Plucky Girl: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

'Plucky' means brave and optimistic.

 

 

The optimistic part is the rest of it. This character leans toward the sane version of [[The Pollyanna]], exhibiting a strong sense of optimism and an unassailable spirit that differentiates her from the grimness of a [[Determinator]]. You can beat her, but damned if she'll let you ''break'' her.

 

Male versions exist, but they tend to be closer to [[Determinator]] territory [[Double Standard|instead]].

 

* This trope is a staple of [[Shoujo]] manga, specially [[Magical Girl]] shows. So the heroine is [[Book Dumb]], ultra naive, a [[Butt Monkey]] or is just starting with her mission and/or training in magic? The Powers of [[The Power of Love|Love]] and [[The Power of Friendship|Friendship]] will ultimately give her strength to keep on going!

* Candace White "Candy" Andree from ''[[Candy Candy]]''. She has her breakdowns, but as soon as she's back to her feet, she comes back stronger ''than ever''.

* Elenore Baker from ''[[Madlax]]'' is pretty much this the entire series.

* Sayaka Yumi from ''[[Mazinger Z]]'': Her mother was dead. Her father was [[Married to the Job]] and nearly never was there for her. the guy she liked was a sexist jerk (okay, [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]). One of her classmates was a [[Stalker with a Crush]]. And her country -and the whole world- was under attack of a [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]] and [[Mad Scientist]] who took lessons from Hitler. And she still was brave, hopeful and optimistic, not allowing anything got her down for long -she had several [[Heroic BSOD]] moments, but they did not last long-, and trusting they would win and things would get better, not matter what.

** May Wong becomes this once she gets over her [[Jerkass]] phase.

* ''[[The Sacred Blacksmith]]'' has Cecile who in the anime, despite lossing and needing saving a lot, never stops practicing and fighting.

* [[Spoiled Sweet|Mimi Tachikawa]] of ''[[Digimon Adventure]]''.

** Also Yoko, who went on and stayed as a cheerful, reliable and protective [[Cool Big Sis]] despite all the shit that happened to the Dai-Guren Brigade.

* Keiko Yukimura from ''[[Yu Yu Hakusho]]''. While she's pretty much a [[Neutral Female]], it's pretty amazing she pulls through after all the traumatizing events her boyfriends' life/career puts her in. In the manga, she didn't even hesitate to ask to be taken to the Dark Tournament when she found out Yusuke had gone there. She may be a bit frailer in the anime, but she still does her best to be there for her friends when needed.

*** Poland is an even better one. Who says that a [[Wholesome Crossdresser]] [[Valley Girl|Valley Boy]] can't be [[The Determinator|unfailingly stubborn]] as well?

** [[Team Mom|Ukraine's]] latest profile says that she [[Beware the Nice Ones|"will stand her ground until the last"]], and in-comic [[Bokukko|Belgium]] seems to almost refer to herself as one.

** [[Word of God]] refers to [[Proper Lady|Liechtenstein]] as mature and strong-willed. Considering that she handles her [[Tsundere|older]] [[The Gunslinger|brother]] [[Big Brother Instinct|Switzerland]]'s mood swings rather calmly and skillfully, it's ''not'' an [[Informed Ability]].

** There's also [[Shorttank|Seychelles]], who tries hard just to get people to know her name. She keeps doing it, and also manages to keep both England's arrogant behavior ''and'' France's lechery at bay.

** Also the Principality of Wy, in a [[Little Miss Snarker]] way.

* Maya Kitajima and Ayumi Himekawa from ''[[Glass Mask]]''. The first decides to fulfill her dream of being an actress despite how odds always go against her, the latter refuses to have things handed to her and wants be famous for her own merits.

* Winry Rockbell and May Chang from ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''. Riza Hawkeye and Izumi Curtis are adult versions.

** Mai is this too, despite her bad luck in battles. More noticeable in the games, tho.

** And Kim's wife, [[Hot Mom]] Myenungsuk. In a subtle [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]], when Kim was in the receiving end of a [[Curb Stomp Battle]], she kept her cool and her trust in him, refusing to cry and break down for the sake of him and their kids as well as herself.

** Euphemia li Britannia and Shirley Fenette also count. {{spoiler|Doesn't work as well, though.}}

* Saori Kido aka Athena, Miho, Aquila Marin, Shunrei, Princess Flair and little Helen (the two last from [[Filler]] anime arcs) of ''[[Saint Seiya]]''.

