Wonder Woman did not keep her identity a secret, and initially did not consider herself a superheroine. Indeed, her character was wide-eyed and naive, innocent and without guile. Diana spoke only Themyscirian, a variation of ancient Greek, and had to learn English when she arrived in the United States. Fortunately, Diana soon met Julia Kapatelis, a scholar in Greek culture, and her daughter Vanessa Kapatelis who helped the Amazon princess adjust to the world of men. However, for all her apparent naiveté, Diana was a trained warrior, and had no compunction against using deadly force when called for. For example, she felled the god Deimos in battle and felt completely justified under the circumstances. Through Pérez's tenure on the book, Diana confronted war, injustice, inequality, death and conflicts involving the Olympian Gods.[9]
While Superman watched out for Zod, Diana visited the deserted Themyscira to speak to her mother, still a clay statue. In her absence, a demon from Tartarus had escaped from its prison and roamed free on the island. Wonder Woman destroyed the creature and sealed the gates to Tartarus with her lasso. Leaving the island, she received word from Batman that Superman was engaging Zod and Faora in battle. Reaching Superman’s side, Wonder Woman steadily overwhelmed Faora until Zod threatened Superman’s life. Wonder Woman was forced to let the criminals go.[61]
Wonder Woman's sexual and bondage themes in her earliest days were not without purpose, however. Her creator, William Moulton Marston, theorized that human relationships could be broken down into dominance, submission, inducement and compliance roles which were embedded into our psyche. Because males were, more often than not, dominant in societies, Marston believed that "Women as a sex, are many times better equipped to assume emotional leadership than are males." [262] Marston wanted to convey his progressive ideals, through his use of bondage imagery, that women are not only capable of leadership roles, but should be in charge of society. Although Marston had good intentions with these themes, in Wonder Woman's early appearances, the bondage elements were controversial, as they were often seen to overly fetishize women in power rather than promote such women. Noah Berlatsky criticized this imagery in Wonder Woman's earliest days noting that "the comics take sensual pleasure in women’s disempowerment." [263] Despite having the mixed messages of this imagery, Marston fiercely believed that women would soon rule the earth and meant to showcase his predictions through sexual themes in his stories. He was an open feminist while studying at Harvard where he once said "Girls are also human beings, a point often overlooked!" [264]
In the following days, Diana soon uncovered Ares, who exposed her to be the God Killer, having been originally conceived to be the ultimate weapon against her brother. Following this revelation, a fierce battle ensued, where Diana fulfilled her purpose in freeing mankind from Ares' influence. The loss of Steve in World War I had left Diana sobered, but she vowed to protect humanity whenever she was needed, albeit in a cautious and distant way.
Deimos Wonder Woman #183 (July–August 1969) Deimos is the God of Terror who is based on the god of the same name. In the post-crisis universe, Deimos used manipulation to incite a third World War. Wonder Woman and her allies put an end to Deimos's plot, which resulted in his death. He was later resurrected by his brother Phobos, though he possessed the Joker's body. Post-Rebirth, Deimos appeared as a pompous pretty boy alongside his twin brother Phobos, and attempted to find the location of Themyscira to free his father Ares.
Gaines forwarded Jacobs’ letter to Marston, with a note: “This is one of the things I’ve been afraid of.” Something had to be done. He therefore enclosed, for Marston’s use, a memo written by Roubicek containing a “list of methods which can be used to keep women confined or enclosed without the use of chains. Each one of these can be varied in many ways—enabling us, as I told you in our conference last week, to cut down the use of chains by at least 50 to 75% without at all interfering with the excitement of the story or the sales of the books.”
