Line #84 Main/BraidsOfAction


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6	[[quoteright:320:[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LaraC_8182.jpg]]]]
7	[[caption-width-right:320:Smokin' hot and ready to kick some ass!]]
8
9	One of the common ways to visually indicate that a female character is an ActionGirl or otherwise ready to [[LetsGetDangerous get dangerous]] is to braid her hair. This can take one of the following forms, but not limited to:
10	* Two braids on the sides of the head, reminiscent of the classic {{Tomboy}} hairstyle. This version can overlap with GirlishPigtails.
11	* One long braid in the back. This version tends to be much longer, sometimes even touching the ground.
12
13	Some characters will wear their hair in braids all the time. Others will only wear them in combat. Both instances fit this trope. However, Action Girls who usually wear their hair in a braid but let it loose when getting into an actual fight don't fit.
14
15	This trope is used in fiction for two reasons. First, because tying your hair in a braid is a good way 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]].
16
17	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. Note that while this is technically possible in real life, the way it is normally depicted would very quickly result in hair loss. The more accurate depictions have a character with braided dredlocks doing this: which is much safer. The dredlocks serve to distribute the weight better, so that it doesn't rest on any single strand of hair. Augmenting braids or twists starting at the hairline, can serve a similar function. It still tends to work best with very tightly curled hair, since this hair has a higher spring factor: which helps to keep it from snapping when the blade is swung (similar to how bungie cords can bear more weight than typical cords of their diameter, because they are made of springier material). Note also that doing this can be ''very'' hard on the neck and shoulders: hair does not have any muscles in it, so what is actually bearing the weight is your neck muscles. Long hair is heavy enough to begin with, adding weight to it requires training your neck muscles. A much more common real life way of hiding a weapon in long hair is to put a spike on the ''root'' of a single long braid pointing upwards, so that when you headbutt someone it really hurts. Especially in the era of veils, this was a literal example of SilkHidingSteel. It's a strangely effective weapon, since you can put your entire body's muscles behind it: and it can be used even if you are bound and gagged.
18
19	This trope was ''very'' common for long-haired characters in the early days of 3D gaming since it's much easier and less resource-intensive to render and animate long hair as a braid than having it flow freely. Even with modern video hardware and physics engines, braids are still easier for a game to manage.
20
21	A TruthInTelevision, although not ''to the extent'' that it's portrayed. A long braid is still a long thing dangling around, getting in the way, and able to get caught by accident or grabbed on purpose. Wearing long hair ''up''--such as a bun, or a crown braid--gets it more fully out of the way.
22
23	Compare BraidsOfBarbarism, TomboyishPonytail, GirlishPigtails (which can sometimes be combined with this trope in the case of a LittleMissBadass), BaldHeadOfToughness (in which baldness is also often used to indicate that a female character is an ActionGirl).
24
25	Contrast MotherlySidePlait, which is indicative of a sweet mother figure.
26
27	'''Note:''' This trope is for using visual shorthand for characterization. It is ''not'' a trope for every character who happens to have braids. Please remember this when editing the example list.
28	----
29	!!Examples
30
31	[[foldercontrol]]
32
33	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
34	%%* [[GothGirlsKnowMagic Hilda]] from ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' has a short braid.
35	* Charlotte Roselei from ''Manga/BlackClover'' has a single braid hanging down the left side of her face, and she's the Captain of an all-female squad of Magic Knights.
36	%%* Roberta from ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' is so tough she is constantly compared to the Franchise/{{Terminator}}.
37	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
38	** [[{{Ninja}} Sui-Fon]] wears two braids wrapped in white cloth or ribbons, with metal rings at the ends (which she does not use as weapons). As a member of a military organization, this is justified.
39	** After Arrancar Ggio Vega releases, he gains a blade on his braids.
40	%%** Vizard Risa.
41	%%* Saya from ''Anime/BloodTheLastVampire''.
42	* Gender Inverted with Hanzo of ''Manga/Brave10''. His braid is so long he can wear it like a scarf and he's the most deadly fighter in the series.
43	%%* Tabitha from ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' has two variations, a long braid and, [[spoiler:after the TimeSkip]], a braided bun at the back of her head.
44	* Makima of ''Manga/ChainsawMan'' wears her hair in a single loose braid, and is the most powerful woman among the cast, making short work of opponents whenever she has to resort to getting her hands dirty. [[spoiler:[[AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance Its chain-like appearance]] hints at her true nature as the [[ControlFreak Control Devil]].]]
45	* Nikki Hanada in ''Manga/DrStone'' wears her hair in two braids. Averted with the other Action Girls, Kohaku and [[DarkActionGirl Homura]], who wear {{Tomboyish Ponytail}}s.
