Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman, born Araminta Ross into slavery in Maryland, escaped and became a key figure in the abolition movement, using the Underground Railroad to liberate slaves. During the Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union, leading the Combahee Ferry raid. The movie ‘Harriet’ (2019) portrays her life as a biopic with mundane combat scenes and depicts her real-life visions from a childhood head injury as psychic future-sight.

Physicals

• Kicks a guy in the head while passing by on horseback with Walter, leaving him on the ground. (source)
• Chops wood with an axe. (source)

Durability

• Survived a head injury at age thirteen that cracked open her head, requiring recovery time. (source)
• Jumps from a bridge into a river and survives. (source)

Speed / Agility

• Outruns Gideon and his men chasing her through the woods with dogs for a while, though eventually caught on a bridge. (source)
• Outruns a group of slave-catchers later on. (source)

Senses

• Hears Walter sneak up from behind. (source)

Weaponry and Aim

• Gets a pistol early on and uses it throughout the movie. (source)
• Shoots off Gideon’s fingers as he throws away his rifle. (source)
• Shoots someone while riding on the back of a horse. (source)
• Shoots a hole in the floor near a tied up guy. (source)
• Shoots Bigger Long’s hat off his head from up high. (source)
• Takes Gideon’s rifle briefly. (source)
• Shoots Gideon’s rifle into the sky. (source)
• Seen with a different rifle during the Combahee Ferry raid, holding it up before scene cuts. (source)
• Carries a knife for defense but never uses it in a fight. (source)

Skills and Experience

• Disguises herself as a free woman with help from her friend and successfully passes as one. (source)
• Successfully passes herself off as a free woman. (source)
• Wades through a river. (source)
• Ties up some people off-screen. (source)
• Rides on horseback. (source)
• Ending text scroll details her real-life accomplishments including and after the Combahee Ferry raid. (source)

Visions

• Visions result from head injury at age thirteen, interpreted as connection with God; sometimes cause unconsciousness, sometimes not. (source)
• In a dream, sees flash of slaveowner Mr. Brodess, who dies the next day; unclear if genuine premonition. (source)
• Senses her sister’s death as it happens. (source)
• Foresees herself successfully escaping slavery in a spell without unconsciousness. (source)
• Sees pursuers before they arrive in a spell causing blackout, wakes in time to run. (source)
• Sees vision of slaves running free in a spell causing blackout, likely referencing Combahee Ferry raid. (source)
• Spell guides her away from harm; premonition warns of danger on bridge path, so they take different direction. (source)
• Vision implies her dad is in danger, prompting return to save him from arrest due to new law. (source)
• While escaping with parents, senses Gideon and Bigger Long approaching; has Walter take them early without passing out. (source)
• Sometimes visions cause unconsciousness. (source)
• Reason dad needed saving: about to be arrested due to new law. (source)