Top 25 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Heroines - Part 2

17) Cordellia Chase - Angel



This school-yard villain, turned Buffy side-kick, eventually found her way into becoming a formidable heroine in the Angel series. No character on this list has gone through more transformations than Cordellia Chase. Evidence of her heroine chops first showed themselves when she was still just a young high-school girl, fighting alongside her fellow Sunnydale vampire hunters. It wasn't until she hooked up with Angel that she inherited special powers of cognition and the moral backbone that went along with it. Throughout the Angel series Cordy proved to be someone that stood up for those in need and although her final days were spent possessed by a demon, she eventually returned as a ghost to redeem herself.

16) Sydney Bristow - Alias



Sydney Bristow manages to skirt the fine line between action super-spy and friendly girl-next-door the same way her series Alias manages to walk the fine line between TV drama and cult science fiction. But Sydney has faced off against enough bizarre phenomena to qualify for a first-class heroine in the genre. This international secret agent manages to balance a hectic school schedule and saving the world from evil terrorists, all the while, planning a wedding shower for her favorite roommate. That was until she dropped her regular identity and went full-on-she-spy! Unlike many from this list, Sydney truly stands alone as the primary protagonist and heroine for her series. You will not find this one being turned into the damsel in distress and for that she deserves your respect!

15) Hermione Granger - Harry Potter



This young witch has come a long way in the last four years and most Harry Potter fans can't wait to see where she will go next. Hermione goes from a precocious "1st year" over-achiever to a formidable "4th year" junior wizard. During that time the young witch has saved both her friends and herself from all manner of dangerous encounter. Very few heroines can boast the proper skills, much less the intestinal fortitude that Hermione portrays, but this young lady manages to stand tall amongst her fellow heroes as a part of a significant franchise in the fantasy genre.

14) Barbarella - Barbarella



This swinging sixties sci-fi character redefined the role of heroines in the genre. Barbarella was both capable and free-spirited. In one minute she could court a lover and in the next minute she would defeat the bad-guys. Although the film is difficult to understand and the story-arc is convoluted, there is no argument of her strong historical impact on the science fiction industry.

13) Deanna Troi - Star Trek: The Next Generation



This Starfleet officer proved to be an invaluable member of the Enterprise crew over the years. Troi was half-human and half-Betazed and one of many that joined Starfleet as part of their counselor corps. Troi was capable of inter-species telepathy and proved to be an excellent negotiator, strategist, and counselor for Captain Picard. Troi embodied the Starfleet ideal: compassionate, forthright, and determined. Deanna often developed solutions to problems when there were none before.

12) Marion Ravenwood - Raiders of the Lost Ark



Indiana Jones never did better than his first female companion. Marion is tough on the outside with a heart of gold on the inside. She can drink a 300 pound man under the table and fight off Arab assassins with a frying pan. She is also able to demonstrate her softer feminine side, but only in an effort to orchestrate her escape from Belloch, the archeologist. Although she might be a little nervous around snakes, she manages to weather the wrath of God, which says a great deal for her strength of will. There is no question that Marion could go toe-to-toe with any slick starlet they trot out in modern sci-fi/fantasy film.

11) Padme - Star Wars



As Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa's birth mother, this alone argues placement in the top 25. However, Padme proves to be a worthy heroine in her own right. Although her impact on the prequals lessens in each film, Padme can be credited for being the mastermind behind the defeat of the Nimodians on Naboo and the impetus for the future rebel alliance. Nevermind that whole part about placing Palpatine in power or that bit about contributing to the fall of Anakin Skywalker. She's Luke and Leia's mommy so back off!

10) Number Six - Battlestar Galactica



Many might argue against Number Six as a heroine, but to her own people (the Cylons) that is exactly what she is. Masquerading as a human in the vanguard of the Cylon initiative, Number Six carried on an elaborate affair with Gaius Baltar without him ever knowing the difference. She subsequently infiltrated the human's primary defense grid and brought about the destruction of the 12 colonies, bringing the human race to the brink of extinction. Her place in the new series (more than any other) has re-defined Battlestar Galactica, making it a fresh and unique stand-alone franchise. Since that time Number Six continues her quest to defeat the humans, although recent events begin to bring her loyalties into question. What is not in question is this characters impressive array of skills and abilities.