46	%%* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', Erza's Lightning armor and her strongest armor, Armadura Fairy. She also had these when she was younger.
47	* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
48	** Gender Inverted with Edward Elric. He usually ties his hair in a braid and is quite the badass.
49	** Izumi wears her hair in what appears to be multiple braids. She also taught Ed and Al both to fight and to use alchemy.
50	%%** May Chang wears six knee-length braids hanging down from her OdangoHair.
51	* When Nuriko gets into some real action outside the palace in ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'', he puts his hair into a single long braid. [[spoiler:It's telling how he cuts his braid off just before the action... [[KilledOffForReal stops]].]]
52	* ''Manga/GoldenKamuy'': Sofia has worn a long braid in the back [[HairstyleInertia since]] she became a revolutionary leader in her youth. Of course, she's more than capable of taking care of herself in a fight.
53	%%* Gender Inverted with Duo from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', complete with the stylistic flowing movement. Though worth noting he is modeled after a girl, like the rest of the main male cast.
54	* Elsa de Sica in ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' has twin braids. Averted with the rest of the cyborgs, whose handlers are more interested in making them look like adorable little girls than {{Action Girl}}s so their targets won't suspect them.
55	* 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.
56	* Miu from ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' may seem like an example of this trope, 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 straighter example happens during the TournamentArc, where she wears her hair in multiple braids, some of them even looped.
57	* Vita from the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise keeps her hair braided to remind the viewers how BadassAdorable she is.
58	%%* [[FieryRedhead Hikaru]] in ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' has a waist-length braid.
59	%%* The Magi in ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'' don't seem to cut their hair, and all four have it braided in different styles. Aladdin's is simply long and thin. Judar's is thicker at the top and becomes thinner as it goes down. Scheherazade's is the most improbable with two large braids at the sides and her long side bangs loose. Yunan has a small braid circling the top of his head and another that drapes over his shoulder. Other characters with braids are Dolji, Ren Kouha, and Titus Alexius.
60	* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
61	** ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'': When Kanade transforms into Cure Rhythm, she gains a braid crown.
62	** ''Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure'': When Cure Magical activates her Topaz Style power, she gains two donut braids.
63	** ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'': Cure Spicy, an energy warrior, wears her hair in a donut-shaped braid.
64	** Downplayed in ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'': ActionGirl Cure Butterfly only wears one small braid, while the majority of her hair is loose.
65	** ''Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure'': When Iroha transforms into Cure Friendy, she gains two long blonde braids.
66	** Inversions: Hikari of ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureMaxHeart'', Himari of ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'', and Elena of ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' lose their braids when they transform into their Cure forms.
67	* Inverted in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. [[spoiler:Homura let her braided GirlishPigtails down when she TookALevelInBadass.]]
68	* The titular character of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', naturally, especially near the beginning of the manga when the braid was much longer and actually ''looked'' like a knotted braid, rather than the "three little circles and a wispy end" stylized shape it was reduced to later on. Of course, it didn't take long for the ActionGirl to be revealed as actually a ''man'', and [=s/he=] wore [=his/her=] hair in a ponytail in flashbacks, but by then [[EstablishingCharacterMoment the first impression had long been made]].
69	* Genie from ''Anime/RuneSoldierLouie'' ties her ponytail together with the band placed every few inches down the length. It may not be an actual braid, but it looks closer to this than a TomboyishPonytail, moves like a braid and the function is exactly the same. With her biceps, she's not only an ActionGirl but also an outright AmazonianBeauty.
70	* Misao of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''. Watsuki's [[AllThereInTheManual character notes]] mention that one reason he put it was to emphasize her movements.
71	* Gender Inverted with Emba from ''Manga/WildRock''. He is the most powerful [[HunterTrapper hunter]] from the lake clan and wears a single braid.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Comic Books]]
75	* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
76	** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulkFutureImperfect'': Rick Jones' granddaughter Janis grew her hair long, tied it into a braid and wrapped it around the top of her head so that she can untie it and use it as a whip when she needs to.
77	--->''"It takes a long time to dry after washing it, but it's worth it."''
78	** ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Valkyrie wears her hair in two braids in most of her incarnations.
79	** Played with by Laura Kinney a.k.a. ComicBook/{{X 23}}. In ''ComicBook/X23InnocenceLost'' and flashbacks to ''Target: X'', she typically wears her hair braided on missions. This ceases after she escapes from the Facility, as during a FunnyBackgroundEvent in one of her early appearances in the X-Men books, Laura can be seen struggling to emulate Psylocke while the latter casually and expertly braids her hair preparing for a coming fight. Once the fighting actually starts it's revealed she failed miserably and settled for a messy ponytail instead. Apparently, she never got the hang of braiding her own hair and doesn't bother asking someone else to help do it for her, as she's pretty universally drawn with her hair loose in all of her appearances.
