Ares

This article is about the character. For the episode of the same name, see "Ares (Episode)".

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Ares (the God of War), was the most recurring character on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules. He is the Greek god of war and violence, who has a strong rivalry with his half-brother Hercules, and a love-hate relationship with Xena.

He took Xena under his wing as his protege, sometime after she first met with Caesar. He also gave her the Chakram, sometime after she left Chin and headed towards the Norselands. He continues to follow her throughout the series, tempting her back to her old ways, but eventually gives up and turns into more of a hinderance than an enemy because he falls in love with her.

He also takes quite a liking to Gabrielle, trying to seduce her away from her travels with Xena and tempt her to become his new protege. The two become good friends, after he ressurects her in "Motherhood".

Ares' relationship with Hercules is fueled by jealously because Zeus, (their father), has always favored and liked him over Ares and his siblings. Thus Ares is motivated to constantly try to destroy his demi-god half brother.

Ares was played by Kevin Smith.

Characterization and Personality

The main antagonist of the Xenaverse, Ares is the god of war and violence. He is primarily the patron god of Sparta, but armies from all city-states offer prayers to him before going into battle.

Though he represents the physical aspect of war, Ares is far from some mindless thug. He is, in fact, a brilliant strategist, preferring to plan his battles carefully rather than going into a fight with his proverbial guns blazing. Whenever possible, he seems to like the methods of getting other people to do his work for him or finding ways to get his enemies to destroy themselves. The latter is something he repeatedly attempts with Hercules, knowing that he cannot kill his half-brother without suffering the wrath of Zeus.

Despite the often chaotic results of his worshipers' actions, Ares sees himself as a subtle strategist, as befits the god of war, rather than the god of brawling. He also exhibits curious mix of sportsmanship and cheating when convenient for him.

In his relations with the other Olympians, he relies on the fact that they need him, so he usually runs his own schemes with little regard for the wishes of his colleagues, although he is still careful not to defy Zeus. He’s genuinely fond of his sister Aphrodite, though he rarely lets it show. Discord and Deimos (and his predecessor Strife before his death) are his junior partners, whom he bullies and directs.

His relationships outside the Olympians include competitive rivalry with Kal and a treasonous pact with Dahak.

And finally, he’s obsessed with the two greatest heroes of Greece: Hercules (whom he wants to destroy) and Xena (whom he wants back to her warlord days and is in love with). Most of his schemes these days are centered on those.

He often attempts to lure Xena away from her quest with Gabrielle, to join him as his Warrior Queen. He offers her huge armies and historic victories, great wealth and great power, and in later seasons his love -- offers which she consistently rejects despite being sometimes tempted. Ares also gave Xena her Chakram.

Noticing his half-brother gaining the love of their father Zeus, Ares has hated Hercules since he was a boy and has tried repeatedly to kill his younger brother. From teenhood to manhood, Hercules and Ares go at each other in a fashion similar to sibling rivalry, though Hercules gains the upper hand every time.

Wardrobe

Ares typically wears a vest, gauntlets and leather pants, all made of black leather studded with silver.

Powers

As an Olympian, Ares possesses immortality, enhanced strength, stamina, reflexes, senses, agility, teleportation, telekinesis, conjuration, flying, regeneration,invincibility, and invisibility, though it has been shown that Xena can sense his presence even when invisible. He can create fireballs,mind control, incinerate people with fire like he did with sysephis, has the power to create ice when he entomb xena, lightning bolts and energy blasts, Reality Warping (like bring people back from the dead), travel through time and stop it, shape shift, reveal the true form of another like he did with the hind blood, create portals, switching souls into the opposite bodies and induce insatiable blood-lust and battle-rage. As the God of War, Ares possesses combat prowess similar to Hercules and Xena and superior swordsmanship. Ares is shown to be a skillfull manipulator and a master strategist.

Ares can also travel through time and heal other people's injuries, but as with all Olympians, those abilities are restricted by order of Zeus.

Young Hercules

The main antagonist of the story, Ares is the god of violence and war. He is primarily the patron god of Sparta, but armies from all city-states offer prayers to him before going into battle. Ares also claims The Amazons as his favorite mortals (1.12 - Battle Lines II) and has been known to send them prophetic visions.

