Warrior princess
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In fictional works, the character type warrior princesses refers to a strong female personality of royal background, determined in pursuit of her goals and often eager to take on typical "man's work" like fighting wars or performing manual labour to accomplish those goals. The warrior princess stands in contrast to the "damsel in distress" stock character.
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[edit] Historical examples
- See also: History of women in the military, Timeline of women in ancient warfare, and Timeline of women in Medieval warfare
Actual female royalty participating in combat with the knowledge and consent of their government has historically been extremely rare. While rarely female nobles have accompanies armies and perhaps aided in their command, direct physical combat was usually seen as unseemly and improper for women.
A rare example is Princess Pingyang. At the time the daughter of a Duke, she raised and commanded her own army in the revolt against the Sui Dynasty. Later, her father would become Emperor Gaozu. Artemisia I of Caria was a Greek Ionian Queen allied with Xerxes and commanded five ships of her own; though her actions in the battle are questioned by some historians, it is said that Xerxes commented after the battle, a Persian loss, that "my men have turned into women and my women into men" in compliment to Artemisia's performance. The Spartan princess Arachidamia she is said to have fought Phyrrhus (of the phrase "pyrrhic victory") with a group of Spartan females under her command, and killed several soldiers before perishing, though little else is known about her.
[edit] Mythological examples
Besides the figures of the Amazons, whose princesses appeared in Greek legends, various other warrior princesses have appeared in literature: Belphoebe and Britomart in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Bradamante in Orlando Furioso, and Camilla in the Aeneid.
In Hindu mythology, Chitrāngadā, wife of Arjuna was the commander of her father's armies.
In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena, whose father Zeus is the king of Olympus, is a warrior who champions the warrior king Odysseus and the Greeks in Homer's Iliad.
In British mythology, Queen Cordelia fought off several contenders for her throne by personally leading the army in its battles.
[edit] Modern examples
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[edit] Literature
- Kadiya, one of the three Princesses of Ruwenda from the Trillium series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, and Andre Norton, has been explicitly called a "warrior princess" on many occasions by other characters, which is also quite appropriate considering her straightforward and determined nature.
- Though never called a princess, Éowyn of The Lord of the Rings is the niece of King Théoden and the sister of Éomer, who later succeeds their uncle. She disguises herself as a warrior and kills the leader of the Ringwraiths. She later marries a prince.
- Elayne Trakand one of the characters in the Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan. Elayne was the daughter-heir and is now queen of the nation of Andor and often disregards her own safety in many situations in order to win a confrontation.
- Margaret of Urbs, aka The Black Flame, in the first part (Dawn Of Flame) of the post-apocalyptic novel by Stanley G. Weinbaum, where a parallel is established between this character and the warrior queen, Semiramis.
[edit] Comics
- Wonder Woman, is also known as Princess Diana of the Amazons, has long played a warrior role in DC Comics.
- Princess Projectra is a princess in the future of DC with illusionary powers.
- Storm of the X-Men is the daughter of a princess of an African tribe and thus a princess herself inherited.
- In the DC Comics' New Teen Titans, sisters Starfire and Blackfire are alien warrior princesses of the planet Tamaran who can fly, have super strength, are damage resistant, and shoot energy beams.
- The Amalgam Comics' fusion of Starfire and Shatterstar: Shatterstarfire, is similarly a warrior princess who has the above abilities and also fights with a sword.
- Lilandra and Deathbird, sisters of the Shi'ar Empire, were once princesses and strong warriors, of Marvel Comics' X-Men.
- Zeetha is the lost princess of the lost tribe of Zifander in the webcomic Girl Genius. She is a fierce warrior and a tutor to the title character.
[edit] Video games
These video game characters are, or developed into, warrior princesses.
- Princess Zelda: Starting off as a damsel in distress in The Legend of Zelda, the first appearance of Zelda in a warrior role was in the American cartoon. In the games, she first took on a warrior role in Ocarina of Time and has continued into every game thereafter. Zelda is first playable in Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with transforming into her alter ego Sheik. Recently, Zelda has been joined by other warrior princess figures in the series, most notably her ally Midna, with whom Zelda shares the eponymous title Twilight Princess.
