Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Absolute Wonder Woman #20.In Absolute Wonder Woman, Diana is not merely ‘Wonder Woman,’ but Diana of Themyscira, Last of the Amazons, Daughter of Circe, Princess of Hell, and Witch of the Wild Isle. Absolute Wonder Woman is arguably the best iteration of Wonder Woman that has ever been conceived, and it is all thanks to the Absolute DC universe plucking her from Themyscira, where she was born of clay, and plunging her into the underworld.
Raised by the sorceress Circe in Hell, Absolute Wonder Woman sees Diana produce and wield fantastical weapons like the Athena Blade, the red Nemesis lasso, and the blue Troika lasso/scourge whip, and “conjure the darkest magicks.” Transforming herself into the snake-haired gorgon Medusa with the green Θυσία /Sacrifice lasso was an astonishing feat, for example, and a brand-new power of hers has recently been unearthed in a bout of guilt.
Wonder Woman’s Despair Manifests A New Ability
In the final page and panel of Absolute Wonder Woman #20, Diana sobs and shouts, “NO,” and what bellows is a crack of lightning bursting from her throat to the sky. We have never seen Diana be so defeated thus far, having been whisked back to Hell, where she will be stuck for a month at the worst imaginable time for her.
It is ironic, too, because Diana herself was technically rescued from Veronica Cale’s clutches, and yet there is little hope for her to be able to rescue Barbara Minerva from those same clutches while she is back in the underworld for such a considerable span. This means Cale has a month to wreak havoc and most likely turn Barbara against Diana somehow, preparing her to be the Absolute universe’s Cheetah and an iconic villain in the book going forward.
This innate Wonder Woman ability is unlikely to be featured again in an ordinary capacity, as it is probably an emotional cry more so than an actual superpower. That said, it is thrilling whenever we get to see what Diana is capable of, whether she is reciting incantations or simply distraught.
Absolute Wonder Woman’s Diana Can’t Catch A Break
Diana has endured incessant torment in the last couple of issues alone, from being trapped in a lonesome crossroads realm in issue #19 to being captured and tortured at Cale’s Area 41.X laboratory in issue #20. Now, being stuck in the underworld, she cannot help but feel as though she has abandoned Barbara, whose transformation into Cheetah is all but carved in stone.
It will be interesting to see what Cale does with Diana’s blood in Absolute Wonder Woman, even if it simply contributes to Barbara becoming Cheetah. Otherwise, we know that Diana will finally emerge from the underworld in this August’s Absolute Wonder Woman #23, based on the issue solicitation blurb, and she will have her hands full battling Scylla alongside Circe in the meantime.
Absolute Wonder Woman #20 is out now.
- Created By
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William Moulton Marston, H. G. Peter
- First Appearance
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All Star Comics
- Alias
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Diana Prince
- Alliance
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Justice League, Justice Society of America, Justice League Dark, Justice League International
- Race
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Amazon-Olympian
Wonder Woman is the superhero identity of Diana, Princess of the Amazons. Created on the island of Themyscira, Wonder Woman is a super-powered demi-goddess with extreme physical strength who utilizes magical gifts (like her famous Lasso of Truth) to defeat her foes. As mighty as her fellow heroes Superman and the Justice League, Wonder Woman is unmatched in her compassion and virtue.