80	** ''ComicBook/XMen'': Psylocke often wears her hair in a braided ponytail when going into a fight. One issue in the Savage Land shows her plaiting her hair in preparation for battle while calmly discussing the plan with an ally.
81	* Rapunzel in ''ComicBook/RapunzelsRevenge'' uses her two (''extremely'' long) braids as a whip or lasso, or for any number of other ActionGirl applications.
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Fan Works]]
85	[[AC:{{Crossover}}]]
86	* Cathy Rockford in ''Fanfic/TheGiftBMeph'' is a judo instructor and "motorcycle enthusiast". She wears her two braids around her head like a crown.
87	* In the ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed''/''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' crossover fic ''Fanfic/MapleSugarPrettyCure'', Cure Clover has long green braids in her powered-up form.
88	[[AC:''Literature/{{Discworld}}'']]
89	* 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.
90	[[AC:''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'']]
91	* Gwenith Cousland in ''Fanfic/DragonAgeTheCrownOfThorns''. She ''used'' to wear her long hair loose (it reached the waistline) but soon settled on a braid on the left side of her head, hanging in front. And she looks like Creator/ClaudiaBlack. Badass much?
92	[[AC:''Literature/TheHungerGames'']]
93	* In ''Fanfic/SomeSemblanceOfMeaning'', [[TheSneakyGuy Phlox]] is described as wearing her hair in multiple braids, and she definitely deserves ActionGirl status. Her stealth and wits keep her alive well into the 44th Hunger Games, and she certainly has guts: lurking around on the outskirts of the Careers' camp and sneaking supplies from them. Eventually, she even manages to [[spoiler: trap Obsidian, the Career with the highest score in the Games, in one of her snares and steal his backpack full of supplies, leaving him with nothing but the clothes on his back and his sword. She would have killed him, too, if he hadn't managed to cut himself free; even then, she managed to outsmart him and escape to safety]].
94	[[AC:''Manga/{{Naruto}}'']]
95	* Shikako Nara of ''Fanfic/DreamingOfSunshine'' wears her hair in a single long braid. In one fight, she's prevented from using her [[CastingAShadow shadow jutsu]] or her [[StuffBlowingUp explosive notes]], so she uses her hair to ''strangle'' her opponent until he passes out.
96	[[AC:''Anime/PrettyCure'']]
97	* In ''Fanfic/DontCryForMeIveAlreadyWilted'', [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Rin]] mentions that [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Setsuna]] is going to teach the girls how to Dutch braid, claiming it will make them look badass.
98	[[AC:''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'']]
99	* In ''Fanfic/SkylandersReturnToTheRuins'', Crestfeather, a hardass ActionGirl who [[PlayingWithFire has fire powers]], wears thick Dutch braids.
100	[[AC:''Franchise/SailorMoon'']]
101	* In ''Fanfic/CosmicWarriors'', after Usagi transforms into Warrior Moon, her loose high GirlishPigtails are braided into a single bun.
102	[[AC:''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'']]
103	* The defining physical characteristic of Ōtengu Masaie in ''Fanfic/TalesOfTheUndiscoveredSwords'' is his blond hair braided into a fancy crown around his head. He wears it in battle and refuses to let his hair down even in bed.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
107	* Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon:
108	** Helga Sinclair from ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire''.
109	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen\|2013}}'':
110	*** Anna wears her hair in braided GirlishPigtails for the majority of her screentime, including informal occasions like helping Kristoff fight off wolves, or being chased by Marshmallow.
111	*** Elsa wears a French braid over her left shoulder for the majority of her screentime after "Let It Go," including challenging two of the Duke of Weselton's guys.
112	* Astrid and Ruffnut from ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon''.
113	* Jessie from the ''Franchise/ToyStory'' film series has one long braid of red wool underneath her cowgirl hat, though her hair remains the same whether or not she is fighting someone.
114	* PlayedForLaughs in the first ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'' movie, where Fiona takes on a band of ruffians in the forest all on her own, ''Matrix''-style, and actually knocks one of them out with her braid.
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
118	%%* Vasilissa in ''Film/AlexanderNevsky'' may be the source of this trope.
119	%%* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' has many, with all the Na'vi having braids that are their psychic USB sticks to most of the other creatures on Pandora. Notably, the only time we see Neytiri with her hair unbraided is during a formal ceremony.
120	* ''Film/CosmicSin'' (2021). Sol Cantos (played by [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]]), the Elloran soldier who wields a {{BFG}}, has braided hair colored a bright yellow. This makes her stick out somewhat in the woods, but from appearances the unit she is with are MildlyMilitary.
