History Main / FeministFantasy

* After showing how women are underestimated at best and treated as sex slaves, brood mares, and bargaining chips at worst, ''Series/GameOfThrones'' gets this tinge in its 6th season, in the form of WomenAreWiser. Almost all factions (King's Landing, the Reach, Dorne, the Iron Islands, Meereen) have come to be headed by strong, competent (at least [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen sometimes]]) female rulers (Cersei, Olenna, Ellaria, Daenerys) while the men who had previously held these positions have failed one way or another. The one faction that has a man on its throne (the North) owes its existence to Sansa Stark more than it does to its king Jon who almost got himself and his men killed and would have lost without Sansa's diplomatic skill. Even previously competent male leaders like Tyrion and Jon have turned into GeneralFailure and make a mess for the women to clean up. Women such as Brienne, Arya, and Lyanna Mormont, if not queens in their own right, acquit themselves better than most men do at this point. It eventually ends up being subverted by the end. Ellaria is last seen rotting in the dungeon after being defeated by Balon Greyjoy and losing her daughters, while Olenna is given the chance to commit suicide after being defeated by Jaime's forces. Most controversially, [[spoiler:Daenerys ends up JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope, going on a rampage through King's Landing and killing thousands of innocent people, not just Cersei. Jon is ultimately forced to kill Daenerys, resulting in only two female rulers remaining: Yara Greyjoy ruling over the Ironborn and Sansa as Queen in the North, and both largely got the positions by virtue of no one else being eligible for them]].

* ''Manga/{{Gokusen}}'' is about a female Yakuza heiress who teaches in an all-boy's school for delinquents, trying to balance keeping her students in check like a drill Sargent, kicking all kinds of ass, saving the handsome ''DudeInDistress'' Shin, and yakuza politics. The live-action series… not so much.

* ''Manga/WitchHatAtelier'': Other than being known for its [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt utterly gorgeous and jaw-dropping artstyle and paneling.]] Witch Hat Atelier is also known for its multitude of strong female leads with zero fanservice as well as delving into ''very'' sensitive topics such as sexual assault, victim blaming and disability discrimination. Hell, its message on empowerment is so strong that the manga ''dedicated'' an entire chapter outright criticizing ''both'' on Japan's treatment of sexual assault ''and'' the serious harmful effects on the [[Main/ChivalrousPervert Chivalrous Pervert]] trope prevalent in the manga/anime industry to real-life treatment of women.

** ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'' deals with beings from Fairy Tales and mythology living in exile in modern day New York. It explores some of the darker aspects of the original tales, and deconstructs many of the problematic elements found there. In particular, Prince Charming is the prince from ''most'' stories, and a serial divorcee unable to find happiness as a result. Snow White is often the focus of the series, having grown into a strong-willed politician that runs much of Fabletown's daily business. Just don't mention the seven Dwarves. Consisting of a massive ensemble cast, almost every single female character has developed over the centuries into a force to be reckoned with. The war in the Homelands, as well as changes in human society, have transformed them into modern women, often looking unfavorably on certain aspects of their pasts. The {{Spin Off}}s, ''Fairest'', ''From Fabletown With Love'', and ''Fables Are Forever'' all focus on the women of the series. The later two are solo adventures starring Cinderella, [[spoiler: Fabletown's master spy and assassin]] in James Bond-style adventures. Issues of female sensuality and sexuality, motherhood, reproductive rights, healthy and unhealthy relationships, misogyny, and sexism are all touched on or explored within the series.

** ''ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}'' is a gifted magician who is solves occult problems either on her own or with a team. She is noted to be brave, mature, and likable. She grew in popularity due to her solo comic series.

* ''ComicBook/MagicalBeatdown'' is a hyper violent street harassment revenge fantasy about an average video-game loving schoolgirl who transforms into a foul-mouthed and rage-fuelled MagicalGirl when provoked.

* ''ComicBook/PaperGirls'' follows a ComingOfAgeStory for four female friends which includes scifi and time-traveling that has each of the members each learning more about themselves as well as valuable lessons.

%%* The Daughters of the Dragon mini series staring Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.

---> "Try to think objectively for a moment about what we know of Christine Chapel's background, education, accomplishments... and you will come up with a far more interesting character than she was ever allowed to be. The Christine Chapel I found when I thought about her was neither wimp nor superwoman, but, I hope, an intelligent, complex, believable person."

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' focuses on the relationship between two sisters, and explores the meaning of True Love as well as conquering your fears. Anna is in love with the idea of love, dreaming of LoveAtFirstSight while Elsa attempts to always keep her emotions in check and refuses to let anyone close out of fear of her powers. [[spoiler: Anna falls head over heels in love with Prince Hans, agreeing to marry him after knowing him for a few hours. First Elsa, and later Kristoff, both call her on rushing into such a serious matter with someone she barely knows. The nature of True Love is also explored when Anna's heart is frozen, with only an "act of True Love" capable of saving her. Everyone believes it will require True Love's Kiss, and rush her back to Hans... only for him to turn out to be a BitchInSheepsClothing out to seduce his way onto the kingdom's throne. The act of True Love is instead Anna's HeroicSacrifice to protect her sister, and this allows Elsa to realize that fearing her powers and shutting everyone out was the cause of her PowerIncontinence. Once she accepts herself, she's able to restore her kingdom and become a Queen adored by her people. Meanwhile, Anna and Kristoff realize their feelings for each other and take the first steps towards a relationship. Hans is first punched into the harbor by Anna, and then sent back home to face punishment for his crimes.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretLifeOfPets'' is not amazingly ground breaking, and is more focused on it's male characters like most films, but notably [[spoiler: TheHero (and his friend)]] are [[DistressedDude saved]] by the [[spoiler: hero's {{Love Interest|s}}, who beats up a large group of big dogs, cats, and even an ''alligator'' for him]]. This is what finally causes him to [[AmazonChaser notice her.]]

** ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus'' follows Annika, a [[RebelliousSpirit rebellious]] and [[{{Determinator}} determined]] princess who loves ice skating. [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething She sets out to save her parents and kingdom after they're frozen]] by [[EvilSorceror Wenlock]], who [[NotGoodWithRejection didn't take Annika rejecting his marriage proposal well.]] The secondary protagonist is a talking Pegasus named Brietta [[spoiler: who is actually Annika's LongLostSister, who also rejected Wenlock]]; breaking the spell on Brietta subsequently becomes part of her motivation, too. Annika and Brietta are aided in their quest by [[TheHighQueen Rayla the Cloud Queen]] and her three daughters. Near the end it's revealed that Wenlock's three troll slaves are actually [[spoiler: his wives, [[DomesticAbuse whom he cursed when he got bored of them]]]]. When Annika realizes this, she promises to free them if they help her defeat Wenlock. [[spoiler: After the women are restored and Wenlock has been BroughtDownToNormal, they quickly take custody of their ex-husband and begin ordering ''him'' around.]]

* The title character of ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}'' is a [[PluckyGirl spunky, proactive young woman]] who is determined to track down the family she [[AmnesiacHero barely remembers.]] She is quite [[FieryRedhead snarky, quick-witted and takes crap from no one]], as [[BelligerentSexualTension Dimitri]] finds out the hard way. Although she needs Dimitri and Vlad's help to reach France and find her family, she proves to be of great help during their journey. Anastasia is ultimately the one who defeats [[BigBad Rasputin]] and in the end she decides to [[spoiler: give up being a princess (or Grand Duchess to be more specific) because finding her family was always more important to her than being royal, and this way she gets to live life on her own terms and be with Dimitri]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AprilAndTheExtraordinaryWorld'' follows the titular ScienceHero protagonist in an AlternateHistory who go on adventures of eluding corrupt cops, reuniting with her parents, and saving humanity. And while she has a love interest, it doesn't take precedent over her character arc.

* ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' stars a teenage girl going through a ComingOfAge story as she and the other female members of her family can magically turn into giant red pandas. The movie also focuses on her relationship with her mother and deep friendship with her three female best friends. The movie itself can be metaphorical of a girl having her first period, and the movie also brings up menustration.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSeaBeast'' has a female character as the main protagonist who befriends the sea beasts and resolves the conflict through nonviolence. Also, the numerous female characters in the story are given unique character desgins and treated equally along with their male counterparts.

* ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' uses the DeconReconSwitch to hang many a lampshade on classic fairy tales, with PrincessClassic Giselle being banished to modern day New York by her WickedStepmother, Narissa. There, she meets jaded divorce lawyer Robert and his daughter, who is thrilled to meet a fairytale princess. Prince Edward follows his betrothed to New York to rescue her, while Giselle and Robert begin to see the positive aspects of the other's world view as she tries to help him instill some romance into his relationship with his fiancée Nancy. [[spoiler: In the end, Giselle is saved from a poisoned apple by Robert's kiss, and rescues him in turn when Narissa transforms herself into a dragon. They become a couple, and Giselle opens a business making fairytale princess dresses for little girls. Edward elopes with Nancy, having finally found the romance she's wanted. The queen's henchman stays in New York and becomes a successful Self-Help author.]]
* ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' is a PerspectiveFlip [[TwiceToldTale retelling]] of ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', starring Creator/AngelinaJolie. Drawing comparisons to ''Literature/{{WICKED}}'', it [[AdaptationalHeroism reimagines Maleficent]] as a complex woman who changes from heroic guardian of the Moors, to vengeful girl victimized by the [[StrawMisogynist misogynistic]] [[AdaptationalVillainy King Stephan]], and finally into an antihero over the many years the film covers. She serves as an unwitting mother figure to Aurora, and helps to mold the princess into a wise and strong-willed young woman. Aurora is notably more proactive in this telling of the story, with far more character development and agency than is normally seen in most versions of Sleeping Beauty. [[spoiler: She is also not woken from her sleep by Prince Philip, who even points out that he doesn't know her well enough to be in love yet. Instead, it is Maleficent who awakens Aurora with a remorseful kiss to the forehead -- having included in her curse that all who met Aurora would come to love her.]] Of course, [[BrokenBase the many changes were not exactly received positively by everyone]], with some claiming that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools the film tries too hard to be feminist]] and ultimately comes across as an {{Anvilicious}} fantasy-flavored LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek.

