I have a list of over 300 of my favourites that I'm going off, but most are from movies and anime/manga, and I'd like to alternate equally between sources for as long as I can.
SECOND COUSIN OF ETA: omg you guys are AMAZING -- I now have WAY more tv and book characters than any others, so please go heavy on the movies, animanga, video games, comics, and cartoons -- especially the latter three (as well as any other sources -- e.g. radio shows, theatre/musicals).
Also I would love to feature more characters from non-English canons (films and TV made outside the USA (jdrama, kdrama, telenovelas, etc), plus books and comics), so if you can rec any, please do! (However, for books, as below, please supply a representative quotation)
So, please help? Just comment with your favourite (humanoid - no animals, fish, or plants, please) female characters (as many as you want) from
Name, source, and year of release are enough*. Please feel free to link this around to anyone you think might be interested in contributing; the gap is not one I'll be able to fill on my own without devoting several years to reading/watching various things that may not even interest me in the first place. >.>
I will add the names that don't overlap to my list to put in the Tumblr queue, plus link to your LJ (or Tumblr, if you have one and provide it in your comment) from a credits page.
Please note that I do not distinguish between "problematic sources" and "progressive sources". I define a "great" female character as anyone who has inspired me, whose actions or words moved me in a way that lasted, or who is memorable to me in an empowering way -- your definition doesn't have to be the same, and we don't have to agree on what's inspiring, lasting, or empowering. I'm open to all suggestions as long as your definition of "great" is not limited to "she looks real pretty" (or worse, "I want to fuck her brains out").
Thank you. ♥
*If you're submitting a character from a book that hasn't been translated into English, please provide a representative quote if you can -- otherwise I will only be able to post the character/book name plus maybe a link if I have any familiarity with the language.
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March 29 2011, 17:23:28 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 17:37:37 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 17:32:42 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 17:32:57 UTC
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March 29 2011, 17:51:12 UTC 1 year ago
Books:
Sabriel, The Abhorsen series, Garth Nix, 1995-2003
Vesper Holly, The Vesper Holly Adventures (and previous books), Lloyd Alexander, 1987-2005
Violet Baudelaire, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket, 1999-2006
Sunny Baudelaire, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket, 1999-2006
Miri, Princess Academy, Shannon Hale, 2005
Enna, The Books of Bayern, Shannon Hale, 2009-2009
Mary "Jacky" Faber, The "Bloody Jack" Series, L.A. Meyer, 2002-2011
Oree Shoth, Broken Kingdoms, NK Jemison, 2011
Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games Trilogy, Suzanne Collins, 2008-2010
Comics:
Gert Yorkes, Runaways, Brian K. Vaughan & Kathryn Immonen, 2003-2009
Molly Hayes, Runaways, Brian K. Vaughan & Kathryn Immonen, 2003-2009
Agent 355, Y: The Last Man, Brian K. Vaughan, 2002-2008
Renee Montoya, Batman (see also TV), 1992-present
Barbara "Babs" Gordon, Batman & Birds of Prey, 1967-present
Mell Kelly, Narbonic, Shaenon Garrity, 2000-2006
TV:
Olivia Dunham, Fringe, 2008-present
Astrid Farnsworth, Fringe, 2008-present
Callie Burrows, Grey's Anatomy, 2005-present
Miranda Bailey, Grey's Anatomy, 2005-present
Betty Suarez, Ugly Betty, 2006-2010
Juliet Burke, Lost, 2004-2010
Sun-Hwa Kwon, Lost, 2004-2010
Audrey Horne, Twin Peaks, 1990-1991
Dot Warner, Animaniacs, 1993-1995
Lisa Simpson, The Simpsons, 1989-present
Kaylee Frye, Firefly, 2002-2003
Zoe Washburne, Firefly, 2002-2003
Sofie, Carnivale, 2003-2005
Peggy Olson, Mad Men, 2007-present
Joan Holloway, Mad Men, 2007-present
Tara Thornton, True Blood, 2008-present
Jessica Hamby, True Blood, 2008-present
March 29 2011, 18:39:49 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 17:52:54 UTC 1 year ago
Kaylee Frye, Firefly, directed by Joss Whedon.
Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games Series, written by Suzanne Collins.
Whatshername, portrayed by Rebecca Naomi Jones in American Idiot the Musical.
(And my tumblr is mydocs.tumblr.com =D )
March 29 2011, 18:51:33 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 17:57:15 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 18:07:57 UTC
cue teary-eyed grimace, I'm such a sapAlso: Faith. Also: Anya Jenkins. Also: Illyria. All from Buffy and Angel tv shows, by Joss Whedon.Ripley clone number 8 from Alien resurrection (1997, if memory serves).
Will think more about this.
Margaret Schroeder from Boardwalk Empire, 2010 - ongoing HBO
Patty Hewes from Damages, 2007 - ongoing FX - DirectTV.
