Yup. In fact, I was there at the 2001 convention in Pasadena when Alexandra and Claire Stansfield (Alti) dressed in topcoats, fishnets, and bowler hats, then proceeded to read and act out a few selections of X\G fanfic. It ended with the two of them kissing -- pretty sure with tongue, even -- for one loooong smooch. Brought the house down... 🤩
I honestly have no idea. It wasn't during the convention itself, but during the after hours "Cabaret" they held in the evening; usually the stars who appeared at the con would come on and sing or do some other kind of act, I believe all for charity. IIRC, this would have been the second night, and Alexandra and Claire spent the rest of the show alternating as hosts. Being 2001 -- before everyone carried a camera at all times and you could get video of everything from a dozen angles -- it would have to have been filmed by the official convention folks. A quick YouTube search comes up with a video that shows a few of the acts, but not theirs specifically (although at about 40 seconds in there's a brief shot where you can see the two in their fishnets and topcoats in the back). Anyway...
You need to grow your bangs out first before you cut it too short. Even then it's a layered haircut, so you're supposed to cut the underside shorter than the other layers.
More seriously: she's the equivalent of drunk girl at 3am here, she's the goddess of *love*, she's always been more drawn to Gabrielle than you'd expect, and...it's Gabrielle 😁
I was turned on I always knew Aphrodite had a secret crush on Gabby historians well not all of them but some of them mentioned that everyone was bisexual in ancient Western cultures
Or 60% bisexual and 40% pansexual so either way everyone was into everyone that is a historical main fact personally if I by mistake traveled backwards in time id would make sure have a woman 😉with me always so to verified that I'm already taken and for the fellas to know I'm not playing for both teams I have nothing against anyone who does but it's not my cup of tea.
I guess it depends on how you speculate. In ancient Rome the only sexuality is power dynamic. A Roman man only tops, they cannot be in subservient position. So calling them bisexual is a very modern concept.
Yeah and it wasn't just ancient Romans it was ancient Greeks, Persians, Babylonians and any other ancient civilization from the west to the east you can think 🤔 of
I didn't mean to sound rude with my previous comment, I'm really sorry. What I meant to say is, those jammies party could easily be interpreted as a sleepover party. It wasn't seen as a "Aphrodite crushing on Gabby" thing 😅
Still sorry to the other user. Ik it gets harder to find people willing to do sleepovers with us in our adulthood. To some it even come across as juvenile.
Omg, can I get an invite???? I’m having the worst day and thinking about Aphrodite having a massive crush on Gabby is the only thing getting me through. I can bring crab cakes!
Yes!! Plus, do we ever get an explanation about how Caligula was able to take Aphrodite's powers...? And there's the scene when he tells Xena to kill Ares but then they immediately forget about it after they do a sexy dance 😂
Don't get me wrong, I will rewatch the episode. It's just every time I do I remember it makes no sense lol
Right?? The whole show, they never express sexual or romantic interest in any other woman. It's clear they belong to each other. In current terms, I'd say that especially at first (mid season 2, around ADITL?), they're monogamous when it comes to women, and accept some degree of poly when it comes to men who they treat as secondary partners. As the show progresses, they ditch the side men and are solely each other's.
I think Gabrielle reacted this way because Aphrodite isn't able to give consent in the state she's in, even if she initiates.
Also the body language in the whole sequence doesn't look enthusiastic from either person. Not that I don't think there's a crush there. We know there's plenty of ethical non-monagamous fan fiction about this 😂
I would assume because Gabs is clueless and also a sweetheart. She wouldn’t have noticed Aphrodite’s crush and just thought her friend was acting out of character. She would have wanted to protect her from doing something she would have “regretted”. I use the term “friend” loosely here, I don’t remember their relationship at this point but they’ve at least spent a ton of time together and Aphrodite wasn’t the worst.
Yes, this is the real answer. I'm pretty sure in this state Aphrodite would get down with anyone. Her real feelings come back when Caligula steals the last of her godhood and she's mortal but otherwise back to normal.
