For the Ladies (Of ASoIaf, not this forum!)

[YOSSARIAN]

We've had a favorite character thread, and a lot of the favorites were male. ASoIaF has a lot of awesome female characters, so I just wanted to see which women everyone likes the most. Feel free to mention as many as you like! I'd also be interested to see whose favorite women are also their favorite overall. Note to Cat-haters: we all know you hate Cat. If someone names Cat as their favorite (don't think that will happen,but...) please don't tear him/her/it to pieces.
Right now I'm really digging Asha. She's a warrior and she does not take any abuse from those neanderthals, and gives better than she gets. She's got some pretty good insults for her compatriots at the Kingsmoot. Plus she's is the only one of the Ironborn with any damn sense.

 

[hedgeknight]

(My post from the "Cat" thread - it belongs here! Thanks Yossarian!)

Dany is definitely my favorite female character and I hope she comes to Westeros and kicks freaking @$$! It's not surprising why most women hate her - she's young and hot and is open about her sexuality. She's a woman and likes to be treated like one. She's not a prude and she's not a frigid b**ch. She rode Drogo like a wild stallion and all of us LOVED IT! Well, at least me and my friends loved it!
More Dany! More dragons! More nakedness!
Yeah, baby!
-g-

 

[JohnSnow]

Right now I'm really digging Asha. She's a warrior and she does not take any abuse from those neanderthals, and gives better than she gets. She's got some pretty good insults for her compatriots at the Kingsmoot. Plus she's is the only one of the Ironborn with any damn sense.

Right on YOSSA. Asha is at the top with Danearys and Arya. Asha definitely has the most testi... uh... guts and brains of the ironborn. Those three followed probably a little surprisingly by Meera Reed. I think the Reeds will be important down the stretch, not to mention in aDwD. Meera is pretty cool for a net-throwing, spear-chucking, frog-eating girl!

Cersei, Sansa, and Cat - they can rot for all I care!

And if you name Cat your favorite, I will start a new thread to tear you to pieces, out of courtesy to YOSSA's OP.

snow

 

[Adasunshine]

Interesting topic, me being a female of the species an' all!

Although I've stuck up for Cat on the don't hate Cat thread, she annoys me immensley.

I am a massive fan of Dany & Arya. Two wonderfully feisty characters who have so much to offer - I hope GRRM takes full advantage of this.

I'm not too keen on Asha, can see why you men like her though, she's written dirrrty!

JohnSnow hit the nail on the head with Meera, she's probably the most intriguing of the girlies, therefore very interesting.

Also really like the Queen of Thorns - not bad for an old lady. Would like to see more of her and hope we do.

Can't stand Cersei, Sansa gets on my nerves (sooo girly), Cat's just too one-minded and bitter for my liking and Melissandra grates against me.

xx

 

[sisinaflower]

Ooooh! I love Asha, Arya and Daenerys!! I didnt like Dany at first because she was weak and Sansa-like, being repressed by her brother, but when she started riding her silver horse and learning how to make love to her husband from the women in her service...fantastic. I had a little problem with how such a young girl could become so competent and be taken so seriously so quickly--but hey, its all good fun.

Ive loved Arya from the moment I met her, I recognised more than a bit of the young me in the younger Arya (pre-Needle). And Asha is such a fantastic woman in a mans world--not afraid to speak their language, but quite comfortable with her female side. No compromises, but lots of respect. Beautiful.

 

[sisinaflower]

I'd like to see more of Meera too.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

For me the most interesting character is Ayra.
Having said that, she's probably the least feminine female character but seems to get all the best scenes.

I liked Maege & Dacy Mormont characters too - probably for similar reasons. Although not Brienne, which I suppose is double standards, but I just didn't like her need for acceptance in everything she does. Had she been born in the North, she might have had an easier time of it and become more self-confident - as it is, she's a whiner

 

[the_faery_queen]

cersi, ayra and i am thinking brinna

loathe danys. just wanted to say that, for all those who love her, i never can understand that (but i guess people say the same about me and cersi!)

but yeah, cersi, for being nutty, for being cool, and despite being mean and horrible, martin gave her valid reasons which is SO much more than most 'evil' characters get

ayra for being determinded, strong and indepedant and adaptable

and brianna, well, she's not the prettiest, which i like, she's strong and capable, but also kinda quiet. i dunno, she's just cool. but i like her less than theother two, so i still want jamie to stay at home!

 

[Brian G Turner]

To be honest, I've never really been keen on the female points of view - except for Cersei, the female points of view have seemed more observational than particpational in the story - ie, they tend to show us what other characters are doing, rather than connecting with the major plot arcs themselves.

 

[Adasunshine]

I, Brian

Surely, you could say that about any of the characters male or female?? Cersei especially, without her, we'd know hardly anything about Margaery.

Also, I would disagree your point where Arya's concerned, although you had insights to Gendry when she was in the Seven Kingdoms, now she's in Braavos, it's all about her and what's going on in her life. Arya's probably one of the only characters who doesn't offer a viewpoint on anyone else as she's so far removed from them all.

xx

 

[Brian G Turner]

Arya's an odd one - she's never really been a part of the story. I look on Arya pretty much as an independent novel written into the series - you could remove all of the Arya chapters, and never really miss anything from the main plot arcs (except for Ned's execution - but again, she's there simply to observe it for us).

