Page 9
21 Tributes
From: "Stacey Hauser"
Email: shauser10@home.com
Date: Saturday, June 23, 2001 6:03 AM
My Tribute:
Anyone who has ever watched Xena Warrior Princess, probably without a doubt, can consider themselves die-hard fans. I for one am truly a fan since that very day I accidentally stopped on a channel with a leather clad warrior woman kicking some major butt.
I'll begin with 'WHAT A SHOW'!! I tuned into Xena Warrior Princess during Season Two with 'Destiny' and 'The Quest'. I was quickly enthralled by what I saw. I knew from the very day, that very moment I would be hooked for future years to come to say the least. It was a show I never had seen before and it was definitely appealing. Two strong female characters, lots of adventure and action. Main-text plots melding into sub-text plots etc. The list is endless. Thus from that very day I would set out for that one day a week, that one hour to enjoy a show like no other. I have been wonderfully entertained and I couldn't ask for anything more than what the show has given me.
I am truly saddened by the aspect of Xena Warrior Princess's departure. Thank the gods for endless VCR tape and re-runs. This show will be missed by many fellow Xenites across the lands. I give gracious thanks to the entire working crew of Xena Warrior Princess. Many thanks to Lucy Lawless and Renee' O'Connor for their talents and taking the show to its ultimate limits. Also a wonderful thank you to Xena and Gabrielle for coming into our lives and sharing with us their joys, sorrows, hopes, dreams, friendship, and their love. They taught each other so much and also taught us a few things along the way.
With a tear in my eye I say my farewells to Xena and Gabrielle and carry in my heart the memories the show has given me. Thank you for sharing your journeys with us. It truly has been a remarkable ride. You all will be surely missed.
Thanks for reading my fellow Xenite fans.
Stacey Hauser
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
From: "Lore Schindler"
Email: lschind@netzero.net
Date: Monday, June 18, 2001 2:27 PM
After listening to Scott Simon's interview on NPR, I
decided I had to throw my 2 cents in, and not let this opportunity pass: THANK YOU so much
for the past 6 years! I enjoyed everything about the show, but particularly the humor, the
daring and the music. Joseph LoDuca deserves a lot of credit for enhancing the mood of the
shows. I wish everyone involved with the show the very best in the future--happiness and
success. You've entertained a lot of people, and will continue to do so in syndication.
Ms. Lawless and Ms. O'Connor, you were both terrific in your roles, and I hope we will see
you in the future. Mr. Tapert and Mr. Raimi, we'll wait for your next creative endeavor!
Lore
From: capricorn302@webtv.net
To: <ausxip@optushome.com.au>
Date: Monday, June 18, 2001 6:11 AM
Dear Lucy and Renee,
I don't know if there are words to adequately thank you for
the last 6
years. If there are, I certainly can not find them.
You have filled a void in my empty life, and now, as the
show is coming
to an end, I feel that emptiness returning. How will I go on without
you?
I wish there could have been at least one more season, but
then I would
have asked for another and then another.... It's hard to let go of
something that brings so much pleasure and fulfillment.
You were the perfect Xena and Gabrielle. No one else could
have filled
those roles. You ARE the best. Thank you for giving so much of
yourselves. I will be forever grateful to you for putting meaning back
into my life when I needed it most.
I wish you both the best that life has to offer.
Sincerely, Holly
From: "slhagen72"
Email: slhagen72@netzero.net
Date: Friday, June 15, 2001 1:39 PM
Dear Lucy and Reneι,
I feel very compelled to write and tell you both how much I
have enjoyed
watching the show, Xena: Warrior Princess, for the past 6 months. I have
never written a fan letter before, and feel kind of strange writing this
one. I have had eight brain surgeries since January 1999, and for the past 6
months I have been bed ridden and living with my mum and step-dad. Since
being bed ridden for these past 6 months, I have had the opportunity to
watch Xena on the Oxygen channel, as well as the current season. The
characters that you portray on the show have shown me how much strength
women can have.
