Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) - Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Buffy was not the first woman who literally kicked ass on television, but it would be easy to say that she was a strong foundation for many of the female roles that came after her. If we had to pick the toughest female character ever, Buffy would probably fit the bill and that’s not just because she’s probably kicked more actual ass than every other female character combined.
It might be cheating to say that Buffy deserves top honors considering she was gifted with supernatural powers, but that would be missing the point of the entire show. The vampires and other demons were really metaphors for highschool and life. Buffy was the quintessential teenage girl for most of the early years, Slayer duties notwithstanding. She just wanted to fit in, she liked shopping, she loved her boyfriend and she hated her bratty younger sister. But it’s the very fact that when push came to shove Buffy was able to transcend her own wants and desires to do what was right (like send the man she loved to Hell in order to save the world) that made her strong.
Buffy wasn’t perfect. She could be selfish and whiney, or annoying and petulant. She could also be self-destructive, as her relationship with Spike can attest. But, when the chips were down, Buffy could always be counted on to pull through for her friends and for strangers. In the end, that makes her not only a kick-ass woman, but a true hero as well.
Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) - Battlestar: Galactica
When Katee Sackhoff was first cast as Starbuck, the Battlestar Galactica fandom went nuts – and not in a good way. See, Starbuck was originally played by manly-man Dirk Benedict as a cigar chomping womanizer whose top gun skills in the Viper were surpassed only by his swagger and lady-killing charm. The gender bending was viewed by many fans of the original as a ‘jump the shark’ moment for Battlestar Galactica, before it even got off the ground.
Today, there are few of those nay-sayers remaining who would dare utter that opinion in public. Sackhoff’s Starbuck has carved her niche into the iron plated wall of "women who kick ass," with a vengeance. As a fighter pilot there were few that could match Starbuck’s skills, and her hand to hand was top notch, but where she excelled was in her absolute defiance of gender limits in the emotional as well as the physical side of life. For instance when Starbuck was feeling a little hurt by long time beau Apollo she didn’t just whine about it, she put on boxing gloves and pretty well kicked his ass in the ring.
Like the earlier version of Starbuck, Kara can be somewhat morally reckless, but she's no anti-hero. Onne of her most kick ass attributes is her absolute dedication to doing the right thing. It's not often you can get a character as wild, crazy, and unpredictable as Kara, and still depend on them to be the sort of hero you can actually admire.
UPDATE: By popular demand, here's the 15th woman on the list: XENA. We didn't leave her off to be mean to the warrior princess, it was just an accident. I love how the comments keep throwing out strong female characters - we could have made the list 30 strong with all of your suggestions. I guess women have come a long way on TV from 20 or 30 years ago - and that's a good thing!
Article by: Clarissa, Michael, Sam, Tamara, Jon, Brittany, JT and Ian.
I'm sad that Xena didn't make this list. How can that be? Even Buffy mentioned Xena at some point.
How are Juliet Burke (heck, even Elizabeth's other character on V, Erica Evans) and Brenda Leigh Johnson left off this list?
Great list! But I would have added Temperance Brennan, Kahlan Amnell (um seriously she kicks SO much ass), and Cara Mason (again with the serious ass kicking)
Your list is missing Mary Shannon (or Kate Harper) and Brenda Leigh Johnson, and it spoiled me on Third Watch (shame on NBC for not releasing the remaining seasons), but the list seems pretty complete otherwise.
I know, I know, it's tough to choose, and a lot of ladies didn't make the list. But, like I said, the list isn't exhaustive. I think the fact that so many of you are suggesting other tough women shows that there are a lot of great female characters on TV!
I know, I know, it's tough to choose, and a lot of ladies didn't make the list. But, like I said, the list isn't exhaustive. I think the fact that so many of you are suggesting other tough women shows that there are a lot of great female characters on TV!
You forgot the most FRELLIN' AWESOME Aeryn Sun from Farscape. She'd take Buffy out with one well placed headbutt! AND Brenda Leigh Johnson & Mary Shannon.
A good chunk of the remaining seasons of Third Watch can be found on YouTube. The show's been off the air for five years, so apologies for the minor spoilers, but trust me, they're hardly going to ruin your viewing experience. Just don't go reading Wikipedia.
It's not the fault of the article at all – no worries.
Thanks.
Thank you for including Molly Price as Faith Yokas from Third Watch. That show was amazing and left the air too soon. Could have gone on at least 2 more seasons.
Scully was excellent, as was Gillian Anderson's portrayal. However not sure if she also had a PhD but the reason they call her 'Doctor' is because she has an M.D.
Finally you saved the best for last! Katee Sackhoff as Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace was nothing short of spectacular and amazing and super bad-ass! Emmy worthy performance each season! She is the only 'Starbuck' in my book!
PS- Where the frak is Xena? hello- Lucy Lawless was right up there with Gillian Anderson in terms of timing and setting the bar for women's roles on TV.
honorable mentions- Some of the female cast of Grey's Anatomy [read- Sara Ramirez as Dr. Callie Torres & Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey] & ER [read Maura Tierney as Dr. Abby Lockhart]. If you don't think running a cardiac arrest or doing surgery qualifies as kick-ass well I have a hospital your welcome to do a rotation or ride-along at!!!
Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle on CSI- i just adore her!
IrishEDP
Oh, I'm just trying to help. I came to the show late myself, so I understand. Wikipedia, though, has very detailed character bios which will wreck everything for you. They literally tell you almost everything that happens.
