Where are the TRUE Strong Female Characters?
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- Опубликовано: 1 июн 2024
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Strong Female Characters are in a sad state of affairs in 2022. Be it a result of feminist influences, misguided intentions, or simply a decline in overall writing quality, the modern Strong Female Characters are ironically some of the weakest characters in living memory.
This is my take on the current state of Strong Female Characters, why they're weak characters, what should be done about it, and who's really the strongest female character in film history. 
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When non-Feminists write women, we get Ellen Ripley, Sarah Conner, Buffy, Alice & Rain, Leia Organa, Trinity, Hit-Girl, Lara Croft, Olivia Benson, Brienne, Xena, Mulan, and Daenerys Targaryen.
When done correctly, women can be stronger heroes than men, and men can be stronger villains than women... for the same reason the most popular villains are British, German, and Japanese.
I actually enjoyed the underdog "Mulan" in the animated movie
But the "Mary Sue Mulan" is unimportant
How can you talked about mothers but not bring up Elastigirl from Incredibles?! Why does nobody ever talk about her? She's easily the best female character in the last 17 years.
You're correct:) An honest mistake on my part.
@@IaMD.B. I'd also add Arwen to the Middle Tier. Her love for and belief in Aragorn is the driving force behind his rise to become King of Gondor
Diane Foxington
She is a good female character but the feminist talks just ruin it and unnecessary.
@@laszlonagy02 .what feminist talk
OG Mulan is another prime example of a strong female character that is incredibly well written.
Mulan from the cartoon, not from the live movie
@@Elimina_T0robviously
Yep she was neither good at masculine nor feminine things it didn't tell her she just needed to become physically stronger than everyone but to use her brain to figure out her situations unlike the live action which is just " girls cant use chi thats a guy thing... oh nevermind a girl can now"
@@Elimina_T0rIs that not why they said Original Mulan?
You left out Eowyn from Lord of the Rings. She is a top tier hero. She was the last line of defense for the women and children in Helm's Deep. When the riders of Rohan spurned Merry she gave him faith in himself. When the Witch King was unstoppable enemy on the Fields of Pelenor, she beat him. She did it not because she was faster or stronger. The Witch King beat her down physically. She beat him because she put herself between the enemy and her family and she inspired and nurtured the childlike faith of Merry. The Witch King underestimated what the nurturing soul could do and thus was felled by Merry and Eowyn.
Absolutely correct. I must admit she slipped my mind.
Also Princess Leia
I hate the Two Towers… all those women just whimpering in the caves… essentially just sitting on their asses.
@@PungiFungi
None of them were trained at all as warriors. Eowyn did train.
Sane societies protect the people who can birth the next generation of society members and don't put them on the front lines of combat or require them to take the most dangerous jobs.
The boys were expected to take these positions in the last extreme.
It's a rational culture. Eowyn made herself an exception as a single, childless noble - most couldn't have and SHOULDNT HAVE.
I also think that Eowyn is the best and most brave woman character in cinematic history, and agree with you.
I think one problem with the motherhood debate is what makes then a younger female character strong?
Female Characters like Lyra Belacqua ( The golden compass) who are not adults still show feminine traits like compassion (for her best friend and the reason why she starts her journey) , but also strength ( not physical but through her intelligence) and she is a great example of someone who asks for help from others ( like Lee Scoresby).
She still inspires others ( also men like Lee) with her kindness and her strong will but there is (obviously) no romantic reason involved.
Or like most of the young female protagonists from ´Studio Ghibli are great examples of strength and still embracing feminine traits and amazing character developments.
Agree. I think the step from "mother" to reason why the mother is strong is forgotten. Chihiro and Lyra both care about others. It doesn't have to be a mother but, just like strong male characters, they must deeply care about something or someone.
Katniss might be somewhat controversial due to the copycats she created, but she's strong as she cares about her sister and later about Rue.
Good point. Perhaps, instead of staying that motherhood is what makes a heroine strong, it's her nurturing ability and compassion, which can be shown to siblings, parents and friends as well as one's own children. Wonder Woman, for example, isn't actually a mother, but she displays some maternal characteristics.
And what about princess Ahesa from La Reine Soleil? Her motivation is to save her father.
@TheAmeliaNathan but what about Madoka Kaname from Puella Magi Madoka Magica?
And Homura Akemi
Here are my candidates for at least a couple of those categories:
1) The mom in the first original "Poltergeist" movie. Not only did she brave unknown dangers, facing who-knew-what when she passed through the bilocation to rescue her daughter, but she later braved the powerful demonic forces that threw her around the room like a rag-doll & knocked her clear down the hallway, and yet kept coming back again & again to rescue _both_ her children, literally facing down a huge, scary demon-creature for good measure! To me, that character definitely takes top honors in the "strong grizzly-mom" category;
2) In the 'strong supportive friend" category I would nominate "Astrid" from the "How To Train Your Dragon" movies & TV series. And _nobody_ but _nobody_ could ever describe her as a 'damsel in distress" or anything other than "strong," yet she was strong but _without_ being an intolerable pain-in-the-ass ballbuster. Hell, in many ways she was the best fighter of the bunch. But she was also supportive, encouraging and unceasingly-loyal to Hiccup, watching his back & giving him valuable feedback & encouragement when he needed to hear it.
Omg yes! The mom in Poltergeist was truly brave! I love that movie.
I love Astrid! She is a tomb-boy, but never left her femenine side. And she never tried to overshadow Hiccup, she was always there by his side, always supportive and always encouraging. But one thing I love the most is that she is never afraid to tell him when he screws up, never in a criticizing way, but rather always letting him see where he's failed, and guiding him into fiding an answer.
@@Gaby000999 That's an excellent point, that if she thought Hiccup was wrong about something, or if he had a blind-spot about some issue or other, she'd definitely speak her mind & let him know how she felt about it, but never in a belittling or condescending way. Which-again-is what a 'good supportive friend' should do. So yeah, good point.
I always liked Geneviève Bujold from "Coma". An believable character in a first rate movie.
@@Dunderslag I'm gonna have to watch that movie again sometime (I can barely remember it.)
I agree heartily that kindness and empathy are among the strongest character traits out there, in fiction and in real life. But as a childfree woman I wince a bit at any implication that femininity can't exist without motherhood. A woman can be kind and empathetic without being, or wanting to be, a mother.
I don't think femininity can't exist without motherhood. I believe women are perfectly capable of being empathetic and kind without being a mother, I just think that being a mother develops these traits to their fullest.
I don't think a mother is required at all but it helps IMO to showcase maternal/empathetic/nurturing instincts unless there's a very specific development for why the female character lacks them.
Take a fantasy universe. We could have a female lead and extremely strong character who is a healer who heals all these dumb meathead and reckless male warriors of their battle wounds through healing magic (which she was inspired to learn out of her natural maternal inclination to nurture others). She could even have a pivotal role as the analogical Conan the Barbarian's healer, constantly saving his life, and taking over as the lead while Conan becomes a side kick. They can take turns saving each other's lives and she can even save Conan's life far more often than he does hers, but in different ways suitable for their physical differences.
