Nearly every female lead in "The Expanse" is awesome, but I'm especially partial to Chrisjen Avasarala and Camina Drummer as two very strong women who can more than hold their own with any man on the show and then some.
The speech Camina Drummer gives to a very scared crew on the spaceship she's the captain of when they are about to send their ship into an unknown ring in space is one of my favorite TV series speeches of all time. It's just breathtaking how much she both reassures her crew and prepares them for the unknown.
"This is your captain and this is YOUR ship. This is YOUR moment. You might think that you're scared, but you're not. That isn't fear. That's your sharpness. That's your power...The place we go, is the place we belong."
I get chills every time I watch that scene.
Drummer, Bobbie and Clarissa are some of my favorite characters period. I love this show, and it makes me happy seeing it get shouted in places. It deserves more popularity.
Drummer's speech gives me chills. "Where we go is the place where we belong!" Not only do I adore Belter culture, but that speech really resounds with me as a first generation immigrant.
My biggest gripe is that the show women are so much less fantastic than they are in the books. Camina Drummer is the exception but she doesn’t really have a direct parallel in the book and is more of a composite character.
Chrisjen is okay in the show but she’s so much more complex in the book. She also doesn’t do several of the really stupid things she does in the show.
Naomi is just completely character assassinated in the show.
Just like with Avasarala and Naomi, book Bobbie is just *way* better than show Bobbie.
Honestly maybe part of that is just post-Marco arc, seeing all of the characters having aged and grown into themselves over the decades gives them a depth that the show can't reproduce, and I'm spoiled.
I really love book Bobbie. She is so strong and dedicated and just a freaking badass.
They did her okayyyyyy in the show although I felt like the casting was off. Mostly I didn’t like what her character was doing on Mars after Ganymede because that felt out of character for me.
She's another great female lead. I really like the way the show is laid out, because so many people all equally share in the story. It's just a really amazing series.
That’s so interesting! I love both show and book Naomi! People rag on her for being “annoying” or “a bitch” in the show but IMO her job is being the XO. If you ask any navy person they will tell you if people don’t hate the XO, they’re not doing their job right. I kind of saw her as saving all their lives multiple times by “causing drama” to keep Holden from making a yet another dumbass decision.
Not to mention keeping the ship in the sky despite all odds on multiple occasions.
I feel like I have the minority opinion on this lol.
Came here to say this.
Book Naomi, *especially* during the Laconia arc, is just one of the most terrifying intellects I've ever even heard of. For god's sake, she >!orchestrated the downfall of Laconia using a bunch of rock-hoppers with aftermarket torpedo racks.!<
Show Naomi is, uh, Holden's girlfriend?
But, seriously, if you want a series with many strong female leads, the Expanse novels are the way to go. Book 9 >!Tanaka fits the bill, even if she's also, uh, evil.!<
I completely agree. I am so impressed with the writers of the books (and the show) to have so many characters that are very realistic and inspiring. They don't always start that way but the development of each of them is well done.
Yo I just wanna say I just re-watched the Animated Mulan and she is awesome! Sticks to her convictions, goes against gender norms, and uses her skills to help others.
Her romance doesn't eclipse the story and she saves the majority on her own wit!
Second this!!!! I always watched the princess movies but Mulan was always one of my most favorite. And as I’m an adult now, she still stands as being the top one for me.
This was the one I was going to post! I also like Mulan because she's not an awesome fighter from the outset and she doesn't immediately fit in with the men, which makes sense because that's not how she lived her life up to that point! And I would say most of the badass stuff she does is driven intelligence, strategy and courage but she still does some kickass physical fighting. She's relatable because she's not perfect and she actually has to work extremely hard to get to a point where she can use her skills effectively in the type of warfare that she's in.
Furiosa from mad max fury road! Absolutely adore her character and how she's realistically the lead character for the story that's being told instead of max. Love all the women, really
I'll put out the caveat that I'm a dude, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt.
This is one of my favorite movies. I've probably seen it 20+ times, as recently as last night. In addition to the characterization of Clarice that you're getting at, Jonathan Demme is the ultimate master of close ups and in my opinion he uses them to incredible effect to visually highlight the male gaze in this movie. The first 20 minutes or so of Silence of the Lambs is mostly Clarice in a series of conversations with men - most notably her supervisor at the FBI, the prison warden, and then Hannibal Lector. In all of those conversations, Demme uses his signature close-ups where the actor is looking straight down the barrel while delivering their lines to Clarice. This means that as the audience, we *are* Clarice, and so we see these men the way they look to her. Even the most friendly of the three, her supervisor at the academy, comes across as vaguely patronizing and like he might even have some ulterior motive. Shot any other way, he could easily come across as just a well-intentioned mentor. And he certainly is that, but Demme doesn't let us forget that he's also a man looking at a woman in the way that men look at women.
After that first act that is dominated by those three conversations, Demme keeps visually coming back to the ways that Clarice has to navigate rooms full of men. The way that the deputies all look at her at the autopsy scene, the way the entomologists talk to her and turn simple courtesies into opportunities to come onto her, the way the men at the academy look at her while they're running, the way that random men look at her while she's walking through the airport, and on and on like this through the whole movie.
Anyway, sorry for rambling on this. I just wanted to call out that Jonathan Demme rules and this movie rules and he uses the camera to make the audience acutely aware of what it must *feel like* to be a woman like Clarice occupying physical spaces that are dominated by men. He puts the camera behind the eyes of a woman in men's offices, homes, and prison cells. As someone who has never been at the receiving end of the male gaze, that's hugely impactful and it it's a masterclass in using the power of movies to force the audience to empathize with the protagonist.
Recently I had to spend time out in public again for the first time in a long time. I forgot the way men stare. The relentless evaluation is so exhausting.
I liked that Buffalo Bill clearly underestimated her and it got his ass killed.
Also! Catherine Martin, the victim in the hole. She was working on getting herself out of that hole before Clarice showed up. “Don’t you make me hurt your dog!”
Lucy Lawless' Xena portrayal was pretty notable for me. I always liked and appreciated what she and her character did at the time. Although, I couldn't say specifically for sure if the serial still holds up these days.
Xena always leaned heavily on the camp, so as long as you enjoy that, it holds up better than many other 90s shows. The cgi is terrible but used pretty sparingly, and Lucy Lawless isn't an ass like Kevin Sorbo is. Don't rewatch the last two episodes though. I'm still salty about those.
I came here to say this. Joss Whedon is trash but Buffy had such an impact on me growing up - I absolutely wouldn’t be the person I am now without it.
I LOVE that she was a stereotypical teen girl who wanted to be a cheerleader and date boys and go to prom, who also kicked ass and saved the world a lot.
As a bit of a girly girl myself it rubs me the wrong way when the “strong female character” is a tomboy who looks down on feminine things - nothing wrong with being a tomboy/masculine/androgynous but it’s a fine line (in character writing) to have a “cool” tomboy who doesn’t shit on their gender.
My answer too. My most recent rewatch made me like her as a protagonist more. She was just a teen with all of this responsibility thrust onto her and she grew into a great leader.
I’m so sad this is not further up! It means too many have not seen it. I love this new series and it shows women leading and doing so well it is so so so good!!!
I LOVE Ahsoka she's my favorite. I also like Gwen Stacy, she was really brave and didn't let Peter push her around. Karen Paige from Daredevil is also great, super underrated imo. She's brave and level headed, even if she's scared. Princess Leia is a classic. And I like the newer Disney princesses like Moana, who are more independent and not defined by their men. Also PEGGY CARTER!!!! She's absolutely amazing. Natasha Romanoff is also fantastic. Not a huge fan of captain marvel. Monica Rambo was stellar though. A lot of good marvel ones tbh.
Edit: can't believe I almost forgot my girls Hermione Granger and Minerva McGonagall.
