Strong Female Characters

[Jean Valjean]

This is a fairly open question that I'm sure everyone here has their views on, and everyone has different things that they look for.If I may first start out with main characters, I like it when a character can be distinctively female without it defining them, much like how a male lead character can be a lead without you having to think "Oh, he's male". There are many works of fiction with male lead characters that many people relate to and admire, even female viewers, and I like it when I as a male find myself relating to a female character in spite of the gender barrier. When a female character can be everything a male character can be without being conspicuous (and without losing her femininity, obviously), that to me is a great achievement.So some examples of certain favorites of mine:Dorothy Gale: I'm referring to generally all her incarnations. I've both read the book and seen the movie, and seen a few hosh-posh sequels and a few ooh-aah sequels. Then I've read an awesome web-comic that's put a sci-fi twist on all of it. In all cases, she's a pretty spiffy person who, in spite of being rather cheesy, came before the modern push to make every character completely new. Therefore, I can admire her for the simple, likable, nice person she is, with simple and easily accessible dreams shared by almost everyone.Alice: From Alice and Wonderland. Of course, it's hard to get past the bias that it's a literary classic that thousands of authors have put their own creative twist on (it was kind of set up that way), but if you get past all the Wonderland stuff, if she's written well she's the quintessential example of a character who proactively works against extraordinary circumstances that would render most characters passive.Wendy Darling: While on the subject of girls who travel to far off fantasy lands, I might as well complete the triad. Whether or not she's the main character is questionable, as often times she's overshadowed by the titular character Peter Pan. However, if one does choose to consider her as the main character and interpret the story from her point of view, she is an awesome older sister and a perfect contrast for Peter Pan. The relationship between them can at times be intensely interesting and curious. Though not the most robust, she is the most complex and developed character in what is the ultimate coming-of-age story.Matilda: From the movie of the same name. That is one of the most awesome children's movies ever. And it was awesome seeing a child who was that smart, because I was very similar at that age.Lucy and Susan:The two girls in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.Ellen Ripley: I thought that the directors were doing a pretty good job of portraying her until the third movie onward (although I didn't mind when they shaved her head). Entertainment Weekly said that not only was she not just some model, but neither was she "defined by the men around her".Josephine March: Louisa May Alcott's true, sincere portrait of herself is filled with such genuine heart that she's as real as the person she represents. I must applaud her. Jo is a beautiful person.Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[Angel Beat]

Why is Mulan not on that list?

[GSR]

Matilda hadn't even come to mind, but you're absolutely right. I loved that book when I was a kid, and Matilda was an excellent character.One that comes to mind (being the Ace Attorney fanboy I am) is Mia Fey. A defense attorney who acts as Phoenix Wright's boss until she gets killed off in the first game's second case, Mia remains a major character throughout the series by way of spirit channeling. A little ridiculous, but she's extremely competent and smart, and throughout the series she's not considered to be "a great female lawyer" but "a great lawyer", period - when Phoenix surpasses her in her eyes at the end of the third game, we know his journey has reached its end. On top of that, the player gets to control her in a few flashback cases, and her younger self is a little more hotheaded, but passionate and believing in her clients in such a way that we see where she got her reputation from. And she has some truly awesome moments - the end of the first case played as her has her not only trap the real killer with their own murder plot, but use said killer's confession to brilliantly deflate the know-it-all prosecutor who has been belittling her all case.

Edited December 18, 2011 by GSR

[Voxumo]

well there is only one female character that i can think of and that is Max from the maximum ride series by james patterson. I like how max tries to be strong for everyone else and even when faced with nearly impossible odds she has a determined personality. I also like how she can laugh at the face of a adversary and can make jokes while beating the ###### out of them. personally if i had to fight a adversary i would also laugh at his face and taunt him all the wile. so yeah that is my favorite strong female character.

[UltraHau]

Add Samus Aran to that list - how did you guys forget about Metroid? I'd also add Lara Croft; if running Indiana Jones-style through pyramids wasn't enough, she shoots zombie mummies. Zombie mummies.How about Chun-Li, too? She's probably the only female video game character the common gamer recognizes who doesn't play a Princess Peach-esque role.

Edited December 18, 2011 by UltraHau

[Alyska]

The trouble with listing video game characters here is that many of them don't have much characterisation, meaning that they aren't strong characters, even though they may be strong females. But, yeah, it depends on your definition of what makes a strong female character.

