Happy Mother’s Day!: Celebrating mothers in fiction

If any of my followers happen to be mothers, well, happy Mother’s Day! Seriously, you have one of the hardest, most under appreciated jobs in the entire world. 

Anyway, I wanted to focus on some of the best mothers (or maternal figures) that fiction has to offer.

Movies:

Hana, Wolf Children:

Hana is the ultimate mother. She met her husband when they were still in college, who turned out to be a wolf-man. Before you start rolling your eyes and thinking of Twilight (which is is quite the opposite of), please hear me out. Shortly after the birth of their second child, her husband died. Hana was still college age, and she ended up dropping out to get a job and be a mother. Her whole life focuses on her two children who aren’t even totally human, and she does everything possible to keep their secret and focus on what’s best for them. 

Helen Parr, The Incredibles:

Speaking of supermoms, Helen is very, very flexible in her life. Literally. She’s the former superhero known as Elastigirl, but after a law comes out, both she and her husband retire to live normal lives raising their children. Until a new super villain appears, then she gets back to work with her children and husband. Helen has to cope with her husband keeping secrets from her and her kids having a bit of a rebellious stage. Yet she remains loving and supportive, and refuses to let things slide.

Books:

Sally Jackson, Percy Jackson series:

Sally has gone through more than most moms ever should. She is the mother of the main character Percy, who is a demigod and the son of Poseidon. This is dangerous, as monsters can track him down easier than normal. Sally actually married this horrible, scummy man to shield Percy and keep him safe, but was also able to free herself from that later. She basically raised Percy alone. She’s tough and capable (she literally shoots a monster with a shotgun in The Last Olympian) and finally marries a good, caring husband and is able to persue her dreams. 

Charlotte Fairchild, The Infernal Devices series:

Technically only a mother in the last book, Charlotte is an amazing maternal figure to all those who live in the Institute. She’s tough, smart, loving, and kind. She took care of a group of teenagers that included Will (do I need to explain?) Jessamine (do I need to explain again?) a terminally ill boy, and an unknown shape shifter. In her early twenties. And she also ran the Institute, in the 1800s, as a woman. That’s pressure enough without being a mom figure to all these troubled, teenaged Shadowhunters… 

Tv Shows:

Junko Kaname, Puella Magi Madoka Magica:

Junko has some of the best advice in this series. Although she doesn’t know anything about the magical girls, she is still able to indirectly give good advice to Madoka during some of her darkest hours, like when Sayaka begins to make some really poor decisions. Junko may not have the biggest role in the series, but her determination, loving heart, and practical mind give her a spot in this post. 

Joyce Byers, Stranger Things:

Joyce has gone through way too much for her kids. A single mom to a teenager and middle schooler, she already had it hard. Not to mention it seems as though she was already a little unstable prior to the events in this series. But when Will, her younger son, vanishes, she gains a reputation for having gone crazy. She’s convinced that Will is nearby and somehow communicating to her through lights. However, she is absolutely right. Joyce is willing to do just about anything to get her son back, and she doesn’t care whether her whole town thinks she’s crazy. 

Webtoons:

Angela Wytte, Hooky:

Link: Hooky

Angela may be a strange choice for this list, as she’s one of the antagonists. But her revenge journey started because of her love for her children. When the oldest child was found to be a witch, the whole town banded against them. Angela sacrificed herself for her family, and even though she was saved, her mind never quite recovered. Angela clearly loves her children, it’s just that her trauma has driven her a little crazy. She’s an incredibly deep character.

Miss Kim, Dr. Frost:

Link: Dr. Frost

How can I talk about her without giving away one of the best plot twists in one of the best arcs of Dr. Frost? That means I’m going to keep this  very short. Basically, this woman is incredibly loving, selfless, and brave. She adores her daughter and is willing to sacrifice so much for her safety.