- Princess Peach: Princess Peach began as a damsel in distress in Mario Bros. based upon the female interest in Donkey Kong, she first took on a fighting and playable role in Super Mario Bros. 2 along with her servant Toad, where violence consisted of throwing vegetables, enemies and blocks to destroy enemies. In the US she was known as Princess Toadstool. Due to the dubious nature of Mario 2's construction (Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic), Super Mario RPG can be considered the first instance of a game being designed with her fighting in mind. In it, she fights by slapping, hitting with a parasol or frying pan, as well as magic abilities that are mostly defensive save for the Psych Bomb. She also appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee with abilities reflecting the other games, with the addition of a golf club, related to her appearances in the Mario Golf series. Peach's first starring role in a video game came with the release of Super Princess Peach in 2006.
- Princess Kitana of the Mortal Kombat gaming series is the deposed princess who also enters the tournament. She fights with bladed fans, and is often just as brutal as other characters.
- Princess Elena of the Street Fighter series is a princess of an African tribe, and a martial artist practitioner of the art of Capoeira. She also holds a PhD in medicine.
- Queen Catherine Ironfist from the old Might and Magic universe and her remote Ashan counterpart, Queen Isabel Griffin, both from the Heroes of Might and Magic series.
- Lady Lyndis of Caelin aka Lyn from Fire Emblem is the princess and last survivor of the Lorca tribe from the Sacae plains. She sets out to claim her right to the throne of Caelin (her mother, Madelyn, is the daughter of Lord Hausen, the current marquess), and later to help her friends (and possible romantic suitors) Eliwood of Pherae and Hector of Ostia to fight the corrupted Black Fang.
- Lady Sia of Lady Sia is the game's protagonist. She's a skilled sword-fighter, magic-wielder and shapeshifter.
- Princess Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca (Ashe) of Final Fantasy XII is heir to the throne of Dalmasca (thought to have committed suicide after the death of her family and invasion of her land) and one of the game's main protagonists. In hiding she changes her name, founds a resistance faction, and eventually attempts to overthrow the Archadian rule. By default she wields a sword, is adept at magic, and is portrayed throughout the story as tough, smart, determined and a bit aloof.
[edit] Film
[edit] Television
- Xena: Portrayed by Lucy Lawless in the series Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena fought with a variety of weapons, most notably the chakram. She was once a notorious warlord; the result of straying away from her original path of goodness: defending her homeland, to the path of darkness due to a deadly betrayal by (a fictionalized version of) Julius Caesar. On a seemingly unstoppable rampage, she destroyed anything (or anyone) who stood in her way. But after seeing the error of her ways (see Hercules: The Legendary Journeys for further explanation), Xena began to look for redemption by atoning her past misdeeds (which was where the television series began).
- Shura Yukihimi: US title Princess Blade. Portrayed by Yumiko Shaku, Princess Yuki is Takemikazuchi royalty, a clan of assassins with very few of royal blood remaining, named after Takimikazuchi-no-Mikoto, a patron deity of warriors. When she discovers the leader of the clan killed her mother in order to take control, she must battle the leader and the rest of her clan. She is young, ruthless and very proficient with swords.
[edit] Animation
- She-Ra, in the He-Man universe (and his female counterpart) is called the Princess of Power, and fights as well as any man. Her friend Princess Glimmer is also a fighter in her own right, though more inexperienced since she's still in training.
- Princess Flame: In the cartoon Blazing Dragons, the princess, despite being demure and wanting to be Flicker's damsel, is quite a capable warrior and is never actually bested when she fights, winning the tournament in which the winner would win her hand. Has knocked out a human knight with a spiked mace, and held Flicker off the ground (straight arm, parallel to the ground) while wearing platemail.
- In the cartoon Teen Titans, sisters Starfire and Blackfire are alien warrior princesses of the planet Tamaran.
- Princess Azula of the Fire Nation from Avatar The Last Airbender is one of the most powerful characters in the series and a firebending prodigy.
- Sailor Moon is the reincarnation of Princess Serenity, and also a warrior against demons in the show. Princess Kakyuu is also a sailor senshi in the manga.
- In Gundam Seed, Cagalli Yula Athha is a princess of the Orb Union who engages in aircraft and personal combat, with bravery in spite of extreme odds.
- In Slayers, the warrior priestess Amelia Saillune is princess of Saillune.
- In Scrapped Princess, Senes Giat, a princess of the Giat Empire, is often referred to as "Beast Princess" because of her untamed character and her fear-inspiring finesse with her sword and magic.