Though he represents the physical aspect of war, Ares is far from some mindless thug. He is, in fact, a brilliant strategist, preferring to plan his battles carefully rather than going into a fight with his proverbial guns blazing. Whenever possible, he seems to like the methods of getting other people to do his work for him or finding ways to get his enemies to destroy themselves. The latter is something he repeatedly attempts with Hercules, knowing that he cannot murder his half-brother without suffering the wrath of Zeus.

Hercules First Season

Ares never appeared in person, as his voice can only be heard in some of the episodes he's in. During the Festival of Dionysus, Ares poisoned the new wine and controlled Marysa and the other virgins to murder King Iphicles so that his loyal servant, Prince Pentheus, could become king. He gathered a group of young boys led by Aurelius to become bloodthirsty warriors. To feed his dog, Graegus, Ares manipulated Daulin and Poena into fighting each other so that he can gather bodies of the fallen soldiers. He even took control over Jarton's body. After Darphus was killed, Ares brought him back to life to feed Graegus once again and rule the Earth. Hercules, with help of friends, including Iolaus, Xena, and Salmoneus, stopped Ares in each scheme. The Festival of Dionysus, Ares, The Vanishing Dead, The Gauntlet, Unchained Heart

Xena First Season

Ares framed Xena for murdering three villagers in the hope that she would call on him for help when threatened with execution. He also takes the shape of Xena long-lost father Atrius and nearly tricks her into attacking a village. However, these plans are thwarted by Xena and Gabrielle (The Reckoning and Ties That Bind).

Hercules and Xena Third and Second Season

Ares joined forces with Xena's now-dead archenemy Callisto and engineered a body switch so that Callisto's soul occupied Xena's body while Xena was trapped in Tartarus. He seemed to be grooming Callisto-in-Xena's body to be his new Warrior Queen, and had sex with her, but later turned away from her, realizing that she was too madly obsessed with revenge against Xena and too uncontrollable. Xena, who had persuaded Hades to release her, was able to send Callisto back to Tartarus. Intimate Stranger

Ares had often tried to make Hercules's life miserable as can be, especially when Hercules had married Ares' protege, Serena, the last Golden Hind. Ares told Hercules that he would release Serena from her vow of service to him, and allow her and Hercules to marry, if Hercules gave up his superhuman strength. Later, Ares' underling, Strife, murdered Serena and he and Ares attempted to frame Hercules for her murder. He was saved by the intervention of Xena and Zeus. Encounter, When a Man Loves A Woman and Judgement Day

After losing his godhood due to Sisyphus' trickery, he needed Xena's help to get it back: Xena reluctantly agreed to help him after realizing that the Earth needed a God of War and Ares was the best man for the job. As a mortal, Ares showed a new humanity and conscience, but after getting his godhood back he seemed to revert to his former cold-hearted self. Ten Little Warlords and it was also the new start of upcoming feelings that Ares started to have more than just feelings for Xena, he began to get even more obsessed with her now than before.

Hercules and Xena Fourth and Third Season

Ares had sired a child with the now-mortal Goddess of Retribution, Nemesis. The child, Evander, was born with supernatural abilities. Ares wanted to take the boy from Nemesis and raise him to be loyal to him, hoping to use him as a weapon against Hercules. However, Hercules and Iolaus managed to foil his plan and return the child to his mother. Two Men and a Baby

Later, Ares teamed up with Callisto, now a goddess, to trap Hercules in a passageway between parallel universes. Callisto (working with Dahak's daughter Hope) then turned on Ares, badly beat him in a hand-to-hand fight, and used a dagger dipped in the blood of a golden hind to kill Strife.

Ares' relationship with Xena grew more complicated: he was still trying to win her back to the fold, but also tried to form an alliance with her to fight the demon god Dahak. Under threat from Dahak, Ares ended up briefly switching sides until Dahak was defeated by Xena.

Ares plotted with his mother Hera to murder Zeus.

Hercules Fifth and Sixth Season

During Dahak's attack in Greece, Dahak tells his followers to kill the god who helped him out, that is, Ares. Hercules sends Morrigan and Nebula to protect Ares, because Ares dying allows Dahak to grow stronger. Morrigan and Nebula protect Ares, fighting white robed goons. Hercules talks to Dahak. Ares turns on Morrigan and Nebula, letting them be attacked, while he makes his way to the temple where Hercules is trying to exorcise Iolaus from Dahak's grasp. Ares gets his powers back, following the defeat of Dahak.

