IBARW: Favorite characters of color

[annathepiper]

To steal an idea from technosage, I thought that in honor of International Blog Against Racism Week, I would take some time to squee about favorite characters of color in my various fandoms.

In Elfquest, Rayek and Ember. Rayek because I spent several years roleplaying him on Two Moons MUSH--I in fact still have a lot of the roleplay logs. (I play Rayek in those up through 1998 or so.) I loved Rayek a lot for starting off an arrogant jerk and maturing eventually into a humbler yet still highly motivated elf. As for Ember, I really liked her storylines trying to grow up in the shadow of her famous chieftain father, not to mention her brother packing more magical power than anyone in their tribe had ever seen. Some of the best RP I ever did on Two Moons, in fact, was as Rayek--in no small part due to eveshka and mizkit.

In Firefly, Zoe. Because, well, duh. I loved every deadpan line she had playing off of Mal, as well as her loving and vigorous relationship with her husband.

In Doctor Who, Martha. Out of respect for those of you who have not yet seen the full third season of New Who featuring Martha as Tenth Doctor's Companion, I will simply say that she is made entirely of awesome.

In Battlestar Galactica, Sharon Agathon, a.k.a. Athena, the cooler iteration of the Boomer series of characters.

And, of course, in classic Star Trek we have Uhura, the voice of the Enterprise. Because she is a musician, because I loved the old Trek novel Uhura's Song (and the feline sentient who took on the name Another StarFreedom in Uhura's honor), and because, let's face it, her hottest moment ever was whipping out that knife on evil!Sulu in "Mirror, Mirror". ;)

Comments

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

'Twas you with the talent, my dear. All you.

[avram]

My favorite Uhura moment was in "The Naked Time", when Sulu grabs her and says something like "I'll save you, fair maiden!", and she pulls away and replies "Sorry, neither!"

There's a lot of meaning packed into those two words.

[lickingtoad.livejournal.com]

Samuel L. Jackson in many things, but 'Unbreakable' most of all.

Halle Berry in some things and not other things.

Jessica Alba as Sue Storm.

Lisa Bonet in 'The Lathe of Heaven.'

Ken Foree in 'Dawn of the Dead.'

Lando, Lando, Lando.

Paul Winfield in anything, but 'Star Trek II' and the 'Terminator' franchise especially. (Black *and* gay! Twofer!)

Gordon from Sesame Street.

(I'll keep thinking ...)

[wildshadowstar.livejournal.com]

I'd like to add Levar Burton; mainly for his role on Reading Rainbow, but he was okay as Geordie LaForge.

Uhura's hottest

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Nah, I think her hottest moment was in Balance of Terror, where Kirk orders Uhura to take navigation, and she immediately does it, no hesitation whatsoever.

Death of a glorified switchboard operator. :-)

(Now if only he had left her the conn in Journey to Babel, instead of BesterChekov...)

Re: Uhura's hottest

[annathepiper]

Ooh, I clearly haven't seen that episode in ages, because I don't remember that moment at all. Yay for multitalented Uhura! ^_^

[annathepiper]

I'll take that. Geordie did indeed have his moments!

Re: Uhura's hottest

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

It's prime trim-for-syndication material: deleting it doesn't affect the storyline, so out it goes.

*wonders idly when we can expect the remastered DVDs*

Re: Uhura's hottest

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I'm anxious for those remastered DVDs too! We never did buy the original DVDs when they first came out, so we'd be a prime audience for those. :D

[barbagal.livejournal.com]

Confining things to the "TV Space Opera" category, how about any of the Siskos? Or Dayna Mellanby (which role I just now find Marina Sirtis auditioned for--huh)?

One good thing about the Matrix series--some realistic diversity.

[annathepiper]

I didn't watch Deep Space Nine long enough to really get into the groove of it, I fear--and I don't know who Dayna Mellanby was...?

Meanwhile, well, if we're talking Matrix, oh my yes Morpheus. ^_^

[annathepiper]

I dunno necessarily about Halle Berry's specific implementation, but I'll definitely agree to Storm as a fabulous CoC.

Also, Lando is the maaaaaaaan. ^_^

[annathepiper]

Another excellent Uhura moment, indeed! And all sorts of fun speculation fodder there, as well.

[annathepiper]

Awww gosh. *^_^* Thank you! Though really, Ktai was always a critical aspect of that RP, and it ranks high in the TM roleplay I miss.

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

I'll have you know that my cheeks do not belong this color pink.

Hmf, I say. Hmf!

[annathepiper]

*beam*

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

Pest.

And I do miss RP. Yes indeedy I do.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

*beams* :)

[barbagal.livejournal.com]

I thought you was ('80s) Brit TV Girl--Dayna Mellanby, Blake's 7.

And I'd maybe give DSN the prize for best Trek ever, at least in an averaged out way.

Not so much Matrix....

[annathepiper]

I have never at any point watched Blake's 7, so I have no idea who any of its characters are, sorry. So when it comes to 80's Brit Skiffy, my heart belongs to the Doctor. ;)