The title of this post is pretty self-explanatory, so let's jump right in. The list is in no particular order, and doesn't aim to be exhaustive. Diana Princei.e Wonder Woman, as played by Gal Gadot. Yes, we've all heard enough about Wonder Woman lately; the film has had a lot of (deserved) praise since it came out in June, and there has been endless discussion around it. If you want to read my own review of the film, click here (spoiler alert, I loved it.) But because of the amount she has been talked about lately, and how much I enjoyed the film, I decided to put Diana first on this list, as I'm sure it's no surprise that she's here. When the film finished I felt so empowered, like I could do anything and take on anything, and I think it's invaluable for women and girls everywhere to have that kind of role model. Not only is Diana tough and strong and capable of fighting, but her defining quality for me (disclaimer: I have not seen Batman vs Superman, although I have heard that her characterisation is a little different there) is her capacity for empathy, which is lovely and inspirational to see. Elle Woods
BelleI'm mostly talking about Emma Watson's Belle from the remake of Beauty and the Beast here, because they intentionally upped the character's badassery for this film. The scene where she tricks her father and pushes him out of the cage so she can take his place is heartbreaking, and demonstrates how strong and intelligent Belle is. She teaches a younger girl to read, having created an invention to do the laundry for her, and doesn't hesitate to return to the castle to try to save the Beast and the servants, despite the danger. Most importantly, she exists as herself in a society that tells her that she is strange and different, and shouldn't enjoy reading, and should settle down with Gaston because it is believed that she needs a man in order to fulfil her role in society. Belle isn't afraid to question things and argue with the people around her, from Gaston to the Beast, which makes her a badass. Katniss EverdeenI feel like everyone on the planet knows the Hunger Games franchise enough for Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss' place on this list to need no explanation. She's a survivor. She can expertly wield a bow and arrow. She's caring. And she does things on her own terms- much as some of the other characters in the series try to use her for their own purposes, whether for or against President Snow, she never lets them without getting something out of it or doing it for her own reasons. She's never, ever passive. And the stories aren't afraid to show us her mental state- she's allowed to break down and be weak, because who wouldn't be having been through what she has? Despite this, she gets on with what needs to be done, but in a realistic way without skating over her trauma. So obviously, Katniss is a badass. Louise BanksLouise Banks, played by Amy Adams, is the star of the film Arrival which came out last year, and I give her a place on this list because the calm, caring breed of badassery she exhibits. Louise is a very intelligent linguistics expert, and it's nice to see a leading female character that not only is intelligent but actually gets to demonstrate it, and isn't playing second fiddle to someone less capable. She is incredibly capable and knows it, and it's hard to say too much without spoilers, but she isn't afraid to express her opinion to those around her when she feels a bad decision is being made, and take action to do what she feels is right. Similar to Diana Prince, her empathy is one of her standout characteristics, as is her emotional intelligence. Jyn ErsoJyn, played by Felicity Jones, is the protagonist of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This is an incredible film I was lucky enough to have seen in IMAX, and features an extremely reluctant heroine. Jyn is not a 'chosen one' figure, or someone naturally suited to heroism, but she gradually becomes a hero over the course of the film, and choses to do what's right despite the risk. Unfortunately, her most well-known and badass line 'This is a rebellion, isn't it? I rebel' didn't make it into the film, but I think it perfectly sums up her character. Honourable mentions to Moana, the new Ghostbusters, Tris from Divergent, and the main character of Atomic Blonde, which I haven't seen yet but am very excited for. I might do another version of this with supporting/main-but-not-film-leading characters (Leia Organa, Hermione Granger, Elizabeth Swann etc.) Let me know if I've missed any here or if there are any supporting characters you'd like to see on that list! Images from:
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2017/05/19/wonder-woman-first-reactions-twitter-roundup https://deliriumnerd.com/2016/11/16/legalmente-loira-feminista/ http://uk.businessinsider.com/emma-watson-belle-stockholm-syndrome-2017-2?r=US&IR=T http://characters.wikia.com/wiki/Katniss_Everdeen https://www.comicbookmovie.com/sci-fi/latest-batch-of-hi-res-stills-from-denis-villeneuves-arrival-paint-an-a146705 http://uproxx.com/movies/star-wars-jyn-erso-sequel/
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