* Creator/GuillermoDelToro's stated intention with ''Film/PacificRim'' was to make a science fiction/action film with a heroine that was an equal partner rather than a {{Love Interest|s}}, [[MsFanservice "Sex Kitten"]], or a DamselInDistress. While Raleigh is the designated hero of the story, the narrative primary focuses on Mako's HerosJourney and represents her as every bit his equal. Mako has been praised as a non-[[MightyWhiteyAndMellowYellow stereotypical]] [[DragonLady representation]] of an Asian woman while still acknowledging Japanese [[PillarsOfMoralCharacter morals]]. It tilts the standard roles assigned to a male and female protagonist, with Raleigh acting as the [[TheHeart emotional]] support for mentally-scarred Mako as she comes to grips with her painful past and desire for revenge.

* Yet another Creator/GuillermoDelToro example is GothicHorror ''Film/CrimsonPeak''. The main character is a SpiritedYoungLady and proto-feminist named Edith Cushing, who is determined to become a published writer regardless of what everyone else thinks, would rather be writing ghost stories than romances, chooses to MarryForLove and sets about investigating the mysteries of [[HauntedHouse Allerdale Hall]] by herself. Edith's {{Love Interest|s}} Thomas Sharpe admires her intelligence and creativity, and in their love scene he bares a lot more skin than her (which was actually his actor, Tom Hiddleston's suggestion). Most of the ghosts turn out to be [[spoiler: Thomas' murdered wives, who are actually [[DarkIsNotEvil just trying to warn Edith]]]]. It's also revealed that the true villain is [[spoiler: Lucille Sharpe, who is quite an intelligent and formidable, though very unhinged, DarkActionGirl who is the real mastermind of the murders; Thomas is largely subservient to her and a victim of DomesticAbuse on her part]]. In the climax, [[spoiler: Edith's other Love Interest Alan comes to save her, but is badly injured, prompting Edith to save [[RescueReversal both him]] [[DamselOutDistress and herself]]]].

* ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' is a {{coming of age|Story}} tale, combining the talents of Creator/JimHenson and Creator/GeorgeLucas. Sarah is a SpoiledBrat with a love of fantasy, and resents having to deal with her baby half-brother, Toby. One night, when forced to babysit, she [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor wishes]] the goblins would take him away.....and gets her wish. The Goblin King challenges her to solve his Labyrinth in 13 hours, or Toby will be transformed into a goblin. She must outwit the mysterious Labyrinth, escape various death traps, and storm the Goblin City to rescue her brother. Along her journey, Sarah must accept that LifeIsntFair, reject the Goblin King's many temptations, and learn to balance childhood dreams with adult responsibility. When offered the chance to [[WeCanRuleTogether rule at his side]], Sarah rejects him by declaring that, [[ArcWords "You have no power over me"]].
* ''Film/MirrorMask'', a hauntingly beautiful dark fantasy written by Creator/NeilGaiman. Helena dreams of leaving the circus, but after a fight her mother falls mysteriously ill. Traveling to a strange and magical world, she encounters many individuals who resemble those she knows in the real world. The White Queen (resembling her mother) has fallen ill, after the Dark Princess (resembling Helena) stole her Charm and without it, the world is dying. Helena undertakes a quest to save the world and her mother, venturing to the Darklands to confront the Dark Queen (again, her mother). A surreal coming of age tale, it remains ambiguous whether it was AllJustADream or [[OrWasItADream not]].
* Creator/MillaJovovich and Creator/AngelinaJolie have established themselves as big time [[ActionHero Action Heroines]] through these kinds of films. If they star in a fantasy or science fiction film, expect them to be [[OneManArmy One-Woman Armies]]. Creator/MichelleRodriguez and Creator/SummerGlau have also built careers as Action Heroines in the genre(s), to a lesser degree.

** Jolie took up the role of AdventurerArchaeologist Lara Croft in the ''[[Film/LaraCroftTombRaider Tomb Raider]]'' films. She's also noted to be the highest grossing Action Heroine in the business. Likewise she plays the live-action Maleficent mentioned above.
* ''Film/KillBill'' is a two-part epic and love-letter to numerous genres in the process. When an assassin tries to settle down into a normal life, her former comrades interrupt her wedding rehearsal and slaughter those present. She awakens from her coma years later, and begins a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against them that spans continents and cinema genres. [[NoNameGiven The Bride]] and the female assassins she faces are all exceptional warriors, engaging in brutal duels to the death and leaving carnage in their wake. The subtle elements of fantasy are borrowed from classic Hong Kong films, with people displaying martial arts that border on the supernatural. Most notably, the HermitGuru was said to be able to use a FingerPokeOfDoom to kill enemies after they took five steps.

** Prior to the Sequel Trilogy, ''Star Wars'' was always reasonably feminist for it's time (especially considering the [[Film/ANewHope first film]] was released in 1977), though more {{downplayed|trope}}. Princess Leia is the ''only'' major female character in the original trilogy, but she is a confident, quick-witted and proactive badass; she's not just a princess but an ambassador, senator, Rebel agent and soldier, and is often considered a feminist icon. There is some controversy over the '[[MadeASlave Slave Leia]]' [[GoGoEnslavement outfit]] in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', but as many fans and Creator/CarrieFisher herself pointed out, Leia eventually [[DamselOutOfDistress strangles to death the creep who forced her into the outfit with her own chains, without help from the men.]] Although she [[MinorMajorCharacter doesn’t have a very large role]] in the films, it's also revealed that one of the [[RebelLeader main leaders of the rebellion]] is a woman named Mon Mothma.
** In the Prequel Trilogy, Padmé Amidala is an intelligent and charismatic ActionPolitician who has been involved in politics since her preteens and fights for liberty and champions diplomacy. Particularly in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', she has a team of loyal handmaidens who also serve as bodyguards/decoys and [[AmazonBrigade fight at her side.]] She is unfortunately DemotedToSatelliteLoveInterest in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', although given some of George Lucas' unused story ideas for the film and the deleted (but canonical) scenes of her helping found the future Rebel Alliance, this wasn't his intention (not to mention it would've been difficult to have her be involved in big action scenes as she's supposed to be eight-to-nine months pregnant). There are also lots of [[GenderIsNoObject female Jedi and politicians]] as minor or background characters and one of Padmé's would-be assassins is a shapeshifting woman named Zam Wesell. Padmé's homeplanet of Naboo frequently [[ElectiveMonarchy elects]] teenage girls and women as queens and expanded material confirms that Leia's adoptive mother Breha Organa rules Alderaan in her own right (Senator Bail Organa is her husband, but doesn't have a royal title).
** And this is without mentioning the Expanded Universe and animated series (both ''Legends'' and Canon) which is full of strong, powerful and proactive female characters, such as Mara Jade, Ahsoka Tano, Asajj Ventress, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren etc. ''The Force Awakens'' is, however, significant in being the first theatrical ''Star Wars'' film to have a badass woman as ''the'' central protagonist, rather than a supporting protagonist.

* ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' stars the aforementioned comic book superhero of the same name and is about her journey from the LadyLand of Themyscira into Man's World at the height of UsefulNotes/WorldWarI where she fights to end one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. True to the comics, Wonder Woman embodies a number of positive, strong feminine ideals such as empathy, love and truth while also being a super strong demigoddess capable of kickings ''tons'' of ass. In a meta sense, the film is also the first tent pole superhero film to be [[Creator/PattyJenkins directed by a woman]] and the first theatrical comic book adaptation centered around a female lead ''ever'' to receive critical acclaim and commercial success.

* ''Film/TheCraft'' is a supernatural horror / UrbanFantasy film (and precursor to the likes of ''Series/Charmed1998'' and ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'') that revolves around four misfit teenage girls who practice witchcraft as a way of empowering themselves, with their sisterly bond as a coven helping them overcome adversity in the form of bullying, slut-shaming and other issues. The girls' use of magic and pursuit of knowledge and power is not depicted as being negative in and of itself; it's only when they start abusing their powers and using them to harm people (or each other) that things go south. In the climax, the main protagonist Sarah seeks help and guidance from a wise mother figure, who encourages her to embrace her full potential as a witch in order to stand up for herself and gain better self-esteem and confidence. ''Film/TheCraftLegacy'' leans heavily into this, even having the main villain be the embodiment of toxic masculinity, while the girls are very much about women's power.

* ''Film/{{The Princess|2022}}'': The princess refuses to comply with feminine norms, secretly training herself to fight and then rejects a marriage which she didn't consent to. After this, she has to fight off her would-be husband who's taken over and won't accept "no" for an answer (which is putting it midly). She's rewarded finally by [[spoiler:her father admitting she proved him wrong, accepting her as a warrior woman and making her his heir, while also saying in the future all princesses of the realm will be allowed to make these choices.]]

* Creator/RobertEHoward's own Dark Agnes de Chastillon may have been written earlier,[[note]]The first recorded mention of Dark Agnes is the when Howard sent a copy of his first Agnes story, "Sword Woman", to Moore after having read her first Jirel story in Weird Tales, so it is unclear if he wrote Sword Woman after having read Moore's story or if he had written it beforehand and, failing to get it published, sent it to Moore after reading her Jirel yarn.[[/note]] although her stories was only published long after Howard's death. Compered to Jirel it has lighter on the fantasy (fantastical elements only appeared in the unfinished third and last story), but MUCH heavier on the feminism. To quote Jessica Amanda Salmonson: "Had a woman written of Agnes in a similar manner, the author would have been charged with man-hating, frigidity, being a castrating bitch, a crazy radical."

* Creator/MarionZimmerBradley (whose most famous feminist book, ''Literature/TheMistsOfAvalon'', doesn't qualify for this trope because its main character is pretty much a victim of fate rather than a hero) wrote a number of women heroes in her Literature/{{Darkover}} books and others. For example, in ''Hawkmistress!'' Romilly has the gift of merging minds with animals, runs away from her home to escape marriage, aids an heir to the throne and participates in military campaigns.

