- 10 hours ago
From magical rebels to ruthless warriors, these iconic LGBTQ characters have redefined what it means to be fierce on television. They fight for justice, love fiercely, and break barriers with every episode. Whether wielding swords or sharp wit, these unforgettable personalities celebrate pride with unstoppable power and complexity. Get ready to meet the heroes who have changed TV forever!
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00You're half-witted Toadie to a third-rate guy! Come and get me!
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're celebrating the fiercest, boldest, and most unforgettable
00:10LGBTQ plus characters to ever hit the small screen. From fearless fighters to scene-stealing
00:16icons, these live-action legends prove that pride comes with power. For this list, we will not be
00:22including animated characters like Korra from The Legend of Korra and Garnet from Steven Universe.
00:28Garnet! You're a fusion?
00:31Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't want you meeting us here like this.
00:36Number 20. Lana Winters, American Horror Story.
00:40Few characters in this anthology horror series have endured as much as Lana did in Asylum.
00:47Play with me!
00:52Play with me!
00:55Pepper!
00:55Sister Jude locks her up in Briarcliff, claiming it's due to her homosexuality, but she actually
01:02wants to cover up her expose about the asylum. She later ends up in the hands of serial killer
01:07Bloody Face, and it seems she's going to be yet another casualty.
01:11We'll put you out. You won't feel a thing.
01:15However, she uses her intelligence, cunning, and resourcefulness to not only survive the ordeal,
01:20but also bring down the forces that are trying to hurt her. She's everything we love about the
01:25trope of a horror movie final girl. But this one just so happens to be a lesbian. Right on.
01:32It's not your fault, baby.
01:38It's mine.
01:39Number 19. Anissa Pierce, Black Lightning.
01:44Super strength, brains, and zero patience for injustice. That's Anissa Pierce in a nutshell.
01:50So I'm just supposed to sit back and watch the 100 destroy what's left of Freeland? No!
01:54This is a gift from God, Mom! A blessing!
01:57You sound just like your father.
01:58That's a bad thing?
01:59As the daughter of Black Lightning, Anissa develops powers of her own and steps up as the hero Thunder.
02:05But her powers are not her only gifts.
02:08But I'm so much more than just your daughter and Thunder, and you need to see that.
02:12I am a leader, and I can handle myself.
02:14She's bold in a more grounded way, outspoken, politically aware, and never afraid to call out corruption.
02:21Black Lightning doesn't shy away from Anissa's identity as a proud Black lesbian.
02:25Her story balances love, family, and responsibility.
02:29Whether she's throwing punches or challenging the system, Anissa is a hero who stands tall even without the mask.
02:36Fighting bad guys is a lot of work. I don't know how you do it.
02:39I just focus on the results.
02:41Being able to rescue Terry, Anaya, and the rest of the party, that's what makes it worth it for me.
02:45Number 18. Elliot, The Magicians.
02:49Magic doesn't come from talent. It comes from pain.
02:54With his sharp wit, a drink always in hand, and magic to back up the bravado, Elliot Waugh was destined
03:00to be iconic.
03:01A student at Break Bills, Elliot starts off as the ultimate hedonist.
03:06It doesn't take long to see through the thin veneer to the barely masked pain underneath.
03:11You hit first.
03:13And anyone dumb enough to head back soon finds that there is no hurting you.
03:18Sheathed in all that hard, glossy armor.
03:21Over time, though, he evolves into something much more than a moody heartthrob.
03:26As High King of Fillory, he proves his strength through sacrifice, leadership, and hard choices.
03:32My friends are here.
03:33They're rapturing everyone so we can destroy this planet that we love, by the way.
03:38But we have to destroy you.
03:41You left us no choice, Seb.
03:43When it counts, Elliot doesn't just talk.
03:46He's a fighter.
03:47The show treats his queerness as a facet, not the whole of his character.
03:51Beneath the biting humor is a loyal friend and surprisingly brave hero.
03:56Number 17.
03:57Maze, Lucifer.
03:59Armed with blades and gallons of attitude,
04:02the demon Mazikeen is one of the deadliest TV characters of the 21st century.
04:07As the mostly loyal lieutenant to Lucifer Morningstar,
04:12Maze is a ruthless fighter who can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone, including angels.
04:17Beneath that hardened exterior, though, is a young soul, literally, that she struggles to understand.
04:24You only care about me when you don't have a cloak.
04:29Maze, now hold on.
04:30No!
04:31No one puts me first.
04:35Least of all you!
