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Eli (Xena)
Encyclopedia
Eli is a fictional character
from the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
. He is portrayed by American
actor Timothy Omundson
.
and Gabrielle
travel to India
, they meet an illusionist named Eli. While watching him perform, Gabrielle becomes possessed
by the demon
Tataka
. The demon in Gabrielle's body begins healing people and deceives the people into thinking she is a devi
, a divine
healer. Tataka then proceeds to use her adoration in an attempt to destroy Xena and Eli, who discover in the temple
that Gabrielle has been possessed by the demon Tataka. Armed with holy water, they go to save Gabrielle from the grip of the demon and discover that Eli is the true "devi". Eli uses the powers of his god to free Gabrielle from her demonic possession. Gabrielle and Xena thank Eli for his help, say goodbye, and continue on their travels.
After Eli saves Gabrielle from Tataka, the people now believe that Eli is an Avatar
, a god in human form. When Xena and Gabrielle meet a group of people worshipping a man, they find that the man is Eli, who is now trying to accept that he is the avatar, but is unsure of his new-found powers, telling Gabrielle: "When I thought you were a devi. You seemed to have the power to heal people. That thing I sought after all my life. I envy that. Now I have this power to heal people and cast out demons, give people hope. And it terrifies me." The three later meet Hanuman
, who tells Eli that the Demon King Indrajit
is hunting him, and that he should seek the assistance of Krishna
. As they travel to Krishna's temple, Eli tells Gabrielle about his way of life, and that there is only one universal truth, and that is reverence for life, and that fighting is never allowed. When they arrive at the temple they are confronted by minions of Indrajit, Xena battles them as Eli, Gabrielle, and Hanuman flee into the temple. Indrajit attacks villagers outside the temple to lure Eli out and captures him.
Hanuman tells Xena that Indrajit has taken Gabrielle and Eli to the demon land of Lanka
, and that she will need the help of Krishna in order to liberate them from Indrajit. Xena prays to Krishna, who appears to her and tells her to embrace her path as a warrior in this life, in order to ensure her next life as the Mother of Peace. Krishna tells Xena if she should need help against Indrajit then she should call upon him. Gabrielle is with Eli and she has a vision of Xena beaten and bruised about to be killed, she runs to help Xena, but she turns into Indrajit and he tries to strangle her.
Xena arrives and frees Gabrielle from the hands of Indrajit by cutting off his hand with her chakram. He begins growing more arms until he has six, he grabs swords and axes and begins attacking Xena, and he manages to disable her long enough to sever both her arms. While lying bleeding on the floor she calls on Krishna for help and as she is imbued with the power of Kali
she grows four new arms, and springs back into battle. She beats Indrajit by cutting off his head. Now free from the demon, Gabrielle relinquishes her past as a warrior and chooses to follow Eli's Way of Love, whereas Xena becomes even more firmly rooted in her Way of the Warrior. Gabrielle throws her staff into the river, and Xena suggests that Gabrielle should travel with Eli because she and Gabrielle are following different paths, but Gabrielle says they should stay together since even though they are on different paths they will end up in the same place.
are taken as hostage
s by Brutus, he and Gabrielle try to teach the impetuous Amarice about the Way of Love, but she tells them the only power she needs is at the end of her sword
. Xena arrives to free them from the Romans, but during the battle she is injured by her own chakram
. Gabrielle, seeing her friend in need, turns from the path she had chosen and begins killing the soldiers before they can attack Xena. With this act of brutality, Gabrielle believes she has failed all the people in her life, namely Eli, Xena, and herself, for going against everything she had previously believed in. Xena says she made Gabrielle leave her Way of Love, but Gabrielle tells Xena that she made the choice to save her friend and follow a different path from the one she had chosen. Xena and Gabrielle are then captured by the soldiers and crucified
.
. Amarice blames him because his preaching the Way of Love made Gabrielle weak. He asks his god: "What good is this gift if I can't at least protect the ones I love? Why did you even give this to me? What am I supposed to do?" Eli's god answers his questions when the powers in heaven
send an angelic Callisto
to Eli in a vision
. In the vision she tells Eli that he must use his powers to bring Xena and Gabrielle back from the dead. He begins praying to his god for help, and Callisto comes to aid him in resurrecting Xena and Gabrielle.
, he still fears it. Callisto comes to him and tells him he is to be martyr
ed. The age of the Olympian
gods is coming to an end. The new world is to be built on the foundations of the old world; she tells him he is the hammer that will cause the fall of the gods. He asks whether there is another way, to which she replies that there is not. Eli then sits crying at the answer. Knowing his destiny is to usher in a new age without the gods, Eli faces it knowing it is what he must do. Ares
confronts him and Gabrielle.
He tells Eli that he must die so that the gods can live. Gabrielle defends him, but he tells her that she cannot save him with violence, but he tells her it is for the greater good. Gabrielle turns her back to him so she will not see Ares kill Eli. The death of Eli triggers courage in his followers and they realise they do not need to depend on the Olympian gods to protect them. Xena vows that Ares will pay the price for Eli's death with his own. Callisto tells her that killing Ares would not honour Eli's memory, but she says she will kill Ares anyway. When she is about to kill Ares, she has a vision of Eli and remembers all his preachings of peace and the words of Callisto, which provides Xena with enough wisdom to not avenge his murder by shedding more blood. Ares tries to kill Xena, but she tells him her death will only strengthen the belief of Eli's followers. Eli appears as an angel
, and tells Xena and Gabrielle that "Love is the Way".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
. He is portrayed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor Timothy Omundson
Timothy Omundson
Timothy Michael Omundson is an American actor perhaps most notable for his supporting roles as Sean Potter on the CBS television series Judging Amy, Eli on the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, and as Carlton Lassiter in the hit USA Network series Psych...
.
The Devi
When XenaXena
Xena is a fictional character from Robert Tapert's Xena: Warrior Princess franchise. She first appeared in the 1995–1999 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before going on to appear in Xena: Warrior Princess TV show and subsequent comic book of the same name...
and Gabrielle
Gabrielle (Xena)
Gabrielle is a fictional character played by Renée O'Connor in Xena: Warrior Princess. She is referred to by fans as the Battling Bard of Potidaea. Her trademark weapons are the Amazon fighting staff and later, the sais...
travel to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, they meet an illusionist named Eli. While watching him perform, Gabrielle becomes possessed
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the control of an individual by a malevolent supernatural being. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
by the demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
Tataka
Tataka
Tatakā or Tadaka was a yakshasi in Indian mythology. Her father Suketu, a yaksha king performed tapasya for an offspring...
. The demon in Gabrielle's body begins healing people and deceives the people into thinking she is a devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
, a divine
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
healer. Tataka then proceeds to use her adoration in an attempt to destroy Xena and Eli, who discover in the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
that Gabrielle has been possessed by the demon Tataka. Armed with holy water, they go to save Gabrielle from the grip of the demon and discover that Eli is the true "devi". Eli uses the powers of his god to free Gabrielle from her demonic possession. Gabrielle and Xena thank Eli for his help, say goodbye, and continue on their travels.
The Avatar and the Demon King
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
, a god in human form. When Xena and Gabrielle meet a group of people worshipping a man, they find that the man is Eli, who is now trying to accept that he is the avatar, but is unsure of his new-found powers, telling Gabrielle: "When I thought you were a devi. You seemed to have the power to heal people. That thing I sought after all my life. I envy that. Now I have this power to heal people and cast out demons, give people hope. And it terrifies me." The three later meet Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
, who tells Eli that the Demon King Indrajit
Indrajit
Indrajit or Meghanatha , a warrior mentioned in the Indian epic Ramayana, was the son of the Lankan king Ravana. The word 'Indrajit' literally means the 'conqueror of Indra '....
is hunting him, and that he should seek the assistance of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. As they travel to Krishna's temple, Eli tells Gabrielle about his way of life, and that there is only one universal truth, and that is reverence for life, and that fighting is never allowed. When they arrive at the temple they are confronted by minions of Indrajit, Xena battles them as Eli, Gabrielle, and Hanuman flee into the temple. Indrajit attacks villagers outside the temple to lure Eli out and captures him.
