“Once you tell your story, it can be empowering.” ~ Olivia Benson
Now more than ever, true stories told by women are emerging to inspire, empower, and instigate change. Fictional stories and their heroines also have the power to resonate with us, becoming icons and allies in our own unique journeys.
Wonder Woman demonstrates that strength, independence, and devotion are commendable traits for women and society as a whole. Rey shows that humble beginnings have no bearing on the greatness that one can become. Buffy teaches us that sometimes being a raw, vulnerable human being is the bravest choice of all. This is a collection of inspirational quotes from both iconic and lesser known female characters from movies, TV shows, video games, and literature. No matter where you are from and how you identify, you are sure to find some value in these gems of wisdom!
50 Inspiring Quotes From Powerful Fictional Women
| Character and Source | Quote |
|---|---|
| Merida
Brave |
“You control your destiny — you don’t need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems.” |
| Jyn Erso
Rogue One |
“We have hope. Rebellions are built on hope.” |
| Mulan
Mulan |
“If I wear a mask I can fool the world, but I cannot fool my heart.” |
| Rey
Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
“I know how to run without you holding my hand!” |
| Pocahontas
Pocahontas |
“You think the only people who are people are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew.” |
| Grandmother Willow
Pocahontas |
“Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.” |
| Rapunzel
Tangled |
“Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.” |
| Diana
Wonder Woman |
“Only love can truly save the world. So I stay, I fight, and I give, for the world I know can be.” |
| Sheeta
Castle in the Sky |
“No matter how many weapons you have, no matter how great your technology might be, the world cannot live without love!” |
| Fairy Godmother
Cinderella |
“Even miracles take a little time.” |
| Katniss Everdeen
Mockingjay |
“Some walks you have to take alone.” |
| Hermione Granger
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone |
“Books! And cleverness! There are more important things! — Friendship! And Bravery! |
| Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins |
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.” |
| Elastigirl
The Incredibles |
“Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it.” |
| Snow White
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs |
“When the raindrops come tumbling, remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine.” |
| Hazel Graze
The Fault in Our Stars |
“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world…but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” |
|
Lady Galadriel The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring |
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” |
|
Éowyn The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King |
“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman.” |
| Scarlett O’Hara
Gone With the Wind |
“After all, tomorrow is another day!” |
| Peggy Carter
Marvel universe |
“Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say ‘No, you move’.” |
| Dana Scully
The X-Files |
“Sometimes looking for extreme possibilities makes you blind to the probable explanation right in front of you.” |
| Sophie
Howl’s Moving Castle |
“They say the best blaze burns the brightest, when the circumstances are at their worst.” |
| Dory
Finding Nemo |
“When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming.” |
| Edna Mode
The Incredibles |
“I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.” |
| Jo March
Little Women |
“I find it poor logic to say that because women are good, women should vote. Men do not vote because they are good; they vote because they are male, and women should vote, not because we are angels and men are animals, but because we are human beings and citizens of this country.” |
| Elsa
Frozen |
“Yes, I’m alone, but Im alone and free!” |
| Jasmine
Aladdin |
“Sometimes we only see how people are different from us. But if you look hard enough, you can see how much we’re all alike.” |
| Meredith Grey
Grey’s Anatomy |
“I think it is important to take the time to tell the people you love how much you love them while they can still hear you.” |
| Alice Kingsleigh
Alice in Wonderland |
“You’re mad, bonkers, off your head! But I’ll tell you a secret: all the best people are.” |
| Olivia Benson
Law and Order |
“Once you tell your story, it can be empowering.” |
| Tiana
The Princess and the Frog |
“The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work.” |
| Lara Croft
Tomb Raider |
“A famous explorer once said, that the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are. I’d finally set out to make my mark; to find adventure. But instead adventure found me. In our darkest moments, when life flashes before us, we find something; Something that keeps us going. Something that pushes us.” |
| Fionna
Adventure Time |
“I don’t need to feel like I’m waiting to be noticed. I know who I am and I’ll know what I want if and when it ever comes along.” |
| Princess Bubblegum
Adventure Time |
“Responsibility demands sacrifice.” |
| Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre |
“I do not think, sir, you have a right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.” |
| Kitty Pryde
Marvel universe |
“You keep waiting for the dust to settle, and then you realize this is it; the dust is your life going on. If happy comes alone – that weird, unbearable delight that’s actually happy – I think you have to grab it while you can.” |
| Ellie
Up |
“Adventure is out there.” |
| Buffy
Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
“I am the plan.” |
| Elesa
Pokémon Black and White |
“Getting wrapped up in worries is bad for your body and spirit. That’s when you must short out your logic circuits and reboot your heart.” |
| Gamora
Guardians of the Galaxy |
“It’s time we stand up for what is right.” |
| Lois Foutley
As Told By Ginger |
“Being in a relationship just for the sake of being in a relationship is plain crazy. You gotta let your heart lead the way.” |
| Betty Warren
Mona Lisa Smile |
“But not all who wander are aimless. Especially not those who seek truth beyond tradition; beyond definition; beyond the image.” |
| Princess Leia
Star Wars: A New Hope |
“Someone has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, fly boy.” |
| Elizabeth Bennet
Pride and Prejudice |
“My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me.” |
| Phoenix (Jean Grey)
Marvel universe |
“We come into this world alone, and we leave the same way. The time we spend in between – time spent alive, sharing, learning together – is all that makes life worth living.” |
| Margaret Thatcher
The Iron Lady |
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. What we think, we become.” |
| Ms. Norbury
Mean Girls |
“I know having a boyfriend might seem like the only thing important to you right now, but you don’t have to dumb yourself down in order for a guy to like you.” |
|
Elinor Dashwood
Sense and Sensibility |
“I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way.” |
| Anne Shirley
Anne of the Green Gables |
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” |
| Ororo Munroe (Storm)
Marvel universe |
“I am the gathering tempest – I am the howling wind – the roar of the rain – the voice of thunder!” |
Featured image photo credit: Warner Bros.
These are great, popular quotes anyone can use at any time, with the friends or coworkers.
Thanks!
“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know just what you’re gonna get.”