These days, there’s no shortage of badass female TV characters breaking all the tropes about the damsel in distress. Because these ladies don’t need rescuing—in fact, they’re more likely to rescue you! Here are the top female leads who have earned the public’s adoration and epitomize female strength and empowerment.
Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones
Despite living in a world that seeks to deprive her of her rights, Daenerys boldly asserts her power. She started her life sold into marriage by her brother but transformed into a formidable leader who would go on to free the enslaved, command armies, and, yup, walk through fire, making it clear that she was born to rule.
Eleven from Stranger Things
You can’t deny that Eleven’s psychokinetic powers and ability to destroy a room are part of what make her so impressive, but the most underrated part of this character’s badassery is how she reclaims her autonomy after being raised as an experiment, growing to define herself on her own terms and learning that choosing yourself is the real power move.
Jessica Jones from Jessica Jones
We love this kind of badass and rebellious woman—she’s messy and human, just like us. Rather than being overly polished, her strength is raw and driven by anger, trauma, and survival. Her power, in addition to her superhuman strength, stems from her ability to establish boundaries and her refusal to submit to control, a legacy of the abuse she endured.
Alex Parrish from Quantico
Alex Parrish’s resilience and ability to stay strong amid chaos make her the ultimate modern action heroine. She’s physically formidable in combat and skilled at espionage, but we admire her strong sense of morals just as much. She won’t let institutions define whether she’s innocent or guilty and always claims her own narrative while juggling betrayal, suspicion, and surveillance.