Wednesday, January 4, 2017

The Girl in Armor

It is known among my friends and even acquaintances that I am such a Star Wars Fan Girl that when big Star Wars news breaks, I get texts, messages and emails about it. That could not be more true than when news broke on December 27, 2016 that Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia of Star Wars) has passed away. Princess Leia was an amazing role model for so many girls that were growing up at the same time I was. I have no idea how many girls dressed up like Princess Leia for Halloween of 1977, but I am certain there were a few. And though Princess Leia did impress me as a little girl, I was already following the footsteps of another princess.


One of my earliest memories as a girl was watching the animated movie of The Lord of the Rings. Whatever station was airing it stretched the movie out to last at least 2 evenings maybe even 4. I was entranced with the storyline of Frodo the Hobbit on his quest to rid the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. What hooked me even more so was the character of Eowyn. The Princess of the Rohan people, who disguises herself as a knight so that she can fight for her people and be with the man she loved. After viewing the movie to its conclusion, I would re-enact one scene over and over again. It is the scene where the The Witch King is on its flying beast and it is getting ready to finish Theodon. A knight (Eowyn in disguise) steps in front of Theodon to protect him. The Witch King lets out a hideous, screeching laugh and says “Thou fool does thou not know the prophecy no living man may hinder me.” Eowyn steps forward sword in hand and says “No man am I.” She pulls off her helmet revealing her golden hair which falls down her back “I am a woman. I am Eowyn. Theodon's neice.” 
The Confrontation of Evil

 Eowyn destroys the Witch King and in the animated version (spoiler alert) Eowyn marries Aragorn the man she loves. Imagine a six year old girl wearing a pot on her head (if my mother didn't catch me), armed with a stick and her saucer sled facing her hill that looked like a mountain and pretending it was a the nightmarish Witch King. It must have been an entertaining sight for the neighbors.
I grew up with that image. Anytime I would face what I considered a major menace in my life, I would picture myself as Eowyn in battle armor. Witch King, Nazguls and Orcs beware.

When I read the books in middle school and reached the end of Return of the King, I had the surprise of my life when (spoiler alert) Eowyn does not end up with Aragorn. I actually threw the book against the wall. “What on earth was wrong with this Tolkien guy?!” I forgot about it and read it again as a young adult and had the same reaction. The animated series had made such a strong impression on me that I would completely forget that little detail until it was thrown at me again. It is here that I need to apologize to those of you that were in the audience when I viewed Peter Jackson's movie version of The Return of the King and it is quite obvious that Aragorn ends up with Arwen and Eowyn ends up with Faramir. I blew a gasket. “What?!!! She ends up with Faramir!!!” I turned to my husband “I can't believe this! Do we have to stay?” I'm thankful my husband encouraged me to stay because the ending with the hobbits is beautiful.

So what is the point of my ranting? I have lived my life with my favorite princess slaying the dragon disguised as a knight and getting the guy, who was a king disguised as a ranger. I desperately wanted to learn how to fence just so that I could wield a sword. I started studying the art of swordplay when I was in my twenties and now part of my living is in stage combat shows and teaching stage combat workshops.


  Only two times in my life have I had short hair, otherwise, I have had long hair trailing down my back. It became blonde again when I turned 16. You can see how much this character meant to me and the affect it had on my life.

Another one would arrive to join Eowyn when I was in my twenties. I was reminded of Eowyn when I saw a movie starring LeeLee Sobroski as Joan of Arc in a made for TV movie. 

 That character also dressed in armor and fought in a battle. She loved her earthly king, but not in the same way as Eowyn had because Joan loved a greater King. To my twenty year old eyes at the time I viewed that movie, Joan's story ends up even more tragic than Eowyn's. Joan was captured, tied to the stake and burned alive.

Why was I drawn to these women, who wore armor, who fought in battles against evil, who loved their kings dearly enough to put their lives at risk and who had dreadful endings to their stories according to my not-yet-catechized mind . Where was the reward for their well fought fights?
 Eowyn
Joan

Three evenings in May of 2008 as I slumbered near EWTN studios located in Irondale, AL, I would wake up from a startling reoccurring dream. I was dressed in armor and facing an unseen menace that surrounded me. In the dream is was so dark that I could not see in front of me, but I knew that I was surrounded by this evil. I also knew that I was not alone. I was back to back with a woman clad in armor and because she was left-handed as I am we were completely protected. My shield protected her sword arm and her shield protected my sword arm. I was not afraid because I knew that I was not alone. I would wake up before the battle began but I would say as soon as I did wake up “No man am I. I am Eowyn.” I would laugh at myself for being silly and then wonder to myself, “Who was the girl in the armor?

When I became Catholic in April 11, 2009, I chose St. Joan of Arc as my confirmation saint because in some way I thought that she was the girl in armor that had my back in my dream or at least I liked that idea the it was Joan, who had my back. When I discovered maybe 2 years later that Joan was supposed to have been left-handed it has just supported my notion.

I guess the imaginary Eowyn heroine figure led to my true life Joan of Arc heroine figure. They have given me examples of how I can face the darkness of evil by drawing my sword, pulling off my helmet to reveal that I am a woman. I too wear armor...the armor of God and I am His daughter.