Diana's Powers as a Demi-Goddess in the DCEU

[richalex]

After discussing in the spoiler Justice League Thread, it got me thinking. What exactly can Diana do as a Goddess (Demi or otherwise)?

What do you all think the purpose of the bracelets are for? Is it like the NU52, where it contains her power? Her Goddwave attack, is it strictly for the defensive, for example knocking back or pushing back her opponents, or can it do more? Does her bracelets have the power of the Aegis, Post Crisis, where once something hits it, she can deflect the blast/punch/whatever back at a magnified rate, and absorb it so it boosts her considerable durability?

Is she the same as the other Amazons except she has the "God Wave" attack? Meaning her Strength, speed, durability is the same as the other Amazons?

Is that all she gains as a Demi-Godess, heir to Olympus and Daughter of the "Greatest Warrior Queen" on earth? If she reaches full godhood, does that mean she will be able to fly and outright control lightening/thunderbolts, or only when she bangs her Bracelets together (I'm confused if it is lightening or a blast of energy that appears when she does this.)

Just curious as to what you see her being able to do?

[DochaDocha]

The purpose of her bracelets are to be a focal point of ambiguity, so that they can kill Ares in one movie but are merely defensive in the next. It's so refreshing to see that her inconsistent power levels from the comics are well-reflected in the movieverse. I saw WW twice in the theatres, and my sister wants to watch it again this week. I don't remember exactly how her fight with Ares went down (except that it was anti-climactic...) but I think her bracelets have the ability to absorb and redirect to some degree.

I was only kind of on board with the Azzarello route. There is something kind of cool to seeing her remove her bracelets and all of the sudden elevate to a new power level. The problem? It just ends up raising the question of why not just do it all the damn time? What's the downside of removing the bracelets? I think that's a question can be asked for most comic book superhero questions. Why fight like a bunch of scrubs when there's one clearly optimum attack that you can spam for maximum efficiency/damage?

[richalex]

The purpose of her bracelets are to be a focal point of ambiguity, so that they can kill Ares in one movie but are merely defensive in the next. It's so refreshing to see that her inconsistent power levels from the comics are well-reflected in the movieverse. I saw WW twice in the theatres, and my sister wants to watch it again this week. I don't remember exactly how her fight with Ares went down (except that it was anti-climactic...) but I think her bracelets have the ability to absorb and redirect to some degree.

I was only kind of on board with the Azzarello route. There is something kind of cool to seeing her remove her bracelets and all of the sudden elevate to a new power level. The problem? It just ends up raising the question of why not just do it all the damn time? What's the downside of removing the bracelets? I think that's a question can be asked for most comic book superhero questions. Why fight like a bunch of scrubs when there's one clearly optimum attack that you can spam for maximum efficiency/damage?

I wouldn't mind the reasoning her not being able to just run around with the bracelets off all the time, is that they make her almost too powerful. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely they say. Like in the Golden/Bronze Age, if any Amazon removed her bracelets, she would go mad with rage/Berserk. Even Thor has this "Weakness" But it comes in handy. Maybe she has a time limit to be without them? (Thereby giving her a weakness since she doesn't have one anymore?)

[CRaymond]

Before or after she's the recipient of a human sacrifice power-up?

[BiteTheBullet]

I wouldn't mind the reasoning her not being able to just run around with the bracelets off all the time, is that they make her almost too powerful. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely they say. Like in the Golden/Bronze Age, if any Amazon removed her bracelets, she would go mad with rage/Berserk. Even Thor has this "Weakness" But it comes in handy. Maybe she has a time limit to be without them? (Thereby giving her a weakness since she doesn't have one anymore?)

It's been said before, but worth repeating: Wonder Woman has a weakness and it is bad writing or else fighting people like Superman!

[richalex]

It's been said before, but worth repeating: Wonder Woman has a weakness and it is bad writing or else fighting people like Superman!

I know you're being sarcastic, but I don't want this to be a sarcastic thread. lol. I would really like to know your real thoughts on what we've seen so far.

[BiteTheBullet]

Her Demi-goddess powers were kind of a bs power to me. In other words, she was being outclassed by Ares for pretty much the entire fight when she suddenly had some kind of shield/barrier that disintegrated everything that came in to her path, like the metal debris that Ares was firing at her. And then she, presumably because of goddess power, could levitate and throwback Ares lightning like attack and destroy him. This seemed like a cop out to me, because if she has this kind of power, why did she not use this against Doomsday, Superman or Steppenwolf?

I think DC wants her to have these ambiguous powers so that at some later time, when the writers paint themselves in a corner, she can use some kind of 'I win' weapon and it all gets explained away because---I am a goddess.

I tend to hate these hazy, undefined powers because there is no consistency when they get used or not.

[CRaymond]

she was being outclassed by Ares for pretty much the entire fight when she suddenly had some kind of shield/barrier that disintegrated everything that came in to her path, like the metal debris that Ares was firing at her. And then she, presumably because of goddess power, could levitate and throwback Ares lightning like attack and destroy him.

after she's the recipient of a human sacrifice power-up

[richalex]

after she's the recipient of a human sacrifice power-up

Why do you keep saying this? LOL Are you calling Steve the Human Sacrifice that triggers her power-up?

[BiteTheBullet]

after she's the recipient of a human sacrifice power-up

You mean her anguish/rage when she sees Steve Trevors plane explode?

She needs to get into a rage all the time!

How about the bank scene in Justice League when a few people get killed before she enters. Wouldn't that be a sort of human sacrifice power-up also? She didn't seem to go all out goddess mode then.

[CRaymond]

Why do you keep saying this? LOL Are you calling Steve the Human Sacrifice that triggers her power-up?

She's a goddess. He sacrificed his life in her name. It's oblique but it's exactly what happened.

How about the bank scene in Justice League when a few people get killed before she enters. Wouldn't that be a sort of human sacrifice power-up also? She didn't seem to go all out goddess mode then.

That's not sacrifice, that's murder.

****

That's the recurring theme here. If she accepts her true goddess potential, she would have all the power she needs to save the world a million times over if she built a cult and had them die with her in their hearts and minds. But she wouldn't be a hero, she'd be a monster. So she works to empower others, the long hard way.

[BiteTheBullet]

She's a goddess. He sacrificed his life in her name. It's oblique but it's exactly what happened.



That's not sacrifice, that's murder.

****

That's the recurring theme here. If she accepts her true goddess potential, she would have all the power she needs to save the world a million times over if she built a cult and had them die with her in their hearts and minds. But she wouldn't be a hero, she'd be a monster. So she works to empower others, the long hard way.

Ahhhh....so only when a sacrifice happens does she go super-saiyan mode. That's why she was holding back against Superman and Steppenwolf. Interesting

[DochaDocha]

She's a goddess. He sacrificed his life in her name.

Did he, though? Was it for the cause, or was it for her, or does that distinction even matter?

[BiteTheBullet]

Did he, though? Was it for the cause, or was it for her, or does that distinction even matter?

I tend to think it was for the cause!

[CRaymond]

or does that distinction even matter?

It's a bit wonky, but that's basically it. You can't really split it all up into a special sequence and recipe for success. In the mess of emotions, and reasons, and utter faith... he dies knowing she'll make it alright. He dies happy because of his faith in her.