The "Mean Girl" Trio - Three Types of Bad Female Rulers

[@thetake]

The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/thetake08212

[@tpgamble]

Can you do a video on the blonde, brunette, and redhead trio?

[@paolatag]

liked

[@Faboostic]

Also, Plato first divided power into three, the executive power, legislative and judicial, so it makes sense it's always a trio as a reflection of our power dynamics.

[@sharptoothtrex4486]

Miss Rita Desjardin knows how to give Regina, Gretchen, and Karen a weeks detention showing why these three cannot fool around with her.

[@BrooksJo]

Drago, Crabbe and Goyle are a mean girl trio

[@prettynpetty8342]

OMG

[@malakcanvas]

Yup!

[@protoncoccus3229]

The Mean Boys

[@michonnewalker4246]

@Jodie It Draco not Drago

[@chinnyb4942]

😂😂😂

[@darr12100]

Another notable mean girl trio: Azula, Mai and Ty Lee from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

[@Melly16yr10]

Good point 👍

[@QUARTERMASTEREMI6]

Yeah, those three fit the bill perfectly! Not really sure how they managed to miss them.

[@andieallison6792]

@@QUARTERMASTEREMI6 because they aren't a high school clique.

[@vs5133]

@@QUARTERMASTEREMI6 Azula and Ty Lee, yes. But Mai was never the 'Blind Follower'. Her strong individuality, level of self-respect and loyalty to Zuko over Azula dismantled the Trio. Her ability to follow Azula only on her own terms makes her the anti-Gretchen Weiner of sorts.

[@rezadezlopez4467]

Yes!!

[@witchplease9695]

Heroic trios are just as common. In many adventure or fantasy novels or media there is a trio of protagonists; The three musketeers, powerpuff girls, Harry, Ron and Hermione, are the most popular example of this. One is the brawn, one is the brain (usually the leader but not always), and one is the heart. It even applies to love triangles.

[@raisyrosye7656]

Yes, I agree!

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

I don't know about applying the brain-brawn-heart part to love triangles though. I haven't seen many designated "Smart Guy" type characters in love triangles (using "Smart Guy" gender neutrally)

[@danieltran9634]

Oh you forgot the Charmed ones. I knew about the term "trio" or "trinity" from that series.

[@clwt4075]

attack on titan - mikasa armin and Eren

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

Triangle theory of love includes three points, one of each alone a pairing of two and the combination of three, known as consummate love, consisting of intimacy, passion, and commitment.

[@itspienoon7883]

I can't believe some people don't know about the Heathers being the blueprint of this trope. They were the 80s mean girls in groups of three.

[@mewesquirrel6720]

Not really I grew up with a lot of old movies like from the 40s and seen ot

[@skinnypete3104]

Yes! That was the original that kicked off Clueless etc

[@gensai93]

It's older than that.

[@user-us7py1cy2k]

The trope is a lot older an heathers, some could argue that the three evil witch’s could be the blue print

[@insertsomethingcreativeher7949]

look at u miss superiority complex 😭, the trope is actually much older than that

[@trinaq]

The only true "Mean Girl" was Regina, but even she gets redeemed by the end. Gretchen is driven by her insecurity, which pressures her to act "Mean" for the sake for popularity and approval, and Karen is too sweet and dumb to even pretend to be nasty.

[@jasayehan]

I don't even think Karen was being dumb, she might have just been acting dumb to get along with the other two. Using her sweet nature and pretty privilege to stay on top whilst overlooking the others' meanness.

[@francygonzalez7285]

You need to see Heathers

[@prettynpetty8342]

I truly believe Regina only approached Karen to join the group becuase she would have the title of Queen B due to her beauty. She needed to keep her competition close and make sure Karen was seen as below her. Hence, the bringing in of Cady. It's quite the strategy.

[@gretalunghini6029]

I always thought the “mean girls” were Regina and Janice

[@bafbaas1210]

Idk Gretchen clearly had a passive aggressive sneaky backstabby attitude. Like she used secrets against people

[@jo_jo_jo]

I don't get why we haven't had any video about 'Desperate housewifes' yet. The show fits this channel soooo much. All the main four characters are representatives of some sort of trope: Susan (The hopeless romantic), Gabrielle (The sex bomb), Lynette (The working woman) and Bree (The ideal home). Besides, it would be very interesting to do a video about suburban America, and how has it been portrayed through times, as in 'American Beauty', 'Suburgatory', 'Blue velvet', and, of course, the Witeria Lane, from 'Real Housewifes'.

[@higeorge4060]

i want a bree van de kamp breakdown. shes the best character

[@angelface333]

oh my god i’d love to see this

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

You should look at Japan for more examples of the housewifes

[@zai1647]

I have also wondered about that for so long omg

[@thozamamabusela7958]

This is such a great idea!

[@prettynpetty8342]

I wanted to comment on how the 3 in Mean Girls interacted with food. In front of others, they didn't eat much. We could argue that it was disordered but that's irrelevant. When you're projecting a godly or ethereal image, you don't eat like everyone else. Your figure should never change and if it does, it does so to mystify people, not repulse them. That's why I think it was brilliant that Cady sabotages Regina's weight loss plan, because, as messed up as this is, once you've gained weight in "not the right places", you're just like everybody else, you are no longer godly because it is human.