121	* ''Film/{{Downfall}}''. The female {{Child Soldier\|s}} manning the 88mm gun has twin braids hanging down from under her steel helmet. In this case, the braids work more to emphasize her youth.
122	* Gender Inverted 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.
123	%%* ''Film/TheHungerGames'': Katniss wears her hair like this whenever she hunts, trains and participates in the Games. The sequel shows that the style has become iconic and other little girls wear it like that as fashion.
124	%%* Angelina Jolie's version of Lara Croft in ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'' sports a single long braid.
125	%%* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'': Arwen's appearance at Helm's Deep was (wisely) dropped in the final cut, but surviving footage shows her wearing a long, thick braid made up of smaller braids.
126	* Milla Jovovich's ''Film/TheMessengerTheStoryOfJoanOfArc'' showed up with her long hair in a braid when she joined the soldiers. She cut it off later on when she felt they weren't taking her seriously.
127	* ''Film/MillionDollarBaby'': Maggie wears her hair in a single braid, as do most of the female boxers.
128	* ''Film/TheQuickAndTheDead''. Having spent most of the movie with MessyHair, Lady wears a neat single braid when she [[LetsGetDangerous makes the decision to take on Herod in a duel]].
129	* ''Film/{{Sheroes}}'': Diamond, who's very good with guns, puts her long hair into two braids while going for the ransom drop to get Daisy back. It's {{downplayed}} however as in her other action scenes she just has it loose.
130	* ''Film/SpecialFemaleForce'': Fa and Cat use braided ponytails in the final action scene of the film, in typical [[Franchise/TombRaider Lara Croft style]].
131	* ''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.
132	* Blink from ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' wears her hair in a long fishtail braid.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Literature]]
136	* ''Literature/TheAfterward'':
137	** The female knights usually wear their hair in one or more braids. Kalanthe also has a hair spike to stop anyone grabbing hers while in battle. It's enchanted to kill anyone but her who touches it too.
138	** Olsa gets hers put into cornrows when Uleweya notices she's grown her hair out, who's got a similar style (both are black women, judging by their descriptions, and the book cover in Olsa's case).
139	* In the ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series, Juliet Butler wears her hair in a single long braid with a stone ornament on the end that she can swing around and use as a weapon.
140	* [=McGee=] of the ''Literature/BadNewsBallet'' series plays hockey and almost always wears her brown hair in a set of twin pigtails.
141	* In ''Literature/TheBridgeKingdomArchives'' Lara and her sisters, who are all trained warriors, wear their long hair braided when they get into action. And let it down when they need to be seductive.
142	* The cover art of ''Literature/CiaphasCain: Choose Your Enemies'' depicts Colonel Regina Kasteen, CO of the 597th Valhallan Regiment, with her red hair in a pair of waist-length braids down her back.
143	* In Creator/JohnCWright's ''Literature/CountToTheEschaton'', Chimerae put their hair up in braids when going into battle and comb it out again afterward.
144	* ''Literature/DarkShores: Young women who form princess Malahi's guard usually wear their hair long and braided, although some cut it short and the giantess Bercola shaves her head.
145	* ''Literature/DaughterOfTheSun'': Orsina is a female knight and a {{paladin}}. She has her hair in a single braid.
146	* ''Literature/{{Emberverse}}'': ''Dies the Fire'' by Creator/SMStirling. An ActionGirl keeps her braided GirlishPigtails as they help to lower the tension a notch when meeting new clans and negotiating safe passage through their territory.
147	* In the ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'' by Creator/PatriciaCWrede, Cimorene wears her hair in a braid and is a formidable princess.
148	* Kid Detective ''Literature/FlaviaDeLuce'' wears her hair in two neat braids to keep it out of the way during her adventures, but also because she thinks [[GirlishPigtails it looks nice on her]].
149	* ''Literature/ForestKingdom'': In the ''Hawk & Fisher'' spinoff series, Isobel Fisher is described as wearing her hair in a French braid with a heavyweight at the end, for use as a weapon.
150	* When ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' [[BeautifulAllAlong finally]] grows her hair long, she starts to wear it in a braid, in part to make it easier to wear a spacesuit helmet when doing her job. Note that in addition to her tactical acumen, she's a [[AmazonianBeauty veritable giant of a woman]], and with an eighth-degree black belt in a ''[[MartialArtsAndCrafts coup de vitesse]]'' is one of the deadliest characters in a melee.
151	* Katniss Everdeen of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has her signature braid down the back to keep it out of the way when hunting or fighting.
152	* ''Literature/{{Inkmistress}}'': Asra grows into an ActionGirl and always wears her hair in a single braid.
153	* ''Literature/KateDaniels'' wears her hair long as the sole nod to [[VanityIsFeminine feminine vanity]]--but acknowledges that her braids are cumbersome, annoying when she runs, and could easily provide a handhold for an enemy in a fight.
154	* ''Literature/KittyNorville'' has one, if the book covers are to be believed.
155	* Tamara Rajavi from ''Literature/TheMagisterium'' is an ActionGirl whose hair is almost always worn in two braids.
156	* ''Literature/OfFireAndStars'': Tomboy ActionGirl Mare often puts her hair in a single braid.
157	* Gender Inverted with ''Literature/PrinceRoger''. He has gorgeous blond, hip-length hair and has to ask a female marine to teach him how to braid it.
158	* The Derzhi from ''Literature/RaiKirah'' are a ProudWarriorRace and their men wear their hair braided.
159	* In ''Literature/RainbowMagic'', the leader of the Rainbow Fairies, [[Literature/RainbowMagicRubyTheRedFairy Ruby]], wears a braid with roses stuck in it.
160	* In Creator/PatriciaCWrede's ''Literature/TheRavenRing'', the Cilhar--who are warriors, one and all--wear their hair braided as a matter of course, with a special braid pattern for when they expect to be heading into battle.
161	* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': Tash Arranda of ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear'' keeps her hair in one neat braid.
162	* The Mord-Sith of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' novels are an entire ''army'' of {{Action Girl}}s who wear their hair in a single long braid.
163	* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
164	** Warrior queen Visenya Targaryen famously wore her hair in a single long braid. She is contrasted with her sister Rhaenys, in their TomboyAndGirlyGirl dynamic.
165	** Queen Rhaenyra wore her hair in a braid like Visenya. Rhaenyra wasn't actually a warrior herself, but she was a fan of Visenya and wanted to style herself after her.
166	** ''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.
167	* ''Literature/{{Spellster}}'': Tracker's hair is described as being in one long, thick braid. He is a very skilled fighter.
168	* ''Literature/TortallUniverse'': ''Literature/BekaCooper'', a Provost's Guard aka cop, wears her hair in a braid. She even has a spiked strap worked in so that those that make the mistake of grabbing her braid in a fight quickly learn to regret it.
169	* Birgitte, the legendary archer from ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' sports a waist-length intricate braid that's known in-universe as one of her most easily identifiable features.
170	* In ''Literature/TheWishingMaiden'', Bron, the most physically powerful woman of the Quintet, wears her hair in a braid.
171	* Gender-Inverted by Fingon in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. All elves are {{LongHairedPrettyBoy}}s, Fingon wears his nearly black hair plaited with golden ribbons. It's a signature style of his, enough that he can be recognized by it even when armored. This either means that most male elves don't braid their hair (despite how impractical that would be) or more likely that they don't usually include ribbons. As to why Fingon does this, it's never explained: but a good guess is that he's best friends with ''the only character specifically described as sexy'' [[FieryRedhead Maedhros]].
172	[[/folder]]
173
174	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
175	* On ''Series/The100'', braids are common among both male and female Grounder warriors, and Octavia starts braiding her hair when she tries to join them.
176	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
177	** The titular character occasionally wears her hair in two braids when on patrol.
178	** In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E9TheWish The Wish]]", her battle-rugged, even more badass alternate universe counterpart wears her hair in a single long braid.
179	%%** Kendra, her initial replacement, took to wearing her hair in a single long braid.
180	* ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance'': Mayrin deals with the going ons of all the clans, has the last say, and wears a braid on the back of her head.
181	* On ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Daenerys' hairstyle slowly became more and more braided as her character grew stronger and more authoritative throughout the first season. By the season finale, her hair is in a single thick braid. This is likely linked to the Dothraki custom of warriors braiding their hair and decorating them with bells. A warrior adds bells to his braid for each victory, and, should he be defeated in battle, the braid would be cut off so the world can know his shame. Daenerys takes to adding bells in her hair when she triumphs in later books. Most of her hairstyles incorporate four or more braids in elaborate styles.
182	* ''Series/GothamKnights2023'': Harper is an ActionGirl like the rest of the main female characters who starts to wear her hair in two braids after joining up with Turner and co.
183	* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Galadriel styles her hair in a long thick braid during battles.
184	* In ''Series/Merlin2008'', Morgana braids her hair when she goes on a mission to protect Merlin's village.
185	* Jules wears her hair like this in ''Series/{{Psych}}'' when there is ass-kicking to be done. She normally wears it in a bun or in a ponytail.
186	* ''Series/ThePrincessWeiYoung'': Jun Tao almost always wears her hair in braids, and she's an ActionGirl who can fight off a group of guards.
187	* ''Series/ReservationDogs'' has [[TomboyishName Willie Jack]], the {{Ladette}} of the Rez Dogs gang. She's more than willing to scrap with the rival NDN Mafia, enjoys hunting, and wears her hair in two long braids.
