Gods and Mortals
Encyclopedia
"Gods and Mortals" is a seven issue comic book
story arc
plotted and drawn by George Pérez
, with scripting by Greg Potter
and Len Wein
.
Released in 1987
, this was the first arc of the relaunched Wonder Woman
series.
from 30,000 BC to now; a cavewoman, and her unborn daughter, are murdered by her mate. On Mount Olympus
, Ares
opposes Artemis
' plans to create a new race of female mortals to set an example to other mortals, and Zeus
doesn't care. Artemis
and four other Goddesses go to the Cavern of Souls where they use all, except for one, the souls of perished women to create reborn, ageless Amazons. With their queens, Queen Hippolyta
and Queen Antiope, the Amazons are successful but there is jealously from Greek kings. Ares manipulates Heracles
to create anger towards the Amazons and under the disguise as allies to the female warriors, Hercules drugs and chains the Amazons and burns down their home. Praying, Athena
frees Hippolyta with the promise of no revenge, but the Amazons ignore the promise and murder the men who had chained them. In the end, Antiope leaves with half of the Amazons while Hippolyta and the remaining half are taken by Athena to be eternal jailers of evil on their new island home; Themyscira. Centuries later, Hippolyta prays for a daughter and after making a baby out of clay, the last soul is reborn as a new Amazon blessed with gifts from the gods named Diana. Now an adult, the Gods cry to the Amazons to choose a champion to face Ares against his plans for the outside world. Diana is forbidden to enter the contest, but thanks to Athena, she enters masked like all the rest. At the end, Diana is revealed and while her mother is against it, Diana is chosen. Receiving her bulletproof bracelets, and her Warrior's garb, she is now prepared.
a mission. Back on Themyscira, Diana is given by Hermes the lasso of truth and is taken to see Harmonia
, Ares' daughter, who gives her an amulet and is taken back home. Above Themyscira, Steve's co-pilot, also working for Ares, attacks him planning to bomb the island. Diana flies toward the plane just as the bomb is dropped, but Diana throws it back to the plane where it explodes and Diana saves Steve. Etta Candy
checks in with General Kohler to find him dead and melted. Steve is being cared for at Themyscira when Athena appears to tell Diana that she needs the other half of the amulet to defeat. With Steve in her arms, Diana says farewell to her sisters and is transported by Hermes to Man's World.
, Diana meets the mentor she was told who will help her, Professor Julia Kapatelis
, who agrees to help Diana after she sees the Talisman even though she doesn’t understand Diana's Ancient Themysciran language. Phobos
, one of Ares' sons, forms a statuette out of blood from a Gorgon
. His brother, Deimos
, manipulates the militaries of the U.S. and Russia to fight one another. Steve Trevor is questioned by General Tolliver, who then prepares to kill him but Steve escapes. Etta is told by his escape just as Steve enters to tell her that someone is trying to kill him. Julia's daughter, Vanessa Kapatelis, receives a package to her mother. Later, Julia arrives with Diana and her and Vanessa meet. By midnight, Diana has learned English quickly and the statue starts to glow. Vanessa screams and the whole house goes into total disarray. Vanessa has now rapidly aged and Decay (the statue) destroys the house.
to save Diana. Thanks to him, Diana's body is healed and she is alive. Days later, Hippolyta and Diana discuss what Ares said to her and her mother doesn't want her to return to Man's World after she almost died. Athena gives Diana, as a sign of their support, a pair of winged sandals that Diana can wear from Themyscira to Man's World. Her mother then agrees. Etta and Colonel Hillary head to Vanessa's room to see Diana present with the cure to save her. Julia gets a call on her daughter’s recovery and heads there where she sees Vanessa back to normal and Diana. Diana needs help in her mission to spread her message and Julia helps her by taking her to see Myndi Mayer, who decides to refer Diana as Wonder Woman to avoid confusion to the Princess Diana of Wales. In an epilogue, archaeologist Barbara Minerva
hears about Wonder Woman and wants her lasso...
