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00:00:01
Our Youngest Guest? Meet Mia!
39 Plays2 months ago
TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of suicide, animal death, grooming
In today's episode we welcome our very first guest Mia (she/they)! We talk all about what it is like to be a young member of an old fandom. Huge thank you to Mia for coming on the pod and for being very gracious as we dealt with some technical difficulties. All part of learning a new skill!
Podcast Twitter: @talkxenatomepod Email: talkxenatomepod@gmail.com
My Twitter/Tumblr: @ellisthemighty
Mia's TikTok: starlaeditzz Instagram: ghost_girlll__ Twitter: @xenasbard_ ao3 : xenas_ghost
Want to be a guest on the pod? Fill out the form here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnY3gRGuWdzcqUGMoWaBBPbRJY1rxQGfdESOgymKC6uM6Rng/viewform?usp=dialog
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Transcript
Introduction of Podcast and Guest
00:00:01
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Talk Xena to Me. This is the podcast where i talk to a bunch of my fellow Xenites about Xena and what we love. to Today is very exciting because we have our very first guest and it's a very special guest.
00:00:16
Speaker
This is Mia. Mia, hello.
Discovering Xena and Joining the Fandom
00:00:19
Speaker
hey I'm so excited to be doing this. This is super exciting. um So how about we just start out with you giving us a little introduction. Tell us about yourself.
00:00:31
Speaker
Okay, um, I'm honestly possibly gonna be the youngest person to do this podcast. Uh, mainly because I, like, watched the show early last year, specifically, like, February, after a specific date, but I know I watched it in February, like, mid-February, I think, and I finished it in March.
Xena Fandom's Impact on Mia's Life
00:01:02
Speaker
Mm-hmm. That's how fast I can binge a show if I put my mind through it. But um i I'm in multiple different fandoms.
00:01:13
Speaker
This fandom, however, has taken over my life. And by that, I mean, like, I have multiple, like, figurines. And I also have a box set of the show.
00:01:26
Speaker
I also have a t-shirt, which I wore. ah While I was, like, doing stuff. um So, yeah. when Whenever I say that this show has, like, taken over my life, I do nothing but talk about this show. um Sorry, fam.
00:01:45
Speaker
But, like... At least I'm not doing anything bad.
00:01:53
Speaker
it Yeah, it could be so much worse. Yeah, like... um Doing random things that may or may not be illegal or being obsessed with a show from 30 years ago.
00:02:09
Speaker
pick your poison. Exactly. Basically harmless. Yeah. No, I definitely annoyed my my roommate. for the time that when I was getting into it because she had to hear about it every day and I don't know how conducive it was to her studying or my studying actually it was not great but but that's all right okay well I think that's a good introduction I think that's good you're definitely gonna be the youngest I think I'm pretty sure unless we get another
00:02:43
Speaker
another 18 year old springs up.
00:02:47
Speaker
We'll, we'll see. We'll just have to see.
Finding Xena on Prime
00:02:51
Speaker
So let's go back to the beginning. How did you discover Xena? Uh,
00:02:59
Speaker
I heard it was fruity and I saw it on Prime and I was like, you know what? Hey, mom, can I watch this? She said, sure. She put it on. First episode that I ever saw was Dreamwalker. Ooh.
00:03:16
Speaker
Yeah. So, very fun episode for it being my first episode. Because I get Gabrielle looking like a... um A video game character that I fan cast her as. m and And then just like Xena wet randomly.
00:03:37
Speaker
Like ah such a great episode. Well, everyone loves that. That's the peak.
00:03:48
Speaker
That blind guy feeling her strength and being like, oh, it's going to take you months. Wait, no. Maybe a few hours to to get through that maze.
00:04:00
Speaker
Like, you seem very strong. I know. i love that part. I love that part so much. i feel like people don't talk about it a lot, but I love that. But yeah, like, honestly, that i i think I saw a few videos on TikTok
Immersion in Fandom via TikTok
00:04:18
Speaker
talking about it. I also think I may have saw, like, so ah a video that Summer made or something. oh Yeah, yeah.
00:04:31
Speaker
yeah
00:04:35
Speaker
Okay, so, um, it was Summer and, like, two other people. oh I, I think, but, but it also could have been through the, the like, grapevine.
00:04:52
Speaker
Right, yeah. I have, so hold on. Okay, okay, we're good. I had a hair or something. Anywho, but yeah, ah possibly heard it through the grapevine.
00:05:08
Speaker
oh And then I just like saw it one night while my mom was scrolling through Prime. i was like, hey, I've seen that show. Can I watch it?
00:05:21
Speaker
It seems cool. Like, it feels like. it It feels like it it was meant to be mainly because on Pinterest, I had kept saying ah did this photo shoot where they were like before and after giving someone a sword. And it was.
00:05:46
Speaker
Please tell me that you you like know the photo shoot I'm talking about. I've seen this. Yeah. Yeah, I just randomly saw that ah on Pinterest multiple times.
00:05:58
Speaker
and then yeah and for people who have For people who have not seen it, it's a picture of Lucy a Lawless but ah before and after someone gave her a sword, and now she's all happy.
00:06:10
Speaker
Yeah. yes ah and and And then in the comments, that they're like, that's not some random woman. That Xena, like, put put some respect on her name. Like, she she was this ultimate 90s feminist woman icon.
00:06:29
Speaker
Like, dude, like, you just saying that she's a random woman is blasphemy. And then I was like, oh, these fans are serious. Okay.
00:06:41
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure. Yeah. I wish I remembered how I discovered Xena, but I genuinely don't. It's like I blinked one day and then I was just watching it.
00:06:54
Speaker
i honestly think that I remember so clearly because it was literally last year.
Age Dynamics in the Fandom
00:07:01
Speaker
yeah that's true. Yeah, just a little bit more than just a year ago. Yeah. Because, like,
00:07:07
Speaker
ah ah i I'm in this group chat on on Twitter. I I don't think you're a part of it, but it's like a very small Zenite group chat.