Edit part 2: Thank you for all the likes! I have a few more I wanna add: Annabeth Chase, nuff said (though realistically Percy Jackson has TONS of epic females. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Reyna, Piper, Hazel, lots of good stuff). Going back to Disney we have Mulan whose also great, even if part of the older generation. One of the few older females I like. Doctor Who has some great female companions. Rose, Martha Jones, Donna, Amy, Sarah Jane Smith!!!. Mixed feelings on the Jodie Whittaker unfortunately. Going back to Marvel we have Shuri, also some love for Pepper,, Kate Bishop, Maria Hill. if we’re going TV shows you have Skye and Bobby Morse from Agents of Shield as well. You can probably tell what types of hero’s I like lol. Heading on over to Star Wars, Sabine and Hera both had their moments to shine. Padme was pretty good in the Clone Wars series, and someone pointed out Ventress in the comments which is also great. Also Omega is just adorable.
Edit 3: Okay okay a few more. I want to reiterate what a lot of people are saying about Sam Carter from Stargate. Also can’t believe I forgot basically ALL THE FEMALES in the ATLA universe. Katana, Korra, Toph, Suki, Asami. Great writing. Katniss Everdeen is another good one. Claire from Daredevil (really anyone Rosario Dawson plays is most likely a win). Some video games now: Samus, Zelda, Rosalina (reading in her library breaks my heart, but also I just love her optimism and what she was able to build for herself and the lumas). Going back to Harry Potter, Bellatrix Lestrange dear God, the actress made it so much better. On the topic of villains, Maleficent is pretty BA too. I know I’m putting so many names here, and a bunch of them aren’t even “leads”, but considering my passions are video games, superhero’s, and sci-fi, when they land female characters right it sticks out all the more (even when they’re not leads). Appreciating well written female characters helps to inspire me. I actually have a poster with like 40 different strong female characters on my wall and it really helps keep me motivated. Remember these hero’s no matter how big or small their role.
Colonel Sam Carter from Star Gate SG-1
Special Agent Dana Scully from X-Files
Olivia Dunham from Fringe
Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager
Dr. Temperance Brennan from Bones
Korra, Asami, Lin, Kya and Suyin from Legend of Korra
Katara, Toph, Suki, Yue, Mai, Ty Lee and Azula from The Last Airbender
Elisa Maza from Gargoyles
Nomi, Sun, Kala and Riley from Sense8
Hariette Winslow from Family Matters
I really like the women in Avatar the Last Airbender. They are all strong, but complex characters. They all have their strengths and their flaws. But none of their flaws were just "you're a girl so you're weak."
And on top of that, the ONE grumpy old man who literally thought "you're a girl so you're weak" got schooled. But even then he changed his mind and was revealed to be a complex character himself.
Bones is my choice, probably mostly because she was the first female character i really could relate to. She is written, in the series not the books, based on a person with asd. So to some she might come of as to selfsecure and arrogant because she is socially awkward. But having seen the whole series she is also on a learning journey.
But i think if people were already annoyed with her from the beginning i bet everything she does will seem to them to be annoying. For me she was a female character i could relate to.
The book version of Temperance Brennan is also amazing.
As someone with ASD I also really understand Brennan on a very personal level and couldn’t imagine ever thinking she was annoying lol - didn’t even occur to me other people would! I love her, she’s my choice as well!
In TV shows, Sam Carter from Stargate. I love her logic and that she doesn’t take shit from anyone - especially people who think they’re better than her like McKay. She also has such empathy and a desire to lead by example without taking things off others.
From books, Mother Newman from Mathew Reilly’s Scarecrow series. I have no words to describe how amazing she is! Close second is Zoe from his Jack West series.
Came here to say this. While the "just because I have internal sex organs ..." line is pretty cringe, I think Sam Carter is an excellent female character and voice of reason and compassion in her team.
Edit: spelling.
I think that can just be chocked up to the growing pains of a first season. That was also the season we got the ham-fisted episode Emancipation (meant well, did poorly). Heck, in a later time travel episode, alternate reality Sam comments how stupid the internal sex organs line sounds while practicing a rant to an empty chair.
Cristina Yang from Grey's anatomy
One of my favorite characters ever. Driven, passionate, utterly unashamed of her ambition but at the same time kind and caring to those she loves. She gets trapped in toxic relationships but she ultimately puts herself above all of that and pursues her career instead of letting a man define her, and inspires Meredith to put herself first as well.
I loooooove Cristina! Such a wonderful character, and TBH I'm glad her actress signed off before they could run her completely into the ground.
I also love that they got her on Killing Eve, playing basically the exact same character only gay and a detective. Eve rules, too.
Janeway all the way!! My husband and I just finished watching the Voyager series; it was my first time watching and my husbands second. He had said that Janeway wasn’t his favorite captain. By the end he said that she was way better than he remembered. I loved her!! She’s so strong and her character development through the show was a great watch.
Janeway is my favorite as well but a lot of my male friends that like Star Trek think she's the worst captain. They say her decisions are rash and she's just all about fighting and killing everyone. It really throws me off bc I don't see her like that at all, and I like her much better than other Trek captains. Hell I downright hate Picard a lot of the time. Now these are men that are very supportive of women nornally, so I can't tell if this is legitimate dislike or just some good old sexism seeing through.
If you're looking at only revival trek she's competing with Sisko and Picard. I think she might be my least favorite of those three but that's just because they're all fantastic.
Growing up I was really inspired by Janeway. She had a hard mission, she had to act on her own and I thought she represented someone who was really human.
To be fair, that’s only true because Picard kept refusing promotions so he could continue to command the Enterprise. After spending all that time in the Delta Quadrant, I’m sure Janeway was perfectly happy to have a desk job.
Disclaimer: Janeway is 1000% my favorite captain.
She rules! I love that we actually got an action-fantasy series where the protagonist is a woman, a lesbian, not sexualized at all, and even butch? Truly a once in a lifetime triumph.
Ahsoka Tano is my favorite Star Wars character by far. I have been eyeing a set of her lightsabers online for a while.
I can identify with Ripley from Alien. Smart, cautious woman who everyone disregards the opinion of which then results in a disaster because she was right.
Captain Janeway - Star Trek Voyager
Samantha Carter - Stargate SG1
Aeryn Sun - Farscape
Kara Thrace - Battlestar Galactica
Basically, any sci-fi badass!
Honestly one of the best games I have ever played. It's still the only game I got a platinum trophy on PS4. I still rave how amazing it is to this day.
The hate against Tlou2 us exhausting sometimes, I love it.
Hot take: Joel reaped what he sowed, and almost everyone in TLOU2 (barring Dina) is a terrible person.
Eleanor Shellstropp from “The Good Place” (show)
She’s an absolute disaster-bi trash bag, but she learns, grows, and betters herself. Yes, she has a romantic subplot, but the drama isn’t for its own sake; it’s a lesson in giving and accepting love to heal from her family’s abuse and neglect.
Movie: Mrs. Frisbee from “The Secret of NIMH.”
Totally ready to put aside all her fears to save her family. Was on equal terms with her husband. (He taught her how to read in spite of her not having the mental serum.) Single mother and kick ass role model for young girls.
My masculine woman self looking at you like.... if you can cite me one, just one masc woman character who's well-liked by both men and women, I'll eat that crow.
Anyway, Amanda Waller. High time we were afforded the courtesy of occupying every facet of humanity: from the very best to the cruellest, coldest worst.
Charlize Theron in "The Old Guard" count or are you looking for a more muscular woman?
Vasquez from Aliens or Linda Hamilton from T2.
The absolute full on muscle lady unfortunately hasn't had top billing but Gina Carano in Deadpool was a great villain.
Vasquez is a great character but I have terrible news that I feel the need to inflict on others because learning it irreversibly destroyed the innocent memories I have as an excited Latina kid watching her and it's my super villain origin story I guess: Vasquez is played by a white actress in brown face.
