapes, weaponless, easily crippling and killing her guards. She finds Xena, but is still unable to defeat her, and instead makes her suffer by plunging her sword though the heart of Gabrielle's recently-wedded husband, Perdicas. Xena catches her again, and is wracked with guilt as Callisto taunts her about her past. A fight ensues, and Xena and Callisto fall into quicksand. Xena's inventive wit allows her to struggle free, and she watches doubtfully as Callisto is sucked under. But the ethical dilemma still hangs in the balance: Xena has killed the monster that she created, but still carries the guilt that it was all her fault.

Callisto, works with Ares, God of War to invade Xena's dreams and switch bodies with Xena, so that she is free and Xena is trapped in Tartarus. But Xena persuades Hades to let her return to earth, although still trapped in Callisto's body, where she defeats Callisto and sends her back to Tartarus. Xena remains trapped in Callisto's body for one episode before Ares restores them to their normal selves.

Immortality
Callisto again escapes from Tartarus by making a deal with Hera, Queen of the Gods. Hera allows her back to Earth for one day to kill Hercules, and promises her immortality if she succeeds, but Callisto plans on getting immortality regardless. She poisons Hercules' family, then tricks him into accompanying her to the Tree of Life, where one bite of a Golden Apple cures all ills, and a whole apple makes a person immortal. Hercules reluctantly agrees, but Callisto traps him, and uses him to reveal the tree and eats a golden apple, becoming immortal and restoring her sanity. Hercules escapes and fights Callisto, inadvertently scarring her in the process, and breaking her sanity once again, and traps her in the Labyrinth. Frustrated, Callisto has only her rage to console her for what appears to be an eternity inside the ruins.

Godhood
When an Amazon called Velasca eats Ambrosia and becomes a goddess hellbent on killing Gabrielle, Xena makes a risky deal with Callisto. She offers Callisto a chance at the Ambrosia in exchange for her help. Xena tricks her into fighting Velasca for the Ambrosia on a rope bridge over a river of lava, where she gets it and eats it. In her moment of glorious godhood, Xena cuts the ropes and Callisto and Velasca plunge into the lava.

Callisto is later freed from the lava by Gabrielle's evil daughter Hope, sired by Dahak who calls her "the monster lady". In a ploy of mythical proportions, she causes Hope to kill Xena's son Solan, and laughs manically as Xena and Gabrielle's friendship is torn apart. However, Xena defeats her and traps her in a mine by causing a cave-in. Callisto then appears to Xena and Gabrielle as a manifestation of their own guilt in the musical episode where they eventually reconcile.

Hope later frees Callisto from the mine. She sends her back in time to destroy Hercules and also gives her the Hind's blood, to prevent the gods from interfering. Although she fails to kill Hercules, Callisto uses the Hind's blood to kill Strife. She traveled back in time to first kill Hercules' mother Alcmene before she could give birth to her son. She succeeded, even though Iolaus, who was sent by Ares to stop her, snatched the Hind's blood. She then returned to her own past to prevent Xena from killing her family. Unfortunately, her family didn't listen to her pleas to keep her younger self away from the barn where they would be killed. So, she defended them from the marauders but killed her own father. Filled with sadness and regret went on to kill her mother as well, and then left the "young Callisto" in the burning wreckage. Iolaus rescued younger Callisto and told her it help if she'd cry, but she refused to do so. Because of Callisto's changes, Hercules was never there to turn Xena away from her path of conquest, creating a future where Xena rules everything. Iolaus managed to use the Cronus stone to go back and save Alcemene before she is killed, making it so that the event never happened in the first place. But when he returned to the present, Callisto was waiting for him, having lost her opportunity to save her family because of him. She melts the Cronus stone and prepares to kill him when Hercules escapes the interdimensional pocket and throws her in it.

Death
Callisto later escapes from this dimension. By this time, she has had enough of the emotional pain that has tormented her since childhood. Hope spins a cocoon around herself for her transformation from child into adult. Callisto agrees to protect her until she hatches, in exchange for permanent oblivion.

Meanwhile, Xena and Gabrielle ambush a rogue cult who are trying to sacrifice Gabrielle's friend, Seraphin, for the 'return of the godess'. Xena jumps to conclusions and immeadiatly thinks that this is about Callisto. After talking to Seraphin, things start to point in another direction - it isn't Callisto she is being sacrificed to. It's Hope.

Hope is still in a cocoon and being protected by Callisto. Xena finds where they are hiding, and heads straight there. She immobilizes Callisto and gets to a cocooned Hope, just after Ares shows up and takes her away.

