Within the last day or two a couple of articles have been posted on the topic of feminism within comic book movies. Browsing the comments to these articles revealed that there are clearly many different ideas as to what makes a ‘good’ or ‘strong’ female character and I was interested in the dialogue that this opened. After all, how come there is such disagreement between the strength and worth of these characters? Surely such things should be obvious. I have my own ideas as to how these characters could be judged and thought I’d share them with regards to analysing the three primary female protagonists in the big comic book films this year: The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises.
Something I feel should be addressed when discussing this is the obvious matter of to what extent does gender actually play a role in the conversation. After all, characters are more than just the combination of their chromosomes and oftentimes the strength of a character within a narrative has nothing to do with gender, and everything to do with issues regarding their place in said narrative. As such, when I look at these characters, I will look at them first as characters without gender and then specifically within the tropes associated with female characters or femininity.
Gwen Stacy – The Amazing Spider-Man
This will almost certainly be the most controversial thing written within this article but given that I disagree so completely with the popular opinion, I think it’s worth discussing. Gwen Stacy is the weakest and ‘worst’ female character of the three by a fair distance. I’ll say up front that this is nothing to do with Emma Stone who clearly deserves praise for endearing such a bland character to so many. This is not a criticism of her at all.
To best express myself, I think it’s worth looking at the character on a micro scale, to an accurate as degree possible without a DVD to hand. In my opinion, when a character is written well, the audience should be able to place themselves in the mindset of that character with an understanding of why they do what they do and have become the person they have. Part of creating this identity should also create limitations, in that there should be an equally well defined idea about what a character wouldn’t say or do. This is possible because we can evaluate these people, flaws and all and recognise their weaknesses. What does this have to do with Gwen? I don’t think an audience member can feasibly know who this girl is.
Our opinions about Gwen form very early on when she stands up to Flash and gets him to move on. We can assume she has some sense of compassion because of this and perhaps even see a lack of confidence that meant she would only act after Peter set a precedent. Alternatively, we’re looking at a girl who acted compassionately in defence of Peter, a boy she clearly likes. The nail in Gwen’s coffin though is she won’t really evolve in our minds past this initial scene as her role will become more auxiliary from this point onwards.
I will probably have to justify that so here goes. The next time we see Gwen is in the context of her internship at Oscorp (I will discuss the implications of this in a later paragraph). This scene is indicative of a lot of what’s wrong with how Gwen’s character is used in the film, the filmmakers are so concerned with attempting to create a relationship between Peter and Gwen that is both charming and genuine that they miss the woods for the trees. As Gwen and Peter banter, both of them falter and awkwardly lose sentences as one might expect from teenagers with a crush, but such failure to communicate means that they don’t communicate. Other than the fact that they are attracted to each other, which comes across loud and clear, their banter is empty with the occasional plot point brought up to prevent the narrative reaching a screeching halt. Gwen’s character is somewhat destined to be defined by her relationship with Peter but the pursuit of that relationship tells us nothing about her, not even why she likes Peter rather than Flash or one of her debate team cohorts.
The problem continues after Gwen does make an active decision and asks Peter to meet her family, driven by her only definable characteristic at this point, liking Peter. An opportunity is missed during Peter and Captain Stacy’s debate to establish something about how Gwen sees the world, her father’s role or Spider-Man and she only speaks up to chastise her father, again in defence of Peter. Her opinion of Peter is unchanged by his revelation and the plot changes somewhat from a character driven story into a plot driven one. The threat of the Lizard looms so large that scenes between the Peter and Gwen that have overcome their nervous stuttering don’t explore why they continue to associate but rather, takes it for granted that they do. Another opportunity is missed to explore how Gwen feels about her mentor’s transformation or her view of scientific progress and instead Gwen recycles her concern for Peter and asks him plot related questions.
The best scene that Gwen has is when a wounded Peter seeks her aid and the audience learns something about her beyond her caring for Peter. She confides in him that she often fears for her father’s life in an attempt to stop him risking his own. Unfortunately, this revelation falls flat because it doesn’t contextualise any of her previous scenes (in the way that Bruce Banner’s “I’m always angry” does) or really offer any new insight into her character. She loves her father. Compassion for her loved ones is the only real trait the audience can attach to with Gwen and although it makes sense, it does not make for an interesting character with a strong presence. She is presented to us very simply with a very simple relationship and because she lacks conviction or much assertiveness, I cannot call her a strong character because she doesn’t have much of a character to begin with.
Of course, some of you will be screaming at me that I haven’t mentioned her role in the climax of the film, now I shall do so. Gwen is said to be more intelligent than Peter and she does put together the Lizard cure and defend herself against the Lizard while vowing to get civilians out the building. However, these attributes are less impressive because they seem token and in service of plot, rather than character. By that I mean that Gwen’s intelligence is merely a label with no elaboration. We don’t know how Gwen feels about science, why she’s a scientist or what she hopes to achieve so her being smart is as vital to her character as being blonde. In the same way that a character is not ‘strong’ by virtue of an action scene, Gwen does not gain strength from her scientific acumen. She is like Dr Selvig in that regard, necessary for the plot and somebody else’s benefit. The improvised flamethrower is cute but again, it doesn’t contribute anything.
I promised to speak something of how a character performs within the tropes of female characters within the genre so I will quickly. The reason I think so many like Gwen is that she subverts the most common trope we can consider, the damsel in distress, by torching Connors and getting out the building herself. She also makes the first move with Peter. The problem is, the absence of tired tropes does not equal the presence of positive ones. It’s not even that Gwen subverts all of these tried clichés, she is still essentially defined by a man and all her significant emotions are driven by them. For better or for worse, she is an incredibly archetypal love interest and is not elevated beyond that in a way that Pepper Potts is.
