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[[File:o-ren-ishii128734681042848 2955.jpg|link=Kill Bill|frame|Demure meets Deadly.]]
▲Basically, the Lady of War is a [[Action Girl|female fighter]] who retains [[The High Queen|an air of grace and reserve not usually associated with violence]]. If not an actual [[Everything's Better with Princesses|princess]], she tends to be [[The Ojou|otherwise highly placed]], or at least look and act like it. If she's not a gentle-mannered [[Yamato Nadeshiko]], she may be [[Tall, Dark and Bishoujo]] or [[Alpha Bitch|arrogant and generally prissy]] and might become subject to a [[Defrosting Ice Queen]] scenario. Often, she's simply [[The Stoic]].
In [[RPG]]s, [[White Magician Girl|female]] [[Black Magician Girl|roles]] tend to be limited to [[Lady of Black Magic|magic use]], but sometimes women get to take on more physical roles in combat, and that leads us to a different [[Odd Couple]] pair: the Lady of War and the [[Cute Bruiser]].
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Pretty much ''anyone'' [[Lady of Adventure|with the title "Lady" in an Action Adventure story]] will be this.
Compare [[Royals Who Actually Do Something]], [[Rebellious Princess]], [[Badass Princess]], [[Kicking Ass in All Her Finery]] and [[Officer and a Gentleman]]. Contrast [[Princess Classic]], [[Prince Charming]]. Compare/Contrast [[Modest Royalty]]. If she's based on Joan of Arc, she's a [[Jeanne D'Archetype]]. Compare [[Silk Hiding Steel]], for a woman who -- usually -- does her fighting in the court or parlor and with a fan and words instead of spear and shield.
Note, a
Please list examples in alphabetical order by work name.
{{examples}}
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* Lind from ''[[Ah! My Goddess]]'' is who Heaven calls when they want something completely destroyed. She's actually a very considerate and friendly person, when she's not on the job.
** Subverted, the only reason she uses her axe/glaive is that she's holding back, she's actually deadlier and more brutal without it.
** To an extent, Belldandy also qualifies, especially considering that her weapon of choice is a staff and her angel uses a bow and arrow.
* Maria of ''[[All Rounder Meguru]]'' meets the combat specifications as well as a sport like kickboxing allows, as a mature and elegant woman who can dismantle larger and stronger opponents without taking damage using her superior timing and technique. Her demeanor belies a mischievous and [[Covert Pervert|perverse]] personality, however.
* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' plays with this trope quite a bit. [[Tall, Dark and Bishoujo|Vietnam]] seems to play this straight, but [[Ninja Maid|Hungary]] and [[
* {{spoiler|Elizabeth Middleford}} of ''[[Black Butler]]''. So much. {{spoiler|This sweet, adorable and harmless [[Damsel in Distress]] reveals herself as such in Chapter 57. She desperately wanted for her [[Childhood Marriage Promise|fiancé]] Ciel to not see her "uncute" side, so she [[Deliberately Distressed Damsel|deliberately hid]] her [[Little Miss Badass|badass]] side. Right up until when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up injured and unable to save her [[Dude in Distress|in danger]] [[Badass in Distress|himself]], then she leaps into the air and [[Waif Fu|takes down the zombies]] with [[Dual-Wielding|swords in both hands]] while tearfully [[Violently Protective Girlfriend|declaring that she'll protect him]].}}
** {{spoiler|Lizzie's mother }}qualifies as well.
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* ''[[Black Lagoon]]'' has Balalaika, the head of the Russian Mafia group Hotel Moscow, and Sister Yolanda, head of the Church of Violence. The former was the captain of a Russian army squadron with enough manpower to potentially fight and win World War III, the latter holds the guise of a nun, while actually being an arms dealer. Both of them hardly ever swear or raise their voices, maintain a distinct air of grace and respect when speaking or spoken to, and would probably kill your ass without hesitation.
* ''[[Blade of the Immortal]]'' has Otono-Tachibana Makie. Achievements so far: At the approximate age of ten she sliced a rabid wild dog in two, lengthwise, and then proceeded with butchering another 3-5 dozen of them; [[The Hero]] of the series, Manji, an immortal swordsman, lost to her BIG TIME; the [[Big Bad]] of the series, Anotsu Kagehisa, has admitted, while she [[Curb Stomp Battle|effortlessly slaughtered]] a dozen [[Elite Mook|shingyoutou-ryuu samurai]], that he has always known that he [[Always Someone Better|will never catch up to her]]; the other [[Big Bad]] Habaki Kagimura knows right away she can kill him and all his goons after two of them run away from her and wind up trembling at the thought of fighting her. Naturally, she is much [[Too Powerful to Live]] and develops [[Incurable Cough of Death|tubercolosis]].
