Adding my vote for Ellen Ripley.

There are others that come to mind from more obscure movies I've watched more recently, like the women in Grandma (2015), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020), and even Men (2022), also non-fictional women like those in Kokomo City (2023). There are so many more I can picture in my mind but can't put my finger on the movie and or am just shit with names so I can't think of them right now, but might come back to update.

Linda Hamilton - Terminator

I had to say something different, because I would have said Ripley first.

Captain Janeway from Voyager ❤️

Ellen Ripley. Under pressure she steps up and does what needs doing. Whether that means operating a loader, comforting a child or making monsters extinct.

Samantha Carter from Stargate SG1

Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul 😍

Ellen Ripley from the Alien series.

Ellen Ripley. She will wreck your shit and yeet you into space.

Leela from Futurama

Lieutenant Ellen Ripley.

Trillian from hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. People see the book as satire but she really knew where her towel was.

Ripley

Roberta "Bobbie" Draper from The Expanse was the first to jump into my head.

Captain/Admiral Kathryn Janeway

Major Matoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell series.

Sarah Connor

Ripley

Buffy. I was the right age (or maybe a bit too young) when it aired and it was the first female-led show that I fell in love with.

Couldn't tell you why, but my mind went straight to Wonder Woman.

No love for the bad bitch Agent Dana Scully?

First: Diana Prince

Best: Leslie Knope

Xena

Aloy from the Horizon games was my first thought.

Zoe from Firefly, Tiffany Aching from Discworld are two that come to mind

Can't believe princess Leia hasn't been mentioned yet.

"What the hell are you doing?" "Somebody has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute flyboy!"

Lol

Zoe, Inara, Kaylee, and River. Mic drop.

Pippi Longstocking

Korra and Toph from Avatar, Tsunade and Sakura from Naruto

Agnes Nutter, Good Omens.

Alternatively, "The most powerful person in Discworld is Granny Weatherwax"

Samus came to mind immediately

Chandler Bing

Hermione Granger because I read so little fiction that this is the first woman (?) that comes to mind.

Captain Janeway

Clobberella from Futurama.

But I rather prefer to read about real strong women. Like scientists, nobel prize winners, political figures and people of (contemporary) history. Or I just consume their content if they're an author, comedian or content creator.

Not the first that comes to mind, but I have to add Nausicaa into the mix. She shows her strength through nothing but kindness and determination, without the need for violence or cold cruelty. A frightened critter bites her, and she endures the pain to keep soothing it without interruption. Ripley's a badass, but she'd never be able to do that.

My girlfriend ):

Lara Croft from the first "Tomb Raider" movie, played by Angelina Jolie.

Lara Croft

Xena Warrior Princess

Susannah Dean and Naomi Nagata

Metroid/Samus Aran

She’s almost always on her own dealing with a horde of alien enemies but does it well.

Though, she does have a bad habit of losing her suit’s features and abilities on nearly every mission she’s on lol

Lana ″LANAAAAAAAAAA″ Kane from Archer

Ron Swanson

The bride from kill bill.

Risa Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist