Fennec Shand and the Women of 'Star Wars'

Star War’s leading ladies have had a bit of a bumpy road when it comes to standing on their own. Fennec Shand is an evolution of those road bumps.

Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand in 'The Book of Boba Fett' on Disney+

With the recent release of ‘Book of Boba Fett’, the galaxy far, far away is expanding in ways that is bringing old and new fans into the fold. It’s giving people the chance to see characters from extended lore, new ones, and familiar locals we haven’t seen in decades.

But what ‘Book of Boba Fett’ is also bringing ‘Star Wars’, is something the franchise hasn’t seen in a very long time. A strong, badass female character in Fennec Shand, portrayed by Ming-Na Wen. She brings something the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, and just recent science fiction has been kind of lacking; a strong, powerful female lead.

But why should you care? Come with us as we dig a little into the history of strong female characters in ‘Star Wars’, and how this leads to Fennec Shand and the ground she’s laying for others. But, before we can dive into that, let’s give a little history of female characters in science fiction.

Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope'

The Princess and the Scrapper

While not the first instance, many credit 1966’s ‘Star Trek’ with introducing strong science fiction characters (especially with Nichelle Nicols’ Uhura), with the second thought being our very own Princess Leia. And since this is a ‘Star Wars’ related piece, let’s focus on Leia.

In the first ‘Star Wars’ film, Leia is seen as the “damsel in destress” trope, a common one for female characters in that era of film. While we do indeed see her wielding a blaster (and obviously knowing how to use it) but she still is needing to be saved. Needing the help of the male characters around her.

There are multiple times in not just the first movie, but all through the original trilogy it is shown that Leia cannot be on her own without being captured, and a big scene of this is being captured by the greedy Jabba the Hutt, which happens as she’s going to save Han Solo.

This scene is incredibly interesting. It follows Leia’s characterization up to this point. Strong, determined, but once again, stripped of her power. Just falling back into another trope. While captured, she is forced to be his slave, even attached to chain and dressed not in her princess robes, but a metal bikini, almost like his own pet.

Obviously, there Is so much wrong with this scene and how they portray Leia as a character. Putting the focus on her body and her as an object. As if everything she had done up to that point against the empire was null and void. Being stripped of everything, but most importantly, her power.

Yes, this was just one movie, but Leia’s change from powerful space princess to chained up slave to an ugly space slug is jarring and apparent. While I do acknowledge Leia becoming much more powerful as the series goes on, there are still little bumps in the road.

Whenever there is something incredibly positive, something else more troubling always comes with it, and for every “Princess to General”, there is the offhand comment of lightsaber and force training offscreen.

Daisy Ridley as Rey in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

This can also translate to Rey as well. Starting off being rough and tumble, foraging for herself on Jakku until she discovers Finn. Rey is a great example of twenty-first century female characters in science fiction, but it’s clear she takes just a little bit too much from Leia.

We can thankfully rule out the metal bikini, but there are multiple times in the new trilogy we see her relying heavily on those around her. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the fact she relies on others is seen as a hindrance towards her. It doesn’t bring her strength, it actively strips it.

Relying on the characters around her takes away her urgency. She basically goes through the same pitfalls Leia does; in that she relies on those around her. Completely changing the image we are given of her in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. It’s like teaming up with others made her less dependent.

Rey is played out to be the new ‘chosen one’, but seemingly being given that title lowers her agency. Now, while I bring this up, I absolutely love these characters. Leia especially is a hero to me. But I truly believe these characters were steppingstones, to the next strong woman to enter the galaxy.

The Galaxies Deadliest Assassin

Now what does all of this have to do with Fennec? A rather newish character to the ‘Star Wars’ canon, she was introduced in ‘The Mandalorian’, and appeared on ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ before becoming a main character in ‘The Book of Boba Fett’. And while one might suggest her being a supportive character in the show, I’d argue she’s far more than just that.

Since Fennec Shand’s first reveal in ‘The Mandalorian’ TV show, we are told she is the most dangerous assassin in the galaxy. But she doesn’t fit the female assassin tropes. When one hears of a “female assassin” you imagine a sexy, scantily clad femme fatale, with a gun at her thigh.

(L to R) Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen in 'The Book of Boba Fett' on Disney+

But when we see her, she’s cool, collected and deadly. It’s not her gender that makes her deadly or powerful. It’s her skill, and the fear she implants in others in the galaxy. This also translates over to her ‘Bad Batch’ appearance as well. Nowhere in any of her cameos is she falling into said old tropes.

This leads into her ‘Book of Boba Fett’ role. Even next to the most ruthless bounty hunter in the galaxy…she is his equal. Fett does not look down on her or even try to control her. He saves her, offers her a chance to escape once her “debt” is paid, but she chooses to stay. Fennec can see the freedom and chooses to have that while also having her own power.

Boba Fett sits on that throne, yes, but Fennec shares it. She’s under no one’s control, she’s not a slave…she’s just powerful. Able to hold her own and even be on par with someone like Fett. She’s not leaning on him for help but using him and his skill.

Having a character like Fennec is new to the franchise, and I hope this isn’t the last of this type of character we see.

Looking Forward into the Galaxy

‘Star Wars’ has had so many female characters up to this point. And while you can argue their place in the “strong female science fiction” character spot, none of them have taken the mantle more than Fennec Shand.

One can argue that she maybe a “testing ground” for characters like her to come, and I truly believe this to be the case. A character that can stand on her own, share the power of the male characters around her without relying on them. Showing that characters like her don’t need to fit in a mold or a trope to be badass.

It’s not just ‘Star Wars’ that needs more characters like this, but all of science fiction. I hope we see more like her in the future of the franchise. While not fitting the same mold but breaking their own and showing just how badass someone in a galaxy far, far away can be.