00:07:20
Speaker
And then ah there there was like a random topic of um of when they started watching the show and then people were saying 05, 06, 07. And I was like...
00:07:37
Speaker
and i was like Dang, man. small I'm, small. I'm tiny. Like, I was born 07. What? Oh, jeez. Now that that makes me feel old.
00:07:51
Speaker
yeah As soon we start talking about numbers... I'm pretty sure make my big sister feel old. Yeah. Let's see. I was born in 2003. That makes me feel ancient.
00:08:02
Speaker
But that's alright. To most people in the Xena fandom, I... I am also a young baby, so... can Not being mean, okay? No one take this as me being mean.
00:08:16
Speaker
Alright?
Creating and Sharing Fandom Edits
00:08:17
Speaker
No one. In my opinion, a lot of the Xenophantum is in their 40s and 50s. I also feel like that's a fact because it was a popular 90s show and they were alive in the 90s.
00:08:32
Speaker
Right. Just kind of part of it. I can't get cancelled for saying that, okay? Okay. not Fun fact, actually, one time I almost got canceled, but it was for something stupid.
00:08:45
Speaker
thank God. Yeah. Yeah, um, uh, of making a fan video of someone you're not really a fan of.
00:08:56
Speaker
And then, like, captioning it. Yeah, so I don't really support her her actions, but she does make good music.
00:09:07
Speaker
Do you want me to tell you who who the video was of? Go for it.
00:09:17
Speaker
Uh...
00:09:20
Speaker
Uh, Miss Grande. oh Miss Cat Valentine herself. And... And... anne Whenever I made it, this was whenever they were... well Actually, whenever people were,
00:09:35
Speaker
like Talking about her and that guy, Spongebob dude, I don't know his name. any Oh. So, but yeah that's when this went down.
00:09:47
Speaker
Ethan Slater. Since then, I don't have access to the account. I mean, technically I do, but I just logged out of it. I thought you were going to say when she got caught licking those donuts, but...
00:10:02
Speaker
That was a while ago. That was a while ago. Anywho, back to Zina. That was crazy work. Before I get cancelled again by her fandom. Yeah, let's let's let's move on to the next next question. Let's go to the next topic.
00:10:18
Speaker
So, okay, the next thing we you were talking about was how did you watch Zina? I'm assuming you watched it on Prime, like you mentioned. Yes. Okay. Okay. So how long did it take you to like really get into it? What were your thoughts?
00:10:32
Speaker
ah Honestly...
First Impressions of Xena Episodes
00:10:37
Speaker
i I think it just took a split second because, like I said, my first episode was Dreamwalker.
00:10:44
Speaker
And it starts off by Miss Blondie over here having Xena's sword stuck in a stump. And I was like, hold on. Did did I miss something?
00:10:54
Speaker
Then my my my mom was like... No, Mia, you didn't. that That's how this starts. And I was like, oh, okay. um what You were lied to. Yeah,
00:11:10
Speaker
yeah like after that, I went back to the pilot and then I watched everything. So technically, I've seen DreamWorker like five times. Hey, maybe you're going watch an episode five times. It might as well be DreamWorker.
00:11:25
Speaker
I mean, that in my opinion, that that's one of the best season one episodes. and' good It's so fun. And we we've got Gabrielle with a sword.
00:11:38
Speaker
wet zero like I'm pretty sure whenever people saw her wet they were like oh okay me likey yeah
00:11:53
Speaker
unfortunately whenever I think about that episode I just think about that old guy with the oil being like don't worry I'm a gentleman I'm not gonna walk um I'm not gonna waterboard you at all I'm glad you're safe with me i'm not I'm not a creepy old man.
00:12:12
Speaker
Casually, you start with oil feeling up her bicep.
Editing Style Evolution
00:12:18
Speaker
Oh, you're gonna last maybe a month. Oh, days.
00:12:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. Alright. So, earlier you mentioned almost getting cancelled because of an edit. Yeah. so But you you you edit. You do that.
00:12:38
Speaker
That's super cool. I've never even attempted because I don't have skills. So, but tell me, tell me about this editing. Uh, I started in like, maybe 2023, maybe?
00:12:56
Speaker
I and and know I've been doing it for a while. I have taken breaks, so it hasn't been like every single day edit it is being put out. Even though last year I was pretty good at posting daily, who my my iPad storage has been suffering because of it. But hey, that's okay.
00:13:18
Speaker
Anywho, I've been doing it for a while. Um, and, uh,
00:13:32
Speaker
first, I think the first video I made was, and in the, in the, in the ah Criminal Minds fandom. Because I'm a huge crime show girly.
00:13:45
Speaker
Sure. It was that, then, then. than a the not like fan video of someone else, and then it it just grew.
00:13:57
Speaker
Thankfully, my editing style has grown too, because when I sometimes go back, I'm like, i was bad, I've grown.
00:14:08
Speaker
i've I try to take my old video videos with a grain of salt, because Like, I'm not very proud of them because they do look bad, but I had to start somewhere. so Yes, exactly.
00:14:31
Speaker
Just like me with this podcast. so and and And maybe one day i would i would love to do this again. Sure.
Connecting with New Friends through Fandom
00:14:44
Speaker
yeah Hey, y'all, so, like, I'm just gonna casually be, like, a reoccurring guest. You're already booking yourself in. Yeah. You're claiming it. Yeah. Hey, that's fine. Maybe you we'll just we'll just document the different phases of you going through this experience that you're having.
00:15:06
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Mia through the ages.
00:15:13
Speaker
Who knows? Who knows how long this podcast will go on? I don't know. Depends on how many people want to be on it. If you want to keep on being on it, then I guess technically it could go forever. Oh, yes, of course. Of course.
00:15:26
Speaker
this This is very fun, okay? that This is the highlight of my night. I'm glad. I'm really glad.
