8 TV Villains Who Redeemed Themselves

Xena inspires warm nostalgia in a certain generation, who tuned in weekly for the adventures of Lucy Lawless punching dudes in the face. She became an iconic hero, but it’s easy to forget her first appearance was as a villain on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

She had a three-episode arc where she opposed and fought Hercules, but when he beats her in battle he spares her life. He encourages her to seek redemption for her lifestyle of pillage and murder, which she later does on her own show.

Xena was originally meant to die after these Hercules episodes, but she was popular enough to earn her own spin-off. The audience learns more about the sins she has to atone for, and there are a whole lot of them. She’s more than redeemed herself by the end, but it ended up costing her life.