The "Xena: Warrior Princess" reboot is underway and writer Javier Grillo-Marxauch is plotting details for the NBC show that may confirm what the original series hinted at strongly. Unlike the '90s, romantic relationships between two females are no longer taboo on network television and could give Xena and her sidekick, Gabrielle, the chance to explore a romantic relationship openly.
Grillo Marxauch has suggested in several blog posts that the reboot will address the more-than-friends relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, especially given the current social climate. He also acknowledges the original series played with the idea but only on a subtexual level.
"There is no reason to bring back 'Xena' if it is not there for the purpose of fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown subtextually in first-run syndication in the 1990s," he wrote. "It will also express my view of the world - which is only further informed by what is happening right now."
Previously writing for "Lost" and "Charmed," Grillo-Marxauch recently came under fire from fans of The CW drama, "The 100," for an episode he wrote that featured the death of Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey), a character who had become an icon in the LGBT community. She died shortly after having sex with the show's main character, Clark Griffin (Eliza Taylor).
The writer has gone out of his way to address their concerns on his blog, personally responding to a number of fans that have reached out. He also has stressed that the "Xena" reboot will give him the opportunity to run his own show.
"I am leaving to create a show I can run after several years of working as a #2 on other people's material," Grillo-Marxauch wrote, but conceded he doesn't have "TOTAL creative control." Decisions like casting will still go through executive producer Rob Tapert (creator of the original series), the studio and the network.
As to who will play Xena in the reboot, Grillo-Marxauch isn't getting any ideas yet but for now, he's keeping the original star, Lucy Lawless, in his mind as he writes.
"I usually do imagine actors for my characters, but not in this case as LL has already played the character to iconic perfection... so I am letting her live in my mind only until the time comes to cast," he wrote.
Lawless spoke about her former character's sexuality in 2003, two years after the syndicated series ended. She believed the final episode confirmed Xena and Gabrielle, played by Renée O'Connor, were in a lesbian relationship.
The two women were "definitely gay," Lawless said. "There was always a 'well, she might be or she might not be,' but when there was that drip of water passing between their lips in the very final scene, that cemented it for me. Now it wasn't just that Xena was bisexual and kinda liked her gal pal and they kind of fooled around sometimes, it was, 'Nope, they're married, man.'"
