The credits stinger has become a staple of the superhero genre ever since Nick Fury showed up during Iron Man‘s credits and name-dropped the Avengers Initiative, and it’s gotten to the point now where audiences will stick around until the movie fades to black regardless of whether or not any additional footage has even been confirmed.
As the latest big budget comic book blockbuster to come along, fans were always going to wait and see if Wonder Woman 1984 had any surprises in store, and for the older crowd at least, it certainly didn’t disappoint. The post-credits scene sees a mysterious figure facing away from the camera and saving a child from certain danger, only for her to turn around and reveal herself to be none other than Lynda Carter.
In terms of the mythology, Carter’s cameo has two meanings. The most obvious is as a wink to those who fondly remember her run as the star of the massively popular Wonder Woman TV show that ran from 1975 to 1979. But as the splashy title card afterwards confirms, the 69 year-old is also being set up for a return in the third installment.
During Wonder Woman 1984, Gal Gadot reveals that her Golden Eagle armor belonged to legendary Amazonian warrior Asteria, who’s long been presumed dead. Carter’s cameo as the character would indicate that this most definitely isn’t the case, though, and with Diana Prince now in possession of her shiny duds and the movie confirming Asteria is not just alive and well but also still out there doing good deeds, Wonder Woman 3 looks to be setting up a meta onscreen meeting between the two most famous names to have played the title heroine.