Bruce Wayne has already identified the fact that Diana Prince is essentially immortal, having discovered a secret file of meta-humans that includes a picture of her taken during World War I. They’ve interacted in their civilian guises, and she’s quashed his attempts to impress her with his condescension. But, it’s her words to both Superman and Batman on the battlefield that outlines their new reality to them, as they face Doomsday.
“This thing is from another world. My world,” states Superman.
“I’ve killed things from other worlds before,” replies Wonder Woman, before charging straight at Doomsday, sword drawn.
She doesn’t need the guidance or advice of Batman or Superman. She’s assessed the threat, the resources available, and the fact that these men are partly responsible for the monster being there in the first place – and she takes action.
As more characters are added to the mix – Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash – we can expect the dynamic within the team to change further. Specifically in the film Justice League, the bond between Wonder Woman and Batman will undoubtedly be strengthened in the wake of both Superman’s apparent death, and the urgent need to assemble the meta-humans identified in the secret file from Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. But, amid these other male superheroes (and with the inevitable and welcome return of Superman) we can expect Wonder Woman’s position as an emotionally intelligent, formidable warrior who’s an assertive advocate for peace to be consolidated.
In terms of the DCEU within popular culture as a whole, the presence of Wonder Woman is a feature of seismic significance. Just as the character brings with her a unique perspective within her own story, her first solo film brings with it a unique spin within the franchise, and within cinema as a whole. Despite her 76 year history of publication, and her status as one third of DC’s ‘Trinity’, Wonder Woman has consistently and systematically been marginalized by filmmakers and studios, while Batman and Superman have been endlessly adapted into every other medium – including live-action film.
In 1975, Wonder Woman finally made it into live-action with her self-titled TV show, starring Lynda Carter, which ran for three seasons. After that, however – despite several attempts – she was restricted to animation and video games, outside of her comic book pages. There were endless excuses given – most often boiling down to the idea that, as a character, she was ‘the trickiest’ to translate into live-action narratives.
Unarguably, the only thing that is ‘tricky’ about the character of Wonder Woman in terms of adapting her for the big screen is that she stands in stark contrast to the male-dominated status quo of the modern, western film and television industry – and if you’re someone who benefits from that status quo, then a Wonder Woman film is going to be a problem. For audiences, however, it’s a glorious breath of fresh air, offering respite from the intense staleness of the male-gaze that has long permeated both the superhero genre, and beyond.