From princesses to superheroes to big sisters, there are some pretty boss women in the world of Disney animation. These 15 Disney characters are some of the best.
When you think “empowering female character” it’s kind of hard to not think of at least one Disney princess. Sure, some of them might be a little old school, and have poor decision-making skills – yes, I’m lookin’ at you, Ariel – but a good many more of them are exactly the role models we need in life.
They’re caring and kind, but also know exactly what they want and how they’re going to go about getting it.
Of course, not every woman of Disney is a princess. There are a few Queens tossed in here and there – though there aren’t nearly as many as there should be – but a lot of them aren’t even royalty. They’re warriors, or cops, or chefs. They’re literally anything they want to be.
And as the years have gone on, Disney has only gotten better at writing these female Disney characters’ stories. More and more, we see these women exemplifying the traits that we should be teaching young girls; things like confidence, independence, and more.
These characters are more than just the “strong female character” trope. They’re well-rounded women that we need to see more of on-screen. And they definitely don’t get enough credit. So, we’re working to remedy that a bit.
We’ve rounded up Disney’s most inspiring and fierce female characters, al in one spot. Here are 15 of Disney’s most empowering female characters of all time.
15. Tiana
We can’t even begin discussing empowering women of Disney without talking about Tiana.
Tiana never wanted a Prince. In fact, she was entirely grossed out by the idea of kissing a frog to make her dreams come true. She never really even wanted a ton of friendships. Tiana consistently turned down fun plans so that she could pick up extra shifts and earn money to put toward her restaurant.
Tiana’s father taught her one of Disney’s best lessons: “That old star can only take you part of the way. You got to help him with some hard work of your own.” And she never forgot it.
Tiana always worked hard, and let Prince Naveen know exactly what she thought of his entitled life. She taught him how to mince, explained how she worked for everything she ever got, and basically turned him into a decent human (or frog, depending on where in the timeline of their story they were).
Not only was Tiana Disney’s first black princess, she was also the first heroine to really represent the working class. Even her “I Want” song wasn’t entirely an “I Want” song. It was more of an “I’ve Done” song, all about how she’s gotten herself within reach of her dreams.
14. Elsa
For the most part, Frozen starts out as your average Disney fairytale. Princess experiences childhood trauma; princess has her memories erased; princess spends years cooped up in a castle not really knowing why; and then princess meets prince and falls in love. It’s all very formulaic.
But then along came the queen we’ve always needed: Elsa. And with her, came the most necessary – and oddly meta – words ever spoken to a Disney princess, “You can’t marry a man you just met.”
Granted, Elsa is not awesome at dealing with her own conflicts. Unintentionally casting an eternal winter over Arendelle and running off to build a castle in a mountain (complete with an ice monster as a guard) doesn’t scream level-headed, but her intentions are good.
Elsa just wants to finally be able to embrace every part of herself openly, without worrying that she’ll hurt someone. As much as every parent in the world probably hated how many times they had to listen to “Let It Go,” there’s no denying that it was a powerful anthem about being yourself.
And of course, it has to be pointed out that Elsa is one of the few Queens in Disney’s catalogue, rather than a princess. With Frozen 2 so close to being released, it’s exciting to think about what’s next for our favorite Snow Queen.
13. Nani
Lilo and Stitch is arguably Disney’s most overlooked movie (though Atlantis and Treasure Planet both put up a good fight).
You can find “Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten” on any number of decorative signs around people’s homes, or within their Instagram captions. It’s not hard at all to find Stitch merchandise around Disney parks. But at the end of the day, those two things seem to be all people remember of the 2002 film.
They tend to forget that in it, Nani is not only an 18-year-old, but also the legal guardian of her sister after she and Lilo lost their parents. It’s a huge struggle, but she makes it work. She chases down every job lead in town and works hard to prove to social services that she can provide a stable home for Lilo.
She lets Lilo get a terrifying “dog,” just so her little sister will have a friend to go through things with. Nani also doesn’t let anyone get in her way when it comes to Lilo. She kicks Cobra Bubbles’ car without hesitation when he almost hits her, and she bats Stitch down with a tree branch when she knows he can communicate where Lilo is to her.