** Jaden Yuki from the spinoff of the series counts as well as a [[Rare Male Example]].

* Many girls from ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' qualify, but [[Shrinking Violet|Nodoka]] surpasses them all. ''Every time'' she's encountered an enemy, despite having no combat skills whatsoever, her first reaction is to get out her artifact and fight, even when up against opponents completely out of her league, even when ''everyone else'' is panicking, [[Heroic BSOD|lost in despair]], or running away, even when she only ''just'' figured out that magic even ''exists''. In the middle of the battle between Fate's party and Ala Alba at Ostia instead of retreating with the rest of the party she forced Kotarou to take her ''right in front of Fate'' so she could get his true name and then interrogated him ''as he was attempting to petrify her''. And of course, when [[It Got Worse|everything went wrong]] and {{spoiler|several of her friends were erased from existence right in front of her by one of the most powerful characters in the entire series she [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|gets up, steals HIS artifact]], downloads the instruction manual ''[[Mind Reading|from his brain]]'', and [[Weak but Skilled|teleports away]] so she can tell the rest of Ala Alba they're taking the battle to the enemy}}.

* Utena Tenjou from ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'', who's both this and a [[Badass]] [[Action Girl]]. Just read about some of the stuff she does on the [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] page and tell me she's not a Plucky Girl.

* Nadja Applefield from ''[[Ashita no Nadja]]''. Sweet Lords, Nadja is some plucky girl and then more.

* Belldandy from ''[[Ah! My Goddess]]''. Behind that [[The Messiah|soft and caring exterior]] lies a will of iron and a girl who will stand up to the devil herself for the sake of those she loves.

* Sayaka Miki of ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]''. Shame that it's [[Crap Saccharine World|that kind of world]], as it doesn't end too well for the poor "hero of justice".

** Sayaka ''does'' get to play this straight in [[Oriko Magica]], though, specially via protecting herself and Hitomi {{spoiler|during the witch attack on their school}}. {{spoiler|Too bad they can't save Madoka.}}

** Hitomi is regerred as such by her seiyuu [[Ryoko Shintani]], as well as by [[Aoi Yuki]] (Madoka) and [[Chiwa Saitou]] (Homura). She's an interesting example in how this trope has both strengths and flaws: she always smiles and tries to be there for her friends, but THE time Hitomi tries to directly resolve a conflict {{spoiler|via making both Sayaka and herself face their shared feelings for Kamijou}}, she commits a huge mistake.

* After many, ''many'' ordeals and [[Break the Cutie]] episodes, ''both'' Rukia Kuchiki and Orihime Inoue from ''[[Bleach]]'' end up graduating into this at different times.

** Other plucky girls in this series are: Karin Kurosaki, Tatsuki Arisawa, Chizuru Honshou, Yoruichi Shihouin, Sui-Feng, Yachiru Kusachiji, Nanao Ise, Rangiku Matsumoto, Hiyori Sarugaki, Lisa Yadomaru, Mashiro Kuna, Tia Harribel and her [[Amazon Brigade]] (whose [[Villainous Valor]] was praised by Yamamoto {{spoiler|before he nearly killed them}}), Senna from the first movie, Homura from the third movie, and recently Jackie Tristan and Riruka Dokugamine.

* Pao-Lin/Dragon Kid and Karina/Blue Rose from ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]''. Dragon is a headstrong [[Little Miss Badass]] who goes all out in superheroing; Rose hates [[Faux Action Girl|the raw deal she got as a heroine]] but keeps going on because it lets her save lives.

** As of episode 21, Kaede Kaburagi has graduated into this. {{spoiler|So her beloved father was framed and she has just found out he's a superhero? Kaede immediately decides to go help him with her budding powers.}} And this is a ''ten year old girl''.

** It is later revealed that she wasn't always like this: {{spoiler|after her mother's death, Madoka was a depressed wreck until her cousin inspired her into the energetic girl always ready to help everyone regardless of what needs to be doing}}. Truly, Madoka's motto in life is [[Jumped At the Call]]: she doesn't pilot because she ''has'' to, she pilots because she ''wants'' to help.

 

* ''[[Batman]]'': Stephanie Brown, the third [[Batgirl]]. Her ex-con of a father is starting to cause trouble again? Her mother's an addict? Her dad's trying to kill her? The father of her baby abandons her and she almost dies during delivery? The boy she's got her eyes on and who happens to be Robin's not interested in her? Batman tries to get her to quit being a crimefighter again and again - then fires her as Robin? She gets tortured, humiliated and almost killed and is forced to leave Gotham to heal? ... C'mon, you don't actually think that's gonna stop her, do you?

