It takes something very special to create a modern day legend. For Xena, that special something was a metal breastplate and a leather skirt. The little series out of New Zealand grew into such a phenomenon that the word 'Xena' has entered the pop culture lexicon for good. And we're happy that way.

Xena: Warrior Princess was a U.S. production filmed in New Zealand and cast with mostly local actors. It was a spinoff show, born out of another U.S.-NZ series, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and took place in Ancient Greece--sort of. Xena wasn't too concerned with historical accuracy and used classical mythology as a diving board into other ancient cultures, fantasy and medieval lore.

The title character was Xena, warrior princess, a bloodthirsty warlord who sees the error of her ways and sets out to defend people instead of cutting them down from horseback. She traveled the countryside with her companion, Gabrielle, an aspiring poet who chronicled their heroic deeds. Xena sometimes found it hard to let go of her violent past but Gabrielle's presence made sure the violence was directed at evil people.

The series blended action and adventure with comedy, including tons of anachronistic references in every episode. In Xena's world, Hercules, Homer and Julius Caesar existed in the same timeline. The quirky mix of ancient history and myths drew many devoted fans to the show, especially women, who saw Xena as a modern-day feminist needing no man's help to kick butt.

The tie-in merchandising reached an epic scale as well, with books, comics, video games and fan conventions dedicated to Xena. One of the first shows to use the Internet as a meeting forum for its fans, the series' popularity spread like wildfire and still commands a legion of followers today.