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This issue caused some debate amongst fans, unhappy once again to see the Amazons depicted as butchers and murderers like they were in the much maligned “Amazons Attack” mini-series.
As the penultimate chapter of the Finch’s first story arc, the finale would follow two months later in a special Wonder Woman Annual #1. This hiatus was in order to accommodate DC’s latest cross over event entitled “Convergence”, in which almost every incarnation and variant of characters from DC’s long publishing history converge into a single story line.
The outcome of Convergence would also have ramifications on many characters in the still young New 52 Universe – and for Diana would result in a brand new costume designed by David Finch himself which would debut in #41.
However, the first reveal of this new costume met with much controversy amongst fans and non fans alike – with many feeling this was DC’s clumsy and misjudged attempt at pandering to political correctness and bringing unnecessary and unwanted “real word” practicality to their books, forgetting that the whole purpose of comic book characters is to represent a fantasy world into which readers can escape to.
Synopsis
Wonder Woman and Donna draw swords and begin fighting each other in front of the watching Amazons. But Dessa arrives and demands to know what is happening. Derinoe replies that Donna represents the future of Themyscira and that Diana is no longer fit to be queen. But Diana retorts that she has only ever done what is best for the island.
Derinoe disagrees however and snarls that in fact Diana only does what is best for the men on the island. Many of the Amazons nod their heads in agreement and one of them asks Diana to prove her loyalty to her sisters.
Diana reluctantly agrees and Derinoe instructs her to return in two days to take part in the challenge.
A short while later Wonder Woman and Dessa are walking together on the beach discussing today’s events. Diana asks who is this girl that Derinoe wants to become queen? Dessa replies that apparently the young girl is a gift from the Goddess – a true Amazon born of clay and daughter to no man. Diana actually finds it amusing that they would hold someone like that so dear and yet they had teased her all her childhood for being “made of clay”.
Dessa continues to say that this will not be the end of the matter unless Diana intends to return to the island permanently, but Wonder Woman tells her that they both know that is not an option. “The answer has to come from my sisters. We have it in us to be great” she says.
Later Wonder Woman and Superman are flying to rendezvous with the rest of the Justice League at the caverns where the bug creatures live. On the way they see a school bus in trouble and as they casually save the occupants, they discuss the revelation that Hippolyta is now a part of the island – which Diana finds comforting – and the challenge that has been made to her to fight for the throne. She tells Kal that the Amazons are a warrior race and that she must demonstrate her strength for them to respect her.
As they finally arrive at the cavern they see their colleagues together with the creature they had taken prisoner, now nursed back to health after his bloody encounter with Wonder Woman.
Steel informs them that using the pheromones she secretes he has located the whereabouts of the Queen. Wonder Woman informs them that they will take things slowly this time to be sure they know what they are heading into – and to not make any mistakes this time like she had done previously.
She cautiously leads them inside and after a short while arrive at the chamber where the Queen is waiting for them. The Queen thanks them for bringing their comrade back unharmed but adds that they should not have taken him in the first place. Wonder Woman replies that the the loss of one soldier should seem a small price to pay for the thousands of lives they have taken.
But the Queen replies that they have taken nothing and instead have merely acted as nature intended. Wonder Woman asks if she is denying that they are responsible for the deaths and the Queen responds that the loss of live she would blame them for was in fact an act of God…or more preciselyWar God.
When Wonder Woman demands to know what she means by this statement, the Queen tells her that they had been awakened from hibernation when she had buried the First Born in the centre of the Earth. Even now they can feel the Earth shudder at the horror that is now locked within her depths.
As Wonder Woman opens her mouth in shock at this revelation the Queen adds “It appears we are not the only ones doing what is in our nature…”
Meanwhile back on the men’s camp on Themyscira they suddenly find themselves under attack from the Amazons lead by Donna Troy.
As the warrior women massacre the defenceless mean, Donna vows that they will cleanse this island once and for all!
