Gabrielle

"You've got to take me with you - teach me everything you know."

―Gabrielle to Xena, in "Sins of the Past"

Gabrielle
Behind the scenes
Series	Xena: Warrior Princess Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Gabrielle, the Battling Bard of Poteidaia and Amazon Queen (Greek: Γαβριέλα) was one of the main characters on Xena: Warrior Princess and a recurring character on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. She was the traveling companion of Xena, her best friend in the beginning and then later her implied lover and soulmate. Accompanying her on her journey to find redemption, as she chronicled the adventures that they had. Having grown up on her family's farm in the village of Poteidaia, Gabrielle began traveling with the recently reformed Xena when she saved the village from the warlord Draco. She was eager to learn how to fight, and later gained a fighting staff when she was given the Rite of Caste from the amazon Terreis, which subsequently led to her becoming an Amazon princess. When their queen, Melosa, was killed by Velasca she automatically inherited the throne, but gave it to fellow amazon Ephiny, as she chose to continue traveling with Xena.

However, when Xena's anger and dark past with Julius Caesar led her to Britannia to fight alongside Boudica, Gabrielle met Krafstar, who was discovered to belong to a sinister cult led by the demon god Dahak. She was forced to kill one of their members and then became the host for Dahak's child, which she gave birth to in a matter of days and named Hope. This child grew quickly and killed within hours of birth, growing up to kill Xena's son, Solan, but was herself later accidentally killed by her own son.

After traveling to India and discovering a peaceful way of life, she temporarily became a pacifist. However, the shamaness Alti had predicted her death at the hands of the Romans and after Brutus had killed Ephiny and Gabrielle gave the throne to fellow amazon Chilapa, Caesar (with help from Callisto) caught both Xena and Gabrielle and crucified them (moments before his own death). Eli, a powerful avatar and friend of Xena and Gabrielle, managed to resurrect them, with help from a reformed Callisto. Once back on earth, Xena discovered that she was pregnant and later gave birth to a little girl, Eve. However, this child was prophesied as being "the bringer of twilight," an event that would ultimately lead to the deaths of several Olympians. This later forced both Xena and Gabrielle to fake their own deaths, and Eve's. They were taken away by Ares and preserved in ice for 25 years at the foot of Mount Etna, whilst Eve grew up to become a ruthless leader of the Roman Empire. The twilight took place when they were both released from their preservation and reformed Eve.

Gabrielle was the queen of three separate Amazon tribes during her time with Xena. Her own tribe, the Telaquire Amazon tribe, the Northern Amazon tribe and Marga's tribe. Each time, she passed the crown onto a worthy candidate so that she could continue travelling with Xena.

After Xena's death in Jappa, Gabrielle inherited her chakram and continued her adventure for the greater good, being accompanied by Xena's soul.

She is played by Renée O'Connor.

Story

First Meeting Xena

When Gabrielle first meets Xena, she is a farm girl living in the village of Poteidaia with her parents Herodatus and Hecuba and her sister Lila. Gabrielle insists on following an initially reluctant Xena on the road. The two women soon develop a strong bond of love and friendship. Over the six years of the series, Gabrielle evolves from a naive, idealistic teenager into a fully fledged, but deeply conflicted warrior fighting alongside Xena.

The Amazons

Gabrielle becomes an Amazon when she risks her life to defend a mortally wounded Amazon Princess during an ambush. Before she dies, the Princess Terreis passes her "right of caste" to Gabrielle, so Gabrielle inherits her rank as princess of the Amazons. This makes Gabrielle the heiress presumptive to the Amazon Queen, Melosa. Melosa's adopted daughter Velasca becomes a rival for the position of Queen of the Amazons after

Gabrielle is tempted to kill in "Dreamworker"

Melosa's death, but Velasca's schemes (which include aspirations to goddesshood) are foiled by Xena and Gabrielle. As Gabrielle wishes to travel with Xena rather than rule the Amazons, she appoints her friend Ephiny to act as Amazon Queen in her place. Gabrielle learns how to fight with a fighting staff from the Amazons. With Xena's encouragement, she develops a philosophy of fighting for the Greater Good without killing. Years later Gabrielle passes her right of caste to the baby Eve, daughter of Xena.

