Damsel in distress or Heroine?
Many fans have come to label Rosa as a Damsel in distress. Cecil and the others go on some dangerous missions in order to save Rosa from impending doom. Although by text-book definition, "Damsel in Distress" may seem to fit Rosa to many, I beg to differ on many aspects.
Looking back through history, especially during Greek and Roman mythologies as well as the Middle Ages, the damsel in these tales are typically helpless young women taken advantage of by a villain or monster. The plight of the damsel in distress only serves the hero's advantage, making him seem just that more valiant and courageous.
On the other hand, when it comes to Rosa, she certainly is not a helpless and weak damsel. At the beginning of the game, Rosa becomes worried about Cecil and leaves Baron in search of him. If she was a weak and helpless damsel, she would not have made it through the caves and all the way to Kaipo on her own. It is unfortunate that she contracted Desert Fever, but she managed to keep herself conscious and alive until she reached somewhere safe given the abilities she possesses. Immediately after she is cured, she's up and ready to fight along Cecil's side despite what everyone else thinks.
Unfortunately, there is one other instance in which Rosa is in need of rescuing. At Fabul castle, as they are encountered by Kain and Golbez, Rosa runs after Kain shouting "Don't do it, Kain!" At which point, Rosa is taken, without having the chance to react or fight back. In the DS version, she simply vanishes under Golbez's cloak. However, in this scene, there were two things she could have done. She could have run away. However, Rosa stood her ground and confronted Kain, even after seeing what Golbez had done to the other party members (all of which more physically strong than her). This may have been a foolish move. However, I personally feel that this is one of the many scenes where Rosa is shown as a courageous young woman and not a helpless damsel.
At later instances in the game, she proves herself worthy by demanding that she fight along side of Cecil and the others despite it being "work for grownups". Rosa is serious and she means business. Her only weakness is that she is not a strong physical fighter (nor is Rydia for that matter). However, this doesn't make her weak in character. There's several instances where she even bosses Cecil and the others around because she really does know what's best.
Rosa may not be the female character archetype we've become accustomed to in later Final Fantasy titles. However, even some of the strongest women in the series need saving. Celes and Terra of Final Fantasy VI were rescued by Locke Cole, both in dire situations. Rinoa of Final Fantasy VIII has a few scenes where she is in need of rescuing by Squall. In the end, she becomes a very powerful fighter and soceress. Just because a female character needs rescued, it doesn't not inherently mean or imply that they are weak and helpless. Later in the series, female roles became much more independent, however I really think this is due to the ever-changing impact the media and society has on the gaming industry as well as gamer's expectations. What we expect from female characters in video games has changed drastically over the years, from weaker supportive roles to strong kick-ass heroines who can hold their own. However, I feel that Final Fantasy IV's depiction of the female role was revolutionary for the RPG series. Prior to that, we were used to the "I'm sorry, but the Princess is in another castle" mantra.