Later Ares chases Hercules into the alternative realm. Hercules learns that Nebula is the evil empress in the parallel Earth. Ares and the Sovereign fight because Ares has hinds blood. Ares stabs the Sovereign with the hinds blood knife and kills him, giving Hercules pains Hercules free the deities, with Iolaus tagging along. Ares and Nebula do the nasty, courtesy of the parallel god of love. Ares finds Hercules in the maze. They fight and eventually Hercules escapes.

Hercules turns invisible and Ares tortures him, as part of a curse planned by Discord, Deimos and Ares.

Ares and Hercules briefly teamed up to stop the Archangel Michael from destroying the Earth by unleashing the Apocalypse.

Ares was back to plotting against Zeus, this time by releasing two of the Titans once imprisoned by the Olympians, but Hercules and Iolaus stopped him again.

Xena Fifth Season

Determined to protect his own power and the rule of the Olympian deities, Ares murders Eli, a Jesus-like prophet who urged the people to abandon the old deities.

After the Fates prophesied that Xena's child Eve would bring about the end of the Olympian deities, Ares tried to declare his love for Xena, offering to protect her and her baby from the other deities and willingly become mortal if they could be together and have a child of their own. Ares offers to take Xena away but she declines. Xena rushes to stop the battle and surrenders her daughter. Just as Athena is about to kill Eve, Ares intercedes and begins to fight Athena. Xena takes on Ilainus and kills her while Gabrielle and the villagers force Athena's army to retreat. Athena disappears with Ilainus' body. With the battle over, Ares wishes to pick up where he left off with Xena. Xena rejected his offer, refusing to believe that his feelings could be sincere.

When Xena and Gabrielle faked their deaths to escape the deities' persecution, Ares inadvertently thwarted their plans by burying them in an ice cave where they slept for 25 years. After mourning Xena for years, Ares unknowingly took Eve (now the Roman warrior Livia) as his protegée and lover. When Xena returned, he resumed his pursuit of her: enraged by her continuing rejection, he first encouraged Livia/Eve to kill her, and then joined the other Olympians in their effort to kill Eve. At the last minute, however, his love for Xena prevailed and he gave up his godhood to heal the mortally wounded Gabrielle and Eve.

Xena Sixth Season

After the Twilight of the Gods (Olympian Massacre), the Olympian worship died out and Ares was no longer allowed to act as patron god of warriors. Early in season 6 he was driven mad by the Furies, a plot that was devised in order to pit Xena against Ares and have one or both of them kill each other. As Xena and Gabrielle head out to find Ares, Fury Xena is belittling him into such a rage that he dives for her, threatening her life. She vanishes and when Ares looks up, he sees the real Xena, who tries to make him realize that the Furies are driving him mad. Unable to convince him, Xena dodges his blows and escapes, concluding that Ares must kill her in order to be released from the clutches of the Furies. Xena was able to defeat the Furies, and, as mortals, they were both able to share a tender, sweet moment together. Coming Home

Xena risked her life to save the now-mortal Ares from the Furies. Xena helped Ares again, hiding him from vengeful warlords on her family's farm. Gasgar, the warlord decides to dispatch his army when young Siki reveals that he followed Ares and two women to the Lacoon Valley. Meanwhile, Xena, Gabrielle and Ares get word from a concerned neighbor named Greba that Gasgar's army is headed their way. Xena immediately sets off to intercept him. When Xena enters Gasgar's tent, she claims she has come to present him with Ares' head on a platter. Gasgar insists he doesn't need her help, but becomes interested when Xena tells him she knows where Ares is. Xena and Gabrielle stage a fight to the unsuspecting Gaspar heads off in search of Ares, once again in the wrong direction. Later that day, Xena and Gabrielle return to the farm with Horace, whose owner has been convinced that the dog will be better off there and they bid farewell to Ares. Old Ares Had a Farm

