Hannah Dickens

HON 394
O'Flaherty
In analysis of the graphic novel Y: The Last Man by Brian Vaughan about a
dystopian future where all the males have died except one human and one monkey, Khng
argues that the women in the novel preserve patriarchy "as a means to re-enact predystopian 'normalcy.'" The women acting in the habit of patriarchy do not try to preserve
patriarchy as something that is familiar, but instead want the power that it represented
regardless of gender.
When the entire world is in panic and confusion and mayhem, governments or
armies would not be as powerful and respected as they would be in times of peace. But
the wives of the Republican Party members and the remaining forces of the IDF still
strive for these positions not because they want to fulfill patriarchy roles, but because
they want the power that these roles could have in the future. When the wives of the
Republican Party members attempt to stage a coup on the White House, they speak of the
problems happening outside of Washington from looting and mass suicide to cannibalism
and that is why they need to have power in the government. "Our constituencies need
leadership. I understand that, Ms. Stahl, and we do intend to hold special elections
when the time is right. Until then, you can do more good in your communities than you
could inside the capitol! That's a lie! If we're going to save this country, there arethere
are decisions to be made. And our voices deserve to be heard as much as yours do."
(Vaughan, Pg 73-74) The government members were purely figureheads because they
had no ability to carry out any ruling or even make anything made known to the public,

but the wives wanted those seats and positions of power in case anything changed and the
world returned to working order rather than chaos. And as the IDF is one of the few
armies in the world with a more substantial number of women, it was one of the few if
only armies that survived and had the ability to have and take power in a world with no
other might. Alter Tse'elon and Sadie represent the IDF in the novel and Sadie talks of
peace and a future with both genders, while Alter focuses on current power. "Our people
are safe, AlterThanks to you. But we no longer have their support. The women want
peace, not world dominion. Peace must be earned, Sadie." (Vaughan, Pg 84) And when
they go to Dr. Mann's lab and find out that there is a possibility of men, they react the
same way as they did before. "Assuming your source was telling the truth, there might be
information about creating more men in here. Right. If the enemy ever got their hands on
such knowledgethey could essentially resurrect their armies. I'm not talking about the
enemy, Alter. I'm talking about the future of Israel. As am I." (Vaughan, Pg 127) Sadie
wanted peace and the continuance of life, but Alter simply wanted power and control.
Both the Republican wives and the IDF sought power in previously erected ruling forces,
but they did not want to replace and continue patriarchy when the men were gone, they
just wanted the power that came with those positions.
The Daughters of the Amazon were a new group that sprung out of the death of
almost all men on the planet rather than an established force previously, but they were
quite against the roles of men in the world and instead just wanted to have control and
power in their new world. In reality, the Daughters of the Amazon is a cult run by
Victoria, and she assumes these false reasonings to lure in followers, but she just wants
the power and control of having the group behind her. Her followers talk of males being

deformed females and that oppressed women have no choice but to rise up and destroy
their oppressors as all men were rapists and dictators and serial killers. (Vaughan, Pg 100101) Victoria wasn't just satisfied with all of the males in the world being dead; she
wanted to oppress other women as well as long as she was the one in power. "Our
opponents are gone nowbut that doesn't mean that we've won. There are misguided
women out there who will attempt to remake this world exactly as it once was."
(Vaughan, Pg 106) Victoria forces Hero and probably many other followers into carrying
out things like murder of other women because she tells them that they are harming other
women and maintaining the control of men if they do not. "You ended her suffering,
Hero. She was still clinging to the old world. You set her free. It's unfortunate that we had
to use violence, but as long as one man is still alive on this planet, we have no choice but
to play by their rules." (Vaughan, Pg 143) There is not really that much one single person
can do on such a populated and panicked planet, much less for one person to control an
entire planet. Victoria and the rest of the world did not have to play by men's rules even if
one male survived for they had the mass majority. But Victoria was running a cult and she
wanted the power over everyone, including other women, and the existence of someone
who could disprove her vitriol would go against that power and control. For Victoria and
the Daughters of the Amazon, it was not about maintaining patriarchy as they were
violently against any male continuance, so much so that they even killed transsexuals, but
rather the rise of a new group trying to bully and murder their way into power and control
of the world around them.
These three female groups in the novel sought to have control over the world
around them and the other women, two through male established groups and one brand

new. But it was not about continuing the world as patriarchy knew it, but about having
power and control over others, regardless of gender or where the power was coming
from.