I’m a horrible daughter because my mom’s birthday was Feb 7th and I didn’t even mention it! Well, my dad’s birthday is today, Feb 15th, so I guess I can publicly wish them both a happy, happy birthday today!

But anyway, I was going to write this incredibly vague intro to my favorite recurring character, but why bother? It is 100% Ephiny, the Amazon I fell in love with the second she gave Xena and Gabrielle some sassy lip in Season One’s “Hooves and Harlots.” She’s understandably harsh with Gabby, who quite literally fell into becoming an Amazon princess, and because of the looming war with the centaurs, she was incredibly skeptical of Xena’s presence. However, despite a rocky introduction, she became good friends with both our leads, coming back multiple times (even showing up on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) until the character’s death in Season Five (I’m still mad about it).

Plus, just look at that hair. I remember being so envious of Danielle Cormack’s curls that I almost was able to convince my mom to let me get a perm.

She’s just so spunky and strong, a formidable leader of the Amazons, a position I argue she should have had much earlier in the series. She was much more forward-thinking than many of the leaders that came before her, and having a child of mixed ancestry (she married a centaur and then they had a child, Xenan, which was a whole episode – “Is There a Doctor in the House?” where Xena basically invented the C-section), Ephiny has more respect for people outside the Amazon nation than many of her people do. The character is just such a solid entry into the Xena universe and another example of how progressive the show was, especially for its time.

Art Credit: Varese Sarabande, Hercules & Xena Wiki