188	* In ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'' Naevia's hair evolves with her story. When she was still a body-slave she had long, loose hair. When she got cast away her hair was cut as punishment. By ''Spartacus: War of the Damned'' her braided hair shows her development into an ActionGirl.
189	* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': During the third season Xindi arc, one of the female SpaceMarines (played by a [[RecurringExtra stuntwoman in a non-speaking role]]) had a long single plait down her back.
190	* ''Series/TheWheelOfTime2021'':
191	** Nynaeve wears her hair in an elaborate braid to indicate her membership in the Women's Circle. Her introductory scene in the first episode has her as the one who gives Egwene her own braid and explains its significance as the group's signature hairstyle. She soon becomes an ActionGirl and MamaBear for her younger friends. Before long Egwene is thrust into adventure and proves herself an ActionGirl too.
192	** Some of the Shienaran women too wear their hair in long braids and fight skillfully alongside their men against Trollocs.
193	[[/folder]]
194
195	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
196	* 21st Century Fox, Monique Mercy and [[Wrestling/KiaStevens Amazing Kong]] are known for wrestling in cornrows. There are also male examples such as Wrestling/ElijahBurke, JTG and Slam Master J.
197	* Wrestling/{{Jacqueline}} Moore ([[IHaveManyNames AKA Sweet Georgia Brown, AKA Miss Texas, AKA Miss Tennessee]]) frequently braided her hair whenever she wrestled though there were some times when she wrestled with it in a ponytail or something instead.
198	* Jumping Jeff Jeffrey of La Rabia and La Zona Illegal has wrestled in various styles of braids.
199	* [[Wrestling/{{Melina}} Kyra]] had one long braid specifically to invoke Lara Croft.
200	* Wrestling/{{Madusa}} sometimes wrestled with her hair in a braid, but would just as often have it down. Her arch-rival Wrestling/LunaVachon eventually took to wearing multiple braids when it grew back after their [[HumiliatingWager hair vs hair match]].
201	* WWE Diva Wrestling/{{Sable}} in her first run in the company always had her long blonde hair tied back in a braid whenever she wrestled. It was safe to say that if her hair was down then she wouldn't be wrestling.
202	* Wrestling/ShawnMichaels had a braided mullet at the 1994 ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries''.
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Theatre]]
206	* ''Theatre/WesterosAnAmericanMusical'': When Mance's army is shown, one of the women standing in for the troupes is holding a bow and wearing a braid in her hair. To someone familiar with the original story, the woman is recognizable as a DemotedToExtra Val, one of the ActionGirl characters.
207	[[/folder]]
208
209	[[folder:Video Games]]
210	* ''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.
211	* Bayonetta[[note]]that is, [[AlternateSelf the main playable one]][[/note]] wears a pair of braided pigtails in ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', and because her combat outfit is made of PrehensileHair they become a full-body motif when the action starts: smaller braids form a skirt and some bits of embroidery, and a larger pair tie themselves into a giant bow at her waist. She is also, of course, a massively powerful witch armed with SuperStrength, BlackMagic, and a wide vairety of demonic weapons.
212	%%* Lambda-11 and Nu-13 of ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''. ''With blades attached''.
213	* ''VideoGame/CurseCrackersForWhomTheBelleToils'': Belle is a BadassNormal former acrobat who puts her skills to good use against her rival Bonnie's skeletal army, and wears her hair in a single braid with a bell at the end of it.
214	* ''[[Literature/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon DanMachi]]: VideoGame/BattleChronicle'': Ais dons her hair in a braid when dressing in a bikini, but is still a decent fighter who strikes with the innertube she carries.
215	%%* The [[HeroesPreferSwords sword-slinging]] Monica Raybrandt from ''[[VideoGame/DarkCloud Dark Chronicle]]''.
216	%%* Kasumi from ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' used this hairstyle on her first game. Later games keep this as an alternate hairstyle for her.
217	* ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'': North, one of the android rebel leaders, initially wears her hair in a manner to downplay her appearance, but adopts a long braided style as their movement grows and becomes involved in a civil war.
218	* ''Franchise/DragonAge'': Gender Inverted with Oghren in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. He wears his beard in thick red braids, which is not unusual for dwarf men.
219	%%** The game offers braided hairstyles as an option for both the Warden in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' and the Inquisitor in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''.
220	%%** Cassandra Pentaghast wears her hair in a long braid wrapped around her head.
221	* ''VideoGame/EcoFighters'': Neneh wears her hair in braids and is as determined as her brother Ice to stop Kernal Goyolk's destruction of their planet.
222	* Braids are a hairstyle option for both male and female (humanoid) Dovahkiin in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''.
