"If they're strong, the fanbrats claim they're 'sluts' or 'overpowered Mary Sues'. If they're not strong, the fanbrats whine about how there are no good female characters in the fandom."
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As a Fanficrants user said, female leads get a raw deal. by
on 2008-07-11 09:55:00 UTC
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I still won't send it, it'll just make him send more tripe. by
on 2008-07-11 09:51:00 UTC
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And I won't be able to see him sob pathetically from the other end of an internet connection, so it'll take out all the fun.
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How could I forget Kira? And Éowyn? And Molly and Mara? (nm) by
on 2008-07-11 07:23:00 UTC
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Exactly! "Strong" doesn't equal "macho". Perfect wording! (nm) by
on 2008-07-11 07:22:00 UTC
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Bleh. Thank you for killing it. (nm) by
on 2008-07-11 06:41:00 UTC
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on the subject of Pierce by
on 2008-07-11 06:37:00 UTC
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how about Daja Kisubo? OKay so being a warrior isn't her main thing, but she can fight well (even without her magic), and she's definitely not a primarily beautiful or graceful kind of a girl :)
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Éowyn is the best. by
on 2008-07-11 06:07:00 UTC
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Second best, actually. Haleth is the best.
I think Mara Jade is sometimes a Sue, depending on who's writing her. Zahn in particular seems in love with her. She's usually cool, though.
Lobelia Sackvilleville-Baggins, Umbrella-wielder of the Shire!
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I don't know if she is considered a canon Sue by
on 2008-07-11 05:56:00 UTC
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But Samantha Carter from Star Gate. She is a genius and she can gun sling with the best of them.
L
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Hmm... by
on 2008-07-11 05:53:00 UTC
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Well I agree with you about Zoe, I don't about River. The reason being, River is clinically insane. She was made into a clinically insane assassin and trained in the way of assassination through phycotropic drugs and a training regiment, her ability didn't come out over night (though it donsn't hurt to have mind reading ability.)
Leto
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Hallo, and welcome! by
on 2008-07-11 05:39:00 UTC
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Have a mug filled with a beverage of your choice! Quaffing is purely optional.
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A few of my favourites... by
on 2008-07-11 05:29:00 UTC
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I already mentioned Captain Unohana but there's also Yaone from Saiyuki and Meilin from Card Captor Sakura. Both of them tend to play second to their male teammate(s) in battle but they both have strong hearts and are perfectly capable of defending themselves. Though Yaone's outfit is some cause for concern it isn't nearly as bad as some Warrior Sue's. Meilin doesn't have any magic yet she still follows Syaoran to Japan to capture the Clow Cards and her martial art skills are very strong. But more than that she has a strong personality. She's very determined but also rather kind (even to Sakura, who she thinks it Syaoran's rival and there for an opponent). To me a strong female character isn't just defined by how good she is in battle. If we take battle ability out of the equation I'd like to throw another name into the pot: Yuuko Ichihara.
Oh, I just thought of a real Warrior Woman. Android 18 from DBZ. She beat Vegeta easily and she did it without being a 'Sue.
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You forgot Unohana! by
on 2008-07-11 05:20:00 UTC
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Yes, we haven't actually seen her fight but we've seen her bankai and we know she's powerful. She rules her division with an iron fist (even the 11th is scared of her) yet her division still loves her and she clearly loves them. She's strong, intelligent, independent, one of the oldest captains and she never even threatens a single soul while carrying out her duty. She also braids her hair in a practical, if slightly unusual, style. ^_^ I'm rather fond of her, you might have guessed.
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*salutes* by
on 2008-07-11 05:15:00 UTC
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Probably there's something about changing guards that could be said here, but I've never been very up on military history, it'd probably sound a bit silly coming from me at any rate, and I'm not convinced it would be accurate.
Best of luck to you! *offers a commemorative mug*
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Ranko. *ducks thrown objects* (nm) by
on 2008-07-11 04:26:00 UTC
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- Mission pluggage! by on 2008-07-11 04:04:00 UTC Reply
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Oh, uh, Department of Floaters, by the way. (nm) by
on 2008-07-11 04:02:00 UTC
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Agent profile: TEN by
on 2008-07-11 03:58:00 UTC
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The Eternal Newb is a long-haired glasses wearing guy who likes to perform cooking experiments and greatly enjoys raspberry flavored anything. He describes his home town as "Canada, New York." Will sometimes randomly change his accent without realizing he has done so.
His favorite canonverse is Ranma 1/2.
Does not possess a Jusenkyo curse.
DID however read something which shall not be named but is generally considered the height of evil. There seems to be no permanent effect, and he is still capable of eating ice cream.
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Rattling some off as they come to mind by
on 2008-07-11 03:49:00 UTC
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Éowyn (LotR), Mariel (Redwall), Leela (Doctor Who), Kale (DragonKeeper Chronicles), Mara Jade Skywalker (Star Wars), Colonel Kira (Star Trek), Firebird Caldwell (Firebird Series), Molly Weasley (Harry Potter), Orual (Till We Have Faces)
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Paging permission givers! by
on 2008-07-11 03:43:00 UTC
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http://burgerbecky.com/fiction/whencharlottecalls.htm
Jai and I are going to be retrieving the non-canon and lost animals and exorcising Ace.
I don't think we need to neuralyse the Nerimans, as they're used to this sort of thing.
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First thought was Zoe Washburn... by
on 2008-07-11 03:23:00 UTC
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...from the Firefly-verse. You don't get much more warrior than that. (Of course, some of that is lost when River goes all kickass with any and all available weaponry. And no armor...)
Others...I agree Tamora Peirce's character often fit that category. Angua from the Discworld series is that way as well. (Pratchett is VERY careful to avoid the scantily-clad warrior woman, ahaha.)
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I dont want to spoil anything either by
on 2008-07-11 02:18:00 UTC
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So I've left my proper comment on the LJ entry. Here's to you guys!
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Lessa was my first thought. {= ) by
on 2008-07-11 02:17:00 UTC
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I'll add Menolly and most of the Headwomen--Hall, Hold, and Weyr--for the more average Pernese women. They aren't warriors, but you can't tell me Manora and Silvina aren't awesome.
~Neshomeh
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*nodnod* by
on 2008-07-11 02:14:00 UTC
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I'm with you, Sedri--I'm all for female empowerment, but I draw the line when, for example, feminism is almost the only method of literary analysis I hear about in my Lit classes. Sometimes enough is enough.
That said, I can think of one author who consistently writes good, strong, capable, and yet feminine women leads, and that is Sherri S. Tepper. Some of her work is distinctly feminist (The Gate to Women's Country), but most of it (The Family Tree; Grass; Shadow's End) simply has so much going on in the social, religious, scientific, and near-fantastical aspects that you can't help but be sucked in by the sheer complexity of it. I'd recommend her to anybody.
I don't think women need to be macho to be as strong as men. Men and women have different strengths and weaknesses. We need to accept that.
~Neshomeh, who finds really good women leads hard to come by.
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Ooh, I automatically thought... by
on 2008-07-11 02:02:00 UTC
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...of Tamora Pierce!
Keladry of Mindelan, Rebeca Cooper, and Alanna the Lioness are my favorite Warrior Women. Neither are 'Sues in any way (except Alanna has more dei ex machina than I can count on both hands as well as the power of the Gods...). They are not especially beautiful or graceful, and they actually use ARMOR THAT COVERS THEIR ENTIRE BODIES. Whoa. And they actually had to LEARN how to use weapons. As in, it took YEARS for them to master them.
There are others that I'm not thinking of right now, and I'll probably post them later.