* Zakuro-chan, Dokuro's little sister from ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan
* In ''[[Casshern Sins]]'', Sophita combines this with [[Hot Chick with a Sword]], simply due to the sheer grace and beauty of her combat style. In the single episode she's in, you watch her dance throughout battle, using her insanely long sword almost as more of a pivot point than a weapon, only bringing it around (rarely with both hands) for a killing blow. She may be a bit simple for this trope, but I don't think that "chick with sword" honestly describes her well enough.
* Satella Harvenheit of ''[[Chrono Crusade]]'' is a borderline example—dressed in heels and an elegant dress trimmed in fur, with a high-class background and somewhat snobby demeanor, she has her moments where she fits this trope nearly perfectly, but two things stop her from being a full example. One, her attack style as a "jewel summoner" (summoning spirits to battle for her with jewels) allows her to come across as elegant and mysterious...but it also means she's not doing a whole lot of the actual fighting herself. Two, she's also a [[Fiery Redhead]], which causes her to at times lose her cool and fight much more viciously and much less elegant. However, fellow jewel summoner {{spoiler|and Satella's sister, Florette "[[Ninja Maid|Fiore]]" Harvenheit}} is a much better example. She uses her powers to summon a jeweled scythe (so her attacks are much more direct, but also show off her elegance more), and her personality during battle is cool, efficient, and unfailingly polite. She even curtsies right before she enters a battle for the first time!
* ''[[CLAMP]]'' has Ladies of War all over the place in their series, two good examples of many being Karura of ''[[RG Veda]]'' and Amaterasu of ''[[Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle]]'', as well as her differently-named ''[[RG Veda]]'' counterpart.
** ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'' Umi and Fuu (rapier and bow respectively) Even when the whole team gets their weapons switched for two-handed swords, they still fight like this...
*** Rayearth has many of those, actually: Caldina ([[Master of Illusion]] and swordswoman), Princess Tata (owner of a [[Whip Sword]]), and {{spoiler|Princess Emeraude, who becomes a [[
** Sakura Kinomoto of ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura
*** Arguably, also {{spoiler|Ruby Moon. While they are non-gendered, as Nakuru they like to identify themselves as female...}}
* ''[[Claymore]]'' has Galatea, with Teresa and Miria being close seconds. In fact, pretty much every female Claymore evolves to a Lady of War thanks to [[Hot Chick with a Sword|wielding swords]] and the professional requirement to keep a [[The Stoic|cool head]] at all times to avoid [[Super-Powered Evil Side|Awakening]].
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** Implied again when the Knight of One, the strongest fighter in the Empire, noted that the only person who {{spoiler|forced him to use a Geass in combat outside Kururugi Suzaku was Marianne}}.
*** Implied no more: {{spoiler|when Marianne returns in the body of Anya Alstreim, she shows that being dead for eight years did absolutely nothing to degrade her piloting skills.}}
* ''[[Crest
* ''[[D.Gray-man]]'' has Lenalee Lee, a friendly, softspoken [[Dance Battler]] who [[Yamato Nadeshiko|serves up coffee in her spare time]]. Klaud Nine and Lulu Bell also fit, with their reserved attitudes.
* Renamon in ''[[Digimon Tamers]]'', especially in her final forms. Her partner, Ruki, is an angry [[Ineffectual Loner]], but becomes a Lady of War when they [[Fusion Dance]] into Sakuyamon. ''Only'' while they are Sakuyamon, of course. Lalamon from ''[[Digimon Savers]]'' is pretty goofy-looking and her [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] is fighting with sausage nunchucks, and none of her evolved forms fare much better... until her final form, Rosemon, a dignified lady ([[Gainaxing]] aside) whose primary mode of attack is a rapier; also present in ''Savers'' is BioLotusmon, who's pretty much the same thing. Mervamon of ''[[Digimon Xros Wars]]'' leans toward this, as does her partner Nene, who actually spent some time masquerading as an elegant Digimon fighting against the forces of Dragon Land... and she succeeded at it.