* Scrooge McDuck's most popular love interest, Glittering Goldie.

* ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]]'': Kitty Pryde, the [[Trope Codifier]] for comic books. Parents splitting up, new school, new freaky powers that somehow [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|aren't quite as useful as the powers of your new classmates]], and a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|demon attack on your first Christmas there?]] Not a problem! [[It Got Worse|It Gets Worse?]] She gets over it.

 

 

* Giselle from ''[[Enchanted]]'' is this trope ''to the letter''. When faced with the wildlife of New York City - gnats, pigeons, and cockroaches - she forces herself to smile and admit [[Sincerity Mode|"Well, it's always nice to make new friends!"]]

* Many heroines in the Disney animated canon.

* [[Coraline (animation)|Coraline]], so much so.

* The girl Micha from a German film ''Stahlnetz: PSI''. She is kidnapped for ransom {{spoiler|which her family cannot pay as it's not actuall rich}} and cannot escape on her own, but she still holds herself with dignity until the very end, (though she slowly begins to resign, but in her situation, it's hard not to; and she ''still'' doesn't break).

* The title character of ''[[The Journey of Natty Gann]]'' is bound and determined to find her father, and nothing is going to keep her from doing it, no matter how many people tell her that he abandoned her. She hops trains and hitchhikes from Chicago to Seattle, with little idea of exactly where her father is beyond "somewhere in Washington".

 

** Sandry, from the Circle of Magic universe by the same author, tends to come across as the sweet, optimistic one of the four, but she survived several days alone in a dark, concealed room, with only [[It Makes Sense in Context|a basket of embroidery thread for company]] while half the city died of plague around her, and when once again trappen in the dark (by an earthquake, no less) she is the one who figures out how to get herself and her friends out (though they all participate.)

* Philippa Somerville in the ''[[Lymond Chronicles]]''.

* Lale of ''[[The Assassins of Tamurin]]''

* From ''[[Harry Potter]]'': Lily Potter (standing between the Dark Lord and her baby without a second thought) [[Heroes Want Redheads|Ginny Weasley]] ([[Cute Witch]] who does what she can to help Harry and Co.), [[Insufferable Genius|Hermione Granger]] (member of the Golden Trio and [[Magical Girl Warrior]] extraordinaire), and [[Cloudcuckoolander|Luna Lovegood]] - though it's hard to say with her what is indomitable pluck and what is sheer [[Cloudcuckooland]] training.

* Lia in ''[[Skinned]]'' by Robin Wasserman. Despite getting in a car accident, having her [[Brain Uploading|brain put in an android]], her friends abandoning her, her sister sleeping with her boyfriend, and people believing she doesn't deserve to exist, she still keeps going.

* ''All'' of the important female characters in ''[[Sword of Truth]]'', but especially Kahlan, Cara, and Nicci.

* Don't forget the eponymous ''Momo'' in the novel of Michael Ende. The evil men actually take over the world, but she still attempts to save it. She even dares giving one of the grey men a [[Care Bear Stare]] while she's left by all her friends.

* Sarah Crewe from ''[[A Little Princess]]''.

** And also Rose Campbell from the ''Eight Cousins'' books.

* Ninevah "Nin" Redstone from ''Seven Sorcerers'' by Caro King. Her Motto is "Have Courage and never give up!" She confronts a Bogeyman while armed only with a toohbrush and goes insane lengths to rescue her brother, along with [[Chronic Hero Syndrome|everybody else needing help]]

 

* Veronica Mars of ''[[Veronica Mars]]'', the unflappable young PI who is {{spoiler|roofied and date-raped, best friend is killed, family splits up,}} ostracized by her old friends, yet somehow trudges through and comes out mostly on top. And her relationships? {{spoiler|Suspected murderer of best friend, and also a man who could possibly be her biological brother (he's not).}} Well, let's just say she's incredibly determined.