But try to make a female version of Conan who chops 200+lbs men's heads off left and right in ways that are supposed to match or surpass Arnold Schwarzenneger's Mr. Olympia role who still struggled at doing that in spite of his extraordinary physical prowess (including having his life saved by Valeria, a woman, and being crucified), and that's not very relatable for men or women. The one exception where that sort of thing might pass is if you cast a renown female martial artist like a Kathy Long or bodybuilder like Olga Kurkulina, but it's generally not going to work so well with like a Daisy Ridley or Brie Larson any more than it's going to work with Elijah Wood or Daniel Radcliffe if the aim is to showcase badassery in open combat.
Or if you want a female character to take on a male-dominated role, a key I'd emphasize is that it's not what she accomplishes that counts so much as her effort and struggles. Consider the film, Rudy (1993) as an example. Rudy Ruettiger is not a great American football player and never is throughout the film. He's too short and small; he's a measly 5'6. His physical stature is a hard limit he cannot surpass. But he has a massive heart and determination which gradually wins over the players on his team and they let him score a touchdown in the end, not because he can on his own (he can't) but because they were so inspired by his determination to do everything they can to let him have a touchdown. His accomplishment wasn't becoming a great football player; it was winning the admiration and respect of those who were.
Guys can give a standing ovation to that not because Rudy ever became a great football player (he never did and never will), but because we empathize with his heart and determination and develop great respect for this massive heart in his teeny body. Let's say they did the film differently though and made Rudy a great football player on the team at a measly 5'6 tacking 6'0+ linebackers with ease and sprinting as fast as the best running backs; that's how we lose the audience.
Totally agree. It is a wrong assumption that only motherhood can bring up those feelings. In the moment that you feel that you belong, either to a family (like mom and dad and siblings), a town, a partnership or a friendship, you can find that love and devotion in you to want to give your life for others and want to protect them or even just yourself against anything. And don't forget, that women would probably go John Wick x 128637 if one would touch their pet. So no, it is not motherhood but having a reason to live, a love, even self love that is worth fighting for. I mean, look in history what women achieved without being a mom ever?
I think he meant like a mother-like figure.
@@IaMD.B. just like men
More strong female characters who may have not been mothers but shown maternal instincts; Katniss Everdeen and Wonder Woman (The movement with the baby gets me every time). I would even throw in underrated Rita Vrataski for helping to save humanity.
I love that you chose Mrs. Brisby and 100% agree. I’m always prone to say that Lt. Ripley is the strongest, for the same reasons you mentioned. But, Mrs. Brisby really is easily one of the strongest female characters ever written, because she’s all heart and she’ll stop at nothing to ensure her children are safe, because of her devoted unconditional love for them. Mrs. Brisby reminds me so much of my own mother 🥲❤️
Don’t forget Joyce Byers. Definitely one of the greatest female characters of all time, and a persevering mother regardless of the danger she faces.
Wow. The last part was unexpected. I didn't even expect to cry because of how touching it is. We don't see characters like her anymore.
Wow, thank you so much for this comment:)
Strong female characters that aren‘t mothers and are not nurturing:
- Azula
- Toph
- Effie
- Beth Harmon
- Komi from Komi can‘t communicate (is instead being nurtured by her male love interest and social environment)
- Tigress
- Amy Dunne from Gone Girl
(- Eun Chan from Coffee Prince (nurtures in an almost masculine way, main provider of her family after her father‘s untimely death))
- Annalies Keating
- Mae and George from Feel Good
- Fleabag from Fleabag
- Hannah Waddingham from Ted Lasso
- Poppy, Ola and Summer from Surviving Summer
- Oh Yun-seo from Touch your heart
- Eleven and Nancy from Stranger Things
You missed a lot buddy. I believe in your feminist journey. Yes, motherhood can be a source of strength and happiness, but that‘s not always the case for every woman. Not every woman is nurturing, but that doesn‘t make her a monster. Prioritising yourself is a choice everyone is allowed to make.
There were good things in that video. Might I recommend "Breasts and Eggs“ by Mieko Kawakami, touches upon motherhood in a very feminist way.
Also, quick note: There are different sub-sections of feminism. So, you should at least change your video description to liberal feminist influences.
Diane Foxington
I agree. Honestly I was completely agreeing with the entire video until it got to that part. Strong female doesn't have to be a mother because then how do you write a teenage female character or one that chooses not to have kids. Saying the number one reason they are strong female characters is because they will protect their children kind of forces the narrative that a female character has to be nurturing and in charge of the kids which is backhanded as it reinforces the idea that a woman's main job is to care for and have kids. There are so many other characters that he missed that aren't mothers and aren't nurturing yet still extremely strong.
@@Lost_Toast absolutely agreed. perharps its a trope for women as the women are motivated by a desire that is not based on themselves (like Captain Marvel, who uplifts herself up, and puts others down) and instead on others (mostly people who they love and want to protect), the unselfish desire is probably what makes the examples the video says as more compelling. love your message too. :)
azula and amy dunne are literal psychopaths tho 💀
Tigress actually is nurturing in Panda 2. She is there for Po to support him in his emotional turmoil
You know it’s bad when Samus Aran in the newest Metroid game is the best woman character in all of 2021 and she only ever talks once or twice in that entire game. Heck, Samus in the Metroid series in general is usually depicted well as far as female characters go (powerful, resourceful, but also caring). Other M even tried to tackle Samus’s sense of motherhood and feelings of inadequacy when a baby Metroid alien she bonded with sacrificed itself to protect her in the events of Super Metroid (unfortunately it did a very poor job at it).
I actually enjoyed Other M's idea.
And Metroid Fusion is very fantastic.
Do not forget the very short yet impactful role the mother ‘Longneck’ from Land Before Time played with her son Little Foot. She cared and nurtured him teaching her child how to get to the Great Valley. Then she lays her life down protecting her baby from the Long Teeth! That's true mommy power!!! Damn movie breaks me every time I watch it.
Was about to mention her!!
You know you've fucked up big time on writing a female character when a mouse of all creatures manages to be a better character than the main character of a trilogy that continues what many believe to be one of the best movie trilogies of all time.
I dont get what her being a mouse has to with anything.
@@sofaris576 Yeah, I can see why it’s confusing. I think that I was trying to convey that a mouse, a creature that normally lacks any humanity, is more human than an actual person. I think that I was also trying to coney that it’s only made worse by the fact that The Secret of Nimh was a stand-alone film with only the book coming before it, while The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy was a continuation of Star Wars, which is considered to be one of, if not, THE greatest movie trilogy of all time (keep note that the prequels have their fans, too, and plenty of people look back at those, especially Revenge Of The Sith, more fondly nowadays).
