Why The Walking Dead Has the Most Badass Women on TV Right Now

Every character on The Walking Dead has earned their stripes in badass one way or another. When you're in a constant war for survival against zombies and the worst kinds of people, you have no choice but to figure out your strengths and make the most out of them. But the women of The Walking Dead take badass to a whole new level. I'm not just talking about their skill at killing zombies (though we all know they have serious ability when it comes to that). I'm talking about all the aspects of their personalities that make them the women who stand strong in the face of danger and keep fighting. Read on to see exactly why the women of The Walking Dead might just be the most badass women on television right now.

01
Michonne
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Michonne

When she made her iconic debut during season three (technically season two's final episode), comic book fans were extra hyped because they already knew how much of a badass Michonne was. She didn't disappoint; Michonne's skill with her sword has given us some truly amazing kills. But it's her intuition, levelheadedness, and grasp of common sense that make her the perfect right-hand woman to Rick.

When others lose hope, Michonne seems to gain it in spades, being one of the few who stays open to joining communities and making a new life after the group has been burned. Her strength keeps her from allowing people like the Governor, the Wolves, and Negan from keeping her down. Yes, Michonne is lethal with her blade, but her conviction to live rather than just survive is what keeps her going and keeps us loving her!

02
Maggie Rhee (nee Greene)
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Maggie Rhee (nee Greene)

Oh, Maggie. A woman who has been through so much and who continues to overcome her tragedies in the most poetic ways possible. When Maggie arrives on the series, she's full of Southern sass and doesn't take anyone's crap. As the series goes on, she becomes the kind of woman who isn't afraid to make the hard decisions and who never backs down from a challenge.

Maggie's relationship with Glenn (RIP) shows her vulnerable side. She discovers her desire to truly live her life and start a family. After losing him, she retreats to grieve before coming out ready to fight. It's that fortitude and determination to right all wrongs against her community that makes Maggie a formidable leader of Hilltop and a damn scary mom-to-be. In the best way, of course.

03
Carol Peletier
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Carol Peletier

Carol Peletier is a polarizing character for many The Walking Dead fans. Whether you love her or hate her, you can't deny she's seriously badass. As the only surviving member of her family after the death of her abusive husband and young daughter, Carol has been through some shit. Rather than spiraling into depression, which would have been totally justifiable, Carol empowers herself by learning self-defense.

She's shown herself to be incredibly resourceful and intelligent, as well as objective to a fault. Her cunning nature serves her well as a confidant to Rick, especially during the beginning of the group's stay in Alexandria. While her skill as a liar isn't always seen as a good thing, it's fair to say it's helped her get out of some scary situations. Carol can definitely be cruel, but at her core, she's a woman in a hard world, doing what she believes needs to be done to keep her family safe. You gotta respect that.

04
Rosita Espinosa
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Rosita Espinosa

Another polarizing character for fans, Rosita, came into the series as a badass and has only gotten badder. Her proficiency with guns is nothing when you see the way she works with bombs. She's tough as nails and not afraid to do what needs to be done when the hard decisions come up. While some of her plans are definitely questionable, there's no denying it takes serious guts to actually put them into motion. Hell, even Negan can't deny she's ballsy AF.

05
Tara Chambler
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Tara Chambler

Sweet Tara might not seem like a badass, but she definitely is. She has come a long way since her debut in the series, and it's been glorious. Once her tough-girl facade comes down and she moves on from her guilt for her involvement in the attack on the prison, she begins to blossom. She takes on more responsibility and gains maturity during her time as a runner for Alexandria. While she can be naive at times, it's that same desire to believe there's still good in people that makes her valuable in an otherwise-distrustful group. And even with that innate goodness, if Tara has to fight, she's going to go hard and she's probably going to fight dirty. And that's the kind of badass that is going to make it in the apocalypse.