Athena (Xena: Warrior Princess)

Athena (Paris Jefferson) appeared as an antagonist in three 2000 epiosodes including "Amphipolis Under Siege", "Looking Death in the Eye", and "Motherhood".  All of these episodes were included in the TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess".
Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom, Warfare, and Weaving.  Because of that, she had a very strong look to her.  She was dressed in gold clothes and armor with a Medusa's head design right under her chest plate.
In the first episode, "Amphipolis Under Siege", Athena took command of Olympus when Zeus was killed by Hercules.  She believes in the prophecy that, if Xena's child is allowed to live, it will bring about the twilight of the gods.  She is determined not to let this happen so she sets out to kill Xena's child.  She gathers a great army to rival anything Ares could ever muster.  This included Roman soldiers, the Royal Guards of Cleopatra, Knights from Brittania, and her own Athenian Archers.  They lay siege to Xena's home village.  When Athena's favorite warrior and love interest, Ilainus (Musetta Vander) is killed, she retreats into mourning.
In the second episode, "Looking Death in the Eye", Athena continued her fight against Xena (Lucy Lawless).  She and Hades (Stephen Lovatt) attacked Xena, but the warrior princess managed to escape when she destroys Hades' Helmet of Invisibility.  Not one to give up easily, Athena then ordered Celesta (Theresa Healey) to kill Xena but Celesta, like the Fates, refused to interfere in what she considered the natural order.  Athena angrily insisted that Celesta carry out her instructions.  However, Celesta was captured by Xena instead.  In response, Athena ordered her archers (including lead archer, Rachel Gilchrist) to capture Gabrielle and find out where Xena was hiding.  Athena traded Gabrielle for Celesta and then gave chase, along with Hephaestus (Jason Hoyte) and Hades.  Athena and the others rained fireballs down on Xena, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) and Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson) until the cart they were traveling in caught fire and toppled over a cliff.  Athena watched as Xena searched frantically for Eve in the wreckage and then began grieving over Gabrielle's body.  Satisfied that Eve was dead, Athena returned to Olympus.
Believing that Xena, Gabrielle and Eve to be dead, Athena continued her rule on Olympus for the next 25 years.  When she found out that Eve was still alive, she began her campaign to end Eve's life once more.  Athena called on the Furies to torment Gabrielle over Joxer's death.  However, while Eve was cleansed of her sins by followers of Eli, the deities attempted to attack her.  However, Xena was able to slay a number of the deities, having been granted the power from the God of Love.  Athena then berated the remains of the Pantheon for their brash actions and insisted on the Furies doing their job.  Soon Poseidon (Rick Jacobson), Discord (Meighan Desmond), Deimos (Joel Tobeck), Haphaestus (Julian Garner), Hades, and Artemis (Josephine Davison) appeared and a battle took place.  Deimos and Hades threw fireballs at Xena, and one was deflected into Poseidon, killing him.  After Poseidon's death, Discord charged Xena in a rage, but was decapitated by Xena's counter-attack.  The skirmish ended after Hephaestus threw his hammer at Xena, and she deflected it back at him, impaling him in the chest and killing him.  The gods retreated back to Olympus.
At a tavern, The Furies who consisted of Alecto (Asa Lindh), Megaera and Tisiphone, went inside of Gabrielle's head, taunting her with images of Hope and Joxer (Ted Raimi) until she succombed to madness and stabbed Eve while she was destracted.  Xena raced back to save her daughter, accidentally wounding Gabrielle.
As Xena tends to Gabrielle and Eve, she is apprehended by Athena, Artemis, Deimos, and Hades.  Athena gave Xena one last chance to surrender, which she turned down.  Therefore, another battle took place.  Hades traps Eve and tries to kill her with a fireball, but Xena uses her fire-breathing skills to set him ablaze, killing him in a very painful manner.  Enraged, Artemis shoots one of her arrows into Xena's thigh, which the latter pulls out effortlessly and tries to kill Athena with it.  Deimos throws more of his energy-orbs at Xena and she deflects the last one into a platform, which falls and crushes Deimos.  Enraged and mourning the loss of more gods, Athena retreats to Olympus.  Meanwhile, Ares appeared and was about to stab Eve with his sword when Sena stormed into the room and lacerated his arm with her chakram.  Shocked, Ares and Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings) disappear.
Xena promises the unconscious Gabrielle and dying Eve that she will save them.  Aphrodite appears, feeling empathy toward Xena. She explains that a god can only heal and remain immortal with Athen's blessing, which would be impossible at this point.  Xena pleads for Aphrodite to take thenm all to Mount Olympus, which she later reluctantly agrees to.
Upon arriving at Olympus, Xena attempted to bargain with Athena, to save both Gabrielle and Eve in exchange for leaving them alone.  However, decades of paranoia and loss had worn down Athena's sense of justice, replacing it with bitter pride.  The lady of Olympus refused to be dictated by a mortal.  
Artemis was hidden behind one of the columns and shot arrows at Xena, which Xena caught and plunged into Artemis, killing her instantly.  After a heated battle between the two warriors, Xena unsuccessfully tried to kill Athena.
Fortunately for the Goddess of Wisdom, Eve died during her battle with Xena and thus the warrior princess no longer had the power to kill deities.  Xena was powerless against the Greek goddess.
However, Ares (Kevin Smith) intervened, giving up his immortality and godhood to save Eve and Gabrielle.  As a result, he made it possible for Xena to impale the now confident and unsuspecting Athena.  Ares told his half-sister that he had a thing for her, as well as that he was sorry.  A shocked Athena helplessly fell to the ground, dying a prolonged death.  
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Category:Live Action Villainess
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