Kim Possible was an action-packed and exhilarating show considered ahead of its time, from a female protagonist having a male sidekick to Shego — a tough female antagonist who would battle Kim alongside Dr. Drakken. Shego is a criminal mercenary, the chief henchman that keeps Dr. Drakken's devious plans together.
Her job is to protect Dr. Drakken and provide him with what he needs for his evil schemes. Being someone who works for Dr Drakken and on the enemy's side, you'd expect Shego to feel like a background character, only there to cause conflict for the main protagonists. But it turns out fans of Kim Possible consider Shego to be so much more than 'Kim Possible's enemy.'
Fans Think Shego Is A Feminist Icon
Kim Possible helped to show the world just what teenage girls can be capable of. In a world where girls are often mocked, considered the 'weaker' and 'more emotional' sex, an influence such as Kim Possible was needed and really turned children's TV on its head, garnering fans who despite growing up, never forgot their love and appreciation for the series because finally, they were graced with not just one but two powerful women.
Both Shego and Kim helped break the 'damsel in distress' tropes often seen on TV, at a time where a lot of cartoons survived on whacky humor such as Courage the Cowardly Dog and Spongebob Squarepants, and in worst-case scenarios, noughties cartoons with now-outdated humor and stereotypes, such as Johnny Bravo and Looney Tunes' Pepe Le Pew. Kim Possible had good storylines and great characters and was one of those shows that provided young girls with much-needed feminist role models.
Even though Shego is meant to be the 'baddie', she is a firm favorite among fans, largely due to her personality and sarcastic remarks. Fans say that any episode with Shego in it is always an enjoyable one and that there is actually something highly likable about Shego. One Reddit user voiced the consensus among fans on Shego by saying: "Shego is the BEST character from Kim possible and I will not hear any other opinions."
There's So Much More To Shego Than 'Villain'
Shego is considered by fans as so much more than Dr. Drakken's sidekick. In each episode with Shego vs. Kim, it was clear that Kim had met her match which would make for a mesmerizing and exciting watch as viewers watched Shego show off skills that were on par with Kim's abilities.
She was more terrifying than the man considered to be her boss, and for fans of the show what matters most and resonates so well is that she is clearly a strong, powerful, and smart character — as well as sarcastic, cunning, and ruthless.
Kim Possible was a show 'dripping in feminism' and gave us a 'feminist icon ahead of her time' — it's no wonder people love Shego so much. From cosplayers to people rewatching the show to get their nostalgia kick — love for Shego is not difficult to find.
One Twitter user expressed their admiration, saying: 'Yeah, I've been watching a LOT of Kim Possible recently, so that name came to mind. And, yes, she is a villain, but she is probably my favorite character in the whole show, leagues above the show's protagonists, ha. She is just so cool, saying zingers like this: "Today's forecast: 100% chance of pain."'
There's Something 'Likable' About Shego
Shego is surprisingly a lot like Kim; they're both smart, sassy, badass, and have to put up with goofy male partners. There is even a Kim Possible episode where Shego turned good and became best friends with Kim. The likeness may go to explaining why Kim and Shego were enemies — it's pretty common to clash with someone when who's similar to oneself.
There's also an episode that explains how Shego became evil. It turns out Shego wasn't always bad, originally working with her family as a team of heroes — but she abandoned them for a life of villainy. Although, there is a fan theory that an attitudinator, the same device used on Kim's sidekick Ron which turned him evil for an episode, was in fact used on Shego.
Just as Kim Possible couldn't be 'feminist' enough, there was a whole bunch of outstanding talent working behind the scenes, giving voices to the memorable characters of the show. Christy Carlson Romano, who also played Ren in Even Stevens provided the voice of Kim, whilst actress and comedian Nicole Sullivan provided the voice for Shego.
And it may surprise some to discover that Rufus the naked mole-rat had his interesting 'lines' voiced by Nancy Cartwright — the same actress who's the voice of Bart Simpson!
What fans love most about Kim Possible was that its female characters gave a voice to young girls everywhere and contributed to changing TV for girls for the better, joining the ranks with other shows led by strong and multidimensional and relatable female protagonists such as Lizzy McGuire and That's So Raven. Kim Possible first aired in 2001 and is still, two decades later, considered both as a classic noughties TV show and an inspiration.