Morgan appears and reveals himself as Ares. He tells Diana that although he has subtly given humans ideas and inspirations, using Ludendorff and Maru as pawns in the process, it is ultimately their decision to resort to violence as they are inherently corrupt. When Diana attempts to kill Ares with the "Godkiller" sword, he destroys it, then reveals to Diana that she herself is the "Godkiller", as the daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta. He fails to persuade Diana to help him destroy mankind in order to restore paradise on Earth. While the two battle, Steve's team destroys Maru's laboratory. Steve hijacks and pilots the bomber carrying the poison to a safe altitude and detonates it, sacrificing himself. Ares attempts to direct Diana's rage and grief at Steve's death by convincing her to kill Maru, but the memories of her experiences with Steve cause her to realize that humans have good within them. She spares Maru and redirects Ares's lightning into him, killing him for good. Later, the team celebrates the end of the war. In the present day, Diana sends an email to Bruce Wayne thanking him for the photographic plate of her and Steve and continues to fight and give on the world's behalf, understanding that only love can truly save the world.
Wonder Woman is an Amazon warrior princess and one of the most powerful superheroes in the DC Universe. The daughter of Hippolyta, she was given power by the Gods to fight against evil in all its forms. Although she was raised entirely by women on the island of Themyscira, she was sent as an ambassador to the Man's World, spreading their idealistic message of strength and love. Wonder Woman fights crime and acts as a positive role model for women everywhere. Her equipment includes the Lasso of Truth, magic gauntlets, and an invisible jet. In the secret identity she has adopted to become closer to humanity, she is Diana Prince, a government agent for the Department of Metahuman Affairs. Wonder Woman is also a founding member of the Justice League of America. She has also been a member of the Star Sapphire Corps, the Sinestro Corps, and the Justice League Dark.
At the end of the 1960s, under the guidance of Mike Sekowsky, Wonder Woman surrendered her powers in order to remain in Man's World rather than accompany her fellow Amazons to another dimension. Wonder Woman begins using the alias Diana Prince and opens a mod boutique. She acquires a Chinese mentor named I Ching, who teaches Diana martial arts and weapons skills. Using her fighting skill instead of her powers, Diana engaged in adventures that encompassed a variety of genres, from espionage to mythology.[35][36] This phase of her story was directly influenced by the British spy thriller The Avengers and Diana Rigg's portrayal of Emma Peel.[37]
Diana meets Barbara Ann Minerva for the first time. Minerva wants Diana's lasso and tricks Diana into believing that she has Antiope's Girdle of Gaea. Diana discovers the ruse and storms out of the house. Barbara transforms into the Cheetah and attacks Diana. Julia Kapatelis shoots Cheetah and fends her off. Diana returns to Themyscira. Zeus is infatuated with Diana and asks her for a physical communion to which Diana refuses. Angered, Zeus sends her on a mission, a "Challenge
Villains Abra Kadabra · Aftermath · Afterthought · Airstryke · Alien Alliance · Amazo · Amos Fortune · Anti-Justice League · Anti-Monitor · Appellaxians · Aquarius · Aryan Brigade · Asmodel · Atlas · Atomic Skull · Axis America · Barbatos · Black Adam · Black Bison · Black Hand · Black Lantern Corps · Black Manta · Black Spider · Blaze · Blight · Blockbuster · Blood Brothers · Bolt · Brainiac · Brimstone · Brotherhood of Evil · Brutale · Bug-Eyed Bandit · Burners · Burning Martians · Cadre · Calculator · Calendar Man · Captain Nazi · Catalyst · Catman · Cavalier · Cheetah · Chemo · Cheshire · Chiller · Chimaera · Chronos · Circe · Civet · Clayface · Clock King · Clockwatchers · Cluemaster · Construct · Copperhead · Cosmic King · Crazy Quilt · Crime Champions · Crime Syndicate of America · Cyborgirl · Darkseid · Dark Knights · Dark Supergirl · Deadline · Deadshot · Deathstroke · Demolition Team · Demons Three · Department of Extranormal