Captain Marvel and the 25 most empowering female superheroes of all-time
25 most empowering female superheroes of all time.
It’s easy to overlook some of the female superheroes in movies, on TV, and in the comics. Because they’re not physically strong, they’re often viewed as lesser than their male counterparts. One thing that’s forgotten is the mental or emotional strength, which can often take much more energy than physical, especially in the long-term.
Whether you’re looking at the comics, delving into the Arrowverse on the CW, or even looking at the movie incarnations over the years, there are strengths that we can take from so many characters. Yes, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman will come to mind, but what about the likes of Mantis, Felicity Smoak, and Scarlet Witch?
Empowerment is more than just physical strength. It’s about looking at the personality, doing what’s right, or even a strong resolve. There’s an element of character development and intelligence, as well as being unwavering in beliefs.
With all that in mind, I’m looking at the various characters over the years. As I’ve not read every single comic, some of the versions I’m focusing on the movie or TV show characters, taking the empowering storylines we’ve been delivered through them. Here are the 25 most empowering female superheroes of all time.
25. Mantis – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Who plays her: Pom Klementieff
Powers/Abilities: Empathetic abilities
More from Superheroes
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a battle pass (and that’s a bad sign)
- Batman: All 7 Batcycles ranked from worst to best
- Batman: All 11 Batgirl actresses ranked from worst to best
- All 31 animated Batman movies ranked from worst to best
- 27 best fighters in the Arrowverse, ranked
Why she’s so empowering: Wait, Mantis is the first on the list? I know this is a woman many will initially scratch their heads at, but Mantis shows that physical strength doesn’t mean everything. What she lacks in understanding of cultures and her physical strength, she more than makes up for in her mental strength.
We just have to look at how she helped take on Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War to see that she’s a superhero and one to look up to. While everyone else fought against him physically, she was able to tap into his mind and control him. She held him for as long as she could, making it clear that she was one to watch out for. Mental strength is often hard to portray, but the MCU has managed to show it tenfold for Mantis.
Then there’s her willingness to do the right thing. Despite being raised by Ego and feeling a debt to him, she realized that he was doing the wrong thing. Rather than help destroy the universe, she turned against him and worked with the Guardians. She certainly didn’t have to considering her initial loyalties, but it showed her sacrifice in a way – ending everything she once knew.
There is a lot that we can take away from her when it comes to mental strength and even physical resilience. Young girls can see that being smart or being strong isn’t what makes a good woman.