When you think of fictional mothers, sometimes your mind rests on the archetype of an old-fashioned housewife. Someone who is always seen washing dishes, dealing with their husband’s nonsense, and constantly nagging their kids. Not that the Marge Simpsons and Linda Belchers of the world aren’t unrealistic or valid, but it can be annoying for moms to only see one type of mother on their screens.
But let’s talk about the diversity of motherhood in fiction; the mega moms who fight zombies, misogyny, poverty, and deadly vampires. Who are they, and what can we learn from them?
This list contains spoilers.
Gloria (Barbie)
The pinker than pink blockbuster of the summer, Barbie, is at its heart a story about motherhood, womanhood, and being true to who you want to be. Gloria is the hardworking mother of Sasha, a teen who meets Stereotypical Barbie when she arrives in "Real World," aka our world. Gloria isn't perfect, like all mothers on this list, but that's the point. She's trying so hard to take care of her daughter while trying to take care of herself. That isn't easy for a single mom, especially a mom of color in the racist, misogynistic world that is Real World. She’s loyal to a fault, and tries so hard to show her daughter that she is loved.
In her insta-classic monologue about women, she paves the way for the messy-mother, the imperfect woman who knows it’s damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Showing that there is no such thing as a perfect woman, mother, or person.
Michonne Hawthorne-Grimes
The Walking Dead comic book, video game, and TV show, is home to some of the most beloved characters of all time — and some of the most hated — including Michonne. The badass zombie hunter is an adoptive mother to Carl and Judith Grimes, taking care of her partner Rick Grimes' children after he is presumed dead, then having their own child after they reunite. She sadly also lost a son to the zombie outbreak, leading to her main trauma in the story. But this doesn’t stop her from risking her life and trying her best to care for the Grimes kids.
Despite the pain of these losses, and the terror of the Walker world in general, Michonne stays focused and will do anything to protect her family.
Lorelai Gilmore
The cool mom from Stars Hollow that every Gilmore Girls fan would have killed to be raised by, Lorelai’s relationship with her daughter Rory is unmatched when it comes to TV moms. Lorelai respects Rory to make her own decisions, mistakes, and life, unlike the choices she never got as a kid.
Rory had the freedom to do pretty much anything she wanted to do, as long as it wasn’t dangerous or incredibly dumb, that is. And Rory turned out to be a deeply passionate and talented writer with a degree from Yale. Sure, she made some wrong turns, but Lorelai simply helped her fix them, instead of holding grudges against her like her own mother, Emily, would always do. Never underestimate the power of gentle parenting — your kid will love you more for it.
Emily Spier
From one Emily to another: Love, Simon, otherwise known as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in novel form, is a movie about a gay teen who is forced to come out of the closet after a blackmailer discovers romantic emails between Simon and another closeted classmate. After coming out to his family, his mother gives him a warm and supportive speech that takes the world off his shoulders. Outing someone, especially a child, before they're ready, can do irreparable damage to their self-esteem as well as your relationship. So Emily's decision to let Simon come to his own conclusions, however painful the wait was, helped him on his own terms.
Sadly, not every parent will respond to their child coming out as LGBTQIA+ with this amount of love and class, but we can only hope movies like this help change this.
Vivian Banks
Known as Aunt Viv to most, mother of three Vivian Banks is a powerhouse. From the '90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the professor, dancer, and no-nonsense mom, is one of the most well-loved moms and aunts on television — and for good reason. Viv is proof that a serious and professional woman can be a good mother, without being overly strict and disrespectful to her kids. She wants what’s best for them without keeping them in a cage, knowing when and if to challenge their decisions. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t know how to have fun when the time came for it.
Full of witty and brutal comebacks to Will and Phill’s nonsense, Viv strikes the perfect balance between the stern mother, and the fun mom.
Marilla Cuthbert
The stern but caring adoptive mother of the iconic Anne Shirley of Avonlea. Netflix’s Anne With an E was an instant cult classic, full of memorable characters that not only did the Green Gables books justice, but seemed to make them better. When trying to adopt a boy to help them with their farm, Marilla and her brother Matthew are accidentally sent a girl by the orphanage. From there, the siblings are met with countless misadventures as Anne gets accustomed to the town and farm life. Marilla is probably the strictest mother on this list, yet despite her harsh temperament, she is seen as quite progressive for when the show and books are set.
She stands up for Anne when others won’t, and is determined to help her get the education and life opportunities she needs, despite the fact that the Cuthberts barely have enough money to scrape by as it is. Because that’s such a huge part of motherhood: sacrifice.
Joyce Summers
The mother of the title character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her sister Dawn, was thrown into the world of demons and witches against her will. Despite this, she made it her mission to help Buffy keep her life together as she fought the undead. While she made some questionable decisions while she was on the show, you have to understand that being the mother of a Slayer would be soul crushing. A particularly crushing moment for Joyce was finding out that Dawn was not really her biological daughter, but a personification of a key designed to open a different universe. All their memories together as a family were constructed so Buffy would have a reason to protect the key, protect her sister. When Joyce learned about this, nothing changed for her. She still vowed to protect her daughter through thick and thin.
It’s almost a metaphor for when parents realize their children aren’t biologically related to them for whatever reason (cheating, switched at birth). She knows it’s not Dawn’s fault that she was created in this way, and that the biological aspect means nothing to her.
Morticia Addams
Morticia Addams is the gothic mother of Wednesday, Pugsley, and Pubert, and the forever bride of Gomez in the The Addams Family. The nation’s favorite spooky family — with The Munsters as a vintage close second — have always been a surprising blueprint for the perfect functioning family. Morticia shows that there isn't one way to be a mother, and that you should never judge a book by its cover. And yet, regardless of the way you live your life, certain rules of parenthood never change.
She cares for her children, despite having a very lax attitude on weaponry and dark magic, and will never let them feel bad about themselves. Watch any rerun of the original show and you’ll find a scene of Tish not only being a gothic badass, but teaching her children the difference between right and wrong.
