Portrait of a Badass: Vasquez

Character: Private Vasquez
Actor: Jenette Goldstein
Film: Aliens (1986)
Badass Moment: Her last stand against the aliens in the ventilation ducts

Maybe one of the reasons Big Trouble in Little China didn't do so well in the box offices was because it was up against Aliens: the icky, slimy, acid-for-blood, face-hugging, mouth-within-a-mouth sequel directed by James "King of the World" Cameron. And maybe, just maybe, Big Trouble would have stood a better chance if its female lead was less of a mannequin and more of a Vasquez.

Jenette Goldstein explodes onto the silver screen in her first feature film appearance as Pvt. Vasquez, a space marine who (allegedly) has never been mistaken for a man. She does chin-ups wherever she can find the opportunity, puts up with endless trash talk from Bill Paxton, calls people pendejo and is, according to colleague Pvt. Drake, "just too bad." While I am 99% repulsed by military machismo in film characters, Vasquez gets the benefit of that leftover 1%. Sorry, Rambo...the bandana just looks better on her.

Pvt. Vasquez, you are just too badass. We salute you.