Eli (Xena)

Infobox Hercaverse and Xenaverse Character|Alliance=#87CEFA

Eli
Title=Eli
First=Devi
Last=Seeds of Faith
Creator=Robert Tapert
Name=Eli
Job=Healer, holy man, prophet
Kind=Human
Affiliation=Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, Amarice
Actor=Timothy Omundson|

Eli is a fictional character from the television series "". He is portrayed by American actor Timothy Omundson.

Character development

The Devi

When Xena 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. [cite web|title=Devi|url=http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/devi.html|publisher=Whoosh.org]

The Avatar and the Demon King

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. 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. [cite web|title=The Way|url=http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/way.html|publisher=Whoosh.org]

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 Amarice are taken as hostages 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. [cite web|title=The Way of Friendship defined|url=http://whoosh.org/issue45/hlusko7.html|publisher=Whoosh.org] Xena and Gabrielle are then captured by the soldiers and crucified. [cite web|title=Ides of March|url=http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/ides.html|publisher=Whoosh.org]

Doubting his god and his powers

With his friends Xena and Gabrielle now dead, Eli begins doubting the power of his god. 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. [cite web|title=Fallen Angel|url=http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/fallen.html|publisher=Whoosh.org]

Eli and the Twilight of the Gods

As Eli comes into his own and fully accepts his new destiny, he still fears it. Callisto comes to him and tells him he is to be martyred. 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., and tells Xena and Gabrielle that "Love is the Way". [cite web|title=Seeds of Faith|url=http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/seeds.html|publisher=Whoosh.org]

References

External links

* [http://www.angelfire.com/la2/cyane10/eli.html Gallery page]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20021210053825/xena.com/cast/eli/ Eli]