Velasca

Melinda Clarke was only on Xena for two episodes but she made one heck of an impression on our minds and hearts with her character Velasca.

Who Velasca is: 1-Amazon Warrior.

2- Adopted daughter of Queen Malosa, whom she killed in battle in her attempt to win the crown.

3-Evil hearted warrior who attempted to kill Gabrielle in her quest for the crown

4-Finally, Warrior goddess.

Velasca made her appearance in the Season Two episode “The Quest.” Gabrielle is bringing Xena’s body to Amphipolis for burial after her death in “Destiny.” Ephiny intercepts her with a request that she give Xena a proper funeral in the Amazon village and take her place as the Queen since Malosa’s death. Gabrielle finally agrees and she enters the village to take the responsibilities that come with her right of caste, much to the displeasure of Velasca. As Xena controls Autolycus’ body and mind in a quest for a secret stash of ambrosia (which will bring her back to life) Velasca manages to turn the village against Gabrielle after Autolycus is discovered trying to steal Xena’s body from the funeral pyre. With Xena’s help, Gabrielle, Autolycus, Ephiny and a few remaining loyal Amazons manage to find the ambrosia. Unfortunately so does Velasca. Xena is forced to take over Gabrielle’s body in order to fight Velasca for the ambrosia, and after an incredible fight hanging from ropes, Xena (still in Gabby’s body) manages to stop Velasca from taking the ambrosia and fall to her death to the spikes below. Gabrielle gets the ambrosia to Xena’s body just in time to save her life before her soul is gone forever.

However…. Velasca is not dead. She managed to get a sliver of the ambrosia and she crawls back into the Amazon village just as Gabrielle has made Ephiny queen in her absence. Velasca eats the ambrosia and becomes a god with a lust to kill Gabrielle for halting her quest for the crown. It is now that Xena must free Callisto from a prison Hercules has trapped her in, with promises of god-hood. After working with Callisto to get Velasca over a lava pit, Gabrielle is forced to give Callisto the last bit of ambrosia in order to deal with Velasca. It is while fighting on this fragile rope bridge that Velasca and Callisto fall into the lava pit which Xena hopes will hold both goddess forever, and this, my friends, is the last we see of Velasca in the Xenaverse.

Her time was short but unforgettable. Kudos to Melinda Clarke.

-Caina Q. Fuller