She was out of balance, because Ares had been made mortal. Without war, love is out of balance. Caligula took her to Rome, and she has fallen into hedonism/nihilism, drunk and confused.
They had to solve this by making Ares a god again.
Yes, Aphrodite behaves the same with Ares. There's an element of mindless lack of consideration or true affection that Aphrodite shudders at when she's back to herself.
Well, Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love; ALL love. She’s always had an admiration for Gabrielle which may have turned into more over the years of helping her and Xena out
What I thought I thought it meant that Aphrodite couldn’t tell the difference between a real love and lust because that is what she was experiencing with him he was lusting for her power. I can’t remember his name right now, but he was in the same episode.
After the Twilight of the Gods she went "out of balance". Calligula took advantage of it and started draining her which probably was too much for her and got her in a confused and disoriented.
The way I saw it. Caligula was recorded in history as a self-important, sexually promiscuous and perverted person. He has the power of Dity, and she was linked to him. She was as happy as he was — not very.
She is the goddess of love. She expresses herself sexually and always had. Caligula’s influence makes her incapable of really having any rational thought in any way. There wasn’t a moment in the whole episode where I felt like she was actually happy. Her normal sad days were 60 billion times as effervescent and happy than her happiest moment in this episode.
I saw this moment as her parroting what Caligula was trying to convince himself while also trying desperately to get help despite not realizing what it was that she was asking for or wanting. She picked Gabrielle because she knew she was safe and in doing so, Gabrielle was able to help her.
it seems like she is a bit high at this moment. you know when your plans and such go your way and everything is perfect so you get so hyped up and considering she is a love goddess and been known in history to be very lusty, odds are the way she shows her happiness and hyperness is though kissing, cuddles and saucy fun time. pretty much she is dealing with a natural high.
This episode was the most Spartacus Xena episode I've ever seen(and the When in Rome...). It's nice to see that Tapert already has this kind of style down qp years before Spartacus aired.
LuckyChen@reddit
Any recommendations for Gabrielle/Aphrodite fanfic? Apparently it exists, according to Ms. Tydings when she was on stage at the last convention.
bbofpotidaea@reddit
Ooh, I have one saved somewhere. Commenting so I know where to send it when it turns up.
LuckyChen@reddit
Did you ever find it?
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
No way! Alexandra Tydongs actually knows about the fanfictions 😂
Check out AO3, there's a ton of Aphrodite/Gabby fic on there. Browse by tags.
BooBoo992001@reddit
Yup. In fact, I was there at the 2001 convention in Pasadena when Alexandra and Claire Stansfield (Alti) dressed in topcoats, fishnets, and bowler hats, then proceeded to read and act out a few selections of X\G fanfic. It ended with the two of them kissing -- pretty sure with tongue, even -- for one loooong smooch. Brought the house down... 🤩
CheersToLive@reddit
That's so cooolll, coolest fandom ever!!
BooBoo992001@reddit
I honestly have no idea. It wasn't during the convention itself, but during the after hours "Cabaret" they held in the evening; usually the stars who appeared at the con would come on and sing or do some other kind of act, I believe all for charity. IIRC, this would have been the second night, and Alexandra and Claire spent the rest of the show alternating as hosts. Being 2001 -- before everyone carried a camera at all times and you could get video of everything from a dozen angles -- it would have to have been filmed by the official convention folks. A quick YouTube search comes up with a video that shows a few of the acts, but not theirs specifically (although at about 40 seconds in there's a brief shot where you can see the two in their fishnets and topcoats in the back). Anyway...
https://youtu.be/Q8r1NGd93PU?si=IHdV4ue14tEpytko
Agent8699@reddit
Gabphrodite is a very popular ship!
Browncoat101@reddit
Oh, I’m sure it exists! It’s a very cute pairing and I don’t even mind it as a long time Xena/Gabby shipper. It feels light and harmless fun.
Jo1351@reddit
Yeah that show had its moments. I forget the plot, it may have been a spell gone wrong.
Hello-i-Luv-U@reddit
Ratings.
