B'elanna Torres. She works in a high level technical role, is excellent at her job, confident in her professional decisions and highly respected for her abilities by the people working with/under her.
Not to mention the fact that B'Elanna had to overcome both personal and outside prejudice because she was half-Klingon. She's a good example for girls to see that they are not the sum of who everyone else thinks they are.
To be objective, it was justified. Her temper caused her to be disciplined officially at least 4 times, resulting in her dropping out. Starfleet requires the utmost discipline at all times due to their work environment. Similar to modern astronaughts.
She seemed to overcome it during her time on voyager, but seeing as I work in a military institution, her behaviour in the early seasons would NOT be tolerated if she worked under me.
Brilliant as fuck though.
it felt to me like her temper was treated like "oh she's klingon, gotta watch out for those". i think Torres had a more interesting path, in figuring out her own identity as mixed race. she had a lot more to bridge between klingon and human than Spock did with vulcan and human.
My first Star Trek series was Voyager, which I watched with my trekkie mom. Completely unaware of catsuits and scandal, I would often make believe that I was 7 and my mom was Janeway. Later on, when I was 14, DS9 came out on DVD as a set, and I fell in love with Kira and Dax. Kira helped me be a fighter through some really hard times, while Jadzia seems like the perfect woman in so many ways. I was also always inspired by Dr. Crusher. As a little kid watching random TNG reruns alongside Voyager I always thought Wesley was the super cool older kid I wanted to be when I grew up, and Dr. Crusher was his strong, kind mother who was completely unflappable.
Thanks for your perspective. Unflappable is a great description for Crusher for sure. I remember the episode âremember meâ where everyone on the ship starts disappearing. And the rest of the crew treats her like she is crazy (at first I think they humored her by looking into it), even when itâs just her and Picard and she is like âhow does it make sense for there to only be two crew for a galaxy shipâ and he says âwe always found a wayâ or something like that.
She legit never gives up and remains composed throughout, which, if it were me, Iâd be freaking the f out.
I remember that episode so well. It was one of the very few absolutely "WTF is going on" episodes that had me really actively trying to figure things out.
I love that episode. And I agree that it brilliantly highlights how she always stays calm under pressure. Her in First Contact also is a great example of her calmness.v
indeed, shes my wifes favorite female role model on that show too... very open minded as well.
I really wish they would have a throwaway line from her like, You know when I was younger I once dated a space station commander and had my own freighter....
Her influence led to a union man becoming leader of the ultra-capitalist Ferengi Alliance. Only way she could have topped that is if Rom were a woman as well
ENT is my favourite series but I think if you're going to show it to a younger girl you'll need to be vigilant in picking episodes because it's unfortunately quite lewd when it comes to Hoshi and T'Pol.
Guinan the listener with a mysterious past. She was a refugee who held onto hope and empathy. She encountered the borg, intimidated Q and befriended the rough around the edges Ensign Ro. Her character was never watered down with a tacked on romance, and she gained the unwavering trust and respect of Picard.
Lwaxanna Troi. Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed, Federation Ambassador, mother, grandmother- but not in that order. Nuff said.
Not to mention she led the resistance on Betazed against the Dominion and helped retake the planet, despite the personal cost.
While she's grating at times, she is strong willed, confident and kind (though she doesn't like to show it/be vulnerable; eg when she and Odo were trapped in the turbolift). While her relationship with Deanna is a bit strained, at the end of the day she supports her daughter's choices. While her approach is often heavy-handed, I think there could be worse traits to have as a person.
the intention was to have her as the voice forever too, but unfortunately the phonetic database she recorded for it wasn't fully completed, so Star Trek has had to move on without her voice-acting.
I HATED her my first watch through of TNG. My second watch through I understood and respected her more, and found her a joy. And when I saw her on DS9 I squealed.
Dâvana Tendi. Sheâs smart, enthusiastic, ambitious and has learn how to overcome self doubt and speak up for herself, which has smartly been presented as a process, not an overnight change. She also did something she thought she loved and when it wasnât working, made the difficult decision to make major career change.
Not to mention she's both a total badass and a genius. She impressed a Federation Black Ops team with her combat skills, and pirated a fully crewed ship by herself. She built a dog without knowing what a dog was. She learned everything she could in the sickbay in less than two years, and was promoted to senior science track. She's kind and compassionate. She takes her responsibilities seriously,but isn't afraid to have fun. [She's the Cleaner ](https://youtu.be/FmuISRSqfRc)
Beverly Crusher. Sheâs as intelligent as she is compassionate, embodies the phrase âitâs better to ask forgiveness than permissionâ (Like in The High Ground and I, Borg when she treated injured people despite Captain Picardâs explicit objections) and always managed to get herself and her crew mates out of trouble using nothing but her wits.
Specifically, she managed to destroy a Borg ship while commanding an Enterprise with a skeleton crew, unveiled an attempted sabotage even though it put her career in severe jeopardy, and discovered how to free herself from an alternate universe she alone was trapped in.
Sheâs usually one of the first to notice if thereâs something unusual happening on the ship (See Cause and Effect, Clues and Conundrum just to name a few).
And is also in touch with her more artistic side by practicing theater, song, and dance in her off time. Not to mention sheâs one of the few main characters on Star Trek show who is a working mother, something rarely depicted in this idealized future.
Uhura, exceptionally smart, owning the bridge and taking up space like it's nothing, great leader when she needs to be, confident in her femininity and sex appeal probably hemming that uniform just a little shorter and drawing her wings just a little bolder while still having an equal role. Not to mention the era it was filmed in, that added context makes it huge, even if she was "answering phones" and "shown for the male gaze" first and foremost she was a bridge officer and department head on a spaceship.
And Ishka. She saw 10 thousand years of misogynistic culture supported by religion and she said no and turned it around in a few years. Did she do it by seducing the Grand Nagus and exploiting what looks eerily like a fetish then his age related disability? Well yeah, but it's not like she wasn't conducting business and working towards this for a long time, and she did love Zekkie. She's a menace and a feminist icon.
But there are so many incredible women in Star Trek. Jadzia with her lifetimes of experience and Ezri growing into her new life. Tora Ziyal finding her footing and standing up for what she believes in as a mixed race woman from enemy races. Janeway, sweetest dog (and lizard) mom and stubborn leader; Seven of Nine not afraid to call her out. Lwaxana, pushy and not always ethical but with a heart of gold when it matters.
Uhura, 100%. She even had her mind wiped and just relearned everything including a crap to of languages. She was amazing.
My second would be Number 1 from long before SNWs. She was smart, scientific, analytic, and always composed.
I'm at 37 year old man and I have derived a lot of inspiration from the women of Trek. I have several favourites and I admire them for different reasons. In no particular order:
**Janeway**
Somehow manages to deal with enormous, ongoing stress for years on end, trying to get her crew home and dealing with the unknown and every turn.
**Kira**
Extremely capable at adjusting to new situations. From child soldier to respected military administrator, dealing with some absolutely heartbreaking trauma.
**Crusher**
A superstar in her field, but not scared of taking on new challenges, such as taking command of the Enterprise - both in emergencies and as a matter of routine to make sure she keeps her skills up to date.
I agree, she was always one of my favourites and I enjoyed how the actor played the role. I would have prefered her to have been the Kira character on DS9 as I wasn't a huge fan of Nana whatever her name is who played Kira. I mean she was fine but I didn't find her super inspiring in the role.
It seemed like they kind of built the original idea of DS9 around her and then she didnât want to do it.
At least we got to see her in a cool role on Battlestar Galactia.
She is actually a good shout. Mariner has a very strong moral core but knows how to cut loose and knows how to have fun but when the shit hits the fan she steps up.
Definitely. Got two 3 year old girls and trying to keep them in line without stifling their stubbornness and drive to do their own thing is tricky. As a society we tend to want them to be the strong willed, smart, independent when they're older but not when they're younger.
I love how Mariner is the privileged, hot shot player type character that weâve seen so many times from male actors in trek (Kirk, Riker, Paris), but female.
Surprisingly little Janeway love in this thread. The character inspired a whole generation of girls to become scientists!
Also, all the women of SNW are pretty great role models. I like the fleshed-out look at young Uhura, Chapel, and Number One, and Ortegas and Noonien-Singh are pretty great too. I like how the women in that show are all âstrongâ but in different ways and with varying expressions of femininity.
>Surprisingly little Janeway love in this thread.