 

[the_faery_queen]

i agree. ayra does seem rather detatched, but that is also part of the fact she is detatched. as a character, her proffession, what she is trying to be, is seperate from society, so i suppose it makes sense that she is seperate with her views as well.

 

[JohnSnow]

I'm not too keen on Asha, can see why you men like her though, she's written dirrrty!

Imeant to say this earlier, but Asha does kind of creep me out with the whole grabbing Theon's bulging groin in aCoK.

JohnSnow hit the nail on the head with Meera, she's probably the most intriguing of the girlies, therefore very interesting.

Why thank you very much. We kind of lose track of mer especially with aFfC not dealing with Bran and Rickon and the Cranogmen at all. Has the potential to be very cool.

To be honest, I've never really been keen on the female points of view - except for Cersei, the female points of view have seemed more observational than particpational in the story - ie, they tend to show us what other characters are doing, rather than connecting with the major plot arcs themselves.

I would say that there are some chapters that allow specifically for observational roles, but not soley the female characters. The chapters with Arya in the last book, Danearys from midway through aGoT until now, and some of Cersei's chapters have provided major parts of the story and laid the foudations to where it's going.

An assumption would be that most of the female charcters that have had the observational roles are likely taht way because Martin is suggesting that is the place of women in that society. Sansa specifically come to mind, but then again Sansa has hardly been a proactive character, and most of her chapters are hardly storyline shaking. The female charcters that seem to appeal to most of us are the ones who have broken from the traditional sheepish mold of women in a medieval society. Danearys forming her own Khalessi, Arya learnig the water dance and progressing in her training, etc.. The thing that I find interesting is that both male and female posters seem to have the same thoughts appreciations.


I just love the fact that all of us have read the same books and bring such different insights to some of the same charcters and storyline.

snow

 

[the_faery_queen]

cersi has broken free of the mould and no one likes her! (except me!) just thought i would add that

but i do agree that might be an aspect of it, the fact that the female characters perspective are more observeration because that is the place they do have in society. that and, i guess, they are not in a position to alter much of what is going on around them.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

I think it's pretty obvious that I'm a huge fan of Arya. She's got a lot more spunk than most kids her age would have, were they lost and wandering the world alone.

Meera Reed is great- she's so competent, patient, and kind to Bran.

Asha.... not so much. I like that she can hold her own amongst the men and doesn't take any of their sh--, but- I guess it bothers me sometimes when women seem to be trying too hard to be one of the boys. Reminds me of this beefy chick in elementary school who used to always pick on my twin and me... Arya at least feels that she can learn from both sexes.

Daenerys- well, I have a like/dislike relationship with her character. I think she has the potential to be a great ruler, and I like that she's trying with the slave cities and learning how things work. I just can't really relate to her.

Cersei is quite hateful and even more pathetic than I had ever thought she would be. To some extent I pity her, but it seems to me that Catelyn was raised in similar circumstances and still managed to avoid becoming involved in torture, murder (while she was alive), and dirty intrigues. I guess what bothers me the most about Cersei is that she has every opportunity to learn something, and she doesn't. Her narcissism is going to be the death of her.

Shae, Ygritte, and Lysa Arryn- I heard the song of angels when they died. No kidding. Total cause for celebration.

 

[the_faery_queen]

cersi had a brother who got everything tho. catelyn had a sister. so there is a difference in that ( i can't remember if cat had a brother as well) cersi had to see her twin, part of herself, get everything. catelyn was never in that position. i think, if my brother had gotten everyting from my parents, all teh attention, support, encouragement, and being told he was worth something, and i was nothing, because i was female, i would have probably gone the same sort of way. not violent, i hope, but definetly warped!

danys, i can't relate to her either. i am glad its not just me!

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Catelyn had(has) a brother, Edmure, who indeed got everything, despite being arrogant, self-absorbed, impetuous, and not very smart.

 

[hedgeknight]

cersi has broken free of the mould and no one likes her! (except me!) just thought i would add that.

Er, haven't you added that about 10 times in this thread? Just thought I would fuel your fire with that comment.

What mold did Cersei break free of? The rich, spoiled, impetuous, I'm the "Queen of the World" and no one loves me mold?
Give me a freaking break - I'm looking forward to her confessing her sins under the Sparrow's lash.

And Brienne? I love her and it pisses me off that Martin has disfigured her and made her even more of a laughing stock. I hope "the word" she says, spares her life and she ends up slaying unCat and all the other undead freaks with Oathkeeper, right before she finds Sansa and slaps some sense into her for thinking life is a faery tale.
-g-

 

[YOSSARIAN]

I thought I was the only one person that dug Meera.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

And Brienne? I love her and it pisses me off that Martin has disfigured her and made her even more of a laughing stock. I hope "the word" she says, spares her life and she ends up slaying unCat and all the other undead freaks with Oathkeeper, right before she finds Sansa and slaps some sense into her for thinking life is a faery tale.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Somebody in another thread called Brienne a whiner, for chrissakes. First of all, Brienne doesn't complain to anyone about anything. She shoulders her own load without a single word of complaint, and strives to do the right thing. The only complaints she has, she keeps to herself. Secondly, out of anyone in the story, Brienne has as much right- no, more of a right- to complain than pretty much all of the characters. Life has been handing her lemons since day one, and that girl has swallowed her pride and made lemonade, dammit.