Anyway, this is from the 'Cult Times' Special edition #17 and it's their list of the feistiest females in SF/fantasy. (btw, am I the only one who hates the word 'feisty'? I just find it so patronising.)
This article also contains spoilers for most of season 5 of 'Buffy' and season 2 of 'Angel'. If you don't want to read the whole thing, Tara is at no. 44 and Willow is at no. 6.
49) Joyce Summers
Miracle Mom
Like any good mother, Joyce Summers is prepared to wade in to make decisions about her daughters life rather than let her make her own mistakes - which is how it came about that she gently advised Angel to leave Sunnydale, inadvertently siring a spin-off series in the process. Unfortunately, she was too busy with [spoiler=Shadow onwards] a brain tumour[/spoiler] to perform the same favour in Rileys case, or wed all have been saved a lot of bother.
Significant others:
With Buffys dad no longer in the picture, Joyces love life has been singularly unsuccessful, most memorably when she managed to sustain a short relationship with a robot. A brief dalliance with Giles pointed the way to better (albeit weirder) things...
Not so feisty:
Her ill-advised leadership of Mothers Opposed to the Occult (MOO), which quite ironically was caused by supernatural forces.
44) Tara Maclay
Wicca Woman
She may not be the boldest or bubbliest student at Sunnydale University, but this quiet, soulful young lady has three things that many of her classmates dont: uncanny magical prowess, the official stamp of non-demon status (courtesy of Spike) and - most importantly - the love of Willow Rosenberg.
Feistiest moment:
Standing up to her wiccaphobic father in Family, although a less patient girlfriend than Willow would have been very annoyed at how she dealt with it. Not confiding is one thing, but casting a spell to keep your beloved in the dark is another.
Extra feisty points for:
Amber Bensons decidedly feisty response to the puerile comments about her that briefly sullied the internet. There are only so many ways to tell people to bugger off, really, but Amber did it in style.
40) Harmony Kendall
Aspiring Big Bad
Harmony, in connection with whom the words vacuous and bitch seem excessively kind, was bad enough before she was turned into a vampire, and in her case the standard demonization of her character doesnt seem to have made any appreciable difference . She still craves popularity and importance, keeps a gang of followers at her side, and hates Buffy with a vengeance - more so now she insists on not taking her seriously.
Good or evil?
More annoying than actually evil, really.
Significant others:
Harm still seems unerringly devoted to Spike, who in turn seems happy enough to take her to bed - though nowadays, he has someone rather different in his sights as a romantic partner.
36) Faith
Destined Delinquent
Of course, strictly speaking there should only be one Slayer per generation: Buffys brief drowning allowed the ever-popular Kendra to arise, and Faith later occupied her vacated slot. In retrospect the forces of Fate probably knew what they were doing, as Faiths somewhat unpredictable temperament would make her a dubious guardian of the worlds safety.
Good or evil?
After her recent exploits in LA, the best answer is probably that shes just a little confused, although she does tend to express such confusion in the form of pointless torture. Evil may actually be closer to the mark.
Current whereabouts:
Shes presently languishing in a LA prison - anyone for a Prisoner- style spin-off series? - which seems a terrible waste.
34) Kate Lockley
LA Law-Enforcer
In an unusual twist, Kates life started to get interesting (although not necessarily better) at a singles bar, where she managed to meet a do-gooder vampire and a murderous supernatural parasite in the same evening. The less said about the previous hundred or so evenings spent talking exclusively to estate agents, and intranet programmers and pretending to laugh at their jokes, the better.
Likes:
Her work as a detective, but in the traditionally grizzled, world-weary way that most TV detectives seem to like their job.
Dislikes:
Chiefly vampires (they killed her father, you know) and men who omit important details about their lives and generally mess her around - which is why she and Angel probably arent destined to be together, although they would make a terribly cute couple.
31) Dawn Summers
Minor Key
Many of us were doubtful about the idea of Buffy gaining a troublesome younger sister, but happily Dawn has proved to be less annoying than the average moppet. The fact that shes a mystical key unaware of her own importance makes her more interesting, too.
