My top ten women in sci-fi.

[warning: this is a very long, picture heavy post.]

Here it is, the post I mentioned I was thinking about possibly maybe getting around to:

Ah, sci-fi and fantasy shows. How many hours have I wasted glued to a television set, entranced by your charms? The space-ships! The aliens! The swords! The vampires! The comedy! The drama! Dear oh dear. I'm sure, when I'm about 80, I'll look back at my life and regret every second I spent in front of the television when I could have been outside, fortifying my health for my old age with brisk walks, but until that bitterness descends let me take a minute to introduce you to my top ten women in sci-fi and fantasy.

There will be omissions: from shows that I never caught or didn't like to characters that I just didn't take to while others did.

But why bother? Well, women in sci-fi have always been important to me. Mostly because they wear a lot of leather and some of them wear uniforms, but there is also a slightly less important reason too: Women in sci-fi were strong, powerful, progressive and interesting, and it seemed to me that there were a lot more of those kinds of women in sci-fi shows than anywhere else. Women who fought for what they believed in; women who had morals and were honourable and did the right thing no matter what; women who were complicated, difficult and real. Women who I wanted to be, and as I grew older, women who I wanted to be with (seriously, it's all that leather). Oh yes, sci-fi definitely helped me recognise my inner toaster-over deserving woman. Without any further ado, lets get into the top ten:

10. Aeryn (Farscape)

One word: leather. Lots and lots of leather. Oh, and a gun.

9. Zoe (firefly)

Zoe's the no-nonsense second in command of Serenity. She's tough, beautiful and looks good with a shotgun. What more could you want? Wash is a lucky, lucky guy.

8. Major Carter (SG-1)

Oh, Major Carter. How I used to adore thee way back when I was an avid Sg-1 fan. Did I mention that aside from leather, I also love uniforms? In-fact, probably more so. Not only did she wear a uniform, however, she also had a gun. Hot! So far, I realise, there have been no deep and meaningful reasons for choosing these women. You were expecting any?

7. Captain Janeway (Star Trek: Voyager)

I remember sitting down to watch Voyager for the very first time so many years ago, and having such high hopes of the series. Well, however I was disappointed by the show itself, Janeway kept me tuning in week after week. A strong, confident , commanding woman in charge of a space-ship? Who doesn't love that?

6. Ellen Ripley (Alien/Aliens/Alien 3/Alien Resurrection)

The only entry from film, but then again Sigourney Weaver is so commanding she's all the entry you need. Nothing can describe my admiration for her single-handed demolition of the xenomorphs, the impact made all the more powerful for the fact I hate horror movies and they scare the shit out of me. Plus, Alien: Resurrection was not the best film ever, I admit, but how buff was Sigourney? Yes, I will admit to the typical lesbian fascination with a great pair of arms (what is that about?).

5. Fred/Illyria (Angel)

I admit it: I love geeks. And who was more geeky than Fred? Winifred Burkle, the girl from the portal who came in, stole everyone's heart and made toasters which also decapitated people. Her arc, from shy, screwed-up girl to commanding member of the team (yet still cute, with the run on sentences and Dixie Chicks posters) was made all the more poignant when she snuffed it in order to be taken over by by an ancient demon/goddess called Illyria. The reason I included Illyria on the list as well as Fred was because I loved her too. Yes, I hated the fact that Fred was gone, but I always had the feeling the Amy Acker really enjoyed flipping the script and trying something a little new, I liked the character, and...well...I thought Illyria was kinda hot. I'm shallow, I know.

4. Laura Roslin (Battlestar Galactica)

Okay, so I'm a little behind. I never watched Battlestar Galactica when it was television here, and missed it the second and third times around too. It was only when I managed to get broadband that I really started watching the series. Now, I'm about three or four episodes into the second season, and I have to say: Wow. I could have made this entry for all the women of BSG, but to be honest there's been one that's stood out from the start: President Roslin. Thrust unexpectedly into a position of power, she's been calm, graceful and hard-working, she can stand toe-to-toe against the miltary men, and all this while - sadly - dying. She's the sort of woman I would love to grow up to be (I'm not considering myself grown up until I have a mortgage and children, thankyouverymuch). Plus, she's one good-looking woman.

3. The Slayers (Buffy/Angel)

To begin with, the forth entry was going to be inclusive of all the girls from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. I loved Tara, for being so darn cute; Anya, for making me laugh so much; Willow, for being such a cute little geek and then such a kick ass witch, but I decided that I was just going to stick to my absolutely favourites for all the entries. So, number 4: the Slayers. So many good episodes, so many favourite moments. "Bad Girls", "Graduation", "This Years Girl"...I could name so many, but I'm not going to because those three titles are the only three I can ever remember. I remember, way back when, being quite transfixed by the slashy undertone (and from the amount of fan-fic, I wasn't the only one). And then Faith appeared on Angel, and her redemption arc has been fantastic to watch. I remember one of the guest appearances of Buffy on Angel (the episode where he becomes human for 24 hours after accidentally coming into contact with some demon blood) making me cry so much that I went all red and puffy. But, of course, they would be nothing without Joss Whedon and team. What a fantastic man. I could write more but I'm in danger of gushing about him, I can feel it coming on, so on we go without further ado.

And now, we rather controversially have a tie for first place:

Joint first: Susan Ivanova (Babylon Five)

Oh, Commander Ivanova, how I love the: let me count the ways. You were my first sci-fi love; you were funny, abrasive and stubborn; you looked fantastic in your uniform; you drank a lot of vodka. And oh, your lines were always the best:

Sinclair and Ivanova: Sinclair: 'Morning Lt. Commander. Problem sleeping?' Ivanova: 'Sleeping is not the problem. Waking up-that's the problem. I've always had a hard time getting up when it's dark outside.' Sinclair: 'But, in space, it's always dark.' Ivanova: '*sigh* I know, I know'.

it wasn't just what you said, it was the delivery too. Ivanova was a ball-breaking career officer whose past hid a dark secret, oh, and she fell in love with a woman. That didn't hurt my mid-nineties obsessive love for her. Personally, I felt the series really suffered after she left and I pretty much stopped watching.

Joint First: Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)

Stereotypical I know, but how could she not come out on top? (Hehe). Xena: Warrior Princess. Singer, dancer, can handle a sword a little. Lucy Lawless was always so much fun to watch in the role: whether cracking me up with laughter or tears, she was always spot on. The campy tone of the show suited my sense of humour, and the serious heroic moments made me bite my nails (although not really, because I don't bite my nails, but you get what I mean). I've always been easily drawn in by shows, and Xena was no exception. I laughed, I cried, I got called a big gaymo (but in a nice way) when I insisted that my best friends dad tuned in at his house so that I didn't have to miss an episode, and in the process of making him always watch it I made him a fan too. He even liked 'Bitter Suite'. In terms of strong, powerful, do-gooder role models, I couldn't have done much better - between Xena and Susan Ivanova - at that point in my life.

Women of sci-fi and fantasy: yay for you! And, of course, the people who created you. I know you're not really real. Shame.

(Honourable mentions go to: The other women of Buffy and Angel, B'Elanna Torres, Jadzia Dax and Major Kira, Janet Fraiser and all the others that I forgot)