Xena works out that Ares must of taken her to the only place she would be safe - The Halls Of War. She realises that there is no possible way that she and Gabrielle could ever battle thier way into such a place on thier own. As luck would have it, they had a willing immortal to help them - Callisto. After Hope reveals that she wants Callisto to be in Dahak's army instead of being dead, she storms off in anger. She offers to help Xena and Gabrielle on their mission, as long as Xena fufills her wish - to kill her, something that Xena would be more than happy to do.

While on their way there, Xena and Joxer stage a fight in front of Callisto, where she tells him to 'get lost'. But really Xena entrusts him with the location of The Hind's Blood Dagger and tells him to get purposly captured by Dahak's followers to get into the Halls of War.

The plan is a success, but when Xena tries to kill Hope with it, Gabrielle jumps in and grabs Hope, they both fall into the lava pit and the pair plummet to their 'deaths'. Upon seeing this, Xena is speechless and Callisto is ecstatic. she then says that she now has a reason to live and she has Xena to thank for it. Xena runs up to and before Callisto can react, she plunges the Hind's Blood Dagger into her.

Afterdeath and Attempt at Redemption
"No more living for you."

- Xena, seconds after killing Callisto in "Sacrifice II"

Stripped of her powers as a goddess, Callisto is condemned to eternal torment as a demon of Hell. She is, however, given the opportunity to return to the living if she can corrupt Xena and install Caesar as emperor of Rome. She is required to do this without hurting Xena physically, but as a result of her blind rage for Xena, she fails at both tasks. She defeats Xena for the only time, by breaking her spine with Xena's own chakram. Callisto is returned to Hell, but her actions set into motion the events leading to Caesar's, Xena's and Gabrielle's deaths. Xena lies critically injured on the ground and Gabrielle tries to defend her, but they are captured by the Roman guards. On the Ides of March, as Caesar declares himself emperor and is murdered by Brutus and his peers, Xena and Gabrielle are also crucified at Caesar's command.

Reincarnation
After her death, the angel Xena encounters the demon Callisto. As an act of redemption for her own guilt at Callisto's suffering, she purges Callisto's guilt, and brings her back to the light. Callisto is lifted up and becomes an angel, utterly devoid of the pain and torment that she had always known, and in exchange, Xena is turned into a demon, sacrificing her own eternal happiness to save her. The sacrifice of lives and souls is a recurring theme of the series. Xena frequently tries to sacrifice herself for redemption, and this is partly what gives her such fearlessness in the face of death. But this sacrifice for Callisto has its own unexpected rewards, as Xena is later resurrected by the power of Eli's God of Love, acting through the angel Callisto. Callisto now exudes such light and goodness that even Gabrielle cannot believe it. Soon after Xena and Gabrielle are resurrected through Eli's efforts and Callisto's spiritual aid, Xena becomes pregnant with Eve, but Xena does not know how it could have happened. It is later revealed that the angel Callisto caused it: Callisto herself will be reincarnated as Xena's child. Callisto's gift of Eve to Xena is also something of a way of making amends for Solan's death. So in a peculiar way, Callisto gives Xena back the child she lost, and she gets back the family that she lost, whom she is reunited with in Heaven.

Memorable Quotations
Callisto:  (Catches Chakram for the first time) "You want it? Come and get it."
 * - "Callisto"

Xena: "What happened to you was terrible. It was my fault, and I'm sorry." Callisto: "Oh, well that makes all the difference! And now we can be the best of friends! (Spits) That's what I think of your apology."
 * - "Callisto"

Callisto: "The sight, just the sight, of Xena, Warrior Princess, arguing on my behalf amuses me so. Let me tell you. Let me answer your question of what I would do if you let me go. You let me go, and I will dedicate my life to killing everything you’ve loved - your friends, your family, your reputation, even your horse. You see, I am being so honest with you because the idea of your pity is worse than death for me. You see, you created a monster with integrity, Xena. Scary, isn’t it? Now, take me to the mob."
 * - "Callisto"

Joxer: "I softened her up for you. Just minutes before you got her, I was pummeling her senseless." Callisto: "Yes, and what were you hitting her with? Your nose?"
 * - "Callisto"

Callisto: "I've missed you, Xena" Xena: "You never wrote"
 * - "Return of Callisto"

Callisto: "It's a pretty day for a bloodbath."
 * - "A Necessary Evil"