I dunno. I just drop these comments without any second thought sometimes.
@@MikeyFazboiYTP Nah, I get what you mean. And then you can compare Marvel's current follies, and yet Scarlet Johansson still does a pretty likeable strong female, a freaking singing porcupine in the SING franchise!
I remember arguing with a person about this. She called me a sexist pig who only hated female leads. Sorry but
The original Mulans cast was absolute amazing, especially mulan.
Beatrix from Kill Bill fucking slams, no “I’m a female and can do what ever a man cans” no, she just kills those who wronged her.
Brienne from GOT, at least in the first season, never mentions of being able to do what a man does except when a man questions her, she gets the job done, and does it right.
Here’s my favorite, elsti- I’m kidding. *ELLEN RIPLEY FROM ALIENS*
*HOLY SHIIIITTTTT*
The most bad ass character in a sci fi movie, I mean you can’t get better than the ripley and you’ll never change my mind, just watch the movie and you’ll see why I should even have to explain.
Elsto whoo
The rape Trope is so old by now, women can get strong without getting raped. But that is so often the reason in these movies. And men they fight becouse the women was killed ugh. I hate that trope by now.
Galadriel but not from ROP. She was so elegant in the trilogy and books and at the same time you knew she was fully capable of kicking ass if she wanted to.
Perfect explanation of the whole situation and the problems with modern media and entertainment! You hit the nail on the head many times over! Glad to see a clear and concise video on the topic! 😁👍
You're very welcome! Thank you:)
strong female characters in George Miller's Max Max have led men's rights activists to call for a boycott, and it's hilarious
I don't understand how Hollywood has such a hard time writing these characters it's really not hard whatsoever, they are just stuck in their own little bubble outside reality having stupid unwritten rules for female characters that just makes them more uninteresting if anything
I guess I have to show Hollywood how to do it right.
Ima huge fan of the anime claymore, they come across as very convincing females that are also stoic warriors but what motivates the main characters are human connections in the end
Here’s my take as a female -- Being a mother doesn’t necessarily make a great film character because there are plenty of terrible mothers in real life, but it gives a purpose to the story. Ripley in Aliens, for example, is not a mother, but she is protective and empathetic towards a child so that makes her character interesting and relatable. She can be warm and kind, but at the same time, Ripley is also strong with a drive to survive and fight monsters. On the other hand, Captain Marvel is a wooden character and just plain cold.
Ellen Ripley actually is a mother but her biological daughter wasn't shown on screen. I think the player character in Alien Isolation might be her daughter though.
Little nitpick but I agree with everything else you said.
This is why women and men in anime and manga are more beloved than anything Hollywood could muster and people wonder why many of the modern women are completely forgettable
*Lower tier*
I think you're spot on regarding the ones in here. The ambition for these characters are to represent feminism. The goals are "confident", "strong", and "independent". But these goals are taken at such face value by the writers that the characters circle into displaying masculine traits, to the point of toxicity at that.
Captain Marvel's sense of confidence is to boast her brute force. Even her movie's tagline invites contest. Her power in question is so massive, it negates much of the MCU's canon. In effect, she ends up not only upstaging the male characters, but also the female characters.
The ambition of Nomi from 'No Time To Die' is to show that women can exist in Bond's world to compete with him and not merely be his romantic/sexual interests. Ironically, when every other characters exist to serve the story, she sticks out as irrelevant and her nature makes her a nuisance. More ironically, one character in the same movie had that ambition fulfilled. Paloma never tried to upstage Bond, but she's able to keep up with him and not at all an interest to Bond. Further ironically, a greater role for this fan-favorite character was denied by the filmmakers' preference for Nomi. And unlike Nomi, Paloma would've had a motivation to accompany Bond for his further quest --- She'd want to avenge her fallen boss, Felix.
*Mid tier*
I'm in the middle with this. I think there are characters that are underlooked simply because they are damsel-in-distress. But at the same time, I also think this trope, played straightly, is outdated and gave too many excuses in lesser media for women to be mere trophies for the male heroes. An example of this trope inverted is in 'The Girl With the Dargon Tattoo' where our male protagonist, Mikael, is the damsel and Lisbeth Salander, the female protagonist, is the savior.
*Upper tier*
This part, I disagree. To say that strong female characters must be coded as mothers is a narrow mindset based on gender stereotype. And it's limiting to tell a story. What if the female character is not a mother by choice? What if she's too young?
*My opinion*
I think your perception on strong female characters is too tied to the male characters. Yes, there could be great female characters that support the male, but you have to acknowledge that this could deny them agency. Yes, strong women could rely on others, but it doesn't have to be on a man. There's nothing wrong that instead of being a mother to a great leader during a post-apocalyptic event, such as an invasion of killer robots, she'd be the leader (I know we got a movie that addressed this, but it's awful so it doesn't count). I think you could make a much stronger point without emphasizing the male characters.
Another thing is I wished you'd use other example for the upper tier characters, besides Mrs. Brisby. Beatrix Kiddo, Sarah Connor, and Ellen Ripley (who wasn't originally written as a female) are always the go-to examples for these sorts of discussion that they're becoming clichés. It pushes a notion that they are exceptions.
My example would be Ilsa Faust from Chris McQuarrie's 'Mission: Impossible' movies. I don't think she necessarily fits into your criterias of ideal strong female character, but she doesn't fall into the traits of lower tier either. Frankly, if there's anyone to carry the baton when they retire Ethan Hunt, she'd the best candidate. And the only problem would be that she's not Tom Cruise. But that's not woman versus man matter, it's Tom Cruise versus everyone else.
nobody said female characters must be coded as mothers. What is being said is that being a mother is the peak of the archetype of a caring woman. the trait of nurturing, caring, warmth, etc. taken to the extreme. And it's not rooted in stereotypes, it's just facts. Women very rarely will sacrifice themselves for their husband or boyfriend, but very often will do so for their child. It is much easier and realistic and relatable to have a fictional character do great things because of their children than because of her lover (who would probably be seen as weak because of it). And making the women the leaders in such instances would just serve more to emphasize traditionally male traits, which would just push them further towards the "men with vaginas" camp of SFCs.
And yea, strong women don't have to rely on men, but half the worlds population are men so it would look a bit weird if your SFC gets helped by 10 characters throughout the story and none of them are men.
here are some other examples of upper tier strong female characters: Samantha Carter from Stargate SG-1, Dr. Elizabeth Weir from Stargate Atlantis (coincidentally, leader figure), Mulan (in the original, not the shitty remake), Vi from Arcane, Caitlyn from Arcane, Mel from Arcane, Eowyn from Lord of the Rings, Kate Macer from Sicario, Chloe Decker from Lucifer. And plenty more in the world of anime.
We talk about Ripley, Sarah Connor and The bride not because they are exceptions, but because they are the most recognizable characters.
@thomasmann4536 A woman can care about children without being a mother because it's understood that children are innocent and should be protected. Do we think that a father wouldn't do anything and everything to save their child?
