4) She Is The Perfect Female Superhero
Today, in 2014, every female comic book character depicted in live-action film is either spun-off from a male character, or exists within a male-led story. The women of The X-Men franchise operate within a clearly defined patriarchy. The women of The Fantastic Four franchise are defined by their relationships to men. Pepper Potts only exists in relation to Tony Stark. Jane Foster – though an accomplished astrophysicist in the Thor films – is a one-dimensional plot device. Even Black Widow is technically a spinoff from Iron Man – in films and in the comic books. British Agent Peggy Carter may well be getting her own TV series now, but she is spun-off from Captain America.
Wonder Woman is none of these things. She is master of her own universe. She leads her own comic book title, and heads up her own stories. She is also a real superhero – not just a highly trained secret agent (although there was a brief period in which she gave up her powers and relied on martial arts training). She exudes heightened empathy and compassion, has displayed strength comparable to that of Superman, has used ESP, astral projection and telepathy, and possesses super-speed, wisdom and the ability to speak in every language in existence. Her senses are greatly enhanced, and she has a masterful understanding of military strategy and complex science theory. She is resistant to fire, has the power to heal herself and, in later years, was gifted with the ability to fly.
Wonder Woman also possesses an arsenal of weaponry – just as Batman does. Indestructible bracelets encase her wrists and, in her earliest years, it was said that her strength could be taken if she allowed a man to bind them. Later, the bracelets acted as restraints on her own god-given powers. She has a golden lasso, which forces anyone in contact with it to tell the truth, and a tiara that protects her from telepathic attack, while doubling as a razor-sharp boomerang. She has also, at times, had an invisible jet. All of these skills and abilities make her a formidable hero, but it is the fact that she is a hero in her own right that makes her perfect – particularly when it comes to future cinematic depictions.
