Thoughts on Wonder Woman lieing

[Zahina]

Is it out of character for Wonder Woman to lie, blackmail, seduce, or manipulate a friend or enemy to win a battle or save a life?

Would you be upset or disappointed? Or it wouldn't bother you at all?

[Fuzzy Mittens]

Personally as someone who thinks making her the goddess of truth was hilariously dumb, I don't really take issue with her lying in general. Shes not the sort though to blackmail and manipulate friends. Thats more something Batman or Superman would do.

[Ascended]

I think lying is something she doesn't usually do and doesn't like doing. And I think she's probably very bad at it. But I don't think it's something she'd refuse to do, ever, for any reason. It's not like she has a "no-kill policy" against it.

Diana's royalty and a future queen. Rulers lie out of necessity and so will Diana. But I don't think Diana has a Machiavellian bone in her body and manipulation and lies aren't something she comes to naturally.

As far as winning a battle.....Diana's warrior and soldier enough to do whatever she must to win a fight. And she's probably one of the best tacticians in the DCU. But using good combat strategies isn't the same thing as telling a lie. It's perfectly okay to secretly bring reinforcements around an enemies' flank without telling them of it.

As for the goddess of truth thing.....I like the concept. But I dont think even that would be something that would stop Diana from being able to lie at all. It's not like Ares "has" to throw a punch at everything all the time. He can refuse to engage in a fight, just like the goddess of truth could tell a lie. It might not be in their nature but they can do it.

[AmiMizuno]

It should depend on the situation. She should be Hilarious at lying. But not this whole spirt of truth. I mean it has spread this she should never lie. I mean Diana has some dangerous items and other stuff she would never tell people .If it’s a important secret

[Agent 86]

Maybe a white lie from time to time. Or a "lie" by omission. But, I like to believe that Diana would be eloquent enough to express the truth while respecting the feelings of others in all situations.

I definitely don't see Wonder Woman blackmailing anyone. Or adding "seduction" to her arsenal of weapons to use against opponents.

[Doctor Bifrost]

Wonder Woman was apparently involved in, approved of, or accepting of, wiping out Donna Troy's memories and giving her fake ones. (At the very least, when she tells Donna this has been done by Amazons, she is not in the least apologetic, and is far more focused on how Donna is a horrible weapon then she is on the horror of Donna being mind-wiped.)

I'm not sure this constitutes "lying," but it shows a lack of concern for honesty and truth, as well as a comfort level with invasively altering someone's memories without consent.

I'm hoping that, post-Doomsday Clock, Donna's backstory is changed dramatically, and the fake-memories aspect of it (which was also part of her Titans of Myth origin) goes with it. It's not a trope I like. It rarely stands up to scrutiny. (Donna was created to be a weapon in the Finch style, and then was mind-wiped and wound up as young Wonder Girl in the original Teen Titans, at a time when Diana's memories were also false? Wow.) And it doesn't show Diana, Hippolyta, and the Amazons in a very good light.

(I'm sure it could be "justified" by an even more elaborate backstory set up around it. I hope they don't bother.)

[kjn]

Personally, I like the take that Christopher Moeller took in A League of One, on page 88:

jla_aloo__0088.jpg

Diana is meant as an ideal. She can of course omit things, but she wears the lasso at all times, and by choice. She can deceive or fool, but she is not good at it, and only as a very last resort.

[Geraldofrivia]

She can lie if that prevents conflict, war or save a life. Like Batman choosing to lie about Harvey Dent in Dark Knight to save Gotham

[AmiMizuno]

One thing I do wonder is this. In some comics Diana can somewhat tell if people are lying and others she can't. What do you guys think. With her generally wearing the lasso should she have the ability to see what the truth is?

[Ascended]

One thing I do wonder is this. In some comics Diana can somewhat tell if people are lying and others she can't. What do you guys think. With her generally wearing the lasso should she have the ability to see what the truth is?

I'd say not with perfect accuracy, it shouldn't be "x-ray vision for lies" but I do like the idea that Diana can "smell" a falsehood.

But as I said, I'm a fan of the "goddess of truth" elements, even if Diana isn't technically a god in a particular version, and a little mysterious divinity is a good thing in my book. So yes, Diana should be able to sense a lie; the bigger it is the more easily detected. Call it an affinity with the lasso, if the concept of godhood doesn't appeal to you.

[Ascended]

Wonder Woman was apparently involved in, approved of, or accepting of, wiping out Donna Troy's memories and giving her fake ones.

Does anyone recall what Diana had to say about the League mindwiping villains during the Infinite Crisis era? I can't recall if she was for it or against it or if her view on it was ever really explored.

I could see Diana agreeing with the mindwiping of villains. Just looking at Dr. Light as an example, that mindwipe made a highly dangerous, deadly, and vile threat such a minor problem the League allowed children to handle him. How many lives were saved by that act? I could see Diana approving of it, even if she didn't like the necessity. Again, she's a ruler, and that means making difficult choices for the greater good. Diana's compassionate and empathetic but she's got a steel spine in her and she's willing to do what must be done, and will make decisions most heroes wouldn't be comfortable with.

I think she'd most definitely draw the line with Bruce, or any other ally, of course. Mindwiping a monster like Dr. Light may be one thing; a regrettable, but necessary evil to protect the innocent. But an ally and friend? That's a line I can't see Diana ever being willing to cross. She'll disagree with her allies and go against their wishes if she feels she must, but what Zee did to Bruce is, I think, well beyond what Diana would even entertain.

[Jackalope89]

Does anyone recall what Diana had to say about the League mindwiping villains during the Infinite Crisis era? I can't recall if she was for it or against it or if her view on it was ever really explored.

I could see Diana agreeing with the mindwiping of villains. Just looking at Dr. Light as an example, that mindwipe made a highly dangerous, deadly, and vile threat such a minor problem the League allowed children to handle him. How many lives were saved by that act? I could see Diana approving of it, even if she didn't like the necessity. Again, she's a ruler, and that means making difficult choices for the greater good. Diana's compassionate and empathetic but she's got a steel spine in her and she's willing to do what must be done, and will make decisions most heroes wouldn't be comfortable with.

I think she'd most definitely draw the line with Bruce, or any other ally, of course. Mindwiping a monster like Dr. Light may be one thing; a regrettable, but necessary evil to protect the innocent. But an ally and friend? That's a line I can't see Diana ever being willing to cross. She'll disagree with her allies and go against their wishes if she feels she must, but what Zee did to Bruce is, I think, well beyond what Diana would even entertain.

Not sure she was really involved in all of that. Or if it was even alluded to that Diana was in on that whole thing. And those involved kept it very hushed up until Wally confronted them about it.

[Guy_McNichts]

As I recall, she was against mindwiping and particularly disgusted about what they did to Dr. Light. Her argument was essentially if a villain is so far-gone and monstrous, it would be more merciful to just kill them rather than lobotomizing them.

This was relevant at the time because it was setting up her belief that killing Max Lord was the only option.

[Ascended]

Not sure she was really involved in all of that. Or if it was even alluded to that Diana was in on that whole thing. And those involved kept it very hushed up until Wally confronted them about it.

I'm still bothered that Clark apparently knew and said nothing. Stupid Johns and his stupid "you haven't mattered since you died" crap.

As I recall, she was against mindwiping and particularly disgusted about what they did to Dr. Light. Her argument was essentially if a villain is so far-gone and monstrous, it would be more merciful to just kill them rather than lobotomizing them.

This was relevant at the time because it was setting up her belief that killing Max Lord was the only option.

I can see that.

Thanks for the answers guys.