Callisto was from the quiet village of Cirra. When she was very young, she saw her family and village burned to the ground in a raid by the warrior Xena and her army. This traumatic event caused Callisto to become bitter and filled with hate. Seeking revenge, she learned the ways of a warrior. When she learned Xena turned good, Callisto sought to destroy her new reputation by killing and plundering in her name. This brought Xena out into the open and they fought each other violently. This first confrontation ended with Xena being victorious, and Callisto and her army being imprisoned.

Callisto was too much for the prison guards to contain, and her and her army quickly overpowered the guards and escaped. Once again they tried to get at Xena, this time by killing Gabrielle’s fiance, Perdicus. Xena went after Callisto again, and they fought a battle that ended at a quicksand pit. Both of them fell in, but once Xena escaped, she did nothing to help Callisto, who quickly drowned.

Even though she ended up in Tartarus, Callisto’s hatred was strong enough to allow her to return to the world of the living. She’s tried several times since then to take revenge against Xena. Her attempts usually end in her being trapped either by Xena or by her other arch nemesis, Hercules. But Callisto refuses to quit, and hopes one day to get revenge on all her enemies.

Callisto may have the outter appearance of a lunatic, but she is very devious and an excellent schemer. Her opponents should take care never to see her “insanity” as a handicap, as it might be the last mistake they ever make. Callisto was made famous by her portrayer, Hudson Leick, who is a fabulous actress with a long list of credits to her name.