One of the main focuses throughout Tom King’s Wonder Woman has been DC Comics' Diana Prince navigating her life in a world full of disgusting men saying and doing deplorable things because she’s a woman. As time passed, some of her enemies (like Sarge Steel) learned that using words that rhyme with witch weren’t appropriate. While this is common for mortals, you’d assume that the gods would be above this thinking. Apparently, not.
Wonder Woman No. 21 creative team
- Writer: Tom King
- Artist: Guillem March
- Colorist: Tomeu Morey
In Wonder Woman No. 20, Diana asked Batman to help her solve a murder on Olympus. Diana’s mother Hippolyta was framed for killing Ares, and they had 24 hours to find out who it was. If the heroes failed, Batman would be killed by Zeus. In the process of gathering clues, Batman was hit by one of Zeus’ lightning bolts.
The God of Olympus said his lightning was stolen, but was too cavalier about it. That’s why it wasn’t shocking to find out that Zeus killed his son Ares and probably attacked The Dark Knight to prevent him from learning the truth. Sadly, his inability to think that a woman could solve the case became his downfall.
Wonder Woman learned that Zeus had his son killed because he began to understand the cost of his wars. Realizing all of the people he had hurt and killed made him sad. The only person he could talk to about this was Aphrodite. Unlike the other gods, Ares went to her so he could cry. She confesses this to Wonder Woman, leading her to Aphrodite's husband, Hephaestus. The Blacksmith God could tolerate his wife sleeping with others, but not consoling someone; Zeus can’t have his war dog showing emotions like vulnerability as he would be "worthless" to him.
After learning that Ares cried and asked to be held by Aphrodite, Hephaestus told Zeus about the blade he made that could kill the God of War. Once Wonder Woman pieced it together, she and Batman confronted Zeus. He didn’t deny it, but refused to admit to anything either.
Throughout the past two issues of Wonder Woman, the Gods of Olympus said misogynistic things to Diana. At one point, Dionysus said that women shouldn’t be allowed on the mountain because they, “...don’t understand the order of things.” That was the lesser of the comments made to Diana. Nevertheless, she showed all of them how wrong they were, even if they won’t admit it.
Writer Tom King uses the evolution of Ares perfectly. Being strong and violent isn't what makes you a man, just as learning to be more caring shouldn't be considered a weakness. Ares' death for growing shows the true frailty in some men; Zeus couldn't take someone becoming better and killed him for it.
Hopefully, someone will read this issue and understand that their compassion isn’t a weakness. In fact, it’s a strength that even the gods don’t understand.
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