Absolute Wonder Woman’s New Origin Fixes the Biggest Problem with the Original’s Lore

Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Wonder Woman #1In the 83 years since Wonder Woman’s creation, writers have come up with a variety of different origin stories to explain how the Amazon came to be in DC lore. A common issue with certain takes on her backstory is that men are the focus, when Wonder Woman should be a product of women first. Now, Absolute Wonder Woman’s new origin story honors Diana’s feminist roots by prioritizing matriarchy over patriarchy.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey introduces Diana to DC’s Absolute Universe with a brand-new backstory to fit this darker continuity. Apollo arrives in Hell, where the witch Circe is imprisoned in isolation, and presents her with an infant. He explains that the baby, Diana, is the last of the Amazons and has been sent to Hell as punishment from the gods. Circe is tasked with watching over her, becoming the sole parental figure in Wonder Woman’s life.

With Circe raising Diana in Hell, this version of Wonder Woman’s origin centers motherhood and matriarchy in her upbringing. Therefore, it addresses the common problem of men taking over Wonder Woman’s narratives by subverting it in a unique way.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 Gives Diana a New Woman-Led Origin Story

Wonder Woman’s Updated Backstory Is Devoid of Patriarchal Influence

Although Circe is initially wary of baby Diana, she grows fond of the girl and becomes a mother to her. As Diana is shown growing up in Hell, Circe narrates that “raising a child is how you fall in love.” The imagery of the run-down cave being illuminated with colorful decorations as the years go by is a beautiful depiction of the bond that forms between Circe and Diana. What was once a prison for the witch becomes a home as Circe raises Wonder Woman as her daughter, and this maternal love guides Diana on her path to becoming a hero.

What makes this rewritten origin for Wonder Woman work is the fact that it centers Diana’s mother. Being raised by a caring mother gives Wonder Woman an example to learn from, as she becomes a kind yet fierce warrior in the present day. Moreover, it enforces that a woman can be a fighter without a man teaching her. The weapons and powers Wonder Woman uses in battle are gifts she’s been given not from a father, but from her mother. The theme of women shaping Wonder Woman into who she is draws from the most beloved interpretation of her origin.

Wonder Woman’s Best Origin Stories Center Women in Her Upbringing

Fan-Favorite Clay Origin Shows How Women Shape Wonder Woman

Of all Wonder Woman’s origin stories, the most definitive would have to be her iconic clay origin. Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #3 by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok, and Clayton Cowles chronicles the story of Wonder Woman’s clay “birth”, as Hippolyta forms a baby in the sand in desperation for a child. The gods have cursed Themyscira, unveiling the evil of man’s world, and Hippolyta is in need of hope. The goddesses then come down and answer her prayers, bringing the clay to life with their blessing. With their gift, Wonder Woman is born to her mother.

The original version of Wonder Woman’s clay origin was portrayed in 1942’s
Wonder Woman
#1 by William Marston and Harry G. Peter.

This backstory resonates so deeply with the core of Wonder Woman’s character because of its focus on women. There is no male influence present during Diana’s birth, physically or biologically. She isn’t conceived through reproduction methods between a man and woman, and instead is formed by her mother’s hands alone. The goddesses being the ones to channel life into her being is crucial as well, since it shows women uplifting her even at the beginning of her story. Unfortunately, later stories that try to rewrite Wonder Woman’s backstory neglect the importance of these aspects in lieu of male-dominated changes.

DC’s New 52 Reboot Tied Wonder Woman to Patriarchy in a Controversial Change

Wonder Woman’s Clay Origin Gets Replaced With Zeus’ Influence

The most shocking change to Wonder Woman lore rears its head in DC’s New 52 reboot. In the New 52’s Wonder Woman series by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang, Diana’s origin gets a massive overhaul as it’s revealed that Hippolyta had lied about her being molded from clay. In this continuity, Hippolyta had an affair with Zeus, and Diana is the product of that affair. Therefore, Wonder Woman is the daughter of Zeus in this revised version of her origin. Naturally, this radical change has proven to be a controversial one among Wonder Woman fans because it prioritizes a man in her history.

Wonder Woman being Zeus’ daughter is a sexist change that exists to make her more palatable to a male audience.

Wonder Woman being Zeus’ daughter is a sexist change that exists to make her more palatable to a male audience. To that audience, it’s more believable for Wonder Woman’s power to be passed down by men rather than cultivated by women. Writers don’t frequently try to “fix” Superman by suggesting that he’s only special because his father is a god, but for Wonder Woman, this kind of revision has become commonplace.

Furthermore, this revision suggests that it “makes more sense” for Wonder Woman to come from traditional childbirth as opposed to a queer, woman-led ritual. This and other origins grapple with these misogynistic shortcomings, while Absolute Wonder Woman defies them.

Absolute Wonder Woman’s Origin Stays True to Diana’s Feminist Essence (with a Dark Twist)

Wonder Woman Is Forged by Matriarchy, Despite Being Raised in Hell

The Absolute Universe updates Wonder Woman by giving her a more brutal upbringing with Circe. Unlike DC’s main continuity, Diana is cursed by the gods instead of blessed by the goddesses as she’s banished to Hell. She’s lost her Amazon sisters, separating her from the matriarchal community she can usually rely on. While these circumstances may seem dire, Wonder Woman rises above them and retains the qualities that make the original a prominent feminist icon in pop culture. The lack of Amazons in her life doesn’t deprive her of their influence, as she follows in their footsteps even in their absence.

Absolute Wonder Woman has the same compassionate heart as the original beneath her hardcore costume, fueled by her mother’s words as she inherits the Amazons’ mission of protecting innocents, proving that no matter what changes are made, as long as the women who love her play a key role, Wonder Woman is recognizably herself. DC Comics has now retconned Wonder Woman’s New 52 origin, returning to her clay origin, and the Absolute Universe continues this dedication to upholding her feminist foundation. This latest matriarchal reimagining of Wonder Woman sets a precedent that every interpretation should follow moving forward.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is available now from DC Comics.