Wonder Woman – Volume 5 – 54

Synopsis

As Wonder Woman, Artemis and Atalanta approach the city in the invisible jet they see the Bana army is massed at the gates of the city ready for war. Atalanta is still unsure how her people will react to her but Diana reassures her that they will remember their former queen.

As they touch down in a quiet street they are spotted by some traders who, on seeing Atalanta, greet her warmly. They then notice Artemis has returned with her but then also see Wonder Woman and ask why the Themysciran is here. As Atalanta explains how Diana had rescued her some guards show up and escort them to the Queen’s chamber to stand before Queen Faruka.

She initially greets Atalanta warmly, saying how she is honoured to meet her and has heard much about her great deeds and how she lead the Banas. She too then enquires why Diana is by her side and Artemis explains how the Amazon Princess had assisted them both. Wonder Woman steps forward and in turn says it is an honour to meet the queen but then asks why the villain Rustam stands by her side, who she had immediately noticed on their arrival.

He tells her how, after his attempt on Amanda Waller’s life he had been “killed”. His corpse was sent back to Qurac where he was revived and experimented on, with the intent on turning him into an obedient slave that they could use as their own weapon. But he had managed to escape and had been taken in by the Banas. He had told Faruka how Qurac now no longer tolerated the Banas being within its borders and she realised that she and Rustam had a mutual enemy that they both needed to deal with.

Atalanta is horrified to hear they and tries to reason that the Bana had given up their warlike ways and that making an unproved attack is not the best course of action. But Queen Faruka icily replies that this is not the same Bana-Mighdall she once ruled. As Wonder Woman steps forward to add to Atalanta’s words that this is not the way forward Rustam attacks and sends her crashing through the wall and out across the city. As Atalanta tries to stop him she is shot and wounded by Faruka. The Queen then tells the stunned Artemis that Atalanta had challenged Bana-Mighdall with outdated ideals and that now is the time for Artemis to embrace her heritage and fight with her Bana sisters.

Artemis joins the waiting army while Atalanta is locked away in a cell. Meanwhile Wonder Woman recovers and races back to the palace, dealing with the guards that confront her before reaching Atalanta’s cell. But the queen says that freeing her will not be the best course and that she needs her own people to demand her release if she is to challenge Faruka’s rule. Wonder Woman reluctantly agrees before racing to find Faruka.

She binds her in the lasso as the queen tells her to call off the war but Faruka says that the Qurac army is now at the city gates. Diana says that only because the Banas had incited them to do so. She adds that Wonder Woman has no right to interfere but the Amazon Princess replies that she knows Rustam and that he is only interested in himself. Once Qurac is defeated he will then turn his attention on Bana-Mighdall and topple their city too. Faruka responds that she is not stupid and knows what the man is, and that once he has helped her achieve a Bana-Mighdall state she will kill him herself.

Wonder Woman tells her that she dishonours the Banas and the legacy Atalanta had left them and as Faruka tells her it is too late to stop the battle Diana flies off to intervene.

At the head of the army Artemis leads the charge alongside Rustam but as the fight begins Wonder Woman suddenly drops down between the two armies and confronts Artemis.

She says “Sometimes sisters must fight”.