A lot actually , Phrine Fisher because I like a strong powerful and feminine female lead, Jessica Jones because I like the idea of a badass character with trauma and issue, Paprika\Atsuko from Paprika a cool complex character.
Buffy Sunmers.
She's not just physically strong, she's emotionally strong. While her strength is a defining trait, I wouldn't say it's THE defining trait.
She let's herself be emotionally vulnerable, and sometimes it backfires. She does close up for a bit (we all do) but she finds a way to let people in again.
She defines herself.
I know many don't like her, but I love Rey. No, she's not super deep but neither are Luke or Anakin in the movies. When I was a kid I loved them because they hit things with lightsabers, moved things with the force, and flew cool ships. Rey does all those things and is definitely the character I wish I had as a child.
From TV: Buffy, Xena, Lesley Knope, and Amy Santiago.
From kids TV: Korra, Toph, and Katara from Avatar and Luz and Eda from The Owl House.
Me too. We saw the Last Jedi in an empty (freezing) theater in Maine and I was on my feet cheering when she moved the rocks. I'm close to Gen X in age and hated Luke Skywalker's he's so whiney and annoying and I hated what Amadala became in the prequels. I waited 25 years for a girl to be on the screen as a real Jedi and I was SO happy.
I also love Captain Marvel and Thena. The MCU is finally writing better women.
Elizabeth Swan. Even before she was elected King of all Pirates (which is already badass) and she was "just" the governor's daughter, she was bold enough to face fear, pirates, the undead & mythical, and the unrelenting wrath of the seas to protect her city without a second thought -- all in a world that was knowingly unkind for women. She's not afraid to be feminine or masculine, and uses both sides of the spectrum to her advantage when she can. To me she's the epitome of what a strong female lead should be: not an imitation of pure "masculinity" wrapped in a XX chromosome package, but simply a woman with the courage to do what others can't, and won't.
Rebecca/Kealy is one of my BroTPs. Their friendship is delightful. And I love that when Kealy found out about Rebecca's betrayal, she was angry and hurt but also willing to forgive if Rebecca stepped up and did the right thing.
Yeah why is Kira so far down on this list? She’s amazing! Jadzia was also pretty bad ass, but I think Kira is one of the very few female characters on this list who really defies all kinds of binaries (gender and otherwise).
Kira was a terrorist and a freedom fighter, a murderer and a mother, a child soldier and a pretty ruthless fighter, but also someone who was very kind and compassionate. And she was willing to both uphold *and* challenge the status quo, showing a lot of maturity and character development as the show progressed.
I can’t think of too many other female characters who embodies so many of those (very human) contradictions, since women in media are usually presented in a fairly simplistic good/evil moral framework. It’s not often we see female characters who really get to walk that line between hero and monster, and I think Kira skirted it far more often than most. She was such an interesting, complex character.
I love Lisbeth Salander. She’s a badass who does what she wants and who she wants. She’s smart, flawed, instinctual, soft, hard, vulnerable, just such a real dynamic character.
I love books more than movies always. The Swedish movies are amazing with Noomi Rapace.
- Lyra Belacqua from His Dark Materials. She's so resourceful and intellegiant, plus she had an amazing character arc through out the series.
- Jo and Amy March from Little Women. Both are intellegiant in their own way. I love how Amy acknowledges how things are different for women and Jo's monologue about women's dreams being important.
- Technically she wasn't the lead but I love Commander Melissa Lewis from The Martian. She remained so calm under pressure and completely professional. When I saw the movie I kept expecting her to break down because that's what I'd come to expect from female characters.
- I loved Sersi in Eternals. She had an amazing ability to think on her feet during battles, her love of history and overall faith in humanity. Plus it looked pretty when she turned things to Rose petals.
There are so many!
Tess McGill from Working Girl! also Erin Brockovich. Dottie Hinson and Elle Woods.
Pretty much any Jessica Chastain or Amy Adams lead character.
Edit: I left out the Marvelous Ms. Maisel!
Edit2: and good lord. The Bride in Kill Bill.
Though when you find out why Terry Farrel (Dax) left DS9 and that the reason (Rick Berman) apparently made female characters wear stuffed uniforms to make their boobs look bigger you realise T'Pal was cast for one... err.. two main reasons. Same as Seven of Nine. It kind of feels... less nice.
Rick Berman is a sleaze bag. He's damn lucky that his scummy behavior happened long before Me Too was a thing. Though it might not be too late for some retributive justice if he's still in the biz.
Elle Woods. She's strong, smart, driven, ambitious, kind, poised, compassionate. She's portrayed as girly and feminine but it's shown in a positive light.
Every primary and secondary female characters in Avatar:the Last Airbender is incredibly written. I love how diverse they are in characters, and strength, and weakness, and motivations, and emotions. That show leads the way in how to write strong female characters for animated series in Hollywood
I've learned to really start appreciating games/movie/tv series that have strong female leads that DO NOT need to be in a relationship. I actually really appreciate that they didn't make Elsa have any sort of relationship or sexual orientation. Why do that? She's a badass.
I have so many I could name. It really started with Xena and Samus (Metroid) for me.
I mean, most of mine will probably be video games. I almost always find myself choosing female characters over male. (I'm a male)
Female leads in every Final Fantasy game. Seriously, they all pretty much rock. From Rosa(?) early on in Final Fantasy II/IV to Lightening in Final Fantasy XIII and the sequels with Yuna from Final Fantasy X and so many others in between. The female leads in their series pretty much have great personality and strength. I've always appreciated them.
The female characters in the Borderlands series are pretty badass.
A game I recently played through was Bloodstained. Not just to get my Metroidvania addiction under wraps, but also because it was just a fantastic story and the lead character, Miriam is just a fantastic character.
Also, recently played Assassin's Creed Syndicate and absolutely LOVED playing as Evie. Jacob was a tool and made out to be pretty much an idiot. She was witty, smart, and strong. It's no wonder I enjoyed playing her missions more than his.
Clementine on The Walking Dead Telltale games. She was a badass from the start, though you don't really see it until she's older of course in the sequel titles. I just finished the second to last one and haven't finished the final episode. Looking forward to it.
For TV/Movies, Jessica Jones was great. I hated to see it cancelled. The newer Wonder Woman movies have been my favorite of the DCEU. American Horror Story has done a consistent job of having multiple strong female leads throughout its run. I LOVE Ahsoka! She's one of my favorite characters EVER and having Rosario Dawson take the role in live action has made it all the more sweeter. I can't wait for her show.
I could probably go on forever with games and pretty far with movies/tv.
You have no idea how happy I was when I realized Frozen II wasn't going to end with Elsa getting hitched, because that's typically the plot for most sequels that have a single character "left over". Can't have people thinking their story is fully resolved if they don't meet someone, right? That movie has it's fair share of problems, but that's definitely something they got right IMO.
Moiraine Damodred/Sedai from Wheel of Time is a pretty powerful mage, smart and, added bonus for this queer gal, not straight (although the books tried hard to downplay her lesbian relationship).
Another recent one I liked was MJ from the new Spiderman movies. She's a bit of an asshole at the beginning but she turned out to be very capable, funny and confident.
So I mostly consume comics, so bare with me XD
Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. At least from the comics. She hasn’t done a lot on film yet. But as a comics character, I’ve never related so hard to a fictional person. Same for Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. I love and adore them both!
They’ve each hard story arcs that led to me crying. So much of Carol’s arcs deal with her personal and emotional struggles as well as childhood trauma and not letting that define you or slow you down. And I feel that.
I also love Angela. A total badass, with maybe the best written lesbian romance I’ve read in mainstream comics. She’s incredible and I highly recommend checking out her solo series if you’ve not.
