Female Power in Fantasy
- Jul 18, 2017
- 5 min read
Finally, there is not a single damsel in distress in the “Transformers-The Last Knight”.
Vivian Wembly, the descendant of Merlin, is not a submissive character. She is a fighter. Even in the face of an alien creature (Hot Rod), who is probably a hundred times her size, she fights to survive.
Picture from http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00002220/transformers-lastknight-pic02.html#
However, her shining moment comes near to the end of the movie. As if Michael Bay wants to remind the viewers she is the descendant of Merlin, who has appeared before the cave to ask for help from the Iacon Knights, now, she enters another cave-like alien warship chamber.
To return the Transformers the big favour?
My movie friend, Sherry, pointed out that while other Transformers Reaction Force (TRF) and American soldiers jump ship in the last battle on Cybertron, Vivian is the only one who turns back. With Optimus Prime clearing the path for her to enter the main chamber in Cybertron, and with Cade Yeager following close behind her and giving her the extra powerful swing, Vivian reaches for the alien staff and yanks it out with all her might.
“At the end of it, it still takes a woman to turn the tide in human history,” Sherry remarked, in her usual poker-face and professorial tone, pretty much like that of the Lord Edmund Burton.
Now, Vivian reminds me of another female character.
No, I am not referring to Diana Prince in “Wonder Woman” (2017), although, I must say, the Israeli beauty has tried her best to reprise the role that has been immortalised by Ms Lynda Carter.
Wonder Woman
Picture from http://rippenstain.deviantart.com/art/Wonder-Woman-wallpaper-11-635877565
It is the lady in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy : Princess Eowyn. Beneath her cold and stoic appearance, Eowyn is a composite figure of female power, passion, intelligence and courage to break free from the family cage. Notwithstanding Peter Jackson's excellent cinematographic interpretation, I prefer Tolkien's text version.
Princess Eowyn versus Lord of Nazgul
Picture from https://sarahcradit.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/rotk1763.jpg
In her confrontation against the most fearsome Witch-King, Lord of the Nazgul, Eowyn demonstrated her raw grit and killer streak:
A cold voice answered: “ Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.” {Basically, it hints at mind rape, somewhat similar to the sexual assault carried out in the text-based Online world.}
A sword rang as it was drawn. “Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.” {by Eowyn}
“Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!” {by Lord Nazgul, referring to the 1000-year-old prophecy that he would not “fall by the hand of man”. }
Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm {Eowyn's alias identity} laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel.
“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.”
With the help of Merry, Eowyn thrusted her sword into the dark lord “between crown and mantle” and vapourised the Witch-King into thin air.
Lesson learnt from Vivian Wembly and Eowyn:
Do not co-exist with the Devil.
Another powerful female character, albeit a nefarious figure, in “Transformers-The Last Knight” resides in cyberspace...sorry, I mean Cybertron.
She is Quintessa, the Sorceress, the Regent of Cybertron and the self-proclaimed Maker of Primus and all the Transformers.
Quintessa
Picture from http://www.thepicta.com/media/1533435669695071058_3308277365
Defeated by Unicron (that is, Earth) long ago, Cybertron has been reduced to its pathetic state of desolation. It badly needs some revitalisation. Therefore, Quintessa steers Cybertron right into Unicron with one mission: to drain the latter of its power. To expedite her mission, she bewitched Optimus Prime, charged him with the task of defeating Unicron and rejuvenating Cybertron. As a sign of her mastery, Quintessa renamed her new slave “Nemesis Prime”.
Picture from http://www.iamag.co/features/transformers-5-the-last-knight-official-trailer-3/
Now, the name “Quintessa” seems to allude to the fifth element in the European alchemy: Quintessence, the divine sparks latent in all things. I cannot help but recall Luc Besson's sci-fi movie, “The Fifth Element” (1997). In this movie, the fifth element is a human form called Leeloo, who has the power to combine four other elements into a divine light to kill the evil.
Leeloo-the fifth element
Picture from http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/future-now-luc-besson-fifth-element/
Besides that, Quintessa's fashionable metallic head-dress bears a close resemblance to that of another Greek mythological figure: Medusa's head. Furthermore, wherever Quintessa appears, the Transformers Knights are cast in stony poses. That is pretty much similar to a look at Medusa's beauty would turn one into a statue of sand and clay. In short, both female antagonists appear in their respective storylines with an axe to grind.
The character Medusa has appeared in various fantasy movies, most notably, in recent years, “Clash of the Titans” (2010) and “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” (2010). However, I still remember the one in my childhood.
“Saint Seiya”
Picture from <a hre='http://jonvilma.com'>http://jonvilma.com</a>
One of my favourite childhood cartoons was “Saint Seiya” aka “Knights of the Zodiac”. That was my introduction into the world of Greek Mythology. Whatever their celestial squabble or territorial dispute was—from heaven to earth to Milky Way or other esoteric planetary orbits, somehow eluded me. I was more fascinated by their sharp-looking and sophisticated outfits and their supposedly spiritual power. (Think Cosplay!) Amongst them, Medusa was a mesmerising dark character who embraced death. Even after she was gone, one of the knights, Arglo, used the Medusa's Shield to wreck some havoc that eventually led to a showdown with Shiryu.
Battle between Argol (with Medusa's Shield) and Dragon Shiryu,
Picture from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/521784306802756777/
However, too much of a fascination-gone-unchecked may do more harm than good to an impressionable young mind. In the realm unseen by the naked human eye, there is such a thing called “transference of vicarious experience”. As I was already a precocious child, living in a fantasy world made it more difficult for my growing up years. My fascination with death was subtle yet real. It affected my outlook in life, pushing myself to excel in everything (even things I did not enjoy doing) just to make a point — “I have done it, so what?” . I did not like failures, let alone “embrace failure” in order to move forward. So, depressions kicked in bit by bit, without my own awareness. As such, I actually burnt out much faster than my peers. Several years later, in my adulthood, it took someone of a higher stature, ES (my pastor), to snap me out of it, or rather, snap the “Medusa” out of me. I am thankful he has zero tolerance for any transference. (By the way, readers, that's a very nice story for another day. SSS!)
For parents who are trying to understand their children and teenagers, I strongly suggest that you find out more about the movies your children have been watching and the online games they have been playing. It would help a great deal. Children and teenagers really need parental guidance to navigate through the narrative plot and make sense of the character development (good or bad). Always anchor the children in the real world with you.
If need be, exercise parental control and forbid them from watching certain movies or playing certain games.
Several years ago, when a friend was asked by her eight-year-old son when he could watch “Harry Potter”, she replied as-a-matter-of-factly, “When you are 60 years old.” And the child still lives happily without “Harry Potter”.
For the more discerning young writers, perhaps, you may reflect on your own experience and figure out which story and/or which character has affected you the most so far. You never know, it may change your outlook in life and your story-telling style!
Happy Writing!
Comments