Marriage and widowhood

About a year after meeting Xena, Gabrielle encounters Perdicas again and decides to marry him. The morning after their wedding, he is murdered by Xena's nemesis, Callisto. Gabrielle's grief and anger test her ideals of reverence for life, but she nonetheless resists the impulse to kill Callisto. During this period, Gabrielle's strong commitment to peacemaking and compassion often serves as a counterbalance to Xena's warrior nature.

Hope, Chin and 'The Rift'

Gabrielle as she appeared in Season One of Xena: Warrior Princess

When helping to defend Britannia against Caesar, Gabrielle comes into contact with an evil cult that tricks her into killing one of its priestesses, Meridian. The loss of Gabrielle's "blood innocence" enables the demon god Dahak to impregnate her. After a pregnancy that lasts only a few days and she gives birth to a girl, Gabrielle believes that even though she was born evil, there is still part good in her from Gabrielle's side and that she was her hope to retain her humanity, naming her Hope. When Hope kills one of the guards, Xena becomes convinced that the baby is simply a vessel for Dahak: Xena then wants to kill Hope. Gabrielle manages to save her daughter by putting her in a basket and sending her downriver - this precipitates a major rift between Xena and Gabrielle, a story arc that spans several episodes and includes Gabrielle betraying Xena by foiling her attempt to assassinate the tyrant Ming T'ien. Gabrielle alerts Ming T'ien to the plan and unintentionally causes Xena to be imprisoned and tortured.

Gabrielle and Hope falls into the lava pit after Gabrielle sacrificed herself to save Xena from death.

Several months later, Gabrielle finds Hope again, now looking like a nine-year-old, and already in the process of helping her father, Dahak, implement his plan to take over the world. Hope allies herself with Xena's enemy, Callisto. In revenge for Xena's attempt to kill her as a baby, Hope murders Xena's son, Solan. This forces Gabrielle to accept that Hope is indeed evil. She kills her daughter by giving her poison, an act that continues to haunt Gabrielle throughout the series. She holds herself responsible for Solan's death, and for betraying Xena a second time, even after reconciliation with Xena is effected through their musical journey in the Land of Illusia. When she once again encounters Hope, who was saved from the funeral pyre by her father, Gabrielle sacrifices herself to save Xena by jumping into a lava pit and taking Hope with her. Gabrielle mysteriously survives the fall and is later reunited with Xena. It is later revealed that Ares saved Gabrielle, with plans to use her as a bargaining chip against Xena.

Eli, 'The Ultimate Way' and Crucifixion

Gabrielle following The Way of Love

After her first kill and the traumatic events with Hope that followed it, Gabrielle temporarily embraces complete pacifism as an alternative to fighting by Xena's side. She and Xena travel barefoot on pilgrimage to India, where they encounter a series of false prophets and gurus, and a genuine healer and teacher, Eli. Eli claims to have found enlightenment and Gabrielle becomes interested in his philosophy of non-violence and inner peace, which he calls the Way of Love. Gabrielle attempts to follow Eli's way and throws away her staff under his influence. However, when Xena is in the midst of a battle with the Romans in an effort to rescue Gabrielle, Eli, and a group of prisoners, Callisto uses Xena's own chakram against her and breaks her spine. Gabrielle chooses to fight to save Xena and even kills some of the soldiers herself. Before their crucifixion, Gabrielle tells Xena that she had chosen "The Way of Friendship".

After her Death

After being crucified, Gabrielle and Xena ascend into Heaven but are soon ambushed by demons. The demons are able to take Gabrielle to Hell, where she comes face to face with the demonic form of Callisto. Xena and a group of Archangels are able to rescue Gabrielle from Hell before Gabrielle can fall into the darkness. She then learns that Xena has taken Callisto's place in Hell. She eventually forgives Callisto for the murder of Perdicas and that act of forgiveness grants her the right to join

Xena and Gabrielle perform a dance in "A Tale of Two Muses"

the Archangels in battle. During her fight with the demon-Xena, they are restored to life by Eli. At this time, Gabrielle accepts her new path as a warrior and acquires a pair of sai (a dagger-like weapon with a long blade and twin downward facing curved prongs on the handle), which she carried in her boots. Along with her staff, the sai become a signature weapon thereafter. It is around this time, after adopting the sai, that Gabrielle abandons her philosophy of not killing in battle and from this point on until the end of the series is shown killing several enemies. Xena's pregnancy, revealed shortly after the duo's return to life, further forces Gabrielle to fight and sometimes protect Xena. On two occasions, the god of war Ares, impressed by Gabrielle's new warrior skills, tries to recruit her to his side, but Gabrielle always resists.