But, before I can say thank you, I first need to tell you
my story. I am a
single 28 year old female, and have lived on my own since I was 18. After
high school I decided to leave my mum’s house and venture out on my own. My
parent’s divorced when I was 9, after years of physical abuse from my
father. The final straw for my mum was when my father hit me, because I had
brought home a bad grade, and my mum thought he had broken my neck. My older
sister and I grew up with practically nothing (except a very loving mum and
grandparents), as my father was in the military and refused to pay child
support and my mum had no education past high school.
I attended nursing school, as had been my dream since I could talk. After
several years of working in my dream profession, and saving up enough money,
I decided to take a trip to California to see a dear friend of mine. When I
got off the plane, I developed a headache that I could not get rid of the
whole time I was there. When I got back to North Carolina (where I was
living at the time) I went to see my family doctor. After finding nothing
wrong, I went to my eye doctor. While I was there I received the most
frightening news. I was told I had Pseudotumor Cerebri, or PTC, which
basically means a false tumor of the brain. In essence, I make too much
spinal fluid and my body can not get rid of it fast enough. This disease can
cause severe headaches, can lead to blindness, deafness, dizziness, nausea,
balance problems, and many more things.
I was told that I would need to see a neurologist
immediately. I saw the
neurologist the following day, had a spinal tap, and was placed on
medication after the diagnosis was confirmed. I lived in daily pain from the
headaches, started getting spinal taps on a biweekly basis, continued taking
the medication, that can cause as many problems as it helps, and still
continued to work. I refused to give in to the pain and give up.
I lived like that for almost 2 ½ years. My eyesight was good, but after a
particular horrible visit to the eye doctor, I found out that my eyesight
was failing. I decided to have a lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt placed into my
spine that would drain the excess spinal fluid off my brain and into my
abdominal cavity. (A shunt is a tiny catheter, about the width of a
spaghetti noodle.) I had the first shunt placed in January 1999, with 5
revisions (and surgeries) in the next year and a half. I continued to have
headaches, but at least my eyesight was saved. After my last shunt surgery
in March 2000, I started developing numbness in my left hand. Thinking it
was just irritated nerves from the last surgery, I ignored it. That was the
wrong thing to do.
After several months of this, and the numbness getting
worse and spreading
up my arm, I went to my neurologist. I had a MRI on a Wednesday, found out I
had Arnold Chiari Malformation with a syrnix (a fluid filled sac within the
spinal column) on Thursday, and was in surgery on Friday. I was told that if
I had waited any longer, the nerve damage would have gotten worse and spread
down the spine (because this fluid filled sac was pinching nerves and
killing them off) and that I could have been permanently paralyzed. Arnold
Chiari Malformation, or ACM, is where the brain stem herniates (falls down)
into the spinal column. This can cause headaches, dizziness, and double
vision. It can also cause sudden death if left untreated. The surgery I had
in July 2000 was for this malformation. The neurosurgeon had to remove about
3-4 inches of my skull, from the back and base of my head, and my first
vertebrae. The surgery was intense and caused excruciating pain. I was in a
drug-induced coma for 2 days, and in the hospital for about a week and a
half with this surgery.
After coming home, I continued to have headaches. Since I knew what could
happen if I ignored this, I called my neurosurgeon. I had another MRI and
this showed nothing. My neurosurgeon consulted with a pediatric
neurosurgeon, and he knew immediately what was wrong. The shunt that I had
in my spine was pulling the fluid from the bottom and was causing my brain
to fall back down into my spinal column. In October 2000, I had the
lumboperitoneal shunt removed and a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placed
inside my brain, down my neck and into my abdominal cavity. This would pull
the spinal fluid from the top of my head and would drain the fluid off. They
hoped that this shunt would allow my brain to not get "sucked" back down
into my spinal column.
When I found out that I would need the "major" operation for the
malformation in July 2000, I was FIRED from my dream job. After the last
surgery in October 2000, I found out I was going to lose my apartment. Not
but a few days after I was discharged from the hospital, following the
latest surgery, I developed a spinal fluid leak and almost died once again.
I ended up being admitted into the hospital and was there for a week on
strict bed-rest and minor surgery to repair the hole in my spinal column.