Gabrielle: "Can I ask you something?" Callisto: "All right. We both know how much I love chit-chat." Gabrielle: "When we were at the village and Xena was talking about Cirra, did you feel anything?" Callisto: "My goodness, are you trying to figure me out? I’m flattered." Gabrielle: "Answer me. Or are you afraid?" Callisto: "Let's play a game, shall we? I'll answer your question, if you answer mine." Gabrielle: "All right." Callisto: "How did I feel, when Xena confessed her crimes. Well the problem is Gabrielle, I never feel anything. I mean, bits and pieces here and there, but nothing solid. Think back to when you were a little girl and all you knew was your mother and your sister, and all of your faith revolved them. Now kill 'em. My turn." Gabrielle: "What?" Callisto: "''When I sliced open your husband, how long did it take him to die?" (Laughs) '' Xena: "There's a path out of the mountains... (Gabrielle walks off) What's wrong with her?" Callisto: "We played a game of Truth or Dare, and she's not very good at it"
 * - "A Necessary Evil"



Callisto: "Here comes trouble."
 * - Moments after becoming a God, in "A Necessary Evil"

Werfner: "You wanna die?" Callisto: "More than that. I want oblivion. I want my life to end. I want it it all to stop. No nothing! No memories, no Tartarus, nothing! And I know, I know she can do it."
 * - "Sacrifice I"

Callisto: "Aw, the mother and daughter reunion. I'm all misty-eyed".
 * - Moments after Hope hatches, in "Sacrifice II"

Callisto: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Glory Hallelujah. But first, your promise. Come on. Kill me." Hope: "You could be a soldier in Dahak’s army. Instead, you choose oblivion." Callisto: "Yeah, well call me short-sighted, but that’s our deal." Hope: "When I’m finished with you, you will get your reward as promised."
 * - "Sacrifice II"

Callisto: "I never thought I'd feel so good again. Seeing poor, dear Gabrielle sacrifice herself makes it all worthwhile. It finally gives me a reason for living, and I have you to thank for it, Xena!" '' (Xena stabs her) Xena: "No more living for you."''
 * - "Sacrifice II"

Callisto: (Catches the Chakram) "Brings back memories, doesn't Xena?"
 * - "The Ides of March"

Callisto: "Love is the way."
 * - "Fallen Angel"

Behind the Scenes

 * Hudson's stunt-double, Michelle Cavert, died shortly after filming "Callisto" in a boating accident. "Return of Callisto" was dedicated to her memory.
 * The villian of "The Ides of March" was originally going to be Alti, but R.J. Stewart settled in favour of Calisto.
 * The plot for "Ten Little Warlords" was never meant to be; Xena was supposed to have been reunited to with her body at the end of "Intimate Stranger", with Callisto sent back to Tartarus. But when Lucy Lawless sustained serious injuries whilst filming The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the plot was altered so that Hudson Leick would continue to portray Xena in the next episode.
 * The original ending for "Return of Callisto" had Xena saving Callisto from the quicksand (See the image on the right).

Trivia

 * Callisto is one of few characters to have appeared in five seasons of ; the others being Brutus, Ephiny, Aphrodite and Argo.
 * Callisto was the first person to be seen on-screen killing a God (Strife).
 * Callisto is the only character to become an Immortal and then become a God.
 * Callisto's story strongly resembles that of Xena's; they were both twisted into vicious killers during a violent ransack on their hometowns, which resulted in the loss of family members, they both took charge of fearless armies and they were both later redeemed by one of their enemies (Xena by Hercules, Callisto by Xena).
 * Callisto is the only character to have her name featured in two episode names; "Callisto" and "Return of Callisto". This is not counting Eve with "Livia" and "Eve", as her name is not Livia.
 * Callisto is the only character to have been a Mortal, Immortal, God, Demon, Archdemon and Angel.
 * When Eve is killing the Elijans in "Eve", one of them states that they had seen much worse, living through Callisto's raids. Eve replies: "She did some good work - but I'm not Callisto." This is a reference to the fact that Eve was born of Callisto's spirit meaning that, ironically, she is Callisto reincarnation.
 * Callisto was originally going to be the villain for the series six premiere, but considering that she would be appearing in the  series 5 premiere at the same time, the writers settled for a new character altogether.
 * Callisto was one of the names thrown around to appear in " When Fates Collide", but they picked Alti instead.

Mentions and References

 * 1) "Warrior... Princess... Tramp" (Mentioned)
 * 2) "The Xena Scrolls" (Archive Footage)
 * 3) "Destiny" (As a young child)
 * 4) "A Day in the Life" (Mentioned)
 * 5) "Blind Faith (Mentioned)
 * 6) "The Dirty Half Dozen" (Mentioned)
 * 7) "Warrior... Priestess... Tramp" (Mentioned)
 * 8) "Deja Vu All Over Again" (Archive Footage)
 * 9) "Kindred Spirits" (Mentioned)
 * 10) "Livia"(Mentioned)
 * 11) "Eve" (Archive Footage)