[@sabinagarcia6309]

I think jawbreaker, or some other movie had a line that said exactly that.

[@prettynpetty8342]

@@sabinagarcia6309 never heard of jawbreaker.

[@sabinagarcia6309]

@Kendall It was one of the movies shown in the video

[@rociohernandez3077]

@@prettynpetty8342 it's very in line with heathers, if you liked that movie I recommend jawbreakers

[@romualdandrzejczak4093]

@@sabinagarcia6309 It was "Jawbreaker", but the line was about the "beauty is never tarnished" trope, i.e in this case: if people see us eating, they would correctly assume that we have to shit and fart as well. That is not becoming to our beauty, so we cannot allow people to see us eating.

[@barbiquearea]

"Boys don't come in threes" Ahem Draco Malfoy

[@melodyclark1944]

He is more like the typical mean girl than the typical mean guy

[@anonymousowl7099]

bUt DrAcO iS JuSt OnE pErSoN-

[@xqueenfrostine]

@@anonymousowl7099 one person with two hench men, Crabbe and Goyle. Hence he’s the Regina George of Hogwarts.

[@princessangel821]

Ed, Edd and Eddy

[@golwenlothlindel]

@@princessangel821 no, that's the Freudian Trio: each character represents the Id, Ego, or Superego. There's a lot of different kinds of trios. Melody is on to it, Draco and his henchmen act like Mean Girls rather than like your typical male high school bullies. Draco is also not your average powerful man, he's not physically strong and too pretty to be intimidating. His family are demanding that he take and maintain power at the age of *eleven*, even though he is aware that he is not well equipped to do so. Hence he uses many of the same strategies that women typically employ. And like the typical Mean Girl, he's only parrotting the power dynamics that he sees around him: his mother and her two sisters.

[@devinmeenan5708]

Where are Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee?

[@romeblanchard3419]

A person of culture❤️

[@carloszapata847]

Judging by the standards of the video: Azula: The Leader. Mai: The Enforcer. Ty Lee: The Face. Zuko: The fourth member that causes them to fall apart.

[@pigpjs]

Gretchen's breakdown saying they should totally stab Cesar makes me laugh every time.

[@BloodyMary74]

Can you talk about the four female friends trope? Sex and the city, Desperate Housewives, Girls, Derry Girls

[@LoveAndSnapple]

And Girlfriends.

[@priyankavaidya8797]

YES PLEASE! Don't forget the 4 person group in Sex Education.

[@Mistressofdark]

And insecure

[@CandaceYoung962]

Living Single

[@bafbaas1210]

@@priyankavaidya8797 there's no 4 person friend group in sex ed. And eric, otis, mavie and aimee dont count as they're just 2 duos connected only through maeve

[@tiagomadureira6401]

A take on the girl that dethrones the Queen Bee (ex: Cady, Jenny, Veronica and Tai) would be really cool

[@Missmagazinebura]

Like Serena did in gossip girl

[@synthiasparkle6482]

And how that affects her.

[@zaryamoon4906]

Who is Tai

[@calyyygrazie8]

@@zaryamoon4906 from Clueless, the girl that Cher made over

[@zaryamoon4906]

@@calyyygrazie8 Thanks, also Cher wasn't a mean girl or Queen bee at all, Cher was cool girl.

[@eat_pray_porg8450]

There is also the thought of "natural geometry/sacred geometry" of the number three itself. Incidents of three occur regularly in nature; natural structures that consist of three main parts tend to be structurally sound and stable.

[@CherryFizz]

My guess? Something related to Maiden/Mother/Crone. :)

[@raisyrosye7656]

I need to do more research about this.

[@verolyssaurio7778]

Thought the same

[@MsCamo2]

So who are the father, warrior, smith and stranger?

[@leonelasj]

I was waiting for them to mention Hekate, but they didn't!

[@CherryFizz]

@@MsCamo2 haven't heard of that before, I'll have to look it up ^_^

[@marnetteryes2613]

What this video has taught me is that a trio of Regina (mean girls), Courtney (jawbreaker) and Santana (glee) could defeat Thanos in seconds.

[@rachelmcclain5367]

Let's do it

[@trinaq]

In most mean girl trios, you have the nice but dumb one (Karen, Brittany, Heather Mac), the Mean Diva (Regina, Santana and Heather Chandler) and the one who is a mixture of nice and mean, but who tends to be the butt of all jokes (Gretchen, Quinn and Heather Duke.)

[@joshuagareau7165]

I never really got the vibes that santana was the ring leader

[@trinity3877]

santana is not the ring leader she just happens to be more aggressive and upfront than quinn

[@sammyvictors2603]

Nice, Mean, and In between (TV Tropes)

[@hxpewxrld]

Nah, originally Quinn is the ringleader

[@justinanjoku5378]

I would swap Quinn and Santana Quinn is far more manipulative and under handed like Regina And she is the ‘head cheerio’

[@eliza6971]

People love to hate the Kardashians, but I firmly believe they’re a product of our culture, not the other way around. They wouldn’t be selling their lifestyle if were weren’t buying it. I don’t count myself as a fan per se, but at the end of the day we’re all Anne Hathaway in a cerulean sweater.

