Favorite Female Characters

Although I missed International Women's Day, I wanted to put together a list of my favorite female characters with something I like about each. Female characters don't have to just be "strong" (though that is cool too), but it's great when they have unique personalities as normal people and have their own role in the story apart from a leading or supporting male character (though this does not make their relationship bad or unimportant!). All of these characters are really great and I love how they are portrayed complexly - they are already cool and strong but have moments of weakness that show their humanity and ability to learn and grow. There are so many I want to mention and I'm probably forgetting some ladies I love, but here are my top choices at the moment:

Ellie Miller

Broadchurch

A detective sergeant and a mother, she's thrown into a situation she's not prepared to deal with but her compassion continually shines through.

Rose, Martha, Donna, Sarah Jane, and others

Doctor Who

Rose always puts others first and looks out for people many don't notice. Martha balances what everyone wants from her and stands up for herself. Donna sees the Doctor as he is and encourages people to be their best, even with her own insecurities. Sarah Jane is like another Doctor and adopts *all* the kids.

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Win and Joan Thursday

Endeavour

It's the 60s - Win, the mother of the Thursday family stays home and Joan, her daughter, has a job, and both are portrayed as good and important. Joan is funny and a bit adventurous and Win supports her family through thick and thin. (Dorothea Frazil is cool too)

Cully and Joyce Barnaby and Gail Stephens

Midsomer Murders

Daughter and wife of the lead detective, Cully and Joyce both have an interest in the arts (whether as a career or a hobby). Cully knows what she wants and works toward it, and Joyce likes to try new things and be involved in the community. Gail Stephens is a police officer and while junior to Barnaby and Jones, she has a different set of skills to contribute to investigations.

Molly Hooper

Sherlock

Molly has such a great character arc as she starts out as an awkward, love-sick, mouse and establishes herself and gets the respect she deserves. But it's the two sides of her existing simultaneously that make her so relatable. Also shout out to some other awesome women of Sherlock - Mrs. Hudson, Mary Morstan, Sally Donovan, Anthea, Janine, and Sarah.

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 Eowyn

 The Lord of the Rings

She's a leader and sacrifices what she wants for the good of others, not to mention brave and resourceful and all-around awesome. Shout out to the many other women of Middle-Earth as well.

Hermione Granger

Harry Potter

Her hard work and patient study make her the "brightest witch of her age," and she is strong and flawed and beautiful and loyal and keeps her friends together.

Maya Fey

Ace Attorney

How to summarize the awesomeness of Maya... She seems so real in that she has multiple sides to herself and surprises you as you get to know her. She's quirky and spunky most of the time but doubts her abilities and her worth. Throughout the series she works through personal tragedies while doing anything she can to help her friends. Franziska is also an amazing character I could go on about.

This is getting long so to say a few more:

 Lizzie, Jane, and Lydia Bennet from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Ahsoka, Padme, Leia, Siri, Bant, and many others from Star Wars

Carolyn Knapp-Shappey from Cabin Pressure

Emma Swan and others from Once Upon a Time

Fanny Price from Mansfield Park

Several of my favorite characters are guys, but these women are particularly special. I find many of them are realistic, relatable, and a great part of their story. For those in current series, hopefully this will continue! Who are your favorite female characters?

Mini Reviews

I bring you the first edition of "Arda watches things long after they are released and decides to talk about them after many people stopped being interested in them."

Broadchurch

Broadchurch is an 8-episode British drama about a close-knit community that suffers the tragedy of the murder of an 11-year-old boy and how it affects the family, friends, media, police, and community as a whole. It stars David Tennant as DI Alec Hardy (so it might be a bit obvious why I watched this in the first place) and Olivia Coleman as DS Ellie Miller, both of whom are fantastic. The show is really intriguing and sad, and really gets into how devastated the boy's parents are. Every episode kept me captivated with the emotion and the mystery - eventually, I wasn't sure if I wanted them to solve it or not. It's rated TV-14 and has some heavy issues, so if you're interested but want to know about the content, let me know. Definitely recommend.

 

Mean Girls

The 10th anniversary of Mean Girls was April 30 so I watched it to learn the context of the many lines I heard. It was pretty good, and I enjoyed the coming of age theme. I guess I didn't find it as funny as most people, but I tend to take things seriously and get second-hand embarrassment, so although I like comedies, very few actually make me laugh. But nice to get the references now at least.

The Clone Wars season 6

Watching new TCW episodes reminded me how much I loved this show and I'm sad that there will be no new episodes to look forward to after this. In many of these Palpatine has been looking really sinister and I kind of wish I could forget the movies for a while and be able to speculate about what the heck is going on. While these haven't been my favorite episodes of the series (there are a few in seasons 1, 2, and 3 that are pretty hard to top for me), and they've been kind of sad, I've enjoyed them. The Clovis arc had some interesting interactions between Anakin and Padme, and one scene with Anakin and Obi-Wan that I really liked. I just have the final three episodes left, and I cannot wait to see any bit of Qui-Gon that might be in them.

