Why Is Wonder Woman Weak In 1984
Theo Pontbriand
Wonder Woman 1984 saw Diana Prince forced to contend not only with two antagonists but also with her own failing powers - here's what caused her to lose her abilities. Created by William Moulton Marston, Diana Prince (aka Wonder Woman) has been a staple of DC Comics since her debut in 1941's All Star Comics #8. Played by Gal Gadot, the popular Amazonian was introduced to the DCEU in Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. She would later return for the widely-derided Justice League and 2017's much more acclaimed solo adventure, Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film dealt with Diana's origins, the sacrificial death of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), and her eventual clash with the Greek god Ares amid World War I.
Returning to helm the sequel, the action was transported to the 1980s. Living a life of relative anonymity, Diana balanced her time between working at the Smithsonian and occasional bursts of local heroism. Fate ultimately conspired against her, however, when the fabled Dreamstone crossed her path. With it setting Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) on a path of global domination, Diana was forced to embark on a jet-setting journey to prevent the fall of humanity. That quest was soon made all the more difficult by her newly transformed colleague, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig). It was compounded even further still when her considerable Amazonian powers started failing.
Fans could be forgiven for thinking that Barbara was responsible. After all, Diana started becoming more and more human immediately after Barbara wished to be like her. Therefore, it could be construed that there was an element of universal balance. As Barbara became stronger, Diana became weaker. However, that's very much not the case. In fact, Diana's fading powers were a result of her own wish. When she first came into contact with the Dreamstone, she expressed a desire to have Steve Trevor back. That wish promptly came true when Steve was resurrected (sort of). As was later revealed, though, the Dreamstone doesn't give without also taking away. In exchange for gifting people their greatest desire, it took away their most valuable possession. In Diana's case, that was her Wonder Woman powers.
Wonder Woman losing her powers was also no doubt driven by story reasons. Firstly, it added an element of tension and stakes to the action sequences. It was inevitable that Diana would live to fight another day alongside Batman, Superman, and the others. However, Diana's declining strength and the ability now be hurt was able to fuel immersion in the moments presented by the film. Wonder Woman 1984 actually succeeded in making audiences momentarily forget about other established points of the DCEU timeline. Instead, Diana's new status allowed a miraculous level of absorption and pulled fans to the edges of their seat. This went not just for what could befall her but also for what she might be unable to prevent befalling others - like rescuing Steve from a bullet or children from a runaway vehicle.
The concept was also a shrewd way of highlighting the themes of the sequel. As established in the opening flashback to Diana's childhood, any success that comes from shortcuts is no true success. That lesson was prevalent throughout the film, with several characters shortcutting their way to greatness. Conversely, Diana was born with amazing gifts. However, it was made apparent that they aren't what make her Wonder Woman. Instead, it's her commitment to the world and doing what needs to be done - even if it meant making a painful sacrifice.
For a brief moment, she served as a testament to how women often lessen themselves for the love of others. Ultimately, however, both Diana and Steve knew that was not how things should be. As such, Diana did what was necessary to restore her powers. Regardless, she went on to save the world with truth, hope, and love rather than super-strength or flight. As such, by losing her powers in Wonder Woman 1984, Diana was able to realize and demonstrate that she's just as much a hero without them.
Set 66 years after the previous film, Wonder Woman 1984 has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as its predecessor. Fortunately, the exact mix and proportion of those strengths and weaknesses has shifted for the better.
2017's "Wonder Woman" was a breath of fresh air in the world of comic book films. Not only did it have a strong female superhero at its center, but it also boasted a female director in the form of Patty Jenkins. Jenkins' bold and fun take on the DC character translated with critics, and the film currently holds an impressive 93% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The paying public also took note, with "Wonder Woman" bringing in $822 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
So it goes without saying that expectations were extremely high for the sequel, "Wonder Woman 1984." Released on Christmas 2020 on HBO Max, "Wonder Woman 1984" was sadly met with a tidal wave of negative reviews from critics and a 58% on Rotten Tomatoes as well as swift backlash from fans. Some of the criticism involved messy story elements and plot holes. One story beat that had fans scratching their collective heads is the weakening of Wonder Woman's incredible powers.
