[Editor’s note: The following post contains spoilers for “Wonder Woman 1984.”]
During this summer’s inaugural DC FanDome event, the “Wonder Woman 1984” panel hosted a number of usual suspects, including director Patty Jenkins and stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Kristen Wiig, and Pedro Pascal, along with a pretty notable super-fan: original Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, whose presence was greeted by giddy admiration by Jenkins and her cadre of stars. So, is it really so shocking that Carter, who has both carried the Wonder Woman torch and so happily stumped for its latest on-screen incarnation has now popped up in Jenkins’ first sequel?
Well, maybe it’s a little bit of a shock. After all, Jenkins didn’t include one in her first “Wonder Woman” feature, a major break from not just the rest of the DC Extended Universe, but also the entire current crop of superhero-centric features, which all seem to feature multiple mid- and post-credits scene rife with important information and winking in-jokes for its audience.
In 2017, when Jenkins eschewed the now-expected post-credits scene, she told HelloGiggles that she was “personally not a huge fan of them.” The filmmaker added, “The end of a film is the exclamation mark I have worked hard for, and I don’t want to cut to a commercial for a next film there. But, I would have been open to it if it flowed. In this case, it just didn’t feel right. This is a standalone film. It’s not a chapter in something else ‘next’ and I thought jumping to some momentous flash in the future would be jarring to the mood I’d worked so hard to get to.”
In the case of “Wonder Woman 1984,” it clearly did feel right, serving as more of an exclamation mark (or perhaps a winky-face emoji?) rather than a pure “commercial” for the next outing (though, that could certainly be the case…).
In Jenkins’ latest film, Gadot’s Diana Prince eventually dons a sparkling golden suit of armor to fend off her newest enemies in the film’s final big battle — a suit she’s already explained to her resurrected paramour Steve Trevor (Pine) as belonging to another incredible Amazon warrior, Asteria. In Diana’s world, Asteria was the bravest of the Amazons, and when the warriors were forced into a battle with mankind, it was Asteria who stayed behind in her wondrous be-winged suit to hold them off while her sistren fled to the island of Themyscira. She has never been forgotten, however, and every year, the Amazons hold their annual games in her honor.
Warner Bros. / screencap
Asteria — and her suit (check it out above) — were left behind with mankind, and Diana spent years searching for both (eventually finding the suit, with no trace of Asteria to be found). Perhaps, however, she’s been there all along. In a throwback to the film’s second opening sequence, which saw Diana saving everyday people from somewhat wacky (if still dangerous) mishaps, the mid-credits scene finds a mysterious (and clearly, quite talented) woman saving some everyday citizens from a falling pole. But while we’ve seen Diana do this before, this time around, it’s another Amazon behind the help: Asteria, as played by Carter.
After Carter-as-Asteria saves the innocent, silly humans from said pole, the beloved actress then turns to the camera, and confirms she’s Asteria and “she’s been doing this for a long time.” Cue literal wink. It’s a cute moment, and one that might also signal more Asteria (and more Carter!) to come in what seems like the inevitable third “Wonder Woman” film. Is the world ready for two Wonder Women? Hell yes, now more than ever.
“Wonder Woman 1984” is currently in select theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
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