better a witty fool than a foolish wit

Day 12: Favourite female character in a movie

Hildur (Astrópía). Hildur is down on her luck after her rich boyfriend is sent to prison. She goes looking for work and ends up in a shop that sells roleplaying books and comics. She wrangles herself a job and does her best to fit in, sorting out the paperwork and teaching herself about the new culture she is immersed in. She loves reading romance novels and creating scenarios for herself, and tentatively joins a gaming group. She chews out the DM when her character is given an impractical costume, she cheerfully joins in with the fun, she enjoys the world that they are creating and slowly loses her dependence on her boyfriend.

What I love about this film is that it shucks stereoypes. Hildur is a spoiled model - this doesn’t mean that she is a bad person. She and the geeks aren’t at opposite ends of the spectrum, and don’t shun each other, and aren’t cruel and dismissive of each other. They all fall into a natural friendship over a shared love of creating, and respect the people that they are without attempting to change or ‘fix’ each other. The director describes this as showing “that Hildur had this fantasy side to her, so everybody would believe that she would and could go into the imagination of role-playing. It was also important to show that everybody has this roleplaying/fantasy side to them, everybody is daydreaming when they read books, watch movies or play computer games.”

In several regions you can watch this film for free here. It is well worth the watch!

Day 11: Favourite female character in a children’s show

Toph (Avatar). Known as the Blind Bandit in the earthbending arenas, Toph is probably the most talented bender of the series. She is destined to be Aang’s teacher not because she is made of awesome and a total badass but because unlike the majority of earthbenders she has neutral jing - she listens to the earth. She can do things no one else has even thought of because she is entirely in tune with the earth and never begins on the offensive or defensive: she waits, and predicts movement, stopping her opponents quickly and efficiently.

She’s also blind! One of the very few good representations of a blind character on TV - and certainly as part of the main cast. She isn’t condescended to, she does as much, if not more, than the rest of her friends, and she is always the voice of reason. Her lack of sight is never glossed over by the show, and makes for some comedic moments when her friends actually forget about it. And are rewarded with sarcasm.

Plus, she invents metalbending. Just putting that out there.

Day 10: Favourite female character in a scifi/supernatural show

Kenzi (Lost Girl). Sidekick to a pansexual succubus detective, she provides the majority of the comic relief while still being intelligent, sneaky and daring. Kenzi is one of the few human characters on Lost Girl - she has no powers, no fae ancestry. She has to use her wits and her cunning to solve cases, and does the brunt of the undercover work. She gets all of the best lines (and all of the best clothes), owns about a million wigs and at least one set of lockpicks, and makes a fabulous partner in crime.