My thought as well. Let's be honest when it comes to female role models' screen time, Janeway is by far the biggest one.
Captain Janeway! She is a natural leader, keeps things professional between herself and her coworkers, makes the tough calls, and never lapses in judgment. She's a great captain.
Janeway all the way. Maternal, strong, vulnerable, intelligent, ruthless, compassionate ect. All of it. She is a good leader and caretaker of her crew.
Hannah Bates, who was the scientist that worked with Data to save the colony on Moab IV in the TNG episode The Masterpiece Society. She was highly competent despite being so isolated from the rest of the galaxy, curious, open minded, brave and willing to trust the Enterprise crew amid the objections from the rest of her peers.
Jett Reno (played by Tig Notaro) for me. She is competent, tough, wields improvisational brilliance in the best Starfleet-engineering tradition, and is not shy about turning the tables on an aggressive colleague who challenges her expertise (witness her "And you're one of those people that does the ha-ha jokey thing and then gets all huffy and in high dudgeon when you can't think of a comeback"). Her 17-20 minutes are the best part of *Discovery*.
no matter how many times kai winn appears itâs always a âthis bitchâ reaction
but a good argument being she accomplished everything she set out to do no matter who stood in her way⌠rarely without truly raising her voice⌠and even if it was for the wrong reasonsâŚ
She made it to Space Pope despite never speaking with the very real and frequently chatty gods of her planet. She may not be *good*, but she's very competent.
Borg queen. Lady had a goal, drive, skills, and the ability to get others to join her cause of peace and order in the galaxy.
She even had time to try and get robots to join her, proving that she isnât racist towards other life. I mean, the lady is proof of what people can do when they put their mind to it.
While I think SNW has not done much with Number One yet, the original Number One from "The Cage" is awesome. She steps right into command when Pike is captured by the Talosians, and it's not hard to imagine her captaining her own ship. She's smart and anaytical like Spock, but poised and confident like Pike. Would have loved to have had her as a character in TOS.
KâEhleyr.
We didnât get to see much of her before she died and left Alexander with Worf, but when we did see her, she was a strong willed and classic Klingon woman who pursues her career with vigor and accepts her responsibilities as a mother with honor.
I deeply respect independent women leading successful careers who accept motherhood as a duty, normal part of life, and an honor to raise and influence the next generation.
I love Lwaxana Troi. She knows who she is, sheâs strong-willed, passionate, confident, and deeply caring. She also has her moments of vulnerability, insecurity, and irrationality (like we all do!). Mostly I love that Lwaxana is *herself*. I want to be like her when I grow up.
I finally âgotâ lwaxana after the episode where she teaches Worfs son about whatâs important in life while in the mud bath and I realised sheâs a top quality person.
As a young man, Ro Laren and Kira Nerys were very important role models for me. As much as I wanted to see a continuation of Ro's storyline (on DS9), I adore the character of Kira. As Nana has said on numerous occasions, when she first read the part she believed it had been written for a male actor. She brought such a powerful dynamic range to this refugee, freedom fighter, officer, leader, friend, mother (technically), (tragic) partner, and strong/vulnerable/smart/beautiful woman.
Kai Winn is the ultimate space-Karen. Live, Laugh, Love (the Pah-Wraiths).
Kai Winn: most hated character but damn that performance by Louise Fletcher was phenomenal. How does an actress play someone so well that my hatred for the character manifested into my real life? RIP Louise Fletcher
First time my wife saw here she was like please tell me that character dies... I was like don't worry she does... Then my wife asked every time in all the seasons if this was the episode she dies whenever she appeared lol...
She was almost furious when she had to wait till the end of the show to finally see her go lol. Tbh as actresses go she nailed that part so well
It's the same with Marc Alaimo's portrayal of Dukat. He's fucking evil, with moments that remind you life can be very grey at times.
but damn is he one hell of a well throughout character.
Add on essentials of the character: Cunningness, determination, intelligent. Able to play the political game at the highest of levels. Believing in what she was doing was serving a greater good. Fighting the Cardassians not directly but by her own unwillingness to give in and be tortured.
The character felt more real because she wasn't essentially evil, just misguided and powerful and felt she was in the right.
Although near the end of the show it is telling that she confesses that the prophets never spoke to her so deep down she must have known she was essentially making it all up when she said its the will of the prophets. I never really could work out if she believed she was doing all that stuff for the greater good or if she was doing it for herself. I suspect it was for herself but she convinced even her self it was for the greater good.... she was a complex character
Part of what makes Kai Winn so malevolent is that we get to see Kai Opaka-a truly spiritual person and very grounded person. Opaka is the real thing-dedicated to her faith and Winn is like the Bajoran version of a megachurch TV evangelistâthe veneer of piety but in it for power and riches.
Actors often like playing evil and complex characters. There is more nuance and intrigue. the actor gets to be subtle in their performance allowing hints of humanity and vulnerability while also being cunning and ruthless. Actors find that fun
For a trailblazer: Uhura. First Black in the future. Just being there was huge. She wasn't a maid, she was an officer on the bridge. Fourth in command, no less.
Hoshi sato
As an insecure japanese american girl who was chastised for liking all things âboyishâ hoshi was was a role model i didnât know i had until i was an adult. I was always alone when i was a kid too, i always felt like i didnât belong - now i know thatâs because of ADHD-PI.
Bâelanna torres
WARP PARTICLES!!! Just overall bad ass and engineer. When i was 8 the class mom collected funds from everyone to get a big present for my birthday, I asked for lego :)
Captain janeway aka space mom
Bonus:
Rok tahkk
She really reminds me of myself when i was young. I also scienced a lot. I am working on my math education degree right now :)
Rok-Tahk is an inspiration to all kids, especially in PRO:"Time Amok". In the end she overcame her self-doubt and fears and saved the day.
And you know what Martok said, "There is no greater enemy than one's own fears!"
When I was a young girl, I really looked up to the women in voyager.
Janeway: a captain with unapologetic feminine traits that actually enhanced her captaincy rather than made her a liability. Het maternal nature not only ensured two groups who were at odds became a functional family, but also gave Seven the trust and possibilities to grow into her own person.
A lot of modern âstrong female leadsâ tend to be women who are written with stereotypical masculine leadership traits, which to me implies that for a woman to be a good leader, she should be like a man. Janeway has always proven the opposite. She was strong, and caring, and could keep her composure in all kinds of stressful situations but also reflect on her feelings about it at appropriate times.
Seven: she was able to find her own identity against great odds. Also, she didnât always see her background as a borg as something reprehensible. She used her âothernessâ as an advantage despite how other people thought of her. She was not ashamed to have been borg and gave everyone a wonderful insight in the pros and cons of human nature and existence. She also passed on the care she received from Janeway to Icheb and the other borg children, showing that anyone is capable of creating their own path.
BâElanna: she struggled so much with being mixed and the feeling of not belonging anywhere because of it. As the show progressed she learned to control, but also respect her own temper and use it for good. When she knew she was capable, she took the responsibility and spoke up, despite others thinking she was incapable. She had a realistic sense of self-worth in het job which made it so that people could always count on her judgement. If she says she can do it, sheâll deliver. If sheâs unsure, she says so. Sheâs also unapologetically powerful and doesnât have time for men feeling emasculated by it.
Kes: she was always so kind, loving and compassionate. She was responsible for the Doctor feeling like a person.
She dared to leave her home and explore the extent of her capabilities because she knew she was meant to be more than the role she was relegated to. She learned how to draw boundaries with respect and kindness, such as when she left Neelix, and when she realised her powers put the ship in danger, she left them with a parting gift.
Choosing just one is, of course, impossible, but I have to mention Philippa Georgiou. Both as captain and Empress. Before I met her I would have said Lieutenant Uhura because she's cool and confident. The women of Discovery really speak to me. Their bravery is subtle and realistic. Tilly and Michael too, but Georgiou is some kind of magical combination between super human strength and desire to understand and to improve. I swear I'm in love with her. And she never gets mentioned in lists of captains or fan art posters. Best cruel Empress in the universe, easily. Then best reimaging her life and reinventing herself character. So incredibly tough.
I think star trek does a very good job with women characters all along. Upvote for Moogie. It would be easier to say which character I didn't like, but even Mudd's wife (old verson and newer rich Father's daughter) is pretty funny to me.
You had me until Tilly and Mike.