* Djaq from ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' originates from the Holy Land which is being torn apart by war in which she lost her father, mother and twin brother. She was then enslaved and brought to England in chains, all the while hiding her gender from her jailers. When she's rescued by Robin Hood, her fellow prisoners abandon her while she's helping out the outlaws. Yet she joins the gang, contributing her skills as a scientist and a medic to the country that is at war with her own, overcoming race and gender prejudices, and proceeding to kick ass all over the place whilst keeping her rather wicked sense of humor, resulting in one of the few times in which a character with obvious [[Mary Sue]] qualities manages to be imminently likeable.

* Miki Momozono/Goggle Pink from ''[[Dai Sentai Goggle Five]]''. She gets hit massively with a fatal bomb that nearly killed her, yet she still dragged her body to get up so her friends and [[Kid Sidekick]] won't worry about her. Then she gets trapped in a devil diary, is tied up and the diary gets burned from the outside (which would burn her eventually), and her friends can't get her out, only able to watch as she burns. Instead, she ''[[Crowning Moment of Awesome|escapes from the book on her own using just her wits and brains]]'', delivers a condemning speech to those who trapped her (and dozens of innocent kids), then [[Badass in Distress|proceeds to kick ass]].

** Lampshaded in an episode set in modern time. [[Mad Scientist]] raids Xena and Gabrielle's tomb and clones them. Gabrielle is plucky, [[Mad Scientist]] turns her into a determinator. Fan complains, [[Mad Scientist]] says you will only ever see plucky Gabrielle in the repeats of Seasons 1-3 - "Only in the re-runs."

* Stephanie from ''[[LazyTown]]''. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKVNf6kuhv0 Case in point].

* Carmen Carrillo from ''[[Carrusel]]''. She may not have the best family situation at first (though ''[[It Gets Better]]''). But she always makes sure to study and do well in school, so that someday she can go to college and obtain a career. Plus she is always nice to everyone. She is very prim and proper- while always remaining determined, so her being ladylike and staying out of trouble may be a not so obvious way of remaining strong so that she can achieve her goals.

 

* Antigone from [[Greek Mythology]], who refuses to abandon her father Oedipus even [[Oedipus Complex|after learning]] [[Parental Incest|the truth]] [[Squick|of her birth]]. She also defies her uncle Creon when he orders to not give burial to her brother's corpse, and prefers execution rather than renouncing to her beliefs.

* Many Christian martyrologies have tales about young girls who choose torture and death rather than worshipping non-Christian Gods, and many of them are described as plucky to the extreme.

** For that matter, the Blessed Virgin Mary is this to Catholics, oh so very much.

 

* Arguably deconstructed in [[Bertolt Brecht]]'s ''Mother Courage And Her Children''. The main female's pluckiness, perseverance and resourcefulness were supposed to show how ''dehumanized'' Mother Courage had become thanks to her sucky life (the deaths of her children included), as a detestable personification of the evils of capitalism. [[Misaimed Fandom|The audience embraced her instead.]]

 

* Chell from ''[[Portal (series)|Portal]]''. She never, ever gives up. It's official. It's on her record!

* Asuka Kazama from ''[[Tekken]]''.

* Almost every female from [[The King of Fighters]], with special mentions to Athena Asamiya, Mary, Momoko, Malin, Leona, Whip, Bonne Jenet, Kula Diamond, May Lee, and ''any'' membress of the Women's Team.

** The KOF: KYO manga adds Kyo's girlfriend Yuki, specially when she stands up to {{spoiler|Iori}} in the middle of a [[Go Through Me]]. Not halfway bad for a [[Barrier Maiden]] [[Girl Next Door]].

* Nino the Mage/Sage from ''[[Fire Emblem]] 7''. Oh poor little innocent, sweet, freaking ''determined'' little Nino.

** Lyndis/Lyn, Louise, Priscilla, Serra, Farina, Fiora and Rebecca, too. A good part of Florina's [[Character Development]] comes from her doing what she can to become one.

** In ''Fuuin no Tsurugi'', set 20 years later, Princess Lilina is this and some more. Makes sense since her dad is [[Badass|Lord Hector]] {{spoiler|and her mom can either be Lyn, Farina or Florina}}. Other than her, we have: Clarine, Ellen, Princess Guinevere, Thany, Thite, Lalum, Sue, Milady and Fir. Adult versions include: Echidna, Igrene, Cecilia and Niime. "Mayfly" versions include {{spoiler|the dragon Fa}}

** Eirika, too. Despite her naivete and seeing her kingdom and others go down, she keeps going on.

** And L'Arachel, too. So plucky that she can bring Eirika out of an [[Heroic BSOD]] {{spoiler|when she has to assume that Lyon's too far gone to be truly saved, after his [[Super-Powered Evil Side]] uses him to steal the [[MacGuffin]] from her.}}

** [[Fire Emblem Thracia 776]]: The aforementioned Nanna alongside Mareeta, Tanya, Karin, post-[[Heel Face Turn]]!Olwen, Sara (who mixes this with [[Strange Girl]]), Eda, Linoan, Misha and Princess Miranda, with Evayle {{spoiler|or better said, an amnesiac Briggid}}, Machyua, Selphina and post-[[Heel Face Turn]]!Amalda as older versions.