00:15:38
Speaker
This is two. This is me, too. I don't get the opportunity to... to I'm not a talker. Same. i i In fact, a fun personal fact about me,
00:15:53
Speaker
ah ah like last year I think uh there was a new girl at my school and um I wanted to make friends with her but we didn't really have the same classes except one time um our class was like somewhere so I had the chance to talk to her I took that chance by writing ah ah like want to be friends you're new like Why not?
00:16:24
Speaker
um i'm shy. So, like, this could be a pretty great friendship. Then, ah after that, we didn't talk for, like, the rest of that school year.
00:16:37
Speaker
But then, the either that next semester or next school, no, next semester, we became pretty good friends.
00:16:52
Speaker
Take chances, y'all, even if it's just writing, hey, wannabe friends on a sticky note like I did. Hey, that's great advice.
00:17:05
Speaker
Yeah, write more notes. Just slap them somewhere. and you never know. Yeah, I need to yeah,
Social Media's Role in Fandom Connection
00:17:15
Speaker
I don't know. I've been telling myself that I need to, like, ah DM more people.
00:17:19
Speaker
if Yeah, we'll see about that.
00:17:26
Speaker
But you never know. um Okay. So. Let me get my barons here. Alright.
00:17:37
Speaker
So we talked about edits. That's super cool. i Isn't fanfiction next? Fanfiction is next. It is, yes. But I love edits so much. i did not fully understand the glory of edits um until I was into Xena. And then i regularly search Xena on TikTok so I can something. Oh, question.
00:18:01
Speaker
um so This is mainly to to like, blow me up. oh Yeah. Yeah. Not like in the sense that of um I've got like this huge personality.
00:18:14
Speaker
i don't, but um but like, have you seen any of mine? I think so. Probably. I'm hesitant to say a confident yes.
00:18:28
Speaker
Because I'm going to be honest, sometimes i don't notice people's names. I just stay scrolling. And um'm um' I'm in like, after this, you you can just go to my my Twitter bio and and of i've I've got it in there.
00:18:47
Speaker
Oh yeah, I'm going to be hunting. You better believe. I will be all up in that. um And also, I'll be putting all of me and social media ah in the description. So if other people want to find you too, they can do that as well.
00:19:06
Speaker
Thank you. So hopefully people will do that. Yeah, little plug. go yeah check out Go check out Mia's stuff. It's in the description. I tried to go live on an old account, but I have a baby face. So it thought that I was under 15 for a long time.
00:19:23
Speaker
So... um Yeah, I i lost 8,000 followers and I still haven't gotten any of them back. i've got um um'm just I'm stuck at 2,000.
00:19:35
Speaker
Guys, I promise numbers don't mean anything to me, but I am still sad I lost 8,000 followers. But also go follow Mia. Yeah.
00:19:46
Speaker
Right now. Just pause the podcast. Thank you. And go. Run. Yeah, no, I feel you on that. I went on a vacation to a water park a couple years ago, and they tried to give me a coupon for children under 12, and I was actually 21 years of age. So that was cool.
00:20:06
Speaker
That was really humbling. Sometimes the the the looking younger thing comes in clutch, but also it's like, I'm not 12 people. Fun fact!
00:20:18
Speaker
um Also, another personal thing. I promise I'm not gonna go too deep, but to this is relevant. um One time, i I went to a school function, and a teacher i had never met asked me if I was planning on signing up to her class.
00:20:36
Speaker
Mind do you, i was already taking a class there, and and then I was like, I'm already taking class here, and ah and then and then And then she was like, oh my gosh, you look 12. How old are you? And then I know ah forgot when this was. But um i ah I said my age. And then she was like, oh my gosh.
00:21:02
Speaker
But just know, looking younger is going to be useful most times. And I was like, thanks.
00:21:13
Speaker
ah Listen, when I'm 60...
00:21:16
Speaker
and I look super young, it'll be good. It'll be fine. Okay. Fan fiction. We all know it. We all love it.
00:21:28
Speaker
We all read copious amounts of it. Talk to me. Okay.
Early Writing Experiences
00:21:35
Speaker
um So,
00:21:39
Speaker
I have always been a writer. doomed Yuri is my specialty. Uh, here's the thing, okay?
00:21:51
Speaker
I- Yes. I watch it a lot of, like, crime shows and sad stuff, and when it comes to Yuri, we get a a lot of sad stuff.
00:22:02
Speaker
So, I feel like it comes with the territory. Also, doomed Yuri, Xena, anywho, i ah enneing the day If you haven't gotten to that part yet, it's not doom-deary.
00:22:19
Speaker
I promise. Anywho, so, yeah, like, oh I've always been writing it. ah the The first story that that I remember writing was from three perspectives.
00:22:39
Speaker
A girl. Fancy. her Her girlfriend and her brother. ah Fast-tracking. The brother was jealous of his sister because she got the girl and not him.
00:22:53
Speaker
So, he killed her. He made it look like a suicide because she was already about to commit, but he just pulled the trigger. Literally. Like, she she was...
00:23:08
Speaker
Trigger warning. I'm sorry I didn't say this beforehand, but trigger warning. oh so um she like she was already a balance jump like she she had like noose ready and everything uh but he saw um then dr just like pulled the trigger made it look like she had like jumped already turns out she didn't because she was actually about like
00:23:44
Speaker
oh she She was a but on the cusp. I feel like that's the right word. she She was about to see the meaning of life and then live.
00:23:56
Speaker
But then here her brother comes. And then he's like, this is my chance to get the girl. Anywho. so um hey how old How old were you when you wrote this?
00:24:09
Speaker
I think 14. Okay. Okay. okay Yeah, um I've always been a depressing person.
00:24:18
Speaker
arms That's real. That's real. ah Yeah, I i believe i was 14. Anywho, so ah anyho so um the Fast tracking, he ended up telling the the girlfriend, and then guess who died?
00:24:38
Speaker
She Because she killed herself to be with um but o with her girlfriend. And then he he's like writing all of this.
00:24:51
Speaker
I forget what happens to him because I haven't seen this in a long time. Because it's... It's buried somewhere. Anywho.
