Memes

Ruth Wilson in Luther...

Selene from Underworld.

While my Trekkie side offers Michael Burnham (Discovery), Kira and Dax (DS9), Seven of Nine (Voyager), Una and La'an and Nurse Chapel (Strange New Worlds). I'm surely forgetting a bunch.

How about Arya Stark and Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones)?

Willow Rosenberg

Dorothy aka Dot from season 5 of fargo was fantastic imo!

Ellen (and I guess some would argue Jo) from supernatural is imo. WIthout going into spoilers but the reason I pick her out of a series full of "badass women" is she is the typical tough lady superficial stuff but also extremely compassionate, a supportive and devoted mother.

Does Leslie Knope parks and rec count? She's a badass to me.

Fran Fine, The Nanny

Samantha Carter, Stargate SG-1

Delenn, Babylon 5

Natalie Teeger, Monk

Eve, Killing Eve

Beth Harmon, Queen's Gambit

CJ, The West Wing

Donna, The West Wing

Donna Noble, Doctor Who

And if children count:

Matilda, Matilda

Merida, Brave

Kung Foo Hustle is just amazing. I need to get that later and watch it again.

A potentially lesser known movie is 'Kimi'. Not your typical example, but watching her get past her trauma enough to kick ass in the end was great.

There is a very interesting documentary called "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women" and how they created her in 1940 as a feminist super hero.

William Moulton Marston, a psychologist already famous for inventing the polygraph, struck upon an idea for a new kind of superhero, one who would triumph not with fists or firepower, but with love. "Fine," said Elizabeth. "But make her a woman."

Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.

Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil
Han So-hee, My Name

To be fair, Sarah Connor was more of a badass once she could do chin ups.

I would say that all the women in Kill Bill are bad ass. Some just align differently than others.

OG Princess Leia

Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) in The Long Kiss Goodnight!

The original Lisbeth Salander from the european movies!

Darlene from mr robot .

Where's my trekkies at? We got Janeway, Jadzia Dax, Belana Torres, Kira Nerys, Seven of Nine, Tasha Yar, Guinan, Ensign Ro... and a lot more I'm not remembering right now.

Mrs. Doyle

When Mrs. Doyle offers you a cup of tea it is not a request!

I was not expecting three characters from firefly, that show is still popular it blows my mind!

Lucy Ball

Agent May.

(Don't call her The Cavalry, she hates that.)

Vi, Jinx, catalyn from arcane.

Lt. Riza Hawkeye (Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Major Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell - the 80's movie and the anime series. Live action one needs to die in a fire)

Jo Lupo (Eureka)

Domino (Deadpool 2)

Go-go Tamago (Big Hero 6)

Mako Mori (Pacific Rim)

Golden Sparrow (Forbidden Kingdom)

Gamora and Nebula (Guardians of the Galaxy)

Evie (V for Vendetta)

Hela (Thor: Ragnarok)

Valkyrie (Thor: Ragnarok)

Molotov Girl/Millie (Free Guy)

Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel)

Cherri Bomb (Hazbin Hotel)

Carmilla Carmine (Hazbin Hotel)

Sypha Belnades (Castlevania)

Lisa Tepes (Castlevania)

Princess Mononoke

Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle)

Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Storm, Jean Grey (X-men)

I could keep going all day. These are just the ones that come to mind without having to dig around my watched media for ideas.

Molly Cobb (For All Mankind), Eleven (Stranger Things)

In a similar vein, Evelyn Wang from Everything Everywhere All At Once... She may not start out badass, but oh boy does that change

Jaime Sommers

Root and Shaw of Person of Interest. And Joss Carter from Person of Interest