25-Year Sleep & The Twilight of the Gods

Gabrielle and Xena take a poison mixed with the tears of Celesta, the goddess of death, which temporarily emulates death, in order to mislead the gods into believing that Eve, and Xena and Gabrielle themselves, is dead and no longer a threat to them. Ares mistakenly believes they are really dead and inters them in an ice cave. Xena and Gabrielle remain in the cave in a coma-like state that resembles death for the following 25 years, a period of time in which Eve grows up to become a cruel and blood-thirsty champion of Rome. When the two awake, they discover the world has changed. Gabrielle and Xena then make it their mission to stop Livia, who is actually a Roman-raised Eve, and turn her from her path of destruction. When Eve is redeemed and the gods discover that she is still alive and therefore that the prophecy of the Twilight of the Gods is still set to happen, the gods send the furies to turn Gabrielle against Eve. Gabrielle, under the influence of the furies, attacks Eve, stabbing her in the back, but is stopped and fatally wounded when Xena slashes the back of her head with her chakram. With the help of Aphrodite, a desperate Xena takes the wounded Eve and dying Gabrielle to Olympus, where she faces the remaining gods. Ares then decides to help Xena by healing Eve and Gabrielle, thus sacrificing his immortality and godly powers.

Later, Gabrielle develops a friendship with Joxer's eldest son, Virgil, who shares many of her traits as a bard and a warrior. After reuniting with her sister, Lila, who is now much older, Gabrielle learns that her parents and Lila's husband were killed during an attempt to bring back Lila's daughter, Sarah, who was captured by Gurkhan, who is known for his dealings in the slave trade market. Gabrielle struggles with a desire to seek vengeance against Gurkhan but overcomes it when given the opportunity, claiming that if she were to kill him, she'd become like him. Xena and Gabrielle then rescue Sarah.

Despite her dedication to her role as a warrior, Gabrielle is troubled by the balance between killing and disarming, and the ruthlessness that she knows she must have in battle. When Xena and Gabrielle agree to help a group of desert nomads fight off Roman legions, Gabrielle accidentally kills an innocent young warrior, believing that he held a weapon and was going to attack Xena. Gabrielle is haunted by this action, willing to be executed for it though Xena saves her and is stabbed in a battle with cannibals when the image of the desert boy cause her to hesitate to deliver a killing blow. She eventually learns to fully accept her role as a warrior and moves past the incident.

When Gabrielle must lead an Amazon tribe into a high-casualty battle against a superior army, led by the demigod Bellerophon, the son of Artemis, she takes on a cold warrior front, surprising Xena and explains that she is needed as the Amazon Queen, not as Gabrielle, if they have any hope of overcoming the odds. The toll of the warrior path that Gabrielle has chosen is highlighted here, for when Xena stops Gabrielle from chasing and killing a fleeing enemy soldier, Gabrielle tells Xena, "with each battle, I lose more of myself."

Despite this, Gabrielle reclaims her generally bright demeanor and continues her travels with Xena as a warrior, seemingly no longer concerned with the actions she must take in battle.

Jappa and aftermath

Gabrielle heading to Egypt with Xena's spirit

When Xena and Gabrielle travel to Japa to aid an old acquaintance of Xena's, Xena asks Gabrielle to show her how she would handle a dire situation. Xena later shows Gabrielle her listening techniques, and her "pinch". When Xena allows herself to die in battle, Gabrielle is determined to bring her back to life, going up against and swiftly defeating, a samurai in order to get Xena's body back, and traveling to Mount Fuji to revive her ashes. Unfortunately, Xena, in a spirit form, decided that her quest for redemption was to end there, stopping Gabrielle from reviving her and thereby sacrificing herself in order to avenge the deaths of countless souls that she had killed in a terrible accident many years before. Her spirit, however, still very much appears to be with Gabrielle. According to the Darsham, Naima, this is only one of many lives Xena will live throughout the ages, but they all have one thing in common: whatever life awaits her next, it will be spent furthering the cause of good against evil. It is safely assumed Gabrielle then travels to "the land of the Pharaohs" which is in need of "a girl with chakram" with Xena's soul. This now applies to Gabrielle instead of Xena, for by the end of the last episode, Gabrielle realized she is able to use the chakram when, in a symbolic gesture, she throws the chakram and catches it on its ricochet. Evidently, Gabrielle also inherited Xena's signature flip (in A Friend in Need Part I) and her pinch. As conclusion, Gabrielle is presumed to be the successor of Xena (with reference to Succession) and a true warrior.

