Make It Work Better: Steve Trevor as Diana's paramour

[daBronzeBomma]

So, this thread is going to be a little different: it's a hybrid appreciation thread AND a constructive criticism thread with some rules attached.

This thread is meant for anyone who likes the pairing of Diana and Steve but fully acknowledges that pairing still needs a lot of work by the creatives in charge. Your input is welcome here.

But also, this thread is NOT meant for anyone who fundamentally dislikes the pairing of Diana and Steve, or want Diana for someone else or nobody at all. Recommend just privately eye-roll and keep scrolling.

Ok, let's get down to business:

I love the pairing of Diana and Steve Trevor, but I'll the first to admit DC rarely does a good job of showing why Diana would fall for this guy over everyone else.

The 2017 movie was the best representation but it trapped that relationship completely in the confines of World War One. And let's not even talk about how messed up their relationship actually was in the 2020 follow-up.

On the comix side,I think it's an profound mistake to try to turn Steve Trevor into DC's diet version of Steve Rogers. Steve will never and should never be able to keep up with the martial / military aspect of Diana, anymore than Lois Lane would be able to keep up with Clark's superhuman abilities.

So, how to make Steve Trevor more of a natural romantic and professional match for Diana?

The floor to open to helpful suggestions.

My suggestion would start with moving away from the military for Steve and finding a new profession for him.

IMO, Steve just can't be a lucky shlub with nothing going on for himself. He got to be really great at something he loves that is separate from his relationship with Diana.

I'd start him off as an excellent Air Force physician / medical doctor (who was also a pilot) who, maybe after meeting Diana, switches to a Doctors Without Borders -type organization who goes into the world's hot zones to assist with disease, famine, and other disasters.

Also, and this is an admittedly wild retcon, I'd revamp Trevor Barnes as Barnes Trevor, Steve's younger half-brother who follows him into those hot zones as part of his squad.

Also, Steve's shorter, like 5'10", than Diana (who should stay at her current height of 6'2" without heels). Also, Mister Miracle and Big Barda should be a more extreme version of this disparity, like his 5'6" to her 7'2".




That's my opening suggestions. Yours?

[Primal Slayer]

Fun post!

Honestly, I dont see anything wrong with Steve being in the military and having martial arts in his background. He would never be able to keep up with Diana just in terms of strength and skill alone but he can still be proficient enough to hold his own. Clark is technically able to keep up with Lois in terms of being a reporter.

I've always liked the idea of him being part of Checkmate and doing more espionage work, being part of the greater DC universe. Diana is always very open and for the most part operates in the "light" compared to Steve who essentially needs to operate in the "dark" to a degree.

BUT I do like the idea of him being in the medical field.

[Gaius]

Like the idea of moving him into a medical field type profession. Compliments WW being in the role traditional reserved for men in action fiction.

[I'm a Fish]

Put him in the medical field, but instead of a doctor make him a nurse.

[bardkeep]

Full disclosure, I'm not necessarily a Diana/Steve devotee but I do have thoughts about what could make them work better.

In general I'm in favor of any move away from Diana working with the military or any spy organizations, and I think the Perez backstory of Steve as a war hero turned whistleblower sets a perfect foundation. Whether he's a medic or in the Air Force is kind of irrelevant to a story like that, but I do like the doctor idea.

I'd go much farther with it though - I'd introduce him as he's considering leaking information about government corruption or war crimes, with Diana and her commitment to truth inspiring him to pull the trigger. It could lead to a subplot that follows him navigating the whole situation, which would also help Diana figure out how institutions work and offer a look into the absolute best and worst that man's world has to offer. Ultimately it could set Steve up as some kind of advisor or teacher, or you could go with him working in medicine if that's where you start.

It's a very modern take, it'd establish Steve as a heroic and worthy partner in his own right, and it'd set an interesting precedent for a quietly contentious relationship between the military and Diana. Plus it's an arc that would work just as well without Steve as a love interest.

And yes, him being shorter than Diana is a given.

[Stanlos]

I really liked him in Rebirth under Rucka, but I could do without him as love interest. I did not mind that change from the 87 relaunch and I really liked how Etta and Steve were depicted as a couple

[Sebastianne]

I grew up with Steve as a father figure to Diana and partner to Etta.
I always hated Steve pre COIE, I never liked anything about him, especially his "angel" ****.
It is true that Rucka knew how to present the relationship between Diana and him almost perfectly, and the film represented him very well, something that I understand Cloonrad took and knows how to present in the current run.
But the truth is that I don't really care if he is there or not, and I prefer him to be more of a friend with whom Diana has sex than an established partner for her.
And I also think that as a spy he works well.
In terms of men for Diana I prefer Tom Tresser and of course Siggy, although I like Siggy with Steve too :P
I would like to see Diana in a relationship with a woman, a retired Amazon in the world of men; or with someone that we do not imagine, like Nightwing, I always imagined Diana with a taste for the youngest one.

