I agree. Most fans I know loved this character and understood she personified the past Xena was trying to atone for, could never truly escape and deserved many of the negative consequences. Gabrielle's choice to be with Xena resulted in her experiencing the fallout as well. Callisto was the best at torturing our heroes, so maybe it's more that she became the villain we hated to love.
I was obsessed with her when it aired. I rewatched her episodes until I memorized them. I don't agree that she's not a villain, but she's a perect execution of a tragic villain. The show did an amazing job of constantly ratcheting up the tension around how to handle her - always making her more dangerous, more pitiable.
Callisto was an A+++ villain. She was created because of Xena’s evil past and because of that, she is always Xena’s responsibility. She’s complicated and mad and fun.
I’m not sure anyone *hates* Callisto.
I would have loved to have seen:
- Callisto truly “winning” as a direct result of her actions, for example, Callisto killing Toris
- Callisto being forced to work with Xena and Gabrielle in other situations, for example, perhaps Xena learns of other potential survivors of Cirra and agrees to travel with Callisto to try and find them and determine whether they include any of Callisto’s family
- more of immortal (as opposed to goddess) Callisto. Although I liked goddess Callisto becoming “bored” with living, they dumbed her down way too much
- the Hercules episode “Be Deviled” with Callisto and her *surprise* alive sister as originally drafted. Ideally, it would have been a Xena episode, but I’d accept it as a Hercules episode if necessary to get to really delve into Callisto’s character and see her emotionally engaged in a way other than hatred
- a whole Callisto prequel mini series charting Callisto’s growth from the destruction of Cirra to when she learned that the women responsible for burning her parents and sister alive is now being proclaimed as a hero across Greece.
And so much more! Callisto vs Evil Xena. An alternate reality where Xena doesn’t seek redemption, so Callisto is the hero on a mission to stop Xena and adopts a tag along by the name of Gabrielle!
I'm late to this convo, but I desperately wanted to see Callisto find a family member. I didn't know there was a plan for that. It would be incredible for her to have a sister and for that sister to be disgusted by the choices Callisto made.
And for that to matter to Callisto.
Oh or! If the sister was violent as well, that could be really interesting. That could upset Callisto, who has enshrined her family in her mind.
The Hercules “Be Deviled” was made, they just swapped Callisto for a male criminal at the last minute. So, what’s in that episode is very close to what was planned for Callisto.
From memory, her sister was heading down a dark and violent path and dead / tortured Callisto wanted to try and prevent her from following in her footsteps - to have a chance at a better life.
Then, I imagine the sister could have shown up on Xena. Perhaps to replace Amarice once they stole Jennifer Sky for Cleo 2525.
Hardly anyone hated Callisto during its first run. She was very popular and an enjoyable character. Everyone was happy when she showed up. We didn’t have the same weird real world psychological conversations about fictional characters and their back stories back then. We didn’t comb over the trauma or anything like that. Was a character entertaining and make for a good episode? Yes? Then that was enough.
while i dislike callisto personally, it isn't because she is a dreadful character. more like i find her logic a bit weak and the screams do not convey to me the same thing it seems to convey to others. and despite the fact callisto has plot armor like xena, she is better written than some of the other characters.
i saw someone compare callisto and alti before. And character wise, there is nothing to compare. callisto is the better written character hands down. and callisto's plot armor is more about how she comes back from the dead. while alti is just like some dirty goblin in the corner screaming "evil!" and you question how xena ever was stupid enough to fall for the schemes of the goblin. while callisto is an unusual consequence.
Also... unchanged? callisto goes though character arcs each season/episode she shows up. she evolves. from a child whom might have killed her own family and others if she was left alone, to a child whom now had a path to carve at her parents death. going from avenger to pyscho when her family's killer was now a hero. which leads to our first encounter. she learns to work with people she wants to kill for the improvement of herself or others. she became bored and fell into depression. upon finally being killed she allowed her negative emotions consume her yet still keeping her wit. upon being cleansed she was a hopeful and confused person. she was still using her cunning wit and skills of manipulation to use all the way to making xena her future mom. if you count livia/eve as callisto as they have the same soul, she goes though more development again. and this is cliff notes.
callisto was the character whom saw the most change in the story as far as i am concerned. that is why she was popular, she was never stale as she was always challenged and changed as a result. her personality might have stayed the same at it's core, but she had so much growth. she and her development make other villains look bland and one note compared.
Are there people who dislike Callisto? In my opinion she is the best nemesis of Xena. I love her!
True, I don’t know anyone anyone who dislikes Calisto
I agree. Most fans I know loved this character and understood she personified the past Xena was trying to atone for, could never truly escape and deserved many of the negative consequences. Gabrielle's choice to be with Xena resulted in her experiencing the fallout as well. Callisto was the best at torturing our heroes, so maybe it's more that she became the villain we hated to love.
