geekosystem

Today is International Women’s Day, which has been around for over a hundred years! But you know what’s been around a lot longer than that? Women! And heroes who are women. Here in our little corner of the Internet, we at Geekosystem constantly think about things that other geeks, dorks, and nerds the world over think about every day, like science, technology, books, movies, and games. And you know what those things have in them? Women!

To be clear, I don’t mean “babes.” I don’t mean eye candy. We’re better (most of the time?) than that here. I mean actual, worthy-of-our-admiration heroines who, in their respective stories, are mothers, sisters, and daughters who enrich — and, in many cases, define — the stories in science fiction and fantasy of which they’re a part.

And a lot of them happen to kick ass. In fact, here are 10 who absolutely do, each in their own special way. These are women that serve as excellent role models, for men as well as women.

1. No. 1 | Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan

   

   Éowyn is a no-brainer to me. She's only one of the most enduring heroines of fantasy literature: A shieldmaiden of Rohan and a noblewoman who would lay down her life for her people. And while Éowyn does pine after Aragorn for a time, it is her desire for glory and honor that attracts her to him, and ultimately what brings her to the Battle of Pelennor Fields in defiance of her king and in the guise of a man. Then she gets some the sweetest lines in all of Tolkien's legendarium. "Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!" To which the Nazgûl Lord talks some serious trash about her uncle and king, concluding that "no living man" could hinder him because it had been prophesied long ago. And then she all like, "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn am I, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him." And she totally does. I think Susan B. Anthony would be cheering. (Image courtesy of Craig J. Spearing)

2. No. 2 | Ellen Ripley

   

   Because of course! Ripley is arguably the most badass heroine in sci-fi cinema, yet to be surpassed. She started on the scene in 1979's Alien as a pragmatic warrant officer with reasonable prejudices (synthetics are a no-no) aboard the spaceship Nostromo, then she became a survivor, then an all-out warrior in 1986's Aliens. What makes her so awesome isn't just her fighting prowess but her courage, her secondary-but-not-forced maternal instincts, and her genuine likability -- and believability -- as a woman.  (Images courtesy of gdefon.com and empireonline.com)

3. No. 3 | Zoë Alleyne Washburne

   

   It's a given that Firefly was a good show right? We're all agreed? Good. Now, of all the women on the ship's crew, Zoë was hands-down the best of them all. She served as a corporal during the Unification War, was second-in-command on Serenity, and continually displayed sound judgment, loyalty, and serious ass-kicking skills. She was unlike any of the other ladies that graced the show. Yup, best woman on the ship and probably the whole 'Verse. And personally, I loved that Joss Whedon teamed her up with Wash (husband) and Mal (captain) in a way that was never icky but still seeded the show's plot with realistic conflict and emotion. (Images courtesy Screened.com)

4. No. 4 | Laurana, the Golden General

   

   Lauralanthalasa Kanan is an elf princess from the Dragonlance setting, published by TSR back in the 80s. Her first book appearance was in Dragons of Autumn Twilight, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, in which she starts off as a elf maiden foolishly chasing after her childhood sweetheart and putting herself in danger. She was annoying. She was supposed to be, though. Across the next two books, she goes from spoiled princess to the famous Golden General that thousands rally behind as she comes to realize the peril they're all in: The waking of the chromatic dragons and the advances of the evil goddess Takhisis. One of the things they got right about Laurana -- especially artist Larry Elmore -- was giving her sensible armor. She cuts a regal figure in most, but none more than in this particular painting, the mournful, surreal, and dramatic "The Death of Sturm." (Image courtesy of Larry Elmore)

5. No. 5 | Dana Scully

   

   Because she's not just an FBI agent, a seldom-squeamish doctor and coroner, and the much-needed skeptic and foil to Fox Mulder's special brand of paranormal obsession. She uses a gun but she isn't an unrealistic shot. (Images courtesy alicedipper.blogspot.com and fanpop.com)

6. No. 6 | Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan

   

