Welcome to this week’s installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week, wherein we shine a spotlight on strong women who inspire us. Now, this includes fictional female characters in geeky media and creators. These ladies are a prime example of female empowerment and how crucial it is for youth to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: The following contains spoilers for TNT’s Snowpiercer.
Asha
Fast Facts:
Asha (Archie Panjabi) is a brilliant scientist Layton (Daveed Diggs) finds while exploring a seemingly desolate nuclear power plant. We don’t know much about her upbringing besides that, as a child, she enjoyed spending time on her grandparents’ farm. Before The Freeze, Asha took on multiple jobs, whisking her off to various destinations across the globe. From the UK and Romania to Canada and South Korea, Asha traveled to run away from her mother.
Asha was among 34 technicians working in a nuclear power plant in South Korea when The Freeze hit. Most of the said group initially survived off the heat from the reactor while it cooled. However, marauders attacked the plant, slaughtering almost half of the crew. Radiation poisoning inevitably took hold for most of the survivors, while the cold made the plant uninhabitable.
Asha was desperate to keep her 15-year-old nephew alive, so she poisoned the rest of her group. Unfortunately, he contracted thyroid cancer. Asha’s nephew begged her to kill him when the pain became unbearable. After granting his wish, Asha survived alone for four years until Layton found her. She and Layton had a brief skirmish, ending with Layton knocking Asha unconscious and carrying her back to his pirate train.
On Snowpiercer
Asha finds it challenging to adjust to living with other people again. She often experiences sensory overload and the burdens of PTSD. Layton does his best to help Asha thrive. After receiving visions of New Eden, Layton asks Asha to lie to the train’s passengers and tell them of her time in this fictional paradise. Of course, this is in the name of hope. She plays along while Layton prepares to lead Snowpiercer to New Eden.
Asha eventually acclimates, finding solace in growing plants. She begins working in AG-SEC, forming friendships with the people frequenting that part of the train.
When Snowpiercer approaches a cloud of sulfur dioxide, Asha lends her expertise, advising Ben (Iddo Goldberg) and Alex (Rowan Blanchard) on the situation. After all, she lived next to a nuclear reactor for several years.
Amid the turmoil of the environmental disaster, Asha befriends Ruth (Alison Wright), who reminds Asha that she’s safe aboard the train. The pair share their experiences before The Freeze.
After the scrubbers in AG-SEC fail to filter the sulfur dioxide, Ben tells the crew they must fix the intake manually. Layton and Asha don suits and prepare to do just that. However, the crawlspace leading to the intake is relatively small and won’t fit someone wearing a suit. Thus, Asha takes hers off and remedies the problem, exposing herself to toxic fumes.
Asha, too weak to climb out of the crawlspace, perishes from inhaling sulfur dioxide while Layton describes New Eden to her.
The Real Deal:
Asha is the real deal. For starters, she’s resilience personified. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more tenacious survivor than her. She survived for seven years while living next to a nuclear reactor, utilizing her keen scientific mind to keep her head above water. Her time spent in the plant before Snowpiercer boggles the mind — it’s like something out of a dystopian, apocalyptic novel.
Not only that, but she outlived the marauders and her group turning on each other. Asha also suffered under the weight of immense grief when she mercy killed her nephew.
Despite her trauma and grief, Asha persisted. She found new life on Snowpiercer.
Asha’s incredibly intelligent in more ways than one; she’s the epitome of strength and resourcefulness. In addition, her bravery knows no bounds. She knew the risks of exposing herself to sulfur dioxide, but she forged ahead anyway, hellbent on saving the train. She’s a genuine hero.
Why She Matters:
Asha’s a powerful, multifaceted, complex woman of color who’s the definition of “survivor.” She rises above all obstacles. She’s not perfect and, much like everyone else on Snowpiercer, Asha’s committed acts in the name of survival that weren’t morally sound. However, she takes accountability for her actions and endeavors to right them. Her courage is inspirational to us all.
So, be like Asha. Fight like your life depends on it. Keep your mind sharp as a knife. Remember that you’re a badass survivor who can overcome anything. And when life gets too stressful, find ways to decompress — growing plants always helps.
RELATED: Catch up on all the Eternal Engine action with our Snowpiercer recaps!
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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