On December 18th, 2015, Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens was released in theaters, sending the Star Wars cult followers into a frenzy.
Although the movie was a hit at the box office and received five Oscar nominations, it brought something more impactful: the change in the portrayal of heroines.
For as long as any of us can remember, stories seemed to always revolve around the hunky hero (a prince charming, if you will) and his damsel in distress. Since essentially the beginning of movies, female characters have always been in the passenger seat, but the latest release in the multimillion dollar saga has contributed the spark of making female heroes just ass badass as their male counterparts.
In a December interview with Elle magazine, Daisy Ridley, the actress who plays female protagonist Rey, mentions how female viewers will see a heroine not in some revealing bikini-esque outfit like we see in video games and some movies, but in the standard clothing of that film: the loose pants, shirt, etc. that everyone wears. The desexualized heroine is a big step in changing how we see them: we finally see them, not just their unrealistic bodies created by video game animators. We see their drive, their wit, and their ability to take the lead.
Star Wars has contributed to the beginning of a new era, where the heroine doesn’t need saving.