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* Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong in ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''. She is legitimately terrifying, cool as a cucumber, powerful as hell, incredibly competent, and also a bit of a dick. She can [[Berserk Button|call Ed short]] and he doesn't even try to argue. She [[A Father to His Men|refuses to abandon her subordinates]], though [[Ice Queen|she refuses to actually admit]] she cares. They are very loyal.
** Riza and Lan Fan as well.
* ''[[Fushigi Yuugi]]'' gives us
** As the only Miko who is also an [[Action Girl]], Takiko Okuda
* In ''[[Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex]]'', Motoko Kusanagi can be quite ladylike when she's conducting undercover investigations. The rest of the time she's just a <s>Colonel</s> [[Just for Pun|Major]] [[Colonel Badass|Badass]].
* The ''[[Gundam]]'' series has several.
** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'' had one of the very first anime examples in Princess Kycilia Zabi, eldest sister and [[Evil Genius]] of the Zabi family. She's generally considered one of the highest ranked officers in all of Zeon, an excellent strategist and a noteworthy ship captain. Near the end of the series, she
** ''[[Zeta Gundam]]'' has the character of Haman Karn. Although initially the [[Man Behind the Man]] for the growing powers of Axis, she eventually becomes the full-on leader. She has an impressive mind for military tactics, but her skill truly shines on the battlefield
** Note that both of the above are rare ''villainous examples''. [[Yoshiyuki Tomino]] seemed to really like this trope for his villainesses. Two examples coming from the fields of the good guys would be Lieutenant Emma Sheen, the [[Team Mom]] of the AEUG in ''[[Zeta Gundam]]'', and Cecily Fairchild/Belah Rona from [[Mobile Suit Gundam F91]].
** ''[[Gundam Wing]]'' has Lady Une, Lucrezia Noin and Dorothy Catalonia. Relena Darlian gets a tiny honorary mention for shooting at Lady Une while [[Woman in White|wearing a white gown]] and [http://media.photobucket.com/image/relena%20darlian%20gallery/bunchi_399/Relena-Peacecraft-poster.jpg for wearing a military uniform in both artwork and the second OP].
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* A number of females in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' could qualify. Princess Arika in particular.
** Kaede is also an excellent example, as is Setsuna.
* Fate Testarossa in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'', especially in later seasons. In ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
** Nanoha herself qualifies, especially in ''[[
** Also, Ginga Nakajima, who is a [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] in regular life but extremely deadly in a fight. This is especially evident in contrast with her [[Bokukko]] little sister (actually, {{spoiler|a fellow, albeit younger clone of their late mother}}) Subaru.
* Mamoru Nagano. Due to his [[Author Appeal|aestethic preferences]] most of his female characters are these, especially in ''[[The Five Star Stories]]''. Almost all females there are both a) [[Action Girl]]s, and b) Ladies of War.
* Balsa in ''[[Moribito Guardian of the Spirit]]''. She's able to read the situation and assess the battle, uses a [[Blade on a Stick|spear]] as her [[Weapon of Choice]], prefers to fight her opponents honorably (even if they don't), looks quite graceful while doing it, and '''[[Thou Shalt Not Kill|ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT KILL HER OPPONENTS!!!]]''' If she loses her spear though, [[Inverted Trope|she becomes quite the brawler and fights dirty.]] [[Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty|She's not above smashing your face in]] with a [[Improvised Weapon|rock]].
* In ''[[
** Her counterpart from ''[[Mai-Otome]]'', Shizuru Viola, is probably an even better example. Everything Fujino has, she has too, ''without'' the whole '[[Love Makes You Evil|goes batshit insane]]' thing. On the other hand, she's [[Good Bad Girl|a bit more sexualized]] as well.
*** Miss Maria Graceburt was this when she was young, wielding a mean rapier and possessing [[Super Speed|lightning-fast reflexes]].
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== Fairy Tales ==
* In ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20131020231815/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/facetiousnights/night4_fable1.html Costanza / Costanzo]'', Costanza combines all the ladylike graces, and great learning, with this. It helps when she's [[Sweet Polly Oliver]].
