A thread about women who kick ass.

[Little Woodsman]

Well some people have already mentioned the lovely ladies of Avatar (both LA & LoK),
and as I read through the thread a couple of others sprang to mind,

Nausicaa, from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind...that young lady had the courage to *not* fight back, to *not* use violence, even when it might have been called for, and the guts to throw herself in to insane amounts of danger to protect her people.

There was/is an almost unknown screen portrayal of Wonder Woman from before Linda Carter. The title role was played by the lovely Cathy Lee Crosby, and was a *very* different take on the character. She was barely in to the 'super-human' category, but the way she handled some dangerous situations made my jaw drop. I'm going to have to try to track that down now...

Now I know that this final answer is going to get me some hate. Whatever, if you don't like this part of my post just ignore it. But the little lady who seriously kicks the *most* heinie ever? Fluttershy.
If you've seen the series, you know what I mean.
Though I suppose that technically she's not a "woman".

 

[AwesomeHatMan]

Still wanting to see Gina Carano as Wonder Woman ever since MovieBob (was it him?) brought it up.

 

[an annoyed writer]

The Boss from MGS3. She is badass. You can all stop posting in this thread now.

I took twenty posts to get it right, but here it is. The Boss is such a badass that even 20, 30, 40 AND 50 years after her death she is still the primary driving force behind the series. Her legacy of badassery has outlived her actual life. Now why was she such a badass? Well, she's been to space, she fought in WWII, getting a C-section in the middle of the Normandy Landing, and she started the line of the Snakes with her successor Big Boss, and birthed one of the smartest and most capable triple-agents in his time, Ocelot.

She died in one of the hardest fights in the game too, being a real challenge in those last ten minutes. She was the only boss to use the tactics you've been spending the whole damn game perfecting, and thus she was the most satisfying of the bosses to take down.

Hell, she even has a distinctive suit and signature weapon:

Spoiler

She just looks like a damn badass. That face is the one of someone who has been through the shit. She is one of Hideo Kojima's best-written characters, and one of the best-designed characters in recent memory.

 

[Colour Scientist]

A page and a half of comments and no one's mentioned Buffy? You guys are doing it wrong

In a similar vein, Zoe from Firefly.
She's a total badass.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I took twenty posts to get it right, but here it is. The Boss is such a badass that even 20, 30, 40 AND 50 years after her death she is still the primary driving force behind the series. Her legacy of badassery has outlived her actual life. Now why was she such a badass? Well, she's been to space, she fought in WWII, getting a C-section in the middle of the Normandy Landing, and she started the line of the Snakes with her successor Big Boss, and birthed one of the smartest and most capable triple-agents in his time, Ocelot.

One wonders though why in the name of heck she would even be on the battlefield when in her fourth trimester.

She just looks like a damn badass. That face is the one of someone who has been through the shit. She is one of Hideo Kojima's best-written characters, and one of the best-designed characters in recent memory.

I have a sneaking suspicion Kojima had her modeled after David Bowie. Her face totally looks like him, especially with her hair combed back, and Kojima generally has a hard time repressing his rabid Bowie fanboy.

 

[BlackStar42]

A page and a half of comments and no one's mentioned Buffy? You guys are doing it wrong

In a similar vein, Zoe from Firefly.
She's a total badass.

Oh damn you, you pesky ninja!

Fine, I'll nominate Karrin Murphy from the Dresden Files. A perfectly normal human, short, petite, and will kick your ass. She's taken down everything from werewolves to Mayan gods with nothing but sheer stubbornness and resourcefulness.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

The Northern Wall of Briggs, Olivier Armstrong. Severe, ambitious, and one of the strongest non-alchemists in the series.

Also Riza Hawkeye and Lan Fan. That series was just full of badass female characters

 

[FalloutJack]

The Northern Wall of Briggs, Olivier Armstrong. Severe, ambitious, and one of the strongest non-alchemists in the series.

Also Riza Hawkeye and Lan Fan. That series was just full of badass female characters

Yes, including...

[HEADING=2]A HOUSEWIFE!![/HEADING]

(Savvy watchers know who and why.)

ANYWAY!

Let's hit a Neil Gaiman moment: Death of the Endless.

