In case you’ve been living under a rock, the newest addition to the iconic Star Wars franchise, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, is ~*finally*~ being released on Friday, December 15.
While our society has almost always reinforced the notion that sci-fi is “for boys”, recent decades have proven otherwise, especially in movies. This newfound gender equality shows us one thing: Ladies can kick ass in space, too.
1. Ahsoka Tano
Via Rebloggy
Ahsoka Tano was of the first female Jedi to be featured as a main characters in Star Wars. While she was featured as the primary protagonist in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka was an inspiration to young girls everywhere, teaching them to be strong and fight for justice.
2. Padme Amidala
Padme Amidala showed not only diplomacy, but skill with a blaster throughout the Star Wars prequels and the animated tv shows. Although her character met an upsetting end in Revenge of the Sith, her time in the spotlight in Attack of the Clones cements her as one of the most important characters in the Star Wars canon.
3. Princess Leia
One of the first heroes introduced in the Star Wars universe, Leia wrote the book on strong female characters. From escaping the Death Star to leading the Resistance in the newer movies, the late Carrie Fisher’s portrayal of the now iconic princess will for surely go down in the history books.
4. Jyn Erso
Via Tenor
A rebel hero near the same level as Leia, Jyn Erso was the main character of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Jyn’s leadership shows us very early on that she doesn’t need the help of any of the guys to save the day and steal the Death Star plans from the Empire.
Related: Sleigh All Day: Santa’s Reindeer Are Female
5. Rey
The clear and undisputed hero of the new trilogy, Rey inspired girls everywhere with her discovery of her inner power in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Following the movie’s release, hundreds of girls dressed up as Rey for Halloween as this new female character redefined what it meant to be a Star Wars hero.
6. Captain Phasma
Although we haven’t seen much of Captain Phasma, her mysterious nature makes her one of the most interesting characters in the new trilogy. One of the major villains of the new set of films, Phasma will likely play a larger role in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi and we’ll get to see how truly awesome she is.
7. Rose Tico
One of the new characters in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rose is a member of the Resistance fighting against the First Order. Rose is important not only because she is a strong female character, but also because she adds an important multicultural element to the Star Wars universe.
8. Asajj Ventress
Asajj Ventress was also introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as one of the main antagonists of the series. Originally one of Count Dooku’s underlings, Asajj finds her own footing after being betrayed by her former master. Additionally, Ventress’s character goes through a compelling redemption arc in the later seasons of the series.
Who run the intergalactic world? Girls.