{{quote|''And over and above all these excellencies she mastered completely the art of war in learning how to gentle horses, and to handle arms, and to run in the lists as if she had been a strong and well-trained man-at-arms and not a damsel. In jousting, indeed, she was so skilled that she ofttimes came out of the contest victorious, just as if she had been one of those valorous knights who are held worthy of the highest honour''}}
==
* [[Blood in The Water]] has Naomi, who is the Pokemon Champion of the Champion League—meaning that [[Pokémon Red and Blue|Blue]], [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|Lance]], [[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire|Steven]], [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl|Cynthia]], and [[Pokémon Black and White|Alder]] all report to her. She's usually seen wearing an elegant olive green gown and her hair is always done up. [[Instant Awesome, Just Add Dragons|Also, she keeps her Dragonite with her at all times.]] Even when She is usurped by [[Big Bad|Josh]], she still retains her composure and the civilians of Konar look to her for guidance. She actually leads the charge against the Elite Four and personally defeats two of them, [[Dark Action Girl|Aubree]] [[Unholy Matrimony|and]] [[The Sociopath|Daniel]].
* ''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure Dragon]]'' has Susan Chan, who even as Cure Fortune tends to be graceful in her fighting style.
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* Bananach, also known as Lady War, from ''[[Wicked Lovely]]''. [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Her title says it all, really]].
* While ''[[Sten]]'' is packed with [[Action Girl]]s that kick ass and chew bubblegum, Lady Atago personifies this trope. She's [[The Stoic]] [[Tall, Dark and Bishoujo]] [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]] who puts [[Honor Before Reason]] and makes a [[Heroic Sacrifice]].
* In ''Seven Men of Gascony'', Nicholette is a cantiniere(wine-seller) with a French infantry regiment. She was raised on campaign as a [[Child Soldiers|girl camp follower]] , and [[Old Soldier|knew all the tricks]] of surviving by the time she was sixteen.
* Hulik do Eldel in ''[[The Witches of Karres]]'' by [[James H. Schmitz]]. Beautiful, graceful, tough, resourceful, and ladylike. (Does not particularly like being chased by robot spiders. ''Shreds'' the baddie who does so.)
* ''[[Discworld]]'''s Lady Sybil. While she spends most of her time darning socks and trying to get her husband to eat right, she makes a point that women in her family have quite a history with this trope:
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* In the ''[[Shadowmarch]]'' series by [[Tad Williams]], Queen Saqri of the [[The Fair Folk|Qar]] is known for her calmness, elegance and grace, in battle as well as in her usual demeanour.
* From the [[Star Trek Deep Space Nine Relaunch]], Sirella (Martok's wife). She holds herself with grace and dignity at all times, while retaining the fierce and violent aspect of a Klingon noble. Other characters comment on this all the time. In fact, Sirella goes out of her way to be a Lady of War, and in one scene is visably unhappy when she admits that the villain's [[Compelling Voice]] caused her to momentarily lose her composure.
* The ''[[Star Trek:
* Lady Maigrey Morianna in Margaret Weis's [[Space Opera]] series ''[[The Star of the Guardians]]''. Cool, composed, beautiful plus a master swordswoman and an ace pilot.
* Yambu, the Silver Queen, is this in the ''[[Books of Swords]]''. She is fairly earthy in her manner, however, at least for a queen.
* Robert Jordan's ''[[Wheel of Time]]'' is full of these. From the various holders of the title of Amyrlin Seat (mostly), to several warrior queens, to Faile, and Elaine. Most prefer to be generals.
== Live
* Maid Marian in some versions of [[Robin Hood]], notably [[Robin Hood (TV series)|the 2006 BBC series]], in which she provides an interesting contrast to Djaq, the [[Cute Bruiser]]. Though the Lady of War is usually the elder of the two fighting warrior-types, in this case the refined Marian is definitely the ''younger'' of the two women.
* ''[[Firefly]]''/''[[Serenity]]'' has Inara. An elegant, graceful, cultured, highly educated and very feminine, glamorous woman, she's trained in sword-fighting, a skill she once tries to teach Mal. She has some unarmed combat skill, which we get a brief glimpse of in "Our Mrs Reynolds" and in the film, she reveals archery skill. It's also possible that graceful River Tam will also develop into this in time, given her own training.
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* Aeryn Sun from ''[[Farscape]]''. Her status as official series badass is cemented in the first episode and restated innumerable times thereafter. Even after her [[Defrosting Ice Queen|defrosting]], she continues to regularly kick metric tonnes of ass, especially when a certain child is involved. This leads to one of her many [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Crowning Moments of Awesome]] ("It's a boy. In case you were wondering.") as well as a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] ("But shooting makes me feel better!") in the miniseries.
