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sisterjuneAWESOME FEMALE CHARACTERS RANKING
This was done as a response to darkeyedwolf's comment to my "top five fannish things meme". She asked me to name my "top five female characters" so I turned it into a ranking for my most favorite female characters of all time in dramas and tv. I left out movies and anime and comics or the list would have been impossible to narrow down to ten let alone five.
Anyway let's get started!
10.
Theresa Lisbon (The Mentalist)
She's the no nonsense head detective of the CBI and the cheeky protagonist's opposite in every way. She is responsible, a total realist and doesn't quite get Jane and his flair for the dramatic. But she definitely loves him anyway and often gives him the benefit of the doubt in his sometimes outrageous theories and schemes. Lisbon just wants to solve crimes and catch bad guys. If that means accepting Jane's offbeat ways of crime solving then so be it. Lisbon is a good leader and an excellent cop. Always professional and always serious about her job, Lisbon also packs a big punch for such a small lady. In one episode when a suspect is on the run, Lisbon gives chase and eventually has to FLY TACKLE the suspect into the ground in order to arrest him. HARDCORE. Which is exactly what Lisbon is. and really you'd have to be kind of amazing to manage the troublesome Jane on a regular basis.
9.
Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)
She's the Queen bee and Head Bitch in Charge of her school, and really everyone around her. As far as Blair's concerned it's her world and everyone else is just living in it. Blair makes it her business to be master of all she surveys and if something isnt going her way, well she'll fix that right away! Blair is a belle dame sans merci and she makes sure everyone who crosses her knows it, while still maintaining her pristine image of perfection of course. Sure she's rich and affluent, but it's tough being Blair. First she has a reputation to keep up which means being on her guard at all times, and then she has a school to run, a bad boy crush to manage, a demanding mother, a best friend who always manages to outshine her and a reality to bend to her will. In fact Blair's constant battles with reality are perhaps the most dramatic aspects of her life, which is saying something because in Blair's life, EVERYTHING is dramatic. But one has to give Blair credit for reaching new and ridiculous heights in self delusion on a regular basis. Yes Blair may be mean and more than slightly psychotic but what she lacks in compassion, warmth and sanity, she more than makes up in grace, poise, and cunning. Blair has abilities to manipulate those around her and secure power that would have awed even Machiavelli. There are few cows too sacred for Blair to tip over in her attempts to create chaos and wreak havoc on those who would try stand in her way. Blair makes sure she has the edge over any and every situation. But Blair's not all scheming and underhanded tactics, she has a heart too. Somewhere. But few can deny Blair's undying love for her bff Serena and Blair would really do anything for those, very select few, she cares about. and with Blair anything means, well ANYTHING. While terrifying and twistedly brilliant at her best, at her worst Blair is her own greatest enemy and often causes herself and those around her much more harm than good. Still Blair deserves at least some praise for managing to become Queen of one of the most vicious jungles in the world, Highschool.
8.
Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)
She’s tough, she’s snarky, she’s blonde and she’s on a quest for justice. Veronica Mars is a teen detective and like Blair had to deal with the horrors of highschool though unlike her, Veronica is not a rich kid and is as far from being on top of the social food chain as can be. Veronica’s life plays out much like a hit country ballad. Her mom fled town and took her inheritance with her, her dad is public enemy #1 while Veronica has near pariah status at school, she was roofied and raped at a party and worst of all her best friend was murdered and no one knows who did it. Determined to bring her friend’s killer to justice Veronica goes on a quest for the truth, while spitting off as many droll one liners as she can along the way. Not to mention helping a few kids who need a detective now and then. Though Veronica eventually finds justice for her friend’s death, it’s a lot less clear if she’ll ever manage to find peace of mind. In the meantime though, she'll just keep giving the sleazy and the immoral of Neptune the comeuppance they deserve. Payback is a bitch, but you can call her Veronica.
7.
Morgana Le Fay (Merlin)
A powerful sorceress reviled for centuries in legends and folklore as the one responsible for bringing down Arthur's Kingdom. Morgana in the tv series Merlin is a more sympathetic figure but she remains a true dynamo who wont cower to anyone for any reason. Morgana is also fiercely protective of those she loves. When her guardian King Uther finally crosses the line in her eyes she openly confronts him and attacks his character, resulting in her being clapped in chains. When she is finally let go, she proves hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and begins scheming with a known enemy of the king to have him killed. Though she ultimately changes her mind, Morgana showed that when it comes to protecting what she believes is right she would go to any length. Whether you think she's evil or misunderstood, Morgana is one of the most infamous characters in Arthurian Legend and that's worth noting.
