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Power Grid

Momtagonists: 7 Moms Who Get to Be The Hero

by The Mary Sue Staff | 12:32 pm, May 9th, 2012


Helen (Elastigirl) Parr

Helen (Elastigirl) Parr

Helen Parr is the mother of three children and one very risk-prone husband, making a family that has a history of frequent relocation due to her husband’s difficulty with keeping a low profile. You see, the Parrs are Supers, required by the government to never use their powers in public. This environment has taken a toll on her kids.The oldest is introverted and has few friends, the middle one continually acts out in school, risking yet another family move.

And yet, her kids are bright, brave, and loving. She never wastes an opportunity to reinforce a good lesson, reward a job well done, or firmly reassert the notion that things will get better. And if they don’t, she’ll damn well make them that way.

At the very beginning of The Incredibles, Helen wants anything but to settle down and start a family, at least for now. There’s still plenty of world to save. It’s her husband-to-be Bob who’d like to settle down. But the next time we see her, after the ban of super activities, she’s fully embraced the new reality: supers have got to integrate with society, and for her that means three kids, a happy home, and making sure nobody knows that she and her husband can lift cars and slide under doors. She’s frustrated with the situation, sure, but her motives are with making a stable home for her children. But when disaster strikes she resumes the superhero life, with a helpful nudge from a female friend, she makes sure that the family that beats up henchmen and giant robots together, stays together.


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  • Anonymous

    Can we all agree that of these mothers, Gwen’s kid is the most paralyzingly adorable?
     
    If Arwen Cooper and Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All married, I think their progeny could, dare I say it, rule the world.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Anna-Sophia-May/100000092990769 Anna Sophia May

    As TV tropes points out, Evelyn in The Mummy Returns: Don’t kidnap her son, or she’ll even come back from the dead to kick your butt. Of course, this is only the second movie, really.
    Also, Becca Winstone in the new ABC show Missing. She’s pretty awesome.

  • Frodo Baggins

    What about Ellen Ripley? Or are we only counting Theatrical Versions?

  • http://twitter.com/FroWillis Sarah

    So cute in the ear muffs too! Doctor Who universe seems to have the cutest babies. 

  • Kate Reynolds

    What about Molly Weasley–she’s a stereotypical mother of a big brood, but heaven help you if you threaten her children. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alex-Townsend/570307537 Alex Townsend

    Xena would also be a good addition to the list.

  • http://skemono.blogspot.com/ Skemono

     

    It was important to us to make this list focus on mothers who are also
    leading protagonists, not just supporting characters to others with
    bigger roles.

  • http://gedmin.as/ Marius Gedminas

    No mention of Cordelia Vorkosigan?  

  • Carolynn C

    Yo, Jessica Jones’ husband is Luke Cage, not Nick Cage!

  • http://www.facebook.com/eric.lindberg3 Eric Lindberg

    Good list. But all those references to the Silver Age in Kate Spencer’s entry should actually be Golden Age. Her superhero family roots go back to the 1940s (or did before the reboot anyway).

  • Anonymous

    Jessica Jones’ husband’s name is Luke Cage not Nick Cage

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AOFTU2AM7WRZZFDC6SPN4XF6KQ Null

    Dana Scully? Mother One from Bionic 6?

  • http://www.facebook.com/Gorillazfan Emily Hill

    was wondering if Sarah be on the list I do admit I like they explain that the events still happen I mean how does John still exist if his dad comes back from the future to protect his mom but the events were prevented ARG MY HEAD HURTS

  • http://www.facebook.com/maxwell.lachance Maxwell LaChance

    Lack of Ellen Ripley makes me sad panda.

  • Kryptoknight

    What about Sue Storm?  Her picture featured on the first page/slide of the article, yet she herself did not make the list? 
     

  • Anonymous

    I LOVE THEM ALL but Kate Spencer has a special place in my heart ever since she asked out Dick Grayson & Jim Gordon on the same day.  Now THAT is the kind of mom I try to be.

  • Anonymous

    It’s amazing but some people is making cash on computer, Even 250$ in a day or more. My senior is working at laptop and last week he brought 2700$ to home, Did you tour this link===>>⇛►http://must2join.blogspot.com

  • http://www.facebook.com/TheSilverUnicorn Shawna Lynn

    Sarah Connor was the first name I thought of when I saw the title for this blog post. It killed me that she was 7 out of 7. I mean, I know why The Mary Sue arranged it that way — to save the best for last — but I kept thinking, “They forgot Sarah Connor! How can they forget Sarah Connor!” Then I got angry. “How DARE they forget Sarah Connor!” I think I actually cheered when her name finally appeared. 

  • http://skemono.blogspot.com/ Skemono

     

    Runners up include Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlick, and Sue Storm (because we just don’t know enough about Marvel, guys).

  • Kryptoknight

     D’oh.  Somehow I completely missed that when reading the article >.<

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1272729132 Sara Green Williams

     Agreed, all the way around – the grabbing of the earmuffs (and the baby giggling as she fires) was so awesome. And the fact that she would – without one iota of hesitation – sacrifice Jack for her family. She’s smart, she’s tough, but she’s not mechanical. Love her.

  • Anonymous

    Nanny is certainly one of the most powerful mothers, as she holds claim to all of Lancre.  And woe betide the assailant who tries to harm Princess Esmeralda Margaret Note Spelling.

  • Russell Jones

    Agreed about Gwen’s kid, EXCEPT for that really unfortunate image grabbed for this article and used elsewhere.  The first time I saw it the kid’s face looked really, REALLY creepy, like it was doll double they were using for that shot, and I haven’t been able to shake it since.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tamora-Pierce/1209655487 Tamora Pierce

     I was wondering about Ripley, too.  She isn’t Newt’s mother, but she might as well be.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tamora-Pierce/1209655487 Tamora Pierce

     Oh, yeah.  Evie is amazing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tamora-Pierce/1209655487 Tamora Pierce

    And she even gets a Jack Nicholson turn!  “Hi, Doc.  How’s the knee.”

  • Frodo Baggins

    In the Director’s Cut, it’s revealed that she had a daughter back on Earth, who died while Ripley was floating in stasis for 50 years after escaping the Nostromo.

  • http://twitter.com/amberdaaawn Amber Dawn

    Heck yes. I’ll assume she’s out only for not being a movie or comic book… though the Vorkosigan saga would make great films if done right..

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=726280517 Mariela Rivera

    Um, Where is Ellen Ripley?

  • Jake Fruia

    Ah, no Piper Halliwell? She had motherhood and the power to freeze and splode things with a wave of her hand. The latter of which got ALOT of use.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lucifuge John Molea

    List should include Ripley and Newt, yeah not her biological mother but still…

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