Wonder Woman (DC)

"Of all people you know who I am. Who the world needs me to be, I'm Wonder Woman."

- Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a superheroine from DC Comics who has her own series as well as being a founding member of the Justice League. She is an ancient Amazon who fights crime with aid from her bullet-proof wristbands, magical-lasso and superhuman-strength, and the ability to fly.

Origin
Molded from clay by her mother, Queen Hippolyta, Princess Diana was bestowed with powers and abilities from the Greek gods and goddesses, and trained by her fellow Amazons on the paradise island, Themyscira, to use her powers carefully - even though Princess Diana bested them in battle. When United States Army Air Corps Colonel Steve Trevor crash landed on Paradise Island, Hippolyta was instructed by Athena and Aphrodite to hold a contest to see which Amazon would accompany Steve back to "Man's World" (as the Amazons called the outside world) to fight evil, because entities (such as the Nazis during World War II and, later on, Communist spies, criminals, mad scientists and other antagonists) were spreading deceit, enmity, corruption, contempt, discord and terror.

The contests consisted of one-on-one combat, archery, discus throwing, and racing. Wonder Woman had decided to help the United States in particular because she had seen their war-time symbols of making a difference as being all female and assumed the US was progressively feminist, thus aligning with Themyscira's sensibilities.

Although forbidden to participate because leaving the island would mean giving up her eternal youth, Diana defied her mother and entered the contest, with her face hidden under a combat helmet. But Queen Hippolyta assumed the winner's identity before the end of the competition. Much to Queen Hippolyta's regret, she felt inclined to award Princess Diana as the winner. Diana was given a red, blue, and gold outfit which was adorned with white stars, and knee-high boots. A golden "M" (an alternate costume is seen with Zeus' sacred animal: an eagle in its place) embroidered on the upper part.

Queen Hippolyta also entrusted her with the Lasso of Truth, which compelled others to speak honestly, and impenetrable silver bracelets forged by Hephaestus. Diana took on the title Wonder Woman, and set off as the Ambassador of Peace, not only using her strength to fight evildoers and solve decisions, but her kind-heart and wit too.

Powers
Wonder Woman posses a different ability from a select few of the Greek gods and goddesses. Originally, Wonder Woman used an invisible plane that responded to her voice and only one of Amazon descent could see, but she was later gifted with flight. Her patron goddess is Hera, queen of Olympus, goddess of marriage and wife to Zeus, who freed the Amazons from the clutches of the war god, Ares, and gave them a home on an unplottable Paradise Island. Her blessing from the gods give her the physicality far above Superman and Captain Marvel.


 * Superhuman Strength: Diana has superhuman strength that is near limitless. She has been even strong enough to incapacitate a bloodlusted Superman with a kick, it should be noted that she held back. She can physically outmatch Kyrptonians, once restraining Supergirl. It should be noted that in all of her fights against Kyrptonians, she usually comes out the victor. This also is impressive because she has resisted Superman who was near the sun in strength, she even holds back. This just proves her unrivaled strength. In fact, the bracelets weakened her, this means that without her bracelets Wonder Woman has overpowered Super doom (who is far stronger than Superman), making her strength increase tenfold.
 * Superhuman Durability: Though bullets and knives can pierce her, they cannot be life threatening to her. In more recent years, Diana says that only god-like weapons can hurt her. She can easily survive at the core of the Sun, being punched from the Sun into the planet, point blank planetary explosions, and punches from beings like Darkseid and Superman, all of these coming out unscathed.
 * Superhuman Speed: Diana has been stated by Batman to be faster then Superman. She has the speed of Hermes the messenger.
 * Superhuman Stamina and Super Endurance: Wonder Woman can last a infinite amount of time in any fight and with virtually anyone. She has held her own in combat with foes as powerful as a Doomsday clone. She doesn't tire out, as her body produces no lactic acids in her muscles.
 * Enhanced Healing Factor: Like the Earth, Diana is constantly renewing herself, allowing her to quickly heal mild to moderate injuries at an amazing rate. Her normal regenerative abilities allow her to recover from injury within seconds to minutes. She possesses an incredible immunity from poisons, toxins, as well as disease.


 * Oneness With Fire
 * Empathy: Diana can often detects others' emotions, and is now so fully immune to Doctor Psycho's illusions that she usually is not even aware of what illusions he is attempting to project.
 * Superhuman Senses: Eyesight, hearing, taste, touch and smell.
 * Flight
 * Dimensional Teleportation: On occasion, Wonder Woman can literally leave the planet through meditation. She did this to rescue Artemis when she was in hell, and has even conversed with the Greek Gods on occasion.