* ''Literature/ChildrenOfMotherEarth'' features a GreenAesop, it is a futuristic fantasy that is located in Greenland, which, due to global warming, is ''actually'' green (the rest of the world has become a barren wasteland). The changes made to society to make the lifestyle more sustainable include the removal of patriarchy. Men are not allowed to carry weapons, so that they can't attempt to oppress women once again, but in all other respects, society is equal (and men can get a special permission to carry weapons if they really need to).

** ''Literature/EqualRites'' is about a young woman, Eskarina Smith, who was inadvertently imbued with wizard ability, despite the commonly held belief that wizards are exclusively men, and witches are exclusively female, and the ensuing attempts to teach her witchcraft instead, or get her accepted into wizarding school.

* ''Literature/TheBlackCompany'' series varies from book to book. ''Dreams of Steel'' and ''Water Sleeps'' both have a female protagonist, from whose perspective we see most of the events, and who shows strength of character, a lot of competence, military skill and the capability to hold her own in a deeply sexist society; and they aren't the only competent female characters in those books. Croaker's books seem to flip-flop on this - the first four books have his relationship with the female EvilOverlord as an important element, but her portrayal in ''The Black Company'' and ''The White Rose'' is much more rounded than in ''Shadows Linger'' and ''Shadow Games'' (in which she is either not present most of time or [[spoiler: still hasn't pulled herself back together after being depowered]]). The Murgen books (''Bleak Seasons'' and ''She Is the Darkness''), ''The Silver Spike'' and ''Soldiers Live'' seems to be the least feminist-friendly: though a fair of number of competent women appear in various capacities, they're just given much less focus than in other books of the series.

* Creator/MelanieRawn tackles this head on in her ''Exiles'' series, set in a matriarchal society where women are the dominant gender — the rulers, leaders, the soldiers. Men are to be cosseted and cared for, submissive to their wives and so forth.

* Just like [[Literature/LandOfOz the original books]], ''Literature/TheWickedYears'' has a large number of female figures in power. For example, the role to Eminent Thropp (essentially the ruler of Munchkinland) is passed down matrilineally, Glinda is one of the most powerful people in Oz, Dorothy saved Oz from the Wicked Witches, and Ozma is eventually reinstated as queen.

* ''Literature/TheEmpiriumTrilogy'': The series features two female leads who have to deal with the unrealistic expectations forced upon them by their friends, family, and peers. Most of the characters, both named and not, are woman or girls, most of whom can dish out punishment as good as or better than their male counterparts. There's also no such thing as homophobia- there's a lot of queer characters, some of whom are married, and no one suggests that their love is unnatural.

%%* Allthough written by a man ''Literature/{{Phenomena}}'' has two heroes, the twins Alk and Ilke, a boy and a girl. Ilke is the strongest of the two, [[SlaveLiberation frees more people]], and is even one of the most beloved characters in the books. She has no real ImpliedLoveInterest, but according to WordOfGod will she only see a person as strong as herself worthy. Millian is also a strong female character, who is never in need of saving.
* ''Literature/RangersAtRoadsend'', and the other volumes of the Celaeno series, by Jane Fletcher features lots of asskicking women who are members of the military elite unit, the Rangers, and a society completely free of sexism.

* A little over half of the protagonists in ''Literature/WingsOfFire'' are female. Pyrrhia is ruled by queens and in other jobs females are just as common as males, and there are plenty of powerful female characters on all factions.

** The Radchaai in the ''Literature/ImperialRadch'' trilogy (''Ancillary Justice'', ''Mercy'' and ''Sword'') do not see gender and thus, every character in the series is referred to with the pronoun "she" thanks to TranslationConvention. The protagonist is a several thousand year old warship AI in a female WetwareBody.
** ''Literature/{{Provenance}}'' is set in the same universe as the ''Imperial Radch'' in a society that recognizes three genders (man, woman and neman), which children choose from during their coming-of-age ceremony. Some in their society never choose at all. The protagonist is also a young woman who has recently come of age.

* All novels by Creator/FrancesHardinge feature very strong and non-stereotypical female protagonists (except ''Verdigris Deep'', and even that one has a lot of important female characters), but ''The Lie Tree'' is a pure work of feminist fantasy, as it explores the image of woman in the Victorian society, concepts like learned helplessness and masochism and how the enormous contribution that the woman made to both that society and the natural science has gone most unnoticed until recently - all through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl against a backdrop of a murder mystery with a shade of supernatural.

* Creator/CharlesStross writes science fiction that usually centers around a female protagonist (human or humanoid android), or if there's a male and female hero team, it will be a NonActionGuy and an ActionHeroine - even if the latter sometimes got her fighting skills through rather contrived circumstances (e.g. a historical reenactment / fencing hobby). Of particular interest with regards to feminist themes are the Freyaverse novels ''Literature/SaturnsChildren'' and ''Literature/NeptunesBrood'', the aborted "trilogy" ''Literature/HaltingState'' and ''Literature/Rule34'' (lesbian police officer protagonist), and ''Literature/TheMerchantPrincesSeries''.
%%* Numerous UrbanFantasy series star asskicking women as their main character. Here are just a few:

* Despite appearing to be just another ParanormalRomance series on the surface, ''Literature/NightWorld'' still manages to be this. All nine books (and the unreleased tenth book too) have female protagonists and all of them generally manage to be intelligent, strong-minded, proactive and heroic in their own way, with some of them being straight-up {{Action Girl}}s. And this isn't even counting all the secondary or supporting female characters. Many of the girls successfully protect themselves or rescue their male love interests, even when he's a supernatural being and she’s 'just' a human. Although romance is always central to the plots, the female protagonists are also not defined solely by their romantic relationships, usually having goals and interests outside this too. Witches are explicitly matriarchal and matrilineal while not looking down on men, and are generally portrayed as being more reasonable and sympathetic than other factions of Night People – the explicitly patriarchal and outright misogynistic Redferns come across as a lot more villainous. Women are also responsible for or directly involved in many of the major events of the series, including the war with the dragons, the creation of the vampire species, the alliance that formed the basis of the Night World and the reformation of [[LaResistance Circle Daybreak]] among many others. Some of the books also touch on themes of female empowerment and inequality (mostly ''Daughters of Darkness'', ''Spellbinder'' and ''Dark Angel''); ''The Chosen'' also stands out due to revolving around a female vampire hunter who almost single-handedly takes on a vampire slave ring targeting vulnerable young girls, with the assistance of an escaped victim who turns her victimisation on its head to fool the slavers and help the other girls (the vampire hunter's love interest is also attracted to her partly ''because'' of [[AmazonChaser her strength and combat prowess]]).
* ''Literature/AnitaBlakeVampireHunter'' arguably started out as this (or was at least aiming for it), being an UrbanFantasy series about a [[ActionGirl tough]] [[AnimateDead necromancer]] [[OccultDetective cop solving supernatural mysteries]] and unapologetically engages in numerous sexual relationships (both serious and casual). Unfortunately, this [[SubvertedTrope falls on its face a bit]] in the later books, due to the plots increasingly focusing less on Anita being a badass detective and more on her various sexual exploits and romantic drama, not to mention a few problematic implications present throughout the series. Namely, the fact that there are hardly any women characters besides Anita and the few that do appear tend to be portrayed either as villains or helpless damsels, Anita's tendency to get jealous of and/or look down upon other women, and the general running themes of RealWomenDontWearDresses and NotLikeOtherGirls. The fact that Anita's promiscuity is less because she just likes sex and more because she has a magical condition that requires to her to [[MateOrDie have sex or die]] (even if it's with someone she doesn't especially fancy), and that it [[QuestionableConsent compels]] men to want to sleep with her even if they wouldn't usually, also doesn't seem all that empowering to many readers.

** ''Literature/InCryptid'' is a GenerationalSaga following the [[BadassFamily Price-Healy family]], which is full of {{Action Girl}}s going back to the 19th century. Out of the eleven books out so far, only two have been primarily narrated by a male character, and even in those there's a well-written ActionGirl as the deuteragonist and LoveInterest.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'' is a feminist fantasy that featured three women banding together and saving the world. This is especially true of earlier seasons when the story seemed very focused on vulnerable women preyed on by aggressive male characters. The fantasy was that they were witches and could thus defend themselves from all of these threats. Also, Charmed was very focused on celebrating women in general with the Halliwells descended from a long line of strong women. Like the original show, the [[Series/Charmed2018 new series]] also revolves around three sisters as its main protagonists, and often involves women's issues as well. In fact, their mother was even a professor of women's studies at the local university.

* ''Series/TinMan'' is a ScienceFantasy retelling of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', where the three main power players are women. DG leads the resistance, her mother the queen is TheMentor pulling the strings so that evil is defeated, and the evil Azkadellia commands an entire army as well as wielding plenty of dark magic herself. [[spoiler: As Azkadellia is really DG's possessed sister, the climax of the story stresses the power of sisterly love, where the combined powers of the sisters defeats the true WickedWitch.]] Most of the men in the story are subservient to the women in some way.
* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'' is a distinctly [[DarkFantasy dark and twisted]] tale, driven by a diverse cast of women. The shadowy society of magic is almost predominantly female, with the powerful figures of Fiona Goode and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Laveau Marie Laveau]] leading the rival groups. Unlike previous installments of the series, the women are the driving force of the story and rarely require assistance or protection from the few male characters. They fight their own battles, with each other as well as the various outside forces that threaten them. It deals with issues of older women as sexual beings, feminism as a force that changed society, sexual assault, and even women as dangerous figures in the form of abusers or killers. It neatly avoids the [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale Double Standards]] concerning female-on-male violence, portraying either sex as equally capable of being the abuser ''or'' the victim. On multiple occasions, students of the school declare that they do not need men to protect them, facing down hordes of zombies or axe-wielding serial killers without needing for rescue.

