How Well Do You Know The Wonder Woman Movie?
- by Jason Wilkins
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Despite a popular ‘70s television show and numerous animated appearances, it took over three quarters of a century before Wonder Woman debuted on the big screen. Created by William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, Wonder Woman first appeared in “All-Star Comics” #8 in 1941 and easily became DC Comics’ most popular superheroine. Tasked with bringing a message of truth, hope and love to the "Patriarch’s World," Wonder Woman serves as a symbol of strong, empowered women in a medium overrun by hordes of heroic male counterparts. Every bit as capable and heroic as Batman or Superman, Wonder Woman now stands as a powerful pillar in DC Comics’ vaunted superhero Trinity. Still, it took over 75 years for the Amazon warrior princess to receive the recognition she was due, finally exploding into theaters throughout “Man’s World” thanks to director Patty Jenkins’ blockbuster film.
Built upon a solid foundation of Wonder Woman’s core values, the movie has broken records around the globe, introducing Diana of Themyscira to a new generation of fans. Featuring a wonderful ensemble cast led by Gal Gadot in the title role, and set during one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, "Wonder Woman” provides a brighter, more optimistic counterpoint to previous DCEU films such as “Man of Steel” and “Suicide Squad,” with its message of peace and hope. But how well do you know Patty Jenkins’ wildly successful and insightful screen adaptation of our favorite Amazon princess? There’s only one way to find out! Good luck, soldier!
Patty Jenkins’ movie was set during which war?
Dubbed by its participants as the War to End All Wars, this war is still widely considered by many historians as one of the most brutal and bloody conflicts in human history. Sparked by the assassination of the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, the war was fought in the trenches of a blasted European landscape between the allied forces of the United Kingdom, Russia and France and combined might of Germany and Austria-Hungary. If there was a more perfect time or place for Wonder Woman’s message of peace, then we don’t know what it would be.
In the movie, he is a spy for the British government.
While the United States didn’t officially enter World War I until 1917, this American spy worked for British intelligence for much of the conflict, unwilling to stand idly by, while the rest of the world fought the Germans. After discovering a dangerous new chemical weapon developed for the Germans by Doctor Poison, he crash- lands off the coast of Themyscira, where he is saved from drowning by Princess Diana. Although a self-described liar, smuggler and killer, it is his willingness to sacrifice everything to stop the war that convinces Diana that humanity is worth saving.
This golden lie detector forces Steve Trevor to reveal his mission. What's it called?
Wonder Woman possesses a number of powerful weapons in her arsenal but none more iconic than this magical instrument of truth. Empowered by the Greek goddess Hestia, whosoever falls under its sway is compelled to speak the truth or suffer unimaginable pain. After his sudden arrival on Themyscira, the Amazons use their enchanted lie detector on Steve Trevor, forcing him to reveal the details of his mission and the state of the world outside their borders. Diana later takes it with her on her quest to kill Ares, revealing it is also a formidable weapon in battle.
To which legendary warrior people does Diana belong?
According to Greek mythology, this tribe of fierce warrior women were feared throughout the ancient world for the martial prowess. Unlike William Moulton Marston’s starry-eyed utopian versions, these cunning fighters cared for little else save the waging of war. In “Wonder Woman,” Jenkins walks a fine line between fiction and myth, depicting Diana’s sisters as supremely accomplished warriors, who perfect their skills in preparation for Ares’ inevitable return. It is the Amazons’ mission to kill the god of war and in so doing finally bring everlasting peace to the world.
Wonder Woman hails from this hidden Mediterranean island.
In the comics, Wonder Woman’s home was originally known as Paradise Island, a fact which receives a nod during Jenkins’ film. It was here that Diana was raised by her fellow Amazons to become their most accomplished warrior and greatest hope to defeat Ares, the Greek god of war. Hidden by the magic of Zeus to ensure Ares and the outside world will never find its inhabitants, it isn’t until Steve Trevor crash-lands off of the island’s coast that its camouflage finally fails.
In the movie, she trained young Diana in the art of war. Who is she?
Much to Queen Hippolyta’s dismay, it is this Amazon general who takes responsibility for Diana’s martial training. Until Diana, the greatest warrior the Amazons have ever produced, she fought alongside her queen to vanquish Ares during the age of myth. She is supremely accomplished in all aspects of armed and unarmed combat, and as such is responsible for Themyscira’s defenses. It is her sacrifice during the Amazon’s battle with the Germans that spurs Diana to take the fight to Ares, using her training to survive the bloody battlefields of Europe.
She is the leader of the Amazons. Who is she?
According to Greek mythology, this warrior queen and leader of the Amazons was the daughter of Ares, the God of War. In the film version of “Wonder Woman,” she instead stands against Ares, after he murders the entire Greek pantheon save Zeus. As Diana’s over-protective mother, she seeks to keep her daughter cloistered on Themyscira, safe from Ares’ evil machinations in the outside world, rightly fearing she would lose her forever. It is only when Diana insists on leaving her island home to fulfill the Amazons' mission that the queen finally relinquishes her hold on her beloved daughter.