The love and sacrifices that mothers make are absolutely storyworthy. But over time, having this be the most prevalent motivation makes the characters become predictable and one-dimensional. It should be understandable that women fight for honor/prestige, revenge, redemption, destiny, community/culture, whether that involves children or not. Writers may struggle with creating female characters with expanded motivations, but we've had decades of copy-and-paste male savior roles and we're all still here 😂. So we can take a few missteps while we figure everything out.
This is why ATLA is God-tier on female characters. They were not boys in female bodies. They were girls of different personalities, flaws and strengths (literally and figuratively). Even the tomboy Toph was still feminine when she enjoyed her day out doing girlie things with Katara in The Tales of Ba Sing Se. And thanks to the existence of bending, it wasn't unbelievable to have girls take down grown men (ex. Toph vs the earth wrestlers). Even nonbenders like Ty Lee and Mai were capable fighters without having to be as physically strong as men (Mai used her blades and Ty Lee used Chi block). One scene that stuck out to me was when Sokka apologized to Suki for not seeing her as a warrior, but she reminds him she's both a warrior and girl. She didn't feel ashamed of her gender! *She didn't see it as a weakness. I'm surprised there's not more videos on ATLA in regards to female characters.
either they make her an overpowered flawless mary sue just to shove her down people's throats or they make her a helpless and dumbed down damsel in distress
@@hanapop3358 omg agreed. mothers are absolutely amazing, but being a women is not hinged on being a mother to be a greatly written character. perharps it just happens that actual strong female charcters are mothers as they have a motivation that is not based on themselves but on others
None
I think Tony Stark is a great example of what makes a character „strong“. He starts off by predominately being a jerk. He grows as a person through every event that happens. He has set-backs, he develops PTSD which he has to fight. He gets blinded by emotions at times. But eventually, it’s him overcoming his flaws, weaknesses and him learning, which not just saves the day, but saves the universe.
They took the risk of making him more difficult to like by showcasing his flaws and his weaknesses. But due to the great character development, they created one of the most beloved MCU characters.
So please, don’t try too hard to make a character likeable. Make them real. Take a risk, give them flaws and weaknesses, give them set-backs. And then, let them overcome it.
Vi is also a strong female character. She loves her sister Powder. Mulan 1998 loves her father and risks her life for him.
Wow! I was actually clapping and cheering when I saw Mrs. Brisby in your video. The movie in general is in my opinion pretty underrated but her a s a character always inspired me. The compassion she had for not only her kids but everyone and also the will to struggle through all these hardships was truly amazing. I recognized that as a kid and she has been be one of my favourite characters in movie history to this day.
Sorry, I am late. But I have to say, that you are right except one point: it is not motherhood, that makes a strong female character. Take Ripley in the first film. Take Arwen and Eowyn, take Mula in Resident Evil, take Samantha in SATC, take Mulan (the original) or Arielle or Belle. They there all fighters but no mothers. Love can be felt for a lot of reason, self love, love for other relatives, love for a partner or a pet. So no, it is not motherhood that makes a strong female, it is love and trust on herself.
Men protects woman.
Woman protects child.
Now we need more strong child characters :P What makes a child character strong?
Child protects younger sibling?
Well, you can reach a conclusion if you follow your own logic, but I think you're missing one piece. The most positive masculine trait is being protective of his woman. The most positive feminine trait is being protective of her children. The most positive childlike trait, however, is having potential.
As was said in the video, overcoming obstacles and not giving into negative traits of what defines their character(imo, using physical strength to influence others for men, being manipulative for women, and being too mature for children). Therefore, a strong child character would be one that learns a lot about life but doesn't become jaded. These don't happen often, but I think Harry Potter is one example.
Home Alone, Kevin McAllister
Coming of age. Like every good Spielberg movie featuring children
Narnia.
Chirorou
Having no weakness has no character
When I think of strong female characters, I think of a type of compelling characterization (which actually isn't based on gender), but then the character embodying qualities in the way their gender would ALSO coherently-- whether they are negative or positive. I want to see strong female villains too!
I agree w you about Hollywood trying to remove elements of traditional femininity from women nowadays and doing a poor job. I feel like complex female characters who ARE well-executed but have what society views as more "masculine traits" are often liked less whether they are well-written or not. Especially if they are anti-heroes or villains. (Like, Tony Stark is arrogant at first but somehow still charming and we root for him despite this. I doubt people would do the same for a woman who starts out arrogant even if she has a character arc. A similar thing happens of we see a man who is cowardly or too overly sensitive.) I think we inherently gender certain character traits and are more accepting of them in one gender over the other but also, it doesn't mean a character is poorly written, so we also have to include societal values in the assessment.
In my group's D&D campaign I play a half elf cleric princess named Zelda Alagondar. This character is extremely feminine but capable in her own right. What she lacks in strength and dexterity she makes up for in her charisma and intelligence. While most of the party are fighters or rouges, Zelda is the strongest spellcaster in the party. What makes my character strong is that she is a subversion of the damsel in distress trope. While she often needs other members of the party to save her, she uses her skills to try and negotiate or break free. When the party encounters the BBEG (big bad evil guy or villain), Zelda is the main conversationalist and takes center stage in trying to psychologically mess with the villain. She is wise enough to know when she needs help and when she can use her skills. One major flaw she has is her sense of duty to her kingdom. As the heir to the powerful kingdom of Neverwinter on the Sword Coast, Zelda is willing to do anything to protect her people even at her own expense. This makes her reckless at times and highly naïve, even more so because she is young. Towards the beginning of the campaign the BBEG offered the party a chance to stay at his castle if the party would kill this one individual for him. Against her better judgement she was willing to do this task if it meant getting on good terms with the BBEG. The other party members had to stop her. Likewise, her recklessness often gets her into danger and her naivety often puts her in compromising situations. In one of our most recent sessions in the campaign, Zelda got so angry at the BBEG for what he did, that she was ready to storm up to his castle ALONE and confront him herself. One of the vampires in the party had to physically restrain her until she calmed down.
@@jbertucci I took some inspiration from the Zelda series as it’s my favorite video game but my character is a conglomeration of my ideal self, a series of character traits I saw in other characters and more. I’ve kinda made her my own.
@@jillianh7565 botw is god tier
Peggy Carter is a great example of a strong female character i think. You need to watch agent carter first tho to know her more deeply.
She was a great character living in a very sexist time period.
@@BruceCross fr😭i need them to finish the story. At least just 1 more season and I'll be happy
The show deserved another season. Kinda makes me sad.
@@BruceCross like Mulan animated
People need to realise that when youre writing a MAIN female character, it won't work of you push her to the background and turn her into just the thing that inspires the male.
I love how you highlighted The Secret of Nimh. I love that film.
