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Original poster

Wise or protective women role models in literature, films and television.

85 replies

RainbowsAndPuddings · 05/10/2025 00:28

A friend of mine is having therapy. One of the tasks she's been set is to come up with names of one wise figure and one protective figure. These can be real life people, or from literature, television or films.

She and I have been discussing this and have found that it's really hard to think of women who fit this category, especially in books, television and film. And she can't think of any man who she could identify with who would fit these roles.

Are we being unreasonable to think there aren't many women portrayed in this manner? We thought we'd ask Mumsnet for suggestions.

OP posts:
ZenZazie · 09/10/2025 19:51

Ripley from the Alien series
Captain Janeway from Star Trek
Guinan from Star Trek
Yu Shu Lien from Croiching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Princess from the Paperbag Princess
The Grandmother from the Princess and the Goblin

menopausalmare · 09/10/2025 19:29

Ellen Ripley in Aliens. She practically took charge of the marine unit when things fell apart and risked her life to rescue Newt from the Alien queen.

InveterateWineDrinker · 09/10/2025 19:23

EveryKneeShallBow · 09/10/2025 17:58

Guinan (Whooping Goldberg) in Star Trek TNG
Catherine Standish in Slow Horses
Lady Stark in Game of Thrones

I mentioned upthread Janeway and Seven of Nine from Star Trek Voyager, but I'd actually forgotten about Guinan in TNG. Star Trek has often pushed the boundaries on representation, but it's sometimes depressingly easy to overlook their portrayal of women given how poor the original series was on the matter.

Also, special mention to Counsellor Troi from TNG. Once they stopped viewing her as little more than a pair of tits her character really developed into something awesome. I regularly rewatch "Disaster" (season 5, episode 5) just to see her involuntarily thrust into command (as well as Worf delivering a baby with one of the best lines in the whole of TNG.) It's an episode that speaks to exactly what the OP is asking.

EveryKneeShallBow · 09/10/2025 17:58

Guinan (Whooping Goldberg) in Star Trek TNG
Catherine Standish in Slow Horses
Lady Stark in Game of Thrones

lemonraspberry · 09/10/2025 17:44

wise & protective can maybe also include women like Gisele Pelicot and Georgia Harrison for realising they had to pursue legal action and (bravely) reveal their identities to help protect other women from sexual abuse.

CoffeeCantata · 09/10/2025 06:59

The wonderful character played by Diane Morgan in Motherland.

Ariadne Oliver in Poirot.

Joyce Barnaby in the old Midsomer Murders. She usually solved the crime before her husband.

Original poster
RainbowsAndPuddings · 08/10/2025 22:49

Thank you, everyone. Wow - a lot of suggestions. I haven't heard a lot of the TV shows, and my friend and I will check them out. I did agree with a poster's observation that old storytelling tended to dispose of the female mother figure early on and put the blame for all problems at her feet. It doesn't surprise me - especially as a lot of strong, independent women were considered witches and killed.

To reply to another poster: the wise and protective figures can definitely be real women! My friend and I were discussing Boudicca, the Queen of Jhansi, Josephine Baker...

OP posts:
StillFeelingTired · 05/10/2025 13:08

therewasafishinthepercolator · 05/10/2025 11:44

Dolly Parton. I'm always struck by how well she carries herself and how measured she is. A formidable lady.

I love dolly parton. Bloody smart woman and funny. My fave quote from her is ‘people think I’m just a dumb blonde. But I know I’m. It dumb. I also know I’m not blonde’

JustMeHello · 05/10/2025 13:02

therewasafishinthepercolator · 05/10/2025 11:44

Dolly Parton. I'm always struck by how well she carries herself and how measured she is. A formidable lady.

Oh gosh yes. Wise and protective, and kind and funny too.

JustMeHello · 05/10/2025 13:00

My first thought was Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley.

but also Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, Ma in the Little House books, and Flora Poste in Cold Comfort Farm.

JohnBullshit · 05/10/2025 11:56

OrangeSunsetSkies · 05/10/2025 11:43

Why do they have to be fictional characters? Loads of wise and protective women IRL.

They can be real life women. I nominate Jane Goodall.

therewasafishinthepercolator · 05/10/2025 11:44

Dolly Parton. I'm always struck by how well she carries herself and how measured she is. A formidable lady.

OrangeSunsetSkies · 05/10/2025 11:43

Why do they have to be fictional characters? Loads of wise and protective women IRL.

therewasafishinthepercolator · 05/10/2025 11:41

Lots of excellent replies. Mine aren't very lofty!

Sarah Connor - Terminator

Pippa- Home & Away

Ma Larkin

And almost certainly not what your friend is after but she is wise (albeit delightfullly bonkers) - The Log Lady - Twin Peaks.

Allthesnowallthetime · 05/10/2025 11:37

Merida in Brave - protective of her own individuality and independence

NoBinturongsHereMate · 05/10/2025 11:31

Josephine Baker. She may now mostly be remembered to the banana skirt photo, but she was a remarkable woman. Not merely taking charge of her career and making it a huge success at a time when women, and particularly black women, had very little power. But also joined the French resistance, and worked with British and US intelligence during the war, did a lot for the US civil rights movevent, and adopted 12 orphans.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 05/10/2025 11:24

Um, probably not Louisa Durrell. Even in Gerald's books she's at best well-meaning. In real life .... a disaster.

SeaAndStars · 05/10/2025 10:36

Olivia and Esther Walton
Ma Larkin
Sal in Jam and Jerusalem
Tannie Maria in Recipes for Love and Murder
Louisa Durrell
Mrs Hall in All Creatures Great and Small

Barmymarnie · 05/10/2025 10:00

The car immobilising nuns in The Sound of Music!

WallLight · 05/10/2025 09:55

The Dean, the Warden and Miss Lydgate in Dorothy L Sayers’ Gaudy Night, Mrs Ramsay in To the Lighthouse, Laura Testvalley in Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers, the Reverend Mother in Kathryn Hulme’s The Nun’s Story, Miss Temple and Helen Burns in Jane Eyre, McGonagle in the HP books, Clarissa in Mrs Dalloway, Marmee in Little Women, Marilla (and later Anne herself) in Anne of Green Gables, Helen Archer in Kate O’Brien’s The Land of Spices and Eleanor in the same author’s The Flower of May, Tehanu in the Earthsea series, Galadriel in LotR, Dinah Morrissey in George Eliot’s Adam Brede, Mrs Bolton in Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Redpeach · 05/10/2025 09:52

Maya angelou

Greggsit · 05/10/2025 09:47

Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager is both.

She was a power-crazed narcissist that delayed the return of her ship by decades!

FudgeJudy · 05/10/2025 09:36

When thinking of strong women, my first thought is always Jenny Fields in The World according to Garp

Ponoka7 · 05/10/2025 09:26

@PuppyMonkey great minds think alike 😁 . We need Northern WC women for this one. I loved the line from call the midwife, when Pearl said to MW Jenny "I bet you think we are right scrubbers" and Jenny replied "I think you are all heroines". Jenny first arrived with so much judgement.

Yearningallovertheplace · 05/10/2025 09:25

Just watched 'one battle after another' in the cinema (highly recommend). Regina hall's character. But also major plot line is a (different) womam putting herself first.