It’s March 1st Qoopalings!
You know what that means?!
March 1st begins Women’s History Month!! :D
So I thought I would just throw off some female video game characters that I LOVE in celebration of this amazing month.
I‘ve never walked around so freely in my life before!
~ Garnet, Final Fantasy IX
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII was my first Final Fantasy female character to ever gain an affinity toward. At the start of Final Fantasy IX, she is this naive teenage Princess wanting to see the world and escape the thresholds of the “royal life.” Unknowingly, her wish comes true when Zidane “kidnaps” her which pretty much begins the amazing journey that you will experience in Final Fantasy IX. What really sparked my love for Garnet was her total transformation from naive girl to young strong independent woman. Taking control of her heritage and powers, owning them and moving on. Not only that, it was really awesome to watch her “pass” for a commoner…during a time of which I, myself, was questioning my own identity (mainly sexual) as a person. It gave me a sense of relief knowing that, although fictional, there was a character out there that understood me in a way. I will also note that there is a poignant scene with her when she cuts her hair off…but I will let you play the game so you can experience that for yourself on the “whys” of why she would do such a thing.
Enough! The whole world’s out to get us. I can barely keep myself alive, let alone some helpless kid! I don’t have time to baby you. You want to get tough? Do it on your own!
~ Lightning, Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy
Often referred to as the female version of Cloud from Final Fantasy VII, Lightning is stubborn but empowers strength, compassion, beauty, and wisdom. She gets a bad rep for her monotone delivery and ridiculous one liners, but as a character that I have had the pleasure of seeing through to the end having played all the games in the trilogy…Lightning is indeed a transformative powerful female character (or even Goddess I’d say). She destroys all sense of doubt before her with diligence, integrity and power. She reigns supreme over her cohorts and enemies alike and is looked upon as Hope for the coming generations. She never asked for the fate that was handed to her but she turns it out in the end. Do yourself a favor and play these games. It is not a valid argument to me anymore to say this game is a linear crapshoot where you press X the whole time. Go do it now.
Even though I am Hylia reborn, I am still my father’s daughter, and your friend. I’m still your Zelda… So I’m going to ask you a favor, sleepyhead. Ever since we were kids, I’d always be the one to wake you up when you slept in. But this time, when all of this is over, will you come to wake me up?
~Princess Zelda
Zelda is wisdom personified. I am not kidding. She harnesses 1/3 of the sacred Triforce. Princess Zelda often is proclaimed as the damsel in distress but since her transformation as Sheik in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time she has come across as a character that perhaps is more than just an object to save and more of a character with their own agenda. As Sheik, Zelda empowered herself through an assumed male role capable of taking care of herself for 7 years while the Hero of Time slept in his slumber waiting to awaken to continue his fated journey. That is HUGE. And as we saw in Skyward Sword, just like her friend Link…she has her own fated journey to be concerned with. Without Zelda, Hyrule would crumble.
There you have it. Just a taste of some of the female characters that I have grown to love over the years. Stay tuned for more of these throughout the month as we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month!
