After much anticipation, much box office projection, and much fretting over whether the movie’s quality would live up to longtime fans’ expectations for the first big screen outing of Diana of Themyscira, Wonder Woman is finally out in wide release for all to see and enjoy. Or not enjoy, that’s entirely up to you and your superhero preferences! But if you do head out this weekend to catch Diana’s solo big screen debut, there are some story beats that mean more in the grand scheme of the DC Expanded Comic Book Universe than they do just in the context of this standalone film.
Below, a few of the major moments that tie in to the rest of DC’s big screen plan. Beware of MILD SPOILERS if you have not yet seen the movie.
The Photo That Started It All
The only reason Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman has already been seen on screen in this iteration before is because of her visit to Metropolis in DC’s Batman v. Superman. The visit, which was enjoyable, was only precipitated because Diana was looking for a very specific piece of history that she had lost in the previous decades. That photograph is the one of her, Steve Trevor, and various comrades during a victorious moment of her Wonder Woman adventures. Although she previously got a copy of the picture back in BvS, the original picture is what she truly desires. The backstory adding color to her desire for the photo retroactively makes DC’s depressing rivalry movie a shade better.
The Specter of Bruce Wayne
Although Batman himself doesn’t fly into action during Wonder Woman (which is probably the best moment of restraint in keeping DC characters separate here), his security sure does. While she searched for it endlessly during BvS, Diana never did find the original photo copy that she so wanted. Fortunately, Bruce Wayne’s thirst over fellow superheroes (and superheroines) means that he will stop at nothing to give them everything their hearts desire. During Diana’s solo adventure, Wayne Security delivers her the photo via armed guard. Does that mean she’ll open her heart to Affleck’s Batman at some point? Who knows, but it’s a valiant gesture.
Various Themysciran Artifacts
One major piece of the warriors’ backstory is that Zeus created the Amazons to fight against Ares (God of War) on behalf of mankind, then hid them away on their island to train away from Ares and the pull of humans. What Diana learns, and the audience learns, while she is growing up is that the Themyscirans also have a few major artifacts hidden away on the island. Similar to the Deathly Hallows of Harry Potter lore, the artifacts are powerful and well protected. Some, like her lasso and sword, Diana already possesses by the time she fights in the wars of man in 1918. But others, like say one of the mystical “Mother Boxes,” are going to be the central issue of future films. Like, say, Justice League.