* ''Series/AgentCarter'' is a spin-off of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', starring the titular female agent, becoming the first female lead in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. In the aftermath of the war, Peggy finds herself reduced to fetching coffee and answering phones at the organization she works for -- belittled by her peers and unable to find respect as a field agent. When Stark inventions are stolen and he finds himself accused of treason, he contacts Peggy to clear his name and find the missing inventions. Working as a double agent, Peggy takes advantage of her peers' tendency to ignore her and fights to save New York from a criminal organization. The series deals with not only the misogyny of the era, but the plight of thousands of women forced to surrender their wartime careers to the returning soldiers.

* The ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}'' TV series focuses on the titular heroine, as she decides to follow in her cousin's footsteps and become a hero. Kara worries about being trapped in her more famous cousin's shadow, and works to become her own hero defined by her own successes and failures. Alongside her foster sister, Alex, she aids a covert government agency in hunting down escaped alien criminals -- with the relationship between the sisters a major focus of the story. Her boss, media mogul Cat Grant, also brings another perspective into the story in exploring the double standards attached to successful women. Women, she tells Kara, have to work twice as hard to be acknowledged and aren't allowed to make mistakes if they want to be taken seriously.

* Upon close-inspection, Morticia Addams from ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' ([[Series/TheAddamsFamily the show]] and [[Film/TheAddamsFamily the film series]]) can be read as a feminist icon to a certain degree. She is sexy, confident and fully comfortable in her own skin, completely unashamed of many of her strange hobbies and her still ''very'' active sex life. In her marriage, she is equal to Gomez in everything, especially when it comes to parenting their children. Whenever they have a scheme, they do it together, and they have no secrets to hide from each other (not that they would want to).
* After showing how women are underestimated at best and treated as sex slaves, brood mares and bargaining chips at worst, ''Series/GameOfThrones'' gets this tinge in its 6th season, in the form of WomenAreWiser. Almost all factions (King's Landing, the Reach, Dorne, the Iron Islands, Meereen) have come to be headed by strong, competent (at least [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen sometimes]]) female rulers (Cersei, Olenna, Ellaria, Daenerys) while the men who had previously held these positions have failed one way or another. The one faction that has a man at its throne (the North) owes its existence to Sansa Stark more than it does to its king Jon who almost got himself and his men killed and would have lost without Sansa's diplomatic skill. Even previously competent male leaders like Tyrion and Jon have turned into GeneralFailure and make a mess for the women to clean up. Women such as Brienne, Arya and Lyanna Mormont, if not queens in their own right, acquit themselves better than most men do at this point. It eventually ends up being subverted by the end. Ellaria is last seen rotting in the dungeon after being defeated by Balon Greyjoy and losing her daughters, while Olenna is given the chance to commit suicide after being defeated by Jaime's forces. Most controversially, [[spoiler:Daenerys ends up JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope, going on a rampage through King's Landing and killing thousands of innocent people, not just Cersei. Jon is ultimately forced to kill Daenerys, resulting in only two female rulers remaining-Yara Greyjoy ruling over the Ironborn and Sansa as Queen in the North, and both largely got the positions by virtue of no one else being eligible for them]].
* ''Series/{{Witchblade}}'': The Witchblade is explicitly a female force, choosing women to wield it and regarding them as superior. Many of the villains Sara encounters are, conversely, in one way or another embodiments of the darker sides of masculinity or the products of male efforts to "usurp" the female domain (e.g., [[CloningBlues clones]] represent [[DesignerBaby artificial control over pregnancy and birth]], {{brainwash|ed}}ing {{super soldier}}s can be seen as a twisted version of child rearing, and TheLanceOfLonginus is {{literal|Metaphor}}ly the [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]] to the Witchblade and wielded by a villain). Protagonist Sara Pezzini is tough and capable but also not afraid to show emotion or otherwise appear feminine, and protective of others in a definite MamaBear sort of way.

* ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'': Not only is the main character a woman along with most supporting characters too, the series revolves around women's issues. Most particularly is bodily autonomy, since the Handmaids are {{breeding slave}}s, though also other rights which women have gained (at least in part of the world). They struggle both to resist and survive under a misogynist regime that's horrifically oppressive, in which the smallest freedom is denied for them. Given that many issues in the series have come back into prominence with a number of US laws curtailing many reproductive rights, actual American feminists have even taken up the Handmaid motif to protest while wearing their garb.
* ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance''. Two of the three main characters are girls - [[AllLovingHero Deet]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Princess]] [[BadassBookworm Brea]] - who are both brave, intelligent, proactive and heroic in their own way. The rulers of the Gelfings (the Maudras) are [[{{Matriarchy}} all women]] and in Gelfing society, GenderIsNoObject; both males and females can be warriors, scholars and so forth. The BigGood of the series is Mother Aughra, who helps guide the Gelfings in their quest to realize the true nature of the [[EvilOverlord Skeksis]] and restore the Crystal of Truth to save Thra; Brea and Deet also play vital roles in uncovering the truth and uniting the Gelfing tribes.

* ''Series/ShadowAndBone'', based on the [[Literature/TheGrishaverse book series]] by Leigh Bardugo. The central protagonist is an orphaned teenage girl, Alina, who discovers she's the legendary Sun Summoner, a [[OurMagesAreDifferent Grisha]] capable of manipulating light and of potentially destroying the magical wall of darkness literally dividing their country. Alina is also visibly of mixed ethnicity (in the books she's just Ravkan – a FantasyCounterpartCulture to Russia – while [[RaceLift in the show]] she's part Ravkan, part Shu – the fantasy counterpart of Mongolia or China; her actress has a Chinese father and English mother), which is uncommon for a Western fantasy protagonist. She starts out being manipulated by General Kirigan, who seeks to use her power for his own gain and makes her feel she has to rely on him, but by the end of Season 1 she takes back control, declaring she doesn't need him and will shape her own destiny. The other plotlines also have strong female protagonists: Nina is a Heartrender spy who survives abduction and manages to change her captor's view that all Grisha are evil and all women should be docile housewives; Inej is a former SexSlave who is determined to escape that life by joining a CaperCrew and is skilled at martial arts and infiltration. For Grisha in general GenderIsNoObject, with women serving in the Second Army alongside men.
* ''Series/MotherlandFortSalem'': The series revolves around four young women at the titular Fort Salem, a training academy for military witches. In their world, as a result of most witches being female the US seems largely female dominated (or at least has many leading women, including the President and head of the Army), while the story focuses on female characters even in minor roles (male characters so far have been secondary and in a decided minority), with them filling positions that been traditionally occupied solely by men and having great prestige.

* ''Theatre/SixTheMusical'' is about the six wives of UsefulNotes/HenryVIII forming a band and signing about their tragic lives. The final song throws the tragedy aside and instead has each girl sing about the AlternateHistory events that led them to form a band together, all of which involves them either ditching Henry or otherwise having a happy life;

** UsefulNotes/AnneBoleyn used Henry's romantic letter to make a hit song, being picked up by a record company and is currently a songwriter for [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakesy-P]].

* Lauren Faust's original toyline concept, ''Toys/MilkyWayAndTheGalaxyGirls'', does this with a wide, diverse cast. She got put in charge on the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' ContinuityReboot when she pitched the idea, and you can notice similarities between the two. Either way, she is quite proud that she could deliver such a blow to the GirlShowGhetto.

* In the spirit of the film series, ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'' features a strong-willed female protagonist faced with surviving against impossible odds. [[LegacyCharacter Amanda]] [[AllThereInTheManual Ripley]] is the daughter of Lt. Ellen Ripley, and has spent her life wondering what happened to her MissingMom -- when she's given the chance to help retrieve the flight recorder from her mother's ship, she ends up trapped on a space station being hunted by both paranoid humans and the titular Alien. An [[WrenchWench engineer]] by trade, she's an ActionSurvivor, using intelligence and her skills to outwit and elude her enemies.
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate'' went a long way towards correcting some of the franchise's past mistakes with female characters, but the ''Jack the Ripper'' DLC is much more explicitly feminist than the base game, since it focuses solely on the game's female protagonist Evie Frye (who was somewhat sidelined in the main game) and her quest to [[DistressedDude rescue her brother]] and put an end to Jack. Perhaps the most strikingly empowering part of the DLC is the underlying story arc wherein Evie seeks to help rescue and liberate the prostitutes of London, who have been marginalized and ignored by the chauvinistic Victorian-era. One type of side activity literally involves Evie beating the shit out of a man assaulting a prostitute, capturing him, and parading him through the streets of London to be mocked before receiving a good verbal thrashing from [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold Nellie]].

** She is the sort of stylish, sexy, sarcastic fantasy action game hero that was an AlwaysMale archetype at the time her game came out. Unlike many less effective 'sexy' {{Action Hero}}ines, her {{Camp}} approach allows her to serve as a silly EscapistCharacter who gamers relate to and want to be, rather than [[LowestCommonDenominator a well-rendered pair of buttocks]] for [[MaleGaze the assumed-straight-male gamer to stare at from a distance]]. We also get to see her as [[TheThreeFacesOfEve a child, a mother and a nun]], implying a femininity that is more complex than just sex.

** The game also has RomanticismVersusEnlightenment along traditional myth tropes of the light masculine principle and dark feminine principle, suggesting that feminine subversion, liminality, feeling, sexuality and fun is the only way to dismantle boring, orderly, oppressive, repressed patriarchy. At the end of the game, Bayonetta summons a prostitute demon to punch the Abrahamic God into the Sun. In an attack called a 'Climax'.

* Jesse Faden of ''VideoGame/{{Control}}'' starts the game with nothing particularly special about her other than her DarkAndTroubledPast and her GuardianEntity Polaris. Within ten minutes, she's appointed head of the Federal Bureau of Control by [[EldritchAbomination the Board]] and tasked with freeing the Bureau's headquarters from the invasion of the Hiss and, after some apprehension, turns into an full-blown ActionGirl. She develops and hones PsychicPowers throughout the game until, by the end, she can hurl forklifts across the room with her mind, control enemies to fight for her, and fly. The basic story is a GenderFlip of the DamselInDistress, as Jesse is trying to save her brother Dylan. The bulk of the cast is female and in positions of power within the FBC. To top it off, the final horror the Hiss inflict on Jesse is [[spoiler:forcing her to live a banal life as an unappreciated doormat of an office jockey, an unfortunate fate of many women]].
* ''VideoGame/ADanceWithRogues'' is a very mixed bag. On the one hand, it [[TraumaCongaLine holds absolutely no punches]] when it comes to dangers faced by a young woman with no status or family in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy land -- yes, that includes repeated enslavement, torture, rape, and murder attempts -- and is rigged against the character being able to fight her way out of many situations. On the other hand, it provides numerous opportunities to avoid danger by timely application of guts, wits, and skills or, failing that, to take revenge, persevere, and ultimately emerge a stronger and better person despite all of that. It's ''also'' an unabashed woman's sexual fantasy (by WordOfGod in an interview) about being desired by everyone and getting to have lots of no-strings-attached sex if you want to, with attention paid to making the sexual content actually meant to be sexy to be only by choice (though there is a slight bias towards the author's own desires to go for it, so that a player who's not into that part of the story won't necessary feel comfortable with everything).

** Creator/BioWare's other big franchise seemingly outdoes ''Franchise/MassEffect'' in its portrayal of badass women. Female fighters are simply ''everywhere'' in Thedas, with most nations having adopted a GenderIsNoObject policy long ago (with Tevinter and the Qun being the notable exceptions). Throughout the series you are partnered with several fully-fleshed out women in your squad. Additionally the Chantry, the FantasyCounterpartCulture for the Catholic Church and arguably the most powerful political entity in Thedas, is comprised ''exclusively'' of women, including the head of Chantry and its most powerful scholars and warriors. This is in large part due to the fact that its founder was female prophet/warrior named Andraste (whose story is honestly worthy of a game itself).

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' seemingly tricks the audience into believing that Tidus is the main character of the story, and as the story progresses it appears that this is actually Yuna's story and he serves as the AudienceSurrogate for her quest to save the world. Yuna begins the story as a naive young woman determined to sacrifice herself for the greater good, but as it goes on she must choose a new path in order to defeat [[EldritchAbomination Sin]] once and for all. Towards the story's climax, it becomes clearer that Tidus is the {{Deuteragonist}} to Yuna's SupportingProtagonist [[spoiler:as he is the one truly destined to kill Sin, not Yuna]]. The game's sequel, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'', is a straight example which features an all-female party, taking elements of the MagicalGirl genre with transformations allowing them to harness different powers and abilities. The Gull Wings are primarily focused on enjoying the world they saved, but Yuna also seeks to find out [[spoiler:what happened to Tidus after he vanished during the first game's ending]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' features a naive male AudienceSurrogate, but RebelliousPrincess Ashe is the focal point of the plot, using political intrigue and supernatural or military might to reclaim her throne and save her kingdom. When an invasion killed first her husband, and then her father, rather than surrender to her fate... she faked her own death, and became part of an underground resistance. The others become involved in her quest, and follow her as she journeys across the lands in search of mystical artifacts, great weapons, and political allies to aid in her mission to save her kingdom. She becomes the focus of [[spoiler: a mysterious race of god-like beings, who offer to make her a God-Queen ruling over all mankind. They encourage her desire for revenge, but ultimately she rejects them and chooses a path towards freedom and peace for mankind]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' was advertised as the first in the series to have a female protagonist (as opposed to previous titles that used a male as the AudienceSurrogate), and centers primarily around the women of the story. Lightning is a capable and skilled soldier, and quickly establishes herself as a leader while struggling to [[DefrostingIceQueen open up]] to her new companions. Vanille and Fang also help drive the plot through their choices, and [[spoiler: ultimately find a loophole to complete their Focus while still saving the people of Cocoon]]. The sequels expand upon this, with the focus upon the Goddess Etro and how her Seeress has shaped history. Serah takes the reigns of TheProtagonist, while Lightning becomes a Champion of the Goddess. The final game of the trilogy sees Lightning become the maiden of legend: the Savior foretold to appear at the end of the world and lead mankind to salvation. It deviates from a party system, seeing Lightning become a literal [[OneManArmy One-Woman Army]] on a divine mission to save mankind. The final confrontation with the BigBad manages to further the feminist themes of the story: [[spoiler: Upon learning that God intends to make humanity soulless puppets, with her as Etro's replacement, she uses her new-found power as a [[PhysicalGod Goddess]] to defeat him. The many incarnations of the Seeress Yeul offer to take Lightning's place as the new Goddess of death to ensure the cycle of rebirth can be restored, while Lightning leads the souls of humanity to a new world]].

* ''VideoGame/HellbladeSenuasSacrifice'' is an interesting example. Player character Senua is a [[BrokenBird very vulnerable and traumatised young woman]], who suffers from schizophrenia or a similar delusional disorder. However, she's also a brave, resilient and highly skilled Celtic warrior, who is on a quest to Hel (the Norse one with one 'L') to try and bring her dead lover back. She dresses sensibly for a warrior on a roadtrip to the afterlife and her condition is definitely ''not'' glamourized. She notably defied her abusive father to pursue love and happiness for herself, and Dillion is a very supportive boyfriend who encourages her to become a warrior and never shuns her for her mental illness. Overall, the game is about Senua trying to cope with her many losses, learning to accept herself and finding hope.
* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' is about a young woman named Aloy, a badass huntress and warrior in her own right, on a quest of self-discovery that ultimate reveals her to be [[spoiler:TheChosenOne destined to save the new world created by Project Zero Dawn]]. Quite literally [[spoiler:all life in Earth]] ends up resting on her shoulders. The portrayal of strong women in the game however goes far beyond Aloy herself, and extends to female characters like Sona, Petra, Talanah, Vanasha and [[spoiler:Aloy's genetic predecessor and pseudo-"mother", Dr. Elisabet Sobeck, who already saved the world once]]. ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' is ultimately a story about not just Aloy but strong women of every type challenging tradition, standing up for themselves and saving and protecting their communities and ultimately [[spoiler:life itself]].
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' stands out from the rest of the franchise for not only providing the first playable Heroine, but turning classic Disney films on their head a little with how she fits into their narratives. The story begins with Aqua earning the rank of Master, and being charged with locating and bringing home her TrueCompanions when they go astray. She spends much of the game struggling to save Terra and Ventus from the darkness threatening them, [[spoiler: and is the sole protagonist of the Final Chapter]]. An equal balance of LadyOfWar and LadyOfBlackMagic, she is an exceptionally skilled warrior and the most level-headed among the PowerTrio. When encountering classic Princesses, she is the one who actively facilitates their happy endings -- escorting Cinderella during her escape from Lady Tremaine, defeating the Magic Mirror and the Evil Queen to help save Snow White, and rescuing Prince Phillip from Maleficient's castle before they face down the sorceress-turned-dragon together. [[spoiler: In the Final Chapter, it is revealed that she was the one that laid many significant pieces of groundwork for the main story -- providing Kairi with the power of the Keyblade, creating Castle Oblivion to protect Ventus, and foiling Xehanort's original plan by destroying the x-Blade and leaving his new host (Terra) without memories. She was also the one to first encourage and warn Sora to watch over Riku, and never give up on him should he go astray in the future.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney'' and ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'' heroines April Ryan and Zoe Castillo are often considered by the fans to exemplify Feminist Fantasy, but their creator, while admitting a penchant for diligent and persevering women, denies that it was his main intention for creating them. Nevertheless, the fact is that both go out on an adventure, brave danger, proactively solve their own and others' problems and issues and ultimately save their world.

** It does a great job with its female characters, which is one of the reasons why the game has such a large EstrogenBrigade. Since the first game, every squad in the series has had a roughly 1:1 gender distribution, with women warriors potentially outnumbering the men if you play as female or [[spoiler: save Ashley on Virmire]]. Even the more sexualized characters, like Miranda and Samara, are ''far'' more than eye candy and receive plenty of CharacterDevelopment throughout the series that turns them into, well, people rather than objects. Much like sister series ''Franchise/DragonAge'', ''Mass Effect'' also shows plenty of women as soldiers, scientists, and other strong individuals among the N.P.C.s and background characters. The real icon of the feminist influence in ''Mass Effect'' though is the female version of Commander Shepard, affectionately known as "Fem!Shep" to the fans, who manages to surpass being a typical PurelyAestheticGender RPG protagonist due to [[Creator/JenniferHale Jennifer Hale's]] extremely well done voice performance for the character and [[Creator/BioWare BioWare's]] acknowledgement and endorsement of female Shepard as a strong female protagonist.
** The asari, a OneGenderRace of [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe blue alien space babes]] who [[MsFanservice conveniently]] are willing to mate with any gender of any species, initially come off as pure {{Fanservice}} material, and there's no denying they're the most sexualized characters in ''Mass Effect''. Nonetheless, the asari are also regarded as the most intelligent and powerful beings in the galaxy due to their long life span, history in galactic politics (they found the Citadel first, and essentially run the galactic government), and natural talent for biotics, and their individual soldiers are considered the most formidable warriors in the galaxy ([[SoldierVsWarrior emphasis on "individual" though]]). As with the other more sexualized female characters in ''Mass Effect'', the asari characters in Shepard's squad as well as notable NPC characters all are well developed characters with their own motives, ambitions, and personalities. Whether or not all of this cancels out the {{Fanservice}} they provide is one of the most contested parts of ''Franchise/MassEffect''.

* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'' and its [[VideoGame/PillarsOfEternityIIDeadfire sequel]] both feature female soldiers, priests, warriors, pirates, politicians, merchants, and scientists. Some of which can join your squad, in addition to playing as female yourself.

* ''VideoGame/TheQuarry'' is a survival horror game heavily influenced by 80s horror movies, starring an ensemble cast. The women of the game drive much of the action, facing physical threats and defending others while the men mostly cover technical or emotional roles. The game even features some of the partial nudity for FanService purposes you'd expect in an 80s slasher... but men are shown in their underwear at least as often as women are, with the conventionally handsome and athletic male character Jacob being the character who's probably going to spend the most time without a shirt on in most playthroughs. Depending on the choices made during the previous chapters, the final chapter of the game even has an alternate title of "FinalGirl".

* ''VideoGame/ScienceGirls'' is about the science club of an all-female school which has to team up and use super-powers to fight off an alien invasion.
* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'' has the rare distinction of both the main hero (Shantae herself) ''and'' the main villain (PirateGirl Risky Boots) being different forms of a woman's PowerFantasy. Shantae is friendly, helpful, lovable, quirky and [[BadassAdorable a powerhouse]] in her own right, while Risky follows nobody's rules but her own, proves herself to be TheChessmaster and a skilled fighter, and commands respect from her crew of Tinkerbats. Other women in the series such as [[TheBeastmaster Sky]] and [[AttractiveZombie Rottytops]] are rather badass as well.
* ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'' is the first (and thus far, only) installment in the franchise to feature a female protagonist. The story focuses on Heather, a young woman plagued by horrific nightmares and repeatedly approached by a strange woman that states she will "lead them to paradise with blood-stained hands". [[spoiler: She is in fact the third incarnation of [[ApocalypseMaiden Alessa]], and the infant entrusted to Harry Mason at the conclusion of the first game.]] Heather's emotional journey, as she searches for the answers to her dark past and connection to [[BigBad Claudia]] and the Order, is the primary focus of the game. She deals bravely with horrific monsters and environments, but also with her own personal demons from [[spoiler: Alessa's suffering]] as well as her own desire for revenge. Cycles of abuse and revenge are explored, as well as needing to overcome darker impulses and accepting the past to move forward. As a bonus, an alternate costume for Heather transforms her into a MagicalGirl with all the associated ideas of femininity as a source of power.
* The ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' series fits under this mold well. While characters of either gender can be played, the main ones used in promotions and marketing are female, and they've all got a lot of sass to go with their firepower. Each game is also hosted by "idol" characters and their relationships with each other get highlighted quite a bit: from bright and peppy Callie bouncing off her cool and sardonic cousin Marie, to everlasting bond between the kind-hearted yet foulmouth Pearl and the shy and tech-savvy Marina. [[spoiler:They also help your player character in the single-player campaigns, with a lot of your progress not being possible without their skills.]] Fashion plays heavily into game mechanics as well, with styles from all over the gender spectrum available to mix and match to your liking. The few male characters in the story are typically support (Cap'n Cuttlefish, Sheldon), unimportant (Judd and Lil' Judd), or actively antagonistic (DJ Octavio, [[spoiler:Commander Tartar]]), but in spirit of the trope, the girls are on equal footing with them, give or take the Judds.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' is a video game trilogy that acts as a SpiritualSuccessor of the video game, ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', and it stars three main female characters in the party. The main protagonist of the series, Shion Uzuki, is a computer scientist and programmer working for Vector Industries who wields the M.W.S. as her WeaponOfChoice and is a skilled martial artist. KOS-MOS is a SuperPrototype RobotGirl created by her to fight the Gnosis, and she has a lot of weapons in her disposal. MOMO is a 100-Series Realian prototype who is capable of feeling human emotions, and she gains a desire to be human. It also stars female antagonists such as Pelligri, Commander Margulis' second-in-command, and T-elos, an android girl designed to replace KOS-MOS and more emotional than the previous two.

** A consistent pattern in the show is that male authority figures always screw up in some way and will either recognize their faults and work alongside the heroines, or double down and become villains. Ozpin freely admits that he has made "more mistakes than any man, woman or child" on Remnant, and is on the receiving end of several WhatTheHellHero from the girls. Taiyang was deeply depressed and absent for most of Ruby's childhood, leaving Yang to be PromotedToParent. Qrow is an alcoholic who only decides to go sober after Ruby chews him out for being useless. [[spoiler:Lionheart succumbs to his cowardice and becomes an agent of the (female) BigBad and Ironwood succumbs to paranoia and becomes a fascist dictator (who is opposed by a different, all-female team of heroes). Finally, the brother gods Light and Dark put the entire overarching conflict into motion by being petty and cruel]]. It usually falls to younger female characters to pick up the slack and fix the mistakes of their male predecessors.

* ''Webcomic/BewareTheVillainess'': The story centers around a smart, capable female protagonist that takes an introspective look at {{Double Standard}}s of the romance genre, as well as wider fiction and even ''real life'', and thus takes the story OffTheRails by refusing to play along with sexist tropes and assumptions. She out-maneuvers, out-wits (and [[ActionGirl sometimes even out-fights]]) the characters that repeatedly try to stop her, and does it while [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling out their flaws]] and [[KirkSummation explaining why]] the things they want or believe are toxic/twisted. The story is ''not'' afraid to repeatedly mention that its female characters are not "things" to be rescued, admired or sought-after, but agents in charge of their own fates.

* ''Webcomic/ErikaAndThePrincesInDistress'': The story as a whole deals with many feminist topics, and uses [[GenderInvertedTrope the inversion of gender stereotypes]] to put light on them and invite the reader to question them. The most obvious example is the fact that [[MenAreTough Women Are Tough]] and [[WomenAreDelicate Men Are Delicate]], and that those who do not fill that mold are often looked down upon. Characters also often find themselves on the receiving end of comments that mirror ones thrown at the opposite gender in real life: women are told that they [[MenDontCry shouldn't cry]] and [[BystanderSyndrome should learn to fight their own battles]], while men are told that they should smile more, that they're [[StayInTheKitchen not fit to do "women jobs"]], and that [[PermaShave body hair on them is ugly]]. There's even an [[UsefulNotes/{{Feminism}} organization trying to fight for men's rights]] by overthrowing the current system, that they see as oppressive and unequal.
** One notable scene is the duel between Benoit and Kaylane, during which she ends up [[DefeatByModesty undressing him]] before assaulting him. This was inspired by a very similar scene from ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro'' in which Alejandro does this to Elena, which the author for the comic notes rarely made anyone bat an eye. The gender inversion of the scene was meant to point at the DoubleStandard at play; without going into detail, it certainly succeeded in causing reactions and discussion from readers. Kaylane later gets chewed on by Irvine regarding her attitude, the latter telling her [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech quite angrily]] that she has no right to treat men the way she does. His argument pretty much straight-up matches real life feminist arguments on the matter, only with the genders reversed.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' is a Webcomic featuring a female protagonist and a fairly even distribution of male to female supporting and minor characters, which are almost always shown to be on par with their male counterparts. Both male and female characters are the subject of heroism, captivity, villainy, general badassery, and fanservice in approximately equal ratios.

* ''Webcomic/{{Namesake}}'' has Emma, a female protagonist that is [[YouCantFightFate thrown into a pre-written story]] where she's expected to fulfill a role, yet still constantly makes her own decisions and can actually be quite bossy in order to make things work out and [[PromotionToParent return to her sister about whom she cares deeply]]. The comic has more female than male characters altogether, and most of them show to have qualities such as being the ActionGirl, mature and well-informed, strong-willed and / or magically gifted, and they handle situations pretty well without male guidance. The BigBad is a man and both cunning and powerful, but he's often in the background, while his minions are for the larger part an AmazonBrigade (including a trans woman) with only a few male co-workers and are far more active.
* ''[[http://www.priyashakti.com/ Priya's Shakti]]'' is an independent comic produced in an effort to address sexual assault and Rape Culture in India. The story follows Priya, a young woman that is cast out of her home and community after being assaulted. The Goddess [[Myth/HinduMythology Parvati]] incarnates into the young woman in answer to her prayers, but finds that humanity continues to shun and abuse Priya. This enrages Shiva, who curses mankind until his wife intervenes to save them. Blessed with the Goddess' power, Priya journeys to fight for dignity and compassion, bringing hope to the world once more. The series includes special codes that unlock "Augmented Reality" content, featuring the stories of real survivors.

* ''Blog/LimyaaelsFantasyRants'' [[https://limyaael.livejournal.com/178080.html Feminist fantasy rant]]. Although she considers herself a feminist, Limyaael critiques tropes she sees in a lot of these, such as portraying woman as inherently [[WomenAreWiser smarter]], [[CloserToEarth more virtuous]] and even [[{{Matriarchy}} them ruling]] as ideal. Limyaael particularly dislikes those which (ironically enough, given feminist criticism of this) use [[SexualHarassmentAndRapeTropes Rape Tropes]] poorly, overusing she thinks RapeAsDrama, ChildByRape, simply using RapeAndSwitch at all, MadonnaWhoreComplex and GirlsVsBoysPlot. In general, she thinks these give feminism a bad name, and fall into [[StopBeingStereotypical unfortunate stereotypes]] [[DoesNotLikeMen of feminists]] that such works perpetuate.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': The series follows the adventures of a brave, smart, and ultimately good-natured teenage girl named Anne Boonchuy. Her culture as a Thai-American is explored in various episodes and her arc in season 1 is of her unlearning her initially toxic beliefs about friendship. Anne's friends, Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu, play a fairly large role in season 2, and have similar arcs about unlearning toxic behaviors and growing as people.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'': The story focus on a RebelliousPrincess ActionGirl Bean, who defies the roles of medieval society to upper class women while [[ComingOfAgeStory finding herself]]. Bean is also a main female character who is notably less sexualized than usual, being fairly average looking, lacking any curvy silhouette and preferring an efficient, simple and practical tunic/pants/boots outfit (Although, she does shows some attractive curves in the dresses she wears on special occasions).

* ''WesternAnimation/GlitchTechs'': One of the main protagonists is a female, whose video game skills are noted to be above excellent, even besting the male protagonist, though he doesn't act embittered about. There are numerous female supporting characters who are {{Action Girl}}s and their place is not questioned. Also, all of them are given distinct looks and are not carbon copies of each other.
* ''WesternAnimation/InsideJob2021'' follows Reagan, a super-genius female main character as she tries to keep all the secrets of the United States a a secret. Uniquely for a female protagonist, Reagan is allowed to be as flawed, vulgar and messy as any of the male main characters

** Unlike the short story it's based on (which main theme is OccupiersOutOfOurCountry), "Good Hunting" is primarily about Yan becoming an android vigilante after all the mistreatment she received throughout her life from various men.
* ''WesternAnimation/MayaAndTheThree'': follows the adventures of a teenage Mesoamerican princess as she unites a team to defeat the cruel gods. The other female characters are given their own agency and charactrization along with the males.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' shows that feminist works can find a wide audience. While the franchise has always been aimed at girls, and creator Creator/LaurenFaust created the cast as a way to remove generic "niceness" from the characterization of girls and avoid the problems inherent in TheChick[[note]] (she described one of the major themes as being ''how many different ways there are to be a girl'')[[/note]] , the show is written to be enjoyed equally [[ParentalBonus by parents]] and kids alike, and succeeds beautifully. It may be the only Western girls' cartoon that has inspired raiding threads on Website/FourChan.

* ''Franchise/ThePowerpuffGirls''. The entire series is based around cute, five-year-old little girls being badass and their femininity, or lack of, is not shown as a [[RealWomenDontWearDresses bad thing]]. The series encountered controversy over an episode featuring a StrawFeminist villain, Femme Fatale. She stole only Susan B. Anthony coins, and convinced the girls that men were their enemies -- leading the girls to let her go and begin acting hostile towards the guys in their life. Ms. Bellum, Mrs. Keane, and a female police officer pulled the girls aside, teaching them about equality and helping expose Femme Fatale as a hypocrite who injured female officers during her crimes and didn't know anything about Susan B. Anthony's role in history. Some felt the episode mocked Feminism, while others praised the focus on equality and learning about historical figures. [[WordOfGod Lauren Faust herself mentions she feels the topic wasn't handled well in the episode]].

* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' episode "Never Ricking Morty". Morty has to tell a story that passes the UsefulNotes/TheBechdelTest in order to save Rick's life ([[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext long story]]). The story involves his sister Summer and mother Beth having a [[StylisticSuck stiltedly random]] conversation that avoids any reference of men whatsoever. When Morty finishes the story, Rick remarks that it was a "feminist masterpiece". What's especially ironic is that the show usually fails the aforementioned test.

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' paved the way for many of the above shows, being a spin-off of ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' created to appeal to a female audience. The titular heroine is the long-lost sister of He-Man, and gains a magical sword that grants her the same superhuman powers he possesses. She is every bit her brother's physical equal that uses brains ''and'' brawn to save the day. The cast is [[WorldOfActionGirls primarily female]], with many involved in the [[LaResistance Great Rebellion]] battling to free Etheria from the tyrant, Hordak. Unlike its sibling series, the Rebellion is at a constant disadvantage and must overcome through a combination of martial strength, intelligence, and inspiring the oppressed citizens to stand up for themselves. Like many MagicalGirl series, typical elements of femininity are celebrated as sources of strength and physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength are all treated as equally important traits. The generation that grew up with She-Ra went on to be the audience of other major series, such as [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]] and [[Series/XenaWarriorPrincess Xena]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' is a MagicalGirl high/urban fantasy centering on Star Butterfly, the princess of Mewni, a kingdom whose line of succession and study of magic is matriarchal, meaning that only the women in the family are eligible to wield the royal magic wand and be the ruling monarch. Her entire family is composed of RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething, with her various "grandmas" being warriors, scholars, or diplomats, all with different morals and distinct personalities. While standard teenage romance drama does pop up, it's portrayed far more realistically[[note]]Excruciating to go through or witness[[/note]] than is usual. The show does deal with gendered issues such as arranged marriage, infidelity, misogyny, and motherhood, but primarily focuses on Star realizing the EvilColonialist history of her family and subjects, the real dynamics of the Monster/Mewman conflict, and the choices her family have made over generations that continue to affect the kingdom in the present. The show, in a similar vein to other MagicalGirl shows, utilizes feminine objects as tools of power, namely the royal magic wand that changes form depending on who holds it. Although for many queens it looks like a conventional MagicalGirl wand[[note]]while being visually distinct[[/note]], it has uniquely turned into a clock, a cane, a laser sword, a parasol, a goblet, a magic 8 ball, a puzzle cube, a pen, and a rolling pin. Star herself is an extremely powerful witch with a balance of strengths and weaknesses who matures throughout the series as she's forced to confront more and more complex political and interpersonal issues.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' is a ground-breaking series for its LGBT representation, predominantly feminine cast, and complete dismantling of traditional gender roles. The series presents a young male hero that is following his late mother's legacy and defined by his emotional depth and desire to resolve conflicts through open communication and empathy instead of violence. The Crystal Gems are a group of feminine-presenting aliens with diverse body types and unique personalities, all working together to defend Steven as his caretakers and protect the earth from invasion. There is a prominent lesbian couple, who share an on-screen kiss and further broke ground by getting their own wedding episode. As the bond between Steven and Connie develops, she becomes a skilled ActionGirl that wields his mother's sword while Steven uses her shield as a BarrierWarrior. The series encourages children to be themselves, breaking down stereotypical roles and toxic ideas about masculinity '''and''' femininity. It teaches girls to be confident and love themselves, while presenting them with an incredibly diverse range of women to look up to. It also actively teaches young boys that kindness, empathy, emotional vulnerability, and "feminine" behaviors or looks are not shameful or weak. The series presents a boy that has worn makeup and dresses, who cries openly, who tries to befriend his enemies, and looks to women as protectors as an inspirational figure.

* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'': A MagicalGirl type of series that focuses on a group of different young girls, all with different ethnicities and interests who each go through their own characters arcs. And while all of them have romances they are not the main issue for any of them, and they strongly believe in ThePowerOfFriendship.

* ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis'', the groundbreaking {{Cyberpunk}} anime of the late 1980s. It focuses on the adventures of a [[FourTemperamentEnsemble team]] of female mercenaries in PoweredArmor called the Knight Sabers. Led by genius heiress Sylia Stringray, the team is composed of hard-rocking BadassBiker Priss, unlucky-in-love athlete Linna, and DitzyGenius hacker Nene. Using a soundtrack composed primarily of songs performed by Priss' [[FakeBand band]], it follows Sylia's quest to bring down the corrupt and male-dominated corporation GENOM.

* ''WesternAnimation/InsideJob2021'' follows a super-genius female main character as she tries to keep all the secrets of the United States a a secret.

** ''Anime/YurikumaArashi'' may actually unseat ''Utena'' in terms of [[AuthorTract unbridled fury]] at the patriarchal structure of Japanese society, particularly in how it affects the way that women, especially lesbians, are portrayed in fictional media. Initially presented as a surreal fairy-tale take on the YuriGenre set in an all-female high school in a world where humans and bears have been separated by a massive Severance Wall, it rapidly becomes clear that not only does Ikuhara intend to [[DeconstructorFleet subvert and even deconstruct]] [[UnfortunateImplications the sexist and homophobic assumptions]] [[ValuesDissonance underlying many such works and tropes]], but to explore how the implicit and explicit condemnation of nonconformity (especially with love, sexuality and gender roles) adversely affects how individuals look at themselves and others. Of course, [[BrokenBase opinions are divided on how well it managed to do this]], with some claiming that the series is a massive BrokenAesop that is guilty of the same pandering it condemns, and the [[MindScrew surreal and confusing presentation]] does not help.

* ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis'', the groundbreaking {{Cyberpunk}} anime of the late 1980s. It focuses on the adventures of a [[FourTemperamentEnsemble team]] of female mercenaries in PoweredArmor called the Knight Sabers. Led by genius heiress Sylia Stringray, the team is composed of hard-rocking BikerBabe Priss, unlucky-in-love athlete Linna, and DitzyGenius hacker Nene. Using a soundtrack composed primarily of songs performed by Priss' [[FakeBand band]], it follows Sylia's quest to bring down the corrupt and male-dominated corporation GENOM.

* Arguably, the ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' series fits under this mold well. While characters of either gender can be played, the main ones used in promotions and marketing are female, and they've all got a lot of sass to go with their firepower. Each game is also hosted by "idol" characters and their relationships with each other get highlighted quite a bit: from bright and peppy Callie bouncing off her cool and sardonic cousin Marie, to everlasting bond between the kind-hearted yet foulmouth Pearl and the shy and tech-savvy Marina. [[spoiler:They also help your player character in the single-player campaigns, with a lot of your progress not being possible without their skills.]] Fashion plays heavily into game mechanics as well, with styles from all over the gender spectrum available to mix and match to your liking. The few male characters in the story are typically support (Cap'n Cuttlefish, Sheldon), unimportant (Judd and Lil' Judd), or actively antagonistic (DJ Octavio, [[spoiler:Commander Tartar]]), but in spirit of the trope, the girls are on equal footing with them, give or take the Judds.

* Arguably, ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' and ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' fit under this mold well. While characters of either gender can be played, the main ones used in all the promotions are female; and lending to the TotallyRadical 90's aesthetic, they've got a lot of sass to go with their firepower. The story has a strong focus on their "idol" characters and their relationships with each other, and they're all different from one another: Callie is bright and peppy, Marie is cool and sardonic, Pearl is both a brash foulmouth ''and'' sweet, and Marina is shy and tech-savvy. [[spoiler:They also help your player character in story mode, with a lot of your progress not being possible without their skills.]] Fashion plays heavily into game mechanics, with styles from all over the gender spectrum available to mix and match to your liking. The few male characters in the story are typically support (Cap'n Cuttlefish, Sheldon), unimportant (Judd and Lil' Judd), or actively antagonistic (DJ Octavio, [[spoiler:Commander Tartar]]), but in spirit of the trope, the girls are on equal footing with them, give or take the Judds.

* ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'' has a cast of female characters with distinct personalities, talents, and body shapes. While ShipTease is present, it doesn't take over the character's arc.

** ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'' deals with beings from Fairy Tales and mythology living in exile in modern day New York. It explores some of the darker aspects of the original tales, and deconstructs many of the problematic elements found there. In particular, Prince Charming is the prince from ''most'' stories, and a serial divorcee unable to find happiness as a result. Snow White is often the focus of the series, having grown into a strong-willed politician that runs much of Fabletown's daily business. Just [[RapeAsBackstory don't]] [[BerserkButton mention]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge the]] [[RapeAndRevenge seven]] [[DepravedDwarf Dwarves]]. Consisting of a massive ensemble cast, almost every single female character has developed over the centuries into a force to be reckoned with. The war in the Homelands, as well as changes in human society, have transformed them into modern women, often looking unfavorably on certain aspects of their pasts. The {{Spin Off}}s, ''Fairest'', ''From Fabletown With Love'', and ''Fables Are Forever'' all focus on the women of the series. The later two are solo adventures starring Cinderella, [[spoiler: Fabletown's master spy and assassin]] in James Bond-style adventures. Issues of female sensuality and sexuality, motherhood, reproductive rights, healthy and unhealthy relationships, misogyny, and sexism are all touched on or explored within the series.

* The ''Literature/LunarChronicles'' places well-known fairy tales such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood in a dystopian sci-fi setting, with the heroines of each tale teaming up to defeat a wicked Queen.

* ''WesternAnimation/InsideJob'' follows a super-genius female main character as she tries to keep all the secrets of the United States a a secret.

* ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'' is spearheaded by Creator/LaurenFaust, a name you'll see much of as this section continues. As the title suggests, it follows six heroines from DC Comics [[HighSchoolAU reimagined as high school students]]. They have wildly different personalities, but have a common drive to serve their city and consistently support each other, a reflection of Faust's "there's no 'wrong' way to be a girl" philosophy. Apart from MonsterOfTheWeek situations, the majority of the villains are also female, and nearly every episode passes UsefulNotes/TheBechdelTest. Consider the show's TitleDrop moment: after the heroines have saved the city, a group of preteen girls cheer, amazed to see a group of super hero girls.

* The ''WesternAnimation/LoveDeathAndRobots'' has two of those

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' is a ground-breaking series for its LGBT representation, predominantly feminine cast, and complete dismantling of traditional gender roles. The series presents a young male hero that is following his late mother's legacy, and defined by his emotional depth and desire to resolve conflicts through open communication and empathy instead of violence. The Crystal Gems are a group of feminine-presenting aliens with diverse body types and unique personalities, all working together to defend Steven as his caretakers and protect the earth from invasion. There is a prominent lesbian couple, who share an on-screen kiss and further broke ground by getting their own wedding episode. As the bond between Steven and Connie develops, she becomes a skilled ActionGirl that wields his mother's sword while Steven uses her shield as a BarrierWarrior. The series encourages children to be themselves, breaking down stereotypical roles and toxic ideas about masculinity '''and''' femininity. It teaches girls to be confident and love themselves, while presenting them with an incredibly diverse range of women to look up to. It also actively teaches young boys that kindness, empathy, emotional vulnerability, and "feminine" behaviors or looks are not shameful or weak. The series presents a boy that has worn makeup and dresses, who cries openly, who tries to befriend his enemies, and looks to women as protectors as an inspirational figure.

* ''Film/ThePrincess'': The princess refuses to comply with feminine norms, secretly training herself to fight and then rejects a marriage which she didn't consent to. After this, she has to fight off her would-be husband who's taken over and won't accept "no" for an answer (which is putting it midly). She's rewarded finally by [[spoiler:her father admitting she proved him wrong, accepting her as a warrior woman and making her his heir, while also saying in the future all princesses of the realm will be allowed to make these choices.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheQuarry'' is a survival horror game heavily influenced by 80s horror movies, starring an ensemble cast. The women of the game drive much of the action, facing physical threats and defending others while the men mostly provide technical or emotional roles. The game even features some of the partial nudity for FanService purposes you'd expect in an 80's slasher... but men are shown in their underwear at least as often as women are, with the traditionally handsome and athletic Jacob being the character who's probably going to spend the most time without a shirt on in most playthroughs. Depending on the choices made during the previous chapters, the final chapter of the game even has an alternate title of "FinalGirl".

* ''VideoGame/TheQuarry'' is a survival horror game heavily influenced by 80s horror movies, starring an ensemble cast. The women of the game drive much of the action, facing physical threats and defending others while the men mostly provide technical or emotional roles. Depending on the choices made during the previous chapters, the final chapter of the game even has an alternate title of "FinalGirl".

* The central protagonist of ''VisualNovel/{{Ascension}}'' is Aida, a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky,]] [[ActionGirl asskicking]] thief-turned-hero who is unapologetic about any of this. Other major characters include Sky and Tillie; although Sky spends a lot of the first chapter as rather timid and ProneToTears, she's still quite brave and loyal, and later [[TookALevelInBadass takes some serious levels in badass]] to become a powerful [[WhiteMagicianGirl magic user.]] Tillie is a [[BadassBookworm very intelligent alchemist]] who defied dwarf stereotypes to follow her passion and aspires to open a magic school. There are also numerous supporting or minor badass and strong-minded female characters.

** Katana from ''ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders'' is a master swordswoman who goes on various adventures on various teams to battle against the villainy in the world.
** Mera, Queen of Atlantis and ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}''’s wife, is a powerful sorceress who would later become a BreakoutCharacter and kicks as much butt, if not more, than her husband.

** Depending heavily upon the creators involved, ComicBook/RedSonja is an early example with a powerful, independent female warrior who focused strongly upon defending the weak and turning the tables on her male foes. Some [[ChainmailBikini aspects]] [[BestHerToBedHer of]] [[RapeAsBackstory the]] character come under question, or have been poorly handled by creators and undermined the more positive elements. This has resulted in Sonja being a highly controversial character, alternately praised as an iconic Feminist heroine or decried as a juvenile representation of a heroine. The incarnation being written by creator Creator/GailSimone has been highly-praised.
** ComicBook/SheHulk is a brilliant lawyer, as well as a physical powerhouse, ''and'' her series often deals with positive portrayals of female sensuality and sexuality.

** [[Characters/SpiderWomanTitleCharacter Spider-Woman]] has had several incarnations, but is always a strong woman with abilities that set her apart from that [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker other hero]] with spider-themed powers. Interestingly enough, she was not created as his [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]] (she was actually made when Marvel noticed some people were making a project called Spider-Woman and they rushed to make the character to claim the name), so she can carve her own path.

** ''ComicBook/XMen'', beginning with the famous run of Creator/ChrisClaremont from 1975 to 1991. His run saw [[Characters/MarvelComicsJeanGrey Jean Grey]] grow from TheChick to one of the most powerful beings in the entire Marvel Universe, Phoenix Force notwithstanding, and established [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] firmly as the team leader. Even with his departure from the X-books, the franchise continues this tradition of portraying varied women -- often the most popular characters in the book(s) at any given time.

** ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} is always highly intelligent, a skilled fighter, and very much an equal to the other members of the Batfamily no matter which heroine currently wears the mantle.

** ComicBook/{{Katana}} is a master swordswoman who goes on various adventures on various teams to battle against the villainy in the world.
** [[Characters/AquamanSupportingCast Mera]] is a powerful sorceress who would later become a BreakoutCharacter and kicks as much butt, if not more, than her husband.
** Characters/PowerGirl has always been portrayed as a powerful heroine, and often stands out from other female characters in having muscular build. Her CleavageWindow (easily her most marketed feature) is a point of contention, with people both in-and-out of universe asking exactly how seriously she, Kara, can be taken in such an outfit. How it's resolved is usually DependingOnTheWriter.
** Characters/{{Supergirl|TheCharacter}} has had multiple incarnations, but is always one of the most powerful heroes around since she is the DistaffCounterpart to Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}}.
** Characters/{{Wonder Woman|TheCharacter}} is perhaps the ''original'' Feminist heroine; a super strong crime fighter ''amazon''. Creator William Moulton Marston even believed that within a century America would become a matriarchy (and that that was a good thing).
** Characters/{{Zatanna}} is a gifted magician who is solves occult problems either on her own or with a team. She is noted to be brave, mature, and likable. She grew in popularity due to her solo comic series.

** ComicBook/BlackWidow is one of the greatest spies in the world, a deadly assassin, and a core member of the Avengers.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': The series follows the adventures of a brave, smart, and ultimately good-natured teenage girl named Anne Boonchuy. Her culture as a Thai-American is explored in various episodes and her arc in season 1 is of her unlearning her initially toxic beliefs about friendship. Anne's friends, Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu, play a fairly large role in season 2.

* ''Manga/{{Gals}}'' kicks this trope into overdrive. On the surface, it's a SliceOfLife series about the GyaruGirl subculture, and indeed the main characters spend a lot of time talking about clothes and boys. It also features the main character Ran Kotobuki beating up sexual assaulters, criminals, and other bullies nearly OncePerEpisode, all while giving lectures about how girls should respect themselves and not live their life for other people's sake. The very first episode has her talk a girl out of selling her body for CompensatedDating by [[ItMakesSenseInContext giving her a]] BrightSlap.

* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad''. The critically acclaimed film takes place in the kind of [[TestosteronePoisoning testosterone-fueled]], [[RatedMForManly hyper-masculine]] AfterTheEnd setting the ''Mad Max'' setting is known for, yes, and ostensibly stars Tom Hardy as the titular 'Mad Max', but the crux of the movie is propelled by Charlize Theron's character, the elite [[AwesomeMcCoolname Imperator Furiosa]], and her mission to return to the matriarchal home of her childhood, spiriting away five women who have been forced into sexual slavery and baby-production by a brutal warlord in the process. [[http://time.com/3850323/mad-max-fury-road-eve-ensler-feminist/ Many]] [[http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/eve-ensler-says-mad-max-fury-road-is-a-feminist-action-film-plus-watch-30-minute-interview-with-george-miller-20150511 critics]] [[http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/mad-max-fury-road-review/?tu=dd have]] pointed out that the real star of the film is arguably Furiosa, who literally drives the action in a quest for redemption for her past wrong-doings and liberation from the warlord, with Max himself taking the more subdued arc of recovery from trauma and reconnecting to his humanity. A good portion of the movie is devoted to women kicking ass and taking names for their fellow women.

* ''ComicBook/{{Aria}}'' is a Franco-Belgian variation of the trope about an ActionGirl that roams an inhospitable land and who fights injustices along the way, a bit like a KnightErrant.