It’s not easy to survive in the world ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Danger lurks around every corner, whether it’s in the form of a bandit looking to rob the Dragonborn or a troll hungry for blood. Surviving the political insanity of Skyrim and its harsh environment is almost an achievement of its own.
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With all of its various dangers, it’s really no wonderSkyrimis filled with headstrong, fearless, and powerful women. Many of them make an appearance in the main quest alone, and despite Skyrim’s medieval fantasy setting, these ladies are far from being docile, helpless doormats.
Updated on June 20, 2025, by Anastasia Maillot:As Skyrim appears on the PlayStation Plus store for November, fans are flocking back to the classic RPG entry from Bethesda that defined over ten years of open-world RPG games. With an Anniversary Edition out and multiple re-releases, as well as an active, flourishing modding community, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is showing absolutely no signs of becoming irrelevant—at least until The Elder Scrolls 6 is finally properly teased by Bethesda. To honor Skyrim’s entry to the PS Plus Store, this entry has been updated with some of the most memorable and powerful female characters from Skyrim.
15Grelod The Kind
Grelod the Kindis anything but kind inSkyrim. She’s the infamously cruel lead figure of Riften’s orphanage, which is where the Dragonborn will find themselves after having a chat with Aventus Aretino. They witness the heartless way Grelod speaks to the children, which should be proof enough of how cold-hearted Grelod is.
Unfortunately, because of her steel grip on the orphanage despite looking like a docile old woman, she still merits her place on this list. After all, being strong doesn’t necessarily mean one has a good heart, and Grelod certainly doesn’t.
14Borgakh The Steelheart
Borgakh is one of the inhabitantsof an Orc stronghold. More specifically, she’s the daughter of the stronghold’s leader, Chief Larak. Orcs inThe Elder Scrollsuniverse are well-known for their strength in battle, making them intimidating enemies to face off against.
Borgakh is no different. She can become a follower of the Dragonborn, and here’s where she truly shows her potential. She’s an excellent, tanky follower to have that caps at level 30, and is skilled in the art of One-Handed combat.
13Jenassa
Another great follower option, as well as a strong female character in Skyrim, is Jenassa. Like Grelod, Jenassa has a questionable moral compass, but her cunning personality and proficiency in battle are simply the key things that keep her alive in a place as dangerous as Skyrim.
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Jenassais a Dunmerwho can be found in Whiterun when players enter The Drunken Huntsman. She’s the mercenary type, so she’ll expect payment before she agrees to join them on their adventures as a talented ranger with an impressive Archery skill.
12Faralda
Faralda is one of the characters players will encounter when trying to make their way to the College of Winterhold. She’s the person standing at the mouth of the bridge that joins the continent and the school of magic together and will ensure that no one undeserving of magical knowledge shall pass through.
The Dragonborn must pass a test before they can enter to impress Faralda. Once a member of the College, they’ll learn that she’s the onein charge of Destruction magic, which is proof enough that she’s a highly talented mage using one of the most dangerous and volatile schools of magical arts.
11Babette
Babette is no doubt among the most unnerving characters the Dragonborn will encounter during their journey through Skyrim. They must first jointhe Dark Brotherhoodto make her acquaintance. Babette has the appearance of a child, but she’s actually a vampire whose hundreds of years old and has the mental mindset of an ancient being.
She’s quite dark and murderous, which is why she’s part of the Brotherhood in the first place. Moreover, she uses her innocent looks to gain people’s trust in order to lure them into a trap and then kill them for food. This alone makes her an incredibly dangerous and powerful female character inSkyrim.
10Mirabelle Ervine
Between Savos Aren and Mirabelle Ervine, who really runs the College ofWinterhold? Mirabelle’s definitely doing most of the heavy lifting, while Savos is preoccupied with, well, whatever it is that keeps him busy.
Mirabelle is in a position of power, in the only school of magic in the province of Skyrim. Everything depends on her word and her management skills. Given the circumstances, she’s doing pretty well for herself. On top of that, she’s a powerful mage.
9Legate Rikke
Legate Rikke works in theImperial Legion, just below General Tullius. Right off the bat, it’s pretty evident that Rikke is strong-willed, determined, and more loyal than most of the soldiers in the Legion or Rebellion.
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Her devotion to the Empire is immensely deep, and her skills in combat alone are worthy of praise. She’s probably had a hard life, but she stands taller than a tower.
8Aela The Huntress
Member of the Companions,Aelanot only is an archer who can stand her ground and snipe even the toughest of targets from afar, but she’s also a werewolf. Unlike many of the other Companion members, she actually embraces her wild nature.
Aela’s background also makes her admirable. She comes from a long bloodline of women who enlisted in theCompanionslong before her.
7Irileth
Jarl Balgruuf’s housecarl Irileth might look to most like a simple servant to the man, but one should never judge a book by its cover. Irileth was chosen because of her impeccable skills in combat and her extremely strict, serious nature. She would take a dagger for Balgruuf.
Her past is shrouded in mystery, except for the part where she was a trainee for Morag Tong in Morrowind. Known for being an infamous guild of assassins, the precursors of the Dark Brotherhood essentially, Irileth is not one to be messed with.
6Astrid
Speaking of assassins and theDark Brotherhood, Astrid is another immensely strong figure in Skyrim. Although her actions eventually lead to her unfortunate fate, her thirst for success and her tireless ambition have made her the beloved mother of the guild before the Dragonborn arrives.
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People listen to Astrid and respect her, even if they disagree with her at times. She just has that natural charm that has helped her become an unstoppable force in the Brotherhood. Well,almostunstoppable.
