Callisto
Hudson Leick as Callisto
First appearance The Greater Good (cameo) Callisto Last appearance Seeds of Faith Created by Robert Tapert
Statistics Name Callisto Occupation Warrior, Goddess Species Goddess, formerly Human Affiliation Ares, Hope Portrayed by  Hudson Leick, Lucy Lawless,[1]Rebecca Kopacka (young Callisto)[2]

Callisto is a fictional character portrayed by Hudson Leick. She is featured as a recurring villainess on the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess, along with a few appearances on the parent show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Download high resolution version (718x900, 63 KB)Callisto from the Xena series. ... Hudson Leick as Callisto in Xena: Warrior Princess. ... Robert Gerard Tapert (born May 14, 1955), sometimes credited as Rob Tapert, Robert G. Tapert, or Rip Tapert, is an American film producer, best known for his co-founding of, and his subsequent work with, the Renaissance Pictures company. ... 17th Century Brazilian Tapuia A warrior is a person habitually engaged in warfare. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture For the 1934 film, see, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture For the 1934 film, see, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... Ares, God of War is a character on the television shows Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, played by the late Kevin Smith. ... Hope is a fictional character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. ... Hudson Leick as Callisto in Xena: Warrior Princess. ... Lucy Lawless (born Lucille Frances Ryan on March 29, 1968 in Mount Albert, New Zealand) is a New Zealand actress and singer best known for her role as Xena on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess from 1995 to 2001. ... Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... Hudson Leick as Callisto in Xena: Warrior Princess. ... For other uses of the term, see Villain (disambiguation). ... Xena. ... Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a television series produced from 1995 to 1999, very loosely based on the tales of the classical culture hero Hercules. ...

Character description

A young Callisto is left forever traumatized after her village is torched and her family killed by Xena's army.

The relationship between Xena and Callisto goes far beyond a simple hero-villain antagonism; Callisto is Xena's nemesis, born out of her own dark past.^[3] Before Xena reforms,^[4] she was responsible for the death of Callisto's family when she had her army torch Callisto's village, Cirra.^[3] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For the dwarf planet formerly nicknamed Xena see Eris (dwarf planet). ... Kirra (Greek: Κίρρα), is a village in Phocis, central Greece. ...

Callisto, a child at the time, was left traumatized by the attack and eventually went insane and became obsessed with getting revenge on Xena. She displays signs of bipolar disorder and psychopathy, manifested in a bizarre brand of sadistic, gleeful, shrieking cruelty towards Xena and her associates. Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. ... Inmates at Bedlam Asylum, as portrayed by William Hogarth Insanity, or madness, is a semi-permanent, severe mental disorder typically stemming from a form of mental illness. ... Guðrún agitates her sons, Hamðir and Sörli, to avenge their sister. ... For other uses, see Bipolar. ... See Also: Antisocial Personality Disorder Theoretically, psychopathy is a three-faceted disorder involving interpersonal, affective and behavioral characteristics. ... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ...

Callisto intends to make Xena suffer as much as possible rather than killing her, and repeatedly lets chances to kill Xena pass by. This is reflected in Xena's own feelings of guilt that cause her, on several occasions, to spare her enemy's life as well. Part of the fandom see a BDSM-flavored erotic or love-hate subtext in the two characters' interactions. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // A collar is a common symbol in BDSM. Female bottom in bondage with leather monoglove BDSM is any of a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. ... A love-hate relationship is a personal relationship between humans or organizations, or figuratively between a human and an inanimate object, like a computer, a field of study, a body of ideas, or a profession, involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and enmity. ... Subtext is content of a book, play, film or television series which is not announced explicitly by the characters (or author) but is implicit or becomes something understood by the reader / viewer as the production unfolds. ...

