Gurkhan (Xena)

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Gurkhan
Gurkhan
First appearance Who's Gurkhan
Last appearance Who's Gurkhan
Created by Robert Tapert
Statistics
Name Gurkhan
Occupation Majestic Warlord
Status Dead
Species Human
Affiliation Slave Trade
Portrayed by  Calvin Tuteao

Gurkhan is a fictional character played by Calvin Tuteao in the Xena: Warrior Princess television series. He is a villain and a mysteriously majestic warlord. He has a very high reputation for being one of the most illustrious men in North Africa and he owns a collection of wives. He also has many loyal bodyguards who act as his decoys so others won't find out his true identity. He is clever for a warlord and he is also rather respectful when it comes to slave trade.

Gurkhan is responsible for raiding and killing many villagers in Potidaea. He beheads Gabrielle's mother and father and kidnaps her neice, Sara, to proclaim as his number one wife. When Gabrielle returns to her home village, she finds out from her sister that Gurkhan was responsible for the raid. Gabrielle travels alongside Xena, Eve, and Virgil to North Africa, where they plan on secretly assassinating Gurkhan.

Xena and Virgil concoct a plan in which Xena poses as a harem girl and is sold to Gurkhan as one of his wives. Since the buyers all pose under Gurkhan's name, locating him is more than difficult. Gabrielle is angered for being left out of the assassination attempt, so she disguises herself as a dancer to provoke attention. Virgil and Gabrielle enter Gurkhan's majestic empire, where Gabrielle performs a magnificent gypsy-style dance to win his favor. Of course, Gabrielle's plan was to stab him when she got close enough. However, Xena interferes, inadvertently saving Gabrielle's life and forcing the guards to beat on her and send her to the dungeon.

When some time passes, Gurkhan finds more interest in Xena than any of the other women and renames her Fatima. Xena performs a dance to win his favor furthermore and she proclaims that Gurkhan should execute his number one wife Sara by beheading her. Gurkhan accepts and sends Sara to the dungeon in her place.

Upon being alone with Gurkhan, Xena pulls the pinch on him in order to allow Gabrielle to stab him to death with a dagger. When Gabrielle enters the room, she loses her will to kill him because he is helpless. However, she repeatedly hits him, releasing her anger. Xena and Gabrielle both enter the dungeon in order to free Sara, who they now know is Gabrielle's neice. In her place, they leave Gurkhan covered in cloth and robes. They manage to escape and free all of Gurkhan's wives.

Gurkhan's royal guards enter the dungeon in order to carry out Sara's execution. The lead guard holds Gurkhan's body, still covered in robes, and hacks off his head. Upon pulling the cloth away and seeing his severed head, they realize that they had accidentally killed their leader. They frantically run away.

Elsewhere, Xena and Gabrielle escape on the boat, telling Sara that she is free from Gurkhan's grasp.