6.
Parker (Leverage)
A master thief with no last name. Parker is an enigma, a master of stealth, an acrobat and completely insane. She is one of the sneakiest most skilled thieves in the world and she could rob you blind in seconds, you'd never even notice till she's long gone. For Parker there's no building that's too high to jump from, bank that's too secure to rob or risk that's too risky. Much to the chagrin of her teammates. Parker isnt perfect though, she may be an amazing theif but she's also socially inept, incredibly peculiar and well as stated earlier, totally crazy. Case in point: Parker once had a friend bury her alive so she could overcome her fear of the dark.....yeah. Oh did I mention she also likes to light things on fire? Oh yeah
5.
Donna Noble (New Doctor Who Series 4)
Donna is not a warrior, a badass cop, a sorceress, a vampire, a master thief, a yakuza boss, a cunning beauty or in fact anything other than a regular middle aged woman. She is however a totally rockin' redhead with a personality so big and vibrant you could see it from space. No doubt about it Donna's personality is larger than life. and despite being the most average person on this list she's also one of the toughest, most resilient and memorable and IMO the most remarkable. Donna is funny, frank and wont take shit from ANYONE. Least of all skinny pretty boys calling themselves "the doctor". Donna is one of my most favorite female characters of all time because she is truly a force to be reckoned with and not cause she has fancy skills or fancy powers but just because she is who she is without apology. She also has the biggest heart of anyone you will ever know. Donna managed to be the heart the Doctor needed and while also never letting his ego get the better of himself or her (something he desperately needed). Most remarkable of all though Donna managed the outstanding feat of outshining one of the most popular and beloved figures in science fiction (yes I mean the Doctor) on his own damn show. If that's not worthy of praise, I dont know what is!
4.
Suki, Azula, Katara, Toph, Ty Lee and Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
All of these women are amazing and deserve their own spots on this list, but in the spirit of fairness I decided to combine them all together. It’s a testament to this show that EVERY recurring female character on it was badass to the core. Suki is the leader of a band of female warriors. Mai is an apathetic ninja who betrays quite possibly one of the scariest people on the show in order to protect someone she loves. Toph is one of the toughest most brilliant earth benders in the world, yet also very tiny and very blind. Ty lee is a chipper acrobat who has the power to push certain pressure points on the body that makes it impossible to bend or even fight at all. Katara is an excellent water bender who has a big heart and is fiercely protective of those she loves, and I do mean fiercely, she threatens to kill someone when she thinks they might hurt someone she cares about. And finally there’s the biggest baddest of them all Azula who with nothing but her dangerous female allies and her own cunning managed to take down an earth kingdom stronghold that had been eluding capture for centuries. Nearly killed the avatar, Kicked her older brother’s ass on a regular basis and pretty much managed to be a massively scary antagonist/pain in the rear for our intrepid heroes for at least 2 years. Though she met a sorry fate as all bad guys must in the end, she certainly managed to make her wicked mark on the world and to wreak havoc upon many nations. Yeah she was an utter sociopath but bitch was amazing.
3.
Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
There are so many words I could use to describe her and so many ways I could describe how awesome she is but I dont think I need to. Everyone knows who buffy is, and you dont need me telling you she's awesome cause chances are you know why already and that speaks more about her awesomeness than I ever could.
2.
Usagi Reiko (Koshonin/The Negotiator)
Usagi is easily my most favorite japanese drama heroine of all time. She's a cop but not just any kind of cop, Usagi is a Koshonin or Negotiator, her job is to calm down and get under control various criminals and disruptors of the peace with her conversational abilities. If that sounds like a lame girly job to you than you are much mistaken. Usagi is hardcore and she defines the phrase "grace under pressure". Usagi's job is dangerous and often involves her walking into volatile situations alone. It's Usagi's job to keep things manageable and that often means facing the enemy head on. However where her colleagues see dangerous criminals and bad guys, Usagi sees troubled souls, in need of a sympathetic ear and some guidance. While Usagi has boundless patience and compassion, she is no soft touch and she never lets her emotions get in the way of her work nor is she ever childish or misguided in her actions. Usagi uses her empathetic nature to do an excellent job of keeping tenuous situations under control and minimizing violence and police causalities. Making her an effective part of her team and eventually earning her the respect of her all male team mates and colleagues (who make their distaste of her and what she does evident from day 1). You could call her an ambassador of criminals and nutcases if you wanted to really. Though Usagi's skill lies in her negotiation abilities and in keeping the peace, she can still kick your ass in a hot minute. Like any good cop Usagi knows how to use a weapon and defend herself and she WILL take you out if she has to. Case in point, Usagi once took a gun OUT OF HER BRA when things started getting hairy during a hostage situation and the hostage taker in question had forced her to strip. Usagi was entirely alone and could no longer contact her colleagues who were outside the building, and the hostage taker had a gun on her at all times, did she panic? did she show fear? Hell no, she took a gun out of her bra and starting kicking ass! Usagi's name may mean bunny but she's far from cute and cuddly. She converses with criminals and faces her chauvinist colleagues without fear. She's willing to look the evil and ugliness of humanity square in the face and have a chat. That is why she's my #2 on this list.
