Everyone has that one person who would go through hell and back for them. For most people, it’s their mom, the one who not only gives life, but nurtures it, too. Although mothers in films are generally depicted as homemakers, that’s not the only thing they’re good at. There are some moms who are the true heroes of their story, stealing the spotlight and coming out to save the day.
From intergalactic space moms to animated supermoms, here are some of the coolest mothers in action movies, ranked:
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8 General Leia Organa - Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (2015-2020)
Walt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
It’s not easy leading an intergalactic resistance movement while trying to stay on track with motherly duties, but General Leia Organa sure tried her best. Although her parenting may not have been the most ideal during her son’s formative years, Leia tries her best to reconcile with her estranged son, Ben. She eventually succeeds, saving the galaxy, and her relationship with her son, all the while maintaining the aura of a calm commander.
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Portrayed by the amazing Carrie Fisher, a mom unlike any other, General Leia was a hero even on the cusp of retirement, the true princess of the galaxies.
7 Marge Gunderson - Fargo (1996)
Universal PicturesPolyGram Film EntertainmentMetro-Goldwyn-MayerGramercy Pictures
No other detective out there is quite like this. Ranked this low on the mere technicality that she was a mom-to-be (seven months pregnant), Marge Gunderson is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Intelligent, insightful and better at her job than any of her male co-workers could be, this mom from Fargo won hearts and the twisted murder case she was investigating.
Portrayed by Academy Award-winning actress, Frances McDormand, Marge is an incredible character, full of love and vivacity for the people she cares for, and incredible dedication to her ruthless job. In fact, had she given birth during the duration of the film, she would have handled that with amazing grace too!
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6 Meg Altman - Panic Room (2002)
Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group
Moving into a brand-new house with a moody, adolescent child isn’t the most ideal scenario. Now add murderous home invaders to the mix, and you have the life of single mother, Meg Altman from Panic Room. Proving that nothing can deter a woman who is also a mother, Meg single-handedly protects herself and her daughter throughout this ordeal.
Portrayed by the unparalleled Jodie Foster, Meg Altman shows an incredible presence of mind, while not losing out on her vulnerability as a mother whose child is at risk. Truly a performance for the ages!
5 Helen Parr/Elastigirl - The Incredibles (2004)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
This animated super mom knows how to go the extra mile, and it’s not just because of her superpowers! Helen Parr from The Incredibles shows that she can be a superhero, raise three children, and maintain a healthy married life, all with her incredible powers.
Voiced by Academy Award-winning actress, Holly Hunter, Helen Parr is as cool as any mother can be. Certainly, considering that she gave birth to and raised Jack-Jack, the strongest of all The Incredibles.
4 Sarah Connor - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
TriStar Pictures
Sarah Connor from Terminator 2: Judgement Day is a textbook example of a mother who will not stop at anything to ensure her child’s survival. Sarah is brave, resilient, and an incredibly skilled fighter with no known equal. It makes perfect sense why her son, John Connor, is humanity’s last hope for survival; he owes it all to his mom!
Portrayed by Linda Hamilton, Sarah rocks both in combat and style, with her signature sunglasses and gun-slinging look. She’s a mom who is a feminist icon!
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3 Beatrix Kiddo/The Bride - Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 (2003-2004)
Miramax
Probably the only mother on this list who couldn’t meet her child until years later, Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill is an unfortunate soul, but a terrifying force of nature when she’s wielding her katana. Exacting revenge on everyone who caused her lifelong trauma, and pushed her into a coma while she was pregnant, Beatrix is one of the best heroines depicted in film.
Portrayed by Academy Award nominee Uma Thurman, Beatrix Kiddo maintains a feminine ferocity with a motherly endurance throughout. The life she lived was incredibly difficult, but she strives to change that for her four-year-old daughter.
2 Malorie Hayes - Bird Box (2018)
Netflix
When the world is taken over by demonic entities that make people kill themselves on sight in Bird Box, it’s impossible for an ordinary woman to survive on her own, with two children. Yet, Malorie Hayes proves that there is nothing an ordinary woman can’t do, even when she has to row a boat to the shore, completely blindfolded.
Portrayed by Academy Award-winning actress, Sandra Bullock, Malorie may not be gifted with superpowers or combat skills, but she does her absolute best to get herself and her children to safety. That’s an incredible mother.
1 Evelyn Abbott - A Quiet Place (2018)
Paramount Pictures Studios
In a world where only absolute silence ensures survival, a woman who manages to successfully give birth is a miracle in itself, and Evelyn Abbott is number one on this list. An ordinary woman who would not hesitate to do anything to save her three children’s lives, even if it meant creating a makeshift chamber to put her newborn baby in, while she uses radio signals to kill monsters with her older children.
Portrayed by the queenly Emily Blunt, Evelyn Abbott from A Quiet Placeshows through her actions that which she can’t through words. Whether she’s fending off supernatural monsters, or protecting her kids in hellish terrains, Evelyn is the cool mom everyone could learn a lesson or two from.
