Wonder Woman’s iconic DC Animated Universe iteration was improved by one episode ofJustice League Unlimited. The DCAU includes definitive versions of many DC Comics characters, with Susan Eisenberg’s iteration of Diana Prince arguably equaling those of Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot’s version of Wonder Woman inthe DCEU timeline. Perhaps the only flaw in the DCAU’s Wonder Woman, however, is that she is initially portrayed as being less powerful than she should be, considering the feats of herDCcomic counterpart.
Since her creation by William Moulton Marston and H. G. Peter in 1941, Wonder Woman was intended to be equal to Superman in raw strength, making her one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. While the comics have not always portrayed this consistently, Wonder Woman’s feats do often reflect this level of strength. Inthe DCAU, Wonder Woman is certainly one of the Justice League’s strongest heroes, but is clearly not at the same level as Superman - at least, at first.
Hippolyta Unlocked Wonder Woman’s Full Power In Justice League Unlimited
InJustice League, Wonder Woman is unable to defeat Aquaman in “The Terror Beyond,” while Superman knocks him out with a single punch. A similar situation occurs in “Hereafter,” in whichKalibak handily defeats Wonder Woman before Superman incapacitates him with a single strike. The issue continues in theJustice League Unlimitedepisode “For the Man Wo Has Everything,” with Superman faring far better than Wonder Woman against Mongol, but the season 2 episode “The Balance” finally mitigates it.
Despite her initial depiction, Wonder Woman is demonstrably strong and skilled enough to potentially defeat Superman before her full powers are unlocked, as shown in theJustice League“Paradise Lost” arc.
Upon visiting Themyscira on a mission for Zeus in “The Balance,” Diana learns that her powers had been limited all along. To assist her daughter in her fight against Felix Faust,Hippolyta unlocks Wonder Woman’s full power, even granting her additional abilities, like her Lasso’s truth enchantment. From this point on, the DCAU’s Wonder Woman is shown to be as strong as her comic counterpart.
Wonder Woman Is Superman’s DCAU Equal Once Her Full Power Was Unlocked
For the remainder of her appearances inJustice League UnlimitedandJustice League vs. the Fatal Five,Wonder Woman is depicted as easily equaling Superman in raw strength. This is especially evident in the finale of the Cadmus story arc, in which the core Justice League members battle a Lex Luthor/Brainiac hybrid and doppelgängers of themselves. Wonder Woman battles and defeats a Superman android with the same abilities as the real Superman, while Clark similarly defeats a Wonder Woman android with Diana’s abilities.
