I saw Captain Marvel on opening weekend, and sat in awe over the next few days. It was amazing to see what Marvel accomplished with its first female-led superhero film. And knowing that as a result, so many young girls got to see an incredible, ass-kicking female on a large screen.

I remember the first time that I realized that I didn’t have boundaries as a female. I was about 7 or 8 years old. I loved playing video games, like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda. A lot of times, I’d watch my dad and uncle play them too. One of my favorite games was Metroid. I remember sitting in the living room as they raced through the game to reveal a twist ending about the suited main character. It wasn’t a he. It was a SHE.

This is one of my earliest memories of witnessing a video game female protagonist on-screen who wasn’t a damsel in distress. Sorry Princess Peach who keeps getting kidnapped by Bowser and needs to be rescued by Mario and Luigi. Move over sleeping Zelda who Link has to rescue by solving one hundred puzzles. And for those who recall the days of Double Dragon, au revoir Marian, we barley remember thee.

It’ll be amazing to see how many more barriers females will break down moving forward because they’re seeing it down at earlier ages and on a massive scale. Going to the movie theater to see leading characters like Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman will have a lifetime ripple effect on today’s female generation. I know Samus had one for me, and that was just what I saw on a living room TV screen.

Comment below on the female characters or personalities that changed your life when you were young!