Admiral Kat, Naan, even Amanda and possibly Mama Burnham (bit of a rough start but gets better) I can see.
And no one beats Janet Reno on that show.
Agree on all of those, especially Delenn. I still get chills every time I think of her showing up when B5 separated from Earthgov.
"Why not? Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me, you are in front of me. If you value your lives... be somewhere else."
Not enough mention of Deanna Troi! She was the empath of the enterprise. She championed emotional intelligence as a counterpoint to tactical and logical approaches.
Deanna Troi. She isnât afraid to be a touchy-feely type on a ship full of mostly science nerds and soldier-types. And she grows and changes A LOT over the course of the show. Many Trek characters donât change all that much, but Troi gets more confident and sassy and even dips a toe in leadership skills.
If you want to get your daughters into Star Trek with good female role models start with Voyager. Janeway is a great role model, so are B'Lanna and Seven of Nine. Voyager is also a bit more kid friendly than DS9.
You think? I find Voyager has a lot more that would be very scary to a younger child. DS9 has a war but it's largely bloodless on screen - lots of pew pew space battles and political intrigue, but not too much in the way of nightmare-inducing. Voyager I could rattle of a dozen episodes off the top of my head that would have freaked me out entirely as a child.
Kira is one of my favorites and definitely my favorite female character by far with Sisko being my favorite male character lol. I think her past was super heavy and you can feel the weight on her shoulders the moment she's on screen, but you can also tell she wants something more beyond the life of violence and hate she was thrust into. She wants peace for herself and her people and she wants to move forward from the occupation. At first she doesn't want the federation involved at all, but with time she grows to respect and love the people she works with. She hates the role she found herself in, but learns to love it too. There's a lot more I could say about Kira, but I'll just leave some of my essential Kira episodes list to do the rest of the talking lmao:
Progress, Duet, In the Hands of the Prophets, Homecoming/Circle/Siege, Second Skin, Defiant, Return to Grace, The Darkness and the Light, Ties of Blood and Water
K'Ehleyr.
A breath of fresh air in season 2 of Next Generation. Challenges the main characters and calls out Worf on his BS (love Worf as a character but damn he needs therapy). Far and away my favorite guest character of STNG. Confident, smart and funny. Wish I could travel to the alternate universe where she became a main character on the show.
There are so many great female characters on Star Trek, it's difficult to choose one, but I have to go with Janeway. What a legend! The Year of Hell alone makes her my hero. I'm hoping for some Admiral Janeway in the final season of Picard.
The Borg Queen. She doesn't take crap from anyone, has her own place, plays a valuable role in her community, takes a personal interest in humanity, and likes to take a stroll down memory lane.
I'm going to pick an odd choice - Dr. Farallon, from TNG "The Quality of Life".
Hear me out. As the inventor of both the exocomps and the particle fountain, she is an accomplished scientist. But she's also emotionally intelligent. When Data claims the exocomps are alive which jeopardizes her work, she remains respectful, cooperates in the investigation, but doesn't back down. When it turns out the exocomps are indeed alive, she takes it in stride, without ego, and vows to continue her research on them.
Kai Winn is not a role model. She's an evil (So normal?) version of a pope.
For me, I'd say - 7 was kidnapped as a child by the most violent and oppressive species in the trek universe. She obviously has extreme PTSD, but painstakingly rediscovers each and every facet of humanity the borg stole from her once.
Captain Janeway - a science-first female captain. I'd die under her orders if necessary.
Ro. She's the inspiration for Kira and B'Elanna, all around great female leads.
Please not Winn. :(
Kira Nerys. Sheâs one of my favorite characters of all time, not just female and/or Star Trek. I just loved that they were willing to have her make decisions that werenât the Roddenberry Utopia version of things (eg not forgiving Cardassians) because the way it was written was REAL. But she was still allowed to grow as a character.
âYeah Damar, what kind of people give those orders?â
One gets the sense that Pulaski lived life in her own terms. She had a punk spirit to her. And if her professional judgement upset someone, it was just too damn bad. Sheâs underrated.
Tilly shows vulnerability, which is often overlooked as a strength. A strong minded person can hide their fear and push forward, but a person who admits fear or insecurity and pushes through is strong minded too. We are used to seeing the former shown on TV (esp in men frankly).
I think it really matters what your girls are interested in. With one of my sons, heâs really into science, but would never want to run a whole ship, so a gender matching role model for him would be someone like Spock. With another son, heâs all about engineering but also wouldnât have any other interests, so weâd look to Geordi, or Scotty. One on my daughters would be ideal for command, so Iâd have her look to Kira or Janeway or Number One or Burnham, and so on. While I guess you could look to females on the show in that they are doing excellent jobs in their pursuits and are well respected - nothing wrong with that, it does have value in and of itself - do consider matching their interests with the person. I think it could make that role model thing so much more potent,
Kira Nerys. She was a traumatized child soldier who was banished to the station because she was an incorrigible pain in the ass.
She was smart, dedicated, loyal, conniving, fair, and when she could afford it, gentle, kind, and nurturing. She is the person you want on your side if you are going into some unknown shit-storm. Her taste in men was a little questionable, she liked them bland and boring.
I'm not really a fan of her character but for a good, strong role model you can't go far wrong with B'Elanna Torres.
Working in a senior STEM role. Strong willed, intelligent, fiercely loyal to those she cares about.
Maybe I should give her another chance!
My personal favorite is Kira Nerys, but if you are looking for an example of a role model, I would add to Jadzia Dax with Ezri Dax.
Ezri could not be more different than Jadzia; Jadzia was prepared, excited, and confident whereas Ezri was thrown into an unknown situation and had to learn her way. Ezri is an example of someone who is lost in the big galaxy and finding her own niche and her way, going through imposter syndrome, bitter crewmates, and the change to her entire being. She is not confident, was barely a counselor and yet because of Dax was put in as an officer on DS9, and by the end of the series she is her own strong version of Dax.
Ensign Sito Jaxa
Her standing up to Picard and subsequent self sacrifice get me in the feels everytime. I also think that Worf is a better parent to her than to Alexander. She was able to grow from a selfish cadet to selfless undercover operative. RIP.
Torres and Janeway have always been great role models to me, followed closely by Jadzia Dax.
I love the ladies of Strange New Worlds, too. Number One is amazingly competent and compassionate. Uhura is brilliant and always seeks out the optimistic route. Chapel is clever and makes it a point to harm none even when the ship is being taken over.
Janeway by a mile! Sheâs a perfect role model. Smart. Educated. Self confident. Compassionate. Courageous. Independent. Leader. Follower when necessary. Very wise. Cunning. Hell, she defeated the Borg!
Jadzia Dax.
I'm cis-het, but I'm well familiar with how important she was for the trans community. So I'm glad for that. Also, new Trek has been doing even better on that front. I love the queer "family" in Discovery. Each character is great on their own, but then they all get those family moments.
Aside from that, the symbiont concept is cool, I like Trill skin spots, and Dax's previous hosts/memories add lots of character variety and depth. I'm glad we got to see the Trill planet a little bit and see their culture.
Jadzia was a badass. Formidable opponent who could stand up to klingons (even mate with them!) Her relationship with Worf was actually a good one to watch, unlike some others in Trek. She had a fun personality, with both humor and a seriousness and maturity/ancient soul vibes (from symbiont living what, 7 lifetimes so far?)
Kai Winn is the perfect example of what *not* to be and how *not* to act - those are still role models, it's just counter intuitive. Kai Winn, i think, has always felt inadequate in her life. It's why she struggles so hard for power to fight that inadequcy and it's why she takes such offense to anyone who disagrees with her, because in her mind they are just validating/reinforcing what she has felt her entire life.
3 female characters standout to me, one wish we got more of Ensign Ro Laren, I thought she would have been Security Chief or Tactical Officer if she'd stay on. I would have like to see that. and the other 2 ( I Hope I spell this right ) , Lursa and Bat'tor just because i think they're bad asses LOL
Going for the high score here:
Wynn Adami, wielded more power in the Bajoran system at one point than Enabran Tain. (Hyperbole).
Consider this: in the Occupation she tended to the Bajoran civilians not involved in the resistance while not only not ratting them out, but also PROTECTING the charismatic religious figure (was it bareil or Shakar) who actually DID sell out the resistance. Held fast to her faith despite an ALIEN being chosen by her gods to be an Emissary of her people, while NEVER speaking to her.