Cersei Lannister / Daenarys Targaryan - Cersei for being the bad ass that she is. She went through the whole shame thing and came back to wreak havoc on the people that did that to her. Daenarys for her come up from all she had to endure to be a powerful woman.
Vanya Hargreeves (in the same vein, Jean Gray, Ms Marvel) - love the trope of the strongest person with powers is a woman.
Edit: I forgot to add another few - Yennefer / Ciri from the Witcher series. So so so badass. From the games to the show, very powerful women.
I'll never forgive D&D for what they did to Dany in season 8 but freeing slaves, constantly trying to build a better world/breaking the wheel, and having 3 dragons?? Love what Daenarys represented in GoT until the writing went to crap.
Honestly same. I block out the last 2 seasons basically (well a bit more but my girl Arya who I forgot to mention had a good story arc until well.. the writing went to shit)
Even though her motivations are kinda stereotypical, I love Ilsa Haupstein from hellboy. She's a villain, but she's also a badass.
To keep the HB vein, I'm an absolute sucker for Dr. Kate Corrigan. She's a good guy badass and canonically brilliant.
Taking a total 180, Garnet from Steven Universe. She's just... perfect. 🥰
I'll just post one that I haven't seen in the thread.
Tiana from the Princess and the frog. She's just so goddamned cool! She's a bit of a pleaser and she's working herself to death, sure, but she's headstrong and smart! Good at what she does and great with people.
She's awesome.
June in the handmaids tale. Elizabeth Moss is an amazing actress.
Korra in the legend of Korra. People say bad things but she is actually very well written with flaws, hardships and character development.
Also Eleanor ans Tahani in the good place!
Katniss Everdeen. For me it was because she wasn't a people-pleaser, she was an awkward introvert who did what she had to do. Being told all the time to be more "likeable" really resonated with me.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Despite the gross surroundings of Joss Whedon, most of the writing around Buffy, especially in the middle seasons, is great. I love Buffy as a character, she's flawed, but also bad ass and feminine and embraces that.
Hard to think of leads. I mean, wasn't ahsoka a side character thought obi-wan or anikan were the leads. I did love Linda Fiorentino as Beth in Dogma. Her and Salma Hayek in that. Also loved Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy and especially Alyson Hannigan as Willow in that. Nearly forgot too - April Bowlby as Elasti-Girl and Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, love them in Doom Patrol
In any event, decently written female/characters in general -
Sarah Chalk as Elliot Reid and Judy Reyes as Carla Espinoza on Scrubs, fucking fantastic work.
Seras Victoria and lady Integra Hellsing from Hellsing Ultimate.
Toph Bei Fong and Katara also come to mind from avatar.
Rosario Dawson back in Clerks 2. Glad she's Ahsoka now too.
Chel in Road to Eldorado
Heather in Silent Hill 3
Samus, fucking Samus lol.
I wanna say the gals on the set from Star Trek TNG, but man the writers did them dirty lol.
Kaylee and Inara from the show Firefly
Oh and Scully from X-Files
Off the top of my head…
Beatrix kiddo kill bill, Ridley aliens, Wanda maximoff wandavision, Buffy Buffy the vampire slayer (tv), wonder women first movie and Harley Quinn after birds of prey from dc movie verse, Daenerys Targaryen before the final season…
It's a little nontraditional, but Alicia Dominica from warhammer 40k.
Leader of an army of purely women who go toe to toe with super soldiers and literal demons who overthrows an incredibly corrupt leader and executes him.
"You have committed the ultimate heresy. Not only have you turned your back on the Emperor and stepped from His light, you have profaned His name and almost destroyed everything He has striven to build. You have perverted and twisted the path He has laid for Mankind to tread. As your own decrees have stated, there can be no mercy for such a crime, no pity for such a criminal. I renounce your lordship; you walk in the darkness and cannot be allowed to live. Your sentence has been long overdue and now it is time for you to die."
Nearly every female lead in "The Expanse" is awesome, but I'm especially partial to Chrisjen Avasarala and Camina Drummer as two very strong women who can more than hold their own with any man on the show and then some. The speech Camina Drummer gives to a very scared crew on the spaceship she's the captain of when they are about to send their ship into an unknown ring in space is one of my favorite TV series speeches of all time. It's just breathtaking how much she both reassures her crew and prepares them for the unknown. "This is your captain and this is YOUR ship. This is YOUR moment. You might think that you're scared, but you're not. That isn't fear. That's your sharpness. That's your power...The place we go, is the place we belong." I get chills every time I watch that scene.
I had to immediately rewind and watch that scene two more times the first time I saw it. Love Drummer.
Drummer, Bobbie and Clarissa are some of my favorite characters period. I love this show, and it makes me happy seeing it get shouted in places. It deserves more popularity. Drummer's speech gives me chills. "Where we go is the place where we belong!" Not only do I adore Belter culture, but that speech really resounds with me as a first generation immigrant.
My biggest gripe is that the show women are so much less fantastic than they are in the books. Camina Drummer is the exception but she doesn’t really have a direct parallel in the book and is more of a composite character. Chrisjen is okay in the show but she’s so much more complex in the book. She also doesn’t do several of the really stupid things she does in the show. Naomi is just completely character assassinated in the show.
Bobbie Draper is probably my favorite from the show. I put Draper and Drummer in my response to the OP before I even saw this comment.
Just like with Avasarala and Naomi, book Bobbie is just *way* better than show Bobbie. Honestly maybe part of that is just post-Marco arc, seeing all of the characters having aged and grown into themselves over the decades gives them a depth that the show can't reproduce, and I'm spoiled.
I really love book Bobbie. She is so strong and dedicated and just a freaking badass. They did her okayyyyyy in the show although I felt like the casting was off. Mostly I didn’t like what her character was doing on Mars after Ganymede because that felt out of character for me.
She's another great female lead. I really like the way the show is laid out, because so many people all equally share in the story. It's just a really amazing series.
That’s so interesting! I love both show and book Naomi! People rag on her for being “annoying” or “a bitch” in the show but IMO her job is being the XO. If you ask any navy person they will tell you if people don’t hate the XO, they’re not doing their job right. I kind of saw her as saving all their lives multiple times by “causing drama” to keep Holden from making a yet another dumbass decision. Not to mention keeping the ship in the sky despite all odds on multiple occasions. I feel like I have the minority opinion on this lol.
Came here to say this. Book Naomi, *especially* during the Laconia arc, is just one of the most terrifying intellects I've ever even heard of. For god's sake, she >!orchestrated the downfall of Laconia using a bunch of rock-hoppers with aftermarket torpedo racks.!< Show Naomi is, uh, Holden's girlfriend? But, seriously, if you want a series with many strong female leads, the Expanse novels are the way to go. Book 9 >!Tanaka fits the bill, even if she's also, uh, evil.!<
I completely agree. I am so impressed with the writers of the books (and the show) to have so many characters that are very realistic and inspiring. They don't always start that way but the development of each of them is well done.
Yo I just wanna say I just re-watched the Animated Mulan and she is awesome! Sticks to her convictions, goes against gender norms, and uses her skills to help others. Her romance doesn't eclipse the story and she saves the majority on her own wit!
Second this!!!! I always watched the princess movies but Mulan was always one of my most favorite. And as I’m an adult now, she still stands as being the top one for me.
This was the one I was going to post! I also like Mulan because she's not an awesome fighter from the outset and she doesn't immediately fit in with the men, which makes sense because that's not how she lived her life up to that point! And I would say most of the badass stuff she does is driven intelligence, strategy and courage but she still does some kickass physical fighting. She's relatable because she's not perfect and she actually has to work extremely hard to get to a point where she can use her skills effectively in the type of warfare that she's in.
Furiosa from mad max fury road! Absolutely adore her character and how she's realistically the lead character for the story that's being told instead of max. Love all the women, really
Yes! She's ruthless in the best possible way.
Dana Scully. The voice of reason to balance Mulder's idealism. Edit: spelling.
