The primary antagonist of Mad Max: Fury Road, Immortan Joe, is a dictator who permits his "citizens" to have a few sips of water every day while he marinates in post-apocalyptic luxuries such as books and hydroponics. His tyranny extends to his personal life, considering that he kidnaps and forcibly imprisons five women in the Citadel to be his so-called Wives —their experiences are related through the movie as well as the accompanying comic series.
Unfortunately for him, Immortan fails to consider the ramifications of leaving Imperator Furiosa as their guardian —it is the latter who ultimately helps Angharad, Toast, Capable, Cheedo, and The Dag escape. Although it's probable that Immortan Joe is queer, it doesn't mitigate the misery he subjects his wives to. They get the last laugh, though.
5 Cheedo The Fragile's Stockholm Syndrome Eventually Fades
As Immortan's youngest wife, Cheedo is considerably more sensitive and skittish than the others, in part because of her age and because of her relative inexperience. She more or less enjoys her conditions in the Citadel, which is why she regularly insists that she and the wives go back to their "husband" where it's safe, but this could be because she hasn't yet been assaulted by Immortan.
Cheedo is right in that they wouldn't have to endure the harshness of the Wasteland, not to mention being chased by a bunch of gear-happy marauders. It's not that she doesn't trust Furiosa to protect them, but that she fears what Immortan might do if any of them are caught. Fortunately, Cheedo's Stockholm Syndrome is gradually chipped away during the course of their journey on the Fury Road. Her final act —distracting the simple-minded Rictus Erectus and helping Furiosa climb onto Immortan's Gigahorse— is a crucial part of the movie's climax.
4 Capable Is The Most Emotionally Mature Of The Five
Capable does not take to Imperator Furiosa in the beginning, when the latter is ordered by Immortan to oversee his wives. She even goes so far as to blame Furiosa for not empathizing with her situation, but the Imperator merely tells Capable that she ought to be grateful for the luxuries forbidden to everyone else in the Citadel (or beyond). Their relationship grows stronger over time, as both of them begin to see themselves in each other.
Capable is quite formidable in a fight, as seen when she tries to prevent Nux from helping Max in his struggle with Furiosa. Her emotional maturity is visible in her later interactions with Nux, who is on the verge of transforming from a zealous War Boy to an individual in control of what Capable calls his "manifest destiny." She chooses to protect Nux, refusing to throw him off the War Rig (a second time) or revealing his presence to Furiosa, Max, and the remaining wives. Capable is one of the reasons that they win in the end: she stands up for Nux, defiantly telling the others that he still has a major role to play. Her trust does not go unrewarded.
3 The Dag Is Now The Keeper Of The Seeds
The Dag doesn't hesitate to speak her mind, regardless of the potential consequences of her actions, like when she "cosplays" Immortan and puts on a one-woman comedy skit for the others' entertainment (she even mentions his predilections for his War Boys in the comics). The Dag is quite forceful when it comes to it, protesting vociferously when Immortan asks Cheedo to "sit on daddy's lap", a statement that brims with horrifying connotations.
She is, of course, severely punished for her audacity, and is indirectly responsible for Immortan forcing the wives to wear homemade chastity belts. The Dag is almost as smart and perceptive as Furiosa, as she's the first to observe the pursuing war party on two separate occasions. However, nothing she does is as important as her self-assigned task, becoming new The Keeper of the Seeds after the old one is killed. Considering that Furiosa is practically in control of the Citadel after Immortan Joe's death, one can only imagine the lush gardens and orchards that would inevitably arise.
2 Toast The Knowing Is Quite Effective In Battle
Toast is unique among the wives in that she has spent time traversing the Wasteland in her childhood and early youth, right before she is abducted by Immortan's War Boys. She knows how to use a variety of weapons, as well as operate motor vehicles, implying her awareness of the outside world. Toast's knowledge of weaponry is especially vast, considering that she is given the task of managing the number of guns and ammo on the War Rig.
While she is ultimately caught and transferred to the Gigahorse, Toast is far from helpless despite being held at gunpoint. As Furiosa scales the side of Immortan's car, Toast stops him from shooting her, which gets her a whack in the face, but simultaneously gives the Imperator just enough time to entangle her ex-boss' mask in a tire axle. Toast grabs the steering wheel and spits on the dead man's face, concentrating the rage felt by all the wives towards Immortan Joe into a single shot.
1 The Splendid Angharad Doesn't Let Anything Grind Her Down
Angharad is Immortan's favorite, the reason for which has not been revealed. He forces himself on her the most, which makes her despise him with every fiber of her being. In fact, Angharad is so averse to carrying his child that she tries to abort the fetus with a jagged ribbon of metal, injuring herself in the process. Furiosa prevents this from happening, and Angharad changes her mind after a few weeks, announcing that she plans on "keeping [her] baby." However, she is absolutely resolute that her "baby is not going to be a warlord."
Angharad is the first of the wives to entertain the notion of fleeing the Citadel, citing Furiosa as an example of the women they should become. Although her epithet presumably refers to her beauty, Angharad's true splendor emerges when she bravely protects Furiosa by forming a human wall between her liberator and the man who "killed the world." As such, her accidental death devastates both her friends and Immortan Joe, although for wildly different reasons.