My mum and step-dad picked me up from the hospital, packed
up my apartment,
and moved me to Tennessee to live with them. My mum wanted me closer to her
so that she could take care of me because my short-term memory was getting
bad. I was having trouble keeping house, I would forget to eat, I would
forget to pay bills, etc. I was so "out of it" that no one knew I was
leaking the spinal fluid until my mum called me, from her home in Tennessee,
and I didn’t know who I was. After being here for 2 months, my car was
repossessed. I was okay with that because I was not able to drive at that
time.
While I was here recovering, I stumbled upon the Oxygen
channel. That is
where I saw X:WP for the first time. While watching this show, I saw how
strong women could be. I had never watched the show before this because
nursing had been my life, and I never had time for anything other than that.
Since I have been here 6 months now, I have been watching almost every day,
and if not, I try and tape the show.
The past few weeks I have been very, very depressed. This
has been the
darkest part of my life; even beating out the abuse I suffered at the hands
of my father. Several times, these past few weeks, I have thought about
suicide. But, I was raised to think that suicide is a sin and resulted in
immediate death in hell. So thinking that, I could never go through with it.
I was at a point where I didn’t care if I went to hell anymore and was going
to go through with it. I thought, "I have plenty of pain medication to do
it", but again I started thinking about hell. Plus I started to realize that
I want to live even though I have come to realize that I will never be able
to work as a nurse again. I have applied for disability, but because these
diseases are so rare, no one knows much about them, and I am having trouble
getting approved. I have also come to realize that I will have to live with
chronic daily pain, headaches, and have no feeling and little use of my left
hand and arm. Even though I realize there is no cure for either disease, and
that this will be a life long fight, I will fight and survive.
So, again, I just want to say "THANK YOU" for the
work you two do on the
show. Thank you for showing to women that they can fight (and kick ass) for
what they want and that we can survive. Thank you for showing me the true
meaning of friendship, as I have lost many friends since being sick. And
also, thank you for showing me that there is that one "soul-mate" out there
for me, and for everyone else. That gives me hope that one day I will find
my soul mate that will overlook my faults (and scars). Because I CAN AND
WILL SURVIVE, and I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
Thank you for all you do,
Stacie Hagen
slhagen@hotmail.com
From: "Stephen Calder"
Date: Thursday, June 14, 2001 3:07 AM
You cant always get what you want But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need. Thank you R.T., L.L., R.O., T.R. and all else involved in the production, filming, editing, stunt work, etc. of Xena Warrior Princess. If indeed art imitates life, then this show showed us that you cant fully please everyone. And who would want that. Rob had it right, Leave things to the imagination. Xena and Gabrielle are what you want in your imagination. Lucy and Renee are who they are in their life. Mother's (congrads Renee), caring individuals, and Actresses. Adios, sweet Princess, goodnight eloquent Bard.
From: "Minerva Lagarde"
Email: minerval@hotmail.com
Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2001 1:46 AM
There's just so many things I want to say, about how the show has affected my life and how much it means to me... I don't know where to begin. I remember seeing an episode of the show (one of the second season's, I think) during my college days and thinking how wonderful it must be to have a friendship just like xena and gabrielle's. Of course, when I saw them kissing (well, almost!) I thought.... Cool ! I nearly fell off my seat there! It was a shocker since it was "technically" the first episode I saw from start to finish.
Anyway, I love the show and am sad to see it end. The show will be sorely missed. And I would have taken my hat off had I bothered wearing one to the two great actresses that lead the show... Lucy and Renee. Its a pleasure watching them work. Us being treated to six years of their talent was amazing!!!
To Renee, Lucy, and Rob, thank you for all the hard work,
dedication, and inspiration you've put in the show. I look forward to seeing your new
endeavors be it individually or again as a team. I love you all.
