There aren’t many shows or pieces of media that depict girls in their high school years to be cool badasses, let alone world-renowned crime-fighting heroines. With the airing of Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano) twenty years ago on Disney Channel, the titular heroine instantly became an inspiration for both young girls and boys (and adults) as she navigates the ups and downs that we all grappled with throughout high school. However, Kim Possible kicks it up a notch by doing it all while also taking down the world’s most evil villains.

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Unlike the classic hero/heroine, one of the most notable aspects of Kim’s story is that she does not have an alter ego. Everyone around her knows of her crime-fighting agenda; classmates, teachers, even her parents! Her occupation is a hot topic for everyone in her life. On the family side, it’s funny to see her parents be supportive of her unorthodox job while continuing to be classic caretakers who nag her about making curfew, keeping her grades up, and not getting too distracted by boys. At school, her spy job can be a point of contention with some fellow students, most especially her school rival, Bonnie Rockwaller (Kirsten Storms). This makes her story much more unique and interesting, as the world knowing her occupation makes her off-the-clock mundanities have higher stakes than the average teen. Kim Possible continues to set herself apart as she handles top-of-the-line crime missions with ease, but ends up struggling and getting tripped up much more by her normal responsibilities. Since she is in high school, she can’t even drive herself around to save the world yet. In every episode, Kim gets travel assistance from a different person around the world who she has helped in the past. Viewers can relate to Kim bumming rides from other people before she has her license, but she also happens to be riding a spy-copter on her way to fight a supervillain.

A screengrab of Kim Possible from the show of the same name.
Image via Disney Channel

Any heroine story is hopefully one that brings about change in the media in terms of representation. Kim Possible showed audiences that young girls can be multifaceted and that their interests can span in a variety of ways. At school, Kim is a straight-A student and the captain of her cheerleading squad. This is already a clear dichotomy of social scenes for high schoolers that Kim is dismantling, without her job of being a professional badass even coming into the picture yet. Kim being devoted to her school work while also being passionate about a sport eliminates any character archetypes of being just a nerd, or just a jock type.

This extends to another level of deconstructing stereotypes because the extracurricular activity of cheerleading has historically been looked down upon and made fun of. It has been portrayed as a “girl’s-only” endeavor that only certain women enjoy. Majorly, cheerleaders are stereotyped as the “dumb-blonde” who would never simultaneously be getting straight A’s and fighting evil. Given Kim’s determined, headstrong personality and athletic nature, her leadership role on the cheer squad portrays cheerleading as a “real sport,” something it is often discredited for not being. The fact that she is a highly respected crime fighter makes viewers subconsciously have more respect for cheerleading because if the badass Kim Possible is interested in it, and is the captain no less, it must be a worthwhile, self-expressing activity.

The theme of gender role subversion in the series is prominent in the other principal character dynamics as well, and not just in Kim’s position as a girl in relation to other girls. Kim’s best friend is the ever-clumsy Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle). His name says it all, especially being in direct opposition to the unstoppable, Kim Possible. She is the intelligent, swift, savvy main character, and her male sidekick is the bumbling, uncoordinated one. Ron is unrepresentative of all that male heroes have historically been made out to be. Ron typically lacks confidence and tends to let his personal insecurities get the best of him. His woes and anxieties interfere and sometimes flat out screw up the action he needs to take on during his missions with Kim.

kim-possible-kim-and-ron copy
Image Via Disney Channel

Despite Ron’s constant slip-ups, Kim still finds no difficulty trusting and respecting Ron. This is an unusual dynamic, as this is not the case when roles are reversed, and women are the ones in the dumb side-kick position. They are more often than not treated as discardable and with little respect, facing quick punishment if they mess up something important. This dynamic being portrayed via an action/adventure duo is a vital aspect to the show, and the fact that this duo exists in a children’s series makes it quintessential. There has yet to be another heroic female lead that is side kicked by a man to become as memorable and iconic as Kim and Ron. Wade (Tahj Mowry), the ten-year-old tech wizard who is also part of Kim’s mission team, is worth mentioning as well. He is the one that usually assigns all the missions to Kim, but more importantly, is another great example of a genuine guy who is dedicated to supporting Kim and doing what he can to help her succeed.

After four seasons, 87 episodes, and even a feature-length animated film called A Sitch in Time, Kim Possible was concluded in September 2007. Twenty years after its premiere the show’s legacy is alive and well, exhibiting the same influential impact as it did when it aired. Arguably, the significance and magnitude of all that Kim Possible proved to have only become more prominent over time, and she still serves as an incomparable, stand-alone female hero. Combining elements from many genres ranging from action, adventure, comedy, drama, and even romance, creators Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle made one of the most prominent Disney animated series that was ahead of its time. Writing this while looking at an old Kim Possible action figure on my shelf, I can say with confidence that Kim has made her mark on me, just like she did many other viewers of my generation. I’m sure many people can be heard singing “Call Me! Beep Me!”, one of the catchiest television theme songs out there, or asking their friends “What’s the sitch?” to this day.