Likes:
Xander. Most of us have had the experience of a hopeless teenage crush on someone older and unavailable. In Dawns case, she also has to cope with the fact that her beloveds girlfriend is an ex-vengeance demon.
Dislikes:
People talking about her behind her back, referring to her as a thing, or telling her shes a hollow, soulless abomination.
27) Darla
Touched by an Angel
People are very rarely delighted with the services of lawyers, but Angels sire could at least have said thank you to Wolfram and Hart for her (entirely free of charge, we might add) resurrection from the dead. Instead she whined and longed for her former vampiric existence, even before the minor detail of terminal illness came to light. Thats gratitude for you.
Good or evil?
Sadly, the signs are that she has now turned irrevocably to evil, having spent a brief period not being good as such, but horribly confused and miserable (the standard default for mortals.)
Significant others:
Angel and amorous attorney Lindsay have both had their eyes on her from time to time, but now it seems Darla will only have eyes for Drusilla - alternately her mother, grand-daughter and playmate. Familial relations are so complex among the undead......
23) Anya
Revenge is sweet...
In an exaggerated version of (arguably) the ideal pattern of relationships over a persons life, Anya spent literally hundreds of years having fun with various boyfriends and wreaking terrible vengeance on them afterwards, before finally settling down to a mortal life with Xander. Happily, the relationship now seems to be going well, despite her memorable assertion at one point that the only thing they had in common was an abiding interest in his penis.
Likes:
Working in Giles shop, probably due to her near-psychotic obsession with collecting and counting cash. But then, we all know women like that.
Dislikes
Willow, or anyone else who could potentially get in the way of her relationship with her beloved Xander.
20) Cordelia Chase
Angel Delight
The process of fleshing out and softening Cordelias character began long before she moved to LA, but thankfully hasnt gone too far: she still tends to have all the best lines, and occasionally to display the ability to be an absolute bitch without even trying.
Special skills:
Receiving vision of impending doom, usually without warning, which makes it lucky that Cordy seems not to have any regular friends: suddenly convulsing in horror would be very embarrassing at social engagements.
Not so special:
Her acting skills, from what weve seen, are dismal - which makes Carpenter one of the few people (like Matt LeBlanc) who are good enough actors to portray really bad acting.
16) Glorificus
Big, Big, Big Bad
The full stroy of Glorys identity has yet to be told: for now, its sufficient to know that she doesnt appear in any of the usual texts, and is apparently older than the demons Buffy usually has to deal with. On a more practical level, she seems worryingly able to beat the Slayer in hand-to-hand combat whenever the situation arises. Just enough to be extremely worried for the safety of the world, then.
Extra feisty points for:Her gruesome habit of sucking the brains out of people with her fingers.
Not so feisty: Glorys made slow progress so far in finding the key. Its always annoying when that happens; maybe she should have got one of those whistling keyrings...
14) Drusilla
Strange but Dru
After spending the best part of a year tormenting Buffy, she was hauled off to South America by her doting lover. Parting company with her consort of centuries, William the Bloody (or Spike to his friends), she has now come a long way: standing on her own two feet, wreaking havoc and causing bloody mayhem. Since the arrival of Angel, LA has had its quotient of nasties drastically reduced, and no doubt Dru felt it was her job to redress the balance. She may still be as mad as nails, but now shes as hard as them as well - and it must be said, looking darn good for it too.
Dont mention:
Neutered ex Spike or the current object of his affections, Buffy - who, to say the least, is something of a contrast to Dru.
See also: Darla, who Drusilla successfully re-converted to vampire status by following the usual bloodthirsty ritual with a burial in a local botanic nursery. Did we mention she was a bit mad?
12) Evil Willow
Red and Dead
In many respects the alternative version of Willow, from a universe in which Buffy never came to Sunnydale, is the exact opposite of ours - evil, sadistic and dead, where Willow is good, gentle and, well, alive. Then again, there was Willows bemused observation that her alternative self seemed kinda gay, which turned out to be not so different to our version after all.