00:25:04
Speaker
My dog is barking like crazy. ah Honestly, for me, I do tend to use death as a metaphor for, like, love a lot.
00:25:15
Speaker
Because, you know, like, why not, just yeah spend the afterlife with the one you love, you know? yeah It's very Romeo and Juliet.
00:25:28
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. A lighter topic now. Um. Because I. that That is a heavy topic. Uh. I do tend to write about heavy topics. Or at least did. Mm-hmm. Um.
00:25:48
Speaker
Uh, for a hot second, I did, like, physically write down my fanfictions.
Writing Xena Fanfiction
00:25:56
Speaker
Xena is the first fandom that I've ever written fanfictions for.
00:26:02
Speaker
a that's currently currently have three uploaded. I'm working on two. If I ever get them done, y'all will see them. Um... We will see them.
00:26:15
Speaker
That is a threat. no let's hope
00:26:21
Speaker
Um, the first two I wrote, they're both, okay, first one is a is in Gab's perspective, but this is after a friend of need happens, both of them.
00:26:39
Speaker
Um, so she's mad at Xena for, like, leaving her. Uh, and, and she goes on, on this tangent and stuff, and, and then she's like, you know what, but one day, i will see you again.
00:26:56
Speaker
the second one is in the perspective of Xena, and
00:27:06
Speaker
She's not a bard, okay? But she's trying her best. And so she's writing a love letter to Gab. The third one, I can't remember what happened. I'm sorry, guys.
00:27:21
Speaker
You know what? They're just gonna have to go read it and find out for themselves. Yeah. Yeah. I'm working on my ah my my first fanfic currently.
00:27:35
Speaker
um Which is interesting. um i've i For some reason when I was younger, I never wrote anything.
00:27:46
Speaker
i had a book with my best friend where we made like cartoons, kind of. Um, but I have never written fanfic, but I'm working on one right now that hopefully i will finish soon because it's Ides of March based.
00:28:08
Speaker
And that is to tomorrow. That's, that's in nine minutes is Ides of March. So hopefully that will get done. Um, but I don't know.
00:28:21
Speaker
It's, it's, it's, it's, harder it's both harder than i thought and easier than i thought dude i'm i'm on my like first actual like rewatch and and i ah i'm currently on season four and i have seen that flash forward at least three times now and every single time i see it i get more scared even though i know what happens yeah I love the entirety of season four with that vision.
00:28:55
Speaker
me too. Getting up to Ides of March. That's so good. Anyway. Yeah. My fic is going to be like, I don't know. I wanted to start off with like a character study type thing just to kind of get my feet wet and figure out like some perspective stuff and how like writing like in a character feels from someone's perspective because I've written only like essays in my life so trying to get into to fiction mode but we'll see i don't know it might it might turn out to be a drag but we'll see oh oh i've i've got a fun fact um whenever i was like writing like every night i used to write every night anywho um i
00:29:46
Speaker
ah I would, I would write and then just because I was bored, uh, I was like, ah hey teacher, mind you, this teacher likes me, okay?
00:29:58
Speaker
Me and her, tight, okay? Like, alright, got it, got it. we We get along. Anywho, so um ah I was like, hey, um can can you like tell me if if this is good?
00:30:11
Speaker
I'm very insecure about my writing, but I love to do it, so I keep doing it. But she she always told me that that I'm really good.
00:30:22
Speaker
So I was like, aw, thank you. Also, I'm friends with eight a writer, so I get bedtime stories like every night.
00:30:35
Speaker
That's go nice. That's luxury.
00:30:39
Speaker
That's nice. my My best friend is trying an aspiring... ah I shouldn't say aspiring. She is a screenwriter. um So I get to hear a lot about like... Pilots she's trying to write. and It's fun. It's fun.
00:30:58
Speaker
I love this friend already because we we are wanting to go into like similar things. Yeah, she she studied a film in New York. She's, like, super dope.
00:31:16
Speaker
But yeah, I just told her, listen, you know, you you're you're good at this writing stuff. Just remember how long I've loved and supported you when you take me to Cancun on the ends of your success.
00:31:29
Speaker
So...
00:31:32
Speaker
Okay, speaking of friends...
00:31:35
Speaker
Ho ho, segue. Ha ha. I was about to be like, that that was a perfect segue. ah Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. ah Z-Nights, we love to talk to each other.
00:31:49
Speaker
Sometimes, if you're not us, I guess. If if you're if you're a ah social human being who's not shy, um we love to talk to each other.
00:32:00
Speaker
And um with social media, I mean... Everyone's talking to each other. So tell me about some friends. Some friends you made. Have you made friends? Obviously. Yes. We've we've talked about it. But.
00:32:12
Speaker
Yeah. um Tell me about that. I've actually it made quite a few friends. Yeah. um Okay. So. All right, so this first one was whenever I was trying to start up a a o group chat, which ah started on everyone's favorite app that looks like a music symbol, TikTok. TikTok.
00:32:45
Speaker
Um, anywho, so I was trying to start up a group chat and I posted on my story. Hey, uh, who wants to be in a group chat?
00:32:55
Speaker
I had two people answer, which honestly, not bad because I didn't think a lot of people would answer. Honestly, I was starting to think no one would, but hey, two people did.
00:33:08
Speaker
Um, so I, I was, uh,
00:33:16
Speaker
Uh, first friend I made, we we still talk to each other, like, daily. Mm-hmm. Which, best part about this fandom is, like, if if they don't respond right away, they're still gonna respond. in Like, there there's no doubt about it.
00:33:37
Speaker
Like, this is the nicest fandom that I've been in. Not talking ah about the weirdos, but nicest fam that I've been in.
00:33:52
Speaker
a So it first started out with me having really only one friend, but then that turned into two. And then...
00:34:04
Speaker
And then as I started posting more of about Xena, the people in the fandom that I had followed started following me back.
