Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves

“Why do you always play as the girl??”

I remember one of my childhood friends asking me this as I pushed random buttons, trying to attempt a combo while playing Street Fighter as Cammy or Chun-Li. It was true though. As a kid, I almost always chose the female fighters or characters when playing video games. They were typically more agile, less bulky, and more fun than the Zangiefs, Blankas or Balrogs. They performed mid-air split kicks and somehow rolled and slid across the ground, bare-thighed without so much as a scratch — why wouldn’t I always want to be an Elena?!

I’ve always been drawn to strong female figures. Seeing women as powerful soldiers, highly trained assassins and overall badasses gives me such glee! So, I decided to write about some of my faves:

Marvel

The Dora Milaje saved The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Period. Uhh…spoiler alert, I guess? Having sat through eps 1 & 2 of the series and wondered why and how Marvel allowed it to be such a flop, I told myself that episode 3 would be where I disembarked. The series barely held my attention with its slow storyline, predictable racial commentary —which was clearly written for white people. I mean honestly, Sam being denied a loan and harassed by police; you don’t need a falcon’s sight (see what I did there?) to see that coming a mile away —and dare I say, bad writing. Watching episode 3, my disappointment crescendoed as my attention continued to be drawn elsewhere. That is until…Ayo appeared on the screen in the last few moments, and in that dress no less! What a pleasant and necessary surprise to an otherwise boring show! Before Ayo, I was fully prepared to quit Black Falcon and White Wolf, but knowing that the Dora would be a part of the storyline, I was drawn back in! I need them to have at least a cameo in every episode from here on out. Also, if a Dora Milaje feature film isn’t in the works at Marvel yet, it needs to be!

The Dora Milaje is such a beautiful representation of strength and power that Black women possess when not oppressed by white supremacy and patriarchy. What’s more, they have a wonderful way of showing it: They beat yo ass! As I’ve said before, I never got into comics; so, my first introduction to the Dora was in the Black Panther film: Bald, Black women in respected positions of power in a culture and society untainted by white people…wielding spears?! I’m sold! Okoye and her squad of bad bitches would appear, accompanied by that beautiful Senegalese yip, and something would stir inside me every time. (Check out Ryan Coogler’s “Notes on a Scene” as he breaks down my favorite scene of Black Panther.)

HBO

I did not know that my soul needed to see Thandie Newton (who my best friend refers to only as “Beloved”) playing a shogun android goddess, but I thank Newton and the Westworld producers and directors for giving me such a gift! I started binging Westworld sometime last year and was quickly drawn in. Thandie Newton as a sentient, self-aware, and for all intents and purposes - god is sublime. Seeing her cut down legions of adversaries; sometimes in a kimono, sometimes in a dress, sometimes in black futuristic body armor, but always with a samurai sword —my god, my god!! Thandie’s naturally cool, calm, collected, and confident English demeanor lends itself perfectly to the role.

“Oh, it was just a little bomb.” — Mrs. Jane “I’ll descend a whole skyscraper using a handbag that doubles as a rappel whilst wearing Louboutins because James Bond who?” Smith. So…yeah, Angelina Jolie is one of my all-time acting inspirations: Her face and the way that she can emote and barely move a muscle is incredible to me. It also helps that she brought my favorite video game heroin, Lara Croft, to life.

You know those movies that you can watch over and over again and never get tired of them? Mr. and Mrs. Smith is one of mine. Jolie as a top female assassin (and CEO, even though the firm was a cover) who has absolutely no problem shooting at and beating her husband just screams feminism to me!

Speaking of assassins, swords, and movies to rewatch…

BEATRIX MUHFUCKIN KIDDO!! Why you gagging so??! She bring it to you every brawl!!

Kill Bill, both volumes, are my all-time favorite movies. The number of times I’ve witnessed her pluck out Elle Driver’s last good eye; the number of times I’ve chuckled as she marches across the street, plumes of earth billowing around her; the number of times I’ve watched the “five point palm exploding heart technique:” Countless.

Kill Bill is a movie about how far a woman scorned, which is truly an understatement, will go for revenge. And Ms. Kiddo definitely gets retribution, crossing the globe to exact bloody vengeance and does it all with a blade made of what might as well be vibranium!

You can’t keep a strong woman down, even when she’s buried 6 feet under.

Post art by Jerron