04:36Over time, her bond with Trixie begins to crack that armor,
04:40pushing Maze towards something more human.
04:42That growth leads her to love in the form of Eve, the first woman.
04:46Maze is proof positive that even a barbed, razor-wire exterior can hide a little marshmallow underneath.
04:53I'm ready.
05:00Cool!
05:02We're gonna get so much candy.
05:04Number 16, Villanelle, Killing Eve.
05:08Stylish, unpredictable, and terrifyingly efficient, Villanelle is a force of pure chaos.
05:15I know you're a psychopath.
05:20You should never tell a psychopath you're a psychopath.
05:28It obsesses them.
05:29A highly skilled assassin working for a shadowy organization, she approaches every kill with creativity and precision.
05:37She also has a chaotic, childlike personality and a flair for the dramatic.
05:42She thrives on control, manipulation, and the thrill of the chase.
05:46At least I'm good at playing someone else.
05:48Well, I'm not that good, obviously.
05:52Don't speak to me like that, Eve.
05:56I like you, but I don't like you that much.
05:58She isn't the kind of character you'd expect to get a romantic arc.
06:02But enter Eve Palastri, an intelligence analyst who identifies Villanelle and becomes obsessed with her.
06:08Their relationship blurs the line between Hunter and Hunted, obsession and connection.
06:13I love you.
06:14No.
06:15I do.
06:17You don't understand what that is.
06:20I do.
06:23You're mine.
06:24As the series unfolds, Villanelle begins to question her own identity,
06:29discovering she has real, if complicated, feelings.
06:32Number 15, Moira, The Handmaid's Tale.
06:35My name is Moira.
06:38I'm here to help you.
06:45Miss, this is the place where I can wear what I want.
06:48In a world built to break women, Moira Strand refuses to bend.
06:53June's best friend is one of the earliest and boldest rebels against Gilead's control.
06:59It's fair to say many of June's later acts are inspired by Moira's bravery.
07:03Moira pushes back against her captors at every turn.
07:07She fights, escapes, and refuses to accept the life forced on her.
07:11Look, I am who I am, and I have sinned plenty, but you, you are the gender traitor.
07:19Her breakout from the Red Center is one of the show's most satisfying acts of defiance.
07:24Even after being recaptured and sent to Jezebel's, she never fully loses herself to her enslavement.
07:31When she finally makes it to Canada, Moira keeps up the fight by helping others who also escape Gilead.
07:37We did what we had to do to survive, to get out.
07:45But we're here, ladies.
07:46Number 14, Nomi Marks, Sense8.
07:50A hacktivist with a psychic link to seven strangers, Nomi Marks operates on a different plane of existence.
07:57Based in San Francisco, she's a skilled hacker and political blogger who exposes corrupt institutions.
08:03Your life is either defined by the system, or by the way you defy the system.
08:10As a sensate, Nomi can tap into the knowledge and abilities of her cluster, making her a uniquely resourceful asset
08:18in every fight.
08:19She also navigates intense personal stakes, from family rejection to being targeted by powerful forces.
08:26Her identity as a transgender woman is central, but never limiting to her character.
08:30While everyone brings their own strengths to the cluster, Nomi often serves as both emotional core and moral compass.
08:38I'm not just a me.
08:40I'm also a we.
08:43And we march with pride.
08:45Number 13, Lagertha, Vikings.
08:48Long before she ever claims a crown, Lagertha is already one of the fiercest fighters in Scandinavia.
08:55I don't want to kill you, woman.
08:57You couldn't kill me if you tried for a hundred years.
09:00Introduced as Ragnar's wife, she quickly proves she's no one's supporting character.
09:05As a shield maiden, Lagertha fights on the front lines with precision and fearlessness.
09:10But her story grows far beyond the battlefield.
09:13She rises to become an earl, and later queen, navigating betrayal, shifting alliances, and constant threats to her power.
09:21How strange, Lagertha, that you should play the usurper.
09:24One woman against another doesn't quite fit with your reputation.
09:31Each time she's pushed out, she finds a way back.
09:35Along the way, she takes both men and women into her bed.
09:38Do you love her more than you love me?
09:43Of course not.
09:48After all, aren't you, Lagertha?
09:52Though when she is finally slain and journeys to Valhalla in season six,
09:57we see that her heart ultimately belonged to Ragnar.
10:00Number 12, Sarah Lance, Arrowverse.
10:03Sarah is an original creation for the CW's Arrowverse,
10:07but she was adapted from DC Comics and most closely resembles the character Black Canary.