Nani is the dictionary definition of a good sister, which is an entirely different – but equally necessary – kind of empowering woman.
12. Merida
Princess Merida is cool in so many ways, but it’s just five words that land her on this list: “shooting for my own hand.”
Who cares if it’s tradition that she marry the most eligible first-born son of one of the surrounding “great leaders?” Certainly not Merida. She’s not going to let herself be given away, and definitely not to one of the dopes presented to her. So she takes things into her own hands. She chooses a challenge she knows she can win at, and then jumps up to shoot her shot at…herself.
Merida’s whole storyline is based on the idea of being able to “change your fate.” She wants to be her adventurous, messy self and she goes to any means to accomplish that. In this case, magic isn’t the best choice, but any good story needs conflict right?
Merida also happens to be the first female lead of a Pixar film. The other princesses may joke about her in Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks The Internet, but they know she could best them all in just about any competition.
She teaches women everywhere that it’s okay to be mischievous, and messy, and do things your way. And we salute her for it.
11. Mulan
It should come as no surprise that Mulan makes it onto this list. Not only is she one of the most relatable Disney princesses – who among us hasn’t written important things to remember on our wrist? Who among us would actually do well when trying to impress a matchmaker? – but she’s also a war hero.
Even after her squad finds out that she’s actually a woman, Mulan makes sure they take her seriously. She straight up cuts Shang off while riding through the middle of the city to get him to listen to her. Mulan refuses to be made silent again. And because of that, she saves her entire country from the Huns.
The best part about Mulan is that she didn’t even go to war with the intent of becoming a national hero. She didn’t want recognition, or acclaim, or a spot on the Emperor’s council. That all came as a byproduct of her just wanting to save her father from a near certain death.
She knew that if she was caught, she would not only dishonor her family, but she’d also be sentenced to death (it’s one of Disney’s darker historical references). But she faced those consequences anyway, all to help someone she cared about.
10. Megara
Before Meg was Hades’ reluctant right hand, she was just a girl in love. She sold her soul to save her boyfriend, only for him to then dump her and run off with some other girl. Some may look at her as naive for doing so, others may say she just has a huge capacity for love. Either way, it taught her a tough lesson: people can hurt you, and you need to be able to count on yourself.
So yes, as a result, she’s occasionally a damsel in distress. But, as she bitingly points out to Hercules, she can handle it. Meg’s arguably at her most relatable when she looks downright bored as Herc tries to be macho and rescue her.
Every single time Hades tries to get under her skin, or blame something on her, she tells him exactly what she thinks, and lets him know exactly how bad he’s doing on his own. Meg is there for every blunt, cynical, and sarcastic girl watching.
And we can’t dare forget how SHE ended up saving Hercules. She saw a literal concrete pillar starting to fall in his direction, and jumped in to shove him out of the way. Physically, she was even weaker than he was at the time, so she would’ve known exactly what would happen to her.
9. Jasmine
Of all the Disney princesses, Jasmine might not immediately spring to mind when you think: empowering. But she absolutely should.
On the surface, it might seem like Jasmine was simply tired of being cooped up in a palace her entire life. Her primary motivation for jumping over the wall in the animated film is just to explore what else Agrabah has to offer.
But she also doesn’t want to be forced into marriage. She wants to marry for love, not because of the law. So, with every “swaggering peacock” that comes through trying to win her, she finds a new way to get rid of them. She says it herself; she is not a prize to be won.
Then of course, there’s the 2019 version of Jasmine. The live-action adaptation of Aladdin gave the princess a much-needed update. In this version, she doesn’t just want to see Agrabah because it’s different; she wants to be among her people.
On top of that, she truly wants to be sultan. Jasmine knows that she can lead her people well, and does everything she can to make her father see it. She’s even given an entire song about how she refuses to just be seen and not heard.
Whichever iteration you like more, Jasmine is one strong woman.
8. Rapunzel
Two words: frying pan.
A frying pan is all Rapunzel needs to make herself a formidable opponent. At the start of Tangled, she’s never even left her tower, and she’s still able to take down a thief who breaks in. Now, in fairness, he did think the tower was empty and she did sneak up on him from behind.
