I’m this bleeding-heart, peace-nik, love junkie, people-pleasing empath. I could never go shrieking with joy into battle on a half-wild horse, my sword raised, my hair flying behind me, yelling “Take me on, I dare you!”

Also I’m terrified of small insects. And pain on the level of a hangnail is at the top of my tolerance level.

Am I doomed to be a wimp?

Aren’t there some warrior type things that Xena and Gabrielle do that I could do, that don’t involve mayhem, head-bashing, networking with the gods, and running around in the lime-tick infested out-of-doors?

So I’m going over the Xena  episodes looking for ways to be a warrior given my petite and delicate stature and given that I never made it through Intro to Karate, even though I was the only adult in a class of 7-year olds.

Here’s what I found:

You can legally be called a Warrior Princess if you help others in an emergency. Precedent is set in Is There a Doctor In the House? (Season 1), where Xena channels all her zealousness, compassion, and leadership skills, to set-up a hospital of sorts and save lots of lives.

You can be a Warrior if you do things for love and joy, even if these things don’t involve battles. The proof: A Solstice Carol (Season 2), where Xena and Gabrielle bring the spirit of good will to a miserly king.

In Season 2’s Destiny, we find that you can be a Warrior if you can find a passion in your life; a reason to live; energy for your days and nights. Doesn’t have to be by the sword, although Xena’s destiny was. The point here is, you can be a Warrior if you’re a civil rights attorney, an animal rights activist, a frenzied composer, a matchmaker, a florist, or a Red Cross worker.

Doing the relationship dance can be very warrior-like. Xena and Gabby do it in A Comedy of Eros (Season 2), and throughout the series. You can be a warrior if you’re a leader. Xena was a leader, but you could be the heart of a family; a corporate CEO with a conscience and ideals; a political crusader like JFK and RFK; a warrior for others, like Dr. Martin Luther King; a warrior for bloodless ways to settle conflict, like Gandhi; you could hold spiritual book club meetings in your home once a week. You can be a warrior if you’re an educated follower. Gabby was more of a follower, although she took the lead when she had to, or wanted to. You can sign petitions for your causes; work with grass-roots environmental groups; write for a magazine that reflects your concerns; volunteer for Meals-On-Wheels. Is there a Warrior in you? I’m thinking if I can just get to where I don’t dread getting up in the morning, I’m a Warrior Princess. But for some reason I can’t find documentation for that anywhere in the series.

Xena was created by John Schulian and Robert G. Tapert.  

matchmaking
How to Be a Warrior Princess Like Xena