[@returnoftheromans6726]

Why is this so true?! 👆

[@Missmagazinebura]

The three Mean girls but kourtney seems the nicest

[@godbearxd]

I can't believe people were actually mad at Otis for not saying I love you back. What was he supposed to do lie? If you prefer a lie over the truth that sounds like *you* problem.

[@BioshadowX]

Yeah I love these videos but there always seem to be a pretty toxic or abusive line about relationships thrown here and there so casually it's kind of jarring

[@rasmusforchhammer9557]

@@BioshadowX didn't they just say they felt bad for her for getting rejected? That's not necessarily the same as thinking he was bad for doing so.

[@BioshadowX]

@@rasmusforchhammer9557 in the same section where the thesis of the section is that mean girls are mean as a response to the choicesand actions of the people and environmemt around them, all of which are presenter as being the person's/system's fault

[@nendu4316]

ma dude , people were mad at "that's nice"

[@godbearxd]

@@nendu4316 He's a teenager that was caught way off guard by the mean girl saying that she loved him after only really dating him for a few weeks at most. Only a month earlier she was embarrassed to be seen with him in public now she loves him? Yeah...that's nice. 😂

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I think the differences were so clear in ‘The Princess Diaries’ with Lana, Anna and Fontana. No way it was a coincidence they had rhyming names lol

[@flowergirl5336]

What were the differences in that movie

[@rachelmcclain5367]

@@flowergirl5336 no depth to the characters

[@SraAsdasd]

offended that charmed wasn't mentioned in the witch section they're literally the power of three

[@feliciaclaye9574]

They were flashed across the screen as she mentioned the modern trio groups.

[@shountypoo]

They werent mean girls were they?

[@feliciaclaye9574]

@@shountypoo you have a good point. They each had their moments, but they were never mean girl like in attitude.

[@kyayuh1513]

@@shountypoo they weren’t mean girls. but i think they could still kinda play into this trope. like they’re supposed to be protagonists but they each have qualities of a “mean girl”. for example, phoebes naivety and innocence could be similar to karen being described as “dumb” in the movie mean girls.

[@ImadeIyamu]

They were in 8:02

[@Spicie95]

Definitely learned behaviour. When I was in school, one of my classmates wanted to be the Queen Bee, so she acted like the typical movie trope. At one point, she even made a terrible trio with two other girls when she wanted to enforce her rule over me, but it went away pretty quickly again - probably because they didn't understand how to use it as a power construct 🤔

[@TikaRose222]

The triple goddess, lilith energy; that represents the feminine personality all elements are needed, The madien, lover, mystic, huntress, crone, queen one more. However at some point hopefully women can appreciate all... you definitely have all with in..

[@dreamyanon5151]

Didn't you just list 6? Or 7? I am confused

[@datuangela]

@@dreamyanon5151 main three are maiden, mother, and crone

[@sandradermark8463]

High-school divas came in threes BEFORE Mean Girls There were the Heathers (the 80s film decades before the musical). I think THEY were the first example of a queen bee having a right-hand and a left-hand girl (Until protagonist Verónica becomes the unofficial 4th Heather). Am I right?

[@ChezzaOuttaNowhere]

Yep and followed by Jawbreaker. My fave.

[@migangelmart]

"I prayed for the death of Heather Chandler many times and I felt bad every time I did it but I kept doing it anyway. Now I know you understood everything. Praise Jesus. Hallelujah." --Heather Duke

[@stanbtsforaclearskin]

Yeah, but I think that Mean Girls have a bigger impact about the three mean girls even if they weren't the first ones in make it. Heathers is such a great movie, but it's sadly underrated in our generation along with Jawbreaker, meanwhile Mean Girls remain as an iconic movie and we still seeing memes and things about it all the time.

[@jllamons2348]

Did you not finish the video? Like?

[@michonnewalker4246]

@@stanbtsforaclearskin Agreed, Mean Girls is so iconic

[@LucyAnne1]

I feel like Heather Duke is the enforcer because she's treated terribly by Chandler, and Heather Mcnamara is the pretty face because she's sweet, naive, and a well liked cheerleader at the school.

[@zkkitty2436]

I feel like these kinds of characters should be acknowledged as complex, but even if they are "forced to be mean" that doesn't change the fact that they hurt the people around them. They can be empathized with, and should be! Especially with teenage girls, they are reflecting what they see in society and are really impressionable, not having grown into themselves yet. But they are still unkind and cruel and I can't help but bristle when people try and justify people's bad behavior bc they're "dealing with things."

[@heliosfromacrossastar878]

Yes, I felt that the Take brushed way too easily over the fact that a sad story doesn’t excuse bullying these terrible trio’s do. Otherwise interesting video, but that felt too simple.

