Preamble

Ahhhhh this is such a cool and interesting tag to be included in. I’m so excited thank you so much Megan. Female power is so important Megan from A Geeky Gal embodies it for sure!

Plus the originator Kate  @ Melting Pots and Other Calamities makes amazing content about female strength. Please go check her out I just discovered her but she is awesome.

Also, don’t be disappointed there are no Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters in my tag below. I intend on doing a whole separate post for them! Yay! So dem rules are pretty simple and they are seen below.

The Rules:

• Please PINGBACK to me at Kate @ Melting Pots and Other Calamities. Or just Kate. And PINGBACK TO A SPECIFIC POST OF MINE.  I won’t see the post otherwise, and I’d like to see it.
• Answer the questions.
• Choose female characters from books, movies, TV, anime, Webtoons, etc.
• Tag as many people as you want, but at least one person.
• Have fun!

Tag

Name a heroine you like, but whom you feel is always overshadowed by the male characters in the story.

Quinn Airgon (Tika Sumpter) from Final Space. This show hit us with real feels, crazy antics, and the unforgettable baby green squish. Yet I rarely talk about the amazing character of Quinn. She is intelligent, tough, beautiful, and loyal. Throughout the series, she is surrounded by male energy which is equal parts ridiculous and reckless. Without her, I’m pretty sure the whole team aboard the Galaxy One would have perished.

As you can see, her facepalm game is real.

For that matter, name a heroine whom you feel is always overshadowed by the other female characters in the story.

Donna Moss(Janel Moloney) from The West Wing. This show had wonderfully powerful females, from press secretary C.J Cregg (darling Allison Janney), to First Lady Abigail Anne Bartlet (the incomparable Stockard Channing). Yet Donna Moss was always my favourite.

She was tough, funny, and infinitely capable. Her role to offer comic relief in a show known for its heavy topics, but boy was she a great character when the chips were down. Her relationship with Josh Lyman(Bradly Whitford) resulted in some of the best scenes in the show.

Although she was ‘only’ an assistant to Joss (and I say ‘only’ lightly), she ran a tight ship, anticipated her boss’s every move, and was a sharp as a tack. Her full title was Senior Assistant to the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, for many seasons. I won’t spoil the show for you (but if you haven’t watched it what are you doing with your life), she gets bigger and better jobs.

Name a character who had potential but was greatly underutilized in her story.

Kaywinnit Lee Frye (Jewel Staite) know affectionately as Kaylee is one of my favourite Firefly characters. (Yes I am still salty Firefly was cancelled). Throughout its short run Firefly grasped us by the heart and never quite let us go. Of course, Joss Whedon would have said there were no main characters, but for me, Kaylee always got the back seat.

Mal was the Captain (loveable rogue Nathan Fillion), and his first mate Zoe Washburne (Gina Torres) badass extraordinaire, usually took centre stage. Kaylee, while essential to the upkeep of the ship, rarely went on missions. That was left to the captain, his first mate, and their hired hand Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin, no not one of THE baldwins) who got to be centre stage.

Along with that, you had the transcendently beauty Inara Serra(Morena Baccarin), the ever more mysterious River Tam(Summar Glau), her brother Dr Simon Tam (Sean Maher) who with his medical training was thrown front and centre, finally the enigmatic Derriel Book (Ron Glass). This leaves Kaylee in the back seat.

Now I’m sure if we’d gotten more Firefly the character of Kaylee would have been expanded. She is fiercely funny, loyal to her space family, regardless of their less than above board activities, and a brilliant mechanic. We may not have gotten much time with her, but she knew how to get into our hearts regardless.

Name a female character who you either find better in her book than her movie, find better in her movie than her book, or whose portrayals you find equal.

Minerva McGonagall (portrayed by the legend Dame Maggie Smith in the movies) is my favourite Harry Potter character. There is very few who even come close to her, in both the novels and the movies. Her name is the same as the Roman Goddess of wisdom, and like Hermione Granger(Emma Watson), was almost placed in Ravenclaw. Ultimately we see her courage and integrity which to me, means she was correctly placed in Griffyndor.

She is an exceptionally brilliant wizard, even beside Albus Dumbledore she holds her ground. She is warm and loving, yet tough. Her obvious concern for not only students of her own house, but for all the students, endears her to me.

Even though Harry was not her child, she bought him his first broom in first year. A child who never had anything was given a broom which put him in touch with a talent that gave him pure joy.

She defends the unfair removal of Hagrid in book 5, in which she fights back, but is ultimately put in the hospital. We must remember she was an elderly woman at this stage. During the battle of Hogwarts McGonagall is fighting alongside the rest, loyal to magic, Dumbledore, and good to the very end. When the fighting is over she is made the Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Name a character who you want more backstory on.

Emily Gilmore(Kelly Bishop) from the Gilmore Girls. Although her life is alluded to in the show, really the focus is on Lorelai(Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel). Of course, I love both Lorelai and Rory for different reasons, but I feel Emily’s hard done by. We are given her story from Lorelai’s perspective and of course, that’s going to be of an overbearing mother.

In some cases, we get a glimpse of maybe how difficult it may have been to be Emily. Richard Gilmore(Edward Herrmann) her husband, while he adored his wife, had a mother (Lorelai the first portrayed by Marion Ross), appears in several episodes and is quite cruel to Emily. I can only imagine what that was like when Emily was young and newlywed.

