Image via AMC
23. Michonne- The Walking Dead
Michonne (Danai Gurira) from The Walking Dead has consistently surprised me with each season, but especially in this latest season. She’s taken on such a leadership role against Negan and I’m so excited for how her character is going to play out.
We first met Michonne in season 2 when she rescues Andrea from being pinned by walkers- the katana-wielding hooded figure. She came in guns katana blazing and has since, remained a vital part of the dynamic on this series. Now, in season 7, she’s built a romantic relationship with Rick Grimes and seems to be the one taking the reign on fighting back against Negan.
We were introduced to a new threat last season, Negan; who is proving to be the shows most dangerous, most disturbed, most hated enemy. While Rick Grimes is ready to give up his “rictatorship” to him, Michonne isn’t having it. In the last episode of The Walking Dead, while Rick was letting Negan walk all over him, his people, and his town of Alexandria, Michonne was out practicing her aim with a rifle. I assume Michonne wants to put a bullet through Negan’s head soon.
Although most are thankful for this portrayal of a powerful woman of color on screen, Gurira doesn’t see herself as anything different than most people. In an interview with Harpers Bazaar she notes, “I never consider myself a minority. I see people who look like me in Barbados, in Trinidad, in Haiti, in London, and in Brooklyn. So I don’t know what the heck anyone means when they call me a minority.”
Whether she is a minority or not, Michonne is changing the way viewers see themselves portrayed on screen.