The "Xena" writers and performers snuck sapphic material into the show wherever they could. "I think that the writing staff, who were extremely sophisticated and savvy and witty, caught on much faster than I did," Renee O'Connor told EW. For example, when Xena confiscated a breast dagger off Gabrielle and put it down her own bodice, Gab quipped "It's not like your breasts aren't dangerous enough." And when Gabrielle becomes a vampire-like creature in Season 2, guess who she bites. It ain't Joxer.
But it wasn't all subtext between Xena and Gabrielle — the pair actually kissed. Well, kind of. Xena kissed Gabrielle goodbye when Gab briefly married a man, and the two shared a kiss when Xena was in Autolycus' body in Season 2's "The Quest." Xena has been temporarily dead for a few episodes, and the pair reconnect in the spirit realm. "There's so many things I want to say to you," Gabrielle says before Xena cuts her off. "Gabrielle, you don't have to say a word," and they kiss. Or Gabrielle and Autolycus kiss, depending on how you look at it.
Things only got gayer from there. They briefly raise a child together, die for each other multiple times, and say "I love you" all the time. You know, like galpals do! The three-part "Rhinegold" saga of Season 6 codifies that Xena is Gabrielle's soulmate, as Xena is the only one who can walk through magic "soulmates only" fire and awaken Gabrielle with true love's kiss.
