The competition

[AmiMizuno]

So far there have been three different times that the competition is not in the origins of Wonder Woman. Do you think Diana should no longer be seen only hinted at or want to see the competition in a new way? For example, Hippoltya or Philippus are the two you have to fight to prove yourself.

[greymoon]

Why take away a staple of WWs origin? The contest is a unique part of WWs mythos because originally, it showed us the Amazons all being near the same level as one another, as well as the contest and unmasking resonating with the audience.

[WonderScott]

I love the "Contest" as part of Diana's origin, Bildungsroman, and prefer it to be included as a character-building moment for her.

It makes her unique and in a world of immortality and peace it symbolically shows her transition into adulthood and heroism via her skill, strength, smarts, tenacity, and defiance.

(I mean really...how many times do I have to see Bruce notice a bat crashing through a window at the manor or see Bruce falling into a cave and accosted by a flapping swarm of chiroptera.)

These events have meaning that set the characters apart from others.

[Joao]

I'm with Rucka when he says the contest is what makes her a hero, cause heroes are all about sacrifice. She joined a competition she didn't need to participate in (queen's daughter) to save a world that needs help but everyone else doesn't care that much about saving.

In future iconic stories, I hope we see her winning the contest and saying goodbye to the Amazons. And I hope that moment is as recognizable as Krypton exploding or the alley murder, as WonderScott mentioned. And it's gonna be wonderful to see just a few panels reminding everyone what Diana is about.

[AmiMizuno]

So why is DC going away from this recognizable part of Diana's origin? Would you want anything added to the competition?

[Agent 86]

I like the competition and I think it adds a lot to Diana's character.

Diana didn't need to enter - in some versions she is explicitly forbidden from entering as Princess of the Amazons. Diana was challenged by the skill and prowess of her fellow Amazons - which demonstrates both their strength and her superior skill and abilities to be able to best such talented opponents. Diana enters because she has a genuine interest in helping man's world. Sure, there is also a sense of wanderlust and adventure behind her reasoning for entering, but her primary motivation is to help others which demonstrates her essential characteristic of compassion.

I guess they achieve a lot of those same character development points in the movie without an actual contest, but a contest seems like the simplest, most direct and shortest form of communicating all of those character beats.

[jump]

I like the idea of rather than another tragic backstory where parent's were killed or whatever she's earnt the right to become the hero. You can mix and match a few other things with it but I like this being one of the staples.

[kjn]

I think the competition serves several roles in Diana's backstory, but because of that it's a rather complex beast. When comparing the movie with Earth One, I think the movie did a better job hitting those points despite eliminating the competition (likely for time reasons), while Earth One thematically crapped all over it.

[Joao]

So why is DC going away from this recognizable part of Diana's origin? Would you want anything added to the competition?

I think they're correcting their ways because of Rucka's recent run. Year One had the contest as a huge part of it and it was referenced by Orlando and probably will be by Wilson again. Those kind of things will keep it in our minds in the long run, I hope.

It's a pity the movie itself didn't use it. Her stealing the artifacts is not as appealing to me, although I agree with kjn's point. The movie didn't have time to show two big scenes of amazons battling, and, well, it's better to see them fighting bad men than fighting amongst themselves.

[WonderScott]

So why is DC going away from this recognizable part of Diana's origin? Would you want anything added to the competition?

Essentially it seems like they are trying to super-simplify Diana's origin and cause conflict with Hippolyta - in the case of the Justice League animated series and the fill. Which I guess just shortens the telling of her origin so to speak. There’s conflict with Hippolyta when the contest occurs - it’s a bit more dramatic when including it IMHO.

It also circumvents the challenge of Diana already having her divine gifts in some tellings, where she has powers far beyond the average Amazon. Rucka handled this well in Year One as the gods bestowed powers to her after she showed up in Patriarch’s World.

[AmiMizuno]

In a sense the movie did do a good job with her training and figthing with her amazons sisters. With Rucka it seems Hippoltya or at least some other way of Diana’s Demi goddess powers shown up after the gods unlocked. So I wonder even if she has the demo goddess origin would this be a way to have her earn her way? Also I’m always curious how power is Hippoltya compared to her daughter?

[kjn]

I think the competition is falling by the wayside in part because of the rise daddy origins (whether Zeus or Heracles). Once you have Diana being way more powerful than the other Amazons due to her parentage, and at least Hippolyta and possibly the other Amazons knowing this, the reasons for why Hippolyta would want to block Diana from joining it become a lot more about the other Amazons rather than about Hippolyta's feelings about Diana.

Ie, the competition only makes sense as long as Diana is perceived as one among the Amazons. Otherwise, you end up with something like Morrison's Wonder Woman Earth One.

[marhawkman]

did the original origin have it that she wasn't that much more powerful? In the Super Friends version Priscilla Rich was able to win the contest. Sure, she cheated, but not in every round. Priscilla's not superhuman. So in THAT version regular Amazons were seemingly only athletic Human level. This seemingly applied to Diana, and Priscilla became Wonder Woman when she put on the costume with all the powers that would imply.

So yeah, if Diana is more powerful than the others then it's not a fair contest.

[AmiMizuno]

In ever media she has been one of the best Amazons. Mala could have won. This is why I think Mala should stay in the Wonder Woman supporting cast. Next to Diana Mala is the best.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

did the original origin have it that she wasn't that much more powerful? In the Super Friends version Priscilla Rich was able to win the contest. Sure, she cheated, but not in every round. Priscilla's not superhuman. So in THAT version regular Amazons were seemingly only athletic Human level. This seemingly applied to Diana, and Priscilla became Wonder Woman when she put on the costume with all the powers that would imply.

So yeah, if Diana is more powerful than the others then it's not a fair contest.

Well originally the Amazons all had the same 'mental energy' power source meaning they were as strong as they were focusing, so it varied. But they were all more or less at Dianas level. With Mala even being mentioned to be the strongest Amazon behind Diana and Hippolyta, with her being the one to go at Diana in bullets and bracelets originally.