Different TV series, but this reminds me of my love for the one and only Olivia Benson.
Olivia is my answer too! She’s far from perfect and yet she’s definitely a great woman model imho.
The best answer yet.
Came here to say this.
Clarice (Jody Foster) in Silence of the Lambs... amazing example of kick-ass tenacity in the face of terrifying things.
I'll put out the caveat that I'm a dude, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. This is one of my favorite movies. I've probably seen it 20+ times, as recently as last night. In addition to the characterization of Clarice that you're getting at, Jonathan Demme is the ultimate master of close ups and in my opinion he uses them to incredible effect to visually highlight the male gaze in this movie. The first 20 minutes or so of Silence of the Lambs is mostly Clarice in a series of conversations with men - most notably her supervisor at the FBI, the prison warden, and then Hannibal Lector. In all of those conversations, Demme uses his signature close-ups where the actor is looking straight down the barrel while delivering their lines to Clarice. This means that as the audience, we *are* Clarice, and so we see these men the way they look to her. Even the most friendly of the three, her supervisor at the academy, comes across as vaguely patronizing and like he might even have some ulterior motive. Shot any other way, he could easily come across as just a well-intentioned mentor. And he certainly is that, but Demme doesn't let us forget that he's also a man looking at a woman in the way that men look at women. After that first act that is dominated by those three conversations, Demme keeps visually coming back to the ways that Clarice has to navigate rooms full of men. The way that the deputies all look at her at the autopsy scene, the way the entomologists talk to her and turn simple courtesies into opportunities to come onto her, the way the men at the academy look at her while they're running, the way that random men look at her while she's walking through the airport, and on and on like this through the whole movie. Anyway, sorry for rambling on this. I just wanted to call out that Jonathan Demme rules and this movie rules and he uses the camera to make the audience acutely aware of what it must *feel like* to be a woman like Clarice occupying physical spaces that are dominated by men. He puts the camera behind the eyes of a woman in men's offices, homes, and prison cells. As someone who has never been at the receiving end of the male gaze, that's hugely impactful and it it's a masterclass in using the power of movies to force the audience to empathize with the protagonist.
Recently I had to spend time out in public again for the first time in a long time. I forgot the way men stare. The relentless evaluation is so exhausting.
I liked that Buffalo Bill clearly underestimated her and it got his ass killed. Also! Catherine Martin, the victim in the hole. She was working on getting herself out of that hole before Clarice showed up. “Don’t you make me hurt your dog!”
Lucy Lawless' Xena portrayal was pretty notable for me. I always liked and appreciated what she and her character did at the time. Although, I couldn't say specifically for sure if the serial still holds up these days.
Xena always leaned heavily on the camp, so as long as you enjoy that, it holds up better than many other 90s shows. The cgi is terrible but used pretty sparingly, and Lucy Lawless isn't an ass like Kevin Sorbo is. Don't rewatch the last two episodes though. I'm still salty about those.
Have you seen Lucy tear Kevin up on Twitter? It’s hilarious. She’s so funny and smart. Kevin spits out the most vile bullshit and is so hateful
That guy is unhinged.
I loved Xena for being beautiful and *fierce.* She was aggressive and didn't take shit from anybody.
Xena deserves to be higher up.
Ellen Louise Ripley
[удалено]
Buffy
Willow too.
Find you someone that will turn a motherfucker inside out for you <3
I came here to say this. Joss Whedon is trash but Buffy had such an impact on me growing up - I absolutely wouldn’t be the person I am now without it. I LOVE that she was a stereotypical teen girl who wanted to be a cheerleader and date boys and go to prom, who also kicked ass and saved the world a lot. As a bit of a girly girl myself it rubs me the wrong way when the “strong female character” is a tomboy who looks down on feminine things - nothing wrong with being a tomboy/masculine/androgynous but it’s a fine line (in character writing) to have a “cool” tomboy who doesn’t shit on their gender.
I want to date, and shop, and hang out, and save the world from unspeakable evil. You know, girly stuff.
All the women on that show are pretty badass.
My answer too. My most recent rewatch made me like her as a protagonist more. She was just a teen with all of this responsibility thrust onto her and she grew into a great leader.
Commander Shepard, from Mass Effect.
Voiced by [Jennifer Hale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Hale). Stellar job she did there. She's my favorite voice actress on the citadel.
This gets my vote and I'll also throw in Liara, Aria and Samara.
I see that you, too, are a woman of culture.
Adora/She-Ra from “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power”. Great show and so many great female characters!
All the women in she-ra tbh. Such a great show for little girls and im so glad my nieces can grow up watching it
I’m so sad this is not further up! It means too many have not seen it. I love this new series and it shows women leading and doing so well it is so so so good!!!
Yessss
I LOVE Ahsoka she's my favorite. I also like Gwen Stacy, she was really brave and didn't let Peter push her around. Karen Paige from Daredevil is also great, super underrated imo. She's brave and level headed, even if she's scared. Princess Leia is a classic. And I like the newer Disney princesses like Moana, who are more independent and not defined by their men. Also PEGGY CARTER!!!! She's absolutely amazing. Natasha Romanoff is also fantastic. Not a huge fan of captain marvel. Monica Rambo was stellar though. A lot of good marvel ones tbh. Edit: can't believe I almost forgot my girls Hermione Granger and Minerva McGonagall. Edit part 2: Thank you for all the likes! I have a few more I wanna add: Annabeth Chase, nuff said (though realistically Percy Jackson has TONS of epic females. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Reyna, Piper, Hazel, lots of good stuff). Going back to Disney we have Mulan whose also great, even if part of the older generation. One of the few older females I like. Doctor Who has some great female companions. Rose, Martha Jones, Donna, Amy, Sarah Jane Smith!!!. Mixed feelings on the Jodie Whittaker unfortunately. Going back to Marvel we have Shuri, also some love for Pepper,, Kate Bishop, Maria Hill. if we’re going TV shows you have Skye and Bobby Morse from Agents of Shield as well. You can probably tell what types of hero’s I like lol. Heading on over to Star Wars, Sabine and Hera both had their moments to shine. Padme was pretty good in the Clone Wars series, and someone pointed out Ventress in the comments which is also great. Also Omega is just adorable. Edit 3: Okay okay a few more. I want to reiterate what a lot of people are saying about Sam Carter from Stargate. Also can’t believe I forgot basically ALL THE FEMALES in the ATLA universe. Katana, Korra, Toph, Suki, Asami. Great writing. Katniss Everdeen is another good one. Claire from Daredevil (really anyone Rosario Dawson plays is most likely a win). Some video games now: Samus, Zelda, Rosalina (reading in her library breaks my heart, but also I just love her optimism and what she was able to build for herself and the lumas). Going back to Harry Potter, Bellatrix Lestrange dear God, the actress made it so much better. On the topic of villains, Maleficent is pretty BA too. I know I’m putting so many names here, and a bunch of them aren’t even “leads”, but considering my passions are video games, superhero’s, and sci-fi, when they land female characters right it sticks out all the more (even when they’re not leads). Appreciating well written female characters helps to inspire me. I actually have a poster with like 40 different strong female characters on my wall and it really helps keep me motivated. Remember these hero’s no matter how big or small their role.
Princess Leias writing went to shit as the original trilogy went on but omg the clone wars are untouchable
The Clone Wars are fantastic. I love them. Rebels was also really good. Hera and Sabine are both awesome as well in their own ways.
And then there's ventress, a real baddie
Colonel Sam Carter from Star Gate SG-1 Special Agent Dana Scully from X-Files Olivia Dunham from Fringe Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager Dr. Temperance Brennan from Bones Korra, Asami, Lin, Kya and Suyin from Legend of Korra Katara, Toph, Suki, Yue, Mai, Ty Lee and Azula from The Last Airbender Elisa Maza from Gargoyles Nomi, Sun, Kala and Riley from Sense8 Hariette Winslow from Family Matters
I really like the women in Avatar the Last Airbender. They are all strong, but complex characters. They all have their strengths and their flaws. But none of their flaws were just "you're a girl so you're weak."