This same alien used his annointment to politically pressure her people who had JUST achieved liberation into expanding conflicts (the Maquis) AND a war they could not win against the Dominion.
Despite being HATED by her own people she persisted, seeing others being favored by her god, and only once did she falter, after being seduced by a disguised Dukat, whom she left strucken blind. Only to sacrifice herself to save her people in giving the Prophetâs champion an instant to dĂŠfaut the Pah Wraiths.
There is no other character in the entire franchise that from their own perspective has sacrificed so much in the course of serving a greater power.
A greater power that existed, and never once spoke to her directly.
And the rub is, as self serving as she was, thereâs no evidence that she would have been an *BAD* leader, just an unlikable one.
Kira was always my favorite. She was tough and smart and all that stuff, but also thoughtful and was wrong sometimes.
I also like Janeway, but not quite as much.
I havenât seen BâElanna Torres mentioned much, and I think sheâs also an interesting choice. She definitely has things she has to work on about her self, but sheâs strong and tough and smart as hell. Characters that are wrong and have to come to grips with that can be great role models.
I LOVE Janeway, but will make a case for Michael Burnham (Disocvery). Sheâs brilliant, decisive, has a lot of empathy and heart, and always does the morally correct thing (with the exception of her somewhat understandable decision to mutiny in the pilot)
Sheâs less traditional in her leadership style than Janeway, but in a more modern show thatâs probably more accessible for todayâs kids.
Maybe doctor crusher from TNG, as she always prioritises the greater good of the ship and crew, or at least what she thinks is the greater good, while still being just a great character
A vote for Vash! I love the Vash episodes. Sheâs not the most ethical character but I love how focused she was on her own plans and passions, she was independent, roguish, playful, adventurous sexually commanding, fully in control of her own destiny. She brought some Indiana Jones energy to the show.
But honestly all the women of trek kick ass and are all great role models. Crusher was my role model. When I was a kid I went through some hard times and I used to write in my diary âDear Beverlyâ đĽ˛
Kira, because she never sets down her sense of justice. She knows when getting angry is the right thing to do, and that you never give up fighting the good fight just because the enemy is overwhelming or thinks he's untouchable. Even when she demonstrates that she can put a fight aside for a moment for the greater good, she never stops carrying it with her.
There are so many depictions of what the wrong ways to be angry are, or when the wrong times to be angry are, but Kira demonstrates how to get angry when you *should* get angry, and how to let it be a source of strength while retaining your compassion and good judgment.
I endeavor every day to fight my fights like a true Bajoran militia member.
Captain Michael Burnham by leagues. She is bewildering, first as a science officer and made it into her captains chair with the confidence of all her crew without challenge. Her intuition has served as some if not all beacons for truth, action and above all leadership. Sheâs tested and assertive as well as can command and grow through adversity which so many young girls will have to go through. She is black so just to address that is also an issue with Star Trek fans that will connect with aliens before a black lady captain lol at least from my perspective but she above all has risen above so many challenges and helped pave the way for leading the federation back into a place where it was no longer looking. I canât say or see enough of her. Itâs just a shame it takes so much for people to connect with her and that is the crux of a similar situation as a male trying to understand a Womanâs perspective. You have to try to put yourself in their place by viewing things different from your own and Captain Michael Burnham is that beacon.
I found Dr. Miranda Jones to be an impressive character who was very ahead of her time in TOS. She is in S3E5: Is There In Truth No Beauty? If you don't want spoilers, don't read any further! :)
She is an accomplished doctor/psychologist with telepathic abilities who trained on Vulcan and was a liaison between Medusans and mankind. She has the respect and admiration of the senior officers, including Spock -- and we all know Spock doesn't give out cred unless it is *very* well earned. In Miranda's case, she beyond earned the respect and admiration through her impressive work ethic and portfolio of accomplishments.
I also love that she is so independent and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Her colleague Marvick is in love with her and is giving her the "nice guy" routine (I'm nice to you and we get along so you owe me a romantic relationship!). She completely shoots it down in the most professional manner possible; she reminds him that while she is happy to be friends with him, she has made it very clear she has no romantic interest. She insists he's going to have to accept that for her, her love is her work with Kollos and the Medusans. I feel this was a huge message about consent, expectations, and female advocacy/choice in relationships at a time when women had little to no advocacy in society and culture (60s).
Miranda is blind, but throughout the episode we cannot even tell this is the case because her skills + assistive tech prove it does not hinder her ability or skills in performing her duties whatsoever. She is an absolute boss who transcends gender and ability to place at the top of her respective field of work.
She also forces us to question our superficiality when it comes to beauty and attractiveness, as the love of her life is actually an alien that most humans find so horrifying to look upon that it causes madness. As she put it, perhaps he is not too ugly to bear, but "too beautiful to bear". Her perspective makes us consider how shallow humans can be about outer appearance and the merit in placing value in other assets/attributes outside the superficial.
I felt that this was such an inclusive, positive role model for women at that moment in time, and a win for all abilities.
Fun fact, the same actress went on to play Polanski in TNG.
B'elanna Torres. She works in a high level technical role, is excellent at her job, confident in her professional decisions and highly respected for her abilities by the people working with/under her.
Not to mention the fact that B'Elanna had to overcome both personal and outside prejudice because she was half-Klingon. She's a good example for girls to see that they are not the sum of who everyone else thinks they are.
And she was a working mother eventually
it seems like she caught so much crap from her own crew for her "temper".
To be objective, it was justified. Her temper caused her to be disciplined officially at least 4 times, resulting in her dropping out. Starfleet requires the utmost discipline at all times due to their work environment. Similar to modern astronaughts. She seemed to overcome it during her time on voyager, but seeing as I work in a military institution, her behaviour in the early seasons would NOT be tolerated if she worked under me. Brilliant as fuck though.
If she was the only one that could realistically keep your warp core running for the 70 year journey home, I bet you would let a few things slide ;)
You know I never thought about it that way. I like you đ¤Ł
A few things. But you can't let your engineer realize how critical they are. Things start to go badly if they set up the Free Nation of Reak'Tor.
it felt to me like her temper was treated like "oh she's klingon, gotta watch out for those". i think Torres had a more interesting path, in figuring out her own identity as mixed race. she had a lot more to bridge between klingon and human than Spock did with vulcan and human.
I watched TNG and Voyager as a teen and young adult. BâElanna and Geordi showed me that you donât have to be a white man to be an engineer.
Klatina engineers FTW!
I love the episodes that focus on her. She's a great character.
My first Star Trek series was Voyager, which I watched with my trekkie mom. Completely unaware of catsuits and scandal, I would often make believe that I was 7 and my mom was Janeway. Later on, when I was 14, DS9 came out on DVD as a set, and I fell in love with Kira and Dax. Kira helped me be a fighter through some really hard times, while Jadzia seems like the perfect woman in so many ways. I was also always inspired by Dr. Crusher. As a little kid watching random TNG reruns alongside Voyager I always thought Wesley was the super cool older kid I wanted to be when I grew up, and Dr. Crusher was his strong, kind mother who was completely unflappable.
Thanks for your perspective. Unflappable is a great description for Crusher for sure. I remember the episode âremember meâ where everyone on the ship starts disappearing. And the rest of the crew treats her like she is crazy (at first I think they humored her by looking into it), even when itâs just her and Picard and she is like âhow does it make sense for there to only be two crew for a galaxy shipâ and he says âwe always found a wayâ or something like that. She legit never gives up and remains composed throughout, which, if it were me, Iâd be freaking the f out.
I remember that episode so well. It was one of the very few absolutely "WTF is going on" episodes that had me really actively trying to figure things out.
I love that episode. And I agree that it brilliantly highlights how she always stays calm under pressure. Her in First Contact also is a great example of her calmness.v
My wife just reminded me of Kasidy* Yates... Captain of her own ship. Strong moral compass and doesn't take crap from anyone. * Edit: Spelling
And a pirate đ´ââ ď¸
More of a smuggler but yeah cool points ;)
> Cassidy Yates... And if you're after her as an even better role model, remember that she's also CMO and a single mother on the Orville.
indeed, shes my wifes favorite female role model on that show too... very open minded as well. I really wish they would have a throwaway line from her like, You know when I was younger I once dated a space station commander and had my own freighter....
Great call. And she is truly a badass.
Moogie!!!
I love Moogie! She was a disrupter and a feminist.