While in Rome when Xena tries to stop Caligula. Ares slips into the crowd. Xena jumps out of the chariot and lands in front of Caligula. She goes to kill him, but Ares runs from the crowd and pushes her aside. He tells an angry Xena that if she kills Caligula, she also kills Aphrodite. He says the lives of Caligula and Aphrodite are bound together somehow. Later Ares tells Xena that the Goddess of Love becomes unbalanced without the God of War. Later in the palace, Caligula brings out Ares and tells Xena to kill him. Xena says okay, but there's a floor show Cinda and I used to do and we'd like to perform it first. She gets all hot with Ares and asks Caligula if he'd like to participate. He says no. Xena goes to him and kisses him and bites his lip. Ares and Gabrielle watch Xena seduce Caligula. Xena goes back to Ares and kisses his nipple. When Xena defeats Caligula, Ares helps Aphrodite adjust to being mortal. The God You Know

Nigel a reporter attempts to interview the mortal Ares. Drunk, Ares scoffs at the idea of Xena becoming his queen. After mentioning that other Greek deities escaped the Twilight, Nigel hears a voice and storms into the dilapidated shack. There, he finds Xena, but is thrown out by Ares. Xena restored his godhood with a golden apple wrested from Odin, but refused his offer to become a goddess and rule by his side. You Are There

Ares and Xena were once again adversaries as she foiled his plot to get the Amazons into a war with the Romans in order to gain more worshipers. However, they also seemed to share a new mutual understanding and acceptance. Path Of Vengence.

At some time, Ares is trapped in a coffin made by Hephaestus, inside a tomb, and only Xena throwing her chakram at a part of the coffin could free him. In 1940, the descendants of Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer go looking for the Xena scrolls in that tomb. They find a broken chakram and when it's joined together, Xena's spirit goes into her descendant Melinda. She throws the chakram, that frees Ares. Before Xena's spirit leaves, she throws the chakram again and traps Ares in the tomb, but he finds a way out. Years later he tricks the reincarnated Xena to show up, but he's weak from not being worshipped and is defeated. Once the contract of Ares and Xena's marriage is found, he shows up again, to take Xena's soul, but she tricks him into destroying the contract and frees herself.

Background Information

Behind the Scenes

Ares is one of the five characters to have appeared in every season of Xena: Warrior Princess. The other four are Gabrielle, Cyrene, Xena and Joxer.
Ares and Aphrodite have appeared in 10 series each, more than any other character. Ares has more appearances than Aphrodite, meaning that he is the most frequently occurring crossover character.
Kevin Smith also plays Ares II, Iphicles and Jerry Patrick Brown.
Excluding Xena, Gabrielle and Argo, Ares was second only to Joxer in terms of appearances on Xena: Warrior Princess, with an episode count of 31.
Ares' appearance in "Sacrifice II" to his appearance in "Deja Vu All Over Again" was gap of 23 episodes, his longest non-appearing episode gap of Xena: Warrior Princess.
Like many of his co-stars, Kevin Smith's American accent was put on, as he was from New Zealand.
Ares lost his immortality three times, more times than any other character.

Trivia

A long-running speculation on Xena: Warrior Princess was that of how Gabrielle survived the fall into the Lava Pit in "Sacrifice II". It was revealed in the penultimate story of the show that it was Ares who saved her.
"The Reckoning" was the only episode that implied Xena and Ares had never met before this. All the other mentions of their first meetings refer to a point in time before this. It is later confirmed that Ares gave Xena the Chakram at some point after Borias' death, during her journey to Norseland, meaning that they did in fact meet before the events in "The Reckoning".
There are heavy implications early on in the series that Ares was actually Xena's father, although these implications were eventually dropped in favor of him being in love with her. See Xena's Father for more information.
Ares' favoured element seems to be Thunder.
Ares, Hercules and Athena are the only characters that have called Zeus "father" on-screen.
Having appeared in the more epsiodes and all in seasons of the xenverse throughout the continuity, than any other character Ares is the de facto central villian character and all three shows center on him frequently.
While Hera's hatred of Hercules is more based on him as a symbol of her husband's infidelity of anything rather than his heroic personality or actions, Ares' hatred is more based on jealousy of Hercules being either loved, liked or favored more by Zeus (their father) and humanity in general along with other inhabitants of the Earth in general and his (Hercules) thwarting of his (Ares) various schemes to instigate violence and war or gain power.
The historical Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Octavius Augustus and Caligula considered themselves to be descended from Mars, Ares's Roman aspect.