Frozen

After months of people telling me I have to watch it, I got a chance to see Frozen and really liked it! I had already heard a couple of the songs (Love is an Open Door and Let it Go, which are probably my favorites) and loved the others. Frozen Heart was a surprise but it was so cool. Besides the songs, I really like how they portrayed Elsa, and Anna and Kristoph were great too. Now I must learn all the songs!

From these things that I have watched and the parts that I liked, I can conclude that I like sad things.

In the category of possibly sad things, the Once Upon a Time season finale is tonight. I am not prepared for this.

What have you all been watching lately?

SOPA, PIPA, and Pirates of the Caribbean

The proposition of some members of the United States Congress to combat internet piracy by censoring certain websites has caused an uproar among many frequent users of the internet, but some argue that these measures will help prevent theft and the sale of illegal goods.  In order to avoid any political confrontations, In Western Lands (hereafter known as In Western Lands, Western Lands, IWL, and The Page with Words on It) has decided to publicly and temporarily claim neutrality, and declares that any statements made by employees of In Western Lands (including, but not limited to, Arda) do not in any way reflect the thoughts or opinions of In Western Lands.  Although such a stand has been taken, The Page With Words on It still wishes to present you with a balanced and politically correct report featuring the opinions of individuals on all sides of the debate.

Sparrow opposes the anti-piracy bill.

PORT ROYAL - In Western Lands stopped to chat with Commodore James Norrington and Lord Cutler Beckett.  Both have spent a considerable amount of time trying to rid the seas of pirates, and they agree that similar action must be taken on the internet.

"Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them," said Norrington, speaking of those who upload copyrighted material onto the internet.  "I intend to see to it that any man who breaks the law in such a fashion gets what he deserves."

Lord Beckett agrees, and he believes that although there will be opposition, the bill still has a good chance of passing.  "The pirates know they face extinction.  All that remains is where they make their final stand."

Predictably, those who would be in danger of being shut down are strongly against the bill.  We asked a worried Joshamee Gibbs his thoughts on what SOPA would mean for him.

"It's bad," he said.  "Bad for every mother's son who calls himself a pirate."

With Gibbs was his associate, Captain Jack Sparrow.  Captain Sparrow is also against SOPA, saying that it would take away from the freedom of the those who use the internet.

"It's not just URLs, and flash, and HTML, that's what a website needs, but what a website is, what the internet really is, is freedom."

While Captain Sparrow would prefer that the bill does not pass, he says that it wouldn't be a completely negative outcome for him.  He is already developing software to keep from being censored, and once all the other offending sites are shut down, he will be able to gain everyone's buisness.

"I rather like that idea," Sparrow said.  "Captain Jack Sparrow: The Last Internet Pirate."

Unfortunately, our interview of Captain Sparrow was cut short by the sudden entrance of Commodore Norrington who attempted to arrest the captain.  The two ran from the room before any more questions could be asked.

Not all have such strong opinions.  Captain Hector Barbossa stated that he would not give an opinion until after Congress votes on the anti-piracy bill, an action that was recently postponed.  When asked why he would wait, Barbossa only said, "Where's the harm in joining the winning side?"

Mr. Cotton is another man undecided as to his position, or so we inferred.  His parrot spoke for him, telling us, "Shiver me timbers!"  Gibbs told IWL that it means, "I like grilled cheese."  We are not convinced, but finally concluded that such a statement shows a lack of opinion on the matter.

Nevertheless, many do have strong opinions on SOPA and IWL encourages its readers to be cordial to those who may have opinions different from their own, unlike Sparrow and Norrington, who ran through the room even as Cotton's parrot was speaking.  While Norrington was chasing Sparrow with his sword drawn, Sparrow was calling behind him, "This is the day you will always remember as the day that you almost caught, Captain Jack Sparrow!"

Article on FoxNews.com used as a reference.  The thoughts and opinions expressed do not necessary reflect the opinions of In Western Lands or its employees.  Pirates of the Caribbean is owned by Disney and IWL lays no claim to the characters and quotes taken from the films.  This article is a work of fiction and any resemblance to people, places, or parrots, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.  Please don't sue us.

Star Wars Challenge Day 9

Yesterday we had favorite Original Trilogy movie, and now it's time for favorite Prequel!

My favorite is The Phantom -

No wait.  Revenge of -

Um...Revenge of the Menace?

How about this - the first half of Revenge of the Sith, and the parts in The Phantom Menace that have Qui-Gon and/or Obi-Wan in them.

I can't decide.

The Phantom Menace is awesome because it has Qui-Gon.  Revenge of the Sith is awesome because it has older Anakin.  For me, choosing between the movies is choosing between the characters.  And that's hard.

