Wonder Woman #27

The Amazons have mixed reactions to the first man to set foot on Paradise Island since Heracles, Hermes pays a visit to the Kapatelis home, and Barbara Minerva schemes to destroy Diana.

It is morning on Paradise Island as the Amazons reflect what has happened to them for the past few months. For the first time, they allow mortals to walk on their land and Steve Trevor along with Etta Candy, Diana and Hippolyta are taking a stroll through their land. Diana translates for Steve and Hippolyta as he wishes to thank her for that they have done. Hippolyta replies that the healers were happy to help as they had never seen such injuries on the person. Steve then remarks how beautiful this island is and how he was to bomb it. Diana replies that it is truly okay and he has no need to pay a debt. Philippus joins in saying that she became angry because Diana had put Steve on the healing table and would have never considered him being Diana Trevor’s son but he clearly has Diana’s bravery running through him and for Philippus salutes him. Hippolyta adds that what they say are true from the heart because if it wasn’t for Steve and Etta, the Amazons survive once again and both of them embrace. Etta also gives her thanks, saying that this visit means so much to her. At first she was nervous at meeting Hippolyta, but she knew that Hippolyta would be the loving, rational and noble queen that Diana had described.

Philippus suggests that they go visit the Temple of Hades and Hippolyta agrees as she asks Steve if he would like to see his mother’s statue. The group make their way but Diana mounts her horse as she needs to talk with some people first and meet with Hellene, Iphthime and Oenone. Diana asks their opinions on Steve, and Hellene replies that they are impressed with Steve. However, even though they have an open mind, this is not easy on them at all. Diana replies that she doesn’t understand and Oenone says there is a great irony here. Diana is confused and Iphthime replies how the first two men to set foot on Paradise Island planned on destroying it and that they have also changed. With time, the Amazons forgave, but she reminds Diana that just because they apologise doesn’t mean they can start anew again.

In Boston, Barry Locatelli and Lucy Spears and they are having a talk. Barry reassures Lucy that Vanessa meant nothing to him and Lucy had also heard some stories, but she wasn’t sure who to believe. Barry explains that Vanessa had misunderstood him and Lucy asks him to explain what he meant when he said that his cousin wanted Wonder Woman’s autograph. He replies that Vanessa was very close to Wonder Woman and he asked if Vanessa could arrange it for him and reassures her once again that Lucy is the right person for him. Lucy apologises for doubting him and can understand why Vanessa would fret over him and maybe they should find a more private spot. She suggests the boys’ locker room as it’s empty and Barry leads her there. He pokes his head in to see if the coast is clear and as he steps inside, a bucket of paint falls over him and he sees Vanessa and his friends outside laughing at him. It turns out Lucy was in it all along and throws him a jacket, telling the “macho creep” to clean himself up. Vanessa then follows through with a kick to his shins and they all run outside leaving a humiliated Barry.

Meanwhile in California an army convoy is making their way through a desolated road but suddenly, many trees fall in their path. From the trees come gas grenades smoking the whole place up. Armed men from the trees show themselves and from the back of van they attempt to open it and find one officer who has not been knocked unconscious by the gas lifts up a gun but is shot down by a machine gun. Then, they turn their attention to the back of a truck and blow away the lock and inside, it looks like there are two high-tech coffins.

Back on the Themyscira, Steve and Etta stand before Diana Trevor’s statue. Etta tells Steve that she was a great mother and his father used to say Steve inherited his stubbornness and impatience and it took him a while to realise his father was paying him a compliment. He tries to hold back his tears and addresses the statue as he says "I just wanted to tell you...I understand now why you had to leave us that Christmas Eve. Why you had to pursue your dreams. Why you had to fly" and summarises his life. He has a happy job, happy life with great friends and adds that he will always love her. Outside, the Amazons wait for them and Steve compliments them on such a magnificent monument. Diana asks if they would like more time on Paradise Island, but Steve and Etta say that they have much to do but first there is something that he must say. He does the Amazonian salute and says “thank you” in Themyscirian and Hippolyta replies in English that the doors to Themyscira will always be open to him.

