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Ice Queen
aka: Ice King

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"I will not get upset over men, but instead be poised and cool ice-queen."
Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones Diary

Much like the Tomboy, the Ice Queen is a major character archetype which is somewhat hard to define. Her signature characteristic is that she is cold, but what exactly "cold" means can vary quite a lot. Romantic elements — or lack thereof — are often useful indicators:

  • She may have a cold heart, a frosty demeanor, and very often a resting bitch face.
  • She attracts the attention of admirers but will never be wooed by them.
  • Scorned men are likely to call their failed conquests Ice Queens (after all, normal women would have given in to them).
  • Due to the Double Standard, the Ice Queen is (almost) Always Female.

The Ice Queen is considered dangerous to love because she will not (or cannot) love back. She's not much for friendship either, preferring to be alone. Situations where an Ice Queen "thaws" and learns to enjoy the company of others are so common that they have their own trope. Cracks in the Icy Façade could point to future thawing.

Being an Ice Queen is purely about personality; a character simply having ice-related abilities does not fulfill the trope. That said, it's not uncommon for a character with a cold personality to be given cold-based powers, and she can also simply have an ice motif. If her coldness comes from trauma, she may be a Tragic Ice Character.

Not to be confused with a character who has a royal title associated with ice or snow, though the two may overlap (and often do in more magical settings).

An Ice Queen requires at least one "cold" personality trait to get labeled as such, and there are many different flavors. The following are some of them:

  • Aloof Ally: She will help you, but don't expect her to be enthusiastic about teamwork.
  • Aloof Big Sister: She's the older sibling who distances herself from her younger one.
  • Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: She's tall, dark-haired, attractive in an imposing way, and aloof to be around with.
  • Alpha Bitch: Usually considered popular, but sometimes the Alpha Bitch only thinks she's popular, and the adoration she perceives is actually fear of her wrath.
  • The Baroness: Cold, ruthless and utterly sadistic inside, no matter how warm and soft she may appear. Don't get on her bad side if you value your life.
  • Broken Bird: Her hard exterior protects a broken interior, and she won't let anyone in because she's afraid she'll be hurt again.
  • Brutal Honesty: She will tell you the truth no matter how harsh it sounds.
  • Deadpan Snarker: When the insults start to fly, this Ice Queen can match wits with anyone. Someone's ego may end up bruised, but it won't be hers.
    • Stepford Snarker: She is hurting inside, but her thorny wit keeps everyone else from getting close enough to see that.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: A former Ice Queen whose frozen heart is thawing.
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: She's not the one to accept anyone's sympathy.
  • Emotionless Girl: She does not warm to anyone because she does not feel emotions, but maybe someone gentle and patient can rekindle her inner flame.
  • Good Is Not Nice: She's may be good and heroic, but her frosty demeanor will rub others the wrong way.
  • Hidden Heart of Gold: She has a sweet side hidden beneath her coldness, though she doesn't want anyone to know about it.
  • Iron Lady: A woman in power who must be tougher and smarter than her male rivals, discarding softness and gentleness for fear of appearing weak.
  • Jerkass: She's just a jerk, plain and simple.
    • Jerkass Woobie: She's a jerk, but you can understand why she turned out that way.
    • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's a jerk, but when you get to know her better, you realize she's a good person. One of the most common subversions of this trope.
    • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: It turns out that warmness underneath her is all a front and she's more cold-hearted than she appears.
  • Loners Are Freaks: She doesn't want to go shopping, hang out at the mall, and have girltalk about boyfriends? Weirdo.
  • Mentor in Sour Armor: She's badass, snarky, and world-weary.
  • Narcissist: She's an egomaniac.
  • Perpetual Frowner: She hardly smiles.
    • When She Smiles: But when she does, it shows that she has some warmth in her.
  • Rich Bitch: She has all the money in the world, but it can't buy her a soul.
  • The Snark Knight: She has fervent moral convictions (about herself and others) beneath a shell of world-weary cynicism. A less common subversion.
  • Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Her abrasive attitude hides secret feelings of depression.
  • Sour Supporter: She has no faith in you as a leader and nothing but scorn for your plans — until everything's on the line, and then she'll stand with you to the end.
  • The Stoic: She shows no emotion no matter what the situation.
    • Not So Stoic: There are times where she can show emotions.
  • Sugar-and-Ice Personality: This sister trope of Tsundere varies between warmth and coolness.
  • Tsundere: She shows you a confusing duality between warmth and indifference or even hostility, making it hard to know where you stand with her.

This is the supertrope for all the "frosty women" subtypes. No examples please, instead place examples in the different subtropes. If we don't have a specific subtrope, then feel free to help us create one for it.


Alternative Title(s): Ice King

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