1. Sydney Bristow, Alias

Alias is one of my favourite shows in the world, and Sydney Bristow has forever held the bar for me when it comes to kick-ass female characters. She was smart, brave, loyal, and could literally kick anyone’s ass in her sleep. What made her stand out, however, was her strong sense of self. Despite going through so many experiences that were supposed to tear her down (that is, unless you don’t consider your own mother lying to you about her existence, the fact that you have a half sister, or the fact that she shot at you to be positive mother-daughter experiences), she never let it harden her and stayed true to her beliefs. Better still, she did all this while looking gorgeous in every possible get up you could imagine.

2. Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl introduced a whole new breed of girls to us, among them the ever-enticing Blair Cornelia Waldorf. For 6 seasons we watched a young, naïve, and deliciously manipulative girl grow up and start a family with the love of her life. Yet what makes Blair one of the truly inspiring kick-ass female characters on the small screen was that underneath all that, she was painfully relatable. She had a heart of gold, struggled with love (of course one could hardly consider choosing between Chuck, a prince, Dan, and Nate a struggle), and wanted to be a woman who had it all. She fearlessly went after her dream career, did everything she could to achieve her dreams, and let her heart guide her for what was most important. If that’s not inspiring, I’m not sure what is!

3. Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

No list would be complete without one of the literary world’s most kick-ass female characters, Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger. As the brightest witch of her age once said, "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery." Hermione taught girls everywhere that it’s okay to be smart, it’s okay to want to do well in school, and it’s okay to stay true to who you are. She taught us the value of friendship, courage, and having an unwavering faith in the good side of things. Plus, she rolled with the guys for 7 years, landed one of the coolest redheads in literature, and learned how to properly tame her hair in the midst of everything. That’s pretty darn impressive!

4. Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

If there is anyone who smashed stereotypes to the ground and made everyone who watched her stand up and cheer, it’s Elle Woods. That montage in the movie where she goes and picks up her new laptop in a bunny outfit, studies while walking on the treadmill, then answers all the questions that are thrown at her correctly - that scene never fails to motivate me! She showed women everywhere how to keep their heads high, believe in themselves, work hard, and not let the haters bring them down. The best part is, she did it all with class. Not once was she ever rude or mean to anyone; no matter how they treated her, she rose above. If that’s not enough to make her one of the most kick-ass female characters, I’m not sure what is.

5. Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars

First off, who else is as excited for this movie as I am? Anyone? I sat and watched the entire series in 2 weeks. Veronica Mars is a kick-ass characters who is truly inspiring; I want to be her when I grow up. She’s not only smart, and funny, and gorgeous, she was one of the first female characters I had seen in a long time that didn’t get dumbed down with drama about boys and parties and homework. She was witty, sharp, the perfect mix of sarcastic-yet-charming, yet utterly vulnerable at the same time. She was relatable, and we learned from her that no matter what life deals out to you, if you completely accept and own the hand you were dealt, you’ll turn out just fine.

6. Samantha Jones, Sex and the City

I was watching the special episodes that aired right before the series finale of Sex and the City’s 6 season run, and one of the things that was said about Samantha Jones was this: "Men fear women like Samantha." At that point, I realized what made her one of the strongest, and most kick-ass female that women have ever had the pleasure of watching. She showed us to not be afraid of what others thought, how to be completely comfortable in our own skin, and most importantly, that we should have fun doing it. Samantha never shied away from what she wanted; if it caught her eye, she would pursue it so fiercely that almost no one stood in her way, be it a man, a scarf, or a cab. We should all strive to have a little bit of Samantha in us. Maybe someone should start making WWSJD bracelets!

7. Cristina Yang, Grey’s Anatomy

Honestly, this woman has to be one of the coolest, funniest, and craziest characters on TV. Here are some reasons why: She’s brilliant, she’s beautiful, and she knows it. Some may hate on her for it, but she doesn’t let it stand in her way. In fact, she’ll just use it as motivation to do even better! Haters: 0; Cristina: 1. She never settles, and she has her priorities straight. When her friends need her, she’s there, and when she feels like she’s not learning enough, she not only recognizes it but also figures out how to make it better. That takes some strong understanding of self. Haters: 0; Cristina: 2. And just to put things in perspective, she dances when stress is starting to take over her life. That’s pretty much a life win right there. Verdict: Cristina Yang is better than her haters, make sure you are too.

8. Katniss Everdeen, the Hunger Games

First off, her nickname is the girl on fire; secondly she can literally kick your ass. Just watching her makes you feel empowered. She took the best of a bad situation, and gave it everything she had. She understands the importance of family, of compassion, and of never giving up, no matter what the odds. It’s rare to have a strong female lead nowadays, especially one who is not only seen as an equal to the big macho men who run around with big muscles and mean glares, but whom anyone can learn from. Katniss represents the modern warrior woman, and anyone who can shoot a bow and arrow with killer aim has to be one of the best kick-ass female characters to look up to.

9. Brooke Davis, One Tree Hill

To round of my list of kick-ass female characters that are truly inspiring, there is the lovely Brooke Davis. It’s hard to look at teen dramas sometimes and cite them as someone inspiring, but through all 9 seasons of this show, I found myself in admiration of Brooke the most. She grew up from the stereotypical spoiled rich girl to an entrepreneur who took a personal devastation and used it to empower women everywhere, all while looking like a million bucks. She showed us that sometimes you need to be a bit of a mean girl, but if you’re standing up for your beliefs, yourself, and the people around you, it’s occasionally needed. This girl always surprised you, whether it be with her kindness, her understanding, or her actions. Ultimately, she taught us that by being yourself, and believing in yourself, you can end up with the life you’ve always dreamed of.

There are tons of incredible kick-ass female characters for us to look up to nowadays, and the best part about it is that each and every one of them are relatable in so many different ways. Sometimes you need to channel your inner Hermione and get cracking on studying for that exam, or find that bit of Blair in you and make the sacrifices for the bigger picture. We’re lucky to have such strong role models to look up to and relate to. Tell me, who are some kick-ass female characters that inspire you?