20 best badass women of horror movies

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 20: Actress Jodie Foster attends The Academy Museum presents 25th Anniversary event of ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ at The Museum of Modern Art on April 20, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Just because a woman is in a horror movie doesn’t mean she has to be a victim. Here are some of the most badass women in the entire horror movie genre.

Historically speaking, women in horror films have something of a bad reputation. In some of the earliest examples, they are oftentimes little more than cannon fodder or a reward for the (male) hero. Women in some horror movies quail under the gaze of an advancing murderer. Or, perhaps they make it through to the end, just so they can clutch at the hero and gaze adoring into his rugged, careworn face.

But, as the horror genre made more inroads onto film, things began to change. More and more, women began to creep onto the center stage. They were even sometimes allowed to surprise audiences. Female horror characters even began to fight back and make the villains regret ever stepping into their path.

It’s not a perfect progression. Certainly, you can still see victimized women in modern horror and, if you squint right or dig deep enough, women in earlier movies might surprise you, too. Still, there are plenty of badass women of horror worth celebrating.

What makes a badass?

What, exactly, makes these women “badass”? I’ve purposefully kept the definition broad, as there is a wide variety of badassery on display here. One character could embody the classical definition, with her steely resolve and blazing guns. Another might surprise you with her bookishness and initial timidity. Some might seem like they could be your friends, others might get on your nerves, and some are so scary you’d think twice about sitting next to them on the bus.

All of these characters have an inner strength that allows them to stand up to the whole host of horror movie baddies. They’re complicated, oftentimes surprising audiences with just how much they go beyond the stock characters like the “damsel in distress” or “sultry vixen”. Not all of them survive (though, don’t worry too much, as the great majority make it). No matter their ultimate fate, all prove that they are worthy of horror fans’ acclaim.

Also, this list is only a sampling of the impressive, badass women of horror, especially from more recent films. Take this as a series of suggestions. If you’re intrigued, there are quite a few more great female characters to discover.

Before we continue, a warning: some of these slides contain spoilers. Quite a few also discuss gore or frightening situations. Some clips may also be gory or intense. If you’re sensitive to these things, please proceed with caution.

With that out of the way, read on to discover some of the strongest, steeliest, and most capable women in all of horror film.