, DC Comics' continuity was too difficult and complex for new readers to understand. To address this issue, the company published the Crisis on Infinite Earths
limited series in 1985
. The first Wonder Woman series ended with #329 (February 1986) and the character was killed in the last issue of Crisis (March 1986). Because the crossover wiped the slate clean by erasing all of continuity, the stage was now set for a complete relaunch and reboot of the title.
Writer Greg Potter
, who previously created the Jemm, Son of Saturn
series for DC, was hired to rework the character. He spent several months working with editor Janice Race
on new concepts, before being joined by writer/artist George Pérez
.
Inspired by John Byrne and Frank Miller
's work on refashioning Superman and Batman, Pérez came in as the plotter and penciler of Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman character, the supporting cast, the villains, and the stories, were now much more firmed in Greek mythology. The drama was on concerning Diana's explorations of modern society, and the book had more realism than the pre-Crisis version in showing an innocent young Amazon entering our world and the issues she would face.
Potter decided to leave DC Comics after completing the second issue of the new series and was replaced by Len Wein
.
Pérez was originally set for six months but ended up staying on the book for five years. His relaunch of the character was a critical and sales success.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
plotted and drawn by George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
, with scripting by Greg Potter
Greg Potter
Greg Potter is an American former comic book writer best known for co-creating the DC Comics series Jemm, Son of Saturn with artist Gene Colan.-Biography:...
and Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
.
Released in 1987
1987 in comics
- Year overall :* Independent publishers continue to enter the comics arena, including Amazing, CFW Enterprises, Imperial Comics, Matrix Graphic Series, New Comics Group, and Rebel Studios...
, this was the first arc of the relaunched Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
series.
The Princess and the Power
A tale of the AmazonsAmazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
from 30,000 BC to now; a cavewoman, and her unborn daughter, are murdered by her mate. On Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
, Ares
Ares (DC Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a supervillainous God appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the Greek mythological figure of the same name, he is the god of War and one of the major adversaries of Wonder Woman. He first appeared in Wonder Woman #1, volume 1, published in...
opposes Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
' plans to create a new race of female mortals to set an example to other mortals, and Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
doesn't care. Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
and four other Goddesses go to the Cavern of Souls where they use all, except for one, the souls of perished women to create reborn, ageless Amazons. With their queens, Queen Hippolyta
Queen Hippolyta (comics)
Queen Hippolyta is a fictional character and DC Comics superhero, based on Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons in Greek mythology. She is also the mother of Wonder Woman and Donna Troy.-Golden and Silver Age versions:...
and Queen Antiope, the Amazons are successful but there is jealously from Greek kings. Ares manipulates Heracles
Heracles
Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus...
to create anger towards the Amazons and under the disguise as allies to the female warriors, Hercules drugs and chains the Amazons and burns down their home. Praying, Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
frees Hippolyta with the promise of no revenge, but the Amazons ignore the promise and murder the men who had chained them. In the end, Antiope leaves with half of the Amazons while Hippolyta and the remaining half are taken by Athena to be eternal jailers of evil on their new island home; Themyscira. Centuries later, Hippolyta prays for a daughter and after making a baby out of clay, the last soul is reborn as a new Amazon blessed with gifts from the gods named Diana. Now an adult, the Gods cry to the Amazons to choose a champion to face Ares against his plans for the outside world. Diana is forbidden to enter the contest, but thanks to Athena, she enters masked like all the rest. At the end, Diana is revealed and while her mother is against it, Diana is chosen. Receiving her bulletproof bracelets, and her Warrior's garb, she is now prepared.
A Fire in the Sky
General Kohler, working for Ares, gives Steve TrevorSteve Trevor
Steve Trevor is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, as the primary love interest of Wonder Woman. He first appeared in All Star Comics #8 .-Golden Age:...
a mission. Back on Themyscira, Diana is given by Hermes the lasso of truth and is taken to see Harmonia
Harmonia
-Art:* Harmonia , an outdoor sculpture by Achim Kühn in Turku, Finland-Antiquity:* Harmonia , the Greek goddess of harmony and concord* Harmonia -Art:* Harmonia (sculpture), an outdoor sculpture by Achim Kühn in Turku, Finland-Antiquity:* Harmonia (mythology), the Greek goddess of harmony and...