00:34:17
Speaker
And i was like, oh my gosh, I i have mutuals in the and my main fandom. This is so cool. um and then, like, early, not actually early this year, but like,
00:34:34
Speaker
I, yeah, it was like this month. I e made more friends and honestly, I'm so grateful to this fandom because without it, I wouldn't have met my online family. i I consider this fandom my family.
00:34:57
Speaker
ah Yeah. Just because everyone is so nice and and we treat each other like family. And it's just a wonderful experience. Yeah.
00:35:09
Speaker
It's so nice. i Whenever I started watching Xena, really had no idea about the fandom because I was just watching the show. Same. And then...
00:35:20
Speaker
I switched my Twitter over from Killing Eve to Xena, thankfully. And then, yeah, I just found all my um my mutuals and the community, I think, that we have on Twitter.
Supportive Xena Community
00:35:34
Speaker
is really nice. I mean, I'm, I'm on there way too much. Um, yeah, the, the, the the main reason why, why I'm on that app now is for Xena because the, the lack of Xena on, on TikTok, I was like, they, I got so desperate. I got on Tumblr, not just on Tumblr, but I was a Tumblr user for for a bit.
00:36:02
Speaker
Yeah. I started... I got a Tumblr when I was watching Killing Eve, which then ended horribly. And then... We don't want talk about that ending.
00:36:13
Speaker
and We don't talk about Killing Eve. um Yeah. a We don't talk about the Killing Eve ending, and we don't talk about the a friend in need.
00:36:25
Speaker
to I know. I feel kind of... I know. I'm in the and the minority of people who... aren't quite as upset about friendanita's other people but um yeah no killing it's one of my favorite episodes mainly because that that line if if i only had 30 seconds to live i'd want to spend them like this looking looking into your eyes yeah is That line ah ascends you into a supernatural form. Like, yeah y'all think Blonde can can can tell stories?
00:37:09
Speaker
miss Warrior over here her has some lines too, bro. Also... i know. Zena's got all the lines. but that that That's what Summer said, so I'm i'm quoting Summer.
00:37:23
Speaker
yes Everyone go follow Summer too. Yeah. ah Summer, we love This is like the second shout out Summer's gotten on this podcast. Actually, the third, I think. Because I'm pretty sure I mentioned Summer in my introduction. Oh, yeah. ah so but when When you were talking ah about the the the the like names you go by. ah Oh, yes. Something about her calling you Kevin.
00:37:53
Speaker
yes Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep.
00:37:59
Speaker
Yep.
00:38:02
Speaker
Yep, only person in the world who does that. Good stuff. Good, good stuff. Just know Summer, we love you. My before birth form just gets, you know, all the names I almost had.
00:38:18
Speaker
She's lovely. They're still kept alive, yes. Anyway, shout out. I guess I'll put Summer's at in the description as well. Go find Summer. Yeah, because like we're we're we're talking about Xena. We're talking about different things. well And then we're we're talking about Summer for the millionth time.
00:38:40
Speaker
about to say, Summer, if I don't get a form for you to be on this podcast at this point... hi i I honestly thought that that that she would have done one too at this point.
00:38:55
Speaker
Um, maybe. I need to check the form again, but but maybe... I don't think so, but maybe. Who knows? Anyway, but no, but seriously, Summer, if you're listening, no no pressure.
00:39:07
Speaker
But... Just know we love you. Yes. Okay. Anyway, yeah, i'm in ah I'm in a WhatsApp group chat um with a bunch of us, and they're the best.
00:39:24
Speaker
The amount of times that I've gone in there with, like,
00:39:29
Speaker
personal stuff and i'm like hey guys send send me some good some good thoughts send me some good i need some some support right now they're always oh i i have a similar story okay so um uh trigger warning dog death but yes i will i will put all of these trigger warnings in the description as well Yeah. oh It's going to be a long description.
00:39:58
Speaker
Whenever i started talking about this story, I was like, I'm going to have to talk to her about putting a trigger warning somewhere. Anywho. So, um, recently, like, Monday, I think.
00:40:16
Speaker
i It was like either this week or last week, but it... It was fairly recent. Um... ah my German Shepherd got sick, um found out that it it was curable.
00:40:36
Speaker
However, it was the the treatment was very expensive. Money we don't have. Anywho, so I was like, hey guys, I don't typically post about my personal stuff because I'd like to keep my my Twitter very much like fan base only. Mm-hmm.
00:40:57
Speaker
But um because ah that happened, I was like, I'm going through it right now. so So can y'all like send some love to him because my dog isn't doing great. he He's at the vet.
00:41:14
Speaker
And then come to find out ah the next day that he had to be put down. And so he got put down that day. But the Phantom was very nice and ah they they were sending me like so so much love in that and and I was like, ah I just love this Phantom so much.
00:41:37
Speaker
Yeah, the support that we get is really crazy. Especially when you're like, you know, technically you don't know these people. Technically. Y'all are just strangers that them on. That I'm hoping aren't creepy.
00:41:55
Speaker
Because ahve I've been in a fandom, not naming names, but I've been in a fandom where I trusted someone. And then, um, trigger warning, almost got groomed.
00:42:07
Speaker
So. Not good. Oh, also, good it was in a phantom where it was in one of the Law and Order phantoms, too.
00:42:20
Speaker
So that was crazy.
00:42:24
Speaker
Dang. that's That's some irony right there. Yeah, and, and and like, when whenever I started talking about it, they they were like, nah, you're the problem. And then it happened to someone else, and then and then all of a sudden, I'm not crazy anymore. And I'm like, where was this support when it happened to me?
00:42:47
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Randoms can be crazy toxic, but...
00:42:54
Speaker
Yeah. Anyway, so, um okay. Let's go on I'm so really sorry about your dog, by the way. I i remember saying that tweet, and I'm pretty sure I commented, and yeah.
00:43:06
Speaker
That sucks. That's really rough.
00:43:11
Speaker
But, um... So, next. So, we talked about you being young. Yes. Extensively. Yes. But this fandom is old, right?