But before Rapunzel wakes Flynn up again, she ties him up, gets a safe distance away and readies herself. Once he’s conscious, she gets right up in his face to make it clear that she controls the situation and that he will help her.
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When they embark on their journey together, it’s Rapunzel that consistently saves them. She stops the Snuggly Duckling goons from ripping Flynn apart. She gets them across the ravine. She uses her hair to not only save them from drowning, but also to repair Flynn’s hand and bring him back to life (though the latter was technically via her tears).
At every turn, Rapunzel is the hero of Tangled, despite having exactly zero experience in the outside world. If somehow you still need convincing, watch a few episodes of Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. She is nothing short of a born leader.
7. Pocahontas
As the years have gone by, time has probably been most unkind to Pocahontas. But that’s because Disney’s version of it is very different from Pocahontas’ actual story. Even so, the animated version of her shouldn’t be totally counted out.
In this story, Pocahontas is all about finding the right path for herself. She struggles with whether she should choose the smoothest course, steady as the beating drum or hold out for something that might be better. But, at the same time, she’s not even sure that something better is coming.
When she meets John Smith, everything changes for her. She teaches him about the beauty of her land. More importantly, she realizes that war will do nothing but hurt everyone involved. When the moment of truth comes, Pocahontas casts herself in front of her father’s club to save John Smith and unite their people.
But the best part is, she doesn’t actually leave her people to follow John Smith back to England. Pocahontas knows that if he’s going to survive, he needs to go home, but that her place is in her home.
It’s the hard choice, but it’s what’s right for everyone, and it’s what makes Pocahontas such an inspiring character when all is said and done.
6. Belle
Belle may be a gentle, kind-hearted bookworm, but that doesn’t mean she won’t say exactly what she thinks. Her town? Provincial. Gaston? Primeval. In fact, the idea of being married to Gaston is so disgusting to her that she literally scoff-sings about it. And it’s exactly what young girls – or honestly, girls of any age – need to see.
You can be bookish; it doesn’t make you odd. You can want adventure in the great wide somewhere. You can want more than they’ve got planned.
Even when she was a prisoner, Belle had exactly zero problems with telling Beast exactly what she thought of his behavior. She taught him to control his temper, reminded him of the fun in life, and reignited his love of stories with her reading.
Much like Jasmine, the live-action version of Belle made the character even better. The 2017 version made just a few changes, but they were just enough to make fans fall in love with Belle even more.
This Belle was a bit more like her father, inventing things to make her life easier, and working with tools to get out of sticky situations. She might’ve even been the first Disney princess to pick a lock with a hair pin.
5. Esmeralda
Esmeralda isn’t technically a Disney princess, but she is as fierce, brave and empowering as one. Living life as a gypsy means living life on the run. So unfortunately, her defense skills were born out of necessity. But they sure came in handy. Esmeralda had next to no problem fending off Captain Phoebus’ sneak attack.
She was quick, improvising with a candle stand as a weapon. And she wielded it with skill that even Phoebus couldn’t match. Of course, any good hand-to-hand (or…sword-to-sword?) combat has good banter, and Esmeralda is no exception. When Phoebus notes that she fights “almost” as well as a man, Esmeralda bites back with “Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you!” Not only was it a withering comeback, but it also showed young girls they can be skilled fighters, too.
Beyond her abilities to take care of herself, Esmeralda also had an aptitude for taking care of others. Esmeralda is the only one to help Quasimodo, and treat him as any human should be treated. Her entire “I Want” song is about wanting the people – specifically the people who look and feel different – to feel safe and cared for. All she wants is to help the outcasts.
4. Nala
A good best friend will always be totally honest with you. They’ll push you to be your best, and call you out when you’re acting like a fool. Nala, from The Lion King, is a really good best friend.
When Simba tells their mothers that he wants to take Nala to see something at the watering hole, she scoffs and asks “What’s so great about the water hole?!” Throughout their childhood, Nala continuously lets Simba know when he’s being dim-witted.
When they grow up, nothing changes. Well, once the shock of Simba actually being alive passes. As soon as she’s wrapped her head around it, Nala lets Simba know exactly what she thinks of the fact that he’s essentially been hiding out and letting his kingdom go to ruin.