[@vacafuega]

Even if someone has an understandable reason for doing something bad, that doesn't mean they're not "a bad person" ! A few times in this video, and others, you say something along the lines of "it may seems like X is a bad person, but then we find out they're driven by insecurity/other reason". This is a commonly held fallacy. Relatability doesn't count when determining whether someone is trustworthy and/or acting in good faith. If someone does manipulative and cruel things, that would make them accurately describable as a bad person. Doesn't matter why.

[@messinalyle4030]

That kind of ties in with the reason why it made me uncomfortable that The Take said that the depiction of the Mean Girl trope represented society's collective fear of female power. Maybe we just don't like to see humans create little cliques based around conformity and social control? Why jump to the conclusion that the "fear" behind that valid disgust is really the fear of female power? In being so quick to jump to that conclusion, you're essentially re-victimizing women, because the motives of anyone who judges us are automatically questioned and thus these women can do no wrong. Especially if you start from the presupposition that women have to become these Queen Bees in order to "make it." Okay, so don't "make it," then. Fuck it. Or just strike out on your own or with a group of others with a similar vision and go create your own niche. Find your own measure of success. Or work on reforming the system from within if that's what calls to you. I'm not saying that we have to be portrayed as paragons of virtue at all times in the media. But neither should we be dancing around the fact that women are human and sometimes humans do bad things, some more than others. Women having power is not necessarily inherently feminist. Especially if they wield that power against other women who are already more oppressed than they are, and men who face more oppression than they do on different axises. We don't normally include high school outcasts in that category, but why wouldn't they be?

[@stellaw3682]

I don’t think that bad action=bad person. You can do bad things and still be a good person and contrary you can do good things and still be a bad person (if a murderer gives money to a homeless shelter, that would be a good action but it wouldn’t make him a good person)

[@Hiphop618]

@@messinalyle4030 Well said!!!!

[@-Radical.Ed-]

It was what I was going to comment on. Justifying a cruel action doesn't make it disappear or make the person excusable itself. You are just perpetuating the oppressor-victim system not allowing the victim to escape the situation and (in most cases) the victim has it just as hard as the oppressor or worse. Moreover, this victim has to actually add the victimizer actions to their daily basis problems. This justification of cruelty needs to stop because it doesn't even help the oppressor to rehabilitate or escape the unjust system it will just reinforce the bias it has or the identification with their role. And eventually, later in life, it will either become a worse person or will find their end to a much crueller one becoming a victim themself.

[@mysteriiis]

@@-Radical.Ed- This. The Take, as shown in numerous videos, doesn't seem to give two shits about these character's numerous victims. They sound more and more like the villains in these movies. Viewing everyone else as disposable NPC's to be swept under the rug for the villain's amusement.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

So, if ‘The Lion King’ is ‘Hamlet’, does that make ‘Mean Girls’ equivalent to ‘Macbeth’?

[@mariamshalvashvili8108]

Actually it IS very loosely based on one of Shakespeare’s plays - Julius Caesar.

[@Dina2404]

@@mariamshalvashvili8108 We should totally just stab Caesar!

[@protoncoccus3229]

@@mariamshalvashvili8108 I love how it rhymes 💓

[@richardbourton4523]

I love that idea. If MacBeth had just been curious about power rather than truly power-hungry. Both he and Cady disrupt the established power structure and supplant it, only to see their own relationships fall apart as that power corrupts and poisons them. Justice is only served when they are no longer the monarch at the end. Great observation!

[@romualdandrzejczak4093]

Not "Mean Girls", but "Heathers" is, I'd say, a high school AU of "Macbeth", though not 1:1(eg. Veronica is Macbeth, Malcolm and Macduff in one, J.D. is Lady Macbeth, the witches, and to some extent, Macbeth himself in one...).

[@yonathor]

I think it's also a cultural thing. Here in the Netherlands it's always a duo of mean girls. I always found it typical that in the States there are trios.

[@yonathor]

Now I think of it, I know why: Dutch are cheap, one less actress to pay to be mean.

[@raisyrosye7656]

@@yonathor 😂✋

[@JC-yy8iv]

@@yonathor 😂

[@euseo]

And in Korea it’s quadruples/ fives. Pretty interesting

[@spookyho5994]

I feel like when it comes to popular or mean male trios, it’s mostly manifests as just one bully and his two henchmen.

[@JC-yy8iv]

Crabb and Goyle!

[@GoaWay...]

So still a trio

[@spookyho5994]

@@GoaWay... yea, but with different power dynamics

[@GoaWay...]

@@spookyho5994 different how?🤔 I thought it was still a leader with two minions.

[@frederickpurcell3925]

@@JC-yy8iv Exactly

[@angelicabianca631]

In high school, I was a part of a tight knit group of three. Myself, and my best friends who are identical twin sisters. One day our social studies class had everyone make a mean girls style map of the school and to label each of the cliches. Not a great idea but so it was. Where we hung out was labeled as, “the weird girls” “lesbians” “scary goth chicks” etc. one of my proudest moments. We are still close though we have since moved across the country form each other, they in NY and me in northern CA. In my mind we will always be the weird sisters 🥀 🥀 🥀

[@Nightriser271828]

I kinda feel like clusters of three are very common in reality. I was also in the "weird girls" trio. We weren't all in one category--one was an artsy goth girl, one was a not goth artsy girl, and I was the science nerd. Our one common characteristic was that we'd played clarinet together in sixth and seventh grade.