Also, Lorelai ran away from Emily and Richard’s controlling hands, but this hurt Emily more than she’s ever cared to admit. She adores her granddaughter Rory but loves her daughter no less. For me, the Gilmore Girls needed to include more about the eldest Gilmore Girl, Emily.

Name a character with traits you feel are sadly overlooked by everyone.

Paige Matthews (Rose McGowan) in Charmed. My love affair with Rose McGowan has only grown over the years, and her acting skills were what first lead me to her. After the death of my favourite Halliwell when I was a teenager, Paige was introduced to fill the huge shoes of Prudence Halliwell (Shannon Doherty).

Although Piper Halliwell (Holly-Maire Combs) was my favourite sister (I think she was everyone’s favourite, to be honest), I felt Paige was always overshadowed by her older sisters. Piper had reason to be front and centre as her powers were great but Paige’s powers were just as defensive. Somehow though Phoebe(Alyssa Milano) always got more attention, and I think that may have been directors choice somehow.

For me, even taking Piper’s powers of freezing, combustion, and her talents with potions, Paige’s powers were arguably the best out of all four sisters. As she was a mixture of White-Lighter and witch, her powers of telekinesis were therefore enhanced, she could orb anywhere at will and eventually learns how to heal.

She was also very level-headed for her age, kind when it came to those in need, hence her career in social care when we meet her first, and finally her fire. She did not grow up with the Halliwell sisters, and her adoptive parents died quite young. She didn’t have the attachment issues the other sisters had, and this worked to her advantage sometimes when it came around to making hard decisions.

It was toyed with a bit, showing her first as an active social care worker and then White-Lighter. Ultimately this was abandoned for one reason or another, but when watching Charmed, I found myself enjoying Paige’s stories more than those of Phoebe.

Name a morally grey character. (Villain or anti-hero!)

Louise Belcher(Kristen Schaal) is the youngest member of the Belcher family and my personal favourite. Each and every member of the Belcher’s is funny in their own way, but Louise has a special place in my heart. For someone so young and adorable, she is quite evil.

For me, I love a girl with a bit of spunk and Louise Belcher has malice in her that makes me chuckle every time. Her parents are wonderfully accepting of their children and their various quirks and let them all be themselves. Louise is highly intelligent but uses her smarts for evil instead of good. You go Lou, we love you.

A character you’re stunned isn’t more famous.

Ouiser Boudreaux (Shirley McClane) from Steel Magnolias. I know she probably is famous to some degree, but she doesn’t appear in enough gifs in my opinion. Steel Magnolias is one of my favourite movies, and I’ve cried more times then I can count at that movie.

Overall the female power in that movie is incredible with the cast consisting of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, and Daryl Hannah. Feel good isn’t even the word to describe the character of Ouiser’s throughout the movie. She does and says things we all wish we had the balls to.

She is the grumpy old lady I aspire to be and spends her time not giving a shit about who she insults or what she says. Although abrasive, she is the best friend of Clariee Blecher(Olympia Dukakis) who appears ladylike and demure but is just as twistedly funny and Ouiser.

They also have one of the best friendships immortalised in the history of the big screen, and one of the best lines. “You know I love you more than my luggage.” I demand more Ouiser gifs and appreciation!

A character from a piece of fiction you’re amazed isn’t more famous.

Ellen Riley(Sigourney Weaver) from the Alien franchise. I can hear you yelling at the screen, “but she is famous, she’s in four of the movies, blah blah blah.” Ok, can you whist for a second and let me explain myself? Please and thank you.

When you watch Alien for the first time, you don’t know who the protagonist is going to be. That’s the beauty of that movie. Each character is carefully drawn with their own limits and flaws.

Ellen is no different and in fact, she’s not a kind or soft female character. She’s tough, pedantic, and not particularly well liked. Perhaps this is the reason she survives, but for me as a young girl, it was wonderful to see someone who wasn’t the typical female in a horror movie.

She never has makeup on, she’s filthy by the end of the movie, and covered in a film of greasy sweat. She wore baggy ship clothes, wore her hair naturally, and didn’t spend 90% of the movie smiling to show off her beautiful teeth.

Don’t get me wrong, Sigourney Weaver is a beautiful woman, but she wasn’t the typical Hollywood beauty, and that’s what made her so amazing. She was one of the first proper female badasses, written like a real person, portrayed like a real person, and gave zero fucks about what she looked like while fighting for her life. Along with being one of my most favourite movies of all time, Alien gave me one of my first strong females. She paved the way for many more, and I’m arguing that she isn’t given enough credit as far as heroes on movie franchises go.

Captain Marvel might have been the first Superhero movie about a woman, but Ellen Ripley was out here being a badass since 1979. I think I feel a tattoo coming on ladies…

I’m Tagging:

A mixture of everyone because anyone can be a feminist and support women! Don’t feel obligated, but I would just love to see all your takes on it!

Nicole from Mullen Crafts – Another strong female who surprises me time after time.

Lee from Lee’s Hall of Information – I feel this would be right up your alley, maybe even some strong female characters of your own?

Quibbles & Scribbles – I think you would kick this tags butt!

Dalen from Dalen Flynn – You always have something interesting to say!

A Queen With Wings – They have written about feminism in the past.

BlackWings666 – You’ve never shied away from Women in fiction.

Pussy Tantrum – For your love of Jill Banner and other gorgeous ladies.

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Thank you, my dear friends! Love Jaycee. xxx

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