Legacy and Future

Janice Covington, daughter of Harry Covington, was a distant descendant of Gabrielle's living in the 1940s. It's unclear if Janice was descended from Gabrielle's relatives such as Lila or Sarah or if Gabrielle had another child later in her life and is thus a direct descendant of Gabrielle's. However, Janice physically resembles Gabrielle, suggesting that she is in some way a blood relation. In the future, Gabrielle's spirit is reincarnated as a past-life counselor named Mattie_Merrill.

In the year 2001, Alti took the guise of Alexis Los Alamos, a scientist who had constructed a cloning program in hopes of creating clones of Xena and Gabrielle using perfectly preserved hair strands. She asks for the help of Clea (a Gabrielle-orientated fan), Polly (a Xena-orientated fan) and Mac (a Joxer-orientated fan) to create tapes of Xena's and Gabrielle's memories to help revive them properly. Alti snuck into the lab one night and fed the Xena clone tapes of Xena's evil past in hopes of reviving an evil Xena. However, once revived, the Gabrielle clone managed to convince the Xena clone around and she defeated Alti. (XWP: "Send in the Clones")

Personality

Gabrielle and Ares in "The God You Know"

Gabrielle is first portrayed as a farm girl stereotype (a version of the maiden archetype) - young, naive, with an ambition to broaden her horizons yet no idea what 'real life' means. This is shown in "Dreamworker", where she desperately wants to join in a fight, despite lacking any training in combat. She picks up Xena's sword and is ready to attack, but reveals seven episodes later in "Hooves and Harlots" that she doesn't like swords. This shows that she has matured during her short time with Xena and has learned that all answers don't lie at the end of a sword.

She has been shown to be able to talk her way out of almost any situation. An example of this very early on is in "Sins of the Past" when she talks a cyclops out of eating her. This possibly stems from her skills as a bard. She has a love for writing, penning her travels with Xena wherever they go. She applied for the Athens City Academy for the Performing Bards and was accepted, but chose not to attend, as she realizes that her heart is on the road with Xena.

She has the ability to spontaneously improvise as she has been shown in many situations to tell stories on the spot or create a believable lie in an awkward situation. This also probably stems from her bardic skills, having a mental advantage above others in that time, who were usually lacking in the area of literacy.

Gabrielle as a Bacchae, in "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

One aspect that Gabrielle struggled to cope with, was her control over emotions. Whilst she had a lot of morals and a personal view of life, she hadn't dealt with emotional loss during her simple life in Poteidaia. She didn't really have to deal with this until the loss of her newlywed, Perdicas. When he was killed by Callisto, she didn't want to mourn him. Instead, she wanted revenge by killing Callisto, which was very out of character for Gabrielle. We begin to see a different side of her as she matures throughout the series. She eventually sustains her control over emotions and this is shown when Joxer is killed. Eve brings his death up in conversation, implying an apology, but Gabrielle interrupts and says that he is at peace.

Gabrielle has also been shown not to bear long-term grudges. An example of this is in "Forgiven". When Tara beats her up, she says to Xena: "Why don't you use your Chakram... To slice some of her ear off". Gabrielle forgives Tara countless times throughout the episode, but Tara keeps being childish and nasty towards her. Despite what she does to her, Gabrielle forgives her. This shows the amount of maturity she has towards situations.

Gabrielle's bardic skills appear to be natural and self-taught. In the opening episode, she displays a remarkable ability to talk her way out of fearsome or difficult situations: she talks a cyclops out of eating her, and makes an ally of him, talks an old man into giving her a lift, talks a violent crowd out of killing Xena, and talks her way into joining Xena as her traveling partner.

