Tuesday 16 May 2006, by Kara :

Two More Buffyverse characters are on this list

Fred is #47

Willow is #31

47. Winifred Burkle from Angel

There is no stronger cast of female characters in genre fiction than on Buffy and Angel, and Winifred Burkle was no exception. Fred came to LA to study physics, but when her intellect and ability threatened to surpass her professor and mentor, he arranged for her to find a mystical book that sucked her into a demon dimension. She spent five years there before being rescued by Angel and company — the first part being treated like cattle by the demon inhabitants and the last part living in a cave by herself in fear for her life.

Five years in a demon dimension would be enough to make anyone crazy. It took a while for her to stop coloring on the walls with crayons.

She was the all-purpose, "Hey, I know the answer to this impossible to answer scientific question" science nerd as well as the "heart" of the team. She was the one who expressed the "heart on your sleeve" human emotional responses to what was going on: Evil seems most evil when viewed through the eyes of someone who has not become inured to it.

While sweet and timid most of the time, she could surprise you in her strength and her ability to see through most ruses. On the surface, her sweetness gave the impression of being gullible, but time and time again that proved to be false. Her most shocking moment was when she had her revenge on her old professor by trying to send him into a demon dimension forever. She was a sweet girl, but you sure didn’t want to cross her. [Rachel Ivey and Joe Crowe]

31. Willow Rosenberg from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer

The most compelling character in the entire Buffy universe. Bar none — even Buffy (Although Giles comes close).

Willow Rosenberg started the series as the mousy brain, the Velma, of the Scooby gang, and ended the series as its most powerful hero. She took up magic, dated a werewolf, then almost destroyed the world when she let her magic powers get out of hand.

There are many great Willow episodes: Her encounter with her evil alternate reality self; the one where she reassures Spike after a brain chip makes him vampirically impotent; that one time at band camp — sorry, wrong character.

Best part of all? No moping. Buffy pouted through most of the show’s last few seasons, but Willow was always there with the sarcasm. When things went worst for her, when her girlfriend Tara was murdered, she didn’t whine. She just let loose all her magical power and skinned the guy alive. [Joe]

I prefer the kinder, gentler Willow. The one who put ice-cream on her nose in hopes that Xander would lick it off, and then crumbled when Xander, mooning over a recently returned Buffy, simply glanced at her and said "You’ve got something on your nose." The one who sat at home with her two friends trying to make sense of Bollywood musicals. The one who came to a costume party dressed up like an Eskimo.

At her best, Willow was the most vulnerable of the Scooby Gang, the most human in a world of heroes and monsters, and the beating heart of the show [Jason]

One thing no one could ever say about Willow Rosenberg: "Bored now." [Joe]

I’m kinda surprised that Fred is on this list but not Cordelia though



Monday 29 May 2006, by Marty :

"Not just the greatest heroine of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, but the greatest silver-screen heroine OF ALL TIME."

This was Jason talking about Ellen Ripley. As a serious long-time fan of this character, I’d agree, 100%. I’d also agree about Dana Scully being on this list. Well done, folks.



These comments are an anwser to this article : Top 75 Heroines of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror - Buffy is #2

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