History Main / BraidsOfAction

* Gender Inverted is in ''Film/TheDuellists''. The protagonists are [[CavalryOfficer Hussars]] who wear elaborate plaits in front of the ears to reduce the damage of sword wounds to the head.

* Sol Cantos (played by [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]]), the soldier who wields a BfG in ''Cosmic Sin'', has braided hair colored a bright yellow. This makes her stick out somewhat, but it's implied the unit she is with are MildlyMilitary.

* Rick Jones' granddaughter, Janis, in ''[[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]] Future Imperfect''. She grew her hair long, tied it into a braid and wrapped it around the top of her head so when she needs to, she can untie it and use it as a whip.

* Valkyrie from ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' wears her hair in two braids in most of her incarnations.

* Cathy Rockford in ''Fanfic/TheGift'' is a judo instructor and "motorcycle enthusiast". She wears her two braids around her head like a crown.

%%* Purple Heart from the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' games in contrast to her goofier, short-haired human form.

* Miu from ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' may seem like an example of this trope (her resemblance to Cammy from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' is probably [[{{Expy}} not a mere coincidence]]), but the main reason why she wears her hair in a single braid (and wears glasses) is to tone down her appearance in school. A more straight example happens during the TournamentArc, where she wears her hair in multiple braids, some of them even looped.

* One long braid in the back. This version tends to be much longer, sometimes even [[RapunzelHair touching the ground]].

%%** May Chang wears six [[RapunzelHair knee-length]] braids hanging down from her OdangoHair.

%%* [[FieryRedhead Hikaru]] in ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' has a [[RapunzelHair waist-length braid]].

%%* [[FieryRedhead Titania]] in ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''. Overlaps with RapunzelHair as hers almost touches the ground.

%%* [[BareFistedMonk Sveta]] in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' keeps her RapunzelHair in twin braids.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': When Powder grows up into the CuteAndPsycho teenager Jinx, she wears her hair in a couple of blue braids [[RapunzelHair that go down to her boots]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': When Ladybug and Cat Noir swap Miraculouses in the episode "Reflekdoll", the former as Lady Noire has a [[RapunzelHair floor-length]] braid that [[ExpressiveHair acts as her "tail"]] in lieu of [[ExpressiveAccessory Cat Noir's belt]].

* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** As one of the earlier examples of the modern ActionGirl, Princess Leia did her most impressive action feat while sporting a very long braid.
%%** Padmé.
* Blink from ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', wears her hair in a long fishtail braid.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}''. When Powder grows up into the CuteAndPsycho teenager Jinx, she wears her hair in a couple of blue braids [[RapunzelHair that go down to her boots]].
%%* Rose from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' probably qualifies.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Ty Lee wears her hair in a high braided ponytail when traveling and fighting in a war.
%%* P'Li from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''.

%%* Gender Inverted with Bracket, Tennie's father, from ''WesternAnimation/{{Motorcity}}''. He has his ''beard'' tied into this.
* Granny Smith of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' used to have these when she was a [[PluckyGirl plucky filly]] who [[spoiler:became one of the founders of Ponyville by venturing into [[TheLostWoods the Everfree Forest]] at night on her own so she could replenish the dwindling food supply of her family.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}''. When Powder grows up into the CuteAndPsycho teenager Jinx, she wears her hair in a couple of [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue]] braids [[RapunzelHair that go down to her boots]].

** In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E10TheWish The Wish]]", her battle-rugged, even more badass alternate universe counterpart wears her hair in a single long braid.

Compare BraidsOfBarbarism, TomboyishPonytail, GirlishPigtails (which can sometimes be combined with this trope in the case of a LittleMissBadass), ShortHairWithTail (which presents a similar profile).

This trope is used in fiction for two reasons. First, because it's TruthInTelevision. Tying your hair in a braid is one of the best ways to keep long hair out of your face, as ponytails tend to slide down or get snagged in really physical sports. Second, because it is visually [[RuleOfCool cool]]. What better way to indicate movement than a long flowing strand of hair flailing around like a whip? Due to this visual aspect, Braids of Action will more often than not be given to girls that have an [[SheFu acrobatic fight style]].

* Jolyne Cujoh in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'' has braids around her OdangoHair and a long braid in the back- fitting for an ActionGirl and the main [=JoJo=] of the part.

* Most of the Lady Assassins in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fiction of Creator/AAPessimal style their hair this way. Partly for neatness and professional reasons - they are also teachers at the Assassins' Guild School - but also because it gets in the way while fighting. Johanna Smith-Rhodes, from the faraway colony of [[UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica Rimwards Howondaland]], favors complex braids in the [[UsefulNotes/TheNetherlands Kerrigian]] style whilst her colleague Miss Alice Band normally prefers a strict bun.

* Velvet Crowe of ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' starts with a single braid - she regularly hunts in the woods and studies the sword - but it's much looser for the rest of the game to reflect her more violent and out-of-control nature after her brother's death. The player immediately has the option to change her hairstyle back, though.

* ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg''. In "The Sworn Sword", Lady Rohanne Webber is a FieryRedhead who dresses in armor when leading her troops to attack Standfast. She wears her hair in a single long plait which she plays with coquettishly while flirting with Dunk. At the end of the story after much BelligerentSexualTension, Dunk refuses her offer of a fine steed but cuts off her braid so he'll have something to remember her.

* Astrid and Ruffnut from ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon''.
* Jessie from the ''Franchise/ToyStory'' film series has a pair of red wool braids underneath her cowgirl hat.

* Jessie from the ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' series films.

Some works will take the visual similarity between a braid and a whip to literal extremes, and will have the character top her braid with some sort of weighted blade and use her PrehensileHair as a weapon.

* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'': All three known Lazurian COs in ''Days of Ruin / Dark Conflict'' have a very thin braided ponytail, and judging by the fact that the generic Lazurian soldier portrait doesn't have one, this seems to be a cultural mark of status exclusively for commanding officers in the Lazurian army.

This trope is used in fiction for two reasons. First, because it's TruthInTelevision. Tying your hair in a braid is one of the best ways to keep long hair out of your face, as ponytails tend to slide down or get snagged in really physical sports. Second, because it is visually [[RuleOfCool cool]]. What better way to indicate movement than a long flowing strand of hair flailing around like a whip. Due to this visual aspect, Braids of Action will more often than not be given to girls that have an [[SheFu acrobatic fight style]].