I’ve mentioned that there were a number of future Xena Warrior Princess guest stars on M.A.N.T.I.S., but it was pointed out to me that I missed a few: John D’Aquino and Galen Görg. As coincidence would have it, they played the characters Helen (of Troy) and Ulysses; in other words, they were the stars of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey! Also coincidentally, each episode of theirs would involve a potential significant other: Gabrielle’s childhood betrothed, Perdicas, who goes to Troy to prove his manhood and rescue Helen, in Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts, and Ulysses’ and Xena’s mutual attraction getting in Gabrielle’s way in Ulysses.

In the 8th episode of M.A.N.T.I.S., To Prey in Darkness, D’Aquino is a smooth talking federal agent who muscles his way into local law enforcement to work his real agenda: discover the identity of M.A.N.T.I.S., and confiscate his technology for sale to the highest bidder. He brings a disturbing presence to the show, using his interrogation techniques to provoke revealing responses from Dr. Hawkins and others. He’s full of all sorts of power moves, invading peoples’ space, manipulating them, and even moving Dr. Hawkins’ wheelchair out of his reach. Not a nice guy!

Galen Görg not only played Helen on Xena, but also played Anuket, an Egyptian princess who ends slavery in Mummy Dearest, on Hercules the Legendary Journeys.

This episode had some of the elements of the pilot, bringing in more realism (compared to the later episodes, at least), and more black actors. The role that Bobby Hosea played in the pilot is recalled here by Cylk Cozart, an ambitious street reporter for local news, and Chief Grant is played by Blu Mankuma. Both he and Jo Bates have a Hercules connection as well: they both appeared in Andromeda, starring Kevin Sorbo. That show also had a problem with the creator leaving due to network pressure, to appease Kevin Sorbo who didn’t like the direction of the show (the original concept was increasingly esoteric).

There didn’t seem to be a lot of crossover from M.A.N.T.I.S. to Xena, but writer assistant R.S. Mellette also made the transition. On Xena he wrote The Xena Scrolls, and it seems to me his specialty was helping to create the lore behind the early seasons, and may have played that same role on M.A.N.T.I.S., before it became more fantasy oriented. Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi obviously liked his work, and gave him the job of writing original supplementary material for the show’s official site.

Several years later, D’Aquino would guest-star on Xena, and his appearance is considered by some controversial, since he seems to pose a threat to Xena and Gabrielle’s growing relationship. Also, some viewers didn’t find him convincing as Ulysses. I thought he was, and it’s clear to me that their relationship is due to the fact that they are soulmates of a different kind: they both draw inspiration from The Odyssey. This is even hinted at in this episode, as they compare notes and realize they’ve done the same kinds of things. When Xena says “I have many skills,” she’s actually quoting The Odyssey’s description of Ulysses. You might say they’re too similar: it doesn’t work out between them because they don’t need each other, and they have other people in their lives who need them more. And the women in their lives are becoming heroes in their own right, thanks to them.