 * Immortality: Diana cannot age, wither, or degrade and can live indefinitely, being around 5018 years old. High-Tier beings like Kyrptonians can cause her great distress and pain.

Abilities

 * Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Diana is the finest warrior ever born among the Amazons of Themyscira. She is a master of armed and unarmed combat, proficient with nearly every weapon ever made (especially the bow and the javelin) and the exotic martial arts styles of the Amazons. Batman once remarked that Wonder Woman is the best melee fighter in the world.


 * Wisdom of Athena: Granted by Athena (Goddess of Wisdom). Diana possesses great wisdom and intelligence, though the degree varies from author to author. She is among the smartest and wisest members of the Justice League of America, along with the Martian Manhunter, Superman, and Batman.


 * Multilingualism: Diana has exhibited heightened proficiency with languages, being able to speak her native Themysciran, Ancient and Modern Greek, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin Chinese (she expressed "difficulty" with the tones of Cantonese during an interview with Lois Lane), Russian and Hindi. Plus, through precise muscle control, she can mimic other people's voices for short conversations (on the telephone). It is more difficult, for her to mimic a mans voice than another woman's  voice.


 * Master Tactician and Strategist: Granted by Athena (Goddess of Wisdom). Diana is an accomplished strategist and tactician, trained in the arts of leadership, persuasion and diplomacy, and possesses a great deal of courage as well. She is a gifted leader.


 * Occultism: Diana possesses knowledge and understanding of magic. She has used her magical knowledge to use an alchemical spell to create a portal.

Personality
Princess Diana commands respect both as Wonder Woman and Diana Prince; her epithetical title – The Amazon Princess – illustrates the dichotomy of her character. She is a powerful, strong-willed character who does not back down from a fight or a challenge. Yet, she is a diplomat who strongly "favors the pen", and a lover of peace who would never seek to fight or escalate a conflict. She's simultaneously both the most fierce and most nurturing member of the Justice League; and her political connections as a United Nations Honorary Ambassador and the ambassador of a warrior nation makes her an invaluable addition to the team. With her powerful abilities, centuries of training and experienced at handling threats that range from petty crime to threats that are of a magical or supernatural nature, Diana is capable of competing with nearly any hero or villain.

Many writers have depicted Diana in different personalities and tone; between both of her diametric extremes; that of a worldly warrior, a highly compassionate and calm ambassador, and sometimes also as a naive and innocent person, depending on the writer. What has remained constant, and is a mainstay of the character, is her nurturing humanity: her overwhelming belief in love, empathy, compassion, and having a strong conscience.[citation needed] This trait had been the reason for her induction into the Star Sapphires.

Writer Gail Simone was applauded for her portrayal of Wonder Woman during her run on the series, with comic book reviewer Dan Phillips of IGN noting that "she's molded Diana into a very relatable and sympathetic character."

In the Golden Age, Wonder Woman adhered to an Amazon code of helping any in need, even misogynistic people, and never accepting a reward for saving someone; while conversely, the modern version of the character has been shown to perform lethal and fatal actions when left with no other alternative, exemplified in the killing of Maxwell Lord in order to save Superman's life.

The New 52 version of the character has been portrayed to be a younger, more headstrong, loving, fierce and willful person. Brian Azzarello stated in a video interview with DC Comics that they're building a very "confident", "impulsive" and "good-hearted" character in her. He referred to her trait of feeling compassion as both her strength and weakness.

A distinctive trait of her characterization is a group of signature mythological exclamations, beginning with "Great Aphrodite!", followed by "Great Hera!", "Merciful Minerva!", and "Suffering Sappho!', some of which were contributed by Elizabeth Holloway Marston.

Quotes
"Death is necessary, Flash. It is part of life, and if we say life is a blessing, we must say death is a blessing, as well."

- Wonder Woman

"I have no idea were I'm going to be tomorrow but I expect the fact that tomorrow will come. And I'm going to rise to met it."

- Wonder Woman

"I used to want to save the world... to bring peace. I leaned with in them there was both light and dark a choice. And now I know that only love can truly change the world. So, I stay I fight and I give."

- Wonder Woman

"I can not stand by while innocent lives are lost."

- Wonder Woman

Trivia

 * Dinanna Truthqueen is the name given Wonder Woman when she acquired the powers of a god and oversaw Proto-Earth-1 with Batman and Superman.
 * Born in 3000 B.C., Diana is 318 years older than the oldest Egyptian pyramid, and was fully grown before ancient history began. Though most variations put her superhero career towards starting during the two World Wars.
 * She is vegetarian.
 * She is similar to Captain America from Marvel Comics:
 * Both are role models.
 * Both are shield wielders.
 * Both are founding members of their superhero team (The Justice League and the Avengers).