223	%%* [[KnightInShiningArmor Agrias Oaks]] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' has one long braid, in contrast with her knights Alicia and Lavian, who prefer to have their hair loose.
224	%%* Aerith in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' which is ironic seeing as she's more of a WhiteMagicianGirl.
225	* Yuna sports an ankle-length braid in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'', to show her development from YamatoNadeshiko to GunSlinger. However, given that only two years have passed in between the games, one has to wonder if it's [[WildMassGuessing not an extension]] (we never do see it unbraided).
226	%%* [[FieryRedhead Titania]] in ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''. They almost touch the ground.
227	* Sarah Barn from ''VideoGame/GoldenAxe III'' has one long braid that reaches to her waist. She's also an AmazonianBeauty who can throw giants with ease.
228	%%* [[BareFistedMonk Sveta]] in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' keeps her long hair in twin braids.
229	%%* Jinx from ''VideoGame/LeagueofLegends'' wears her hair in two floor length braids. They look quite dynamic flying back from the recoil force of some of her guns.
230	%%* Princess Zelda has a long braid, tied with some sort of jewel at the end, in ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors.''
231	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'':
232	** Ashei, the lady knight, wears her glossy black hair tied in two braids.
233	** Princess Zelda wears one long braid in the back and has a slim braid on either side of her face. She does get in on the action as part of the endgame.
234	* [[LadyOfWar Purple]] [[PhysicalGod Heart]] from the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' games [[PowerMakesYourHairGrow grows long hair]] tied into braids upon transforming from her goofier, short-haired human form.
235	* ''VideoGame/NobodySavesTheWorld'': Ranger, the first female transformation you unlock, has a pair of braids in her purple hair, and she is just as capable of kicking ass as the male forms.
236	* Rai Mei from ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'' is known as a powerful soldier, and she wears her hair in a long braid. She gets to show off her skills in Hikari's first, fourth, and fifth chapters, and the braid keeps her hair out of the way.
237	%%* Kyogoku Maria of ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' 4 has braids that frame both sides of her face.
238	%%* Sophitia and Seong-Mi-Na in the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'' iconically use the one long braid style, and Taki uses two short braids.
239	%%* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
240	%%** Cammy from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII''.
241	%%** Chun-Li in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' combines this with her trademark OdangoHair.
242	%%* [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Princess Zelda]] and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Sheik]] in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'' both wear their hair in a long braid.[[note]] Interestingly, in ''Ocarina of Time'' (where the player was led to believe Sheik was a man), Sheik lacked the braid. By the time of Smash Bros. Sheik was openly female, and the braid was added, possibly because this Sheik is an alter for ''Twilight Princess'' Zelda.[[/note]]
243	* 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.
244	* Julia Chang from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', specifically from the fourth game onwards. Before Julia, it was her adoptive mother, Michelle, who sported braids.
245	* Lara Croft of ''Franchise/TombRaider'' fame sports a ponytail that reaches down to her torso, though later games would shorten it. The reason Lara doesn't have one in the first game outside of [=FMVs=] was due to limitations of the game engine.
246	* ''VideoGame/ToyPop'': Acha's artwork shows her with her long blue hair tied into twin braids and is determined to help Pino save their friends. That said, if she takes one hit, her hair will get loose from her braids.
247	* Groma from ''VideoGame/TriangleStrategy'' wears her hair in a long braid. Fitting, since she's a martial artist who needs to keep her hair out of the way, and she's quite well-known in Aesfrost for her battle prowess.
248	* Lenneth from ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'' has a long silver braid that reaches past her back.
249	* Both Virginia Maxwell and Rebecca Streisand of ''VideoGame/WildArms3'' and ''VideoGame/WildArms5'' respectively, sport these.
250	* Petula from ''VideoGame/YouAreNotTheHero'' has her hair braided on both sides of her head.
251	[[/folder]]
252
253	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
254	* Saber from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' wears a braided bun, which doesn't look like it should be possible with the amount of hair she's shown to have when it's down since it only goes down to her shoulders. It also looks like it would be able to fit under a helm, which would fit with Saber's background [[spoiler:as Myth/KingArthur]].
255	* Peko Pekoyama from ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' wears her hair in two braids, and she's a kendo champion.
256	* Tyrna in ''VisualNovel/SwordDaughter'' has waist-length hair which she describes braiding to put up under her helmet when she dresses for battle. Her character art in the VN shows her wearing it in two braids coiled up at the back of her neck.
257	[[/folder]]
258
259	[[folder:Webcomics]]
260	* Gunnora of ''Webcomic/AlfdisAndGunnora'' is a soldier and wears her hair in two braids. This is a contrast to Alfdis, who wears a ponytail.