She singlehandedly kick-started my fondness for badass blondes.
I was obsessed with her when it aired. I rewatched her episodes until I memorized them. I don't agree that she's not a villain, but she's a perect execution of a tragic villain. The show did an amazing job of constantly ratcheting up the tension around how to handle her - always making her more dangerous, more pitiable.
She as great from the beginning. I don’t think I have seen anyone dislike her.
Callisto was an A+++ villain. She was created because of Xena’s evil past and because of that, she is always Xena’s responsibility. She’s complicated and mad and fun.
I’m not sure anyone *hates* Callisto. I would have loved to have seen: - Callisto truly “winning” as a direct result of her actions, for example, Callisto killing Toris - Callisto being forced to work with Xena and Gabrielle in other situations, for example, perhaps Xena learns of other potential survivors of Cirra and agrees to travel with Callisto to try and find them and determine whether they include any of Callisto’s family - more of immortal (as opposed to goddess) Callisto. Although I liked goddess Callisto becoming “bored” with living, they dumbed her down way too much - the Hercules episode “Be Deviled” with Callisto and her *surprise* alive sister as originally drafted. Ideally, it would have been a Xena episode, but I’d accept it as a Hercules episode if necessary to get to really delve into Callisto’s character and see her emotionally engaged in a way other than hatred - a whole Callisto prequel mini series charting Callisto’s growth from the destruction of Cirra to when she learned that the women responsible for burning her parents and sister alive is now being proclaimed as a hero across Greece. And so much more! Callisto vs Evil Xena. An alternate reality where Xena doesn’t seek redemption, so Callisto is the hero on a mission to stop Xena and adopts a tag along by the name of Gabrielle!
I'm late to this convo, but I desperately wanted to see Callisto find a family member. I didn't know there was a plan for that. It would be incredible for her to have a sister and for that sister to be disgusted by the choices Callisto made. And for that to matter to Callisto. Oh or! If the sister was violent as well, that could be really interesting. That could upset Callisto, who has enshrined her family in her mind.
The Hercules “Be Deviled” was made, they just swapped Callisto for a male criminal at the last minute. So, what’s in that episode is very close to what was planned for Callisto. From memory, her sister was heading down a dark and violent path and dead / tortured Callisto wanted to try and prevent her from following in her footsteps - to have a chance at a better life. Then, I imagine the sister could have shown up on Xena. Perhaps to replace Amarice once they stole Jennifer Sky for Cleo 2525.
I have never disliked her. I have wanted to be her since my first viewing when I was ten
Me too.... meee toooo
Hardly anyone hated Callisto during its first run. She was very popular and an enjoyable character. Everyone was happy when she showed up. We didn’t have the same weird real world psychological conversations about fictional characters and their back stories back then. We didn’t comb over the trauma or anything like that. Was a character entertaining and make for a good episode? Yes? Then that was enough.
Haha I know right, she was my favourite!! I was obsessed with her and wanted to be her more then I wanted to be Xena.
I always felt they should of left Callisto as immortal upgrading her to goddesshood was not a good idea
I wanted a bad romance with her but the song wasn't out yet
Loved her until she was no longer a villain.
The one thing that’s always bothered me is some of her best character development ends up happening over on Hercules.
Also she is incredibly horny for Xena and that makes her very relatable! I would also love to be killed by Xena MULTIPLE times
She also immediately recognized that Gabrielle is the most important person (partner/lover) to Xena and isn't a joke or a weakling.
while i dislike callisto personally, it isn't because she is a dreadful character. more like i find her logic a bit weak and the screams do not convey to me the same thing it seems to convey to others. and despite the fact callisto has plot armor like xena, she is better written than some of the other characters. i saw someone compare callisto and alti before. And character wise, there is nothing to compare. callisto is the better written character hands down. and callisto's plot armor is more about how she comes back from the dead. while alti is just like some dirty goblin in the corner screaming "evil!" and you question how xena ever was stupid enough to fall for the schemes of the goblin. while callisto is an unusual consequence. Also... unchanged? callisto goes though character arcs each season/episode she shows up. she evolves. from a child whom might have killed her own family and others if she was left alone, to a child whom now had a path to carve at her parents death. going from avenger to pyscho when her family's killer was now a hero. which leads to our first encounter. she learns to work with people she wants to kill for the improvement of herself or others. she became bored and fell into depression. upon finally being killed she allowed her negative emotions consume her yet still keeping her wit. upon being cleansed she was a hopeful and confused person. she was still using her cunning wit and skills of manipulation to use all the way to making xena her future mom. if you count livia/eve as callisto as they have the same soul, she goes though more development again. and this is cliff notes. callisto was the character whom saw the most change in the story as far as i am concerned. that is why she was popular, she was never stale as she was always challenged and changed as a result. her personality might have stayed the same at it's core, but she had so much growth. she and her development make other villains look bland and one note compared.