10:13After being swept away to sea, she was saved by Nisa al Ghul,
10:17with whom she began a relationship and trained with the League of Assassins.
10:28She proved to be so popular on Arrow that she became a major character in the spinoff series Legends of
10:34Tomorrow,
10:35where she was able to show off her skills even more.
10:45Incredibly perseverant, not adversity, nor grief, nor even death itself can keep her down.
10:50And she has forged her way into the elite catalog of DC heroes.
10:55Number 11, Sophia Bursette, Orange is the New Black.
10:59Life inside Litchfield is tough, but Sophia Bursette navigates conflict, violence, and despair to carve out a niche for herself.
11:07Human beings aren't supposed to live like this.
11:11I've been in almost two years.
11:12And there's still nights I reach out for my wife.
11:15A former firefighter and skilled hairstylist, Sophia becomes a source of comfort and community for other inmates.
11:22Freedom is not something anybody can be given.
11:26Freedom is something people take.
11:29And people are as free as they want to be.
11:32Her story doesn't shy away from the realities of being a transgender woman in prison,
11:36where she's targeted for violence.
11:38When she's placed in solitary confinement, apparently for her own protection,
11:43it highlights the system's failures more than anything else.
11:46Florida, huh?
11:49Relatively drama-free, but also about as boring as a bowl of nothing.
11:53I once watched a lady watch a spider for 40 minutes.
11:58Through it all, Sophia refuses to be erased.
12:01Whether she's advocating for herself or supporting others,
12:04she pushes back against a system that's constantly trying to dehumanize her.
12:09By the end of the series, she secures early release,
12:12and begins rebuilding her life on her own terms.
12:15I did my time.
12:17I'm looking forward now.
12:20And you and your hair.
12:22It's you the same.
12:23Number 10.
12:24Jack Harkness, Doctor Who, and Torchwood.
12:27Captain Jack Harkness was introduced in the first season of the revival of Doctor Who,
12:32and proved to be so popular, he was awarded a spin-off series of his own.
12:36I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it.
12:40He's a proudly omnisexual time agent from the 51st century,
12:43who leads the group Torchwood,
12:45which investigates extraterrestrial activity on Earth.
12:49Must be aftershave.
12:50Never wear any.
12:51You smell like that naturally.
12:5351st century pheromones.
12:55People have no idea.
12:56He doesn't hesitate to take out anything or anyone that he views as a threat,
13:01exercising a moral ambiguity that the other characters don't always agree with.
13:05He expanded the already vast Doctor Who universe into something much more.
13:10Hey there.
13:11Hello.
13:11Captain Jack Harkness.
13:12Linda Moss.
13:13Nice to meet you, Linda Moss.
13:15You mind flirting outside?
13:16I was just saying hello.
13:17For you, that's flirting.
13:18Number 9.
13:20Cosima, Orphan Black.
13:22Cosima is one of the many clones created by Neil Lucian.
13:25A PhD student in microbiology,
13:28she is essential in unraveling the central mystery behind the shady corporation,
13:33understanding the science behind the clones better than any of the others.
13:37Her astounding intelligence is her defining quality,
13:40but she's also able to keep up with her other clones in dangerous and physically violent situations.
13:46Nice one.
13:49You won the experiment.
13:51You won science.
13:52You're a scientist now.
13:53She's unabashedly herself, a self-described lesbian geek monkey.
13:58Cosima may not be a badass in the same sense as other characters on this list,
14:02but she manages to prove her worth time and time again.
14:06Number 8.
14:07Alex Danvers.
14:09Supergirl.
14:10Alex is the adoptive sister of Kara, aka Supergirl.
14:14As a government agent, she's had extensive training from the Department of Extranormal Operations,
14:19which she uses to train her super sister.
14:23Now, come at me.
14:28She serves as Kara's right-hand woman, but don't call her a sidekick.
14:33She operates on her own terms.
14:39When she meets fellow badass Maggie Sawyer, a detective,
14:43she begins to come to terms with her sexuality,
14:46a well-rounded character who is just as complex as she is tough.
14:50She may not have powers, but in a world full of superheroes,
14:53she manages to hold her own.
14:55I don't know.
14:55I finally, I get me.
14:58And now I realize that it wasn't about you,
15:02but it's about me living my life.
15:07Number 7.
15:08Rosa Diaz.
15:09Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
15:10At first glance, Rosa Diaz is all sharp edges and zero patience.
15:15Don't arrest him.
15:16Just smack him hard.