, Ares' daughter, who gives her an amulet and is taken back home. Above Themyscira, Steve's co-pilot, also working for Ares, attacks him planning to bomb the island. Diana flies toward the plane just as the bomb is dropped, but Diana throws it back to the plane where it explodes and Diana saves Steve. Etta Candy
Etta Candy
Etta Candy is a fictional character from the DC Comics Wonder Woman series.-Golden Age:In her 1940s introduction, Etta Candy is a sickly malnurished woman Wonder Woman discovers at a local hospital. When next she is seen Etta is transformed into a spirited, rotund young woman who has a great love...
checks in with General Kohler to find him dead and melted. Steve is being cared for at Themyscira when Athena appears to tell Diana that she needs the other half of the amulet to defeat. With Steve in her arms, Diana says farewell to her sisters and is transported by Hermes to Man's World.
Deadly Arrival
Diana sees what Man's World is like as she drops Steve Trevor in the base where he is found and is placed under arrest for the so-called mission and the murder of General Kohler. At Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Diana meets the mentor she was told who will help her, Professor Julia Kapatelis
Julia Kapatelis
Julia Deneiros Kapatelis is a DC Comics fictional character created by writer/artist George Pérez for the Wonder Woman comic book series.-Childhood:...
, who agrees to help Diana after she sees the Talisman even though she doesn’t understand Diana's Ancient Themysciran language. Phobos
Phobos (Marvel Comics)
Phobos is the name of two fictional comic book characters appearing in books published by Marvel Comics characters. The first appeared in Dr...
, one of Ares' sons, forms a statuette out of blood from a Gorgon
Gorgon
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...
. His brother, Deimos
Deimos (comics)
Deimos is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He debuted in 1st Issue Special #8, , and was created by Mike Grell as a foil for Travis Morgan the Warlord...
, manipulates the militaries of the U.S. and Russia to fight one another. Steve Trevor is questioned by General Tolliver, who then prepares to kill him but Steve escapes. Etta is told by his escape just as Steve enters to tell her that someone is trying to kill him. Julia's daughter, Vanessa Kapatelis, receives a package to her mother. Later, Julia arrives with Diana and her and Vanessa meet. By midnight, Diana has learned English quickly and the statue starts to glow. Vanessa screams and the whole house goes into total disarray. Vanessa has now rapidly aged and Decay (the statue) destroys the house.
A Long Day’s Journey into Fright
The three escape from the house and Diana goes after Decay as a crowd appears. Watching, Athena questions their trust in Diana just as Demeter arrives and announces that the Ark to take them to oblivion for failing with the Amazons. Etta searches through Tolliver's office and finds "Ares Project" folder. Press and Television gather as Diana and Decay begin to fight. Diana charges at Decay and struggles her to the ground. Strangling Diana, she feels weak but realizes the Earth might help and uses her lasso around Decay's neck and the monster is finally dead. Publicist Myndi Mayer hears the news and by using the "W" on her costume, Diana is named "Wonder Woman" by the media. In a hideout, Steve sees Diana's face and realizes she saved her from the plane crash. Doctors can't reverse Vanessa's aging process. Julia cries as Diana arrives and the two women arrive at Julia's Winter Home so they can continue studying the Amulet. Diana sees someone outside and turns out to be Steve. He tells her that he needs her help just as Etta screams for Steve...The Ares Assault
Ares's influence grows as great military powers are preparing to fight. Colonel Michaelis explains that he followed Steve and Etta in hopes to help them and Etta slipped and fell. Etta is resting as she shows all of them "The Ares Project" file. With no luck on the Talisman, Diana realizes the pattern on the Talisman matches the chart from the Ares File. She explains that when the Talisman pattern is laid over the map, it marks the sites of various nuclear bases of the world, the target of the Ares Project. Just as she speaks, Tolliver leads renegade troops to take over one of the bases; World War III is about to start! Diana also figures out that the second half she is looking for is through the mirror's reflection of the Talisman. Diana prepares to go, along with Julia, Steve, Michaelis and Etta. Steve tells Etta that Diana reminds him of his mother. The five are taken to Ares' sons' domain, where Deimos sends several massive snakes at Diana and Phobos has Diana's friends experience their fears: Etta is buried alive, Steve fights spiders, Julia drowns and Michaelis' is attacked by wild cats. Diana disposes the last serpent and attacks the fears and each sons' attacks are defeated. But Diana's hair turns into serpents and inject venom into her. Removing her tiara, Diana kills Deimos, her hair goes back to normal and Phobos flees dropping the second half of the Amulet. Combining the two, Diana and her friends are transported to the control room Tolliver took over.Powerplay
