Women, Ya'll Gotta Struggle Too
Why flawless female characters fall flat—and how real struggle makes them shine.
Not all women are created equal. Some are nurturing, some are sarcastic, some are suckers for romance while others are a bit spastic. No matter how they're created, very few are interesting. In fact, most are drab, dreary, even downright boring. They think they have it all put together, nary a struggle to be found.
Looking down on everyone else from their ivory-scripted thrones.
If you haven't put it together yet, I'm referring to fictional women. Dreamed up and scripted out.
What's going on in the mind of these writers that turn them into arse-kissing white knights? It's disgusting. Not only that but it ends up having the opposite effect and most of the audience dislikes these characters—except for the most ardent heavy-core 7th wave feminists from hell. You go xirl. Do they hate women? Were they not birthed from betwixt the loins of a woman? Have they no respect?
Do women not deserve great depth and meaningful backstories? In giving these characters everything at the cost of nothing, they've brought great shame against their family and every woman in it.
A funny thing sent me spiralling down this rabbit hole. I was sitting the other day writing ideas for Substack notes. I came up with one that included Superman and the catchphrase, ”can leap tall buildings in a single bound”. Then I had the bright idea to create one with Superwoman as well—inclusivity or something. The trouble was I couldn't for the life of me think what her catchphrase was.
Weird.
Turning to the onlines I started searching. And boy, did I find a whole lotta nothing.
Super weird.
Surely Superwoman had a catchphrase, right? I spun up a fresh ChatGPT window—a temporary one. I couldn't risk my toxic masculinity, previous chats and custom instructions getting ChatGPT all flustered and hot under the collar—I needed it to focus.
This was serious.
This is how the actual conversation went:
Me:
superman leaps tall buildings in a single bound, what does superwoman do?
ChatGPT:
Superwoman doesn't just leap tall buildings—she flies straight over them with elegance and efficiency, leaving a trail of awe and inspiration. Because why settle for a leap when you can soar?
Me:
okay, feminism schtick aside, gimme something real. Here's what I'm using it for. I'm creating Substack notes, one is:
You're overwhelmed because you're trying to leap tall buildings in a single bound. You're not superman, break it up into steps.
Now I want a superwoman version, so:
You're overwhelmed because you're trying to [insert superwoman thing / reference here without explicitly mentioning superwoman]. You're not superwoman, break it up into steps.
ChatGPT:
Got it! Here's a fitting take:
You're overwhelmed because you're trying to take off and save the whole city in one flight. You're not superwoman, break it up into steps.
Me:
Great, thanks. And why so heavy on the feminist thing from the start?
ChatGPT:
Fair question! Sometimes people associate certain terms or characters with broader cultural or social connotations, so my initial response leaned on that angle. But your follow-up clarified that you were looking for a more grounded, practical reference without unnecessary overtones, so I adjusted accordingly.
Appreciate you keeping me on track—helps me deliver exactly what you’re after!
Me:
Superman is well-known for the, "can leap tall buildings in a single bound", but I've never heard "take off and save the whole city in one flight" in relation to superwoman. Does she not have an equivalent thing?
ChatGPT:
Superwoman doesn’t have a universally iconic tagline like Superman's "leap tall buildings in a single bound," because her character has varied significantly across adaptations and continuities. However, she is often portrayed as being just as capable—if not more so—in terms of flight, strength, and multitasking heroics.
That said, you could craft something that resonates with her general traits. For instance:
Superwoman often represents doing it all at once: She’s flying, fighting villains, and solving problems simultaneously. A good metaphor might focus on the pressure of handling everything at once, which aligns with how she’s often depicted as someone who "does it all."
Here’s how you might frame it:
"You’re overwhelmed because you’re trying to juggle saving the city, stopping meteors, and rescuing everyone all at once. You’re not superwoman, break it up into steps."
This captures her essence and makes the metaphor relatable.
Me:
Why are female characters sometimes viewed in terms of being able to do everything all the time without any inherent weaknesses or struggles within their story arcs in various media?
ChatGPT:
Great question! This tendency often stems from a mix of historical trends in storytelling, cultural expectations, and shifts in how female characters are portrayed in media over time. Here's a breakdown:
And on it went—if you want the rest of the chat I can post it in a thread.
she is often portrayed as being just as capable—if not more so...
Ugh, here we go again with the over-compensating white-knighting.
I know what you're thinking—she earned it!
Didn't she?
Surely she overcame massive adversity (being born a woman is not adversity, gimme a break) and had many struggles along the way?
If her hooked up to Superman via IV is adversity, sure!
The first version of Superwoman (1943) saw Lois Lane dream about getting powers via blood transfusion from Superman. The second incarnation of Superwoman also didn't get any powers—she was gaslit into thinking she did. Later stories were gracious enough to grant her temporary powers—though she had to be back in the kitchen before her powers ran out, otherwise rotten pumpkins would appear and she'd have to clean it all by herself. I may have made that last part up—had you going though, didn't I?
Afterwards, it goes:
Superman created a formula
Hypothetical futures
changing places with Superman
Superman dies—explosion, now she has powers
There's a bunch.
You don't wanna hear me drone on about them anymore than I want to write them.
What Makes a Good character?
Do you find rich, stuck up people to be borish and boring? Like they grew up not having to do anything for themselves? Like they didn't experience anything other than,
...then my dad told off Jeeves, you should have seen his face!
When you're given everything you want and nothing you need growing up you end up entitled. You end up boring. Shallow.
You'll see the same with fictional characters. If you give your character everything—all the powers, all the talent, all the charm and charisma, without any of the struggles or adversity—all you've created is a hollow arc with pretty packaging. Sometimes not even that. An empty shell of a 'agonist—ant or otherwise.
