Strong Chicks In Crisis
Roswell, Dark Angel, and the downfall of the genre television heroine.
      by Linda M. Najera

Cool, Calm, Collected and Kicking Ass

Aeryn Sun and her really, really big gun.

Here in the United States, in the space of one week, one heroine died and another was reborn. The first fell trying to protect those she loved and was given a funeral befitting a warrior, which, in this case, she was. The latter saw through the machinations of others and instead of swallowing their categorization of her as insignificant, she asserted the power she recognized within herself. Although their fates were dissimilar, both passed through the flames of a life-altering crisis and emerged triumphant.

By their actions, Farscape's Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black) and Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) proved themselves worthy of the title Strong Chick, the highest compliment we here at the 11th Hour can bestow.

Aeryn Sun, former member an elite military force, was thrust into a situation for which her upbringing and training never prepared her. Peacekeepers believe in racial purity and the inferiority of other species, but she overcame the prejudices of her past and has learned to value and respect the differences among her fellow crew members. Even though the Uncharted Territories brings danger at every turn, Aeryn, with her skills and strong survival instinct, could have done well by striking out on her own, however, she decided to use those same talents to help others. Even at the cost of her own life.

It takes a special kind of woman to successfully accessorize her eveningwear with weapons. Buffy Summers is just such a gal.

Buffy Summers has undergone changes that would test even the strongest soul. Dragged kicking and screaming out of a near-idyllic high school existence so that she might battle demons who would destroy the world (on an almost annual basis), Buffy fights the good fight. And in her own way, thank you very much. Rejecting the solitary status of her predecessors, this Slayer has a support group made up of friends and family who both help her combat the forces of evil and, according to Spike (James Marsters), keep her grounded in this world. Although last season she seemed to deteriorate into a pushover and follower, "Checkpoint" gave us a Buffy that had regained her confidence, allowing her to re-affirm her place in the scheme of things. She is The Slayer once again.

But what makes Aeryn and Buffy even more special is that they are merely one of many in their respective universes. The creators of Farscape and Buffy The Vampire Slayer have produced not just one strong chick, but multitudes of them.

Farscape fills its alien vistas with female characters who never give up. The intensely spiritual Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan (Virginia Hey) has, more than once, proven to be far more powerful and dangerous than her tranquil exterior might suggest while the clever Chiana (Gigi Edgley) always has at least one more trick up her sleeve than you expect. Even Moya, the female leviathan on whom all of them depend, has showed that she has a mind and will and agenda of her own.

The Uncharted Territories: Where the men are men and the women kick-ass.

In Sunnydale, true power always seems to lie with those of the female gender. Buffy has just begun to assert the authority that comes with being The Slayer, recognizing it as one of the traits passed on in addition to great physical strength. But not all power comes from the physical, as Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) and Tara Maclay (Amber Benson) well know. Within them is a wellspring of strength from which their magic is released. (Although Tara could do with a bit of ass kicking on her resumé.) Even former demon Anya (Emma Caulfield), who can no longer manipulate time and space in order to grant the wishes of women scorned, is still a reliable and invaluable font of knowledge. (Plus, you know, she's really good at selling stuff and willing to go on patrol.) And last, but not least, Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg), that constantly annoying young thing, is in fact a source of great energy, the limits of which have not yet been revealed.

But the trait they all share, the one thing they all have in common, is that when the shit hits the fan, they don't whine and cry and curse their fates, they stay and do what has to be done.

And they don't have to ask some guy for permission either.

The Rest

Television today has a plethora of sci-fi/fantasy/horror shows, many featuring women in pivotal roles, but even a TV junkie like me doesn't have time to watch them all thereby making a full analysis of every genre chick out there completely impossible. So maybe you think that Resistance fighter Renée Palmer (Jayne Heitmeyer) of Earth: Final Conflict and Major Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) of Stargate SG-1 kick all kinds of ass or that Claire, The Keeper (Shannon Kenny) of The Invisible Man could give even the pre-wimp Scully a run for her money. And you could be completely correct. In fact I hope you are because it would be great not only for us, but also for our daughters and nieces (and even our sons and nephews) as they need to see that despite what other shows and movies might make them think, women can be, and in most cases are, strong and capable.

Even in the face of monsters, demons, gods, aliens, spies, and crazed military commanders.

We welcome your comments on The 11th Hour and this feature. Please send letters to: letters@the11thhour.com

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