Afternoon in Boston, Julia is driving Vanessa home from school and Vanessa tells her mother about the prank they played on. Her mother does not approve of this payback but she adds that Barry must have looked embarrassed! They pull up to the house but see a truck with men taking furniture out of the truck. Julia and Vanessa enter the house and see Hermes floating in the air and he hopes that this is to their liking and they realise that they had all their furniture replaced just like it was before Decay had destroyed them. Julia asks why he has done this and he replies that this is peace offering. He also eased the work on the moving men and they were quite grateful. He hopes that Julia is just as grateful as they are.

Back in California, the high-tech coffins are being boarded on a plane and there, Chuma greets them. They are then handed a case of money from Chuma and he tells them to not bother counting the money as they would not be stupid enough to cheat mercenaries and the mercenaries reply that if they do, they will suffer the same fate as the gunned down officer. Chuma shudders as he replies that there were meant to be no casualties. Chuma is about to strike the lead mercenary but his mistress tells him to let go. He turns to Barbara Minerva and tells her about the officer that was gunned down, and that they should pay. She replies that there is no need to worry. They will pay soon enough. She then orders the pilot to open the coffins and inside is two Khunds in which Wonder Woman had captured. She then stands over the two aliens and starts waving a stick in front of them, telling them that she is offering a chance for them to avenge themselves against whoever killed them. She will help them, but only if they will obey her.

Back in Boston, Vanessa is overjoyed that her furniture is back in place and Julia looks puzzled. Hermes asks her if she is not pleased with this and she replies that she is pleased with this. It’s just that their last encounter wasn’t so nice. He apologises and says that even Gods have boundaries and assures her that he is not trying to buy his way out of it and he says that he may be a little extravagant in his buying as Vanessa upstairs yelps for joy as he she discovers her room has a surround sound system. Hermes says that if Julia does not approve he would be happy to remove it, but she replies that her daughter would never forgive her if she took if away! She then thanks Hermes and says that it is a very nice gesture but Julia notes how everything is exactly the same. He responds that he is a messenger, and that he is the god of communication and that he is excellent in reading people.

Later that night, the two Khunds are waiting in Martha’s Vineyard and are becoming impatient as they have been waiting for a while now. Both of them despise the arrogant Barbara Minerva, but she too hates Wonder Woman and they have a common goal. Once they have finished Wonder Woman, they will finish Minerva. Suddenly, there is a disturbance in the sky as a portal opens in the sky with Wonder Woman carrying Steve and Etta. The Khunds then aim their weapons and open fire but luckily, her reflexes save her and her two friends from being killed. She swoops down the trees and drops her friends off and Steve tells her that he recognises those weapons and Diana agrees saying that they are weapons of the Khunds. She tells them to get to safety. Meanwhile, the Khunds looks for their target as they tell each other that they haven’t seen someone react so fast to their fire. They then see a tree fall upon them and dive as the tree falls to the ground. The first Khund gets to his feet but is punched by Wonder Woman. He then raises his weapon to fire at her but again, she deflects with her bracelets. She then realises that the second Khund is no where to be found. He is has disappeared. Steve and Etta try and escape when suddenly the Khund pounces on them but the both of them evade his attack from their military training. With his momentum, they throw the Khund over their shoulder but manages to get Steve. Elsewhere, Wonder Woman is about to use her lasso on her Khund when he fires upon her but she protects herself just in time and she realises that she needs to end this quickly. She kicks the Khund and secures him as she sees another Khund behind her with Steve and Etta struggling to escape. He hurls them over the ridge and flies to grab her friends and taking them back to a safe spot. She returns to where the Khunds were to see that they have escaped. The two Khunds are put aboard on a plane. One of them is still tied up by and Chuma uses this as an advantage and asks what he intends to do once he is freed. The Khund replies that he will kill Minerva and the other Khund leaps up at Chuma but he hears a growl behind him.

Outside, Wonder Woman spots the helicopter and chases it. As she approaches it, she finds a missile ejected from it and without her lasso, she cannot tie it up, and prepares to use her bracelets. As the missiles draw closer, she realises that there are two Khunds with devices strapped to their chests and realise that they are to detonate before they hit her. She falls to the ground and Steve and Etta race to her and the Amazon tries to clear her head. She remembers that as the Khunds were making their way to her, they had been mauled, as if attacked by a savage animal… she then realises that who ever had escaped in the helicopter now has her lasso!