Ripley's Believe it or Not
Ellen Ripley.
What a woman, right?
If you were an alien she'd kick your arse six ways from Sunday, then nurse a baby afterwards. There's the duality of man, then there's the duality of Ripley. She was strong yet maternal, survivor and hero, leader and nurturer, 1970s expectations defier. With everything she had to sacrifice, the one thing she didn't was her femininity.
The Alien movie franchise was all about reproduction and survival, with a sprinkling of corporate greed. Mother vs. mother where only the strongest and most cunning would survive. Ripley's emotions and physique transform across three movies.
In ‘Alien’ she's the reluctant survivor
→ ‘Aliens’ she becomes the fierce protector
→ ‘Alien 3’ Ripley evolves into the embodiment of growth, resilience and wears the crown, and by virtue, the burden of heroism.
There is no one single way to write characters, man or woman. My criticisms are aimed at the 'hero' class of characters, but this can apply to any. If there's never any problem to overcome, no struggle to battle against, the character will be boring and uninteresting. If that's your goal, have at it. Write up an ironic, satirical character—it could be funny! All I ask is you credit me with the inspiration, deal?
Next I will describe another poorly scripted character then run you through a movie I watched last week.
Star Wars 911
Do you like Star Wars? I don't mean, "May the Luke be with you" like, but have a true appreciation, even if you're not obsessed. I remember seeing Return of the Jedi when I was a kid. I've never been a huge Star Wars fanboy, but I can't deny the impact that movie had on little me. Watching the newer movies didn't move me in the same way. Some moved me in the complete opposite direction.
Like The Force Awakens.
Or more specifically, Rey.
From the moment we meet her, she’s it. The best pilot. The best fighter. The best at everything. She doesn’t train, she doesn’t struggle, she doesn’t fail. She just is. It’s like if someone smacked a baby in the face with a university diploma,
Huzzah! You're a doctor now, congrats!
No work, no sacrifice, no lessons learned—just pure, unadulterated, undeserved greatness.
Luke Skywalker had to train. He had to lose. He had to get his arse handed to him, hand literally handed to him (the absence of it, anyway). Anakin? Born with the highest midichlorian count in the galaxy, trained from childhood, and still failed. Still struggled. Still lost.
Rey? Picked up a lightsaber and, bam, instant Jedi. No Yoda required. No grueling days lifting rocks in a swamp. Just raw, innate brilliance. She takes on Kylo Ren, a trained Sith, and beats him first go. And we’re supposed to pretend that’s normal? Get outta here.
And don't gimme that,“Oh, but Kylo was injured!”. So was Luke when he fought Vader. He still got folded like a lawn chair and tossed down a shaft.
Where’s the tension? Where’s the challenge? If your character starts at the finish line, why should I care? Rey isn’t a hero—she’s a god-mode protagonist with a free pass to success. No weaknesses, no sacrifices, no growth. Just a power fantasy wrapped in a Mary Sue.
But compare that to Shazam…
Shazam—Start, Struggle, Survive THEN comes the Hero
About a week ago I watched Shazam. You know, the funny superhero one. Starring that guy who was in Chuck all those years ago. Overall, the movie highlights the importance of struggle, sacrifice, and growth in storytelling. It contrasts the protagonist’s inherent goodness with the antagonist’s sacrifices to gain power.
The movie begins with the antagonist being transported to some mysterious lair. In this lair is an old wizard looking for a replacement. The catch? The person must be inherently good. [We don't know he's the antagonist at this point.] Our many-years-from-now antagonist is deemed "not good enough" by the old wizard. He's tempted by statues in the walls, which we learn represent the seven deadly sins. The wizard denies his attempt.
Being rejected for the role of wizard replacement causes him to dedicate his whole life to finding the secret lair (antagonist’s rejection, sacrifice). His obsession with the lair and the temptation of power costs him a normal life and relationships. He finds the lair after many years and takes the orb containing the seven deadly sins.
Immediately, the orb fuses with his eye, and he becomes a vessel for the seven deadly sins. Losing his autonomy and morality in the process. As the viewer, you only see six deadly sins throughout the movie—in the end, you get to see why.
The protagonist of Shazam is a 14-year-old foster kid. When you see his antics, it's a bit mind-boggling how he could ever be chosen as “the one”. His mother “loses” him in the crowd at a fair. He spends years searching for his birth mother, only to find out she didn’t want him. At that moment, he discovers the “true” meaning of family—right before he walks away from his birth mother, after a brief conversation, he tells her, “I have to get back to my real family now.”. Scorched.
And this is where Shazam gets it right.
Billy doesn’t become a hero the second he gets his powers. He doesn’t wake up noble and selfless. He does exactly what a dumb 14-year-old would do—goofs off. Charges people for selfies. Buys beer. Tests his powers like he’s making a YouTube stunt video.
And here’s the thing—Billy struggles. He actually struggles.
He struggles with his identity.
He struggles with responsibility.
He struggles with power.
And when the moment finally comes where he has to step up—when his foster brothers and sisters are in danger, when the villain is at full power—Billy doesn’t win because he’s the chosen one. He doesn’t win because he’s naturally gifted. He wins because he chooses to be selfless. He shares his powers with his foster siblings. He gives up the spotlight.
He earns his victory.
Compare that to Rey, who gets everything for free, never faces real failure, and still somehow ends up the all-powerful saviour of the galaxy.
One earns it. The other is gifted it.
Which one makes for the better story?
You already know.
That’s it for now,
As always,
Good luck,
Stay safe and,
Be well.
See ya!
Oh, not quite everything, here’s another bonus pic, seeing as though I didn’t make time to finish any images this week:
