3. Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw (Prometheus)
Ridley Scott is often credited with giving us the worlds first real action heroine in Sigourney Weavers Ripley in Alien. Returning to those roots, Scott has given us another iconic heroine in Elizabeth Shaw. Shaw is the driving force in what comes off as an ensemble film. It is her idea to go on the mission and she often seems to have more influence on the situation than mission director Meredith Vickers (another strong female character). Smart and resourceful, Shaw earned her spot in cinema history with the unforgettable scene where she aborts the alien offspring using an automated surgery table. The scene, while a bit disturbing, proves undeniably that Shaw is just as strong and brave as genre predecessors Ripley and Sarah Connor.