Why Neil Gaiman’s ‘Stardust’ Female Characters Are Still Relevant

The 15th anniversary of Stardust was celebrated on August 10th. Based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name, Matthew Vaughn directs a film about a boy named Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox), who wants to impress the love of his life (or so he thinks), by bringing a fallen star (Claire Danes) back to his hometown.

There aren’t that many fantasy adventures that hold up today, unlike some from decades ago. In addition to its complex characters and interwoven storylines, the film’s female characters are in particular noteworthy. Their motivations are distinct, and the audience becomes intimately acquainted with them as the story progresses.

They each serve a distinct role in the larger narrative of the film, and three of them were particularly vivid: the fallen star Yvaine, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Una (Kate Magowan). Here are a few things that made these women extraordinary. Tristan’s protagonist Yvaine accidentally crosses paths with her. The heart of a star can be consumed to live forever in Stormhold.

The evening star is hunted from the moment she falls from the sky. A snarky Yvaine verbally spars with Tristan, who is more naive at the beginning of the movie. Tristan and the allies they meet along the way grow on her and she gains confidence as a result. During her years observing humanity, she allowed herself to be both a caring individual and a celestial being.

Yvaine is not aware of her status as a prize at Stormhold. The majority of people Yvaine meets are looking to use her for her power. The outcome is one that she rejects wholeheartedly. A glowing Yvaine appears when she is at peace. This ability is framed throughout the film as a weakness. Yvaine is told that Captain Shakespeare (Robert DeNiro) knows what she is.

Despite not intending to hurt her, he warns her that her feelings for Tristan expose her true nature, putting them both at risk. Against the witch chasing them, she and Tristan’s “weakness” becomes their strength. When Yvaine shines, Lamia is vaporized. As a result of her raw power, she defeats the film’s primary antagonist.

There is no doubt that Lamia could have easily been a one-note evil witch. Obviously, Lamia hunts the star to eat her heart since she is an evil witch and that’s what evil witches do. In the role, Michelle Pfeiffer brought depth to the character, a witch who is feared by all witches, including her sisters. Tristan and Yvaine’s journey is haunted by her. The pursuit of eternal life emphasizes her pride.

Her raw strength is unmatched by any other witch hunting the star. In spite of the cost, she enjoys showing off her magic. The woman is both powerful and clever, as well as cruel. Cheats can fake any emotional response to get what they want from people around them. During her fight with Tristan and Yvaine, she pretends that she is sad about the death of her sisters, begging them to leave her alone.

When Lamia laughs wickedly, Tristan and Yvaine are alerted to her facade – and how easily she can fool others. In contrast to Lamia’s cruel trickery, Una’s cunning has a much more regal tone. Stormhold’s princess Una was Tristan’s mother.  In some ways, Stardust is Una’s story. A witch enslaves Una for most of the film.

Even though she has been treated as someone’s property, Una never considers herself that way. She will always be a princess and she maintains her identity during her captivity. As Una is chained to Ditchwater Sal’s cart, she engineers a situation that allows her child to grow up free of the influence of his psychotic uncles. In order to prevent Yvaine from crossing the wall, she commandeers the cart.

As well as knowing her skills, she is aware of how to combat her circumstances. Due to Una’s position as Stormhold’s sole princess, her brothers underestimate her. Despite the fact that she’s been missing for years, they barely pay attention to her. In order to win their father’s throne, her brothers ignore her. They all die before Una, and she is the only one to survive the inauguration of Stormhold’s new king.

Robert Poirrer

Robert Poirrer is a contributing author who covers Hollywood latest movie releases and web series for the MovieThop website. He has a decade of experience in writing movies based articles for numerous renowned media outlets. He is excellent at creating unique content based on emerging trends in a variety of categories especially entertainment, movies and lifestyle. When not writing articles you could find Robert enjoying mountain biking trips with his friends. He graduated in English Literature from North Carolina State University.