My favorite strong female character is Salander in the book THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. 90 pounds, soaking wet; tragic back story (which includes physical, sexual, & psychological abuse); introverted; bullied; incorrectly considered mentally incompetent; YET brilliant, courageous, defender of the weak. As is usually the case, her character is better developed in the book than in the movies (although both the Swedish & American movies are good).
Shoutout to Eowyn from Lord of the Rings. Definitely my favorite female movie character. She wasn't perfect. She can't cook stew well enough, but she has compassion, gives motivation, hope, able to be a warrior when in need, does not make excuses for being a female, has ginormous amount of bravery and perseverance, and lastly, does not show off her powers or authority to dominate.
Excellent essay. I am writing a serial screenplay for my own entertainment with two strong female MCs. I think I will rework large parts of the plot/backstory in light of your overall ideas. Gave me a lot to think about. Not even something specific, but a different way of looking at my characters.
Wow I'm humbled:) thank you
My favorite female characters not featured in this video:
-Eowyn, my shield-maiden of Rohan
-Arwen Undomiel
-Galadriel
-Anne from Persuasion
-Devi from The King Killer Chronicle trilogy
-Molly Bloom from Molly's Game
-Mulan (from the anímate movie)
-Ilsa Faust from the Mission Impossible saga
-Sally from a Nightmere Before Christmas
-Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon Trilogy
-April from Defently, Maybe
-Erza Scarlett from Fairy Tail
-Both Princess and Erika from Barbie The Princess and the Pupper
-Clara from Barbie in The Nutcracker
-Claire Redfield and Jill Valentine from RE games
-Cinderella from the live action movie
And there are many more, but these ones all I could think about. So yeah, lots of great female characters that have nothing to do with the feminist crap these days see.
BTW, I am so happy Evelyn from the Mummy was featured.
I agree that female characters should be complex just like male characters which they all go through accomplishments & struggles in their life. Also they should portray them to be both caring and tough period.
I love the Secret of Nimh. Ive watched it countless times as a kid. I dont know why I enjoyed it so much but hearing you point it out, it might be because of Mrs. Brisbys strength. Im not a woman but I still admired her character and the challenges she overcame for the sake of her kids. She showed true courage by voluntarily facing her fears, driven by her determination to press on despite being frail and faced with overwhelming odds. I guess, even if i didnt know it at the time, I appreciated that motherly instinct to protect her young despite immense danger.
It's not even that they write women to be more like men, they write them to be the worst aspects of men. Men can be loving and caring and nurturing too we just do it different.
Claudette Colbert's character in "Three Came Home" (1950). From IMDb: "The true story of Agnes Newton Keith's imprisonment in several Japanese prisoner-of-war camps from 1941 to the end of WWII. Separated from her husband and with a young son to care for she has many difficulties to face". The strength she has to summon to protect her child in the most unimaginably evil circumstances is one of the most amazing demonstrations of courage I have ever seen in movies. When I think of strong female characters, Agnes is on that list.
The lead character in one of my screenplays is a woman whose prior physical abuse from her ex prevents her from having children, a major void in her life. (The closest she can come to motherhood is doting on her 10-year-old nephew.) When she accidentally develops a superpower of sorts - but one that leads her to doubt whether she can ever truly be loved - she falls for the man who shielded and supported her following her bizarre change. Armed with a power she gradually accepts, she begins to perceive him as both a lover and her surrogate child, bringing out her latent maternal qualities. (This is not meant to be Oedipal, BTW!) She comes to like protecting others, making her an earth mother of sorts, and by story's end she sacrifices her power to save the man she loves and becomes a beloved figure in her community, a major advance for a character who at one point feared the world would view her as a freak. (While the story is a romantic comedy, the principal characters have depth.)
In the beginning of the "Male Support Characters" section, you put in a lot of clips from The Mummy. I would respectfully completely disagree with putting Evie anywhere in that category. Evie is the protagonist of that movie, with everything happening from her perspective. Not only that, she makes EVERYTHING in the movies happen.
She is the one who realizes what her brother's trinket is, and how to open it. She decides to try to get to Hamunaptra and (with some impressive quick thinking) saves O'Connell's life in order to do so. She gets him to agree to take her there. She figures out how to get to the sarcophagus ahead of the Americans. She steals the book of the dead, figures out how to open it, and knows how to read it (awakening the mummy). She gets O'Connell to stand and fight when he wants to run. She figures out the inscriptions that were misunderstood by the Bembridge Scholars.
Yes, she had to be saved when she was kidnapped as sacrifice. But immediately after being saved, she saves O'Connell's life with her quick thinking, extensive knowledge, and intelligence when he's about to be killed by Imohtep.
They both save each other, over and over again. O'Connell with bravery and physicality, Evie with bravery and intelligence. Both are shining examples of their respective genders, and in NO way is Evie simply a "male support character".
Great video!!
The Mummy is a good example of balance between the two. Good choice, I like that film too.
Mrs. Jonathan Brisby! Big Ups! Don Bluth!
Thank you!
OK with the uppes tier you just made me cry you sneaky fox!
Upper tier, too: Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street). Mulan from the animated movie. Princess Leia.
Middle tier: Kitty Softpaws (Puss in Boots 2 the Last Wish)
What about 2011 Kitty
Middle/Upper:Sasha Calle
The female character I like is Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games Franchise because she is adventurous, she is compassionate, she is courageous, she makes mistakes like everyone else, she is persistent, and she is a tough survivor. A lot of female audiences and male audiences including me can relate to Katniss for the accomplishments & struggles she went through.
Mattie Ross in TRUE GRIT (1969)
Any character played by Mae West
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Clarice in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
As I was watching this, I agreed with MOST of what you said, respectfully disagreed with a small portion of what you said:
THEN...THE FINALLY!!
WOW! I always thought Mrs. Brisby was an AMAZING character, but I didn't hold her up as high as you did here. But I'm thinking she deserves more respect 🤗
Love that movie, Love Mrs. Brisby.
An excellent breakdown, one I couldn't agree more with. As a writer myself, I also think that being a supportive mother is the strongest attribute of a lead female character. One who would do anything to protect her children.
Characters like Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs) and Rita Vertazki (The Edge of Tomorrow), though they have no children, you always feel that they could die at any moment, not in a “plot armor “ kind of way, but in that they don’t pretend to be strong and we fear for their safety yet they persevere to get the job done.
I'm a virgin so the mothers are completely unrelatable to me. I need a strong female character who fights with enemies that are against her traditional values. Just like I do. There are so many people that hate me because I would rather die than disgrace myself with any licentiousness. They want me to become sexually liberated, just like the most of modern women. But I stay resistant and unbreakable.
You see, honor is the most important value in my life. And my chastity is a great part of it. People of both sexes don't understand me. They condemn me. They mock me. But I still don't care about their opinion. My life is all about honor. It makes me a strong woman - I know about it very well. So it's sad that there are NO fictional characters similar to me.
