Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar, or just "Caesar", was a recurring character and one of the main antagonists of Xena: Warrior Princess. He also appeared in one episode of. He was a former Senator and later Dictator of Rome. He and Xena had a relationship fuelled by hate: They would fight whenever the chance arose. Caesar set his mind on conquering Xena, but she thwarted his attempts on every occasion.

Xena and Caesar met after Xena had been ostracized from Amphipolis, seven years before she met Hercules. The two seperately double-crossed eachother, although Caesar got the upper-hand and crucified her for the first time. They then encountered numerous times over the run of the show, until he finally met his demise in the Season four finale, "The Ides Of March". He even toyed with Xena's and Gabrielle's life thread, as well as created an alternate world, where again he tried to kill Xena with the help of Alti.

He was played by Karl Urban.

Meeting Xena
Caesar first appeared in "Destiny". Xena had been badly wounded in battle (and later died) and we see a flashback ten Winters ago, when he and Xena first encountered. He appeared as a young, arrogant Roman noble. Xena seduced him, but even then he knew what she was trying to do and he then began to seduce her. When he had her, he crucified her and broke her legs. She was then rescued by M'Lila.

Re-meeting Xena and Pompey
Many years later, they waged war against each other again. Xena and Gabrielle travelled to Britannia, to help out an old friend/foe, Boadicea. They didn't actually meet face to face again until "When In Rome...". Caesar had captured Vercinix, a hero of Gaul, thus Xena had set out to free him. Crassus, the catalyst of the events in this episode and also a leader of Rome alongside Caesar and Pompey, had been captured by Xena, so that she had someone to trade for Vercinix. Xena swapped the two men, as well as played Caesar for a fool, forcing him to sentence Crassus in the Colosseum.

With Crassus out of the picture,Pompey and Caesar began to seperate and create thier own legions. They both wanted one thing - Control of Rome. They waged war against each other, until Xena intervened in "A Good Day". She managed to band together an army, consisting of a band of villagers, led by Gabrielle. Xena played Pompey and Caesar off against each other, forcing them to wage war once more. She then managed to trap the two and herself in a ditch, where they fought whilst thier armies savaged each other. Niether of them won and they both went thier seperate ways.

Pompey's Death and It's Affect
It wasn't until "Endgame" that Xena sparked the events that would later lead to Caesar's, Gabrielle's and her own death. Caesar and Pompey both wanted the land that was owned by the Telaquire Amazons. Caesar himself did not enter the battlefield, but instead sent his right hand man, Brutus. When Xena discovers that it was him who killed Ephiny, she captures him, but later sets him free. Xena then confronts Pompey on the battlefield and has him begging for his life. She lets him go, but he turns around and tries to kill her. She turns and beheads him.

Callisto, the Ides of March and Death
Callisto, Xena's old foe,is given a chance of salvation if she can force Xena off of her current way, The Way of the Warrior and make Caesar the first Emperor of Rome. She is more than happy to oblige. She goes to Caesar, who is being haunted by nightmares of Xena. She tells him to make Xena come to him - By putting a 6 million dinar bounty on her head. She does exactly as Callisto says and goes straight to him, leaving Gabrielle, who is following the Way of Love, as well as Amarice, a Telaquire Amazon and friend of Gabrielle and Xena, back in Greece, to prevent her recent visions of death from coming true. Callisto interupts Xena's attempt a killing Caesar by catching her Chakram. A shocked Xena escapes through a window, without her Chakram or Caesar's life.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle and Amarice have met up with Eli and his followers, but are captured by Brutus and his men. They are taken to Rome and put in prison. Xena sets out to free them, as well as does so, much to Callisto's dismay. In expression of her anger, she violently throws the Chakram, causing it to hit Xena and break her back. Gabrielle, straying away from her current way of life, tries to defend her fallen friend, but is outnumbered and captured. Rendered defenseless the two are nailed to crosses and crucified.

At the same time, Caesar is making his speech, announcing that he is the new Emperor of Rome. Unbeknown to him, Brutus and his fellow senators have plotted against him and plan to kill him. They do so, with Brutus delivering the final blow.

After his Death
But he returns in "When Fates Collide" and toys with his and Xena's fate. He makes it so that Xena had never met Gabrielle and she is a successful writer, recording exploits that she dreams (These 'dreams' are actually the real adventures that Xena and Gabrielle had, as the play that was seen was Fallen Angel). Xena and Caesar are both the rulers of Rome (their position unknown). Caesar is having an affair with Alti, the evil shamaness.

He senses that there is a bond between Xena and Gabrielle, as well as claims that she is an assassin and throws in jail. Caesar, unaware of Alti's great power, underestimates her and tries to use her. She turns the tables and kills him. She then goes to find Xena and Gabrielle, who have escaped from Caesar's hold, as well as tries to kill them. Once again, Xena wins and they go back to reality.

Mentions

 * 1) "The Debt I"
 * 2) "Maternal Instincts"
 * 3) "Adventures in the Sin Trade II"
 * 4) "Chakram"
 * 5) "Succession"
 * 6) "Animal Attraction"
 * 7) "Antony and Cleopatra"
 * 8) "Legacy"