and Number one IS......*drumroll*...
1.
Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)
Do I even need to explain this one? I mean who else could be #1? She's freaking XENA. She fought the GOD OF WAR and WON. She's fought countless battles where in various nations, in various get ups over many years where she's proved her mettle as a warrior and leader. She's a 5'10 amazonian beauty with thighs of steal and no fear. Xena once let her power and bloodlust lead her down a path of wrongdoings but eventually she learned the error of her ways and became a hero for the ages. She also has a loyal and adorable sidekick who is totally in love with her, the affections and admiration of a variety of very good looking male warriors and even the God of War what's to hit it. Known and feared far and wide, tough as nails, and an impressive field tactician. Xena defines the word superhero and paved the way for later butt kicking females. Xena also gets props from me for being one of the few true anti-heroines to appear on television. Basically Xena is amazing and managed to show that you can indeed have beauty, brain AND brawn. Her show also ran far longer than the show it was originally a spin off from. Suck on that Hercules!
Honorable Mentions:
Laura Roslin (Battlestar Galactica) (though really all the women on BSG are pretty badass but Madame President is my favorite)
Zoe (Firefly)
Martha Jones (New Doctor Who Series 3)
Chen Lin (Black & White)
Alex Drake (Ashes to Ashes)
Ayumu (LIFE)
Shan Cai (Meteor Garden)
Romana I & II (Doctor Who Series 4)
Pam (True Blood)
Yankumi (Gokusen)
Eun-Chan (Coffee Prince)
Makino Tsukushi (Hana Yori Dango) jdrama version not the anime or manga.
This was done as a response to darkeyedwolf's comment to my "top five fannish things meme". She asked me to name my "top five female characters" so I turned it into a ranking for my most favorite female characters of all time in dramas and tv. I left out movies and anime and comics or the list would have been impossible to narrow down to ten let alone five.
Anyway let's get started!
10.
Theresa Lisbon (The Mentalist)
She's the no nonsense head detective of the CBI and the cheeky protagonist's opposite in every way. She is responsible, a total realist and doesn't quite get Jane and his flair for the dramatic. But she definitely loves him anyway and often gives him the benefit of the doubt in his sometimes outrageous theories and schemes. Lisbon just wants to solve crimes and catch bad guys. If that means accepting Jane's offbeat ways of crime solving then so be it. Lisbon is a good leader and an excellent cop. Always professional and always serious about her job, Lisbon also packs a big punch for such a small lady. In one episode when a suspect is on the run, Lisbon gives chase and eventually has to FLY TACKLE the suspect into the ground in order to arrest him. HARDCORE. Which is exactly what Lisbon is. and really you'd have to be kind of amazing to manage the troublesome Jane on a regular basis.
9.
Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)
She's the Queen bee and Head Bitch in Charge of her school, and really everyone around her. As far as Blair's concerned it's her world and everyone else is just living in it. Blair makes it her business to be master of all she surveys and if something isnt going her way, well she'll fix that right away! Blair is a belle dame sans merci and she makes sure everyone who crosses her knows it, while still maintaining her pristine image of perfection of course. Sure she's rich and affluent, but it's tough being Blair. First she has a reputation to keep up which means being on her guard at all times, and then she has a school to run, a bad boy crush to manage, a demanding mother, a best friend who always manages to outshine her and a reality to bend to her will. In fact Blair's constant battles with reality are perhaps the most dramatic aspects of her life, which is saying something because in Blair's life, EVERYTHING is dramatic. But one has to give Blair credit for reaching new and ridiculous heights in self delusion on a regular basis. Yes Blair may be mean and more than slightly psychotic but what she lacks in compassion, warmth and sanity, she more than makes up in grace, poise, and cunning. Blair has abilities to manipulate those around her and secure power that would have awed even Machiavelli. There are few cows too sacred for Blair to tip over in her attempts to create chaos and wreak havoc on those who would try stand in her way. Blair makes sure she has the edge over any and every situation. But Blair's not all scheming and underhanded tactics, she has a heart too. Somewhere. But few can deny Blair's undying love for her bff Serena and Blair would really do anything for those, very select few, she cares about. and with Blair anything means, well ANYTHING. While terrifying and twistedly brilliant at her best, at her worst Blair is her own greatest enemy and often causes herself and those around her much more harm than good. Still Blair deserves at least some praise for managing to become Queen of one of the most vicious jungles in the world, Highschool.