Not that Death really has to do much of any fighting, but she is a rather interesting take on the Reaper, in that she's a nice person and interesting conversationalist. (And when you're DEATH, most anyone or anything can't defeat you.) Also, she hit Dream over the head with a loaf of bread and is generally the one he goes to for advice on things.

 

[oreso]

I'll throw a mention of Hibana from Nightshade (jpn: Kunoichi); the Shinobi series game for PS2. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightshade_%282004_video_game%29]

The story of the game is barebones and old-skooly (ninja hellspawn, defeat your former master, renegade robots, etc), but in the few lines of dialogue she firmly establishes herself as a cynical no-nonsense operative.

And I found the game hard as nails to play (requiring fast and accurate chaining of attacks), which is refreshing.

 

[Amaror]

Hit girl from kick ass.
Because, ... well, i don't think i have to explain this to anyone who watched the movie.

 

[Blunderboy]

No mention of Katee Sackhoff's Starbuck?
Come on guys. It's the role that showed that gender don't mean shit when it comes to a good character.

Spoiler: Wikipedia deploy

Described by a critic as "one of television's most complex, ever-evolving characters", the role of Starbuck changed over the run of the series.[2] According to Sackhoff, Starbuck originally "didn't value her own life," inspiring her readiness to die for her shipmates. By the end of the series, however, she is prepared to sacrifice herself for others because of her respect for all life.[2] The character's physical appearance is based on Sackhoff's perception of Starbuck as an extremely fit, hard-drinking individual. "I didn't want Starbuck to be completely ripped," said Sackhoff. "This is a girl who drinks most of her calories."[2]
Kara Thrace bears some parallels to the original 1978 Starbuck character: both are portrayed as hot-headed and cocky fighter pilots, considered the best in the fleet, but with a tendency to challenge authorities and get into trouble. Both are avid gamblers and enjoy drinking, smoking cigars, and sex. Both have crashed and been marooned on a deserted planet, using a downed Cylon ship to make an escape.[3] Both are best friends with Apollo. Kara had a relationship with Apollo's late brother Zak (mirroring the original Starbuck's on-and-off relationship with Apollo's sister Athena), affecting her relationship to Apollo and Zak's father, William Adama.
However, the two characters differ both in their gender ? complicating Kara Thrace's relationships with other characters, notably Apollo ? as well as their outward appearance: whereas the original Starbuck, played by Dirk Benedict, was a slick, well-groomed ladies' man, Kara appears more rugged and grimy. USA Today described her as "the broken warrior, a young, idealistic soldier who has been fighting for all the right reasons, but has lost something along the way."[1]

 

[Slenn]

Sara Connor from the Terminator series. Incredibly rough, hard hitting, and versatile, she is one of the best survivalists I've seen.

Also any female that's the Joan of Arc archetype is endearing to me. I know that the lore in League of Legends is pretty much superficial in comparison to everything else. But honestly, my favorite champion out of that game is Leona. Just something about a female entirely clad in armor and her swearing to protect you has something very awesome about it. Plus her skill-set is mostly tactical (stun+damage, shield+AOE, hookshot, stun/slow AOE), making her a utility type of tank instead of brute force.

 

[Anja Bech]

No mention of Katee Sackhoff's Starbuck?
Come on guys. It's the role that showed that gender don't mean shit when it comes to a good character.

You wonderful, wonderful ninja you. She was the first person that popped into my mind when I read the title of this thread. I would just like to point out that most of the women (and men, of course) in BSG are really fucking kick-ass: Athena? Nobody had to take more shit than her and she was still loyal right to the damned bone,fighting for her family, the old man and every singly human out there (and later the rebel cylons as well). President Roslin? She was a force to be reconed with. Even if she wasn't exactly kicking physical ass she was a really powerful, imposing lady who would not bend to anybody, her biggest strength and biggest flaw. And then there's Six, the scariest lady on the entire show. Probably on any show, ever. She was superhumanly strong, fast, fit, an excellent fighter and manipulative as hell. She started out being this sexy 'trap' for Baltar but turned out to be so much more. God I loved this show.

Edit: I forgot to mention someone who should be so obvious: Xena, the warrior princes. It really doesn't get much more badass than that. ^^

 

[Blunderboy]

SNIP

One does ones best.
But yeah, that show is full of amazing, strong characters.

 

[Legion]

The ones that have already been picked:

Annie Leonhardt from Attack on Titan.

