Disney's Strongest Women: The 10 Most Powerful Female Characters, Ranked

Between the creepy stories behind some Disney princess movies and the films' stereotypical caricatures of female characters, from evil queens to damsels in distress, it's easy to understand why the studio's reputation for portraying strong women might need a little help. But take a deep enough dive into the Disney canon, and you'll find plenty of examples of powerful female characters.

Sure, the world of Disney has its share of magic-wielding babes and even a few physically tough gals — chief among them, Luisa Madrigal (Jessica Darrow) from "Encanto." But while it would be nice to see them best the world's Gastons in an arm-wrestling match or conquer every villain with powerful witchcraft, the best strength is the inner strength and fortitude that drives powerful women, especially when leavened with compassion and empathy. Whether they're standing up for the voiceless or learning to overcome their own fears, it's that type of strength that makes these women role models everyone can look up to, and why they've made this list.

There are plenty of plucky Disney princesses, but Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the Scottish hero of "Brave," is one seriously tough cookie. The first Disney-Pixar princess and a genuine tomboy, Merida is incredibly athletic and, frankly, a little feral — in the best possible ways. Despite the queen's (Emma Thompson) best efforts to mold her daughter into a proper Disney princess, Merida would rather be riding her horse, climbing a rock face, or rambling through the wilds of Scotland while shooting arrows.

When Merida's desperation to avoid an arranged marriage transforms her family into bears, she goes out of her way to protect them — even placing herself in harm's way. And through it all, her hair never stops looking fantastic.

In a world full of very demure, very mindful Disney princesses, "Hercules" antagonist Megara (Susan Egan) sold her soul to Hades (James Woods) in order to save a lover who would turn around and drop her. But a deal's a deal, so after Hades forces Meg to turn femme fatale and find Hercules' (Roger Bart) weakness, it's nice to see her get a redemption arc when she sacrifices herself — her second sacrifice to save a guy if you're counting — on behalf of Hercules. As a woman who is literally enslaved for eternity thanks to one bad decision, to still have a sense of humor and the heart to save someone else cements Meg as one of the emotionally strongest women in all Disney canon.

As the titular character of her Disney film, it makes sense that Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) tends to get all the credit for her adventures, as anyone who takes on an epic journey to save her people should. But Te Fiti is an actual benevolent goddess, one whose heart "held the greatest power ever known," according to Gramma Tala (Rachel House) — a power with the ability to create all of life itself.

When Te Fiti has her power stolen by the oblivious Maui (Dwayne Johnson), she is stripped of her benevolence and transforms into the lava demon Te Kā before settling into an existence as an igneous symbol of someone frozen in trauma and pain. It is only when she accepts the compassion, love, and healing Moana brings that Te Fiti is restored to her truest, best self, a powerful reminder of how much strength and healing women can draw from each other.

It's hard enough to become a teenage parent. But becoming a teenage parent to a precocious younger sibling while you're both still processing the deaths of your parents requires some next-level inner strength. This is why Nani (Tia Carrere) from "Lilo and Stitch" is one of the most powerful women in all the Disneyverse.

In a time of her life when other kids her age are out in the world doing teenager things, Nani is busy pouring herself into her role as a single mother and Lilo's (Daveigh Chase) sole provider. She is completely committed to giving Lilo the best life possible in spite of everything they've been through, sacrificing her own relationships and self-interest for her little sister's well-being.

As the hero of "The Lion King," Simba returns to his pride to defeat Scar, taking up his rightful place as king of everything the light touches. And exactly none of that would be possible with the real MVP of the story, Nala, who gives him the kick in the mane he needs to get his act together.

While Simba is lounging around, living the easygoing bachelor life with his buddies Timon and Pumbaa, Nala is raised under the oppressive rule of Simba's tyrannical and murderous uncle, Scar. And that's not the end of Scar's abuse, as revealed in an unfilmed storyboard of "The Lion King" song "Be Prepared" that was so dark, it was deemed unsuitable for kids. But through that torment and abuse, she retains her inner strength and sense of self. When she and Simba reunite, Nala is steadfast in her commitment to her people, ultimately kicking Simba's happy slacker tail into high gear and back to Pride Rock, where he belongs.

Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) of "The Princess and the Frog" is by no means Disney's only hard-working princess. But she is the first to hold down two food service industry jobs to fulfill her and her late father's dreams of transforming an old sugar mill into a gumbo house where the world can delight in her signature meal.

Tiana always seems to be at her strongest in the face of adversity, whether she's facing off with a pair of shady real estate agents or saving Prince Naveen's (Bruno Campos) skin in the bayou. And even when she marries a prince, Tiana never settles for a life on Easy Street. Instead, she brings her husband into the family business, transforming a coddled prince into a hard-working restaurant owner.

With her stunning emerald-green eyes, the Romani dancer (played by Demi Moore) of "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" is one of the prettiest women in the Disneyverse, and her sweet dance moves and stage magic are nothing to shake a stick at. She's also got street smarts that would give Aladdin a run for his money. But it's Esmeralda's commitment to humanitarianism, a commitment she is willing to fight for and is indirectly nearly burned at the stake for, that makes her one of the strongest women in Disney animation history.

Despite the risk to herself as a marginalized woman, Esmeralda doesn't hesitate to stand up for Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) when the vicious crowd turns on him at the Festival of Fools. What's more, she's not afraid to speak truth to power, telling Minister of Justice Frollo (Tony Jay) that he is the fool and later spitting in his face as she faces imminent death.

There's a real case to be made for the argument that Ursula is the true hero of "The Little Mermaid." If not a hero, then she's at least a serious wheeler-dealer who would fit right in on Wall Street or Capital Hill. While Ariel (Jodi Benson) abandons her family and everyone she loves for a boy she doesn't even know, the banished witch Ursula (Pat Carroll) is out there solving problems no one else wants to deal with.

While some might argue that she engages in shady business practices, everything Ursula does is written right there in the sub-clause of a legally binding contract, as evidenced by King Triton's (Kenneth Mars) attempt to destroy Ariel's deal at one point. Sure, she uses magic, but Ursula's true power is her knowledge, both of legal strategy and human nature. It's not her fault that no one ever bothers to read the fine print.

The only live-action character in our list comes from the 1971 live-action and animation musical "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." An apprentice witch-in-training and autodidact, Miss Eglantine Price (Angela Lansbury) isn't going to let a little thing like a globe-spanning world war stop her from learning her craft by correspondence course. Even better, she plans to use her newly-learned skills to kick the Nazis out of her hometown.

Miss Price represents the best of progressivism and allyship. She's something of a hippie, as she's a committed vegetarian, and she doesn't believe in naming animals. But she proves there's more to her than just some pacifistic ideals when she fosters three war orphans and then, with the children at her side, launches a full-blown, magic-infused insurgency on the occupying Nazi army.

While she's not the first woman in Disney history to stand up to the patriarchy, Mulan's (Lea Salonga) philosophy differs from the rest: If you can't beat them, join them. Incomparably the bravest woman in Disney's filmography, Mulan is an incredibly hardcore woman who recovers from attacks on her own sense of self-worth by reinventing herself and becoming a fierce warrior to save her father and the people she loves.

When the Imperial army calls to draft her beloved aging father (Soon-Tek Oh) for a war against the invading Huns, Mulan shears off her hair, transforming herself into a soldier and taking her father's place. But her strength and growth don't stop there — armed with her own ingenuity, Mulan pushes through every challenge she's faced with. By the end of the film, Mulan stands as an equal to the other warriors both on and off the battlefield. Nothing, absolutely nothing stops this woman — and we love her for it.