Best origin for the Amazons?

[Tzigone]

What do you think is the best origin for them? Either a version from the comics or your own.

I've been looking at the different eras continuitities. Right now I'm not talking about Diana or how the island's tech works. Just from the birth/creation of the Amazons until they reach the island.

I'm not at all keen of them being the souls of women that previously existed. I'm not even sure Greek mythology has souls of that sort. In any event, certainly goddesses have been seen to animate sculpture without any reference to needing to obtain a soul (rather than just creating life) as with Pygmalion's statue. Anyway, I also think it sets them up more to be hateful against men - all men - and that's not what I want from my Amazons. I'm also not at all keen on prophecy or destiny. That the Amazons be created to a purpose is great, that the result be known ahead of time is not. A common situation - I know what I don't want, but not what I do want. I do like Aphrodite being their patron, as it was originally. I do like them having some purpose (guarding something evil, protecting a gate, etc.) on the island.

[AmiMizuno]

All of the origins are pretty much similar they were created to help better the world but through outside forces were harmed. I often in my own origins liked the idea of Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena and maybe a few more. Had reused the daughters who were abandoned to die. It was more common practice to abandon girls in the middle of nowhere. They raised them up to be great warriors. Many of the Amazon growth due to them recusing the unwanted children. This would include boys also. Although it was less common.

[kjn]

Generally, the Greek myths weren't that concerned with cosmology (like how the world started and how it will end), so I don't think that's something needed to be a big part of the Amazon backstory. I've posted my vision of them a few times, but I see the Amazons as nymphs of civilisation. Humanity learnt stuff like agriculture, law, crafts, and so on from them.

The place where I radically divert from most DC versions is what happens after they free themselves from being captured by Heracles. Instead of being chastised by their Patrons for failure, it's more that their Patrons realise that the Amazons have become a target in the battle between gods and their followers among mankind, so the Amazons are given the opportunity to retire to Themyscira the island (probably also with some important mission to uphold, or thing/place to protect). However, some Amazons didn't want to give up their role as teachers and guides to mankind, and those became the Bana-mighdall.

[Agent 86]

I like it starting with the "Amazons" of myth (except in the DC universe, the myth is actually true). So, a premier tribe / nation of warrior women who came together to preserve their own safety and to defend others. As a result of their good deeds, they're blessed by the Greek gods (whether some of them, all of them or only the female goddesses) with immortality and given a "paradise" to live on (i.e. Themyscira) in exchange for accepting a heavy burden (i.e. guarding Doom's Doorway). However, the Amazons negotiated with the Greek gods for the right to seek to rehabilitate villains / prisoners, so they're not solely prison wardens, but also counsellors who seek a form of rehabilitative justice.

The ranks of the Amazons grow as various women from man's world are transported to Themyscira upon their death and granted immortality. I'm not exactly sure what the criteria should be - simply heroic women, women who still worship the Greek gods or something else. But, it provides a "prompt" for the Amazons scientific and technological endeavours to grow and expand as new Amazons bring their own knowledge (and it also enables greater diversity). That's not to say that the "original" Amazons sat around and didn't seek any form of further development or gain additional knowledge - they did. And of a mystical / magical kind also.

That's the general gist of it. I'm not sure about the Bana Mighdall Amazons. Maybe they voluntarily left Themyscira some time ago? Maybe Themyscira is large and it's a wholly separate city-state on the island? Maybe they rejected the Greek gods offer way back when and instead formed their own solitary society in man's world (or accepted the help of another god / patron, for example, Ares: God of War or a "god of war" from another pantheon (e.g. Egyptian)).

[SiegePerilous02]

I wouldn't have any of the original pre-Diana Amazons be made from clay. Hippolyta and her sisters (Antiope, Melanippe, Penthesilea and Glauce) would be the demigod daughters of Ares and Otrera, who would herself be a badass warrior woman. The daughters reject their fathers ways and embrace Aphrodite as their patron goddess, and Aphrodite gives Hippolyta the Magic Girdle. The Amazon nation is built up around Hippolyta as women from all over the world come to her city to live in freedom and peace. After they are well established, cue Hercules coming along. Hercules could be manipulated by Ares to antagonize the Amazons and goad Hippolyta into giving up on the peace and love thing and embrace war. The ensuing war destroys the Amazons' city even if they fight their way to freedom, and Hippolyta shows Hercules mercy after defeating him and reclaiming the Girdle. She leads the majority of the Amazons away to Paradise Island, which Aphrodite offers them in exchange for guarding the outside world from mythological threats. She wouldn't force them to go, it is their choice, but there is a price for turning their back on the outside world.

I'd take cues from LOWW for the fates of Hippolyta's sisters. Penthesilea and her own faction of Amazons decide not to join the main group. She goes on to fight and die in the Trojan War, and her faction eventually leads to the Bana Amazons. Antiope and Melanippe would be on Paradise Island, the former being the head of their army with Philippus as her second, and the latter as the island's lead oracle. They would play key roles in helping raise Diana. Glauce could maybe be the one who is killed during the war with Hercules, and her soul would later become Astarte.

They would find an derelict, ancient alien space craft buried in the island. Maybe a Venusian vessel tied to Desira's people, or a revamp of the Golden Age space Amazons who wore cat heads (lol) where they got the Kangas from. Experimenting with the devices they find within would lead to their technological advancements over the centuries.

[AmiMizuno]

I would make them regular women who wanted to seek shelter from abuse and recused infants. I would go LoWW where the amazons can have children yet Hippoltya can't