Marvel and Disney have brought movie fans far and wide some of the strong, bravest and most beautiful heroines in cinematic history. While Marvel has a pretty good track record with female heroes, the Cinematic Universe has slowly but surely introduced a long gallery of fantastic and complex bad asses, some of whom are cinematic creations, while others brought in to the flesh from the pages of the comics. These are five of my favorite beauties from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Did I miss any of your favorites?
Honorable Mention: Darcy Lewis
Mostly a second banana in the “Thor” movies, Darcy is the perfect antithesis to the blander Jane Foster. With a spunky attitude and appealing charisma, Lewis approaches most of the fantastic events in both “Thor” movies with wit and awe, making her one of the more underrated heroines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’d love to see Darcy eventually brought back to the MCU for a supporting role in another of the superhero films down the line. She deserves it.
5. Black Widow
Widow made her first appearance in the pretty dull “Iron Man 2,” opening the door wider to the Marvel Universe, and showing what kind of hero she’d become when teamed against larger threats. She’s a deadly force to be reckoned with, one filled with a myriad of skills abilities, and deadly techniques. She can even interrogate a suspect without even asking them a single question, and can infiltrate literally any strong hold, be it SHIELD or the US Government. Widow is a dazzling and fierce goddess, and one of the only women of Marvel sporting her own flying car.
4. Maria Hill
Though Hill may not be a super soldier or a god from Norse mythology, she can rumble with the best of the titans at Marvel. Not only is she fiercely loyal to SHIELD and Nick Fury, she manages to help SHIELD rebuild when Hydra takes over in “Winter Soldier,” and goes toe to toe with Hawkeye in “The Avengers” when his mind is consumed by Loki, forcing him to become a deadly member of his rising army and goal to take over the world. Hill can take a beating, is a strong soldier, and is more than a capable replacement should Black Widow someday call it quits from Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
3. Wanda Maximoff
Wanda Maximoff, or Scarlet Witch, is a powerful and unique young woman still learning the full capacity of her powers. As beautiful as she is powerful, Maximoff is a ticking time bomb who has to be implemented wisely, or else she may begin killing people very soon. Though she’s initially very meek and submissive when we meet her, she grows in to a valuable member by “Civil War,” committing to difficult tasks the other team members can’t pull off, and being thrown in to a personal war between a bunch of seasoned warriors.
2. Hope Van Dyne
Hope comes from an impressive and intimidating dynasty of scientific brilliance, and she’s very anxious to prove herself when we meet her. The daughter of Janet Van Dyne, she’s tasked with putting up with her father Hank, while also having to mentor his new apprentice Scott Lang, after a series of circumstances prompts interest from Pym. Hope is a long suffering warrior with a lot of potential to strike out on her own and is by no means a damsel in distress. She gives just as good as she gets, and will likely really show she can kick ass alongside the Avengers very soon.
1. Sharon Carter, Agent 13
The niece of Steve Rogers’ first love Peggy, Sharon Carter is a young woman who made her first appearance in “Winter Soldier.” One of the very few agents of SHIELD who stood up against the rising tide of Hydra, and willing to team up with Steve to save the world, Sharon made an instant impact as a tough and courageous agent willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the legacy of SHIELD and keep Hydra from taking over the world. Sharon is not just gorgeous and charming, but she’s bold and ballsy, taking Steve’s side during “Civil War,” sneaking the weaponry to Steve’s team during the climactic battle, and even going hand to hand with a brainwashed Bucky as he takes down team members at every turn. It’s no wonder Steve is so smitten with her. She’s a bonafide doll who also could probably give Maria Hill or Black Widow and run for their money.