Dahak
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 Gabrielle in Dahak's grasp |
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Dahak is an evil god in the fictional universe of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He seems to be based on the evil demon Azhi Dahaka from Zoroastrianism, and the Judeo-Christian concept of Satan. Dahak may also be described as an evil perversion on the idea of the Judeo-Christian God with key characteristics twisted into polar opposites.
The first lengthy story arc in the show involved the evil god Dahak, a villain based loosely on the mythological Zahhak and bearing similarities to the evil deity Amatsu Mikaboshi. In the Season 3 episode, The Deliverer, Gabrielle meets a group of religious disciples that worship "The One True God".[2] Attracted by their apparent piety, Gabrielle follows them to their temple, but her curiosity leads to tragedy when she discovers that this god is Dahak and his religion is built on death and destruction. Gabrielle is lured there because of her innocence, and when she is tricked into murdering another, she completes a dark ritual that leads to her supernatural impregnation with the child of Dahak.
Gabrielle's ensuing pregnancy progresses with unnatural speed.[3] She gives birth within a matter of days. Xena recognises the child for what it is and insists that it be killed as soon as it is born. Gabrielle, however, is overcome with motherly instincts and names the child Hope because she believes that is what her child represents. After giving birth, Gabrielle tricks Xena into believing that she dropped Hope off a cliff, when in fact she had placed Hope in a basket and set her down a river. This betrayal of trust starts what many fans call The Rift, a crucial period in Xena and Gabrielle's relationship where an emotional chasm starts to form between them.
Eventually Xena and Gabrielle cross paths again with Hope, though due to her supernatural genealogy, she's already grown into a pre-teen.[4] Hope's manipulations cause Xena and Gabrielle to turn against each other, culminating in the death of Xena's son, Solan. Gabrielle eventually realizes Hope's true intentions and poisons her, but the damage has been done.
The Rift is resolved in the surreal musical installment The Bitter Suite, which features a number of main characters bursting into song and dance in a dream-like world.[5] The Dahak arc, however, continues over the Season 3 finale[6][7] to an early Season 4 episode where Hope finally meets her demise.[8]
Dahak's final defeat is at the hands of Hercules and Iolaus. Hercules tells Dahak, who has possessed Iolaus' body that his friendship with Iolaus is one of the best things that he has been blessed with.[1] This moral sentiment upsets Dahak and weakens him enough for Iolaus to call out to Hercules from the spiritual realm Dahak has him trapped in. Hercules touches Iolaus' hand and is sucked into the spiritual realm where he sees his long dead friend. Dahak appears there too, in his true form: A huge crustacean-like monster. Hercules and Iolaus battle Dahak and send him into a fiery pit. This final act is said to have killed Dahak, but since darkness is a part of every human heart, it is debated whether or not Dahak can truly die.[9] Dahak appears to Hercules in a dream, telling him that he is "the darkness that you hold closest to your heart."
There are some contradictions within the series regarding Dahak. The chief druid tells Hercules that he is a creature from beyond this world implying he is from a different world or dimension. Yet Dahak's recounting as well as that of the Titans suggests that he is a manifestation of the darkness within the world, which would indicate he is native to this world.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Redemption". Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 1999-01-18.
- ^ "The Deliverer". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1997-10-20.
- ^ "Gabrielle's Hope". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1997-10-27.
- ^ "Maternal Instincts". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-01-26.
- ^ "The Bitter Suite". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-02-02.
- ^ "Sacrifice, Part 1". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-05-04.
- ^ "Sacrifice, Part 2". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-05-11.
- ^ "A Family Affair". Xena: Warrior Princess. 1998-10-12.
- ^ "Faith". Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 1998-09-28.
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