Captain Marvel and the 25 most empowering female superheroes of all-time

19. The Wasp – Ant-Man and the Wasp

Who plays her: Evangeline Lily

Powers/Abilities: Genius-level intelligence, skilled fighter, use of shrinking technology.

Why she’s so empowering: When it comes to Ant-Man, it’s all about The Wasp. Also known as Hope Van Dyne, she’s a character often most overlooked, possibly because she’s rarely made it to the big (or even small) screen.

Hope is one of the smartest characters you’ll ever meet in the comic world. She mastered her father’s shrinking technology before she even tried it out for herself and has routinely shown her ability to think quickly in tough situations.

Let’s also not forget that she can fight. Like another character to come on this list, she proves that being smart doesn’t mean being weak. Mentally and physically strong, she shows everyone that you can have the best of both worlds. You just have to be willing to work hard.

Before becoming The Wasp, Hope proved worthy. She wanted the best for the world, taking down villains that were stronger and more experienced than her. This focus and determination is another positive trait to take away.

Arguably, it’s the willingness to do the right thing without even the technology that makes her so empowering. She shows that having goals and morals is a strength, while focusing on the family that matters is something more than worth doing.

In the end, she became The Wasp but it wasn’t until she proved herself and understood her skills more that the offer was made. It became more of an honor instead of a birth right or expectation.