Extra feisty points for: Evil Willows exciting fashion sense, which provided the opportunity wed all been waiting for to see Alyson Hannigan in black leather.
Current whereabouts: Dusted - although we did assume that once before, and the writers found a way to bring her back.
6) Willow Rosenberg
Slayers Sidekick
Willows keen intelligence, genuine kindness and unspoiled beauty were never going to win her many friends in high school: kids just arent bought up to like that sort of thing. Coming to university, though, has allowed her to come into her own - translating such otherwise fatal personality traits as an effortless wit, loyalty to her friends and a pleasingly kooky fashion sense. Consequently shes no longer overshadowed by Buffy (remember Rileys comment on meeting his future girlfriend for the second time: Oh yeah - Willows friend.) How long before she branches out and starts her own series?
Extra points for:
Hannigans very welcome decision to pose for a Maxim photo-shoot earlier this year, which made good use of Willows innocent schoolgirl image while staying just the right side of tasteful. A wittily ironic statement of feminist principles in the context of popular culture, probably, and ideal for desktop wallpaper.
Significant others:
Willows otherwise successful relationship with the sexy and super-cool Oz foundered when he found he couldnt control his animal side (a common flaw among young men) and promptly ran away, since when shes found a new playmate in the less hairy form of Tara. Apparently shes now renounced all interest in men, which seems a rather drastic overreaction. Were not all werewolves, you know...
See also:
Evil Willow, who may be stronger and sexier than our version, but loses out on personality points - if only by virtue of being dead.
Assertiveness * * (out of 5)
Can be a little flaky
Personality * * * * *
Dream girlfriend (assuming shed give you the time of day)
Physical fitness * * *
Has been known to stake a vamp or two, on a good night out.
Visibility * * *
High-profile TV heroine and gay icon.
Sauce: * * * *
Adorable
Feisty factor: * * * (overall)
Irresistible
1) Buffy Summers
Buffed up
Right now it seems like everyone wants a piece of the Slayer, from the original Count Dracula (visiting Sunnydale to make a personal visit) to a bizarre order of mystical monks (who saddled the Slayer with a little sister.) Her reputation may always have preceded her to some extent, but perhaps theres something behind the apparent upsurge in her importance. Maybe Buffy is setting a record for the longest-lived Slayer (most of them die as teenagers, apparently), or developing some strange and funky new powers. Either way, it seems unlikely that this will go to Buffys head. Chosen One or not, this girls priorities are her friends, her family and her attempts to lead a normal life: she stands for the idea that work (even saving the world-type work) isnt everything, and thats why we think she rocks.
Feistiest moment:
Getting all Matrix on our asses when battling against Adam, everyones favourite Cyborg villain (if you dont count the Terminator, the Borg Queen and all the others) in Primeval, strengthened by the power of the original Slayer and the combined juices of the entire Scooby Gang.
Not so feisty:
Her less than competent dealing with the Riley situation, which consisted of ignoring him for weeks on end hoping (subconsciously perhaps) hed go away. Then again, surely we can all sympathize with that point of view...
See also: Mother Joyce and (ahem) sister Dawn, both listed elsewhere in our top 50 - which puts the Summers clan virtually neck-and-neck with Charmeds Halliwells as Cult Televisions feistiest family, with the Summerses leading the way, being slightly ahead on points.
Assertiveness * * * * *
Look out for her giving the Watchers Council what for in a forthcoming episode.
Personality * * * *
Pretty fun to be with, for someone with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Physical fitness * * * * *
Has a tendency to look like someone else while fighting, though, which seems a problem particular to Sunnydale.
Visibility * * * *
A phenomenon
Sauce: ****
Not as cue as when she was 17, but then not many people are.
Feisty factor: *****
Our winner!
[This message has been edited by tyche (edited May 16, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by tyche (edited May 16, 2001).]
I
. I thought Faith would be a little higher on the list. Or is that lower? The one closer to the top spot 