261	%%* SKO from ''Webcomic/ElfBlood'' wears her (otherwise particularly long) hair like this when on-duty.
262	%%* Xane "The Maniac" from ''Webcomic/TheLegendOfMaxx'' wears a single super-long braid around his neck like a ScarfOfAsskicking.
263	* Invincea from ''Webcomic/InvinceaAndTheWarriorsFromHell'' has a long braid as one of the defining traits of her character design.
264	* ''Webcomic/RoyalBlue'': Acantha can take down an entire ship by herself and has a long braid.
265	* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': Having her hair in a braid ensures [[spoiler:Mikaila]] can keep it out of the way and tucked up into her cap as she serves secretly in an army that does not allow women to join, without cutting her hair into a boyish style.
266	[[/folder]]
267
268	%%[[folder:Web Original]]
269	%%* Gender Inverted with Jaeris from ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall''.
270	%%* Raine Albion from ''Literature/BusterGirls'' wears her purple hair in twin braids when fighting as Buster Violet.
271	%%[[/folder]]
272
273	[[folder:Western Animation]]
274	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': When Powder grows up into the CuteAndPsycho teenager Jinx, she wears her hair in a couple of blue braids that go down to her boots.
275	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'': As Huntsgirl, Rose has her hair tied into one long braid.
276	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Ty Lee wears her hair in a high braided ponytail when traveling and fighting in a war.
277	%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': P'Li.
278	* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': Numbah 5/Abigail Lincoln wears her hair in a braid and is one of the most skilled fighters in Sector V.
279	* ''WesternAnimation/FiremanSam'': Helicopter pilot Krystyna Kaminski wears her hair in a thick braid. She is notably the only member of the rescue team with hair long enough to braid, as Penny, Ellie, and all of the men wear short hair.
280	* ''WesternAnimation/Invincible2021'': Thula has her hair tied in a long braid, and the braid ends in a knife that's sharp enough to hurt a Viltrumite.
281	* ''WesternAnimation/JadeArmor'': Lan Jun sports a long braided ponytail. As Jade Armor, it grows even longer.
282	* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': When Ladybug and Cat Noir swap Miraculouses in the episode "Reflekdoll", the former as Lady Noire has a floor-length braid that [[ExpressiveHair acts as her "tail"]] in lieu of [[ExpressiveAccessory Cat Noir's belt]].
283	* ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'': In Season 1 (she got a CostumeEvolution in Season 2), Layla the ActionMom and AcePilot wore her hair in a braid.
284	%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Motorcity}}'': Gender-inverted with Bracket, Tennie's father. He has his ''beard'' tied into this.
285	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Granny Smith used to have these when she was a [[PluckyGirl plucky filly]] who [[spoiler:became one of the founders of Ponyville by venturing into [[EnchantedForest the Everfree Forest]] at night on her own so she could replenish the dwindling food supply of her family.]]
286	[[/folder]]
287
288	[[folder:Real Life]]
289	* TruthInTelevision in the sailing community. Suffice to say it's difficult to keep shining, silky soft locks while crossing an ocean. The constant spray of saltwater can dry out your hair so much you can easily tear it with your hands. You'd think having perpetual windswept hair would be [[RuleOfCool cool]], but in reality, it just tangles your hair into a painful, jumbled, knotted rat's nest. On long ocean voyages, supplies are bound to get low, so washing one's hair is bumped down to Priority Number 3,942. Crew members (male and female) frequently will go 1-2 ''weeks'' without washing their hair, and when they do it's sometimes done with dishwashing liquid. When they simply can't stand losing their hair, braids of action is the second most common hairstyle for women sailors, after the bob or pixie cut.
290	* Female skydivers braid their hair. It won't tangle with the rig on opening and it is practical while wearing a helmet.
291	* Female kendo practitioners braid their hair in their helmets.
292	* The Bolivian ladies, known as [[http://www.quimsacruz.com/Site/ESP/eframes.html "cholitas"]], who braid their hair in long braids before they get into wrestling rings and beat the crap out of each other. HilarityEnsues.
293	* Hair regulations for many women in the military (when the hair doesn't have to be cut) say that it must be worn off the shoulders and out of the eyes. Although it's usually worn in a PrimAndProperBun, some women are allowed to have their hair in French braids.
294	* The "braids at the temples"-style (also known as "cadenettes") was commonly worn by French Hussars during UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars. Nearly all European sword styles of the time taught some form of a horizontal cut to the temple, so the braids were a way to get some protection from that style of cut.
295	* Female boxers and martial artists--as well as the few men in the sport with long hair--often braid their hair to keep it out of the way during fights, cornrows being the most popular style for this.
296	[[/folder]]

Context Main / BraidsOfAction