Clarke Griffin, The 100
Time for my weekly plug of The 100. But in all seriousness, Clarke Griffin really killed it this year. She wound up on a whole new planet, had her body and mind taken over by a psycho, and lost her mom. Truth be told, Clarke has never really had an easy year, but I bet this one ranks as one of the worst. Yet, she still managed to survive and do the one thing she does best: save her people. With The 100 coming to an end in 2020, my only wish is that Clarke finds some peace at the end of it all. She has been through the wringer and honestly deserves it.
Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel
We were long overdue for a female-led Marvel movie. Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel was the perfect way to start a trend of female standalone superhero movies instead of the usual male-led bullshit. What makes Carol even more of a kickass superhero other than the fact that she saved the world back in the 90s, is that she also came back to save the world again in Avengers: Endgame. When you spend two decades roaming the universe to saving civilization after civilization, I think you earn yourself some cred.
Diana Bishop, A Discovery of Witches
So many powerful witches have filled our television screens over the years, but if there is one that has stuck out in recent memory it’s Diana. One of the most powerful witches out there (unbeknownst to her currently), Diana is a force to be reckoned with. She also has a very attractive vampire by her side. It was wonderful watching A Discovery of Witches come to life in 2019, but even more amazing was to watch Diana become the powerful witch we all know her to be. I can’t wait to see more of Diana on my screen in 2020 as there wasn’t nearly enough of her in 2019.
Brienne of Tarth, Game of Thrones
Brienne of Tarth is not a badass female of 2019 just because she wears armor. It’s not just because she is one of the best fighters in Westeros, male or female. What really makes Brienne a badass is that she is strong AND soft simultaneously; her softness does not negate her strength in any manner. In fact, her gentleness is her greatest strength. While the last half of season 8 is perhaps the most egregious breach of fan trust and maybe even the worst finale of any television series in history, the best episode of the season, and maybe even the series focused on her–“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Brienne is honored with a knighthood, the first woman in Westeros to receive the honor. She’s knighted in front of a room of accomplished men and none of them begrudge her the honor. In fact, they all celebrate her. This is what feminism looks like–women and men on equal footing, supporting each other. Brienne’s courage, integrity, and gentle heart make her a badass, but also the kind of person I aspire to be.
Margo Hanson, The Magicians
It was a pretty dark season of The Magicians this year. While we got Elliot back, we lost Quentin in the process. But don’t worry — the High Queen aka Margo was still just as brilliant as ever. Even while she was suffering through the grief of losing her best friend, Margo did what was best for the people of Fillory which ultimately led to her losing the crown. I have to admit, one of the highlights of peak TV this season was watching Margo on her spirit journey through the desert. God, that was awesome.