Supernatural Aid

For those who have not refused the call, the first encounter of the hero-journey is with a protective figure who provides the adventurer with amulets against the dragon forces he is about to pass. (Campbell, pg. 69)

Some manifestations of this guide are obvious in the life of our Warrior Princess. Lao Ma, for instance, acts as a guide for Xena later in her life, having shown her that there was more to life than the barbaric existence she experienced up to that point. M'Lila had a similar effect.

Even Ares and Alti acted as Xena's guides. At that point, Xena's journey was the opposite of the life-affirming path most heroes follow (see Refusal of the Call) her guides were dark reflections of the standard archetypes.

What about Gabrielle? Since her journey began in Sins of the Past (as we explored in The Call to Adventure) only one person jumps out as being her guide and protector. That person is, of course, Xena.

At this point an interesting aspect of this study is brought to light. Xena's guardianship of Gabrielle is fairly obvious -- especially in the early episodes where the bard's fighting skills are non-existent. While Xena protects Gabrielle's physical life, Gabrielle acts as the guardian of Xena's spiritual life. It would appear, in a twist on standard themes, the central characters are both hero and mentor at the same time.

It's not unusual to find that the hero of the previous cycle acts as the guide and mentor for the hero of the next. It is an idea that pops up from time to time in many mythological systems. In most cases, however, the mentor has completed his own journey before he acts as guide. It is important to note how rare it is for the hero to act as a guide while his own journey is under way!

Before we jump to this conclusion, however, is this in fact the case? Let's return to Campbell's text and learn some of the characteristics of the supernatural guide or mentor to the hero.

The helpful crone or fairy godmother is a familiar feature of European fairy lore; in Christian saints' legends the role is commonly played by the Virgin. The Virgin by her intercession can win the mercy of the Father.... The hero who has come under the protection of the Cosmic Mother cannot be harmed.... What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny. (pg. 71)

The higher mythologies develop the role in the great figure of the guide, the teacher, the ferryman, the conductor of souls to the afterworld.... [A]nd not infrequently the dangerous aspect of the mercurial figure is stressed, for he is the lurer of the innocent soul into realms of trial. (pgs. 72-73)

The dangerous aspect of Xena is obvious. By following her, Gabrielle puts her life in danger. Gabrielle is also an innocent soul -- at least in the early stages of the series. Because of Xena's protection her life is in danger, but never really in danger of being utterly destroyed. Gabrielle's near death in Is There a Doctor in the House is one of the more obvious examples of this.

In her own way, Gabrielle is dangerous as well. Before her arrival in Xena's life, the Warrior Princess was burying her weapons and armor. Had she continued to forsake the warrior's path, she would probably never have undergone the spiritual hazards of episodes like The Price and Fallen Angel where her continued spiritual existence is very much in doubt.

Ultimately, Gabrielle does protect Xena's spirit. Her influence keeps the Warrior Princess from falling too far back into "Destroyer of Nations" mode. Her soul is at risk, but ultimately falls under the protection of her friend and traveling companion.

One other interesting thing to note in the early stages of their journey is that neither woman falls victim to the weaknesses she protects the other from. Xena's physical prowess keeps her in one piece, and her ability to defeat any opponent is never really called into question (even Callisto and Ares submit to her skill at various points in the series). Gabrielle, when faced with a spiritual crisis, has little difficulty choosing the proper course of action -- The Greater Good is only one example of this.

The evidence shows that Xena and Gabrielle do, in fact, act as each other's guides. This symbiosis forms the initial basis for their friendship, and is probably the reason that the two are bound throughout time (as revealed in episodes like Between the Lines. This relationship gets reversed in later seasons (especially in Season 5 with Xena's pregnancy) but the fundamental conceit, that each acts as guide and protector for the heroic journey of the other, remains intact.

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