Set in 1918, a big plot point in "Wonder Woman" is the romance between Diana (Gal Gadot) and US pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), although he heroically sacrifices himself to help defeat the Germans in World War I at the end of the film. Flash-forward to 1984: Diana Prince is now working at the Smithsonian Institute while moonlighting as Wonder Woman. Shady business tycoon Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) unleashes chaos when he wishes to become the Dreamstone, an ancient artifact that grants wishes. The Dreamstone yields a second villain when Diana's meek co-worker, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), becomes the supervillain Cheetah after she, too, wishes on the stone.
Oftentimes, to raise the stakes in a book or film, the hero will lose their powers. After all, it's not much of a challenge if the protagonist can just crush their enemies with little to no effort. This is the hook for "Wonder Woman 1984." But there is, of course, an in-universe reason that some fans may have missed: It is in fact Diana's own wish that ultimately leads to her weakened state. Blinded by heartache, she initially refuses to give up her wish. However, in her weakened, mortal state, Diana is unable to defeat the Cheetah. Steve convinces Diana to let him go, and only then is she able to regain her strength and stop the two villains.
One of the main themes of "Wonder Woman 1984" is sacrifice. And in a very real way, Steve and Diana once again make the ultimate sacrifice, letting each other go for the good of all humanity. Ultimately, it's in this lesson that Diana is able to not only set everything in the world right but also restore her powers in the process.
Clear messages about women's ability to be skilled warriors/fighters, the importance of empathy, compassion, courage, and teamwork. Shows various ways people can be heroes. Strong message about importance of truth and the pernicious nature of greed and excess. Encourages people to think carefully about their deepest wishes and desires -- whether they help or hurt ("be careful what you wish for"). Also some deeper messages about personal sacrifice, the nature of humanity, and sexism and how it can affect and impact women and girls. But Barbara's transformation can be seen as suggesting that tight/cool clothes and high heels are key parts of self-esteem and being admired and liked as a woman. Problematic messages around the idea of returning colonized land, the impact of domestic abuse, and lack of consent/agency.
Diana continues to be a brave, fierce, loyal warrior who's also selfless and kind. Steve is brave and selfless, too, willing once again to sacrifice himself for the greater good (though he and Diana also don't indicate any concern about him taking over someone else's body and using it without the owner's consent). Barbara is initially intelligent, warm, and kind, but she's also portrayed as insecure -- and later cruel and selfish. But (spoiler alert!) the villain redeems himself by realizing that power and influence come with a price he's ultimately unwilling to pay.
As Wonder Woman, Diana is an important example of a strong female superhero. Although, her likability relies on notions of traditional beauty and femininity. Barbara's transformation from a mousy geologist into a glamorous and powerful villain also plays into these standards. Most main characters are White, but another villain, Max, is Latino (Chilean American Pedro Pascal) and is given some depth in his backstory. Characters of color appear in minor roles, and some reinforce negative racial and cultural stereotypes: The only recurring Black character is unhoused, and the ruler of a fictional Middle Eastern nation uses his oil wealth to deal in nuclear arms.
Frequent peril and risk. Many people are injured, sometimes bloodily, but characters don't kill or die as often as in previous DC movies. Thieves brandish and fire guns in a mall heist; one grabs a child and holds her hostage, dangling her over a railing. A woman bloodily beats a man who had previously attempted to assault her. Mass worldwide chaos leads to mob-like protests and unrest. Diana and Steve fight armed security guards with heavy, war-level artillery. Diana is visibly injured. Nuclear weapons are wished for, and nuclear war breaks out between the United States and the USSR. A young child looks lost and disoriented and calls for his father; other scenes also show children in danger. A character's physical appearance deteriorates disturbingly, with blood dripping out of ears, nose, etc. The Amazons compete in a physically demanding, dangerous, Olympics-style game. A flashback reveals how Asteria wore special armor to keep male attackers away from the Amazons, sacrificing herself to keep her compatriots safe. Another flashback shows a child witnessing domestic abuse. Men often make unsolicited and unwanted comments to women. A man's body is used for sex without his consent (he's not occupying the body at the time).
c80f0f1006