RomiRayne@reddit
I was so in love with Gabby's hair. I spent a year trying to get the same short style. Ended up looking like this instead
RainWindowCoffee@reddit
Me trying to get a Vulcan haircut in the early 2000's.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
The power of BANGS!
You need to grow your bangs out first before you cut it too short. Even then it's a layered haircut, so you're supposed to cut the underside shorter than the other layers.
Jibtettnich@reddit
Love? Idk.
Sinomatic@reddit
Is....is that a serious question?
Who wouldn't? 😂
More seriously: she's the equivalent of drunk girl at 3am here, she's the goddess of *love*, she's always been more drawn to Gabrielle than you'd expect, and...it's Gabrielle 😁
El_Sephiroth@reddit
And as the goddess of love, she could feel a strong connection with the love interest of the show.
theevilwomanREAL@reddit
Aphrodite spent a whole episode once trying to seduce Gabrielle. She was naked in a bath in front of her and things like that. This is all super hot.
Grayx_2887@reddit
I don't know, you tell me.
Crafty-Potential-824@reddit
Idk if you can hear the video but she’s obviously extremely happy!! That’s why they kissed!!
Crafty-Potential-824@reddit
For fun..?
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
I was turned on I always knew Aphrodite had a secret crush on Gabby historians well not all of them but some of them mentioned that everyone was bisexual in ancient Western cultures
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
They define sexuality differently back then. It doesn't necessarily mean they were all bisexuals.
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
Or 60% bisexual and 40% pansexual so either way everyone was into everyone that is a historical main fact personally if I by mistake traveled backwards in time id would make sure have a woman 😉with me always so to verified that I'm already taken and for the fellas to know I'm not playing for both teams I have nothing against anyone who does but it's not my cup of tea.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
I guess it depends on how you speculate. In ancient Rome the only sexuality is power dynamic. A Roman man only tops, they cannot be in subservient position. So calling them bisexual is a very modern concept.
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
Yeah and it wasn't just ancient Romans it was ancient Greeks, Persians, Babylonians and any other ancient civilization from the west to the east you can think 🤔 of
Brazz7@reddit
A question I’ve never asked
carz4us@reddit
We needed more gay
Amiasdaas@reddit
This happened? This isn't AI manipulation? 😳 So much censorship when it was airing I didn't even realize.
Expensive_Fun7389@reddit
Because......who wouldn't?? 😘
rheactx@reddit
Aphrodite had a crush on Gabrielle for years
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
It was never implied until this scene..
theyarnllama@reddit
Do you REMEMBER the scene where they were doing a sleepover in jammies?
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
What. Y'all don't have sleepover with friends anymore??
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
I do 😆
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
❤️❤️❤️
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
My friend and i literally had a sleepover and watched 3/5 twilight movies. We are both in our late 20s and she has kids lol
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
I didn't mean to sound rude with my previous comment, I'm really sorry. What I meant to say is, those jammies party could easily be interpreted as a sleepover party. It wasn't seen as a "Aphrodite crushing on Gabby" thing 😅
Still sorry to the other user. Ik it gets harder to find people willing to do sleepovers with us in our adulthood. To some it even come across as juvenile.
❤️❤️
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
I wasn't being snippy, i promise, i was just trying to say i still do
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
Drop by my sleepover too one day, bring jammies too!! ❤️❤️
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
https://i.redd.it/7r6j83zh74ne1.gif
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
On my way 👀👀
theyarnllama@reddit
Sadly, no.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
We can have a sleepover together ❤️
theyarnllama@reddit
Cool! You, me, tonight. We’ll do each other’s hair, and eat tons of snacks, and watch our favorite episodes. You bring the drinks, I’ll order pizza.
Anyone else in?
Browncoat101@reddit
Omg, can I get an invite???? I’m having the worst day and thinking about Aphrodite having a massive crush on Gabby is the only thing getting me through. I can bring crab cakes!
HazardousCloset@reddit
Dang. I want crab cakes.
theyarnllama@reddit
Also sorry you’re having a bad day. :(
Browncoat101@reddit
Not anymore, I’m going to a slumber partayyyyy!
theyarnllama@reddit
High five!