We, the brave virgins, don't have ANY representation in pop culture. I would like to change it but there's nothing I can do. I'm the most lonely person in the world. But at the same time I'm a warrior who wants to continue her journey.
Best wishes from Poland!
Natalia (31 years old)
Don't let anybody bring you down for your decisions:) These are good decisions, chastity is a very honorable life style in my opinion. I just hope you don't think women who get married and have children aren't honorable, because they're honorable as well.
Hope you continue with your journey and find your way through life:)
@@IaMD.B. I don't know women who live in chastity and then get married. Modern men don't want to wait several years for sexual intercourse. 99% of the women who become wives are sexually liberated. It's the only way to get a husband. I've asked a lot of men about their views. And their answer is clear: they're not going to wait longer than one year. Nowadays conservative females are unmarriageable. Only feminists can change their marital status.
I'm not a virgin, but I've been celibate since I started following the goddess Hestia.
Joan of Arc
Evelyn from Everything Everywhere All At Once is someone I would consider high tier. While she does complain about her husband, the context is there. It was a beautifully written movie.
Totally agree, great video! What a surprise ending. I saw that movie but she seemed so fearful, almost cowardly, fragile and weak in body and mind.
Regarding Ripley, I loved Alien 1 and 2... but in my opinion there is no Alien 3. They destroyed everything of the 2 to throw Ripley into a hellish prison. Why couldn't they give Ripley that Alien 2 ending and let her have her rest for the rest of her life? At best they could have brought her back as a consultant remotely, or referenced her from files where she left everything she knew about aliens.
What do you think of the protagonist of the movie G.I.Jane? I think she enters the Upper tier because I remember that at various times you see her weaknesses and she almost gives up, you see that she really has to work hard and fight to achieve what she achieves in the end.
I found this video very refreshing. Instead of the uninformed, knee jerk screeching of the word "woke" it actually gets into the core of the problem without resorting to the simple minded reactionary response of a Ron DeSantis or some other moron.
It is by far one of the closest I've seen in outlining the problem and defining actual solutions to it. I've got some additional thoughts on the matter:
This video puts at the top of its hierarchy of strong female characters the mother protecting their child. While this is certainly a strong idea it ignores the fact that some women either can't have children or, for perfectly legitimate reasons specific to their own life, don't want children. I would suggest instead the idea of the mother protecting her family. The mother may not be an actual mother but may simply take up a maternal role in the relationship being shown and the family may not be actual blood relations but could be simply those near and dear to her.
Another thing I saw in this video were examples of strong female characters having male mentors. To make this one really stick I would suggest that there also be stories where the strong male character has a female mentor - just so things aren't one sided.
I applaud this video and hope that more rational voices speak out on this issue and begin to move our movies into a space where audiences can appreciate and enjoy them without extremists ruining the experience for them - and I'm talking about extremists on both sides of this: the radicals pushing the "strong" female character without any flaws and the right wing extremists wanting to put women into "traditional" roles where they are subservient and without agency.
So honestly this just makes me appreciate all the women in each category. If we had a balanced representation of each, we’d have triple the amount of women to appreciate because women come in all types. Yes captain marvel isn’t everyone’s favorite but next to Wanda, Natasha, Okoye, etc, it feels more real to have a wide range of personalities
Natasha Romanov, Ellen Ripley, Kara Thrace, Buffy Summers, Sarah Connor, Dana Scully, Clarice Starling, Hermione Grainger, Eleven, Zoe Washburne, Rita Vratawski, Laura Roslin, AEthelflaed Lady of Mercia, Beatrix Kiddo, Harley Quinn, Katniss Everdeen, Leeloo, Stiorra, Selene, Enola Holmes, Wanda Maximoff, Lady Olenna, Beth Harmon, Abbess Hild, Princess Leia, Xena, Lagertha Lothbrok, Alice, Leslie Knope, Olivia Dunham, Lana Kane, Olivia Benson, Brienne of Tarth, Brida, Jessica Jones, Mulan, Moana, etc, etc...
Good video, I don't completely agree that to be a strong female chracter you have to be a mother but I ultimately agree that raising and protecting children is the highest form of femininity and I never really thought about that angle of what makes characters like Ripley and Connor so great.
I also agree with you that the damsel in distress is underrated. There's nothing wrong with relying on others, doing so doesn't make you weak. In fact accepting your weaknesses and figuring out how you can work with others to help eachother are two of the most important lessons you can learn.
Finally I think you nailed a key difference between the likable "strong female characters" and the unlikable ones. The ones we like never seek to replace or belittle men.
I also nominate Julie Andrews as Maria in Sound of Music 🎶
I want to see some kind of poll or data on what kind of characters women prefer. In the comment section of a similar video someone basically told women dont like characters with weaknesses and much prefer mary sues.
I find it interesting because the idea of the girl that is held back by society has been a staple for female protagonist for a long time. Its not uncommon to have all her rivals be objectively bad people that society praises for being born "better" which leads to another problem.
Female targeted stories traditionally heavily estol the virtues of birth right, that you are born great or you are not, and no amount work or effort can bridge the gap and usually end with the love interest taking a moral stand, making significant sacrifice, and lowering their station in life and standard of living to be with the protagonist.
I believe the new wave of female targeted protagonists showing up in action movies or other previously male targeted media is where problems arise. If you look at any romance or drama you find these kinds mary sues all over the place where their only problem is that the world either doesn't know they exist yet or wont acknowledge them because of prejudice or sabotage by an antagonist and they are beloved characters. I think women prefer that type of character but I would love to see some data on it.
They’re DEFINITELY NOT gonna be found in Hollywood, that’s for sure.
Thank you for this. I hate how “modern writers” think they are being progressive when writing women as completely autonomous power-houses, who are never in doubt, never feel insecure and certainly never ever need to ask for help. No woman I know can identify with these characters, and again, male characters come out on top, as they usually have something interesting going on as complex characters who go through an actual development. For example, in the new Star Wars, I found Rey to be the least interesting character of all, she just goes from great to perfect.
To be fair, Snow White or Aurora are the protagonists of their respective stories, no support to the hero (the princes have hardly any character to speak of) and Anya Amasova from The Spy Who Loved Me is easily one of the most amazing women in movies. She has a backstory, she's an excellent and resourceful spy and she is very much on par with James Bond.
