Amazons Attack! – 4

Synopsis

Wonder Woman and Hippolyta confront each other and Diana asks if her mother is really prepared to kill her own daughter in order to win. In turn, the Amazon Queen asks whether Diana is prepared to become a martyr for a dying Empire? Before Wonder Woman can respond however she finds herself whisked away by Superman. An enraged Diana orders him to put her down and reminds him that she is fully capable of tearing herself free if necessary. He replies that they have more important things to focus on…

Elsewhere, 30,000 feet over Wisconsin, Wonder girl confronts the pilots of Air Force One. She orders them to land or else she and Supergirl will bring it down for them! Kara tells Cassie that the pilots probably cannot even hear what she is saying and a frustrated Wonder girl asks what she is supposed to do then? As they speak, one of the accompanying fighter jets sees its opportunity and launches a missile at Wonder girl. She is struck and plummets earthwards while on board Air Force One, the president is informed of the direct hit. “One down one to go” he responds.

But suddenly the floor rips apart as an enraged Cassie tears up through the the cabin! As the plane begins to buck and lurch having lost cabin pressure, Wonder girl tells the President that they do not want to hurt anybody and just want him to meet for face to face talks with Hippolyta. The only reason why the plane is not crashing but is instead being lowered to a safer altitude is because of Supergirl, but if he refuses Cassie’s demands they may not be so helpful! A reluctant President agrees to meet the Amazons, stating that America is what matters and that it can defend itself without him no matter what the threat.

Meanwhile back in Washington D.C. Batman is telling Black Canary, Mr. Terrific, Black Lightning and Wildcat how Oracle is currently listening to cell traffic, looking for pockets of suspicious chatter. Black Lightning asks Batman if the Amazons are not responsible for the attacks around the rest of country then who is?

Just then Wonder Woman and Superman touch down. Batman sarcastically apologises for pulling her away from resolving family matters but there are important matters that need addressing. Diana asks if it was more important than stopping the war as she had had a chance of doing just that. “By having your throat slashed? Interesting tactic” he replies. He continues that even if her plan had somehow worked it would only have stopped the Amazons. He then goes on to explain that there is a rogue group behind the terrorist strikes. Despite what Hippolyta may say, the Amazons have never left Washington. Someone else is helping their war effort. Someone who embraces modern technology instead of spears.

A look of realisation spreads across Diana’s face and she tells them that it must be the Bana-Mighdall Amazons! A puzzled Superman says that he thought that tribe had joined the other Amazons several years ago? Wonder Woman replies that most of them did, but that there was a more militant sect within the Bana who held on to their anger over being exiled and refused to return home to Themyscira. The two Amazon tribes have fought each other many times over the years. If they have joined the war it is certainly not about aiding the Amazons. They must have their own agenda.

Just then Oracle alerts the group that she has picked up indications of another imminent terrorist strike in Gotham. The Caped Crusader prepares to set off immediately to the city but Wonder Woman holds him back by the shoulder. She says that they are in the middle of a war which he had prevented her from stopping…but Gotham is threatened and he thinks he can just leave? “Delegate it! Your responsibility is here” she states firmly. Batman brushes away her hand and replies that he knows someone who can infiltrate the terrorist group in Gotham but it is a request he will have to make in person. He then reminds her that there is still a nuclear missile about to be launched at Themyscira and that Tom Tresser needs her to retrieve the anti-dote from Paradise Island and save his life.

Meanwhile aboard Air Force One the pilots suddenly find themselves surrounded by Amazons on flying horses and one of the warriors hurls a spear into the chest of the pilot. As the fighter jets move to attack they too are brought down. Inside the plane Cassie watches the carnage in horror and murmurs “No..this wasn’t supposed to happen…”. Suddenly the plane lurches again as one of the Amazons hurls her spear into the engines, causing them to explode. Air Force One begins to hurtle downwards as Supergirl struggles vainly to right it. She manages to at least slow its speed as it finally hits the ground hard and slides to a halt in a field…

In Washington Grace Choi is battling Amazons, unaware that she is being watched. As she disposes of the last warrior she hears her name called and turns to see a black Amazon standing there, dressed differently to the other felled warriors lying on the floor around Grace. “We are the Bana. Like yourself we are elite warriors. And like you we hate the Amazons.” Grace is invited to join with them but she responds by kicking the black Amazon to the ground. Even more impressed than she was before by the girl’s skills, the Amazon introduces herself as Karna, the deadliest of the Bana and their leader. And although Grace might be able to best her in combat she cannot take on the rest. With that she gestures around them and Grace sees that a dozen fierce looking Bana Amazons have surrounded her. Karna continues “Now, about that offer I mentioned. I think you will find it very interesting…”

Across the capital Red Arrow finds himself under attack from an Amazon lion but his arrows are not stopping the beast. Suddenly Superman appears and disposes of the creature. As a grateful Red Arrow thanks him Superman hears over his com link that Air Force One has crashed. He zooms off into the sky.

In Wisconsin Cassie instructs Kara to fly the injured President to safety while she takes on the Amazons. But Supergirl replies that his wounds are too bad and he will not survive the flight. A frustrated Wonder girl suggests instead that she perhaps helps fight off their attackers. Supergirl responds that this is all their fault and Wonder girl acknowledges the fact but tells her friend to stop whining, use her heat vision to cauterise the wound, before helping her fight off their attackers!

As the two girls find themselves in a fight to the death with the deadly Amazons Superman appears from nowhere and lands in between the two warring parties. He orders the Amazons to stop, asking what has happened to them? The Amazons he knew stood for peace and compassion, for wisdom and restraint. While the rest of humanity was still digging itself out of the mud, the Amazons were building one of the world’s great civilisations. But now…

“I don’t know what happened. What made you do this, ” he continues, “maybe it’s magic or mind control. Or maybe its just centuries of pent up rage finally exploding. But it isn’t you. you’re better than this. I know it. You know it. Now prove it. Prove it to everyone. Prove it to yourselves. Washington may still be in flames and their armies back east are killing each other but here, alone, they can do something great. They can prove that war is not the only way.

The Amazons lower their weapons and he can see his words have gotten through but before he can say another word soldiers emerge from the trees and mow opening fire, mow down the Amazons where they stand. A stunned Superman asks the captain “What have you done?” and is told “What we were trained to do”. Superman is then told that the medevac is on its way and that they can handle things from here. The Captain then suggests the heroes return to the battlefield where they are needed.

Back at the Amazon HQ at the Smithsonian Institute, Hippolyta is informed by Artemis and Philippus that there has been no word from the troops sent to seize the President. Hippolyta responds that the Amazon’s success could rest on this one mission. If only the Gods would favour them with some indication…some sign.

Just then they see a wounded, rider less winged horse approach and it crashes to the ground before them. Artemis tends to the animal and tells the Queen that the steed had belonged to Helene, one of their most able field commanders. Hippolyta sees the Amazon’s mounting casualties as a sign that she has been wrong. She tells Artemis and Philippus that though Athena spurned her plea for aid, she had thought their mission was still divinely guided. She had thought the Gods were with them. But it is clear they have been abandoned.

Suddenly the sky lights up across the city and the Amazons look up in wonder. “Maybe this is the sign I was looking for” murmurs Hippolyta. A huge energy shield arcs across the city, enclosing it both above and below ground and sealing much of central D.C. off. An overjoyed Hippolyta tells Artemis that she had been wrong and that the Gods have not forsaken them after all! Clearly they are going to help the Amazons achieve victory!

Hiding in the shadows unseen, the figure of Circe, presumed dead, watches them. “Yes..clearly.” she murmurs smiling slyly…