I guess I'll vote None of the Above simply because I want to combine the Friends and Soulmates into one.
The friendship between Xena and Gabrielle was the most fascinating friendship that I'd ever seen on a show of any kind. It pulled me in and wouldn't let go. But for the most part, it didn't feel like a romantic kind of relationship to me that included or could have included sex. I felt they loved each other deeply but weren't in love. For me, it was so much more about their bond and the fact that you can bond with someone so deeply that you don't have romantic feelings for. Their lifestyle and the fact that they spent 24/7 together I truly can see how such a friendship can build from that and that it wouldn't necessarily have to include romantic/sexual feelings. I definitely see the other side of it now, though, and the sexual aspect/lovers idea never registered with me until I met other fans who talked about it in such ways.
Still, the friendship is the deepest part of it for me and I generally don't see it of the romantic nature. But I do believe they are bonded as soulmates as is stated in the show, I just think in Xena and Gabrielle's case, their friendship and their relationship is so unique that it can go beyond a romance and, for me, I love the idea that two people can come together and love each other so deeply without making it romantic or sexual (so, still being able to have other romantic relationships in their lives but valuing their friendship with each other over all of that). It's like a utopian idea for me, something that is so special and so different and, well, so nice to dream about that it is what drew me in most of all.
The friendship between Xena and Gabrielle was the most fascinating friendship that I'd ever seen on a show of any kind. It pulled me in and wouldn't let go. But for the most part, it didn't feel like a romantic kind of relationship to me that included or could have included sex. I felt they loved each other deeply but weren't in love. For me, it was so much more about their bond and the fact that you can bond with someone so deeply that you don't have romantic feelings for. Their lifestyle and the fact that they spent 24/7 together I truly can see how such a friendship can build from that and that it wouldn't necessarily have to include romantic/sexual feelings. I definitely see the other side of it now, though, and the sexual aspect/lovers idea never registered with me until I met other fans who talked about it in such ways.
Still, the friendship is the deepest part of it for me and I generally don't see it of the romantic nature. But I do believe they are bonded as soulmates as is stated in the show, I just think in Xena and Gabrielle's case, their friendship and their relationship is so unique that it can go beyond a romance and, for me, I love the idea that two people can come together and love each other so deeply without making it romantic or sexual (so, still being able to have other romantic relationships in their lives but valuing their friendship with each other over all of that). It's like a utopian idea for me, something that is so special and so different and, well, so nice to dream about that it is what drew me in most of all.
