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12 well-written female protagonists in films

Strong female characters are not uncommon in Hollywood, but the best ones easily stand out from the crowd.

Some are fierce fighters, while others use their wits to outwit the villains. Some will use a mix of wits and physical strength to win the day. Whatever their method of choice, these are some of our favorite female protagonists.

1. SARAH CONNOR

Image source: Tri-Star Pictures

As the female lead in the first two films of the Terminator In the series, Sarah Connor went from being a waitress on the run from a futuristic assassin to a fighter and fugitive who could hold her own against cyborgs and anyone else who got in her way. Her evolution from an ordinary person to a complicated and sometimes morally dubious character makes her a favorite of many panelists.

2. Agent Clarice Starling

Clarice Starling, The Silence of the Lambs
Photo credit: Orion Pictures.

The naive FBI agent not only helped end Buffalo Bill's crime spree, The silence of the Lambs But she also managed to do something that many others did not: she survived her encounters with Dr. Hannibal Lecter without becoming one of his targets or victims. Clarice Starling made a strong impression on many of the forum's commentators.

3. ELLEN RIPLEY

Sigourney Weaver in Alien (1979)
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox.

Ripley was so good at defeating the monstrous Xenomorphs in three extraterrestrial In the fourth film, she was raised from the dead and cloned to once again defeat the enemy aliens. “Ripley didn’t take the lead because she was a woman, or even though she was a woman, Ripley took the lead because she was always the strongest (mentally) and the smartest,” someone says.

4. JESSICA “JB” FLETCHER

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)
Image source: Universal Television.

After an impressive 12 seasons as a ratings star, Murder she wrote The protagonist is the grande dame of television detectives. JB Fletcher, a widowed, retired teacher who later becomes a prolific novelist and amateur detective, is no stranger to well-developed characters.

5. BLANCHE DEVEREAUX

Rue McClanahan and Bea Arthur in The Golden Girls (1985)
Photo credit: Touchstone Television.

Than a quarter The Golden GirlsThe persona of Blanche Devereaux showed the world that life not only goes on after age 50, but can be full of style, laughter, and lots of fun. Several members of the online community point out that it would have been easy to make Blanche a two-dimensional stereotype, but instead she was portrayed as a fully developed, identifiable person.

6. LAURIE STRODE

Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween (1978)
Photo credit:
Images from Compass International.

Laurie Strode is more than just a classic scream queen. She survives and outwits her menacing brother Michael Myers in the Halloween Film series. Laurie Strode transforms from a scared-to-death babysitter on the run into a person who pursues and defends her opponent. She's not a shy wallflower.

7. Scout finch

Mary Badham in To Disturb the Nightingale (1962)
Image source: Universal Pictures.

The narrator in To kill a mockingbirdThe young Girl Scout displays a maturity and awareness of the world around her that was well beyond her years. She is also the heroine of the book and the film when she prevents a racist mob from harming the falsely accused Tom Robinson. Her unwillingness to conform to the gender role assigned to girls in the South and to remain true to herself led one panelist to comment that they named their daughter after Scout.

8. BEATRIX KIDDO

Uma Thurman in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Photo credit: Miramax Films.

Also known as “The Bride”. Kill Bill In the films, Beatrix Kiddo is a one-woman wrecking gang with a single-minded focus on revenge. As she commits horrific acts on the way to her final target, Bill, she is governed by a code of honor that protects the innocent and punishes the guilty.

9. PRINCESS LEIA

war of starswar of stars
Image source: Twentieth Century Fox.

More than just a member of a monarchical family in the war of stars In-universe, Princess Leia is a politician, diplomat, and member of the Rebel Alliance. She later became general of the resistance against the First Order, which she helped found. Her strength as a diplomat and revolutionary fighter has led Star Wars fans to claim her as one of the best female protagonists of all time.

10. LESLIE KNOPE

Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation (2009)
Image source: Universal Television.

Always full of infectious energy, Parks and recreation areas Leslie Knope is a true leader. She enthusiastically accepts all challenges and obstacles in service to the Pawnee community, even if they sometimes have hilariously disastrous consequences. Her humanity, including her flaws, makes Leslie Knope one of the most likeable and well-developed television characters of all time.

11. Buffy Summers

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)
Image source: 20th Century Fox Television.

She is a high school student by day and a vampire and monster hunter by night. Buffy Summers by Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fame perfectly combines brains, athletic ability and beauty. Her unwavering independence and ability to assert herself without the help of a man is the epitome of girl power.

12. KATNISS EVERDEEN

Tucker Gates, Jennifer Lawrence and Jon D. Brooks in “The Hunger Games” (2012)
Image source: Lionsgate.

The hunger Games' The main character is moral, intelligent, brave, selfless and ethical. How many other people would willingly participate in the evil games to save their sister the way she did?

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The fugitiveThe fugitive
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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FletchingFeathering
Image source: Universal Pictures.

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