10 of my favorite female characters. In no particular order.
Lady Characters often get the short end of the stick. So I made a list of some of my all time favorite lady characters in media.
I of course adore more characters than just these. But when I think favs, these come up pretty quick. And I wanted to talk about some of the reasons I adore each of them and think they are superbly written.
1. Ellen Ripley from the Alien movies.
I don’t think this woman needs much introduction. She was the inspiration for Samus Aran in the Metroid series after all. This woman was one of the defining final girls of horror. She’s tough, smart, sassy, and kind. She commands every movie she is in, played expertly by the talented and beautiful actress Sigourney Weaver. Ripley in the first film is the competent and enduring survivor. In the second film she’s a grieving mother, finding out her only daughter passed away from old age while she was stuck in cryosleep in deep space. She ends up adopting a motherly role to the little girl Newt, and having wonderful chemistry with all the space marines. By the fourth movie she’s a jaded cynical badass, who has more sexual chemistry with the titular Aliens themselves than any human cast. (Thanks in part to Sigourney herself encouraging the directors to let her do freaky stuff with the Aliens.) And it works so good.
2. Entrapta from She-ra.
It was honestly so difficult to pick favorite women from this show, because the whole cast of this show is just overflowing with the most amazing lady characters. Entrapta was one that captured my heart especially so. She’s a character that walks that line of good guy/bad guy. She’s morally grey and she knows it. What she wants out of life is to explore her hobbies and make connections. It’s just too bad that her eccentricity seems to erode all the friendships and connections she makes. To no fault of her own. This girl tries! Entrapta is that girl that people want around so they can use her for her skills, but she’s not anyone’s first pick. She’s no one’s best friend. And so she often gets left behind time and time again by her “friend” groups, leading her to seek connection with a new group for good or bad. All this culminating into her meeting and connecting with the big bad, Hordak. And suddenly she’s found her best friend. She’s made that connection, and forged a bond so deep. And it’s with the WORST person for the first handful of seasons. But it’s delightful to see their friendship blossom, their feelings develop, and to finally see Entrapta get the appreciation she deserves. Honestly, as an outcast of many friend groups, and the friend who tries hard to be included, but is often used and forgotten, I related to this character so much.
3. Lyndis from Fire Emblem 7
Good lord, what is there to say about this character that I haven’t already waxed poetry about? She’s intelligent, brave, badass, broken, flawed with biases and discriminatory behavior? This woman has lost her parents and tribe in the worst most brutal way, poisoned and massacred by brigands. She had to slay her own gruncle, she almost lost her maternal grandfather to poison and treachery. She got rejected from the surviving members of her tribe for being a woman trained in the sword. (Because Sacaens are hella misogynistic). Like this woman was handed blow after devastating blow and still managed to come out swinging, albeit rather damaged. She is quick to judge people, especially if they look or act like bandits. And she can be rather verbally abusive. Her idea of justice is rather bias, and she has to work hard to overcome her quick temper and personal biases. She learns that writing people off as worthless brigands at first glance is actually a shitty way to view the world and treat people she doesn’t even know. This character who seems rather simple at a glance actually turns out to be one of the most complex and well written female characters that the FE series has ever created. And with 16 games in their arsenal, that’s actually quite sad. Do better FE.
4. Eskara Helsene from the War Eternal novel series
Oh damn a book character! Eskara is probably my favorite leading lady in a novel series of all time. I tend to despise female leads in books because authors always give them the same challenges to overcome. They always have to overcome sexual assault, or the patriarchy, or sexism. It’s always those three things for every girl characters in most books. And while they are noble things, inspiring things to overcome. I’m so sick of it being every girl’s character arc. We never get to have normal character arcs or ambitions. Except for Eskara. Eskara is a brilliant hot-headed little ball of rage. She was the product of a magical experiment alongside her best friend Yoseph. She’s a wicked talented mage with a bone to pick with any and all authority including the gods. She takes an ancient eldritch entity, named Sirakus, that feeds on fear into her body, and the two become so close they might as well be lovers. Her and Sirakus, have children together. (Not in the traditional sense.) and their bond becomes the cornerstone of the whole series. Eskara must learn that vengeance leads to tragedy, and sometimes her friends and found family are more precious that her pride and grief. Eskara’s character arcs are the kinds of character arcs that male characters often get to have, but that lady characters don’t.