[Padishah Mehmet II]

Arya from A Song of Ice and Fire.-Dovydas

[Neelh]

I felt warm when I read "Josephine March." I am such a weirdo. I've read Little Women AND Good Wives.I would say Hungary from Hetalia, but she plays the part of Austria's loyal wife for most of it, despite the fact that she competely owns Gilbert's butt when she was a kid and thought she was a boy. XD

[Jean Valjean]

Why is Mulan not on that list?

Because Mulan wasn't the last movie I've seen, lol (*stubbornly refuses to use smiley faces*). Though that does breach the characters in Disney's Princess movies, bringing to mind Belle and Tiana as well. I remember seeing Mulan in the theaters at an age where I thought girls were stupid, and even though I was a little scientist who never believed in the unscientific claim that they had cooties, I still had that general reaction to anything girly. Yet, I saw this movie, and I was in awe.While on the subject of Disney movies...Mary Poppins: She's practically perfect in every way.

Matilda hadn't even come to mind, but you're absolutely right. I loved that book when I was a kid, and Matilda was an excellent character.

It kind of helps that, like Valenti, I had seen the movie lately. And one of my best friends looks and acts like her, even having a similar name *winks without a smiley*.

Add Samus Aran to that list - how did you guys forget about Metroid? I'd also add Lara Croft; if running Indiana Jones-style through pyramids wasn't enough, she shoots zombie mummies. Zombie mummies.

I haven't played Metroid, although I believe there was a point where I thought that she was pretty awesome. Laura Croft, however, I intentionally avoided. It's funny that you brought her up, because she's exactly the example that I use when helping me determine what a strong female character is not like. To me, being an action hero doesn't make a character strong.Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[Mr. Fluffy]

Samus Aran had an awesome vibe to her. She was the strong, silent type until Other M blew her image right out of the water.I wonder how well Pixar will do with its first female lead.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Superbionicle

[Legolover-361]

Mara Jade, definitely. She's just plain awesome and very much not overly feminine. In fact, I haven't even once seen Timothy Zahn allude to a "stereotypical female side" of Mara Jade while writing in her point of view. She's just a powerful, strong-willed character who happens to be female.

[Dorek]

Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games). Sure, she mushy for the male leads, but that's just the hormones. Not many people are great at making existential choices and putting arrows into people's eyes from 200 yards away at the same time.

[GSR]

Mara Jade, definitely. She's just plain awesome and very much not overly feminine. In fact, I haven't even once seen Timothy Zahn allude to a "stereotypical female side" of Mara Jade while writing in her point of view. She's just a powerful, strong-willed character who happens to be female.

My experience with Mara Jade stems from the expansion pack to the PC game Jedi Knight, where she's the main character after the intro levels. By the end of the game she's done some pretty impressive stuff, including at the end talking Kyle Katarn back from the Dark Side. Kyle Katarn, who is pretty much the Star Wars equivalent of Chuck Norris.Also, another one that comes to mind: The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3. "A patriot who saved the world" indeed.

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

The two female leads from the Old Kingdom trilogy, Sabriel and Lirael. I'd say Lirael more than Sabriel, if only because we get two books with her, which leaves a lot more room for development. She starts out a librarian (third-class) and ends up a slayer of the undead and destroyer of monsters. She also takes on that universe's answer to Cthulu/Galactus and slices him in half

[UltraHau]

The trouble with listing video game characters here is that many of them don't have much characterisation, meaning that they aren't strong characters, even though they may be strong females. But, yeah, it depends on your definition of what makes a strong female character.

Chun-Li is pretty strong character-wise; in fact, she's the only video game character I've seen go through any significant character development. Edited December 21, 2011 by UltraHau

[Transcendence]

Hermione Granger. It's kinda obvious that without her, Harry and Ronny would pretty much be screwed. Never, not even once, did she let her pragmatic approach to problems, be it spells or relationships, falter. Not to mention she is pure brilliance. Elektra Natchios. Her name is no coincidence. Her name stays true to the Greek tragedy. Even before her birth, commotion in her family started. Her mother was assassinated. From an early age, she was disciplined and had her very own sensei to train her in the art of self-defense. And also in the martial arts. Later, she'd become a powerful, mighty assassin herself. Her lover? None other than Daredevil. This troubled and ethically challenged relationship had lasting effects on both parties, and she withdrew inside herself, becoming bitter and hateful. Elektra is a complex character to summarize, but anyone who's familiar with her will agree that she's got balls of steel.