Welcome back to another wonder-filled installment of Top Five Fridays. Last week I went over the top five moments of the new 52 Batman written by Scott Snyder. Wall that was more of a tribute to Scott Snyder I felt that I should cover Wonder Woman and Superman as well. Honor the Trinity before Rebirth begins. This week Wonder Woman's New 52 run has come to a close… It was all right in my opinion. However despite the finale being average, it did make me think about the adventures Wonder Woman has gone through over the past five years. That's why today will be going over her top five moments during them. As always this list is based on my opinion so if you don't see a moment you like or you don't like a particular moment on this last I apologize. With that out of the way, let's dive in!
5: Diana vs. Donna
Despite what the other Reviewers of the Get Fresh Crew think, I don't think Finch's run was 100% bad. I actually thought the arc War-Torn was pretty decent, especially with the battle between Donna Troy and Wonder Woman. Throughout the volume, Derinoe tries to convince the Amazons that Diana had deviated from the Amazonian way due to her part in Man's world, and in a sense, she does have a point. With the exception of Wonder Woman, the Amazonians have always been an isolationist nation, so to see a battle of ideals and strength for the heart of the culture was pretty friggin awesome. Both sides were awesome in the battle, but in the end, our Woman of Wonder overcame the challenge by showing Donna the truth of everything Amazon. How can you hate a fight like that? 4: Blinding Hera
What if I told you Wonder Woman concocted the ultimate heist against the Queen of Olympus? To anyone who hasn't read the Azzarello run of Wonder Woman, they might call me out as a liar. However at the end of the first arc, we see Diana come up with a relatively smart idea to get the psychotic Hera off her team's back. How does she do a nearly impossible act? Get the other first gods involved! She convinces Poseidon and Hades that the pair of them should be in control of Olympus. Of course, this pisses off Hera and when she comes down to confront them all, newest ally Lennox tosses one of Hades' head candles to Wonder Woman as Hermes tosses his teleportation staff to her, sending her off to Olympus to do the deed. When I first read it I honestly was surprised. I legitimately didn't see it coming because I never saw Wonder Woman as anything more than the warrior, not a strategist. It was a smart plan... until Hades didn't take that %$^& and kidnap Zola, but still it shocked me!3: Lennox's Sacrifice
Wonder Woman #5. That was the first issue where we met Lennox, who at first glance was kind of a dick. Then when you learned more and more about him, his past, and his relationship with his half-siblings, it's practically confirmed. Then something happens as expected with hanging out with a member of the Justice League: his hard shell softens(emotionally not physically). He changes and finds purpose by helping out his sister and his siblings while protecting and saving baby Zeke from harm. However, the peak of his heroism came the moment the Firstborn did the impossible and hold open a boom tube. As the team tries to escape, Lennox can stick with the group and pray the Firstborn breaks his grasp, or he can give them an opening. He kisses the baby then goes out with a song jumping to face the Firstborn. He knew there was no way he was gonna survive, the Firstborn was able to crack his shell with ease. He decided that he needed to make sure his new family was safe and paid the price for it. Over 17 issues we watched him grow into a hero and died a hero's death. Speaking of death... 2: Death of War
A death that actually made my heart break into itty bitty pieces was the death of Ares, God of War. I know, it sounds weird. To understand why you need to understand the context of Wonder Woman and Ares relationship. Unlike the past, these two legends don't hate each other, in fact, they practically treat each other like family even before Diana's parentage got out. In issue #0, we see that Ares trains her and there forms a bond reminiscent of Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-San in The Karate Kid. They start out as a student and reluctant teacher, but over the course of the issue, you see a father-daughter like bond form. It nearly breaks the moment she refuses to kill the Minotaur and raises her blade to Ares. Cut to decades later, and we find Ares siding with Wonder Woman in the conflict between her and Apollo. He's tired but will still use his powers to help her fight against Firstborn. But when the villain gains the upper hand, he looks to Diana to do the right thing. Kill him and Firstborn before giving him a chance to get to Olympus. After she does the deed, she holds Ares in her arms as he tells her how proud he is of her... While she begs him not to leave and to call her his childhood nickname... Ow... Heart broke again. 1: The Final Battle
Near the beginning of the series, Strife asks Hera, "How does it feel to be a wife who is unloved?" That term then gets tossed around throughout the series as the theme of family. The fact is the Firstborn is an unloved child who was scorned by Zeus and banished to the Earth's core. What happens then? Thousands of years later he returns saying that hate drives him and he will destroy all in his path to get what he deserves. On the other hand, Diana has learned of her heritage and family and has grown to love every single one. As she pointed out to Hades, she loves everyone. So now we have these two opposites coming at one another. One full of hate for his old family and one full of love for her new one. Obviously, Wonder Woman doesn't kill her brother but sends him back into the pit hoping one day that he will learn to love. It may never come but her hope and devotion to her family show how Wonder Woman has grown over this odyssey from a warrior who was alone to a hero who has a family. That's it for this week's Top 5 Friday! What was your favorite Wonder Woman moment in the New 52? Leave a comment and I'll see you next week to cover Superman!
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