Callisto feels constant emotional pain, which she thinks is caused by the loss of her family; she thinks that if she takes revenge, she will be free of the pain. But it probably comes mostly from having spent her life nurturing her hatred for Xena, because whenever she takes revenge she feels worse. By surrounding herself with her own evil, and feeding her hatred with guilt, she only increases the pain; by seeking revenge, she traps herself in a downward spiral that prevents her from healing. Exhibiting a classic martyr complex, she justifies herself by blaming her evil on Xena, and refuses to take responsibility for her own actions. Occasionally she tries to discuss the issues, perhaps hoping for another way out, but finds only Xena's watchful scepticism of her motives. Psychological pain refers to pain caused by psychological stress and by emotional trauma, as distinct from that caused by physiological injuries and syndromes. ... “Hatred” redirects here. ... In the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, an inferiority complex is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. ... Theory of justification is a part of epistemology that attempts to understand the justification of statements and beliefs. ... Almanac · Categories · Glossaries · Lists · Overviews · Portals · Questions · Site news · Index Art | Culture | Geography | Health | History | Mathematics | People | Philosophy | Science | Society | Technology Wikipedia is an encyclopedia written by its users in over 200 languages worldwide. ... Skepticism (Commonwealth spelling: Scepticism) can mean: Philosophical skepticism - a philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge; or Scientific skepticism - a scientific, or practical...

Character history

Vengeance

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, is she merely finishing the job which she started when she wrecked that little girl's life? In her first episode,^[3] 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.^[3] She hands her over to the authorities, who throw her in jail. She later escapes, crippling and killing the guards.^[5] 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.^[5] An ethical dilemma is a situation that will often involve an apparent conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another. ... Perdicas is a fictional character in the television show Xena: Warrior Princess. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Callisto and Xena's true history is revealed in a subsequent episode. In the episode, Callisto travels back in time to kill Xena. Callisto plans to kill Xena during the raid that killed her family. But inadvertantly, it was Callisto's future self that killed her family. However, Callisto tells her younger self that it was Xena, beginning her hatred of Xena.

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.^[1] 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.^[1] Ares, God of War is a character on the television shows Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, played by the late Kevin Smith. ... A body swap is a storytelling device seen in a variety of fiction, most often in TV shows and movies, in which two people (or beings) exchange minds and end up in each others bodies. ... In classic Greek mythology, below Heaven, Earth, and Hades is Tartarus, or Tartaros (Greek Τάρταρος, deep place). ... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ...

Immortality and godhood

Callisto as a goddess

Callisto again escapes from Tartarus on the companion show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,^[6] 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. 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. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a television series produced from 1995 to 1999, very loosely based on the tales of the classical culture hero Hercules. ... In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera, (Greek , IPA pronunciation ; or Here in Ionic and in Homer) was the wife and older sister of Zeus. ... Hercules and the Nemean Lion (detail), silver plate, 6th century BC (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris). ... This article is about living for infinite period of time. ... The Tree-of-Life is a fictional plant (the ancestor of yams, with similar appearance and taste) in Larry Nivens Known Space universe, for which all Hominids have an in-built genetic craving. ... // The Golden apple is an element that appears in some countries legends or fairy tales. ... A Roman mosaic picturing Theseus and the Minotaur. ...

When the Amazon, Velasca eats Ambrosia and becomes a goddess hellbent on killing Gabrielle, Xena makes a risky deal with Callisto.^[7] 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.^[7] The Amazons (in Greek, Αμαζόνες) were an ancient nation of female warriors or a society dominated by women, at the edges of Scythia in Sarmatia (Herodotus). ... Velasca is a fictional character in the television program, Xena: Warrior Princess. ... In ancient Greek mythology, Ambrosia (Greek ) is sometimes the food, sometimes the drink, of the gods, often depicted as conferring immortality on whoever consumes it. ...

Callisto is later freed from the lava by Gabrielle's evil daughter Hope, who calls her "the monster lady".^[8] 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.^[9] Hope is a fictional character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. ...

Hope later frees Callisto from the mine in an episode of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Hope sends her back in time to destroy Hercules and also gives her the Hind's blood. Although she fails to kill Hercules, Callisto uses the Hind's blood to kill Strife. During her time travel, it turns out that the adult Callisto killed her own family accidentally while trying to protect them from Xena's army. But Iolaus also traveled in time and stopped Callisto from returning to the past, making it so that the event never happened in the first place. At the end of the episode, she is trapped in an interdimensional pocket. She then escapes from this prison right before the events of Sacrifice and the rebirth of Hope. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a television series produced from 1995 to 1999, very loosely based on the tales of the classical culture hero Hercules. ...

