No Right Answer: Best Female Protagonist in Science Fiction Ever

[Boba Frag]

Hi guys, now, I know my example here might not be to everyone's tastes, but I think considering the high calibre of folks here, it's safe to mention Judge Dredd 3D with Karl Urban and the utterly fantastic Olivia Thirlby as rookie Judge Anderson.

She's not a shrinking violet, she's nervous at first (if you know Dredd at all, you would be)
but you actually see her show her steel spine as the movie progresses and its backed up by this genuine believable motivation, too.
-She doesn't despise the people living in Mega City 1 like a lot of Judges do, she believes she can actually make a difference to their lives.

EDIT

Also, great back and forth this week guys! I think you've really hit your stride.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

I mean, if you look at the implications of both these characters, what are they? That in order for a woman to be badass, she has to be a maternal figure.

Just thought I would pick at this. Ripley only has a maternal role in Aliens and Alien Resurrection, which is a steaming pile of shit. Alien and Alien 3 (my favourites, despite the bad reputation 3 has) have no maternal motifs at all.

both films were from james cameron. Im sick of (hey guys there are more than one movies that have this chick doing this for this so it must be a univeral implication) bullshit. Its not. They do not imply that All women need a baby to be threatened to be tough. they dont "imply" anything. By hunger games 2 am I to assume that if a woman wants to be durp badass she needs a bow an arrow????

edit:Its sits odd that selfless, maternal, and does for others are considered trite but does it for her own gain is not???

Not sure why you are quoting me here....

 

[Chairman Miaow]

snip

Personally, I've always dug Lara Croft. While you could certainly argue about whether she's overly sexualised or what have you, I just really like the fact that (in the early games at least) she's never portrayed as anything other than a highly capable woman doing what she does for her own amusement. There's no maternal instincts with Lara, no sense that she's only a badass because she's helping others. She's a self-serving girl who shoots beasties and raids temples for sport, and is damn good at it.

Revy from Black Lagoon is another interesting one. Again, no maternal instincts, which I like. She's easily one of the toughest characters in the show, but despite displaying a near psychopathic enjoyment for violence, she manages to come across as a somewhat decent character. In fact, the majority of the designated 'badass' characters in Black Lagoon are all women. There are very few men able to go up against the likes of Revy or Balalaika. Mostly, they're the beta-male types, like Rock or Benny, or they just stick to serving beers behind the bar. Well worth checking out if you want to see a different take on the whole 'girls with guns' idea.

Apart from that... I dunno. They're out there. It's just difficult to think of any female characters who have had the same impact on pop culture as Ripley and Connor, and personally I think that's a little worrying. Hopefully if we see more characters like Croft and Revy, then it will show people that you don't have to be a mother or a surrogate mother to justify being able to kick ass.

It's interesting that you mention Lara Croft. A lot of people seem to like the change in Lara from busty badass to inexperienced submissive nerd wet dream adventurer. My Girlfriend absolutely loathed it. She's gone from what you describe to.... well. I'm sure you've seen the articles about the developers wanting you to "protect" her. Regardless of the way she was shaped she was an empowering figure.

 

[shiajun]

Well...there's a nuance in the debate that seems to be getting overlooked. A badass, self serving character could be anyone. Since their only motivation is themselves then their sex becomes an irrelevant variable. Why characters like that are usually portrayed by males rather than females I think comes down to other reasons outside of the scripts (inequality of jobs, some sort of discrimination,e tc). It's also a problem, but in principle it wouldn't matter if the character is male or female. To have a female badass character then you probably have to add the most obvious thing that makes women females and not males: pregnancy. I'd like to so say motherhood since it's the progression from birth, but there's there's also fatherhood. On that note, also, how many badass daddies are out there, eh? Isn't it just as trite that male action heroes are normally single, childless, and dettached, or if they aren't these added characteristics seem to bear no weight on their badassery? Of course, I may not know of many examples of badass daddies, but then again that means they're not iconic.

