Every episode begins with a brief introduction, paraphrasing the old adage that little girls are made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. With the Powerpuff Girls this becomes more than a proverb, since they literally are constructed of these items, with an accidental dash of "Chemical X" as the catalyst for their creation. As the original adage intended, these essential ingredients are reflected in their personalities. Bubbles is a sweet and loving little girl who likes to draw pictures and sleep with stuffed animals. Buttercup is the spitfire tomboy, fond of fighting monsters and teasing her sisters. Blossom is the leader of the group, scholarly and intelligent, always respectful of her elders. Despite these outward traits, they do not relegate the girls to any one role. The show's creator Craig McCracken has said, "The Girls are all combinations of cuteness and toughness. So Bubbles has cuteness and a little toughness, and Buttercup has toughness, then cuteness. Then Blossom's in between." Thus Buttercup is capable of having a crush on an older guy, while another episode featured Bubbles struggling to prove that she is just as aggressive as her two sisters. Society typically places females into a passive stance; the Powerpuffs must defy this assignment because of the powers they have been gifted with.
Common superhero ideology dictates that great power brings great responsibility. As superheroes the Powerpuffs are required to use their abilities for the benefit of mankind, to protect and serve in the tradition of the police and other law enforcement agencies, though on a more fantastic scale. The role of protector is an aggressive position, in direct conflict with the idea of the feminine as passive. For this reason male superheroes outnumber female heroes in the comic book realm, because a woman cannot fulfill societal expectations and still perform the required duties of a superhero. The women are often relegated to the roles of girlfriend or mother, figures in need of protection and the occasional rescue. The Powerpuff Girls neatly sidesteps this uncomfortable dichotomy by purging the citizens of Townsville of any societal expectations. Thus the Powerpuff Girls are respected and admired for their role as resident superheroes, while still being adored for being sweet and caring little girls.
By neatly eliminating the restraints erected by established concepts of gender, the show empowers all its female characters. The Mayor employs a gorgeous secretary named Ms. Sara Bellum, who defies stereotypes by being incredibly smart in addition to her stunning good looks. Ms. Bellum guides the Mayor through his daily obligations, and is usually the one to suggest calling the Powerpuffs on their hotline in times of crisis. Ms. Bellum represents a feminine ideal, as a woman who can be both intelligent and beautiful, participating in politics and maintaining a position of power without sacrificing her obvious sexuality.
The Powerpuffs attend school at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, taught by the kindly Ms. Keane. In contrast to the sexy red dress worn by Ms. Bellum, Ms. Keane is adorned in dowdy earth-tone clothes, emphasizing her role as caregiver and nurturer. She regards her students equally, regardless of gender or superpowers. She is not easily intimidated, and will not hesitate to discipline her students when they misbehave. Together Ms. Bellum and Ms. Keane form the primary role models for the Powerpuffs, and often advise them in crisis situations. The solutions invented by the pair are often non-confrontational, in opposition to the usual episode resolutions where the Powerpuffs overpower the villains. When the Gang Green Gang terrorizes her class, Ms. Keane will not allow the Girls to fight them directly, but instead lets the Powerpuffs challenge the Gang to a dodgeball game that the Powerpuffs easily win. In another episode the Powerpuff Girls find themselves evenly matched in a battle with their male counterparts, the Rowdyruff Boys. They triumph only when coaxed by Ms. Bellum to utilize their feminine wiles, causing the Boys to explode. Though the stereotypes and boundaries imposed by female sexuality have been removed, it remains a powerful tool that can be harnessed to subdue and manipulate men.
How a character uses their sexuality defines their nature. While the Powerpuffs and Ms. Bellum use it to protect themselves and the City of Townsville, the female villains utilize their sexuality for devious and selfish ends. Sedusa commits robberies and then disguises herself in the guise of a sexually charged innocent, the bystander too attractive to possibly do any wrong. In one episode she even disguised herself as Ms. Bellum and cajoled the Mayor into letting her leave work early so she could rob banks. Princess is a young girl who wheedles her rich father into buying her everything she wants, including high-tech weaponry to kill the Powerpuff Girls. Using sexuality to subdue men is often seen as a method for leveling the playing field between women and men in a world where men are traditionally seen as superior. Since this gender distinction does not exist in the show, the women have a definite advantage over the men, a benefit easily abused by those inclined to evil.
In a world where the primary movers and shakers are women, the men are stripped of the essential components of masculine identity. They cannot be protectors because they lack superpowers. The Mayor is an idiot, and relies on Ms. Bellum for everything from scheduling meetings to reminding him how his name is spelled. The other villains in the series are mostly vicious and destructive, with little reason for their actions except to distinguish them from the ordinary citizens. The best-defined masculine figure on the show is that of Professor Utonium, the creator of the Powerpuff Girls. A brilliant scientist and doting dad, the Professor stands as the other major role model in the Girls' life, comforting or scolding them when necessary. These positive traits serve as contrasts against his innate stupidity, as a naïve man who often misses the point or fails to see beneath the surface. This base idiocy is representative of his impotence as a force for discipline. Professor Utonium could not physically enforce any punishment on the Girls because of his lack of superpowers; they only listen to him because they want to. On the few occasions when the Girls decide to be naughty or selfish, the Professor has to rely on guilt to drive them back into line. The dynamics of their relationship is similar to religion, where a congregation abides by the rules set forth by the church because of their belief in God, and not for fear of immediate retribution. The Professor is the creator, and the Girls are the believers. The point is driven forward in an episode where a villain confronts the girls by saying "Prepare to meet your maker!" and they respond, "You leave the Professor out of this!" The male as creator is the one role not usurped by a female in the show, though rightfully belonging to women as the ones who give birth.
The Powerpuff Girls showcases a world without stereotypes and exhibits the female role in such a world. Each character represents a different type of woman and allows us to see the full capabilities of all, unencumbered by the restrictions imposed by traditional society. They can exhibit feminine traits without sacrificing power or status. The women of Townsville represent the female gender expanded to its fullest potential.
Media and Identity
Prof. Robin Means Coleman
New York University
Department of Culture & Communication
Spring 2001