By this time, Callisto 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.^[10] When Gabrielle sacrifices herself to destroy Hope, Callisto changes her mind and gleefully exclaims that she has a reason for living again. However, it proves to be a moot point, as seconds later Xena in her furious torment mutters, "No more living for you" and slays Callisto with the Hind's Blood Dagger.^[11]

Damnation and redemption

The demon Callisto attacks Xena after her crucifixion

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.^[12] 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 first and only time, by breaking her spine with Xena's own chakram.^[12] 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 his peers, Xena and Gabrielle are also crucified at Caesar's command.^[12] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... “The Inferno” redirects here. ... Caesar is a fictional character from the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Sikhs with chakrams, inscribed Nihang Abchal Nagar (Nihangs from Hazur Sahib), 1844 The chakram is a throwing weapon that was used by the ancient Indians; it is a flat metal ring with a sharp outer edge from 5 to 12 inches in diameter. ... Vincenzo Camuccini, Mort de César, 1798. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. ...

After her death, the angel Xena encounters the demon Callisto.^[13] As an act of redemption for her own guilt at Callisto's suffering, she purges Callisto's guilt, 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.^[13]

The angelic Callisto

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.^[13] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Eli is a fictional character from the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. ...

Soon after Xena and Gabrielle are resurrected through Eli's efforts and Callisto's spiritual aid, Xena becomes pregnant with Eve.^[13] 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.^[14] 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. // Character History Spoiler warning: Xena with baby Eve. ... Reincarnation, literally to be made flesh again, is a doctrine or mystical belief that some essential part of a living being (in some variations only human beings) survives death to be reborn in a new body. ...

Powers and abilities

Callisto is an amazing fighter, on par with Xena. She even proves she can hold her own against Hercules. She shows herself to be able to catch and throw the chakram with the same skill as Xena, a feat that only two others were ever able to replicate.^[15][16] Callisto's fighting style is very similar to Xena's with the exception that she often becomes unfocused and carried away in a blind insane rage while fighting. Later on in the series, Callisto attains the powers of a Goddess and defeats Ares in combat. She is generally seen producing lighting bolts and more commonly, fire blasts. For the dwarf planet formerly nicknamed Xena see Eris (dwarf planet). ...

Episodes

Below is a list of all the episodes Callisto has appeared in.

• 1.21 The Greater Good (cameo)
• 1.22 Callisto
• 2.5 Return of Callisto
• 2.7 Intimate Stranger
• 2.8 Ten Little Warlords (Xena in Callisto's body)
• Hercules episode: Surprise
• 2.14 A Necessary Evil
• 3.11 Maternal Instincts
• 3.12 Bitter Suite (as Aleph)
• Hercules episode: Armageddon Now I & II
• 3.21 Sacrifice I
• 3.22 Sacrifice II
• 4.21 Ides of March
• 5.1 Fallen Angel
• 5.9 Seeds of Faith

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Intimate Stranger." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1996-11-11.
2. ^ "Destiny." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1997-01-27.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} "Callisto." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1996-05-13.
4. ^ "Unchained Heart." Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 1995-05-08.
5. ^ ^{a b} "Return of Callisto." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1996-10-28.
6. ^ "Surprise." Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 1997-01-27.
7. ^ ^{a b} "A Necessary Evil." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1997-02-10.
8. ^ "Maternal Instincts." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-01-26.
9. ^ "The Bitter Suite." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-02-02.
10. ^ "Sacrifice, Part 1." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-05-04.
11. ^ "Sacrifice, Part 2." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-05-11.
12. ^ ^{a b c} "The Ides of March." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1999-05-10.
13. ^ ^{a b c d} "Fallen Angel." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1999-09-27.
14. ^ "Seeds of Faith." Xena: Warrior Princess. 1999-01-10.
15. ^ "Eve." Xena: Warrior Princess. 2000-05-08.
16. ^ "A Friend in Need, Part 2." Xena: Warrior Princess. 2001-06-18.

Xena. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... Xena. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... May 13 is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a television series produced from 1995 to 1999, very loosely based on the tales of the classical culture hero Hercules. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a television series produced from 1995 to 1999, very loosely based on the tales of the classical culture hero Hercules. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Xena. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Whoosh!- Callisto's Journey An article on Callisto (goes up to "Maternal Instincts")
• Whoosh!-Callisto, a Requiem
• Callisto