the1luckyduck

[the1luckyduck]

The True Hero of Wonder Woman

After a few misfires with movies like Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman, and Suicide Squad, the DCEU needed Wonder Woman to succeed at the box office. Was it really realistic to expect Wonder Woman to succeed where Superman and Batman had seemed to fail? Fair or not, Wonder Woman did have unprecedented success. It became the top grossing movie directed by a woman. Patty Jenkins, the director, was rewarded with a raise, making her the highest paid female director. Gal Gadot was a star and looks to continue to dominate in Justice League and the her very own sequel. Wonder Woman indeed! And yet hidden in the script, was a secret. Wonder Woman, Princess of Themyscira, Daughter of Hippolyta, was not the hero of her own movie.

I know there must be a lot of disbelief at this statement for those of you that have watched the movie over and over. Young women, do not throw away your Amazonian bracelets. Young men, do not take off your tiaras. Lasso me with the Lasso of Hestia and I promise to tell you the truth. The hero of Wonder Woman was... Sir Patrick Morgan.

Before you rush to check the cast of characters, Sir Patrick Morgan was Ares. Yes, as in the villain of the film Ares. Leave me with this truth telling lasso wrapped around me. I can explain. Ares has the same problem in this film that Thanos, the mad titan from the Marvel Universe, has shown in comics numerous times: he wants to lose. While the motivations for Ares to try to lose are unclear, the results are not. Sir Patrick's actions were continually destructive until (SPOILER ALERT) he was destroyed.

Let's take a look at Ares' original plan which would lead to the total destruction of man.

Part 1: Start a great war

Part 2: Feed war ideas to the losing side to increase the violence and prolong the war

Part 3: Negotiate a cease fire between Germany and England

Part 4: Have Germany immediately break the treaty by bombing London with several gas bombs, killing thousands and reigniting the war

However, Steve Trevor, a spy, was behind enemy lines and discovered the ideas that Ares had been feeding General Ludendorff and Dr. Poison. Armed with the proof provided in Dr. Poison's notebook, he narrowly escaped and fled towards the Allied forces. Pursued by the German forces, Steve Trevor crashes near Themyscira. Then after a battle, a costume change, a boat ride, and another costume change, Steve Trevor and Diana "Prince" find themselves sharing the journal with a war council in England. Sir Patrick was forced to modify his plan. 

Ares' Modified Plan

Part 1: Start a great war

Part 2: Feed war ideas to the losing side to increase the violence and prolong the war

Part 3: Attack Steve and Diana with German spies

Part 4: Negotiate a cease fire between Germany and England

Part 5: Fund Steve and Diana's mission to find Aries and stop General Ludendorff

Part 6: Upon learning that Steve Trevor successfully locates General Ludendorff, Sir Patrick tells Steve to stand down, but Steve gives every indication that he will not stop. Ares/Sir Patrick does nothing

Part 7: Using the information Steve and his company obtain, Wonder Woman attacks the secret base. Upon killing the General, Wonder Woman believes that perhaps Ares is not real. She refuses to participate further

Part 8: Allow the plane to take off and the gas to destroy London.

Now some of you might have noticed that at this point in the story Ares has won. Wonder Woman is dis-illisioned with men. Steve Trevor is sitting on the airfield in Europe powerless to stop the plane and probably going to die in a failed attempt to stop it. The war will continue. Just as all hope is lost it's Sir Patrick to the rescue!

How Ares saved the day 

Part 1: Ares reveals himself

Part 2: Following the destruction of the "Godkiller", Ares explains to Diana that she was created for the purpose of defeating him and that he was the evil force that she had suspected from the very beginning of the story.

Part 3: Ares creates a distraction by attacking Wonder Woman. Steve Trevor uses the distraction to enter the plane and destroy it before London is bombed

Part 4:Ares then, during the battle with Wonder Woman, provides her the power (literally giving her the energy) that she redirects and uses to kill him.

By my count Ares does six things that either undermine or contradict his plan. Including three major ones by providing Diana with means, motive and opportunity for her to kill him. Perhaps he grew tired of living among the men he had grown to hate, perhaps he wanted to atone for his sins, perhaps he was distracted by having a new player on the board.

All I know is that if Ares hadn't intervened, Diana would have spent the second half of the movie cooing at babies and complimenting ice cream vendors until London was destroyed by the bombs that she would have been largely powerless to stop. 

#Wonder Woman #Thanos #DC Comics #DCEU #Movie Theory #Batman #Superman #Batman V. Superman