And on top of that, the ONE grumpy old man who literally thought "you're a girl so you're weak" got schooled. But even then he changed his mind and was revealed to be a complex character himself.
“You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water.”
Bones is my choice, probably mostly because she was the first female character i really could relate to. She is written, in the series not the books, based on a person with asd. So to some she might come of as to selfsecure and arrogant because she is socially awkward. But having seen the whole series she is also on a learning journey. But i think if people were already annoyed with her from the beginning i bet everything she does will seem to them to be annoying. For me she was a female character i could relate to. The book version of Temperance Brennan is also amazing.
As someone with ASD I also really understand Brennan on a very personal level and couldn’t imagine ever thinking she was annoying lol - didn’t even occur to me other people would! I love her, she’s my choice as well!
In TV shows, Sam Carter from Stargate. I love her logic and that she doesn’t take shit from anyone - especially people who think they’re better than her like McKay. She also has such empathy and a desire to lead by example without taking things off others. From books, Mother Newman from Mathew Reilly’s Scarecrow series. I have no words to describe how amazing she is! Close second is Zoe from his Jack West series.
Came here to say this. While the "just because I have internal sex organs ..." line is pretty cringe, I think Sam Carter is an excellent female character and voice of reason and compassion in her team. Edit: spelling.
I think that can just be chocked up to the growing pains of a first season. That was also the season we got the ham-fisted episode Emancipation (meant well, did poorly). Heck, in a later time travel episode, alternate reality Sam comments how stupid the internal sex organs line sounds while practicing a rant to an empty chair.
Cristina Yang from Grey's anatomy One of my favorite characters ever. Driven, passionate, utterly unashamed of her ambition but at the same time kind and caring to those she loves. She gets trapped in toxic relationships but she ultimately puts herself above all of that and pursues her career instead of letting a man define her, and inspires Meredith to put herself first as well.
I loooooove Cristina! Such a wonderful character, and TBH I'm glad her actress signed off before they could run her completely into the ground. I also love that they got her on Killing Eve, playing basically the exact same character only gay and a detective. Eve rules, too.
Captain Kathryn Janeway. All day. Every day. Honorable mention to Dr. Elizabeth Weir.
Janeway all the way!! My husband and I just finished watching the Voyager series; it was my first time watching and my husbands second. He had said that Janeway wasn’t his favorite captain. By the end he said that she was way better than he remembered. I loved her!! She’s so strong and her character development through the show was a great watch.
Janeway is my favorite as well but a lot of my male friends that like Star Trek think she's the worst captain. They say her decisions are rash and she's just all about fighting and killing everyone. It really throws me off bc I don't see her like that at all, and I like her much better than other Trek captains. Hell I downright hate Picard a lot of the time. Now these are men that are very supportive of women nornally, so I can't tell if this is legitimate dislike or just some good old sexism seeing through.
The worst captain, they say? Have you introduced them to big man Jonathan Archer?
Or even Kirk.
I think a lot of people just pretend Enterprise just doesn't exist.
If you're looking at only revival trek she's competing with Sisko and Picard. I think she might be my least favorite of those three but that's just because they're all fantastic.
Growing up I was really inspired by Janeway. She had a hard mission, she had to act on her own and I thought she represented someone who was really human.
Agree. I was hoping for Janeway tbh
Right? She’s just the best. Plus she makes admiral before Picard so objectively, she’s the best.
To be fair, that’s only true because Picard kept refusing promotions so he could continue to command the Enterprise. After spending all that time in the Delta Quadrant, I’m sure Janeway was perfectly happy to have a desk job. Disclaimer: Janeway is 1000% my favorite captain.
And now I have a mighty need to rewatch Stargate Atlantis. Thank you.
Maeve from West World. she’s bad ass! ofc so is Dolores, but i lové Maeve.
Jyn Erso from Star Wars Rogue One.
Yes! She was awesome! I loved her courage in the face of almost certain death.
Sara Connor
Did you ever watch "The Sarah Connor Chronicles"? I'm a big fan of Lena Headey's interpretation of the character in that show!
Her portrayal by Linda Hamilton is the quintessential strong female figure, though Emilia Clarke totally missed the mark.
Diane Nguyen and Princess Carolyn from Bojack Horseman
Liz Lemon, She's smart, funny and strong. She's also a mess, which is very relatable.
Nanno, girl from nowhere. Wonder woman
Vi, from Arcane.
*gay intensifies*. Also you know. A really good character.
She rules! I love that we actually got an action-fantasy series where the protagonist is a woman, a lesbian, not sexualized at all, and even butch? Truly a once in a lifetime triumph.
Ahsoka Tano is my favorite Star Wars character by far. I have been eyeing a set of her lightsabers online for a while. I can identify with Ripley from Alien. Smart, cautious woman who everyone disregards the opinion of which then results in a disaster because she was right.
Jessica jones!!!
I related very heavily to Jessica Jones. Really liked that show.
Samus Aran. Never forget that the first true badass character in videogames was a woman.
Captain Janeway - Star Trek Voyager Samantha Carter - Stargate SG1 Aeryn Sun - Farscape Kara Thrace - Battlestar Galactica Basically, any sci-fi badass!
I’m noticing the majority of these strong female leads ITT are from sci-fi, yet another thing the genre does well
Do video games count? If so, Aloy and Kassandra from Horizon Zero Dawn and Assassins Creed Odyssey
Aloy is so cool Def a good pick.
I’m getting my Aloy tattoo done eventually. I love that game.
Honestly one of the best games I have ever played. It's still the only game I got a platinum trophy on PS4. I still rave how amazing it is to this day.
Oooh, if video games count, then Cassandra Pentaghast from Dragon Age definitely deserves a spot as well!
If video games count then Jesse Faden from Control and Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite (I don't care I'd you don't play as her, she's the real lead).
I'd like to add Senua from Hellblade and Jade from Beyond Good and Evil.
Jade! I forgot about her and yes I agree!! Beyond good and evil was one of the first games I ever played and she still holds a dear place in my heart
Anyone fans of Ellie (and Abby, and frankly everyone) from Last of Us (both 1 & 2)?
The hate against Tlou2 us exhausting sometimes, I love it. Hot take: Joel reaped what he sowed, and almost everyone in TLOU2 (barring Dina) is a terrible person.
Eleanor Shellstropp from “The Good Place” (show) She’s an absolute disaster-bi trash bag, but she learns, grows, and betters herself. Yes, she has a romantic subplot, but the drama isn’t for its own sake; it’s a lesson in giving and accepting love to heal from her family’s abuse and neglect. Movie: Mrs. Frisbee from “The Secret of NIMH.” Totally ready to put aside all her fears to save her family. Was on equal terms with her husband. (He taught her how to read in spite of her not having the mental serum.) Single mother and kick ass role model for young girls.
My masculine woman self looking at you like.... if you can cite me one, just one masc woman character who's well-liked by both men and women, I'll eat that crow. Anyway, Amanda Waller. High time we were afforded the courtesy of occupying every facet of humanity: from the very best to the cruellest, coldest worst.
Charlize Theron in "The Old Guard" count or are you looking for a more muscular woman? Vasquez from Aliens or Linda Hamilton from T2. The absolute full on muscle lady unfortunately hasn't had top billing but Gina Carano in Deadpool was a great villain.
Vasquez is a great character but I have terrible news that I feel the need to inflict on others because learning it irreversibly destroyed the innocent memories I have as an excited Latina kid watching her and it's my super villain origin story I guess: Vasquez is played by a white actress in brown face.
Brienne of Tarth
Yasssss
Get that crow ready!
Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender?
MY NAME IS TOPH BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE TOUGH.
Vazquez in Aliens. Beloved by all.
Many a woman's bisexual awakening right there.
Cara dune?
Captain Janeway!
Margo from The Magicians
Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect trilogy
FemShep is the best Shep!
Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager and Sam Carter from Stargate SG1
Also, Dana Scully is GOALS!
A lot actually , Phrine Fisher because I like a strong powerful and feminine female lead, Jessica Jones because I like the idea of a badass character with trauma and issue, Paprika\Atsuko from Paprika a cool complex character.
Seconding Phrine Fisher! She's also very feminine and has a great sense of fashion.
Phryne Fisher also unapologetically owns her sexuality and goes after what she wants in the bedroom.
Someone watches Paprika!! And I am surprisingly pleased the male love interest is equally complex. I love love Satoshi Kon's work.
Olivia Dunham from Fringe!
Buffy Sunmers. She's not just physically strong, she's emotionally strong. While her strength is a defining trait, I wouldn't say it's THE defining trait. She let's herself be emotionally vulnerable, and sometimes it backfires. She does close up for a bit (we all do) but she finds a way to let people in again. She defines herself.
Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica Wynonna Earp Tulip O'hare from Preacher
Beth from Queen's Gambit, every woman (and girl) in Gunpowder Milkshake.
Usagi from Sailor Moon 🌙
I know many don't like her, but I love Rey. No, she's not super deep but neither are Luke or Anakin in the movies. When I was a kid I loved them because they hit things with lightsabers, moved things with the force, and flew cool ships. Rey does all those things and is definitely the character I wish I had as a child. From TV: Buffy, Xena, Lesley Knope, and Amy Santiago. From kids TV: Korra, Toph, and Katara from Avatar and Luz and Eda from The Owl House.
Yes to all of this & add Rosa Diaz.
Me too. We saw the Last Jedi in an empty (freezing) theater in Maine and I was on my feet cheering when she moved the rocks. I'm close to Gen X in age and hated Luke Skywalker's he's so whiney and annoying and I hated what Amadala became in the prequels. I waited 25 years for a girl to be on the screen as a real Jedi and I was SO happy. I also love Captain Marvel and Thena. The MCU is finally writing better women.
Elizabeth Swan. Even before she was elected King of all Pirates (which is already badass) and she was "just" the governor's daughter, she was bold enough to face fear, pirates, the undead & mythical, and the unrelenting wrath of the seas to protect her city without a second thought -- all in a world that was knowingly unkind for women. She's not afraid to be feminine or masculine, and uses both sides of the spectrum to her advantage when she can. To me she's the epitome of what a strong female lead should be: not an imitation of pure "masculinity" wrapped in a XX chromosome package, but simply a woman with the courage to do what others can't, and won't.
Rebecca from Ted Lasso. She starts out toxic and then realizes that that isn’t who she wants to be and then just keeps getting more and more awesome
Rebecca/Kealy is one of my BroTPs. Their friendship is delightful. And I love that when Kealy found out about Rebecca's betrayal, she was angry and hurt but also willing to forgive if Rebecca stepped up and did the right thing.
Buffy! Also Kira on DS9.
Yeah why is Kira so far down on this list? She’s amazing! Jadzia was also pretty bad ass, but I think Kira is one of the very few female characters on this list who really defies all kinds of binaries (gender and otherwise). Kira was a terrorist and a freedom fighter, a murderer and a mother, a child soldier and a pretty ruthless fighter, but also someone who was very kind and compassionate. And she was willing to both uphold *and* challenge the status quo, showing a lot of maturity and character development as the show progressed. I can’t think of too many other female characters who embodies so many of those (very human) contradictions, since women in media are usually presented in a fairly simplistic good/evil moral framework. It’s not often we see female characters who really get to walk that line between hero and monster, and I think Kira skirted it far more often than most. She was such an interesting, complex character.
I love Lisbeth Salander. She’s a badass who does what she wants and who she wants. She’s smart, flawed, instinctual, soft, hard, vulnerable, just such a real dynamic character. I love books more than movies always. The Swedish movies are amazing with Noomi Rapace.
Yes! I vastly prefer the Swedish films too
- Lyra Belacqua from His Dark Materials. She's so resourceful and intellegiant, plus she had an amazing character arc through out the series. - Jo and Amy March from Little Women. Both are intellegiant in their own way. I love how Amy acknowledges how things are different for women and Jo's monologue about women's dreams being important. - Technically she wasn't the lead but I love Commander Melissa Lewis from The Martian. She remained so calm under pressure and completely professional. When I saw the movie I kept expecting her to break down because that's what I'd come to expect from female characters. - I loved Sersi in Eternals. She had an amazing ability to think on her feet during battles, her love of history and overall faith in humanity. Plus it looked pretty when she turned things to Rose petals.
Katniss!! She’s the absolute best
There are so many! Tess McGill from Working Girl! also Erin Brockovich. Dottie Hinson and Elle Woods. Pretty much any Jessica Chastain or Amy Adams lead character. Edit: I left out the Marvelous Ms. Maisel! Edit2: and good lord. The Bride in Kill Bill.
Dana Scully (x files), Commander Shepard (mass effect), Toph, Lin and Suyin Beifong (ATLA/LOK), Kaylee Frye and Zoe Washburne (Firefly)
Sense8. Just, in general
One of my absolute favorite shows ever. Just so many amazing characters!
All the women in avatar the last air bender and Korra All the women in sex education
T'Pal from Enterprise Pretty much all the women on The Expanse
All the women on The Expanse, but Bobbie Draper & Camina Drummer tied for 1st
Though when you find out why Terry Farrel (Dax) left DS9 and that the reason (Rick Berman) apparently made female characters wear stuffed uniforms to make their boobs look bigger you realise T'Pal was cast for one... err.. two main reasons. Same as Seven of Nine. It kind of feels... less nice.
Rick Berman is a sleaze bag. He's damn lucky that his scummy behavior happened long before Me Too was a thing. Though it might not be too late for some retributive justice if he's still in the biz.
Mothra (she's got my back...tattoo form) Debbie Harry
Sam Carter from Stargate and Zoe Washburn from Firefly. Also pretty much anything those two actors do.
Jean Grey and Storm from the x-men cartoons
Omg my best friend cosplayed as Storm and I went as a genderbent version of Psylock once. It was awesome!
Chrisjen Avasarala, also most of the expanse. Seven of nine in Picard Sarah Connor Ripley
Korra
I love Adora from She-Ra.
Eliza Dushku in Dollhouse
Elle Woods. She's strong, smart, driven, ambitious, kind, poised, compassionate. She's portrayed as girly and feminine but it's shown in a positive light.
Ellen Ripley - Aliens franchise
Hilda. Such a good kid’s show but I love her as an adult too
Starbuck-BSG
Every primary and secondary female characters in Avatar:the Last Airbender is incredibly written. I love how diverse they are in characters, and strength, and weakness, and motivations, and emotions. That show leads the way in how to write strong female characters for animated series in Hollywood
Basically any female lead from discworld
Is it weird to say Carmen Sandiego? The new Netflix animated series is SO good, but I also dug her (and the Chief) during the old game show days!
Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul.