* Morgana from the BBC series ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' is quite literally a Lady, and she can kick your ass.
* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' plays it straight with Jadzia Dax, an elegant and graceful fighter. Besides being skilled at modern warfare, she knows Klingon martial arts and is a [[Hot Chick with a Sword|Hot Chick With A Bat'leth]]. With all that she has a [[Spirited Young Lady| merry but
* Susan Ivanova from ''[[Babylon 5]]''. She is very pretty, and her [[Emotionless Girl|uptight manner]] just makes her more attractive. She is also very classy and dignified in bearing. But not one to be triffled with.
** Delenn too, though she is officially a diplomat. She is one of the most [[Proper Lady|ladylike]] ladies of war in fiction but she can be remarkably ferocious.
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* Teyla from ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' fits this trope, able to kick ass in a long skirt just as well as in fatigues.
* [[Mahou Sentai Magiranger|Miyuki Ozu]] and her [[Power Rangers Mystic Force|Power Rangers]] counterpart Udonona. They eacg have her own ranger transformations and their fight scenes have a sense of grace the rangers themselves lack. Also, in Magiranger, Miyuki's patron Heavenly Saint was the female Snowgel, a rare [[Bare-Fisted Monk]] Lady of War.
* ''[[Star Trek]]'':
** ''[[Star Trek:
** Captain Kathryn Janeway of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' is definitely one. She's also unafraid to get her hands dirty when the situation calls for it.
== [[Oral Tradition]] ==
* In [[Babylonian Mythology]], Ishtar was a goddess of love and war.
* Sekhmet in [[Egyptian Mythology]].
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* In [[Norse Mythology]], Freyja was a goddess of love, beauty, fertility, magic, war, battle and death. Freyja receives every other slain Norse warrior after a battle. They dwell in her field of Fólkvangur, whereas the other half goes to Valhöll, Óðinn's hall.
* In [[The Bible|Biblical Mythology]], you have Deborah, the 4th Judge of Israel and someone so badass that the male General she appointed refused to go to war without her.
== Tabletop Games ==
* ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' has a few, most notably [https://web.archive.org/web/20090212152629/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?id=106405 Mirri], an elegant [[Petting Zoo People|cat woman]] from the ''Weatherlight'' saga ("Full of beauty and grace, with a predator's instincts..."), and [https://web.archive.org/web/20080924160410/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=36451 Jeska], a steely female barbarian from the ''Odyssey'' storyline ("My brother and I both come from Balthor's forge. Kamahl has a temper of fire. I have a temper of steel."). Other minor examples include [https://web.archive.org/web/20080623030508/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=1668 Livonya Silone], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080623004755/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=3304 Purraj of Urborg], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080924160515/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=74534 Fumiko the Lowblood], and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090526054657/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=141829 Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile].
** [http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=270 M][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=106645 a][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=106384 n][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=121196 y] [http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=39718 a][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=122432 n][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=89074 g][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=175104 e][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=185136 l][http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=109746 s] in the game also seem to embody the trope, if only because, well, they're ''angels'', and they're often depicted as women.
*** Often is an understatement. Every single Angel ever printed has been female except for two named ones - a [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201188 Gabriel] that's probably though not necessarily male, and a [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=122481 Malach] from an "alternate realities" set. That is, if you don't count the [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=140200 Changelings] that have all creature types.
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** Alusair Nacacia Obarskyr, also known as "Steel Princess" and later "Steel Regent" of Cormyr. While her father still ruled, she wrote the "[[Big Book of War|Field Guide to Tactics]]" for her army—backed up by lots of personal experience. About from the age when she was able to ride she was largely absent in the palace except on official occasions... which was good for everyone involved.
{{quote|Hell on horseback, all ego and fury, with talent to match. Every time she comes home, bets are heavy among the kitchen staff as to how long it'll be before she and her father get into a row about politics that breaks half the goblets and platters!}}
* In ''[[Warhammer
* ''[[Legend of the Five Rings]]'' is all over this trope. There are entire schools dedicated to turning out Lady of War samurai, most notably in the Unicorn and Lion clans.
