Five Developments from WONDER WOMAN #35

As many of you know, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's run on WONDER WOMAN came to an end this week with issue #35. Because it was the last issue, there were a ton of shake-ups and things were wrapped up pretty well before David and Meredith Finch take over with issue #36. Let's chat about a few of the things that happened during the course of this issue.

Warning: There are spoilers from the issue below.

Minotaur shows mercy to Diana

During the battle, Wonder Woman is bested by First Born and he orders Minotaur, whom he calls "Less-than-a-man," to finish off the job and kill his sister. Minotaur remembers the time before when Diana showed him mercy and he decides to not kill her off. This is not something you'd expect from a beast as powerful and ruthless as Minotaur. But against his master's wishes, he shows there is some humanity left within him. It's a great turn for the character, one who became visually unsettling in the past year and had a brutish nature to match. It all seemed to be going well for Minotaur until this happened.

First Born unmasks Minotaur

Because of Minotaur's decision not to finish off Wonder Woman, First Born punishes Minotaur with full-fledged brutality. What results is Minotaur being unmasked and revealing a less-than-human face. The S&M revamp of the character, halfway through the run, led a lot of people to believe that this version of Minotaur had become more man than beast. After all was said and done, First Born ended Minotaur's life for disobeying him. It's an emotional moment for readers as a villain makes a turn for the better, only to be struck down moments later.

Zeke takes the throne

As legend states, Zeke, the son of mortal Zola and the god Zeus, is meant to take down a god and take over the Olympian Throne. Zeke has gone through a lot in this run and people have been fighting to the death for him. Here, his mother, Zola, takes him to the throne and sits him down. Lightning strikes and the prophecy has come true, almost. It seems as though there's something even bigger going on here. Zeke may be the son of a god, but he still has mortal blood, right? What makes him worthy of the throne? Don't worry that question will be answered soon, but first, something big happens.

First Born meets his demise

Once Zeke takes the throne, lightning strikes the area where First Born and Wonder Woman are fighting. They both start falling into the pit which will take them to the bowels of the universe. Wonder Woman seemingly offers her hand to First Born to save him. He grabs her hand, but Wonder Woman tosses him into the pit, leaving him to fall to his demise, for now. Wonder Woman flies back to safety. It was another point where it seemed like a villain could make a turn for the better, but First Born cannot be trusted. He's a monster and a murderer. He's killed many, including Apollo and cannot be trusted. It seems like the Amazon's greatest threat is defeated.

Athena was inside of Zola

After all is said and done, First Born is defeated and Zeke has taken the throne. However, Zola reveals that she is actually Athena, and twenty years prior, she was born into Zola's body and been in a state of hibernation and Zeus is actually inside of Zeke. Zeus may have wanted a chance to be different or maybe he thought this would all be amusing. Zeus once gave birth to Athena and in turn, Athena gave birth to Zeus. The proper king is back on the throne. Athena releases herself from Zola, turns into an owl, and flies away.

What did you all think about the finale of WONDER WOMAN? What moment was the most shocking?

Oh Christ.................I knew it Zeke was Zeus!!!1

Wait, are you saying that Athena reincarnates into Zola, who Zeus, her father, proceeds to impregnate with Zeke who turns out to be Zeus also reincarnated? So Zeus impregnated his daughter with himself?

What?

Yes.

@inferiorego: Even for Greek mythology that's pretty...standard I guess. Never mind, my surprise was unwarranted

It's a lot to take in. It took me a while to wrap my head around it to.

I want an omnibus of this run

What an awesome end to an awesome run! The Azarello/Chiang Wonder Woman run will go down as okne of my favorite comics of all time, and as one of the best Wonder Woman stories of all time. Its going to be sorely missed.

I loved this issue and the whole run of Wonder Woman. It's just a shame to see Azarello and Chang leave. I just hope that David and Meredith Fitch can live up to their run for they have big shoes to fill.

Well, I had hoped First Born would be obliterated at the mythologically atomic level, but ... :)

The Halloween variant cover is so badass.

