The Official GOAT List: Ranking the Greatest Female Action Characters of All Time

One walks into an alien-infested spaceship. Another stares down a Terminator. The Bride grabs a sword, Furiosa hits the gas, and Lara Croft goes looking for trouble on purpose. The greatest female action character debate crosses decades, franchises, movies, TV, superheroes, and games — and there’s no painless choice. Is Ellen Ripley still the standard? Does Sarah Connor take it? Can Wonder Woman overpower the field, or do Buffy, Trinity, Katniss, Xena, Black Widow, or Lara Croft have your vote? Pick your side in head-to-head matchups and build your GOAT list.