* ''Exalted'' has, among many other exemples, [http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs12/i/2006/270/f/0/Exalted__the_BLessed_Isle_by_kunkka.jpg Tepet Ejawa] the Roseblack, Dragon-Blooded general and member of House Tepet. Loved by her troops, popular in the Realm and considered a threat in the bid for succession.
== Toys ==
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** ''[[Fire Emblem]]: [[Fire Emblem Elibe|Sword of Seals]]'' has Igrene, Miledy, Princess Guinevere (in the Trial Maps only) and Yuuno. Sue, Wendy, Thite and Thany can be promoted into this.
** ''[[Fire Emblem]]: [[Fire Emblem Elibe|Blazing Sword]]'' has Lyndis, Fiora, Louise, Isadora, Falcoknight!Florina and Sniper!Rebecca.
** ''[[Fire Emblem:
** In [[Fire Emblem Tellius|both games of the Tellius canon]], Lucia, Tanith, Sigrun, Astrid, and Titania. [[Badass Princess|Elincia]] becomes one by ''Radiant Dawn'', although she's definitely a [[White Magician Girl]] in ''Path of Radiance''.
*** Nephenee uses a [[Blade on a Stick]], has enough speed and skill to described as graceful easily, and according to Ike, looks like she's "about to keel over". ([[Farm Girl|She ain't]])
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** [[Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"|The Last Handmaiden]] And Visas Marr in the sequel. Both can be [[Defrosting Ice Queen]]. Visas is also a [[Broken Bird]].
* In ''[[Mega Man X|Mega Man X8]]'', one could say Layer fits in this category, not only for how she {{spoiler|wields a rapier when you unlock her}} but also for how her style of navigation focuses on tactics and strategy against your opponents.
* Raquel Applegate in ''[[Wild
** Princess Alexia from ''[[Wild
* Mazzy Fentan from ''[[Baldur's Gate]]'' is a Lawful Good halfling lass with a posh accent. She is ''dangerous''. To a lesser extent, this also applies to fighter/druid Jaheira.
* The Boss from ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]]''. Grace, reserve, and quick, efficient bone-breaking CQC.
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* ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' gives us Kat.
* Gwendolyn from ''[[Odin Sphere]]'' uses a magic spear rather than any kind of sword, but considering her noble warrior attitude and the fact that her battle outfit is based on a ''ballerina costume,'' she definitely qualifies.
* Several characters from ''[[Valkyrie Profile]]'', most notably the Valkyries themselves. The only times they get defeated in-story are either by other Valkyries, Freya (the patroness of the Valkyries), a party headed up by a [[Black Magician Girl]], or [[Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume|an angry anti-hero empowered by the goddess of the underworld]]. And the last one is implied to be because {{spoiler|Lenneth ''let him win'' because she felt guilty.}}
* ''[[Dynasty Warriors]]'' and the other Koei hack and slash titles have a few, including Yue Ying and Zhen Ji.
* Jenna from ''[[Golden Sun]]: The Lost Age''. She is the only female character in the series who can use a bladed weapon (a rapier).
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* Eris from ''[[Drakengard]] 2''. She wields a [[Blade on a Stick|spear]], is decked out in [[Knight in Shining Armor|full plate mail]], and before her [[Character Development]], had some [[Knight Templar]] tendencies.
* Millia Rage from ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' has a quiet and completely non-brazen demeanor, and her fighting style reflects that. Her animate golden hair flows gracefully, tends to incorporate flower and wing motifs into its strikes, plus it leaves the rest of her body free to contribute to the trope with dance-like movements.
* In ''[[
* The ''[[Street Fighter]]'' series. Chun-Li also really counts. While most would associate her with straight-on [[Action Girl]], she moves gracefully and fluidly in each of her attacks. Her fighting style does also quite resemble Tai Chi Quan, and she possesses chi control as shown in her Kikouken or Kikoushou.
** Rose could fit this trope as well.
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** Hilariously enough, she's become the poster girl for the [[Real Women Never Wear Dresses]] faction of the [[Fan Dumb|fandom]]. Were they even ''paying attention?''
* ''[[Tales of the Abyss]]'' has Tear, Legretta and Natalia.
* The Zerg queen from ''[[
* Rynn from ''[[Drakan]]''.
* Lady Opéra from ''[[Solatorobo]]''.