00:43:24
Speaker
We're on 30 years now. It's vast. it's ven It's old and it's vast and it's deep. um So how does it feel to be a younger person in a fandom that has existed for this long?
Lessons from Joining an Older Fandom
00:43:39
Speaker
At first it was very scary. When I say scary, I mean I was afraid to interact with anyone because... o Like, my age for one.
00:43:52
Speaker
Also, I joined the Phantom Man at, like, 17. And, like I said, it feels like most of these people are in their 30s and 40s. So, I was like, you know what? I'm just not going like, interact them that much. um I'm just going to have a folder in my TikTok with Xena only things. And I'm just going to, like, save repost.
00:44:14
Speaker
So, uh, but... That's what I was doing for a while. And then, ah also, no, I'll save that story for, it for after. Um, actually, no, uh, I'm gonna go on a quick side tangent so I don't forget.
00:44:38
Speaker
Okay. So, um i I started watching this show whenever I was with someone one really toxic, okay?
00:44:49
Speaker
and And then, like, also, this show gave me courage to, like, actually, like, see things. Because I was like, I want what Xena and Gab have.
00:45:00
Speaker
And I currently don't. Because things are going bad. Right. ah But also, because that happened and the friends that I made, i was like, maybe, like, being, like, in a fandom where people do have quite a few years on you is good because you... that They've lived through more and, and like...
00:45:31
Speaker
They can, like, tell you pretty good things. So, it's been kind of scary, but um'm ah lot of my, like, social stuff has, like, gone away. Not in real life.
00:45:48
Speaker
Because that's a separate problem.
00:45:52
Speaker
Excuse me. um um I've got, like, a... water bottle over here that I'm drinking, that I'm drinking on. Anywho, so, um, yeah, I've got my own water bottle right here, just in case, for when I need it.
00:46:09
Speaker
Yeah, ah I've been yapping a lot, so, I'm definitely chugging. Um, but, like, it, it was honestly very scary, because I didn't know anyone, and,
00:46:23
Speaker
All the fandoms that I've been in have been, like, crime shows in Marvel. Yes, I was in the Marvel fandom in 2020.
00:46:35
Speaker
It's peak. I love the Black Widow movie. I love Rachel Weisz. i think I think Black Widow might be the only Marvel movie I've ever seen, to be honest.
00:46:49
Speaker
Honestly, pretty solid movie. My opinion, okay? I didn't know anything, but... It just gets a lot of hate because ah it came out after she died. The character, for anyone that hasn't seen it.
00:47:09
Speaker
um So, yeah, they there were a lot of fans being like, hey man, this should have came out. pre-endgame. Like, we i see we needed this before we saw her dead, so it could have been more of a mystery on why she died.
00:47:30
Speaker
Me, personally, I don't care, okay? Like, Catherine Han is Mother Gozzle, okay? i I got what I wanted.
00:47:41
Speaker
we have other priorities now. Yeah. We've moved up in the world. Yeah, um, But ah other than the millions of side changes that I oh have taken, i think I have a a short attention span. However, i did sit down and watch the show, like binge watched it.
00:48:06
Speaker
So maybe my attention span isn't that bad. However, I do switch topics like no one's business. That's all right. But I think i'm done talking so ah i do think I'm done talking about being one of the youngest people.
00:48:23
Speaker
Being young'un. I'm actually friends with a girl who's a bit younger than me, and so far she's the youngest person in this fandom that I've met.
00:48:38
Speaker
Yeah. I think I know who you're talking about. to
00:48:45
Speaker
Yeah. Anyway. Okay.
00:48:51
Speaker
I'm going combine a few of these. Okay. Because I feel like part of them we've already talked about. And some of them I think are just going to be kind of a little bit repetitive anyway. So.
00:49:03
Speaker
Okay. Let's go on to um what is it about Xena that continues to draw young people like you after 30 years?
00:49:18
Speaker
I'm saying this in a joke form, okay? Okay. This is purely a joke. For legal reasons. Yeah. ah if If you have some type of, like, mommy or daddy issues and and you ah have a thing for for the older women and the leather and dark hair and piercing blue eyes, hey, then then maybe Lucy Lawless is for you.
00:49:47
Speaker
Like, she's she's happily married, and we we do like him, okay? oh but but like But, like, other than that, if if if you have some type of parental issues, maybe be this show is for you. Because it's found family, you learn good lessons, if is's it's got, um... I was about to say polygamy, but it does not have that.
00:50:17
Speaker
oh Well, and greek Greek mythology does. That's that's close enough. However, I have read fanfictions where it's been Xena, Gav, and Didey.
00:50:28
Speaker
Anywho. Listen, I'm not i'm not mad. That's amongst one of the popular ships. Anywho. And then we have that right now, Joxer and you-know-who.
00:50:43
Speaker
Oh, the Joxer and Ares. Yes.
00:50:48
Speaker
A strange combination, but hey. I'm trying to- I'm- I'm of an open mind. Um. I'm not saying I understand. That's forte, but you do you, boo.
00:51:01
Speaker
Anywho, so I'm going to continue with this joke, and then I'm going to be serious, okay? peace But also, like, maybe you have a thing for blondes.
00:51:14
Speaker
And- And maybe you you have a thing for femmes, butches, whatever. Like, that blonde has it because D'Adriel is hot, okay? Like...
00:51:31
Speaker
Me, personally, i do have a thing for her, okay? it's i I just yeah threw a plastic bag ah off my bed. Anywho, but, like, yeah, e It's got a little something for everyone.
00:51:47
Speaker
On a serious note. The answer to what draws young people is lesbianism. Yes. Gayness. Yes. The quality Zina. Zina and Gabrielle being married and canonically and and and Gabrielle canonically being the the father.
00:52:06
Speaker
Take that, Aries.
00:52:10
Speaker
That is my favorite part of season five. and That's so fair. Oh, someone's looking for a father. Actually, no, I'm not. a well something Oh, clearly got the job.