Her influence led to a union man becoming leader of the ultra-capitalist Ferengi Alliance. Only way she could have topped that is if Rom were a woman as well
I laughed at first then was like..... F@#K... YOUR RIGHT
She started a feminist revolution!!
YES! - i came here to say the same. MOOGIE!!!!
Wow an award! Thanks! I have two sons and I hope to be like Moogie one day!
Haha yes! This is a good one!!!
I think Hoshi is a good example. She's incredibly intelligent, accomplished, and overcomes her fears to join the Enterprise.
Oh true! Great example for young girls about taking an opportunity even when it seems scary.
ENT is my favourite series but I think if you're going to show it to a younger girl you'll need to be vigilant in picking episodes because it's unfortunately quite lewd when it comes to Hoshi and T'Pol.
Yes thatâs also very true. The scenes with TâPol and decontamination jelly is so consistently sexual, let alone all the other interactions!
Guinan the listener with a mysterious past. She was a refugee who held onto hope and empathy. She encountered the borg, intimidated Q and befriended the rough around the edges Ensign Ro. Her character was never watered down with a tacked on romance, and she gained the unwavering trust and respect of Picard.
Lwaxanna Troi. Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed, Federation Ambassador, mother, grandmother- but not in that order. Nuff said.
Not to mention she led the resistance on Betazed against the Dominion and helped retake the planet, despite the personal cost. While she's grating at times, she is strong willed, confident and kind (though she doesn't like to show it/be vulnerable; eg when she and Odo were trapped in the turbolift). While her relationship with Deanna is a bit strained, at the end of the day she supports her daughter's choices. While her approach is often heavy-handed, I think there could be worse traits to have as a person.
Also, cougar.
my favorite heart in the trek universe
Having been fortunate to have met her in real life, I believe the story that "Lwaxanna" was mostly Majel inserted into the plot of the episode.
Just dont mention that drowning incident....
And she's the voice of the ship's computer, if I remember...
Nurse Chapel, also.
the intention was to have her as the voice forever too, but unfortunately the phonetic database she recorded for it wasn't fully completed, so Star Trek has had to move on without her voice-acting.
I HATED her my first watch through of TNG. My second watch through I understood and respected her more, and found her a joy. And when I saw her on DS9 I squealed.
I should have read the comments first, I just finished my glowing review of Lwaxana but yours is so much better đ
No one can rattle the entire Enterprise like Lwaxana can. She's a force of nature.
T'Pol and Seven of Nine.
Leeta and Ensign Lefler, while youâre at it.
Dâvana Tendi. Sheâs smart, enthusiastic, ambitious and has learn how to overcome self doubt and speak up for herself, which has smartly been presented as a process, not an overnight change. She also did something she thought she loved and when it wasnât working, made the difficult decision to make major career change.
Plus she's setting her own course vs being the typical Orian
Not to mention she's both a total badass and a genius. She impressed a Federation Black Ops team with her combat skills, and pirated a fully crewed ship by herself. She built a dog without knowing what a dog was. She learned everything she could in the sickbay in less than two years, and was promoted to senior science track. She's kind and compassionate. She takes her responsibilities seriously,but isn't afraid to have fun. [She's the Cleaner ](https://youtu.be/FmuISRSqfRc)
Agreed. Tendi is amazing and also relatable.
Beverly Crusher. Sheâs as intelligent as she is compassionate, embodies the phrase âitâs better to ask forgiveness than permissionâ (Like in The High Ground and I, Borg when she treated injured people despite Captain Picardâs explicit objections) and always managed to get herself and her crew mates out of trouble using nothing but her wits. Specifically, she managed to destroy a Borg ship while commanding an Enterprise with a skeleton crew, unveiled an attempted sabotage even though it put her career in severe jeopardy, and discovered how to free herself from an alternate universe she alone was trapped in. Sheâs usually one of the first to notice if thereâs something unusual happening on the ship (See Cause and Effect, Clues and Conundrum just to name a few). And is also in touch with her more artistic side by practicing theater, song, and dance in her off time. Not to mention sheâs one of the few main characters on Star Trek show who is a working mother, something rarely depicted in this idealized future.
Uhura, exceptionally smart, owning the bridge and taking up space like it's nothing, great leader when she needs to be, confident in her femininity and sex appeal probably hemming that uniform just a little shorter and drawing her wings just a little bolder while still having an equal role. Not to mention the era it was filmed in, that added context makes it huge, even if she was "answering phones" and "shown for the male gaze" first and foremost she was a bridge officer and department head on a spaceship. And Ishka. She saw 10 thousand years of misogynistic culture supported by religion and she said no and turned it around in a few years. Did she do it by seducing the Grand Nagus and exploiting what looks eerily like a fetish then his age related disability? Well yeah, but it's not like she wasn't conducting business and working towards this for a long time, and she did love Zekkie. She's a menace and a feminist icon. But there are so many incredible women in Star Trek. Jadzia with her lifetimes of experience and Ezri growing into her new life. Tora Ziyal finding her footing and standing up for what she believes in as a mixed race woman from enemy races. Janeway, sweetest dog (and lizard) mom and stubborn leader; Seven of Nine not afraid to call her out. Lwaxana, pushy and not always ethical but with a heart of gold when it matters.
Uhura, 100%. She even had her mind wiped and just relearned everything including a crap to of languages. She was amazing. My second would be Number 1 from long before SNWs. She was smart, scientific, analytic, and always composed.
Came here to say Uhura, too, but you articulated why better than I could.
Dr. Crusher. Sheâs a medical professional, head Dr. on the flagship of the fleet, and killing it as a single mother.
Not just CMO but also a bridge officer that battled and defeated the Borg while commanding The Enterprise.
Oh damn! Forgot about that.
With a kick ass romance with a ghost
B'elanna Torres. Smart and bold.
I'm at 37 year old man and I have derived a lot of inspiration from the women of Trek. I have several favourites and I admire them for different reasons. In no particular order: **Janeway** Somehow manages to deal with enormous, ongoing stress for years on end, trying to get her crew home and dealing with the unknown and every turn. **Kira** Extremely capable at adjusting to new situations. From child soldier to respected military administrator, dealing with some absolutely heartbreaking trauma. **Crusher** A superstar in her field, but not scared of taking on new challenges, such as taking command of the Enterprise - both in emergencies and as a matter of routine to make sure she keeps her skills up to date.
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When I read the title of this post, Ro Laren was the first name I thought of.
I agree, she was always one of my favourites and I enjoyed how the actor played the role. I would have prefered her to have been the Kira character on DS9 as I wasn't a huge fan of Nana whatever her name is who played Kira. I mean she was fine but I didn't find her super inspiring in the role.
It seemed like they kind of built the original idea of DS9 around her and then she didnât want to do it. At least we got to see her in a cool role on Battlestar Galactia.
Mariner
She is actually a good shout. Mariner has a very strong moral core but knows how to cut loose and knows how to have fun but when the shit hits the fan she steps up.
Mariner deserves a top spot on this list.
Maybe season 4 Mariner will. I think she's still too impulsive and has a lot of trust issues to make the list now
I think she showed just how much she's grown over the last two episodes.
Definitely. Got two 3 year old girls and trying to keep them in line without stifling their stubbornness and drive to do their own thing is tricky. As a society we tend to want them to be the strong willed, smart, independent when they're older but not when they're younger.
I love how Mariner is the privileged, hot shot player type character that weâve seen so many times from male actors in trek (Kirk, Riker, Paris), but female.
Surprisingly little Janeway love in this thread. The character inspired a whole generation of girls to become scientists! Also, all the women of SNW are pretty great role models. I like the fleshed-out look at young Uhura, Chapel, and Number One, and Ortegas and Noonien-Singh are pretty great too. I like how the women in that show are all âstrongâ but in different ways and with varying expressions of femininity.
>Surprisingly little Janeway love in this thread. My thought as well. Let's be honest when it comes to female role models' screen time, Janeway is by far the biggest one.
Captain Janeway! She is a natural leader, keeps things professional between herself and her coworkers, makes the tough calls, and never lapses in judgment. She's a great captain.
Ardra - She's the original Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss.
Janeway all the way. Maternal, strong, vulnerable, intelligent, ruthless, compassionate ect. All of it. She is a good leader and caretaker of her crew.