Besides her persuasive ability, she also reads and writes - rare skills for that time, loves to tell stories and has some musical ability. As she travels with Xena, she records their adventures on a series of scrolls, with an eye for flair and drama. Occasionally her tendency to exaggerate and glamorize the facts gets her into trouble, She is also shown telling stories for money in an inn. In other episodes, she wins a place in the Athens City Academy for the Performing Bards.

Another unique ability is briefly mentioned in the first episode - the gift of prophecy. This ability is left largely unexploited in the series, although in "One Against an Army", Gabrielle dreams that Xena is killed by a soldier who enters through the roof with a double-edged sword and warns her about this. When the battle between Xena and the Persians commences, she is aware of the soldier and stops him.

Appearance In Costume

"Sins of the Past" to "Hooves and Harlots"

Gabrielle in the costume first introduced in "The Black Wolf". This costume is just an alteration of the previous one.

Gabrielle's first costume is a tatty villagers costume. It consists of a blue cardigan with a light blue shirt underneath (although, the darker blue cardigan is sometimes not worn) and a long brown skirt which drags on the ground. Gabrielle's hair is always tied back when wearing this. It is briefly seen during the second season episode "Remember Nothing" due to the re-use of video footage from the first season.

Note: In "Death in Chains", she wears the Amazonian gear she receives in the next episode, "Hooves and Harlots". This is because "Hooves and Harlots" was supposed to air first. Renee said that her first costume was her Little House On The Prairie costume.

"The Black Wolf" to "Is There a Doctor in the House?"

The costume that Gabrielle wore for the last half of Season One is more of an alternate version of the Amazonian garments she receives in "Hooves and Harlots". She wears a short skirt that is almost identical to the one with the first costume, apart from a slight color change. On her upper torso, she wears a mainly red 'sports size' shirt with a blue and black trim. This costume seems to give Gabrielle more flexibility and allows for more movement, possibly to coincide with gaining a weapon and being able to initiate into battle. Gabrielle's hair is still tied back the same way as before, but changes color between blonde and a strawberry blonde tone in the later episodes.

Note: Her second costume is a brown and blue belly shirt, with a shorter brown skirt. It's first seen in Death in Chains, but gets changed in The Black Wolf.

"Orphan of War" to "Been There, Done That"

This costume is known as the "Billous Green Sports Bra", or the "BGSB" for short. It is mainly green in color that is shorter than the previous shirt and has diamond shaped patterns woven into the cotton with criss-cross strings in the front. She has a lighter orange-brown mini skirt, and less tatty and with a patterned belt around the top. Her hair is left loose for the majority of the season, but is tied back similar to the previous costumes for the first few episodes. She wears brown laced boots with this costume.

"The Dirty Half Dozen" to "Devi"

" It's very strange. In every story you tell me, this thing I'm wearing gets smaller. Is it enchanted?"

―Gabrielle to Joxer, in "Forget Me Not"

This costume is an alternate version of the previous one. It is almost identical (often mistaken to not have changed at all) but the BGSB has shrunk in size and is lighter in color. Her top is now even smaller, has different detailing on it with a leaf pattern and her shoulders aren't covered anymore (It could be mistaken for the same one as before by the casual viewer, but is different: for example, there are ten holes for the cord binders of her top instead of twelve.)

Note: Hope also wore this costume when she was in her adult form.

"Devi" to "The Ides of March"

Possessed by the demon Tataka, Gabrielle now wears a costume that is yellow in color and looks as if it is a religious type of clothing.  Throughout the episode, she also wears dozens of strings of pearls crossing her chest and hips and an orange palsy shawl. Her eyes and brows were heavily made up, but they are gone once Tataka is defeated. Her finger and toenails are painted red. In the following episode, Gabrielle's hair is cut by the chakram to shoulder length and at the very end of the episode, her hair is a pixie cut. Her shirt is about the same size as the BGSB adorned and is yellow and her skirt is now completely different. She seems to have a light red material around the top of her legs and a yellow rag wrap around sari that ties in a knot around it. She wears red wristbands and she is almost all the time barefooted whilst wearing this costume (Rarely seen with sandals). She also has various Henna tattoos, which make their final appearance in "Endgame". While in the next episode, she disposes of her fighting staff for good. The costume makes its last appearance before Gabrielle and Xena are crucified in loincloths.