00:52:24
Speaker
Yeah, Gabrielle. And then Gabrielle gave him broski. That's smart. Oh, I know. Her face is so good.
Attractions and Themes in Xena
00:52:33
Speaker
Anywho, guys, I'm not talking about him, okay?
00:52:38
Speaker
I don't like men.
00:52:41
Speaker
Anywho. Mia wants you to know she is not supporting Ares in this conversation. Let it be known.
00:52:52
Speaker
Let it be known. On a serious note. I feel like it the the found family, the lessons you learn, the multiple religions, like, spit okay, if you want to, like, broaden your horizons, watch the show. yeah It's got everything.
00:53:18
Speaker
Yeah. I'm about to talk about Buffy, but I'm not hating on it. I promise. A lot of people will say that Buffy was the trailblazer. Coming from someone that has seen only like two episodes of the show.
00:53:32
Speaker
Maybe three. And I've seen the movie too. I just don't remember the movie. Xena came out first, okay? Like, she actually did everything first, okay?
00:53:46
Speaker
Not hating the Buffy fandom because I'm about to be a part of y'all as soon as I find a way to watch the show. But like, Xena did it first. and who found family In the words of Xena Warrior Podcast, Xena did it first.
00:54:03
Speaker
That's a great, that's a, if you've never listened to Xena Warrior Podcast, they have a running a bit on their podcast where they talk about all the things that Xena did before anything else. And they say Xena did it first.
00:54:16
Speaker
So that's fun. That's great. Honestly, ah ah for for this specific question, I think, honestly, the main thing is found family, and they always get in some type of something dead that either gets solved within, like, that episode, or it's a two-parter, except for the what I call the the Disney trilogy, or what others call ah the
00:54:48
Speaker
and that The The The I swear to god I'm trying to say it. can't- get got this.
00:54:59
Speaker
The and The The, jeez. First time stuttering right now. Actually, that's a joke. I struggle with it daily.
00:55:10
Speaker
Uh, the The Norse trilogy. Finally, i said it. Cause
00:55:18
Speaker
either It either gets done... Actually... i can't really say that. Because the Hope arc. It either gets done in like... Three or four episodes.
00:55:32
Speaker
If I remember correctly. We don't to talk about Athens. that That's the only time where it gets solved in two episodes. And then you're like, okay, next season? No.
00:55:45
Speaker
There's no next season.
00:55:48
Speaker
So, found family. That's my final answer. Okay. I like it. I think that's a good final answer. I'm interested to see um what other people say in terms of what they think is drawing point people towards Xena.
00:56:09
Speaker
Oh, uh, right quick. Also, um, uh, possibly, like i I feel like people also need to watch this show if they're, like, some type of flavor of queer because the this show has, like, everything.
00:56:31
Speaker
Like, canon and non-canon. Yeah. oh it's... ah One of my favorite lines, both scenes, is from season four, ah ah The Place, The Thing.
00:56:46
Speaker
Whenever... a girly pop is going to thank gab and then and then gab's like thanking me for what and then she's like i i found into out something about myself that that i kind of knew deep down but i wasn't really sure i'm a thespian but you can't really tell if if she said thespian as in like theater or like lesbian as in girl kisser like it perfect
00:57:20
Speaker
Yeah, and I love Gab's confusion after, like, did she say this, man? Is that what she said? And then, you know, being like, babes, I'll show you later.
00:57:35
Speaker
Okay. So, i like I like both your answers. I like the joke answer, and I like, I think the joke answer is also fair. I think the joke answer is is the actual answer.
00:57:50
Speaker
The answer is ah hot gay people. Yes. um Okay. So, not to get all down, um but um I want to explore um all sides of fandom and all sides of Xena and all this. So, um have you ever had any negative experiences while you've been in Xena fandom?
00:58:19
Speaker
Yes. Oh boy, that sounded decisive. That sounded serious.
00:58:29
Speaker
Yeah, so, um, I, okay. The negative experience is from, it from someone that I think most people in the Xeno fandom don't like, okay?
00:58:43
Speaker
This is from who I believe to be a guy, okay? Okay. Because that this sounds like something very much dude would say. I made a joke of ah about...
00:58:59
Speaker
Actually, I don't think it was a joke, actually, but I said something about Gab, and then ah something about... ah Just, like, her character in general, from from, like, guys falling all over her to, like, girls falling all over her and blah, blah, blah, but her only being just interested in Sina, something like that. Mm-hmm.
00:59:29
Speaker
Yeah. It was either that or, or like, her being gay and Sina being bi. Mm-hmm.
00:59:39
Speaker
Question, have you seen this post? It sounds very familiar. Okay. So probably. i think so. So, um, I made a post about that. Okay.
00:59:55
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Yes. then some guy in my comments got offended that I called Gabrielle a lesbian. Okay? Okay. mind you confet exists right however not many people know about it because it's not something it's it's something only like our community knows about it i because like the realization that you're not into guys might be harder for some people to grasp than others and also like
01:00:35
Speaker
maybe coming out later in life, whatnot. Anywho. But like, he got offended and then started talking about times where Gab was into guys, okay? oh
01:00:56
Speaker
I'm gonna try to pull it up. If I can, or I'll just try to like recite it by memory.
01:01:06
Speaker
I think I do remember seeing it because it does sound very familiar. But also maybe I've just witnessed to so many people argue about Gabrielle's sexuality that it's all just running together.
01:01:18
Speaker
There are so many people that do. It's a hot topic.
01:01:24
Speaker
it Because it's not what I post too much on here. It's going to take forever. Wait. Maybe, cause I sent- I also, like, sent it to Summer.
01:01:39
Speaker
Cause- cause I was like- can you believe this guy? Our- our- our fourth Summer mention. Okay, um. I can't find it cause I- I post too much and the- the- the app is saying that it needs to be updated.
01:01:56
Speaker
Anywho, um. But- but like, ah Bro was telling me, ah like, pulling up points, and I was like, actually the only guy that she's really showed any interest towards was Particus in season two.
01:02:16
Speaker
And then died off as soon as he died? Like... Yeah. Like... Like, after a shorty, she she was on a hunt miss' six-foot beefcake over here.
01:02:31
Speaker
That's a compliment. I swear, that's a compliment. oh I didn't know if it sounded like one or not, but but I promise but that it is.
01:02:42
Speaker
um So, yeah, like, he probably was trying to convince me that that she's also bi, and then I was like, I'm not about to argue it with stupidity.
01:02:56
Speaker
Cause like, ah all I need is like fourth or fifth summer mention. All I need is is her to back me up and I'm good because like she, ah fur okay for me, new to the fan, okay, one year in, all right?
01:03:22
Speaker
I still feel fairly new. oh she She's like this oracle that that just tells me everything. Because she she knows a lot of stuff about fandom.
01:03:34
Speaker
Possibly everything. Anywho. so So, like, all I need is for her to back me up on something. And and then I'm like, okay, so I'm not crazy.
01:03:45
Speaker
This guy's crazy.
01:03:49
Speaker
That's crazy that he was like bringing up instances like that. That's crazy. Oh, and then... Oh, excuse me. And then I said something, and then... And um and then bro was like, hey, i'm so sorry if I'm being a butthead.
01:04:08
Speaker
um ah I say this with with all good intentions, you know? now I was like... You just argued to someone who hasn't even graduated high school yet over a fictional character, sexuality, that's heavily debated, but the fandom has pretty much come to this conclusion of her being a confet lesbian.
01:04:35
Speaker
Yeah. Like... Yeah. I'm, ah like, yeah, I'm fine with people having their own interpretations, but, like, I feel like that's... time but i I struggle with seeing her not as a lesbian.
01:04:48
Speaker
I struggle with that. Like, you... Oh, and and they tell me that thought there's a lot of body erasure in in the fandom.
01:05:01
Speaker
And I was like,
01:05:05
Speaker
I can't speak for everyone. I speak for myself only because I Can't speak for everyone, but I I just don't really see a a lot of it like so there are some characters said I have been headcanon as Why and there's some characters who I firmly believe canonically are by such as Xena herself cuz like She's over here kissing both men and women in various contexts.
01:05:39
Speaker
Okay, so we're going to do a speed round because we're having some storage issues. Okay, favorite episode.
01:05:47
Speaker
Um, dang. Can we come back to this one? So speedy, so speedy. Yes, okay, least favorite. Uh, like, oh dang it, uh...
01:06:07
Speaker
Uh, maybe the bones and bones. Okay. Interesting. Wait, that that that's for least favorite, right? That's for least favorite, yeah. Okay.
01:06:19
Speaker
Um, either that... that i like like I'm indecisive. Jeez. You love them all. yeah Actually, actually, don't know what least favorite might be like Crusader or that other time that the that evil blondie was there in season five.
01:06:41
Speaker
um Maybe. like Oh, I think Najara was in season four. Like only season four. I think so. Because ah first time Gap had long hair and then the second time Gap looking like Peter Pan.
01:06:58
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Like Evil Blonde. Not a fan of Najara. Nope. Yeah. Interesting. Earlier. oh Yeah, it was Crusader and the Convert.
01:07:16
Speaker
Okay, maybe that one. I don't know. ah Okay. he's I don't know Molly's favorite episode. that's That's okay. That's okay. Okay, we'll go back to favorite. Yep, favorite episode.
01:07:30
Speaker
What do you always turn on? If you're going watch Zeno, what do you want to watch?
01:07:36
Speaker
Know what? Know what? I know my favorite episode. ah Seasoned 6, episode 3, Heart of Darkness. So we ran into some storage issues, so I'm just going to recount what Mia said to some of the last questions I asked.
01:07:53
Speaker
So Mia said that her favorite season was season six, and the least favorite was season one because of all all of the men that they put Xena and Gabrielle with because Mia's a big Xena Gab
Episode Conclusion and Community Love
01:08:04
Speaker
shipper.
01:08:04
Speaker
And then I asked if there was anything else um that you wanted to say to your fellow Xenites. and basically it boiled down to we need to be nice to each other because we're a family and we love each other.
01:08:20
Speaker
um if you're going to a convention, please er be hygienic and wash your hands and maybe wear a mask because Lucy gets sick of these things a lot. So maybe if you're going Xenocon in October and you're meeting Lucy, maybe you don't breathe in her face.
01:08:37
Speaker
Mia also um sent her best wishes to Bruce Campbell with his whole, um, health journey right now. Also that, um, Lucy and Renee are our mothers, of course.
01:08:50
Speaker
So, um, that is it for this first episode with our guest. Um, I was super excited. It was great to have Mia on. um I think Mia might come back for another episode sometimes. That would be really nice.
01:09:02
Speaker
Um, And yeah, everything, ah social medias, Mia's and mine will be in the description. you want to get into contact with the pod, you can follow us on Twitter at TalkZenaToMePod or you can email TalkZenaToMePod at gmail.com. And then um if you want to be on the podcast, there's a form you can fill out. It will also be in the description.
01:09:30
Speaker
um And if you have already filled out the form, I'm going to respond to you, I promise. um It just might take me a bit, depending on my schedule and what's going on with the recording sessions that I'm already doing.
01:09:44
Speaker
um But I will respond, I promise. Even if you think it's been a long time and you're like, maybe my response didn't go through or maybe she hasn't seen it. I've seen it, I promise. I just, I'm going to get back to you.
01:09:56
Speaker
um But yeah, thank you for listening. I really appreciate it. um I hope you enjoyed this first episode. um I know we're were quite rapy ah yappy, not rappy.
01:10:08
Speaker
was trying to say rambly and yappy at the same time. But um yeah, I appreciate you listening and we had a lot of fun. I know we both did. So um tune in next time when I will be talking to another very special Z-Night guest.
01:10:26
Speaker
Thank you.