Yeah, I sometimes scroll through Tumblr for an hour instead of writing. During downtime at work, or during movies that I find boring/stupid, or… no… Mostly just during downtime in work hours.
Anyway, I found this cool “meme” and I thought – whoa. I love female characters. I am a female. I am a feminist (you know, “a feminist is a being who holds the radical belief that women should be treated like people”). I should totally think awhile and answer these!
Since I am guaranteed to get a wee bit wordy, I’m going to break these 25 “questions” up over a few entries and let my babble flow.
- Favorite female leader/ruler/royalty Sioned, “Dragon Prince/Dragon Star” by Melanie Rawn. I know that technically, Rohan was the ruler and she his wife, but he would not have been Who He Was without her. As it was seen in a vision, it as she who made him a Prince. Fair and kind, but ruthless when necessary, she was an amazing, but flawed, and fascinating character. She could be a real bitch, no lie, but she really did what it took to keep her loves safe and gosh – to be able to talk to Dragons, to fly on sunlight, to have a beautiful son and beautiful grandchildren, and oh sure – there was war and pain and all that, but Sioned lived on those pages.
- Favorite female warrior Xena, “Xena Warrior Princess”. Duh. I mean, yes, it was a campy show with some crazy-bad fight scenes. But there was such a great redemption arc, such a fun dynamic between Xena & Gabby, so much depth in Lucy Lawless & Renee O’Connor’s performances. And yes, she kicked ass. She killed Gods, she rode with the Valkyries, she touched lives (for good or ill) from Brittania to Indus, to Chin, back to Gaul, and everywhere in between. I love Xena.
- Favorite female magic user Nyx Nightbane, “Mark’s Evil Campaign in the Lost City of Ip”, by Josie (me) Albert. I know, it is LAME as hell to love your own character, but I cannot help myself. If Timothy had ever finished “Shifting Ages” I would probably have voted for one of his magical ladies with their hair billowing in the wind, but since he hasn’t… right now, in my life, I love Nyx. I know her name is lame, but I chalk it up to “ancient Azlanti”. Her background (which I believe can still be read on this silly blog) is such fun. She’s got one friend in the world, when she arrives in Ip, and he is her twin brother. They have already had a lifetime of adventure, but her story is really just beginning. Vain, selfish, morally grey (at best), Nyx is a villain but she is not without redeeming qualities. And she feels, and she grows, and I just really adore her.
- Favorite female doctor Martha Jones, “Doctor Who”. The Doctor’s Doctor was not my favorite companion (uh, hello, Catherine Tate’s “Donna Noble” for the freaking WIN), but she was such a refreshing change from the simpering, love-sick Rose that I could not help but love her. She was independent, smart, and yes – a little in love with the Doctor – but she walked away when she was ready, and went on to be a big important person in the world. Martha had some of the greatest lines, she rose above a seriously dysfunctional family to become a doctor, and despite having one of THE greatest adventures in fiction, she still refused to give-up on herself and play second fiddle to anyone else. Martha Jones, you rock my socks.
- Favorite female crime solver Kay Scarpetta, various novels by Patricia Cornwell. Brusque, brilliant, ballsy. Kay Scarpetta is one of my favorite fictional characters. Again with the flaws. She is a seriously flawed woman, rife with vices and made-mistakes in her past. But she is intelligent and resourceful, she walks quietly and carries a big stick, she can cypher teensy, microscopic clues, and the bitch can COOK! Her relationships are complicated, but never cliché. And, unlike Temperance Brennan, who is still pretty cool, she doesn’t have to have a secret black-belt and run around kicking ass physically… aside from a few moments with the stopping power of a revolver, she kicks ass with her bad-ass brain.
Note: Image is “Lip-sticks” by (Irum) from SXC.hu