[@bgcrp2005]

I was in a clique sadly the girls were pretty so I guess I got chosen for the same I guess I was the enforcer not a follower but I got in your face

[@kant.68]

If I had to place myself during Middle School...the geeks/nerdy group. Either too Skinny or too fat, not very good looking, no contact with girls, and just into games and anime . This was back in 2012 or so.

[@Missmagazinebura]

@@Nightriser271828the weird girls so the charmed ones ?

[@BeccaBeccaBecca22]

At one point I hope the OBSESSION society has with teenagers moves on. There are mean girls in college, in the working world, in neighborhood communities like PTA or country clubs, mommy blogs, etc..... I cannot stand how often teens are the spotlight as if life & people totally shift as they get older. Many of these women were mean and self absorbed teens and became self absorbed women, oftentimes seen more in wealthier neighborhoods. Lots of these girls are taught their ways from their MOMS - and it's for a reason. The social heirarchies of high school also reflect society at large. Why is that almost alwaysssss ignored? Women of all types also exist outside of high school but are never explored as deeply as people look into teenaged girls. It's honestly a little perverse, it's just a literal obsession with youth. I suppose women who aren't teens just aren't as interesting even if they have the same issues.

[@caroldelosangeles3621]

Exactly;and behind that a lot of pervert pedophiles directors or producers in Hollywood and music industry.Lets burn all that sh*** 🔥

[@timy9197]

Honorable mention: Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee

[@carloszapata847]

They even had a fourth member that destabilizes them.

[@zubaydahtalukdar8088]

@@carloszapata847Lol 😂 true!!! 😅

[@sashafeldmann6496]

See I think the second in command is also the one that’s first in line to oust the queen, which is part of why I feel like that’s Heather Duke, not Heather MacNamara

[@JC-yy8iv]

Yeah that seemed like maybe a writing mix-up, surely they meant Duke. MacNamara is definitely the low-status third (although neither nice nor dumb like many)

[@sashafeldmann6496]

@@JC-yy8iv Yeah, I think she’s probably supposed to be the nicEST of them, because of the attempted suicide scene where she bonds with Veronica.

[@hollyprentice449]

You missed the most powerful mean girl trio of them all! Azula, Ty Lee and Mai from Avatar!

[@lucypreece7581]

The thing is with The Unholy Trinity on Glee made up of Quinn, Santana and Brittany is they start out as the stereotypical mean girls but then get development and become complex people. Quinn has to deal with a teen pregnancy and the fact she cheated on her boyfriend and the family and societal pressure to be the perfect pretty blonde girl and then in season 3 she cracks and essentially has a breakdown when she becomes a "skank" and has the pink hair and is hurting people and tries to ruin Shelby's life. She has pushed everyone away including Santana and Brittany. Santana is introduced as the typical mean girl. seductive and sassy but as we start developing her love story with Brittany and her coming out storyline we see that Santana has a lot of vulnerability and softness. Brittany is given the stereotype of being the dumb but pretty one but she has her own unique brand of wisdom that come out in the world and she teaches us to look at the world in a new way a lot of the time and she enriches the lives of those around her with her sense of whimsical optimism.

[@joelconner5514]

Hello, how are you doing, I do like your comment

[@jewelsdragonfly]

So does that mean the Ashleys from Recess are at a different power level?

[@LoveAndSnapple]

I never really watched the show like that, but from what I can remember they operated as a Hive mindset. They liked to bounce ideas off of each other and even though I think Ashley A was the “leader” she couldn’t really do much without the consensus of the others. It’s been a while though so I could be totally wrong.

[@jo_jo_jo]

I guess there is another combination, made by four women, which is alo very prevalent in culture. Such as Ashleys, from 'Recess', and the four main characters of 'Sex and the city', 'Desperate Housewifes' or 'Devious maids'. But, as the video says, this formation is more complex, with several relationships happening at the same time. Anyway, I think that, when four, there's always a 'main character', and the other three gravitate around her and give insight about some of the main character's traits. See Ashley A, Carrie, Sussan and Marisol, for each of the aforementioned shows.

[@PlatinumDagger]

Yes, but they work as a team and they were based off the Heathers.

[@kant.68]

Recess should have a freaking continuation in Mid School !

[@theinformedvegan6758]

great video again! this made me interested in a video on the "popular/hot guy (who usually first dates the blond mean girl) but ends up with the main character" trope. i think it always sets up successful/popular girls to be mean and shallow, but successful/popular guys to be actually sweethearts, and also ultimately rests the main character's happy ending in male validation.

