10. Katniss Everdeen - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Ever since the first Hunger Games film was released, its go-getting main character quickly earned the strong female character seal of approval from fans everywhere. The hot-tempered, bow-wielding Katniss is independent, contemptuous of feminine frills, and not prone to any emotion that could render her vulnerable (for the most part). But amidst the waves of enthusiasm over Katnisss complete and utter awesomeness, its easy to forget what keeps her alive is not superior speed, strength, or cleverness, but rather an attribute that no one else in the arena embraces. Its not the weapons Katniss wields but the relationships she nurtures that save her life. While Mockingjay Part 1 may not be the greatest film of the Hunger Games franchise, Jennifer Lawrences Katniss is still the character we all know and love. Ultimately, she's is a great character not because she can put an arrow through an enemys throat as precisely as any man, but because she learns to sustain that strength while opening herself up to the power of mutual support. It is without objectification and with many-sided gendered characteristics that Katniss becomes the "strong female character" who stands out against Hollywoods army of female action characters which fail to empower. She is The Girl on Fire, the Mockingjay, and the leader of the revolution.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
