15 Kick-Ass Women Taking Over Primetime TV (PHOTOS)
Lethal Ladies
Who doesn't love a wonder woman? "She saved the world. A lot," a premature Buffy the Vampire Slayer tombstone once read, and the stakes are just as high for the dynamic wave of fearless femme fatales dominating TV. Flying high and taking aim, they uphold a proud TV tradition of subverting gender expectations. Cross these damsels, and you'll know distress. —Matt Roush
Alex Parrish, Quantico
Played by: Priyanka Chopra
Why She’s Kick-Ass: As a rookie FBI agent, Alex was number one in her class at Quantico, excelling at all the rigorous physical and mental training. When she becomes the prime suspect in a terrorist attack, she still trusts her gut instincts and stays focused on figuring out who framed her.
READ MORE: The indefatigable Priyanka Chopra on the physicality of kicking ass as Alex Parrish
Jane Doe, Blindspot
Played by: Jaimie AlexanderWhy She's Kick-Ass: Like a female Jason Bourne, Jane Doe is a lethal human weapon who can go head-to-head with any adversary and still come out on top. She may not have all her memories, but in working with the FBI, she discovers incredible skills, like a deadly aim and a knowledge of different languages.
READ MORE: In Jane Doe, Jaimie Alexander finally finds the role she's been looking for
Kara Danvers, Supergirl
Played by: Melissa BenoistWhy She's Kick-Ass: Similar to her famous cousin Superman, Kara has superhuman strength, speed and flying and healing abilities. And with great power comes great responsibility, which she decides to use for good by keeping the city safe from dangerous criminals who escaped from the Phantom Zone.
READ MORE: Melissa Benoist tells us what it feels like to fly
Rebecca Harris, Limitless
Played by: Jennifer Carpenter
Why She’s Kick-Ass: Brian Finch may be the one with enhanced abilities after taking NZT-48, but this female FBI agent can more than hold her own when working with him. Capable and cool-headed, Harris knows the smartest and fastest way to catch criminals is to partner with Finch.
READ MORE: Jennifer Carpenter explains what it’s like playing a fearless FBI agent who isn’t driven by anger or angst
Melinda May and Bobbi Morse, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Played by: Ming-Na Wen and Adrianne Palicki
Why They’re Kick-Ass: As far as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents go, May and Bobbi are two of the best. After taking down an Inhuman by herself, in Bahrain, May even earned the nickname “The Cavalry.” Both women can take down men twice their size with bare knuckles or batons, but they’re also incredible for supporting fellow teammates, with May training Daisy to be a better agent and Bobbi helping Fitz search for Simmons.
Michonne, The Walking Dead
Played by: Danai Gurira
Why She’s Kick-Ass: This katana-wielding zombie killer has not only gone solo and lived to tell the tale (twice!), she also “trained” two walkers as a means of camouflage. The mysterious and resilient road warrior has also been the voice of reason, either helping dispatch the dreadful Governor or slapping some sense into a dictatorial Rick.
Carol Peletier, The Walking Dead
Played by: Melissa McBride
Why She’s Kick-Ass: Carol was a survivor long before the zombie apocalypse, having been an abuse victim under her controlling husband, Ed. After his death, she gradually transformed into an independent, empowered and resourceful survivor who was willing to manipulate and kill others to protect the core Atlanta group.
Elizabeth Jennings, The Americans
Played by: Keri Russell
Why She’s Kick-Ass: No ordinary soccer mom here. This KGB sleeper agent’s true goal is to steal U.S. secrets during the height of the Cold War, and she’s managed to carry out various missions (in different disguises) while maintaining her cover, keeping a low profile and raising a family.
Kono, Hawaii Five-0
Played by: Grace Park
Why She’s Kick-Ass: Sure, a little nepotism got Kono her spot on Hawaii’s highly elite Five-0 crime fighting team (her cousin is fellow member Chin Ho Kelly, played by Daniel Dae Kim), but this former pro-surfer also has superior sniper skills (her rifle of choice: the Knight’s Armament SR-25) and a mean karate kick. In the field, she’s as good as any man—which the character also was in the original late 1960s series.
Black Canary, Arrow
Played by: Katie Cassidy
Why She’s Kick-Ass: After the death of her sister, Sara, the original Black Canary, Laurel took on the alter ego. An assistant district attorney by day, Laurel is a vigilante at night who makes Starling City a safer place. As the daughter of a policeman, Laurel already had strong defensive and shooting skills, but intensive training gave her advanced fighting abilities.
Abbie Mills, Sleepy Hollow
Played by: Nicole Beharie
Why She’s Kick-Ass: Helping Ichabod Crane adjust to a new era is already a difficult task, but Abbie is also constantly stopping Hell from taking over Earth. As an FBI agent and as one of two witnesses to the biblical apocalypse, Abbie always manages to keep a level head fighting supernatural beings (from Moloch to the Four Horseman to Pandora).
Liv Moore, iZombie
Played by: Rose McIverWhy She's Kick-Ass: Once an overachieving medical student, Liv's life changed after becoming a zombie. Not only does she help solve crimes but using the visions she gets from eating brains, but she's also fierce and fearsome when in full-on zombie-mode. Once her eyes go red, she gains abnormal strength and doesn't flinch at bullets. Plus, anyone who eats creative brain cuisine with hot sauce is truly badass.
Brienne of Tarth, Game of Thrones
Played by: Gwendoline ChristieWhy She's Kick-Ass: There are plenty of fierce women on GOT, but Brienne stands out for being a noblewoman who would prefer to be a knight. She eschews a comfortable life in a quest to find and help Sansa and Arya Stark, and she's ferociously loyal to her own values (defeating a suitor in combat to avoid marriage) and to those she cares about, like Jaime Lannister and the late King Renly.
Dutch, Killjoys
Played by: Hannah John-Kamen
Why She’s Kick-Ass: This space bounty hunter—or “killjoy”—is equally at home in high-speed space chases and fast flying gun battles as she is undercover. And with a childhood spent training to be an assassin, Dutch is definitely one deadly dame.
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