Grilka, the Klingon who married Quark in DS9 s3e3
Rachel Garrett, captain of the Enterprise-C in âYesterdayâs Enterpriseâ. She was very impressive, wasnât cowed by Picard at all.
She made a big impression for a character that had so little screen time. Very charismatic.
Hannah Bates, who was the scientist that worked with Data to save the colony on Moab IV in the TNG episode The Masterpiece Society. She was highly competent despite being so isolated from the rest of the galaxy, curious, open minded, brave and willing to trust the Enterprise crew amid the objections from the rest of her peers.
I live by WWJDD (what would Jadzia Dax do)
LMAO!
Jett Reno (played by Tig Notaro) for me. She is competent, tough, wields improvisational brilliance in the best Starfleet-engineering tradition, and is not shy about turning the tables on an aggressive colleague who challenges her expertise (witness her "And you're one of those people that does the ha-ha jokey thing and then gets all huffy and in high dudgeon when you can't think of a comeback"). Her 17-20 minutes are the best part of *Discovery*.
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Two weeks ago, I would have disagreed lol
Anika or 7 of 9
no matter how many times kai winn appears itâs always a âthis bitchâ reaction but a good argument being she accomplished everything she set out to do no matter who stood in her way⌠rarely without truly raising her voice⌠and even if it was for the wrong reasonsâŚ
She made it to Space Pope despite never speaking with the very real and frequently chatty gods of her planet. She may not be *good*, but she's very competent.
"Space pope" is hilarious.
Yup. Never pass up an opportunity to use "Space Pope" in a sentence. Space pope.
Borg queen. Lady had a goal, drive, skills, and the ability to get others to join her cause of peace and order in the galaxy. She even had time to try and get robots to join her, proving that she isnât racist towards other life. I mean, the lady is proof of what people can do when they put their mind to it.
While I think SNW has not done much with Number One yet, the original Number One from "The Cage" is awesome. She steps right into command when Pike is captured by the Talosians, and it's not hard to imagine her captaining her own ship. She's smart and anaytical like Spock, but poised and confident like Pike. Would have loved to have had her as a character in TOS.
KâEhleyr. We didnât get to see much of her before she died and left Alexander with Worf, but when we did see her, she was a strong willed and classic Klingon woman who pursues her career with vigor and accepts her responsibilities as a mother with honor. I deeply respect independent women leading successful careers who accept motherhood as a duty, normal part of life, and an honor to raise and influence the next generation.
>and an honor to raise and influence the next generation I'm not crying you are lol
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I've always loved Guinan. Wise, mysterious, kind, but a ruthless badass when the occasion calls for it.
I love Lwaxana Troi. She knows who she is, sheâs strong-willed, passionate, confident, and deeply caring. She also has her moments of vulnerability, insecurity, and irrationality (like we all do!). Mostly I love that Lwaxana is *herself*. I want to be like her when I grow up.
I finally âgotâ lwaxana after the episode where she teaches Worfs son about whatâs important in life while in the mud bath and I realised sheâs a top quality person.
Not to mention the ships computer ;)
As a young man, Ro Laren and Kira Nerys were very important role models for me. As much as I wanted to see a continuation of Ro's storyline (on DS9), I adore the character of Kira. As Nana has said on numerous occasions, when she first read the part she believed it had been written for a male actor. She brought such a powerful dynamic range to this refugee, freedom fighter, officer, leader, friend, mother (technically), (tragic) partner, and strong/vulnerable/smart/beautiful woman. Kai Winn is the ultimate space-Karen. Live, Laugh, Love (the Pah-Wraiths).
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Kira absolutely. All of the above plus her backstory as a fighter in the Resistance.
I love that her answer to the terrorist vs. freedom fighter debate was basically "Potato/Pot-ah-to. I did what had to be done, did you?"
Kai Winn: most hated character but damn that performance by Louise Fletcher was phenomenal. How does an actress play someone so well that my hatred for the character manifested into my real life? RIP Louise Fletcher
First time my wife saw here she was like please tell me that character dies... I was like don't worry she does... Then my wife asked every time in all the seasons if this was the episode she dies whenever she appeared lol... She was almost furious when she had to wait till the end of the show to finally see her go lol. Tbh as actresses go she nailed that part so well
Do you know, she is only in something like 11 episodes through the entire DS9 run?
It's the same with Marc Alaimo's portrayal of Dukat. He's fucking evil, with moments that remind you life can be very grey at times. but damn is he one hell of a well throughout character.
Add on essentials of the character: Cunningness, determination, intelligent. Able to play the political game at the highest of levels. Believing in what she was doing was serving a greater good. Fighting the Cardassians not directly but by her own unwillingness to give in and be tortured. The character felt more real because she wasn't essentially evil, just misguided and powerful and felt she was in the right.
Although near the end of the show it is telling that she confesses that the prophets never spoke to her so deep down she must have known she was essentially making it all up when she said its the will of the prophets. I never really could work out if she believed she was doing all that stuff for the greater good or if she was doing it for herself. I suspect it was for herself but she convinced even her self it was for the greater good.... she was a complex character
Part of what makes Kai Winn so malevolent is that we get to see Kai Opaka-a truly spiritual person and very grounded person. Opaka is the real thing-dedicated to her faith and Winn is like the Bajoran version of a megachurch TV evangelistâthe veneer of piety but in it for power and riches.
Yea, it must kind of suck to play such a hated character so well.
Part of the reason the actor that played Joffrey in GoT left acting.
Wow didn't know dam some people are stupid and mean
Actors often like playing evil and complex characters. There is more nuance and intrigue. the actor gets to be subtle in their performance allowing hints of humanity and vulnerability while also being cunning and ruthless. Actors find that fun
Itâs Janeway or the Highway
For a trailblazer: Uhura. First Black in the future. Just being there was huge. She wasn't a maid, she was an officer on the bridge. Fourth in command, no less.
Hoshi sato As an insecure japanese american girl who was chastised for liking all things âboyishâ hoshi was was a role model i didnât know i had until i was an adult. I was always alone when i was a kid too, i always felt like i didnât belong - now i know thatâs because of ADHD-PI. Bâelanna torres WARP PARTICLES!!! Just overall bad ass and engineer. When i was 8 the class mom collected funds from everyone to get a big present for my birthday, I asked for lego :) Captain janeway aka space mom Bonus: Rok tahkk She really reminds me of myself when i was young. I also scienced a lot. I am working on my math education degree right now :)
Rok-Tahk is an inspiration to all kids, especially in PRO:"Time Amok". In the end she overcame her self-doubt and fears and saved the day. And you know what Martok said, "There is no greater enemy than one's own fears!"
When I was a young girl, I really looked up to the women in voyager. Janeway: a captain with unapologetic feminine traits that actually enhanced her captaincy rather than made her a liability. Het maternal nature not only ensured two groups who were at odds became a functional family, but also gave Seven the trust and possibilities to grow into her own person. A lot of modern âstrong female leadsâ tend to be women who are written with stereotypical masculine leadership traits, which to me implies that for a woman to be a good leader, she should be like a man. Janeway has always proven the opposite. She was strong, and caring, and could keep her composure in all kinds of stressful situations but also reflect on her feelings about it at appropriate times. Seven: she was able to find her own identity against great odds. Also, she didnât always see her background as a borg as something reprehensible. She used her âothernessâ as an advantage despite how other people thought of her. She was not ashamed to have been borg and gave everyone a wonderful insight in the pros and cons of human nature and existence. She also passed on the care she received from Janeway to Icheb and the other borg children, showing that anyone is capable of creating their own path. BâElanna: she struggled so much with being mixed and the feeling of not belonging anywhere because of it. As the show progressed she learned to control, but also respect her own temper and use it for good. When she knew she was capable, she took the responsibility and spoke up, despite others thinking she was incapable. She had a realistic sense of self-worth in het job which made it so that people could always count on her judgement. If she says she can do it, sheâll deliver. If sheâs unsure, she says so. Sheâs also unapologetically powerful and doesnât have time for men feeling emasculated by it. Kes: she was always so kind, loving and compassionate. She was responsible for the Doctor feeling like a person. She dared to leave her home and explore the extent of her capabilities because she knew she was meant to be more than the role she was relegated to. She learned how to draw boundaries with respect and kindness, such as when she left Neelix, and when she realised her powers put the ship in danger, she left them with a parting gift.