MINSKY
From: "Juli Renee Gibson"
Email: julixena@hotmail.com
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2001 3:55 PM
For Lucy and Renee
WOW what to say, this show has been my strength, it has
given me humor, it has been the only thing on TV worth watching. I went from never
watching anything to slotting away my saturday nights just for "Xena"
I was hooked on Hercules and though i didnt watch it faithfully every saturday i loved it,
then one night i saw a episode called "The Warrior Princess" and where I had
previously routed for the good guys i was suddenly routing for Xena the villianess! Lucy
presence even then was so compelling she was "The Warrior Princess" over the
years her acting charisma grew until when she appeared on the screen she was the screen! I
was totally obsessed with Xena and although over the years the show had some rocky seasons
i remained faithful to the end! Then in the 2nd season the actrees Renee O'connor grew to
be more than my little sister sort of girl, Renee's acting persona is so that she
envelopes you and makes you love her no matter what she says or does. Over the years my
family and friends have likened me to Renee O'Connor, our features are alike same hair
color, same height, same body type and same eye color. I loved that my middle name was
Renee also. I dont agree witht the subtext stuff but the show fullfilled every thing you
could want from a show. Action, Love, friendship, and humor, (I even loved the musicals) I
have never decided who i liked more Gabrielle or Xena, and until the fifth season i would
have always answered Xena, but then Gabrielle grew to warrior status and suddenly you
could see she was Xena too. I loved that they made Renee's character so strong and that
they gave her weapons back. this show will be sorely missed but it will never end for me
because i have it all on tape and i can just start over anythime i want :) I hope Lucy and
Renee continue to provide us with their amazing talents and congrats!!!! to Renee on the
upcoming joy of motherhood.
I watched the ending show and i am not afraid to say i
cried, not that Xena died, her death was that of a warrior the way she wanted to die, but
that Gabrielle was alone now in the physical world, even though they protray her as going
off in the sunset with Xena's spirit, I just hope that she will find Virgil and marry him
:) and find Eve and live out her days close to the one link she has physically to the best
friend she will and we will ever see again. I commend Rob Tapert on giving Xena a fitting
end and to sharing with us his dream his wonderful story of "Xena Warrior
Princess" and that of the fantastic " Warrior Bard Queeen of the Amazons
Gabrielle"
May they always reside in our hearts like Xena does in Gabrielle's.
Battle On
Thankyou Lucy and Renee for 6 awesome years!
Juli Renee Gibson
From: "Beth Curtis"
Email: bcurtis@surfsouth.com
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2001 2:20 AM
I just want to thank Lucy & Renee for portraying
strong, independent
women - for being a good role model for the rest of us! It's too bad
there will be no new episodes, but I look forward to Lucy & Renee's
future endeavors. They'll always have a fan in me. We can still BATTLE
ON via fan fiction, at least!
Beth Curtis, Valdosta, GA
From: "user8797"
Email: user8797@qwest.net
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 5:04 AM
There really isn't anything I can say that all the other
fans haven't
said already. I can say this though.
"From the first time that we say these two women on
screen together we
knew that there was some kind of connection between them. That
connection took flight and brought a whole new level to the relationship
between Xena and Gabrielle. They have brought a whole new idea to
televsion and to entertainment. Two women fighting not only for
themselves, but all who need help. Two women who are willing to fight
and die for what they believe. Lucy and Renee brought Xena and
Gabrielle to life and into our hearts in a way that nothing can
replace. Two actresses who not only give us a peak into the lives and
Xena and Gabrielle, but also into their own hearts and their friendship
that they share. Never before have fans felt so close to two people.
All we can hope to do is return the love and dedication given to us by
these to great women. They have won a place in our hearts for all time
and we will continue to support them because they would do the same for
us. Lucy and Renee we love you both more than you know. Good luck in
your future endevors and God Bless you in all that you do."
Love always,
Tasha
From: "Bonnie Glaenzer"
Email: berlinpup@yahoo.de
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 4:38 AM
What does X:WP mean to me? Well. I've been sitting
here for a while now pondering that question ...
I haven't seen the enders yet (hell, in Germany we
haven't seen anything from Season Six yet) but when I
read all the spoilers I sat down and cried. Cried for
the love those two women shared, cried for the love
they gave us all. In the end, my tears are tears of
bittersweet happiness because I've never seen a TV
show that gave me so much.
X:WP gave me a little jolt of happiness with (almost)
every new ep, it gave me fan fic and - most important
of all - it gave me new friends all over the world.