"Chakram" to "The Haunting of Amphipolis"

Gabrielle's costume is now brown in color and more 'Warrior-Like'. It looks like it is of African descent, judging by the patterning. She wears silver gauntlets and has two leather straps at the top of her arms. She was a black corded necklace with hollow metal (silver) oval-shaped beads with a round metal one in the middle. Her upper torso has a brown sports bra, with multicolored patterning. It has small beaded strings hanging from the base of it. She also wears brown shorts and a leather belt that matches the upper torso. Her boots have leather straps coiled around them, which is where she keeps her Sais.  When in colder climates, she wears a tan and white suede duster. Her hair is somewhat longer now. It's last seen in the season 6 episode The Haunting of Amphipolis, when it's ripped up by zombies.

"Heart of Darkness" to "A Friend in Need II"

Gabrielle's final costume was first introduced in "Heart of Darkness". She wears this for the majority of Season Six (XWP). This costume is almost identical to the previous one, but is darker, giving it a red color, with slightly different patterns and no longer has beads. The shirt and shorts are both shorter and there is no leather belt. Instead, she has a silver and black belt and a new necklace that has larger, round ornamented silver colored beads possibly with a Mehndi flower-like design with a leaf-shaped bead in the middle and a single silver band on her right arm. The boots and gauntlets remain untouched. Her hair is now in a shag-above the shoulders cut. It's last seen when she's last seen in the final episode, A Friend in Need Part 2. At this time, she finally has mastered the chakram and inherits it from Xena after her death.

Galleries

Costumes

Gabrielle in her blue farm-hand costume. This was worn from "Sins of the Past" to "Hooves and Harlots". (XWP: "Sins of the Past")

Gabrielle with her Staff and Amazon attire, which was worn in "Death in Chains" and "Hooves and Harlots". (XWP: "Hooves and Harlots")

Gabrielle wore this modified Amazon costume from "The Black Wolf" until the end of Season One (XWP: "Mortal Beloved")

The first of Gabrielle's infamous BGSB, which she wore for the whole of Season Two and the first two episodes of Season Three (XWP: "Ten Little Warlords")

Gabrielle's second BGSB. This was worn from "The Dirty Half Dozen" to "Devi". (XWP: "Fins, Femmes and Gems")

Gabrielle's yellow Indian costume. This was worn from "Devi" to "The Ides of March". (XWP: "The Ides of March")

Gabrielle with the costume that she wore from "Chakram" to "The Haunting of Amphipolis". (XWP: "Amphipolis Under Siege")

Gabrielle with her final costume. She wore this from "Heart of Darkness" to the end of the show. (XWP: "Many Happy Returns")

The tunic Gabrielle wore while she was kidnapped by Xena, at the begining of the chapter The Bitter Suite (XWP: "The Bitter Suite")

Gabrielle dressed up as Miss Amphipolis' manager (XWP: "Here She Comes... Miss Amphipolis")

Gabrielle as queen of Northen amazon tribe

Friends

Gabrielle and Xena. (XWP: "The Price")

Gabrielle and Joxer. (XWP: "Forget Me Not")

Gabrielle and Iolaus. (XWP: "Prometheus")

Gabrielle and Ares. (XWP: "Sacrifice I")

Gabrielle and Aphrodite (XWP: "The God you Know")

Gabrielle and Ephiny (XWP: "The Quest")

Gabrielle and Autolycus (XWP: "The Quest")

Gabrielle and Draco (XWP: "A Comedy of Eros")

Gabrielle and Brunhilda (XWP: "The Rheingold")

Gabrielle and Meleager (XWP: "The Execution")

Gabrielle and Najara (XWP)

Gabrielle and Joxer (XWP)

Gabrielle and Xena (XWP)

Gabrielle and Salmoneus (XWP)

Gabrielle, Xena and Joxer (XWP)

Grabrielle, her mother Hecuba and her sister Lila. (XWP: "Sins of the Past")

Gabrielle, Autolycus and Xena (XWP)

Gabrielle and Ephiny (XWP)

Gabrielle and Xena (XWP)

Gabrielle and Xena (XWP)

Gabrielle and Argo (XWP)

Gabrielle and Autolycus (XWP)

Grabrielle and Joxer (XWP: "The Bitter Suite")

Gabrielle and the wounded Amazon Princess Terreis (XWP: "Hooves and Harlots")

Gabrielle and Argo (XWP)