Amasova spent the last part of the film tied up and helpless. She was all hype and petered out in the end. If you want the ultimate Bond girl it would be Diana Rigg’s Tracy in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Erza Scarlett=Fairy Tail
Bisca Connell=Fairy Tail
Juvia Lockser=Fairy Tail
Ripley=Alien (1979)
Wonder Woman (2017)
Sango the Demon Slayer=Inuyasha
The Bride= Kill Bill
Sarah Conor= Terminator(1984) and Terminator 2 (1991)
Katnis Everdeen=Hunger Games
San= Princess Mononoke (1997)
Hermione Granger=Harry Potter
Nobura=Jujutsu Kaisen
Selena Kyle AKA Catwoman= DC Comics
Black Canary= DC Comics
Arya Stark= Game of Thrones
Daenerys Targaryen= Game of Thrones
Miss Honey= Matilda
Amy Rose=Sonic
Rukia Kuchiki=Bleach
Yoruichi Shihoin=Bleach
Usagi Tsukino=Sailor Moon
Ami Mizuno=Sailor Moon
Rei Hino=Sailor Moon
Makoto Kino=Sailor Moon
Minako Aino=Sailor Moon
Eowyn= Lord of the Rings
Toph=Avatar the Last Airbender
Katara=Avatar the Last Airbender
Hana= Wolf Children
Tsunade=Naruto
Astrid=How to Train Your Dragon
Eva=Hell on Wheels
Bell=Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Master Tigress= Kung Fu Panda
Mulan (1998)
Kim Possible (2002-2007)
Diane Foxington=The Bad Guys (2022)
Black Widow= Marvel
Ochako Uraraka= My Hero Academia
Momo Yayorozu= My Hero Academia
Jiro Kyoka= My Hero Academia
Tsuyu Asui= My Hero Academia
Ais Wallenstein= Danmachi=Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon
Ryuu Lion= Danmachi=Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon
Mikoto Yamato= Danmachi=Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon
Sypha Belnades=Castlevania
Mrs. Brisby= The Secret of Nimh
Elastagirl=Incredibles (2004)
I could list more, But these are examples of great strong female characters.
Kitty Softpaws and Dulcieniga
Spirits away is also a great movie with a strong female character
I know the topic here is how a lot of the female characters are negatively affected by overusage of masculine traits, but I strongly disagree that you can't have a well written masculine woman, and should stick to feminine only traits.
And I also find it weird that love and care are considered more feminine traits, when ideally every good guy hero should have those traits to at least some extent.
Joyce Byers (née Maldonado), portrayed by Winona Ryder in Stranger Things. I like her character as a strong women in the series. "Maybe I am a mess, maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m out of my mind!
But, God help me, I will keep these lights up until the day I die, if I think there’s a chance that Will's still out there!" in the first season. Actually this character made me continue watching the series!
This is a great essay that deserves far more views.
Wow:) Thank you so much!
One of the greatest female characters is sixteen-year-old Sarah from Labirynth. Similar story to Mrs Brisby's and she still triumphs despite the odds and being sometimes weak and in need of help.
But that was 1986. Now it is time for "modern audiences", whatever that means. And apparently women cannot be weak when catering to those.
I'd say Elizabeth is more than a Damsel in distress. She has her own agenda, as every character in the first three movies. Will is her Prince in distress in some of them xD
Erin Gruwell is also a strong female character. She reminds me of my formal math teacher. Very kind paticent and talented. I would not pass without her.
Old video, I know, but I'd like to know your opinion on Sadie Adler from RDR2. For me, she is probably my #1 female character in all of gaming, naturally followed by Lara Croft.
Sorry to say, but I haven't played RDR2 yet:) Can't find the time. I have played the first one when I was younger, and it was amazing!
One thing that baffles me are the feminist lesbian characters that bash men for being toxic and then immediately act just like a toxic man, my brain can’t comprehend it.
I'm curious since Ariel from The Little Mermaid is one of my all time favorite characters. But, she's been looked down upon as a weak and helpless damsel in distress (like Princess Peach, Snow White, Mary Jane Watson, or Bella Swan). Although she fought a shark and saved Flounder in the end, destroyed Ursula's eels in the climax, causing Ursula to grow in gigantic size and allow Prince Eric to deliver the final blow, and saved Prince Eric 2 times, people are claiming it's not good enough and continue to dismiss her as weak and helpless damsel because Ariel had to be saved in the finale.
You got any comments?
I love Ariel:) Never thought of her as weak. And she makes Prince Eric a better man. She should be celebrated.
@@IaMD.B. What you've said made me smile. Not only is it because the critisim is driving me crazy but we're getting a live action remake of The Little Mermaid in May 2023 next year and the writers promised that Ariel in the remake will have more girl power and female empowerment and won't be defined by needing a man and/or needing a man's love, which is (if not THE) big reason why people are trashing not just Ariel as a badly written character (for being a damsel in distress and for giving up her voice because she wants a man) but also the original 1989 Little Mermaid as a bad movie nowadays. Even the actress Halle Bailey admitted that the new movie will have a stronger emphasis of female empowerment and claiming that audiences will be pleasently surprised. Plus, the executives love the draft so much that they announce that a sequel is on the table.
The hatred the original Ariel (and film) as well as the direction the live action Little Mermaid remake is going is making worried as I fear that people are going to love the live action remake more than the original and the original will be ignored, forgotten, abandoned, and replaced by the remake permanently.
@@jonnyboy4289 I highly doubt people will love the new Ariel more. Some will, but those people don't like Ariel to begin with.
I think people's problem with her was that she was willing to never see her father, sisters, of freinds again if it meant being with a boy she didn't really even know.
(Though she did already want to go to the human world before that.)
@@tell-me-a-story- Exactly. Not only is it invalid because Prince Eric was "a reason", not "the main reason", but you can blame it on the fairytale narrative.
The plot is meant to be simple and emotional (like Snow White), meaning logic takes the back seat. But, Ariel is meant to be more real and a realistic person would never just ditch her family for boy because "she doesn't know him." So, you can blame it on the plot for being "not so logical." But, hey. Some of the greatest movies of all time have some of the most nonsensical moments. But, they're still loved today, like Star Wars (A New Hope) or Superman (the Movie).
I honestly hate it when some not all, but some movies and some TV shows portray men as creeps & women as bootlickers. I also hate it when some not all, but some movies and some TV shows portray men as simps & women as spoiled. I myself want movies and TV shows to portray men as protectors & women as helpers which shows them working together as warriors instead of hating each other period.
Istg i started this vedio to NOT be one thing talk about "how women are not women enough in movies". Bravo you did it and. I don't wanna be a mother ,i just want basic empathy or emotions in myself I don't have to explain WHYs all the time.
The toy company Lego has spent millions researching the differences in the way male and female children interact with toys,they proved that there is a fundamental difference at the heart of the issue.When boys play with a figurine they imagine themselves as that character and create an imaginary world through which they as the character explore.However, when girls play with a figurine ( even the same one used by boys) they imbue the figurine with their own personal characteristics before interacting with the real world as that character.Essentially this difference is continued in the way male and female writers portray the characters they write,this difference only being magnified by writers persuing a social justice agenda.
You just know they're next going to come out with a remake of The Secret of Nimh. Where the lead character easily dispatches all enemies with her unmatched martial arts skill.
That was an interesting video but I wish you chose different kind of women for the "upper tier characters" and not only mothers.
Why is nobody talking about Ran from detective conan? She is sensitive to other people and cares about her family and friends and is hurt that the love of her life is away all the time. But when someone is threatening anyone near her she is kicking ass and is not afraid to protect someone even if she's threatened with a gun.
