There’s not much we can do but wait for Wonder Woman 1984 to come out when it’s finally safe again, but instead of just sitting around moping, why don’t we dive into that sweet, sweet golden armor, and talk about where it came from in the comics?
Diana’s slick and sleek new outfit isn’t just for show—it’s actually pretty functional. But before you wonder why someone who could stride into No Man’s Land with no fear need armor anyway, let’s first take a look at the golden armor’s first appearance in the source material.
In 1996’s Kingdom Come from Alex Ross and Mark Waid, the normally peace-loving Themysciran dons the armor to shed her diplomacy and adapt a more head-on all-out war approach to the worldwide problem at the time—which was a violent and volatile faction of younger metahumans with a radically different view of heroism. Supes, being ever the Boy Scout, wanted a more peaceful approach, but Diana had had enough. She busts out her new suit plus a sword made by Hephaestus to declare that she means business. “I expect to be a soldier,” she tells Superman. “Not all of us have heat vision.”
The golden armor definitely became a symbol of war, and it started getting written into storylines where Diana needed to bring on the pain. It also featured in 1999’s Wonder Woman #144 as well as in 2001’s Our Worlds at War and so on.
Of course, in the comics, she didn’t really need to get de-powered to wear the suit—it was simply a means to show that she was packing heat. But in the movie, we’re actually led to believe that she might be wearing the armor as a necessity and not just because she needs some bling.
In Wonder Woman 1984, the plot mainly revolves around wishes and trade-offs, of what you’re willing to give up and sacrifice for the things you really want in life. It’s a classic “be careful what you wish for” kind of thing, and it’s very possible that in order to get Steve Trevor back, Diana actually wishes him into her life in exchange for her powers.
In the final battle, it’s likely that Barbara Minerva/Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) will prove too much for Diana, prompting her to don the golden armor to compensate for getting weaker. It’s all just fan speculation, of course, but the trailers do seem to lead to these conclusions—at least, for now.
“In the light it’s always liquid, moving,” costume designer Lindy Hemming tells EW. “There’s a feeling of non-flatness…Because in the comics, she does fight her mightiest battles in the golden suit.” Regardless of what the golden armor does in the movie, one thing’s for sure—it looks hella cool.
What do YOU think the gold suit is for? Do you have your own theories as to why Diana needs to wear it in the final fight against Cheetah? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