Selina Kyle – The Dark Knight Rises
I don’t know if anyone is still reading this or whether everyone has angrily chosen to ignore me after all that but rest assured, this section will be shorter and more positive. Catwoman’s role in TDKR is relatively active and composes an important subtext about social mobility that imbues her role with additional strength and meaning.
What we learn about her from her opening scene are things which will be both challenged and explored to a degree as the film progresses which strikes a contrast with Gwen. The audience sees her as someone who is playfully manipulative; taking on roles that reflect how she thinks those around her will see her. Her exaggeration of these roles underlines a contempt for her own position and her disregard for the crippled Wayne’s dignity suggest both pragmatism and a petulance, all of which comes to bear later on.
Already, we see a character with strong, defining characteristics and her own convictions. When dealing with Daggett’s associate, she demonstrates the same petulance in her desire to show him up when she has already prepared an escape route in an example of intelligence being used to inform character. In this instance, those traits emphasised are selfishness and distrust. The fact that she’s looking for the blank slate program centres her character around a firm goal, to forge a life of better circumstances for herself. This means the audience can appreciate the motive behind her actions and understand her flaws which are wrapped up within said motive. We can understand why a woman would want to free herself from her position when we see the traits such a position has forced her to adopt.
Her character shows a greater range of traits than those though, as seen by the way she casts herself in a role of guardian over a young girl and later aids a boy which implies that rather than being purely self motivated, she perhaps has some desire to protect others from her own fate. Such desires, while present are overwhelmed though by self preservation which again hints at character flaws and limits, having been shaped by her environment in an understandable way. An extra layer of humanity is given to her by her fear of Bane and this is important because character strength derives from overcoming shortcomings so it actually means something when Selina decides to return and help in the climax. That she has some feelings of attraction towards Bruce only serves to further delve into her psyche and demonstrate an evolution of perspective. All these things show her to be a multi faceted character that the audience can understand which means her strength is more apparent when she achieves what she does.
In terms of femininity, Catwoman is used in a fairly traditional sense as a femme fatale, employing her sexuality to manipulate men and punishing them for their objectification and demeaning attitudes. Sometimes this is done in a relatively trite manner, such as the scene in the prison, but it is toned down for the most part which makes the otherwise obnoxious moments palatable. Her character has strengths though that are divorced from this femme fatale archetype which allows her to overcome these moments and cement her as a credible, strong character.
Natasha Romanoff – The Avengers
Finally we come to the Black Widow and perhaps my second controversial opinion. Much like with Gwen Stacy, my opinion seems to run contrary to many in that I find her character to be strong, layered and Scarlett Johansson’s performance to be equally so. Out of the Avengers ensemble, Natasha is, to my mind, the second most interesting and strongest character.
There are quite a few parallels between the way Black Widow and Catwoman are portrayed, which makes sense given that they are both presented so well. Natasha’s first scene paints a beautiful picture of her as a calculating and perceptive individual who has grown complacent to the point of arrogance. She also demonstrates an independence of thought and conviction which operates simultaneously with her working for SHIELD, suggesting that in many ways, she is using SHIELD to benefit herself more than they employ her. These qualities are developed and explored throughout the film while she also proves to have an arc that is central to the heart of the film, further imbuing her character with strength.
Her recruitment of Banner is another showcase of the character’s intricacies as the audience learns, in an interesting contrast with Catwoman, that Natasha’s past has shaped her attitude towards the world into one of clinical cynicism as she brushes off her use of a child. The conversation demonstrates her mercurial nature as she slips through tactic after tactic, refusing to yield ground until Banner questions Fury’s motivations. Interestingly, Natasha recognises Fury’s deceptions openly at first rather than shut down the accusation even though it places her at the ire of the Hulk, who we know she fears. This very tellingly suggests to the audience that Natasha’s involvement with SHIELD is not entirely naive and that she is willing to accept the deception, presumably because she gains something in return. Her character is benefited by the fascinating implications of her being willing to sacrifice immediate control and safety in order to maintain her psychological well being.
As the film continues, Natasha demonstrates a world weary cynicism and her interrogation of Loki lays out exactly how aware she is of the finite nature of everything which allows the audience to understand her nature especially with the knowledge of her past atrocities. It’s here that it becomes clear exactly what Natasha takes from SHIELD and Hawkeye, which is a detached perspective and sense of atonement. The ultimate triumph of the Black Widow is not in her measured manipulations but rather how, when Loki, Banner and the Hulk systematically tear down the house of cards that is her world view and sense of control, physically and mentally, she gets back up. Like Catwoman, Natasha’s strength is obvious and pronounced because she is shown to build herself up from her lowest point, overcoming her flaws.
The dynamic of female empowerment is manipulated interestingly in the Avengers. Natasha never employs her sexuality in an overt way for her own benefit like Catwoman does, instead the film merely punishes misogyny through the competence of Natasha. She succeeds through intelligence, wit and skill and her gender is never mentioned by anyone other than Loki. She is portrayed as entirely equal.
That is why I consider her the strongest female protagonist of the year’s comic films. Not only does she utilise her intelligence and physical capabilities to aid the team in a tangible way, she defeats her own personal demons as well. Catwoman does too, but she is not brought down to as low a point as Natasha. Gwen unfortunately gets no arc to really demonstrate any strength of character. I hope you found something to think about in this appallingly long rambling article. I look forward to maybe debating some of this with you.