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=== Visual Novels ===
* Saber from ''[[Fate/stay night]]''. One of the few examples to wear armor, and with a sword that doubles as a [[Wave Motion Gun]], she's a [[Jack of All Stats]]. {{spoiler|As Saber Alter, she becomes a [[Mighty Glacier]].}}
* ''[[Tsukihime]]'''s Akiha Tohno is the epitome of elegant badassery.
== Web Comics ==
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** At least some Mongolian women—those who showed the most aptitude in their training—went beyond defending the home front, and became full warriors, joining the men in battle.
* Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. I refer you to [http://www.badassoftheweek.com/rani.html her entry in Badass of the Week]. 'nuff said.
* Nancy Wake [
* Violete Szabo was an agent in the [[SOE]] and won the George Cross.
* Despite the general low quality of historical documentation, an argument could be made for [[wikipedia:Boadicea|Boudica]] of the Iceni Celts. Roman sources describe her as an accomplished warrior and charismatic leader, who commanded her troops from her chariot, accompanied by her daughters, during the Iceni and Trinovantes uprising. Some sources portray her as aristocratic, others as rougher and more passionate in her opposition to the Romans.
** Unlike many Ladies of War, she was no [[Mary Tzu]]. The Romans, terribly outnumbered, simply crushed her revolt through superior armor, training, [[Geo Effects|position]], and a Celtic [[Hollywood Tactics|lack of command and control]]. Whether this was due to her mistaken self-assurance that [[We Have Reserves|her numbers were large enough]], her army's lack of discipline, or a lack of understanding of strategy on Boudica's part is open to debate.
* Excavation of ancient Celtic and Sarmatian graves uncovered evidence that women were buried with weapons, leading some archaeologists to believe that they were warriors of high standing. A thesis on this can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/20130413213636/http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/archaeology/department/publications/PDF%20Theses/Mike%20Adamson.pdf here (opens to PDF file)].
* There may also have been female warriors amongst the ancient Scythians, based on archeological evidence (such as women found buried with weapons, with evidence of battle wounds on their remains, etc). Some say these warrior women inspired the Greek legends of the Amazons.
* [[wikipedia:Shieldmaiden|Shieldmaidens]] were Scandinavian women who chose to become warriors over a thousand years ago. While today they are mostly remembered as mythical figures, there is historical evidence that real female warriors provided the inspiration for these myths.
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* Sikelgaita, second wife of Robert Guiscard, accompanied her husband on his conquests in full armor and is credited for rallying the troops during a battle against the Byzantines.
* [[wikipedia:Fu Hao|Fu Hao]] was one of the wives of King Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty (circa 1200 BC) and also served as a military general and high priestess. She is reported to have commanded powerful generals and over 13,000 troops in various extended campaigns.
* Artemisia, Queen of Halicarnassus in the [[Greco
** During the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods, Persia had a fair number of female warriors and commanders. Some women remained in positions of military authority as late as the Safavid period.
* Albert-Barbe d'Ernecourt, a seventeenth-century French aristocrat who lead the local militia on over two dozen outings in defense of her village and the surrounding area during the [[Thirty Years' War]].
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* Æthelflæd [[Jeanne D'Archetype|Lady of the Mercians]] and her [[Brother-Sister Team|brother Edward]] fought the Danes at the Battle of Tettenhall. As she was the daughter of [[Alfred the Great]], one would say that it's [[In the Blood]].
* Queen Catherine of Aragon (Henry VIII's first wife) found herself facing a war against King James of Scotland while her husband was fighting in France. Catherine rallied troops and sent them into battle against James's Scottish forces. She didn't fight herself because she was pregnant. Needless to say, she sent James's bloody coat to France as a gift to her husband.
* One Rajput warrior in a battle with the Maratha's in India decided that the battle was lost and that therefore his job was to save his wife. When he got to her he saw that she had [[Self-Immolation|set herself on fire]] to show that A)she considered him dead(because Indian women didn't commit suttee until then, and B}that he had nothing more to lose). Thus [[Despair Event Horizon|inspired]] he went back to the fighting-and died.
* Lady Katherine Cochrane wife of genuine [[Blood Knight]] Sir Thomas Cochrane. Together they make a [[Battle Couple]] so [[Badass]] that they would intimidate [[Chuck Norris]].
* Antoninia [[Battle Couple|wife of]] [[Four-Star Badass|Flavius Belisarius]] accompanied her husband on campaign at times and was trusted with important duties. She naturally became an important character in [[Belisarius Series|a sci fi dedicated to her husband]].
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