15:18With a phone book on a body part no one can see, you know what I'm saying?
15:21Though she has some of the show's best one-liners,
15:23she's a fan favorite because she's tough.
15:26Rosa is fearless in the field and rarely rattled by anything.
15:30The notable exception is her deeply private personal life.
15:34Rosa's bisexuality is revealed later in the series,
15:36leading to one of its most grounded storylines as she comes out to her parents.
15:41Your worst fears are real.
15:43I'm not straight.
15:44I'm bisexual.
15:45And I don't care what you think about it.
15:47She remains the same intensely private detective who always shows up when it counts,
15:52even if the smallest personal details still make her hilariously uncomfortable.
15:57She's backed up by someone who understands her struggle,
16:00Raymond Holt,
16:00an openly gay black man in the NYPD who had to fight and claw his way to Captain.
16:07Yes, you should be very proud of yourself.
16:08I know things aren't exactly where you want to be right now,
16:10but I promise you they will improve.
16:13Thank you, Captain.
16:14Every time someone steps up and says who they are,
16:17the world becomes a better, more interesting place.
16:20Number six, Annalise Keating.
16:22How to get away with murder.
16:24Annalise is a ruthless trial lawyer who was played to absolute perfection by the impeccable Viola Davis.
16:29You tore a community apart.
16:32You tore families apart.
16:34You destroyed lives, Senator.
16:35Admit it.
16:36Admit you killed Tricia Stanley and had my client David Allen set up for her murder.
16:41Equal parts lovable and frightening,
16:43she will go to any length to protect her students,
16:46no matter what dark places she has to journey.
16:49I'm a bad person.
16:52Heartless.
16:53A sociopath.
16:54Is that about right?
16:56I'm a bad person.
16:59You said you'd protect us.
17:01At every turn, she demands the respect she deserves,
17:04and even allows us to see her vulnerability in rare moments.
17:08She makes no apologies for who she is,
17:11a black, bisexual, and perseverant woman
17:13who showcases bravery and ingenious quick thinking under immense pressure.
17:18Annalise is unlike anyone we've ever seen on television,
17:21and we hope she opens the door for more characters like her.
17:29Number 5.
17:30Magnus and Alec.
17:32Shadowhunters.
17:33The warlock who's lived for centuries
17:35and the rule-bound Shadowhunter
17:37didn't exactly have an easy start.
17:53Magnus is cocky,
17:54with miles of confidence shaped by a long lifetime of experience.
17:58Alec Lightwood is the buttoned-down type,
18:01guarded and ruled by discipline, duty, and tradition.
18:04Their relationship forces each to change and grow into one another.
18:08We're always going to face challenges.
18:10So when things get crazy,
18:12don't push me away.
18:16The writers knew they had stumbled across Magic,
18:19dubbing the power couple Malick in a season one episode title.
18:22The name stuck with the fandom.
18:24Alec's decision to come out is a major turning point for them,
18:27rejecting the heavy expectations that have defined his life.
18:31Magnus, in turn, allows himself to be vulnerable
18:33in ways he's long avoided.
18:35Together, they navigate politics, danger, and personal doubt.
18:40I thought I had to choose between you and the town world.
18:45But I don't.
18:47A wise man once told me,
18:50relationships take effort.
18:53Yeah.
18:54Number 4.
18:55Lexa.
18:55The Hundred.
18:56The Hundred doesn't shy away from fluid sexuality on screen.
19:00Case in point,
19:01the show's hero, Clark Griffin,
19:03who engages in a relationship with the possibly even more badass Lexa.
19:12She's the pragmatic and insightful leader of the Grounders,
19:16managing to be tough and firm with both her allies and her enemies.
19:20With an impressive ability to keep her cool,
19:22she turns to violence when it's necessary.
19:25Though peace is her ultimate goal.
19:27Your ambassadors betrayed you.
19:31How do you move forward?
19:34They were doing what they believed was right for their people too.
19:38Her sensitive side comes out when she begins to develop feelings for Clark
19:42after an antagonistic relationship.
19:50One look at that face paint tells you everything you need to know about her.
19:53She is not to be messed with.
19:56Number 3.
19:57Omar Little.
19:58The Wire.
19:59Omar is unlike any other gay character that we've seen on television.
20:03He makes a living by robbing drug dealers
20:05and has no qualms about what he does.
20:08Yo.
20:09Yo, son, come on.
20:10Yo, Omar coming, man.
20:12Yeah, we don't respect this shit.
20:13Oh, s***.
