Roxann Dawson as B’Elanna Torres in Star Trek: Voyager (Image via Paramount/CBS)
6. B’Elanna Torres (Voyager)
Not only did Voyager feature the first female captain to get any significant screen time, but it also included the first woman to be chief engineer on the series. Like some of the other female characters on this list, she was caught between two worlds. With a Klingon mother and Human father, B’Elanna Torres always felt uneasy about her ill-defined place in society.
This led to deep-seated insecurities that would inform her actions and sense of self well into her adult life. Despite a promising beginning at Starfleet as an engineer, Torres often conflicted with her superiors and was suspended multiple times. She eventually dropped out and joined the rebel Maquis. Torres unexpectedly rejoined Starfleet when Voyager was flung into the Delta quadrant along with the Maquis ship. After proving herself to be a brilliant engineer, Torres became chief engineer of Voyager.
Over time, Torres slowly came to accept her dual nature. She even comes to accept her difficult relationship with both her parents and their respective cultures. Throughout Star Trek: Voyager, B’Elanna changes from an angry, anguished young woman to a mature and forceful officer. Rarely, if ever, is she asked to compromise herself or diminish herself in any way. Certainly, and especially for women who have ever felt rage or have been caught between cultures, that is something to admire.