I loved Gena Davis in the Long Kiss Goodnight.
Respectfully I disagree. The reason why in recent years we have so many weak bottom tier female characters is because what you claim to be the top tier.
A women's whole existence is not based on motherhood.
How about a female who can't have children? That's a great point to explore, but by your definition it will at most be bottom part of mid tier.
In my opinion, a strong female character has to be flawed, and has to overcome or succumb to these flaws, either way is fine. She doesn't have to be a mother, a male support or anything. She just has to be a good character.
But all in all, you made a great video and deserve a like. But I do wish to express I do not agree with your point of view.
I welcome your point of view, Nik:)
I also want to clarify that being a mother isn't and shouldn't be the ONLY way to define strong women.
However... I do believe that motherhood is the ultimate expression of female strength, and I think women should pursue it.
I'm not saying it's the only way, but it is the best way in my opinion.
But again, if anyone disagrees, that's completely fine 😎.
when you talk about pure primal strength, the most saught after, respected, and powerful women were mothers. Its biology, not society.
Being a mother doesn't mean you have to give birth to the child. I don't believe Ripley was a mother nor Katniss. Being a mother can translate to caring for someone who needs you. Take 1998 Mulan, she did what she did to save her father, she cared about another person and did something extraordinary to protect them.
@@IaMD.B. I feel like a woman’s ultimate strength should be decided by a woman, who has more experience being… a woman. For many women, motherhood isn’t something they want. Even apart from how painful it is to birth a child, having one completely alters the lifestyle of many women. some people prefer it, while others do not, and both are equally valid. the ultimate strength of a women is her ability to choose what kind of life she wants, and the kind of person she wants to be. if she wants to be a mother, that’s wonderful! if she doesn’t, that’s also wonderful. i think there is something particularly demeaning about anyone-man or woman-to decide what kind of life women should pursue. in the end, we’re all just our own individuals, and our gender shouldn’t have to decide who we are or what we want to be. of course, this applies to fictional characters as well (maybe not to the same extent but it still pertains)
@@hellothere2464 I believe that ultimately women who take upon themselves certain responsibilities and duties such as motherhood, are better for society than women who don't. And don't get it twisted, the exact same principle goes for men. Of course, because men and women are different, the duties men and women should take upon themselves are also different. I was simply focusing on the women's side. I'd like to tackle the men as well in a future video some day.
One last note: of course everyone is an individual and they should do what they feel is best for them. I just find from research and personal experience that in general, some decisions that women take make them feel happier and more fulfilled than other decisions. Just because some women might think that a certain course is best for them, doesn't mean that it will be when all is said and done.
This was beautiful!
You got yourself a sub!!
Thank you very much my friend!:)
I feel the bigger or over arching problem is the ratio of male to female characters present in media .
I will take MCU as an example as it pretty much reflection of female representation in media.
Considering just Infinity saga, we hv only 4 main female character(Wanda, Black Widow, Gamora, Carol) whereas you hv 12 main male characters (5 male Avengers, Vision, BP, SM, Starlord, Groot, Rocket and Nick Fury) . So 4: 12 ,that's 3 times more.
This imbalance creates an unforseen problem. Since there are plenty of male characters even if some of them r poorly written or only there to hv 1 role, fans don't mind them as male character, as there's already better male character present. Basically ,the range is bigger.
However as there's only 4 main female character, the option of them being even slightly badly written goes out of the window.
I mean, if u look at every celebrated male character/ strong male character do u think all of them werr well written or some weren't like female characters type thar you listed ?
For eg, Hulk in MCU has been reduced to comic relief. To which fans r upset but not bcs he is badly written 'strong male character' but bcs comics hv done him better.
Now compare him to Mary Jane from Rami trilogy. She actually has life, ambitions and hopes infact she and Harry Osborne are pretty much equal. I will even say plotline of a love interest and a best friend of main lead in same in many movies yet it's only Jane who is looked down for simply playing her part i.e 'love interest', But why is that so? It's bcs in the she is the only main female character.
Even in case of most of the damesl in distress female characters. Irrespective of how well written they r however since they are usually the only main female character out main characters cast ,them being certain type catches the eyes more.
The female characters r rn't viewed merely as a 'character' anymore instead now these female characters hv additional burden of fulling every expectation of being best 'female' character.
(I hope you get my point. Sorry if you didn't , this is the best I can explain. )
Very good video! Thank you!
Strong character - Naomi Nagata from Expanse.
My favourite female lead is Jessica Tandy in 'Driving Miss Daisy'. Her and Morgan Freeman were excellent 💖
Haven't seen the film yet, but I'll see it very soon as a part of my Oscar Marathon that is currently happening on my channel. Check it out when it's released:)
@@IaMD.B. cool. Thank you ☺️
I would add the character Nansica in “The Wioman King” to the top tier.
Good analysis mate. 👍
Ms. Bianca from The Rescuers also!
The Greeks already beat you to it. Duh. Athena, artemis, hestia, Hecate, even aphrodite are strong goddesses but not irritating or annoying. They are not trying hard to be strong. They are strong. They don't pretend to be strong. No cheesy pathetic lines of "feminine power." They just are powerful.
And Hestia
There many way that strong character weaknesses like arrogant overconfident overpowered that killed there user or lack of experience or different experience depending what kind of power such as powerful or versatility
Oh snap, you went with Mrs. Brisby! She's Frodo level awesome. Proof the smallest can be the greatest. Well done!
7:47 I actually heavily disagree. There can be good Male, AND Female characters that can stand on their own most of the time, or be with someone of their own gender. Good characters have something or someone good to fight for.
I disagree with middle tier as I can believe both men and women can protect and inspire each other and not just having the woman in the background to inspire the man but the other way around but I slightly agree with the mother aspect they can be the strongest women but then there are also women who provide for mean aswell and can be strong doing so
The point I was trying to make with the middle tier is that loving, supporting and caring for men is one of the best and most valuable things women can do. That's just a fact of life. Of course the same goes the other way round, one of the best things men can do is love, support and care for women. But this video is about the women, so I'm focusing on them.
@@IaMD.B. I did disagree too
@@IaMD.B. I hate damsels too
@@IaMD.B. MJ sucked
MRS BRISBY!!! Oh my god you pulled at my male heartstrings lol! Yes, yes yes! A true strong female and I always thought that as a kid. I was so invested in her winning!
One note on the middle tier Marion from Indiana Jones. Some people have the idea that Indiana Jones actually plays no real role in the plot. No matter what he did, or even if he did nothing, the Ark of the Covenant would have ended up in the American super secret storage warehouse.
Thats wrong. Getting the Ark of the Covenant was not the plot. The plot of the story was getting the girl.
Can't it be both?
I disagree with a great female character having to be a mom. What about child female characters? Imo the greatest characters are the most complex. Lots of great male characters aren’t fathers.