Nicolette "Nicki" Grant from Big Love, 2006-2011 HBO.
Veronica Mars from Veronica Mars, 2004-2007, UPN-The CW.
Brenda Leigh Johnson, The Closer, 2005-ongoing , TNT
March 29 2011, 18:57:52 UTC 1 year ago
Ehehe, I was trying to figure out how to get Ripley on there, thanks. :3
March 29 2011, 18:05:07 UTC 1 year ago
Mara Jade - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1991
Mirax Terrik - Star wars EU books, first appearance 1996
Iella Wessiri - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1995
Rhysati Ynr - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1996
Plourr Ilo - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1995
Winter - Star Wars EU comics + books, first appearance 1991
Inyri Forge - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1996
Lujayne Forge - Star Wars EU books, first appearance 1996
Ysanne Isard - Star wars EU books + comics, first appearance 1995
Aril Nunb - Star wars EU books, first appearance 1996
Susan Ivanova - Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Delenn - Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Na'Toth - Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Talia Winters - Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Lyta Alexander - Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Timov- Babylon 5 tv show, 1993
Buffy Summers - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997
Willow Rosenberg - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997
Drusilla - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1998
Cordelia Chase - BtVS / Angel 1995
Faith Lehane - BtVS / Angel, 1998
Hermione Granger - Harry Potter, 1997
Luna Lovegood - Harry Potter, 2003
Minerva McGonagall - Harry Potter, 1997
Narcissa Malfoy - Harry Potter, 1999
Xena - Xena the Warrior Princess, 1995
Gabrielle - Xena the Warrior Princess, 1995
Annah - Planescape: Torment (game) 1999
Fall From Grace - PS:T (game) 1999
Jaheira - Baldur's Gate 1/2, game, 1998
Viconia De Vir - Baldur's gate 1/2, 1998
Firethorn - Firethorn, book, 2004
Abby Sciuto - NCIS, tv, 2003
Ziva David - NCIS, tv, 2005
Coraline - Coraline, book, 2002
Sara Pezzini - Witchblade, comic, 1999
Samantha Carter - Stargate SG-1, tv, 1997
Gull - Black ships, book, 2008
Nell - the Diamond Age, book, 1995
America "Amy" Shaftoe - Cryptonomicon, 1999
Y.T, Snow Crash, book, 1992
River Tam - Firefly, 2002
Inara Serra - Firefly, 2002
Susan Sto Helit - Discworld, 1994
Sergeant Delphine Angua von Überwald - Discworld, 1993
Lady Margolotta - Discworld, 2000
Sacharissa Cripslock - Discworld, 2000
Agnes Nitt - Discworld, 1992
TIffany Aching - Discworld, 2003
Polly Perks - Discworld, 2003
Maledicta - Discworld, 2003
Cheery Littlebottom - Discworld, 1996
Morrigan, Dragon Age: Origins, 2009
Leliana, Dragon age: Origins, 2009
Isabella, Dragon Age. Origins, 2009
Anora, Dragon Age Origins, 2009
Shianni, Dragon Age: Origins, 2009
And um a TON more I Bet :P
March 29 2011, 18:57:00 UTC 1 year ago
OMG TIMOV! I forgot about her.
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March 29 2011, 18:15:48 UTC 1 year ago
Lydia Adams, Southland, 2009-
Jackie Peyton, Nurse Jackie, 2009-
Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation, 2009-
Shakima Greggs, The Wire, 2002-2008
Betty Draper, Mad Men, 2007-
Angela Chase, My So-Called Life, 1994
(Does Avatar: The Last Airbender count? If so, I'd include Toph and Katara)
This is an awesome project. \o/
March 29 2011, 22:09:36 UTC 1 year ago
ATLA totally counts! I already had both Toph and Katara on my list, plus Mai and Suki, and someone below added Azula and Ty Lee. :D
\o/ I am so excited to get started with it. Thanks to you guys, I have enough to queue 18 days' worth of posts, which I hope to get to tomorrow (still working out how much to include in the posts -- it is Tumblr so walls of text are not good, plus I need to work out a tagging system so that stuff is easily findable later.)
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March 29 2011, 18:33:23 UTC 1 year ago
Candace (Phineas and Ferb, 2007) cartoon
Lisbeth Salander - Stieg Larsson "Millennium series".
