Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: MONICA STUART

Melody McCune

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Still of Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart in The Expanse.

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 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 youth to have said example to follow.

DISCLAIMER: The following is laden with spoilers for Amazon Prime’s The Expanse, particularly for Monica Stuart’s character. You’ve been warned. Proceed at your own peril. 

Monica Stuart 

Fast Facts: 
Still of Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart and Steven Strait as James Holden in The Expanse. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Pictured: Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart and Steven Strait as James Holden in The Expanse. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.

Now, not much is known about Monica Stuart‘s (Anna Hopkins) past. She studied psychology in college but pursued journalism instead. After the UN-MCR War, Monica was hired to create a documentary about the crew on the Rocinante. Monica was aboard the vessel as it was en route to the Ring Station. She was particularly fascinated with the ship’s captain, James Holden (Steven Strait). Cohen (Brandon McGibbon), Monica’s cameraman, accompanied her. Monica tried to interview the crew, but only Alex (Cas Anvar), the Roci’s pilot, would oblige. She attempted to flirt with Amos (Wes Chatham) as a method of eliciting information from him, but he shut her out. 

Next, Monica learned that Cohen was responsible for framing Holden for the explosion of a UN ship. She tried to attack him, but Amos prevented her from doing so. Amos sent both Monica and Cohen in vac-suits to speak with the Martian authorities. Cohen was crushed to death by a door following the drastic deacceleration caused by a confrontation inside the Ring Station. Klaes Ashford (David Strathairn) offered his ship, the Behemoth, as a place of refuge post-deacceleration. Monica served as a reporter during that period. She would broadcast any news regarding the situation to the mass amount of ships outside the Ring Station. 

Season Five 

Later, Monica reunited with Holden at Tycho station. Ever curious, she tried to interrogate Holden about the last protomolecule sample. She was kidnapped and locked in a container at the station. Monica knew that someone was after the sample and they wanted to silence her. She broke free of her restraints but almost died from suffocation when she inadvertently poked a hole, which caused air within the container to escape. Thankfully, Holden and co. found her in time. 

Then, while recovering from her injuries, Monica was caught up in a coup at Tycho. A Belter named Sakai (Bahia Watson) killed Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman). More Belters, who sided with Marco Inaros, used a ship called the Zmeya to steal the protomolecule sample. Monica beat the ever-loving snot out of Sakai. Holden was able to subdue Sakai. Monica joined Holden on the Roci for a covert mission to chase down the Zmeya and retrieve the protomolecule sample. 

The Real Deal: 

Monica is the real deal. On the exterior, she appears to be a fragile, beautiful girl with a silver tongue. However, she knows how to kick ass and take names. Her kidnapping in Season Five and her duel with Sakai is proof of that. She’s resilient and resourceful. Monica is a survivor and is quite used to being independent. Not to mention, she’s highly intelligent and immensely talented at her job. She harbors a deep passion for journalism and the truth. While nowadays the masses decry genuine media as “fake news” no thanks to the United States president, Monica is emblematic of true journalistic integrity. She believes in telling the truth and will do whatever it takes to ensure it gets out. 

Why She Matters:
Still of Wes Chatham as Amos Burton and Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart in The Expanse.
Pictured: Wes Chatham as Amos Burton and Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart in The Expanse. Photo courtesy of Syfy.

With journalists getting an unfairly bad rap for inexplicable reasons, it’s nice to see The Expanse refrain from casting Monica in a negative light. Journalism still has integrity and there are plenty of journos who believe in truth-telling, Monica included. Monica’s work should be inspiring to young girls everywhere with dreams of reporting or filmmaking. Monica’s tenacity and resourcefulness are admirable. She’s proof that fighting for the cause never goes out of style. 

So, be like Monica. When the chips are down, get resourceful. Never sacrifice the truth for a fluff piece. Be resilient even in the direst of circumstances. Kick ass and take names. Oh, and don’t flirt with Amos. He doesn’t like to sh*t where he eats. 

RELATED: Looking for another strong female crush? Check out our Geek Girl Authority Crushes of the Week here!

RELATED: Catch up with our recaps of The Expanse here!

 

 

Melody McCune
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