Samus Aran

Samus Aran is the protagonist of Nintendo's Metroid science fiction action-adventure game series. She was one of the first independent, powerful, and inspiring women in gaming, and she continues to be a role model for strong women in the industry. She's also one of the few characters in a first-person shooter who isn't a robot or a buff dude. Her character is so well developed that you can almost always predict what she'll do next, but then she'll do something completely unexpected.

While she is undeniably attractive, that is not her main selling point. Samus is resourceful, intelligent, and outfitted in a full suite of high-tech armor like no other. She must also be quite skilled at yoga because turning into a ball as she does in most games would be impossible. Despite having the job of a bounty hunter, this badass lady is the de facto Protector of the Galaxy. Samus has saved the galaxy on multiple occasions on her own. She collaborated with the military in Prime 3, but even then she was bailing them out of hot water.

First appearance: Metroid (1986)