Introduction
Despite appearing in only two episodes, Lao Ma is a very significant figure in Xena's history. She was one of a sequence of characters who turned Xena away from evil, including M'Lila, Hercules and finally Gabrielle. She accomplished this in two ways: firstly, by showing compassion and love, which Xena had long since abandoned; and secondly, by trying to teach Xena how to harness her inner power.
However, although Lao Ma was an expert judge of character, even she underestimated Xena's evil. At the time, Xena rebelled against her purity and tried to kill her son who grew up to become the "green dragon", and it was only much later that her teachings had the desired effect. Many years later - after turning to good - Xena remembers Lao Ma with reverence and honour.
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