Not related to that I finished SAC last night, Major Kusanagi. I still should watch 2nd Gig, but plenty badass already.

The Northern Wall of Briggs, Olivier Armstrong. Severe, ambitious, and one of the strongest non-alchemists in the series.

Also Riza Hawkeye and Lan Fan. That series was just full of badass female characters

My one hasn't, but anybody who knows me will know who I am going to pick:

Spoiler: Ms Rune Balot from Mardock Scramble

Apart from being a fascinating character in general, she is also practically a living weapon. Having survived an attempt on her life she is put on a life support program that involved synthetic skin being grafted onto her body. This skin is essentially made from nano-machines and they not only greatly increase her strength and agility, but also enhances her perception significantly. It also allows her to control any electrical object as well as sense them.

When you combine her physical capabilities with an AI that has the ability to transform into almost any object you have a young woman capable of single handedly taking on a group of trained killers as well as another cyborg who has the ability to manipulate gravity and deflect bullets.

 

[hermes]

Spoiler: This girl right here.

She runs all the way to the hospital-.. well, she tries to anyway, to bring her sick mother a corn cob. If that doesn't kick ass I don't what does anymore.

Oh, and she also doesn't cry when she falls flat on her face.

I see your anime choice, and I rise you this:

Spoiler

She can break the planet in two without even trying.

 

[Archer666]

Can't get any more badass than the female clone of Wolverine, X-23. She killed a bear with her foot.

 

[lord canti]

She might be a mouse but Mrs Brigsby from secret of Nimh. Also one of my favorite ladies in anime Erza Scarlet from fairy tail is pretty kick ass as well.

 

[gibbles545]

Alison Brie in fistful of paintballs. As Abed said she was being awesome that day ^^

 

[Rip Van Rabbit]

Anime: Hellsing Ultimate

Character: Rip Van Winkle

Spoiler: German Opera and video contained within

It saddens me that Rip's character got so little screen-time before she met her demise. However! Before the arrival of the one she feared most, she did clear a deck full of vampires, shoot down missiles, jets, an SR-71 Blackbird and skewered Alucard multiple times...with a musket!

All with (most of the time) an evil grin on her face, a cheerful disposition and german opera in her heart!
Such a fun character!

[hr]

Anime: Rebuild of Evangelion 2.22

Character: Mari Illustrious Makinami

Spoiler: Badass video contained within. I would have preferred the English dub for this scene, since there was RAW emotion there, but the original dub is by no means bad.

What can I say? Mari is absolutely relentless and bloodthirsty in combat! And the kicker...she's having the time of her life! Nevermind the fact that the most dangerous Angel they have ever encountered could cause the end of the world if they make a mistake...nope! With this girl, there's just no time to agonize over anything, get in there and fight!

Mari is a charming character, with a carefree attitude and a penchant for sniffing LCL, the colour pink and singing (much to Asuka's annoyance). She's a breath of fresh air (for me) and her cheerful attitude humorously stands out of place in the crap-sack world that they live in.

[hr]

Anime: Kill La Kill

Character: Ryuko Matoi

Spoiler: Spoilered for being adorable and kickass!...This anime just makes me happy

Kickass:

Adorable:

Even without her combat armour, Ryuko can already beat the snot out of 1-star level students just with case where she carries her scissor blade. Which brings to the main point: She fights with half a pair of giant scissors!

Although after a sneak-attack and being pounded into the ground. Beaten to a pulp; Ryuko REFUSED to let them take her scissor blade away from her. Her determination and aggression know very few boundaries and it looks like she's ready to rip apart her enemies one-by-one to finally get to the person at the top.

There are times when a tactical retreat is the better option when faced with a stronger opponent. So in one scene, she hijacks a delivery bike. The old man shouts at her about his deliveries. Promptly, she zips around and drops off his deliveries. The very next day, the bike is returned to where it was taken from with a note attached: "My deepest apologies for borrowing without permission."....D'awwwwwwww she may be a hot-blooded individual, with revenge on the mind and a father to mourn...but she's not above being polite and feeling guilty for her actions.

Even though it's still quite early, I'm loving Ryuko's attitude and fighting style. Her character design is gorgeous. (yes, even with the skimpy combat outfit. COME AT ME BRETHREN!) Overall, just a feel-good anime and character that makes you want to go out into the world and punch the universe...JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN!