Eve

This article is about Eve, the Messenger of Eli. For the episode of the same name, see Eve (Episode).
:"Livia" redirects here. For the episode of that name, see Livia (episode).

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"(Exposes large scar) Gaelic spear. The man who did it, his entire regiment, his village and two neighboring villages destroyed before the sun went down."

―Eve in "Coming Home"

Eve
Eve in "Heart of Darkness"
Behind the scenes
Series	Xena: Warrior Princess

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Eve

Eve, the Messenger of Eli and the former Bringer of Twilight was a recurring character on Xena: Warrior Princess. She is the daughter of Xena. When Xena first discovered she was pregnant, in "Animal Attraction", she said that she hadn't 'met the requirements' for it to be possible. It is later revealed that it was Callisto who placed life in Xena, to make up for all the things that they had taken out of their lives.

Hours before her birth, The Fates prophesied that Eve would bring about the deaths of the Olympian Gods. Zeus attempted to prevent this by killing the child before she was born, but an unlikely pairing of Hercules and Hera managed to stop and kill Zeus. This caused panic on Olympus and the Gods made numerous attempts at murdering the innocent child.

When Xena and Gabrielle faked their own deaths in a ploy to trick the Gods, Eve was raised by the Romans. She gained a false identity of Livia, the Bitch of Rome. She slaughtered the followers of Eli and anyone who stood between her and Rome. She became engaged to Octavius, Emperor of Rome, although she was having an affair with Ares. He trained and taught her in the same manner as he did Xena. When Xena awoke from her 25-year sleep, she found Eve and took time trying to reform her. Along the way, Eve killed Joxer and left Rome to go on a killing spree with Romans who were still loyal to her.

Once Xena had got through to her, her true identity was revealed and The Gods made one final attempt at killing Eve. Eli bestowed Xena with the power to kill Gods, in order to protect his Messenger. The Gods attacked Xena and she had no qualms about killing each one of them. Eve then travelled Greece and later Chin to spread Eli's message and repent for her former sins, much like her mother did.

Eve was played by Adrienne Wilkinson.

Story

Birth

Xena reading a story to baby Eve.

Before her birth, Xena's unborn daughter is prophesied to become the Bringer of Twilight; the human who will bring about an end to the rule of the Olympians. From infancy, Eve is marked for death by the Olympians who fear the prophecy coming true. Zeus attempts to kill Xena and her child before this happens, but is thwarted by Hercules, who kills him with a rib of Kronos. Xena delivers the baby with Gabrielle's help in the shade of a tree, moments after Zeus's demise. Xena names the girl Eve, a name that her deceased son Solan suggested upon seeing him in the underworld.

Xena's death and Childhood

Meanwhile, Athena becomes the leader of the Olympian gods and they continue their ceaseless persecution of the infant Eve. Driven to desperation effort to escape, Xena and Gabrielle fake their deaths using Celesta's tears. However, the plan backfires when Ares, believing the heroines to be dead, buries their bodies in an icy tomb where the temperatures keep them frozen for twenty-five years. Prior to faking their deaths, Xena and Gabrielle entrusted Eve's safety to Octavius, and it is he who raises Eve in her mother's absence. Octavius eventually becomes known as Augustus Caesar, and he raises Eve as Livia, who becomes Rome's greatest champion and a brutal warrior. Livia is also engaged to him so that she can rule Rome herself. However, she was also the protege and lover of Ares, who was unaware of her true identity.

Identity and Re-meeting Xena

When Xena and Gabrielle emerge from their icy tomb, they traveled to Rome with and older Joxer and his son Virgil. The former attempts to appeal to her daughter but fails. Xena manages to defeat Livia in fair combat to secure the release of Gabrielle, Joxer, Virgil and various other prisoners. Ares, having deduced that Livia is actually Eve, had serious doubts that she would actually bring about Olympus' destruction. He pointed out that if she was their nightmare destroyer, then she would've done so already. Therefore, the only thing afflicting the gods is fear.

Eve sees the light and reforms

Livia went on a rampage across the land, determined to exterminate any remaining followers of Eli, who taught pacifism and independence from the Olympian gods. She even kills Joxer, when he attempts to stop her from killing Gabrielle. Xena then accepts that Eve is dead and only Livia remains. With the help of Octavius, they stage a trap for Eve. However, Xena couldn't bring herself to kill her own daughter. Livia took advantage of her hesitation. But before she could kill her mother, a light shines on her, showing her various moments of Xena taking care of her when she was a baby, and learns that her mother truly did care for her. The reformed Livia once again takes on the name of Eve.

Reformation and the Twilight

Horrified by her sins, Eve ran out into the desert, where she is attacked by those who remember her as Livia. She is saved by Xena and Gabrielle, who bring her to followers of Eli. As they cleanse her of her sins, the Archangel Michael gives Xena the power to kill gods as long as Eve is alive, to prepare for the coming of the God of Love. This development causes the Olympians to redouble their efforts to kill Xena and her daughter. Athena's plan hinged on using the Furies to drive Gabrielle against Eve. However, the Olympians prematurely attack Eve during her cleansing, which results in a number of them being killed by Xena. They flee to Joxer's farm, where they attempt to hide. However, the Furies influence Gabrielle to attempt to murder Eve. Xena mistakenly mortally wounds her friend. After killing Hades and Deimos, Aphrodite brought the three to Olympus where Xena attempted to bargain healing Gabrielle and Eve in exchange for leaving the Olympians alone. Athena refused and fought Xena as Eve and Gabrielle slipped closer to death. Ares gave up his powers and immortality to save the two, which resulted in Athena's death.

Eve defends herself in "Heart of Darkness"

The Messenger of Eli

After the Twilight of the Gods, Eve forge peace with the Amazons and sets about trying to atone for her past. She leaves Xena and Gabrielle to go to Chin as part of her quest of redemption and to spread the word of Eli there.

The Future

Since "The Xena Scolls" reveal Professor Pappas and Melinda Pappas to be descendants of Xena in the 1940's, it's likely that Eve eventually produces an offspring of her own since she is the only living direct descendant of Xena. Judging from the names, Eve probably survived her ministries in Chin and India and returned to Greece to have children.

Background information

• Eve was portrayed by Adrienne Wilkinson from "Livia" on. Prior to "Livia," she was portrayed by uncredited infant performers.
• Some of Eve's storyline is loosely based on the historical Livia Drusilla Julia Augusta.
• She appeared in a total of 17 episodes prior to the Twilight of the Gods.