Browncoat101@reddit
But thank you 😊😊
theyarnllama@reddit
Yaaaasss bring those crab cakes! That sounds like we’re eating FANCY!
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
I'll even bring boardgames and uno! And you won't believe the kind of snacks I'm into 😊
theyarnllama@reddit
I haven’t played Uno in too long. And it looks like we’re gonna be eating all night. This is going to rock.
LaurenInStereo119@reddit
One of the reasons i actually love the episode Punch Lines
Ollie_and_pops@reddit
Ya it was heavily implied she had a massive crush. I can’t remember the episodes tho.
LibertineDeSade@reddit
The way everyone was in love with Gabrielle is amazing. She was even pulling goddesses. 😂
darkmodeDdy@reddit
As a Hellenic, I’m gonna just say—Aphrodite would 😭🙌🏼
bex_orange_county@reddit
This was my sexual awakening
grumps46@reddit
This whole episode is bonkers. Since when can Gods kill themselves? Why did Xena try to drown an angel? All of it's so weird
napalmnacey@reddit
I hated it. 9 hated the entire season, early, other than “Old Ares had a Farm”.
PirateJen78@reddit
Same, though there are a few other episodes I'll watch, but I hate most of that season.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
I KNOW. And then Eli betray her mid-episode. Now she had to make Caligula kill himself?? Like what?
grumps46@reddit
Yes!! Plus, do we ever get an explanation about how Caligula was able to take Aphrodite's powers...? And there's the scene when he tells Xena to kill Ares but then they immediately forget about it after they do a sexy dance 😂
Don't get me wrong, I will rewatch the episode. It's just every time I do I remember it makes no sense lol
Pop_Stensbold@reddit
It is a nuts episode but at least it has a nice and sexy Gabrielle dancing scene :-)
tambobo@reddit
The number of comments on this thread saying ‘why not?!’ 😂💯
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
It's still coming in overnight 😂
horrang@reddit
Why wouldn’t she?
napalmnacey@reddit
I think it was illustrating how messed up she was.
ReadingRoutine5594@reddit
She needs a reason? Goddess of love meets cute girl who embodies love and peace, if not wanting to be kissed, why so kissable?
EasyStatistician8694@reddit
I mean, I’d happily kiss Gabrielle, so it’s not really a mystery to me. 😉😆
Artemischosenone@reddit
Better question: Why did Gabrielle reject her so badly?
CheersToLive@reddit
Because Gabrielle belongs to Xena!
hermit198388@reddit
Right?? The whole show, they never express sexual or romantic interest in any other woman. It's clear they belong to each other. In current terms, I'd say that especially at first (mid season 2, around ADITL?), they're monogamous when it comes to women, and accept some degree of poly when it comes to men who they treat as secondary partners. As the show progresses, they ditch the side men and are solely each other's.
IndependenceRich8754@reddit
Maybe Gabby could tell that Aphrodite wasn’t in her right mind and thus unable to give informed consent?
Agent8699@reddit
Um, Xena had the power to kill gods! She didn’t want Xena to kill Aphrodite out of jealousy.
grievousAcorn@reddit
I think Gabrielle reacted this way because Aphrodite isn't able to give consent in the state she's in, even if she initiates.
Also the body language in the whole sequence doesn't look enthusiastic from either person. Not that I don't think there's a crush there. We know there's plenty of ethical non-monagamous fan fiction about this 😂
Browncoat101@reddit
I would assume because Gabs is clueless and also a sweetheart. She wouldn’t have noticed Aphrodite’s crush and just thought her friend was acting out of character. She would have wanted to protect her from doing something she would have “regretted”. I use the term “friend” loosely here, I don’t remember their relationship at this point but they’ve at least spent a ton of time together and Aphrodite wasn’t the worst.
DrNerdyTeacher@reddit
I've always thought it's because she is already married.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
She must've been clueless, just like me.
kingcolbe@reddit
What does she like drugged or mind controlled in this episode or something?
hermit198388@reddit
Yes, this is the real answer. I'm pretty sure in this state Aphrodite would get down with anyone. Her real feelings come back when Caligula steals the last of her godhood and she's mortal but otherwise back to normal.
