Subverting the Girl Power trope

I want to have a character in my story who (at least at first) somewhat embodies the whole Chosen One idea (she's pretty, descended from heroes etc.) as well as the Girl Power trope (she's also involved in a lesbian relationship with a hard-bitten pirate chick). However, midway through the story both get subverted; the pirate kills her when she outlives her usefulness in a particularly callous way.

Any suggestions on how to do this effectively (especially pitfalls to avoid when subverting these kind of tropes)?

Sounds like you've already got it covered. Then again, I usually subvert the whole Girl Power thing by not having just one, two, or three girls on the cast. I also don't bother invoking Girl Power simply because I find it just as annoying when Lamp Shaded.

I'm wondering; is Girl Power even the correct trope? I'll have to check.

Yeah, I'm confused whether you mean Girl Power as in "You Go, Girl!" or Girl Power as in "BFFs Forever" (yes, I know that's a tautology).

If it's the former, that's easy to subvert. Have her fail at something a man does better, and let him not be a douchebag about it.

edited 23rd Nov '10 2:45:40 AM by KingZeal

Or just plain out avert it. She loses to some people, wins to others, and those she wins against and loses against have nothing to do with gender.

@King Zeal: Some of both...but I know there's a trope for the plucky heroine who is destined for greatness.

@AHR: Already doing that with the actual female protagonist; the character Vadria is a representation of a character type I've learned to hate, that of the clever seductress who gets everything she wants/avoids all trouble by boinking someone (usually, many many someones). In her case, it does not end well because A: two of her lovers end up actually talking and B: one of them is a psychotic. :)

And this is why I avoid main characters who are seducers of any sort.