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. This not only includes fictional female characters in geeky media but creators as well. These ladies are a prime example of female empowerment and how crucial it is for young girls to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: The following is rife with spoilers galore for SyFy’s Wynonna Earp. If you’re not caught up on this sh*tshow of a series, you may want to remedy that now. Earpers can attest to the majestic, polite-no-chill euphoria that is this show. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Kate
Fast Facts:
Mary Katherine Horony-Cummings, otherwise known as Kate (portrayed by Chantel Riley), emigrated from Hungary to Purgatory with her uncle Otto. She was alive during the late 19th century – she even introduced Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) to his future best friend Wyatt Earp. Kate was a tarot reader and utilized said tarot reading skills to make a buck. She interpreted cards for Bulshar a.k.a the Serpent (Jean Marchand) – the Big Bad of Wynonna Earp Season 3.
Later, she fell in love with Doc and the two married. After Constance Clootie condemned Doc to an eternity trapped in a well, Kate dedicated the remainder of her life to finding him. Of course, Clootie refused to reveal Doc’s real location. Kate even voluntarily turned vampire so she’d have immortality, and all the time in the world to reunite with her love.
Fast forward to over a century later, when Kate arrived in contemporary Purgatory. Naturally, there’s already a wedge driven between her and Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano). Tension is inevitable once your wife meets your mistress/baby mama. She also turned Doc into a vampire. Eventually, Kate skipped town. Here’s hoping she returns to Purgatory in Season 4! Fun fact: Kate is loosely based off of Doc Holliday’s real life wife.
The Real Deal:
Now, Kate is the real deal. She’s obviously armed with supernatural abilities courtesy of her vamp state. Kate is a capable and skilled fighter, and she knows her way around a gun. Not to mention, she’s a gifted tarot reader. Kate served as the catalyst for the premise of Wynonna Earp, if you think about it (I may be reaching here). If she hadn’t introduced Doc to Wyatt Earp, who knows how events would have unfolded. She plays a vital role in the Earp universe.
Besides being a crucial character in the grand scheme of it all, Kate is the very definition of tenacious. She sacrificed her mortality and livelihood in pursuit of her husband. That’s tenacity and loyalty in a nutshell. Kate is pragmatic, intelligent and cool-headed in a jam. She’s a vampire – they’re all about the cool. When Kate loves someone, she loves them wholeheartedly and with unadulterated passion.
Why She Matters:
So, why does she matter? Kate, in my opinion, gets a bad rap in the Earper community. Initially, she was viewed as an obstacle – a “plot device” meant to drive Doc away from Wynonna. However, once we were privy to her backstory in “Waiting Forever For You,” Kate proved to be more than just an obstacle. Yes, her motives were unclear in the beginning, but she’s not inherently evil. She sacrificed so much just to find Doc. That’s indicative of a big heart – sans the beating bit, of course.
Not to mention, Kate is a fierce woman of color in a genre show. That alone is celebratory. We’re so used to seeing white characters as vampires, and it’s refreshing to see Riley break the mold. Also, vampires on Wynonna Earp are typically viewed as antagonists. However, Kate is proof that not all vampires are villainous. She’s a multi-faceted, flawed character – just like all of us.
So, be like Kate. Fight for what you love. Maintain your cool in sticky situations. Never be afraid to bring in the big guns. Wield your intellect like a weapon. Oh, and stay away from sunlight if you’re a vampire. Vitamin D deficiency be damned!
RELATED: Read all things WYNONNA EARP here!
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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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