8 George R.R. Martin Tropes And What They Really Mean
8. Action Girl
What It Is: The Action Girl trope is basically any female character who is just as tough and physically independent as a male action hero. What It Really Means: While the Action Girl tropes tends to be a rather lazy attempt at writing strong female characters (make her physically tough and frequently violent! That'll keep those pesky feminists happy!) in reality it's about as progressive as a wet paper bag. Thankfully, George R.R. Martin's female characters are quite different. Throughout Martin's novels, this trope extends beyond merely action-orientated characters, manifesting itself as strong female characters in general, regardless of physical prowess. Martin uses the Action Girl trope as a jumping off point he expands and develops it. In the world of A Song Of Ice And Fire, intelligence and political strategy are just as valuable and powerful as physicality, and so Martin's characters become nuanced and complex in ways other than just the size of their muscles or their ability to wield a sword. You've only to look at the likes of Cersei Lannister or Margaery Tyrell to see incredible displays of power without the use of physical violence. As Martin himself once said in an interview about his strong female characters, You know, I've always considered women to be people.