In fairness, she doesn’t know Simba’s big secret. And in all reality, that’s the problem. Had Nala known why Simba was so ashamed and scared to return, she would’ve given him the exact right advice, and told him that what happened to Mufasa wasn’t his fault.
In The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, Nala is only cooler. Now she’s queen, as she deserves to be. Once again, she’s keeping Simba on the right path. She tells him to loosen up on their daughter, and to be more trusting of Kovu.
Honestly, you have to wonder if things would ever run smoothly without Nala. And she knows it.
3. Moana
When the literal ocean chooses you to save humanity, you know you’re a pretty cool person.
Moana – or Maui – may not totally understand why she was chosen at first, but for audiences, it wasn’t hard to see at all. Moana is fiercely determined, and refuses to just do what’s expected of her. Still, she does what her family wants of her for as long as she can. It’s never easy to actively try to convince yourself you don’t want something.
But eventually it becomes clear that leaving the island is not only what Moana wants, but it’s also what the people of Motu Nui need. When Maui stole the heart of Te Fiti, he also unknowingly transformed the goddess. Instead of giving life, she stole it from everything, becoming Te Ka.
She sets out, knowing virtually nothing about sailing, to find a demigod who seemingly doesn’t want to be found. When she does find him, he’s cocky, yet scared and he inevitably leaves her. Stranded in the middle of the ocean, Moana repairs her own boat, and decides that if Maui won’t save her people, she’ll do it herself.
And of course, it was Moana who realized that Te Ka was actually Te Fiti. She showed no fear in instructing the ocean to let Te Ka approach her, and in the end, saved an entire island AND convinced them to become voyagers again.
Moana is the textbook definition of Getting. Things. Done.
2. Judy Hopps
Being the first anything is impressive. But it also comes with a rather large number of hurdles. Fortunately, bunnies are well equipped for hurdles – particularly Judy Hopps. She knew how hard it would be to become Zootopia’s first bunny cop, and nevertheless, she persisted.
She was tormented as a kid, and yet, she stuck up for the little guy. She got her friends’ tickets back from Gideon Grey, even though it meant getting dangerously close to him. She pursued her dreams, even when her parents clearly didn’t support her. She had her own Captain Marvel moment, as she continued to stand up every time she fell at the police academy.
It can’t be overlooked that she had some problematic tendencies though. As kind and gentle as she was, and as much as she truly believed that “In Zootopia, anyone can be anything,” Judy Hopps still had an inherent prejudice. She didn’t want to be distrusting of Nick Wilde, but she still carried her fox repellent.
What makes Judy a true hero though, is that she actively worked to overcome her prejudices. When Nick Wilde calls her out for them, she’s naturally defensive, but eventually owns up to her actions. She admits that she was wrong, and sincerely apologizes.
Judy Hopps is some-bunny we need more people to be like in the world.
1. Helen Parr
Within the first two minutes of The Incredibles, Elastigirl proves exactly how independent and capable she is. And when she became a mom, not one thing changed about her.
When you’re a mom, you have a lot of responsibilities. You have an entire family to look out for. When you’re a SUPERHERO mom? You have a family and a literal entire city to look out for. It’s not a small task, but Helen Parr, also known as Elastigirl, makes it looks like it’s just a day’s work.
She wasn’t just raising three kids; she was raising three super kids. They had to grow up and figure out their powers and more importantly, how to control them. Her husband wasn’t inept, but it was pretty clear in The Incredibles that he was checked out. Bob only perked up when Helen made it clear that Dash was in trouble for getting caught using his powers at school.
While Mr. Incredible was so stuck in recapturing the glory days, Helen kept the house running. Now, to his credit, Bob Parr did take care of the kids and the house in The Incredibles 2, when his wife became the center of the campaign to reinstate supers.
But again, Elastigirl became the center of the campaign to reinstate supers. Again, not a small task. Still, she took it on, and was then smart enough to put together the Screenslaver’s entire plan.
Leave saving the world to anyone BUT Elastigirl? I don’t think so. I don’t think so.