“The Hobbit has exactly zero named female characters.”
That’s not strictly true. To be a pedant for accuracy, you could say that there are zero named female characters who get “screen time” or lines of dialogue. However, The Hobbit does include a reference to Bilbo’s mother: “the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took.” Belladonna is important to the story because she was Gandalf’s friend, and therefore provides the initial connection between Bilbo and Gandalf.
Tolkien indicates that Belladonna and Gandalf “had adventures” before Belladonna married Bungo Baggins and settled down–don’t you wish he would’ve told us what some of those adventures were?
http://twitter.com/Geekphoria1 Amanda B.
Galadriel refers to Legolas as “Legolas Greenleaf,” and I believe a few other characters do as well. It is redundant, but I guess there’s precedent.
Anonymous
“There are some folks out there incensed that Peter Jackson has added a character to The Hobbit, a sentiment I almost entirely lack sympathy for.”
That Jackson/Boyens/Walsh is adding a character is not the problem: that Jackson/Boyens/Walsh’s track record for female characters in the LotR adaptations, and the little we do know of this Tauriel making her an obnoxious fanfiction protagonist, if not full-on Mary Sue, is the problem. Eowyn was transformed into a lovesick puppy pining for Aragorn, Galadriel was an aloof ice-queen, and Arwen walked right out of a bad teen romance. I don’t have high hopes for any character made whole-cloth from this team regardless of their gender.
http://zadl.org/ Captain ZADL
I for one am happy with the way Jackson expanded the female characters in the movies. I’m happy for him to add characters and story for these movies.
heythereguys
Legolas Greenleaf, long under tree,
in joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
Omegasama
As long as they don’t randomly try to pair her up with the main cast. Just let her be a badass woman on her own merits, not as someone’s shag.
Anonymous
I was under the impression that Kili was going to have a Gimli-esque affection for her.
Also red-haired elf! awesomtastic.
Jill Pantozzi
Holy cow! Congrats to my pal @ArkhamAsylumDoc who has her clinical dissection of #IronMan3 on the Hollywood Reporter! http://t.co/lYZtkU7o9Z
Susana Polo
*just realized that in the genderswap Adventure Time universe Hunson Abedeer is a soul-sucking lady in a power suit* http://t.co/erxvtklhWU
Susana Polo
There's a new Wikipedia article on the list that comes up when you search for my name in quotes and it's THE LAIR OF THE SHADOW BROKER ONE!!