[Shimbo]

Diana should hold a special and unique place for Steve in her heart, but I do not think of Diana as a monogamous/monoamorous individual. He could be her first Man's World love, but I'd like if he and Diana's connection was special and strong enough to accept that Diana will and does have other lovers, and that they do not infringe or take away from his importance to Diana, romantically, in friendship, and in superheroics. But that's just me. I know that may not sit well with most lol.

[D.Z]

Honestly give Steve powers, but not as much powerful as wonder woman.

[bardkeep]

Honestly give Steve powers, but not as much powerful as wonder woman.

Diana should hold a special and unique place for Steve in her heart, but I do not think of Diana as a monogamous/monoamorous individual. He could be her first Man's World love, but I'd like if he and Diana's connection was special and strong enough to accept that Diana will and does have other lovers, and that they do not infringe or take away from his importance to Diana, romantically, in friendship, and in superheroics. But that's just me. I know that may not sit well with most lol.

I don't think this is a particularly uncommon opinion, lol. Her creator was famously 1/3rd of a poly throuple and she was modeled after his wife who could recite Sapphic verse in ancient Greek. Doesn't seem like her settling down with a nice military man jives with that.

[Mel Dyer]

Willie Garvin in the Modesty Blaise newspaper comics is a good model for Diana and Steve (and in that order). Doc Savage's Fab Five is a good model for how they work with her supporting cast.

Of Modesty and Doc were running their own shops, while Steve, Etta and Siggy are working for ARGUS.

[phonogram12]

Needless to say, I was not a fan of either the Steve or Etta we got post-Crisis. Chris Pine was a freaking god send, imho.

While I love black ops-type stories, I'm not sure that would work with someone involved with Diana, who's all about truth. Maybe just straight up rescue-type missions? I also like the idea of making him a very capable soldier, but at the same time making him every bit as good in combat medicine. Most of all, though, as skilled as he is, he is not threatened by how much more skilled and powerful she is, which I think Pine in the first WW movie portrayed perfectly. He knew when something was beyond his capabilities and supported Diana when she took the wheel. I think besides his sense of humor, that's what I liked most about WW's version of Steve Trevor.

[D.Z]

I can't see wondy dating down with human Steve.

[Primal Slayer]

Needless to say, I was not a fan of either the Steve or Etta we got post-Crisis. Chris Pine was a freaking god send, imho.

While I love black ops-type stories, I'm not sure that would work with someone involved with Diana, who's all about truth. Maybe just straight up rescue-type missions? I also like the idea of making him a very capable soldier, but at the same time making him every bit as good in combat medicine. Most of all, though, as skilled as he is, he is not threatened by how much more skilled and powerful she is, which I think Pine in the first WW movie portrayed perfectly. He knew when something was beyond his capabilities and supported Diana when she took the wheel. I think besides his sense of humor, that's what I liked most about WW's version of Steve Trevor.

If Diana is fine with Superman and Batman having secret identities, I dont see why she'd be against black-ops. I think sometimes people take Diana and truth a little too far. The world revolves around lies, masks, etc..and it'd be something that Diana would learn about Mans World while trying to uphold who she is and accept others for what they do if its for the greater good.

[John Venus]

-I really like the whistleblower idea that bardkeep suggested. It gives Steve his own defining element.

Problem with Steve (and sometimes Etta even) is that he needs a function, a niche beyond just 'ideal love interest'. Lois Lane is a pulizer prize winning reporter, Catwoman is a world renown thief and Talia is the head of the League of Assassins. Steve is a pilot and sometimes a spy, true but it feels like any niche he could take is being overshadowed by someone else. Bad ass normal? The Bat Family and the GA Family has that cornered. Super spy? Nemesis, Sarge Steel, Amanda Waller and Spy Smasher has that got that covered. Pilot? Hal Jordan exists and is way more popular and you also got groups like the Blackhawks in universe with Zinda Blake still alive.
Out of that, I think I would focus on Steve as a pilot, flying an experimental craft which he uses to help Diana whilst also working as a spy/whistleblower.