Gear grinding: Damsels in distress

I know I’m not going to win points for originality here, but I want to talk about the ‘damsel in distress’ trope. Now, I’m not going to attack this from a feminist perspective but rather a reader’s perspective. Specifically, my reader’s perspective.

So, what do I mean by a damsel in distress? It’s a person, usually a side character, who has been captured or imprisoned and must be liberated by another character, usually the protagonist. It’s not specific to genders per se, but often the damsel is a young woman, and the rescuer is a dashing young man.

Why does this trope chafe me? Well to put it simply, I’m tired of the idea of putting people as static objectives in stories, waiting for saving. One of the things that gets my hackles up are situations where characters are denied agency, and are somewhat complacent with the situation. If a character should get imprisoned, then they should actively work towards their own freedom in whatever manner they can. Pick a lock, befriend a guard, unravel the magic binding you, string up your clothes to make a egress rope. DO SOMETHING.

Better yet, if you perhaps are a writer, then try to live by this adage: if a character gets themselves into a situation where they are in trouble, then they should get themselves out. Sure, have them get helped by other characters, but please please P L E A S E, preserve character agency. Your character will have far more depth and interest, and the plot will be benefited.