Operations · Despero · Doctor Alchemy · Doctor Cyber · Doctor Destiny · Doctor Double X · Doctor Impossible · Doctor Light · Doctor Phosphorus · Doctor Poison · Doctor Polaris · Doctor Psycho · Doctor Regulus · Doctor Sivana · Dominators · Doomsday · Dragon King · Dumas · Dummy · Earthworm · Eclipso · Electrocutioner · Elite · Enforcer · Epoch the Lord of Time · Eve · Evil Star · Extremists · Faceless Hunter · Fatal Five · Fearsome Five · Felix Faust · Fiddler · Floronic Man · Freedom Fighters of China · Funky Flashman · Gambler · Gamemnae · General Eiling · Gentleman Ghost · Ghost · Golden Glider · Gorilla Grodd · Grand Druid · Graves · Gunhawk · Harlequin · Hector Hammond · Hellgrammite · H.I.V.E. · Human Flame · Hyena · Hyperclan · Ibac · Icicle · Imperiex · Injustice Gang · Injustice League · Intergang · I.Q. · Jack O'Lantern · Java · Johnny Sorrow · Joker · Judgment · Kanjar Ro · Key · Kilg%re · Killer Elite · Killer Frost · Killer Moth · Killer Wasp · Kite-Man · Kobra Cult · Know Man · Krona · League Busters · League of Ancients · League of Assassins · Le Fantome · Legion of Doom · Lex Luthor · Libra · Lightning Lord · Lion-Mane · Lobo · Mad Maestro · Mageddon · Magog · Magpie · Mahayogi · Manchester Black · Manga Khan · Manhunters · Masters of Disaster · Matter Master · Maxwell Lord · Merlyn · Mister Mind · Mister Nebula · Moish · Monarch · Mongul · Mordru · Morgaine le Fey · Nazi Party · Neron · Neutron · Nightshade · Ocean Master · O.M.A.C.s · Osiris II · Parasite · Penguin · Per Degaton · Pied Piper · Plastique · Poison Ivy · Predator · Professor Ivo · Prometheus · Psycho-Pirate · Puanteur · Quakemaster · Queen Bee · Queen of Fables · Qwardians · Ra's al Ghul · Rainbow Raider · Rama Khan · Red King · Red Volcano · Riddler · Roulette · Royal Flush Gang · Satanus · Scarabus · Scarecrow · Scorch · Secret Society of Super Villains · Shadow Cabinet · Shadow Thief · Shaggy Man · Shark · Shrapnel · Simon Stagg · Sinestro · Silver Ghost · Silver Swan · SKULL · Sledge · Solomon Grundy · Starbreaker · Star Sapphire · Starro · Steppenwolf · Suicide Squad · Tattooed Man · Tenth Circle · Terra-Man · Three Devils · Thunderers of Qward · T. O. Morrow · Trickster · Triumvirate of Sea Gods . Ultra-Humanite · Ultraviolet Corps · Vandal Savage · Weapons Master · Weather Wizard · Whisper Gang · White Dragon · White Martians · Wizard
Later in the story, Wonder Woman is locked in a cell. Straining to overhear a conversation in the next room, through the amplification of “bone conduction,” she takes her chain in her teeth: “Closeup of WW’s head shoulders. She holds her neck chain between her teeth. The chain runs taut between her teeth and the wall, where it is locked to a steel ring bolt.”
Sword Mastery: Wonder Woman is an extremely skilled swordswoman, with centuries of experience wielding her magical God Killer sword (and later the Sword of Athena) in many battles, including those of World War I. Thus, she managed to slash at enemy soldiers with her sword even while racing past on horseback, to instantly slice apart in mid-air a car hurled at her by Doomsday with the Sword of Athena, to later do the same to massive piece of debris hurled at her by resurrected Superman, and to sever one of Doomsday's arms during her battle with the monster, delivering wounds that would have otherwise been lethal, had it not been for the monster's incredible healing factor and adaptive evolution.
Granted by Hermes (God of Messengers), her top speed has never been well documented, but she has entered the speed force under her own power, implying she can accelerate to at least light speed. The Flash has said that Wonder Woman can easily keep up with him and she has been seen keeping up with Flash going faster than hypersonic speed. She has been shown to be on par with some of the fastest characters in the DC Universe such as Jesse Quick. She can disarm human opponents of their weapons instantly and she can immobilize her opponents in the blink of an eye, as she showed when she speedblitzed White Martian and Genocide into space in no time and was able to take down Amazo before he could finish a word. She is such a well trained athlete that in combat, her reflexes even surprise the likes of Superman.