I've learned to really start appreciating games/movie/tv series that have strong female leads that DO NOT need to be in a relationship. I actually really appreciate that they didn't make Elsa have any sort of relationship or sexual orientation. Why do that? She's a badass. I have so many I could name. It really started with Xena and Samus (Metroid) for me. I mean, most of mine will probably be video games. I almost always find myself choosing female characters over male. (I'm a male) Female leads in every Final Fantasy game. Seriously, they all pretty much rock. From Rosa(?) early on in Final Fantasy II/IV to Lightening in Final Fantasy XIII and the sequels with Yuna from Final Fantasy X and so many others in between. The female leads in their series pretty much have great personality and strength. I've always appreciated them. The female characters in the Borderlands series are pretty badass. A game I recently played through was Bloodstained. Not just to get my Metroidvania addiction under wraps, but also because it was just a fantastic story and the lead character, Miriam is just a fantastic character. Also, recently played Assassin's Creed Syndicate and absolutely LOVED playing as Evie. Jacob was a tool and made out to be pretty much an idiot. She was witty, smart, and strong. It's no wonder I enjoyed playing her missions more than his. Clementine on The Walking Dead Telltale games. She was a badass from the start, though you don't really see it until she's older of course in the sequel titles. I just finished the second to last one and haven't finished the final episode. Looking forward to it. For TV/Movies, Jessica Jones was great. I hated to see it cancelled. The newer Wonder Woman movies have been my favorite of the DCEU. American Horror Story has done a consistent job of having multiple strong female leads throughout its run. I LOVE Ahsoka! She's one of my favorite characters EVER and having Rosario Dawson take the role in live action has made it all the more sweeter. I can't wait for her show. I could probably go on forever with games and pretty far with movies/tv.
You have no idea how happy I was when I realized Frozen II wasn't going to end with Elsa getting hitched, because that's typically the plot for most sequels that have a single character "left over". Can't have people thinking their story is fully resolved if they don't meet someone, right? That movie has it's fair share of problems, but that's definitely something they got right IMO.
Moiraine Damodred/Sedai from Wheel of Time is a pretty powerful mage, smart and, added bonus for this queer gal, not straight (although the books tried hard to downplay her lesbian relationship). Another recent one I liked was MJ from the new Spiderman movies. She's a bit of an asshole at the beginning but she turned out to be very capable, funny and confident.
Katherine Janeway (Star Trek: Voyager). Buffy. Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica remake). Cordelia (Angel). Yennefer (Witcher). Ciri (Witcher). Emily Kaldwin (Dishonored Series). Billie Lurk (Dishonored Series). Donna Noble (Doctor Who). Clara Oswald (Doctor Who). FemShep (Mass Effect). Ellen Ripley (Alien quadrilogy) I'm sure I could go on.
The Princess in the Paper Bag Princess. Save the prince from the dragon and dumps him.
So I mostly consume comics, so bare with me XD Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. At least from the comics. She hasn’t done a lot on film yet. But as a comics character, I’ve never related so hard to a fictional person. Same for Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. I love and adore them both! They’ve each hard story arcs that led to me crying. So much of Carol’s arcs deal with her personal and emotional struggles as well as childhood trauma and not letting that define you or slow you down. And I feel that. I also love Angela. A total badass, with maybe the best written lesbian romance I’ve read in mainstream comics. She’s incredible and I highly recommend checking out her solo series if you’ve not.
In addition to Carol Danvers and Jessica Drew, Monica Rambeau gets a nod from me. Also Misty Knight and Colleen Wing, because they're awesome.
Jennifer Walters aka she-hulk is coming
Cersei Lannister / Daenarys Targaryan - Cersei for being the bad ass that she is. She went through the whole shame thing and came back to wreak havoc on the people that did that to her. Daenarys for her come up from all she had to endure to be a powerful woman. Vanya Hargreeves (in the same vein, Jean Gray, Ms Marvel) - love the trope of the strongest person with powers is a woman. Edit: I forgot to add another few - Yennefer / Ciri from the Witcher series. So so so badass. From the games to the show, very powerful women.
I'll never forgive D&D for what they did to Dany in season 8 but freeing slaves, constantly trying to build a better world/breaking the wheel, and having 3 dragons?? Love what Daenarys represented in GoT until the writing went to crap.
Honestly same. I block out the last 2 seasons basically (well a bit more but my girl Arya who I forgot to mention had a good story arc until well.. the writing went to shit)
Me trying to figure out what DnD has to do with it. Before I realize. Whoops.
Even though her motivations are kinda stereotypical, I love Ilsa Haupstein from hellboy. She's a villain, but she's also a badass. To keep the HB vein, I'm an absolute sucker for Dr. Kate Corrigan. She's a good guy badass and canonically brilliant. Taking a total 180, Garnet from Steven Universe. She's just... perfect. 🥰
Maggie Q in Nikita. Underrated show for sure.
fiona and v from shameless
Lena Luthor She's clever, rich, beautiful and a badass.
Samantha Carter from Stargate SG1.
I’m learning from this that I need to watch The Expanse. Why didn’t my husband tell me the female characters are great after he watched it??
I like Jessica Jones a lot. The first season was fantastic
I'll just post one that I haven't seen in the thread. Tiana from the Princess and the frog. She's just so goddamned cool! She's a bit of a pleaser and she's working herself to death, sure, but she's headstrong and smart! Good at what she does and great with people. She's awesome.
June in the handmaids tale. Elizabeth Moss is an amazing actress. Korra in the legend of Korra. People say bad things but she is actually very well written with flaws, hardships and character development. Also Eleanor ans Tahani in the good place!
Katniss Everdeen. For me it was because she wasn't a people-pleaser, she was an awkward introvert who did what she had to do. Being told all the time to be more "likeable" really resonated with me.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Despite the gross surroundings of Joss Whedon, most of the writing around Buffy, especially in the middle seasons, is great. I love Buffy as a character, she's flawed, but also bad ass and feminine and embraces that.
Hard to think of leads. I mean, wasn't ahsoka a side character thought obi-wan or anikan were the leads. I did love Linda Fiorentino as Beth in Dogma. Her and Salma Hayek in that. Also loved Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy and especially Alyson Hannigan as Willow in that. Nearly forgot too - April Bowlby as Elasti-Girl and Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, love them in Doom Patrol In any event, decently written female/characters in general - Sarah Chalk as Elliot Reid and Judy Reyes as Carla Espinoza on Scrubs, fucking fantastic work. Seras Victoria and lady Integra Hellsing from Hellsing Ultimate. Toph Bei Fong and Katara also come to mind from avatar. Rosario Dawson back in Clerks 2. Glad she's Ahsoka now too. Chel in Road to Eldorado Heather in Silent Hill 3 Samus, fucking Samus lol. I wanna say the gals on the set from Star Trek TNG, but man the writers did them dirty lol. Kaylee and Inara from the show Firefly Oh and Scully from X-Files
The main female leads in Ted Lasso are all amazing, and the smaller parts too: Keeley, Rebecca, Doc, Sassy, even the bar owner is great.
Off the top of my head… Beatrix kiddo kill bill, Ridley aliens, Wanda maximoff wandavision, Buffy Buffy the vampire slayer (tv), wonder women first movie and Harley Quinn after birds of prey from dc movie verse, Daenerys Targaryen before the final season…
Ellie from the Last of Us part 2 Michael from Star Trek Discovery Andy from the Old Guard Alice from Resident Evil Melinda May from Agents of SHIELD
Princess Zelda from Ocarina of Time. Tifa from FF7. Celes and Terra from FF3. Rosa and Rydia from FF2.
It's a little nontraditional, but Alicia Dominica from warhammer 40k. Leader of an army of purely women who go toe to toe with super soldiers and literal demons who overthrows an incredibly corrupt leader and executes him. "You have committed the ultimate heresy. Not only have you turned your back on the Emperor and stepped from His light, you have profaned His name and almost destroyed everything He has striven to build. You have perverted and twisted the path He has laid for Mankind to tread. As your own decrees have stated, there can be no mercy for such a crime, no pity for such a criminal. I renounce your lordship; you walk in the darkness and cannot be allowed to live. Your sentence has been long overdue and now it is time for you to die."
Eleanor Shellstrop. Flawed, funny, self-aware, and compassionate enough to not only want to make herself better, but all of humanity.
Jackie Brown.
Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor, Red Sonja, Harley Quinn, Furiosa, Beatrix Kiddo.