The Character Everyone Forgets Timothy Omundson Played On Xena: Warrior Princess

In seasons 5 and 6 of "Xena: Warrior Princess," Timothy Omundson portrayed Eli, a character who would go on to play an important role in the overall story arc of the series.

When Xena and Gabrielle first meet Eli, he is a performing illusionist on the streets of India. As it turns out, Eli is not simply a magician — he is a "Devi," a healer who can not only give sight to the blind but exorcise evil spirits from their human hosts. Xena and Gabrielle meet Eli again in a later episode to discover that he is now an Avatar — a deity in human form. He is modeled as a Christ or Buddha-like figure, who teaches love and peace over violence (a far cry from Omundson's vengeful character in "Supernatural").

In the show's later seasons, Xena and Gabrielle begin to question their destinies and their chosen roads. Xena reflects on her future and her role as a warrior, and Gabrielle starts to rethink her own path of violence. Omundson's Eli is a big part of their journey to enlightenment, and has the two women questioning everything they've come to know. Like the Jesus figure of the bible, Eli performs amazing miracles — such as raising Xena from the dead. And, like Jesus, Eli sacrifices his own life when he is killed by the god Ares (Kevin Smith) and becomes a martyr.

It's possible that many Xena fans may have missed Omundson's performance completely, as viewership for the series tapered off in later years. However, for those who have a chance to check out those episodes, Omundson's performance is a joy to watch.