Some Reflections on Kevin Smith's Legacy
DJ Dubois
February 2002

Death is never an easy subject to deal with in any way, shape or form no matter if it takes a relative, a loved one, a friend, or even someone that you may never meet, but has an effect on life. For me, Kevin Smith was such a man. I never had the good fortune of meeting him in this world, but in many ways, he was quite the person.

First, speaking to his life: Through others' emails and writings, I learned of what a complete person Kevin was. He was a consummate family man-- a good husband and father. In this day and age, those are rarities indeed. He apparently also liked talking to fans at conventions and such events. His work ethic and vision helped to make the "Hercules" and "Xena" series what they are today. 

As for his effect on the Hercules and Xena series: Wow. Where does one begin? I guess we can say that his perceptions of Ares, God of War, helped to shape the two series which was no mean feat considering the charisma which Kevin Sorbo, Michael Hurst, Lucy Lawless, and Renee O' Connor exhibited during the series' runs but, through his evolving understanding of how Ares' role in the overall scheme of things, Kevin changed the flow of the series. In this respect, he took the war god from a dark, spoiled bully to a deep, multi-dimensional character that had a (admittedly very dark) sense of humor. His sense of love and loyalty to those around him was clear--whether it was for Aphrodite ("The God You Know"), or for Xena (pick an episode or three). In the case of the latter, I can still see him mourning for the Warrior Princess before encasing her in the ice casket. Also, there was the case of his sacrificing his powers and immortality to heal Eve so that Xena might defeat Athena in "Motherhood". Granted, the writers would have put Ares through those spectacles in any event, but few actors would have been able to pull it off halfway believably. Kevin did so with style and made us fans believe in Ares in the process. 

I also wanted to address his role (via Ares) in my own writing: As with many other fanfic stories and series, Ares was an instrumental player in the direction that my "Dubois Chronicles" have taken, starting with "The Crystal Necklace" and returning in "Climax". After all, it was his plot to conquer Althanor, which started the redirection of my series. In addition, his plans brought my characters, David and Angie Dubois, into contact with Xena in the first place. In "Climax", his incursion into the future both solidified the crossover theme I employ between Forever Knight and XWP, but he also brought Dave face-to-face with Alti, forcing a resolution which continues to shape the series and had a role in these links as well: Francesca-Gabrielle; LaCroix (the vampire elder/Roman general) with Caesar; and Cybelle's role with Althanor. So far, in the spin off series, "The Amazon Scrolls," Ares keeps his nose in Xena and Gabrielle's business albeit at a distance. In the current trilogy, he'll play a more heroic role especially in Parts 2 and 3. Normally, I don't give this much attention to a single villain, but again, Kevin's portrayal has made Ares a driving force--one that cannot be ignored if one is to tell the story of the Xenaverse accurately whether in Gen, Uber, or Alt formats.

Many of us have and will continue to reflect on Kevin's work and life. In life, all that we can strive for is to make a difference...to touch others with kindness and generosity in addition to being a good role model. On all of those counts, Kevin was a great man. Maybe he never got his "big break," but he certainly lit up a TV screen for much of the past decade. We, the fans, will not forget him. 

Kevin, you have our thanks for giving a great deal to us, and our prayers on behalf of your loved ones. Once again, on a personal note, thank you for the inspiration for my own writing and introspection.

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