The cover of the first issue of Saga says everything you need to know about the position of women in the series. It features Alana standing beside Marko, with their daughter Hazel feeding from her breast. Marko’s arm is around Alana, Alana is staring directly at the reader, and both Marko and Alana have their free hands on weapons. Alana’s gaze out at the reader is a challenge, a direct statement that she is in control. Marko stares off in the distance, not making eye contact with the reader, but showing his support for Alana all the same by keeping an arm gently around her while she gives their child the nourishment she needs to survive.
Disclaimer: This article deals with sensitive adult issues presented in Saga
Saga
Then we have Vez, obviously a leader among Marko’s people, who hires a free-lancing mercenary to kill Alana and Marko, but deliver their daughter Hazel safely back to Vez’s location. She wants the infant “alive and unharmed,” though she doesn’t give an explicit reason besides the fact that Hazel is an innocent in the war that’s taking place. (I assume that Vez has serious ulterior motives in having Hazel delivered to her, but I guess we’ll find out more about that in later issues.)
After Vez, we see the planet of Sextillion. Keep an eye out for an article solely about that planet to follow this one.
Shortly before encountering the entirely sexualized, super rape-culture depiction of Sextillion, we meet The Will’s former partner and fellow mercenary, The Stalk. The Stalk is intelligent, ruthless, and very good at her job. After all, she’s known as one of the best freelancers in the galaxy. She’s made herself into a valuable asset to anyone who may need a freelancer, and a very dangerous enemy to anyone who winds up on her bad side.
I love a number of things about Saga, but so far, my favorite theme within it is the theme of strong women. Alana continues to survive, The Stalk is merciless, Vez leads her people. And these women aren’t seen as somehow extraordinary; it’s normal for Alana to be a soldier, for The Stalk to be a freelancer, for Vez to be a leader. There’s nothing at all remarkable about these things in this world, and I like that because it normalizes strength in women without fetishizing it.
Another things I was very happy to see in Saga is women experiencing pleasure without some form of shame attached to it. We see this twice: once when Alana is giving birth and once when Prince Robot IV is having sex with his wife (who remains mysteriously nameless other than IV referring to her as “Princess;” more on that later).
While Alana is giving birth, she mentions that it feels good and wonders if that’s normal. It turns out that orgasming while giving birth is a completely normal response of the female body; while it doesn’t happen to all women, it’s a natural occurrence. And considering the fact that Alana is able to experience pleasure while giving birth to a baby in a dirty machine shop with armies on the other side of the door, props to her. What’s even more refreshing is that Alana tells Marko that she’s feeling pleasure during the birthing experience; she’s not ashamed to admit it, and it’s obvious that Marko’s not going to judge her for saying it, either.
We then have the scene of Prince Robot IV having sex with his wife (I suppose it would save time to simply refer to her as “Princess” until I know her actual name). Princess vocalizes what she wants, shows no shame in doing so, and even suggests getting on top in order to make it easier on IV. Granted, she doesn’t realize he’s having a hard time because of what is very likely combat fatigue, but she’s willing to do what she has to in order to take her pleasure, and she’s not afraid or ashamed to say it out loud.
Being unashamed in regards to pleasure and strength are two suggestions I can definitely get behind. This also portends well for Hazel; with such strong women surrounding her, she’s not doomed to be any sort of wilting flower.
