This document summarizes the portrayal of female characters in popular films from the 1980s. In E.T., a mother protects her children while a rebellious teenager feels blamed. In Star Wars films, Princess Leia transitions from needing protection to taking a more dominant role. In Batman, Vicki Vale helps Batman after initially being a damsel in distress. Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark is an independent woman who still needs some assistance. Ghostbusters and Indiana Jones films also depicted women as beautiful and sometimes manipulative objects of male attention who show weakness but gain strength. Many other films like Beverly Hills Cop and Back to the Future had few or no female roles.