Gabrielle and Eli (XWP)

Gabrielle's descendant -Janice Covington- and Xena's descendant -Melinda Pappas (XWP: "The Xena Scrolls")

Gabrielle and Joxer (XWP)

gabrielle as queen of Telaquire amazon tribe

Foes

Gabrielle and Thersites (XWP: "A Fistful of Dinars")

Gabrielle and Callisto (XWP: "Return of Callisto")

Gabrielle and Velasca (XWP: "The Quest")

Gabrielle and Dahak (XWP: "The Deliverer")

Gabrielle and Meridian (XWP: "The Deliverer")

Gabrielle and Krafstar (XWP: "The Deliverer")

Gabrielle, Krafstar and Julius Caesar (XWP: "The Deliverer")

Gabrielle and Ming T'ien (XWP: "The Debt II")

Gabrielle and Ares (XWP: "Forget Me Not")

Gabrielle and Hope (XWP: "Sacrifice II")

Gabrielle and the Destroyer (XWP: "A Family Affair")

Gabrielle and Najara (XWP: "Crusader")

Gabrielle and Draco (XWP: "Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire")

Gabrielle and the Furies (XWP: "Motherhood")

Gabrielle and Gurkhan (XWP: "Who's Gurkhan?")

Gabrielle and Morimoto (XWP: "A Friend in Need Part II")

Gabrielle In (XWP: "Return of theValkyrie")

Characterization

Despite Gabrielle's ascendancy as a warrior, her role as a bard remains important. About a year into her travels with Xena, her scrolls about Xena's exploits begin to gain popularity, apparently helping, according to Ares, turn Xena into a legend. After their 25-year sleep, Gabrielle finds out that her stories had been read as far away as North Africa where they were popular among nomad tribes. According to two episodes set in modern times, Gabrielle's scrolls were preserved for thousands of years. One set of scrolls was discovered by archaeologists. They found their way to Hollywood, where they formed the basis of the television series. Another scroll was discovered by treasure hunters and purported to prove a marriage between Ares and Xena. The episode featured the modern reincarnations of Gabrielle, Xena, Joxer and Ares.

Appearances

Mentions and references

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

1. "Men in Pink" (mentioned)
2. "Armageddon Now"

Xena: Warrior Princess

1. "The Xena Scrolls (mentioned, see Janice Covington)
2. "Adventures in the Sin Trade" (mentioned, archive footage, voice heard)
3. "Adventures in the Sin Trade II" (mentioned, archive footage, cameo)
4. "Deja Vu All Over Again" (mentioned, archive footage, see Mattie Merrill)
5. "Send in the Clones" (mentioned, archive footage, see Gabrielle's Clone)
6. "Soul Possession" (mentioned, archive footage, see Mattie Merrill)

Background Information

Behind the Scenes

• Gabrielle is one of the five characters to have appeared in every season of Xena: Warrior Princess. The other four are Xena, Cyrene, Ares, and Joxer.
• Gabrielle has appeared in a total of 8 seasons of both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess combined.
• Sunny Doench was originally cast as Gabrielle, but she did not want to leave her boyfriend in the United States, so the role was given to O'Connor.
• Renne O'Connor had appeared in Hercules and the Lost Kingdom as a different character, before taking on the role of Gabrielle.
• Gabrielle had the last line of the Xena: Warrior Princess: "I knew you'd say that".
• Renee O'Connor was pregnant during the filming of "A Friend in Need Part II".
• As well as playing Gabrielle, O'Connor also plays Janis Covington, Mattie Merrill and the adult version of her on-screen daughter Hope.

Trivia

• Gabrielle is one of the four characters to have successfully thrown and caught the Chakram. The other three are Callisto, Xena and Eve.
• Gabrielle was born with six toes on her right foot. It was removed at birth.
• Hints were often dropped throughout Xena: Warrior Princess of a romantic relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Although never confirmed, many fans believe that this is true. In the episode "You Are There", a reporter from modern-day, Nigel, put to them the question of whether or not they were in fact lovers, followed by the camera cutting out and the answer left unheard.
• Gabrielle suffers from severe sea-sickness.
• "Gabrielle" is not a name that would have been found in ancient Greece. It is the French and English feminine form of "Gabriel", a Hebrew name associated with a prominent archangel.