Who played Steve Trevor in the movie?
The son of “CHiPs” Sergeant Joseph Getraer, this popular actor also starred as a young Captain James Tiberius Kirk in J.J. Abrams rebooted “Star Trek” franchise. While Diana is the obvious star of Jenkins’ film, his onscreen chemistry in “Wonder Woman” with co-star Gal Gadot was praised by critics and fans alike. His portrayal of Trevor in the film is notable for its vulnerability, charming sense of humor and all-too-human flaws. It is his belief in the worthiness of humankind despite its propensity for war that gives Diana the strength to complete her mission.
Wonder Woman first appeared on the big screen in which DCEU movie?
Within the world of the DC Extended Universe, this Zack Snyder superhero slobberknocker serves as the launching pad for a host of film adaptations based on DC Comics' greatest heroes, including the much-anticipated “Justice League,” “Aquaman” and “The Flash.” Featuring an epic showdown between two of the publisher’s franchise heroes and a climactic battle versus the unstoppable Doomsday and a maniacal Lex Luthor, many fans and critics felt Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman stole the show, with her head-turning onscreen presence and dynamic action sequences.
What does Hippolyta give Diana before she leaves on her quest to defeat Ares?
When Steve Trevor brings news of the Great War beyond Themyscira’s enchanted borders, Diana rightly assumes that Ares is behind the plot to prolong the bloody conflict. Without her mother Hippolyta’s knowledge or approval, she determines to leave her island home and fulfill the Amazons’ mission to kill the god of war. To this end, she steals Godkiller, her trademark armor and the golden lasso from the Amazons’ arsenal. As she is about to make the trip to London with Steve Trevor, her mother arrives on the scene reluctantly bearing this final gift and symbol of Amazonian honor.
She played General Antiope in the movie.
This talented actress broke out with her role as Princess Buttercup in 1987, in Rob Reiner’s cult classic “The Princess Bride.” She later starred in the Academy Award-winning film, “Forrest Gump," for which she garnered critical praise for her portrayal of the titular character’s love interest Jenny Curran. Currently starring in Netflix’s popular political drama “House of Cards,” she is set to reprise her role as Antiope in the forthcoming “Justice League” and will also star in “Bladerunner 2049” alongside Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford.
He provides Diana with a photograph taken of her during World War I. Who is he?
Diana first encountered this billionaire Gothamite in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” where they bonded over Superman’s final sacrifice to stop Doomsday. He discovers Diana’s longevity after finding an old photograph of her alongside Steve Trevor’s covert unit in World War I. At the beginning of “Wonder Woman,” he uses his considerable resources to send Diana the original photographic plate, prompting her to recall the circumstances of her emergence as a hero of World War I and her epic battle with Ares.
She created a chemical weapon intended to indefinitely prolong World War I.
This perennial Wonder Woman villain has appeared in numerous forms since her first appearance over 75 years ago. In Jenkins’ film, she is cast in a more sadistic light as a brilliant yet utterly insane Italian chemist, who seeks to spread pain and suffering across the world. Her facial scars are a result of self-experimentation designed to establish the potency of her new chemical weapon. Ultimately revealed to be a pathetic figure deserving of our pity, Diana spares the woman’s life even as Ares urges her death, an act exemplifying Wonder Woman’s core message of peace and love for all.
In the movie, Diana thought he was masquerading as Ares. Who is he?
Much of “Wonder Woman’s” plot revolves around this German general’s scheme to prevent the signing of the armistice that will end World War I. Diana understandably believes him to be Ares incarnate due to his mad desire to prolong the war through the use of a deadly new chemical weapon. However, when she kills him quite easily, it becomes evident that like Doctor Poison, he was only a pawn in Ares Machiavellian scheme to plunge the world into everlasting chaos and terror.
Wonder Woman belongs to which team of DC Comics superheroes?
This organization of DC Comics' premier superheroes was created by comics legend Gardner Fox and debuted in 1960’s “The Brave and the Bold” #28. Boasting some of the most powerful and influential heroes in its superhero pantheon, this star-studded team’s eclectic roster includes Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern and of course Wonder Woman. Set to debut on the big screen later this year, Gal Gadot will star alongside Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa as Earth’s greatest heroes face off against the forces of Apokolips, in a film by Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon.
Diana believes this weapon was created by the Greek God Zeus to kill his traitorous son Ares.
In the aftermath of the war of the gods between Zeus and his son Ares, a powerful weapon was created by the father of the gods and given to the Amazons, should the god of war ever return to plague humankind. It remained in the Amazons’ possession for countless centuries, protected from Ares’ view by Themyscira’s magical camouflage. Throughout most of the movie, Diana believes the enchanted weapon to be the sole way to kill Ares but it is revealed during her climactic battle with her arch-nemesis that she is in fact the instrument of his potential demise.
