While a few superhero franchises are giving the ladies a chance to shine, they often make the mistake of delving too far into the rom-com side of things (Elektra, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman: 1984, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and whatever ScarJo attempted with Ghost in the Shell). Classic 90s creations were much better equipped at capturing the essence of girl power, but without saturating the content with unnecessary plot devices.

RELATED: Anime With The Best Female Cast

Considering that the 1990s was the birthplace of the girl power movement implies that they had a better grasp of the ideologies and weren't influenced by radical feminism, which apparently requires a completely female cast to appease its fans. Simply putting a well-rounded woman in a position of power is satisfactory for most; there is no need to feminize every aspect of the storyline, too.

9 Kim: Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Kim Edward Scissorhands

While Kim's hardcore factor has little to do with holding her own in a fight, it certainly takes a great deal of courage to stand up against an entire village to defend a loved one. Initially afraid of Edward and his menacing Scissorhands, Kim slowly rectifies her judgemental ways and ultimately falls in love with the strange young man. However, around this time, Edward's social standing begins to decline at a rapid rate, and the townsfolk start treating him more like Frankenstein's monster than their beloved hairstylist.

Kim could have easily removed herself from the conflict and sided with the masses. However, she chose to follow her heart instead and has enough resolve to oppose her abusive boyfriend, which in itself is a treacherous task for anyone to take on.

8 Sarah: The Crow (1994, 1996, and 2000)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Sarah The Crow

This sassy skateboarding youngster is quite experienced at looking after herself, as her dead-beat mother is usually drugged up somewhere and of little assistance. Sarah has subsequently become quite a courageous young lady (only 11 years old, when first introduced). She shows no fear when seeing the undead Eric for the first time, abruptly accusing the stranger of attempting to strike fear as a sinister clown, before recognizing him as her dearly departed friend.

RELATED: Underappreciated 90s Horror Movies

Sarah is quite comfortable in a graveyard and naturally assimilates into a tattoo artist's lifestyle in adulthood, increasing her intimidation factor even further. She assists the next generation of undead victims seeking vengeance, regularly facing danger head-on without batting an eyelash.

7 Xena Warrior Princess (1995)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Xena Warrior Princess

This bodacious beauty made her debut in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and earned her own spin-off series shortly afterward, as fans simply couldn't get enough of Xena's spunky antics. The leather-clad lady had a rather disgraceful past filled with plundering, looting, death, and destruction, but the time for retribution has finally arrived.

Accompanied by her loyal side-kick (and potential lover), Gabrielle, the Warrior Princess spends her days traveling through Ancient Greece, rescuing helpless innocents along the way. Although she mainly relies on her extensive combat skills and superior swordsmanship, Xena will occasionally put her superhuman abilities on display (such as telekinesis), and many fans believe she is actually a Demi-God born from Ares' bloodthirsty bloodline.

6 Mallory McMallard And Tanya Vanderflock: Mighty Ducks (1996)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Mallory McMallard and Tanya Vanderflock Mighty Ducks

Mallory McMallard has some serious Puckblaster skills and is one of the few female fighters to make it onto the Wildwing's squad, as Tanya Vanderflock's responsibilities lie more on the scientific side of things. The quick-witted Mallory is a Puckworld Special Forces veteran, is well-versed in martial arts, and effectively fulfills the Boisterous Bruiser role (highly uncommon for female characters!)

RELATED: 90s Saturday Morning Cartoons That Were Darker Than You Remember

Tanya's combat skills may be severely lacking. However, her ingenuity more than makes up for it, as the Mighty Ducks rely heavily on her Omnitool inventions, medical knowledge, and words of wisdom. Together, they are the brains and the brawn of their formidable feathered friends.

5 Anastasia (1997)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Anastasia and Rasputin

Originally the leading lady of the first Fox Animation feature, this redhead only recently joined the ranks of Disney Princesses (and has since been removed from Disney Plus), but that does little to discredit her past achievements. At just eight years old, Anastasia bravely takes on the formidable and ruthless Rasputin, leaving his lifeless corpse to drown in an icy river after their first encounter. Reaching adulthood, Anya has become a bold, stubborn and confident creature who possesses enough strength to hold her own in a fight.

The undead Rasputin attempts to fulfill his quest by ending the girl's life but even after all the harrowing events that befall her, Anya refuses to stop looking for her family. She does not hesitate to take on the tyrant singlehandedly a second time when the sorcerer suddenly appears at the palace and successfully ends his life yet again, (hopefully this time, death will stick!)

4 La Femme Nikita: TV Series (1997)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series La Femme Nikita

This psycho-romantic sci-fi thriller follows a convicted felon with a death sentence on her head as she is given a second chance at life, so long as she puts her killer instinct to work as a secret government assassin, that is.

It takes several years for this stubborn streetsmart seductress to submit to authority. However, after her grueling training, Nikita becomes a murderous machine and is reintroduced to the world under a new name, and inevitably falls in love. She becomes torn between two worlds, as her cruel, coldhearted spy work contrasts significantly with her newfound tender side, and tough decisions must be made.

3 The Owens Sisters: Practical Magic (1998)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Sally and Gillian Owen Practical Magic

Aware of the supernatural realm but mostly preferring to avoid it, orphaned sisters Sally and Gillian had vast experience with the occult but still attempted to live relatively normal lives nevertheless. Sally's plans are thwarted when an accursed death sends her running back home to Massachusetts, with two new young, fatherless Owens girls in tow.

RELATED: Most Iconic TV Witches

Gillian follows suit not long after, fleeing from her violent love life, and the sisters begin fighting tooth and nail to relieve their lineage of the love-destroying curse for good. Dead villains refuse to remain in the grave, and spellcasting loopholes keep coming to bite them in the face, but the Owens sisters never back down from protecting their family.

2 Honorable Mention: Jessica Rabbit (1988)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Jessica Rabbit Who Framed Roger Rabbit

The sexiest sensation in animated history certainly remained iconic in the 90s and although Jessica Rabbit may not be entirely forgotten, it seems like Disney is doing their best to sweep this sultry character under the rug (and has removed her from their Disneyland Toontown, too.) While her oversexualized features in Who Framed Roger Rabbit don't conform to Disney standards, her ideologies aim to empower women.

The iconic Jessica Rabbit has since received an unwarranted makeover, fitting her with an oversized trenchcoat and removing her from the damsel-turned-heroine role (after she essentially rescues herself from the incessant Weasel). She has now taken a leaf out of Eddie Valiant's book instead and embarked on a private detective career path, and most die-hard fans are heartbroken at losing their favorite female figurehead.

1 Honorable Mention: Max Guevara (2000)

Forgotten Hardcore 90s Heroine From Movies & Series Max Dark Angel

The 90's girl power trend overflowed into the new Millennium and, although Dark Angel technically doesn't qualify, it would be a crime to leave Maxine "Max" Guevara off the list! This cyberpunk femme fatale took the world by storm (with James Cameron's supporting her every move), and it was a heartbreaking surprise for most when the successful series suddenly got canceled after just two seasons.

Kickstarting both Jessica Alba and Jensen Ackles' careers, Dark Angel is an often overlooked masterpiece highlighting a drop-dead gorgeous super-solider as she attempts to topple a dystopian political system from the heart of Terminal City. After her short on-screen stint, Max subsequently earned the title of one of the "Greatest Sci-Fi Legends of All Time" (as of 2004).

MORE: Most Iconic Live-Action Princesses In Movies, Ranked