Etta, Steve and Michaelis attack Tolliver's men as Diana counters Tolliver at the control room. His troops rush her, but with her strength, she throws them off. Steve attacks an evil-spirited Tolliver corpse just as the key is yet to be turned. Diana vanishes and finally meets Ares, showing her his influence growing stronger. Diana attacks, but Ares blasts her into agony with his enjoyment. Grabbing her by the throat, Diana slams the Amulet on Ares' head and cries in pain as he ignites Diana. With her last strength, Diana uses her lasso on Ares and he screams and his world goes mad and Diana is knocked and is alive, but barely. Ares sees everything he wants: death, destruction, but misses something. Because of the war he created and the deaths of many, his influence falls and feels alone. Diana has shown him the ultimate consequences of his actions. Ares agrees on Diana's request to end the madness, and the balance is restored. Before sending her back, Ares tells Diana that she must save mankind from itself. Medics attend to the wounded Julia and Etta, and Colonel Michaelis is dead. Steve appears carrying the body of Diana.Rebirth
On Mount Olympus, Zeus goes into celebration over Ares' defeat, and the Goddesses’ oblivion is canceled. On Themyscira, however, the Amazons take the wounded Diana to the Island of Healing in the ancient ritual of revival. Artemis pleads with Zeus and he calls on the God PoseidonPoseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
to save Diana. Thanks to him, Diana's body is healed and she is alive. Days later, Hippolyta and Diana discuss what Ares said to her and her mother doesn't want her to return to Man's World after she almost died. Athena gives Diana, as a sign of their support, a pair of winged sandals that Diana can wear from Themyscira to Man's World. Her mother then agrees. Etta and Colonel Hillary head to Vanessa's room to see Diana present with the cure to save her. Julia gets a call on her daughter’s recovery and heads there where she sees Vanessa back to normal and Diana. Diana needs help in her mission to spread her message and Julia helps her by taking her to see Myndi Mayer, who decides to refer Diana as Wonder Woman to avoid confusion to the Princess Diana of Wales. In an epilogue, archaeologist Barbara Minerva
Cheetah (comics)
The Cheetah is a fictional character, a super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Popularly regarded as the archenemy of Wonder Woman, the Cheetah first appeared in 1943 in Wonder Woman #6 , written by Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston...
hears about Wonder Woman and wants her lasso...
Backstory
By the 1980s1980s in comics
This article lists major events in the field of comics during the 1980s.Publications: 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989-1982:*Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo debuts in Young Magazine.- March :...
, DC Comics' continuity was too difficult and complex for new readers to understand. To address this issue, the company published the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
limited series in 1985
1985 in comics
-Year overall:* More independent publishers enter the marketplace: Aircel Comics, Arrow Comics, Blackthorne Publishing, Dragon Lady Press, NOW Comics, Sirius Comics, Strawberry Jam Comics, and Wonder Comics all publish their first titles...
. The first Wonder Woman series ended with #329 (February 1986) and the character was killed in the last issue of Crisis (March 1986). Because the crossover wiped the slate clean by erasing all of continuity, the stage was now set for a complete relaunch and reboot of the title.
Writer Greg Potter
Greg Potter
Greg Potter is an American former comic book writer best known for co-creating the DC Comics series Jemm, Son of Saturn with artist Gene Colan.-Biography:...
, who previously created the Jemm, Son of Saturn
Jemm
Jemm is a fictional alien that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character exists in DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe...
series for DC, was hired to rework the character. He spent several months working with editor Janice Race
Janice Race
-Biography:A native of The Bronx, Race was employed by DC Comics in the 1980s and had worked as a textbook editor for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich before entering the comics industry. She served as an Associate Editor for Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway as well as an editor in her own right...
on new concepts, before being joined by writer/artist George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
.
