In Memoriam: Joxer the Mighty

Originally published May 19, 2000

I want to take a moment to look back at the third member of the Xena family, Joxer the Mighty. For those of you who don't know, the last three episodes of season five take place twenty-five years into the future of the Xenaverse. Ares inadvertently placed Xena and Gabrielle into suspended animation, Eve has grown up, and much of the world the girls knew has changed dramatically.

For one, Joxer married Meg and started a family of his own (never mind that in Key to the Kingdom Meg reveals that she can't have children -- anything is possible in the Xenaverse, after all). He's a tired, middle-aged man who clearly raised his kids on the stories of his glory days with Xena and Gabrielle.

Joxer died in Eve. He left a hero, sacrificing himself to save Gabrielle's life.

From his first appearance in Callisto, there has been a flood of controversy (of sorts) surrounding the character. Some fans love him, while others hate him. Some wanted to see him get romantically involved with Gabrielle, while others saw him as a threat to Xena and Gab's relationship.

Personally, I liked him. In many ways he reminded me of myself during my adolescence. Unsure of myself, a little clumsy, and dreaming big dreams about what I would accomplish. I knew that he had a heart of gold, and he would do whatever he could to help his friends. It didn't matter what the personal risk was, he was willing to do what he could.

This is clear from his earliest days. In Return of Callisto he charges into the cave where Callisto's men are staying. The distraction he provides gives Xena the opportunity to free herself and Gabrielle. In The Bitter Suite he is willing to protect Gabrielle from a Xena bent on killing her. In Sacrifice II he is the one who smuggles the Hind's Blood Dagger into Dahak's temple. In Fallen Angel he risks his life to protect his friends' bodies and swears to return them to Greece.

These are just a few of the truly heroic moments in Joxer's life. True, he had (to quote a post on the Chakram mailing list) "the finesse of an elephant seal with a hernia, the brains of a discarded Halloween pumpkin and all the cunning of the Easter Bunny. But he was a true, loyal and honest friend."

Perhaps Joxer's most enduring legacy is his song, originally added as a joke by Ted Raimi and Josh Becker in the episode For Him the Bell Tolls. It rapidly took on a life of its own, spawning (at least according to Whoosh!) four different versions, and is perhaps the second most recognizable piece of music from the show. (The most recognizable, of course, is the opening theme.)

As the series went on, some of the criticisms of the character continued. I'm always in Joxer's corner, but in my review of Livia -- the first episode to take place in the "future continuity" -- I expressed some frustration with the fact that even twenty-five years later, there didn't seem to have been any growth in the character. Other fans said that it seemed The Powers That Be treated Joxer more like a plot device or prop than a character.

Indeed, it is Joxer's role in "stupid" comedies like In Sickness and In Hell, King of Assassins, and The Play's the Thing that seemed to cause the most uproar from fans of the series. When Joxer wasn't acting like a boorish idiot, people didn't seem to mind him as much. Indeed, even fans that proudly claim anti-Joxer status point out that the character had some fine moments.

I haven't seen any posts from fans saying they're glad Joxer is gone. Perhaps that's because, as one fan said (again on the Chakram mailing list), "he kind of had a way of growing on you." Perhaps it is because the Joxer detractors are respectfully keeping their mouths shut. Regardless of the reasons, I am glad to see that nobody is dancing on his grave.

I, for one, am going to miss the lug. I think that Ted Raimi is one of the more underrated actors in the industry, and I hope that his work on Xena propels him into greater awareness in the eyes of Hollywood. I will continue to follow his career with interest, and hope to see him return to a RenPic production in the future. (Perhaps showing up on his buddy Bruce Campbell's Jack of all Trades?)

Regardless of your opinion, I don't think anyone can deny that the Xenaverse has lost one of its finer heroes. Raise a glass in memory of Joxer the Mighty.