The Phantom Menace introduces most of the important characters in the prequel films and creates the foundations needed for later developments, such as the source of Anakin's attachment issues and Palpatine's rise to power.  And Qui-Gon's in it.  And it's his only movie.  So even though I'm not too into the podracing or Gungan battle, I really like the movie.  The Jedi Council scenes are some of my favorites, as well as Qui-Gon's moments with Anakin and Obi-Wan.

What's great about Revenge of the Sith is most of the prequel characters have already been introduced and developed in The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, so film could move through the story and bring the trilogy to it's conclusion.  Now that Obi-Wan has completed Anakin's training, he's a lot more relaxed than in AotC and he and Anakin have some fun interactions.  And yes, the end of the movie is incredibly sad and depressing, but I did say I liked the first part, right?

Oh yes, and Padme has beautiful outfits in both movies.  Don't make me decide between them either.

To end this indecisive post, here is a video: the audio of the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End trailer put to clips from Revenge of the Sith - epicness.

May the Lord be with you!

Fall Releases

Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day
September - Earth Wind & Fire


I like September.  Even if it's not any cooler than August, and even though school is starting.  It's a promise that autumn is coming.  And it has a pretty name.

It also marks the beginning of new seasons of TV shows, holds many other releases.  My brother and I recently put together a list of all the releases and premieres we're looking forward to the rest of the year.  Here's what we have:

September 16

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 4

It's almost here!  The trailers and photos released promise an epic season.  Dave Filoni said Season 4 will be darker than the previous seasons, and the subtitle "Battle Lines" hints at more battles this time around.  As events move toward Revenge of the Sith, it seems Anakin is going to becoming closer to his dark side self this season.  But with Gungans in the second episode, hopefully we'll have some fun too.

September 19

The Sing-Off Season 3

The Sing-Off is a musical competition between a cappella groups.  It's really amazing the music they can make with just their voices.  The contestants are always very talented and great people as well, and there isn't any backstage drama, which I really like.  Also, the judges give kind and informative critiques on the performances.  I always watch this with my mom and brother, and it's a fun thing to do together.  Definitely looking forward to the next season.

October 4

Perry Mason Season Six, Volume 1 DVD

CBS begins to release the sixth season of Perry Mason for fans of the expert defense attorney.  Perry Mason is a courtroom drama based on the series of books by Erle Stanley Gardner.  Along with secretary Della and detective Paul, Perry cracks open murder cases the prosecutor, Hamilton Burger, thinks are perfect.  Perry will not only prove his client's innocence, but unmask the true murderer as well.  The shows are always very complex and exciting.  Volume 2 will be released November 22.

October 4

The Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune

The second book in the series following Percy Jackson and the Olympians!  I can't say much about the plot as it would spoil the previous book (The Lost Hero), but it's going to be incorporating some new characters and put an old character in an intriguing new setting.

October 17

Professor Layton and the Last Specter

The fourth game in the Professor Layton series for Nintendo DS is being localized!  This one is a prequel, and will show how the main characters, Layton and Luke, first met!  I've heard a lot about Emmy, the Professor's assistant in the prequels, and am looking forward to getting to know her.  This game has more puzzles than any of the other games, so that should be fun.  My brother and I are going to pre-order it and figure out how to play it at the same time.  I am so incredibly excited!

October 18

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides DVD

The new movie sails to the shelves on DVD and Blu-ray!  Although the first three are my favorites, this movie was still a lot of fun.  It will be great to watch it again and have a better understanding of what's going on, and opportunities to memorize more good quotes!  Plus my mom will get to see it so my dad, brother and I can stop trying to avoid spoilers!  There are a few different versions coming out - the regular DVD edition will come out November 15.

November 4

(poster from Japanese version)

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva DVD

Another Professor Layton localization - this time the movie!  Following Last Specter, the movie has been out for a while in Japan and Europe, and is finally coming to North America!  Although I've been spoiled on one cool part from looking at fan art, I'm as excited for this as Last Specter!

November 23

The Muppets

They're baaaack!  And in a new movie!  Although I've always preferred Sesame Street to The Muppets, but I've been enjoying a few clips lately (particularly the Swedish Chef), and the hilarious trailer promises an entertaining movie.  If only Yoda were in it...

December 6

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers: A King's Ransom

A King's Random is the second books in the series following The 39 Clues books.  Each book is written by a different author (some write more than one), and this one is by Jude Watson, my favorite Star Wars author!  I'm definitely looking forward to it.  The books are set in the modern world, but they incorporate history and give it a different meaning, which is very cool.


A few other things coming out soon are:
September 16, Star Wars Blu-ray
October 11, Kung Fu Panda 2 DVD
October 18, The Clone Wars Season 3 DVD
November 1, Cars 2 DVD

So those are a few releases I'm excited about this fall!  What are you looking forward to?