unfridged

Sally, The Nightmare Before Christmas

Rag doll Sally has it rough. She’s an indentured servant, is desperately in love with the king of Halloween, and keeps—literally—falling apart at the seams. But despite all her tough breaks, Sally remains a lone voice of reason throughout the film, the only person in Halloween Town who sees how terrible the whole let’s-do-Christmas-this-year notion really is. Ever resourceful, Sally has an arsenal of tools to help her escape her evil scientist creator, and, in an attempt to rescue Sandy Claws Santa Claus, faces down the Oogie Boogie Man solo. She never gives up, and in the end gets the recognition (not to mention freedom and love) she so deserves.

Hermey, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

All Hermey wants to do is open up a dental practice, is that too much to ask? Apparently so in the North Pole, where career options outside of toymaker seem pretty thin on the ground for those of the Elvish persuasion. Undeterred, Hermey runs away, joins forces with some fellow outcasts, sings some greats songs, defeats the abominable snow monster, gives unwanted toys a loving home, and saves Christmas. All in a day’s work for the Elf who won the Santa’s Werkshop Best Hair Award five years running.

Cindy Lou Who, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How can you not love that widdle face!? Cindy Lou Who, the smallest Who in Whoville, wants nothing more than to love Christmas in peace. She’s the only person who challenges the Grinch while he’s in full destroy-all-that-is-good-in-the-world mode, and it’s her love of the holiday, combined with that of the other Whos, that ends up melting the Grinch’s prickly exterior. She even shares her Roast Beast with the dog, because she is goodness incarnate.

Lucy Pevensie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

It takes a big person to stick by your siblings when they don’t believe you (and, in the case of that dirtbag Edmund, outright antagonize you), but though Lucy is small in stature, she is definitely mighty. The first to wander through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia, Lucy befriends satyrs, beavers, God-lions, and Father Christmas before defeating the White Witch (another wonderful character who, who knows, might make it into the BAMFiles one of these days), becoming queen, and ushering in a Golden Age that will last for her entire reign. All hail Queen Lucy the Valiant!

Eli, Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in)

Not your typical vampire, pint-sized Eli moves to a frozen Stockholm neighbourhood with her adult protector, quickly befriending a lonely, bullied boy despite her better judgement. A natural predator, Eli doesn’t want to hurt those close to her, but has come to terms with her need to kill. She inspires devotion, not just from her father figure who sacrifices everything for her safety, but also from Oskar, the boy whom Eli saves in a final bloody showdown. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking friendship that Eli is determined to protect, even going against her own instincts to do so.