This Native American smuggler helps Diana get behind enemy lines. Who is he?
Despite a name frowned upon for its racist overtones, this member of the Blackfoot tribe plays a pivotal role in “Wonder Woman,” helping Diana and Steve Trevor cross No Man’s Land into German territory. An opportunistic smuggler who provides coveted supplies and other items to both sides of the war, he finds true purpose in Diana’s mission to kill Ares. His unique perspective on war, thanks to the massacre of his people by the coming of the white man to America’s shores furthers Diana’s understanding of violent conflict and informs her feelings towards the American Steve Trevor.
This Amazon warrior comes from an offshoot of the Amazons called the Bana-Mighdall.
Portrayed by real-life female boxer Ann Wolfe, this imposing Amazonian warrior hails from an offshoot of the Amazons called the Bana-Mighdall. In the comics, with some help from Hippolyta, who foretold her daughter’s death, she defeated Diana to usurp the title of Wonder Woman. She later became a leader of the reunified Amazons ruling alongside General Phillipus. She currently stars alongside Bizarro and former Batman sidekick Jason Todd in a dark riff on DC’s iconic superhero Trinity, in the pages of “Red Hood and the Outlaws.”
In the movie, this British nobleman masqueraded as Ares.
Portrayed by David Thewlis, this British knight served as a voice of reason on the Imperial War Cabinet, urging the United Kingdom to sign the armistice that would end the war. He later helped finance Steve Trevor’s clandestine mission behind enemy lines, providing the funding necessary to recruit the other members of his motley crew of smugglers and grifters. Of course, Trevor’s benefactor was really Ares in disguise, his true goal not ending the war but prolonging it through his human proxies Doctor Poison and General Ludendorff.
This sharpshooter was first encountered in a barroom brawl.
This member of Steve Trevor’s band of rogues is an accomplished sharpshooter, who also happens to be a raging drunk suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Diana first encounters him in rough-and-tumble London pub, where she intercedes on his behalf to prevent a potential beating. A boisterous and opinionated Scot with a surprisingly sweet singing voice, his fragile emotional state causes him to freeze in battle. At first questioning his abilities, Diana learns a lesson in empathy and tolerance from the troubled sniper, eventually realizing that war can break even the strongest of warriors.
This freelance spy wanted to be an actor before the war.
This unapologetic romantic only wanted to be an actor, before war broke out in Europe. However he found a use for his stagecraft as secret agent and master of disguise, who specialized in infiltrating sensitive locations. An unrepentant flirt, who refuses to be intimidated (too much) by Diana’s beauty or warrior skill, this charming spy helps the Amazon princess acclimate to the world outside Themyscira, offering insight and humor in equal doses as she struggles to navigate the complexities of war.
Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston also contributed to the invention of which device?
A progressive thinker and psychologist who believed comics held virtually unlimited educational potential, William Moulton Marston was hired by National Comics and All-American Comics (who would later merge into DC Comics) as an educational consultant. He created Wonder Woman in 1941, hoping to provide a positive female superhero role model in counterpoint to the legions of male heroes populating the newsstands of the day. In addition to his work in comics, Marston was also an inventor, who created the systolic blood pressure test, which would eventually become a component of a device reputed to detect when a person is lying.
In classical mythology, he is the Greek God of War.
In Greek mythology, this combative god is the son of Zeus and Hera, and is often depicted in popular culture as scheming against humanity. He is the main antagonist in “Wonder Woman,” using his human proxies such as Doctor Poison and General Ludendorff to prolong World War I indefinitely through their development of an experimental chemical weapon. According to the film’s loose interpretation of his mythological standing, he slew the entire Greek pantheon save Zeus, who created the sword known as Godkiller, so that the Amazons would have a weapon capable of ending his threat once and for all.
In the movie, she is Steve Trevor’s assistant. What's her name?
In the comics, this character is a member of the present-day American military and one of Wonder Woman’s most trusted friends. Jenkins and scriptwriter Allen Heinberg recast the character in their film adaptation as Steve Trevor’s plucky assistant, who approaches her duties with an indefatigable sense of humor and a traditional British stiff upper lip. Although something of a bit player in the grand scheme of things, she brings much-needed dose of comedy to the plot, while drawing attention to the disparity in gender roles that existed during the early part of the 20th century.
In the comics, this feline villain is one of Wonder Woman’s major foes.
If there is one Wonder Woman villain fans are clamoring to see in the inevitable sequel to Jenkin’s hit movie, it is this deadly feline maven. In the comics, there have been numerous women who have taken up this villain’s mantle, the best known being archeologist Barbara Minerva, who was recently recast during DC’s “Rebirth” storyline as Diana’s friend. Widely considered to be Wonder Woman's most formidable nemesis, it’s hard to imagine this catty villain won’t show up on the big screen sooner rather than later.