Wonder Woman 1984 2020

As a child on Themyscira, Diana Prince takes part in an intense athletic competition against older Amazons. Unfortunately, after falling from her horse and attempting a shortcut, she is disqualified. Her mother, Queen Hippolyta, along with her aunt Antiope, admonish her about the necessity of truth, reminding her that > “no hero is born from lies.”

Fast forward to 1984, decades after World War I, and we find Diana working as a respected senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. She specializes in ancient Mediterranean cultures while still operating in the shadows as the formidable Wonder Woman. During her work, she encounters Barbara Ann Minerva, an insecure young woman who admires and envies Diana for her stunning beauty and unshakeable confidence. The two women form a friendship, but their connection takes a darker turn when Diana intervenes to stop a robbery, leading to the FBI enlisting Barbara to identify stolen antiquities, including a mysterious item inscribed in Latin.

Enter Maxwell Lord, a businessman who appears at the Smithsonian under the pretense of making a donation, but his true desire is to acquire the coveted “Dreamstone” to salvage his failing oil empire. Unknown to them, both Diana and Barbara utilize the stone to grant their personal wishes. Diana longs for her lost lover, Steve Trevor. In an unexpected twist, his essence occupies the body of another man. Meanwhile, Barbara yearns for strength and beauty akin to Diana’s own.

As events unfold during a glamorous gala, Barbara meets Maxwell, who manipulates her into revealing access to her office and, consequently, the Dreamstone. With it, he becomes a powerful figure, albeit at the cost of his health and amidst growing chaos spurred by his unchecked desires. With the help of Steve and Barbara, Diana delves deeper into the stone’s origins, discovering it was forged by the god of treachery and mischief, Dechalafrea Ero. They learn that wishes come with significant tolls, and barring the destruction of the stone, the only way to reclaim what they sacrificed is to renounce their wishes.

As Maxwell’s power grows, he plans to use the U.S. satellite broadcast system to grant wishes globally, pushing the world toward catastrophic consequences, including the looming threat of nuclear warfare with the Soviet Union. Barbara betrays Diana, allying with Maxwell to thwart her. However, Steve persuades Diana to relinquish her wish, allowing her to restore her powers. To confront Barbara, now a fierce apex predator due to her own wish, Diana adorns the legendary armor of Asteria and engages in a fierce battle.

Ultimately, Diana triumphs over Barbara and faces Maxwell, using her Lasso of Truth to reach out to the world through him, urging everyone to renounce their desires. She shows Maxwell a vision of his son, Alistair, lost in the chaos brought on by unmet wishes. Max, realizing the destruction he has wrought, renounces his wish and reestablishes his bond with his son, thereby averting a global crisis.

In the time that follows, Diana encounters the man who housed Steve’s essence, continuing her role as a protector of humanity. The story concludes with the revelation that Asteria still walks among us, living in secrecy much like Diana herself.