Can be from any kind of media.
For me it’s Margot from The Magicians (which is interesting because in the books she is anything but) and Jesse Faden from Control.
Adding my vote for Ellen Ripley.
There are others that come to mind from more obscure movies I’ve watched more recently, like the women in Grandma (2015), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020), and even Men (2022), also non-fictional women like those in Kokomo City (2023). There are so many more I can picture in my mind but can’t put my finger on the movie and or am just shit with names so I can’t think of them right now, but might come back to update.
Literally the first name that popped into my head when I saw the question. There are plenty of other good choices, but she has to be near the top of any list.
Incidentally… am I having federation issues? This is the only comment I see mentioning Ripley. I see 11 comments currently…
Incidentally… am I having federation issues? This is the only comment I see mentioning Ripley. I see 11 comments currently…
I see 36 comments, mine and 3 others mention Ripley, so yeah, probably a federation issue.
Don’t think I’ve seen that review of Alien before. Thanks for sharing it.
Linda Hamilton - Terminator
I had to say something different, because I would have said Ripley first.
+1 for each of those, and i’ll add clarice starling, uhura, michael burnham, Evelyn Quan Wang (everything everywhere all at once), helen lyle (candyman)
From T2. Sarah Conner from the first movie barely has enough sense to keep herself alive, but boy did she take her short comings seriously between movies.
True. I was speaking generically, but yeah, she was quite fragile in the first.
Captain Janeway from Voyager ❤️
She’s strong, but is anybody who loves coffee that much truly independent?
She’ll independently recycle your matter into more coffee.
I’m addicted to coffee so I understand her very much.
I was a young child in a Trekkie house when that show aired. I think that helped me think of women in authority as just a normal thing.
I also wrote Janeway. Why did I have to scroll so far down to find another?
Ellen Ripley. Under pressure she steps up and does what needs doing. Whether that means operating a loader, comforting a child or making monsters extinct.
Samantha Carter from Stargate SG1
I rewatch that series every few years, it’s awesome, in no small part thanks to Sam.
Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul 😍
I came here to mention her. She should be a case study on how to write believable, badass and strong characters
Totally agree. She feels like a Dostoevsky character. Not a character, at all, just…a person. Totally believable.
So timely for me… I love that character and just rewatched Better Call Saul! She is very attractive, even referenced for that trait multiple times in the show, but they never actually sexualize her. Across ~4000 final hours of show footage, her character was all about her work ethic, her intelligence, and her loyalty. Do you realize how rare that is for a modern young, attractive female character!? Rhea Seehorn is an amazing actor…
Ellen Ripley from the Alien series.
Ellen Ripley. She will wreck your shit and yeet you into space.
Leela from Futurama
Lieutenant Ellen Ripley.
Trillian from hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. People see the book as satire but she really knew where her towel was.
She was a real frood, even a hoopy, if you will.
Roberta “Bobbie” Draper from The Expanse was the first to jump into my head.
Avasarala is my pick
That’s funny. I also posted Naomi Nagata. While I like Chrisjen and Bobby more, I think Naomi wins for strong independent. General of the resistance, self-marooned insurgent, and the escape of the Chetzmoka.
Came here to say Avasarala.
Cara gee portraying as Camina Drummer.
I think expanse has good characters that work as strong women.
Ripley
Captain/Admiral Kathryn Janeway
Couldn’t tell you why, but my mind went straight to Wonder Woman.
Conditioning.
