sigelphoenix

Let's make a tally, shall we?


Female Characters Killed:
Charlie
Jackie
Eden
Simone

Female Characters Sexually Assaulted:
Niki
Claire
(I am especially uncomfortable with the fact that these two women are a stripper and (underage) cheerleader, respectively - two roles which are routinely fetishized.)

In a category of her own is Heidi, who is not dead or a victim of sexual assault - but was in a car accident that left her paralyzed, and whose husband cheated on her. There's also Claire's mother, who has continually been mind-wiped to the point that her brain is permanently damaged.

Who've we got left in terms of prominent female characters who aren't dead or almost-raped? The Petrelli mom, Claire's birth mom, Matt's wife Janice and his partner Audrey, and now the new character, Hannah.

Now, let's see ...

Male Characters Killed*:
Mohinder's dad
... and, uh ...
random victims of Sylar and Jessica
... hmm ...
Isaac-in-a-future-vision? (soon followed by the rest of New York anyway)

Male Characters Sexually Assaulted:
....

SERIOUSLY, HEROES WRITERS. WHAT IS UP.

I want to enjoy your show. I really do enjoy your show. You have a reasonable number of female characters, of people of color and non-U.S. characters, and even (maybe) a gay character. They rarely feel like tokens. This is much better than most things on television, period. So I really really want to like you. But right now my enjoyment of the show is tainted - like sitting in a very comfy chair that happens to also have a pencil stuck in the cushions that keeps poking your ass. IT'S VERY ANNOYING.

And you know what's both sad and heartening at the same time? The fact that there are so many murdered female characters indicates how many female characters the show actually has - which is a very good thing. I just don't see why they have to be disproportionally the victims of violence, particularly sexualized violence.

These things don't "just happen" to characters. Writers make choices. And you can be biased without it being obvious or intentional. I suggest the writers of the show take a good, long look at what choices they're making, and why. I'd like to get back to simply enjoying my favorite show, already.

*sigh* I did find this episode fun, though. I was happy to see Stan Lee. And I think the reason Mohinder doesn't pick up on how creepy Sylar is is that he keeps misinterpreting Sylar's lingering, murderous stares as come-ons. XD

*I feel like I'm forgetting someone. Did my brain fail, or am I just paranoid?