[@ovgucimen1701]

how can you forget about the Trix sisters from Winx? they are the perfect example for witches and mean girls

[@DrDrama-jd1mh]

I feel like unholy trinity cared about each other the most out all the other trios. They did fight and betray each other but they always made up and when someone was sad they would comfort each other or they would stand up for each other

[@botnet7175]

Lol while u showed Chanel Oberlin, 5 and 3, and mentioned triads, I remembered that scene of her going: "Instead of strutting around campus in a beautiful diamond formation, we were forced to walk in a triad like a bunch of hobos!"

[@stepheneastern7661]

Actually, the Unholy Trinity is a bit out of the box because Quinn isn't the boss of them, and sometime Quinn and Santana are on the same level vocally and dominantly. But Brittany fits the 3rd girl stereotype, but funnier IMHO LOL

[@raevenavrila9213]

i was surprised heather duke wasnt in this, her and gretchen wanted to be leader and was always jealous of regina/heather c i thought she was gonna be the “second in command” while heather mcnamara was the nicest one out of them like brittany/karen

[@romualdandrzejczak4093]

In the second "Equestria Girls" movie, there is a trio of villainous sirens(The Dazzlings), who would fit as well, though they aren't "rulers" per se, more like she-devils(they sow discord among the students of Canterlot High and tempt them to be more and more hateful toward each other). Interestingly, Sunset Shimmer in the first movie is a typical queen bee(she seems like a mixture of Regina and negative traits of Janis), but she doesn't have a girl posse, just two imbecile male flunkies.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

The ladies in ‘9 to 5’ is my all-time favourite trio.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

I love that movie

[@marianagarcia879]

I don't know why, but they just happen, i always had a group of friends in trios and saw other cluster of friend groups in three

[@georgeprchal3924]

Ashley A, Ashley B, Ashley T, and Ashley Q. Throw in Ashley S and they could be unstoppable.

[@plzleavemealone9660]

It seems to be something natural. One thing that I have noticed in my own life is that often the ''alpha'' girl manipulates the other 2 into trying to get her to favor them over the other. The 2 would fight over the ''leaders'' affection. It's an easy way to keep sometime like a cult and also keep control over it at all times.

[@MegaXavi999]

There are some iconic Mean Trios such as The Heathers, The Plastics, Azula’s squad, etc. but the Kardashians aren’t one of them.

[@silvaniafreecellwind2844]

You missed de best witchy trio ever... The trix (Winx series): Icy, Darcy and Stormy! 😂

[@aqualucy_4817]

A common factor is also that the two "henchmen" often have a way closer bond than either do with the main girl. Brittany & Santana for example

[@pepita3467]

My freshman year i moved to costa rica and I was friends with two girls i met at high school we called ourselves the power puff girls and we did everything together had wild adventures all year they used to be so cruel to me sometimes but at the same time told me how they loved me it was so weird we all stopped talking the year after

[@swooningtree]

When I watched the first montage, I was getting super scared you weren’t gonna include Jawbreakers. Such an underrated classic

[@priyankavaidya8797]

Can you go more into why 4 people systems are dysfunctional? I intuitively understand why 2 people systems don't work - the 2 people will eventually compete with each other. Though more detail on 2 people systems would be useful too. But I really want more info on 4 people groups because I don't get it. Also if 4 people systems are more likely to be dysfunctional - can you explain how the popular group in Sex Education (Ruby, Aimee, Anwar, and Olivia) did work before Maeve came along.

[@defiantlypinki1107]

Little Mix. Destiny’s Child. Dream girls. Yeah, they all had 4 members at one point but drama made them into the default 3. History repeats itself.

[@missaaliyaha]

Usually there are 2 alphas and a schism, which makes people pick sides. They either split or become a trio

[@prettypookiebear]

Even Girlfriends! Maya came in and then Toni left a few years later

[@kant.68]

As bigger the group as less centralized the power becomes.

[@jessicav931]

I wonder if this why Neville do t become part of the regular group in Harry Potter. At the other hand, i feel the duo dinamic is very interesting too, maybe because I am watching Hunter x hunter, and the friendship of Gon and Kirua is awesome, their rivality made them stronger. In Harry Potter i feel Ron and Harry are their own group, Hermione it's more like a saint that it's to give support . When Harry have to hang exclusively with her at book 4 it was annoying for him and she have to put whit his bad humor, just to be paid with Harry picking Ron's side when she date Viktor (the narrator say that Harry knew she was right, but that he was not open to lose Ron again).

[@nanpuxle8272]

this doesnt really apply to quinn, santana and britanny tho. also the unholy trinity was not developed at all in story terms, they just got a few girlboss numbers. the fans were what made them into the iconic trio they are. the writers were more.focused in trying to develop everyones relationship with berry

[@oblivious93massacre]

Did you really just say the Kardashians aren't villians? They are the epitome of elitism. They're villians to their core.

[@esssymee7227]

They change the aesthetic of anyone who comes in contact with them

[@mysteriiis]

The Take are big fans of the Kardashians.

[@Whackadoo1]

The make anti capitalist/extreme wealth is bad videos, but then turn around a do puff pieces on why we should ADMIRE the Kardashians. I generally love The Take but sometimes...