Historical Events

Along with Xena, Gabrielle also played a pivotal role in history and witnessed famous events:

Season One

• Met the granddaughter of Pandora and opened her box, only to realize that it was empty.
• Accidentally released the Titans, Hyperion, Theia, and Crias from their deep slumber.
• Played a role in releasing Prometheus from his eternal torment.
• Witnessed the infamous infiltration of the Greeks, during the Trojan War, concealed inside the Wooden Horse.
• Applied for a place at the Athens Academy for Performing Bards and was accepted, although turned the offer down to continue on the road.
• Encouraged and gave story-telling advice to Homer.

Gabrielle being impregnated with Hope in "The Deliverer"

• Amongst the people who found the Samarian Treasure and The Titans Key.
• Along with Xena and Autolycus, found the Ark of the Covenant.
• Witnessed the end of the civil war between the Thessally and Mitoa.

Season Two

• Witnessed what would of become Ixion's hell on Earth, and its death.
• Witnessed the war between the Philistines and the Israelites.
• Witnessed David of the Israelites kill Goliath.
• Witnessed the death of Bacchus, after becoming a Bacchae herself.
• Inadvertantly invented the theme for Jingle Bells.
• Along with Xena and Senticles, she staged the main plot of "A Christmas Carol", where the three ghosts visit a tyrant king (who resembles Ebenezer Scrooge, in the sense that he doesn't celebrate Christmas).
• Successfully pioneers the custom of Santa Claus bringing down gifts during Solstice Eve, by encouraging Senticles to hand out toys to children in the kingdom where winter celebrations are banned.
• Gave a donkey to a traveling couple, of which the female is heavily pregnant, which resembles the story of the creation of Christianity (Mary and Joseph travel on a donkey to Bethleham and give birth on Christmas Day).
• Noticed that the Big Dipper looks like a Bear, presumably leading eventually to its Latin name Ursa Major.
• Assisted Ulysses in avoiding Poseidon while returning to Ithaca.
• Postulated the Theory of evolution.
• Met Cecrops, the Lost Mariner, and helped him escape Poseidon's curse.
• Coined the phrase "Love is Blind".

Season Three

• Postulated atomic theory.
• Impregnated with the child of Dahak.
• Witnessed the formation of Stone Henge.
• Gave birth to the child of Dahak.
• Prevented an assassination attempt on Queen Cleopatra.
• Created of the game of charades.
• Witnessed and half-assisted in defeating the Persian Army.
• Was the catalyst of the death of Crassus of Rome.
• Helped to rescue Vercinix of Gaul.
• Helped to put the North Star in the sky.

Season Four

• Assisted in taking down the Scythian Army.

Gabrielle, saved from Hell and reformed as an Archangel in "Fallen Angel"

*Thought up the idea of Cinderella.

• Thought up the idea of "Pinocchio".
• Possessed by the Spirit of Tataka.
• Waged war against the Romans, which led to Pompey's death.
• Crucified by Julius Caesar.

Season Five

• Accidentally sent to Hell and became a Demon.
• Became an Archangel.
• Travelled to the Spirit world.
• Stole Castor and Pollux's twins Seperation Potion.
• Punished by Lachrymose, God of Despair.
• Stole and wore the Helmet of Invisibility.
• Witnessed the death of Zeus.
• Postualted the idea of the clock.
• Witnessed the death of Mark Antony.
• Killed Brutus of Rome.
• Witnessed the death of Discord, Goddess of Chaos.
• Witnessed the death of Poseidon, God of the Sea and Natural Disasters.
• Witnessed the death of Hephestus, God of Arts and Crafts.
• Driven to murderer by the Furies.
• Was struck in the head by Xena's Chakram.
• Died for the third time for a short while until Ares brought her back to life.

Season Six

• Witnessed the death of The Furies.
• Witnessed the death of Mephistopheles.
• Met the Archangel and later Royal Ruler of Hell, Lucifer.
• Witnessed Lucifer turn into the King of Hell and put in his rightful place.
• Met Beowulf of Norse Mythology.
• Witnessed the suicide of Caligula of Rome.
• Destroyed the loom of the fates.
• Caught Xena's chakram.

See Also

• Dahak
• Hope
• The Destroyer
• The Gab-Drag

External Links

• Gabrielle on Wikipedia
• Gabrielle on IMDb

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