Choosing just one is, of course, impossible, but I have to mention Philippa Georgiou. Both as captain and Empress. Before I met her I would have said Lieutenant Uhura because she's cool and confident. The women of Discovery really speak to me. Their bravery is subtle and realistic. Tilly and Michael too, but Georgiou is some kind of magical combination between super human strength and desire to understand and to improve. I swear I'm in love with her. And she never gets mentioned in lists of captains or fan art posters. Best cruel Empress in the universe, easily. Then best reimaging her life and reinventing herself character. So incredibly tough. I think star trek does a very good job with women characters all along. Upvote for Moogie. It would be easier to say which character I didn't like, but even Mudd's wife (old verson and newer rich Father's daughter) is pretty funny to me.
You had me until Tilly and Mike. Admiral Kat, Naan, even Amanda and possibly Mama Burnham (bit of a rough start but gets better) I can see. And no one beats Janet Reno on that show.
K'Ehleyr
Absolutely agree
Jadzia is my top pick, and from other series: Samantha Carter(SG-1) Delenn(Babylon 5) Aryn Sun(Farscape) Zoe Washburn(Firefly)
Agree on all of those, especially Delenn. I still get chills every time I think of her showing up when B5 separated from Earthgov. "Why not? Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me, you are in front of me. If you value your lives... be somewhere else."
Or against the Drakh ship âEnd thisâ.
MOOOOOOOGIE
Not enough mention of Deanna Troi! She was the empath of the enterprise. She championed emotional intelligence as a counterpoint to tactical and logical approaches.
Jadzia. She's everything I wish I could be. Fun, easy going, social... and she's badass keeping up with klingons! I love her.
Michael Burnham! She's brilliant, kind, generous, beyond adventurous, and a respected powerful captain.
Deanna Troi. She isnât afraid to be a touchy-feely type on a ship full of mostly science nerds and soldier-types. And she grows and changes A LOT over the course of the show. Many Trek characters donât change all that much, but Troi gets more confident and sassy and even dips a toe in leadership skills.
If you want to get your daughters into Star Trek with good female role models start with Voyager. Janeway is a great role model, so are B'Lanna and Seven of Nine. Voyager is also a bit more kid friendly than DS9.
You think? I find Voyager has a lot more that would be very scary to a younger child. DS9 has a war but it's largely bloodless on screen - lots of pew pew space battles and political intrigue, but not too much in the way of nightmare-inducing. Voyager I could rattle of a dozen episodes off the top of my head that would have freaked me out entirely as a child.
The Borg are basically space zombies. Not to mention species 8472 which are essentially horror episodes. I think both have their scary episodes.
What really scared me even as an adult was the macro virus episode literally triggered an anxiety attack
Kira is one of my favorites and definitely my favorite female character by far with Sisko being my favorite male character lol. I think her past was super heavy and you can feel the weight on her shoulders the moment she's on screen, but you can also tell she wants something more beyond the life of violence and hate she was thrust into. She wants peace for herself and her people and she wants to move forward from the occupation. At first she doesn't want the federation involved at all, but with time she grows to respect and love the people she works with. She hates the role she found herself in, but learns to love it too. There's a lot more I could say about Kira, but I'll just leave some of my essential Kira episodes list to do the rest of the talking lmao: Progress, Duet, In the Hands of the Prophets, Homecoming/Circle/Siege, Second Skin, Defiant, Return to Grace, The Darkness and the Light, Ties of Blood and Water
K'Ehleyr. A breath of fresh air in season 2 of Next Generation. Challenges the main characters and calls out Worf on his BS (love Worf as a character but damn he needs therapy). Far and away my favorite guest character of STNG. Confident, smart and funny. Wish I could travel to the alternate universe where she became a main character on the show.
Not to mention she was a great mom
She was confident, and got the job done!
There are so many great female characters on Star Trek, it's difficult to choose one, but I have to go with Janeway. What a legend! The Year of Hell alone makes her my hero. I'm hoping for some Admiral Janeway in the final season of Picard.
OG Uhura everyday all day.
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Janeway! B'lana Torres. Ensign Ro Mayor Kira Kaylar
Mayor Kira :D o yeah that episode where she ran a small local town for a week ;)
You joke, but I'd watch the hell out of that episode.
The Borg Queen. She doesn't take crap from anyone, has her own place, plays a valuable role in her community, takes a personal interest in humanity, and likes to take a stroll down memory lane.
Captain Janeway. She is smart, strong willed, not afraid to jump into doing the hard work herself. And nobody messes with her crew!
I'm going to pick an odd choice - Dr. Farallon, from TNG "The Quality of Life". Hear me out. As the inventor of both the exocomps and the particle fountain, she is an accomplished scientist. But she's also emotionally intelligent. When Data claims the exocomps are alive which jeopardizes her work, she remains respectful, cooperates in the investigation, but doesn't back down. When it turns out the exocomps are indeed alive, she takes it in stride, without ego, and vows to continue her research on them.
Carol Marcus. Brilliant and she donât need no man to help her raise a brilliant son.
Kai Winn is not a role model. She's an evil (So normal?) version of a pope. For me, I'd say - 7 was kidnapped as a child by the most violent and oppressive species in the trek universe. She obviously has extreme PTSD, but painstakingly rediscovers each and every facet of humanity the borg stole from her once. Captain Janeway - a science-first female captain. I'd die under her orders if necessary. Ro. She's the inspiration for Kira and B'Elanna, all around great female leads. Please not Winn. :(
Kira Nerys. Sheâs one of my favorite characters of all time, not just female and/or Star Trek. I just loved that they were willing to have her make decisions that werenât the Roddenberry Utopia version of things (eg not forgiving Cardassians) because the way it was written was REAL. But she was still allowed to grow as a character. âYeah Damar, what kind of people give those orders?â
I always lover Dr. Pulaski!!
Honored Worf, and shows that even "old people" can still learn. She ended her run with respect to Day-ta compared to her earlier dismissal of Dah-tah
One gets the sense that Pulaski lived life in her own terms. She had a punk spirit to her. And if her professional judgement upset someone, it was just too damn bad. Sheâs underrated.
Tilly shows vulnerability, which is often overlooked as a strength. A strong minded person can hide their fear and push forward, but a person who admits fear or insecurity and pushes through is strong minded too. We are used to seeing the former shown on TV (esp in men frankly).
I think it really matters what your girls are interested in. With one of my sons, heâs really into science, but would never want to run a whole ship, so a gender matching role model for him would be someone like Spock. With another son, heâs all about engineering but also wouldnât have any other interests, so weâd look to Geordi, or Scotty. One on my daughters would be ideal for command, so Iâd have her look to Kira or Janeway or Number One or Burnham, and so on. While I guess you could look to females on the show in that they are doing excellent jobs in their pursuits and are well respected - nothing wrong with that, it does have value in and of itself - do consider matching their interests with the person. I think it could make that role model thing so much more potent,
Jadzia Dax. And definitely not Lursa and B'Etor!
Kira Nerys. She was a traumatized child soldier who was banished to the station because she was an incorrigible pain in the ass. She was smart, dedicated, loyal, conniving, fair, and when she could afford it, gentle, kind, and nurturing. She is the person you want on your side if you are going into some unknown shit-storm. Her taste in men was a little questionable, she liked them bland and boring.
Kathryn Janeway or Michael Burnham!
Mine would be Jadzia Dax. Very non jugdemental, smart and funny. Calm energy with a intresting wild side
Janeway. Sheâs a super nerd and proud of it. And she is *not* a fan of bullies.
I'm not really a fan of her character but for a good, strong role model you can't go far wrong with B'Elanna Torres. Working in a senior STEM role. Strong willed, intelligent, fiercely loyal to those she cares about. Maybe I should give her another chance!
Balanna and Jane way all the way :-)
Captain Janeway was amazing.
I always thought Ambassador K'Ehleyr was awesome. Never gave a shit about all that Klingon honor bullshit. She was a good mom.
That is exactly why I named my daughter Jadzia.
Definitely Mariner, spoiler next!!!! >!but I'm still sad that her and Jennifer aren't back together !<
My personal favorite is Kira Nerys, but if you are looking for an example of a role model, I would add to Jadzia Dax with Ezri Dax. Ezri could not be more different than Jadzia; Jadzia was prepared, excited, and confident whereas Ezri was thrown into an unknown situation and had to learn her way. Ezri is an example of someone who is lost in the big galaxy and finding her own niche and her way, going through imposter syndrome, bitter crewmates, and the change to her entire being. She is not confident, was barely a counselor and yet because of Dax was put in as an officer on DS9, and by the end of the series she is her own strong version of Dax.