And here I was wondering if anyone was going to get the Third Watch pick when I wrote it.
I want to say I read somewhere that Scully may have had a Ph.D., but I've seen conflicting bio information depending on which source you read. They never even came out with official guides for anything beyond Season 7.
I definitely got it! Third Watch is still one of my favorite shows, and Faith was a big part of why. The show juggled a lot of great characters, but she and Bosco were easily amongst the best of them.
And of course, no Kickass TV Ladies list would be complete without Scully. Also great to see fiesty little Veronica Mars. Great job on this.
I would add Sarah Walker from "Chuck" to the list. She has taken on men twice her size and won.
It needs Ziva from NCIS
It's great to see Faith on this list. It's been a while since Third Watch has left the air, glad it's not forgotten.
Where the heck is Xena: Warrior Princess?
what? no Zoe Washburn?
A list of TV chicks who kick ass cannot possibly be complete if Peta Wilson from La Femme Nikita isn't on it. That doesn't even make sense!
I am so missing Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) from "Dexter" on the list. She kicks ass in the litterary sense and doesn't even let the facts that she has a serialkiller for a fiancée, her older loveinterest is murdered before her eyes and a pathriarcal system to fight slow her down on her way up the ranks in Miami Metro Homicide…
No Lucy Lawless? Really? Xena was the embodiment of Female kickass.
NO XENA?? Toally invalid list withhout her..cosidering she can kick all thse women's asses.
Xean brought the resurgence of female action heros, not buffy.
You forgot Aeryn Sun!
What about Charlie's Angels??? Sabrina, Kelly, Jill and Chris kicked asses when all those woman were children! Some of then weren't even born!
The four actors who played the cops are probably one of the best groups on a TV show I've ever seen. Jason Wiles, Molly Price, Coby Bell and Skipp Sudduth were all uniformly excellent, and not only that but they all stayed for the show's entire run. I don't think a show could get a group that good for that long again.
Summer Glau has a very, very special appeal, charm, beauty, and grace.
Cameron is the most Kick-Ass machine (scary robot)
Cameron takes a licking and keeps on ticking. She doesn't need to eat or have to worry that much about skin damage if she gets in a fight.
Count me as another one who is disappointed there's no Xena/Lucy Lawless.
Where's Peta Wilson from La Femme Nikita or Gina Torres from Firefly?
It is good to see Summer make the list. She is the current Queen of asskicking females imo. But what about River Tam?!
Seems River should also be on that list…
I agree with you! Don't know how she slipped our minds.
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I mention this only to protect you from Lucy Lawless giving you a through pummeling.
What about Lilly Rush (Cold Case)?
OK, great list and I'm glad you added Xena to the mix. I was about to call you out on the omission but you guys already took care of it. Cool.
where the fuck are Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah Walker on 'Chuck') and Evangeline Lilly (Kate Austen on 'Lost')
There are not so few strong female characters. In fact, I believe that are some missing in this list: Bridget Regan as Kahlan Amnell (Legend of the Seeker), Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker (Chuck), Brennan (Bones), Sarah Wayne Callies as Sara (Prison Break), Cara Manson (Legend of the Seeker), just to mention some of them.
Normal women breath, these women kick ass. You should update the list. ;)
Good job, tho!
Damn cute
In addition to the aforementioned snubs (Xena, Brennan, etc.), I would submit Kyra Sedgwick's Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson of "The Closer" and Stana Katic's Detective Kate Beckett of "Castle" for consideration. ;)
Where is Cara (played by the amazing Tabrett Bethell), Xena, Aeryn Sun, Kira Nerys, Chiana, T'Pol or Teyla from SG:A for example?
How about a few that I think are tougher than some on this list:
Xena (Lucy Lawless) on Xena Warrior Princess
Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) on Wonder Woman
Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) on Homocide:Life on the Streets
Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar) on Burn Notice
Christine Cagney (Sharon Gless) on Cagney and Lacey
Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daley) on Cagney and Lacey
Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) on NCIS
Sarah "Mac" MacKensie (Catherine Bell) on JAG
OH and I forgot
Nikita (Peta Wilson's version) from La Femme Nikita
I agree with all… except for Peta. Very disappointed in that Nikita character. Worst of the 4 Nikita's.
My List:
Nikita (Maggie Q) on "Nikita" (2010 -)
Amanda (Melinda Clarke) "Nikita" (2010 -)
Madeline (Alberta Watson) on "La Femme Nikita" (1997 – 2001)
Ruby (Kate Cassidy) on "Supernatural" (2005 -)
Lois Lane (Erica Durance) on "Smallville" (2001 – 2011)
Jane Vasco (Kristanna Loken) on "Painkiller Jane" (2007)
Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) on "Stargate SG-1" (1997 – 2007)
Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) on "Stargate Atlantis" (2004 – 2009)
Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) on "Stargate Universe" (2009 -)
Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel) on "Justified" (2010 -)
Sydney Cooke (Nia Peeples) on "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993 – 2001)
Sarah MacKensie "Mac" (Catherine Bell) on "JAG" (1995 – 2005)
Alice (Milla Jovovich) on "The Resident Evil Series" (2002 -)
yeah, XENA totally must be among them.. as Nr.1 i might add.
What the hell happened to Sarah Walker?
Could've easily ditched Scully for her.
Zoë from Firefly???????????????????????????????????/