WitchyWarriorWoman@reddit
She was out of balance, because Ares had been made mortal. Without war, love is out of balance. Caligula took her to Rome, and she has fallen into hedonism/nihilism, drunk and confused.
They had to solve this by making Ares a god again.
IseQween@reddit
Yes, Aphrodite behaves the same with Ares. There's an element of mindless lack of consideration or true affection that Aphrodite shudders at when she's back to herself.
Overall_Sandwich_671@reddit
When in Rome... 🤷🏻♀️
CheersToLive@reddit
Was female homosexuality in Ancient Rome ever approved of? Thought this was a Grecian thing.
midnightspellbinder@reddit
Yes Gabrielle be loyal to your wife xena
ftmboi505@reddit
Because she's the goddess of love?
Luditas@reddit
Because Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love, Sensuality and Beauty. She can kiss Gabrielle. If Aphrodite wanted to kiss me, I'd approve 😌🤡.
If I remember correctly, Gabrielle likes Aphrodite.
Hippiehannes1983@reddit
Why not?
zino332@reddit
That set must have smelled so good
DixonDebussy@reddit
The original "love is love"
Meushell@reddit
She likes her. Unfortunately, for her, Gabrielle is already married.
crepelabouche@reddit
I wonder to who.
🎵🎶 Jocker the mighty …
Ambi0us@reddit
Wouldn't you?
DarkDismal1941@reddit
Well, Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love; ALL love. She’s always had an admiration for Gabrielle which may have turned into more over the years of helping her and Xena out
CaramelTight1503@reddit
Why not? I mean, seriously, Gabs is fine.
Pwaise_Hestia@reddit
Because GAphrodite.
Agent8699@reddit
Because she LOVES her! 💋
Subject-Report-9578@reddit
Wouldn't you
Browncoat101@reddit
Same!
Abharsair13@reddit
Why not?!
v3gas21@reddit
God wills it!!!
Practical-While1693@reddit
What I thought I thought it meant that Aphrodite couldn’t tell the difference between a real love and lust because that is what she was experiencing with him he was lusting for her power. I can’t remember his name right now, but he was in the same episode.
acebender@reddit
Why not, lol
godsibi@reddit
After the Twilight of the Gods she went "out of balance". Calligula took advantage of it and started draining her which probably was too much for her and got her in a confused and disoriented.
NeiClaw@reddit
I don’t remember this episode but Alexandra looks ridiculously good.
CyaneSpirit@reddit
Why wouldn’t she?
Ill_Community_919@reddit
Because she could? Thats why I would kiss her.
TangledUpPuppeteer@reddit
The way I saw it. Caligula was recorded in history as a self-important, sexually promiscuous and perverted person. He has the power of Dity, and she was linked to him. She was as happy as he was — not very.
She is the goddess of love. She expresses herself sexually and always had. Caligula’s influence makes her incapable of really having any rational thought in any way. There wasn’t a moment in the whole episode where I felt like she was actually happy. Her normal sad days were 60 billion times as effervescent and happy than her happiest moment in this episode.
I saw this moment as her parroting what Caligula was trying to convince himself while also trying desperately to get help despite not realizing what it was that she was asking for or wanting. She picked Gabrielle because she knew she was safe and in doing so, Gabrielle was able to help her.
Jacqueline_Calle@reddit
Why did Aphrodite kiss Gabrielle?
Because Gabrielle in that outfit and with that hair is an absolute smoke show and who in their right mind wouldn't want to kiss her!!
gimmesomespace@reddit
She horny
AvocadoPizzaCat@reddit
it seems like she is a bit high at this moment. you know when your plans and such go your way and everything is perfect so you get so hyped up and considering she is a love goddess and been known in history to be very lusty, odds are the way she shows her happiness and hyperness is though kissing, cuddles and saucy fun time. pretty much she is dealing with a natural high.
Latte-Catte@reddit (OP)
This episode was the most Spartacus Xena episode I've ever seen(and the When in Rome...). It's nice to see that Tapert already has this kind of style down qp years before Spartacus aired.