Who was the first female protagonist in a video game?

Samus Aran is widely recognized as the first female protagonist in a video game because she debuted in the 1986 game "Metroid" for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Initially, players were led to believe that Samus was a male character until they completed the game and discovered her true identity. This groundbreaking revelation challenged gender stereotypes in gaming and paved the way for more diverse representation of women in the industry, making Samus Aran a significant milestone in video game history.