Miss Lupescu - Neil Gaiman "The Graveyard Book"
Liza Hempstock - Neil Gaiman "The Graveyard Book"
March 29 2011, 22:09:58 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 18:51:39 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 18:54:03 UTC
Dana Scully, X-Files (1993-2002)
Clarice Starling, Silence of the Lambs (1991)
March 29 2011, 18:55:07 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 18:55:21 UTC
(thank you ♥♥♥)
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March 29 2011, 19:01:34 UTC 1 year ago
Aeryn Sun (Farscape, 1999-2003)
Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
Max Guevara (Dark Angel, 2000-2002)
Elena Fisher (Uncharted 1 and 2, 2007 and 2009)
Elektra (yeah, first introduced eons ago, but had her own series in 1996 and 2001 iirc; ubiquitous elsewhere in Marvel)
Black Widow/Natasha Romanova (same deal - has her own titles off and on, but typically appears everywhere else these days)
March 29 2011, 22:10:17 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 19:15:17 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 19:18:43 UTC
At least Rachel's character Evelyn Carnahan should count as being of the last 20 years? And whom she IMO is based on, ie. the intrepid heroines in the books of Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Michaels), most well known now Amelia Peabody but also Vicky Bliss and countless others (again, not sure about the 20yrs there though).
"Miranda", UK comedy
Dr. Lindsay in SGA, US SciFi
Mary Daisy Dinkle in "Mary and Max"
Val McDermid's Kate Brannigan
Terry Pratchett's Granny Weatherwax, Tiffany Aching, Angua, really most of them
Agent (forget the three numbers argh) in "Y-The Last Man"
Minette Walter's
"Perfect Girl/The Wallflower" along with Tenshi Na Konamaiki but that's anime and I'll stop being unhelpful now, wah.
March 29 2011, 22:10:40 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 19:20:17 UTC 1 year ago
C.J Cregg (The West Wing, 1999-2006)
Donnatella (Donna) Moss (The West Wing, 1999-2006)
Ainsley Hayes (The West Wing, 2000-2001)
Rose Tyler (Doctor Who, 2005-6)
Martha Jones (Doctor Who, 2007)
Donna Noble (Doctor Who, 2008)
Amy Pond (Doctor Who, 2010- )
Rover Song (Doctor Who, 2008, 2010- )
Sarah Jane Smith (The Sarah Jane Adventures, 2007- (also formerly of Doctor Who pre-1991 with one appearance in 2006)
Jadzia Dax (Star Trek Deep Space 9, 1993 - 1999)
Kira Nerys (Star Trek Deep Space 9, 1993 - 1999)
Also, all of the female characters in Avatar: TLA (2005-2008):
Katara, Toph Bei Fong, Suki, Mai, Azula, Ty Lee
March 29 2011, 22:12:03 UTC 1 year ago
omg, so many awesome DW women? I can't wait to start watching now. I thought it was all about the Time Lord dude, all the time!
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March 29 2011, 19:26:15 UTC 1 year ago
Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars, 2004-2007)
Georgia Lass (Dead Like Me, 2003-2004)
Vanessa Shanessa Jenkins/Nessa (Gavin and Stacey, 2007-2010)
Kelly Bailey (Misfits, 2009-present)
Annie Sawyer (Being Human, 2009-present)
Nina Pickering (Being Human, 2009-present)
Penny Neville (Teachers, 2002-2004)
Dawn Tinsley (The Office, 2001-2003)
Geraldine Granger (The Vicar of Dibley, 1994-2007)
Miss Matty (Cranford, 2007)
Jen Barber (The IT Crowd, 2006-present)
Queenie Turrill (Larkrise to Candleford, 2008-2011)
Minnie Mude (Larkrise to Candleford, 2009-2011)
Amanda Price (Lost in Austen, 2008)
Thelma Bates (Hex, 2004-2005)
Donna Clark (Queer as Folk, 1999)
Hazel Tyler (Queer as Folk, 1999)
Jo Portman (Spooks, 2005-2009)
March 29 2011, 19:34:53 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 19:33:11 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 19:34:06 UTC
Rukia Kuchiki
Orihime Inoue
Yoruichi
And Ms Boobalicious
March 29 2011, 20:46:00 UTC 1 year ago
Will be back when I'm not on my phone.
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March 29 2011, 20:14:21 UTC 1 year ago
Comic/s:
Jessica Jones/Jewel from the Alias comics, 2001-2004 (Max) and then The Pulse, 2004-2006 (Marvel).
TV:
Diana Barrigan, White Collar, 2009-
Book:
Ellie Linton, the Tomorrow series by John Marsden, 1993-1999
March 29 2011, 22:23:23 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 20:28:28 UTC 1 year ago
For now: I really liked Nynaeve al'Meara (from the WoT books, obviously), despite some of RJ's issues with female characters.
March 29 2011, 20:29:11 UTC 1 year ago
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March 29 2011, 21:35:21 UTC 1 year ago
Jessica from True Blood, oh yes
AND I DONT CARE IF YOU SAID NO MOVIES BECAUSE I LOVE ELLEN RIPLEY SO THERE.
