Big Damn Heroes

When you think of a stereotypical Strong Female Character in a book/movie/television show/play, how is she characterized? She's usually an overt warrior of some sort, tries to subvert the system and break out of her "feminine" boundaries, buddies up with the men, and berates or quietly judges her fellow women for not following in her footsteps.

So what do we do when presented with a Strong Female Character who doesn't quite fit into these standards? As an example I'd like to talk to you about Inara Serra of Firefly and Serenity; at a later date I'd like to discuss a few others as well.

[Beware: spoilers lie below this line!]