This series I regret not going monthly on. *sigh* Still on volume 3 and too broke to get the rest

thank you Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang for an amazing run on wonder woman

@blackarmor said:

Sounds about right with the greek gods.

@judasnixon said:

@matchesmalone21 said:

Oh Christ.................I knew it Zeke was Zeus!!!1

pretty much everyone echo what strife said lol p.s i love strife

I love the way you came to terms with that in the space of 5 minutes and 3 posts. But yeah, it's not surprising for Greek mythology. Still pretty cool to see in a comic though. Never would've thought they'd have the guts to do it what with all the weird, controversial conclusions that could be drawn.

I don't like wonder woman anymore than the next guy, but I kind of want to read the this run.

First born just sounds awesome.

Wait are you telling me that not only is Zeke his own father but he is his own grandfather as well?!!?

@jayc1324: this guy loves Wonder Woman, speak for yourself.

@superguy1591: ...

After it sunk in that we were talking about Zeus I realized that this really probably isn't in the top 10 most messed up things he's done so it was really easy to get over.

Indeed one must remember that Hera is Zeus's Sister/wife and Persephone is Hades neice which he brought to the underworld and made her his wife.

I loved the emotional pull of this issue, seeing Diana cry was a powerful moment. And is it bad that I'm already anticipating the return of the First Born? He's such an awesome villain!

And then there's the whole swan sex, cow sex thing. Oh Zeus, you sexually deviant... person? god? Being?

The Greek Gods are starting to remind me of the Guardians of Oa, being all morally ambiguous.

I am really going to miss wonder woman :(

Yo that's pretty hot.

Well we saw that coming lol. Still does this mean that anthena will keep the zola look? because i would prefer it over her pokemon look in secret origins.

@primebonnick: I wouldn't expect Zola to change into Athena now and again. The ending implied that Athena pulled herself out of Zola, seperating the human from the god.

Likewise, I dont expect an endlessly long wait before Zeus appears as a fully grown man. Partly because I think the temptation to use him is too great for writers to leave him, and partly because we've already seen Hades speed up time.

I'm spoiled and it makes me crazy

This made me laugh (Though it is completely true).

Nice

What a fantastic run........easily my favourite run of Wonder Woman. I've read very little of WW (2006 - 2008), but still!!!

Is it too late to call "I knew Zeke was Zeus?" I never thought that my guess from early on (Vol.1-2) would end up being true. All the "Zeus has just plainly left Olympus" was a great wink, which is what lead me to believe Zeke is Zeus, bravo Brian and Cliff.

Loved this run. The best (and longest) story ark the new 52 has offered and I will definitley be rereading in hardcover once all are available.

@outside_85: honestly i hope they change the design for the Olympians some of them are just awful.

fantastic comic. Not only the best Wonder Woman story I've read from the first issue to here, but one of my favorite runs of all time.

@primebonnick: I hope they dont. I do hope that some of the deceased ones return in one form or another.

@outside_85: man i don't why so many people like their new designs but hey matter of beauty in the eye of the beholder i guess lol. I think they will apollo did come back in future's end if i recall.

@primebonnick: It's not so much about them being 'beutiful'. I find them far more intersting to look at, they are unique now, not just another knock-off of classical paintings, 300 or something similar.

@outside_85: i see nothing wrong with that, but it's just not for me i guess.

This. Theyre all awful.

Best New 52 run in terms of consistency.

Yup it's messed up.

This series has been my favorite series of the entire new 52, the whole run has been amazing. Brian portrayed Diana in a great way, like, she is all about peace, but when the line has been crossed, she cannot keep her rage back. This whole story arc has been amazing to be honest and definetly my favorite series of the new 52.

All good things must come to an end.

The art looks great and to be fair the final issue was a nice way to wrap things up, in Greek Mythology style. Loved it.

Me, too.

What about Diana finally aknowledging all aspects of herself and realizing who she really is?

Probably not going to mesh well with the new team that's taken over. Best we put that aside.

Just gonna leave this here...