Some of the best days of my life were spent with very
warm and very loving people that I met online. People
who I feel will still be there when the show has
finally completely ended (even here in the backwoods
of the Xenaverse).
My sincere thanks and a lot of love go to Lucy Lawless
and Renee O'Connor. I think I fell in love with Lucy's
portrayal of Xena the first time I ever saw her, and I
came to love Renee as Gabrielle very very soon
afterwards. I loved watching these characters grow
(especially Gabrielle/Renee) and build a relationship
based on mutual respect, love and understanding.
I also want to thank Rob Tapert for giving us a vision
of two strong women and what they can achieve
together, for nurturing our belief in a loving prime
time lesbian relationship (I've never had any doubts
whatsoever...).
Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank all of
the bards of the Xenaverse for giving me pleasure
beyond belief, for robbing me of my sleep at night,
for letting me laugh, cry and melt away at your
wonderful words, and for giving me different
perspectives on the characters we all share a love
for.
I'll gladly be playing my video tapes of Xena: Warrior
Princess for years to come.
Love,
Bonnie
(a.k.a. Berlinpup)
From: "Kathy Neville"
Email: kat@4dmatrix.com
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 2:55 AM
After the last couple of days of spoilers, and despair, I
sat in my office and
looked around at the shrine I had so lovingly created to remind me everyday
of the effect that Xena Warrior Princess has had in my life.
I wanted to be angry, I wanted to cry and swear nasty
things about Rob Tapert,
and stomp my feet and howl...
But, I can't. It wouldn't be right...because all he did is
end the show.
In the manner that
he chose...
He did not take away the friends I've made, he did not take
away the
renewed love in my relationship, nurtured by the lessons we learned from our mutual
obsession with fan fiction.
He also did not take away my ability to write, speak, love, see or feel any
of the emotions that make us what we are...a rather large, unruly bunch of Hard Core
"Mushy" Nutballs that shared and hopefully will still share a common bond.
Whether it be the bond of admiration for the Warrior and her Bard, or the bond of
community, and a willingness to share our lives with each other, and care and concern for
our collective futures.
So, a tip of my hat, a raised eyebrow and a kiss on the
cheek to Renee,
Lucy, Rob and each and every one of the folks that worked so very hard the last few years
to bring us Xena Warrior Princess...the likes of something I never would have thought to
be a part of in my entire lifetime. I thank them wholeheartedly. I will miss
sharing my week with them. I will not however lose the inspiration they have given me. I
will write however badly, I will love however clumsily, I will speak my mind, share my
thoughts, and spill my tears....but I will never forget this whole experience.
Thank you...thank you all....
Kat
From: "Cheryl Ande"
Email: cande@sunlink.net
Date: Thursday, June 14, 2001 8:51 AM
I remember very well the first time I saw Xena. It was when the show was first being
advertised and I just knew that this program was for me. I watched the first episode and
have been hooked ever since. Unlike most shows Xena has only gotten better. It has never
been content to stick to a safe formula it challanged the audience by it's contoversial
plotlines and ever developing characters. It's two stars Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor
are the finest actresses an TV today - playing tragedy and comedy with equal ease. They
have taken their characters and developed them into icons and they will always remembered
for them. I am sure that these two woman will be equally successful in all their future
careers whatever paths they choose.
Xena is the first show that portrayed women as the masters of their own fates - not dependent on men for their salvation or their happiness. It did this without male bashing or anykind of strident feminism. It merely showed women getting on with their lives - treated as equals by the men around them. Seldom, if ever, were our heroines ever told they couldn't do something because they were women. Their competence was taken for granted by all who met them - women and men. That was truly groundbreaking.
Last but not least Xena has always been entertaining. It's been a joy to watch and it will be truly missed. I thank the cast and crew for all the enjoyment they have given me and all their fans.
Cheryl Ande
From: "ForevaXena"
Email: ForevaXena@forevaxena.com
Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 12:15 AM
Slide show
http://www.forevaxena.com/multimedia/slideshows/slideshows.html#osd
From: <Zorahh>
Email: bwolf9@hotmail.com
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 7:45 PM
Subject: Tributes Submission
Tribute: What fun and escape this show brought! My thanks go to everyone
involved in the show. From Tapert to the extras. A lot of hard work and
dedication shined through every episode. Memorable moments that will stay
with us forever!
