A few years ago, there was a questionnaire circling about who would you chose as your bodyguard (including fictional). The three choices that kept coming back were Sarah Conner, Ellen Ripley and Vasquez. So I’m going to put a feminist twist on it: choose three women you would choose to fight side-by-side with. It can be book, film, tv, anime, manga, any other media that’s there. If she exists outside your imagination and you can justify it , she counts.
The Rules: No-one from the Terminator or Alien series. Sorry, but too obvious.
My pick:
1. Ellie Linton from John Marsden’s Tomorrow series. The girl is a teenage MacGyver. She makes bombs out of the bits and pieces she finds lying around.
2. Minerva McGonagall from the Harry Potter series. I know it sounds odd, but at one point in Deathly Hallows, she’s all ‘get your shit together, Voldemort is coming’.
3. Gina ‘Mother’ Newman, from Matthew Reilly’s Scarecrow series. Mother is short for motherfucker. She’s faced killer whales, rats to her face, terrorists from pretty much every country in the world. (Apart from Reilly’s Australia. We have no terrorists, no sireee.) They all died. She lived.
So let me know what you think. I’d love to compile a list of kick-ass females that doesn’t involve Aliens or Terminator.
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Molly Millions from Neuromancer.
Zhora and Pris from Bladerunner.
Doctress Ju’ulia(Quote) (Reply)
Xena – She IS the warrior princess.
Counselo Deanna Troi – has martial arts skillz and, she’s an empath.
Wendy O. Williams – the HEAVIEST woman in metal will mow you down with an exploding school bus
Z(Quote) (Reply)
Latest but far from least, because:
1- Honor Harrington! (I can’t believe she’s not been picked yet! More for me!) Coup de vitesse master, a hell of a markswoman and working diligently on her swordsmanship. Years of experience in a body vital enough (thanks to prolong) to make the most of it. She’s also a superb strategist and tactician.
(See also Iris Babcock. The Honorverse has such fantastic strong female characters.)
2- Jane Sagan (from the Old Man’s War universe). Ex-Ghost Brigade. Hardass even in a human body. Lethally competent.
3- Anna Cornick-Latham (from the Alpha and Omega series). “Zen” werewolf – protective instincts, calming influence on others, lethal if necessary. She can also see or feel magic (sometimes).
(Hell, most of Patricia Briggs’ characters are kick-ass. Mercy Thompson with the gun wielding and her Shi Sei Kai Kan karate; Rialla and Shamera from the Sianim books…)
Honorable mentions:
Hailing from the Mageworlds books – Klea Santreny, Chaka, ladies Bindweed and Blossom as well as Beka Rosselin-Metadi!
Also, did no Vorkosigan Saga fans think of Taura? (BTW, hi and yes! for Cordelia Naismith.)
Maddy(Quote) (Reply)
A friend just pointed out: The Bride from Kill Bill – hell, EVERY woman from those movies – and Lara Croft. Screw bodygaurds, ladies, we have an ARMY here. Or at least a militia :p
Gabriella(Quote) (Reply)
Ah, how’d I miss this topic?!
But here are my choices:
Arcee from ‘Transformers: Prime’. She’s the Autobot’s second-in-command, fearless, can turn into a motorcycle for fast getaways and is is wonderfully snarky.
Katara from’Avatar; The Last Airbender’. She’s a healer, responsible, nurturing (though a little smothering) and resourceful.
Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series; she’s just olain FUN to be around. She’s also extremely loyal, caring and great in a fight. She would add zing to the group with her off-kilter remarks and generally calm presence.
Red(Quote) (Reply)
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