History MamaBear / Literature

* Jason Porath of Rejected Princesses fame is about to come out with a second book called ''Tough Mothers'' that will focus on tough mothers from history. [[http://www.rejectedprincesses.com/blog/book-2-preorders-are-up The cover]] features a bear on her hind legs with a cub hiding behind her.

* [[StarWars Leia]] becomes one in the [[StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]]. She does not look kindly upon threats to her children.

** Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy's mother, proves that EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: in the seventh book she lies to '''Voldemort''' so she can reunite with her son Draco. She may be a pureblood supremacist with the mindset of ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney, but she is willing to cross the mightiest dark wizard of all time to ensure her son's safety.

* This is Cersei Lannister's main motivation in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', and her only good trait. Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella are the world to her, and to protect them from a prophecy that says they'll be crowned and die before she kicks the bucket, she will do ''anything''.

** Note to anybody trying to attack Bear Island: the women of the place live up to the name, be they of [[BadassFamily House Mormont]] or not. What with regular Ironborn raids and their husbands, fathers and brothers often away at sea for long periods either fishing or trying to settle scores, the women and girls have [[HadToBeSharp carefully cultivated the instinct to protect their own]] by becoming [[ActionGirl Action Girls]] and [[ActionMom Action Moms]]. Touch their kids and get a face full of axe.

* ''Literature/ShoShanYLaDamaOscura''

* A rarely discussed, but still notable, example would be Mara Jade Skywalker, from the ''Franchise/StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse. Probably most notable in ''Sacrifice'', where her worry for her son (Ben) convinces her to go hunt and attempt to kill the two Sith Lords whom she thinks are plotting to kill him. She's partially right in that respect, and this leads to a VERY nasty brawl.

* In ''TheRedTent'', when she finds out that her husband Laban had been [[ParentalIncest fondling Leah and Zilpah]], Adah proceeded to beat the ever-living crap out of him. When he was just ''inches'' away from dying from the resultant injuries, Adah swore that if he did it again, she would not only beat him up again, but that she would call upon the PowersThatBe and have them give him some LaserGuidedKarma in the form of disease and impotence. Laban then made sacrifices to the gods, had a statue of one of their chief goddesses made, and bought Adah and his daughters jewelry...and never touched the girls again.
** She also brought it up again, when he had made a deal with Jacob to marry Rachel off to him, because Rachel had not yet menstruated. In all fairness, Laban didn't know that, but the threat was enough to get him to comply with his wife's wishes, and extend the time Jacob worked for him.

* The cover blurb from [[Creator/HollyLisle]]'s novel ''Literature/MinervaWakes'' notes: "Three rules govern life: Never give up on your dreams. Always do what is right. And NEVER mess with the Mommy."

* ''Literature/ADeadlyPresence'': The mama leopard.

* ''Literature/ADeadlyPresence'': The mama leopard.

* In MichaelFlynn's ''Literature/SpiralArm'' novel ''On the Razor's Edge'', Bridget calls in the Hounds to get aid: they are going after her daughter into enemy territory. Later, one Shadow is surprise at how many Hounds followed; another is not, because she had stolen the cub from the Mama Bear.

* In the DaleBrown book ''Rogue Forces'', former Kurdish separatist Zilar Azzawi retakes her sword after a Turkish airstrike kills her husband and children.

* This happens in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''; when resident DarkActionGirl Bellatrix Lestrange nearly kills [[CuteWitch Ginny Weasley]], Ginny's HouseWife mother Molly [[BewareTheNiceOnes goes ballistic and kills her in a matter of seconds]] with a well-placed curse at the chest. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch YOU BITCH!]]" quickly became the [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome most-quoted line from the book]]. This is a double example: Bellatrix showed her "TooDumbToLive" credentials by mocking Molly's recent loss of one of her sons, Fred, which only got the ActionMom ''even more pissed off'' than she already was. According to WordOfGod, Molly comes from a family of aurors, and her ''brothers'' Fabian and Gideon Prewett had been killed by Voldemort and his followers years earlier. Twin brothers F and G? Not likely a coincidence. The reaction could have been skill or sheer instinct -- remember Molly's boggart, alias her biggest fear? ''[[ChekhovsGun Losing her family and friends]]''. And, at the time, Molly (and everyone else) still thought Harry was dead, [[LikeaSonToMe whom she viewed as a son]]. This was just one more reason for her to want to kick the Death Eaters' asses.

* In JohnCWright's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfChaos'', while Echidna is never exactly safe, it is the death of her son that inspires her to come and slaughter every human being she finds.

* Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/{{Barrayar}}'':

* Cordelia Vorkosigan, in Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'', is an off-worlder who is mostly bored by the Byzantine politics of her husband's home planet Barrayar. Until a civil war puts her baby (in a high-tech incubator) in danger. Then she single-handedly defeats a usurping ruler and ends the war. And [[OffWithHisHead brings back the usurper's head in a shopping bag]] to make her point clear.
** Princess Kareen in the same series makes a very credible attempt to kill her unwanted lover when she realizes the man is a threat to the life of her five-year-old son, Gregor. She fails, but not for lack of trying.

* Janine Hathaway from ''Literature/VampireAcademy'' is protective of her daughter. Deeply cares about her safety and well-being. Intimidating to Rose's would-be boyfriends.