History Main / BadassDamsel

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[[caption-width-right:302:Lois Lane: Rescuing herself faster than {{Superman}} can arrive since [[strike: 1938]] 1986.]]

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[[caption-width-right:302:Lois Lane: Rescuing herself faster than {{Superman}} can arrive since [[strike:1938]] 1986.]]

* In MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Rarity is one of the most [[TheChick girly]] ponies on the show (think about that for a second), a prissy fashion designer with an extreme dislike for physical work, dirt or getting her mane even slightly mussed. Put her in a fight however and she doesn't [[LadyOfWar handle herself too badly]], and if she's outmatched is easily the most adept at using good old charm, manipulation and keen intellect to get her way.
** in the most recent episode, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9PSHRfe1M "A Dog and Pony Show,"]] she gets captured by a group of dogs who want her to find gems for them. This, of course, includes living in labyrinthian tunnels, hand (or hoof?) digging them up and pulling the cart they go in. She complains a good amount, but it really takes off when they tell her to stop whining. 30 of the most hilariously satisfying seconds later, she's sitting on a throne with an army of dogs digging up jewels, giving them to her, and begging the "rescue party" to take her with them just to shut her up. 13:30 or so is where the scene starts, and 16:30 is where the good stuff happens.

This trope subverts the DistressedDamsel routine so hard it's not even funny. A female character who seems like a damsel in distress, and might even ''be'' one, but is still {{Badass}} enough that the audience roots for her anyway. Maybe she gets kidnapped a couple of times, but makes up for it by pulling an epic CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Maybe she has the appearance and personality of a YamatoNadeshiko, yet also has a {{BFG}} on her and mows down 85% of the enemies on the battlefield. Perhaps she's just a PluckyGirl of epic proportions who gets handed a DistressBall. Or, alternatively, she may ''never'' get kidnapped, and could be a genuine ActionGirl, but simply doesn't have the tomboyish, athletic appearance and attitude that most people picture when they think of an ActionGirl. Either way, you just can't help but love this girl. She may get whacked with a DistressBall every now and again, but blast it all, she's got SKILLS.

* Princess Nia Teppelin from ''GurrenLagann''. She will politely but clearly tell you that she will not die. Even if you're about to dematerialize her.

** in the most recent episode, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9PSHRfe1M "A Dog and Pony Show,"]] she gets captured by a group of dogs who want her to find gems for them. This, of course, includes living in labyrinthian tunnels, hand (or hoof?) digging them up and pulling the cart they go in. She complains a good amount, but it really takes off when they tell her to stop whining. 30 of the most hilariously satisfying seconds later, she's sitting on a throne with an army of dogs digging up jewels, giving them to her, and begging the "rescue party" to take her with them just to shut her up.

** in the most recent episode, "A Dog and Pony Show," she gets captured by a group of dogs who want her to find gems for them. This, of course, includes living in labyrinthian tunnels, hand (or hoof?) digging them up and pulling the cart they go in. She complains a good amount, but it really takes off when they tell her to stop whining. 5 of the most hilariously satisfying minutes later, and she's sitting on a throne with an army of dogs digging up jewels, giving them to her, and begging the "rescue party" to take her with them just to shut her up.

* In MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Rarity is one of the most [[TheChick chicky]] ponies (think about that for a second), a prissy fashion designer with an extreme dislike for physical work, dirt or getting her mane even slightly mussed. Put her in a fight however and she doesn't [[LadyOfWar handle herself too badly]], and if she's outmatched is easily the most adept at using good old charm, manipulation and keen intellect to get her way.----

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* Mary Jane Watson. Well, In the comics anyway. She has beaten villains and would be rapists with baseball bats, took fighting lessons from [[CaptainAmerica CAPTAIN AMERICA!]] And became the most Badass of any Spidey love interest. There's a reason so many people hate JoeQuesada for One More Day, sadly, this was waisted on Quesada and the films.

* Barbara Gordon in ''[[BatmanAndMisterFreezeSubZero Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero]]'' is the most badass damsel ever. She talks back to Mr. Freeze, tries to reason with him once she learns about his IllGirl Nora, saves his KidSidekick, tries to save ''him'' too...

* Danielle of [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/EverAfter Ever After]] averts the "alas, I am but a pitiful female" personality pretty well throughout the movie, but TookALevelInBadass near the end when [[spoiler:Monsieur Le Pieu has essentially kidnapped her, and is getting rather creepy. She threatens him with a sword, and has quite successfully rescued herself by the time Henry arrives]].

* Guinevere from ''{{Series/Merlin}}'' probably has the highest amount of kidnappings and captures on the show, but (as actress Angel Coulby has said in interviews) is also the strongest emotionally. The writers have also admitted that she's got the most common sense.

* Mary Jane Watson. Well, In the comics anyway. She has beaten villains and would be rapists with baseball bats, took fighting lessons from [[CaptainAmerica CAPTAIN AMERICA!]] And became the most Badass of any Spidey love interest. There's a reason so many people hate JoeQuesada for [[DarthWiki.WallBanger One More Day]], sadly, this was waisted on Quesada and the films.

* Danielle of ''EverAfter'' averts the "alas, I am but a pitiful female" personality pretty well throughout the movie, but TookALevelInBadass near the end when [[spoiler:Monsieur Le Pieu has essentially kidnapped her, and is getting rather creepy. She threatens him with a sword, and has quite successfully rescued herself by the time Henry arrives]].

* Princess Nia Teppelin from GurrenLagann. She will politely but clearly tell you that she will not die. Even if you're about to dematerialize her.

* [[spoiler: Asuna and Anya]] from MahouSenseiNegima aren't halfway bad at this, but '''the''' example is actually [[spoiler: Ako Izumi]].
* Hitomi Kanzaki from VisionOfEscaflowne bounces between this and ActionSurvivor.

* Princess Leia of ''StarWars''. Luke and Han come to rescue her, the rescue doesn't quite work out, so she blasts a hole in the wall, proclaiming "''Somebody'' has to save our skins!"

** Admittedly, though, it '''is''' a comedy film (starring W.C. Fields, no less), so ValuesDissonance may apply here-- the scene was probably meant to seem unrealistic.

[[AC: VideoGames]]

* Quoted: Princess Nia Teppelin from GurrenLagann. She will politely but clearly tell you that she will not die. Even if you're about to dematerialize her.

This trope subverts the DistressedDamsel routine so hard it's not even funny. A female character who seems like a damsel in distress, and might even ''be'' one, but is still {{Badass}} enough that the audience roots for her anyway. Maybe she gets kidnapped a couple of times, but makes up for it by pulling an epic CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Maybe she has the appearance and personality of a YamatoNadeshiko, yet also has a {{BFG}} on her and mows down 85% of the enemies on the battlefield. Perhaps she's just a PluckyGirl of epic proportions who gets handed a DistressBall, but still tries to help as much as she can. Or, alternatively, she may ''never'' get kidnapped, and could be a genuine ActionGirl, but simply doesn't have the tomboyish, athletic appearance and attitude that most people picture when they think of an ActionGirl. Either way, you just can't help but love this girl. She may get kidnapped by the BigBad a lot, but blast it all, she's got SKILLS.

* In ''HowIKilledYourMaster'', After [[spoiler:Fang Lin has been beaten senseless and dragged off]] by bandits, Wong recruits some interested third parties to help him locate where they would have gone and mount a rescue. The first clue they are getting close is when [[spoiler: one of the bandits is kicked through a wall right in front of them.]]