 

[Firefilm]

Well...there's a nuance in the debate that seems to be getting overlooked. A badass, self serving character could be anyone. Since their only motivation is themselves then their sex becomes an irrelevant variable. Why characters like that are usually portrayed by males rather than females I think comes down to other reasons outside of the scripts (inequality of jobs, some sort of discrimination,e tc). It's also a problem, but in principle it wouldn't matter if the character is male or female. To have a female badass character then you probably have to add the most obvious thing that makes women females and not males: pregnancy. I'd like to so say motherhood since it's the progression from birth, but there's there's also fatherhood. On that note, also, how many badass daddies are out there, eh? Isn't it just as trite that male action heroes are normally single, childless, and dettached, or if they aren't these added characteristics seem to bear no weight on their badassery? Of course, I may not know of many examples of badass daddies, but then again that means they're not iconic.

How about Liam Neeson from Taken for badass dad? Or Bruce Willis from dir hard 4? Both of their motivations at one point were to save their kids, and they do so with much baddass-dom.

 

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Interesting Topic, I'd also suggest a follow up with a TV series version

Starbuck All the way for kicking Ass

THANK YOU. I came in here and was saddened that it took someone this long to mention Starbuck. She's insubordinate, she's obnoxious, she's cocky...and she's totally awesome. The writers did a pretty good job of making her have a human side without making that human side weak and whiny, as writers of supposedly "bad ass" female characters are wont to do.

Captcha: squeaky clean
*just got out of shower*
Oh my god it's watching. >.>

 

[Beautiful End]

Did he say Katniss? Did he diss Katniss?! Really?

Ok, yeah, The Hunger Games is receiving a lot of attention right now, like Harry potter did and like Twilight did. But you gotta admit Katniss can kick butt. Like she says, she's there to survive, to kick everyone's ass, not to make friends. She would literally sacrifice herself for her loved ones not because she's purely selfless but because she knows she's got a better chance at kicking butt than everyone else. She's confident too! And we also see her break down several times so she's also human (You know what I mean).

Anyway...I go with Sarah Connor. The normal 80s woman who was forced to become a fearless warrior and raised the savior of humanity.

 

[Urameshi13]

Sweet topic choice, and sweet choices.

Now then...


Spoiler

Spoiler

SPOILER!

DAN! WHY YOU FAIL US ALL SO WITH YOUR LESBIAN FANTASIES?!

Also...


Spoiler

Spoiler

SPOILER!

Congratulations, Kyle!

 

[IMAGinES]

why has no one mentioned the fact that they both went for the same guy yet(Michael Biehn).
oh well my vote goes to ripely.

As soon as they said sexual tension, I thought of that (yeah, I only just watched it).

So would that mean that Sarah Connor wins by dint of actually landing him?

 

[KingofallCosmos]

Where's Milla Jovovich? I am disappoint.

 

[surg3n]

Ripley, all the way - not because she's female - I'd say she's the best sci-fi protagonist full stop. Even in Alien4, when she got all cloned, and broody and a bit lesbian, she still kicked ass.

Sarah Conner isn't even a close second IMO - she's just not a likable character.

 

[Rastrelly]

Definitely Honor Harrington. She is almost the only female protagonist (protagonist, not character) I know I would actually be glad to become acquainted with. While still being kickass she is definitely positive person, who always acts responsibly.

 

[Kilowog17]

Why is there a copy of the Twilight books in the background?!

 

[TheTJackson]

Zoe from Firefly, Ripley from Aliens and usually looked over (not a protagonist however) Mon Mothma from the Star Wars Universe, becuase she was one of the founding members of the Rebel Alliance

 

[gridsleep]

Motoko Kusanagi can kick Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor down the street. But no doubt they'd get it straightened out and team up to take on the aliens, the predators, the terminators, and the American Empire all at once. Remember how much flop sweat Ripley and Connor let loose through most of their first films? Ripley didn't actually become an unflappable badass until she went alien herself, and Connor always looked like she was going to start crying when the plan suddenly went haywire. Each time. Major Kusanagi started by diving from a skyscraper naked and only then setting a diamondline on the way down, and finished by ripping off her own arms and mind melding with the Singularity. And that was only the first film. Tough from frame one.
Anyone who says Ghost in the Shell is not science fiction will be hunted down and flayed.
Honorable mentions to Aeon Flux, Ultraviolet, Tank Girl, and Deja Thoris.