Hanuman tells Xena that Indrajit has taken Gabrielle and Eli to the demon land of Lanka
Lanka
Sri Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata...
, and that she will need the help of Krishna in order to liberate them from Indrajit. Xena prays to Krishna, who appears to her and tells her to embrace her path as a warrior in this life, in order to ensure her next life as the Mother of Peace. Krishna tells Xena if she should need help against Indrajit then she should call upon him. Gabrielle is with Eli and she has a vision of Xena beaten and bruised about to be killed, she runs to help Xena, but she turns into Indrajit and he tries to strangle her.
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
she grows four new arms, and springs back into battle. She beats Indrajit by cutting off his head. Now free from the demon, Gabrielle relinquishes her past as a warrior and chooses to follow Eli's Way of Love, whereas Xena becomes even more firmly rooted in her Way of the Warrior. Gabrielle throws her staff into the river, and Xena suggests that Gabrielle should travel with Eli because she and Gabrielle are following different paths, but Gabrielle says they should stay together since even though they are on different paths they will end up in the same place.
Eli preaches the Way of Love
When Eli comes to terms with his new calling, he tells Gabrielle: "Selfless pure love is the only expression of divine perfection we have in this world. It's the greatest power one can possess." When he, Gabrielle and AmariceAmarice
Amarice is a fictional character in the popular TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. She is portrayed by the American actress Jennifer Sky.-Character history:...
are taken as hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
s by Brutus, he and Gabrielle try to teach the impetuous Amarice about the Way of Love, but she tells them the only power she needs is at the end of her sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
. Xena arrives to free them from the Romans, but during the battle she is injured by her own chakram
Chakram
The chakram , sometimes called a war quoit, is a throwing weapon from India. Its shape is of a flat metal hoop with a sharp outer edge from in diameter...
. Gabrielle, seeing her friend in need, turns from the path she had chosen and begins killing the soldiers before they can attack Xena. With this act of brutality, Gabrielle believes she has failed all the people in her life, namely Eli, Xena, and herself, for going against everything she had previously believed in. Xena says she made Gabrielle leave her Way of Love, but Gabrielle tells Xena that she made the choice to save her friend and follow a different path from the one she had chosen. Xena and Gabrielle are then captured by the soldiers and crucified
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
.
Doubting his god and his powers
With his friends Xena and Gabrielle now dead, Eli begins doubting the power of his godGod (male deity)
A god, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or "goddesses". While the term 'goddess' specifically refers to a female deity, the plural 'gods' can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender....
. Amarice blames him because his preaching the Way of Love made Gabrielle weak. He asks his god: "What good is this gift if I can't at least protect the ones I love? Why did you even give this to me? What am I supposed to do?" Eli's god answers his questions when the powers in heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
send an angelic Callisto
Callisto (Xena)
Callisto is a fictional character in the fantasy TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. She features as the most frequently recurring villainess on that show. She also makes appearances on three episodes of the parent show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
to Eli in a vision
Vision (religion)
In spirituality, a vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation.Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations...
. In the vision she tells Eli that he must use his powers to bring Xena and Gabrielle back from the dead. He begins praying to his god for help, and Callisto comes to aid him in resurrecting Xena and Gabrielle.
Eli and the Twilight of the Gods
As Eli comes into his own and fully accepts his new destinyDestiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
, he still fears it. Callisto comes to him and tells him he is to be martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
ed. The age of the Olympian
Twelve Olympians
The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon , in Greek mythology, were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis were children of Zeus...
gods is coming to an end. The new world is to be built on the foundations of the old world; she tells him he is the hammer that will cause the fall of the gods. He asks whether there is another way, to which she replies that there is not. Eli then sits crying at the answer. Knowing his destiny is to usher in a new age without the gods, Eli faces it knowing it is what he must do. Ares
Ares (Hercules and Xena)
Ares is a character on the television shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules. He was portrayed by New Zealand actor Kevin Tod Smith...
confronts him and Gabrielle.
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
, and tells Xena and Gabrielle that "Love is the Way".