[@RED-my9hl]

@@Whackadoo1 lmao everybody who disagrees with u isn't wrong or a bad person this is what u americans have a hard time accepting bye

[@Missmagazinebura]

Only Kourtney seemed nice

[@explodingkitten3331]

Did you ever think that, considering how many people want to be their friends, it's very normal for popular kids to reject most of them. I mean, you can't be friends with everyone.

[@protoncoccus3229]

Every "basic" friend group from what 8 knew during f2f classes started with a trio. (I myself am part of one)

[@PhantomQueenOne]

I've had interactions with mean girls and hated every moment.

[@marvache9652]

The fact that I've had a crush on the queen bee of half these trios is very telling on my type and I don't like how loud it's being

[@MechaJutaro]

Male bullies surrounded by an army of sycophants is a widely seen trope also. Check out Flash Thompson in Spiderman, plus the villains in just about every 80s high school movie. This mirrors reality, kids. If you're a social leper, the horde will ripe you to shreds

[@ninasolberg6998]

The three witches from Winx aka the Trix; Icy, Darcy and Stormy fit the trope perfectly

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Of course there is a ‘Mean Girls’ video (among other fabulous things) and I’m here for it.

[@catrionabruce3]

Hello the unholy trinity

[@synthiasparkle6482]

Karen is an airhead who can still be mean. Gretchen is a Blair Waldorf perfectionist. And Regina is a histrionic Queen Bee like Megan Fox’s character is in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Meanwhile Catie is a follower (for a bit), but secretly a nice, albeit naïve girl for obvious reasons. I would argue Janis was a bit of a mean girl too, but motivated by revenge.

[@Missmagazinebura]

But Gretchen wouldn’t manipulate the trio while Blair Waldorf threatened to expose their secrets to gossip girl .

[@sophieti9707]

was anyone else reminded of azula, mai, and ty lee in avatar the last airbender? they're kind of like the battle version of this trope!

[@midnightsdarling80]

I really wish Rania, Layan and ruqayya from alrawabi school for girls on Netflix were included in this because they would of been a perfect example.

[@NoraGuy]

This video came up on auto play and I’m here to say this stuff NEVER ends! I’m turning 49 in less than 2 weeks and some of the comments I’ve heard in the last few months are from women my age and sometimes older. One that stands out was from a former HS classmate (remember, we graduated in 1992!) who walked up to me when I stopped by the deli she worked at to tell me “I’ve been seeing videos of your ballroom dancing. It’s so… cute!” Another one was a coworker who’d just turned 40 and walked up to me at a work event to comment on the (loose-fitting) satin dress I had on, by going “Wow, that dress must really be holding you in, huh?” A COWORKER. My boyfriend and I watch Love is Blind together and just shake our heads. Great video!!

[@bigsistahtips]

When I was a teenager, there was a trio like that in our group. We were a massive group of almost 8 girls plus these 3. It was distributed the same way as announced here: 1 leader/queen, a second in command who made sure all of the leader's queries were fulfilled and the dumb-dumb who follows the rules blindly. A friend and I thought it was enough. She was too mean, flirting with the guys my other friends liked but were too shy to say anything about it, or too afraid of her or afraid of losing the status they got for hanging out with her. Talking shit about each of us behind our backs and even starting rumours for no reason. My friends were like, "well, it's just how she is...", but I was like, "em, no, this is a great group, and we don't deserve a 'friend' like that and I, personally, don't feel comfortable around her". So I teamed up with my bestie, and we started making her lose her shit by partying with people and never telling her, so she began to talk really badly about us again. We needed a starting point. When she was speaking like that about us, we enumerated what she's been doing to the rest of the girls. Since they were already annoyed about her bad mood and constant condescending tone, it was easy for them to tell her to stop hanging out with us. Kind of like, "you can't sit with us!" haha. As per her 2 other followers, they left with her out of "loyalty". Some people like to be followers forever.

[@piedathemokona]

There was a duo, not a trio really at my school, but one of the two girls was nicer to me. Don't know how they're even friends, and they are each other's BFF, they brag about it so much on social media.

[@JMD501]

Ok now I really want to rewatch Jawbreaker.

[@thesourpatchkidd579]

A true reality tv Mean Girl is Shaunie O'neal from basketball wives. She is Regina George- beautiful, powerful, seemingly above it all but behind the scenes pulling all the strings, relying on her enforcers (previously Evelyn and Jenn and later Evelyn and Tammi) to carry out her dirty work and keep everyone else in line, rarely needing to show the world how nasty she can be. She lords her (former) man candy as a status symbol as no other cast members are tied to as high profile of a player, brings on girls for the sole purpose of bullying them and any one who opposes her regime is snuffed out for our entertainment. If she sees you as a threat she either makes an example out of you to keep the others in line (Brandy) or neutralizes the threat by bringing you into her fold (Malaysia). Then along came OG, who refused to bow down, refused to be bullied, and called her and her crew out on all their shit.

[@Unique2U05]

OMG yes! I've been saying all of these years that Va'Shaundya O'Nostrils is like the Regina George of reality T.V.She can't stand when another woman is rich,independent,married or is prettier than her and her minions make sure to keep the "collective" as exclusive as possible.Once Evilyn and Va'Shaundya don't like you,then it's curtains for you.