5. Megara from Hercules
This lady, oh man she gives me feels whenever I see her on screen. I LOVE this character. I love her sass, I love her design, I love her voice. I love how duplicitous and shrewd she is. She’s caught up in Hades’ schemes and jaded to love. Honestly what is not to love about her?. She can dish sass right back at the sass master himself, the smooth talking used car salesman Hades. And the two play off each other like French fries and milkshakes. I wish we’d gotten to see more of Meg, because she’s definitely one of the best parts of this movie, alongside Hades of course.
6. Deedlit from Record of Lodoss War
Vintage anime OG lady. Deedlit is snarky, judgemental, haughty, skilled, shrewd. She’s the whole package. She doubles as both a badass fighter through the first 3/4 and a damsel in distress in the last 1/4. And still manages to be one of the best characters in the series. Every character in the group plays a role in shaping the hero Parn from a greenhorn loser to a badass hero, and Deedlit’s role is integral. So when Parn races to her rescue in the final episodes to save her from being sacrificed to the dark god Kardis, you’re on the edge of your seat, whooping and cheering for his success. Deedlit, has some of the most charming and witty dialogues and scenes, really brining out the personality of the whole cast. And her range of being deadly serious to being downright hilarious is just brilliant. I love her.
7. Chise Hatori from Ancient Magus Bride
Chise is my angstiest pick. Oh man, this girl is so much trauma rolled into one body. Rejected and abandoned by her family, almost murdered by her own mother, passed around aunts and uncles, until winding up alone and dropped out of highschool. This girl grew up with the ability to see and attract fae, magical creatures and demons. So completely given up on life she’s at the point of ending her own, she gets convinced to auction herself on a magic black market to powerful people. She’s got nothing to live for, and nothing left to lose, she makes that gamble and gets purchased by Elias Ainesworth, an ancient eldritch entity masquerading as a gentleman. Through Elias, she meets people, makes friends, forms relationships and learns about herself. Elias is able to give her a new life, a new perspective, and rekindle her desire to live. It’s a treat watching this broken girl go from her lowest point to her highest point over the series. And watching her evolve from a quiet, emotionless, and cold person, into a warm, loving, and honestly happy girl is such a beautiful part of the series. And it happens so naturally. I love her story. I love her very accidentally aesexual relationship with Elias. I love the sincerity of the whole series. I love the hope.
8. Marisa from Fire Emblem 8
Can I say very autistic character??? Omg. I’m 99% sure they did this by accident, but Marisa is so neurodivergent it’s unreal. This woman takes everything literally. Your jokes, fly over her head. Turn of phrase? She doesn’t get it. Hyperfixates on her swordwork to the detriment of everything else. When this girl is told to try to be more sociable, she ONLY tries because the guy she likes says he likes sociable women. And this girly is determined to reshape herself into a woman he would be attracted to. She fails spectacularly by the way. Her attempts at becoming sociable just make Gerik dissolve into hysterics. Poor girl, you never even stood a chance because Gerik already has eyes for Tethys. Honestly her interactions with most characters are endearing and memorable. and I think her best ending is the one with Joshua, the king of Jehanna, in which the two of them form an unshakable rivalry and friendship, pushing each other to become better, and supporting each other through suffering. I love her. I love her quirks, I love her behavior, I love her attitude. I wish we got to see more of her. You get snippets of her upbringing at its honestly heart wrenchingly awful, and yet she persists.
