If you didn’t already know, women are the strong powerful forces that drive your favorite pieces of content consumption. Be cognizant of their roles when carrying their male counterparts, notice that if some of them weren’t there, your male hero would fail... and meet his demise rather quickly. Most have simply overtaken the role of the dated male hero.
So, here's to all our favorite SUPER WOMEN in film AND television:
10. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter Franchise)
Where would Harry Potter be without Hermoine? I DARE you to track down the list of Harry's plans in the films/books and find one that didn’t involve Hermione’s brilliant mind leading him to success. I’ll wait….
9. Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Cold hearted and cut throat, you’d be a fool not to admire and respect Cersei. Loyal to her family (to a fault), this woman put her “balls” on the table and decided she will rule. In her mind, the men that had claim to the throne before her (including her own sons) just didn’t cut it. Shame, Shame, Shame. NAH... Let’s talk about Pain, Pain, Pain……
8. Annalise Keating (How to Get Away with Murder)
Two bottles of vodka in and I’d follow Viola Davis’ instructions to a 'T'. Annalise is the drunk manipulative stepmother we wish we never had. Is she drunk? Yes. Will I absolutely believe her and sacrifice my entire existence? Again, yes!
7. Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)
The Lady of Winterfell had to deal with Ramsay Bolton AND the pest that was Petyr Baelish (Little Finger). The Queen in the North battled through her adolescence and came out on top. Give her all the flowers.
6. Elaine Benes (Seinfeld)
Sure ‘Seinfeld’ is ‘Seinfeld’, but what is ‘Seinfeld’ without Louis-Dreyfus? Elaine's quirky dance moves, the blind vanity, the way she stood up to the 'The Soup Nazi'... there’s no juvenile camaraderie without her. SHOW SOME RESPECT!
5. Linda Belcher (Bob's Burgers)
The "Fun Mom". The "Wine Mom". There’s no Bob without Linda. From the sing-alongs, to the obscure and random views on raising children, Linda easily cracks the top ten.
4. Eleven (Stranger Things)
In a discussion about women outshining their male counterparts, this one takes the cake.
Mike: "I’m scared."
Eleven: "STFU."
Hide in your basement fellas, Eleven’s got this handled.
3. Laurie Strode (Halloween Franchise)
The OG Scream Queen. We can't have a list of badass women without talking about Laurie Strode. Whether she is Michael's sister or simply "the one that got away", this badass woman has survived all matter of attack... and even got to put her brother in the grave in H20. How many Survivor Girls can say that?
2. The Bride (Kill Bill)
I’m certainly not capable of ‘Killing Bill’ but she has a damn good shot at it. One of the toughest killers we’ve ever seen. My life is in her hands. Leave the bloodshed to the professionals, boys.
1. Ellen Ripley (Alien Franchise)
Who else was going to take the top spot? No other woman in cinema history has kicked as much ass as Ellen Ripley. Whether it's "blowing it out of the god damn airlock", "nuking the site from orbit" or sacrificing herself to kill the incubating queen inside, Ellen and has done everything in her power to ensure the end of the Xenomorph scourge. And in the process, she's influenced nearly every female action hero since she first graced our screens. Congrats, Ellen; you are one badass woman.