From: <Karen, aka miss_warriorintraining >
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 6:16 PM Subject: Tributes Submission
Tribute: Xena has been a great tv show and the best one I ever watched.I have been watching it since 1995 when I was channel surfing.
When I was watching the show, it felt like I went through the adventures the characters went through. Through good times and sad times and when they fought to save people's lives. Even though Xena is over it will not be over in my heart.
I want to thank Lucy, Renee, Rob and other cast and crew for making the show the best one I ever saw. To make this short, I would like to say good luck to Lucy and Renee with their families and what lies ahead.
Battle On! Karen aka miss_warriorintraining
From: <Sarah Schweitzer>
Email: schweitz@iastate.edu
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 12:14 PM
Tribute: I have lurked in the Xenaverse for over four years, hoping that the
show would not end. That i would have the friends I met on the way forever.
That I would have the chance to go to conventions, and to meet the stars,
and i never have. Living in Iowa will do that. And now we stand at the end
of an era. Where a new genra of Television has been created. Where a new
forum for fiction has been refined. I sit here now at the front of this
screen and wonder why i have devoted years to a television show that ten
years from now will be a distant memory. The reason is friendship, sitting
around with 15 people watching the seasons roll by. Laughing as my fiend
Lynnette throws her shoe at the screen when Najara tries to steal Gabrielle.
Its cooking dinner for twelve people on Sunday night, so they can watch Xena
kick butt as a group.
All these reasons and many more are why I will be sad to see Xena:
Warrior Princess come to an end. We will all go our own ways. But we will
always have Xena.
Battle on folks, we all earned it.
From: Richard Kloosterboer
Email: torbaykiwi@icqmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 6:27 AM
URL: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/another-xena-fanclub
Tribute: Every few years or so there is a Television series
that I felt
emotionaly linked to. One such a show was 'V: The Final Battle'. I taped the
mini-series right through every season, bought every book on it. Well, that
was the mid 1980s. Apart from Star Trek, my emotional gap was filled with
Babylon 5. The final episode of that show had me sad for several weeks.
Then Xena flipped onto my TV screen. It was Sins of the Past that got me
hooked. I figured out the story arcs and the way the writers kept the
viewers guessing. The twists and turns, on edge entertainment, loyalty and
unending love that no other show would dare to explore. When Greece was too
small, Xena and Gabrielle travelled other countries, explored vastly
different cultures and played on every cult and religion.
So now I'll leave you with my favorite verse from Bitter Suite:
Xena: I never dreamed that we'd be distanced by our hate,
that all the trust
we had would go.
Gabrielle: How could I hate you.
Xena: How could it come to pass, This awful twist of fate.
Gabrielle: How could I hurt you.
Xena: This madness can't be so.
Gabrielle: I can't believe it.
Xena: I never dreamed that any barriers could rise.
Gabrielle: Or that I'd ever see the stranger in your eyes.
Xena: Our hearts were hurting both the same.
Gabrielle: The hurt was tearing up our souls.
Xena: The fury in us made us blind.
Gabrielle: We could not see beyond the pain.
Xena: If we can turn again to love.
Gabrielle: If we can heal these open wounds.
Xena: We'll leave this hatred far behind.
Gabrielle: So not a trace of hate remains.
Both: We'll overcome our damaged past
And we'll go stronger side by side
To stand together through the storms
We're safe cause love will be our guide
Xena and Gabrielle - My sword is yours
From: bezalel
Email: bezalel@xenafan.com
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 2:15 PM
Tribute: One of my friends came to my room recently, looked around and said:
"Oh well, I love the way you have managed to combine Gauguin's artwork with
Xena's poster!". And it is really funny if you think about it! I love
Gauguin! There are many pieces of his art to my room and next to them, there
it is, the portrait of my favourite warrior princess. And the pictures of
Gabrielle with her sais on my library next to my Canon camera.
Well, for me the show is like a portal to another world.