8.
Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)
She’s tough, she’s snarky, she’s blonde and she’s on a quest for justice. Veronica Mars is a teen detective and like Blair had to deal with the horrors of highschool though unlike her, Veronica is not a rich kid and is as far from being on top of the social food chain as can be. Veronica’s life plays out much like a hit country ballad. Her mom fled town and took her inheritance with her, her dad is public enemy #1 while Veronica has near pariah status at school, she was roofied and raped at a party and worst of all her best friend was murdered and no one knows who did it. Determined to bring her friend’s killer to justice Veronica goes on a quest for the truth, while spitting off as many droll one liners as she can along the way. Not to mention helping a few kids who need a detective now and then. Though Veronica eventually finds justice for her friend’s death, it’s a lot less clear if she’ll ever manage to find peace of mind. In the meantime though, she'll just keep giving the sleazy and the immoral of Neptune the comeuppance they deserve. Payback is a bitch, but you can call her Veronica.
7.
Morgana Le Fay (Merlin)
A powerful sorceress reviled for centuries in legends and folklore as the one responsible for bringing down Arthur's Kingdom. Morgana in the tv series Merlin is a more sympathetic figure but she remains a true dynamo who wont cower to anyone for any reason. Morgana is also fiercely protective of those she loves. When her guardian King Uther finally crosses the line in her eyes she openly confronts him and attacks his character, resulting in her being clapped in chains. When she is finally let go, she proves hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and begins scheming with a known enemy of the king to have him killed. Though she ultimately changes her mind, Morgana showed that when it comes to protecting what she believes is right she would go to any length. Whether you think she's evil or misunderstood, Morgana is one of the most infamous characters in Arthurian Legend and that's worth noting.
6.
Parker (Leverage)
A master thief with no last name. Parker is an enigma, a master of stealth, an acrobat and completely insane. She is one of the sneakiest most skilled thieves in the world and she could rob you blind in seconds, you'd never even notice till she's long gone. For Parker there's no building that's too high to jump from, bank that's too secure to rob or risk that's too risky. Much to the chagrin of her teammates. Parker isnt perfect though, she may be an amazing theif but she's also socially inept, incredibly peculiar and well as stated earlier, totally crazy. Case in point: Parker once had a friend bury her alive so she could overcome her fear of the dark.....yeah. Oh did I mention she also likes to light things on fire? Oh yeah
5.
Donna Noble (New Doctor Who Series 4)
Donna is not a warrior, a badass cop, a sorceress, a vampire, a master thief, a yakuza boss, a cunning beauty or in fact anything other than a regular middle aged woman. She is however a totally rockin' redhead with a personality so big and vibrant you could see it from space. No doubt about it Donna's personality is larger than life. and despite being the most average person on this list she's also one of the toughest, most resilient and memorable and IMO the most remarkable. Donna is funny, frank and wont take shit from ANYONE. Least of all skinny pretty boys calling themselves "the doctor". Donna is one of my most favorite female characters of all time because she is truly a force to be reckoned with and not cause she has fancy skills or fancy powers but just because she is who she is without apology. She also has the biggest heart of anyone you will ever know. Donna managed to be the heart the Doctor needed and while also never letting his ego get the better of himself or her (something he desperately needed). Most remarkable of all though Donna managed the outstanding feat of outshining one of the most popular and beloved figures in science fiction (yes I mean the Doctor) on his own damn show. If that's not worthy of praise, I dont know what is!
4.