[@andreagiovannirossi]

An interesting spin of this trope can be seen in The Craft, you should make a video about that underrated gem ♥️

[@JohnReviews]

I feel like Paris, Madeline and Louise from Gilmore Girls are sort of a variation of this trope.

[@umang5540]

pls make a video explaining the characters of pitch-perfect, the three protagonists of the film r so versatile, there's Aubrey who wants to control everything, there's Becca who has the u r not the boss of me attitude, and then there's Chloe who is also in charge but mostly lets Aubrey make decisions and is sweet to everyone including Becca who Aubrey hates

[@m.jessica8742]

The witch section of the Mean Girls trio is absolutely incomplete without the crew from "The Craft"

[@BlckSWANWhtRbbt]

Gossip Girl and Scream Queens don't really work since they don't have a three person mean girl group. They are larger and the number fluctuates throughout the show.

[@Missmagazinebura]

They come and go because they move or they pass away like in scream queens .

[@TheSoundonly12]

The Emperor, Darth Vader and Tarkin kinda fit into the Mean Girls Trio trope as the Visionary, the Enforcer and the Spokesperson.. I'll go to bed happy now.

[@cartooncottage2024]

Imagine if there was a major crossover where all Queen Bees were engaged in a battle to the death to see who is the ultimate Queen Bee.

[@morbidsearch]

Heather McNamara was the "spokesperson" though. It was Heather Duke who was the second in command

[@gabriellaberman]

You should’ve mentioned The Craft! I would say before Sarah, the other three are so close to being a mean girl trio. Bonnie, Rochelle and Nancy are awful by the end

[@reachelglasser544]

you miss the an iconic trio.... Azula, Ty Lee and Mai.....

[@candidlyken]

Loved the video, but I can't ignore that Heather M was classified as the "second in command" and Heather D was called the "pretty face" when it was actually opposite

[@PlatinumDagger]

Totaly Spies with the mirrior trio dynamic Sam, Clover and Alex vs Mandy, Dominique and Caitlin

[@raelindenberg]

Sex Education continues to be one of the best shows written - especially for teens and young adults. If you haven't indulged yet - take my comment as a sign to start watching it now.

[@Canev821]

Eh what is it like squid games haven’t watched that one either

[@kawaiipanda4013]

I’ve heard it being called this generations Degrassi is that true

[@joelconner5514]

Hello beautiful, it's gonna important to me we can get know more about ourselves, what do you say

[@raelindenberg]

@@kawaiipanda4013 way better...Sex Education is MUCH more aware that these teenagers are KIDS. Do they handle adult themes? Absolutely. But not in the soapy, "where-the-hell-are-these-children's-parents" kinda way. It treats teenage problems with just the right note.

[@kawaiipanda4013]

@@raelindenberg I think you misunderstood degrassi but thanks for the suggestion

[@SymeonZog]

I love how this video did an effective analysis of films, art, mythology, society and pop culture in less than 20 minutes!

[@eveningstar8581]

Amy will NEVERRR be Karen! I CANNOT believe that you compared them! That’s like comparing a bike to a Bugatti!

[@aliceeve6421]

Sugar, spice and everything nice Powerpuff girls🌈

[@TikaRose222]

So it's safe to say the down side is they remain trapped in one archetype; desperately looking to evolve into themselves, authentically while keeping their own individual power.

[@lucleblanc7029]

I don't get why people let themselves be influenced by popular people like Celebrities, reality tv shows and influencers on social media!

[@NinaSelene]

And the beauty standards!! I think they're an integral part of this conversation. If they don't fit into it and are models of it they're molding it a little while still maintaining most of the mainstream ideas and features of beauty, like the Kardashians with their bodies. But everyone else is doomed to be a "loser", it's not just the understanding of power like the end says

[@TheSingingEater1.0]

I am so grateful for these videos, I’m learning so much about myself, I watched like 20 of these tropes vids. This made me realize I was in a trio in high school… LOL! And I love the Kardashians even more!!

[@Anyuken]

omg you guys are blowing my mind

[@earnestknightvincentr.tundpuch]

Is that Taylor Swift!!! - what my brother said “calmly”

[@imjstar]

There are quite a few mean girl duos, think Disney channel shows like Hannah Montana, high school musical, clueless, Jennifer's body etc. There's usually an alpha and then the second in command usually has less/no power and is just much nicer than the alpha or a complete airhead.

[@jadziawynter9241]

Please do the character from the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina! Exspecially Prudence!

[@malakcanvas]

I wish the writers did better at developing her character.

[@phadenswandemil4345]

Thing about mean girls is they don't really exist. In my experience, my female classmates have always been super nice.

[@beautifullEternal]

Not me just realizing I was a third girl. I need to rethink my youth now 😳

[@MaricaAmbrosius]

It's a little unfair to say Karen is stupid. Maybe some of it was real, but a lot of it was obviously an act. If Cady had asked her questions in that voice, she would have sounded just as clueless.

[@Daphne1758]

These videos make me want to watch the movie even more