Vox stated "Trevor is the superhero girlfriend comic book movies need".[210] The San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle lauded the performances of Gadot, Pine, Huston, and Thewlis while commending the film's "different perspective" and humor.[211] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times described Gadot's performance as inspirational, heroic, heartfelt and endearing and the most "real" Wonder Woman portrayal.[212]
Even alongside all of her kindness, compassion, and empathy, Diana is still also a warrior at heart, and when someone she cares about is hurt, becomes far more relentless and ruthless. When seemingly beaten by Ares (who was only growing more powerful from her violence, rage, and hatred), and after having to watch her beloved Steve Trevor die, she flew into an agonizing rage, and she assaulted and brutalized several armed German soldiers with immense speed and ferocity. She even came close to murdering Dr. Poison as vengeance for Steve's death; but after recalling Steve's great love for an undying belief in her and her beliefs, restrained herself and refocused her energies on Ares, harnessing her love for Trevor to overcome her violent emotions and swiftly overpower an angered Ares. Additionally, she resolved to fight even harder after Steppenwolf revealed that he had killed several other Amazons. Outside of battle, however, Diana can also react indigently and negatively towards people who disrespect her, her relatives, or those she cares about. Two such notable instances were when she shot an angry look at Lex Luthor (after he insulted her father Zeus's memory), and when she shoved back Batman (after he had insulted her beloved Steve Trevor's memory). Diana also remains ruthless when facing enemies in battle as Wonder Woman, and she even shows signs of enjoying a good battle when they put up a good fight. This was seen when she briefly smiled and laughed when she was beaten to the ground by Doomsday, and smirked as she stopped the first bullet fired at a group of hostages in London.
With Zola's pregnancy reaching full term, she insisted on seeing her own doctor in Michigan. While there, they were all attacked by Artemis and Apollo. Unprepared, Diana and her companions were defeated, and Zola was taken to Mount Olympus to be delivered to Hera in exchange for the throne. Apparently, Hera was willing to give up her throne for the sake of revenge.[24] However, she had expected Zeus to return as soon as his rule was threatened, which he did not. When Apollo sat on the throne, he was crowned ruler, and when he learned of Hera's deceit, he exiled her from Olympus.
In two social event scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it's implied the Wonder Woman character does not consume alcohol. Non-alcoholic consumption is a characteristic usually associated with Batman who, in this cinematic version, does consume alcohol. She is seen consuming a small amount of alcohol in Wonder Woman, however, when offered some by Steve Trevor.
At the time of her debut, Wonder Woman sported a red top with a golden eagle emblem, a white belt, blue star-spangled culottes, and red and golden go-go boots. She originally wore a skirt; however according to Elizabeth Martson, "It was too hard to draw and would have been over her head most of the time."[189] This outfit was entirely based on the American flag, because Wonder Woman was purely an American icon as she debuted during World War II.[194] Later in 1942, Wonder Woman's outfit received a slight change – the culottes were converted entirely into skin-tight shorts and she wore sandals.[194] While earlier most of her back was exposed, during the imposition of the Comics Code Authority in the mid-1950s, Wonder Woman's outfit was rectified to make her back substantially covered, in order to comply with the Authority's rule of minimum exposure.[194] During Mike Sekowsky's run in the late 1960s, Diana surrendered her powers and started using her own skills to fight crime. She wore a series of jumpsuits as her attire; the most popular of these was a white one.[194]
Wonder Woman's social reforms were not initially accepted by the Amazons, even if they were morally necessary. Later, she had a training session with Artemis, who urged her to accept the Amazons' worship as a goddess, but Diana refused. Unfortunately, Dessa, a fellow Amazon, kidnapped Zeke and threatened to throw him off a cliff, for she disagreed with Diana's new perspective. Diana convinced her to return the boy to Zola. Shortly afterwards, the men of Paradise Island returned to their original home, with Diana welcoming them with open arms.[44]