9. Catra from She-ra
I told you there were too many brilliant female characters in this show. I had to include a second. Can I just say Catra’s entire character arc through the whole show is gold. It’s amazing. It’s brilliant. It’s so well done. This woman is just magical masterful levels of good writing. She’s a great execution of the friends to enemies to lovers trope. She starts as such a traumatized and damaged character, and she ends the series as a slightly better traumatized and damaged character who is working on herself. She’s strong, angry, angsty, clever, smooth. She’s got ambitions, vendettas, and inner demons. And yet, you care about her. You want to see her get better. You want to see her stop slapping away every hand extended to her. It makes sense why she cannot trust. She is a long time victim of childhood abuse and manipulation. It by no means excuses her behavior, but seeing her fight through it is inspiring. As a victim of such abuse myself, I found Catra’s struggles and self sabotage very realistic. And I love that she gets such a hopeful ending, as she starts herself on a journey of improvement. Things do get better, but you have to want and accept help first.
10. Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach
Capping off this list with my very first girl crush. This is THE short Queen. The little ball of sass, spitfire and rage herself. I love Rukia. I love how she starts the series off in a mentor role. She’s smart, skilled, knowledgeable and experienced. She compliments her costar Ichigo perfectly and the two honestly have some of the best chemistry in the series. I will never forgive how they let her character fall off as the series progresses. But the first three seasons of the show she is such the heart of the series. I even liked when she was locked up and going to be executed. Her story and relationship with her adoptive brother, Byakuya, is so tragic. She’s such a deep character, and brings out some the best of every character she interacts with. Her ice powers are also just breathtaking. I honestly wish the author hadn’t taken a huge dump on her character as the series progressed. You could really feel his disrespect towards his female characters. And it was so sad, because he started the series off with one of the best written female co-leads I’d ever seen. I really think the series should have continued with Ichigo and Rukia sharing the spotlight as partners, because the best moments of the series were when they brought out the best and worst in each other.
aww man I feel bad about the idea of Miles loving Julian more than he loves his wife because I LOVE Keiko. clearly everyone aboard that space station needs to embrace polyamory.
I ADORE KEIKO TOO. she’s easily one of my favourite characters to write in DS9 fic, and just in general. and part of the reason i love her is BECAUSE SHE’S TOTALLY DOWN FOR POLYAMORY.
see: that time she set Miles and Julian up for a playdate
see: the ds9 polycule // also this
see: that time Keiko and Miles asked Kira to move in and join their marriage
I used to hate this cunt Maria Hill (EMH), but now i want her to have her own show doing paperwork, kicking ass, giving orders: Running Shield
She just owns the screen, she has that air that she buys her own hype and can BACK IT the fuck up, verbally and in a fight, even if she doesn’t win the fight.
(S2 Ep9, that conference scene she essentially just puts Ross on a leash lmfao. Hated it as a kid, love it now.)
How she’s written, she’s like a 26 year old Amanda Waller but she just left Commissioned Officer Training so she high off that new sense of authority lol.
Rules: write your 10 favourite female characters from 10 different fandoms and then tag 10 different people.
I’m including book series because some of my favorite female characters I read in YA fiction
1. Christina Yang (Grey’s Anatomy)
2. Keladry of Mindelan (Protector of the Small series)
3. Jessica Jones
4. Eleven (Stranger Things)
5. Winry Rockbell (Full Metal Alchemist)
6. Yachi Hitoka (Haikyuu!!)
7. Lardo Duan (Check! Please)
8. Pidge (Voltron)
9. Mcgonagall
10. Beka Cooper (Provost Guard series)
I tag @whataboutsecondbreakfast @find-yourfire @rollersk8skinny @highon-love @arunnerforever @geeksandathletes @the-running-girls @wheeloffortune-design @h2o-and-cardio and anyone who wanrs to do it
Headcanon: Seven of Nine wears tight spandex esque uniforms because the claustrophobic feeling is reminiscent of the omnipresent heaviness of the entire Collective's consciousness. They don't realize it, but this stim is a very efficient coping mechanism, making them feel more grounded and stable in their newfound individuality.