* The title character of the freeware action/adventure ''[[Iji]]'' is a teenage girl who wakes up six months after an alien attack kills her family to discover that scientists have implanted nanotech in her to combat the invaders, but her only support is her little brother Dan, who has grown bloodthirsty, cynical and emotionally distant. Even after {{spoiler|she discovers that humanity is on the brink of extinction and the earth is a charred husk, she presses on with the mission Dan gives her. This first quest fails miserably, the second makes the situation even worse, and, depending on the player's actions, Iji fails to save her brother from an assassin, which [[Heroic BSOD|traumatizes her horribly]].}} And yet she still carries on. The player can choose to play her as an [[Action Girl]] or pacifist; regardless, the final boss is awed by her determination.

** Tifa, Aerith and Yuffie from [[Final Fantasy VII]], but specially Aerith.

** Selphie from [[Final Fantasy VIII]]. Her original home was destroyed, many of her friends were killed, the world was about to end, and she ''still'' maintained her plucky attitude and sense of humor.

** Worryingly, she's also always the first one to propose an excessively violent solution to a problem, such as skinning a [[Ridiculously Cute Critter|Moomba]] to use as a disguise for escaping captivity.

* [[Rebellious Princess|Alena]] from ''[[Dragon Quest IV]]''.

** And beating them all out is Maya from ''[[Persona 2]]'' who's catchphrase is "Let's think postitive!" She remains upbeat throughout the game, serves as a [[Team Mom]] for the group, and gets promoted to Protagonist in ''Eternal Punishment''.

* Amy Rose of the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series often has shades of this.

* [[Street Fighter|Chun Li]]. Oh my, Chun Li. The first [[Action Girl]] in fighting game history simply can't be less. Followed by Cammy, Rainbow Mika, Sakura, Karin, Elena, Ibuki, Maki, Makoto, Rose...

 

* Mary in ''[[Shikkoku no Sharnoth]]''. The minigame is even based off of it: If her mental state falls too far, you lose.

* Emi Ibarazaki from ''[[Katawa Shoujo]]'', a young woman who lost her legs {{spoiler|and her father}} in an horrifying accident, but around a year later she had already relearned to walk, and is the star of Yamaku High's track team. {{spoiler|Once you pursue her route, though, it's a [[Deconstructed Trope]]. Emi knows that loss of a relationship is normal, and it is best to be strong and move on. However, at the same time, the same stubbornness that enables her to deal with her issues prevents Emi from growing close to anyone because she is afraid that the pain of loss will prevent her from moving onto the future. This prevents anyone from helping her.}}

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* Milny from [[Planescape Survival Guide]]. {{spoiler|Even being briefly dead cannot undo her optimism.}}

* Angel in [[Gene Stratton Porter]]'s ''[[Freckles]]''. It seals Freckles's [[Love At First Sight]].

 

* ''[[Princess Sissi]]'', the plucky [[Country Mouse|farm girl]] who deals with danger and tribulation after tribulation to get married to her sweetheart, Prince Franz, all the while believing that she can bring peace to Austria and Hungary and [[Chronic Hero Syndrome|helping who she can on the way.]]

* All four Chan daughters in ''[[The Amazing Chan and The Chan Clan]]'', but Anne and Nancy in particular.

* Penny Gadget of ''[[Inspector Gadget]]''.

** Granny Smith was this as a filly as well.

** Pinkie Pie sometimes takes up the role too.

* Amberley of ''[[The Dreamstone]]''.

* ''[[Kim Possible]]''.

* Korra from ATLA sequel ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'' takes this up as well, Lin Bei Fong is an adult version {{spoiler|as befits her for being Toph's daughter}}, and recently {{spoiler|Asami Satou}} has joined them.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Youngsters]]

[[Category:Heroic Spirit]]

[[Category:Always Female]]

[[Category:Badass]]