Top 10 Kick Ass Female TV Characters
They'll kick you to the curb and look damn good while doing it! Join MsMojo as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Kick Ass Female TV Characters.
For this list, we will be looking at those characters that kicked all kinds of butt on their respective shows. We've excluded animated characters because that's a list all in itself. Also, we won't be including any superheroes, so apologies to Jessica Jones fans. Finally, the characters have to stand on their feet as individuals and not come part of a team – a la Charlie Angels. With that said, time for these ladies to go to town!
#10: Detective Kima Greggs “The Wire” (2002-08)
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You would think working as a Baltimore Detective would be tough enough, but this major player in David Simon’s gripping drama of drugs, cops and loyalty ups the ante by having a whole parade of problems in her home life. Issues with her girlfriend lead her down the path of alcohol and infidelity, all the while she chases down witnesses and quite literally taking bullets for her team. Well respected even among her most hard-headed of colleagues, Detective Greggs is a character who stands for pride on multiple fronts.
#9: Dana Scully “The X-Files” (1993-2002; 2016)
If her partner is the believer, then she’s most certainly the skeptic. FBI Special Agent Scully along with her partner Fox Mulder investigate unsolved cases, some of which edge a little closer to the supernatural than she would like. Despite being a dedicated Catholic, it’s her absolute faith in science and medicine that make up who she is, as she is thrilled to let her partner know whenever he leans towards an answer that’s a little too far-out for her liking. Throughout the series, that mind-set is tested to its limits; making those moments of doubt resonate pretty damn powerfully.
#8: Sydney Bristow “Alias” (2001-06)
Forget Elektra, this show proved that Jennifer Garner could play a badass to the tenth degree! Not only is she a member of the CIA whose knowledge of language, fighting, weaponry and stealth would put James Bond to shame, she also serves a double agent as she infiltrates a criminal syndicate, all the while keeping her multiple identities secret from her family. She has the smarts, she’s got the skills, and enough facades to keep even the most seasoned spy guessing which side she’s on.
#7: Veronica Mars “Veronica Mars” (2004-07)
She may not be a spy, she may not be a police officer, but there’s no denying that Veronica Mars is a fighter. Formally part of her school’s wealthiest and most popular social group, Veronica’s life takes a depressing and dramatic shift when her family is torn apart by financial and scandalous issues, followed by her being drugged and raped at a party. Rising from the horrific ordeal to become a private investigator like her father, she’s woman on a mission to expose the truth in whatever dark corner its hiding in, whether it be class, race and every inequality in between.
#6: Sarah Manning “Orphan Black” (2013-)
Don’t you just hate those days when you realize you’re actually a clone? Sarah Manning finds out the hard way after watching her doppelgänger commit suicide right in front of her. After the discovery that she is one of many, she assumes the identity of her fallen clone, and with the aid of some more mirror images, battles against both the company responsible for their creation, as well as a fanatic group that’s after their heads. She’s a rebellious punk caught between the worst that science and religion have to offer.
#5: Buffy Summers “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)
Some people seem to struggle when it comes to juggling school and a job. Say hello to Buffy! She spends her days attending high school and slaying the things that go bump in the night. The duality of her strange and violent life make her a beautifully relatable and detailed character; with the issues of relationships and growing up being the obstacles that highlight it, often more than the monster hunting. But make no mistake, we love seeing her stake some vampires while kicking some serious ass.
#4: Brienne of Tarth “Game of Thrones” (2011-)
In a land where the honourable are slain, the manipulative rule from the shadows and women can be sold like cattle, there is Brienne of Tarth: a warrior of honour who will smash your face in should you cross those she has sworn to serve! While Daenerys and Arya also stand out as kick-ass female characters, they aren’t exactly against using some pretty dark tactics in the name of conquest or vengeance. Brienne, though she suffers for it, remains wholeheartedly good and never betrays her ideals. Plus, she beats the ever-loving crap out of The Hound. She is not someone you want to mess with.
#3: Carrie Mathison “Homeland” (2011-)
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The most compelling characters are often the most broken. As part of the CIA’s counterterrorism unit, Carrie directly deals with threats to the United States, one of which may or may not come in the form of an American POW. Her obsessive nature and will to discover the truth leads her straight into danger, as well as a possible fatal relationship. Throw in a bipolar disorder that makes her prone to episodes, and you have a character who is barely holding her own life together while the safety of millions lies in her hands. If that’s not badass, we don’t know what is.
#2: Michonne “The Walking Dead” (2010-)
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We dare you to find a more kick ass introduction than this! With her signature katana and cold stare, Michonne quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the most lethal and fearsome zombie survivors on the show. Much like the other characters, she’s haunted by the walker infestation; and while she’s not above lamenting her losses, she’s never one to crumble in despair. Her faith in Rick, mad sword skills, and maternal nature make her the ideal companion to have by your side when the dead start to eat the living. Before we reveal our number one pick here are a few honourable mentions. Captain Kathryn Janeway “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001) Peggy Carter “Agent Carter” (2015-) Kate Beckett “Castle” (2009-) Peggy Olson “Mad Men” (2007-15)
#1: Xena “Xena: Warrior Princess” (1995-2001)
What started as a side character destined to die became one of television’s most beloved fantasy icons. Stepping out of the shadow of “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,” this Chakram-throwing battle maiden abandoned her initial evil ways and traversed the lands of ancient Greece, kicking the ass of villain and gods alike. It’s no wonder she has such a cult-following; as a strong-willed protector of the weak, along with some less-than-subtle lesbian subtext, she’s a standout heroine in her own right, and most definitely the most kick ass female on TV! Do you agree with our list? Which female TV character do you think kicks the most amount of ass? With new top tens published every-day be sure to subscribe to MsMojo!