March 29 2011, 21:43:13 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 22:02:06 UTC 1 year ago Edited: March 29 2011, 22:16:06 UTC
Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory, 2007 - present)
Dr Mary Albright (3rd Rock from the Sun, 1996 - 2001)
Sally Solomon (3rd Rock from the Sun, 1996 - 2001)
Nina Campbell (3rd Rock from the Sun, 1996 - 2001)
Gwen Cooper (Torchwood, 2006 - present)
Lois Habiba (Torchwood, 2006 - present)*
Bridget Spears (Torchwood, 2006 - present)*
Romana II (Doctor Who, 1979-1981, 1983, 1993) (I had to include her in my list because she's become my favourite classic Who companion, and she did appear in a later charity episode of the show, plus some of the novels, audio plays which date from the 1990s/2000s. I may be bending the rules a bit here though! >.>)
* These two were only in one series of the show, but they were both awesome so I couldn't not include them. I'll try to come back and add more as I think of them.
March 29 2011, 22:21:53 UTC 1 year ago
And no worries about the bit parts -- my guideline is basically if the character appeared in any capacity during the last 2 decades, she counts. :D You don't have to be a leading lady to be awesome.
March 29 2011, 22:57:49 UTC 1 year ago
Maureen, in the Laundry books by Charles Stross. (This Violin Kills Demons.)
(I will probably think of more as soon as I've posted this.)
March 30 2011, 20:20:50 UTC 1 year ago
Feel free to come back and add any time -- I've opened the list to all media now. :D
March 29 2011, 23:06:44 UTC 1 year ago
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Elaine Marley - Monkey Island series - 1990+ (latest game came out in 2010)
Kate Walker - Syberia - 2002
Carla Valenti - Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy - 2005
April Ryan - The Longest Journey - 1999
Nancy Drew - Nancy Drew video games (throughout 90s and 00s)
Mona Sax - Max Payne - 2001
That's all I can think of for now.
March 29 2011, 23:34:34 UTC 1 year ago
Daria Morgendorffer - Daria - 1997–2001
Jane Lane - Daria - 1997–2001
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, etc. - Sailor Moon - 1992-1997
Turanga Leela - Futurama - 1999+
Helga Pataki - Hey Arnold! - 1996-2004
Patricia "Patti" Mayonnaise - Doug - 1991-1999
1 year ago
March 29 2011, 23:37:04 UTC 1 year ago
Cersei Lannister, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Sansa Stark, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Arya Stark, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Brienne of Tarth, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Daenerys Targaryen, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Asha Greyjoy, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
March 30 2011, 21:53:13 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 23:38:35 UTC 1 year ago
Claudia Donovan (Warehouse 13, 2009-present)
Allison Blake (Eureka, 2006-present)
Deputy Jo Lupo (Eureka, 2006-present)
Kate Austen (Lost, 2004-2010)
Jaye Tyler (Wonderfalls, 2004)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, 2006-2010)
Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls, 2000-2007)
Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls, 2000-2007)
March 30 2011, 21:53:24 UTC 1 year ago
March 29 2011, 23:46:55 UTC 1 year ago
Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, 2005-2009)
Daenerys Targaryen (A Song of Ice and Fire, 1996-present)
Felicity Worthington (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, 2003-2007)
Gemma Doyle (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, 2003-2007)
Keladry of Mindelan (Protector of the Small Quartet, 1999-2002)
Lirael (The Abhorsen Trilogy, 1995-2003 but she only appears starting in 2001)
Lyra Silvertongue (His Dark Materials, 1995-2000)
Thursday Next (The Thursday Next series, 2001-2011)
TV:
Alicia Florrick (The Good Wife, 2009-present)
Claire Bennet (Heroes, 2006-2010 despite my insistence that the show only had one season)
Elena Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries, 2009-present)
Kalinda Sharma (The Good Wife, 2009-present)
Kara Thrace (Battlestar Galactica, 2004-2009)
Perhaps more later!
March 30 2011, 22:01:20 UTC 1 year ago
March 30 2011, 00:01:12 UTC 1 year ago
Sally Sparrow (Doctor Who, 2007)
Dr. Nasreen (Doctor Who, 2010)
Liz X (Doctor Who, 2010)
Nancy (Doctor Who, 2005)
Main characters:
Donna Pinciotti (That 70's Show, 1998-2006)
Dr. Temperance 'Bones' Brennan (Bones, 2005-)
Even though they've already been mentioned:
Amy Pond (Doctor Who, 2010-)
Rose Tyler (Doctor Who, 2005, 2006, 2008, (maybe)2009)
Martha Jones (Doctor Who, 2007 and 2009)
Donna Noble (Doctor Who, 2008 - 2009)
River Song (Doctor Who, 2008, 2010-)
And I wish I could remember the names of some of my favorite female characters from books, but it's been more than a few years since I read 'em. :/ (This is aside from all the females from HP that probably people have already brought up)
March 30 2011, 22:01:40 UTC 1 year ago
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