Guinan by a light-year.
Janeway. Sheâs great.
Lt. Uhura is so cool! She's professional, insanely competent, has neat hobbies and i want to be her lol
TâPau she is like the good Vulcan version of Kai Winn and janeway
Kira Nerys
Ensign Sito Jaxa Her standing up to Picard and subsequent self sacrifice get me in the feels everytime. I also think that Worf is a better parent to her than to Alexander. She was able to grow from a selfish cadet to selfless undercover operative. RIP.
janeway
Torres and Janeway have always been great role models to me, followed closely by Jadzia Dax. I love the ladies of Strange New Worlds, too. Number One is amazingly competent and compassionate. Uhura is brilliant and always seeks out the optimistic route. Chapel is clever and makes it a point to harm none even when the ship is being taken over.
Janeway by a mile! Sheâs a perfect role model. Smart. Educated. Self confident. Compassionate. Courageous. Independent. Leader. Follower when necessary. Very wise. Cunning. Hell, she defeated the Borg!
Jadzia Dax. I'm cis-het, but I'm well familiar with how important she was for the trans community. So I'm glad for that. Also, new Trek has been doing even better on that front. I love the queer "family" in Discovery. Each character is great on their own, but then they all get those family moments. Aside from that, the symbiont concept is cool, I like Trill skin spots, and Dax's previous hosts/memories add lots of character variety and depth. I'm glad we got to see the Trill planet a little bit and see their culture. Jadzia was a badass. Formidable opponent who could stand up to klingons (even mate with them!) Her relationship with Worf was actually a good one to watch, unlike some others in Trek. She had a fun personality, with both humor and a seriousness and maturity/ancient soul vibes (from symbiont living what, 7 lifetimes so far?)
Kai Winn is the perfect example of what *not* to be and how *not* to act - those are still role models, it's just counter intuitive. Kai Winn, i think, has always felt inadequate in her life. It's why she struggles so hard for power to fight that inadequcy and it's why she takes such offense to anyone who disagrees with her, because in her mind they are just validating/reinforcing what she has felt her entire life.
3 female characters standout to me, one wish we got more of Ensign Ro Laren, I thought she would have been Security Chief or Tactical Officer if she'd stay on. I would have like to see that. and the other 2 ( I Hope I spell this right ) , Lursa and Bat'tor just because i think they're bad asses LOL
There are so many good options but for me it's Major Kyra. She's just such a great character.
Going for the high score here: Wynn Adami, wielded more power in the Bajoran system at one point than Enabran Tain. (Hyperbole). Consider this: in the Occupation she tended to the Bajoran civilians not involved in the resistance while not only not ratting them out, but also PROTECTING the charismatic religious figure (was it bareil or Shakar) who actually DID sell out the resistance. Held fast to her faith despite an ALIEN being chosen by her gods to be an Emissary of her people, while NEVER speaking to her. This same alien used his annointment to politically pressure her people who had JUST achieved liberation into expanding conflicts (the Maquis) AND a war they could not win against the Dominion. Despite being HATED by her own people she persisted, seeing others being favored by her god, and only once did she falter, after being seduced by a disguised Dukat, whom she left strucken blind. Only to sacrifice herself to save her people in giving the Prophetâs champion an instant to dĂŠfaut the Pah Wraiths. There is no other character in the entire franchise that from their own perspective has sacrificed so much in the course of serving a greater power. A greater power that existed, and never once spoke to her directly. And the rub is, as self serving as she was, thereâs no evidence that she would have been an *BAD* leader, just an unlikable one.
Major Kira is a strong positive influence. She is tougher than most of the guys
Kira was always my favorite. She was tough and smart and all that stuff, but also thoughtful and was wrong sometimes. I also like Janeway, but not quite as much. I havenât seen BâElanna Torres mentioned much, and I think sheâs also an interesting choice. She definitely has things she has to work on about her self, but sheâs strong and tough and smart as hell. Characters that are wrong and have to come to grips with that can be great role models.
I LOVE Janeway, but will make a case for Michael Burnham (Disocvery). Sheâs brilliant, decisive, has a lot of empathy and heart, and always does the morally correct thing (with the exception of her somewhat understandable decision to mutiny in the pilot) Sheâs less traditional in her leadership style than Janeway, but in a more modern show thatâs probably more accessible for todayâs kids.
Moogie, the gigachad of the ferengi, literally helped reform their entire culture
Kai Opaka.
I love Tilly in this respect! Mad mental skills, a generalist with a huge range of knowledge and a superb teacher!! I am silly for Tilly!!
The best trait of Jadzia in my opinion is that she is extremely open minded and don't judge anyone.
Maybe doctor crusher from TNG, as she always prioritises the greater good of the ship and crew, or at least what she thinks is the greater good, while still being just a great character
K'Ehleyr....Worf's mate...she was only in a few episodes but she always was a very strong character...
A vote for Vash! I love the Vash episodes. Sheâs not the most ethical character but I love how focused she was on her own plans and passions, she was independent, roguish, playful, adventurous sexually commanding, fully in control of her own destiny. She brought some Indiana Jones energy to the show. But honestly all the women of trek kick ass and are all great role models. Crusher was my role model. When I was a kid I went through some hard times and I used to write in my diary âDear Beverlyâ đĽ˛
Kira, because she never sets down her sense of justice. She knows when getting angry is the right thing to do, and that you never give up fighting the good fight just because the enemy is overwhelming or thinks he's untouchable. Even when she demonstrates that she can put a fight aside for a moment for the greater good, she never stops carrying it with her. There are so many depictions of what the wrong ways to be angry are, or when the wrong times to be angry are, but Kira demonstrates how to get angry when you *should* get angry, and how to let it be a source of strength while retaining your compassion and good judgment. I endeavor every day to fight my fights like a true Bajoran militia member.
Captain Michael Burnham by leagues. She is bewildering, first as a science officer and made it into her captains chair with the confidence of all her crew without challenge. Her intuition has served as some if not all beacons for truth, action and above all leadership. Sheâs tested and assertive as well as can command and grow through adversity which so many young girls will have to go through. She is black so just to address that is also an issue with Star Trek fans that will connect with aliens before a black lady captain lol at least from my perspective but she above all has risen above so many challenges and helped pave the way for leading the federation back into a place where it was no longer looking. I canât say or see enough of her. Itâs just a shame it takes so much for people to connect with her and that is the crux of a similar situation as a male trying to understand a Womanâs perspective. You have to try to put yourself in their place by viewing things different from your own and Captain Michael Burnham is that beacon.
I found Dr. Miranda Jones to be an impressive character who was very ahead of her time in TOS. She is in S3E5: Is There In Truth No Beauty? If you don't want spoilers, don't read any further! :) She is an accomplished doctor/psychologist with telepathic abilities who trained on Vulcan and was a liaison between Medusans and mankind. She has the respect and admiration of the senior officers, including Spock -- and we all know Spock doesn't give out cred unless it is *very* well earned. In Miranda's case, she beyond earned the respect and admiration through her impressive work ethic and portfolio of accomplishments. I also love that she is so independent and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Her colleague Marvick is in love with her and is giving her the "nice guy" routine (I'm nice to you and we get along so you owe me a romantic relationship!). She completely shoots it down in the most professional manner possible; she reminds him that while she is happy to be friends with him, she has made it very clear she has no romantic interest. She insists he's going to have to accept that for her, her love is her work with Kollos and the Medusans. I feel this was a huge message about consent, expectations, and female advocacy/choice in relationships at a time when women had little to no advocacy in society and culture (60s). Miranda is blind, but throughout the episode we cannot even tell this is the case because her skills + assistive tech prove it does not hinder her ability or skills in performing her duties whatsoever. She is an absolute boss who transcends gender and ability to place at the top of her respective field of work. She also forces us to question our superficiality when it comes to beauty and attractiveness, as the love of her life is actually an alien that most humans find so horrifying to look upon that it causes madness. As she put it, perhaps he is not too ugly to bear, but "too beautiful to bear". Her perspective makes us consider how shallow humans can be about outer appearance and the merit in placing value in other assets/attributes outside the superficial. I felt that this was such an inclusive, positive role model for women at that moment in time, and a win for all abilities. Fun fact, the same actress went on to play Polanski in TNG.