30 Days of Awesome Female TV Characters Meme: Blake's 7
I've kept seeing this around, and while I never want to do a consecutive 30 Days Meme again, ever, I like the idea of this one. I have, however, left out Doctor Who, because that would have taken up all 30 days, and infinitejoys is doing very nice work on that front as it is.
So, starting with Blake's 7 in a sort of reverse chronological order, because when I think about awesome female TV characters, even though B7 is a recent thing for me, all of the main B7 female characters are people that Leela and Ace would approve of. (Even some of the passing minor characters, and then there's Servalan, who is in a category all her own, obviously.)
Day One: Soolin (Glynis Barber)
Soolin tribute by maxipower2008 (amazingly, it is pretty much spoiler-free).
Soolin is an interesting character in need of some backstory, but she gets it before the end, so let's ignore that: She's Blake's 7's fastest sharp-shooter - no one else comes near (and she can even manage to win against herself). She can get respect from Avon and that's never an easy feat. (I love the moment where she 'betrays' him towards the end of S4; and his impressed look. Admittedly, he may possibly be crazy by that point, but even so, kudos where it's due.) She makes her own decisions and about the only thing that ever discomposes her is the mention of Gauda Prime. What's more, with her on board, she and Dayna have a fun little female-solidarity thing going, and it's nice to see. Everything in B7 may have turned a little grey, but Soolin is never one to venture out without looking as though she could be in a Timotei advert, which makes up for the lack of glamourous costumes a little. And the rather chilling options it gives fanfic for just what did happen to her, and how one young girl became a cool-headed killer is something else again...
Plus, this scene:
You see? Leela would totally approve... (Again, no spoilers).
Day Two: Dayna Mellanby (Josette Simon)
Tribute vid by the amazing Zukalis. (It is totally spoilery, though. And a reminder of what I forget in the fun of it all, how very tragic B7 can be.)
Dayna is an odd mix of being very young, having lived quite a sheltered life and yet being very highly trained and dangerous. She loves weapons and explosives even more than Ace does, and uses bows and arrows against proper guns for the thrill of it. Her introduction gives her a more complete background than many of the others. And I like the way she interacts with Tarrant (who is a deliberately annoying character), especially, especially when aliens, in a desire to be cliches, attempt to Make Them Do It.
And, yay, I have found the (non-spoilery) scene (thank you, YouTube), because this is probably Dayna at her most awesome (and why I like Tarrant/Dayna - why is this show so determined not to allow these things?):
So, starting with Blake's 7 in a sort of reverse chronological order, because when I think about awesome female TV characters, even though B7 is a recent thing for me, all of the main B7 female characters are people that Leela and Ace would approve of. (Even some of the passing minor characters, and then there's Servalan, who is in a category all her own, obviously.)
Day One: Soolin (Glynis Barber)
Soolin tribute by maxipower2008 (amazingly, it is pretty much spoiler-free).
Soolin is an interesting character in need of some backstory, but she gets it before the end, so let's ignore that: She's Blake's 7's fastest sharp-shooter - no one else comes near (and she can even manage to win against herself). She can get respect from Avon and that's never an easy feat. (I love the moment where she 'betrays' him towards the end of S4; and his impressed look. Admittedly, he may possibly be crazy by that point, but even so, kudos where it's due.) She makes her own decisions and about the only thing that ever discomposes her is the mention of Gauda Prime. What's more, with her on board, she and Dayna have a fun little female-solidarity thing going, and it's nice to see. Everything in B7 may have turned a little grey, but Soolin is never one to venture out without looking as though she could be in a Timotei advert, which makes up for the lack of glamourous costumes a little. And the rather chilling options it gives fanfic for just what did happen to her, and how one young girl became a cool-headed killer is something else again...
Plus, this scene:
You see? Leela would totally approve... (Again, no spoilers).
Day Two: Dayna Mellanby (Josette Simon)
Tribute vid by the amazing Zukalis. (It is totally spoilery, though. And a reminder of what I forget in the fun of it all, how very tragic B7 can be.)
Dayna is an odd mix of being very young, having lived quite a sheltered life and yet being very highly trained and dangerous. She loves weapons and explosives even more than Ace does, and uses bows and arrows against proper guns for the thrill of it. Her introduction gives her a more complete background than many of the others. And I like the way she interacts with Tarrant (who is a deliberately annoying character), especially, especially when aliens, in a desire to be cliches, attempt to Make Them Do It.
And, yay, I have found the (non-spoilery) scene (thank you, YouTube), because this is probably Dayna at her most awesome (and why I like Tarrant/Dayna - why is this show so determined not to allow these things?):