   The best princesses have blasters, not tiaras -- and certainly not charming princes. Leia was more likable, and certainly less whiny, than her brother most of the time, and not once she did she need to swing a lightsaber or Force Push anyone to prove her mettle. Her character arc is also important, since she started off as a damsel in distress, then ended up rescuing her frozen-in-carbonite scoundrel of a boyfriend as an aside to her ongoing rebellion against the Empire. Oh yeah, and she helped orchestrate the destruction of two Death Stars. This princess gets things done. (Images courtesy of gadgets.gunaxin.com and rebelshaven.com)

7. No. 7 | Michonne

   

   I'm referring here mostly to the Michonne in AMC's The Walking Dead, not so much the comics -- though she is meritorious on both fronts. Portrayed by actress Danai Gurira, Michonne quickly became a fan favorite from the moment she appeared at the end of Season 2, holding a blood-slicked katana and towing two walkers on chains. If ever there was a spin-off from the popular TV show, it should be the Adventurers of Michonne and Daryl Dixon. Also, she's a badass ninja with that sword, but, endearingly, a horrible shot with a gun. She's dynamic, too. Most of the time she's tough, almost emotionless. But in the recent episode "Clear," she salvages that multicolored cat figure from the zombie-filled bar, and only explains, "I couldn't just leave this behind, it's too damn gorgeous." Hilarious. (Image courtesy blogs.amctv.com)

8. No. 8 | Morgaine

   

   Arthurian legends vary with each telling, and I'm specifically pointing to Marion Zimmer Bradley's retelling of the tale in The Mists of Avalon, wherein the female characters provide the narrative's point of view. More specifically in the character of Morgaine (aka Morgan le Fay), portrayed perfectly in the TV miniseries by Julianna Margulies. Even though the novel and the movie have their flaws, all told it's one of the best versions of the myth. Morgan le Fay is a sorceress and the half-sister of Arthur, and she's almost universally depicted as evil. In The Mists of Avalon, Morgaine is a strong heroine who fights for the old ways and contends with the cruelty of even her own kin. (Images courtesy kootation.com and fantasticfiction.co.uk)

9. No. 9 | Paksenarrion

   

   Paks is the fantasy heroine you've maybe never heard of but should totally know about. She's the protagonist in a saga by Elizabeth Moon (published by Baen Books), whose character arc is a delight to follow. Like the most memorable heroes in sci-fi/fantasy, she isn't badass from day one. She's naive but courageous, seeking out the life of a soldier in lieu of a wife. She struggles with the moral conundrum as a mercenary (fight for money vs. fight for good), and with her own burgeoning, mysterious powers. This is fantasy, after all! The trilogy itself, The Deed of Paksenarrion, dabbles with some common fantasy tropes, especially those derived from D&D and Tolkien: Orcs, dwarves, elves, dark elves, magic, giant spiders, paladins. But as a Tolkien fan, I approve of Moon's non-preachy way of exploring spirituality. I'd recommend these books to anyone who ever liked the character of Éowyn but felt she didn't get enough spotlight. Moon's books would also likely make excellent reading as part of any Women's Studies class. The heroine is a strong, but not invulnerable, female character.  (Images courtesy Amazon and Baen Books)

10. No. 10 | Freyalise

    

    Look, if you don't know who Freyalise is, that's okay. Most people don't delve too deeply into the lore of Magic: the Gathering. That said, it's totally worth doing, if only for two things. The first is Urza, and the second? The second is Freyalise. See, she started out as a half-elven fire mage that, when killed by the magics of her friend, ascended to become a being of supreme power known as a planeswalker. That was only the beginning. She went on to cast, with the help of others, a spell that brought about the end of the Ice Age, protected a transplanted forest from an invading plane, and even helped destroy Phyrexia. In the end, she gave her life to save existence. I'd say that just about defines heroic. (Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast)

(images courtesy of tv.yahoo.com, pinterest, and thebooksmugglers)

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