It's a pathway to a
new dimension: A world unlike ours, a distant paradise. I used to watch the
show at first for the beautyful scenery! I just love NZ. The tropical
wilderness and the unique forests make me feel alive and active! It's a
never-ending beauty! The plant and animal life, the variety of spicies...
Watching New Zealand's landscapes and natural attractions for me is the
ultimate expression of life on earth! Endless pleasure for the eye! I simply
could not resist to that! And neither to the show!
So to my knowledge, a Xenite really lives between two
worlds, the world of
myths and legends and the world of his everyday life. I've seen posts on the
Internet such as "Was Xena real? Like Hercules and all?". As a Greek I've
done my history and mythology to know that Xena was not real. Of course,
Ares, Zeus, Hera, Hades, Hercules, Uleesees all play a significant role in
Greek Mythology. Xena wasn't called by Helen of Troy to the Troyan war,
neither did she help Uleesees to claim back his throne. There are no Xena
scrolls. The only thing Xena and greek mythology have in common is that they
are both fictional. Note here that amazons really existed and were propably
lesbians (that's a historical fact).
In the world of myths and legends, we Xenites like to
imagine that we have
an alter-ego, perhaps an amazon or even a warlord or a bard if you like.
Anything is possible. The thing is, we live in harmony there. A simple,
maybe naive harmony. That harmony could even mirror to our present. It's the
alter-life that we seek, unsatisfied by our current state of leaving, tired
by our comfortable lives we desire to live the life that we have envisioned.
And it is so hard to make that big step. But watching Xena and Gabrielle's
adventures every week is like being one step closer to what we want to
achieve.
I've read about desperate people, people with health
problems that have
gainned strength and hope from the series. It sounds weird but it is the
truth. What other show has done that?
It's common truth that XWP has a very big influence amongst
it's fans. I
often see posts from young girls saying "Thank you Xena for making me
understand I am a lesbian!". Now. Wait a minute! XWP will not tell you who
you are! You know yourself! You don't need to watch Xena and Gabrielle on TV
to understand you are a lesbian yourself! Please girls, a TV series will not
reveal your sexual identity to you! Pls be carefull!
In case anyone got this the wrong way, I'm not saying it's
a bad thing to be
a lesbian. I respect other people's sexual likings. But it is certainly bad
to be influenced by a TV series and become someone who you're not.
Ok, so I should close this 'cause it's getting a little big
isn't it?
************MY BIG THANKS************
LL is the most talented actress I've ever seen! She changed
her accent, her
skin color, her hair and managed to portray a Greek female warrior so
inventively and with such a profesionalism that most people stared to the
results!
My favourite actress in the show is ROC who really
ROCKS!!!!! GO-GO-GO
GIRL!!!!!
I just love them both! I hope we 'll get to see them
sometime in Greece too!
(Though I doubt that!).
The rest of the cast were simply great! All capable actors
who made
memorable appearances on the screen!
Adrienne Wilkinson was the best EVE/Livia that could be! We
love you girl!!!
:* I just think she deserved more appearances on the show!
May I say Alti was the best villain ever! Hudson Leick will
also stay in our
hearts in the role of Callisto! Timothy Omundson thank you for being a
remarkable Eli:)
Kevin Smith, you will remain unforgettable! You've played a
lovely god of
war! And oh god! Alexandra Tydings wasn't she the best goddess of love
ever??? We enjoyed you sooo much!!!
Ted Raimi my boyfriend says they should have filmed more
episodes like "For
him the bell tolls" ! After all you're so handsome :)
The crew did a lot of work all these years to satisfy the
fans! A big thanks
to all of them!
Ohhh! I'll never stop!!!! Finally, let me tell you how much
I liked Athena's
role! Paris Jefferson was the perfect Athena! Believe me! I'm Greek, I know!
:)
**********************************
Xena was the happiness that we seeked in a world far away
from ours. Now it
is maybe time to seek a happier life on our everyday world. The sun will
only set in on the Xenaverse. Xena might be dead but the hope and happiness
that brought us, will still live into our hearts forever.
