Hermione Granger (The Harry Potter Series)
Who didn’t want to be Hermione when they were growing up? She’s extremely intelligent and saves the day too many times to count. She’s courageous in the face of danger and as tough as any of the guys. She shows us that you can be a genius and be strong.
Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games Series)
Unlike other characters on this list, Katniss has no superpowers to defend herself. All she has is a bow, arrow and a desire to do what’s right. She’s an underdog who becomes an unstoppable force as the leader of the rebellion against President Snow, making her a complete badass.
Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)
Knope may not be the most typical badass character, but her dedication to her career despite the obstacles thrown at her as a woman in politics is pretty badass. Her can-do attitude and willingness to reach for the stars inspires us all to never give up. She’s hilarious, a great friend, and shows us that passionate women are the most powerful.
Eleven (Stranger Things)
Eleven, one of the main characters from Netflix’s original hit show, is the definition of badass. Her telekinetic powers make her a force to be reckoned with, and she’ll do anything to protect her newfound friends. She makes us all wish we had the power to move things with our minds.
Mulan (Mulan)
Mulan is the ultimate badass princess. Not only does she put her life in danger for her father but for all of China. She trains harder than the other men and becomes one of the best soldiers. She never lets the fact that she’s a girl stop her from kicking some Hun butt.
Princess Leia
Princess Leia was a badass character in a time where women were rarely portrayed as strong onscreen, and she did so in one of the most iconic movie series in history. She paved the way to show that females can fight the bad guys too. Just because she’s a princess doesn’t mean she can’t kick ass.
Cristina Yang (Grey’s Anatomy)
Through Cristina Yang may not be what you first think of as a badass character, she definitely is as a genius cardiac surgeon. She doesn’t care about looks or about what a man can do for her, but she puts herself and career first. She is the epitome of girl power.
Black Widow (Marvel’s The Avengers)
One of the few women in the Marvel series, Black Widow not only just holds her own against the men but dominates the screen. She’s always there to take down whatever villain comes her way alongside the other Avengers. Her ass-kicking leaves us all wondering why she doesn’t have her own movie yet.
Hanna (Hanna)
Hanna is new take on the traditional fairy tale, but she is not a typical damsel in distress. Raised by her father to be a skilled assassin, she is on the run from the CIA. Along the way she kicks some serious ass to protect herself and her father. She proves that girls can do bad all by themselves.
Tris Prior (The Divergent Series)
Tris is a divergent, meaning she does not possess just one defining characteristic like the society she lives in wants its citizens to. She creates her own identity in a place where everyone is supposed to follow the crowd. By jumping on trains, scaling buildings, and fighting against the oppressive society she proves to be a total badass, all while remaining loving, selfless, and humble.