9. Ofelia (Pan's Labyrinth)
Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is a girl who literally allows her imagination to run away with her. Like Alice chasing the White Rabbit, curiosity takes her into a surreal and often scary underworld filled with myth and magic. A lonely child, Ofelia whiles away her time reading fairy tales and conjuring up stories to tell her unborn brother. Strong-minded, inquisitive and largely fearless, she embarks on a quest that sees her outwitting giant toads, fickle fauns and the chilling, child-eating Pale Man. But no monster can ever compete with her new stepfather, the Fascist tyrant Captain Vidal... It's interesting to note that when Ofelia disobeys the rules set before her, she doesn't automatically learn a life lesson about respect or independence and vow to change her ways. Instead, there are direct and genuinely disconcerting consequences. For example, Pan can switch from mentor to tormentor at the slightest sign of disappointment. The presumption that he would become a guardian angel, of sorts, disappears almost immediately. And so Ofelia stands alone in an adult world of anger and injustice; the girl who truly deserves a happy ending.