Inspired by John Byrne and Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's work on refashioning Superman and Batman, Pérez came in as the plotter and penciler of Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman character, the supporting cast, the villains, and the stories, were now much more firmed in Greek mythology. The drama was on concerning Diana's explorations of modern society, and the book had more realism than the pre-Crisis version in showing an innocent young Amazon entering our world and the issues she would face.
Potter decided to leave DC Comics after completing the second issue of the new series and was replaced by Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
.
Pérez was originally set for six months but ended up staying on the book for five years. His relaunch of the character was a critical and sales success.
Post-Crisis Alterations to Wonder Woman's History
- Wonder Woman first leaves Themyscira and arrives in the United States during the events of the 1986 LegendsLegends (comics)"Legends" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through a six-issue, self titled limited series and various other titles published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987...
crossover rather than at the dawn of the Silver AgeSilver Age of Comic BooksThe Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
. Within the DC Universe timeline, this has Wonder Woman appear in the DCU several years later than Superman, Batman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, et al., as well as several years after the formation of the Justice League, invalidating her status as a founding member despite her presence in the original series. This retcon also erased virtually all Wonder Woman stories and appearances from the Golden AgeGolden Age of Comic BooksThe Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
, Silver Age, and up through the Crisis on Infinite Earths from canon continuity. In order to compensate for her absence from Justice League continuity, Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
was retroactively inserted into the roster in Wonder Woman's place as a founding member.
- In her updated origin, Wonder Woman arrives in the United States with absolutely no knowledge of the English language, having been raised in a society secluded from the rest of the world for some 3,000 years. This differs from all previous Wonder Woman origin stories in which Diana arrives in the United States already fluent in English. A fast learner, Diana picks up a solid proficiency in the language with the help of Julia Kapatelis by the time of her first confrontation with Ares in Gods and Mortals, and is fluent within a few months of living in America.
- Steve Trevor, who was previously seen as a younger man of comparable age to Wonder Woman and who had acted as a romantic interest for Wonder Woman throughout her entire comic's history since her first appearance in 1940 (including all television adaptations and even in the 2009 animated movie), was re-written to be in his forties, some twenty years older than Diana, and, rather than a suitor, would come to act as more of a brotherly figure to Diana. He later marries Etta Candy.
- Pre-Crisis, the name "Wonder Woman" was a title by the Amazons for the greatest Amazon warrior. Post-Crisis, the name was given to Diana by the U.S. media shortly after her first public appearance after a reporter takes note of her breastplate insignia resembling a double-W.
- In her pre-crisis origin, Wonder Woman's star-spangled American-themed costume is deliberately designed by the Amazons to mimic the American flag in order to aid her in gaining the trust and support of the American people. In her post-crisis origin, revealed in Challenge of the GodsChallenge of the Gods (comics)"Challenge of the Gods" was a seven issue comic book story arc written and drawn by George Pérez, with co-writing by Len Wein. It is the second arc of the Wonder Woman "Challenge of the Gods" was a seven issue comic book story arc written and drawn by George Pérez, with co-writing by Len Wein. It...
, the costume was created years before Diana's birth as ceremonial armor inspired by WWII U.S. Air Force pilot Diana Rockwell Trevor, who by an ironic twist of fate happened to be the mother of Steve Trevor. Diana Trevor had crash landed on Themyscira decades before Diana's birth and sacrificed her life to save her Amazon sisters who were being attacked by the Cottus, who had broken through Doom's Doorway, the barrier jailing numerous mythical monsters beneath Themyscira. In order to pay tribute to the unknown woman who had saved their lives, the Amazons created two costumes based on the patches and badges worn on Trevor's jacket - one that was worn by Trevor at her cremation, and the other which would only be worn by a champion worthy of the armor. This would be given to Diana after she won the contest to go face Ares in 'Man's World'.
- Pre-Crisis, Diana had the standard compunction against killing as most superheroes of the DC UniverseDC UniverseThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. This version is a classically trained warrior with an corresponding practicality in battle and is perfectly willing to use deadly force when the situation calls for it.