P.S. And since we call ourselves Xenites let's do some
charity girls and
boys, help each other, help other Xenites that need us now that the show is
over! Let's continue what the show started! Battle on Xenites!
ΑΝΤΙΟ ΧΕΝΑ! ("ΑΝΤΙΟ":FAREWELL IN GREEK)
Zoe "bezalel" Marmara, member of the Unofficial
Greek Xena Fun Club and also
part of the rare (and unclassified) spieces of Greek Xenites
bezalel@xenafan.com
From: "Jessica Sander"
Email: xena4ever@web.de
Date: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:53 AM
Well, my English isn’t very good, but I hope I can
handle it....
I can’t remember the day when “I had been fallen in love” with this series,
but I know the episode which was going to change my life FOREVER and that was
“The Return of Callisto”.
On the same evening I wrote a letter to the German Xena Fan club, because I even
didn’t know the names of this two actress who put a spell on me at this afternoon. A
few weeks later a became a member of the German Xena Fan club and still I’ am…
for more then 4 years now.
Many friends of mine think that I’ am a little bit stupid or something like that,
because they don’t like Xena and they can’t believe why I watch it.
But I know…for me this is all a beautiful Love Story between Xena and Gabrielle.
It was their destiny to meet each other, and even if they never showed their real
feelings, everybody knows that they share more then a friendship. And now that I know what
will happen in the last Episode, I’ am very sad and very disappointed, too!
Like I said it was the destiny of Xena & Gabrielle to meet each other, it should been
their destiny either to spend their life together for eternity or to die together…but
not like that!!!
I just want a HAPPY ENDING …is it that too much ???
Anyway, I want to thank Lucy Lawless and Renee O’
Conner for playing Xena & Gabrielle in this incredible way.
Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi for creating this series.
All the writers of Xena, for the stories that made me laugh, cry and most of the time just
HAPPY.
And a special Thanks to MaryD for creating this beautiful
Website. It will be my favourite Page …Forever !!!!
Sincerely
Jessica Sander
P.S: XENA & GABRIELLE HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART FOREVER !!!!
From: "Julie G."
Email: kasatka@hotmail.com
Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 10:30 AM
"thank you tilly (argo) for all the years of
xena."
julie
From: FallenGabrielle@aol.com
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2001 5:04 AM
I've been a fan of Xena since the second episode Chariots
of War. I had been
completely blown away. A warrior woman in leather weilding a sword and a
blonde headed Sidekick?
It was so completely different from anything else I'd ever seen. I had been
reading the great fantasy novelists like Andre Norten and Mercedes Lackey who
spoke of female warriors, but never actually seen one untill 1995.
Over the years, I had been roleplaying, and found a community online devoted
to Xena. This isn't the Xenaverse, but a small group of people who took the
charachters and made them their own, adapting when necisarry. We all became
close friends, one of them even became a lover of mine for several years. We
all have seperated this year, seemingly in time with the show. ( Not to
mention the death of my car Xena this week, who seemed to have died with her
namesake..). But its funny how one show can implode into hundreds of fan
fictions, alternate lives etc. All because of what Renee O'Conner and Lucy
Lawless have poured their hearts and souls into.
I haven't seen part two yet, but have heard the roar of anger over the
internet, from friends, etc. But what matters the most is isn't if Gabrielle
never really loved Joxer...or they wait till Xena dies for that "real" kiss.
What matters is the passion it inspired in the hearts of the veiwers. And in
the Immortal words of Gabrielle in that very first episode..
" Take me with you.."
I believe all of us will take the show Xena: Warrior
Princess with us.
Thank you Lucy and Renee, and everyone else who made an a great show become
an amazing adventure that no one would have thought possible.
And thank you MaryD for providing many hours of fan fic,
montages and
information.
Brooke Shapiro
From: PhoenixS1003751@aol.com
Date: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 9:31 AM
I watched Xena from day one and at first I liked it because
of the strong
woman roll. It was a long trip through many adventures, learning about old
friends, and love of family. Thanks for connecting people from all over the
globe with a common bond and finding friends because you were so good. I wish
you the best in your future rolls as actress, wife and mother.
Thanks to AUSXIP for putting it all together.
--Debra--