In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to create a list of awesome fictional moms. When I started brainstorming, it turned out out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. In a lot of fantasy/sci-fi movies and books, the main character’s mother is already dead or dies at the beginning of the story. Personally, I think this is common because most moms would not let their children anywhere near the types of dangerous adventures that most protagonists end up going on. And while that might be good parenting, it makes for a rather boring story.
After pondering for a while, I managed to think of ten wonderful fictional mothers to include in this list.
1. Sally Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Sally Jackson is one of the most amazing fictional moms I’ve ever seen. She always loves and supports Percy, even when he gets expelled from multiple schools. Sally even marries and puts up with “Smelly Gabe” so that his scent will hide Percy from monsters. From making blue food to shooting a giant with a shotgun, Sally earned my respect throughout the entire series.
2. Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series
I don’t think a list of fictional moms could be complete without Molly Weasley, Ron’s mother. Molly takes great care of her seven children and loves them all dearly. She also practically adopts Harry when she finds out how poorly he is treated by his aunt and uncle. Molly can be strict sometimes but only because she wants the very best for her children. In the final battle of the series, Molly impressively protects her daughter by defeating the Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange. Molly is without a doubt an awesome fictional mother.
3. Martha Kent (Superman’s mother)
There are many different shows and movies about Superman, and almost all of them include his mother, Martha Kent. In every version, Martha is portrayed as a loving mother who does her best to be there for Clark. While I have liked every version of Martha Kent I have seen, my favorite is K Callan’s portrayal in Lois and Clark. In that show, Martha is quirky and always available to give her son advice. She even made his Superman suit. Regardless of what version of her you look at, Martha Kent is always a great mother who deserves to be included in this list.
4. Friga from the Thor movies
I don’t know much about Friga in Norse mythology, but in the Marvel movies, she is a wonderful mother to both Thor and Loki. She listens to their problems and does her best to give them advice and support, even after some of Loki’s misguided schemes. While not as combative as her husband, Friga is also a warrior who in the end, fights and dies protecting the woman Thor loves. I think Friga is the best mother we see in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
5. Mito-san from Hunter x Hunter
In the anime, Hunter x Hunter, the main character, Gon, was raised by Mito-san, who is technically his aunt. Mito-san took excellent care of Gon for many years. Though she worries a lot about Gon, Mito-san still supports his dream of becoming a Hunter like his father once he proves that he is ready. When Gon comes back to Whale Island with Killua after passing the Hunter Exam and has the chance to find out more about his biological mother, he says that he doesn’t want to know about her because Mito-san is his mother. What better proof could there be that she deserves a place in this list?
6. Shmi Skywalker from Star Wars
When Qui-Gon first meets Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, he is living with his mother, Shmi, and they are both slaves. Despite their tough circumstances, Shmi does her best to provide a good home for her son and to teach him to be compassionate. She shelters and feeds Qui-Gon and his companions without a second thought and when Qui-Gon frees Anakin, she encourages her son to go with him to have a better life, despite the fact that it means she must stay behind alone. As Shmi is dying, her final words are about her love for Anakin. Even though we don’t see a lot of her in the Star Wars films, she is definitely an awesome mother!
7. Mama Higurashi from Inuyasha
Another great mom who didn’t get a lot of screen time is Kagome’s mother in the anime, Inuyasha. Mama Higurashi is a supportive mother who understands her daughter’s feelings and gives her comfort and advice when needed. She also provides food and medicine for Kagome’s trips to the feudal era and treats her friend, Inuyasha, kindly even though he is a bit rough around the edges. In the end, Mama Higurashi urges Kagome to return to and live in the feudal era where she will be happiest, even though it means she will never see her daughter again. She is a truly amazing mom!
8. Marmee from Little Women
Okay, so Little Women doesn’t really fit well with the sci-fi/fantasy stories in this list, but I love the book so much that I just couldn’t leave it out. In Little Women, the sisters’ beloved Marmee is a kind woman who does her best to set a good example for her girls and give them sound advice. One of my favorite scenes involving Marmee is when she talks to Jo after Amy falls in the frozen pond and admits that she, too, has a temper she struggles to control. Being able to admit her own weakness in order to help her daughter is one of the many reasons I included her in this list.
9. Inko Midoriya from My Hero Academia
Inko Midoriya is the mother of Izuku Midoriya, the main character in the anime, My Hero Academia. From the first episode of the show, it is clear how much Inko cherishes her son and wants him to be happy. It breaks her heart that he was born without a “quirk” and will probably not be able to pursue his dream of becoming a hero. After Izuku receives a quirk from the world’s greatest hero, Inko does everything she can to support Izuku as he pursues his dream, from making his first suit to giving him permission to continue his training despite her worries about his safety. Though we don’t see her a whole lot in the show, Inko is a mom worth remembering.
10. Ilane of Mindelan from The Protector of the Small
One of my favorite YA fantasy series is The Protector of the Small. Ilane of Mindelan is the main character, Kel’s, mother. Throughout the series, she provides Kel with wise counsel but also allows her daughter to make her own decisions. Ilane is direct and does not shy from confrontation if it is necessary to protect her children. This is clearly seen at the end of Page when Ilane scolds the palace guards for forcing her daughter to answer questions while she is injured and demands that she be allowed to leave at once. Ilane’s character adds a lot to the story.
So, those are ten of the most amazing fictional moms, at least in my opinion. Who would you include in this list? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to see more like it. And to all the moms out there, happy belated Mother’s Day!