Suki, Azula, Katara, Toph, Ty Lee and Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
All of these women are amazing and deserve their own spots on this list, but in the spirit of fairness I decided to combine them all together. It’s a testament to this show that EVERY recurring female character on it was badass to the core. Suki is the leader of a band of female warriors. Mai is an apathetic ninja who betrays quite possibly one of the scariest people on the show in order to protect someone she loves. Toph is one of the toughest most brilliant earth benders in the world, yet also very tiny and very blind. Ty lee is a chipper acrobat who has the power to push certain pressure points on the body that makes it impossible to bend or even fight at all. Katara is an excellent water bender who has a big heart and is fiercely protective of those she loves, and I do mean fiercely, she threatens to kill someone when she thinks they might hurt someone she cares about. And finally there’s the biggest baddest of them all Azula who with nothing but her dangerous female allies and her own cunning managed to take down an earth kingdom stronghold that had been eluding capture for centuries. Nearly killed the avatar, Kicked her older brother’s ass on a regular basis and pretty much managed to be a massively scary antagonist/pain in the rear for our intrepid heroes for at least 2 years. Though she met a sorry fate as all bad guys must in the end, she certainly managed to make her wicked mark on the world and to wreak havoc upon many nations. Yeah she was an utter sociopath but bitch was amazing.
3.
Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
There are so many words I could use to describe her and so many ways I could describe how awesome she is but I dont think I need to. Everyone knows who buffy is, and you dont need me telling you she's awesome cause chances are you know why already and that speaks more about her awesomeness than I ever could.
2.
Usagi Reiko (Koshonin/The Negotiator)
Usagi is easily my most favorite japanese drama heroine of all time. She's a cop but not just any kind of cop, Usagi is a Koshonin or Negotiator, her job is to calm down and get under control various criminals and disruptors of the peace with her conversational abilities. If that sounds like a lame girly job to you than you are much mistaken. Usagi is hardcore and she defines the phrase "grace under pressure". Usagi's job is dangerous and often involves her walking into volatile situations alone. It's Usagi's job to keep things manageable and that often means facing the enemy head on. However where her colleagues see dangerous criminals and bad guys, Usagi sees troubled souls, in need of a sympathetic ear and some guidance. While Usagi has boundless patience and compassion, she is no soft touch and she never lets her emotions get in the way of her work nor is she ever childish or misguided in her actions. Usagi uses her empathetic nature to do an excellent job of keeping tenuous situations under control and minimizing violence and police causalities. Making her an effective part of her team and eventually earning her the respect of her all male team mates and colleagues (who make their distaste of her and what she does evident from day 1). You could call her an ambassador of criminals and nutcases if you wanted to really. Though Usagi's skill lies in her negotiation abilities and in keeping the peace, she can still kick your ass in a hot minute. Like any good cop Usagi knows how to use a weapon and defend herself and she WILL take you out if she has to. Case in point, Usagi once took a gun OUT OF HER BRA when things started getting hairy during a hostage situation and the hostage taker in question had forced her to strip. Usagi was entirely alone and could no longer contact her colleagues who were outside the building, and the hostage taker had a gun on her at all times, did she panic? did she show fear? Hell no, she took a gun out of her bra and starting kicking ass! Usagi's name may mean bunny but she's far from cute and cuddly. She converses with criminals and faces her chauvinist colleagues without fear. She's willing to look the evil and ugliness of humanity square in the face and have a chat. That is why she's my #2 on this list.
and Number one IS......*drumroll*...
1.
Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)
Do I even need to explain this one? I mean who else could be #1? She's freaking XENA. She fought the GOD OF WAR and WON. She's fought countless battles where in various nations, in various get ups over many years where she's proved her mettle as a warrior and leader. She's a 5'10 amazonian beauty with thighs of steal and no fear. Xena once let her power and bloodlust lead her down a path of wrongdoings but eventually she learned the error of her ways and became a hero for the ages. She also has a loyal and adorable sidekick who is totally in love with her, the affections and admiration of a variety of very good looking male warriors and even the God of War what's to hit it. Known and feared far and wide, tough as nails, and an impressive field tactician. Xena defines the word superhero and paved the way for later butt kicking females. Xena also gets props from me for being one of the few true anti-heroines to appear on television. Basically Xena is amazing and managed to show that you can indeed have beauty, brain AND brawn. Her show also ran far longer than the show it was originally a spin off from. Suck on that Hercules!
Honorable Mentions:
Laura Roslin (Battlestar Galactica) (though really all the women on BSG are pretty badass but Madame President is my favorite)
Zoe (Firefly)
Martha Jones (New Doctor Who Series 3)
Chen Lin (Black & White)
Alex Drake (Ashes to Ashes)
Ayumu (LIFE)
Shan Cai (Meteor Garden)
Romana I & II (Doctor Who Series 4)
Pam (True Blood)
Yankumi (Gokusen)
Eun-Chan (Coffee Prince)
Makino Tsukushi (Hana Yori Dango) jdrama version not the anime or manga.