20:14Despite this,
20:15he shows a strict moral code
20:16by refusing to harm anyone whom he views as innocent.
20:20Tiptoeing the line between hero and villain,
20:22he's a complex character who proves being a gay man
20:25and being a badass aren't mutually exclusive.
20:28Don't nobody want to hear them dirty words, man.
20:33Especially coming from such a beautiful mouth.
20:35His nature is contrasted with his love for his boyfriends
20:38and the grandmother who raised him.
20:40In fact,
20:41Barack Obama named him as his favorite character from the series,
20:45noting the duality of his sexuality among other qualities.
20:48Ayo, lesson here, bae.
20:51You come at the king,
20:52you best not miss.
20:54Number 2.
20:55Willow Rosenberg.
20:56Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
20:58Willow begins the series as a shy bookworm
21:01who often finds herself needing saving.
21:03It's a good fight,
21:05Buffy, and I want in.
21:07I kind of love you.
21:09However, as the series progressed,
21:11she became more independent,
21:13becoming the brains of the Scooby gang
21:15and later discovering witchcraft
21:17and exploring her sexuality.
21:19I owe you pain.
21:21She becomes one of the series' most powerful characters,
21:24even becoming one of Buffy's toughest villains
21:27after her girlfriend's devastating murder.
21:29I want to know what a bullet feels like, Warren.
21:32A real one?
21:34It's not like in the comics.
21:36No.
21:37No.
21:38Nevertheless,
21:39she returns to the good side
21:41and continues to kick ass,
21:42and gives Buffy a run for her money
21:44as the show's most badass character.
21:47Most importantly,
21:48her queerness was used
21:49as a way to progress her character development
21:51without defining her.
21:52I love a gifty.
21:57Before we unveil our top pick,
21:59here are a few honorable mentions.
22:01Henrietta Wilson, 9-1-1.
22:03Paramedic Henrietta Wilson fights for her patients
22:06and her family with equal grit and heart.
22:08The 118 isn't just an item in a ledger.
22:12And the people who serve there
22:14are not simply employees,
22:15we're a family.
22:16And I will be damned
22:17if I will stand by
22:18while you waste your power
22:21and your position
22:23trying to break up that family.
22:24Lafayette Reynolds, True Blood.
22:27Lafayette Reynolds deals V,
22:29reads people,
22:30and never backs down from any challenge.
22:32I ordered the hamburger deluxe.
22:34In this restaurant,
22:36a hamburger deluxe
22:37come with french fries,
22:38lettuce, tomato, mayo,
22:40and AIDS.
22:42Do anybody got a problem with that?
22:44Yeah.
22:46I'm an American.
22:47Agron, Spartacus.
22:49Agron is a fierce rebel warrior
22:51who fights for both freedom
22:52and the man he loves.
22:54Jupiter himself would find cause to tremble
22:56if he laid hand upon you.
23:02You would better let guard for me.
23:06I would slay all.
23:18Before we continue,
23:20check out this single
23:21from Sound Mojo's album current,
23:23EDM Transformed.
23:24Check out the full track
23:25and album below.
23:41Number one, Xena.
23:43Xena, warrior princess.
23:45There's only one way
23:46to end this cycle of hatred
23:47and it's through love
23:49and forgiveness.
23:56Even before Will and Grace,
23:58when queer representation
23:59on television was still very limited,
24:02Xena was already breaking ground.
24:04A former warlord seeking redemption,
24:06she travels the ancient world
24:08righting wrongs
24:09with unmatched skill
24:10and ferocity.
24:11Xena is a warrior above all,
24:13strategic, relentless,
24:14and nearly unstoppable in combat.
24:17Over time,
24:18she grows into
24:18a fully realized character.
24:20Come on, Xena.
24:21You must miss staring
24:22into those baby blues
24:23every time you pass them there.
24:25My body doesn't make me who I am.
24:27My deeds do.
24:28Her bond with Gabrielle
24:30begins as a close friendship
24:31and evolves into something deeper.
24:33Their relationship
24:34was never explicitly labeled,
24:36yet it was written,
24:37performed,
24:37and widely read as romantic.
24:39Even in death, Gabrielle,
24:42I will never leave you.
24:44For many viewers,
24:45Xena was the first
24:46queer-coded hero they ever saw,
24:49let alone one leading a show,
24:51setting the template
24:51for many who followed.
24:53Which LGBTQ plus TV character
24:55do you think is the ultimate badass?
24:57Did we miss your favorite?
24:59Let us know in the comments.
Comments